NASMYTH, JOHN HEBER JR.
Name: John Heber Nasmyth, Jr.
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit: 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at
Ubon Royal Thai AFB,
Thailand.
Date of Birth: 14 November 1940
Home City of Record: San Gabriel CA
Date of Loss: 04 September 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 213516N 1054229E (WJ733872)
Status (in 1973): Released POW
Category:
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F4C
Other Personnel in Incident: Raymond P. Salzarulo, Jr. (remains returned)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1991 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 2021 with information from Justin Jackson-Mann. 2023
REMARKS: 730218 RELSD BY DRV
SYNOPSIS: The Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served
a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and
electronic surveillance. The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2),
and had a long range (900 - 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission
type). The F4 was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and
high altitudes. The F4 was selected for a number of state-of-the-art
electronics conversions, which improved radar intercept and computer bombing
capabilities enormously. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest"
planes around.
A Phantom flight crew comprised of 1LT John H. Nasmyth, Jr., pilot, and 1LT
Raymond P. Salzarulo, Jr., Bombardier/Navigator, was dispatched on a mission
over North Vietnam on September 4, 1966. As the aircraft was over Bac Thai
Province, about 10 miles southwest of the city of Thai Nguyen, it was shot
down.
1LT Nasmyth was captured by the Vietnamese and spent the next six and a half
years as a "guest" in prison systems in and around Hanoi. He was released in
February 1973 in Operation Homecoming.
The Vietnamese told Nasmyth that his backseater was dead, and his body had
been in the crashed aircraft. Yet, since September 1966, the Vietnamese have
denied any knowledge of the fate of Ray Salzarulo.
Since the war ended, over 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.
Raymond Paul Salzarulo, Jr. graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1964.
He was promoted to the rank of Captain during the period he was listed Missing
in Action. His remains were returned by the Vietnamese to U.S. control on
September 13, 1990.
John H. Nasmyth, Jr. was promoted to the rank of Captain during the period he
was a Prisoner of War.
=================
John "Spike" Nasmyth retired from the United States Air Force as a Major. He
resides in California.
==================
2015
https://youtu.be/pga0DeIrXzo
Way to go, Spike!!
===================
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CELEBRATION OF HONOR: Former POW to speak
As an Air Force F-4C
combat pilot, he was decorated with the Silver Star
for his heroic actions during incarceration. He is the
author of several books ...
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Veteran recounts days in POW camp
A prisoner of war who survived more than
a half dozen years in such ... were recovered in the
1990s by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting
Command.
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More info http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=28