[14], In April 1966 4 AC-47 Spooky gunships were deployed to Ubon for interdiction operations over Laos. Or ask where is the safety pin for the centerline rack. On 26 May 1967, the personnel and equipment of the 40th TFS were transferred to the 8th Fighter Wing based in Thailand. SFC (Ret) Patricia Babcock, CVSO. A lot of friction when they told us we couldnt wear our 408th MMS hats anymore,, we wore them anyway. http://www.vspa.com/ub-bateman-sappers-1969-1970-1972.htm. THe first of several attacks on Ubon took place about 30 days after I returned to the states. Plotters marking board, scope operator, senior director and combat information sector controller at radar sets. So many wonderful people out there with helping hands extended ! With all of us pulling together we can win, this thing with agent orange and maybe can be compensate for it. This site uses cookies to improve your experience and to help show content that is more relevant to your interests. Never got used to the taste of Water Buffalo beef or whatever that was they fed us at the mess hall. It was locked up securely that night, I guess. 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 members have put hundreds of photos of the base and town there. Just interested in knowing the details since it missed us at the gate by only 50 to 75 feet. In June 1965, the 15th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed its 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron the first F-4C Phantom II unit in Southeast Asia to Ubon where they flew combat missions to North Vietnam. I have ever found an article about Hi all, This group is dedicated to the brotherhood of those who served at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base,Thailand during the Vietnam War. Japan and their photo lab arrived at Don Muang. Sorry for your lose. hightForP2 = 330 Hi, Jake please read my comment above in response to Virgil Flaherty. I have a friend, Mike Stanifer that also worked on F4s in Ubon (72-73). 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. About Us | After North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam in March 1972 during the Easter Offensive, the 8th TFW was augmented by additional F-4 units. His name is Gilbert Sanchez About the golf course, we were looking at some of the pictures of the Ubon golf and he laughed and said our golf course did not have grass greens just compressed sand. Awesome to watch at night when they took off. Several of our men went to Danang to help with quick turns during this time. We wished we had found him sooner. Will you please email me so I will have the correct address for you? Information about aircraft and exhibits in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. FULL SIZE: 0.08 MB. Thank you, Views of RF-4C Phantoms landing at Ubon Thai Air Force Base one by one, deploying drag chutes. Charlie , how the hell are you, long time brother, we did serve together ,lots of memories too! Shopping Cart | Aircraft parked at the air base. With its CAC Sabres now obsolete and restricted from operating outside Thai airspace, the squadron was disbanded at the end of July 1968. the attack only a passing reference in articles about the sapper attack on Udorn. Ive been trying to find him over the years with no success. vinway@kataan.net, My name is Roy Sutton . [28]:140. Was in Ubon 69-70.Served as a Weapons Load Crew Chief on the F4 and worked in the weapons field repair shop. USAF and USN fighters confronted the MiGs in two phases: 1965-1968 and 1972-1973, separated by an interval when operations over North Vietnam were halted during negotiations attempting to end the war. Nov. 62 to Jul 63 and Jan to Jul 67. Good to hear from you after 44 years! [13], On 10 March 1967 8th TFW F-4s took part in the first attacks on the Thi Nguyn ironworks, losing 2 F-4s to antiaircraft fire. Is Ubon Ratchathani about to be discovered? Sir Edmund Hillary visited the base on 25 January 1967. Views of RF-4C Phantoms landing at Ubon Thai Air Force Base one by one, deploying drag chutes. It didnt explode, but fired when something got hung up in the linkage/cabling causing the ejection sequence to initiate. vflaherty4@aol.com Thanks. I was the A1C Entry Controller at Checkpoint Charlie from June 1970 to June 1971. This group is dedicated to the brotherhood of those who served at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base,Thailand during the Vietnam War. John A. Madden Jr. on Sept 9, 1972, making him an . p.s. He was later stationed @ Eglin FL when I was there and we used to party on the weekends. I was a weapons mechanic with the 408th MMS when that happened. The USAF Office of Special Investigations had earlier received a report that 12 Vietnamese expatriates had recently returned from North Vietnam where they had received sapper training. [exaggeration] more We had house boys that did our laundry and to this day I can remember the rice starch they put in our fatigues. It was determined that due to the weapon used in the attack, the entire base was in danger. Explore Recent Photos; Trending; Events; . CD-ROM. I was in the phantom gun shop on the Flightline that day. In time it