HOW IT WAS! KUNSAN AIRBASE 8TH FIGHTER WING HISTORY (1954-1974)

• Heraldry and Notes on Selected Squadrons -- 35th Aerosquadron; 36th Aerosquadron; 80th Pursuit Squadron
  

• 8th Pursuit Group Activated -- 35th & 36th Pursuit Squadrons at Langley Field
  
• 8th Pursuit Group in World War II
  -- 80th Pursuit Squadron joins 8th PG; Aircobra; New Guinea; P-38 Lightning; Mindoro, Phillipines; Ie Shima, Ryuku Islands -- Narratives of Dino Cerruti
  
  • Aces of the 8th Fighter Group -- List and writeups on J.T. Robins, Dan Roberts, & George Welch
    
  
  
  
• 8th FBG at Ashiya, Japan (1946-1948) -- Narratives of Dino Cerutti
  
• 8th FBG at Itazuke, Japan (1948-1952) -- Transition to P-51D Mustang; Transition to F-80C Shooting Star; Creation of the 8th Fighter Wing (1948-1951)
  
  

• Overview of the First Days of the Korean War (1951) -- Bout One; First Days of War; List of 8th FW kills
  
• First Kill of the Korean War to 68th All-Weather Fighter Squadron -- Attached to 8th FW
  
• 8th Fighter Bomber Wing: From Pyongyang to Itazuke to Kimpo
  
  • 35th and 36th FBS F-51Ds Move to Tsuiki AB -- 8th FW splits; Formation of the "Hobo Squadron"; Narratives of John Glassford, Sr.
    
  • Pohang: "Hobo" Squadron Goes to Yonil Airfield -- Narratives of John Glassford, Sr.
    
    

  • Evacuation of Pohang -- Narratives of John Glassford, Sr.
    
  • Pusan Perimeter
    
  • Hobo Squadron Heads North -- Inchon Landing
    
  • Hobo Squadron Falls Back to Itazuke -- Chinese counterattack
    
  • 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing Returns to Kimpo -- Allies retake Seoul -- Narratives of John Glassford, Sr.
    
  
  
  
• 8th Fighter Bomber Wing History (1952-1955) -- Suwon AB, Korea
  
  • Move to Suwon (Aug 52)
    
  • Morale Building
    
  • Hobo Name Fades from Memory
    
  • Air Interdiction: The Name of the Game
    
  • Attack on Pyongyang (Jul 52) -- Article: "Hot Sky Over Pyonyang"
    
    

  • Training Mission -- Article
    
  • Major Charles Loring (Nov 52) -- Article: "Sacrifice at Sniper Ridge"
    
  • Bridges at Sinanju and Yongmidong (10-15 Jan 53)
    
  • Conversion to F-86F Sabre
    
    

  • 35th FBS "Black Panthers" -- Ken Creasy's narratives and photos: Korean Conflict Honors; After the Armistice; MiG kills (May 55); F-94B Night Fighters at Suwon;
    
    

  • Base Ops at K-13 (1954) -- Article: Night Flight
    
  
  
  
• 8th FBW at Itazuke, Japan -- Conversion to F-100
  
  
  • 8th FBW (1957-1961) -- TDY at Kunsan; Nuclear alert moves to Osan AB, Korea
    
  • 8th FBW (1963) -- Conversion to F-105 Thunderchief
  
  
  
  

• 8th TFW at George AFB, CA (1964) -- Conversion to F-4D Phantom II
  
  

• 8th TFW at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand (1965) -- Birth of the Wolfpack; MiG Kills; Operation Bolo; Robin Olds & Chappie James; 16th SOS; 13th TBS; Battle Damage; Crashes; Maintenance
  
  
  • 35th Fighter Squadron (Sep 74 - Present) "Pantons"
    
  • 80th Fighter Squadron (Sep 74 - Present) "Juvats"
  
  
  
• General Dynamics F16C/D (Sep 1981 - Present)
  

Golden Web Award (NR)

Sigillum Qualis 2000 John R. Kahn (NR)

Acknowledgement: Thanks to Richard (Dick) Seely for his narratives excerpted from USAF Memories. Special thanks to Kiyo Noriye, SMSgt USAF (ret), of Las Vegas, Nevada for his narratives and photos that span Kunsan AB in the late-1950s to mid-1970s. Thanks to HQ PACAF History Office for its source materials. Another excellent site used to trace the history of the 8th Fighter Wing is Air Force Historical Research Agency: 8FW Lineage.

The 8th Fighter Bomber Wing after the Korean War

Move to Itazuke:

Wing Commander: - Col Orville H. Rehmann, 26 Feb 1955;
Wing Commander: - Col Robert P. Montgomery, 8 Jun 1957;
Wing Commander: - Col Raymond K. Gallagher, 8 Jul 1959;
Wing Commander: - Col Chesley G. Peterson, 20 Jul 1959;
Wing Commander: - Col William A. Daniel, 23 May 1960;
Wing Commander: - Col John R. Roche, 16 May 1962;
Wing Commander: - Col William E. Buck, Jr., 29 Jun 1962;
Wing Commander: - Col Jack G. Milne, 12–18 Jun 1964;
Wing Commander: - none (not manned), 19 Jun–24 Jul 1964;

Background History: From 1950 through 1964, the wing flew F-51, F-80, F-86, F-100, F-102 and F-105 aircraft. After the Korean War, the unit with its squadrons (35th FBS, 36th FBS, and 80th FBS) returned to Itazuke Air Base, Japan on 20 Oct 1954. The Wing would call this home until 10 Jul 1964 when the 8th TFW would leave for George AFB, CA without aircraft or personnel. Itazuke would close and all the units would be transferred to Yokota AB.

The following is from USAF F86 Squadrons

35th Fighter Bomber Squadron The 35th FBS converted from F-80Cs to F-86F fighter bombers during March 1953. The squadron then received their first F-100s in 1956. Bases for the squadron were Suwon AB (K-13), Korea, then Itazuke AB, Japan from 20th October 1954. The 35th FBS was assigned to 8th FBG throughout. Squadron motto: First to Fight.

36th Fighter Bomber Squadron The 36th FBS converted from F-80Cs to F-86F fighter bombers during March 1953. The squadron then received their first F-100s in 1956. Bases for the squadron were Suwon AB (K-13), Korea, then Itazuke AB, Japan from 19th October 1954. The 36th FBS was assigned to 8th FBG throughout. Squadron motto: The Flying Fiends.

80th Fighter Bomber Squadron The 80th FBS converted from F-80Cs to F-86F fighter bombers during March 1953. The squadron then received its first F-84Gs in 1956 before converting onto the F-100D. Bases for the squadron were Suwon AB (K-13), Korea, then Kadena AB, Okinawa from 21st October 1954. The 80th FBS was assigned to 8th FBG throughout, but attached to 20th AF from 29th October 1954. Squadron motto: Headhunters.)

1954-1956:

F-84G from the 7th Ftr Bmr Sq. of the 49th being escorted by 8th FBG F-86s.

A2c LeRoy Murray from Bridgeport Conn. in front of his aircraft.

Hobo Wing: Kiyo Noriye, MSgt USAF (ret), of Las Vegas, Nevada wrote, "First when I got to Itazuki. the hobo name was loosely used name for the 8th fighter group." In Korea, the 8th FW had been tossed into the breach to slow the North Korean advance. Because the wing's F-80Cs did not have the fuel to remain over station in Korea, the wing reconverted to F-51 Mustangs and other allied units were pooled into "tactical unit" under the cover group of the 8th known as the "Hobo Squadron." This unit fought the delaying action as the allies fell back into the Pusan Perimeter. After the breakout, the tactical unit went north in North Korea until the Chinese entry forced the Hobo Squadron to fall back into South Korea. After this, the tactical unit was reunited with the elements that remained at Itazuke. By the end of the Korean Conflict at Suwon, the unit was still known as the "Hobo Wing," but the origins of the name was fading from the collective memory. When the unit moved back to Itazuke after the Korean War, it still was known as the "Hobo" was still associated with the Wing, but the name would slowly fade away after a few more years.

The wing was redesignated the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, July 1, 1958. This was greeted with jubilation by the pilots as they never appreciated that "bomber" tag.

Flightline at Itazuki.

Flightline at Itazuki.

Kunsan Deployment (1956): The following photos were taken at Kunsan in late 1956 by Kiyo Noriye. For an overview of the conditions at Kunsan AB during the period immediately following the Korean War, go to 6175th ABG (1959).

Transient Quarters. All the comforts of home!!!

SSgt Parson, Supply NCO, on C-pad.

Conversion to F-100 & F-102: The wing received its first F-100 "Supersabre" in 1956. It officially started its conversion in October 1957 and would fly them until 1963. In 1961, the wing received the F-102 Delta "Dagger" which it flew until 1964 along with the F-100s. The F-102 was flown by the 68th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of Itazuke AB, Japan from 1957 to 1965 after which the unit transitioned to the F-4C in 1965.

