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Fighter pilot UHF
radio transmissions

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Ready to defend the free world

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It was called the world's most

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powerful one man airplane

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Setting a world record of

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1,216 miles per hour in 1959,

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The THUD was the largest

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single seat, single engine

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combat aircraft in history

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It could exceed the speed of

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sound at sea level

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and reach twice that

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speed at high altitude

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weighing in at approximately

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25 tons.

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Entering the service in 1958,

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the F-105 represented America's

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advances in applied science and

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engineering.

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Named Thunderchief, this

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technological marvel could

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deliver a greater bomb load

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than American heavy bombers

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used in WWII

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My name is Hank Goetz and I flew

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the F-105 at Bitburg, Germany,

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in the 53rd Tactical

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Fighter Squadron

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where our primary mission

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was one way nuclear alert

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My first introduction to the

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Thud was in 1961. Just loved it

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from the moment I saw it,

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of course everybody wanted to

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get their hands on it and fly it

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It's unique design was tailor

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made for nuclear delivery

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Carrying a single nuclear

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weapon internally, the

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high speed low
altitude penetration

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guaranteed its delivery deep

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into the threat
NEWS REPORTER VOICE

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The Thundercheif is capable.

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Yet everyone hopes

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it never has to perform the

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mission for it was designed

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The growing geopolitical

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tensions between the U.S. and

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the Communist Bloc countries

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were viewed as a clear

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and present danger

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The F-105 was the deterrence to

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that threat and

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neither the Soviets nor China

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had anything comparable.

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The missions we sat were

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one way nuclear missions.

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Headquarters decided that since

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we were so close the the East

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German border, that, if we were

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lucky enough to get off in the

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15 minutes that they said we all

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had to get off, chances are the

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bases wouldn't be there much

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longer. So there was no reason

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to plan return fuel because

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the bases probably weren't

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going to be there.

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So everything was one-way

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missions. Enough fuel to get

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to your target,
deliver the weapon

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and then get out to what they

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called a safe zone, where we

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told there would be people

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there that might help us.

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I always figured the safe zone

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it was someone else's target

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and it probably was.

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We had these little kits that

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they gave us when we went on

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alert pad. We used to

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go on for 24 hours.

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But these little kits they had

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everything from maps, to gold

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coins, and a bunch of other

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stuff, of course your target

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material, and everything else

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but it was probably going to be

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useless I didn't think my safe

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zone was gonna be very safe when

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I got there if I got there

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In 1962, the Cuban missile

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crisis sprung up

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JFK fade in - go unchecked and

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unchallenged, ultimately leads

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to war.

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This nation is opposed to war.

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Hank - And the brass over in

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Europe decided that due to that

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blockade, that the Russians

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would probably start harassing

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our airplanes going in and out

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of the Berlin corridor.

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And so, in anticipation of them,

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the Russians, harassing

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airplanes or

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causing some trouble, they took

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my particular squadron

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and we downloaded the nuclear

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weapons and uploaded

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sidewinders. And instead of

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Victor alert, which was 15

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nuclear, we set Zulu alert, off

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the end of the runway, sitting

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in the cockpit with

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guns and sidewinders.

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Just in case something happened,

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we were never told what we were

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allowed to do if

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we could ever get airborne.

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After a few days of that,

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everything kind of cooled off

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and we went back to normal.

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The situation had
resolved itself.

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Thud pilots would soon realize

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their primary mission was about

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to change,

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and the F-105 would be forever

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etched in history.

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A red storm was rising on the

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horizon.

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Far off, in the once

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French colony of Indochina.

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First, the United States only

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provided limited air operations

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in South Vietnam

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to support the South Vietnamese

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army forces against Viet Cong

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insurgency.

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I flew I-19s on the Mekong

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Delta in 1962. I probably got 50

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missions, but you

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couldn't call it combat because

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we weren't in battle

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so I forget what you called

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it, but we would fly

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low enough that were were

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looking in the doors

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of the huts. And then I remember

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a guy came running out and he's

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pointing a rifle at me and he's

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tracking and the gun, and

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I can see it jump... oooh,

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and it didn't hit.

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He missed. So we would go back

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and get a ranger company of

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about 100 irregular,

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some of them were Chinese, some

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of them were Vietnamese, and go

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back up and kill them all

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I remember one night

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they set off grenade next to

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this two story hotel

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I was in, in Can Tho, and so I

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ran down. We all carried guns.

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And uh...

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There was a toddler,

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lying on the ground,

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just a baby. I picked him up.

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And he didn't move but

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his mouth kept
opening and closing.

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I ran out into the

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street, and there was a taxi,

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I said, "We're going to the

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hospital" and he said, he's not

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gonna get involved.

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I had a gun. So he got involved.

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We went to the hospital and I

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delivered the little kid

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but that was it. So

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I was there for flying the L-19.

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And then we went

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back in '64 and
'65 for TDY bombing

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and then I went back in '67,

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'68 for the 100 missions.

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Soon, the U.S. resolve to

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contain Communist expansionism

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would be tested by relying upon

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gallant Thud pilots.

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Given their unchallenged ability

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and capacity to carry

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a 14 thousand pound

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weapons load, the Thud was sent

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to be the primary

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aircraft to deliver the heavy

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bomb loads to the targets in

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North Vietnam.

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On March 2nd, 1965, the

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United States launched

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Operation Rolling Thunder.

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It was no surprise it was code

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name Rolling Thunder. After all,

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the Thunderchief operating out

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of bases in Thailand flew 75% of

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all Air Force bombing missions

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during this campaign.

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This marked the first sustained

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American offensive
on North Vietnam

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and signaled a major

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expansion of U.S. involvement

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in the war.

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Voice of LBJ on the phone:

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We're off to bombing these

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people, and over that hurdle.

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And I don't think anything is
going to be as bad as losing,

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and I don't see
anyway of wining.

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The massive bombardment was

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intended to only last six to

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eight weeks and bring

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North Vietnam's Communist

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regime to it's knees.

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It didn't.

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As you know, we have lost

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about 500 aircraft.

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Attacking lines of communication

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to other targets
in North Vietnam

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Hi, my name is John Casper. I

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was fortunate enough to fly the

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105, the Thud.

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It was the greatest airplane

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I've ever flown and guys ask me,

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they say,

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"Well what's your favorite

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airplane, " and I go, " Well, it's

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the 105," and

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they'll say, "Why," and I say,

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"It's the airplane

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I went to war in."

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And it was a delight to fly. And

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I might add, I managed to fly

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the F-5, the F-4 for a

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little while. I flew the A-10

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for a long time. I flew the

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F-16. The last thing I flew in

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the Air Force was the F-15.

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And of all of those airplanes,

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and it had a lot more capability

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than the Thud, the 16 and the

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15. The Thud was still the jet

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that I really loved flying.

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So there I was, 23 years old, a

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jet fighter pilot and my first

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assignment was Korat Air Base,

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Thailand to fly combat. So that

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was my initial training.

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We got to Korat and lieutenants

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were in short supply, I found

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out. Most of the reason was,

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everybody was busy getting

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shot down.

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And little did I know that I

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was going to get to do it not

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once, but twice. I mean by doing

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it, I mean getting shot down.

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On my eighth mission, we were up

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basically trying to drop bombs

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singly into a cave

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in southern North Vietnam.

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When all of a sudden somebody

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yelled that they were shooting

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at us, and the next thing

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I heard was a big explosion,

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fire lights came on,

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all the warning lights came on,

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and shortly there after, the

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airplane basically started going

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end over end on me.

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So I ejected. And the funny

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part about the ejection was,

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about two days before, one of

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the lieutenants in the squadron

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had gotten shot down and

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he said when he ejected, when

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the canopy came off prior to the

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seat firing, he said, holy cow

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you can really see good with

287
00:10:02,668 --> 00:10:03,902
the canopy gone.

288
00:10:03,903 --> 00:10:05,570
Funnily enough, that's exactly

289
00:10:05,571 --> 00:10:06,671
what went through my head when

290
00:10:06,672 --> 00:10:08,139
the canopy came off and it's

291
00:10:08,140 --> 00:10:09,507
just micro seconds from the

292
00:10:09,508 --> 00:10:11,109
canopy leaving til the seat

293
00:10:11,110 --> 00:10:13,111
fires, but that went through my

294
00:10:13,112 --> 00:10:15,146
mind. Not I'm in trouble their

295
00:10:15,147 --> 00:10:16,281
made at me, we just dropped

296
00:10:16,282 --> 00:10:17,415
bombs on them, I said, I can

297
00:10:17,416 --> 00:10:18,184
really see well out

298
00:10:18,185 --> 00:10:19,117
of this airplane.

299
00:10:19,118 --> 00:10:20,352
So what was I worried about, was

300
00:10:20,353 --> 00:10:21,186
I worried about the people on

301
00:10:21,187 --> 00:10:22,620
the ground that we just dropped

302
00:10:22,621 --> 00:10:24,155
bombs on, no I was trying to

303
00:10:24,156 --> 00:10:26,157
remember, do I put my legs

304
00:10:26,158 --> 00:10:27,592
together when I go into the

305
00:10:27,593 --> 00:10:29,427
trees or do I cross my legs.

306
00:10:29,428 --> 00:10:30,762
Cause the last thing I wanted to

307
00:10:30,763 --> 00:10:33,365
do was split a tree branch right

308
00:10:33,366 --> 00:10:34,432
in my crotch.

309
00:10:34,433 --> 00:10:35,767
Well I managed to come down

310
00:10:35,768 --> 00:10:37,535
through the trees, I got hung up

311
00:10:37,536 --> 00:10:38,470
for a little bit,

312
00:10:38,471 --> 00:10:40,472
and then broke free and hit the

313
00:10:40,473 --> 00:10:42,440
ground. Doing so I managed to

314
00:10:42,441 --> 00:10:43,475
bite my tongue,

315
00:10:43,476 --> 00:10:45,143
so I had blood all over me. But

316
00:10:45,144 --> 00:10:47,012
I wasn't hurt at all. For that

317
00:10:47,013 --> 00:10:49,514
one, it lasted about three and a

318
00:10:49,515 --> 00:10:51,116
half hours I was on the ground. I

319
00:10:51,117 --> 00:10:52,617
could hear people looking for me

320
00:10:52,618 --> 00:10:54,786
Fortunately enough I went and

321
00:10:54,787 --> 00:10:56,488
hid. I remember my flight lead

322
00:10:56,489 --> 00:10:57,689
talking to me right after I got

323
00:10:57,690 --> 00:10:59,524
on the ground and he said,

324
00:10:59,525 --> 00:11:00,625
"We gotta go to the tanker

325
00:11:00,626 --> 00:11:02,727
the rescue forces are coming,

326
00:11:02,728 --> 00:11:05,397
stay calm, and call us in an

327
00:11:05,398 --> 00:11:07,032
hour." So I waited what I

328
00:11:07,033 --> 00:11:08,900
thought was an hour, he came up

329
00:11:08,901 --> 00:11:10,035
on the radio, and he said,

330
00:11:10,036 --> 00:11:12,037
"That's five minutes. You need

331
00:11:12,038 --> 00:11:13,705
to call us in another 55

332
00:11:13,706 --> 00:11:15,907
minutes." In training they tell

333
00:11:15,908 --> 00:11:17,308
you when a the tree penetrator

334
00:11:17,309 --> 00:11:18,309
comes down, do not

335
00:11:18,310 --> 00:11:20,312
touch it til it hits the ground.

336
00:11:20,746 --> 00:11:22,313
So what did the lieutenant do?

337
00:11:22,314 --> 00:11:23,748
Well, I had to try to jump on it

338
00:11:23,749 --> 00:11:24,984
before it hit the ground.

339
00:11:25,084 --> 00:11:26,384
Due to static electricity,

340
00:11:26,385 --> 00:11:27,385
it knocked me right on

341
00:11:27,386 --> 00:11:28,253
my butt. I mean it was

342
00:11:28,254 --> 00:11:29,687
incredible. So I finally got in

343
00:11:29,688 --> 00:11:30,922
it, got strapped in the tree

344
00:11:30,923 --> 00:11:33,058
penetrator, and tell them I'm on

345
00:11:33,059 --> 00:11:34,526
the hoist you can haul me out.

346
00:11:34,527 --> 00:11:36,194
Well, about that time, as I'm

347
00:11:36,195 --> 00:11:37,529
coming up through the trees, the

348
00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:38,863
helicopter had some kind of a

349
00:11:38,864 --> 00:11:40,231
problem and he had to break his

350
00:11:40,232 --> 00:11:42,100
hover and start going. So he

351
00:11:42,101 --> 00:11:42,768
dragged me through the

352
00:11:42,769 --> 00:11:44,035
treetops for about a quarter

353
00:11:44,036 --> 00:11:45,603
mile. As far as I was concerned,

354
00:11:45,604 --> 00:11:46,338
he could have dragged

355
00:11:46,339 --> 00:11:48,340
me all the way back to Thailand.

356
00:11:48,674 --> 00:11:49,507
When they got me on the

357
00:11:49,508 --> 00:11:52,043
chopper, finally, and then the

358
00:11:52,044 --> 00:11:53,244
next problem they had was,

359
00:11:53,245 --> 00:11:55,580
they're trying to leave, and I'm

360
00:11:55,581 --> 00:11:56,915
trying to hug and kiss everybody

361
00:11:56,916 --> 00:11:58,950
in the helicopter. Which is a

362
00:11:58,951 --> 00:12:00,919
common thing for guys who've

363
00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:02,720
been rescued. So they finally

364
00:12:02,721 --> 00:12:04,089
got me to settle down, gave me

365
00:12:04,090 --> 00:12:05,457
an airline miniature booze, of

366
00:12:05,458 --> 00:12:07,960
some kind, which they carry and

367
00:12:08,461 --> 00:12:09,928
dropped me off at another base

368
00:12:09,929 --> 00:12:11,696
in Thailand for the evening.

369
00:12:11,697 --> 00:12:13,131
Believe it or not, the next day

370
00:12:13,132 --> 00:12:14,599
after the flight surgeon looked

371
00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,134
at me, I was back in the

372
00:12:16,135 --> 00:12:18,536
the airplane, flying in the

373
00:12:18,537 --> 00:12:19,938
exact same area I went down the

374
00:12:19,939 --> 00:12:21,206
day before. So they didn't give

375
00:12:21,207 --> 00:12:22,373
me any rest at all. They said,

376
00:12:22,374 --> 00:12:23,575
you're good to go.

377
00:12:23,576 --> 00:12:24,943
I felt like there was nothing in

378
00:12:24,944 --> 00:12:26,744
that airplane that I couldn't

379
00:12:26,745 --> 00:12:27,779
get out of.

380
00:12:27,780 --> 00:12:29,414
It could pull all the G's you

381
00:12:29,415 --> 00:12:30,782
could pull, it could run as fast

382
00:12:30,783 --> 00:12:33,051
as you could run it, it was just

383
00:12:33,052 --> 00:12:35,787
a good airplane. And, you looked

384
00:12:35,788 --> 00:12:37,256
good on the ladder.

385
00:12:37,656 --> 00:12:39,757
It's been said that a dog is the

386
00:12:39,758 --> 00:12:41,426
only thing on earth that will

387
00:12:41,427 --> 00:12:42,728
love a fighter pilot

388
00:12:43,262 --> 00:12:44,229
more than a fighter

389
00:12:44,230 --> 00:12:46,165
pilot loves himself.

390
00:12:47,633 --> 00:12:51,669
In 1966, after tours to Takhli,

391
00:12:51,670 --> 00:12:53,738
Major Merrill Ray Lewis loaded

392
00:12:53,739 --> 00:12:56,307
up man's best friend on a C-130

393
00:12:56,308 --> 00:12:59,110
to accompany him on another tour

394
00:12:59,111 --> 00:13:01,946
at Korat. He'd raised Roscoe

395
00:13:01,947 --> 00:13:04,082
as a pup, and had named him

396
00:13:04,083 --> 00:13:06,251
after his friend, Captain Roscoe

397
00:13:06,252 --> 00:13:08,620
Anderson, who'd been killed

398
00:13:08,621 --> 00:13:10,523
earlier in an F-105.

399
00:13:10,823 --> 00:13:13,359
Roscoe never left
Ray Lewis's side,

400
00:13:14,527 --> 00:13:15,927
would sit and wait for his

401
00:13:15,928 --> 00:13:17,929
return when he flew off on his

402
00:13:17,930 --> 00:13:19,165
missions up north.

403
00:13:20,499 --> 00:13:22,367
One day, Major Merrill Ray Lewis

404
00:13:22,368 --> 00:13:23,702
did not return,

405
00:13:25,504 --> 00:13:26,771
and Roscoe nearly died

406
00:13:26,772 --> 00:13:28,374
from a broken heart.

407
00:13:28,707 --> 00:13:30,808
He wouldn't eat, and just sat,

408
00:13:30,809 --> 00:13:33,012
waiting for him to return.

409
00:13:33,512 --> 00:13:35,046
Major Merrill Ray Lewis

410
00:13:35,047 --> 00:13:36,848
was declared missing in action,

411
00:13:36,849 --> 00:13:38,650
and soon the 34th tactical

412
00:13:38,651 --> 00:13:41,854
fighter squadron adopted Roscoe

413
00:13:42,788 --> 00:13:43,721
Or maybe it was the other

414
00:13:43,722 --> 00:13:44,690
way around.

415
00:13:45,324 --> 00:13:47,492
Roscoe, now the official

416
00:13:47,493 --> 00:13:50,628
mascot, quickly rose to the

417
00:13:50,629 --> 00:13:52,231
honorary rank of colonel.

418
00:13:52,965 --> 00:13:54,132
And pretty much owned

419
00:13:54,133 --> 00:13:55,833
Korat Air Force Base

420
00:13:55,834 --> 00:13:57,535
including the officers club,

421
00:13:57,536 --> 00:13:59,338
and mission briefs.

422
00:13:59,805 --> 00:14:01,005
He had his own chair, next to

423
00:14:01,006 --> 00:14:02,508
the Wing Commander,

424
00:14:03,209 --> 00:14:04,342
where Thud pilots would observe

425
00:14:04,343 --> 00:14:06,979
Roscoe's response to the brief.

426
00:14:08,047 --> 00:14:09,814
If he instinctively sat up,

427
00:14:09,815 --> 00:14:10,883
poised and alert,

428
00:14:12,084 --> 00:14:13,084
the pilots braced

429
00:14:13,085 --> 00:14:14,586
themselves for what awaited them

430
00:14:14,587 --> 00:14:15,921
over the target.

431
00:14:16,722 --> 00:14:18,524
If he was asleep or bored,

432
00:14:19,325 --> 00:14:20,558
the mission was gonna be a

433
00:14:20,559 --> 00:14:21,827
piece of cake.

434
00:14:22,428 --> 00:14:23,929
In 1975,

435
00:14:25,064 --> 00:14:26,831
Roscoe died in one of his

436
00:14:26,832 --> 00:14:27,666
favorite spots,

437
00:14:28,767 --> 00:14:30,769
the Korat Officer's Club.

438
00:14:33,405 --> 00:14:35,440
I'm Giles Gainer, retired Air

439
00:14:35,441 --> 00:14:37,108
Force Lieutenant Colonel,

440
00:14:37,109 --> 00:14:38,877
who've been retired

441
00:14:39,678 --> 00:14:41,913
about 42... 3 years ago.

442
00:14:41,914 --> 00:14:42,948
The F-105

443
00:14:43,549 --> 00:14:44,749
was the greatest airplane in

444
00:14:44,750 --> 00:14:45,850
the world.

445
00:14:45,851 --> 00:14:46,651
When...

446
00:14:47,553 --> 00:14:48,720
we first had the missions

447
00:14:48,721 --> 00:14:50,022
going up North Vietnam,

448
00:14:50,522 --> 00:14:51,723
we were not allowed to

449
00:14:51,724 --> 00:14:54,525
bomb half the targets that we

450
00:14:54,526 --> 00:14:56,095
ended up getting later.

451
00:14:56,528 --> 00:14:58,963
But we could go to the

452
00:14:58,964 --> 00:15:00,064
air fields and bomb them, we

453
00:15:00,065 --> 00:15:01,633
couldn't go to forts and bomb

454
00:15:01,634 --> 00:15:03,067
them. There wasn't hardly

455
00:15:03,068 --> 00:15:05,536
anything we could drop bombs on

456
00:15:05,537 --> 00:15:06,705
except maybe a

457
00:15:07,806 --> 00:15:08,606
a bridge.

458
00:15:08,907 --> 00:15:09,807
And then every time they

459
00:15:09,808 --> 00:15:11,075
said to drop the bridge you

460
00:15:11,076 --> 00:15:12,644
could see on the side of the

461
00:15:12,645 --> 00:15:13,645
bridge there was a road

462
00:15:13,646 --> 00:15:15,213
already taken care of. They had

463
00:15:15,214 --> 00:15:16,981
already had every one of them

464
00:15:16,982 --> 00:15:18,384
worked around.

465
00:15:18,484 --> 00:15:19,917
The fear of the Soviet Union and

466
00:15:19,918 --> 00:15:21,886
China entering the war

467
00:15:21,887 --> 00:15:23,007
paralyzed the U.S. military.

468
00:15:23,922 --> 00:15:25,124
For U.S. pilots,

469
00:15:25,457 --> 00:15:27,325
compounding this threat were the

470
00:15:27,326 --> 00:15:29,494
insane rules of engagement

471
00:15:29,495 --> 00:15:31,396
and targeting decisions coming

472
00:15:31,397 --> 00:15:33,132
directly out of Washington

473
00:15:33,265 --> 00:15:35,266
The skies over North Vietnam

474
00:15:35,267 --> 00:15:36,834
became a shooting gallery, with

475
00:15:36,835 --> 00:15:38,569
the hunters becoming the hunted.

476
00:15:38,570 --> 00:15:39,672
I'm Gary Barnhill.

477
00:15:40,105 --> 00:15:42,407
I flew the Thud out of the

478
00:15:42,408 --> 00:15:44,343
562nd Tactical Fighter Squadron

479
00:15:45,110 --> 00:15:47,980
at Takhli, Thailand in 1965.

