OFFICIAL STATUS: CAPTURED

CASE SUMMARY: SEE ATTACHED

RATIONALE FOR SELECTION: The radar intercept officer of the aircraft survived the incident was captured, and was released in 1973. A Havana television broadcast showed a picture of LTJG Teague's identification card and reported his capture. There is no conclusive evidence of his death.

REFNO: 0920 22 Apr 76

(C) CASE SUMMARY

1. (C) On 19 November 1967 LTJG James E. Teague, pilot, and LTJG [blank] radar intercept officer, were flying the number two F4B aircraft, (BUNO #152304, call sign SWITCHBOX 115), in a flight of two providing fighter protection for a strike group. As the strike group approached the target area, the two fighters were detached to proceed northeast of the target where enemy aircraft were reported. The two F4 aircraft were observed (on radar) to proceed to the assigned area, and then to turn to a southwesterly heading as the strike croup attacked. Shortly thereafter, at about 1149 hours, while they were flying around the southern edge of Haiphong from Cat Bi toward Kien An Airfield, the flight leader reported enemy aircraft (MIG17's) off his right wing. No one saw the actual engagement between the two F4's and the MIG's, in the vicinity of grid coordinates (GC) XH 718 933. Radio transmissions were heard and recorded which stated they were engaging MIG's, "to light engine afterburners, " and to "break". Shortly thereafter, a MAYDAY transmission was heard. Other aircraft on the strike reported seeing a large fireball between 10,000 and 15,000 feel southeast of Cat Bi Airfield. Following this engagement, an emergency radio beacon was heard for about 10 minutes, but the exact location of the signal could not be determined. A garbled transmission on the emergency radio frequency was heard from an unidentified person stating the he was on the ground and was being strafed by two MIG's. No one sighted any parachutes in the area or on the around. At 1157 hours aircraft wreckage was seen in the vicinity of (GC) XH 683 896 2 and people were seen in the area, but no crew survivors were seen. Also, a beeper was heard from the area of the wreckage, but could not be localized. Search and rescue forces believed it most likely to be a deception. (Ref 1 & 2)

2. (U) FBIS Key West reported a television broadcast from Havana had shown a picture of LTJG Teague's Identification card and had reported his capture in Haiphong. Based on this, LTJG Teague's status was changed from Missing to Captured. (Ref 3)

3. (C) A Homecoming debriefing of a releasee indicated that the releasee believed LTJG Teague to have been killed in the aircraft before impact (NFI), and another releasee, reported he had heard that LTJG Teague had been shot down, but that he had never entered the POW camp system,. (Ref. 4 & 5)

4. (U) During the existence of JCRC, the hostile threat in the area precluded any visits to or ground inspections of the sites involved in this case. Details of this case together with information indicating enemy knowledge of the case were turned over to the Four-Party Joint Military Team on 6 August 1973 with a request for any information available. No response was forthcoming. LTJG Teague is currently carried in the status of Captured. LTJG [blank] was released from captivity in March 1973.

REFERENCES USED

1. MSG (U), CTU 7.0.1, 19053OZ Nov 67.

2. RPT (C), CO VA 151, 18 Dec 67.

3. RPT (U), Report of Curcumstances, undated.

4. MSG (C), 13th AF JHPC, Clark AFB 141205Z Feb. 73.

5. MSG (C), 13th AF JHPC, Clark AFB 151000Z Feb. 73.

ASSOCIATED INDIVIDUALS

1. James E. Teague 0920-1-01

2. [blank] 0920