By Don Drinnon
The names and locations of a few of the places that are mentioned on these 46ith TFS pages have been added to this map to give you a better perspective of the area. The distance from Korat to Mu Gia Pass is about 350 nautical miles. The abbreviation RTAFB is for Royal Thai Air Force Base.
Korat RTAFB – There were two Wings at Korat
– 388th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) with two squadrons: the 469th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) flying the F-4E Phantom II; and the 34th TFS flying the F-105 Thunderchief. In May 1969, the 34th converted to F-4Es.
– 553rd Reconnaissance Wing flying the EC-121R.
Ubon RTAFB – There was one Wing
– 8th Tactical Fighter Wing with four squadrons all flying F-4Cs or F-4Ds: 433rd TFS; 497th TFS; 555th TFS; and the 25th TFS.
Udorn RTAFB – There was one Wing at Udorn
– 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing with five squadrons: 14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS) flying the RF-4C; 11th TRS flying the RF-4C; 13th TFS flying the F-4C/D; 555th TFS flying the F-4D; and the 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron flying the C-130. Yes, the 555 TFS had elements at both Ubon and Udorn.
Nakhon Phanom (NKP) hosted many different wings and special operations units during our period. Search and Rescue, Forward Air Control, Reconnaissance and Communications units to name a few. Many classified programs were also hosted there.
Also added on the map are the DMZ, Saigon, Mu Gia Pass and the Plain de Jars. Many of our early missions were flown in the Mu Gia Pass area with the objective to stop the supplies moving south along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Later we flew many missions in the Plain de Jars area in support of General Vang Pao of the Royal Lao Army and his efforts against the Pathet Loa and communist insurgents. He was very involved with our CIA.
The two aircraft pictured below, the A-1 Skyraider and the HH-53 Jolly Green Giant, were based at Nakhon Phanom. The A-1 aircraft first flew in 1945. The Skyraiders, with the call sign “Sandy”, were used by Special Operations elements in Southeast Asia for search and rescue air cover. They were also used to perform one of the Skyraider’s most famous roles — the “Sandy” helicopter escort on combat rescues.
The two aircraft were the key aircraft in all search and rescue missions during our time at Korat in 1968/9 and the numerous recoveries of downed aircrews. You can read about the rescue of one of our aircrew’s later and the roles of the A-1 and HH-53 in their rescue.