480
00:15:48,347 --> 00:15:50,481
My tour of bombing missions in

481
00:15:50,482 --> 00:15:51,416
North Vietnam was the last half

482
00:15:51,417 --> 00:15:53,285
last half of 1965.

483
00:15:53,852 --> 00:15:56,287
And at that time we could not

484
00:15:56,288 --> 00:15:57,156
touch the SAMs.

485
00:15:57,256 --> 00:15:58,122
We saw the SAMs

486
00:15:58,123 --> 00:15:59,324
being unloaded in Haiphong.

487
00:15:59,325 --> 00:16:00,458
We saw them being set

488
00:16:00,459 --> 00:16:02,126
up, we had to over fly them

489
00:16:02,127 --> 00:16:03,294
we couldn't touch em. Then when

490
00:16:03,295 --> 00:16:04,462
they finally proliferated, and

491
00:16:04,463 --> 00:16:06,197
were all over the place,

492
00:16:06,198 --> 00:16:08,599
then they said, oh, okay now you

493
00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:10,168
can get the SAMs. So that was

494
00:16:10,169 --> 00:16:10,969
the biggie.

495
00:16:11,036 --> 00:16:12,303
We had to over fly

496
00:16:12,304 --> 00:16:14,439
the MiG bases, we saw them down

497
00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:15,540
there. We couldn't touch them.

498
00:16:15,541 --> 00:16:16,474
We should have bombed their air

499
00:16:16,475 --> 00:16:18,042
fields. Those two things

500
00:16:18,043 --> 00:16:19,644
cost us dearly, later on.

501
00:16:19,645 --> 00:16:21,212
Contrary to the skies over

502
00:16:21,213 --> 00:16:25,284
Berlin, Tokyo, and even Korea,

503
00:16:26,018 --> 00:16:27,618
the battle space over

504
00:16:27,619 --> 00:16:29,120
North Vietnam was nothing like

505
00:16:29,121 --> 00:16:30,621
anyone had ever experienced in

506
00:16:30,622 --> 00:16:32,124
aerial warfare.

507
00:16:32,291 --> 00:16:34,792
For the target planners, North

508
00:16:34,793 --> 00:16:37,295
Vietnam was divided up into six

509
00:16:37,296 --> 00:16:40,498
sectors, which they titled

510
00:16:40,499 --> 00:16:43,835
Route Packages. The impregnable

511
00:16:43,836 --> 00:16:45,970
Route Pack Six soon became

512
00:16:45,971 --> 00:16:48,139
second only to Moscow, in anti

513
00:16:48,140 --> 00:16:50,308
aircraft defense. The 1000 to

514
00:16:50,309 --> 00:16:53,978
1100 mile round trip required

515
00:16:53,979 --> 00:16:56,080
the Thuds to be refueled

516
00:16:56,081 --> 00:16:58,216
airborne by KC-135 tankers,

517
00:16:58,217 --> 00:17:00,418
prior to entering their intended

518
00:17:00,419 --> 00:17:01,919
intended route pack. At

519
00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:03,421
designated tracks, over

520
00:17:03,422 --> 00:17:05,923
northeastern Thailand and Laos,

521
00:17:05,924 --> 00:17:08,659
Thud pilots rendezvoused with

522
00:17:08,660 --> 00:17:09,927
their flying gas stations to

523
00:17:09,928 --> 00:17:11,329
get the fuel needed to strike

524
00:17:11,330 --> 00:17:12,697
their targets deep into North

525
00:17:12,698 --> 00:17:16,268
Vietnam.
Sometimes it proved deadly

526
00:17:16,435 --> 00:17:18,202
Our targets up in North Vietnam

527
00:17:18,203 --> 00:17:19,537
were about 7-800 miles away from

528
00:17:19,538 --> 00:17:21,039
our base in Thailand.

529
00:17:21,407 --> 00:17:23,708
So we needed to get on a tanker

530
00:17:23,709 --> 00:17:24,943
every single mission.

531
00:17:26,412 --> 00:17:28,414
This day, I was Dodge 2.

532
00:17:28,714 --> 00:17:30,615
I was tucked under the tanker

533
00:17:30,616 --> 00:17:33,852
taking on fuel at
a very high rate.

534
00:17:35,721 --> 00:17:38,055
The wing man, Dodge 3, John Bets

535
00:17:38,056 --> 00:17:39,524
was waiting to get on and

536
00:17:39,525 --> 00:17:41,092
he called out in a

537
00:17:41,093 --> 00:17:42,427
very authoritative voice,

538
00:17:42,428 --> 00:17:43,761
"Dodge 2, you're gushing fuel,

539
00:17:43,762 --> 00:17:45,196
you're gushing, back off,

540
00:17:45,197 --> 00:17:45,964
back off, you're on fire,

541
00:17:45,965 --> 00:17:47,566
eject, eject, eject!"

542
00:17:49,701 --> 00:17:51,869
I backed off. I punched out,

543
00:17:51,870 --> 00:17:53,271
it's what we call ejection.

544
00:17:53,272 --> 00:17:55,740
What had happened was the tanker

545
00:17:55,741 --> 00:17:58,242
which is pumping in fuel very

546
00:17:58,243 --> 00:17:59,777
high rate automatic shutoff

547
00:17:59,778 --> 00:18:01,312
valve didn't work, and so it

548
00:18:01,313 --> 00:18:03,281
ruptured the internal tanks and

549
00:18:03,282 --> 00:18:05,616
they vaporized around the body

550
00:18:05,617 --> 00:18:07,952
of the 105, that went into

551
00:18:07,953 --> 00:18:10,121
the engine and it... all that

552
00:18:10,122 --> 00:18:12,457
fuel blew up. That fuel that was

553
00:18:12,458 --> 00:18:14,125
vaporized had been sucked into

554
00:18:14,126 --> 00:18:17,128
the engine. A jet engine is just

555
00:18:17,129 --> 00:18:18,963
a suck, squeeze, bang, blow.

556
00:18:18,964 --> 00:18:21,666
Anyway,
the time from being on the

557
00:18:21,667 --> 00:18:23,501
tanker to the aircraft blowing

558
00:18:23,502 --> 00:18:26,271
up into two big fireballs

559
00:18:26,805 --> 00:18:28,973
was six seconds. And

560
00:18:28,974 --> 00:18:31,142
John Bets, who saw the whole

561
00:18:31,143 --> 00:18:33,311
thing, reckoned that I beat

562
00:18:33,312 --> 00:18:34,979
the explosion by one second

563
00:18:34,980 --> 00:18:36,647
So I went from going

564
00:18:36,648 --> 00:18:38,349
about 425 miles an hour over the

565
00:18:38,350 --> 00:18:39,984
ground to, bam, zero. Opening

566
00:18:39,985 --> 00:18:41,619
shock. Everything opened

567
00:18:41,620 --> 00:18:42,453
automatically.

568
00:18:42,454 --> 00:18:44,655
I now find myself three miles

569
00:18:44,656 --> 00:18:46,858
above the ground, 14,000 feet,

570
00:18:46,859 --> 00:18:48,694
hanging in a parachute.

571
00:18:49,294 --> 00:18:50,628
My first reaction was,

572
00:18:50,629 --> 00:18:52,296
was, "I can't believe this is

573
00:18:52,297 --> 00:18:53,965
happening to me, this is

574
00:18:53,966 --> 00:18:55,600
supposed to happen to the other

575
00:18:55,601 --> 00:18:57,201
guy." It was about a ten minute

576
00:18:57,202 --> 00:18:58,936
ride down from 14,000 feet

577
00:18:58,937 --> 00:19:01,672
and awaiting me was a

578
00:19:01,673 --> 00:19:04,442
menacing forest. In fact, one

579
00:19:04,443 --> 00:19:07,712
pilot had been impaled on a tree

580
00:19:07,713 --> 00:19:09,146
limb in the area of his

581
00:19:09,147 --> 00:19:11,015
testicles, landing in that

582
00:19:11,016 --> 00:19:13,518
forest. The parachute is not

583
00:19:13,519 --> 00:19:14,852
like what you see in the movies

584
00:19:14,853 --> 00:19:15,887
where they guide it around.

585
00:19:15,888 --> 00:19:17,788
The parachute is stable. It's

586
00:19:17,789 --> 00:19:19,223
literally like riding the

587
00:19:19,224 --> 00:19:20,491
elevator down, you're just along

588
00:19:20,492 --> 00:19:22,360
for the ride. You can not steer

589
00:19:22,361 --> 00:19:24,896
it. Yet, I needed to find an

590
00:19:24,897 --> 00:19:26,497
open spot, there were a few, in

591
00:19:26,498 --> 00:19:28,566
the trees, to land safely.

592
00:19:28,567 --> 00:19:29,800
We were taught in a

593
00:19:29,801 --> 00:19:31,537
lecture in survival school

594
00:19:32,037 --> 00:19:34,071
that if you take the little hook

595
00:19:34,072 --> 00:19:35,139
shaped knife,

596
00:19:35,140 --> 00:19:37,074
which you have in a pocket, and

597
00:19:37,075 --> 00:19:38,809
you reach back here and you cut

598
00:19:38,810 --> 00:19:41,012
these risers, and you cut these

599
00:19:41,013 --> 00:19:43,047
risers, one of your panels will

600
00:19:43,048 --> 00:19:44,715
blow, and you'll get a little

601
00:19:44,716 --> 00:19:45,983
bit of momentum, and you can

602
00:19:45,984 --> 00:19:47,519
steer the shoot modestly.

603
00:19:47,719 --> 00:19:49,421
I'm hanging in the chute.

604
00:19:49,855 --> 00:19:50,589
I look down at

605
00:19:50,590 --> 00:19:51,890
that menacing forest.

606
00:19:53,525 --> 00:19:55,326
I take the knife, and I

607
00:19:55,327 --> 00:19:56,127
cut the risers.

608
00:19:56,228 --> 00:19:57,428
With the risers cut,

609
00:19:57,429 --> 00:19:58,729
I now had a little

610
00:19:58,730 --> 00:20:00,031
bit of steerage and I was able

611
00:20:00,032 --> 00:20:01,365
to find a spot in the forest

612
00:20:01,366 --> 00:20:03,668
and basically land on my feet,

613
00:20:03,669 --> 00:20:04,770
uneventfully.

614
00:20:04,937 --> 00:20:06,071
So now I'm on the ground,

615
00:20:06,405 --> 00:20:07,605
the other members of the flight

616
00:20:07,606 --> 00:20:08,839
had aborted their mission and

617
00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:10,042
they were now directing a

618
00:20:11,043 --> 00:20:12,944
a helicopter from Thailand to

619
00:20:12,945 --> 00:20:14,712
come and pick me up.

620
00:20:14,713 --> 00:20:16,547
But they got low on fuel

621
00:20:16,548 --> 00:20:18,349
and so the Dodge leader said,

622
00:20:18,350 --> 00:20:20,117
we're Bingo fuel, we're out of

623
00:20:20,118 --> 00:20:21,953
here, but you're golden.

624
00:20:21,954 --> 00:20:23,689
The helicopter is inbound,

625
00:20:24,356 --> 00:20:25,590
and he's reading your emergency

626
00:20:25,591 --> 00:20:26,924
beacon from the little hand

627
00:20:26,925 --> 00:20:28,726
radio, so you're okay buddy, see

628
00:20:28,727 --> 00:20:30,795
ya. So great news, the chopper

629
00:20:30,796 --> 00:20:32,196
is inbound, he's reading my

630
00:20:32,197 --> 00:20:33,564
emergency beacon, but what

631
00:20:33,565 --> 00:20:34,932
the heck. I thought I would have

632
00:20:34,933 --> 00:20:37,234
a little fun. In the survival

633
00:20:37,235 --> 00:20:40,605
vest, we had smoke bombs, we

634
00:20:40,606 --> 00:20:42,440
had roman candle kind of flares.

635
00:20:42,441 --> 00:20:44,275
So just for fun, I shot all this

636
00:20:44,276 --> 00:20:46,911
stuff off. Big orange smoke

637
00:20:46,912 --> 00:20:48,813
bloom, whatever, the helicopter

638
00:20:48,814 --> 00:20:51,248
came in, he landed, I jumped in

639
00:20:51,249 --> 00:20:53,819
we shuttered, we took off.

640
00:20:55,253 --> 00:20:57,822
I learned later, he'd had radio

641
00:20:57,823 --> 00:20:59,323
failure. He couldn't find me.

642
00:20:59,324 --> 00:21:00,958
And the only way he found me was

643
00:21:00,959 --> 00:21:02,593
that little Fourth of July

644
00:21:02,594 --> 00:21:04,128
display I was putting on down

645
00:21:04,129 --> 00:21:05,663
there. So we landed back at

646
00:21:05,664 --> 00:21:06,831
Naked Fanny,

647
00:21:06,832 --> 00:21:08,165
Nakhon Phanom, which we had a

648
00:21:08,166 --> 00:21:09,500
hard time pronouncing, we called

649
00:21:09,501 --> 00:21:10,835
it Naked Fanny.

650
00:21:10,836 --> 00:21:12,103
I was rushed off the meet some

651
00:21:12,104 --> 00:21:13,838
General, and then after I got

652
00:21:13,839 --> 00:21:15,673
released, I didn't get a chance

653
00:21:15,674 --> 00:21:17,609
to thank the helicopter crew.

654
00:21:18,644 --> 00:21:20,579
There were 183,000

655
00:21:21,613 --> 00:21:23,514
aerial refueling in the

656
00:21:23,515 --> 00:21:26,350
Vietnam war. I was the only guy

657
00:21:26,351 --> 00:21:28,253
that blew up on a tanker.

658
00:21:28,587 --> 00:21:30,187
So now I'm a TWA copilot.

659
00:21:30,188 --> 00:21:31,489
We're on a layover in

660
00:21:31,490 --> 00:21:33,190
Philadelphia. I'm having

661
00:21:33,191 --> 00:21:34,759
breakfast with the flight

662
00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:36,327
engineer, who I didn't have a

663
00:21:36,328 --> 00:21:38,996
a chance to talk to earlier in

664
00:21:38,997 --> 00:21:41,799
the day, and he asked me, "What

665
00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:42,767
did you fly in the Air Force,"

666
00:21:42,768 --> 00:21:45,970
and I told him, "Thuds." He

667
00:21:45,971 --> 00:21:47,505
said, "You flew Thuds?" He said,

668
00:21:47,506 --> 00:21:48,807
"I was a helicopter pilot."

669
00:21:49,941 --> 00:21:53,045
I rescued five Thud pilots

670
00:21:54,379 --> 00:21:55,846
He said, "There was this one

671
00:21:55,847 --> 00:21:57,782
crazy guy that blew up on a

672
00:21:57,783 --> 00:21:58,816
tanker one second before it

673
00:21:58,817 --> 00:22:00,152
exploded.

674
00:22:03,021 --> 00:22:04,188
This was Bill Worstrum,

675
00:22:04,189 --> 00:22:06,291
the pilot that rescued me.

676
00:22:08,860 --> 00:22:11,128
Air refueling was an integral

677
00:22:11,129 --> 00:22:13,364
part of the missions up north.

678
00:22:13,365 --> 00:22:15,666
The KC-135 crews were

679
00:22:15,667 --> 00:22:17,535
indispensable to the Thud, and

680
00:22:17,536 --> 00:22:20,004
on many occasions enabled pilots

681
00:22:20,005 --> 00:22:21,807
to return home safely.

682
00:22:22,207 --> 00:22:23,641
Due to the fortified air

683
00:22:23,642 --> 00:22:25,009
defenses within North Vietnam,

684
00:22:25,010 --> 00:22:28,479
KC-135's would have to

685
00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,314
penetrate into North Vietnamese

686
00:22:30,315 --> 00:22:32,316
air space to rescue Thuds short

687
00:22:32,317 --> 00:22:34,385
on fuel or suffering from

688
00:22:34,386 --> 00:22:35,487
battle damage.

689
00:22:36,021 --> 00:22:36,987
Technology was changing

690
00:22:36,988 --> 00:22:38,889
aerial warfare.

691
00:22:38,890 --> 00:22:40,891
Radar controlled antiaircraft

692
00:22:40,892 --> 00:22:43,761
artillery, new MiG fighters, and

693
00:22:43,762 --> 00:22:45,196
Surfaced Air Missiles

694
00:22:45,197 --> 00:22:46,931
known as SAMs made it lethal.

695
00:22:46,932 --> 00:22:50,067
Soviet Union and China ensured

696
00:22:50,068 --> 00:22:51,669
the North Vietnamese had one of

697
00:22:51,670 --> 00:22:53,437
the most sophisticated

698
00:22:53,438 --> 00:22:54,705
air defense systems

699
00:22:54,706 --> 00:22:56,874
possible in the world. It was

700
00:22:56,875 --> 00:22:59,176
effective. North Vietnam shot

701
00:22:59,177 --> 00:23:01,846
down over 2500 U.S. aircraft

702
00:23:01,847 --> 00:23:04,448
On April 4th, 1965,

703
00:23:04,449 --> 00:23:06,350
the first Thud pilots of the war

704
00:23:06,351 --> 00:23:08,018
were killed in action at the

705
00:23:08,019 --> 00:23:10,387
vital target Thanh Hóa Bridge,

706
00:23:10,388 --> 00:23:12,223
known as Dragon's Jaw.

707
00:23:12,224 --> 00:23:14,091
The road and rail bridge was

708
00:23:14,092 --> 00:23:15,860
a strategic passage for supplies

709
00:23:15,861 --> 00:23:17,528
and reinforcement for the

710
00:23:17,529 --> 00:23:18,697
Viet Kong.

711
00:23:18,797 --> 00:23:20,731
Losing three aircraft at

712
00:23:20,732 --> 00:23:21,933
Dragons Jaw

713
00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:23,901
was an ominous indication

714
00:23:23,902 --> 00:23:25,736
to what lay ahead for the Thud

715
00:23:25,737 --> 00:23:27,738
pilots. It was clear it was

716
00:23:27,739 --> 00:23:29,074
going to be politically fought.

717
00:23:29,274 --> 00:23:30,708
The first Thud pilots

718
00:23:30,709 --> 00:23:32,643
killed in action were a result

719
00:23:32,644 --> 00:23:34,745
of MiG's and lay at the feet of

720
00:23:34,746 --> 00:23:36,313
Washington's nonsensical

721
00:23:36,314 --> 00:23:37,982
policies, which gave

722
00:23:37,983 --> 00:23:39,951
the MiG's free reign.

723
00:23:40,152 --> 00:23:41,485
Their irrational and downright

724
00:23:41,486 --> 00:23:43,788
dangerous orders, that all air

725
00:23:43,789 --> 00:23:46,123
bases were prohibited targets,

726
00:23:46,124 --> 00:23:47,892
meant the MiG's could only

727
00:23:47,893 --> 00:23:49,927
be destroyed in the air.

728
00:23:49,928 --> 00:23:50,795
News Reporter-They're saying

729
00:23:50,796 --> 00:23:52,329
our failure to bomb the North

730
00:23:52,330 --> 00:23:53,664
Vietnamese airfields

731
00:23:53,665 --> 00:23:55,065
are costing you hundreds of

732
00:23:55,066 --> 00:23:56,902
planes and hundreds of airmen

733
00:23:57,636 --> 00:23:59,103
It's based on our desire to

734
00:23:59,104 --> 00:24:01,006
avoid widening the war.

735
00:24:01,606 --> 00:24:04,341
We seek to obtain our political

736
00:24:04,342 --> 00:24:05,309
objective, which is a very

737
00:24:05,310 --> 00:24:06,411
limited objective,

738
00:24:08,346 --> 00:24:09,947
the smallest possible cost of

739
00:24:09,948 --> 00:24:11,149
American lives.

740
00:24:11,516 --> 00:24:13,151
We think the present tactics

741
00:24:14,252 --> 00:24:15,854
are best suited

742
00:24:16,321 --> 00:24:18,422
to those two objectives.

743
00:24:18,423 --> 00:24:20,357
It quickly became evident

744
00:24:20,358 --> 00:24:21,826
American airmen would be nothing

745
00:24:21,827 --> 00:24:23,460
more than sacrificial

746
00:24:23,461 --> 00:24:25,696
pawns in a massive political

747
00:24:25,697 --> 00:24:27,832
chess game between the U.S. and

748
00:24:27,833 --> 00:24:29,534
two Communist super powers.

749
00:24:30,001 --> 00:24:31,602
Crucial targets that would have

750
00:24:31,603 --> 00:24:34,004
ceased North Vietnam's ability

751
00:24:34,005 --> 00:24:35,973
to wage war were deemed off

752
00:24:35,974 --> 00:24:38,142
limits by then Secretary of

753
00:24:38,143 --> 00:24:39,878
Defense Robert McNamara.

754
00:24:39,945 --> 00:24:41,812
McNamara exacerbated the

755
00:24:41,813 --> 00:24:43,681
situation even further when he

756
00:24:43,682 --> 00:24:45,616
began to identify areas

757
00:24:45,617 --> 00:24:48,352
by 10 and 30 mile circles of

758
00:24:48,353 --> 00:24:50,621
prohibited and restricted areas

759
00:24:50,622 --> 00:24:51,890
of operations.

760
00:24:51,990 --> 00:24:54,291
North Vietnamese used the rings

761
00:24:54,292 --> 00:24:56,360
as sanctuary. Placing deadly

762
00:24:56,361 --> 00:24:58,462
antiaircraft weapons to shoot

763
00:24:58,463 --> 00:25:00,164
down Americans right within

764
00:25:00,165 --> 00:25:01,632
the edge of the circles.

765
00:25:01,633 --> 00:25:03,234
There were so many things at the

766
00:25:03,235 --> 00:25:05,536
ROE in that show that made

767
00:25:05,537 --> 00:25:07,538
absolutely no sense.

