Commander Mayer was a member of Fighter Squadron 41, Carrier Air Wing 7 aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62). On October 17, 1965, he was the pilot of a McDonnell Douglas Phanton II Fighter (F-4B) on a day strike mission on the Thai Nguyen Bridge northeast of Hanoi, North Vietnam. His aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire about 40 miles east of Thai Nguyen. It is believed that he did not survive the ejection from his aircraft. His remains were not recovered.
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