went away and for about a year the rash would return. I no doubt worked on an A/C you flew. Upon arriving at Ubon Sept 1969, as part of the inbound process, we are issued an M-16, the guy hands you the rifle, you check the serial number, sign the form, he takes back the rifle, locks it up. UBON AFB, Thailand 1969 to 1972 - YouTube 0:00 / 2:48 UBON AFB, Thailand 1969 to 1972 16K views 11 years ago I was on perimeter in the Alpha area with my Sentry Dog, Shaeffer when the NVA. all the revetment lights had dimmed, very few lights on, dark, sweaty, fear. Ubon RTAFB was established in the 1950s. The last of the Constant Guard F4 augmentation forces were released in September 1973. lol. Privacy Policy2023 CriticalPast LLC. I was assigned to Ubon in August 1972. RM2M9KNK0 - A five-ship formation of Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to Wing 1 Military Air Base, fly overhead at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB), Thailand, during Exercise COPE TIGER 2003. [17][15]:105 By April 1969 the 16th SOS accounted for 44 percent of all trucks destroyed in Laos while flying only 3.7 percent of the sorties. Ive now have neauropathy, and familial tremor. It was at night and when the shots and explosions were going off I jumped down from the cockpit of an F4 parked outside the revetments and hunckerd down under the left wing. a photograph of Nam Phong Air Base in Thailand, the Compensation and Pension (C&P) Service's . I am adopted from Thailand Ubon Ratchathani, in 1976 by an Australian family in Melbourne. The area displays aircraft such as a B-52D, which participated in Operation Linebacker I and II; workhorse fighters such as the F-4C flown by then-Col. Robin Olds. We Werent There. If youre not already a member, I suggest you join the Facebook site Ubon Vets. Col. Robin Olds. We flew a lot of CBU-52, 58 & 71 all used the SUU-30 dispenser. I remember living in the old hootches when I first arrived, and moving to the new cinderblock barracks later on. I remember the attack I was working on my F4 preparing it for the morning mission when you heard the mortars; it was like they were walking one exposition after another. Website Terms & Conditions | Well my friend i was next door building the paveway bombs. 1972 (Maaaybe the 1st). Ubon RTAFB. Joe my memory is not what it used to be but I do remember you and Mike Pruitt. My Account | in Ubon 1968-69 and I came across this After Action Report on the Sniper Attack in Ubon ten years ago. Ill ask her on Saturday (9th) when I see her. It was also the only USAF base that ran opposite direction, single runway, air traffic; landing runway 23, departing runway 05. We are now told that the Americans have at last admitted to spraying the base perimeter with agent Orange. We really loved that guy.Was there during the big Mig raid shoot down.. Craig Mitch Mitchell. My email in jaime_green@outlook.com. Some even thought they could rush us. I am desperate for evidence to present to the Regional Board for an Agent Orange Hearing. From 1965 to 1974, the base was a front-line facility of the USAF during the Vietnam War. ( She is still my wife.) that a large group of Viet Cong had been spotted enroute to the base and that the Thai Army had been sent out to intercept them. If you are interested in these photos please let me know and I will make arrangements to get them to you. I was the third crew member on a four man load crew that loaded munitions on the F-4 fighter (pictures show what we loaded). Additional Details No camera details . Air strikes by the USAF peaked just before the deadline, as the Khmer National Armed Forces engaged a force of about 10,000 Khmer Rouge encircling Phnom Penh. Tower, Bunker Mortar. Photo by Dan Vinson, LM 66, UB, 8th SPS. [15]:1569, The 16th SOS also tested 2 Project Black Spot AC/NC-123s beginning in December 1969. Plotters marking board, scope operator, senior director and combat information sector controller at radar sets. I hope to hear back from you and I will try to locate and download pics of my tour. My name is Mike Stanifer, and I too stumbled onto this site unknowingly. waiting on va, just filed July of this year. Under Thailand's "gentleman's agreement" with the United States, RTAF base used by the USAF were commanded by Thai officers. I was actually a "guest of honor" and attended the cast party and had a personal interview with Mr. Hope, Connie Stevens, and Theresa Graves. I knew of the crew that launched the rocket,,forget their names now, Did you know a Bill Beasley he had bunk in the same room (call it that) as I was in, also had a bungalow in town. 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. The first Air Force victories did not occur until July 10, when F-4Cs, flying from Ubon Air Base in Thailand, shot down two MiG-17s. I have no real regrets as I volunteered to go there HOWEVER I do have some health Issues now that I think are directly related to my tour, one being heart disease and now I will be going thru test for Parkinsons disease as well. I will let John take up the story with his own words and photo captions. Memories of Ubon! Just doesnt have the same flare. Thanks, Grant Hernandez. 