July 30, 1942 - June 24, 1968

Cause of death: Vietnam casualty

Nicholas Mallory Carpenter

Lieutenant Commander

ATTACK SQUADRON 35, CVW-9, USS ENTERPRISE

United States Navy

Panel 55W Line 026 (on Vietnam Memorial)

A note from the Virtual Wall submitted by Patrick O’Kelley: On the evening of 24 June 1968 four A-6A aircraft launched from USS ENTERPRISE to lay DST-36 mines in the Song Ca River near Hung Nghia on Route 15 just south of Vinh, North Vietnam. The area was well defended with antiaircraft guns and at least two active surface-to-air missile sites. Just before 8 PM the crew of A-6A BuNo 152949 reported they were beginning their run. Shortly thereafter the other aircrews noted a fireball on the ground in the immediate vicinity of the target. Although an emergency beeper was heard and momentary voice contact was made, the source of the signals could not be identified. Search and rescue operations were unsuccessful. The two crewmen from BuNo 152949, LT Nicholas M. Carpenter, pilot, and LTJG Joseph S. Mobley, bombardier-navigator, were listed as Missing in Action.

Joe Mobley was repatriated on 14 March 1973 during Operation Homecoming. During his debriefing he said the aircraft was hit while approaching the target and immediately became uncontrollable. Mobley ejected and was captured almost immediately after arriving on the ground. He did not know if Carpenter was able to leave the aircraft before ground impact.

Nicholas Carpenter was declared dead, with his date of death set as 24 June 1968. On 13 Sep 1990 the Vietnamese repatriated remains, which, on 27 March 1991, proved to be those of LCDR Nicholas M. Carpenter.

[Note: In 1998, Joseph Mobley was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. He was stationed in Hawaii with his wife Mary