American Plane Shot Down By Czechoslovakian Forces (March 10, 1953)

Air Marshal Hugh Lester Campbell of the RCAF in 1958. From 1952-1955, he was the Air Officer Commanding the First Air Division In Europe, and a Air Vice Marshal.

January 13, 1958. File from Wikimedia Commons.

On March 10, 1953, an American F-84 plane was shot down by Czechoslovakian MIG aircraft. There were no reported casualties. Still, the event spiraled into an international incident, as the Czechs and Americans disagreed whether the plane had crossed the Czech-German border into Czechoslovakia.

Canadian officials watched the situation closely. Canada was a member of NATO, and fighter aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) were stationed in Europe. Unlike the United States, however, Canada was not an occupying power in Germany (CDEX01121).

The Canadians indicated their support of the United States’ version of events.