RUCKER, EMMETT JR.

Name: Emmett Rucker Jr.
Branch/Rank: United States Air Force/O5
Unit:
Date of Birth: 20 March 1921
Home City of Record: WICHITA FALLS TX
Date of Loss: 24 May 1968
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 83404 North  1045855 East
Status (in 1973): Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered
Category: 3
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UC123B #0588
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: James Shanks, KIA/BNR
Refno: 1192

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action
Combat Casualty File.

REMARKS:

CACCF/CRASH AT SEA/PILOT/OFFSHORE MR4/26 YRS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

No further information available at this time.

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02/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KZMHEA4

LT COL EMMETT RUCKER JR.

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On May 24, 1968, an UC-123B Provider (tail number 54-0588, call sign "Hades Alpha 02") carrying three crew members took off as second in a flight of six aircraft on a defoliation mission over South Vietnam. As the UC-123B was leaving the target area, it reported receiving ground fire. Crew members of another aircraft observed smoke trailing from the left wing of the aircraft and shortly thereafter, it entered a steep dive and crashed into the water in the vicinity of (GC) VQ 982 487. Immediate search and recovery efforts were initiated but only recovered the remains of one crew member. The two other crew members were lost with the aircraft.

Lieutenant Colonel Emmett Rucker Jr. entered the U.S. Air Force from Texas and was a member of the 12th Air Commando Squadron. He was the pilot of the UC-123B when it crashed, and was lost with the aircraft. His remains were not recovered. Today, Lieutenant Colonel Rucker 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 Non-recoverable.

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