Nuclear Alerts move to Korea: While at Itazuke, its primary mission was the air defense of Japan and it performed "alert" duty at Osan AB, Korea on a rotational basis. In truth, the wing was pulling "nuclear alerts" in Korea as their could be no nuclear weapons stationed in Japan. During the Korean War starting in April 1953, the F-84Gs from the 9th TFS (formerly of the 49th FBG at Taegu AB, Korea) pulled nuclear alerts in Misawa, Japan. The 3rd Bomb Wing in Misawa, Japan also added the nuclear tasking to their mission after it converted to B-57s. However, after the Korean War, it soon became a political issue due to the horrors of the Hiroshima being memorialized in Japan. World wide was focused on Japan with the plight of the "Hiroshima maidens" -- women disfigured by the nuclear blast who were flown to America for reconstructive surgery. No nuclear weapons were stationed in Japan starting in 1958 and they were "forward positioned" in Korea at FOLs (Forward Operating Locations) in Korea.

The two locations for the FOLs supporting the nuclear missions was Osan AB and Kunsan AB. As one pundit put it, they stood "Victor Alerts with a 15-minute scramble to the start of World War III." At that time, there was no permanent facility for any of the alert aircraft. The aircraft simply stood the alerts out in the open in their own designated areas with the "silver bullet" stored in the ammo dump. From 1958-1964, the nuclear commitment at Kunsan was handled by the 3rd Bomb Wing's B-57s and TDY's with F-100Ds from the 14th TFW at Kadena AB. The units were "self-contained" in the C-pad area and provided their own security for the nuclear weapons as well as all maintenance support from home station. These deployments were on a monthly rotational basis.

The 8th FBG did NOT have any nuclear alert at Kunsan. From 1958, the nuclear alerts by the 8th FBG was at Osan AB. Kiyo Norime wrote, "When we started going into Kunsan, it was on training and bombing; ie, Tactical sorties. Our sister outfit at Itazuki with F-84Gs which at that time was part of the 49th Fighter Group, however had the capability to carry it When we got the F-100D/Fs the only thing we did at Kunsan was training exercise ie : LABs/ Tactical bombing. We set up alert duties in Osan in 1958 I can't remember the exact date but it was on D diamond and that is the only place that I know of that we had special weapons."

1957-1961:

2Lt. Dick Seeley - 1957
(Dick Seeley)

Life at Itazuke: He went on, "Base housing for bachelors was the pits. Eventually over the next few years, several groups of officers got together to rent off base housing so they could live in more home like surroundings. Besides, O'club food got very monotonous. When I left Itazuke in 1961, there were three large off base bachelor houses. They were, the Suenaga House, the Zash House and the Kaiajima House (spelling not guaranteed)."

Suenaga House party
(Dick Seeley)

Itazuke BOQ
(Dick Seeley)

80th Squadron Ops
(Dick Seeley)

Airbase from 4800
(Dick Seeley)

Conversion to the F-100D and Consolidated Maintenance: Kiyo Noriye, SMSgt USAF (ret), wrote of his arrival in 1955, "My first squadron (at Itazuke), the 36th was -- and I still believe is -- known as the Flying Fiends. Later on, I was assigned to Queen Flight which had as a patch a "Q" with a queen of heart giving a finger. The 35th was the black panthers. The 80th which became activated after we received the F-100s was and still is the Headhunters." (NOTE: The 80th FBS was assigned to 8th FBG throughout, but attached to 20th AF from 29th October 1954.)

By October 1957, the 8th TFW had just converted to the F-100D, but allotted flying hours were low. However, soon the cold war heated up, Sputnik had been launched and flying hours increased. He stated, "By October of 1957 the 8th Wing had completed conversion to the F-100D. The Wing was composed of three squadrons, the 35th FBS, 36th FBS and the 80th FBS (formerly the 7th FBS.) I believe each squadron had 24 aircraft assigned. Aircraft maintenance had also experienced a conversion, of sorts, to consolidated maintenance. This took maintenance away from the squadron and centralized the control under wing staff supervision. As a result of all this turbulence, a pilot that flew 10 hours in a month was considered fortunate." (NOTE: The system that Dick is referring to changed the Wing structure by eliminating the Group. A Tri-deputate system was installed in its place in which three deputy commanders reported directly to the Wing Commander on their separate functions impacting the flying mission. Thus the Deputy Commander for Operations (DO), Deputy Commander for Maintenance (DCM) and Deputy Commander for Logistics -- better known as "Chief of Supply" -- was formed.)

F-100D formation
(Click on to enlarge)
(Dick Seeley)

However, the F-100 had some mechanical problems. He stated, "Like all new aircraft the F-100 had its problems. The biggest one I recall was the CSD (constant speed drive) which provided the electrical power for the aircraft. The CSD would fail, causing the loss of all engine oil resulting in engine seizure. A bad way to end a flight. The F-100 was a poor glider." During his four years of peacetime service they lost 30 aircraft and 15 pilots.

35th (top) and 80th (bottom) F-100D Landings
(Dick Seeley)

He remembered one that happened at Kunsan. He stated, "It occurred around November of 1957 at Kunsan, AB Korea. Captain Jim Sharp was testing an aircraft, following maintenance, and crashed on the Air Base runway. The second or third accident involved a dear friend, Leslie (Ed) McDonald. We both attended advanced flight training at Luke AFB, Arizona from March to July 1957 and went on to Nellis AFB, Nevada to upgrade in the F-100. Ed loved flying, but he didn't like flying over water, vowing never to eject until he reached dry land. His engine seized during a practice bombing run on a water range. He tried to stretch the glide to land, ejecting too low. Ed hit the shore still strapped in his ejection seat."

LABS: Dick stated, "To maintain our bombing skills we had to practice dropping bombs on a regular basis. We used a system called LABS (Low Altitude Bombing System) and it required a substantial amount of real estate for a bombing range. Real estate in Japan was then and still is at a premium. Consequently we relied almost entirely on water ranges. Scoring was done by each pilot from the air. The scoring wasn't very accurate, but we did receive valuable training in the process."

Low Level Training
(Dick Seeley)

"The LABS maneuver was accomplished from low altitude, around 100 feet above the ground (water) at 500 knots indicated airspeed. As you passed over the target you initiated a 4g pull up and lit the burner. The 4g's had to be maintained until the system released the bomb. We had an instrument on the panel to help keep the wings level and indicate whether you were pulling more or less than 4g's. At the top of the maneuver you would be upside down and a roll to the upright position was completed. Pilots know this is as an Immelmann maneuver. We spent hours practicing it. It was difficult to perform this maneuver well and get a good release. Many factors affected the results. For instance, the way you entered the maneuver could have a large effect on where the bomb would hit. You could pull too slow, or too fast, or overshoot 4g's or undershoot 4g's and on and on. It wasn't until I did an auto LABS that I got a good picture of how to do it."

According to the Baugher site: F-100D, "The F-100D had a provision for centerline-mounted fuselage attachment points. These points could carry "special stores"-a euphemistic term for nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons could be carried on the left wing intermediate attachment point or on the fuselage centerline attachment points. The nuclear weapons that could be carried included the Mk 7, Mk 28 EX, Mk 28 RE, Mk 43, TX-43, and TX-43 X1, with yields ranging from a kiloton to nearly ten megatons. For delivery of these nuclear weapons, the F-100D carried the AN/AJB-1B low-altitude bombing system (LABS). This system was used in conjunction with information provided by the A-4 gyro sight to calculate aiming and release information for the toss-bombing of nuclear weapons. In a typical mission, the F-100D would approach the target down on the deck at about 500 mph and pull up at a steady 4Gs acceleration. Partway into what would be a half loop, the bomb would be automatically released by the computer. The plane would then complete the half-loop and undergo a half-roll and head away from the target. The F-100D would then go to full afterburner in order to get as far away as possible from the bomb when it exploded."

H.K. White - Be Happy
(Dick Seeley)

Deployment to Kunsan: On another page, he stated, "The 8th Wing maintained a detachment of aircraft at Kunsan AB, Korea. Our mission at Kunsan was primarily to maintain a presence and to 'show the flag.' Each squadron rotated crews to Kunsan on a scheduled basis and my first TDY to Korea was in February 1958. Conditions were somewhat austere. We were assigned quarters in a house that looked like it belonged on a Ma & Pa Kettle movie set. There were about 4 crews to a house with one bath. As I recall our bathroom had a hole in the floor with a clear view of the ground below."

