In a 21 December attack an 8th TFW laser-guided bomb aimed at the Hanoi thermal power plant lost guidance and instead destroyed a Communist Party of Vietnam office building. Worked in the pre-load area down by the flight arrestor cables prepping ordinance, loading trailers with jammers, delivering ammo to flight line on trailers pulled by Coleman tugs (call sign usually Cobra 5). Col. Robin Olds, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing commander, is carried off the airfield after successfully completing Operation Bolo Airmen Jan. 2, 1967. I am another Ubonian. I was a Ssgt in charge of Maintenance Training. trying to get a few downloaded soon. therefore Agent Orange is not a factor. Crew members of EC-121 Aircraft work and check equipment inside aircraft at Ubon Air Base in Thailand. Political considerations with regards to communist forces engaging in a civil war inside Laos and fears of the civil war spreading into Thailand led the Thai government to allow the United States to covertly use five Thai bases beginning in 1961 for the air defense of Thailand and to fly reconnaissance flights over Laos. If anyone would be so kind as to share more with us we would appreciate it as my dad was only 4 months old. Looking for anyone who worked in the munitions dump that was approximately 6 miles of base in the fall of 1967. The senior director supervises all the members performing their tasks. Was from Miami FL. Cope Tiger is an annual multinational exercise in the Asia-Pacific region that promotes closer relations and enables air force units in the region to sharpen air . In addition several AC-130 gunships were deployed to Takhli from the 8th TFW at Ubon. Never mind please send to On 17 April, the USAF flew its last mission over Laos, attacking a handful of targets requested by the Laotian government. In October we came under a mortar attack exact date I cannot recall. In, Intel, Thai, Intercept, Issued. Never once did I see him get excited. Views of RF-4C Phantoms landing at Ubon Thai Air Force Base one by one, deploying drag chutes. Advanced Search | Any help would be appreciated. Any or all who served in Ubon or Korat Air Bases keep in touch. http://www.vspa.com/ub-bateman-sappers-1969-1970-1972.htm. Hello, my name is Dean Wiley and my reason for writing is to share my experience in Thailand which I truly believe led to my having Parkinsons today.I am not complaining, but it is so very hard to swallow ones pride and file a claim. Radar technician checks equipment. I dont know if we armed any more flights that night, the early morning wolf birds with centerline gun pod, two inboard rocket pods, two outboard fuel tanks, may have waited for day shift at 0600 hours. For me, I was scared, kneeling there on the floor writing. This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 00:18. Visitors can view aircraft and exhibits that convey the U.S. Air Force's involvement in the war. And other stuff of course. F-4cs & ds. I have no problems with you doing what you are doing. [13]:578, Beginning in late May 1967, new F-4D aircraft were delivered to Ubon, re-equipping the 555th TFS. go back. Boy there are a lot of readers that used to be based in Ubon during the war. The attack was on the AC 130 end of the base. Find Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. Would love to hear more if you have the time. The RF-101s were sent to assist Royal Thai AF RT-33 aircraft in performing aerial recon flights over Laos. I would love to get any info you can offer. Remember the good ole days of Thai Boxing at the NCO Club and waiting for my Crew while taking a break laying on Fat Albert as it hung on a wing pylon and to be delivered with kisses some where in the region.. I salute each and every one of you who just did the job you were trained to do. Operating from Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, as the first F-4 wing to augment elements of Pacific Air Forces, aircrews of the Fourth flew more than . 