U. The escort fighter was a concept for a fighter aircraft designed to escort bombers to and from their targets. After the Japanese invasion of Thailand (8 December 1941), the southeast Asian kingdom signed a treaty of alliance with Japan and declared war on the United States and the United Kingdom. Fighter jets from Italy, Spain and Romania can be seen in a V-formation in the video, which appears to have been taken from one of the B-52s and released by NATO today. S. USAF Use during the Vietnam War - USAF Strategic Air Command KC-135 tanker (foreground) and B-52 bomber (landing) at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy AirfieldThey also provided the only daily low-level battle damage assessment of B-52 raids during Linebacker II, the bombing campaign that drove Hanoi to the bargaining table. Established on 19 October 1940 as the Hawaiian Air Force. One minute later, EB-66 Destroyer electronic warfare planes started to jam enemy radars, and F-4 Phantom II fighter-bombers began laying corridors of small metal strips of chaff. Steven Hoarn. "Get a cockpit view of the US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers working with NATO Allies during a. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War (1959–1975), stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there. Honi Légvédelmi Vadászrepülő Osztály, Royal Hungarian Air Force over central Hungary. Our squadron was TDY from Kunsan Air Base, Korea, during the most intense time of the air war over North Vietnam in the summer and fall of 1972. The squadron became operational at Bien Hoa Air Base on 15 October 1964. “A U. But at the low levels at which Vietnamese and US aircrews operate, even small arms fire can be deadly, and sabotage by Viet Cong infiltrators is. From May 12, 2012 to November 11, 2025, the United States is commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Vietnam War, and taking time to remember America’s veterans of that conflict, and their families. Isolated outbreaks of open hostility between Vietnamese and Thai troops. A major role of the tanker during this time period was to assist the B-52 Stratofortress. . Murphy and his radar intercept officer. A U. The 353rd and 56th fighter groups rendezvoused successfully with the bombers and eventually shot down 13 fighters, but the 4th Fighter Group could not locate its B-17s and returned to base. Washington, D. Col. During the Vietnam War, Korat RTAFB was the largest front-line facility of the United States Air. Amos could hardly wait to break the news to his crew, a lead crew that had already flown 20 combat missions over South Vietnam. For their part, B-52 tail gunners claimed five MiG kills, two of which were later confirmed. Thai–Cambodian border, Gulf of Thailand. The Martin B-57 Canberra was first manufactured in 1953, and the United States Air Force had accepted a total of 403 B-57s before production ended in early 1957. Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility located near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in Ubon Ratchathani Province. Republic F-105D-30-RE Thunderchief (SN 62-4234) in flight with a full bomb load of M117 750 lb bombs. The top hat markings represent bomber escort missions. It is stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. The film features footage of various US Air Force fighter jets, including the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, the. AllenJMSmith/iStock. Between October 8 and 14, 1943, the Eighth Air Force flew 1,342 heavy bomber sorties, losing a total of 152 bombers (11. Or even 16 aircraft, which. By Michael Hull. When landing at an airfield in Thailand, one B-52 was heavily damaged by a SAM, rolled off the runway and exploded on mines that had been installed. Prior to Ubon I was at a SAC base (B-52) in NY. The B-52 Stratofortress brought a. It was also adapted as. –. 1979–1989. In 1973, the United States listed 2,646 Americans as unaccounted for from the entire Vietnam War. Number built. By October 2022, 1,582 Americans remained unaccounted for, of which 1,004 were classified as further pursuit, 488 as non-recoverable and 90 as deferred. S. Many metal skin patches cover the damage of many of its 1,000 battle hits. Over 12,000 airmen on Guam. See Gary Retterbush 2 – North Vietnamese Air Force 0. FOLLOWING A BRUTAL AND DEADLY DOGFIGHT dogfight in November 1944 with five Nakajima Ki-27b Royal Thai Air Force fighters, a young American P-38 pilot from the 449th Fighter Squadron wrote to his parents: “I didn’t even know we were at war with Thailand. 