Kunsan flightline (Feb 58)
(Dick Seeley)

He went on, "The Officers Club at Kunsan would have made a great set for a 'MASH' episode. There was a nightly poker game in the bar area which would be interrupted by the occasional sighting of a rat. Everyone joined in the chase and the unfortunate animal would almost always meet an untimely end." (NOTE: The O-club was called the "Bottom of the Mark" and was a leftover from the Korean War. The original structure has been modified many times over and now is the West Wind Golf Course Club.)

4 Huns on Kunsan Runway
(Dick Seeley)

He continued, "Flight operations consisted primarily of flying training missions, occasionally we would fly an operational mission along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). DMZ missions were for the benefit of the North Koreans. We would climb to altitude, to make sure they could see us on radar, and fly supersonic dashes parallel to the DMZ. I don't know who was impressed the most, us or them." He added, "On one of my missions, during this first TDY, both nose gear tires blew during a formation takeoff. My first declared emergency in the F100 ended without incident." (NOTE: Though the unit mission at Kunsan was to only "show the flag", they kept proficient in LABS bombing practice for nuclear weapons.)

F-100D with 80th TFS tail flash
(Dick Seeley)

Kiyo Noriye deployed to Kunsan in 1958 and sent the following photos and narratives. Kiyo added a note, "All the F-100D-30s that we initially had in the 35/ 36 TFS had serial numbers 501and up.The 80th had numbers @280." For a description of the 18th TFW's deployment of F-100Fs (nuclear capable) to Kunsan go to 18th TFW Deployment to Kunsan (1959).

Alert at Osan: Later he stated, "Sometime in 1958 the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing designation was changed to 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. Fighter pilots were not happy with the word bomber in the unit designation and this was cause for celebration." He went on, "I believe Colonel Montgomery was replaced by Colonel Chesley G. Peterson sometime in 1958. Colonel Peterson had a distinguished career as a fighter pilot during World War II and we were fortunate to have him assigned as the commander of the 8th Wing. Later in the year we moved our detachment operations to Osan AB, Korea and we took on a more serious mission." Though Osan AB was much more "civilized" than Kunsan, it had no real alert facilities. Later the 8th TFW would move their alert operations to Kadena, but in 1960 would move the alert back to Osan AB after the alert facilities were built.

On his new site he stated, "The 8th Wing began detachment operations at Osan A.B., Korea during the summer of 1958. Our mission was maintaining a dawn to dusk armed alert status. I do not have any photographs of the facilities -- cameras were not allowed. In 1958 being stationed at Osan, A.B. was like living on the frontier. The streets were not paved and most of the buildings were temporary quonset hut construction. The air crews lived in an open bay quonset hut with two oil burning stoves at either end. Air conditioning? Open the windows. The latrine facility was in a separate building, accessible only by walking a muddy path. Electricity was provided by the Korean government who turned it off in the evening for an hour or two to save money. Detachment operations were located in a Korean War fighter squadron building down on the flight line where we also inherited Rocky, a large yellow dog of unknown pedigree. As the story goes, someone took Rocky up in an F-86 and he became the world's first supersonic dog. The building lacked plumbing so we had a good old fashioned 'outhouse' set up outside. In August of 1958 the Chinese Communists began shelling the off shore islands of Quemoy and Matsu. Tensions ran high for a while and our alert status was increased. By the fall of 1958 the situation quieted down and we returned to normal status. We continued the alert operations through 1958 and the first part of 1959. During the spring of 1959 new facilities at Osan were under construction and we moved the detachment to Kadena, A.B. at Okinawa."

Kiyo Noriye stated, "The 8th set up alert in Osan I think it was late 1958 on D diamond I think it was the old 510th of the 4th Fighter Group's Operations buildings before they moved to Chitose A.B. in Japan, anyway I remember the buildings (shacks) were painted red."

Alert at Kadena: Dick Seeley stated, "In the spring of 1959 we were maintaining our alert facility at Kadena, AB on Okinawa. Although the alert facilities were not much better than those at Osan, the BOQ's were a great improvement. Each room had individual baths. No more walking in the mud to take a shower. Off base activities were better and there were several golf courses to occupy the off duty leisure hours." Aircraft were rotated home on a regular basis.

Return to Alert in Osan: He stated a few years back on his old site, how the conditions had changed for standing the nuclear alerts at Osan after their return from Kadena. He stated, "Upon returning to Osan, AB Korea we found a nice new alert facility waiting for us. It was totally self contained and air conditioned too. The alert pads were now enclosed with steel buildings. No more pre-flights in the rain or snow and each pad had a phone. Practice scrambles during inclement weather no longer required us to sit in open cockpits during a monsoon or blizzard depending upon the season. It was a great improvement over our previous facilities. Practice scrambles were initiated with the ringing of a bell. It is interesting see how conditioned one becomes to responding. I had just returned from a tour at Osan and was waiting for a movie to begin in a downtown Fukuoka movie theater. A bell would sound a minute or two before the movie would start. Yep, I came right out of the seat!"

It should be noted that while the 8th TFW of Itazuke AB was fulfilling the nuclear alerts at Osan AB with their F-100s, the 3rd Bomb Wing of Misawa AB was standing nuclear alerts at Kunsan AB with their B-57s. In 1963 when the 3rd BW departed and the 39th Air Division at Misawa picked up the Kunsan AB tasking until 1968 when it was turned over to Det 1 475th TFW of Misawa.

1963:

According to the Republic F-105, "Built by Republic Aircraft, the F-105 was designed as a supersonic, single-seat, fighter-bomber able to carry nuclear weapons and heavy bomb loads over great distances at high speeds. It made its first flight on October 12, 1955. The first F-105D (58-1146) flew on 9 June 1959. The TAC at Nellis AFB, Nevada, accepted the first F-105D on September 28, 1960. The initial contract for 59 F-105Ds was increased to nearly 300 by the end of 1961. Ultimately, 610 F-105Ds were built."

"The F-105D variant was an all-weather fighter-bomber version, fitted with monopulse and Doppler radar for night or bad weather operations. This radar was capable of terrain avoidance commands. The original weapons bay, designed for nuclear stores, was sealed and fitted with additional fuel tanks. Bombs were carried on multiple weapons racks on the centerline of the fuselage, and on wing pylons. The aircraft was fitted with a retractable in-flight refueling probe. During the Vietnam War, F-105 units operated from bases in Thailand."

"The F-105D was the major production version of the Thunderchief series. It was an all-weather version of the day-only F-105B. Externally, the -D differed from the -B in having a slightly longer and wider nose, which housed the AN/ASG-19 "Thunderstick" system designed to meet new all-weather requirements specified in the November 1957. The AN/ASG-19 was designed around the NASARR R-14A all-purpose monopulse radar. This was optimized in both air-to-ground and air-to-air modes and was capable of performing both low-level and high-altitude missions. The aircraft was equipped with a General Electric FC-5 flight control system that operated in conjunction with the R-14A radar to provide the F-105D with full all-weather capability. The system included a bomb-toss computer, a sight system, an AN/APN-131 Doppler navigator, an air data computer, missile launch computer, autopilot, and search and ranging radar. The radar installation also incorporated a terrain guidance mode permitting the pilot to descend through bad weather in unfamiliar territory and to hug the ground, avoiding detection."

"A J75-P-19W jet engine equipped with water injection powered the F-105D. A new cockpit was provided with a vertical instrument panel. The higher gross weight of the -D version required the provision of a stronger main landing gear and more robust brakes. In addition, a pitot tube was mounted on the extreme tip of the nose. The aircraft were otherwise quite similar to other F-105s. The F-105D had an arrester hook mounted on the rear of the ventral fin. This hook was intended to engage a wire in case the aircraft overshot the end of the runway during a landing. The Thunderchief was not capable of carrier-based operations."

"The F-105D was originally intended for the nuclear strike role, with the primary armament being a "special store" (a nuclear weapon) housed in the internal weapons bay. This weapon was usually a Mk 28 or a Mk 43. However, a Mk 61 could be carried underneath the left or right inboard under wing pylon and a Mk 57 or a Mk 61 could be carried underneath the centerline pylon. But, as nuclear war became less and less likely, the nuclear weapon carried in the internal weapons bay was usually replaced by a 390-gallon internal fuel tank."

"The Thunderchief made an excellent tactical bomber. With the exception of the ammunition for the M61A1 cannon, all the ordnance was carried externally. With multiple ejector racks the F-105D could carry an impressive load of external fuel, ECM gear, and up to eight 750-lb. bombs on long-range missions. On short-range missions, it could carry sixteen 750-lb. bombs. Alternative combat loads consisted of two 3000-lb. bombs or three drop tanks. On a typical mission over North Vietnam, the F-105D carried six 750-lb. bombs or five 1,000-lb. bombs, along with two 450 US-gallon drop tanks. The -D also carried the Martin AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-surface missile. This weapon proved ineffective in Vietnam against hardened targets. The F-105D was also capable of carrying 2.75-inch rocket pods, napalm canisters, as well as four AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared homing air-to-air missiles. The M61A1 Gatling-type, 20-mm cannon proved highly effective in the dual role of air-to-air combat and ground strafing. With its size and range, the F-105D could carry twice the bomb load further and faster than the F-100. Initially, the hydraulic system was susceptible to failure due to battle damage. Modifications in that system improved the F-105s ability to withstand enemy fire."