1968 to 70, if you can find anyone he knew or knows him from that time, and which barracks he was in, and if near the perimeter, and have them confirm that, it might help. Recent photos taken of Ubon Air Force Base (Photographer Unknown) The Print Shop is open! Two airmen from up the line came walking and talking to the end of the revetments. [13]:1278, In May 1968, the wing was the first to use laser-guided bombs (LGBs) in combat and its Mig-Killers nickname was gradually replaced by Bridge-busters. thought this is not the safest place and high tailed it out of there. I worked in the preload facility, 69-70. Was a crew chief on the F4D. [14], In April 1966 4 AC-47 Spooky gunships were deployed to Ubon for interdiction operations over Laos. Just stumbled across this site and stirred many memories of my tour of duty at Ubon (April 71-April 72). Spent the night of the sapper attack of Jan 70 on the arm/dearm end of runway. Comprising the flying units of the Wolfpack are four F-4D Phantom tactical fighter squadrons. Task Force Delta, Nam Phong Thailand 1972-1973 See http://www.601st.com , and feel free to email me at alsterling@earthlink.net During my year in the photo detachment, my last name was Priebe Ssgt Al Priebe. SFC (Ret) Patricia Babcock, CVSO. Thanks, Grant Hernandez. Work was one thing but I thoroughly enjoyed entertaining our people at the Sampan Club (I believe that was the name of the place! Major Mack stands next to EC-121 aircraft (552nd AEWCW). There is a Ubon group on facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/Ubon.veterans/ try contacting James Helms there and tell him that youre looking for info on your granddad. Most the other expediters had a good chance of getting excited at times. Major Mack stands in front of EC-121 Aircraft at Ubon Air Base in Thailand during College Eye airborne radar surveillance mission. I went TDY to Tan Son Nhut AB in Saigon for four months between 11/68 and 2/69 to augment labor shortages in the Comm Shop there. Worked days for about 7 months, finished my year on a 3 PM to 7AM shift every other day. maxhightForP2 = 16126; He was the commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Air Base, Thailand, and was credited with shooting down four enemy MiG aircraft in aerial combat over North Vietnam. Im always interested in updating my site, with additional photo material. The 601st Combat Photo Flight, Det 3, Ubon "The Rat Pack" (Al Sterling's Website Currently In-Progress) The 601st Photo Flight publication "Rodent Review" 1968-69 Do searches on Peppers Bakery and Cafe, Spagos, Wrong Way Cafe, TC Kitchen, NJoy pub just to name a few. My squadron was at the end of the ramp towards the gate. He flew 78 combat missions into North Vietnam, many in the Hanoi/Haiphong area, and led a flight into the Bolo Mig sweep in which seven Communist Mig 21s were destroyed . The 3 of us 46250 guys on the arm/dearm team that night and the one F-4 crewchief spent the rest of the night in the bunker, in the grass, next to the arm/dearm shack, the bunker was not sand bags, but plywood boxes filled with sand. Thirty-six strike aircraft dropped 94 tons of bombs and destroyed one span of the bridge and part of the highway. Hi all, Further attacks took place on 10 and 14 February with no losses and negligible results on the ground. I have heart disease and cancer. AGENT ORANGE SUCKS. There was a wide strip outside the fence with no vegetation, dont ever remember anyone mowing it. Hence reason why Im writing this! Also assigned to the wing is the 16th Special Operations Squadron, which flies the AC-130 gun ships. Glad to see these photos since I never took any of the flt line and find it impossible to describe what all my toys looked like. In mid-1974 the wing began to lose personnel, aircraft, and units. I hope to hear back from you and I will try to locate and download pics of my tour. Banished huh? We all got a lengthy talk about seat safety since our group would have to get in the seats to test our equipment. Your welcome, may God bless you in your search for answers. Learn more about benefits related to Agent Orange exposure. [13]:235, On 10 June 1972 8th TFW F-4s successfully destroyed the 3 generators of the Lang Chi hydropower plant 70 miles (110km) northwest of Hanoi, without damaging the dam itself. I have a few pictures of life in the bomb dump. If any one knows how I can start looking into this please email me or let me know. 3 January 1968: CAC Sabre A94-986 crashed into farms on approach outside the town due to engine failure. 