A Fallen
Brother
His Story
The Phantom, used by
the United States Air Force, Navy, and Marine air wings, served a multitude of
functions; including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and electronic
surveillance. The two-man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2), and had a
long range (900 - 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission type). The F4
was very maneuverable and handled well at low and high altitudes. The F4 was
selected for a number of state-of-the-art electronics conversions, which
improved radar intercept and computer bombing capabilities enormously. Most
pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes around.
Captain Samuel B.
Conelius was the pilot of an F4E Phantom assigned on a strike mission in
Cambodia on June 16, 1973. His electronics weapons officer on the flight was
Captain John J. Smallwood. Over the target area, the F4 was hit by hostile
fire and crashed. No parachutes were seen, and no emergency signals were
heard (indicating that the crew had ejected safely). The official word was
that their survival was unlikely.
Few American planes
were shot down in Cambodia, during this time period. Peace documents had been
signed in Paris, ending hostilities in Vietnam in January of that year (1973),
but strikes in Cambodia continued. Another F4, piloted by Douglas Martin and
Samuel L. James, had been shot down on April 18th. One of the crew of an
HH53C helicopter, Master Sergeant David V. McLeod, Jr., went missing on June
14, 1973. These were the only Americans missing during the spring and summer
of 1973 in Cambodia.
In July of 1973, a
South Vietnamese agent reported talking to a refugee who had seen three
Americans dressed in flight uniforms in captivity near Kompong Barey Hamlet,
in the Prey Veng Province. (Note that all events described are occurring
after the Vietnam Conflict ended and the 591 American POWs were released from
Vietnam). The agent was able to make contact with a Communist Cadre, who said
that the three were airmen who had been downed in July of 1973. The Cadre
went on to say that they were being taken to Loc Ninh (South Vietnam), to be
held for exchange at a later date. No exchange ever occurred. It is assumed,
since these three aircraft are the only ones missing in Cambodia, that this
report pertains to three of the five Americans involved. Nothing has been
heard of the five since.
The United States did
not bargain or negotiate with Cambodia for any POWs held there. United States
bombing of Cambodia continued until August of 1973. Any who were lucky enough
to return had earlier been moved from the border area of Cambodia into Vietnam
and released from Vietnam. Evidence points to many Americans being moved to
Vietnam from Laos and Cambodia and held beyond the end of the war.
Because of the
genocide perpetrated upon Cambodia, by Pol Pot in the mid-70's, the chances of
survival are decreased significantly for anyone still held prisoner of war in
Cambodia. However, we owe our best efforts to those men lost in Cambodia, and
in all of Southeast Asia to seek their release if alive, and determine their
fates if deceased.