"The F-105D was somewhat less successful as an air-to-air weapon, often challenged by enemy MiG-17 and MiG-21 fighters. The "Thud" was not as maneuverable as more nimble MiGs. Additionally, because the aircraft's ordnance was carried externally, maximum performance could only be reached once the bombs and rockets had been jettisoned or after the aircraft was clear of the target. However, when attacked, the enormous thrust of the J75 engine enabled a "slick" Thunderchief to fly supersonic "on the deck", quickly leaving its pursuers behind. F-105Ds did manage to shoot down 27-1/2 enemy fighters during 1966 and 1967. 20-mm Vulcan cannon shots accomplished most of these, and two were downed by Sidewinders."

"Strikes against targets near Hanoi involved 1250-mile round trips from Tahkli. High ambient temperatures, normal for Thailand, handicapped takeoff performance. This required takeoffs with less than a maximum fuel load. Consequently, F-105Ds operating out of bases in Thailand usually had were refueled by KC-135s over Laos before crossing into North Vietnam. Refueling operations often were repeated on the way back, especially if afterburners had been used to evade enemy defenses. On occasion, KC-135 tankers would take extra risks and penetrate into North Vietnamese airspace to come to the rescue of F-105Ds short on fuel or suffering from battle damage. Many an F-105 pilot escaped from being an unwilling guest in the "Hanoi Hilton" because of the courage and skill of KC-135 crews. When approaching Hanoi from Thailand, the F-105Ds had to cross "Thud Ridge", the name given by Thunderchief pilots to a series of hills located between the Red and Black Rivers. Once over "Thud Ridge," the F-105s would approach their targets low and fast, an environment in which the F-105D excelled. Maneuverability and stability during low-level, high-speed flight were excellent because of the aircraft's high wing loading." "Thunderchiefs in Vietnam flew more than 20,000 combat missions. 350 Thunderchiefs (-Ds and -Fs) were lost in combat, most of them to North Vietnamese anti-aircraft fire. This was more than half of all Thunderchiefs built. 126 F-105s were lost in 1966 alone, 103 of them to AAA. At one stage in 1965-1968, it was calculated that an F-105 pilot stood only a 75 percent chance of surviving 100 missions over North Vietnam."

By June 1964, the closure of Itazuke AB was complete and all base assets transferred to Yokota AB, including the new F-105D Thunderchiefs of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) and its 35th, 36th, and 80th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. The wing had started converting to the mighty THUD in mid-1963 while still at Itazuke AB, and it participated in exercises over Korea throughout the move to Yokota. In May 1963, the 8th TFW started conversion to the new Republic F-105 Thunderchief, and by June 1964 had moved all wing ops to Yokota AB.

The as-designed mission of the 8th Thunderchiefs was nuclear retaliation against the Cold War Soviet Block. Since all nuclear weapons were banned in post-World War II Japan, the wing's Thunderchiefs periodically rotated to Osan AB, Korea, to perform the same "Victor Alert" duty pulled by the European wings -- a 15-minute scramble into World War III. On 10 July 1964, the 8th TFW began a relocation to George AFB, California, without personnel or resources. At Yokota, the 34th, 35th, and 80th TFS and their THUDs were reassigned to the 41st Air Division. (SITE NOTE: The 34th TFS was NOT assigned to the 8th TFW, but assigned to the 41st AD at the same time as the 35th, 36th and 80th. For a two month period, all four squadrons were assigned to the 6641st TFW of Yokota AB as a transitional unit before the 35th, 36th and 80th were assigned to the 347th TFW. The 34th TFS flew the F-105s between 1966-1969 and was assigned to the 41st AD, but attached to the 388th TFW of Korat AFB, Thailand. Later it was assigned to the 347th TFW, but remained attached to the 388th TFW.)

According to Thunderchiefs Over Fuji, the F-105s were deployed to Korat RTAFB, Thailand in support of the Vietnam War in August 1964. It stated, "THUNDER OVER VIETNAM! In response to the Tonkin Gulf incident on 04 August 1964, HQ PACAF on 08 August ordered deployment of 18 of the former 8th TFW F-105s from Yokota to Korat RTAFB in Thailand, via Clark AB, Philippines. Departing Yokota the next morning, they refueled over Kadena AB from a KB-50J -- probe and drogue -- and flew through Typhoon Ida enroute to Korat. Their first combat action took place on 12 August 1964, when 8th TFW F-105Ds, while flying support to search and rescue missions over Laos, attacked enemy antiaircraft gun sites in the Plaine des Jarres. 36th TFS F-105D-31RE 62-4371 was hit by ground fire, with the pilot ejecting and recovering safely.

When the 36th TFS returned to Yokota in December 1964, it participated in a huge ceremony: on 07 December the Japanese Government presented retiring USAF Chief of Staff General Curtis LeMay with Japan's "First Order of the Grand Cordon of the Rising Sun." In the flyover that followed the ceremony, 8th TFW Thunderchiefs formed the letters "C E L" in the General's honor.

During 1965, the 8th TFW's 36th TFS twice again deployed to Thailand's Takhli RTAFB. During the first deployment, the 36th flew mostly interdiction and armed recce missions. Numerous Thunderchiefs received battle damage, but none were lost. During the second deployment, flying the same types of missions, four pilots were lost and listed as MIA. After returning to Yokota AB, in May 1966 the remaining F-105s and nearly all of the men of the 8th TFW were reassigned to the 6441st TFW at Yokota, leaving only one airman and a commanding officer at Yokota. All other 8th TFW supplies and equipment were reassigned to other USAF units at Yokota AB."

According to Thunderchiefs Over Fuji, "The 6441st Tactical Fighter Wing was formed at Yokota in April 1965 to operate the Thunderchiefs left there by the California-bound 8th TFW, and operated there until November 1966. The 65th Military Airlift Group transferred to Yokota from Tachikawa AB in August 1967 due to increased C-141 operations supporting the Vietnam conflict -- loaded C-141s could not land on Tachi's short runways."

"The 41st Air Division, 6441st TFW, and 441st Combat Support Group at Yokota were inactivated in January 1968 and replaced by the new 347th TFW and 347th Combat Support Group (CSG) respectively. Kunsan AB, Korea, was a Forward Operating Location (FOL) for the 347th at this time. On 18 Dec 1967, the first F-4C aircraft from the 347th TFW had arrived at Kunsan from Yokota. On 09 Jan 1968, the 347th units returned to Yokota, leaving certain maintenance and support personnel in Korea to work future deployments. Though stationed at Yokota AB, Japan, the 347th's 35th, 36th and the 80th TFS supported tactical air operations and air sector defense in Korea starting from 1968 on a rotation basis. Detachment 1 of the 347th TFW operated out of Osan AB, Korea, with some aircraft of the det located at Kunsan AB, Korea."

In simplified terms, the 6441st TFW was formed with the F-105s of the 35th TFS, 36th TFS, and 80th TFS -- left behind by the departing the 8th TFW in Jun 64 -- and the 34th TFS which was assigned at the same time to the 41st AD. Though 34th TFS was assigned to the 6441st (and later the 347th TFW) it was attached to the 388th TFW in Korat, Thailand.

We have difficulty with the Thunderchiefs over Fuji statement, "Though stationed at Yokota AB, Japan, the 347th's 35th, 36th and the 80th TFS supported tactical air operations and air sector defense in Korea starting from 1968 on a rotation basis. Detachment 1 of the 347th TFW operated out of Osan AB, Korea, with some aircraft of the det located at Kunsan AB, Korea." This would mean that F-105s were deployed to Kunsan under the 6441st TFW umbrella starting in Apr 65. However, we can find no proof of this. In fact, Kiyo Noriye, SMSgt USAF (Ret), stated that no F-105s were EVER deployed to Kunsan for nuclear alert duties. After Nov 66, the 6441st TFW departed Yokota AB for Tahkli RTAFB, Thailand taking the F-105s of the old 8th TFW with it. The 347th TFW was formed with F-4Cs and Det 1 347th TFW at Osan AB came into existence.

