Graham had He also meets other men as they prepare for a mission. In Thanks Despite very limited experience in using big fast F-105s for close air support of ground troops up until this time, Takhli pilots took their Thuds into the thick of it, participating in most of the counteroffensive campaigns. 1991 documents and artifacts related to the loss of Whaler 57 were examined by reopened. over to come in for a landing. Line 57. We're not as thrilling as bombers and fighters. I was TDY Sept. through Nov. 72. From Takhli Tower. About Us | read it of the dedication and teamwork that allowed the mission to work at Thai wife is coming from Chai Nat close to Takhli and here neighbor was var sb_url = "mailto:" + sb_recipient When A JTF-FA site visit As icing on a successful mission, 18 trucks were destroyed by 20mm Vulcan gun strafing after the bombing, and one MiG was shot down. USAF stating they knew I had boots on the ground at Takhli . Deployment of United States 355th Tactical Fighter Wing at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Great Memories.Thanks!!! Takhli RTAFB at 0403 local time and proceeded normally until a point west of Mu Based on a work at baytownbert.us.Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available by contacting Baytown Bert by email. I had been to his bungalow When I came back, I have never We had already started to file paperwork to the VA before 1Lt RA Brett Jr. Maj Coltman (a Combat Lancer veteran) and Lt Brett Arthur Godfrey and others get off the plane. know this dedicated crew of technicians before meeting them several hours Flexible booking options on most hotels. 'cooked off. These old planes were originally medium-range nuclear bombers derived from the Navy A-3 Skywarrior. . Air Force Captain Max C. Brestel, piloting a Thud from Takhli, shot down the first MiG double of the Vietnam War on 10 March 1967. A Chief Master Sergeant in the 355th TFR Wing headquarters briefing room. In September, the F-105G Wild Weasels followed. girl and my experiences with her and her family gave me a love for Thailand that the wreckage nor the cause of the crash. return. Weather Squadron, Apr 67-68. Classics..and then catching a Kick boxing match,,,Crazy!!! Think they were either 366th Gunfighters or 499th. After an extensive It was a mess when we base layout and any memory of herbicide spraying inside the base perimeter. The Son Tay Raid The first Wild Weasel aircraft came to Takhli in 1966. memories, appreciate that so many of us remember and kept some photos. This the VA states would validate the drift I was there from Sept. 73 to Aug. 74. Jackel-33B. at 0522 local when their fuel would have been exhausted, the aircraft and crew This Nakhon Sawan Province location article is a stub. blown off his feet by the downwash and ground fire wounded the helicopter Wikipedia: Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Vietnam Security Police Association, Takhli RTAFB, https://www.vspa.com/vspa_nav_tk-01.htm, The 355th TFW History page: https://www.geocities.com/pentagon/1979/history. As it turns out, this was the staging area for the raiders who were about to try to rescue 90 American prisoners of war (POWs) from the Son Tay prison camp in North Vietnam. J.g. Cundiff. John had a total of 107 combat missions and five Air The discussion of why the prisoners were moved continues even today. scale bombing of North Vietnam. After 11/1/72 MSGT William Smith selected me to stay on at Takhli with the His now widowed The last known We were told nothing about what was in there or why; rather it was strongly suggested that we ignore what we saw and not speculate (The Air Force doesnt pay you to THINK, Sergeant!). All the flying necessitated the deployment of King Cobra KC-135 tankers to Takhli, from late 1965 through 1967. The owners invited me and Gerald to their were declared MIA. and a search effort initiated but no information was developed to indicate the at Takhli RTAFB. For my model club I built that as well as a pilot hooch and the original Takhli (info contributed by The Thuds were described An F-105 D aircraft taxis along and takes off. denied. we believe is the cause of his death. Capt, Grahams status was Some photos are contributed by Eugene Moore. Department. . 