Frankly Speaking- LCDR Bart Wade
At some point during the week of December 15, 1972 the Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Saratoga, Captain J.R. Sanderson, took time out of his daily SitRep (Situation Report) to commend LCDR Bart Wade for having flown 300 combat missions over North Vietnam.
On the evening of December 21 he launched with a fellow A-6 crewmember,LCDR Graustein, on what was Wade's 302nd combat mission.
Simply stated, they didn't make it back.
301 Successful combat missions
Less than 2 weeks from the end of our tour of duty in Vietnam
The Saratoga's last two casualties in Vietnam
Here are a couple of posts at the virtual wall:
LCDR Bart Wade was one of those unselfish A-6 aircrew heroes of the Vietnam war who couldn't stay away from the action until it was finished. Volunteering to come back to Vietnam and fly in combat again, he joined VA-75 in 1972 and was declared missing in action on the night of 21 December 1972, along with his pilot LCDR Bob Graustein, after a night low level bombing mission on Kien An Airfield, near Haiphong, North Vietnam.
From a friend and squadron mate,
Grady Jackson
radmjax@aol.com
26 Aug 2003
He shall grow no more old...
I knew Bart Wade throughout my entire time flying the A-6A Intruder. Bart and I were assigned to the same training class in VA-128 at NAS Whidbey Island in early 1968. I was a new Ensign, only 8 months since commissioning, and Bart was a lofty Lieutenant, having entered the Naval Flight Officer program after a tour as an aircraft maintenance officer. We both were assigned to VA-196 at the end of our Bombardier/Navigator training in early 1969, and deployed to Vietnam on board USS Ranger in October of that year. The squadron returned home in June of 1970 after a long, tough deployment that saw four of our aircraft shot down - the only combat losses for the entire Ranger air wing.
Our paths diverged when I went to another squadron and Bart stayed with VA-196 for a second deployment. After that, although he was entitled to a (safe) assignment on shore, Bart elected to join another deploying squadron and returned to the war.
Bart was a bachelor. I remember that he lived with two other single fliers in a waterfront house on Whidbey Island that had a sign out front - "The Bachelors". They shared ownership and care of a one-eyed collie named Jack. Their outdoor deck was always good for a Sunday afternoon party in the summertime. After he had a few beers, Bart could recite long passages from Rudyard Kipling's poetry. I don't remember him ever being sad or down.
Bart was a true hero in that he chose to do a dangerous job even when he could have honorably been elsewhere. He wanted to fly and wanted to make a difference in the service of his country, and died doing what he loved to do.
It remains for those of us who came through unscathed to remember him and his shipmates.
"They will grow no more old, as we that are left grow old.
Age will not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them..."
- Inscription on the Tomb of the British Unknown soldier -
From a friend,
Pete Young
On the evening of December 21 he launched with a fellow A-6 crewmember,LCDR Graustein, on what was Wade's 302nd combat mission.
Simply stated, they didn't make it back.
301 Successful combat missions
Less than 2 weeks from the end of our tour of duty in Vietnam
The Saratoga's last two casualties in Vietnam
Here are a couple of posts at the virtual wall:
LCDR Bart Wade was one of those unselfish A-6 aircrew heroes of the Vietnam war who couldn't stay away from the action until it was finished. Volunteering to come back to Vietnam and fly in combat again, he joined VA-75 in 1972 and was declared missing in action on the night of 21 December 1972, along with his pilot LCDR Bob Graustein, after a night low level bombing mission on Kien An Airfield, near Haiphong, North Vietnam.
From a friend and squadron mate,
Grady Jackson
radmjax@aol.com
26 Aug 2003
He shall grow no more old...
I knew Bart Wade throughout my entire time flying the A-6A Intruder. Bart and I were assigned to the same training class in VA-128 at NAS Whidbey Island in early 1968. I was a new Ensign, only 8 months since commissioning, and Bart was a lofty Lieutenant, having entered the Naval Flight Officer program after a tour as an aircraft maintenance officer. We both were assigned to VA-196 at the end of our Bombardier/Navigator training in early 1969, and deployed to Vietnam on board USS Ranger in October of that year. The squadron returned home in June of 1970 after a long, tough deployment that saw four of our aircraft shot down - the only combat losses for the entire Ranger air wing.
Our paths diverged when I went to another squadron and Bart stayed with VA-196 for a second deployment. After that, although he was entitled to a (safe) assignment on shore, Bart elected to join another deploying squadron and returned to the war.
Bart was a bachelor. I remember that he lived with two other single fliers in a waterfront house on Whidbey Island that had a sign out front - "The Bachelors". They shared ownership and care of a one-eyed collie named Jack. Their outdoor deck was always good for a Sunday afternoon party in the summertime. After he had a few beers, Bart could recite long passages from Rudyard Kipling's poetry. I don't remember him ever being sad or down.
Bart was a true hero in that he chose to do a dangerous job even when he could have honorably been elsewhere. He wanted to fly and wanted to make a difference in the service of his country, and died doing what he loved to do.
It remains for those of us who came through unscathed to remember him and his shipmates.
"They will grow no more old, as we that are left grow old.
Age will not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them..."
- Inscription on the Tomb of the British Unknown soldier -
From a friend,
Pete Young
posted by Frank at 1:36 PM
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