768
00:25:07,539 --> 00:25:09,039
And the guy that invented that

769
00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:10,574
POD formation should be

770
00:25:10,575 --> 00:25:12,810
executed. The idea of

771
00:25:12,811 --> 00:25:15,412
putting 16 airplanes together

772
00:25:15,413 --> 00:25:18,048
and then slowly trolling across

773
00:25:18,049 --> 00:25:19,985
at 18,000 feet

774
00:25:20,552 --> 00:25:22,186
with all kinds of stuff

775
00:25:22,187 --> 00:25:22,821
shooting at you,

776
00:25:22,822 --> 00:25:23,687
MiGs coming through

777
00:25:23,688 --> 00:25:24,722
missiles going through

778
00:25:24,723 --> 00:25:25,556
the formation,

779
00:25:25,557 --> 00:25:26,825
and you had to sit there.

780
00:25:27,192 --> 00:25:28,859
But I remember trying to change

781
00:25:28,860 --> 00:25:29,895
the tactics.

782
00:25:30,729 --> 00:25:32,363
I was a Captain and the Colonel

783
00:25:32,364 --> 00:25:33,597
said, "You're crazy. These

784
00:25:33,598 --> 00:25:34,832
tactics were written in blood

785
00:25:34,833 --> 00:25:36,034
and we're not changing them."

786
00:25:36,601 --> 00:25:37,601
So we go in and right

787
00:25:37,602 --> 00:25:39,370
away MiG 21's come out of the

788
00:25:39,371 --> 00:25:40,705
Chinese buffer zone,

789
00:25:41,006 --> 00:25:42,539
nail one of the F-4s,

790
00:25:42,540 --> 00:25:44,008
blow into our formation,

791
00:25:44,009 --> 00:25:46,877
nail one of the CBU carriers,

792
00:25:46,878 --> 00:25:48,747
the other guys dump CBUs

793
00:25:49,214 --> 00:25:50,948
the Weasels under the flight, he

794
00:25:50,949 --> 00:25:53,284
gets hit by a CBU and kills the

795
00:25:53,285 --> 00:25:54,519
guy in the back seat.

796
00:25:55,020 --> 00:25:56,420
Only two of us made it to

797
00:25:56,421 --> 00:25:58,355
the target. And it was the new

798
00:25:58,356 --> 00:25:59,857
Wing Commander, the other two

799
00:25:59,858 --> 00:26:00,892
had been shot down.

800
00:26:01,426 --> 00:26:03,260
And I don't know what

801
00:26:03,261 --> 00:26:04,628
happened to him on the mission

802
00:26:04,629 --> 00:26:06,063
but, a week later he died of a

803
00:26:06,064 --> 00:26:06,932
heart attack.

804
00:26:07,098 --> 00:26:09,466
So it was just a bad idea,

805
00:26:09,467 --> 00:26:10,701
But the idea that you got a

806
00:26:10,702 --> 00:26:12,636
spot you can't go into then you

807
00:26:12,637 --> 00:26:14,071
got targets you can't hit,

808
00:26:14,072 --> 00:26:15,372
even though you see guys coming

809
00:26:15,373 --> 00:26:16,608
up to get you.

810
00:26:16,741 --> 00:26:17,975
The whole thing was a mess.

811
00:26:17,976 --> 00:26:19,276
I guess the thing that's

812
00:26:19,277 --> 00:26:21,078
the scariest, it was one of

813
00:26:21,079 --> 00:26:22,714
those stupid missions.

814
00:26:23,748 --> 00:26:25,482
We're passing Gia Lam Airfield

815
00:26:25,483 --> 00:26:26,117
going to the

816
00:26:26,118 --> 00:26:27,619
Halong Bay storage area

817
00:26:27,752 --> 00:26:29,421
all the way across the delta

818
00:26:30,822 --> 00:26:32,923
and the missiles are just...

819
00:26:32,924 --> 00:26:33,991
there must have been a dozen in

820
00:26:33,992 --> 00:26:35,125
the air, they're just blowing

821
00:26:35,126 --> 00:26:36,126
through the formation

822
00:26:36,127 --> 00:26:36,927
right and left.

823
00:26:37,429 --> 00:26:38,829
I'm number four in the lead

824
00:26:38,830 --> 00:26:41,131
flight, so I'm stacked high

825
00:26:41,132 --> 00:26:42,133
and number two

826
00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:43,234
on the second flight

827
00:26:44,169 --> 00:26:45,602
is next to me, and he keeps

828
00:26:45,603 --> 00:26:47,237
moving in. I'm watching him,

829
00:26:47,238 --> 00:26:48,038
I'm watching him.

830
00:26:48,073 --> 00:26:49,340
But I'm also looking down at the

831
00:26:49,341 --> 00:26:50,741
ground and there's a gun site.

832
00:26:50,742 --> 00:26:52,343
It looked like a ring of fire.

833
00:26:52,344 --> 00:26:53,678
Every time that thing fired,

834
00:26:53,912 --> 00:26:55,245
there was a big ring of fire

835
00:26:55,246 --> 00:26:56,347
on the ground and there would be

836
00:26:56,348 --> 00:26:57,614
a delay, then all explosions in

837
00:26:57,615 --> 00:26:58,749
the formation,

838
00:26:58,750 --> 00:27:00,117
I thought, I'm getting that guy

839
00:27:00,118 --> 00:27:01,152
on the way out.

840
00:27:01,820 --> 00:27:03,354
So about that time, I'm watching

841
00:27:03,355 --> 00:27:04,588
this missile come up at

842
00:27:04,589 --> 00:27:05,622
10 o'clock and I think, uh-oh

843
00:27:05,623 --> 00:27:06,758
that looks like me.

844
00:27:07,258 --> 00:27:08,360
So I pushed over,

845
00:27:09,327 --> 00:27:11,462
I went down maybe 1000 feet, and

846
00:27:11,463 --> 00:27:12,963
it didn't change. So I pull back

847
00:27:12,964 --> 00:27:14,264
in formation and it's still

848
00:27:14,265 --> 00:27:15,966
coming. But as it went under, I

849
00:27:15,967 --> 00:27:17,368
rolled and it went under me

850
00:27:17,369 --> 00:27:18,535
and when I rolled back it hit

851
00:27:18,536 --> 00:27:19,704
the guy next to me.

852
00:27:20,605 --> 00:27:22,774
And it was an enormous fire ball

853
00:27:22,775 --> 00:27:24,041
Bigger than the airplane

854
00:27:24,042 --> 00:27:25,042
and I thought, wow, I didn't

855
00:27:25,043 --> 00:27:26,144
know it would be that big.

856
00:27:26,277 --> 00:27:27,678
But pretty soon the airplane

857
00:27:27,679 --> 00:27:29,013
comes out still looking like a

858
00:27:29,014 --> 00:27:30,782
105. The wings are still on it

859
00:27:31,316 --> 00:27:32,783
But pretty soon the nose

860
00:27:32,784 --> 00:27:34,785
dropped, and he was gone.

861
00:27:34,786 --> 00:27:35,786
And it was interesting,

862
00:27:35,787 --> 00:27:36,620
he was one of those

863
00:27:36,621 --> 00:27:37,989
there were a few guys like this,

864
00:27:38,556 --> 00:27:39,958
that knew they were gonna die.

865
00:27:40,191 --> 00:27:41,125
Just scared to death,

866
00:27:41,126 --> 00:27:41,960
but they went.

867
00:27:42,227 --> 00:27:43,627
They gritted their teeth,

868
00:27:43,628 --> 00:27:44,863
they stepped to that airplane,

869
00:27:45,163 --> 00:27:46,563
and this guy was one.

870
00:27:46,564 --> 00:27:47,998
He knew he was gonna die

871
00:27:47,999 --> 00:27:49,200
and that was the day he died.

872
00:27:49,334 --> 00:27:50,134
So anyhow,

873
00:27:50,835 --> 00:27:52,036
that mission I always

874
00:27:52,037 --> 00:27:53,705
used 60 degree dive

875
00:27:54,506 --> 00:27:57,842
and I'd release at Mach 1 and

876
00:27:57,909 --> 00:27:58,810
6000 feet.

877
00:27:59,644 --> 00:28:00,745
And then full back stick.

878
00:28:01,246 --> 00:28:02,679
And I figured dropping

879
00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:03,847
at Mach 1, the bombs would be

880
00:28:03,848 --> 00:28:05,249
subsonic, by the time they got

881
00:28:05,250 --> 00:28:06,050
to the ground,

882
00:28:06,151 --> 00:28:07,418
the guide said they might not go

883
00:28:07,419 --> 00:28:08,719
off, if they were supersonic.

884
00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:10,088
So I didn't know.

885
00:28:10,355 --> 00:28:11,755
So I'm full back stick and I can

886
00:28:11,756 --> 00:28:13,657
see the wings curl way up on the

887
00:28:13,658 --> 00:28:15,092
airplane. And I say, well

888
00:28:15,093 --> 00:28:15,827
I'm sure it wasn't oh,

889
00:28:15,828 --> 00:28:17,495
it was as hard as I could pull,

890
00:28:18,596 --> 00:28:20,497
And then a couple jinks

891
00:28:20,498 --> 00:28:21,298
score the bombs,

892
00:28:21,599 --> 00:28:22,933
now I lowered the nose

893
00:28:22,934 --> 00:28:24,335
and lit the wick and

894
00:28:24,602 --> 00:28:26,570
I'm at one point two six.

895
00:28:26,571 --> 00:28:28,005
And I'm headed for Gia Lam

896
00:28:28,006 --> 00:28:29,039
Airfield cause I know what

897
00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:29,874
I want to do.

898
00:28:30,375 --> 00:28:31,776
I got the gun armed,

899
00:28:32,177 --> 00:28:33,445
site's all set

900
00:28:33,711 --> 00:28:35,345
and it was on the

901
00:28:35,346 --> 00:28:36,613
east side of Gia Lam,

902
00:28:36,614 --> 00:28:38,549
so I rolled over, pulled in,

903
00:28:38,550 --> 00:28:40,084
max power. I must have been

904
00:28:40,085 --> 00:28:42,286
one point two, one point three.

905
00:28:42,287 --> 00:28:43,887
And I'm gonna empty the gun. Now

906
00:28:43,888 --> 00:28:45,222
I know they said don't fire for

907
00:28:45,223 --> 00:28:46,457
600, but I figured, if I fired

908
00:28:46,458 --> 00:28:47,692
them all, what could happen.

909
00:28:49,060 --> 00:28:50,427
So I'm laying on the trigger,

910
00:28:50,428 --> 00:28:51,895
and it just, imagine this,

911
00:28:51,896 --> 00:28:53,397
full power, burner going

912
00:28:53,398 --> 00:28:54,898
everything's roaring, the guns

913
00:28:54,899 --> 00:28:56,733
barking out 100 rounds a second,

914
00:28:56,734 --> 00:28:58,635
and suddenly there is this

915
00:28:58,636 --> 00:29:00,939
absolutely enormous explosion.

916
00:29:01,439 --> 00:29:03,207
All the panel lights up, the

917
00:29:03,208 --> 00:29:05,843
nose pitches way
up and hard left.

918
00:29:06,244 --> 00:29:07,277
And that was probably just me

919
00:29:07,278 --> 00:29:08,546
jerking on the stick.

920
00:29:09,247 --> 00:29:11,081
Unfortunately this is when I got

921
00:29:11,082 --> 00:29:12,450
on the radio and said I'm hit.

922
00:29:13,118 --> 00:29:15,252
And I shouldn't had said a thing

923
00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:16,653
because now I'm

924
00:29:16,654 --> 00:29:18,122
coming around, I'm over Hanoi

925
00:29:18,123 --> 00:29:20,024
thinking,
I've got a crippled bird,

926
00:29:20,325 --> 00:29:21,593
but the air turbine motor

927
00:29:22,093 --> 00:29:22,894
restarts.

928
00:29:23,394 --> 00:29:24,262
I'm going, wow.

929
00:29:24,729 --> 00:29:27,432
So, the generator restarts.

930
00:29:27,966 --> 00:29:29,500
Pretty soon everything's back

931
00:29:29,501 --> 00:29:30,968
on, I'm back in burner,

932
00:29:30,969 --> 00:29:32,136
lowered the nose, kicked it up

933
00:29:32,137 --> 00:29:33,338
to Mach 1 I'm headed out.

934
00:29:33,738 --> 00:29:34,838
And I get on the tanker,

935
00:29:34,839 --> 00:29:35,973
the other guys say,

936
00:29:35,974 --> 00:29:37,175
"what are you doing here?

937
00:29:37,342 --> 00:29:39,243
Laughing I said I don't want

938
00:29:39,244 --> 00:29:39,944
to talk about it.

939
00:29:40,011 --> 00:29:41,079
Laughing

940
00:29:41,346 --> 00:29:43,113
The Rolling Thunder campaign now

941
00:29:43,114 --> 00:29:45,649
in it's second year had reached

942
00:29:45,650 --> 00:29:46,784
a new phase.

943
00:29:47,085 --> 00:29:49,753
In 1966, with no hint of

944
00:29:49,754 --> 00:29:51,088
diplomatic progress,

945
00:29:51,089 --> 00:29:52,923
President Johnson began to take

946
00:29:52,924 --> 00:29:54,591
the gloves off. The first

947
00:29:54,592 --> 00:29:56,860
petroleum oil and lubrication

948
00:29:56,861 --> 00:29:58,595
storage site four miles

949
00:29:58,596 --> 00:30:00,097
from Hanoi was cleared to

950
00:30:00,098 --> 00:30:01,765
strike. Thud losses continued to

951
00:30:01,766 --> 00:30:03,433
mount to levels where

952
00:30:03,434 --> 00:30:05,335
pilots began to wonder if they

953
00:30:05,336 --> 00:30:07,505
were strapping
into their cockpit

954
00:30:08,006 --> 00:30:09,273
or their coffin.

955
00:30:09,274 --> 00:30:11,441
Over 100 Thud Pilots would spend

956
00:30:11,442 --> 00:30:13,678
close to seven years in

957
00:30:14,112 --> 00:30:16,146
nocuous Vietnamese prisons.

958
00:30:16,147 --> 00:30:18,048
My name is Murphy Neil Jones.

959
00:30:18,049 --> 00:30:19,983
I'm retired Air Force Colonel.

960
00:30:19,984 --> 00:30:22,152
In 1966, I volunteered

961
00:30:22,153 --> 00:30:26,823
to go back TDY and finish up my

962
00:30:26,824 --> 00:30:28,026
100 missions,

963
00:30:28,860 --> 00:30:32,696
and on June 29th, 1966, I was

964
00:30:32,697 --> 00:30:35,499
one of the handful of us that

965
00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:37,701
were selected to hit Hanoi for

966
00:30:37,702 --> 00:30:39,002
the first time and we had

967
00:30:39,003 --> 00:30:40,904
bombed all over North Vietnam

968
00:30:40,905 --> 00:30:42,506
for all those years, but

969
00:30:42,507 --> 00:30:43,674
on this particular day,

970
00:30:43,675 --> 00:30:45,542
President Johnson had personally

971
00:30:45,543 --> 00:30:48,011
approved an attack within the

972
00:30:48,012 --> 00:30:50,047
30 mile radius of Hanoi, and

973
00:30:50,048 --> 00:30:51,548
our target that day was the

974
00:30:51,549 --> 00:30:52,583
Hanoi POL.

975
00:30:52,584 --> 00:30:54,751
There were 24 F-105s taking part

976
00:30:54,752 --> 00:30:56,253
in this raid. I happened to be

977
00:30:56,254 --> 00:30:58,555
in the last flight, flying the

978
00:30:58,556 --> 00:31:00,357
number two position that day and

979
00:31:00,358 --> 00:31:01,025
we were carrying eight

980
00:31:01,026 --> 00:31:02,559
750 pound bombs.

981
00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:04,661
When we crossed into

982
00:31:04,662 --> 00:31:06,663
North Vietnam from Laos in the

983
00:31:06,664 --> 00:31:08,899
last 50 miles in, it was nothing

984
00:31:08,900 --> 00:31:10,834
but anti aircraft fire and

985
00:31:10,835 --> 00:31:12,569
suddenly I took a direct hit

986
00:31:12,570 --> 00:31:14,204
just in front of the cockpit.

987
00:31:14,205 --> 00:31:15,706
I was in a slight right bank and

988
00:31:15,707 --> 00:31:17,941
the round hit just under my feet

989
00:31:17,942 --> 00:31:20,043
coming up into the cockpit.

990
00:31:20,044 --> 00:31:21,445
The whole bottom of the airplane

991
00:31:21,446 --> 00:31:23,080
disappeared and I squeezed the

992
00:31:23,081 --> 00:31:24,081
triggers and went through the

993
00:31:24,082 --> 00:31:25,283
canopy, parachute opened.

994
00:31:25,617 --> 00:31:26,617
I never swung.

995
00:31:26,618 --> 00:31:28,719
I hit the ground and about 100

996
00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:30,420
yards away were about 30

997
00:31:30,421 --> 00:31:31,622
North Vietnamese soldiers with

998
00:31:31,623 --> 00:31:33,591
AK-47s running toward me.

999
00:31:33,758 --> 00:31:36,760
Pull my trusty 45 automatic that

1000
00:31:36,761 --> 00:31:38,528
I had on my right hip and

1001
00:31:38,529 --> 00:31:39,630
looked down to my left side and

1002
00:31:39,631 --> 00:31:41,365
my arm was completely broken

1003
00:31:41,366 --> 00:31:42,699
about three inches below the

1004
00:31:42,700 --> 00:31:43,500
the shoulder.

1005
00:31:43,735 --> 00:31:45,802
Shoulder was dislocated and I

1006
00:31:45,803 --> 00:31:48,038
cocked it leveled down on him

1007
00:31:48,039 --> 00:31:49,873
and when I did that, they all

1008
00:31:49,874 --> 00:31:51,708
dropped on the ground and level

1009
00:31:51,709 --> 00:31:53,578
their AKs towards me

1010
00:31:53,778 --> 00:31:54,711
and I guess at that point I

1011
00:31:54,712 --> 00:31:56,147
decided that I wasn't John Wayne

1012
00:31:56,281 --> 00:31:57,914
Raised my hand over my head of

1013
00:31:57,915 --> 00:31:59,349
course couldn't
raise the left one.

1014
00:31:59,450 --> 00:32:00,617
One of the other soldiers came

1015
00:32:00,618 --> 00:32:01,885
running up and grabbed the

1016
00:32:01,886 --> 00:32:03,153
left arm and he put it in a

1017
00:32:03,154 --> 00:32:03,755
hammerlock.

1018
00:32:03,788 --> 00:32:04,988
I'm a big guy and I was in

1019
00:32:04,989 --> 00:32:06,323
a lot better shape back in those

1020
00:32:06,324 --> 00:32:08,158
days, having played football,

1021
00:32:08,159 --> 00:32:09,994
played center and linebacker

1022
00:32:10,295 --> 00:32:11,129
at Tulane.

1023
00:32:11,296 --> 00:32:12,996
And I hit this guy harder than

1024
00:32:12,997 --> 00:32:14,898
I've ever hit anybody in my life

1025
00:32:14,899 --> 00:32:16,834
and I shattered his face.

1026
00:32:16,968 --> 00:32:18,468
They put a rope around my neck.

1027
00:32:18,469 --> 00:32:19,503
They stripped me of all my

1028
00:32:19,504 --> 00:32:20,971
clothes, left me standing in a

1029
00:32:20,972 --> 00:32:22,839
pair of white under shorts and a

1030
00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:24,308
white tee shirt. Nobody spoke

1031
00:32:24,309 --> 00:32:25,109
English.

1032
00:32:25,176 --> 00:32:25,843
As it turned out,

1033
00:32:25,844 --> 00:32:27,411
I had six broken vertebra,

1034
00:32:27,412 --> 00:32:29,012
both my ACLs and my knees

1035
00:32:29,013 --> 00:32:30,247
were knees were torn,

1036
00:32:30,248 --> 00:32:31,481
shrapnel on both legs,

1037
00:32:31,482 --> 00:32:32,516
dislocated shoulder with a

1038
00:32:32,517 --> 00:32:33,317
broken arm

1039
00:32:33,318 --> 00:32:34,819
and lots of cuts and bruises.

1040
00:32:35,153 --> 00:32:36,320
That time I said,

1041
00:32:36,321 --> 00:32:37,921
"I'm badly injured." He said

1042
00:32:37,922 --> 00:32:39,323
later, "What is your name?"

1043
00:32:39,324 --> 00:32:40,491
I gave that to him.

1044
00:32:41,159 --> 00:32:42,460
He said, "What is your rank?"

1045
00:32:42,827 --> 00:32:44,095
I said, "Captain."

1046
00:32:44,762 --> 00:32:45,796
Then he said, "What bases did

1047
00:32:45,797 --> 00:32:46,664
you take off from?"

1048
00:32:46,864 --> 00:32:48,199
I said, "I can't tell you that.

1049
00:32:48,433 --> 00:32:49,800
I can only give you my name,

1050
00:32:49,801 --> 00:32:51,336
rank, serial number,
date of birth"

1051
00:32:51,502 --> 00:32:52,742
And they grabbed the broken arm

1052
00:32:52,770 --> 00:32:53,970
dragged me out in the middle

1053
00:32:53,971 --> 00:32:55,539
of the floor and when

1054
00:32:55,540 --> 00:32:57,007
they did that, they least

1055
00:32:57,008 --> 00:32:58,542
relocated the shoulder

1056
00:32:58,543 --> 00:33:00,177
put the arm in a hammerlock,

1057
00:33:00,178 --> 00:33:02,880
tied my ankles
tightly with ropes,

1058
00:33:03,147 --> 00:33:04,548
put my arms behind my back

1059
00:33:04,549 --> 00:33:05,717
tied the wrists very tight

1060
00:33:05,883 --> 00:33:06,683
with ropes.

