John Anthony Feldhaus

The database page for John Anthony Feldhaus

Jack was a Navy pilot and was shot down over North Vietnam while based aboard the USS ORISKANY. His remains were recently found and buried at the Arlington National Cemetery on 11/20/01. Please visit the full memorial to Commander Jack Feldhaus, United States Navy and the Attack Squadron 152 web site . Before his death, Jack received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in rescuing another aviator: The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS to LIEUTENANT JOHN A. FELDHAUS UNITED STATES NAVY for service as set forth in the following CITATION: For heroism while participating in aerial flight as a pilot attached to and serving with Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO embarked in USS ORISKANY (CVA 34) on 20 August 1966. While conducting the successful search and rescue of a downed pilot 30 miles northwest of Dong Hoi, North Vietnam, Lieutenant Feldhaus, flight leader of a rescue combat patrol, overhearing on the radio that a pilot was down near his general area, immediately proceeded to the reported area. Courageously and skillfully transiting know areas of heavy enemy anti-aircraft positions the flight arrived at the rescue scene safely. Placing his wingman as high cover, Lieutenant Feldhaus, within three minutes, and with great expertise, narrowed down the search area to a one mile square, established radio contact with the downed pilot, and directed by the pilot, pinpointed his position. Directing his wingman to depart and return with the rescue helicopter, he maintained a protective cover over the downed pilot, staying low and courageously braving enemy ground fire in the area in order to be alert to any enemy movement toward the downed pilot. When the rescue helicopter arrived and attempted to approach, the downed pilot reported that he was drawing heavy ground fire from a nearby ridge. Ordering the helicopter to hold off, Lieutenant Feldhaus heroically attacked the ridge drawing the ground fire upon himself. Directing the helicopter to try another approach, he continued his attacks upon the ridge allowing the helicopter to make a successful pickup of the downed pilot and withdraw from the immediate area, drawing more enemy fire as he escorted the helicopter safely around and between enemy anti-aircraft fire. Upon reaching the safety of the water, he learned that another crewman was down in the same general area. Heroically transiting a now fully alert enemy anti-aircraft defense, Lieutenant Feldhaus and his wingman again entered the search area. After almost an hour of searching the flight was directed to abandon the mission. By his heroic actions, outstanding display of airmanship, and loyal devotion to duty, Lieutenant Feldhaus reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. For the President, James H. Webb Secretary of the Navy A note from The Virtual Wall On 20 August 1966, an Air Force RF-4C reconnaissance aircraft crewed by Edwin Tiffany Hawks and Richard M. Milikin was shot down. Hawks was picked up, but Milikin was not. It is believed that this is the downed crew that LT Feldhaus assisted. See the POW Network site. The Mission On 08 Oct 1966, then-Lieutenant Feldhaus launched from the carrier USS ORISKANY in an A-1H SKYRAIDER on an armed reconnaissance mission over Thanh Hoa Province, North Vietnam. As he and his wingman entered heavy clouds, Feldhaus radioed that he had been hit by enemy ground fire and his right wing was on fire. His wingman never saw Feldhaus' aircraft again, but he did report seeing a fireball on the ground which he believed to be an aircraft crash. The wingman and another aircrew searched the area of the crash without success. They saw no parachute and heard no emergency radio signals. The visual search was hampered by enemy ground fire and deteriorating weather. Electronic surveillance continued on the succeeding days, but revealed nothing. Jack Feldhaus was classed as Missing in Action. None of the POWs repatriated in 1973 were able to provide information about him, and on 31 October 1977 the Secretary of the Navy approved a Presumptive Finding of Death. LT Feldhaus was promoted to Commander while carried in MIA status. In October 1993, a joint U.S./Vietnamese team led by Joint Task Force-Full Accounting conducted an investigation in Thanh Hoa Province where they believed the crash occurred, but they found no aircraft debris or remains. Between 1996 and 2000, another four investigations or excavations were conducted in Vietnam, yielding aircraft debris, pilot-related artifacts, personal effects and remains. The Army's laboratory in Hawaii announced positive identification of the remains recovered from the crash site on 30 October 2001, just over 35 years after his loss.

A memorial from his brother. feldhaus@comcast.net  16 Jan 2002

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With all respect
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Channing Prothro, former CAP Marine
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Last updated 01/01/07