‘City of Madera’ survived but ‘City of Tulare’ went down

For The Madera Tribune

“The City of Madera.”

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Hugh Magee was a Navy pilot who flew A4C Skyhawks in combat over North Vietnam. Magee was attached to Lemoore Naval Air Station’s Attack Squadron 146, better known as the “Blue Diamonds.”

When the Blue Diamonds were sent to Vietnam in 1965, they named their planes after towns that were near Lemoore. In that way, they maintained a connection to the Valley as they flew in the flak-filled skies of North Vietnam.

Lt. Magee and his fellow pilot, Lt. Bill Rezek named their plane “City of Madera,” and took turns flying the aircraft into combat. After dozens of bombing missions over enemy territory, the odds finally caught up with the “City of Madera,” and it was hit by anti-aircraft fire in May of 1966. Magee, who was flying the plane, barely made it back to his carrier.