The A7 Corsair was the US Navy's single seat, light attack jet aircraft wich featured advanced radar, navigation and weapons systems, and could carry a 15,000 pound bomb load. Nicknamed the Sluf, the A7 with its more powerful TF-41 turbofan engine, was the most advanced version of the Corsair to fly combat missions in Southeast Asia. Its state-of-the-art weapons delivery system computers madt the Sluf's pilots the best bombers in the fleet. The Corsair was also flown by Air Force and Marine air wings in Southeast Asia.
Dennis Pike attended Arizona State University where he served ad the Cadet Colonel of the Air Force ROTC Detachment during his senior year. In May 1965 he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Because of a color deficiency, the Air Force woud not let him fly. In November 1967, with thw assistance of as Air Force Senior Master Sergeant and a Navy Admiral, Dennis Pike accepted an inter-service transfer to the US Navy. He promptly began flight training, and in April 1969, was awarded his pilot's wings.
On 23 March 1972, Lt. Cmdr. Pike was the pilot of the lead aircraft in a flight of four. After launching from their carrier, the flight split into sections of 2 aircraft each to conduct a night strike/interdiction missiom. The target was a section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail running through Southern Laos. After completing their mission, both sections of aircraft were returning to the USS Kitty Hawk when the flight Leader reported engine vibrations and what he thought was a compressor stall. His wiingman instructed Dennis Pike to turn east and set his power on 85% To this Lt. Cmdr. Pike replied "Negative, too many vibrations. I'm going to have to leave it." At 0209 hours, his wingman closed to within a half mile and observed a cloud of white smoke thought to be Pike's ejection seat rocket and shiny particles resembling pieces of canopy glittering om the moonlight.No parachute was sited with the ejection seat. The corsair was 4500 to 5000 feet above the ground when Pike ejected. A visual search was conducted, but no emergency beeper was heard and nowo wreckage ffrom the aircraft was found.
Since the end of the Vietnam War well over 21,000 reports of American prisoners, missiing and otherwise accounted for have been received by our goveernment. Many of these document LIVE American Prisoners of War remaining captive throughout Southeast Asia TODAY. It is time to bring these men home. They did their duty with honor and we should honor them by finding them and bringing them home. |
