Captain Rhoads was the pilot of a RF-80A Lockeed Shooting Star photo reconnaissance aircraft with the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. On July 27, 1953, while on a combat mission near Taejon Airfield (K-5), South Korea, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, burst into flames destroying the tail section and crashed. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. For his leadership and valor, Captain Rhoads was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster the Air Medal with 19 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
During a return flight from a mission near the Yalu River over North Korea his plane was hit by ground fire and it was reported he had radio contact with other pilots in the area and they advised he bail out of his plane. Capt. Rhodes response was he thought he could make it to the ocean where he could ditch the plane and save the pictures. Shortly after this radio contact his plane exploded.
During a return flight from a mission near the Yalu River over North Korea his plane was hit by ground fire and it was reported he had radio contact with other pilots in the area and they advised he bail out of his plane. Capt. Rhodes response was he thought he could make it to the ocean where he could ditch the plane and save the pictures. Shortly after this radio contact his plane exploded.
Captain Rhoads was the pilot of a RF-80A Lockeed Shooting Star photo reconnaissance aircraft with the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. On July 27, 1953, while on a combat mission near Taejon Airfield (K-5), South Korea, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, burst into flames destroying the tail section and crashed. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. For his leadership and valor, Captain Rhoads was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster the Air Medal with 19 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
During a return flight from a mission near the Yalu River over North Korea his plane was hit by ground fire and it was reported he had radio contact with other pilots in the area and they advised he bail out of his plane. Capt. Rhodes response was he thought he could make it to the ocean where he could ditch the plane and save the pictures. Shortly after this radio contact his plane exploded.
During a return flight from a mission near the Yalu River over North Korea his plane was hit by ground fire and it was reported he had radio contact with other pilots in the area and they advised he bail out of his plane. Capt. Rhodes response was he thought he could make it to the ocean where he could ditch the plane and save the pictures. Shortly after this radio contact his plane exploded.
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