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Casualty Info
Home Town Wichita, KS
Last Address Los Alamitos, CA
Casualty Date Nov 17, 1965
Cause MIA-Finding of Death
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Vietnam, North (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (VA) - San Diego, California
Wall/Plot Coordinates D 356-E
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Repatriated:12/21/1975 (Returned to US soil)
Identified: 01/06/1976
Loss Coordinates: 203659N 1063958E (XH736804)
Status (in 1973): Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A1H
Refno: 0193
Other Personnel in Incident: Roy H. Bowling (remains returned)
LCDR Bowling was flying a high speed, low-level retirement after attacking the target near the city of Hai Duong, Hai Hung Province, North Vietnam, when his wingman, flying immediately behind him, observed the starboard horizontal stabilizer fly off the aircraft, having been hit by enemy fire.
The aircraft then rolled to the right and flew into the ground.
A third pilot in the flight momentarily observed a deployed parachute at an altitude of about 100 feet. A fourth pilot in the flight flying past the parachute a few seconds later stated he saw the pilot hanging in the parachute appeared limp, and was not wearing his helmet. About a minute later, two airborne pilots observed a collapsed parachute on the ground in the vicinity of a well-populated area. One pilot saw what he described as "an inert form" under the collapsed parachute. The pilot stated that within three minutes time, the parachute had disappeared.
Two other officers from VA 163, Eric Shade and Jesse Taylor, went in to reconnoiter Bowling's position to see if there was a chance he could be extracted by helicopter. Both Shade's and Taylor's A1H aircraft were hit by enemy fire. Shade luckily made it out safely. Taylor's aircraft crashed. It was deemed that he was killed in the crash.
Intense enemy anti-aircraft fire in the area precluded a prolonged search effort and the search was terminated within 20 minutes of the initial incident. Bowling was not declared dead, however, but Prisoner of War. He was maintained in that status until the war ended.
Then in 1975, the Vietnamese, in a gesture of "good will" presented the remains of Jesse Taylor Jr. to the U.S. The U.S. gratefully accepted the "gift" of remains which should have been returned years before.
Then on March 18, 1977, the remains of Hap Bowling were given to a U.S. presidentially-appointed commission visiting Hanoi. Roy Bowling's remains were accepted without question.
Comments/Citation:
Service number: 553662
Name of Award
Navy Cross
Year Awarded
1965
Details behind Award:
Awarded posthumously for actions during the Vietnam War
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander Jesse Junior Taylor (NSN: 0-553662), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in aerial flight as a Pilot in Attack Carrier Air Wing SIXTEEN (CVW-16), embarked in U.S.S. ORISKANY (CVA-34), during a rescue combat air patrol over hostile territory in North Vietnam on 17 November 1965. Although his aircraft was severely damaged by heavy enemy ground fire while he was attempting to locate a downed pilot, Lieutenant Commander Taylor persisted in his efforts until he had definitely ascertained the location of his fellow airman. He then proceeded to attack enemy gun sites which threatened the approach of the rescue helicopter. Only after his aircraft caught fire and a crash was imminent did Lieutenant Commander Taylor cease his efforts. With his aircraft burning and heavily damaged, he succeeded in reaching the coast of the Gulf of Tonkin in an attempt to ditch but did not survive the crash of his crippled aircraft. In sacrificing his life in an effort to save the life of a fellow airman, Lieutenant Commander Taylor displayed the highest degree of courage and self-sacrifice. His actions were in keeping with the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Authority: Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals
Action Date: 17-Nov-65
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Regiment: Attack Carrier Air Wing 16 (CVW-16)
Division: U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA-34)
A village in central New York state and the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the Revolutionary War. During the Saratoga campaign in the summer of 1777, a British force invested Fort Stanwix in central New York, intending to seize control of the Mowhawk Valley and guard the left flank of the British advance on Albany. On 4 August 1777, a relief column of some 800 Tryon County militiamen and 40 Oneida warriors under Brigadier General Nicholas Herkimer and Chief Skenandoah set out from Fort Dayton, some forty miles to the east. Two days later, as the Tryon militia entered the marshy ravine of Oriskany Creek, a smaller force of Tories, Mohawks and Senecas under Sir John Johnson, Col. John Butler and Chief Joseph Brant ambushed the patriot militia. Initially thrown into disorder and suffering heavy losses, Herkimers' force regrouped on higher ground and fought a bitter six hour battle against the Loyalists, marked by hand-to-hand combat with bayonets and tomahawks. Losses at Oriskany were severe and both sides withdrew, with American losses amounting to half the original force, including General Herkimer who died of his wounds a week later. Although the patriots did not then relieve Fort Stanwix, a second expedition forced the British force to lift the siege and retreat to Canada, contributing to British General John Burgoyne's defeat at Saratoga in October.
