80th Tactical Fighter Squadron

F-105 Combat Operations

Stationed at :

  • Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 30 October – 29 December 1964
  • Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 27 June – 26 August 1965

In 1962 the 80th began to transition to the F-105 Thunderchief, and in May 1964 moved from Itazuke to Yokota Air Base, Japan, where it was attached to the 41st Air Division. A few months afterwards, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing moved to the United States, so the “Headhunters” were reassigned to the 41st Air Division. Stationed at Yokota until 1971, the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron served under several different parent units over the next few years, including the 6441st Tactical Fighter Wing, 41st Air Division, and 347th Tactical Fighter Wing. The squadron performed two combat deployments to Southeast Asia in 1964 and 1965, serving first for two months at Korat Air Base, Thailand and later for two months at Takhli Air Base, Thailand. For these two combat tours the 80th earned the Vietnam Advisory campaign streamer.

These two deployments made up the total of the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron’s involvement in Vietnam. 80th pilots flew against such major targets as the Hai Nguyen steelPlant, storage facilities at Haipong, northeast and northwest rail lines, Phuc Yen, Kep, and the Doumer Bridge. On 23 August 1967, while flying an F-105 Thunderchief (the largest single-engine fighter ever produced) 1Lt Dave Waldrop (temporarily assigned to the 34th TFS at Korat) gunned down a Mig-17 over North Vietnam. While in Vietnam, the 80th accumulated 7,384 combat missions in Southeast Asia, with 2,657 combat missions over North Vietnam. These missions represent 17,104.4 combat hours over Southeast Asia. Members of the 80th were decorated with 7 Silver Stars, 64 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 426 Air Medals while deployed to Vietnam.

Sadly, several “Headhunters” remained in Vietnam after the squadron departed. Of these, Quincy Collins, Murphy Neal Jones and Don Heiliger returned home in 1973, but William V. Frederick and Lynn K. Powell are listed as Killed in Action (KIA).

Squadron Photos

F-105D “Iron Duke” 62-4360, 80 TFS in close formation
F-105D “Iron Duke” 62-4360, 80 TFS in close formation
Capt. Bob Pielin of the 80th TFS at Korat RTAFB strapping in for a sortie
F-105D 80th TFS basket refuelling from a KC-135
80 TFS Headhunters from Left to right: Art Mearns, Jack Redmond, John Atkinson, sunglasses unknown, Phil Coll, Andy Olman, Sarge unknown, Cec Powel, Ray Tiffin. Itazuke AB, Japan, circa early 1964.
Giles Gainer 80th TFS posing at Korat RTAFB
80 TFS F-105D’s ready for departure
from left to right: Dave Wheeler, Bob Taylor, Jack Redmond, and Giles Gainer
Kneeling: Dave Groark, Louis Pazel, and Bob Keller
Takoma AB Japan, 80th TFS, 1965