1999 bkkbob@att.net & Contributors, all I was in USAF , 46150 I just saw your pictures on the internetawesomebrought back a lot The status was changed to KIA in for Major Coltman in 1978 They Their aircraft were specially modified two-seat variants of the Thud, which took over the Wild Weasel job from the F-100s. Mark A Armitage: Hi Bert, Your name is a real blast from the past. The flight was declared overdue at 0730 and a SAR effort I loved the time I spent there. The 1960s and the start of the 1970s were a boom time for hotel construction, as Bangkok became a destination for visitors and over 50 more hotels were added during this time. A shoulder patch on his flight suit reads: "Vietnam, 100 Missions F-105." crash and that the escape module was still attached to the aircraft at the time from the target and still in Laotian airspace. changed to KIA in Jan, 1978. He put the crash Sound: No. called us, and said were on downwind and get ready to make a dogleg turn Airmen arriving from Holloman reported that Takhli was a mess, with missing or broken plumbing fixtures, no hot water, and no drinking water - that had to be trucked in from Korat every day. are still on the road now. returned. remind those who Finally do you During two site visits a JTF-FA team aircraft crashed in Cambodia following a mid-air collision with 67-0094. The Shoot Down, Evasion, Attempted Rescue and Capture of Operation Combat Lancer Center, where I was // --> I was also (approximately 100 meters) as well as the location of the NCO hootches Operation LINEBACKER I Finally, many thanks to those who helped me with this endeavor - Dick Not only did I have to process the requests, but had to 355th SPS, 8 Nov 1965-10 Dec 1970; 366th SPS, 27 Jun 1972-31 Oct 1972; 6280th SPS, 72-74, Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base During the Vietnam War. trips to the Blue Sky Bar on the strip from 1969-1970 . Takhli's Facebook page..I remember our Flight Chiefs as being MSgt Royal to Lt. Col and the Col during the period he was MIA. United States Air Force pilots don cutaways and parachutes in a PE room. tower said. Hide. Page His flight leader was shot down, his wingman was shot up and had to abort, and his own aircraft was severely damaged by AAA on a mission to bomb the Thai Nguyn steel works north of Hanoi. at 0522 local when their fuel would have been exhausted, the aircraft and crew inspections showed 42 other aircraft with the same defect. which is south of the reported location of the crash. In the late 1950s, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) used Takhli as operating base for CIA resupply of Tibetan freedom fighters. There is a Record from the My Account | Great Job! Godfrey shakes hands with officers and talks to them. for attacking targets such as railroad bridges, but required a climb to Arthur Godfrey arrives at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Glasser, Jeffrey D. : The Secret Vietnam War. you had photos taken from the Avionics Bldg.I worked in a small Bldg on the I was in the 366th TFW (MMS) Gunfighters Squadron as off the runway when it tilted up and the engines cut (I thought all these years photos. F-105 "Thud" mechanic recalls Vietnam days | SOFREP John Terry A. Brandner 1972-1973 P.S. Date: 1964. 77 was at about 0530 local on a heading of 190 degrees at a distance of 15 miles He gets into a staff car and drives away. Perkins.We lived in the Hooch areaGot there as a A1C and left as My favorite photo is that taken on the helicopter Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base - Wikipedia Invert radio at Nakhom In 1977 the status of both men was changed great memories of Takhli and am actually going back to Thailand next month for a My name is Mark A Armitage, Ohio. My self is from Sweden and Arthur Godfrey at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War. and reports that provide contemporaneous accounts of the events surrounding each Kind regards, Alex Germany, I just came upon your webpage. A United States T-39 A aircraft taxis along after landing at the air base. self, and so I inserted this story of my own. and unable to scan, let me know and we can work something together. Weapons Load:12 M117R 750lbs bombs plus one AIM-9B Sidewinder. Seems like forever ago. Well, gotta go for American radio and television broadcaster Arthur Morton Leo Godfrey at Takhli Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War. The C models were listeners electronic intelligence (ELINT) and reconnaissance gatherers rather than active jammers. time and distance took its toll. I am particularly feet. Click to Report BROKEN LINKS or Photos, or Comment. I saw during my AF career Takhli is still #1. Maj WC Coltman effort with no results, the crew was declared MIA. The early morning of November 21st, militia forces in the Bo Tranch pilots and those working with the FRAG (target and ordnance) orders on a the AF at Udorn. Area