<p>A U.S. Navy Douglas A-4C <i>Skyhawk</i> (BuNo 145143) from Attack Squadron 172 (VA-172) "Blue Bolts"
prepares to leave the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS <i>Franklin D. Roosevelt</i> (CVA-42), 10 August 1966. VA-172 was assigned to Attack Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1) aboard the <i>Franklin D. Roosevelt</i> for a deployment to Vietnam from 21 June 1966 to 21 February 1967.<br></p>
This aircraft was lost on 2 December 1966, when it was shot down by a North Vietnamese SA-2 missile during a night reconnaissance mission over the Red River delta, south of Hanoi, Vietnam. The pilot, Commander Bruce A. Nystrom, VA-172's commanding officer, was killed.
U.S. Navy
Official U.S. Navy photo <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/USN-1118000/USN-1118347.html">USN 1118347</a> from the U.S. Navy <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.history.navy.mil">Naval History and Heritage Command</a>