Bio, Whitteker, Richard L.

Name: Richard Lee Whitteker
Branch/Rank: United States Air Force/O3
Unit: 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Date of Birth: 07 February 1939
Home City of Record: EASTON PA
Date of Loss: 27 March 1968
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 171954 North 1061214 East
Status (in 1973): Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4D
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: Badley, James
Refno:

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. 2020

Richard "Red" Whitteker's bio doesn't include the name of his backseater,
James L. Badley. Badley traded into the trip with Whitteker and this story
is documented in a book about James Badley called "Angels Unknown."
Website: www.AngelsUnknown.net

North Vietnam, pre-1975: NARRATIVE, MAPS, DETAILED REPORT OF INVESTIGATION,
BIOGRAPHIC/SITE REPORT, JCRC ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Country: North Vietnam, pre-1975

Subjects: BAN KATOI; BO TRACH PROVINCE; QUANG BINH PROVINCE; Aircraft
downed; Missing

North Vietnam, pre-1975: Biographic/site report update case 1105
Country: North Vietnam, pre-1975

Comments: VNOSMP turned over set of 33 documents to DET-2 including
unilateral investigation report, case 1105 detailing 14 Oct 97 investigation
in Hanoi of personal effects possibly related to case as requested by US. 3
individuals provided info possibly associated with case. JTFFA analysis of
report determined VNOSMP fulfilled 2 of 3 requirements and identified leads
for further investigation and excavation. Witnesses suggested previous
excavation of crash site in area of aircraft fuselage, not cockpit where
personal effects previously found.

North Vietnam, pre-1975: NARRATIVE, MAPS, DETAILED REPORT OF INVESTIGATION,
BIOGRAPHIC/SITE REPORT, JCRC ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Country: North Vietnam, pre-1975

Subjects: BAN KATOI; BO TRACH PROVINCE; QUANG BINH PROVINCE; Aircraft
downed; Missing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CAPT RICHARD LEE WHITTEKER

Return to Service Member Profiles

Conflict
Service
Status

VIETNAM WAR
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
Unaccounted For

On March 27, 1968, an F-4D Phantom II (tail number 66-8801, call sign "Gunfighter 08") took off from Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam, with a crew of two, on a two-plane strike mission over North Vietnam. While making its fourth pass over the target area, "Gunfighter 08" failed to pull up from the run, crashed into the trees on top of a hill, and exploded. Both crew members were lost with the aircraft and remain unaccounted for.

Captain Richard Lee Whitteker entered the U.S. Air Force from Pennsylvania and was a member of the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron. He was the aircraft commander of this Phantom II when it crashed, and he was lost with the aircraft. His remains were not recovered. Today, Captain Whitteker 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.

If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.

Service member profile discrepancy? Please help us ensure the accuracy of each profile by submitting documentation about a service member profile.

Capt RICHARD LEE WHITTEKER

Unit 480 TAC FTR SQD
Historical Country of Loss
North Vietnam
Current Country of Loss
VIETNAM
Home of Record PA