1234567891011. During the Vietnam War, the base served as home to many permanent and transient Air Force squadrons, as well as many other military and civilian forces. (NOTE: this is an incredibly complete and fascinating book about the Air Force’s activities in Thailand during the Vietnam War – I highly recommend the book. “It was a near-run thing,” said the Duke of Wellington, after narrowly defeating Napoleon at Waterloo. The Air Force lost 15 B-52 bombers,. Air Force Boeing B-52F Stratofortress, nicknamed "Casper the Friendly Ghost," from the 320th Bomb Wing dropping Mk. Vietnam-era rifles used by the US military and allies. S. The B-52 bomber has been America’s most well-known, revered, and feared aircraft of the last 60 years and is still going strong. Jerry Coy and Jay Fontaine served during the Vietnam War and flew the O-2A and the F-4. US Navy F-4s flew their first combat sortie as part of Operation Pierce Arrow on August 5, 1964. In the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Pacific, and the Arctic, they shepherded convoys, hunted submarines, supported amphibious landings, and ferried men and planes. S. Da Nang Air Base (1957–1975) was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) facility. The squadron deployed to Udorn, Thailand, from April to October 1972 flying combat missions in support of the South Vietnam Army. September 1, 1939 WWII Begins. 1,358 injured. The B-52H “Ghost Rider” returned to duty in 2015 and the B-52H “Wise Guy” returned in 2019. The bird saw its first combat when a C-130A Task Force was deployed to. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. Sexton, the 400-page The War in Northern Laos, 1954-1973 was published by the Air Force History Office in 1993 on the basis of two separate manuscripts. military operations from. Daylight precision bombing was conducted by various kinds of aircraft in World War II, but the real test of it was the long-range strategic bombing missions in Europe and Asia of AAF B-17s, B-24s, and B-29s. Aircraft in Thailand were used in North Vietnam and Laos. Operating out of Guam and Thailand, B-52 strikes were carried out as part of Operations Rolling Thunder, Arc Light, and Linebacker I/II. It served in Europe, the Far East and the Mediterranean and was the first fighter to fly escort missions for B-17s. June 1, 1993. The B-52 is the most combat capable bomber in the U. Our squadron was TDY from Kunsan Air Base, Korea, during the most intense time of the air war over North Vietnam in the summer and fall of 1972. It is stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Territory of Guam to provide battlefield air interdiction during the Vietnam War. United States Air Force veteran Bob Hunn flew the biggest bomber in the USAF inventory during the Vietnam war: the venerable B-52 Stratofortress. military action in Southeast Asia was wound down. Linebacker I - resuming of bombing of North Vietnam in 1972. He speaks to Citylife about his story. S. 5 nmi; 8. [Photo: US Department of Defense] Less than 72 hours before the interception, a US nuclear-capable B-52 bomber came within a few. Fighter jets from Italy, Spain and Romania can be seen in a V-formation in the video, which appears to have been taken from one of the B-52s and released by NATO today. Air Force) The North Vietnamese launched MiG fighters toward the points where they had intercepted Linebacker I planes. Air Force B‐52 crashed shortly before midnight last night approximately 12 miles west of Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. S. S. A Fifteenth Air Force armorer loads a belt of ammunition for one of a Mustang’s six . The new Martin B-10 bomber could outfly the older fighters. Fate: hold in reserve at the Inactive Sips Maintenance Facility (ISMF) Bremerton, WA. During the Vietnam War, thousands of U. The B-52 bomber has been America’s most well-known, revered, and feared aircraft of the last 60 years and is still going strong. After much debate, that included strong hesitation on SAC's part, on June 18, 1965, the B-52 entered combat as part of Operation Arc Light. S. A number of twin-engined heavy fighters with high fuel capacity were designed for escort. During his year in Thailand he helped load B-52 bombers flying into Vietnam on bombing missions, including during the famed Operation Linebacker II in late 1972. VIETNAM WAR MAP: IV CORPS (from Newsweek – January 1, 1968) The sixteen southern provinces in and around the Mekong River delta comprise the richest part of all Vietnam, its rice bowl. The operation was conducted from 18–29 December 1972, leading to several of informal. In stark contrast, the American P-47s flew 373 fighter-sweep sorties over France on August 15 and did not see a. types. 