REMEMBERED by another A-6 aviator.

 

With the addition of the Grumman A6A Intruder to its inventory, the 1st Marine Air Wing (MAW) had the finest two-man, all-weather, low-altitude attack/bombing aircraft in the world. It displayed great versatility and lived up to the expectations of those who pushed for its development after the Korean War. The EA-6A was an electronic warfare variant of the basic A-6A INTRUDER all-weather attack aircraft. The aircraft provided Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) support for all service branches, primarily in North Vietnam and Laos. The EA-6As were withdrawn in 1971, but returned when LINEBACKER operations were instituted following North Vietnam's Spring '72 offensive. On 13 April 1972, shortly after the Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadron One (VMCJ-1) detachment's arrival at Danang, as part of Operation FREEDOM TRAIN, Captain David Leverett Leet, pilot, and 1st Lt John Michael (Mike) Christensen, electronic warfare officer (EWO), departed Da Nang Airbase in an EA-6A (BuNo 156979) on a night combat mission deep in North Vietnam. Their target area was in the area of Hanoi/Haiphong Harbor. After completing their mission, the Intruder was on its return flight to base. CAPT Leet established their last radio contact at 0412 hours. At that time there was no indication of trouble with the aircraft Note that some published sources believe that BuNo 156979 ditched into the Gulf of Tonkin whilst trying to return to base at Da Nang. In any event, when the Intruder failed to return to base, a full scale search and rescue (SAR) operation was initiated. During the extensive aerial search, no trace of the aircraft or its crew was found. No traces of any wreckage or crew was ever found at the supposed crash location(s). Captain David Leverett Leet (pilot) and 1st Lt John Michael (Mike) Christensen (electronic warfare officer (EWO)) were initially posted as MIA. Captain Leet was reassessed as "KIA, Body Not Recovered" with effect from April 13 1975. 1st Lt Christensen was re-assessed as "KIA, Body Not Recovered" with effect from December 8, 1978. Mike was born August 19, 1946 in Dee Hospital, Ogden, Utah to Emma and Chester Christensen, the owner and operators of the Christensen Service Store, which was a gas station and Vespa dealership. His brother Thomas L (Tom) was born in August 5, 1948. Chester graduated from the Utah State University and fought in World War II, European Theatre of Operations (ETO). Emma also graduated from Utah State University and was a teacher at Weber and Odgen High Schools teaching English. Mike graduated in 1964 from Ogden High School and from University of Utah in 1968. Mike was in High School and University of Utah Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs. He was on the Rifle Team in High School. Mike in Sophomore Year, OHS                         Mike in Junior Year, OHS         Mike in Senior Year, OHS Mike went on active duty after his college graduation and completed a four week training course at Navy Flight Systems School at Pensacola as of July 1st, 1969 (Ogden Standard Examiner, page 17). His brother Tom also attended Ogden High School and University of Utah and completed an ROTC Basic Camp at Fort Benning, Georgia in summer of 1969, and Advanced ROTC Summer Camp at Fort Lewis Washington in summer of 1970. Tom Christensen in 1964 Odgen HS Yearbook. Tom would have been commissioned upon graduation from University of Utah and placed in the Army Reserves until he could be called to active duty and complete an Officer Basic Course in his given branch. Tom was called to active duty in the January 1972 time frame as the family spent time in Hawaii when Mike was stationed in Japan and Tom at Fort Benning. The Ogden Standard-Examiner, Utah. Sunday, 16 Jan 1972, Page 26 By April 3, 1972, Tom had completed his Infantry Officer Basic Course (IOBC). Mike went missing 10 days later and his father passed away on May 11, 1972. In early April of 1972 Mike's squadron was deployed to Naval Air Station (NAS) Cubi Point (the edge of Naval Base Subic Bay, Phillipines) to support the Linebacker I and II operations in Vietnam. They were later augmented by a VMCJ-2 detachment and together provided sustained ECM support of TF-77 and B-52 strikes against the heavily defended targets around Hanoi and Haiphong, cycling through Danang from Cubi Point. The EA-6As remained at Cubi after the end of the U.S. operations in January, 1973 until that June. Local area newspapers reported the missing men in articles like this: His mother was notified by telegram and letter from the Marines: After he went missing, Mike's mother Emma, as a Gold Star Mother, participated in events in 1973 like next below: Capt John Michael "Mike" Christenson is listed on the Honolulu Memorial (also known as Courts of the Missing), Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, has an "In Memory Of" marker in Fort Douglas Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. Mike, his mother Emma, and father Chester are all named on memorial at Good Shepherd Columbarium, Ogden, Weber County, Utah. His mother Emma (Perucca) Christensen (1907-2002), and father Chester Felix Christensen (1905-1972) are located in Aultorest Memorial Park, Ogden, Weber County, Utah. - - The Virtual Wall, 9 January 2020

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