Yankee Air Pirate
Victory 215, Lt.Cdr. Olmstead & Lt(jg). Halyburton

151515. F-4B-20-MC. Olmstead KIA/ Halyburton POW. 17 oct 1965

On 17 October the Navy flew an Alpha Strike or major mission against the Thai Nguyen road bridge, 30 miles due north of Hanoi. The mission proved costly for the Independence’s air wing although, curiously, the losses occurred not at the bridge itself but on the way to and from the target. The strike force of 15 aircraft crossed the coast well to the east of Haiphong and approached Thai Nguyen from due east. The first aircraft to go down was a Phantom (call sign Victory 215) assigned to the flak suppression force and was hit by AAA at 2,000 feet while still 40 miles short of the target. An anti-aircraft shell burst in the cockpit and the NFO, Lt Halyburton could not make contact with his pilot, Lt Cdr Olmstead, who was either killed or knocked unconscious by the blast. With the aircraft out of control, Lt Halyburton had no alternative but to eject. Lt.Cdr. Olmstead was killed in action and Lt. Halburton became a prisoner of a very long war.