From Colonel Robert Barnett (USAF Ret)in response to a friend’s request
Dave this is my first hack at Karl Rickter's shootdown on 7/28/67.
I had arrived at Korat AB, Thailand the first part of July as a Major assigned to the 44th TAC Fighter Sq. I was assigned a hooch diagonally across the street from Karl's.
He was working in the Wing as his tour was coming to an end.
I knew who he was as the Air Force had made a film called "There is a Way" and he had had a predominate talking part in it.
The saying at Korat and probably at Tahkli was there is NO Way (to complete your required 100 combat missions over North Vietnam) To counteract this they had made this film.
Anyway, I was going to be a Flight Lead due to my rank and experience. (I had about 4000 hours at the time). The routine was to fly five missions in the Southern part of North Vietnam before going north the PAK 6, which was around the Hanoi area.
I had flow 3 of these as a wingman and on my 4th I was scheduled to lead the flight with Karl on my wing to provide and learn from his experience. He was flying his 199 counter into North Vietnam and something like 232 all together. Laotian missions were not counted towards the required 100 missions. He was to land from this flight and with Major Piper, who had been an USAF Academy instructor and was completing his 100, would fly the next day after finishing their 200 and 100 missions and land in Saigon and received an award from Gen Moymer (sp).
Anyway, Karl and I met and briefed to fly a 2 ship formation as Hotrod 1 and Hotrod 2 with me in the lead and Karl on my wing. We were to take off, and fly up to the Diem Ven Phu area where a FAC (forward area controller) would direct us to the target. So we took off and head north to the area. When we got close we were advised that the FAC was not available and to go south to the Southern part of North Viet Nam and to contact a Misty FAC (an F-100). When we got down there I called the Misty FAC and he said he was on the tanker refueling and to patrol up to coast towards Ron Ferry and that he said that he had seen a train in the area. And, cautioned that it might be a flak trap. So we headed up there following the road and train track at about 6000' changing our altitude and headings.
After looking around and not seeing anything to drop our bombs, which were 6 750# on each F105. After a while and as we were arriving to a point of minimum fuel I called Karl and told him to take the lead a pick out a target and we would drop our bombs.
I did this because I thought with his experience he had a better knowledge of the area. So we switched leads and I became the wingman. He flew around for a short time and he found a dirt bridge going across a stream and said he was going to roll in on that, we had climbed up to about 9000' and he rolled in. I was going to observe where his bombs hit and then roll in after he pulled off the target. As he rolled in and I was turning watching I noticed air bursts from anti aircraft fire about 1/2 mile or less behind me at about my altitude. Karl was about halfway down in his dive and I said "They are shooting at us"
He said "Roger" and continued his attack. I was watching him all the way and as he dropped his bombs, probably at 3000'
AGL or so I saw a streak of smoke come off from under his airplane. He called and said "I've been hit" and turned east towards Laos. I punched off my bombs and began I descent to join with Karl. As I approached him and he was climbing he said "I lost my oil pressure" . By this time I had joined and was in close formation with him. I saw fire start blowing out his tailpipe and called him and said "you are on fire". I received no reply. I went to "Guard" Channel and transmitted that Hotrod
#2 was hit and on fire and that he would be bailing out. The Misty FAC answered and said he was off the tanker and was enroute. Also, the rescue was alerted from Nakom Fanom (sp) As the fire from his tailpipe continued to grow..It was longer than his 55' F105. I called again and said "you are fire, you had better get out!" I was about 30 feet from Karl and felt my aircraft approaching a stall. I looked and was indicating 155 knots so lit my afterburner. About this time Karls airplane pitched up and then nose down. About this time he ejected as it headed down in about a 60 degree dive angle. I turned left as I was on his right wing and watched while he came out of the aircraft and his parachute opened. I called on Guard Channel to say he had ejected. I circled around him as he descended and I don't remember seeing any movement as he went into a cloud layer at about 5 or 6,000 feet. I circled the area until the Misty FAC F100 arrived and indicated to them where Karl had gone into the clouds. I was now very low on fuel, but managed to find a tanker in the area and refueled and flew back to Korat.
I had advised the Command Post of the Tail number of the aircraft down, but apparently there was some confusion as to who was down. Anyway, I landed and taxied in a parked at was met by Gen. Cherisell (sp). He was very concerned about Karl as he had been his Commander for over a year and respected Karl for the great tour he had had and his potential. I remember going in a briefing him on everything that had happened.
The heliocopter from Nakom Fanom found Karl and picked him. I am not sure exactly what time Karl bailed out but it must have been about 830a. His body was brought back to Korat by noon that day. The Flight Surgeon in our Squadron told me that he had been part of checking Karl and that he had broken both of his thighs on bailout and suffocated in vomit in his mask.
When he hit the ground there was a large part of this scalp peeled back, but not fatal. Needless to say everyone was crestfallen as Karl was loved and respected by all. I guess there was "No Way".
Postscript:
On October 3, 1967 I was hit by a surface to air missile 11 miles north of Hanoi and manage to fly back towards the coast, on fire, finally losing my oil pressure, the engine, flight controls and force to eject northeast of Haiphong in jungle. I was capture
3 days later and spent 1989 days in prison until my release on March 14, 1973. Now there is away!!
Although, I didn't know Karl very well he was quite a warrior and only due to a fluke he would be with us today..
So Dave that is about it. Hard to believe that all happened nearly 35 years ago..It is indented in my brain along with many other events from the Viet Nam War..
Colonel Robert Barnett, USAF (Ret)