Jim was born December 20, 1939 in New Iberia, LA, died June 14, 1969 in Laos, SEA while flying as an Aircraft Commander on a Wolf FAC (Forward Air Controler) mission in a F4-D aircraft. Jim was a member of the 497 Tactical Fighter Squadron flying out of Ubon RTABF, Thailand. He was shot down on June 14, 1969 and finally declared KIA a number of years later.
Jim was a T-37B instructor pilot in the 3575th Pilot Training Squadron at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma before becoming an F-4D pilot.
Jim, Jay Calloway, who was also a T-37B instructor from Vance, and I went to TAC Sea Survival School at Homestead AFB, Florida and then on to Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona for F-4 Replacement Training.
We attended Air Force Jungle Survival Training at Clark Air Force Base, Philippines. While at Clark we ran into some people from the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron and we agreed to become members of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, ‘Nite Owls'.
There has been so much conflicting information written about Jim's loss on the internet I decided to get it straight. I managed to locate Skip Karas, who was in Jim's back seat the day they were shot down. The following is a result of our telephone conversation on October 18, 2011.
On June 14, 1969, then Captain James William ‘Jim' Grace and Lieutenant Wayne James 'Skip' Karas, of the 435th TFS , were flying F-4D, SN 66-7574, call sign Wolf 05, in VR sector 3 of ‘Steel Tiger' in Laos. Skip was preparing elevations, coordinates etc. for a Navy flight they were frag'ed to FAC in NW of Tchepone (Sepone). Skip had his head down writing when Jim asked him to give him some help on the stick. Skip suddenly looked up and only then realized the Master Caution light was on. Skip believes they were hit by a ZPU as neither he nor Jim felt or heard any hits on the aircraft. They both got on the stick and rudders and were mush'ing about when the aircraft started to pitch up from lack of hydraulic pressure. Jim said they were going to have to get out. Skip took his glasses off and shoved them in his G-suit pocket and was reaching for the ‘D' handle when he was ejected from the aircraft (the result of Jim having started the ejection sequence from the front cockpit). They were in their chutes within a mile of each other and both landed in heavy jungle canopy. They went down about 10 mi NW of Tchepone (Sepone). Skip started running away from his chute and suddenly came upon a hut. Thinking he was in a village he drew his revolver and soon discovered there was only one hut and it was abandoned. Shortly thereafter he stopped and got on his radio to call out his Mayday. Shortly there were A-1 Sandy's' on the scene followed by a Bell UH-1F 'Huey'. The Huey's call sign was Pony Express and was most probably from the 20th Special Operations Squadron operating out of Udorn. The Pony Express was the covert transportation of and the provision aerial support for indigenous soldiers operating across the Laotian and North Vietnamese borders. The Huey lowered the penetrator and Skip put the legs down and secured the harness and was soon riding away on the end of the cable, but the cable was not being reeled in. The Huey then went to an open area of Elephant grass and set Skip down in a large bomb crater. Skip was concerned as he had no idea what was happening or why. The Huey then cut the penetrator cable at the hoist then returned to the bomb crater and landed at which time Skip climbed aboard. It was only about twenty minutes from the bailout till the time Skip was safely in the helicopter. Skip does not recall any ground fire during the time he was on the ground.
As they were exiting the area, the Huey pilot told Skip that the other pilot had fallen from the penetrator of the other helicopter while at an altitude of 500 feet. Strangely the other helicopter was a Sikorsky CH-3E. The CH-3E had lowered the penetrator to Jim and then a rotor blade struck the trees. The helicopter started to pull up and away, as the ship was vibrating excessively, when Jim grabbed hold of the penetrator with just his hands as the helicopter was climbing away. The helicopter continued to climb for altitude as they thought they were going to crash. In the meantime they were reeling Jim toward the helicopter with the winch. When Jim was within a few feet of the helicopter, he lost his grip and fell into the jungle.
The Huey escorted the damaged CH-3E and they both landed at some remote site in the middle of the jungle where the CH-3E crew got on the Huey and they then departed for Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Thailand.
About six weeks after Jim's loss, I became Wolf 03 and flew 84 Wolf FAC missions. On my last flight, I had the crew chief place both my 497th and Wolf FAC ball caps into the speed brake well after engine start. After takeoff, I flew to the spot where Jim went down and emotionally dropped them on the area where Jim had gone down.
Jim's and his wife Lillian had two children, Guy William Grace and Trina Elizabeth Grace. Lillian was very active in the POW/MIA foundation for many years. She eventually remarried, but has never given up on finding the whereabouts of Jim.
