Sequence showing the rescue of U.S. Navy Lt. D.J. Wright of Attack Squadron 55 (VA-55) "Warhorses" off the coast of Vietnam on 23 September 1968. Wright's Douglas A-4F <i>Skyhawk</i> (BuNo 155011, "NP-511") was hit by anti-aircraft fire and he had to eject: (l-r, top row) 1. Lt. Wright descending after ejecting from his plane; 2. A-4F 155011 hitting the water; 3. Lt. Wright hitting the water; (l-r, lower row) 4. Lt. with in his life raft; Lt. Wright being rescued by a helicopter of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 7 (HC-7) "Seadevils"; U.S. Navy aircraft hitting a North Vietnamese gun site that was firing on the rescue site.<br>VA-55 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 21 (CVW-21) aboard the aircraft carrier USS <i>Hancock</i> (CVA-19) for a deployment to Vietnam from 18 July 1968 to 3 March 1969.
D.M. Sumner, VA-55, USN
U.S. Navy photos <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv19-69/063.htm">[1]</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv19-69/064.htm">[2]</a> from the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv19-69/index_004.htm">USS <i>Hancock</i> (CVA-19) 1968-69 cruise book</a> available at <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/index.html">Navysite.de</a>