GIERAK, GEORGE GREGORY JR.

Name: George Gregory Gierak, Jr.
Rank/Branch: O2/US Navy
Unit: Heavy Photo Squadron 61, USS HANCOCK (CVA-19)
Date of Birth: 25 July 1940
Home City of Record: Springfield NY
Date of Loss: 13 June 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 181557N 1060659E (XF180198)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: RA3B
Refno: 0361

Other Personnel In Incident: John T. Glanville; Bennie R. Lambton (both
missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 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 2020.

REMARKS: HIT-N TRACE-FBIS SEZ DED-J

SYNOPSIS: On June 13, 1966, LTCDR John Glanville, pilot; LTJG George Gierak,
co-pilot; and Chief Petty Officer Bennie R. Lambton, photographic
intelligenceman, launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19) in
their RA3B Skywarrior aircraft on a night low-level photo reconnaissance
mission in the Ha Tinh province of North Vietnam.

The flight was directed by Heavy Photographic Squadron 61, to which the crew
was attached. During their mission, the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft
fire, and it was assumed they went down under heave fire. No communication
or distress signals were received. The escort aircraft observed a bright
orange flash near the mouth of the Gia Hoi River and thereafter radio
contact with the aircraft had been lost.

An extensive search was conducted in the immediate area, as well as over the
adjacent waters by various aircraft, but results were negative.

On June 15, 1966, Radio Peking stated that a photo reconnaissance jet was
shot down and the crew killed in the crash.

The crew escape system of this type aircraft does not provide ejection
seats, and makes high speed bailout extremely difficult. Low-altitude
bailout is virtually impossible. All information taken into consideration,
the Commanding Officer of the squadron changed the crew's initial
classification from Missing in Action to Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered
on June 17, 1966.

The crew of the RA3B shot down on June 13, 1966 are listed with honor among
the missing because no remains were found. Their cases seem quite clear. For
others who are listed missing, resolution is not as simple. Many were known
to have survived their loss incident. Quite a few were in radio contact with
search teams and describing an advancing enemy. Some were photographed or
recorded in captivity. Others simply vanished without a trace.

Reports continue to mount that we abandoned hundreds of Americans to the
enemy when we left Southeast Asia. While the crew of the RA3B may not be
among them, one can imagine their proud willingness to fly one more mission
to bring in the intelligence needed to secure their rescue and flight to
freedom.

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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KYWWEA4

LTJG GEORGE GREGORY GIERAK JR.

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On June 14, 1966, an RA-3B Skywarrior (bureau number 144842) with three crew members took off from the USS Hancock (CV 19) on a night photo reconnaissance mission over Ha Tinh Province, North Vietnam, along with an escort aircraft. The escort plane's pilot reported seeing a bright flash following the Skywarrior’s photo run over the target but did not see the Skywarrior again nor could he establish radio contact with the Skywarrior. Search and rescue aircraft were launched over the missing Skywarrior’s flight path but were unsuccessful in locating the aircraft or its three crew members.

Lieutenant Junior Grade George Gregory Gierak Jr., who joined the U.S. Navy from New York, was a member of Heavy Photographic Squadron 61. He was the copilot of the Skywarrior when it went missing, and was lost with the aircraft. His remains have not been recovered. Today, Lieutenant Junior Grade Gierak is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

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