James Linton 'Jimmy' Huard was born in Dearborn, Michigan, The son of Viola Geraldine Farrer Huard and Neil Linton Huard.
He was a 1964 graduate of Dearborn High School, where he participated in basketball, choir, operettas, and track. He was also very active in his church. James went on to graduate from Central Michigan University in 1968. Upon completion of college, he became a math and science teacher at Woodworth Junior High School. He soon decided to follow his dream to become a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training followed by F-4 Replacement Training before being sent to SEA in July 1971. He was assigned to the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) 'Satan's Angels', 8th Tactical Fighter Wing 'Wolf Pack' at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand flying F-4E 'Phantom II' fighters.
Elmo Phillips remembers 'I arrived at Ubon RTAFB in early June 1971 as an F-4 'backseater' assigned to the 433rd TFS. Jimmy arrived in the squadron a little over a month later. He was immediately accepted as one of us and received his 'No Fly' name because he was sick and couldn't fly when he first arrived. Still he came to the squadron and squatted like a Thai observing our operation. He turned out to be the best.'
On July 12, 1972, with his tour almost finished, then 1st Lieutenant James Linton Huard, Aircraft Commander; and Captain Samuel O'Donnell, Jr., Weapons Systems Officer; comprised the crew of F-4E, sn 69-0302, call sign 'Wolf 08', conducting an early morning single aircraft armed reconnaissance FAC mission to interdict North Vietnam Army troops and supplies moving across the Rao Nay River. Their mission sector was described as the Quang Khe Ferry Area, Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam.
At 0730 hours, Wolf 08 entered the target area and contacted the Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) to obtain their first assignment. During this radio contact, which was also the last communication with Huard and O'Donnell, the aircrew reported no problems with the aircraft or their mission assignment. Weather conditions in the target area included scattered clouds with bases ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 feet and visibility of 6 miles.
The ABCCC directed Wolf 08 to investigate enemy activity in and around the Quang Khe Ferry that crossed the Rao Nay River as well as the terrain along Highway 1 north of the river toward Vinh and south toward the major port city of Dong Hoi.
The last contact with Wolf 08 placed them just west of Highway 1, less than a mile south of the Rao Nay River and approximately 1 mile west of the coastline. It was also 18 miles north-northwest of Dong Hoi and 87 miles south-southeast of Vinh.
When the Phantom failed to return to Ubon by 0900 hours, the estimated time its fuel supply would have been exhausted, Wolf 08 was declared overdue. The ABCCC attempted to make radio contact with Huard and O'Donnell, but all attempts met with negative results. An extensive aerial visual and electronic search and rescue (SAR) mission was immediately initiated and continued over the next three days. The entire region in and around the Phantom's last known position was thoroughly searched by air.
According to one report provided to the men's families, during the subsequent SAR operation, one of the aircrews involved reported he believed he heard a faint emergency signal emanating from a densely populated and heavily defended area south the Rao Nay River. However, no radio contact could be established with either James Huard or Samuel O'Donnell. At the time the formal search was terminated on July 15, 1972, James Huard and Samuel O'Donnell were listed as Missing in Action.
The families were later told that the Phantom 'went down in a reservoir and that some time later when it was drained, the wreckage of the aircraft was found. However, when it was examined, no evidence that either crewman stayed with the aircraft and died in it was found.'
He was survived by his wife, Cynthia, sons Paul, Peter and Daniel, his father, Neil Linton 'Jack' who died in April 1991 and his mother, Viola Geraldine who died in April 2001.
On September 24, 1973, James Linton Huard was declared Killed in Action (KIA).
James Huard's remains were ultimately recovered, identified and turned over to the family on January 29, 1997. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on May 1, 1997. A narrative of the service can be seen at the Arlington Cemetery website.
His decorations include the Purple Heart and numerous Air Medals.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 01W, Line 056
The Vietnam Veterans of America James Huard Chapter # 267 was created on September 1986 in Dearborn, Michigan and named in his honor.
On May 1, 1999, Dearborn High School erected a memorial in honor of Jim and also renamed the road behind the memorial to James Huard Drive.
