page_title: George Thomas Coker
section_title: Vietnam War
hierarchical_section_title: George Thomas Coker / Naval career / Vietnam War
caption_attribution_description: U.S. Navy Grumman A-6A Intruder (BuNo 151817) from Attack Squadron VA-65 Tigers on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CVA-64). VA-65 was assigned to Attak Carrier Air Wing 15 (CVW-15) aboard the Constellation for a deployment to Vietnam from 12 May to 3 December 1966. The U.S. Navy experimented with aircraft camouflage and painted half of the aircraft of Attack Carrier Air Wing 15 (CVW-15) with dark green colours to blend in with the Vietnamese jungle. The results proved inconclusive for the U.S. Navy, whereas the U.S. Air Force concluded that the camouflage was effective. U.S. Navy planes would not be camouflaged until the 1980s.
context_page_description: George Thomas Coker is a retired United States Navy commander who was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. An Eagle Scout, he is noted for his devotion to scouting.
  In 1966, the A-6 Intruder jet on which Coker was serving as co-pilot, bombardier, and navigator, was shot down over North Vietnam. He was held as a prisoner of war in the "Hanoi Hilton" and other camps for six and a half years. After his release, he continued to serve in the Navy until his retirement in 1986.
context_section_description: He deployed to Vietnam in 1966 with Attack Squadron 65 (VA-65) aboard the USS Constellation (CV-64). On June 30, his first deployment, Coker took part in a 19-aircraft attack on a radar control facility in Kép, 38 miles northeast of Hanoi. In the face of flak, automatic weapons fire and extremely difficult weather conditions, Coker directed the pilot, navigated his aircraft, managed the ordnance system and used his electronic countermeasures equipment to provide protection for the strike group. The attack inflicted significant damage on the well-protected and dug-in radar station and its equipment, with all three radar stations out of operation and the target described as "obliterated". For his actions, Coker was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V".
  Coker was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions the following day, July 1. His jet aircraft was diverted to attack three North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin that were heading towards U.S. Navy destroyers in the area. Coker navigated to the scene and called out airspeed, altitude and dive angle to allow the pilot to focus their attacks on the enemy boats as they in turn concentrated their fire at Coker's aircraft. One enemy ship was hit and sunk, and a second suffered a near-miss. The citation notes that "Lieutenant Coker's resourcefulness, superb airmanship, and courage in the face of great danger contributed materially to the success of the mission." In a two-hour-long battle, all three ships were sunk by the U.S. Navy aircraft.
  Coker was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for his actions as part of a coordinated 23-aircraft attack on petroleum storage tanks in Hai Phong on August 2, 1966, consisting of four waves of A-6 Intruders and A-4 Skyhawks, firing a combination of 750 and 1,000 pound bombs and rockets. The attack was the third in a series of attacks on North Vietnamese oil storage depots dating back to June. Despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, Coker provided accurate guidance to the pilot on airspeed, altitude and dive angle, while operating both the attack navigation radar system and electronic countermeasures. Despite adverse weather conditions, Coker's actions contributed to an attack that destroyed all but one of the facility's storage tanks.
caption: VA-65 A-6A on USS Constellation in 1966
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