A Note from The Virtual Wall At 1729 (5:29 PM) 08 May 1967 F-4B BuNo 152997 was launched from KITTY HAWK. The aircraft suffered an engine failure as it went off the catapult and both crewmen ejected. Both had good chutes and both landed in the water off the carrier's port side. As the carrier steamed past the two men the pilot, LTJG L. M. Tuft, was seen in good shape, but LTJG Steimer was lying face-down in the water. By the time the plane guard helo arrived from its position on KITTY HAWK's starboard side Steimer had disappeared beneath the surface. Tuft was picked up without further difficulty. Mr. Michael addresses VF-114's aircraft losses. The squadron lost 17 men in nine incidents - but only 4 returned when the POWs came home in 1973. The incidents were as follow: 12/02/1965, F-4B 152220 54 KM N-NW of Dong Hoi, NVN; 2 MIA (Austin/Logan) 01/19/1967, F-4B 153029 eng failure on launch; 2 dead/BNR (Ashby/Ehrlich) 05/08/1967, F-4B 152997 eng failure on launch; 1 dead/BNR (Steimer) 05/14/1967, F-4B 153001 6 KM E-SE of Thanh Hoa, NVN; 2 POW (Rollins/Southwick) 05/19/1967, F-4B 153004 vicinity Xan La, 12 miles SW of Hanoi; 2 POW (Anderson/Plumb) 12/27/1967, F-4B 153005 vicinity Cape Falaise, 25 miles north of Vinh; 2 MIA (Innes/Lee) 01/18/1968, F-4B 153055 water impact 75 miles offshore while investigating contact; 2 dead/BNR (Boles/Roehrich) 04/14/1972, F-4J 157252 just below DMZ 17 miles west of Quang Tri City; 2 MIA (Greenleaf/McKinney) 08/17/1972, F-4J 157262 Hoang Que, 18 km north of Haiphong, NVN; 2 MIA (Pender/Pitzen) In addition to the four POWS, the remains of five MIAs have come home: Innes, Lee, McKinney, Pender, and Pitzen.

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