MILLER, EDWIN FRANK JR.

Name: Edwin Frank Miller, Jr.
Rank/Branch: O2/US Navy
Unit:
Date of Birth:
Home City of Record: Bergen NJ
Date of Loss: 22 May 1968
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 183900N 1054100E (WF720620)
Status (in 1973): Released POW
Category:
Aircraft/Veicle/Ground: RF8G

Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 April 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: 730314 RELSD BY DRV

SYNOPSIS: The Vought F8 "Crusader" saw action early in U.S. involvement in
Southeast Asia. Its fighter models participated both in the first Gulf of Tonkin
reprisal in August 1964 and in the myriad attacks against North Vietnam during
Operation Rolling Thunder. The Crusader was used exclusively by the Navy and
Marine air wings (although there is one U.S. Air Force pilot reported shot down
on an F8) and represented half or more of the carrier fighters in the Gulf of
Tonkin during the first four years of the war. The aircraft was credited with
nearly 53% of MiG kills in Vietnam.

The most frequently used fighter versions of the Crusader in Vietnam were the C,
D, and E models although the H and J were also used. The Charlie carried only
Sidewinders on fuselage racks, and were assigned such missions as CAP (Combat
Air Patrol), flying at higher altitudes. The Echo model had a heavier reinforced
wing able to carry extra Sidewinders or bombs, and were used to attack ground
targets, giving it increased vulnerability. The Echo version launched with less
fuel, to accommodate the larger bomb store, and frequently arrived back at ship
low on fuel. The RF-A models were equipped for photo reconnaissance. The RF-G
were also photographic versions, but with additional cameras and navigational
equipment.

The combat attrition rate of the Crusader was comparable to similar fighters.
Between 1964 to 1972, eighty-three Crusaders were either lost or destroyed by
enemy fire. Another 109 required major rebuilding. 145 Crusader pilots were
recovered; 57 were not. Twenty of these pilots were captured and released. The
other 43 remained missing at the end of the war. In addition, there were 16
pilots who went down on photographic versions of the aircraft. Of these 16,
seven were captured (six were released, one died in captivity).

Lt.JG Edwin F. Miller, Jr. was the pilot of an RF8A on a combat mission in Nghe
An Province, North Vietnam on May 22, 1966. As he was near the city of Vinh, his
aircraft was hit by enemy fire and crashed. Miller was captured by the
Vietnamese, and held prisoner until his return in Operation Homecoming in the
spring of 1973.

Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing,
prisoner or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S.
Government. Many authorities who have examined this largely classified
information are convinced that hundreds of Americans are still held captive
today. These reports are the source of serious distress to many returned
American prisoners. They had a code that no one could honorably return unless
all of the prisoners returned. Not only that code of honor, but the honor of our
country is at stake as long as even one man remains unjustly held. It's time we
brought our men home.