Starting in December 1967, the 347th TFW took over with F-4s, but returned to Yokota in Jan 68 to deploy to Thailand. However, this is only for ONE month. We can substantiate that Bill Cosens did see F-4s from "Yakota" on the C-pad when the Pueblo Incident occurred in Dec 67. One month later, the Det 1 475th TFW took over with their F-4Cs. What is significant is that the 347th TFW provided the initial F-4 maintenance cadre for the Det 1 475th TFW units from Misawa by leaving behind support personnel. If you check out the history of the 475th TFW at Misawa you will find that it was hastily assembled as a "paper wing" in response to the Pueblo Crisis (Operation Red Fox) in 1968. Its squadrons were pasted together from other units. (Go to Detachment 1, 475th Tactical Fighter Wing (Jan 1968 - Mar 1971) .)

1964:

8th Tactical Fighter Wing at George AFB, California

Wing Commander: - Col John L. Gregory, Jr., 25 Jul 1964;

Returning from Japan on 10 July 1964, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing moved without personnel or resources to George AFB, California. The 8th TFW began conversion to the McDonnell F-4C Phantom II and started receiving F-4Cs directly from the factory in St. Louis, MO on 1 Nov 64. By the end of the year, two squadrons were equipped with F-4Cs. In Jan 65, 20 more F-4Cs arrived to create a third squadron. By Feb 65, enough F-4s were on hand to create the fourth squadron. In a short 18 months, it was reorganized, equipped with a full complement of aircraft, passed its first Operational Readiness Inspection. In June 65, the headquarters flag and the 433rd and 497th TFS were transferred to Naha, Okinawa -- though the unit assignment remained at George. The 68th and 431st TFS were attached to the 831st Air Division at George.

In June 1965, the 68th TFS became the first of its operational squadrons to deploy to Southeast Asia. It was assigned to Korat AB, Thailand. Starting in Sep 1965, the 8th started its transfer to Ubon RTAFB -- not including the 68th TFS. The 68th returned to George AFB without aircraft and in Dec 1965, the 68th and 431st TFS were transferred to the 831AD and subsequently to the 497th TFW which was a tenant at George.

Effective 6 December, the 8th TFW was assigned to Ubon RTAFB with two squadrons, the 433rd and 497th TFS. (The tail codes of the 433rd was "FG" and the 497th was "FO".) These squadrons, along with two others, the 45th and 47th TFS, flew combat missions from Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) in a rotational duty status. (The tail codes of the 45th and 47th are unknown.) The first two MIG-17s to be destroyed in Southeast Asia were shot down by pilots flying F-4Cs from Ubon.

1965-1974:

8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand

Acknowledgement: Special thanks to Gene Ponce Jr. of Bangkok, Thailand for his narratives and exceptional photos. Special thanks to Dan Cullen for the use of his narratives and exceptional photos. Special thanks to Dan Keaton of Longview, TX for his exceptional photos. Thanks to John Ellis for his narratives on the TDY by the 4th TFW to Ubon. Thanks to George Knowles for his great photos of life at Ubon. Thanks to the Vietnam Security Police Association (USAF) - Ubon and Don Poss for the account of the heroic K-9s during a sapper attack on Ubon. Thanks to HQ PACAF History Office for its source materials. Another excellent site used to trace the history of the 8th Fighter Wing is Air Force Historical Research Agency: 8FW Lineage. Also thanks to the The Thailand-Laos-Cambodia Brotherhood for its excellent coverage of the Vietnam War years. Thanks to a special site and its contributors at Ubon U.S. Air Force 2002 for its exceptional photos of Ubon RTAFB and Ubon Ratchatani (past and present). (This is a MUST-SEE site filled with photos of Ubon.) We are grateful to a truly outstanding Phantom website Phantom's Lair: Home of the 8th TFW Wolfpack. For the most "phantastic" collection of Ubon Phantom pics, special thanks to Phantom Phlics. For links to former 8th TFW members go to 8th TFW links.

Wing Commander: - Col Joseph G. Wilson, 8 Dec 1965;
Wing Commander: - Col Robin Olds, 30 Sep 1966;
Wing Commander: - Col Robert V. Spencer, 23 Sep 1967;
Wing Commander: - Col Charles C. Pattillo, 5 Jul 1968;
Wing Commander: - Col Donald N. Stanfield, 8 May 1969;
Wing Commander: - Col David J. Schmerbeck, 6 May 1970;
Wing Commander: - Col Lloyd R. Leavitt, Jr., 2 Oct 1970;
Wing Commander: - Col Larry M. Killpack, 4 Oct 1970;
Wing Commander: - Col James A. Young, 20 May 1971;
Wing Commander: - Col Carl S. Miller, 28 Feb 1972;
Wing Commander: - Col Francis A. Humphreys, Jr., 25 Nov 1972
Wing Commander: - Col Tom M. Arnold, Jr., 25 Jan 1974; (Close out Ubon RTAFB)

F4Ds of the 8th TFW with laser guided bombs:
(Click on photo to enlarge)

It first proved its worth in combat June 5, 1967, when a crew from the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron downed a MiG-17 with an AIM-7 rocket. F-4Ds were the first aircraft to use laser guided munitions carrying GBU-1O/B Mk 84 Laser guided bombs in May 1968. The last F-4D officially credited with the destruction of a MiG-21 was on Jan. 8, 1973.

65-243 of 555 TFS (Phantom Phlics) (Click on photo to enlarge)	433rd TFS 66-7709 Pave Knife with Mk84 LGB (Phantom Phlics) (Click on photo to enlarge)
435th TFS ac 705 "Debbie II" (Phantom Phlics: John Duval) (Click on photo to enlarge)	65-243 with Mk82s (Phantom Phlics) (Click on photo to enlarge)
Mk83 LGB (Phantom Phlics) (Click on photo to enlarge)	F-4 Loaded (Phantom Phlics) (Click on photo to enlarge)

Two F-4s (Phantom Phlics)
(Click on photo to enlarge)

Pilots Ready for Mission (Michael Bulkley)
(Click on photo to enlarge)

A favorite spot for watching takeoffs/landings
was the top of the revetment:
(From the Ubon RTAFB Album.)

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1965

Arrival at Ubon RTAFB: In mid-November 1965, the 8th TFW was alerted for movement to Southeast Asia. In early December 1965, the 8th TFW moved to Ubon Airfield, Thailand on December 8, 1965 and would remain there until September 16, 1974.

25th TFS gaggle with Ubon RTAFB in background
(Phantom Phlics)
Click on photo to enlarge

Ubon RTAFB Map 1968 (George Knowles)
(Ubon RTAFB - USAF 2002)
Click on photo to enlarge

(NOTE: An excellent photo album of Ubon RTAFB and Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand is Ubon RTAFB Album. This photo album consists of photographs taken in Ubon Thailand during the 1969-1972 timeframe. For information of units at Ubon RTAFB, go to The Thailand-Laos-Cambodia Brotherhood. A superb website for "Phantom Phanatics" documenting the 8th TFW during this period in pictures and narratives is the Phantom's Lair. A must-see site for anyone interested in the time-period when the "Wolf Pack" was born. Another must see site is the Ubon U.S. Air Force 2002. It contains some exceptional photos.)

Ubon Main Gate "Checkpoint Charlie"
(Gene Ponce Jr.)

Off-base at Ubon: Frank D. Irizarry wrote in the Phantom's Lair about the Loi Katong festival when everyone celebrates the end of the dry season by dousing everyone with water, "I was stationed in Ubon from Feb. 66 to Dec. 66. I was a member of the 8th Air Police Squadron. I worked Check Point Charlie for a few months and occasionally the Main Gate amongst other duties over my assignment there. I have some great memories of Ubon. I also remember a very embarrassing moment. It was during the water festival when I was working the Main Gate and we had some VIP's on the base. As the staff cars approached the gate, I, was hit by a bucket full of water thrown at me by one of the girls who worked at the NCO Club. I think her name was Mina. I really felt stupid standing there soaking wet throwing a salute as the VIP's went by. They had a good laugh on my account."

Kalani "Sully" O'Sullivan fondly remembers this time too. Most Thais would be polite enough to give you a warning -- perhaps two microseconds before they threw water on you. He remembers riding his bicycle off-base, turning a corner and being greeted by the smiling faces of kids all drenched with water. All you can do is smile and run the gauntlet -- there's no escape so you just might as well have fun. He said that some GIs would go to extremes to keep from getting dosed by taking circuitous routes. However, usually there was some fool at the club with a glass of ice water just waiting to pour it down the back of anyone who wasn't wet. However, he also remembers one guy who was thrown off a bridge at Utapao for doing this routine by someone who didn't want to get wet. Not all got into the spirit of Loi Katong.