He was a 1964 graduate of Dearborn High School, where he participated in basketball, choir, operettas, and track. He was also very active in his church. James went on to graduate from Central Michigan University in 1968. Upon completion of college, he became a math and science teacher at Woodworth Junior High School. He soon decided to follow his dream to become a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training followed by F-4 Replacement Training before being sent to SEA in July 1971. He was assigned to the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) 'Satan's Angels', 8th Tactical Fighter Wing 'Wolf Pack' at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand flying F-4E 'Phantom II' fighters.
Elmo Phillips remembers 'I arrived at Ubon RTAFB in early June 1971 as an F-4 'backseater' assigned to the 433rd TFS. Jimmy arrived in the squadron a little over a month later. He was immediately accepted as one of us and received his 'No Fly' name because he was sick and couldn't fly when he first arrived. Still he came to the squadron and squatted like a Thai observing our operation. He turned out to be the best.'
On July 12, 1972, with his tour almost finished, then 1st Lieutenant James Linton Huard, Aircraft Commander; and Captain Samuel O'Donnell, Jr., Weapons Systems Officer; comprised the crew of F-4E, sn 69-0302, call sign 'Wolf 08', conducting an early morning single aircraft armed reconnaissance FAC mission to interdict North Vietnam Army troops and supplies moving across the Rao Nay River. Their mission sector was described as the Quang Khe Ferry Area, Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam.
At 0730 hours, Wolf 08 entered the target area and contacted the Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) to obtain their first assignment. During this radio contact, which was also the last communication with Huard and O'Donnell, the aircrew reported no problems with the aircraft or their mission assignment. Weather conditions in the target area included scattered clouds with bases ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 feet and visibility of 6 miles.
The ABCCC directed Wolf 08 to investigate enemy activity in and around the Quang Khe Ferry that crossed the Rao Nay River as well as the terrain along Highway 1 north of the river toward Vinh and south toward the major port city of Dong Hoi.
The last contact with Wolf 08 placed them just west of Highway 1, less than a mile south of the Rao Nay River and approximately 1 mile west of the coastline. It was also 18 miles north-northwest of Dong Hoi and 87 miles south-southeast of Vinh.
When the Phantom failed to return to Ubon by 0900 hours, the estimated time its fuel supply would have been exhausted, Wolf 08 was declared overdue. The ABCCC attempted to make radio contact with Huard and O'Donnell, but all attempts met with negative results. An extensive aerial visual and electronic search and rescue (SAR) mission was immediately initiated and continued over the next three days. The entire region in and around the Phantom's last known position was thoroughly searched by air.
According to one report provided to the men's families, during the subsequent SAR operation, one of the aircrews involved reported he believed he heard a faint emergency signal emanating from a densely populated and heavily defended area south the Rao Nay River. However, no radio contact could be established with either James Huard or Samuel O'Donnell. At the time the formal search was terminated on July 15, 1972, James Huard and Samuel O'Donnell were listed as Missing in Action.
The families were later told that the Phantom 'went down in a reservoir and that some time later when it was drained, the wreckage of the aircraft was found. However, when it was examined, no evidence that either crewman stayed with the aircraft and died in it was found.'
He was survived by his wife, Cynthia, sons Paul, Peter and Daniel, his father, Neil Linton 'Jack' who died in April 1991 and his mother, Viola Geraldine who died in April 2001.
On September 24, 1973, James Linton Huard was declared Killed in Action (KIA).
James Huard's remains were ultimately recovered, identified and turned over to the family on January 29, 1997. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on May 1, 1997. A narrative of the service can be seen at the Arlington Cemetery website.
His decorations include the Purple Heart and numerous Air Medals.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 01W, Line 056
The Vietnam Veterans of America James Huard Chapter # 267 was created on September 1986 in Dearborn, Michigan and named in his honor.
On May 1, 1999, Dearborn High School erected a memorial in honor of Jim and also renamed the road behind the memorial to James Huard Drive.