5121 to shoot down. With distances of 7,100 nautical miles from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Fifty years ago on March 12, 1968, a top-secret U. Home : Features : 2016 : Vietnam War 50th Commemoration. The Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighter and the F-5E/F Tiger II are part of a family of widely used light supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop. By early 1973, offensive SAC air operations in Southeast Asia ceased and numerous SAC aircrewmen who had been shot down and captured as prisoners of war by North Vietnam were repatriated to the United States. The B-52G, also used to attack North Vietnam, was given even greater fuel capacity and was equipped to launch a number of air-to-surface and antiship missiles. Page and John J. The KC-135 aided more than just that endangered F-111 crew. 4 losses per 1,000 sorties compared. Its purpose was to halt or slow the transportation of supplies and materials for the Nguyen Hue Offensive (known in the West as the Easter. This 1970s home movie captures the scene at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in Udon Thani, Thailand. Because they trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field before andThe Vietnamese Air Force used J-5s alongside the Soviet supplied MiG-17s for interception missions until the 1990s when they were retired, along with the remaining MiG-19s, being replaced with newer MiG-21s and Su-27s. Seventy-five Airmen died supporting the operation, 33 of whom died in the 15 downed B-52 Stratofortress bombers – the primary bomber flown during Operation Linebacker II. With the US entry into the Vietnam War, the B-52 saw its first combat. S. We flew F-4Ds (ours from Kunsan) and F-4Es (from Korat). shocked the United States and put pressure on President Lyndon B. It is dedicated to the B-52 crew members who lost their lives in that war. Two U. Army fighters in overseas groups. B-52 crews had been flying in the Vietnam War theater for years, with the loss of 13 aircraft. Another 212 B-52 missions were flown within South Vietnam in support of ground operations during the campaign. The Communistss claimed 19 B-52s shot down to date. On January 16–18, 1957, the USAF demonstrated the bomber's reach by having three B-52s fly non-stop around the world. 1. Korat RTAFB is located 5 miles south of Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand (also known as Korat City). Marine Corps units that served during the time of the Vietnam Conflict, and includes the records of those units that served in Vietnam as well as domestically and throughout the world. the following specific categories. Phan Rang Air Base (also called Thành Sơn Air Base) is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) (Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam) military airfield in Vietnam. 5 mi) south of the centre of the city of Nakhon Ratchasima in the Nakhon Ratchasima Province (also known as "Khorat" or "Korat"), the largest province in Thailand. The escort fighter was a concept for a fighter aircraft designed to escort bombers to and from their targets. 4. 5 mi) south of the centre of the city of Nakhon Ratchasima in the Nakhon Ratchasima Province (also known as "Khorat" or "Korat"), the largest province in Thailand. the Vietnam War. Davis, Jr. During Operation Arc Light (sometimes Arclight) from 1965 to 1973, the United States Air Force deployed B-52 Stratofortresses from bases in the U. military operations from the Vietnam War. Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Operation Linebacker II — the so-called “11-Day War” — involved 729 B-52 sorties, which dropped 15,000 tons of bombs over 34 targets. Colonel Benjamin O. In the Persian Gulf War, Air Force KC-135 and KC-10 tankers performed more than 51,000 in-flight refuelings. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. John Daniel Lavelle (September 9, 1916 – July 10, 1979) was a United States Air Force general and commander of Seventh Air Force, with headquarters at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. Clark, a veteran who had served with 71 Eagle Squadron. Army during World War II. S. ; July 14, 1922 – June 14, 2007) was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the United States Air Force (USAF). 