Jim was declared KIA on June 8, 1976. His remains have never been recovered.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 22W, Line 46
See additional memorials at The Virtual Wall and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Return to Ubon RTABF Losses 1969
Jim was a T-37B instructor pilot in the 3575th Pilot Training Squadron at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma before becoming an F-4D pilot.
Jim, Jay Calloway, who was also a T-37B instructor from Vance, and I went to TAC Sea Survival School at Homestead AFB, Florida and then on to Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona for F-4 Replacement Training.
We attended Air Force Jungle Survival Training at Clark Air Force Base, Philippines. While at Clark we ran into some people from the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron and we agreed to become members of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, ‘Nite Owls'.
There has been so much conflicting information written about Jim's loss on the internet I decided to get it straight. I managed to locate Skip Karas, who was in Jim's back seat the day they were shot down. The following is a result of our telephone conversation on October 18, 2011.
On June 14, 1969, then Captain James William ‘Jim' Grace and Lieutenant Wayne James 'Skip' Karas, of the 435th TFS , were flying F-4D, SN 66-7574, call sign Wolf 05, in VR sector 3 of ‘Steel Tiger' in Laos. Skip was preparing elevations, coordinates etc. for a Navy flight they were frag'ed to FAC in NW of Tchepone (Sepone). Skip had his head down writing when Jim asked him to give him some help on the stick. Skip suddenly looked up and only then realized the Master Caution light was on. Skip believes they were hit by a ZPU as neither he nor Jim felt or heard any hits on the aircraft. They both got on the stick and rudders and were mush'ing about when the aircraft started to pitch up from lack of hydraulic pressure. Jim said they were going to have to get out. Skip took his glasses off and shoved them in his G-suit pocket and was reaching for the ‘D' handle when he was ejected from the aircraft (the result of Jim having started the ejection sequence from the front cockpit). They were in their chutes within a mile of each other and both landed in heavy jungle canopy. They went down about 10 mi NW of Tchepone (Sepone). Skip started running away from his chute and suddenly came upon a hut. Thinking he was in a village he drew his revolver and soon discovered there was only one hut and it was abandoned. Shortly thereafter he stopped and got on his radio to call out his Mayday. Shortly there were A-1 Sandy's' on the scene followed by a Bell UH-1F 'Huey'. The Huey's call sign was Pony Express and was most probably from the 20th Special Operations Squadron operating out of Udorn. The Pony Express was the covert transportation of and the provision aerial support for indigenous soldiers operating across the Laotian and North Vietnamese borders. The Huey lowered the penetrator and Skip put the legs down and secured the harness and was soon riding away on the end of the cable, but the cable was not being reeled in. The Huey then went to an open area of Elephant grass and set Skip down in a large bomb crater. Skip was concerned as he had no idea what was happening or why. The Huey then cut the penetrator cable at the hoist then returned to the bomb crater and landed at which time Skip climbed aboard. It was only about twenty minutes from the bailout till the time Skip was safely in the helicopter. Skip does not recall any ground fire during the time he was on the ground.
As they were exiting the area, the Huey pilot told Skip that the other pilot had fallen from the penetrator of the other helicopter while at an altitude of 500 feet. Strangely the other helicopter was a Sikorsky CH-3E. The CH-3E had lowered the penetrator to Jim and then a rotor blade struck the trees. The helicopter started to pull up and away, as the ship was vibrating excessively, when Jim grabbed hold of the penetrator with just his hands as the helicopter was climbing away. The helicopter continued to climb for altitude as they thought they were going to crash. In the meantime they were reeling Jim toward the helicopter with the winch. When Jim was within a few feet of the helicopter, he lost his grip and fell into the jungle.
The Huey escorted the damaged CH-3E and they both landed at some remote site in the middle of the jungle where the CH-3E crew got on the Huey and they then departed for Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Thailand.
About six weeks after Jim's loss, I became Wolf 03 and flew 84 Wolf FAC missions. On my last flight, I had the crew chief place both my 497th and Wolf FAC ball caps into the speed brake well after engine start. After takeoff, I flew to the spot where Jim went down and emotionally dropped them on the area where Jim had gone down.
Jim's and his wife Lillian had two children, Guy William Grace and Trina Elizabeth Grace. Lillian was very active in the POW/MIA foundation for many years. She eventually remarried, but has never given up on finding the whereabouts of Jim.
