photo #5586878

January 5th 1967 – A Martin MGM-13 Mace was launched from Site A-15, Santa Rosa Island, Hurlburt Field, Florida, by the 4751st Air Defense Missile Squadron at 1021 hrs.The MGM-13 fails to circle over Gulf of Mexico according to the test mission parameters, but instead, and much to the horror of the Air Defence Missile Squadron, heads directly South for Cuba... with three Eglin AFB McDonnell F-4 Phantom IIs in hot pursuit.One of the F-4 Phantoms overtakes the MGM-13, and attempts to take it down with two air to air missile shots unsuccessfully, then the F-4 opens up with cannon fire and damages the MGM-13 Mace which still manages to overfly the western tip of Cuba before slamming into the Caribbean only 100 miles south of the island.An International incident was narrowly avoided...