1061
00:33:06,818 --> 00:33:08,318
Then pull the elbows together

1062
00:33:08,319 --> 00:33:10,687
and tied at the elbows till

1063
00:33:10,688 --> 00:33:11,856
the elbows till touching

1064
00:33:12,523 --> 00:33:14,291
and then they put another rope

1065
00:33:14,292 --> 00:33:15,692
but from the ankles up to the

1066
00:33:15,693 --> 00:33:17,628
rope that was around the elbows

1067
00:33:17,829 --> 00:33:19,230
and pull me up backwards,

1068
00:33:19,964 --> 00:33:21,698
and they started kicking

1069
00:33:21,699 --> 00:33:22,499
and beating.

1070
00:33:23,634 --> 00:33:24,569
This went on,

1071
00:33:24,736 --> 00:33:26,537
I'm guessing two or three hours.

1072
00:33:27,038 --> 00:33:28,573
They untied my arms,

1073
00:33:28,973 --> 00:33:30,374
led me outside with a rope

1074
00:33:30,375 --> 00:33:31,175
around my neck

1075
00:33:31,642 --> 00:33:33,878
made me kneel on the ground.

1076
00:33:34,579 --> 00:33:36,046
One of the soldiers walked up

1077
00:33:36,047 --> 00:33:38,181
behind me and he stuck his rifle

1078
00:33:38,182 --> 00:33:39,041
to the back of our head,

1079
00:33:39,050 --> 00:33:40,317
stood there a couple seconds

1080
00:33:40,318 --> 00:33:41,485
and pulled the trigger

1081
00:33:41,486 --> 00:33:42,553
on the empty chamber,

1082
00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,154
now what do you think when

1083
00:33:44,155 --> 00:33:45,489
you think you're going to die?

1084
00:33:45,490 --> 00:33:47,325
I really didn't
care at that point.

1085
00:33:47,825 --> 00:33:49,160
I was hurting so bad.

1086
00:33:49,227 --> 00:33:51,062
This is over about five hours

1087
00:33:51,396 --> 00:33:53,331
And then I said, "You know yeah

1088
00:33:53,698 --> 00:33:54,898
they're not going to kill me?"

1089
00:33:55,500 --> 00:33:56,934
But when I heard the click,

1090
00:33:57,001 --> 00:33:58,536
the funniest thought went in my

1091
00:33:59,170 --> 00:34:01,172
went through my mind. I said,

1092
00:34:01,406 --> 00:34:02,940
"damn, that's a slow bullet."

1093
00:34:03,541 --> 00:34:04,941
I didn't know whether I was dead

1094
00:34:04,942 --> 00:34:06,009
or just waiting for

1095
00:34:06,010 --> 00:34:07,412
something to to feel.

1096
00:34:08,179 --> 00:34:09,846
And then three photographers

1097
00:34:09,847 --> 00:34:10,615
came out of the building,

1098
00:34:10,616 --> 00:34:11,715
took some pictures and

1099
00:34:11,716 --> 00:34:13,184
movies of me there,

1100
00:34:13,251 --> 00:34:14,718
took me back inside afterwards

1101
00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:16,586
retied the arms, the same way,

1102
00:34:16,587 --> 00:34:19,790
retied or put a blindfold on me

1103
00:34:19,791 --> 00:34:21,191
this time they swung me

1104
00:34:21,192 --> 00:34:22,926
up into the back of the truck.

1105
00:34:22,927 --> 00:34:24,428
I really hurt when I came down

1106
00:34:24,429 --> 00:34:25,596
on the broken arm

1107
00:34:25,897 --> 00:34:27,264
and we will take about an hour

1108
00:34:27,265 --> 00:34:29,900
ride through part of Hanoi that

1109
00:34:29,901 --> 00:34:31,868
was filled with a Vietnamese

1110
00:34:31,869 --> 00:34:32,669
that lived there,

1111
00:34:33,037 --> 00:34:34,538
throwing bricks, rocks, whatever

1112
00:34:34,539 --> 00:34:36,039
they could. We ended up at the

1113
00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:37,307
International House where

1114
00:34:37,308 --> 00:34:38,575
they're having this huge press

1115
00:34:38,576 --> 00:34:39,810
conference. They kept me out in

1116
00:34:39,811 --> 00:34:42,113
kind of a court yard, and

1117
00:34:42,580 --> 00:34:44,549
I hadn't had anything to drink

1118
00:34:45,116 --> 00:34:47,083
since I had been shot down

1119
00:34:47,084 --> 00:34:48,218
and I was thirsty, and I said,

1120
00:34:48,219 --> 00:34:49,619
"I need some water, and he

1121
00:34:49,620 --> 00:34:50,720
said "later." And I said,

1122
00:34:50,721 --> 00:34:51,555
"I'm not going anywhere until I

1123
00:34:51,556 --> 00:34:52,356
get some water."

1124
00:34:52,657 --> 00:34:53,657
Well, I ended up getting

1125
00:34:53,658 --> 00:34:55,559
a large glass of water with ice

1126
00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:56,360
in it,

1127
00:34:56,461 --> 00:34:58,795
which I drank and that would be

1128
00:34:58,796 --> 00:35:00,665
the last water for two days,

1129
00:35:00,798 --> 00:35:02,967
and then they took me in.

1130
00:35:03,601 --> 00:35:05,569
My thoughts were, don't

1131
00:35:05,570 --> 00:35:06,838
embarrass my country.

1132
00:35:06,971 --> 00:35:08,438
I felt that I had already failed

1133
00:35:08,439 --> 00:35:10,474
by giving them any information

1134
00:35:10,475 --> 00:35:12,843
whatsoever and all it was was

1135
00:35:12,844 --> 00:35:15,746
name, rank and so forth, but

1136
00:35:15,980 --> 00:35:19,149
I just felt like I had let my

1137
00:35:19,150 --> 00:35:20,650
country down and I wasn't gonna

1138
00:35:20,651 --> 00:35:22,353
do it in front of these cameras.

1139
00:35:22,487 --> 00:35:23,954
So, I walked in, stood up as

1140
00:35:23,955 --> 00:35:25,689
straight as I could and saluted,

1141
00:35:25,690 --> 00:35:27,190
and I guess this film was later

1142
00:35:27,191 --> 00:35:29,192
used and our jungle survival

1143
00:35:29,193 --> 00:35:30,661
school in the Philippines

1144
00:35:31,262 --> 00:35:32,163
and they were,

1145
00:35:33,364 --> 00:35:34,831
people that saw it, were told

1146
00:35:34,832 --> 00:35:36,132
as they see this is the way

1147
00:35:36,133 --> 00:35:37,634
you should conduct yourself even

1148
00:35:37,635 --> 00:35:39,102
the Vietnamese appreciate

1149
00:35:39,103 --> 00:35:39,903
military bearing.

1150
00:35:40,037 --> 00:35:41,304
Well, that wasn't true

1151
00:35:41,305 --> 00:35:42,205
because I had the devil

1152
00:35:42,206 --> 00:35:43,807
beat out of me that night and

1153
00:35:43,808 --> 00:35:45,109
for the next 10 days

1154
00:35:45,209 --> 00:35:46,310
at the Hanoi Hilton.

1155
00:35:46,511 --> 00:35:48,045
On the ninth day,

1156
00:35:48,312 --> 00:35:49,280
I really broke.

1157
00:35:49,380 --> 00:35:50,181
I gave up

1158
00:35:50,515 --> 00:35:52,950
totally physically, spiritually,

1159
00:35:53,017 --> 00:35:53,817
mentally

1160
00:35:54,552 --> 00:35:57,320
because I finally signed the

1161
00:35:57,321 --> 00:35:58,622
confession they put it in front

1162
00:35:58,623 --> 00:35:58,956
of me.

1163
00:35:59,190 --> 00:36:01,225
I still remember
it word for word.

1164
00:36:01,492 --> 00:36:02,792
I condemn the United States

1165
00:36:02,793 --> 00:36:03,660
government for its

1166
00:36:03,661 --> 00:36:04,895
aggressive war against the

1167
00:36:04,896 --> 00:36:06,730
Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

1168
00:36:06,731 --> 00:36:07,864
Two, I've encroached

1169
00:36:07,865 --> 00:36:09,299
upon the airspace of the

1170
00:36:09,300 --> 00:36:11,302
Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

1171
00:36:11,536 --> 00:36:13,237
Three, I'm a war criminal,

1172
00:36:13,838 --> 00:36:15,672
and four I have received

1173
00:36:15,673 --> 00:36:16,740
humane and lenient

1174
00:36:16,741 --> 00:36:17,408
treatment from the

1175
00:36:17,409 --> 00:36:18,975
Vietnamese people in government.

1176
00:36:18,976 --> 00:36:19,977
I signed that.

1177
00:36:20,978 --> 00:36:22,679
They put me in a cell in the

1178
00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:24,014
Hanoi Hilton in a little section

1179
00:36:24,015 --> 00:36:25,917
we call heartbreak hotel.

1180
00:36:26,050 --> 00:36:27,485
I was in cell four,

1181
00:36:27,718 --> 00:36:29,519
90 inches by 90 inches,

1182
00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:30,688
two concrete bunks,

1183
00:36:31,355 --> 00:36:33,157
leg irons embedded in the bunks.

1184
00:36:34,559 --> 00:36:36,326
My right leg had become badly

1185
00:36:36,327 --> 00:36:37,929
infected from the shrapnel.

1186
00:36:38,162 --> 00:36:39,330
No medical attention.

1187
00:36:39,530 --> 00:36:41,231
Maggots were starting to form on

1188
00:36:41,232 --> 00:36:42,933
it and was turning black and on

1189
00:36:42,934 --> 00:36:45,602
that ninth day, a female guard

1190
00:36:45,603 --> 00:36:46,403
came in

1191
00:36:46,938 --> 00:36:48,238
and she looked at the leg

1192
00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:49,874
and she pull something off.

1193
00:36:50,608 --> 00:36:51,676
Stuff shot out of it.

1194
00:36:52,410 --> 00:36:54,177
She screamed and left, came back

1195
00:36:54,178 --> 00:36:55,179
with the interrogator,

1196
00:36:55,580 --> 00:36:56,913
and they talked with me said,

1197
00:36:56,914 --> 00:36:58,248
"Your leg is very bad we must

1198
00:36:58,249 --> 00:36:59,049
cut it off,"

1199
00:36:59,083 --> 00:37:00,183
and I said, "No, you're not

1200
00:37:00,184 --> 00:37:01,885
cut my leg off. I'd rather die."

1201
00:37:01,886 --> 00:37:03,420
So, Neil Jones gave up and I

1202
00:37:03,421 --> 00:37:04,287
wanted to die.

1203
00:37:04,288 --> 00:37:05,889
That night. They put a guy in

1204
00:37:05,890 --> 00:37:07,892
the cell next to me in cell 3

1205
00:37:08,125 --> 00:37:09,726
No sooner had the guard

1206
00:37:09,727 --> 00:37:11,027
left when the voice came out,

1207
00:37:11,028 --> 00:37:12,462
"Where is Neil Jones?"

1208
00:37:12,463 --> 00:37:14,097
And I tell you what, just

1209
00:37:14,098 --> 00:37:15,732
hearing my name by another

1210
00:37:15,733 --> 00:37:17,434
American, I must have bounced

1211
00:37:17,435 --> 00:37:18,935
the foot off that bunk and I

1212
00:37:18,936 --> 00:37:20,070
said "Right here, who's that?"

1213
00:37:20,071 --> 00:37:21,237
And the voice came back said,

1214
00:37:21,238 --> 00:37:22,398
"Neal, this is Dave Hatcher."

1215
00:37:22,707 --> 00:37:23,907
And Dave Hatcher was a good

1216
00:37:23,908 --> 00:37:26,310
friend, a captain, F-105 pilot.

1217
00:37:26,611 --> 00:37:28,411
Dave was shot down, oh, at least

1218
00:37:28,412 --> 00:37:30,280
30 days before I was, and we

1219
00:37:30,281 --> 00:37:31,648
didn't know what had happened to

1220
00:37:31,649 --> 00:37:32,983
him, whether he was alive or

1221
00:37:32,984 --> 00:37:34,217
dead. And I said, "My God, Dave,

1222
00:37:34,218 --> 00:37:35,218
you don't know how good it is to

1223
00:37:35,219 --> 00:37:36,219
hear your voice. How did you

1224
00:37:36,220 --> 00:37:37,488
know I was here?"

1225
00:37:37,655 --> 00:37:38,322
He said,

1226
00:37:38,323 --> 00:37:39,990
"Well, I was in a camp near here

1227
00:37:39,991 --> 00:37:41,225
called the zoo

1228
00:37:41,826 --> 00:37:42,659
and we have loud

1229
00:37:42,660 --> 00:37:43,894
speakers in each cell

1230
00:37:44,762 --> 00:37:45,729
and every morning and every

1231
00:37:45,730 --> 00:37:46,663
night they play the

1232
00:37:46,664 --> 00:37:48,264
voice of Vietnam or

1233
00:37:48,265 --> 00:37:50,334
Hanoi Hannah, as we call it.

1234
00:37:51,268 --> 00:37:52,736
It was the 30 minute propaganda

1235
00:37:52,737 --> 00:37:54,471
broadcasts in English aimed to

1236
00:37:54,472 --> 00:37:56,774
the soldiers in South Vietnam."

1237
00:37:57,008 --> 00:37:57,907
He said, "The same day you

1238
00:37:57,908 --> 00:37:58,808
were shot down,

1239
00:37:58,809 --> 00:38:00,678
they announced it that night."

1240
00:38:01,345 --> 00:38:02,812
So, at least I knew my family

1241
00:38:02,813 --> 00:38:03,613
knew I was alive.

1242
00:38:04,115 --> 00:38:05,749
I asked Dave how he was,

1243
00:38:05,750 --> 00:38:07,351
and he said he was fine.

1244
00:38:08,185 --> 00:38:09,687
And then he asked me how I was,

1245
00:38:10,154 --> 00:38:11,921
and I said, "Dave I think

1246
00:38:11,922 --> 00:38:12,790
I'm going to die."

1247
00:38:13,090 --> 00:38:14,257
He said, "There's only one thing

1248
00:38:14,258 --> 00:38:15,498
to do and that's to pray a lot.

1249
00:38:15,593 --> 00:38:16,827
I pray all the time."

1250
00:38:16,961 --> 00:38:18,161
Well, I prayed that night,

1251
00:38:18,162 --> 00:38:20,997
not for why me God, but

1252
00:38:20,998 --> 00:38:22,132
give me the strength to

1253
00:38:22,133 --> 00:38:23,833
to do what I have to do, and I

1254
00:38:23,834 --> 00:38:25,802
finally slept a
little that night,

1255
00:38:26,303 --> 00:38:27,470
and I woke up the next day

1256
00:38:27,471 --> 00:38:28,304
and I knew I was going

1257
00:38:28,305 --> 00:38:29,140
to get out of there

1258
00:38:29,974 --> 00:38:31,676
and never gave up after that.

1259
00:38:32,209 --> 00:38:34,144
I found out four years

1260
00:38:34,145 --> 00:38:36,046
later that Dave had just been

1261
00:38:36,047 --> 00:38:38,014
tortured when he told me that.

1262
00:38:38,015 --> 00:38:39,983
He happened to be in the large

1263
00:38:39,984 --> 00:38:41,351
group that was paraded

1264
00:38:41,352 --> 00:38:43,687
through Hanoi and the crowd got

1265
00:38:43,688 --> 00:38:45,722
out of hand and a lot of guys

1266
00:38:45,723 --> 00:38:48,658
were beaten in that, but my raid

1267
00:38:48,659 --> 00:38:50,660
had precipitated the other

1268
00:38:50,661 --> 00:38:52,028
march, but he'd never said

1269
00:38:52,029 --> 00:38:54,464
anything to him, but I had

1270
00:38:54,465 --> 00:38:56,700
the opportunity to tell Dave

1271
00:38:56,701 --> 00:38:59,703
thanks in Washington DC at the

1272
00:38:59,704 --> 00:39:00,504
White House.

1273
00:39:00,838 --> 00:39:01,906
He had his daughter

1274
00:39:02,506 --> 00:39:03,374
and I told her

1275
00:39:04,241 --> 00:39:05,475
how her Dad had

1276
00:39:05,476 --> 00:39:06,476
saved my life that night.

1277
00:39:06,711 --> 00:39:09,180
But I go back and I look at

1278
00:39:09,914 --> 00:39:11,582
the guys that I flew with

1279
00:39:12,049 --> 00:39:13,751
the guys that I
was in prison with

1280
00:39:13,918 --> 00:39:15,519
a bunch of band of brothers

1281
00:39:15,986 --> 00:39:17,654
He who shares his blood with me

1282
00:39:17,655 --> 00:39:19,523
shall forever be my brother

1283
00:39:19,657 --> 00:39:20,657
They're the best friends

1284
00:39:20,658 --> 00:39:21,826
I've ever had.

1285
00:39:22,026 --> 00:39:23,427
One thing I learned,

1286
00:39:25,730 --> 00:39:27,163
one of my dearest friends in my

1287
00:39:27,164 --> 00:39:27,964
whole life

1288
00:39:28,599 --> 00:39:30,167
is a guy named Vic Vizcarra.

1289
00:39:31,335 --> 00:39:32,769
Vic and I checked out in the

1290
00:39:32,770 --> 00:39:33,570
Thud together,

1291
00:39:34,071 --> 00:39:36,173
were in Japan, same squadron,

1292
00:39:36,741 --> 00:39:38,209
flew combat together

1293
00:39:39,610 --> 00:39:41,544
and he escorted my wife

1294
00:39:41,545 --> 00:39:43,546
and two young kids back to the

1295
00:39:43,547 --> 00:39:44,347
United States

1296
00:39:45,549 --> 00:39:46,917
and I never forgot

1297
00:39:48,285 --> 00:39:49,220
forgot that

1298
00:39:50,287 --> 00:39:51,121
appreciate it more

1299
00:39:51,122 --> 00:39:52,389
than anybody knows

1300
00:39:54,625 --> 00:39:56,527
but a band of brothers.

1301
00:40:00,397 --> 00:40:02,967
Jet noise... For Thud pilots,

1302
00:40:03,267 --> 00:40:04,601
flying missions over

1303
00:40:04,602 --> 00:40:06,402
North Vietnam came down to

1304
00:40:06,403 --> 00:40:08,038
beating the odds.

1305
00:40:08,806 --> 00:40:10,875
Logging the combat missions

1306
00:40:11,142 --> 00:40:12,610
was the easy part.

1307
00:40:12,643 --> 00:40:13,468
Radio & combat sounds

1308
00:40:13,477 --> 00:40:15,378
Thud pilots either survived

1309
00:40:15,379 --> 00:40:16,881
or got shot down.

1310
00:40:17,481 --> 00:40:18,715
It was the being brought

1311
00:40:18,716 --> 00:40:19,883
down part where it

1312
00:40:19,884 --> 00:40:22,419
became the roll of the dice.

1313
00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:24,922
They would either be killed,

1314
00:40:25,456 --> 00:40:27,458
captured or rescued.

1315
00:40:28,159 --> 00:40:30,161
They were betting on the latter.

1316
00:40:30,394 --> 00:40:32,829
Well, I'm Denny Jarvey went

1317
00:40:32,830 --> 00:40:34,932
through training at Nellis

1318
00:40:35,299 --> 00:40:37,167
and prior to that, I had been

1319
00:40:37,168 --> 00:40:40,738
flying the F-101B in Charleston

1320
00:40:41,472 --> 00:40:43,006
chasing Russian bears that were

1321
00:40:43,007 --> 00:40:44,108
going down to Cuba,

1322
00:40:44,408 --> 00:40:45,208
laughing

1323
00:40:45,309 --> 00:40:46,910
and prior to that I flew the

1324
00:40:46,911 --> 00:40:49,979
F-102. So, when I transitioned

1325
00:40:49,980 --> 00:40:51,615
in the F-105,

1326
00:40:52,449 --> 00:40:53,616
I already knew

1327
00:40:53,617 --> 00:40:55,285
I could fly the airplane, that

1328
00:40:55,286 --> 00:40:56,252
was not an issue.

1329
00:40:56,253 --> 00:40:57,120
It was learning how to

1330
00:40:57,121 --> 00:40:57,921
fight with it. That's a whole

1331
00:40:57,922 --> 00:40:59,523
nother story.

1332
00:41:00,257 --> 00:41:04,494
The F-105 was really well suited

1333
00:41:04,495 --> 00:41:06,262
for the mission that we had

1334
00:41:06,263 --> 00:41:07,797
in the Hanoi area

1335
00:41:07,798 --> 00:41:09,866
that we could carry very heavy

1336
00:41:09,867 --> 00:41:11,035
bomb load.

1337
00:41:12,203 --> 00:41:15,538
It could take a really beating

1338
00:41:15,539 --> 00:41:16,874
and still bring it back.

1339
00:41:17,141 --> 00:41:18,142
I was lucky.

1340
00:41:18,876 --> 00:41:20,177
I didn't have a scratch.

1341
00:41:20,611 --> 00:41:22,779
I never, ever, I didn't have

1342
00:41:22,780 --> 00:41:23,380
a hole in the airplane.

1343
00:41:23,381 --> 00:41:24,181
Nothing.

1344
00:41:24,182 --> 00:41:26,016
Not even scratched paint.

1345
00:41:26,650 --> 00:41:27,550
Not True for the guys

1346
00:41:27,551 --> 00:41:29,153
I was flying with.

1347
00:41:29,553 --> 00:41:31,688
The Thud was terrific for this

1348
00:41:31,689 --> 00:41:33,524
particular mission.

1349
00:41:33,858 --> 00:41:35,392
It was fast.

