On Jul. 29, 1965, RF-101C Voodoo pilot Capt. Jack Weatherby volunteered to lead an extremely dangerous photo mission against a key surface-to-air missile (SAM) site deep in North Vietnam.
McDonnell Aircraft’s Voodoo was a supersonic aircraft that served as a fighter, bomber escort, all-weather interceptor, and photo-reconnaissance platform.
To speed up production, no prototypes were constructed. The first Voodoo, an F-101A fighter variant, took to the air for its maiden flight on Sept. 29, 1954. Development of the unarmed RF-101, the world’s first supersonic photo-reconnaissance aircraft, began in 1956. By the time production ceased in March 1961, a total of 807 Voodoos had been built. In addition to 35 RF-101As and 166 RF-101Cs, several single- and two-seat Voodoos were later modified into reconnaissance versions and redesignated RF-101B, RF-101G, and RF-101H during their service lives.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, RF-101s carried out 82 sorties over Cuba, flying at low altitude to stay below the engagement envelope of Soviet surface-to-air missiles.
On Jul. 29, 1965, Capt. Jack Weatherby volunteered to lead a highly dangerous photographic reconnaissance mission against a key surface-to-air missile (SAM) site deep inside North Vietnam. Maj. Jerry Lents flew as his wingman. Both men were among the most seasoned photo-reconnaissance pilots in the U.S. Air Force (USAF).
Forty miles from the target, Weatherby and Lents dropped to 200 feet and accelerated to more than 600 miles per hour. Weatherby had just switched on his cameras when an anti-aircraft round struck the aircraft, passing through the fuselage without detonating. According to Air Force Magazine, fuel began leaking from both sides of the RF-101C, and within seconds, small flames appeared beneath the fuselage. Unsure whether Weatherby’s radio receiver was still functioning, Lents shouted at him to eject before the jet blew up. Disregarding the serious damage to his aircraft and the strong chance of a fatal crash, Weatherby pressed on with the photo run. He hoped there was a slim chance the flames would be snuffed out and that he might still reach a friendly airfield. If he bailed out, the film would be lost, and he would almost certainly be captured and become a POW.
After leaving the SAM complex, they stayed on the deck up a valley so tight that there was no room for evasive maneuvers. Gunfire was coming from both sides, though with every passing moment their chances of getting out improved. Then fate intervened. Weatherby’s RF-101C suddenly blew apart and smashed into the ground in a fireball. Lents flew straight through the flames, cleared the surrounding hills, and made it back to a tanker before returning to Tan Son Nhut. Although the film was lost, he was still able to accurately identify the location of the SAM complex. He went on flying reconnaissance missions until he rotated back to the United States.
To honor his exceptional heroism and sacrifice, Capt. Jack Wilton Weatherby was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross, the USAF’s second-highest decoration, on Nov. 23, 1965.
His Air Force Cross citation reads,
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to Captain Jack Wilton Weatherby, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force while serving as pilot of an RF-101 aircraft of the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam, in action over North Vietnam on 29 July 1965. On that date, Captain Weatherby voluntarily flew an unarmed aircraft at extremely low altitude deep into hostile territory, which was heavily defended, to photograph a target of vital significance to the United States Air Force and the Republic of Vietnam Air Force. As he approached the target area, his aircraft was severely damaged by accurate ground fire.
With complete disregard for his personal safety, Captain Weatherby elected to press on to the target until his badly damaged aircraft exploded and crashed. Captain Weatherby’s courage and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the American fighting man under attack by an opposing armed force. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Captain Weatherby reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Additional source: The Wall of Valor project
Photo by U.S. Air Force