Main Gate 67-68 (Bob Wollman) (Click on photo to enlarge)	Ubon Main Gate 67-68 (Click on photo to enlarge)
Buildings Opposite Main Gate 67-68 (Bob Wollman) (Click on photo to enlarge)	Ubon back streets 67-68 (George Knowles) (Click on photo to enlarge)

Kalani also remembered the Main Gate above all too well. "When you went downtown, the samlars (pedicab drivers) were lined up across the street. If you planned on getting rip-roaring drunk, it was a good idea to "rent" a samlar for the night. He would take care of you...and hopefully you would be delivered to Ubon afterwards to stagger your way back to the barracks. Across the street from the main gate was a two-story concrete structure with curio shops on the ground level that sold wooden elephants and brass candlestick holders. Thai silk were popular gifts then too. Unfortunately, the silk was not color fast and faded when washed. The best buys though were gold or silver jewelry -- such as pendants or earrings set with semi-precious stones. The workmanship was excellent and the cost based on the going rate for the gold or silver. (Go to Ubon RTAFB 2000 for up-to-date picture of the main gate.)

He continued, "For long distance trips, you could use the Baht buses or trains, but within town most folks used the little pickup trucks with a cover over the back that would zip you wherever you wanted to go -- while you hung on for dear life off the tail gate." He went on, "Down the street was a UNESCO facility that some GIs used to teach English at in their spare time. The Thai people in Ubon spoke a Laotian variation of Thai. For example, "bao pen nang dok" in Lao meant "mai pen lai" in Thai -- "No sweat" or "Don't worry about it." The people were extremely friendly to Americans and to most GIs, Ubon was an enjoyable tour -- though the sanitary conditions left a lot to be desired. Sitting with Thai friends drinking a cold Singha beer -- brewed by German brewmasters in Bangkok -- while sitting on a raised platform under a tree on a sweltering day and snacking on "ko-nio" (sticky rice) and various Thai foods that would burn your lips off brings back a lot of fond memories. Also "patanko" (an oily pastry) and "capucino" coffee in the mornings from the roadside stand."

Baht Bus (RAAF Ubon) Click on photo to enlarge

Samlar driver (RAAF Ubon) Click on photo to enlarge

Ubon Open Air Market
(Phantom Phlics)
Click on photo to enlarge

An interesting personal account of an electrician sent to Ubon to support the Seymour Johnson F-4Es can be found at John Ellis: Thailand. He stated,

"I was back in heaven again, but this time I wasn't going out partying and hitting the clubs almost every night like when I was at Utapao. We would go out dancing in some of the clubs like the one at the Ubon Hotel once in awhile, but mostly we just enjoyed spending time with each other. I can remember going to see a lot of movies too, and that could be an experience over there. We would go to watch an Indian movie, with Thai dialect, and with English and Chinese subtitles. American movies were humorous, because we could watch our favorite heros like John Wayne speak thai with a squeaky voice. Unlike stateside concessions, we could also have anything in the theater from sugar cane and fresh pineapple to curry chicken on a stick. Martial arts movies were the big thing back then, and Bruce Lee was everyone's hero.

Transportation was a little different here than at Utapao too. Since the base was right at the edge of this reasonably sized town, Samlars were a convenient way to get around. These were the 3-wheeled pedal cycles with a retractable canopy. We could generally go just about anywhere in town for just a few baht, but we had to be sure to haggle and agree on a price before getting under way. Sometimes just for kicks, we would ask to trade places with the driver just so we could experience driving one. Not all of them would let us drive though because they were so proud of their machines. While waiting for fares, they would frequently be seen polishing their trikes. This after all, was their sole means of earning a living, so a lot of them were a little hesitant to let the GIs screw around on them.

There was a very good bus system that ran through town and the base. This usually was the best way to go longer distances short of using a taxi. They could really pack the people on those buses too. There usually was a young guy or girl who worked their way around in the bus to collect the fare. I remember them carrying an odd looking tin cylinder with a hinged side on it, which would hold the coins and the tickets. Now that I think about it, I can still hear people yelling "Jot dooey" for the driver to stop, and the fare collector shouting "bye layo" for the driver to go.

These buses rarely came to a complete stop to let people off unless there were a lot of people waiting at the bus stop to get on. It's a wonder more people were not hurt or killed. I remember making a complete fool out of myself one afternoon when I thought the bus had slowed down enough for me to get off. Man-O-Man you should've seen it! As soon as my first foot hit the ground I really began high stepping to stay upright. I never knew I could run so fast. Actually I couldn't, because in a second or two I lost it and began to roll. Naturally my first instinct after stopping was to look around to see who saw my stunt. Luckily I wasnt hurt. The only thing that was bruised was my ego. As the bus accelerated, the people looked back laughing, probably saying to themselves "GI Ba-Ba, Ba-Bo", meaning; Crazy GI."

Roadside food shops 67-68 (George Knowles) (Click on photo to enlarge)	Thai Houses 67-68 (George Knowles) (Click on photo to enlarge)
Wat Sri Ubon Rattanaram 67-68 (George Knowles) (Click on photo to enlarge)	Buddhist Monks 67-68 (Dan Cullen) (Click on photo to enlarge)

Base Newspaper: Angelo Cierchone, then Information Officer for the 8th TFW from 1971-72, related that the bi-weekly edition of the base newspaper was handicapped because it could not print any war news specifics by order of the Thai government. Nonetheless, the base newspaper was considered one of the best in SEA. In fact, in the annual contest judged by the Pentagon, it came within one point of beating Hickam for the title in its category. Hickam had (comparatively speaking) a huge staff. "I had good writers and staff sergeant name Ryan who (on his own initiative) overhauled the paper's layout and we were off to the races. A lot of what they wrote wound up in Stars and Stripes and Airman magazine. Kowpot aside, they did a hell of a job."

Try to remember there was a lot of non-sensical lunacy involved at that time in that the U.S. was NOT supposed to be bombing Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam from Thailand. It was a game so that Thailand could maintain their neutrality. The Thai government feared that if they OFFICIALLY allowed the U.S. to be there, the war would spread to Thailand. The Thai government remembered all too well when Udorn RTAFB was overrun by the Charlie back in 1968. Thus for many years, the B-52 flights out of Utapao, Thailand were always reported in the Stars and Stripes newspaper as being flown from "a base in Southeast Asia." To play the international press game everyone pretended that the U.S. did not fly from Thailand -- though you could read the English Bangkok Post to keep on the war news.

This little vignette by Angelo Cierchone is about the search for a "kowpatgai" (chicken fried rice) recipe for the Base Newspaper. Everyone who has been stationed in Thailand has eaten "kowpat" atleast once off of a banana leaf from a roadside stand -- or off of folded paper "dishes" made from old flying schedules culled from the base trash. Those who lived off-base also may remember the greasy Thai "donuts" (patongko) mentioned in the piece that was eaten with the strained expresso-style coffee with thick sweetened cream as a quicky breakfast on the way to work.

We weren't allowed to mention the war (the specifics) in the base paper (a Thai government requirement) but you still had to get a meaningful paper out twice a month. So you wound up doing a lot of squirrelly features. One day we decided to do a series on Thai recipes figuring that everybody was living off base and eatting Thai food and that they'd probably like to have their wives do some down-home Thai cooking for them when they return to the states. By design, the pieces were meant to strike a cornball note with the husband (30 years later) saying to his wife, "Mother, I'd like to have some of that kowpot gai." And the recipe would follow.

My staff was mostly young guys with no cooking experience so I sent them to the on-base Thai restaurant for the kowpot recipe. Out the door trooped seven guys. (You'd have thought I was sending them to build the restaurant. Kind of like an information officer Red Horse team.) Later I sat down to proof the piece and there was no mention of how many people it would serve. So I sent them back to the restaurant. When they came back, I started proofing again and came across a spice whose name I didn't recognize: "sendamon." Not "cinnamon" and not "sediment" but "sendamon." They were getting their information from a Thai cook and wrote down one of the ingredients phonetically. "OK," I said exploding out of my office (Italians do a lot of exploding), "what in the hell is sendamon." Back they went. I yelled after them as the recipe team made for the door, "Take the Thai interpreter with you and if you can't figure it out bring back a sample." It turned out be a clove.

Well, kotpot gai went to press and we were wondering if we'd get a positive reader response. Later that week I'm walking around the base and this big firefighter comes up to me and says, "Sir!" (He was so intense I thought he was going to hit me.) "Thai donuts! You gotta do Thai donuts."

And we did.

We used to do a little recurring piece called "War is Hell." ("War is hell when Santa's reindeer had to give the medics urine samples.") War is hell when you're scrounging around for news and there's a whole war you can't cover and you're struggling with sendamon.

Hootches:The folks lived in low squat barracks and every bunk had mosquito nets. Kalani remembered, "It was hotter than Hades in the daytime and the mosquito nets made sleeping in the daytime even worse. Ventilation was supposed to come from the screened air vents on the side of the hootch, but the hootches were built so close together no air got through. Besides...there seldom was a breeze. You just sweated..."

