Philip Eldon Smith (born 15 October 1934) is a former United States Air Force fighter pilot who was held captive in China for seven and a half years.[1]
He joined the United States Air Force and in June 1957, graduated from Air Force Pilot Training. He later flew the F-86F, the F-100 and then the F-104. He volunteered for combat duty and in September 1965 was flying the F-104C with the 436th Tactical Fighter Squadron based at Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam.[3]
Capture
USAF F-104s escort an EC-121, the same mission Smith was performing prior to being shot down
On 20 September 1965 Smith was flying his F-104C #56-883 on a mission to escort an EC-121 over the Gulf of Tonkin when due to equipment failure and incorrect navigational commands he strayed into Chinese airspace over Hainan. His aircraft was intercepted and shot down by two Shenyang J-6 fighters of the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force near Haikou. Smith ejected successfully and was captured by PLA forces.[4][5] On 21 September the U.S. military acknowledged that Smith was missing and reported that Smith had radioed that he was experiencing mechanical problems and fuel shortage, but did not confirm that he had been shot down.[6]
He was first taken to Guangzhou for interrogation and then later transferred to Beijing. Most of his captivity was spent in solitary confinement; however, he did meet John T. Downey and Richard Fecteau both of whom were CIA agents captured in 1952.[7]
^Smith, Philip (1992). Journey Into Darkness: the Gripping Story of an American Pow's Seven Years Trapped Inside Red China During the Vietnam War. Pocket Books. pp. 29–35. ISBN0671728237.
^Ian Stewart (21 September 1965). "Peking reports downing U.S. jet over China isle". The New York Times. p. 1.
^R.W. Apple (22 September 1965). "U.S. air loss sets record for day in Vietnam War". The New York Times. p. 1.
