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Name: James
Erlan Teague |
Remains Returned 30 September 1977, Other Personnel in
Incident: Theodore G. Stier (released POW); on another F4 in same
flight: Walter O Estes (killed in captivity); Claude D. Clower
(released POW)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 May 1990 from one or
more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency
sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources,
interviews. REMARKS:
770930 REMS RETD BY SRV
SYNOPSIS: The USS
CORAL SEA participated in combat action against the Communists as
early as August 1964. Aircraft from her squadrons flew in the
first U.S. Navy strikes in the Rolling Thunder Program against
targets in North Vietnam in early 1965 and participated in
Flaming Dart I strikes. The next year, reconnaissance aircraft
from her decks returned with the first photography of
Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) sites in North Vietnam. The A1
Skyraider fighter aircraft was retired from the USS CORAL SEA in
1968. The CORAL SEA participated in Operation Eagle Pull in 1975,
evacuating American
personnel from beleaguered Saigon, and remained on station to
assist the crew of the MAYAGUEZ, which was captured by Cambodian
forces in 1975. The attack carriers USS CORAL SEA, USS HANCOCK
and USS RANGER formed Task Force 77, the carrier striking force
of the U.S. Seventh Fleet in the Western Pacific.
The F4 Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings,
served a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and
interceptor, photo and electronic surveillance. The two man
aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2), and had a long range (900 -
2300 miles, depending on stores and mission type). The F4 was
also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and high
altitudes. The F4 was selected for a number of state-of-the-art
electronics conversions, which improved radar intercept and
computer bombing capabilities enormously. Most pilots considered
it one of the "hottest" planes around.
LTJG James E. Teague and LTCDR Claude D. Clower were F4 pilots
assigned to Fighter Squadron 151 onboard the USS CORAL SEA. On
November 19, 1967, the two were launched in F4B Phantom aircraft
with their Radar Intercept Officers (RIO) on a mission near
Haiphong, North Vietnam. Teague's RIO was LTJG Theodore G. Stier,
and Clower's RIO was LTJG Walter O Estes. Clower and Estes were
aboard the lead aircraft in the flight section of two aircraft.
They were assigned to protect a strike group being launched from
the USS INTREPID.
Teague and Clower proceeded to the assigned target, and while
over the target they were attacked by enemy MiG aircraft. Both
aircraft were shot down. Teague's aircraft was hit first. He
began an immediate course change towards the coast. His aircraft
was intact except for small fires burning around the radome and
air conditioning. LTJG Stier was seen to eject, but Clower did
not see another parachute and did not notice if the front canopy
was still on the aircraft. (NOTE: The ejection sequence on the F4
is for the rear seater to eject first, followed by the pilot in
the front.)
All four crewmen were initially placed in Missing in Action
casualty status. Radio Hanoi broadcasts and other information led
the Navy to believe that all four crewmen had survived their
shootdown and were captured by the North Vietnamese. The
Vietnamese released the identification cards of Estes, Stier and
Teague. The status of the four was changed to Prisoner of War.
In the spring of 1973, 591 Americans were released in Operation
Homecoming from prisons in and around Hanoi. Stier and Clower
were among those released. During the years of their captivity,
Stier had been advanced in rank to Lieutenant and Clower to the
rank of Commander. Estes and Teague had also been advanced in
rank; Estes to Lieutenant Commander and Teague to Lieutenant.
Estes and Teague were not returned in 1973. They were among a
group of hundreds of Americans who were known or suspected to be
held prisoner who were not released at the end of the war. In
this case, the Vietnamese acknowledged the capture of Stier and
Clower and denied knowledge of Estes and Teague, even though an
AP wire photo originated by the Vietnam News Agency (North
Vietnam) clearly showed their ID cards with the caption that they
were "captured in Haiphong."
In late September 1970, the remains of James E. Teague and Walter
O Estes II were returned by the Vietnamese to U.S. control. For
10 years, dead or alive, they had been held prisoner.
For 10 years, the Vietnamese denied knowledge of the fates of
Teague and Estes, even though there was evidence that the two had
been captured.
Disturbing testimony was given to Congress in 1980 that the
Vietnamese "stockpiled" the remains of Americans to
return at politically advantageous times. Did Estes and Teague
wait, in a casket, for just such a moment?
Even more disturbing are the nearly 10,000 reports received by
the U.S. relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia. Many
authorities who have examined this information (largely
classified), have reluctantly come to the conclusion that many
Americans are still alive in Southeast Asia. Were Estes and
Teague alive in captivity after hostilities between the U.S. and
Vietnam ceased?
Perhaps the most compelling questions when remains are returned
are, "Is it really who they say it is?", and "How
-- and when -- did he die?" As long as reports continue to
be received which indicate Americans are still alive in
Indochina, we can only regard the return of remains as a
politically expedient way to show "progress" on
accounting for American POW/MIAs. As long as reports continue to
be received, we must wonder how many are alive. As long as even
one American remains alive, held against his will, we must do
everything possible to bring him home -- alive.
As long as
even one American remains alive, held against his will, we must
do everything possible to bring him home alive.
POW/MIA Data & Bios supplied by the P.O.W. NETWORK Skidmore, MO. USA