James Linton 'Jimmy' Huard was born in Dearborn, Michigan, The son of Viola Geraldine Farrer Huard and Neil Linton Huard.
He was a 1964 graduate of Dearborn High School, where he participated in basketball, choir, operettas, and track. He was also very active in his church. James went on to graduate from Central Michigan University in 1968. Upon completion of college, he became a math and science teacher at Woodworth Junior High School. He soon decided to follow his dream to become a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training followed by F-4 Replacement Training before being sent to SEA in July 1971. He was assigned to the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) 'Satan's Angels', 8th Tactical Fighter Wing 'Wolf Pack' at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand flying F-4E 'Phantom II' fighters.
Elmo Phillips remembers 'I arrived at Ubon RTAFB in early June 1971 as an F-4 'backseater' assigned to the 433rd TFS. Jimmy arrived in the squadron a little over a month later. He was immediately accepted as one of us and received his 'No Fly' name because he was sick and couldn't fly when he first arrived. Still he came to the squadron and squatted like a Thai observing our operation. He turned out to be the best.'
On July 12, 1972, with his tour almost finished, then 1st Lieutenant James Linton Huard, Aircraft Commander; and Captain Samuel O'Donnell, Jr., Weapons Systems Officer; comprised the crew of F-4E, sn 69-0302, call sign 'Wolf 08', conducting an early morning single aircraft armed reconnaissance FAC mission to interdict North Vietnam Army troops and supplies moving across the Rao Nay River. Their mission sector was described as the Quang Khe Ferry Area, Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam.
At 0730 hours, Wolf 08 entered the target area and contacted the Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) to obtain their first assignment. During this radio contact, which was also the last communication with Huard and O'Donnell, the aircrew reported no problems with the aircraft or their mission assignment. Weather conditions in the target area included scattered clouds with bases ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 feet and visibility of 6 miles.
The ABCCC directed Wolf 08 to investigate enemy activity in and around the Quang Khe Ferry that crossed the Rao Nay River as well as the terrain along Highway 1 north of the river toward Vinh and south toward the major port city of Dong Hoi.
The last contact with Wolf 08 placed them just west of Highway 1, less than a mile south of the Rao Nay River and approximately 1 mile west of the coastline. It was also 18 miles north-northwest of Dong Hoi and 87 miles south-southeast of Vinh.
When the Phantom failed to return to Ubon by 0900 hours, the estimated time its fuel supply would have been exhausted, Wolf 08 was declared overdue. The ABCCC attempted to make radio contact with Huard and O'Donnell, but all attempts met with negative results. An extensive aerial visual and electronic search and rescue (SAR) mission was immediately initiated and continued over the next three days. The entire region in and around the Phantom's last known position was thoroughly searched by air.
According to one report provided to the men's families, during the subsequent SAR operation, one of the aircrews involved reported he believed he heard a faint emergency signal emanating from a densely populated and heavily defended area south the Rao Nay River. However, no radio contact could be established with either James Huard or Samuel O'Donnell. At the time the formal search was terminated on July 15, 1972, James Huard and Samuel O'Donnell were listed as Missing in Action.
The families were later told that the Phantom 'went down in a reservoir and that some time later when it was drained, the wreckage of the aircraft was found. However, when it was examined, no evidence that either crewman stayed with the aircraft and died in it was found.'
He was survived by his wife, Cynthia, sons Paul, Peter and Daniel, his father, Neil Linton 'Jack' who died in April 1991 and his mother, Viola Geraldine who died in April 2001.
On September 24, 1973, James Linton Huard was declared Killed in Action (KIA).
James Huard's remains were ultimately recovered, identified and turned over to the family on January 29, 1997. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on May 1, 1997. A narrative of the service can be seen at the Arlington Cemetery website.
His decorations include the Purple Heart and numerous Air Medals.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 01W, Line 056
The Vietnam Veterans of America James Huard Chapter # 267 was created on September 1986 in Dearborn, Michigan and named in his honor.
On May 1, 1999, Dearborn High School erected a memorial in honor of Jim and also renamed the road behind the memorial to James Huard Drive.
