Was Dan Rather Right? Interesting

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21. F-102 had only 3 real combat losses in VN as opposed to 382 F-4s shot down.

The biggest danger to F-102s were Vietcong sappers blowing up parked aircraft. Compare the losses of other types of US fixed-wing jet aircraft in Vietnam. See, Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_losses_of_the_Vietnam_War

* F-4 Phantom II-- --445 total, 382 in combat

-First loss was operational (non-combat), F-4C 64-0674 (45TH TFS, 15th TFW) which ran out of fuel after strike in SVN on 9 June 1965; first combat loss F-4C 64-0685 (45th TFS, 15th TFW) shot down Ta Chan, NW NVN on 20 June 1965. 9 of the losses were parked aircraft struck by rockets.
-Final loss 1973

* F-5 Freedom Fighter-- --9 total

-First loss 1965, final loss 1967

* F-100 Super Sabre-- --243 total, 198 in combat

-First loss 1964, final loss 1971

* F-102 Delta Dagger-- --14 total, 7 combat

-First loss 1964, final loss 1967. 4 of the combat losses were parked aircraft

* F-104 Starfighter-- --14 total, 9 combat

-First loss 1965, final loss 1969

* F-105D Thunderchief-- --335 total, 283 in combat

-First loss 62–4371 (36th TFS, 6441st TFW) written off from battle damage over Laos 14 August 1964, at Korat, Thailand
-Final loss 61–0153 (44th TFS, 355th TFW) shot down Laos 23 September 1970, pilot Capt. J. W. Newhouse rescued

* F-105F/G Thunderchief: "Wild Weasel," "Ryan's Raiders," "Combat Martin"-- --47 total, 37 combat

-First loss EF-105F 63-8286 (13th TFS, 388th TFW) shot down by AAA RP-6 July 1966, Maj. Roosevelt Hestle and Capt. Charles Morgan KIA
-Last loss F-105G 63-8359 (Det.1 561st TFS, 388th TFW) shot down by SAM 16 November 1972, RP-3, crew rescued

* F-111A "Aardvark"-- --11 total, 6 in combat

-First loss mission-related TFR failure, 66-0022 (428th TFS 474th TFW, Project Combat Lancer), 28 March 1968, Maj. H.E. Mccann and Capt. D.L. Graham MIA
-Final loss 67–0111 (474th TFW) mid-air collision over Cambodia, 16 June 1973, both crewmen rescued