99 (Repro) During the Vietnam War, 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron flew the F-4 Phantom II. Prepared by Air Force historians, Victor B. An escort fighter needed range long enough to reach the target, loiter over it for the duration of the raid to defend the bombers, and return. Some 20 of the big bombers were still standing by, protected in. ¼Ÿß~‘ r oÞ@óÕ½ èÐ𠳆 ´ªdа, R ªÐ=EÍ;‚»ø‰‹Ü Å ˜ 9“B'  £ I¦Ë˜ ÂÛ¨ð÷Éÿ=SÇUò(×¹±žÄžSIönR1ƒ J Îo†vÂ-hxgi®åÍ÷QÌxP. S. S. Jimmy Kilbourne Sr. This is not true, of course, but historians focusing on the war in Europe have devoted so much paper and ink to the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress that it is often thought of as the only American bomber of the war, at least until the much larger B. After the Gulf War in the early 1990s. Territory of Guam to provide battlefield air interdiction during the Vietnam War. Kibby Taylor (right) and navigator Capt. Air Force flew more than 5 million sorties in Vietnam over the course of the entire conflict, more than twice the number of sorties flown by the Army Air Force in World War II. gov linked to a declassified DoD report on use of Agent Orange in Thailand. S. On March 24, 1945, the 332nd Fighter Group of the U. Result. ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. This was not only the first U. I was sent TDY to train on C-130 gunship repair and had orders to work in the gun shop at Ubon. ”. . Mustangs later replaced Curtiss P-40s in the famed 23rd Fighter Group, the Army Air Corps unit that replaced the American Volunteer Group known as the Flying Tigers, in early 1942 after the United States entered the war. 22, 1972, a B-52D from U Tapao RTAB, Thailand, fell victim to a SAM blast. The U. The Communist Party of Thailand led an armed revolt in the northeastern provinces of the country. The T-28 was the first North. Turner was the gunner on a B-52D from U Tapao airfield, Thailand, on a Dec. The United States Air Force 8th Fighter Wing is the host unit at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea and is assigned to Seventh Air Force. 20th Fighter Group P-38 pilot Lt Arthur Heiden with his ground crew. In the. Sanongpanyakun Yomcharoen is a Thai veteran of the Vietnam War. 5-1 kill ratio, with a very strong upward trend toward 15-1 during the the final five months of the war, greatly exceeding the Korean. On Aug. At its peak in 1969 more airmen were serving in Thailand than were serving in South Vietnam. [1] The risks of Linebacker II were hard to assess in advance. Indeed, only a few days prior, a B-52 shot down a Mig. One of the US Navy and Marine Corps’ primary planes at the outset of the Vietnam War, the Skyhawk, also saw extensive use in the Yom Kippur War on the Israeli side and the Falkland Islands War on the Argentinian Side. Truly it was “one of the most awesome armadas ever assembled,” as Major Bill Stocker, in command of the lead B-52, later described it. 5121 to shoot down a USAF B-52D Stratofortress bomber over Moc. During the Vietnam War, Korat RTAFB was the largest. They were shown the Selected Area For Evasion (SAFE) areas around Hanoi and briefed on the preplanned contact times. 27, 1972 North Vietnamese Air Force (NVNAF) pilot Pham Tuan used MiG-21MF No. The most recent (and recently released) document is a volume of the official history series The Air Force in Southeast Asia. Hank Marios via Warren ThompsonWe would almost certainly be denied use of the Thai air bases, essential for our B-52 and tactical air operations in Vietnam,” Kissinger said. A B-52 was featured prominently in the classic 1964 Cold War film “Dr. The 56th Fighter Group of the U. But that cargo hauler, which may seem to some as merely. The bomber has served in U. 13 from 33 of F-5E/F upgraded to F-5TH Super Tigris standards [4] which had avionics and weapons upgrades, becoming functionally equivalent to fourth generation fighter . It was also a very capable fighter-bomber and could carry 1,000 pounds of bombs and rockets. Army Air Forces recruiting poster featuring B-26 Marauders. The biggest ever bombing campaign by US B-52 aircraft took place over Christmas 40 years ago, when the US dropped at least 20,000 tonnes of explosives on North Vietnam, mostly Hanoi.