"Douglas A-4E - David Carey"

Captain David Carey is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He was assigned to VA-163, “The Saints”, aboard the USS Oriskany during the Vietnam War. He flew an A-4E Skyhawk (specifications), number 315. On August 31, 1967, he was part of an Alpha strike mission that targeted a railroad bridge six miles inland from the North Vietnamese port city of Haiphong. He was shot down by a soviet-made SA2 missile and was captured after bailing out. He was a POW for 5 and one-half years in Hanoi, many of which was spent at the “Hanoi Hilton”. On March 14, 1973, he was freed from captivity and flew aboard a C-141 to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, and finally home. His military honors include the Purple Heart, five Bronze Stars, the Legion of Merit, two Meritorious Service medals, eight Air medals, and the Navy Commendation medal. He is the author of the book, “The ways we choose, lessons for life from a POW’s experiences”. On June 14, 2003, he was the guest speaker at Green Valley Church in Rancho Bernardo, and after the meeting, he signed the original painting. The painting was then taken to the Carmel Mountain main post office, where the 15-cent Vietnam Veteran stamp, the 32-cent POW/MIA stamp, and the 37-cent Purple Heart stamp were hand cancelled; signifying the date Captain Carey signed the painting.

Original Painting 10" x 8" - Acrylic on Masonite