14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

The 14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS)  flew combat reconnaissance missions operating the RF-4C Phantom II aircraft out of Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. 

The squadron was organized and activated on April 3, 1967, at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, before moving to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in October 1967. They replaced the outgoing 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron’s RF-101 Voodoos and flew the unarmed RF-4C Phantom II, a dedicated photo-reconnaissance version of the F-4 fighter jet.

Known as “Tac Recce” (Tactical Reconnaissance), their mission was to gather critical intelligence by flying unarmed over hostile territory to perform pre-strike and bomb damage assessments, and monitor enemy movements, particularly surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites. Aircrews often described flying these dangerous missions “alone, unarmed and unafraid”.

The 14th TRS handled all Seventh Air Force reconnaissance tasking over South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Tasking over North Vietnam was a shared responsibility with the U.S. Navy and Strategic Air Command assets.

For a period in 1971 and by 1972, the 14th TRS was the sole U.S. tactical reconnaissance squadron in Southeast Asia.

 The squadron continued combat operations until August 1973 and was eventually inactivated on June 30, 1975, as part of the USAF withdrawal from Thailand after the Paris Peace Accords. 

14 TRS combat losses during the Vietnam War
04-02-68 RF-4C 66-0443 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) lost in mission over southern Laos. 1th Lt William T. Potter KIA. 1st Lt Robert J.Edgar KIA.
27-02-68 RF-4C 66-0431 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) photo-reconnaissance mission over Quang Binh, North Vietnam. Lost over southern Laos. Maj Gilbert S. Palmer KIA. Capt Thomas T. Wright KIA.
18-05-68 RF-4C 66-0442 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down near Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. Crew eject. Col Terry J. Uyeyama POW. Capt Tommy E. Gist KIA.
15-08-68 RF-4C 66-0447 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down by AAA near Ban Don/Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. Crew eject. Capt Terrin D. Hicks killed on ground during evasion. Capt Joseph F. Shanahan POW.
23-08-68 RF-4C 66-0466 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down in night mission near Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. 1st Lt Francis L. Setterquist KIA. 1st Lt Charles L. Bergevin KIA.
30-10-68 RF-4C 66-0457 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) engine failure and crashed at Udorn AB Thailand. Maj R. E. Boucher and Capt R. D. Smith survived.
21-11-68 RF-4C 66-0432 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) ran out of fuel, both engines flamed out and crashed at Udorn AB, Thailand. Crew eject. Capt P. N. Shiraishi and Capt E. U. Larue recovered.
23-11-68 RF-4C 66-0445 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by ground fire near Van Loc/Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. Capt Bradley G. Cuthbert MIA. Capt Mark J. Ruhling POW.
17-04-69 RF-4C 66-0405 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by ground fire near Ban Topen, Laos. Crew eject. Capt R. Bartholomew and Capt B. F. Doyle recovered.
16-11-69 RF-4C 66-0468 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by 37mm AAA over northern Laos. Crew ejected safely over Udorn AB, Thailand. Capt C. P. Sloan and 1st Lt A. L. Guise recovered.
22-11-69 RF-4C 66-0441 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down during reconnaissance over southern Laos. Capt L. P. Wright and 1st Lt F. O. Paige recovered.
21-12-69 RF-4C 66-0396 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by 37mm AAA 20 miles SE of Ban Ban. Crew eject. Capt C. P. Sloan and 1st Lt A. L. Guise recovered.
29-07-70 RF-4C 66-0436 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) lost in night photographic reconnaissance mission over southern Laos. Capt Gary A. Chavez KIA. Capt Donald A. Brown KIA.
08-10-70 RF-4C 68-0610 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down during photographic reconnaissance over Laos. Capt William A. Ott KIA. Capt Donald E. Shay KIA.
13-11-70 RF-4C 66-0420 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by 37mm AAA near Ha Tinh, North Vietnam. Maj David I. Wright KIA. 1th Lt William W. Bancroft KIA.
21-12-70 RF-4C 68-0601 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by AAA during photographic mission in southern Laos. Crew eject. Maj A. F. Rusch and 1st Lt M. M. Mullis rescued by USAF helicopter.
01-10-71 RF-4C 66-0439 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down by AAA near An Loc, South Vietnam. Pilot KIA, WSO rescued.
20-01-72 RF-4C 68-0573 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down by AAA 15 miles S of Ban Ban, Laos. Crew eject. Maj R. K. Mock and 1th Lt J. L. Stiles rescued by an Air America helicopter.
20-04-72 RF-4C 68-0598 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by SA-2 near Dong Hoi. Crew eject. Maj Edward K. Elias POW. 1st Lt Ernest S. Clark recovered.
13-08-72 RF-4C 68-0604 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down by 57mm AAA near Kinh Mon. Crew eject. Capt William A. Gaunt POW. 1th Lt Francis W. Towsend KIA.
19-08-72 RF-4C 69-0355 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by SA-2 NE of Kep, North Vietnam. Capt Roger E. Behnfeldt KIA. Maj Tomatsu Shingaki eject and POW.
22-09-72 RF-4C 69-0351 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by AAA near Xuan Noe, Laos. Crew eject. Capt J. G. Watts and 1st Lt J. H. Pomeroy rescued by USAF helicopter.
09-12-72 RF-4C 68-0597 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by SA-2 near Ngai Hung, North Vietnam. Maj Billie J. Williams KIA. 1th Lt Hector M. Acosta eject and POW.

14th TRS Photos

RF-4C, 14 TRS at Udorn with an early use of ALQ 119 ECM pod on the left inboard pylon
RF-4C 68-0603 on the runway at Udorn. Photo by David Payne
14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron celebrating 10,000 combat sorties in Southeast Asia, 28 April 1969.
14 TRS RF-4C escorted by an F-4D from the 555th TFS
RF4C pilot posing for RF-4C 65-0864 from the 14 TRS
RF-4C pilot Capt. Robert Clark being congratulated after finishing his second 100-mission RF-4C tour. The “2 to go” on his aircraft represented his wish to fly two more 100-mission tours. He later flew missions as a B-52G pilot over North Vietnam during Linebacker II. (U.S. Air Force photo)
RF-4C 68-0597 from teh 14th TRS with a very unusual load, check out the bombs. She would be lost on 9 december 1972: hit by SA-2 near Ngai Hung, North Vietnam. Maj Billie J. Williams KIA. 1th Lt Hector M. Acosta eject and POW.
RF-4C 68-059714 TRS during better times at Udorn RTAFB November 1971

14th TRS Patches

14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RF-4C SA-2 Flight Examiner
432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
Translation: VICTORIA PER SCIENTIAM = Victory Through Knowledge
14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RF-4C Night Owl As used by the 14 TRS pilots that flew night recce missions.