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Released by DRV 14 March 1973.
| Name: | Kenneth Leon Coskey |
| Rank/Branch: | O5/US Navy |
| Unit: | Attack Squadron 25, USS AMERICA (CVA 66) |
| Date of Birth (DOB): | 26 December 1929 |
| Home City of Record: | Detroit, MI |
| Loss Date: | 06 September 1968 |
| Country of Loss: | North Vietnam |
| Loss Coordinates: | 183900N 1054300E (WF755620) |
| Status (in 1973): | Released POW |
| Category: | |
| Acft/Vehicle/Ground: | A6A |
| Refno: | |
| 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. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK 1998. |
| Remarks: | 730314 RELSD BY DRV |
| Synopsis: | |
| Commander Kenneth L. Coskey was a pilot assigned to Attack Squadron 85 onboard the aircraft carrier, USS AMERICA. On September 6, 1968, Cdr. Coskey launched in his A6A Intruder on a night armed reconnaissance mission over North Veitnam. On approach to the target area, anti-aircraft artillery resistance was encountered. His aircraft sustained a direct hit. Neither Captain Coskey or his backseater sustained any injuries from the hit. Coskey then lost control of the aircraft and ordered and ejection. The aircraft crashed on an island in the Song Ca River, southeast of the city of Vinh.
Search and rescue efforts were immediately initiated upon receipt of the emergency signal from Cdr. Coskey's aircraft. The crewmember of the first two aircraft to arrive at the scene of the crash heard the distress signals (beepers) which were presumed to be radiating from the portable radio sets carried by both crewmembers. Both of these aircraft established voice radio contact with Cdr. Coskey at which time he reported that he was in dense underbrush and had twisted either his leg or his ankle. He further reported that he would work his way toward the eastern end of the island toward the site of the downed aircraft. As the rescue helicopter approached the area where Cdr. Coskey was believed to be located, the search lights were turned on. Cdr. Coskey had previously been told that the rescue helicopter was on the way and that he should try to turn on his strobe light to assist in pinpointing his location. Three figures were observed standing near the crash site but due to distance and darkness, these figures could not be identified. The helicopter encountered ground fire from small arms weapons and was forced to depart without having found Cdr. Coskey. U.S. Navy public records on the incident of Cdr. Coskey do not indicate the name or the fate of the crewman, but Cdr. Coskey is the only man ever listed missing on September 1968 from an Intruder aircraft. It is assumed, therefore, that the backseater was rescued. The U.S. was not sure what happened to Cdr. Coskey. He was known to be alive and slightly injured when last seen. He was declared Missing in Action. On October 31, 1968, Coskey's status was changed to Prisoner of War. He had been captured by the North Vietnamese and for the next five years, was held in various prisoner of war camps in North Vietnam. He was released in Operation Homecoming on March 14, 1973. Coskey was one of the lucky ones. Scores of individuals who remain missing were last seen in situations similar to his -- alive and well on the ground, enemy approaching. Others were actually photographed in captivity but never returned. 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. SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977 Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602 Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and spelling errors). KENNETH L. COSKEY Captain- United States Navy Shot down: September 6, 1968 Released: March 14, 1973 My last tour of duty was as Commanding Officer of an A-85 off the U.S.S. America. I was shot down in September 1968. I have a BS degree from Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California. I plan to go to school for a time to complete a Master's degree and then continue my Navy career. I was selected for Captain on the last list. My Message: Thanks to all in America for their thoughts hopes prayers and many kindnesses to us during our time in Hanoi and since our return. I will be ever grateful and will never forget it. Kenneth Coskey retired from the United States Navy as a Captain. He and his wife Rosemary reside in Virginia. |
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All Biographical and loss information on POWs provided by OpJC have been supplied by Chuck and Mary Schantag of POWNET. Please check with POWNET regularly for updates. |
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