| Captain Sam White flew 205 combat missions in Vietnam. He was flying F-4E Phantom II, serial number 69-291, code LA, on his 204th combat mission when he shot down a MiG-21. On that mission, his call sign was "Pistol 3" while flying in a four ship F-4E formation to protect eight F-4 Phantoms on a chaff bomber mission, a procedure employed to confuse the enemy radar systems. Also assigned to the mission were F-105F Wild Weasels, which were responsible for knocking out enemy SAM missile sites. When Captain White swithced to Auto Acquisition to get a radar lock on the MiG, Captain Frank Bettine, the Weapons Systems Operator (WSO) in the back seat, said, "You're locked on to him!" delay, "cleared to fire!" |
| Captain White launched two sparrow missiles at the MiG-21. The first sparrow missile, now going in excess of mach 3, hit the MiG-21 in the tail, causing a huge fireball. Another explosion occurred shortly after the first, and a short time later, the pilot ejected. When Captains White and Bettine returned to Takhli - Royal Thai Air Base, they dove to 100 feet off the deck, did a victory roll, and pulled up into a series of vertical rolls before landing. |
