F-105 Combat Operations
Stationed at:
- Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 14 August – 29 October 1964
- Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 27 August – 26 October 1965
Three months after their transfer from the 8 TFW, Itazuke AB, Japan, and their arrival in the 41 Air Division at Yokota, F-105s from the 36 TFS were ordered to deploy to Korat RTAFB, Thailand, in response to the Gulf of Tonkin episode. In orders published by Yokota’s 441st Combat Support Group, 12 pilots and 31 enlisted men were ordered to “Clark AB, Philipines” on 6 August 1964 for 179 days TDY “for the purpose of performing an operational mission in support of 5 AF OPLAN 37-65”. Lt Col Donovan L. McCance, the squadron commander, was the ranking person on the deployment orders. As a captain assigned to Hq TAC in 1956, McCance had worked on the early F-105 program.
Other pilots from the 36 TFS were: Capt John R. Layman, Capt Michael P. Cooper, Capt Michael F. McNamara, 1Lt Robert A. Jones, 1Lt William A. Becker, 1Lt Jerry L. Stamps, Capt Thomas W. Sima, Capt Paul H. Stoment, Capt James I. Miholick, and Capt Roderick G. Beckett.
Capt Douglas G. Lauck was another of the pilots from the 36 TFS on this deployment. (Doug Lauck, e-mail 27 Sep 2006.)
1Lt Martin V. Case, Jr. from the 35 TFS also deployed with the 36 TFS. “I was at the morning briefing at the 35th and Maj. Fred Cherry (either Ops Officer or Asst. Ops, I can’t remember which) asked for a volunteer for a classified TDY. He said he couldn’t say where it was but it might involve some combat. How’s that for understatement? He said the 36th needed one person as they were one volunteer short. Since I was a bachelor at that time (due to get married on 3 Oct.), I and a few others raised our hands. I was sitting in the front row and was closest to Fred so I guess that was why he picked me? I was told to go pack for a 30 day TDY and was to talk to NO ONE. They sent someone with me to make sure I didn’t talk to anyone. I think it was Bob Tidwell [Capt Robert Leland Tidwell]. I left that afternoon on a C-130 (in the) IST (Initial Support Team ). We flew direct to Korat with a refueling stop (I think) at Clark AB. We arrived early the next day (6 Aug).
F-105 pilot Capt Edward T. Rock was an Ops Planner in the 41 Air Division at Yokota and helped plan the deployment. “Not much to it except it was all very secret at the time. Not even my wife knew what was going on and there were lots of secret meetings. It was kind of unreal. … The deployments were frequently made up of folks from more than one squadron and not just the designated squadron. For example, I know that when the 36th deployed they had at least a few pilots from the 35th TFS.
The squadron returned to Yokota after they were relieved by the 35 TFS on 5 October 1964
Squadron Photos
