Phantom crash 30 September 1965

Chwan, Michael Daniel
Air Force Captain

Michael Daniel Chwan, age 26, from Bayonne, New Jersey, Hudson County

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Thursday, September 30, 1965
Death details: On April 8, 1985, the Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii (CILH, now DPAA) identified the remains of Captain Michael Daniel Chwan, missing from the Vietnam War.

Captain Chwan joined the U.S. Air Force from New Jersey and was a member of the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On September 30, 1965, he was the pilot of an F-4C Phantom II (tail number 640680) on a strike mission against enemy targets in Vietnam. As the flight regrouped to return to base after the mission, Capt Chwan’s Phantom was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and he was killed. Heavy enemy presence in the area prevented efforts to reach the crash site at the time. In March 1985, the Vietnamese government returned remains to American authorities that were eventually identified as those of Capt Chwan.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency 

Chesnutt, Chambless Marshall Air Force Major

Chambless M. Chesnutt, age 31, from Little Rock, Arkansas, Pulaski county.

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Thursday, September 30, 1965

Death details: On April 8, 1985, the Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii (CILH, now DPAA) identified the remains of Major Chambless Marshall Chesnutt, missing from the Vietnam War.

Major Chesnutt joined the U.S. Air Force from Tennessee and was a member of the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On September 30, 1965, he was the aircraft commander of an F-4C Phantom II (tail number 640680) on a strike mission against enemy targets in Vietnam. As the flight regrouped to return to base after the mission, Maj Chesnutt’s Phantom was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and he was killed. Heavy enemy presence in the area prevented attempts to reach the crash site at that time. In March of 1985, the Vietnamese government returned remains to American authorities that were eventually identified as those of Maj Chesnutt.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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