CARPENTER, ALLAN RUSSELL



Name: Allan Russell Carpenter
Rank/Branch: O3/US Navy
Unit: Attack Squadron 72, USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVA 42)
Date of Birth: 14 March 1938 (Portland ME)
Home City of Record: Springvale ME
Date of Loss: 01 November 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 204800N 106500E (XJ907009)
Status (in 1973): Released POW
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A4E
Refno:
Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 30 April 1990 from one or more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence
with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK 2023.


REMARKS: 730304 RELSD BY DRV

SYNOPSIS: The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVA 42)
was on Yankee Station in 1966 when the decision was made to unleash American
air power on such targets in North Vietnam as the Haiphong Harbor and supply
installations in the Hanoi region. The FDR launched many aircraft from its
fighter and attack squadrons on these missions.

Lt. Allan R. Carpenter was a pilot assigned to Attack Squadron 72 onboard
the USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. On November 1, 1966, Carpenter launched on a
combat mission over the Haiphong region of North Vietnam.

Carpenter was leading a flight of three on a missile suppression in support
of a vital photo reconnaissance flight in the Haiphong area. While
successfully countering a missile attack by aggressively attacking the
missile site itself, Lt. Carpenter's aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft
artillery fire. He immediately headed for open water, the established
emergency procedure, but his aircraft was on fire, and eventually went out
of control.

Carpenter had no choice but to eject from the crippled aircraft. The area in
which he ejected was an area where many fishing boats were located. One of
his wingmen was with him until he ejected, while the other went high to
contact rescue forces. A valiant effort was made by his wingmen and several
other aircraft from the FDR as well as from the USS CONSTELLATION, in an
attempt to keep the boats away from Lt. Carpenter until rescue helicopters
could arrive. Even though he had already been pulled onto one of the fishing
junks, the rescue helicopter continued in toward the boat until it was
severely damaged by AAA fire and forced to retire. Two other A4 aircraft
were hit by the intense small arms fire from the fishing fleet and the AAA
fire located around the harbor. The junk which had Carpenter aboard headed
for shore and was seen to beach itself in spite of the strafing and rocking
fire from U.S. aircraft.

Radio Hanoi subsequently announced the capture of an American pilot. For the
next seven years, Carpenter was detained in POW camps in and around Hanoi.
On March 4, 1973, during Operation Homecoming, Lt. Carpenter was released.

Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing,
prisoner or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S.
Government. Many authorities who have examined this largely classified
information are convinced that hundreds of Americans are still held captive
today. These reports are the source of serious distress to many returned
American prisoners. They had a code that no one could honorably return
unless all of the prisoners returned. Not only that code of honor, but the
honor of our country is at stake as long as even one man remains unjustly
held. It's time we brought our men home.

Allan R. Carpenter was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander during
the period he was a prisoner of war.


=====================
Allan Carpenter retired from the Unites States Navy as a Commander. He and
Carolyn live in Virginia.

=======================

========================

https://www.today.com/video/smithsonian-holds-poignant-memories-for-navy-aviator-held-captive-in-vietnam-78304837506

Feb. 7, 2020

Kicking off a new series of reports on the treasures in “America’s attic,” the Smithsonian, Harry Smith 
profiles retired U.S. Navy Commander Al Carpenter, for whom one particular exhibit holds powerful 
memories: the clothes he wore during his more than six years of captivity in Vietnam.