Name added to Vietnam Memorial May 97 - on Dod List remains returned - date unknown
Rank/Branch: O4/US Air Force
Unit: 
Date of Birth: 14 July 1934
Home City of Record: Salisbury MD
Date of Loss: 11 March 1968
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 175400N 1062800E
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4D
Other Personnel in Incident: Albert E. Rodriguez (remains returned)
REMARKS: CRASH SITE OBS - NO PARA/BEEPER
SYNOPSIS: 1Lt. Albert E. Rodriguez and Maj. Ernest A. Olds comprised the crew of an F4D Phantom fighter/bomber sent on a mission over North Vietnam on March 11, 1968. Their mission area was near a railroad which runs parallel to the Nguon Nay River in Quang Binh Province.

The F4 Phantom D model had only arrived in Vietnam the previous May and was initially part of the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron's aircraft inventory. The D model was improved over the C model with the addition of a lead-computing sight and central air data computer for both bombing and navigation. The computer automatically determined the weapon release point for all bombing modes - dive or level, at night or in bad weather. The D model also launched Walleye television guided missiles and laser guided bombs. All in all, the Phantom was the "hot" aircraft of the day, and pilots were proud to fly them.

Rodriguez and Olds are both in "pilot" classifications, so it is unclear which is the pilot and which was the backseater/bomber/navigator on this flight, but given the ranks and the fact that Rodriguez' military occupational specialty is classified, it is rather safe to assume that Olds was the pilot and Rodriguez
the "guy in back" - the one with the extensive systems knowledge.

At a point about 5 miles southwest of the city of Ron, Olds and Rodriguez' aircraft was shot down. Other aircraft in the area saw the crash site, but heard no emergency beepers, nor did they see any parachutes indicating that one or more of the crew ejected from the crippled aircraft.

Because the area in which the aircraft went down was a populous one, there is reason to believe that, if the crew survived, the enemy knew their fate. The area was not conducive for rescue efforts, although one would have commenced if there had been any indication that the crew was safe.

Since 1968, the Vietnamese have denied any knowledge of the fates of Olds and Rodriguez. Then on July 24, 1989, it was announced that remains "discovered" and returned by the Vietnamese to the U.S. had been positively identified as being those of 1Lt. Albert E. Rodriguez.

The Rodriguez family can now lay their well loved son to rest. They know now that he is dead. In light of the thousands of reports of Americans still in captivity in Vietnam, however, they may never know when - or how - he died.

NOTE: Ernest Olds was seen alive in the German propaganda film "Pirates in Pajamas."