1350
00:41:37,061 --> 00:41:38,628
Matter of fact, there's a fellow

1351
00:41:38,629 --> 00:41:41,464
named Byers that had been hit by

1352
00:41:41,465 --> 00:41:42,700
a MiG-21

1353
00:41:43,234 --> 00:41:45,035
and Atoll that

1354
00:41:46,136 --> 00:41:47,136
hit him

1355
00:41:47,137 --> 00:41:49,540
was still stuck in the fuselage

1356
00:41:50,140 --> 00:41:52,008
of the aft end of the airplane

1357
00:41:52,009 --> 00:41:54,811
just underneath the rudder, and

1358
00:41:54,812 --> 00:41:57,146
with this great big gaping hole,

1359
00:41:57,147 --> 00:41:58,181
and there's pictures that are

1360
00:41:58,182 --> 00:42:01,151
around of people standing,

1361
00:42:01,986 --> 00:42:03,820
well, the Thud's a pretty big

1362
00:42:03,821 --> 00:42:04,687
airplane, you've gotta be up

1363
00:42:04,688 --> 00:42:05,855
on a ladder to be able to get

1364
00:42:05,856 --> 00:42:08,091
your body up into the wing, but

1365
00:42:08,092 --> 00:42:09,660
with huge holes,

1366
00:42:09,927 --> 00:42:12,229
and it brought you home.

1367
00:42:12,363 --> 00:42:13,597
I happened to be

1368
00:42:15,432 --> 00:42:18,668
at Korat and we learned that

1369
00:42:18,669 --> 00:42:20,504
President Johnson was coming

1370
00:42:20,838 --> 00:42:21,638
to town.

1371
00:42:22,006 --> 00:42:24,341
Well, it is a big deal,

1372
00:42:24,608 --> 00:42:27,044
you know, and so they

1373
00:42:27,511 --> 00:42:29,079
kicked everybody
out of the club.

1374
00:42:29,580 --> 00:42:31,414
So I had my scotch in hand, and

1375
00:42:31,415 --> 00:42:33,283
General Momyer looked on the bar

1376
00:42:33,284 --> 00:42:35,418
and he pointed at me and said,

1377
00:42:35,419 --> 00:42:37,453
"You, you big guy get over there

1378
00:42:37,454 --> 00:42:39,789
and you tell the President what

1379
00:42:39,790 --> 00:42:40,724
you just did."

1380
00:42:41,025 --> 00:42:42,458
Well, it turned out it happened

1381
00:42:42,459 --> 00:42:44,627
to be the mission right after

1382
00:42:44,628 --> 00:42:46,729
the Dormer Bridge raid.

1383
00:42:46,730 --> 00:42:47,797
So, I told him about that

1384
00:42:47,798 --> 00:42:49,632
and I happened to be the last

1385
00:42:49,633 --> 00:42:51,368
guy that rolled in on the target

1386
00:42:52,102 --> 00:42:54,905
on that particular sortie and

1387
00:42:55,706 --> 00:42:58,474
it was an active day, but

1388
00:42:58,475 --> 00:43:00,243
when I looked down at the

1389
00:43:00,244 --> 00:43:01,811
bridge, I could already see

1390
00:43:01,812 --> 00:43:03,246
several of the spans were

1391
00:43:03,247 --> 00:43:04,280
already in the water.

1392
00:43:04,281 --> 00:43:05,983
So it turned out to be

1393
00:43:06,417 --> 00:43:07,551
quite an event.

1394
00:43:07,952 --> 00:43:09,786
Thuds continued to be shot down

1395
00:43:09,787 --> 00:43:12,155
as the war escalated with no end

1396
00:43:12,156 --> 00:43:12,923
in sight, and

1397
00:43:12,924 --> 00:43:14,658
to add insult to injury,

1398
00:43:15,092 --> 00:43:16,961
a new war had emerged

1399
00:43:17,828 --> 00:43:19,897
and it wasn't in Vietnam.

1400
00:43:20,297 --> 00:43:22,265
Americans back home suddenly

1401
00:43:22,266 --> 00:43:24,233
began to side with the enemy and

1402
00:43:24,234 --> 00:43:25,336
began to protest.

1403
00:43:25,502 --> 00:43:27,003
Pilots, risking their lives were

1404
00:43:27,004 --> 00:43:29,238
suddenly being labeled as

1405
00:43:29,239 --> 00:43:30,473
child killers.

1406
00:43:30,474 --> 00:43:31,942
But for the pilots,

1407
00:43:32,309 --> 00:43:33,777
the war went on.

1408
00:43:33,944 --> 00:43:35,511
I flew another 20 missions and

1409
00:43:35,512 --> 00:43:37,514
on the 14th September

1410
00:43:37,815 --> 00:43:39,115
we were going up to hit

1411
00:43:39,116 --> 00:43:40,017
a railroad bridge

1412
00:43:41,185 --> 00:43:42,353
north of Hanoi.

1413
00:43:42,853 --> 00:43:44,354
Interestingly enough, there was

1414
00:43:44,355 --> 00:43:45,755
also a MiG base

1415
00:43:45,756 --> 00:43:47,123
right near the bridge.

1416
00:43:47,124 --> 00:43:48,758
I was number four in the flight.

1417
00:43:48,759 --> 00:43:51,327
We raced along a low altitude,

1418
00:43:51,328 --> 00:43:52,795
actually came right over the top

1419
00:43:52,796 --> 00:43:55,932
of Hanoi that day
at low altitude.

1420
00:43:55,933 --> 00:43:56,966
About three surface to air

1421
00:43:56,967 --> 00:43:58,301
missiles came through the flight

1422
00:43:58,302 --> 00:43:59,836
That scared the crap out of me.

1423
00:43:59,837 --> 00:44:02,005
So, I broke one way and I

1424
00:44:02,006 --> 00:44:03,439
guess the rest of the flight

1425
00:44:03,440 --> 00:44:04,507
went the other way.

1426
00:44:04,508 --> 00:44:06,209
So I rolled in and, I dropped

1427
00:44:06,210 --> 00:44:09,045
eight, 750 pound bombs and as I

1428
00:44:09,046 --> 00:44:10,847
pulled off, I actually saw them

1429
00:44:10,848 --> 00:44:12,815
hit the bridge luckily enough,

1430
00:44:12,816 --> 00:44:14,350
and I watched the span that

1431
00:44:14,351 --> 00:44:15,685
dropped into the river.

1432
00:44:15,686 --> 00:44:17,354
So, I said, "Man, that's great",

1433
00:44:17,821 --> 00:44:19,288
and I called, I said, "Four is

1434
00:44:19,289 --> 00:44:21,190
off" and the flight lead says,

1435
00:44:21,191 --> 00:44:22,291
"You're where?".

1436
00:44:22,292 --> 00:44:23,659
I said, "Four is off". He said,

1437
00:44:23,660 --> 00:44:25,395
"Well, we're 20 miles away.

1438
00:44:25,396 --> 00:44:26,829
We'll come back and get you,"

1439
00:44:26,830 --> 00:44:28,531
and just about that time there

1440
00:44:28,532 --> 00:44:29,800
was a MiG-17

1441
00:44:30,734 --> 00:44:32,503
probably 1500 feet from me,

1442
00:44:33,237 --> 00:44:34,404
and it looked like he was

1443
00:44:34,405 --> 00:44:35,372
shooting at me.

1444
00:44:35,639 --> 00:44:37,473
So... he was here.

1445
00:44:37,474 --> 00:44:39,842
I'm here, he's here, about to

1446
00:44:39,843 --> 00:44:41,478
shoot my watch off,

1447
00:44:41,745 --> 00:44:44,047
and I remember the guys in

1448
00:44:44,048 --> 00:44:45,248
training told me about this

1449
00:44:45,249 --> 00:44:47,151
maneuver that we never did.

1450
00:44:47,418 --> 00:44:48,751
It was called a High G roll

1451
00:44:48,752 --> 00:44:50,553
underneath, and I said, "Well

1452
00:44:50,554 --> 00:44:51,587
this might be the

1453
00:44:51,588 --> 00:44:52,656
time to try this."

1454
00:44:52,823 --> 00:44:54,690
Well I did that and now I'm

1455
00:44:54,691 --> 00:44:56,760
pointed straight
down, no airspeed

1456
00:44:57,828 --> 00:44:59,829
in about maybe 4,000 feet above

1457
00:44:59,830 --> 00:45:00,330
the ground.

1458
00:45:00,564 --> 00:45:02,599
So, now I light the afterburner,

1459
00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:04,734
and I probably pulled out at

1460
00:45:04,735 --> 00:45:06,035
about 500 feet. When I got

1461
00:45:06,036 --> 00:45:07,204
enough speed going,

1462
00:45:07,538 --> 00:45:08,872
and I decided it was time to

1463
00:45:09,740 --> 00:45:11,007
leave the afterburner in and get

1464
00:45:11,008 --> 00:45:12,076
the hell out of Dodge.

1465
00:45:12,209 --> 00:45:13,410
So, I turned east

1466
00:45:14,111 --> 00:45:15,678
because we're gonna go out over

1467
00:45:15,679 --> 00:45:17,947
the Gulf of Tonkin and then come

1468
00:45:17,948 --> 00:45:18,881
back. So they just said, "Head

1469
00:45:18,882 --> 00:45:20,750
for the coast, we'll rejoin out

1470
00:45:20,751 --> 00:45:22,118
over the water." So, now I'm a

1471
00:45:22,119 --> 00:45:23,353
singleton running along, and

1472
00:45:24,555 --> 00:45:25,556
we were actually,

1473
00:45:26,290 --> 00:45:27,623
I thought it was further south.

1474
00:45:27,624 --> 00:45:28,591
We were about 20 miles

1475
00:45:28,592 --> 00:45:29,926
south of China. At least that's

1476
00:45:29,927 --> 00:45:31,694
where I was. Shortly thereafter

1477
00:45:31,695 --> 00:45:32,896
I saw it, you know,

1478
00:45:33,297 --> 00:45:34,263
as I'm heading for the

1479
00:45:34,264 --> 00:45:35,199
coast, going about

1480
00:45:35,766 --> 00:45:36,700
five-fifty

1481
00:45:37,434 --> 00:45:39,602
and not in afterburner, and I

1482
00:45:39,603 --> 00:45:41,405
saw this little glint of a

1483
00:45:41,905 --> 00:45:42,539
spark or something.

1484
00:45:42,540 --> 00:45:43,373
And I looked over

1485
00:45:43,774 --> 00:45:45,943
and here comes a MiG-21.

1486
00:45:47,111 --> 00:45:47,878
So, I said, "Well, I'll give

1487
00:45:47,878 --> 00:45:48,678
him a turn".

1488
00:45:49,079 --> 00:45:50,359
I turned a little bit and I said

1489
00:45:50,581 --> 00:45:52,281
"This is not gonna work out well

1490
00:45:52,282 --> 00:45:53,816
at all", and I could just see

1491
00:45:53,817 --> 00:45:54,785
the coast

1492
00:45:55,452 --> 00:45:56,252
out in front of me.

1493
00:45:56,386 --> 00:45:57,386
And I knew that MiG wasn't

1494
00:45:57,387 --> 00:45:58,088
with me cause there's

1495
00:45:58,089 --> 00:45:59,323
no way he could hang with me.

1496
00:45:59,957 --> 00:46:01,391
So, I came out of afterburner,

1497
00:46:01,558 --> 00:46:02,826
and started to climb

1498
00:46:03,260 --> 00:46:05,562
and as I crested the ridge line

1499
00:46:06,597 --> 00:46:07,797
all hell broke loose.

1500
00:46:07,798 --> 00:46:09,966
I mean I've watched part of my

1501
00:46:09,967 --> 00:46:10,667
wing come off

1502
00:46:10,767 --> 00:46:12,401
fire light came on again and as

1503
00:46:12,402 --> 00:46:13,903
I was told later by the guys

1504
00:46:13,904 --> 00:46:15,004
the in flight, I didn't hear

1505
00:46:15,005 --> 00:46:15,938
this because I think I was

1506
00:46:15,939 --> 00:46:18,207
breathing so hard
and I was scared.

1507
00:46:18,509 --> 00:46:19,910
Totally scared at this point

1508
00:46:21,011 --> 00:46:22,578
because I'd been here before and

1509
00:46:22,579 --> 00:46:24,380
I'm going not again
and then I just

1510
00:46:24,481 --> 00:46:25,582
crossed the waterline

1511
00:46:26,450 --> 00:46:27,984
and about 500 feet

1512
00:46:27,985 --> 00:46:29,252
I said, "It's time

1513
00:46:29,253 --> 00:46:30,487
to get out of this thing."

1514
00:46:30,654 --> 00:46:31,621
Did the normal ejection

1515
00:46:31,622 --> 00:46:33,157
the canopy didn't come off.

1516
00:46:33,624 --> 00:46:34,525
So, I just

1517
00:46:35,092 --> 00:46:36,627
squeezed the ejection triggers

1518
00:46:36,927 --> 00:46:38,462
and went through the canopy

1519
00:46:38,629 --> 00:46:39,696
and I remember tumbling

1520
00:46:40,197 --> 00:46:41,265
very, very violently,

1521
00:46:41,431 --> 00:46:42,765
and then I hit the water. I have

1522
00:46:42,766 --> 00:46:43,667
no idea

1523
00:46:44,701 --> 00:46:45,202
what happened

1524
00:46:45,203 --> 00:46:47,270
and the flight lead said

1525
00:46:47,271 --> 00:46:48,705
he went in with the airplane.

1526
00:46:48,839 --> 00:46:49,839
So they actually started

1527
00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:50,841
heading for the tanker

1528
00:46:51,041 --> 00:46:52,542
and I went down in the water.

1529
00:46:52,543 --> 00:46:54,211
I was all tied up
in the parachute.

1530
00:46:55,712 --> 00:46:57,346
Fortunately I carried a knife on

1531
00:46:57,347 --> 00:46:58,181
my left side. I got that knife

1532
00:46:58,182 --> 00:47:00,350
and I started cutting away.

1533
00:47:00,517 --> 00:47:01,717
So, I started sawing away and I

1534
00:47:01,718 --> 00:47:02,986
remember I looked up, it was

1535
00:47:03,654 --> 00:47:04,987
late afternoon and I could,

1536
00:47:04,988 --> 00:47:07,023
I kind of looked up and I

1537
00:47:07,024 --> 00:47:09,559
said, "Wow, I'm gonna drown

1538
00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:11,228
what a crappy way to go."

1539
00:47:11,528 --> 00:47:12,828
Finally got to where I could

1540
00:47:12,829 --> 00:47:14,030
get to one water wing.

1541
00:47:14,031 --> 00:47:15,398
I opened I deployed it

1542
00:47:15,399 --> 00:47:16,799
and that was enough to bring

1543
00:47:16,800 --> 00:47:18,202
me back up to the surface.

1544
00:47:18,902 --> 00:47:20,336
So, I got the other one and then

1545
00:47:20,337 --> 00:47:22,205
I cut my way out
of the parachute.

1546
00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:24,974
They said that from when the

1547
00:47:24,975 --> 00:47:26,542
airplane hit little over a

1548
00:47:26,543 --> 00:47:28,544
minute then he heard the

1549
00:47:28,545 --> 00:47:29,346
distress beacon

1550
00:47:30,180 --> 00:47:31,013
come on. So they figured

1551
00:47:31,014 --> 00:47:32,381
I was in underwater

1552
00:47:32,382 --> 00:47:33,182
for about a minute.

1553
00:47:33,350 --> 00:47:34,917
Got into my life raft, which I

1554
00:47:34,918 --> 00:47:36,752
still had and pulled up my

1555
00:47:36,753 --> 00:47:38,754
trusty radio, but at

1556
00:47:38,755 --> 00:47:40,057
that point then I carried

1557
00:47:40,190 --> 00:47:40,990
two radios

1558
00:47:41,091 --> 00:47:42,526
instead of just the normal one.

1559
00:47:42,726 --> 00:47:44,427
Call my flight lead and told

1560
00:47:44,428 --> 00:47:46,929
them I'm alive and I'm in my

1561
00:47:46,930 --> 00:47:48,931
life raft and come get me

1562
00:47:48,932 --> 00:47:50,700
and he said, "We gotta go to the

1563
00:47:50,701 --> 00:47:53,402
tanker and we'll get the rescue

1564
00:47:53,403 --> 00:47:54,270
forces coming."

1565
00:47:54,271 --> 00:47:55,838
Well, when they said forces, I

1566
00:47:55,839 --> 00:47:57,573
thought it'd be an Armada like

1567
00:47:57,574 --> 00:47:58,742
I saw the first time.

1568
00:47:59,176 --> 00:48:00,910
Well, it turned out the

1569
00:48:00,911 --> 00:48:03,179
rescue Armada was gonna consist

1570
00:48:03,180 --> 00:48:05,215
of one Navy helicopter

1571
00:48:05,682 --> 00:48:08,384
and two Navy A-1s because we

1572
00:48:08,385 --> 00:48:09,885
were so far north, it turns out

1573
00:48:09,886 --> 00:48:12,021
I was, I had managed to bail out

1574
00:48:12,022 --> 00:48:13,889
in a major shipping lane that

1575
00:48:13,890 --> 00:48:15,358
they ferried supplies from

1576
00:48:15,359 --> 00:48:17,727
China down to North Vietnam

1577
00:48:17,728 --> 00:48:19,528
So the islands were

1578
00:48:19,529 --> 00:48:20,630
heavily defended.

1579
00:48:20,631 --> 00:48:22,232
There were guns everywhere

1580
00:48:22,566 --> 00:48:24,567
and I guess they thought I had

1581
00:48:24,568 --> 00:48:25,468
gone in with the airplane

1582
00:48:25,469 --> 00:48:26,602
because not much went on for

1583
00:48:26,603 --> 00:48:28,537
about the first 45 minutes

1584
00:48:28,538 --> 00:48:29,940
to an hour All of a sudden

1585
00:48:30,407 --> 00:48:31,207
I started

1586
00:48:31,708 --> 00:48:32,876
hearing gunfire

1587
00:48:33,577 --> 00:48:35,211
and I'm going, oh oh, maybe

1588
00:48:35,212 --> 00:48:37,079
they know I'm here and now

1589
00:48:37,080 --> 00:48:38,914
I see boats starting to come

1590
00:48:38,915 --> 00:48:40,216
and I'm going this is not gonna

1591
00:48:40,217 --> 00:48:41,385
to be a good day for me.

1592
00:48:41,485 --> 00:48:43,319
It's a long haul from here to

1593
00:48:43,320 --> 00:48:45,154
prison and I really didn't want

1594
00:48:45,155 --> 00:48:46,122
to play that game.

1595
00:48:46,123 --> 00:48:46,956
A little bit later.

1596
00:48:46,957 --> 00:48:48,258
I hear a lot of gunfire.

1597
00:48:49,092 --> 00:48:50,726
And my flight lead said

1598
00:48:50,727 --> 00:48:52,328
that the rescue forces are

1599
00:48:52,329 --> 00:48:53,763
trying to get in the Navy

1600
00:48:53,764 --> 00:48:55,665
helicopter and I learned this

1601
00:48:55,666 --> 00:48:56,966
later when I met the guy who

1602
00:48:56,967 --> 00:48:58,267
flew the helicopter and one of

1603
00:48:58,268 --> 00:48:59,269
the A-1 pilots.

1604
00:48:59,569 --> 00:49:01,270
They tried three different

1605
00:49:01,271 --> 00:49:02,973
routes to get in to get me,

1606
00:49:03,573 --> 00:49:04,740
and that was when I started

1607
00:49:04,741 --> 00:49:06,475
hearing a lot of gunfire and

1608
00:49:06,476 --> 00:49:07,610
they had to turn around each

1609
00:49:07,611 --> 00:49:10,012
time because of the

1610
00:49:10,013 --> 00:49:11,847
severity of the gunfire and in

1611
00:49:11,848 --> 00:49:14,083
fact the helicopter crew took a

1612
00:49:14,084 --> 00:49:15,818
vote to see if they wanted to

1613
00:49:15,819 --> 00:49:16,619
try it again.

1614
00:49:16,687 --> 00:49:17,753
Well, they did. They found

1615
00:49:17,754 --> 00:49:18,554
another way in.

1616
00:49:18,955 --> 00:49:21,257
I'm exhausted, you know, the

1617
00:49:21,258 --> 00:49:23,426
adrenaline and the excitement

1618
00:49:23,427 --> 00:49:24,694
and maybe I'm going to get

1619
00:49:24,695 --> 00:49:27,264
outta here and of course

1620
00:49:27,531 --> 00:49:29,098
I'm looking. I said there's two

1621
00:49:29,099 --> 00:49:30,167
A-1s and that's it.

1622
00:49:30,867 --> 00:49:32,535
And this chopper and everybody's

1623
00:49:32,536 --> 00:49:34,171
getting a crap shot out of them.

1624
00:49:34,871 --> 00:49:37,139
So, here we go the helicopter.

1625
00:49:37,140 --> 00:49:38,541
I'm in the hoists underneath,

1626
00:49:38,542 --> 00:49:39,543
they're bringing me up

1627
00:49:40,344 --> 00:49:41,945
and the two A-1s

1628
00:49:42,346 --> 00:49:43,146
are

1629
00:49:44,181 --> 00:49:45,849
flying around out in front of us

1630
00:49:45,949 --> 00:49:47,183
strafing beaches as we go

1631
00:49:47,184 --> 00:49:47,851
along because they're getting

1632
00:49:47,852 --> 00:49:49,353
shot at the whole time.

1633
00:49:51,054 --> 00:49:52,189
So they get me about,

1634
00:49:52,823 --> 00:49:54,190
it's kind of like the first time

1635
00:49:54,191 --> 00:49:55,391
about 40 feet from the

1636
00:49:55,392 --> 00:49:57,127
helicopter, from the door

1637
00:49:57,794 --> 00:49:59,529
and the hoist breaks.

1638
00:50:00,130 --> 00:50:01,164
So now,

1639
00:50:01,698 --> 00:50:02,738
we're getting out of there

1640
00:50:03,300 --> 00:50:04,467
they're getting shot at and

1641
00:50:04,468 --> 00:50:05,835
I'm swinging around underneath

1642
00:50:05,836 --> 00:50:07,703
the helicopter going, "Oh man,

1643
00:50:07,704 --> 00:50:08,871
this is gonna be a long trip."

1644
00:50:08,872 --> 00:50:10,306
When they finally figured out

1645
00:50:10,307 --> 00:50:11,141
how to get me up.

1646
00:50:11,508 --> 00:50:12,308
So, they get me up

1647
00:50:12,576 --> 00:50:13,909
into the helicopter.