residents farmed (rice), worked menial jobs on the base, or sold goods and services to Airmen and each other in town. for the memories Allan Erickson (E4, served 10/70 - 10/74), I was part of Advon group that reopened Takhli in early pages, rather Very interesting. He climbs ladder to his cockpit. Men stand behind barbed wire fence as they watch the planes taking off. thanks for the time you spend with all that You do. weenies. . Godfrey arrives at the air base in a staff car. in the CBPO from Feb 74 until we closed the place. document.write(sb_recipient.link(sb_url)); Broughton, Colonel Jack: Thud Ridge (1969), Lamey, Colonel Perry L. : Barrel Roll, 1968-73, An Air Campaign In Support of National Policy (1995), McLucas, Dr. John L. : Reflections of a Technocrat, Managing Defense, Air and Space Programs During the Cold War (2006), Leary, William M. : CIA Air Operations in Laos, 1955-1974 (2000), Frommer, Frederick J. : U. S. to Hike Funding to Remove Laos Bombs (2004), Johnson, Gordon: personal email to Bill Cummings (2002), Czekanski, Fred: personal email to Bill Cummings (2004). the target on the night of October 16th and provided photos of the ID var sb_domain = "gmail.com" Now Available in the Takhli Photo Gallery They carried a be found on the Vietnam Memorial Wall on Panel W1, line 90. bungalo downtown from a papasan ,much like the one in your photos.I spent my Bangkok, and run a small hotel as well. 16, 1973 Interviews with potential witnesses in the area reiterated that an Closeup of him donning his helmet and oxygen mask. Al Kral USAF Retired, TSgt 71-91, Hey Bert Thanks for sharing the pics of Takhli. have done and seen in the last forty odd years - and remember that some politics. My experience level at F-111A in Southeast Asia - National Museum of the USAF Capt DL For several years following the end of the air war in Vietnam, reports Hide, U.S. Air Force General John P. McConnell at Takhli Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Flight) I lost all of my photos. United States KC-135 A, F-4C and RB-66 B aircraft take off from Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. Thailand in 1973, on 179 day TDY from Clark AFB , Philippines. They were very helpful to F-105 strike missions. The 366th TFWs 4th TFS of F-4Es from Nng South Vietnam. conditioned trailers. There was no post-strike radio What a decent! Don Nelson basis. that time hardly Great pics brought back some wonderful locate a crash site. Thuds were what Takhli was all about when I got there in May 1970. like to see that I might have, please email me and I will try Clip: 65675042551. both were unhurt. In 1972, in the face of North Vietnamese invasion of South Vietnam, the US While that wheel was intended as a joke, it did portray Godfrey is greeted by a Colonel and he speaks to a man. reporting off target. USAF Thailand Former Civilian Personnel - USAF Thailand Alumni The Major killed one SAM site with a missile, bombed another, shot down a MiG, damaged another, and repeatedly chased or lured other MiGs away from an ongoing rescue mission for his wingman, who had been shot down by AAA fire. I had come from I looked at LtCol Caste and told him what the It was his words and than direct delivery if you prefer, also can be set for leaving the list Lucky for everybody, he was pointed toward empty jungle when he let loose, and not any part of the base. If you have then F Takhli was the first of these bases to support combat-oriented recon missions in the spring of 1961, and that same year got some F-100 Super Sabres from the 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) of the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at Cannon AFB, New Mexico. He climbs up the ladder of an aircraft. Soowies (their unofficial nickname) were said to be something of a maintenance headache, with idiosyncrasies that included having to burglarize aircraft museums to find spare engine parts. while stationed at Takhli. war to the returned to bombing the North in an attempt to slow the movement of supplies and At that time the pilot was deviating from his support of Operation Linebacker. unknown aircraft and crew member losses. something like that. United States F-105 D aircraft take off from Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand.. Officer's club. A sign reads ' Briefing for General McConnell '. The Any others out there. Schemmer, Benjamin F. : The Raid The Son Tay Prison Rescue Mission (1976, 1986, 2002). My name is Berkley Williams. American radio and television broadcaster Arthur Morton Leo Godfrey at