David Wheat
Era: Vietnam
Military Branch: Navy
Commander David Wheat, USN-Ret., graduated from Duluth Central High School. He also graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 1963 with a degree in industrial education.
He joined the Navy in October 1963 and, after attending Officer Candidate School, was commissioned on February 14, 1964. On October 17 1965, he was serving as a radar intercept officer on an RF-4B aircraft flying from the USS Independence. On that day, his unit had a mission to protect bombers that were attacking a railroad bridge northeast of Hanoi from enemy planes.
Wheat's aircraft was hit by ground fire as it was leaving the area after the bombing mission. He and the pilot ejected. The pilot was not recovered and is presumed dead. Wheat broke a bone in his leg but evaded capture for a few hours before he was discovered by members of a militia and taken prisoner.
He was a prisoner for about seven years and four months -- until February 12, 1973. After being freed, he returned to active duty and completed training to become a pilot. He served in various at-sea and shore commands before retiring at the rank of Commander in December 1984.
After his Navy service, he worked in real estate in California and northeastern Minnesota. He later worked for the Duluth School District, working with students in the construction technology class housed at the district's secondary vocational-technical center at Duluth Central.
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David Wheat PHOTO CAPTIONS
* The young pilot and his aircraft. [7070]
* Newspaper story of the release of POW David Wheat
* David Wheat (center) with SLC Commissioners
* One of the early sketches of Timothy Cleary’s vision for the monument to honor David Wheat and the POWs.
* David Wheat statue at the Duluth International Airport (DLH)
* David Wheat statue (close-uo)
* Commander David Wheat in his home today. (second is cropped) [7062 and 7062 2]
* Senator John McCain (left) was housed in an adjacent cell for a time at the Hanoi Hilton. They talked to one another through the wall by tapping out code. During his presidential run Sen. McCain visited his old POW friend. [7072]
* David Wheat display card-GOS-VMH Gallery
* POW-MIA exhivit in Veterans Memorial Hall
* David Wheat and Warren High cutting the ribbon at the VMH renovation reopenning ceremony