Jim was declared KIA on June 8, 1976. His remains have never been recovered.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 22W, Line 46
See additional memorials at The Virtual Wall and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Return to Ubon RTABF Losses 1969
Jim was born December 20, 1939 in New Iberia, LA, died June 14, 1969 in Laos, SEA while flying as an Aircraft Commander on a Wolf FAC (Forward Air Controler) mission in a F4-D aircraft. Jim was a member of the 497 Tactical Fighter Squadron flying out of Ubon RTABF, Thailand. He was shot down on June 14, 1969 and finally declared KIA a number of years later.
Jim was a T-37B instructor pilot in the 3575th Pilot Training Squadron at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma before becoming an F-4D pilot.
Jim, Jay Calloway, who was also a T-37B instructor from Vance, and I went to TAC Sea Survival School at Homestead AFB, Florida and then on to Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona for F-4 Replacement Training.
We attended Air Force Jungle Survival Training at Clark Air Force Base, Philippines. While at Clark we ran into some people from the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron and we agreed to become members of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, ‘Nite Owls'.
There has been so much conflicting information written about Jim's loss on the internet I decided to get it straight. I managed to locate Skip Karas, who was in Jim's back seat the day they were shot down. The following is a result of our telephone conversation on October 18, 2011.
On June 14, 1969, then Captain James William ‘Jim' Grace and Lieutenant Wayne James 'Skip' Karas, of the 435th TFS , were flying F-4D, SN 66-7574, call sign Wolf 05, in VR sector 3 of ‘Steel Tiger' in Laos. Skip was preparing elevations, coordinates etc. for a Navy flight they were frag'ed to FAC in NW of Tchepone (Sepone). Skip had his head down writing when Jim asked him to give him some help on the stick. Skip suddenly looked up and only then realized the Master Caution light was on. Skip believes they were hit by a ZPU as neither he nor Jim felt or heard any hits on the aircraft. They both got on the stick and rudders and were mush'ing about when the aircraft started to pitch up from lack of hydraulic pressure. Jim said they were going to have to get out. Skip took his glasses off and shoved them in his G-suit pocket and was reaching for the ‘D' handle when he was ejected from the aircraft (the result of Jim having started the ejection sequence from the front cockpit). They were in their chutes within a mile of each other and both landed in heavy jungle canopy. They went down about 10 mi NW of Tchepone (Sepone). Skip started running away from his chute and suddenly came upon a hut. Thinking he was in a village he drew his revolver and soon discovered there was only one hut and it was abandoned. Shortly thereafter he stopped and got on his radio to call out his Mayday. Shortly there were A-1 Sandy's' on the scene followed by a Bell UH-1F 'Huey'. The Huey's call sign was Pony Express and was most probably from the 20th Special Operations Squadron operating out of Udorn. The Pony Express was the covert transportation of and the provision aerial support for indigenous soldiers operating across the Laotian and North Vietnamese borders. The Huey lowered the penetrator and Skip put the legs down and secured the harness and was soon riding away on the end of the cable, but the cable was not being reeled in. The Huey then went to an open area of Elephant grass and set Skip down in a large bomb crater. Skip was concerned as he had no idea what was happening or why. The Huey then cut the penetrator cable at the hoist then returned to the bomb crater and landed at which time Skip climbed aboard. It was only about twenty minutes from the bailout till the time Skip was safely in the helicopter. Skip does not recall any ground fire during the time he was on the ground.
As they were exiting the area, the Huey pilot told Skip that the other pilot had fallen from the penetrator of the other helicopter while at an altitude of 500 feet. Strangely the other helicopter was a Sikorsky CH-3E. The CH-3E had lowered the penetrator to Jim and then a rotor blade struck the trees. The helicopter started to pull up and away, as the ship was vibrating excessively, when Jim grabbed hold of the penetrator with just his hands as the helicopter was climbing away. The helicopter continued to climb for altitude as they thought they were going to crash. In the meantime they were reeling Jim toward the helicopter with the winch. When Jim was within a few feet of the helicopter, he lost his grip and fell into the jungle.
The Huey escorted the damaged CH-3E and they both landed at some remote site in the middle of the jungle where the CH-3E crew got on the Huey and they then departed for Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Thailand.
About six weeks after Jim's loss, I became Wolf 03 and flew 84 Wolf FAC missions. On my last flight, I had the crew chief place both my 497th and Wolf FAC ball caps into the speed brake well after engine start. After takeoff, I flew to the spot where Jim went down and emotionally dropped them on the area where Jim had gone down.
Jim's and his wife Lillian had two children, Guy William Grace and Trina Elizabeth Grace. Lillian was very active in the POW/MIA foundation for many years. She eventually remarried, but has never given up on finding the whereabouts of Jim.