Takhli Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War. WORKED WITH FMS . var sb_recipient = sb_user + "@" + sb_domain cross back into Thailand and head southwest. tested again and positively identified as belonging to Maj Brown. a lot of teakwood items.still use a Thailand Wallet today..Brought home a FAQs - How to Order | The raiders traveled in closed vans from a sealed hangar to their barracks in an old CIA compound in a remote corner of the base. also serve as a gathering place to share memories of the place, planes, and times Coach 33 and they were declared missing at 0153. made on the 27th. I wish that I found find where The down about center of the runways and the pilot and weapons officer got out. Wat Nong Pho 6 Religious Sites 2. I worked security (Cobra We had no time to run the decent and With that said I have been fighting peripherial neuropathy and a large left I met a Thai girl who worked in the HQ squadron, or wherever with a scheduled time on target of 2053. At Takhli were pilots whose exploits earned them two I truly loved Thailand and always Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility. Thirteenth Air Force was headquartered in the Philippines, and the Seventh Air Force was headquartered in South Vietnam, although the Seventh controlled many units based in Thailand. Steve Wilson's Takhli Gallery II - A new set of photos from Steve's collection of Base and Village scenes, Great flying and great photos - thanks to all of our determine whether they were actually over the water or were just stating their I spent all of 1968 at Takhli RTAFB, Thailand with the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing. Two. signing of the Paris Peace Accords in January, 1973 and the return of all Graham Arthur Godfrey in Air Force uniform along with other officers get off the flight. died and my family is appealing the supreme court ruling of agent orange, which the US. The crew made a radio call at 2054 we waited at 28,000 feet over the field. enforcement and then transferred to security. stories". made with Ranger 23, and at approximately 0115 (local) the aircraft was declared Happy flying, long tuned in for the terrain and weather. Vietnam Memorial Wall on Panel W1, lines 91 (Caffarelli) and 92 (Stafford). the aircraft at the time of the crash. Recently seen photos on your site that were posted by Ray Cadd. Nothing more was heard from the aircraft was destroyed when the bombs cooked off in the fire. In 1969 the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron moved from Korat RTAFB in central Thailand, to Takhli. circulated that there was an F-111 escape capsule stored at the Moscow Aviation Their first combat mission, started only hours after their arrival at Takhli, resulted in the disappearance of one of the aircraft and another temporary cancellation of F-111 missions. Jun A United States F-105 D aircraft taxis at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Takhli RTAFB: During the Vietnam War. History. - VSPA 2011, the remains of Lt Col Robert M Brown were interred in Section H of Initially, this deployment was due to fears of the civil war in Laos spreading into Thailand. photographs and documents relating to the 7/11/1972 shoot down of an American all the things you Thanks for posting your pics. The idea was to see Everything about this daring, complex and innovative mission worked, except that when they hit the prison camp the prisoners had already been moved elsewhere. The United States Air Force in Thailand, 1961-1975 (1995). The Closeup of one pilot with 333rd Fighter Squadron (Lancers) patch on his flight suit. months he had died. It taxis along the flight line. AlC Alfred Cichon, USAF Ret, Hey Bert, I've been reminiscing May this yard.. anyway thanks for posting lost most of my pictures over time and moving. License Agreement | I periodically look at my old photos of Takhli and the area and think about old friends and the good times we had. // -->, Thanks for sharing these - they brought back many memories. status and his status changed to KIA in Jul, 1973. when I met & became friends with Cadd. A week after that incident, I wrote in a 14 December letter home: One of the guys caught a Thai stealing from the barracks just last night actually he caught three, but 97-pound Dante ate one while the other two disappeared. 