408 mms wpns loading sept 69-70, Joe just saw your post, I did retire about 5 years ago, should update my email I remember Mike well he was stationed at Eglin with me after Ubon great guy . Return to Restricted Area Topics The mortar attack was approximately 11:00 P.M on Oct 1, 1972. Edsel, Mercury, Galaxy, ? [28]:134, From February to October 1967 EC-121 Warning Star aircraft of the College Eye Task Force were based at Ubon. I need any help I can get. My husband was stationed in Ubon from March 1963-March 1964 and has a lot of photos taken during that time. Tankers and other vehicles at the base. I have some film and pictures I need to dig out of the attic. I am also looking for any vets at Ubon in 72-73 that worked on the F4 and the 130 as a aircraft HYDRAULIC mechanic. Is there any one of you guys that remember if there vas an Danish guy serving in Ubon ? EC-121 Aircraft parked on ground at Ubon Air Base in Thailand during College Eye airborne radar surveillance mission. Operations with the B-57G continued until April 1972, when they were moved to Clark Air Base in the Philippines to make room for the deployment of F-4E squadrons arriving from the United States. On 11/12 April Ubon served as a staging base for 8 HH-53s of the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron as they took part in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of US civilians from Phnom Penh. Plane approaches air strip for landing. A pair of RF-4C aircraft flying overhead to commence landing at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base during Vietnam War. I served boots on the ground in Vietnam so my claimed got approved for my diabetes. I always guessed they just wanted to get close to the action. On March 29, 1973, the command transferred to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, and accepted dual responsibility as the US Support Activities Group and 7 AF. Featured Collections | Pruitt was from Arkansas as I recall. Were you there when Bob Hope came. I shipped in September 71-72. The 652 nd Topographic Engineer Battalion depicted the broad reach of American forces in Thailand, which can be seen below. In trying to substantiate my claim, I went to the National Personnel records Center here in St. Louis to pull my From DD214 and any other records to fulfill the claim requirements set forth by the VA for those of us in Thailand service. My husband, Brent Richard Dawson, died on 08/18/1990 from non-Hodgkins lymphoma (very FIRST cancer acknowledged by VA as being linked to AO exposure). Ill never forget that year.So many memories and great guys !! Feel free to contact me on Facebook if you have problems joining, and Ill make sure you get in. WOW, i JUST RAN ACROSS THIS SITE RANDOMLY. 24 May 1969: USAF AC-130A damaged by AAA fire over Laos crashed on landing with one crewman killed, 7 June 1969: USAF EC-47 #43-49547 crashed into the. This site uses cookies to improve your experience and to help show content that is more relevant to your interests. I recall being hit twice. Do you remember Mike Benka? FAQs - How to Order | I was TDY from the 1ST MOB out of Clark from APR 62 until AUG 62. Website Terms & Conditions | Just interested in knowing the details since it missed us at the gate by only 50 to 75 feet. What was your husbands name? Another burst of machine gun, [did they have night vision goggles then?] ), Telecommunications Squadron, 1972-1973 I turned 19 y/o on that air base and spent any night that I wasnt working, downtown playing trumpet with the Filipino band, The Jugglers. I recently was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which I believe is service related due to the herbicides being used during my tour of duty there. Photo: View looking over Machinegun Bunker, Alpha-34, toward the jungle on the perimeter, Ubon RTAFB, Thailand. 2 MiG-17s were shot down during the 14 February attack in the last USAF aerial victories of Operation Rolling Thunder. View from cockpit as It taxis along the runway after landing. Mike Weiss@Atlanta, Mike Pruitt@Arkansas, Sampson@Florida, Ciro Bua@Texas,Tsgt Davis [our flightline expediter] he may have never departed Ubon, still driving his blue six pack International crummy hustling crews to the next F-4 waiting for weapons. Thank God , as far as I know, I dont have cancer but I have the other three. I was born in the year of 1975, which now makes me 39 yrs old. We must know each other. Law Enforcement Desk blotter Ubon, Thailand 13 September 1968. The members have put hundreds of photos of the base and town there. According with Veterans media both Korat and Ubon were sprayed with agent orange. IN ALL OF MY TRAVELLING, UBON HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE PLACE TO HANG MY HAT. Or ask where is the safety pin for the centerline rack. While doing a little research on Rice Bugs of Thailand, I chanced upon this blog page for John Bemiss. He talks about the 552nd Airborne Early Warning Control Wing Unit. Single side band tech provided radio comm for radar site. 4. It was Oct. 2nd, 1972 Gary (possibly Oct 1st,) Sappers hit Udorn Oct 3rd, and the report on that noted reports of Ubon being attacked the day before. The Print Shop is open! All info is helpful. Last 6 months I stayed in the 2 story 408th barracks. [4]:21, At Ubon, the 8th TFW's mission included bombardment, ground support, air defense, interdiction, and armed reconnaissance. The three clubs downtown, Mustang, Fairlane, [corsair or corvair?] A lady called Prejuab, helped my aust family to adopt me, but on my birth certificate, there is not my Thai mothers maiden name or any name of my father, making it impossible to find her and Im sure my father has no idea, I exist. The RTAF 211 Squadron Eagles fly the Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II fighter aircraft from Ubon.