Jim was declared KIA on June 8, 1976. His remains have never been recovered.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 22W, Line 46
See additional memorials at The Virtual Wall and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Return to Ubon RTABF Losses 1969
Jim was a T-37B instructor pilot in the 3575th Pilot Training Squadron at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma before becoming an F-4D pilot.
Jim, Jay Calloway, who was also a T-37B instructor from Vance, and I went to TAC Sea Survival School at Homestead AFB, Florida and then on to Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona for F-4 Replacement Training.
We attended Air Force Jungle Survival Training at Clark Air Force Base, Philippines. While at Clark we ran into some people from the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron and we agreed to become members of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, ‘Nite Owls'.
There has been so much conflicting information written about Jim's loss on the internet I decided to get it straight. I managed to locate Skip Karas, who was in Jim's back seat the day they were shot down. The following is a result of our telephone conversation on October 18, 2011.
On June 14, 1969, then Captain James William ‘Jim' Grace and Lieutenant Wayne James 'Skip' Karas, of the 435th TFS , were flying F-4D, SN 66-7574, call sign Wolf 05, in VR sector 3 of ‘Steel Tiger' in Laos. Skip was preparing elevations, coordinates etc. for a Navy flight they were frag'ed to FAC in NW of Tchepone (Sepone). Skip had his head down writing when Jim asked him to give him some help on the stick. Skip suddenly looked up and only then realized the Master Caution light was on. Skip believes they were hit by a ZPU as neither he nor Jim felt or heard any hits on the aircraft. They both got on the stick and rudders and were mush'ing about when the aircraft started to pitch up from lack of hydraulic pressure. Jim said they were going to have to get out. Skip took his glasses off and shoved them in his G-suit pocket and was reaching for the ‘D' handle when he was ejected from the aircraft (the result of Jim having started the ejection sequence from the front cockpit). They were in their chutes within a mile of each other and both landed in heavy jungle canopy. They went down about 10 mi NW of Tchepone (Sepone). Skip started running away from his chute and suddenly came upon a hut. Thinking he was in a village he drew his revolver and soon discovered there was only one hut and it was abandoned. Shortly thereafter he stopped and got on his radio to call out his Mayday. Shortly there were A-1 Sandy's' on the scene followed by a Bell UH-1F 'Huey'. The Huey's call sign was Pony Express and was most probably from the 20th Special Operations Squadron operating out of Udorn. The Pony Express was the covert transportation of and the provision aerial support for indigenous soldiers operating across the Laotian and North Vietnamese borders. The Huey lowered the penetrator and Skip put the legs down and secured the harness and was soon riding away on the end of the cable, but the cable was not being reeled in. The Huey then went to an open area of Elephant grass and set Skip down in a large bomb crater. Skip was concerned as he had no idea what was happening or why. The Huey then cut the penetrator cable at the hoist then returned to the bomb crater and landed at which time Skip climbed aboard. It was only about twenty minutes from the bailout till the time Skip was safely in the helicopter. Skip does not recall any ground fire during the time he was on the ground.
As they were exiting the area, the Huey pilot told Skip that the other pilot had fallen from the penetrator of the other helicopter while at an altitude of 500 feet. Strangely the other helicopter was a Sikorsky CH-3E. The CH-3E had lowered the penetrator to Jim and then a rotor blade struck the trees. The helicopter started to pull up and away, as the ship was vibrating excessively, when Jim grabbed hold of the penetrator with just his hands as the helicopter was climbing away. The helicopter continued to climb for altitude as they thought they were going to crash. In the meantime they were reeling Jim toward the helicopter with the winch. When Jim was within a few feet of the helicopter, he lost his grip and fell into the jungle.
The Huey escorted the damaged CH-3E and they both landed at some remote site in the middle of the jungle where the CH-3E crew got on the Huey and they then departed for Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Thailand.
About six weeks after Jim's loss, I became Wolf 03 and flew 84 Wolf FAC missions. On my last flight, I had the crew chief place both my 497th and Wolf FAC ball caps into the speed brake well after engine start. After takeoff, I flew to the spot where Jim went down and emotionally dropped them on the area where Jim had gone down.
Jim's and his wife Lillian had two children, Guy William Grace and Trina Elizabeth Grace. Lillian was very active in the POW/MIA foundation for many years. She eventually remarried, but has never given up on finding the whereabouts of Jim.
Jim was declared KIA on June 8, 1976. His remains have never been recovered.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 22W, Line 46
See additional memorials at The Virtual Wall and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Return to Ubon RTABF Losses 1969
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