1648
00:50:13,910 --> 00:50:15,045
Now it's the same deal.

1649
00:50:15,412 --> 00:50:16,212
I want to go hug

1650
00:50:16,213 --> 00:50:17,347
and kiss everybody.

1651
00:50:17,514 --> 00:50:18,348
And say thanks.

1652
00:50:18,648 --> 00:50:19,349
They're busy.

1653
00:50:19,350 --> 00:50:20,317
They had two guns in

1654
00:50:20,584 --> 00:50:22,752
one on each side
of the helicopter.

1655
00:50:22,753 --> 00:50:24,186
And they're blazing away

1656
00:50:24,187 --> 00:50:25,388
with these machine guns and

1657
00:50:25,389 --> 00:50:26,922
I want to hug them.

1658
00:50:26,923 --> 00:50:27,890
So, they actually let me

1659
00:50:27,891 --> 00:50:29,559
shoot one of the
guns for a second,

1660
00:50:30,060 --> 00:50:31,026
and then they

1661
00:50:31,027 --> 00:50:32,194
finally said that's enough of

1662
00:50:32,195 --> 00:50:34,064
that and they strap
me to the floor

1663
00:50:34,598 --> 00:50:36,767
to get me out of the way.

1664
00:50:37,033 --> 00:50:38,201
So, I was saved

1665
00:50:38,268 --> 00:50:39,769
and they too have booze

1666
00:50:39,770 --> 00:50:40,570
on the helicopter,

1667
00:50:40,670 --> 00:50:41,570
so they gave me a couple of

1668
00:50:41,571 --> 00:50:43,539
miniatures to calm me down.

1669
00:50:43,540 --> 00:50:44,941
Then I got to thank everybody

1670
00:50:45,208 --> 00:50:46,008
And then now

1671
00:50:46,042 --> 00:50:47,443
now the adrenaline's gone.

1672
00:50:47,444 --> 00:50:49,079
I'm exhausted, which was

1673
00:50:49,346 --> 00:50:51,014
which was really, really great.

1674
00:50:55,719 --> 00:50:57,553
Hollywood has always portrayed

1675
00:50:57,554 --> 00:50:59,388
fighter pilots as fearless,

1676
00:50:59,389 --> 00:51:01,023
steel cold men with

1677
00:51:01,024 --> 00:51:04,126
a fixation for flying women and

1678
00:51:04,127 --> 00:51:06,630
booze in no particular order,

1679
00:51:07,764 --> 00:51:09,965
but in actuality

1680
00:51:09,966 --> 00:51:11,634
they've just been Americans with

1681
00:51:11,635 --> 00:51:14,069
a deep love of country and

1682
00:51:14,070 --> 00:51:16,138
diligence to unsheathe the sword

1683
00:51:16,139 --> 00:51:17,240
of freedom

1684
00:51:17,474 --> 00:51:19,308
kept sharp by their willingness

1685
00:51:19,309 --> 00:51:20,710
to live on its edge.

1686
00:51:21,311 --> 00:51:22,912
Karl Richter knew he would be a

1687
00:51:22,913 --> 00:51:25,415
fighter pilot at a very young

1688
00:51:25,982 --> 00:51:27,917
age by 18 months old, he was

1689
00:51:27,918 --> 00:51:29,452
already climbing a ladder to

1690
00:51:29,453 --> 00:51:31,154
the top of their barn

1691
00:51:31,655 --> 00:51:33,323
to join his dad on the roof.

1692
00:51:33,623 --> 00:51:35,257
His infatuation with heights

1693
00:51:35,258 --> 00:51:37,293
persisted, and his family

1694
00:51:37,294 --> 00:51:38,594
would spot him at the top of the

1695
00:51:38,595 --> 00:51:40,162
trees and the windmill on

1696
00:51:40,163 --> 00:51:41,164
their property.

1697
00:51:41,398 --> 00:51:44,401
By age 18,
he was already a pilot.

1698
00:51:44,668 --> 00:51:46,235
Was living his dream at

1699
00:51:46,236 --> 00:51:48,104
the U.S. Air Force Academy.

1700
00:51:48,472 --> 00:51:50,574
By the time he was 22,

1701
00:51:50,907 --> 00:51:52,642
he was flying the Thud.

1702
00:51:53,009 --> 00:51:54,276
Didn't take long for him

1703
00:51:54,277 --> 00:51:56,179
to make military history.

1704
00:51:56,480 --> 00:51:57,614
By 23,

1705
00:51:58,281 --> 00:51:59,782
he'd become the youngest pilot,

1706
00:51:59,783 --> 00:52:01,650
in the U.S Air Force to shoot

1707
00:52:01,651 --> 00:52:02,786
down a MiG.

1708
00:52:03,019 --> 00:52:04,179
UHF pilot radio transmissions

1709
00:52:04,521 --> 00:52:06,622
As operation Rolling Thunder

1710
00:52:06,623 --> 00:52:07,923
intensified and dragged

1711
00:52:07,924 --> 00:52:09,191
on well past its

1712
00:52:09,192 --> 00:52:11,161
initial eight week plan,

1713
00:52:11,628 --> 00:52:13,330
More Thud pilots were needed.

1714
00:52:13,830 --> 00:52:15,331
A short temporary duty

1715
00:52:15,332 --> 00:52:17,099
cycling of pilots from Thud

1716
00:52:17,100 --> 00:52:19,034
squadrons based in Japan and the

1717
00:52:19,035 --> 00:52:21,671
U.S. to Thailand wasn't working.

1718
00:52:22,038 --> 00:52:23,873
Military orders, we're now going

1719
00:52:23,874 --> 00:52:25,207
to have to be permanently

1720
00:52:25,208 --> 00:52:27,309
assigned to pilots to complete

1721
00:52:27,310 --> 00:52:29,312
100 combat missions

1722
00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:32,281
one counter... one for the month

1723
00:52:32,282 --> 00:52:34,184
ninety-nine hard ones to go

1724
00:52:35,819 --> 00:52:37,987
Extraordinary times require

1725
00:52:37,988 --> 00:52:40,289
extraordinary
gallantry and faith.

1726
00:52:40,790 --> 00:52:42,124
A faith not only in

1727
00:52:42,125 --> 00:52:43,527
country and family,

1728
00:52:44,561 --> 00:52:45,961
but a power greater than

1729
00:52:45,962 --> 00:52:47,531
themselves with a

1730
00:52:47,898 --> 00:52:48,865
here I am,

1731
00:52:49,232 --> 00:52:50,734
send me conviction

1732
00:52:52,402 --> 00:52:54,638
Men like Karl Richter.

1733
00:52:55,338 --> 00:52:56,338
How are you gonna explain to

1734
00:52:56,339 --> 00:52:57,374
the wife that,

1735
00:52:57,707 --> 00:52:59,408
you put in for concurrent tour

1736
00:52:59,409 --> 00:53:00,342
you know, you going to take

1737
00:53:00,343 --> 00:53:01,311
flying over her?

1738
00:53:01,411 --> 00:53:02,379
Yeah, it wouldn't happen

1739
00:53:03,079 --> 00:53:03,813
Yeah, that's why

1740
00:53:03,813 --> 00:53:04,414
I'm sticking around.

1741
00:53:04,548 --> 00:53:06,016
You know that's why I guess.

1742
00:53:06,416 --> 00:53:07,717
The flying is good

1743
00:53:08,385 --> 00:53:09,185
and it's

1744
00:53:09,553 --> 00:53:10,320
it's the kind of deal

1745
00:53:10,321 --> 00:53:12,221
like everybody says, yeah

1746
00:53:12,222 --> 00:53:12,923
that I'm waving the flag,

1747
00:53:12,924 --> 00:53:14,156
but I'm not. At the same time,

1748
00:53:14,157 --> 00:53:16,393
you know, where are going to

1749
00:53:16,993 --> 00:53:17,860
where are you going to stop at?

1750
00:53:17,861 --> 00:53:18,861
You know

1751
00:53:18,862 --> 00:53:20,429
where is... where's communism?

1752
00:53:20,430 --> 00:53:21,064
You going to wait until there're

1753
00:53:21,064 --> 00:53:21,864
in the

1754
00:53:22,732 --> 00:53:23,532
Philippines?

1755
00:53:23,567 --> 00:53:24,267
Or in Australia or

1756
00:53:24,268 --> 00:53:26,036
San Fransisco or the

1757
00:53:26,369 --> 00:53:27,170
Hawaiian Islands?

1758
00:53:27,337 --> 00:53:28,137
You know.

1759
00:53:28,505 --> 00:53:29,572
Do we stop it here or wait untl

1760
00:53:29,573 --> 00:53:31,174
somewhere later on?

1761
00:53:31,942 --> 00:53:32,609
I don't think most the

1762
00:53:32,610 --> 00:53:34,010
people think about that.

1763
00:53:34,377 --> 00:53:36,012
By the age of 24,

1764
00:53:36,246 --> 00:53:38,113
he'd already completed his 100

1765
00:53:38,114 --> 00:53:39,549
combat missions.

1766
00:53:39,749 --> 00:53:41,183
He volunteered to stay for

1767
00:53:41,184 --> 00:53:42,452
another hundred.

1768
00:53:43,053 --> 00:53:44,753
His request was approved.

1769
00:53:44,754 --> 00:53:46,422
When I went to Korat.

1770
00:53:46,423 --> 00:53:47,723
Karl was in the same squadron

1771
00:53:47,724 --> 00:53:48,591
that I was in the

1772
00:53:48,592 --> 00:53:50,760
421st Tactical Fighter Squadron

1773
00:53:51,027 --> 00:53:53,862
and so I got to fly with him for

1774
00:53:53,863 --> 00:53:55,464
about six months while we were

1775
00:53:55,465 --> 00:53:57,533
there, and of course he went on

1776
00:53:57,534 --> 00:53:59,969
and finished a 100, then went on

1777
00:53:59,970 --> 00:54:02,471
to try, try to do another 100.

1778
00:54:02,472 --> 00:54:04,807
I mean he was fearless, totally

1779
00:54:04,808 --> 00:54:07,643
fearless, and he was a

1780
00:54:07,644 --> 00:54:08,611
dedicated American.

1781
00:54:08,612 --> 00:54:10,079
I mean he really believed in

1782
00:54:10,080 --> 00:54:10,947
what he was doing.

1783
00:54:11,247 --> 00:54:12,081
He could fly the airplane

1784
00:54:12,082 --> 00:54:14,750
really well and he was just a

1785
00:54:14,751 --> 00:54:16,252
fun, good guy to be with.

1786
00:54:16,453 --> 00:54:18,053
Karl Richter had survived the

1787
00:54:18,054 --> 00:54:19,756
thuds worst year on record

1788
00:54:20,123 --> 00:54:21,223
and he dared to look death

1789
00:54:21,224 --> 00:54:22,291
in the face to do it

1790
00:54:22,292 --> 00:54:23,760
all over again.

1791
00:54:24,761 --> 00:54:26,829
On his 198th mission

1792
00:54:26,830 --> 00:54:28,465
over North Vietnam

1793
00:54:28,598 --> 00:54:31,233
while bombing a bridge,

1794
00:54:31,234 --> 00:54:32,601
Lieutenant Richter's Thud was

1795
00:54:32,602 --> 00:54:33,903
was shot down.

1796
00:54:34,904 --> 00:54:36,405
Battled damaged by

1797
00:54:36,406 --> 00:54:37,407
anti-aircraft fire.

1798
00:54:38,108 --> 00:54:39,775
He ejected over a sharp

1799
00:54:39,776 --> 00:54:40,844
karst terrain.

1800
00:54:41,077 --> 00:54:42,478
His wingman observed

1801
00:54:42,479 --> 00:54:44,113
a good chute and ordered in the

1802
00:54:44,114 --> 00:54:46,316
combat search and rescue team.

1803
00:54:46,416 --> 00:54:48,017
Near death from multiple

1804
00:54:48,018 --> 00:54:49,685
injuries sustained due

1805
00:54:49,686 --> 00:54:51,788
to the studied karst formation,

1806
00:54:52,022 --> 00:54:53,756
they recovered and extracted

1807
00:54:53,757 --> 00:54:55,625
him from North Vietnam.

1808
00:54:55,825 --> 00:54:56,960
Karl Richter,

1809
00:54:57,427 --> 00:54:59,094
the young man who proudly

1810
00:54:59,095 --> 00:55:00,797
stood and lived the essence of

1811
00:55:01,364 --> 00:55:02,766
here I am,

1812
00:55:03,099 --> 00:55:04,467
send me.

1813
00:55:05,101 --> 00:55:08,605
Died on July 28th, 1967

1814
00:55:08,838 --> 00:55:11,174
aboard the rescue helicopter.

1815
00:55:27,490 --> 00:55:28,857
An American hero and

1816
00:55:28,858 --> 00:55:30,359
World War Two Ace

1817
00:55:30,360 --> 00:55:32,162
was about to change everything.

1818
00:55:33,563 --> 00:55:35,298
Colonel Robin Olds

1819
00:55:35,732 --> 00:55:37,200
had had enough

1820
00:55:37,901 --> 00:55:40,035
and as a gesture of defiance,

1821
00:55:40,036 --> 00:55:42,304
began to flaunt a non-regulation

1822
00:55:42,305 --> 00:55:44,540
mustache to the leaders in his

1823
00:55:44,541 --> 00:55:45,975
chain of command.

1824
00:55:46,342 --> 00:55:47,577
Like him,

1825
00:55:47,977 --> 00:55:50,480
other fighter pilots
began to sport

1826
00:55:50,547 --> 00:55:52,515
the bulletproof mustaches

1827
00:55:52,882 --> 00:55:54,550
as their secret middle finger

1828
00:55:54,551 --> 00:55:56,319
to the policymakers.

1829
00:55:56,920 --> 00:55:57,987
After all,

1830
00:55:58,521 --> 00:55:59,556
men were dying

1831
00:56:00,490 --> 00:56:01,857
and the targeting orders

1832
00:56:01,858 --> 00:56:03,326
were so insane,

1833
00:56:03,860 --> 00:56:05,260
they began to question why

1834
00:56:05,261 --> 00:56:07,330
they were even there.

1835
00:56:08,665 --> 00:56:11,401
Considered the best combat con

1836
00:56:11,568 --> 00:56:12,601
in the history of

1837
00:56:12,602 --> 00:56:14,370
modern air warfare,

1838
00:56:15,105 --> 00:56:16,939
Colonel Robin Olds'

1839
00:56:16,940 --> 00:56:19,842
Operation Bolo
turned the tide on

1840
00:56:19,843 --> 00:56:21,377
the MiG threat.

1841
00:56:21,911 --> 00:56:24,447
Disguised as bomb laden Thuds

1842
00:56:24,581 --> 00:56:26,915
using F-105 strike routes,

1843
00:56:26,916 --> 00:56:29,786
flight profiles and callsigns,

1844
00:56:30,687 --> 00:56:32,955
Colonel Olds lured MiG 21s

1845
00:56:32,956 --> 00:56:34,623
right into the fangs of his

1846
00:56:34,624 --> 00:56:36,059
F-4 Wolf Pack

1847
00:56:37,227 --> 00:56:39,095
He and his men
were ready to fight

1848
00:56:39,763 --> 00:56:40,964
and fight they did.

1849
00:56:41,931 --> 00:56:43,766
Close to half of Vietnam's

1850
00:56:43,767 --> 00:56:45,935
MiG 21s were demolished.

1851
00:56:46,469 --> 00:56:48,403
North Vietnam immediately put a

1852
00:56:48,404 --> 00:56:50,206
price on Robin Olds' head

1853
00:56:50,774 --> 00:56:52,374
and grounded their Air Force

1854
00:56:52,375 --> 00:56:54,778
for months to devise new tactics

1855
00:56:56,279 --> 00:56:57,646
The commander-in-chief

1856
00:56:57,647 --> 00:56:59,281
personally asked Robin Olds

1857
00:56:59,282 --> 00:57:01,317
what should be
done about Vietnam.

1858
00:57:01,818 --> 00:57:03,086
He didn't sugar coat it.

1859
00:57:03,553 --> 00:57:04,553
Good Lord... you got the best

1860
00:57:04,554 --> 00:57:06,422
armed services
you've ever fielded.

1861
00:57:06,923 --> 00:57:08,124
Why don't you use them?

1862
00:57:08,224 --> 00:57:09,959
One way to stop the darn thing.

1863
00:57:09,960 --> 00:57:11,294
It's very simple

1864
00:57:12,162 --> 00:57:14,097
from my own humble
point of view,

1865
00:57:14,731 --> 00:57:15,765
win it.

1866
00:57:17,133 --> 00:57:18,067
That's easy.

1867
00:57:18,234 --> 00:57:20,103
What we're doing is the hard way

1868
00:57:20,603 --> 00:57:21,436
and the worst way of all

1869
00:57:21,437 --> 00:57:22,138
is to get out

1870
00:57:22,139 --> 00:57:23,673
once you got your foot in it.

1871
00:57:25,008 --> 00:57:26,976
LBJ was startled.

1872
00:57:27,343 --> 00:57:29,011
The American fighting spirited

1873
00:57:29,012 --> 00:57:31,747
had bypassed Washington shackles

1874
00:57:31,748 --> 00:57:33,583
in dealing with the air menace,

1875
00:57:34,317 --> 00:57:36,619
and now it was onto
the SAM threat.

1876
00:57:36,753 --> 00:57:38,287
My name is Ben Fuller.

1877
00:57:38,288 --> 00:57:40,355
I retired from the Air Force

1878
00:57:40,356 --> 00:57:43,325
in 1977 as a full colonel.

1879
00:57:43,326 --> 00:57:44,860
I had been flying the F-105 for

1880
00:57:44,861 --> 00:57:46,162
quite a while.

1881
00:57:46,296 --> 00:57:47,863
Primary mission, of course in

1882
00:57:47,864 --> 00:57:49,198
Europe was a

1883
00:57:49,199 --> 00:57:51,633
tactical nuclear delivery of an

1884
00:57:51,634 --> 00:57:52,835
atomic weapon against

1885
00:57:52,836 --> 00:57:54,536
the Soviet Bloc Nations.

1886
00:57:54,537 --> 00:57:56,538
I spent a little over, I guess

1887
00:57:56,539 --> 00:57:58,373
two and a half years of that

1888
00:57:58,374 --> 00:58:00,777
tour when all of a sudden

1889
00:58:01,811 --> 00:58:03,846
the war in North Vietnam got

1890
00:58:03,847 --> 00:58:05,647
hotter and they started pulling

1891
00:58:05,648 --> 00:58:08,016
all of the F-105s out of Europe

1892
00:58:08,017 --> 00:58:09,652
and sending them over to a

1893
00:58:10,186 --> 00:58:11,954
to bases in Thailand.

1894
00:58:11,955 --> 00:58:14,456
I, somewhere around December

1895
00:58:14,457 --> 00:58:18,360
1966, I received orders to go

1896
00:58:18,895 --> 00:58:19,695
to ah

1897
00:58:20,029 --> 00:58:21,331
Takhli Thailand

1898
00:58:21,397 --> 00:58:23,031
as a Wild Weasel pilot.

1899
00:58:23,032 --> 00:58:25,334
Nobody knew what
a Wild Weasel was.

1900
00:58:25,335 --> 00:58:27,402
We thought everybody
was the same.

1901
00:58:27,403 --> 00:58:29,572
We just were fighter pilots.

1902
00:58:30,306 --> 00:58:31,707
And so, we went up to

1903
00:58:31,708 --> 00:58:32,641
Wing Headquarters

1904
00:58:32,642 --> 00:58:35,544
to read the secret orders and

1905
00:58:35,545 --> 00:58:37,679
see what the definition of

1906
00:58:37,680 --> 00:58:38,548
Weasel was

1907
00:58:39,082 --> 00:58:41,316
and it says it that they were

1908
00:58:41,317 --> 00:58:42,818
aircraft that were equipped with

1909
00:58:42,819 --> 00:58:44,888
special electronic equipment

1910
00:58:45,722 --> 00:58:47,991
to seek out and destroy

1911
00:58:48,324 --> 00:58:50,693
surface to air missile sites

1912
00:58:51,027 --> 00:58:52,862
by trolling for them.

1913
00:58:53,096 --> 00:58:54,730
And I said, "what the hell is

1914
00:58:54,731 --> 00:58:56,366
trolling for a SAM?"

1915
00:58:57,100 --> 00:58:58,400
And they said, "That's where

1916
00:58:58,401 --> 00:58:59,568
you fly around and hope they'll

1917
00:58:59,569 --> 00:59:00,570
shoot at you

1918
00:59:01,070 --> 00:59:01,937
and that way you'll know

1919
00:59:01,938 --> 00:59:02,906
where they are.

1920
00:59:03,006 --> 00:59:04,840
I've got my PCS orders to

1921
00:59:04,841 --> 00:59:06,676
Nellis first for a

1922
00:59:07,076 --> 00:59:08,678
twelve sortie

1923
00:59:09,045 --> 00:59:10,179
training flight

1924
00:59:10,880 --> 00:59:13,248
and where we married up with our

1925
00:59:13,249 --> 00:59:14,951
electronic warfare officer

1926
00:59:15,551 --> 00:59:19,221
to fondly be called
a Bear later on

1927
00:59:19,522 --> 00:59:20,556
A trained bear.

1928
00:59:20,924 --> 00:59:22,357
I'm Stan Goldstein. At the time

1929
00:59:22,358 --> 00:59:24,459
I became a Wild Weasel I was a

1930
00:59:24,460 --> 00:59:26,862
major and I got to fly in the

1931
00:59:26,863 --> 00:59:28,530
105 and become a Wild Weasel.

1932
00:59:28,531 --> 00:59:29,364
The best thing that ever

1933
00:59:29,365 --> 00:59:30,866
happened to me.

1934
00:59:30,867 --> 00:59:32,868
The key to flying Wild Weasel

1935
00:59:32,869 --> 00:59:34,036
missions is to have

1936
00:59:34,037 --> 00:59:36,039
good crew coordination.