He was a 1964 graduate of Dearborn High School, where he participated in basketball, choir, operettas, and track. He was also very active in his church. James went on to graduate from Central Michigan University in 1968. Upon completion of college, he became a math and science teacher at Woodworth Junior High School. He soon decided to follow his dream to become a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training followed by F-4 Replacement Training before being sent to SEA in July 1971. He was assigned to the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) 'Satan's Angels', 8th Tactical Fighter Wing 'Wolf Pack' at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand flying F-4E 'Phantom II' fighters.
Elmo Phillips remembers 'I arrived at Ubon RTAFB in early June 1971 as an F-4 'backseater' assigned to the 433rd TFS. Jimmy arrived in the squadron a little over a month later. He was immediately accepted as one of us and received his 'No Fly' name because he was sick and couldn't fly when he first arrived. Still he came to the squadron and squatted like a Thai observing our operation. He turned out to be the best.'
On July 12, 1972, with his tour almost finished, then 1st Lieutenant James Linton Huard, Aircraft Commander; and Captain Samuel O'Donnell, Jr., Weapons Systems Officer; comprised the crew of F-4E, sn 69-0302, call sign 'Wolf 08', conducting an early morning single aircraft armed reconnaissance FAC mission to interdict North Vietnam Army troops and supplies moving across the Rao Nay River. Their mission sector was described as the Quang Khe Ferry Area, Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam.
At 0730 hours, Wolf 08 entered the target area and contacted the Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) to obtain their first assignment. During this radio contact, which was also the last communication with Huard and O'Donnell, the aircrew reported no problems with the aircraft or their mission assignment. Weather conditions in the target area included scattered clouds with bases ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 feet and visibility of 6 miles.
The ABCCC directed Wolf 08 to investigate enemy activity in and around the Quang Khe Ferry that crossed the Rao Nay River as well as the terrain along Highway 1 north of the river toward Vinh and south toward the major port city of Dong Hoi.
The last contact with Wolf 08 placed them just west of Highway 1, less than a mile south of the Rao Nay River and approximately 1 mile west of the coastline. It was also 18 miles north-northwest of Dong Hoi and 87 miles south-southeast of Vinh.
When the Phantom failed to return to Ubon by 0900 hours, the estimated time its fuel supply would have been exhausted, Wolf 08 was declared overdue. The ABCCC attempted to make radio contact with Huard and O'Donnell, but all attempts met with negative results. An extensive aerial visual and electronic search and rescue (SAR) mission was immediately initiated and continued over the next three days. The entire region in and around the Phantom's last known position was thoroughly searched by air.
According to one report provided to the men's families, during the subsequent SAR operation, one of the aircrews involved reported he believed he heard a faint emergency signal emanating from a densely populated and heavily defended area south the Rao Nay River. However, no radio contact could be established with either James Huard or Samuel O'Donnell. At the time the formal search was terminated on July 15, 1972, James Huard and Samuel O'Donnell were listed as Missing in Action.
The families were later told that the Phantom 'went down in a reservoir and that some time later when it was drained, the wreckage of the aircraft was found. However, when it was examined, no evidence that either crewman stayed with the aircraft and died in it was found.'
He was survived by his wife, Cynthia, sons Paul, Peter and Daniel, his father, Neil Linton 'Jack' who died in April 1991 and his mother, Viola Geraldine who died in April 2001.
On September 24, 1973, James Linton Huard was declared Killed in Action (KIA).
James Huard's remains were ultimately recovered, identified and turned over to the family on January 29, 1997. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on May 1, 1997. A narrative of the service can be seen at the Arlington Cemetery website.
His decorations include the Purple Heart and numerous Air Medals.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 01W, Line 056
The Vietnam Veterans of America James Huard Chapter # 267 was created on September 1986 in Dearborn, Michigan and named in his honor.
On May 1, 1999, Dearborn High School erected a memorial in honor of Jim and also renamed the road behind the memorial to James Huard Drive.
Bio by: Lee A. Hillard
