TEAGUE, JAMES ERLAN
Remains Returned 30 September 1977
Name: James Erlan Teague
Rank/Branch: O2/US Navy Reserves
Unit: Fighter Squadron 151, USS CORAL SEA (CVA 43)
Date of Birth: 23 July 1943 (Jonesboro AR)
Home City of Record: Harrisburg AR
Date of Loss: 19 November 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 204401N 1064101E (XH683896)
Status (in 1973): Prisoner of War
Category: 1
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B
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. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK.
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.
[r0920.97]
PROJECT X
SUMMARY SELECTION RATIONALE
NAME: TEAGUE, James E., LTJG, USN
OFFICIAL STATUS: CAPTURED
CASE SUMMARY: SEE ATTACHED
RATIONALE FOR SELECTION: The radar intercept officer of the aircraft
survived the incident was captured, and was released in 1973. A Havana
television broadcast showed a picture of LTJG Teague's identification card
and reported his capture. There is no conclusive evidence of his death.
REFNO: 0920 22 Apr 76
(C) CASE SUMMARY
1. (C) On 19 November 1967 LTJG James E. Teague, pilot, and LTJG [blank]
radar intercept officer, were flying the number two F4B aircraft, (BUNO
#152304, call sign SWITCHBOX 115), in a flight of two providing fighter
protection for a strike group. As the strike group approached the target
area, the two fighters were detached to proceed northeast of the target
where enemy aircraft were reported. The two F4 aircraft were observed (on
radar) to proceed to the assigned area, and then to turn to a southwesterly
heading as the strike croup attacked. Shortly thereafter, at about 1149
hours, while they were flying around the southern edge of Haiphong from Cat
Bi toward Kien An Airfield, the flight leader reported enemy aircraft
(MIG17's) off his right wing. No one saw the actual engagement between the
two F4's and the MIG's, in the vicinity of grid coordinates (GC) XH 718
933. Radio transmissions were heard and recorded which stated they were
engaging MIG's, "to light engine afterburners, " and to "break". Shortly
thereafter, a MAYDAY transmission was heard. Other aircraft on the strike
reported seeing a large fireball between 10,000 and 15,000 feel southeast
of Cat Bi Airfield. Following this engagement, an emergency radio beacon
was heard for about 10 minutes, but the exact location of the signal could
not be determined. A garbled transmission on the emergency radio frequency
was heard from an unidentified person stating the he was on the ground and
was being strafed by two MIG's. No one sighted any parachutes in the area
or on the around. At 1157 hours aircraft wreckage was seen in the vicinity
of (GC) XH 683 896 2 and people were seen in the area, but no crew
survivors were seen. Also, a beeper was heard from the area of the
wreckage, but could not be localized. Search and rescue forces believed it
most likely to be a deception. (Ref 1 & 2)
2. (U) FBIS Key West reported a television broadcast from Havana had shown
a picture of LTJG Teague's Identification card and had reported his capture
in Haiphong. Based on this, LTJG Teague's status was changed from Missing
to Captured. (Ref 3)
3. (C) A Homecoming debriefing of a releasee indicated that the releasee
believed LTJG Teague to have been killed in the aircraft before impact
(NFI), and another releasee, reported he had heard that LTJG Teague had
been shot down, but that he had never entered the POW camp system,. (Ref. 4
& 5)
4. (U) During the existence of JCRC, the hostile threat in the area
precluded any visits to or ground inspections of the sites involved in this
case. Details of this case together with information indicating enemy
knowledge of the case were turned over to the Four-Party Joint Military
Team on 6 August 1973 with a request for any information available. No
response was forthcoming. LTJG Teague is currently carried in the status of
Captured. LTJG [blank] was released from captivity in March 1973.
REFERENCES USED
1. MSG (U), CTU 7.0.1, 19053OZ Nov 67.
2. RPT (C), CO VA 151, 18 Dec 67.
3. RPT (U), Report of Curcumstances, undated.
4. MSG (C), 13th AF JHPC, Clark AFB 141205Z Feb. 73.
5. MSG (C), 13th AF JHPC, Clark AFB 151000Z Feb. 73.
ASSOCIATED INDIVIDUALS
1. James E. Teague 0920-1-01
2. [blank] 0920
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