ESTES, WALTER "O" II
Remains Returned 30 September 1977
Name: Walter O Estes II
Rank/Branch: O2/US Navy Reserves
Unit: Fighter Squadron 151, USS CORAL SEA (CVA 43)
Date of Birth: 10 June 1939
Home City of Record: Williamston MI
Date of Loss: 19 November 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 204359N 1063857E (XH683896)
Status (in 1973): Prisoner of War
Category: 1
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B
Refno: 0919
Other Personnel in Incident: Claude D. Clower (released POW); on another F4
in same flight: Theodore G. Stier (released POW); James E. Teague (killed in
captivity)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 May 1990 from one or more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence
with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK 1998.
REMARKS: 770930 REMS RETD BY SRV
SYNOPSIS: The USS CORAL SEA participated in combat action against the
Communists as early as August 1964. Aircraft from her squadrons flew in the
first U.S. Navy strikes in the Rolling Thunder Program against targets in
North Vietnam in early 1965 and participated in Flaming Dart I strikes. The
next year, reconnaissance aircraft from her decks returned with the first
photography of Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) sites in North Vietnam. The A1
Skyraider fighter aircraft was retired from the USS CORAL SEA in 1968. The
CORAL SEA participated in Operation Eagle Pull in 1975, evacuating American
personnel from beleaguered Saigon, and remained on station to assist the
crew of the MAYAGUEZ, which was captured by Cambodian forces in 1975. The
attack carriers USS CORAL SEA, USS HANCOCK and USS RANGER formed Task Force
77, the carrier striking force of the U.S. Seventh Fleet in the Western
Pacific.
The F4 Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served a
multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and
electronic surveillance. The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2),
and had a long range (900 - 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission
type). The F4 was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and
high altitudes. The F4 was selected for a number of state-of-the-art
electronics conversions, which improved radar intercept and computer bombing
capabilities enormously. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest"
planes around.
LTJG James E. Teague and LTCDR Claude D. Clower were F4 pilots assigned to
Fighter Squadron 151 onboard the USS CORAL SEA. On November 19, 1967, the
two were launched in F4B Phantom aircraft with their Radar Intercept
Officers (RIO) on a mission near Haiphong, North Vietnam. Teague's RIO was
LTJG Theodore G. Stier, and Clower's RIO was LTJG Walter O Estes. Clower and
Estes were aboard the lead aircraft in the flight section of two aircraft.
They were assigned to protect a strike group being launched from the USS
INTREPID.
Teague and Clower proceeded to the assigned target, and while over the
target they were attacked by enemy MiG aircraft. Both aircraft were shot
down. Teague's aircraft was hit first. He began an immediate course change
towards the coast. His aircraft was intact except for small fires burning
around the radome and air conditioning. LTJG Stier was seen to eject, but
Clower did not see another parachute and did not notice if the front canopy
was still on the aircraft. (NOTE: The ejection sequence on the F4 is for the
rear seater to eject first, followed by the pilot in the front.)
All four crewmen were initially placed in Missing in Action casualty status.
Radio Hanoi broadcasts and other information led the Navy to believe that
all four crewmen had survived their shootdown and were captured by the North
Vietnamese. The Vietnamese released the identification cards of Estes, Stier
and Teague. The status of the four was changed to Prisoner of War.
In the spring of 1973, 591 Americans were released in Operation Homecoming
from prisons in and around Hanoi. Stier and Clower were among those
released. During the years of their captivity, Stier had been advanced in
rank to Lieutenant and Clower to the rank of Commander. Estes and Teague had
also been advanced in rank; Estes to Lieutenant Commander and Teague to
Lieutenant. Estes and Teague were not returned in 1973. They were among a
group of hundreds of Americans who were known or suspected to be held
prisoner who were not released at the end of the war. In this case, the
Vietnamese acknowledged the capture of Stier and Clower and denied knowledge
of Estes and Teague, even though an AP wire photo originated by the Vietnam
News Agency (North Vietnam) clearly showed their ID cards with the caption
that they were "captured in Haiphong."
In late September 1970, the remains of James E. Teague and Walter O Estes
II were returned by the Vietnamese to U.S. control. For 10 years, dead or
alive, they had been held prisoner.
For 10 years, the Vietnamese denied knowledge of the fates of Teague and
Estes, even though there was evidence that the two had been captured.
Disturbing testimony was given to Congress in 1980 that the Vietnamese
"stockpiled" the remains of Americans to return at politically advantageous
times. Did Estes and Teague wait, in a casket, for just such a moment?
Even more disturbing are the nearly 10,000 reports received by the U.S.
relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia. Many authorities who have
examined this information (largely classified), have reluctantly come to the
conclusion that many Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. Were Estes
and Teague alive in captivity after hostilities between the U.S. and Vietnam
ceased?
Perhaps the most compelling questions when remains are returned are, "Is it
really who they say it is?", and "How -- and when -- did he die?" As long as
reports continue to be received which indicate Americans are still alive in
Indochina, we can only regard the return of remains as a politically
expedient way to show "progress" on accounting for American POW/MIAs. As
long as reports continue to be received, we must wonder how many are alive.
As long as even one American remains alive, held against his will, we must
do everything possible to bring him home -- alive.
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