Hobby Master Archive

A-4E Skyhawk Bu.No 151073 NM208 belonged to the Operations Officer of VA-192 “Golden Dragons”. On April 20, 1967 LCDR Michael J. Estocin led a Shrike anti-radar attack on Haiphong. His aircraft was damaged by a SAM but he managed to return to the Ticonderoga. On April 26, 1967 he led another attack on Haiphong and again his aircraft was badly damaged by a SAM. With his aircraft burning he managed to fire his missiles at the target and then turn toward the sea but as he approached the coast his fiery aircraft rolled inverted and crashed. Another pilot said he didn’t see any sign of a parachute. LCDR Estocin was considered an MIA until November 10, 1977 when the Secretary of the Navy gave approval for a Presumptive Finding of Death. The cause of death was coded as “Hostile, Died While Captured”. Sadly his remains have never been repatriated. For his many actions during these two missions LCDR Estocin was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He is the only Navy pilot to receive the MOH for actions performed during a combat mission. The USS Estocin was named after him.