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. Sets appears in: 1970 - Ubon Air Base (Spectre Gunships) Stats: 6,763 views / 1 comment. In October we came under a mortar attack exact date I cannot recall. 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. [13]:99. I havent thought about this in years. [6] The 45th TFS was on Temporary duty assignment (TDY) from its permanent home at MacDill AFB, Florida. I shipped in September 71-72. Best friend to this day was Jimmy Dean. I was there 1/69-1/70 and worked the flt line. If anyone would be so kind as to share more with us we would appreciate it as my dad was only 4 months old. I am another Ubonian. google_ad_slot = "5169356608"; I recently returned to Seattle and had the chance to visit Kentucky. Crew members of EC-121 Aircraft inside aircraft at Ubon Air Base in Thailand during College Eye airborne radar surveillance mission. It seems like almost ALL USAF -Thailand vets are having same problem with their AO claims: Proof of proximity. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. Hey Charlie ,by the way, do you remember TSGT Hughie Martin from our 2nd tour, Ive been emailing with him for about ten years, hes also on Ubon Vets FB. Major Mack talks about the strike crew's tasks. In reading some the threads regarding AO, I too am now starting to experience skin cancer and first surgery is scheduled at VA hospital in a couple weeks. Crew ejected successfully, no injuries. Browse Military Units. Thanks for the extra information. 30; Phitsanulok AB runway No. My family greatly misses him. Two airmen from up the line came walking and talking to the end of the revetments. 1972. I will ALWAYS believe all of us at Ubon during the VN war time were exposed to AO, I have Diabetes, heart trouble, memory loss, tremors and I have no family members with any and I also am blessed to still have both parents alive in their late 80s with memories a lot better than my own. I was told I made to much to qualify. I need help and fast. Featured Collections | Operating out of Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) in northern Thailand, the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW) is probably one of the lesser known Air Force units that participated in the Vietnam War, despite the fact that for most of its existence at Udorn, it was unique among Air Force wings. I dont want to overtake this wonderful blog/thread with my requests, responses & replies. I served boots on the ground in Vietnam so my claimed got approved for my diabetes. Featured Collections | . After that one, I think the others were post-1970 from what I have read on other group sites. Major Mack stands in front of the aircraft. Like you I was assigned to the CBU shop and was loaned out to everybody else as needed. On 17 April, the USAF flew its last mission over Laos, attacking a handful of targets requested by the Laotian government. Dang! During Operation Bolo, Colonel Olds dubbed the wing the Wolf Pack because of its aggressive tactics and high degree of teamwork. The following photos are of the full scale attack on January 13, 1970. It is currently being used in Agent Orange Exposure claims by military veterans who served at some of the following Royal Thai Air Force Bases: U-Tapao, Ubon, NKP (Nakhon Phanom), Udorn, Takhli, Korat or Don Muang, and others. And other stuff of course. Only reason was to join Ubon vets group and happy I did. Ubon Royal Thai Air Base,Thailand.Home of the "Wolf Pack" - YouTube This video is dedicated to all those who flew with, fought with, maintained and supported the 8th Tactical Fighter. At 02:00 5 explosions damaged 2, 12 January 1970: at 22:30 on 11 January a Thai villager reported seeing 16 armed Vietnamese 3km and the base was put on alert. Is anyone willing to do this? On 16 September 1974 the USAF forces at Ubon were inactivated and the facility turned over to the Thai Government. Wonderful to hear from you! . We all got a lengthy talk about seat safety since our group would have to get in the seats to test our equipment. On 23 April 1966, the 8th TFW scored its first MiG kills of the Vietnam War, shooting down two MiG-17 fighters. Ubon Air Base Photos 1967-72 | Thailand pictures, Welcome home soldier, Thailand photos Explore Travel Travel Destinations Asia Destinations From us-mil-thai.tripod.com Ubon Air Base Photos 1967-72 Ubon AB, Thailand - Google Search G Gail Jay 352 followers More information Ubon AB, Thailand - Google Search Welcome Home Soldier Thailand Pictures Navigator at desk. Edward B. 408th MMS from Jan 68 through Mar 69. We worked the 6:00 pm 6:00 am shift 6 days a week (sometimes 7 days). I worked on the electronic sensor net used (does anyone remember that?) My shock came when no records were found showing the TDY, no medical record of the rash treatment, and no evidence that should have existed with regard to the boot on the ground evidence of my time in country. Branch of Service: Air Force. If ANY one on this thread knew Brent (Baton Rouge, LA) please contact me. It is located in Central Thailand, approximately 144 miles (240 km) northwest of Bangkok in Takhli district, Nakhon Sawan Province, near