970 was lost on June 17, 1970.  Just after an in-flight refueling, the SR-71 suddenly pitched up and collided with the KC-135Q tanker.  RSO Maj. Mort Jarvis bailed out unharmed, but pilot LtCol. Buddy Brown broke both his legs during the ejection.  The KC-135Q managed to make it back to Beale AFB safely in spite of suffering what Brown described as "a severely damaged horizontal stabilizer."

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