Ubon Hootch
(Bill Kemp)

Ubon Hootch (Ubon RTAFB - USAF 2002) Click on photo to enlarge

Ubon Hootch (George Knowles) (Ubon RTAFB - USAF 2002) Click on photo to enlarge

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NCO Club and Movie Theater 1969 (Mike Velten)
(Ubon RTAFB - USAF 2002)
Click on photo to enlarge

"Round-eye" Band at Club (1969)
(Ubon RTAFB - USAF 2002)
Click on photo to enlarge

Bob Hope USO Show 1967 (Dan Cullen) (Ubon RTAFB - USAF 2002) Click on photo to enlarge

Raquel Welch USO Show 1967 (Dan Cullen) (Ubon RTAFB - USAF 2002) Click on photo to enlarge

Bob Hope USO Show 1967 (Dan Cullen) Click on photo to enlarge

Ubon Dining Hall (George Knowles) Click on photo to enlarge

Ubon Base Theater (George Knowles) Click on photo to enlarge

Ubon Base Chapel (Ubon Swimming Pool (George Knowles)) Click on photo to enlarge

MARS Station (8th SPS Ubon RTAFB) Click on photo to enlarge

MARS Station (8th SPS Ubon RTAFB: Ron Buzbee) Click on photo to enlarge

Ubon Base Cafeteria (8th SPS Ubon RTAFB) Click on photo to enlarge

Ubon Base Chapel (8th SPS Ubon RTAFB) Click on photo to enlarge

Ubon BX at Christmas (8th SPS Ubon RTAFB) Click on photo to enlarge

Ken Neal Departing Ubon (8th SPS Ubon RTAFB: Ken Neal) Click on photo to enlarge

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Start up of Operations:Upon arrival at Ubon RTAFB the wing was composed of the 433rd and 497th TFS, with the 8th Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS), 8th Organizational Maintenance Squadron (OMS), 8th Armament and Electronics Maintenance Squadron (AEMS) and the 408th Munitions Maintenance Squadron (MMS) as supporting units. The four fighter squadrons that deployed to Ubon before the arrival of the 8th TFW were returned to the US. to serve as training units.

433rd TFS "Satan's Angels" (1964-1974)

497th TFS "Night Owls" (1964-1974)

555th TFS "Triple Nickel" (1966-1968)

Arrival of Triple Nickel: In February 1966, the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, also equipped with F-4Cs, became part of the wing. (Tail code of the 555th was "FY".) As a side note, 12th TFW Combat squadrons initially scheduled for deployment to Vietnam were the 555th, 557th and 558th TFS. Ultimatly, the 559th TFS took the place of the 555th when the "Triple Nickel" was diverted to a second TDY with the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Naha AB in the Ryuku Islands followed by a re-assignment to the 8th TFW at Ubon AB in Thailand. Still later the 555th was assigned to the 432d TFRW at Udorn AB in Thailand. Thus the "Triple Nickel" became associated with the 8th TFW by accident...and the rest is history as to its fame. (For more information go to 12th TFW.)

Maintenance personnel: 1965 (Phantom Phlics)
(Click on photo to enlarge)

On April 23, 1966, the 8th TFW scored its first MiG kills of the Vietnam War, shooting down two MiG-17 fighters.

435th TFS (1966-1974)

In July 1966, the 435th TFS from Eglin AFB, FL, equipped with F-104s, was added to the wing structure -- although still operating from Udorn RTAFB. In June of 1967, the 435th TFS deployed to Ubon. (The tail code of the 435th was "FP".) By the end of June 1966, after only six months in the theater, the wing had flown more than 10,000 combat sorties, achieving a 99 per cent sortie rate for which they received many commendations.

Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand
(The Thailand-Laos-Cambodia Brotherhood)
Click on photo to enlarge

More than 13,809 aircraft sorties were recorded by December 1966, and the 555th "Triple Nickel" squadron became the first squadron with five MIGs kills to its credit to achieve "ace" status since the Korean War. At the end of December 1967, the 555th TFS had 18 MIGs kills while its sister squadron, the 433rd TFS, had 12 MIG's on its records. The wing, chalking up a total of 30 MIG's, emerged as the top MiG-killing unit as 1967 ended. Significant events occurred in 1967, which resulted In the 8th TFW becoming the first Air Force fighter unit to bomb an enemy airfield. Major Thomas D. Hirsch, 555th TFS, was credited with destroying five enemy MIG's on the ground during the attack.

433rd Crew Chiefs with Col. Olds (1967)
(Click on photo to enlarge)

Combat Operations: Throughout the war, the wing flew the F-4 Phantom, first the C model and later the F-4D and F-4E. In addition to the main force of F-4 fighters, at various stages of the war the wing also had squadrons flying AC-123 Black Spot and AC-130 Spectre gunships, F-104 Starfighters, and B-57 Canberra bombers. During its final years of combat, the wing used B-57s for night attacks, AC-130 gunships for ground support and armed reconnaissance, and F-4s for fast-forward air control, interdiction, escort, armed reconnaissance, and other special missions.

After North Vietnam invaded the Republic of Vietnam in Mar 1972, the 8th Wing was augmented by additional F-4 units from the United States -- in particular the F-4Es from the 4th TFW. To make room for these forces, the B-57 squadron moved to the Philippines.

On May 10, 1972, the wing destroyed the Paul Doumer Bridge near Hanoi. Using laser-guided bombs, the wing was able to put the bridge out of commission. On May 13, 1972, the wing using laser-guided bombs, attacked the Thanh Hoa Bridge, destroying this vital supply line of the North Vietnamese.

The wing continued combat in Vietnam until mid-Jan 1973, in Laos until 22 Feb 1973, and in Cambodia until 15 Aug 1973. F-4 augmentation forces were released in Sep 1973. In mid-1974 the wing began to lose personnel, aircraft, and units. The last scheduled F-4 training flight occurred on 16 Jul l974. On September 16, 1974, its involvement in the Vietnam conflict ended when the 8th TFW moved without planes or personnel to Kunsan AB, South Korea.

Operation Bolo:The wing flew mainly air-to-air missions against MiG aircraft over North Vietnam. Starting the year in January 1967 with Operation Bolo, the 8th TFW downed seven MiG-21s in one day, and two more, 2 days later. For the mission, the F-4 aircraft of the wing flew in a way that simulated an F-105 strike, thus drawing enemy MiGs into a trap. The trick was that the F-4s would pretend to be F-105s using their ECM pod "signatures" -- and using F-105 tankers and even following F-105 routes and duplicating their airspeed. The 8th scored seven MiG kills on this mission, and began referring to itself as the "Wolf Pack." From this action, Bob Hope called the 8th TFW, "the leading MiG parts distributor in Asia." (For an account of Operation Bolo, go to Operation Bolo.) The following is excerpted from the 8th Fighter Wing History: The War in South East Asia.

Operation BOLO and the Birth of the Wolf Pack

During the war in Southeast Asia, political restrictions gave the North Vietnamese Air Force a distinct advantage over the US. One of the restrictions forbade US air forces from bombing North Vietnamese air bases in and around Hanoi and Haiphong. This restriction essentially gave the North Vietnamese a safe haven for their MiG fighters. Because US forces could not fire on the MiGs parked on airfields, the North Vietnamese could pick their fights. Communist targets usually consisted of aircraft like F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bombers that had to drop their bombs before they could defend themselves against an air threat. In fact, MiG pilots usually harassed the F-105 pilots just enough to get them to drop their bombs prematurely. The MiGs would then retreat to the safety of their airfields when the F-105s turned to fight. The MiGs also avoided confrontations with the powerful F-4 Phantoms. With the North Vietnamese using these tactics, MiG kills became few and far between. The situation became even more critical with the addition of the MiG-21 to the North’s arsenal.

US planners wanted to trick the North Vietnamese into committing their MiG-21s against American forces on equal ground. In concert with Seventh Air Force planners, Colonel Robin Olds, commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, devised a plan to draw the MiGs into a fight against F-4Cs armed for air-to-air combat—wolves in sheep’s clothing so to speak. The Phantoms would simulate F-105s by flying at the same altitude, speed, and route. The fighters would also use F-105 call signs, tanker rendezvous points, and would even make false radio calls to trick communist ground controllers. To complete the illusion, the F-4s were modified to carry electronic countermeasure pods used only on F-105s until that time. Crews trained three days for the mission.

The wing brought a lot of experience to the fight. Colonel Robin Olds (left), the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing commander, carried 12 enemy kills from World War II under his belt and his vice commander, Col Vermont Garrison, also had the distinction of being a World War II ace. Colonel Garrison also earned 10 more kills during Korea making him a triple ace.

In the final pre-flight brief on New Year’s Day 1967, Colonel Olds told his pilots, “All right you wolf pack, let’s go get them.” On 2 January 1967, 11 four-ship flights from the 8th began converging on the North Vietnamese airfield of Phuc Yen. The wing’s flights were stretched in a long line with five minutes separating each flight. The spacing allowed sustained coverage of the enemy airfield for 55 minutes—the fuel endurance of the MiG-21.

