DAYTON, Ohio - Items from the Electronic Warfare Officer of BRASS 02 on display in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - Items from the loss of B-52G "BRASS 02" on display in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)
On the night of December 20, 1972, the crew of a B-52G (S/N 57-6481) was flying an Operation Linebacker II mission with the call sign Brass 02. Shortly after releasing its bombs over railroad yards in Hanoi and turning for the long flight back to Guam, the aircraft suffered severe damage from two surface-to-air missiles. The pilot maintained control over the B-52 and turned toward nearby Thailand.
For 40 minutes, Brass 02 limped toward safety but continued losing altitude. Knowing that landing the crippled aircraft at night would be impossible, the six crewmen successfully ejected near Nakhom Phanom Royal Thai Air Base and were rescued.
The following day, an American team recovered the ejection seat used by the Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) Capt. Silverio Barroqueiro, and he saved the armrest as a memento. The other items on display at the museum were worn by Barroqueiro on that mission.