the city of Nakhon Sawan. In Cambodia the USAF carried out a massive bombing campaign to prevent the Khmer Rouge from taking over the country. If anyone out there remembers me or those mentioned above please feel free to contact me. Did you serve at Ubon Thailand? Was stationed there 69-70 worked base supply night shift and day shift. The base was granted hostile action pay for Oct. Home | Join VDHA | Membership Renewal | Contact Us | Member Login 2023 VDHA All Rights reserved. I was sent TDY to train on C-130 gunship repair and had orders to work in the gun shop at Ubon. My Australian family, have mentioned that my natural father would have been a soldier, In Vietnam and that a lot of them lived in The neighbouring countries after the war finished. Prior to Ubon I was at a SAC base (B-52) in NY. [13]:85, On 8 February 1968 8th TFW F-4s attacked Phc Yn Air Base to attempt to destroy Il-28 bombers based there, losing 2 F-4s to antiaircraft fire in the low-level attack. (U.S. Air Force photo) PHOTO BY: Don Kohnke 36; Ubon AB runway No. Took a bucket full down to the T-lock, she loved them, pretty sure she preferred them to a box of candy and flowers. Thanks, If you have not already found Facebook,,Ubon Vets, I highly recommended you look for it and join,, there are over 800 members,, and a wealth of information on that site,, good luck and welcome, I would like a copy of of that. Christina. There are a TON of sites for Veterans all over social media. Never once did I see him get excited. Bill Mahar? My flight to Thailand also stopped in Viet Nam at Bien Hoa but they deny that also. My roomie and I lived on base 2 nights before we were in a bungalow downtown. Thank you, too, phipson!! All info is helpful. I was warned by others whove been through this claims process that I would probably have to stand on my head to get it through but I hold no resentment and I feel in the long run, well be treated fairly. Part two with more about life in Ubon and photos of the city will follow shortly. Hello Jeff S. It is good hearing from you. Website Terms & Conditions | FC we loaded a lot of napalm during the dry season and the 2 A-1s may have come shortly after the sapper attack in January 70. Thank God , as far as I know, I dont have cancer but I have the other three. vinway@kataan.net, Ricardo would you please email me a copy of the report. Thailand veteran Michael Williams, who was stationed at Ubon from May 1969 to May 1970, asserted that he was assigned to a detail that involved defoliating the perimeter of the base. If you get this message, contact me at usnavy_n3n@yahoo.com and Ill get you connected with him . If any of you wanted to share some more in depth experiences (PG rated) of your time in and around Ubon I would love to print them. I have played on it a few times. Members from the 42nd Air Base Wing and Air University Library pose after a special guest panel session to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the repatriation of prisoners of war from Vietnam on Feb. 14, 2023, at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Many more memories from there and TDYs I went on. [4][5] On 10 July 1965, pilots of the 45th TFS were credited with the first air victory of the Vietnam War, downing two North Vietnamese MiG-17s. Base was all dark, and the AP would not let me pass. [15], LORAN-equipped 8th TFW F-4Ds began the Operation Igloo White sensor-dropping mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos from February 1968 taking over this role from the more vulnerable CH-3s and OP-2E Neptunes. Join VetFriends To: Reunite with Unit Buddies. lol, Hello folks. I wish I could remember the house boys name nicest guy. [4]:20, In response to the Easter Offensive, from April 1972 F-4E squadrons temporarily deployed from the US to Ubon during the Constant Guard buildup as follows:[20][13]:223, The 334th TFS flew its first missions of Operation Freedom Train on 14 April, followed by the 366th the following day. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-0055504374659721"; Michael E Courtney Nov 69. General James went to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in December 1966, as deputy commander for operations, 8th TFW, and in June 1967 was named wing vice commander. (U.S. Air Force photo) Commentary - Robin Olds: Wolf Pack hero, legacy Major Mack speaks about the 552nd Airborne Early Warning Control Wing, at Ubon Air Base in Thailand. Andrew. Buddy Letter s must include Service #, job title at Ubon Royal Air Force Base ,where your job took place and why you feel yourself and others with similar jobs on the outer perimeter could have presumptive exposure to Toxic ( tactical ) Herbices. If any one is interested, all of the photos I took of Ubon are located on http://www.lastcow.smugmug.com go to military pictures password is 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. 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. It is approximately 488 km (303 miles) northeast of Bangkok. Debellevue, scored four kills flying with Capt. Find Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. Pingback: Trainieren Moers Bauchmuskeln - Bodybuilding-foren,