1937
00:59:36,406 --> 00:59:37,940
And of course the question is

1938
00:59:37,941 --> 00:59:39,408
how do you figure out who you're

1939
00:59:39,409 --> 00:59:40,810
gonna crew up with?

1940
00:59:40,944 --> 00:59:42,811
Well, the marriage dance

1941
00:59:42,812 --> 00:59:44,579
is quite interesting.

1942
00:59:44,580 --> 00:59:46,315
They finally figured out to

1943
00:59:46,316 --> 00:59:46,983
leave it up to

1944
00:59:46,984 --> 00:59:48,484
the crews themselves.

1945
00:59:48,618 --> 00:59:50,553
So there were some I think eight

1946
00:59:50,620 --> 00:59:52,821
eight pilots and eight EWOs,

1947
00:59:52,822 --> 00:59:54,289
backseaters, GIBs, Bears,

1948
00:59:54,290 --> 00:59:55,758
whatever you want to call us.

1949
00:59:56,059 --> 00:59:57,559
And we all meet up in Vegas

1950
00:59:57,560 --> 01:00:00,395
and of course there

1951
01:00:00,396 --> 01:00:01,663
several hours at the bar

1952
01:00:01,664 --> 01:00:03,165
where the big determination

1953
01:00:03,166 --> 01:00:03,966
is made.

1954
01:00:04,000 --> 01:00:05,600
That was quite an experience

1955
01:00:05,601 --> 01:00:07,269
because most of the Bears

1956
01:00:07,270 --> 01:00:08,104
had come from

1957
01:00:08,938 --> 01:00:10,472
SAC Strategic Air Command

1958
01:00:10,473 --> 01:00:12,174
where they flew in the middle of

1959
01:00:12,175 --> 01:00:13,343
a bomber somewhere

1960
01:00:13,843 --> 01:00:15,277
and were lucky if they had

1961
01:00:15,278 --> 01:00:16,678
a small window to look out of

1962
01:00:16,679 --> 01:00:18,647
So when we got our bears in

1963
01:00:18,648 --> 01:00:19,815
there for the first mission

1964
01:00:19,816 --> 01:00:21,416
or two, it was mostly getting

1965
01:00:21,417 --> 01:00:23,485
them used to what it was like

1966
01:00:23,486 --> 01:00:25,420
flying upside down and doing

1967
01:00:25,421 --> 01:00:27,322
rolls and everything with a

1968
01:00:27,323 --> 01:00:28,424
total plexiglass

1969
01:00:29,192 --> 01:00:30,693
window to look out of

1970
01:00:31,160 --> 01:00:32,528
and... to...

1971
01:00:32,996 --> 01:00:34,029
to concentrate on

1972
01:00:34,030 --> 01:00:35,163
what they were supposed to be

1973
01:00:35,164 --> 01:00:36,531
concentrating on and that was

1974
01:00:36,532 --> 01:00:37,466
the black boxes that

1975
01:00:37,467 --> 01:00:38,668
were in the back seat.

1976
01:00:38,835 --> 01:00:40,602
As my first time wearing a

1977
01:00:40,603 --> 01:00:43,672
G-suit, I had flown in B-57s

1978
01:00:43,673 --> 01:00:45,173
before so I had some

1979
01:00:45,174 --> 01:00:46,942
experience. I also had jet time

1980
01:00:46,943 --> 01:00:49,611
in the front and back of B-66s

1981
01:00:49,612 --> 01:00:51,214
which I'm glad I avoided

1982
01:00:51,981 --> 01:00:53,349
by getting into the Thuds.

1983
01:00:53,850 --> 01:00:55,517
We go through Weasel school.

1984
01:00:55,518 --> 01:00:56,986
We learn how to

1985
01:00:57,820 --> 01:00:58,721
drop bombs.

1986
01:00:59,522 --> 01:01:00,856
We learn how to maneuver,

1987
01:01:00,857 --> 01:01:02,725
how to recognize the signals.

1988
01:01:03,059 --> 01:01:04,960
The Wild Weasel aircraft

1989
01:01:04,961 --> 01:01:05,761
were developed

1990
01:01:06,629 --> 01:01:08,497
because of a high threat from

1991
01:01:08,498 --> 01:01:09,898
surface to air missiles.

1992
01:01:09,899 --> 01:01:12,334
That were plaguing the 105s

1993
01:01:12,335 --> 01:01:14,302
and other aircraft over

1994
01:01:14,303 --> 01:01:15,538
North Vietnam.

1995
01:01:15,738 --> 01:01:17,572
I used to try to describe this

1996
01:01:17,573 --> 01:01:18,908
pretty much as

1997
01:01:19,242 --> 01:01:20,343
how this all worked

1998
01:01:20,843 --> 01:01:22,345
like the people who carry

1999
01:01:23,046 --> 01:01:24,212
fuzz busters in their

2000
01:01:24,213 --> 01:01:26,481
automobiles to detect where the

2001
01:01:26,482 --> 01:01:28,985
highway patrol is up ahead

2002
01:01:30,053 --> 01:01:31,020
trying to determine your

2003
01:01:31,320 --> 01:01:32,588
air speed or

2004
01:01:32,889 --> 01:01:34,190
your speed of your car.

2005
01:01:34,490 --> 01:01:36,993
And it emits a signal

2006
01:01:37,260 --> 01:01:38,995
and then the fuzz
buster in the car

2007
01:01:38,996 --> 01:01:40,263
picked up the signal

2008
01:01:40,496 --> 01:01:41,696
and that way you knew

2009
01:01:41,697 --> 01:01:42,899
that you had a threat.

2010
01:01:43,166 --> 01:01:45,201
It was the same idea with the

2011
01:01:45,368 --> 01:01:46,235
Wild Weasels.

2012
01:01:47,537 --> 01:01:48,704
We picked up a various

2013
01:01:49,172 --> 01:01:50,072
number of threats which

2014
01:01:50,073 --> 01:01:51,606
a Bear can explain

2015
01:01:51,607 --> 01:01:52,775
to you much better,

2016
01:01:53,209 --> 01:01:55,010
but mainly the threat

2017
01:01:55,011 --> 01:01:57,513
we were looking for was the SA-2

2018
01:01:57,713 --> 01:01:58,747
Surface to Air Missile.

2019
01:01:58,748 --> 01:02:00,116
Got this patch here,

2020
01:02:00,249 --> 01:02:01,550
Wild Weasel patch.

2021
01:02:01,551 --> 01:02:03,519
It says, YGBSM.

2022
01:02:04,053 --> 01:02:05,754
Jack Donovan who is one

2023
01:02:05,755 --> 01:02:06,721
of the Weasels on

2024
01:02:06,722 --> 01:02:08,790
Wild Weasel 1 - the F100s.

2025
01:02:08,791 --> 01:02:10,292
And he and Gary Willard

2026
01:02:10,293 --> 01:02:11,694
as some of you may know,

2027
01:02:12,528 --> 01:02:15,631
great Thud pilot,
great Hun pilot.

2028
01:02:15,798 --> 01:02:17,232
Anyway, they go to a

2029
01:02:17,233 --> 01:02:19,602
secret place out in Long Beach

2030
01:02:19,735 --> 01:02:20,403
and they go into the

2031
01:02:20,404 --> 01:02:21,737
North American hanger

2032
01:02:21,971 --> 01:02:23,071
and the Secretary of

2033
01:02:23,072 --> 01:02:24,039
the Air Force is sitting

2034
01:02:24,040 --> 01:02:25,708
on the side smoking a pipe

2035
01:02:25,875 --> 01:02:27,276
with his arms crossed.

2036
01:02:27,410 --> 01:02:29,045
And they explain to

2037
01:02:30,379 --> 01:02:31,980
everybody what the mission of

2038
01:02:31,981 --> 01:02:33,549
the Wild Weasels is going to be.

2039
01:02:34,417 --> 01:02:35,984
And then, Donovan tries to

2040
01:02:35,985 --> 01:02:37,053
summarize this.

2041
01:02:37,420 --> 01:02:38,587
"Let me get this straight.

2042
01:02:38,588 --> 01:02:39,955
You're gonna put me in the back

2043
01:02:39,956 --> 01:02:41,723
seat with some crazy ass fighter

2044
01:02:41,724 --> 01:02:43,058
pilot and you want me

2045
01:02:43,059 --> 01:02:44,659
to patrol and be a target for

2046
01:02:44,660 --> 01:02:46,629
SAMs? You gotta be shitting me."

2047
01:02:46,796 --> 01:02:49,665
So, YGBSM has become the motto

2048
01:02:49,732 --> 01:02:51,933
of the Wild Weasels and one

2049
01:02:51,934 --> 01:02:53,101
we try to live up to.

2050
01:02:53,102 --> 01:02:54,970
And it's on all our gear.

2051
01:02:54,971 --> 01:02:56,405
I was leading a flight.

2052
01:02:56,639 --> 01:02:57,673
It was Carbine flight.

2053
01:02:57,773 --> 01:02:59,908
I was Carbine 1. Carbine 2,

2054
01:02:59,909 --> 01:03:01,143
another Weasel pilot,

2055
01:03:01,144 --> 01:03:02,677
Joe Ritter, and his back seater,

2056
01:03:02,678 --> 01:03:04,279
McGuken, John McGuken.

2057
01:03:04,280 --> 01:03:06,681
Number three was Leo Thorsness

2058
01:03:06,682 --> 01:03:08,083
and Harry Johnson.

2059
01:03:08,084 --> 01:03:09,017
Carbine 4,

2060
01:03:09,018 --> 01:03:10,318
was Lieutenant Bob Abbott.

2061
01:03:10,319 --> 01:03:11,654
We were approximately

2062
01:03:12,288 --> 01:03:14,290
30 miles so as

2063
01:03:14,457 --> 01:03:16,091
routine for the Weasel Flight

2064
01:03:16,092 --> 01:03:16,993
to be out front

2065
01:03:17,527 --> 01:03:18,660
of the strike force

2066
01:03:18,661 --> 01:03:20,428
and there were twelve other

2067
01:03:20,429 --> 01:03:21,697
F105's behind us.

2068
01:03:22,298 --> 01:03:24,466
Off to my right, Leo Thorsness

2069
01:03:24,467 --> 01:03:26,168
in number three was just

2070
01:03:26,169 --> 01:03:27,202
almost a beam me off

2071
01:03:27,203 --> 01:03:28,671
to the right side.

2072
01:03:29,338 --> 01:03:30,806
I caught his

2073
01:03:31,374 --> 01:03:33,109
plane exploding.

2074
01:03:33,776 --> 01:03:34,777
And It was

2075
01:03:34,877 --> 01:03:37,180
almost totally engulfed in fire.

2076
01:03:37,780 --> 01:03:40,983
And my of course reaction is,

2077
01:03:41,117 --> 01:03:42,117
"Get out, get out!"

2078
01:03:42,118 --> 01:03:43,352
I'm screaming like

2079
01:03:43,653 --> 01:03:44,854
duh... you know.

2080
01:03:45,188 --> 01:03:46,388
I'm sure he knows that

2081
01:03:46,389 --> 01:03:47,690
he's got a problem.

2082
01:03:48,024 --> 01:03:49,558
And he did call,

2083
01:03:49,559 --> 01:03:50,726
"Mayday, mayday, mayday

2084
01:03:52,028 --> 01:03:53,296
This is Carbine 3"

2085
01:03:53,496 --> 01:03:55,698
And he immediately ejected.

2086
01:03:57,233 --> 01:03:59,267
We saw parachutes
from both people.

2087
01:03:59,669 --> 01:04:01,369
And Leo, bless his sole,

2088
01:04:01,370 --> 01:04:03,071
he was my mentor over there,

2089
01:04:03,072 --> 01:04:05,007
heard their beepers.

2090
01:04:06,309 --> 01:04:08,211
So right after
those transmissions,

2091
01:04:08,344 --> 01:04:10,579
I'm calling a channel change

2092
01:04:10,580 --> 01:04:12,982
and I can't raise number four.

2093
01:04:14,183 --> 01:04:14,983
And

2094
01:04:15,251 --> 01:04:17,085
we Assume and then,

2095
01:04:17,086 --> 01:04:18,887
number 2 comes back and

2096
01:04:18,888 --> 01:04:20,355
advises me that he thinks

2097
01:04:20,356 --> 01:04:22,325
that he saw number 4

2098
01:04:22,592 --> 01:04:23,526
hit also

2099
01:04:23,759 --> 01:04:25,394
just within seconds of Leo.

2100
01:04:25,528 --> 01:04:27,495
We're talking in the aircraft

2101
01:04:27,496 --> 01:04:29,565
between us, what did this?

2102
01:04:29,932 --> 01:04:30,765
Nobody had said

2103
01:04:30,766 --> 01:04:32,268
anything about MiGs.

2104
01:04:33,169 --> 01:04:34,669
We knew it could have been

2105
01:04:34,670 --> 01:04:36,171
anti-aircraft fire, but we

2106
01:04:36,172 --> 01:04:38,273
weren't over places that

2107
01:04:38,274 --> 01:04:39,875
would have a lot
of anti-aircraft,

2108
01:04:40,376 --> 01:04:41,244
so we didn't know

2109
01:04:41,444 --> 01:04:43,112
what had hit them at this time

2110
01:04:43,379 --> 01:04:44,779
So all of the sudden in

2111
01:04:44,780 --> 01:04:45,715
the middle of this,

2112
01:04:46,249 --> 01:04:48,617
Tomahawk,
who is flying top cover

2113
01:04:48,618 --> 01:04:50,686
up there and relaying messages,

2114
01:04:51,187 --> 01:04:52,288
he gets hit.

2115
01:04:52,455 --> 01:04:54,623
Tomahawk 4 is shotdown by

2116
01:04:54,624 --> 01:04:55,791
another MiG.

2117
01:04:57,093 --> 01:04:59,427
And number 3 is hit by either

2118
01:04:59,428 --> 01:05:01,963
his explosion or a

2119
01:05:01,964 --> 01:05:02,797
separate missile they

2120
01:05:02,798 --> 01:05:04,066
don't know which.

2121
01:05:04,233 --> 01:05:06,769
But, Tomahawk 3, Al Linski, he

2122
01:05:07,270 --> 01:05:09,671
managed to keep
his plane together

2123
01:05:09,939 --> 01:05:11,539
and make it back

2124
01:05:11,540 --> 01:05:13,608
to emergency landing at

2125
01:05:13,609 --> 01:05:15,778
Udorn Air Force
Base in Thailand.

2126
01:05:15,911 --> 01:05:17,747
Captain Joe Abbott was the

2127
01:05:18,281 --> 01:05:19,749
was the Tomahawk 4

2128
01:05:19,882 --> 01:05:21,384
who was also shot down.

2129
01:05:21,550 --> 01:05:23,052
And nothing is going

2130
01:05:23,419 --> 01:05:24,386
the way we want it to go

2131
01:05:24,387 --> 01:05:26,222
at this point in time.

2132
01:05:26,656 --> 01:05:27,989
We've got you know

2133
01:05:27,990 --> 01:05:30,326
another guy on the ground.

2134
01:05:30,660 --> 01:05:32,761
And a lot of MiGs in the area

2135
01:05:32,762 --> 01:05:34,095
and things are beginning to

2136
01:05:34,096 --> 01:05:35,096
look pretty grim.

2137
01:05:35,097 --> 01:05:37,400
But then the next
thing we know is

2138
01:05:37,466 --> 01:05:39,734
the lead chopper is aborting.

2139
01:05:39,735 --> 01:05:41,936
He's had hydraulic problems.

2140
01:05:41,937 --> 01:05:43,972
So chopper number 2 aborts

2141
01:05:43,973 --> 01:05:46,074
with him as is their procedure

2142
01:05:46,075 --> 01:05:48,778
according to their protocols.

2143
01:05:49,512 --> 01:05:52,013
So now, Crown says we're just

2144
01:05:52,014 --> 01:05:53,448
gonna have to call everything

2145
01:05:53,449 --> 01:05:56,452
off and come back tomorrow,

2146
01:05:57,186 --> 01:05:58,954
and so

2147
01:05:59,955 --> 01:06:01,957
we all gathered
up and went home.

2148
01:06:02,758 --> 01:06:04,292
And the last thing I remember

2149
01:06:04,293 --> 01:06:06,194
from the ground was Leo

2150
01:06:06,195 --> 01:06:08,096
on the radio survival radios

2151
01:06:08,097 --> 01:06:09,865
saying get me out of here.

2152
01:06:10,533 --> 01:06:12,033
And so all the way home

2153
01:06:12,034 --> 01:06:13,668
I had a lot of tears.

2154
01:06:13,669 --> 01:06:14,869
And I that was a four hour

2155
01:06:14,870 --> 01:06:16,604
and fifteen minute mission

2156
01:06:16,605 --> 01:06:18,474
that accomplished nothing.

2157
01:06:19,442 --> 01:06:21,042
And that was the worst

2158
01:06:21,043 --> 01:06:23,478
mission of my one hundred.

2159
01:06:23,479 --> 01:06:24,846
And I'm glad I didn't have to

2160
01:06:24,847 --> 01:06:26,882
repeat it again.

2161
01:06:40,463 --> 01:06:42,063
Thud combat operations

2162
01:06:42,064 --> 01:06:43,632
out of Thailand

2163
01:06:44,300 --> 01:06:46,301
developed an unspoken bond

2164
01:06:46,302 --> 01:06:48,904
among the officers who flew them

2165
01:06:49,071 --> 01:06:50,205
and the non-commissioned

2166
01:06:50,206 --> 01:06:52,140
officers and enlistees who

2167
01:06:52,141 --> 01:06:53,342
maintained them.

2168
01:06:53,409 --> 01:06:54,577
Their one goal?

2169
01:06:54,744 --> 01:06:56,379
Put bombs on target.

2170
01:06:56,746 --> 01:06:58,413
For each Thud pilot assigned to

2171
01:06:58,414 --> 01:07:00,915
the squadron had an F-105 with

2172
01:07:00,916 --> 01:07:02,685
his name on it during his tour.

2173
01:07:03,152 --> 01:07:04,754
It was in name only.

2174
01:07:05,154 --> 01:07:06,855
He would fly whatever Thud that

2175
01:07:06,856 --> 01:07:08,991
he was scheduled
for on that day.

2176
01:07:10,259 --> 01:07:12,194
For Thud Crew Chiefs
and their team

2177
01:07:12,195 --> 01:07:13,396
on the other hand,

2178
01:07:14,163 --> 01:07:15,330
it was a true relationship

2179
01:07:15,331 --> 01:07:17,066
between man and machine.

2180
01:07:17,733 --> 01:07:19,100
Their assigned aircraft became

2181
01:07:19,101 --> 01:07:21,569
their child that they would care

2182
01:07:21,570 --> 01:07:22,738
for and nurture.

2183
01:07:22,905 --> 01:07:23,839
In actuality,

2184
01:07:24,673 --> 01:07:26,508
Crew Chiefs only let the pilots

2185
01:07:26,509 --> 01:07:29,110
borrow "his" personal aircraft.

2186
01:07:29,111 --> 01:07:30,879
My name is Jeff Puras.

2187
01:07:30,880 --> 01:07:32,680
I arrived in Korat Thailand

2188
01:07:32,681 --> 01:07:36,117
in May 1967 and I was assigned

2189
01:07:36,118 --> 01:07:37,452
to a Wild Weasel aircraft.

2190
01:07:37,453 --> 01:07:39,053
Life on the flight line was day

2191
01:07:39,054 --> 01:07:41,022
after day of almost exactly the

2192
01:07:41,023 --> 01:07:41,823
same routine.

2193
01:07:42,591 --> 01:07:43,726
Launch, recovery,

2194
01:07:44,727 --> 01:07:45,394
count them when they

2195
01:07:45,394 --> 01:07:46,194
were coming back.

2196
01:07:46,362 --> 01:07:47,162
There's a gap.

2197
01:07:47,930 --> 01:07:48,764
The Weasels

2198
01:07:49,098 --> 01:07:50,131
The Weasels seem to be

2199
01:07:50,132 --> 01:07:51,199
stragglers because they were

2200
01:07:51,200 --> 01:07:52,301
first in, last out.

2201
01:07:52,868 --> 01:07:54,203
They would be

2202
01:07:55,204 --> 01:07:56,471
It's always nervous time.

2203
01:07:56,472 --> 01:07:57,639
You see the strike force

2204
01:07:57,640 --> 01:07:58,474
you know come back

2205
01:07:58,774 --> 01:07:59,642
there's one there's one

2206
01:07:59,642 --> 01:08:00,442
watch them land.

2207
01:08:00,543 --> 01:08:01,976
And then you wouldn't see yours

2208
01:08:01,977 --> 01:08:03,378
then oh, there it is.

2209
01:08:03,379 --> 01:08:04,313
You'd be relieved.

2210
01:08:04,613 --> 01:08:06,548
And ugh,
I went up the front ladder

2211
01:08:06,549 --> 01:08:07,615
and who's ever helping me

2212
01:08:07,616 --> 01:08:08,617
do the back seater.

2213
01:08:08,918 --> 01:08:09,718
And...

2214
01:08:10,319 --> 01:08:11,319
his hands were shaking so bad

2215
01:08:11,320 --> 01:08:13,322
he couldn't hook his harness up.

2216
01:08:13,756 --> 01:08:16,424
And... ugh... he... and

2217
01:08:16,425 --> 01:08:18,760
I just watched and said

2218
01:08:18,761 --> 01:08:20,296
relax sir, I'll get it for ya.

2219
01:08:20,496 --> 01:08:21,497
So I helped him with his

2220
01:08:21,730 --> 01:08:22,630
with his straps and stuff.

2221
01:08:22,631 --> 01:08:24,466
And I wondered what in the heck

2222
01:08:24,467 --> 01:08:26,602
were they tasked with that day?

2223
01:08:26,669 --> 01:08:28,937
My name is Larry Henlsey.

2224
01:08:28,938 --> 01:08:32,007
I was a Crew Chief on the F-105

2225
01:08:32,475 --> 01:08:34,242
at Takhli, Thailand

2226
01:08:34,243 --> 01:08:36,779
in the year 1967.

