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From 1945 to 1969, U.S. Navy aircraft were involved in a number of aerial incidents with forces of the Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China, North Korea, and Czechoslovakia. These incidents resulted in the loss of eight Navy aircraft and one Coast Guard aircraft, eighty-one Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard aviators and crewman, and several aircraft damaged and crewmen wounded and injured. The list below, compiled from official and unofficial sources, does not include aircraft lost in direct action in the Korean and Vietnam wars, nor aircraft shot down by Chinese forces in the vicinity of Vietnam in connection with that war.
Date: 15 Nov 1945
Aircraft: PBM-5
Remarks: While on a routine patrol mission, this aircraft was attacked by a Soviet fighter 25 miles south of Dairen (Port Arthur), Manchuria while investigating six Soviet transport ships and a beached seaplane in the Gulf of Chihli in the Yellow Sea. No damage inflicted.
Date: 20 Feb 1946
Aircraft: PBM-5
Squadron: VP-26
Remarks: Based from Tsingtao, China, during a training flight this aircraft made an unauthorized flight over Dairen (Port Arthur), Manchuria. As a result, it was fired upon by Soviet fighters firing warning bursts for twenty minutes. No damage inflicted.
Date: 8 Apr 1950
Aircraft: PB4Y-2
Squadron: VP-26
Remarks: Based from Port Lyautey, French Morocco, while on a Det A patrol mission launched from Wiesbaden, West Germany, this aircraft (BuNo 59645) was lost when attacked by Soviet aircraft over the Baltic Sea off the coast of Lepija, Latvia. Wreckage was recovered, but unconfirmed reports stated that the missing ten crewmembers were taken prisoner.
Date: 6 Nov 1951
Aircraft: P2V-3W
Squadron: VP-6
Remarks: While conducting a weather reconnaissance mission under United Nations Command, this aircraft (BuNo 124284) was shot down by Soviet aircraft over the Sea of Japan off Vladisvostok, Siberia. Ten crewmembers reported as missing.
Date: 31 Jul 1952
Aircraft: PBM-5S2
Squadron: VP-731
Remarks: While conducting a patrol mission, this PBM-5S2 based from Iwakuni, Japan, was attacked by two Chinese MiG-15s over the Yellow Sea, resulting in two crewmembers killed and two more seriously wounded. The PBM suffered extensive damage, but was able to make it safely to Paengyong-do, Korea.
Date: 20 Sep 1952
Aircraft: P4Y-2S
Squadron: VP-28
Remarks: Aircraft attacked by two Chinese MiG-15s off the coast of China, but able to return safely to Naha, Okinawa.
Date: 23 Nov 1952
Aircraft: P4Y-2S
Squadron: VP-28
Remarks: Attacked without result by a Chinese MiG-15 off Shanghai, China.
Date: 18 Jan 1953
Aircraft: P2V-5
Squadron: VP-22
Remarks: P2V-5 (BuNo 127744) was shot down by Chinese antiaircraft fire near Swatow, and ditched in the Formosa Strait. Eleven of thirteen crewmen were rescued by a Coast Guard PBM-5 under fire from shore batteries on Nan Ao Tao island. Attempting to takeoff in eighttwelve foot swells, the PBM crashed. Ten survivors out of nineteen total (including five from the P2V) were rescued by Halsey Powell (DD 686). During the search effort a PBM-5 from VP-40 received fire from a small-caliber machine gun, and Gregory (DD 802) received fire from shore batteries.
Date: 19-28 Jun 1953
Aircraft: PBM-5S2
Squadron: VP-46
Remarks: Fired upon, in separate incidents, by surface ships in P2V-5 (2) VP-1 the Formosa Strait. No damage inflicted.
Date: 8 Jul 1953
Aircraft: P2V-5
Squadron: VP-1
Fired upon by Chinese antiaircraft artillery (AAA) near Nantien, China. No damage inflicted.
