WHAT I CAN DO - I WILL -

The Douglas B26 was a twin-engine attack bomber with World War II service. In Vietnam, it served the French in the 1950's and also the U.S. in the early years of American involvement in Southeast Asia. As the legend goes, the B26 was renamed "A26" in the early years of the war because the U.S. did not want to admit using bombers in Southeast Asia.

Capt. Thomas F. Gorton and Airman 2nd Class Richard D. Hill were crewmembers onboard a B26B which went down in South Vietnam in the early years. The aircraft had been on a photo reconnaissance mission near the coast of Kien Hoa Province. Hill was an aerial photographer while Gorton was part of the flight crew.

The aircraft crash site was located about 40 miles south-southeast of Saigon near the mouth of the Mekong River in about five feet of water. No personnel were aboard. The remains of the pilot and navigator were subsequently located which indicated that these men had tried to swim away after the crash. Hill and Gorton could not be found. The two were first classified Missing in Action but their status was later changed to Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.

Biographical and incident of loss information was obtained from either POW/NET and/or Task Force Omega, Inc (unless otherwise noted). Additional information may be found via remembrances at The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund or The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial.