MAJ THOMAS EDWARD REITMANN MAJ THOMAS EDWARD REITMANN MAJ THOMAS EDWARD REITMANN MAJ THOMAS EDWARD REITMANN MAJ THOMAS EDWARD REITMANN

 

19 Feb 2003 I have not forgotten you. You have been in my thoughts many times these past years. I remember you as the joker of the unit, always having a good time. I can still remember how sad we all were the day you were shot down. God Bless you and rest in peace. From a fellow Airman of the 334th, Ken Hansford khansfor@bellsouth.net

 

Mission Notes Before a permanent USAF structure was established in Southeast Asia, squadrons from the United States deployed to bases in South Vietnam and Thailand for approximately six-month rotations. The 334th Fighter Squadron, an F-105D squadron assigned to the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour-Johnson AFB, deployed to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, on 02 Sep 1965 and conducted operations from there until returning to the United States on 05 Feb 1966. While at Takhli RTAFB, the 334th was assigned to the 355th Tac Ftr Wing. On 01 Dec 1965, the 334th conducted a strike against the Cao Nung railroad bridge on the main rail line connecting Hanoi and the Peoples' Republic of China. Then-Captain Thomas E. Reitmann was flying F-105D tail number 61-0182. As Reitmann rolled in for a dive-bombing delivery, his aircraft was hit in the tail structure by anti-aircraft fire and became uncontrollable; it crashed about two miles distant from the target, which in turn was about 50 miles northeast of Hanoi. Although there was no evidence that Reitmann escaped from his aircraft before impact he was classed as Missing in Action. While MIA he was promoted to Major. Eventually an Air Force review board concluded that all available information indicated that Major Reitmann had died in the crash and his status was changed from Missing in Action to Killed in Action/Body not Recovered. As of 19 Feb 2003 his remains have not been repatriated.

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