Date: 21 Jul 1953
Aircraft: P2V-5
Squadron: VP-1
Remarks: Fired upon by Chinese antiaircraft artillery (AAA) near Amoy Island in the Formosa Strait. No damage inflicted.
Date: 2 Oct 1953
Aircraft: PBM-5
Remarks: Damaged during attack by two Chinese MiGs over the Yellow Sea.
Date: 12 Mar 1954
Aircraft: AD-4
Squadron: VA-145
Remarks: Two ADs launched from Randolph (CVA 15), on a simulated AD-4N VC-35, strike mission against a West German airfield, were Det F attacked over or near the Czech border by a Czech MiG-15. The AD from VA-145 sustained damage to its tail.
Date: 26 Jul 1954
Aircraft: AD-4
Squadron: VF-54
Remarks: While searching for survivors from a Cathay Pacific airliner shot down by Chinese fighters on 22 July, two AD-4s launched from Philippine Sea (CVA 47) were attacked by two Chinese LA-7 fighters. During the engagement, the two LA-7s were downed by seven ADs and one F4U-5N that came to assist. The ADs encountered fire from a Chinese gunboat. No damage sustained in either situation.
Date: 4 Sep 1954
Aircraft: P2V-5
Squadron: VP-19
Remarks: Operating from NAS Atsugi, Japan, this aircraft ditched in the Sea of Japan, 40 miles off the coast of Siberia after an attack by two Soviet MiG-15s. One crewmen was lost, and the other nine were rescued by a USAF SA-16 amphibian.
Date: Feb 1955
Aircraft: P2V
Remarks: Aircraft sustained slight wing damage after it was fired on by Chinese antiaircraft artillery (AAA) while over the Formosa Strait.
Date: 9 Feb 1955
Aircraft: AD-5W
Squadron: VC-11
Remarks: While flying an antisubmarine (ASW) patrol mission Det H from Wasp (CVA 18) covering the evacuation of Chinese Nationalists from the Tachen Islands, this aircraft ditched after sustaining damage from antiaircraft fire when it overflew Chinese territory. The three-man crew was rescued by Nationalist Chinese patrol boats.
Date: 22 Jun 1955
Aircraft: P2V-5
Squadron: VP-9
Remarks: While flying a patrol mission from Kodiak, Alaska, this aircraft (BuNo 131515) crash-landed on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea after an engine was set afire during an attack by two Soviet MiG-15s. Of the eleven crewmen, four sustained injuries due to gunfire and six were injured during the landing. (This was the only incident in which the Soviet Union admitted any responsibility.)
Date: 22 Aug 1956
Aircraft: P4M-1Q
Squadron: VQ-1
Remarks: While on a patrol mission from Iwakuni, Japan, this aircraft (BuNo 124362) disappeared at night after reporting an attack by hostile aircraft 32 miles off the coast of China (near Wenchow) and 180 miles north of Formosa. There were no survivors of the 16-man crew. Wreckage and one body were recovered by Dennis J. Buckley (DDR 808).
Date: 12 Jun 1957
Aircraft: AD-6
Squadron: VA-145
Remarks: Four AD-6s launched from Hornet (CVA 12) overflew the coast of China and encountered fire from Chinese antiaircraft artillery (AAA). One AD-6 sustained slight damage.
Date: 16 Jun 1959
Aircraft: P4M-1Q
Squadron: VQ-1
Remarks: While flying a patrol mission over the Sea of Japan, this aircraft (BuNo 122209) was attacked 50 miles east of the Korean DMZ by two North Korean MiGs. During the attack, the aircraft sustained serious damage to the starboard engines and the tailgunner was seriously wounded. The P4M made it safely to Miho AFB, Japan.
Date: 15 Apr 1969
Aircraft: EC-121M
Squadron: VQ-1
Remarks: While flying a patrol mission over the Sea of Japan, this aircraft (BuNo 135749) was attacked 90 miles off the coast of Korea by North Korean fighters. All 31 crewmen were lost during the attack. Two bodies and some wreckage were recovered by search vessels.
