Major Hugh M. Fanning of Fort Worth, Texas. On the night of 30/31 Oct 1967, A-6A BuNo 152601 launched from Danang as the number two aircraft in a flight of two targeted for a radar bombing strike against the Canal des Rapides Bridge southeast of Hanoi. The two aircraft were from Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron 242 (VMA(AW)-242), and 152601 was crewed by Captain Hugh M. Fanning, pilot, and Captain Stephen J. Kott, bombardier-navigator. The flight proceeded to the target without incident. The flight leader completed his run and Fanning indicated via radio that he was commencing his attack. Fanning's aircraft went down during or immediately after his attack run. Search and rescue efforts were impractical due to the high threat in the area and both men initially were classed as missing in action. Intelligence reports indicated that Captain Kott had been killed in the crash but there was a possibility Captain Fanning had been captured. Captain Kott eventually was reclassified as Killed in Action/Body not Recovered while Fanning was continued in MIA status, until now. Both men had been promoted to Major while in MIA status. Hugh leaves his wife, Sylvia Kathryn Price Fanning, among others.
VMA(AW)-242, MAG-11, 1ST MAW
United States Marine Corps
Panel 28E Line 103
"The Valley Independent Newspaper, Monessen PA, Aug 9, 1984:
-Viet vets buried--Oklahoma City: The bodies of Vietnam war pilots, Marine Captain Hugh Fanning and Navy Lt Gary Shank were buried Wednesday in ceremonies in Kansas and Oklahoma. The services were the first of eight pilots whose bodies were turned over to the US military by the Vietnamese last month."
"Hugh Fanning's remains were exhumed in 1887 for further testing after a Congressional hearing and returned for burial in 1994.
Wife: Sylvia Kathryn Price Fanning
Hugh Fanning was born in Washington DC."