While the 8th flew into the Hanoi area from Ubon, Thailand, F-4s from the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing (now the 366th Wing at Mountain Home) flew into the area from Da Nang Air Base. Intended to prevent the MiGs from fleeing to China as the 8th attacked, the 366th returned to base due to cloud cover over the target area. The 8th continued with the mission. With a heavy cloud deck obscuring the ground, the first four-ship flight, Olds Flight, arrived over Phuc Yen Airfield at 3 PM.

According to plan, the MiGs took the bait. Colonel Olds’ Flight scored three kills. Ford Flight, led by Col Daniel “Chappie” James—the 8th’s deputy commander for operations and later the Air Force’s first black four-star general—arrived five minutes later and scored one kill. Rambler Flight scored another three kills five minutes after that. Later flights recorded no kills as the North Vietnamese realized what was happening and fled the area. The cloud deck also prevented the F-4s from pursuing the MiGs to low level.

In 12 minutes, the 8th recorded seven confirmed and two possible kills without a single loss. One Phantom sustained damage when it flew through the debris cloud from an exploding MiG. The results of the operation would have been much more impressive had the weather been clear. Regardless, Operation BOLO established US air superiority over the North. In fact, four days later, the 8th, pretending to be a weather reconnaissance flight, shot down two more MiG-21s, forcing the North to temporarily ground its fleet. The 8th Tactical Fighter Wing had destroyed nearly half of North Vietnam’s most advanced fighters in only five days.

Following Operation BOLO, the 8th began referring to itself as the Wolf Pack. Their reputation soon grew as their continued success in air-to-air missions prompted units throughout the Air Force to also refer to the 8th as the Wolf Pack. The 8th finished the war as the leading MiG-killer, logging 38.5 confirmed MiG kills. In fact, Bob Hope once referred to the 8th as the “world’s largest distributor of MiG parts.”

The wing was also successful in several other areas. On 23 May 1968, the Wolf Pack made the first-ever combat drop of the Paveway laser-guided bomb. Later on 10 and 13 May 1972, the wing destroyed two “indestructible” Communist bridges—the Paul Doumer and Than Hoa Bridges—in North Vietnam using laser-guided bombs. Hundreds of sorties over several years by a variety of US aircraft had failed to put these two key targets permanently out of commission. Wolf Pack F-4s completed the job in just two days.

Conversion to F-4Ds: Twenty new F-4D aircraft arrived at Ubon in May 1967. This gave the wing the distinction of being the first in Southeast Asia to be operationally equipped with F-4Ds. Using these aircraft, Wolfpack pilots struck the previously untouched Canal des Rapides Bridge and the Paul Doumer bridge, near Hanoi plus many other strategic military and industrial targets. The final phase out of the F-4C was completed by the end of 1967 and the wing became fully equipped with the F-4D. According to Phantom's Lair: 8th TFW History, "On 11 August USAF launched a major 36-aircraft Strike package against the Paul Doumer Bridge. This bridge consisted of 19 spans crossing the Red River as it flowed through downtown Hanoi. Altogether the bridge was 5,532-ft/1,686-m long by 38-ft/11.6-m wide, allowing for a 10-ft/3-m wide roadway on both sides of the center rail line. As a major transportation link, averaging 26 PRC-originating trains crossing per day estimated equivalent of 5,000-tons of supplies arriving unimpeded per day, the military had long sought to take out this lucrative target. The main strike package consisted of four F-105F Wild Weasels from the 388 TFW and four Flak Suppressor F-4D from the 8 TFW, leading the strike force of some 20+ F-105D from the 355 TFW, Takhli RTAFB and 388 TFW, Korat RTAFB. The 8 TFW added additional F-4D flights for the CAP and more Flak Suppression. One span of the rail line and two spans of the road section were dropped by 3,000-lb/1,361-kg bombs. Repair work began almost immediately. The North Vietnamese had planned for the eventuality that this bridge would be hit and had contingency bridges set up within a short period of time."

F4D smokers
(Click on photo to enlarge)

By the end of August the wing logged more than 50,000 combat sorties since its arrival in Southeast Asia. These sorties ran the gamut from MIGs combat air patrol to interdiction missions. The wing's flexibility in response to mission changes also added immeasurably to its effectiveness in interdicting movement of enemy supplies, manpower and equipment into South Vietnam.

Ubon Flightline: Note the markings for the
25th TFS "Assam Dragons" on the Revetment
(The Thailand-Laos-Cambodia Brotherhood)
Click on photo to enlarge

F-4D 66-8762 with Mk82 "Daisy Cutters" (Phantom Phlics) Click on photo to enlarge

F-4D 68-739 (497th TFS) (Phantom Phlics) Click on photo to enlarge

Combat Missions:On January 21, 1968, the wing began flying missions to support the defense of Khe Sanh, hitting infiltration routes to slow the deployment of North Vietnamese troops to the area and attacking trucks to deny supplies to the enemy.

On May 23, 1968, the wing made its first combat use of the Paveway laser guided bomb. To drop the new weapon, the 8th had to modify some of its F-4D aircraft with laser illuminators to designate the targets.

25th TFS (1968-1974)

On May 28, 1968, the 555th TFS departed Ubon for the 432d TFW at Udorn RTAFB where it would bring the unit up to strength (joining the 13th TFS and 14th TRS). The 25th TFS, formerly with the 33rd TFW, Eglin AFB, Fla., replaced the "Triple Nickel" as the fourth F-4D fighter-bomber squadron at Ubon. (The tail code of the 25th TFS aircraft was "FA".) By the end of May, eight and a half MIG's added to the wing's roll of kills. The total of 38 1/2 insured retention of its title of top MIG-killer of the Vietnam War.

Stars and Stripes Clipping: 1968 Attacks on NVN (Courtesy Dan Cullen)

Stars and Stripes Clipping: Wolf Pack Refuel (Courtesy Dan Cullen)

Stars and Stripes Clipping: Battle Damage Assessment
(Courtesy Dan Cullen)

Special Purpose Aircraft: The 8th TFW also possessed some special purpose EC-47 of 360 TEWSq that flew between 1970-1972. (The aircraft tail code was "AJ".)

Gunships: With the arrival of the 16th Special Operations Squadron in October 1968 flying the AC-130 gun ships ("Spectre") the wing's mission was greatly enhanced. When the bombing of North Vietnam was halted in November 1968, the wing's mission turned to interdiction missions against the flow of supplies down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The squadron also flew the AC-123 from 1969-1970, but little is written about them. During 1970 the wing recorded destroying nearly 15,000 trucks, earning them a new title of "top truck killers". The 16th SOS was with the 8th from 30 Oct 1968 through 8 December 1975.

Note that in 1968, a group of Satan's Angels (433rd TFS) volunteered to fly night-cap duty to interdict enemy trucks and babysit the AC-130 Spectres. The title of this group was the "Sewer Doers" because one flyer, Lt. Col. Bill Stroud, commented that "flying at night was like being in a sewer." The Satan's Angels had probably the catchiest of slogans: "Yea, we fly through the valley of death, but we fear no evil for we are the meanest son-of-a-bitches in the valley."

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16th Special Operations Squadron:

AC-130H Spectre Gunship
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For a superbly written, detailed account of the AC-130E/H Spectre of the 16th SOS at Ubon go to Predator an article by: Col Michael E. Haas, USAF, Retired. Also go to 16th SOS - Vietnam for group photos of pilots, navigators and admin of the 16th SOS at Ubon. The following is from 16th SOS.

The AC-130H, a modified Lockheed C-130E model aircraft, is configured with side-firing weapons, including two 20mm Vulcan cannons, a 40mm Bofors cannon, and one Army 105mm Howitzer. The 16th SOS Spectre became operational October 30, 1968 at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base as part of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. Equipped first with the AC-130A model gunship and later with the more advanced AC-130E/H models, Spectre aircrews proudly flew the latest in the family of gunships which included the famous AC-47 Spooky, AC-119G Shadow and the AC-119K Stinger.

Besides the pilot, copilot, Weapons Systems operator, there was the gunners and illumination operator (IO). According to 16th SOS, "Navigators -- They were Navigators by qualification, but they mostly ran the multiple sensors we had on the Gunship. We always had four or five Navs. on each mission." It went on, "Illuminator Operators - They operated the large light we had in the back of the Gunship used to light Special Forces camps when we were on a Close Air Support mission. Since most of our missions were Interdiction against truck traffic on the Trails in Laos, the IO's spent most of their time flat on their belly looking over the open ramp calling out AAA as it came up at our aircraft. Very gutsy guys. As the enemy began to use SA-7s and other heat seeking missiles, these IO's used flares to divert the enemy missiles aimed at us. It was a very dangerous but critical job. We all often depended on the IO's f