The Lockheed OP-2E Neptune was dropping acoustic buoys over the trail in Laos. It had two F-4 escorts out of Da Nang and an O-2A Forward Air Control spotter. After coming off his first target run, the Commander reported that they had been hit by small arms fire in the starboard wing but were continuing on with their second assigned target run. During the second run, the fighter escort radioed to the OP-2E that its starboard engine was on fire. The Commander acknowledged and reported that he was aborting the mission and returning to base. The F-4s climbed through the overcast with the intention of joining the OP-2E on top and escorting him back to base. The last radio transmission they heard from the OP-2E was, ‘We’re beat up pretty bad …..’. The F-4s dropped back down below the overcast and found the burning wreckage of the OP-2E; no parachutes were seen or emergency beepers were heard.