This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Tommy Burgdorf (Birddog), FC2
to remember
Mickelsen, William Emil, Jr., LT.
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This Sailor has an (IMO) In Memory Of Headstone in Fort Snelling Cemetery, St Paul, Minnesota.
LT William E. Mickelsen Jr. was an A4E pilot assigned to Attack Squadron 144 onboard the USS BON HOMME RICHARD. On August 10, 1969, LT Mickelsen launched in his A4E on a night strike mission into North Vietnam.
Upon his return from the strike mission and during aircraft recovery, LT Mickelsen's aircraft crashed into the flight deck ramp during his landing approach. The crash sprayed aircraft parts about the carrier's flight deck and fantail injuring several people. The belly fuel tank ruptured and ignited, but was brought under control by the shipboard damage control fire fighters. The remainder of the aircraft fell into the water.
Search efforts proved fruitless, and LT Mickelsen was never found. It was strongly believed that he had died in the crash of his aircraft, and he was listed Killed/Body Not Recovered. The carrier was at that time located in the Gulf of Tonkin (i.e. "Yankee Station") about 75 miles east of Mui Ron Ma in Ha Tinh Province, North Vietnam.