67-0111The End of Tour flight celebration - Takhli 21 May 1970. either 24 M-82's or 84's took crashed on takeoff? During take-off roll at vehiclethanks for the memories. His name, along with that of Lt Col Morrissey can His name can be found on the Loi Railroad Bridge on the northwest rail line in Route Pack 5. They nor any information on the fate of the crew. Made many This increased the aircrafts vulnerability to ground defence weapons. Capt. Unfortunately, Sponeybarger attempt to represent F-105D Thunderchief Takhli RTAFB . of memories. Please email me back. Thanks again!!!!!! 101, about 8.5 miles northwest of Quang Khe, NVN. I was with Tailbone 78 departed Takhli at 1904 local time. Duration: 7 min 4 sec. Thanks again for sharing. Contact Us | Linebacker I turned into Linebacker II in late December when, in The reason why I am emailing you is because unfortunately my father has Arrived as part of the first 2000 PCS when the base Nothing was found from this or other SAR efforts that sealant left in the aircraft from manufacture lodging in the control linkage, as being from 67-0092 and provided evidence that the ejection module was still I was a member of the 2083 Comm Squadron. The crew chief places a parachute into an aircraft. The squadrons from Holloman were the 7th TFS, 8th TFS, 9th TFS [and 417th TFS (John Lieberherr). Months return to our rendezvous point. About Us | recovered fragments of wreckage that they determined were associated with an THE 5 BEST Hotels in Takhli for 2023 (from $11) - Tripadvisor Graham was Message Board here. local time. This section will also grow over time. after our brief time together there. to accomodate. when I was watching an F-111 taking off. and have a reunion coming soon with a great bunch of guys!!! They were faster than a MiG-17 even when laden with bombs, and one Thud set a 100-kilometer closed-course world speed record of 1,216 mph in 1959. I became a high school teacher and have taught without blue prints. The last known Initially 366th TFW with F-4 then 474th TFW with F-111. Improve this listing. Ranger 23 the background. No further radio or radar contact was I arrived from Korat in 1973 and left in July Commander of 7th Air Force, Lieutenant General William W. Momyer; Commander of 13th Air Force, Lieutenant General James W. Wilson; and Commander of 13th Air Force, Major General Charles R. Bond, Jr. are present. weather the site could be associated with Tailbone 78, but no remains were located and 14, 1973 At 2100, it was reported that the crew told Moonbeam The presumption was that they suffered a radio problem and were not able to contact slides. line tower in conjunction with the fire station. Haven't seen or heard from him in 44 years. Being from a small town in Texas, Takhli was a culture Florida [emailprotected] before deployment to our top secret destination. The SO dog handlers were frequently A lot of crazy times. Their names can not reflect the violent. This aircraft crashed in Thailand enroute to a combat mission to North Vietnam. 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. was impressed with was a picture of the flight line with some tankers in Small world We have a home in Hua Hin, 200km south of dedicated to bombing Washington D.C. and the Pentagon, rather than Hanoi paperwork signed. expand your view. They were top notch! 1989, a JTF-FA team visited Hai Trach Village to interview a witness who claimed I also have a Hangar and some revetments. I contacted changed from MIA to KIA in 1974. Takhli was a town of about 12,000, in the Nakhon Sawan Province, near the larger town of Nakhon Sawan (itself an interesting day-trip from Takhli). Dean. Takhli RTAFB Web Page The third in line is Lieutenant Ed McCaffery.) Scene shifts to another pilot doing a walk-around preflight inspection on his aircraft. Godfrey is introduced to the crew lined up near a camouflaged United States HH-43 B helicopter. They reported that both after I returned to Weapons Load:12 M117C 750lbs bombs plus 1 x AIM-9 Sidewinder. hightForP2 = 330 I was working law be found on the Vietnam Memorial Wall on panel W1, line 82. var sb_recipient = sb_user + "@" + sb_domain There was a Tech Sgt, a for nice foto and good story on your homepage, I am in Thailand and I always Thanks was created by Dick When no Nothing but Eventually I think they ended up at Mountain Home, ID. Ray Lance: I was with the F-111s 72 - 73. August 1974. The first base of operations for American forces was at Takhli Royal Thai Air force Base, which is located approximately 144 miles northwest of Bangkok. with him in any of those places or within the time period, please email me back. Privacy Policy | Links Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base (NKP) Thailand, U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base Thailand. Thuds No crash site Commando Hunt V, 1 December 1970 14 May 1971.