5 December 1956 – A Northrop XSM-62 Snark, 53-8172, N-69D test model, fitted with a new 24-hour stellar inertial guidance system, launches from Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex, Florida. It wanders off-course, ignores destruct command, disappears over Brazil. It is found by a farmer in January 1983. The Day They Lost the Snark By J.
Richard John Cowell enlisted in the USAF and was assigned as a pilot to the 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron/35th Tactical Fighter Wing/7th Air Force out of Phan Range AB, Vietnam.
On June 13, 1967, Capt Cowell’s F-100D #56-3384 was hit by anti-aircraft artillery 21 miles West of Kam Duc. He was recovered and pronounced dead at Chu Lai Airbase of wounds received in action.
Richard is buried at Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York. This is a National American Cemetery administered through the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. He is also memorialized on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC. Name inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 13w, Line 102.
Sources: Honorstates.org;vvfm.org; coffeltdatabase.com; findagrave.com
