Viet Nam Airstrike

Since Dad was a really good pilot, and was an instructor in the F-4, he was tasked with giving a "check ride" to a newly arrived pilot. In the briefing prior to the flight (a combat mission), Dad instructed the new guy on the proper way to fly the mission. He told him that they would stay at altitude until right over the target area, dive down and deliver the ordnance, and get the heck out of there. Evidently, the new guy thought he had a better way. Since the new guy was, essentially, the "pilot in command" on this mission, he flew in the front seat, and Dad rode in back. (The F-4 Phantom is a tandem seat aircraft). Instead of flying the target approach like Dad told him to, he came in low and shallow, possibly thinking that they would be hidden from radar or something. Well, people on the ground started shooting at them. According to the story, the new guy said something to the effect of,"They're shooting at us, sir!" Dad replied, (I can almost hear his calm, businesslike voice)"Well, they are missing us." Not quite true. They were struck by ground fire over the target. They were able to return to base safely, and after taxiing to the parking area, shut down the aircraft and exited the plane. Dad apparently grabbed the new guy by the collar of his flight suit and dragged him underneath the aircraft. He then pointed to a bullet hole in the bottom of the aircraft. According to the Air Force Battle Damage Report, the round struck the aircraft forward and to the side of the forward missile station. The Phantom can carry certain types of missiles under the fuselage. The forward missile station is underneath the cockpit of the airplane. The bullet came up through the bottom of the plane between the forward and rear seats. I was able to get the aircraft number (64-0806) from the battle damage report, and track down the aircraft. The aircraft managed to evade the scrapyard at the end of its career, and is now "guarding the gate" at Nellis AFB in Nevada. I managed to find two pictures of the aircraft: one in Viet Nam, and one on display. In the picture from Viet Nam, there are two aircraft. "Dad's plane" is the one on the left, with closed canopies. I wish to give special thanks and recognition to Albin Szuromi for his kind permission to use the Nellis photo.