Pilot Killed in Crash at Sea Was POW in Vietnam War

Retired Navy Capt. Charles Gillespie Jr. of San Marcos, who was shot down over Vietnam and spent 5 1/2 years in the “Hanoi Hilton” POW prison, was identified Thursday as the pilot killed in a civilian plane crash, officials said.

Gillespie, 60, was flying a turboprop plane 80 miles northwest of San Diego for Flight International Inc., a defense contractor, at the time of Tuesday’s accident. He had retired from active duty in June, 1983.

The crash occurred minutes after Gillespie finished maneuvers intended to simulate hostile aircraft during war games involving Navy air traffic control students tracking planes from ships, Navy officials said.

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