Rivet Amber Crew Leader Charlie Levis
One of the six original EWO's selected with George Reagan
Colonel Levis was one of six original EWOs selected for project Rivet Amber / Lisa Ann.
He was also the team leader.
Two years after Rivet Amber crashed at sea on June 5, 1969, Charlie volunteered for a combat tour in Vietnam with the Tactical Air Command (TAC). He was assigned to fly combat missions in the EB-66 with the 42 TEWS, 388th TFW at Korat RTAFB, Thailand. When asked why he volunteered for a combat tour in Vietnam, he said....
"I just wanted to pull my oar before the War was over."
About six months later he was shot down just south of the DMZ by a Surface to Air Missile (SAM) on Easter Sunday (April 2, 1972). Col. Levis was flying a routine combat support mission (B-52 Pathfinder Escort) in an EB-66C (54-0466) with the call sign of "Bat-21".
The Air Force, Army and Navy launched an unprecedented rescue effort for survivors.
During the twelve day rescue attempt five aircraft were shot down, eleven airmen were killed and two were captured. It was the most extensive and costly rescue effort in Air Force history.
Lt. Thomas R. Norris was awarded the Medal of Honor for his recovery efforts. The only known survivor recovered was Bat-21's Navigator, Ltc. Iceal "Gene" Hambleton.
