On This Date in Minnesota History: October 17

October 17, 1965 – Duluth native David Wheat, Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) aboard an F4B Phantom fighter jet, was shot down over North Vietnam during “a day strike mission on the Thai Nguyen bridge northeast of Hanoi. Before rescue helicopters could reach the scene, both Wheat and his pilot had disappeared from sight and enemy troops were seen in the area. David R. Wheat was confirmed to be a prisoner of war”¹ of the North Vietnamese.

Wheat was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander during his “2,675 days in captivity.”² He was released during Operation Homecoming in 1973. One of his co-prisoners is now Ariz. Senator John McCain.

¹http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/w/w067.htm

²http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.asp?ID=68

Duluth native David Wheat
http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=24011