[1][2]. Christina, Oops! FAQs - How to Order | Memories of Ubon! Beeville Texas Naval Air Station Chase Field USA, Dayton Ohio Wright Patterson Air Force Base USA, Del Rio Texas Laughlin Air Force Base USA, Eglin Air Force Base Okaloosa County Florida USA, England United Kingdom Molesworth Airfield, Grand Forks Air Force Base North Dakota USA, Greenham Berkshire England United Kingdom, Greenwood Lake New York United States USA, Kharkov Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Lakehurst Naval Air Station New Jersey USA, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base (NKP) Thailand, Peenemunde Rocket Centre Ostvorpommern Germany, Polebrook Northamptonshire England United Kingdom, Scottish Highlands Scotland United Kingdom, Tangmere Air Station Chichester England United Kingdom, U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base Thailand, Vandenberg AFB, California United States USA, Film downloaded from returning U.S. Air Force RF-4C aircraft at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, Aerial view from aircraft cockpit of approach for landing at U-Tapao Air Base runway number 18 in Thailand. Tankers and other vehicles at the base. As I got to the gate, there was more 60 fire and an explosion. The 83rd eventually transferred to Udorn, where it morphed into the 7th RRFS. There was another attack that no one has mentioned, I remember one night that there as a lot of small arms fire and several aircraft were damaged. I worked with the Civil Engineer Sqdn. Udon, Ubon and Utapao are three. Maybe this was before the spraying? There was no attempt to,cover. Brent served at Ubon RTAFB as bomb loader/weapons mechanic sometime between 1970-72. It seems like almost ALL USAF -Thailand vets are having same problem with their AO claims: Proof of proximity. We had house boys that did our laundry and to this day I can remember the rice starch they put in our fatigues. Film downloaded from returning U.S. Air Force RF-4C aircraft at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, Cockpit view of approach for landing at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. Eight satchel charges were found on his body. Although I now have 3 children aged 17, 15 and 5 and I feel that I owe it to them to try harder to find my real parents. Before he passed he was financially exploited (long story). Go figure. I left on June 20th and the attack took place in July 1969. I was told I made to much to qualify. I hadn't seen . We were told by intel. LOL. Mike Pruitt was a firecracker of a guy, enjoyed him and his stories. Hello ! My father Lee Thompson was in the 408th MMS in Ubon Thailand from Feb 13th 1967 until Feb 6th 1971. We wished we had found him sooner. Im picking my old brain to remember your full name but can also recall Yarborough, and Shaw too?? I have nerve damage, and heart disease also. 408th MMS Gun shop,9/69-70,,6/71-72. Just before I left in July 70 I was banished to the holding area fuse shop. Thai Air Force T 28, don't ever remember them doing much, buzz the flight line every now and then. Thai air police controlled access to the bases, along with USAF Security Police, who assisted them in base defense using sentry dogs, observation towers, and machine gun bunkers. Tweets by @MrMeMock When I got to Ubon end of January 1970 the gun shop was fully manned and they assigned me to the 408th munitions maintenance squadron. Had an absolutely gorgeous wife. He was the commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Air Base, Thailand, and was credited with shooting down four enemy MiG aircraft in aerial combat over North Vietnam. My flight to Thailand also stopped in Viet Nam at Bien Hoa but they deny that also. Sometimes, though, its hard to be patient. Worked on another load crew with Mike Weiss from Atlanta, those guys seem to have disappeared. Pingback: Trainieren Moers Bauchmuskeln - Bodybuilding-foren,