2227
01:08:38,981 --> 01:08:39,982
It was always

2228
01:08:40,816 --> 01:08:42,283
a sad deal to see

2229
01:08:42,284 --> 01:08:43,852
three airplanes in the sky

2230
01:08:43,853 --> 01:08:45,420
coming back as opposed to the

2231
01:08:45,421 --> 01:08:47,323
four that took off and

2232
01:08:47,656 --> 01:08:49,358
one of those days,

2233
01:08:49,859 --> 01:08:52,495
my plane that I had launched

2234
01:08:53,295 --> 01:08:54,630
didn't return.

2235
01:08:54,930 --> 01:08:56,264
And they didn't tell us

2236
01:08:56,265 --> 01:08:57,832
much about what happened

2237
01:08:57,833 --> 01:08:59,968
other than they just came and

2238
01:08:59,969 --> 01:09:01,636
got the forms binder

2239
01:09:01,637 --> 01:09:02,470
for the airplane

2240
01:09:02,471 --> 01:09:03,838
that the plane was lost

2241
01:09:03,839 --> 01:09:06,774
and the pilot didn't survive.

2242
01:09:06,775 --> 01:09:08,711
He was lost as well.

2243
01:09:09,445 --> 01:09:11,513
And I think they recovered his

2244
01:09:11,514 --> 01:09:13,381
remains sometime in the '80s

2245
01:09:13,382 --> 01:09:14,482
and finally got to

2246
01:09:14,483 --> 01:09:16,551
return them back to his family.

2247
01:09:16,552 --> 01:09:17,785
I couldn't have made any

2248
01:09:17,786 --> 01:09:18,987
difference other than making

2249
01:09:18,988 --> 01:09:20,221
sure the best airplane in the

2250
01:09:20,222 --> 01:09:21,490
world leaves.

2251
01:09:21,857 --> 01:09:23,225
Make sure it's perfect.

2252
01:09:23,325 --> 01:09:24,226
But, it was,

2253
01:09:24,627 --> 01:09:25,294
I was sick for three,

2254
01:09:25,295 --> 01:09:26,562
I was just sick

2255
01:09:26,829 --> 01:09:28,230
sick when it happened.

2256
01:09:28,564 --> 01:09:29,899
It's just more than,

2257
01:09:30,299 --> 01:09:31,367
it's almost more
than you can bear.

2258
01:09:31,534 --> 01:09:32,301
Some of the Crew Chiefs

2259
01:09:32,302 --> 01:09:33,142
had horrible problems

2260
01:09:33,669 --> 01:09:35,169
after a shoot down of their

2261
01:09:35,170 --> 01:09:36,872
plane and it happened a lot.

2262
01:09:37,039 --> 01:09:38,507
Something that

2263
01:09:40,309 --> 01:09:41,743
you... just... it's

2264
01:09:41,744 --> 01:09:43,845
a hard thing to deal with

2265
01:09:43,846 --> 01:09:45,747
when you lose the

2266
01:09:45,748 --> 01:09:47,348
plane, but you lose the man that

2267
01:09:47,349 --> 01:09:48,584
you had just strapped

2268
01:09:48,684 --> 01:09:50,519
in that airplane.

2269
01:09:50,653 --> 01:09:51,453
And...

2270
01:09:52,221 --> 01:09:54,255
that was a proud time when

2271
01:09:54,256 --> 01:09:56,858
you taxied that airplane out and

2272
01:09:56,859 --> 01:09:59,094
gave that pilot a salute

2273
01:09:59,728 --> 01:10:01,195
And you were one of the last

2274
01:10:01,196 --> 01:10:02,597
ones that talked to him on the

2275
01:10:02,598 --> 01:10:04,532
ground because you were hooked

2276
01:10:04,533 --> 01:10:06,001
up with a headset.

2277
01:10:06,869 --> 01:10:08,336
And you tell him you'll

2278
01:10:08,337 --> 01:10:10,039
see him when he gets back and

2279
01:10:10,839 --> 01:10:13,175
he didn't return.

2280
01:10:15,077 --> 01:10:16,411
For Thud Crew Chief, he was the

2281
01:10:16,412 --> 01:10:17,745
one responsible for the air

2282
01:10:17,746 --> 01:10:19,181
worthiness

2283
01:10:19,248 --> 01:10:21,950
servicing, launch and recovery

2284
01:10:21,951 --> 01:10:23,752
of this incredible
piece of metal.

2285
01:10:24,086 --> 01:10:25,620
F-105 availability

2286
01:10:25,621 --> 01:10:27,188
in Southeast Asia was the

2287
01:10:27,189 --> 01:10:29,858
highest for the
entire Thud fleet,

2288
01:10:30,559 --> 01:10:32,428
a testament to the dedication

2289
01:10:33,228 --> 01:10:34,862
and hard work of the maintenance

2290
01:10:34,863 --> 01:10:36,198
core of Crew Chiefs,

2291
01:10:36,865 --> 01:10:37,800
Line Chiefs

2292
01:10:38,267 --> 01:10:39,534
and behind the flight line

2293
01:10:39,535 --> 01:10:40,869
maintenance shops.

2294
01:10:41,637 --> 01:10:43,438
A multitude of maintenance

2295
01:10:43,439 --> 01:10:45,307
specialists in engines,

2296
01:10:45,741 --> 01:10:46,642
hydraulics,

2297
01:10:46,909 --> 01:10:47,810
avionics

2298
01:10:48,377 --> 01:10:49,978
and electronics supported the

2299
01:10:49,979 --> 01:10:50,813
Crew Chief

2300
01:10:51,947 --> 01:10:53,247
along with the armors and

2301
01:10:53,248 --> 01:10:55,884
munitions personnel
who assembled,

2302
01:10:56,051 --> 01:10:58,621
delivered and
loaded the weapons.

2303
01:10:59,321 --> 01:11:00,254
It was an all out

2304
01:11:00,255 --> 01:11:02,123
team effort to get that Thud to

2305
01:11:02,124 --> 01:11:04,126
complete it's assigned mission.

2306
01:11:04,259 --> 01:11:05,628
Outside of maintenance,

2307
01:11:05,928 --> 01:11:07,296
there were other organizations

2308
01:11:07,963 --> 01:11:10,165
supplies, transportation,

2309
01:11:10,499 --> 01:11:11,567
security.

2310
01:11:11,600 --> 01:11:13,267
Took a lot get the pointy end

2311
01:11:13,268 --> 01:11:14,670
of the spear to the target.

2312
01:11:14,970 --> 01:11:16,338
As losses mounted,

2313
01:11:16,672 --> 01:11:18,306
a painful personal bond

2314
01:11:18,307 --> 01:11:19,507
between maintainers

2315
01:11:19,508 --> 01:11:21,176
and pilots developed.

2316
01:11:21,243 --> 01:11:22,610
Crew Chiefs had to live with the

2317
01:11:22,611 --> 01:11:24,013
fact that their face

2318
01:11:24,513 --> 01:11:26,014
only inches away from the

2319
01:11:26,015 --> 01:11:28,417
pilot's during the
strap-in process

2320
01:11:28,917 --> 01:11:30,786
had the potential to be the last

2321
01:11:31,020 --> 01:11:32,587
close human experience

2322
01:11:32,588 --> 01:11:33,489
for that pilot.

2323
01:11:33,756 --> 01:11:35,591
Their emphatic thumbs up

2324
01:11:35,791 --> 01:11:37,626
signaled to the Thud pilots

2325
01:11:37,960 --> 01:11:39,495
that everything was okay

2326
01:11:39,662 --> 01:11:41,263
and his Thud was ready to fight.

2327
01:11:41,497 --> 01:11:42,830
Gathering at the edge of

2328
01:11:42,831 --> 01:11:44,500
the ramp facing the runway,

2329
01:11:44,800 --> 01:11:46,301
the maintainers would watch

2330
01:11:46,302 --> 01:11:47,836
their aircraft take off

2331
01:11:48,037 --> 01:11:49,672
nudging the man next to him

2332
01:11:49,972 --> 01:11:51,640
when he'd spot it
take to the air

2333
01:11:52,007 --> 01:11:53,474
They would prepare their spots

2334
01:11:53,475 --> 01:11:54,610
for recovery

2335
01:11:54,943 --> 01:11:56,477
optimistically expecting their

2336
01:11:56,478 --> 01:11:58,347
aircraft to return.

2337
01:11:58,881 --> 01:12:01,950
Sadly, some would not.

2338
01:12:03,652 --> 01:12:04,687
I'm Vic Vizcarra

2339
01:12:05,054 --> 01:12:06,522
and I flew the Thud

2340
01:12:06,689 --> 01:12:08,891
and did three combat tours

2341
01:12:09,124 --> 01:12:10,392
to Southeast Asia.

2342
01:12:10,492 --> 01:12:12,861
On six November, 1966,

2343
01:12:13,228 --> 01:12:14,897
I was flying in a two ship

2344
01:12:15,497 --> 01:12:16,865
Iron Hand mission.

2345
01:12:17,366 --> 01:12:18,232
We were searching for

2346
01:12:18,233 --> 01:12:19,668
three new suspected

2347
01:12:20,002 --> 01:12:22,004
SAM sites above the DMZ.

2348
01:12:22,304 --> 01:12:23,806
While searching
for these targets,

2349
01:12:23,872 --> 01:12:25,574
I started having engine problems

2350
01:12:26,141 --> 01:12:27,375
which I thought I could save the

2351
01:12:27,376 --> 01:12:29,344
aircraft and nurse it back home.

2352
01:12:30,045 --> 01:12:31,814
The further we got
into the flight,

2353
01:12:32,081 --> 01:12:33,548
the more serious my situation

2354
01:12:33,549 --> 01:12:35,683
got where I was no longer able

2355
01:12:35,684 --> 01:12:38,320
to maintain air
speed or altitude.

2356
01:12:38,654 --> 01:12:40,923
And I informed Clipper 1

2357
01:12:41,256 --> 01:12:42,524
that I was having to eject.

2358
01:12:43,225 --> 01:12:44,926
Okay... Clipper 2's got his

2359
01:12:44,927 --> 01:12:45,927
lanyard hooked up, I must get

2360
01:12:45,928 --> 01:12:46,528
out of this thing

2361
01:12:46,529 --> 01:12:47,595
I've got no airspeed

2362
01:12:47,596 --> 01:12:48,696
left at all hardly

2363
01:12:48,697 --> 01:12:49,497
Roger Clipper 2...

2364
01:12:50,232 --> 01:12:52,033
The seat did a huge somersault

2365
01:12:52,034 --> 01:12:53,835
where I could see my feet above

2366
01:12:53,836 --> 01:12:55,070
the blue sky

2367
01:12:55,370 --> 01:12:56,605
and came back around.

2368
01:12:56,739 --> 01:12:58,774
The parachute ride down

2369
01:12:59,074 --> 01:13:00,742
was very serene,

2370
01:13:01,009 --> 01:13:01,809
peaceful,

2371
01:13:02,444 --> 01:13:03,078
very quiet.

2372
01:13:03,079 --> 01:13:04,946
Looked down and saw I was going

2373
01:13:04,947 --> 01:13:06,615
to land in very dense jungle

2374
01:13:07,416 --> 01:13:08,550
so I prepared for that.

2375
01:13:09,051 --> 01:13:10,119
Once on the ground,

2376
01:13:10,219 --> 01:13:11,586
I established contact with

2377
01:13:11,587 --> 01:13:12,588
Clipper lead

2378
01:13:13,055 --> 01:13:14,556
who informed me that

2379
01:13:15,290 --> 01:13:16,290
search and rescue assets

2380
01:13:16,291 --> 01:13:17,259
were on their way.

2381
01:13:17,359 --> 01:13:18,761
And he instructed me to

2382
01:13:19,294 --> 01:13:20,128
go off the air

2383
01:13:20,129 --> 01:13:21,263
and save the battery.

2384
01:13:21,363 --> 01:13:22,798
May Day, May Day, May Day

2385
01:13:22,799 --> 01:13:23,632
Crown, do you read?

2386
01:13:23,866 --> 01:13:25,467
I'll show Vic this tape here

2387
01:13:28,237 --> 01:13:29,371
when we get back

2388
01:13:30,873 --> 01:13:32,775
My name is Bob Cooper.

2389
01:13:33,041 --> 01:13:34,075
Late in the afternoon,

2390
01:13:34,076 --> 01:13:35,477
we were launched

2391
01:13:35,778 --> 01:13:37,412
on my birthday

2392
01:13:37,746 --> 01:13:39,413
We heard from Red Crown

2393
01:13:39,414 --> 01:13:42,251
that a 105 pilot had

2394
01:13:42,618 --> 01:13:43,819
punched out

2395
01:13:44,553 --> 01:13:46,822
due to compressor
failure I think.

2396
01:13:46,823 --> 01:13:48,891
That's all we knew.

2397
01:13:49,424 --> 01:13:51,159
My boss on Halsey,

2398
01:13:51,160 --> 01:13:52,895
Captain Le Bourgeois said,

2399
01:13:53,295 --> 01:13:55,230
"hold in that position",

2400
01:13:56,064 --> 01:13:58,133
because I was just off coast.

2401
01:13:58,767 --> 01:14:00,936
Red Crown then said that no,

2402
01:14:02,437 --> 01:14:03,437
the Air Force couldn't get

2403
01:14:03,438 --> 01:14:05,641
there before sundown.

2404
01:14:06,642 --> 01:14:08,811
Send that poor little H-2

2405
01:14:10,145 --> 01:14:10,945
in after him,

2406
01:14:11,313 --> 01:14:12,981
so, in we went.

2407
01:14:13,315 --> 01:14:14,949
I went to look for a place

2408
01:14:14,950 --> 01:14:16,451
to hide meanwhile

2409
01:14:16,752 --> 01:14:17,985
and found a cave in which

2410
01:14:17,986 --> 01:14:18,986
I entered.

2411
01:14:18,987 --> 01:14:19,688
It was the first time

2412
01:14:19,689 --> 01:14:20,856
I thought of the family.

2413
01:14:22,124 --> 01:14:24,126
My boys were only

2414
01:14:24,626 --> 01:14:26,028
six and five at the time.

2415
01:14:26,195 --> 01:14:27,795
I was sure that if I did not get

2416
01:14:27,796 --> 01:14:29,130
rescued they'd at least still

2417
01:14:29,131 --> 01:14:30,699
be able to remember me,

2418
01:14:31,166 --> 01:14:32,099
but I was concerned.

2419
01:14:32,100 --> 01:14:34,002
I had a daughter that was

2420
01:14:34,436 --> 01:14:36,003
less than a year old and she

2421
01:14:36,004 --> 01:14:37,138
would never know me if I didn't

2422
01:14:37,139 --> 01:14:38,140
get rescued,

2423
01:14:38,640 --> 01:14:40,142
so I said a little prayer.

2424
01:14:40,475 --> 01:14:43,145
And... As I finished my prayer,

2425
01:14:43,779 --> 01:14:45,613
I heard the aircraft returning

2426
01:14:45,614 --> 01:14:46,548
into the area.

2427
01:14:46,715 --> 01:14:48,150
I went back out

2428
01:14:48,550 --> 01:14:49,551
from the cave.

2429
01:14:49,885 --> 01:14:51,019
And made contact.

2430
01:14:51,119 --> 01:14:51,987
And...

2431
01:14:52,387 --> 01:14:53,288
it was the

2432
01:14:53,622 --> 01:14:55,490
The Sandy rescue

2433
01:14:56,291 --> 01:14:57,191
that was trying to make contact

2434
01:14:57,192 --> 01:14:58,060
with me.

2435
01:14:58,794 --> 01:15:00,361
I have to give it to those guys.

2436
01:15:00,362 --> 01:15:01,963
They have big brass ones.

2437
01:15:01,964 --> 01:15:03,398
While I was in the cave,

2438
01:15:03,999 --> 01:15:05,299
the weather conditions had

2439
01:15:05,300 --> 01:15:07,068
changed abruptly from when

2440
01:15:07,069 --> 01:15:07,869
I bailed out

2441
01:15:08,170 --> 01:15:11,039
and now we had a huge overcast

2442
01:15:11,573 --> 01:15:13,242
with one sucker hole.

2443
01:15:13,742 --> 01:15:15,644
And hear, Sandy Lead,

2444
01:15:15,978 --> 01:15:17,246
tell his wingman he says,

2445
01:15:17,379 --> 01:15:19,248
"I think I can spiral down

2446
01:15:19,748 --> 01:15:20,816
through that hole and get

2447
01:15:20,916 --> 01:15:21,917
beneath the stuff."

2448
01:15:22,417 --> 01:15:23,851
And here I'm looking at

2449
01:15:23,852 --> 01:15:25,721
these karst mountains,

2450
01:15:26,021 --> 01:15:27,221
the tops of them disappearing

2451
01:15:27,222 --> 01:15:28,390
into the clouds

2452
01:15:28,690 --> 01:15:30,425
That took guts for
him to do that.

2453
01:15:30,525 --> 01:15:32,361
He flew directly over me

2454
01:15:32,661 --> 01:15:33,861
and I got all excited

2455
01:15:33,862 --> 01:15:34,996
and I informed him he

2456
01:15:34,997 --> 01:15:36,231
had just flown over me.

2457
01:15:36,598 --> 01:15:38,033
He did not acknowledge

2458
01:15:38,333 --> 01:15:40,102
or rock his wings or anything.

2459
01:15:40,335 --> 01:15:41,369
Later on, in reading the

2460
01:15:41,370 --> 01:15:43,504
transcripts from the command

2461
01:15:43,505 --> 01:15:45,340
post of this rescue,

2462
01:15:45,707 --> 01:15:47,074
I found out that he actually

2463
01:15:47,075 --> 01:15:48,010
did hear me,

2464
01:15:48,277 --> 01:15:49,110
but he was smart and

2465
01:15:49,111 --> 01:15:50,244
he's playing the game.

2466
01:15:50,245 --> 01:15:51,045
Making sure,

2467
01:15:51,213 --> 01:15:51,914
he didn't want to give my

2468
01:15:51,915 --> 01:15:53,014
location away in case

2469
01:15:53,015 --> 01:15:54,181
there were bad guys

2470
01:15:54,182 --> 01:15:55,017
around the area.

2471
01:15:55,117 --> 01:15:58,452
You could see in the distance

2472
01:15:58,453 --> 01:16:03,190
where the coastal plain started

2473
01:16:03,191 --> 01:16:04,059
to rise.

2474
01:16:04,559 --> 01:16:07,962
At about 2,000
feet, the cloud deck

2475
01:16:07,963 --> 01:16:09,898
started and it was solid.

2476
01:16:10,432 --> 01:16:12,601
So we climbed up to about

2477
01:16:13,302 --> 01:16:15,237
8,000... I think

2478
01:16:15,604 --> 01:16:16,737
We usually went in pretty

2479
01:16:16,738 --> 01:16:18,773
high anyway, keeps you out of

2480
01:16:18,774 --> 01:16:20,943
the ground fire small arms fire,

2481
01:16:21,410 --> 01:16:22,077
because they love

2482
01:16:22,078 --> 01:16:23,578
to shoot at people.

2483
01:16:24,279 --> 01:16:26,114
Anyway, we got above it.

2484
01:16:26,581 --> 01:16:28,884
We joined up with
those two Sandys.

2485
01:16:29,618 --> 01:16:31,786
One of them had managed to get

2486
01:16:31,787 --> 01:16:33,088
below the clouds

2487
01:16:33,488 --> 01:16:34,923
which was amazing.

2488
01:16:35,724 --> 01:16:37,259
And he was,

2489
01:16:37,926 --> 01:16:38,927
must have been having

2490
01:16:39,561 --> 01:16:40,361
some

2491
01:16:41,129 --> 01:16:42,563
difficulty maneuvering

2492
01:16:42,564 --> 01:16:43,597
in those valleys

2493
01:16:43,598 --> 01:16:44,799
because all the peaks were

2494
01:16:44,800 --> 01:16:46,101
shrouded in clouds.

2495
01:16:46,468 --> 01:16:47,768
He said, "there's a hole,

2496
01:16:47,769 --> 01:16:48,904
I'm coming up".

2497
01:16:49,271 --> 01:16:50,271
Sure enough, there was

2498
01:16:50,272 --> 01:16:51,072
a hole there.

2499
01:16:51,306 --> 01:16:52,506
I could see all the way to

2500
01:16:52,507 --> 01:16:54,409
the jungle canopy.

2501
01:16:54,509 --> 01:16:55,477
Couldn't see the ground.

2502
01:16:56,345 --> 01:16:57,179
He came up,

2503
01:16:57,646 --> 01:16:58,480
I went down.

2504
01:16:59,114 --> 01:17:00,514
Got under the clouds in a

2505
01:17:00,515 --> 01:17:02,451
valley running North and South

2506
01:17:03,085 --> 01:17:04,086
Nothing was in it.

2507
01:17:04,252 --> 01:17:06,754
I... was so disappointed

2508
01:17:06,755 --> 01:17:08,155
I couldn't stand it by then.

2509
01:17:08,156 --> 01:17:09,757
We searched up and down there.

2510
01:17:09,758 --> 01:17:12,094
The Sandys were talking to Vic.

2511
01:17:12,327 --> 01:17:13,595
I couldn't hear Vic.

2512
01:17:13,795 --> 01:17:15,464
I could hear them.

2513
01:17:16,798 --> 01:17:17,866
One of them said,

2514
01:17:18,100 --> 01:17:19,300
"I think I'm on top

2515
01:17:19,301 --> 01:17:20,802
of you right now."

2516
01:17:20,869 --> 01:17:23,138
I switched my radio to ADF

2517
01:17:24,539 --> 01:17:25,941
and got a lock on him.

2518
01:17:26,942 --> 01:17:29,811
I went to the East
over a low ridge

2519
01:17:30,112 --> 01:17:32,380
As soon as I crossed that

2520
01:17:32,381 --> 01:17:34,349
I saw a hazy red smoke.

2521
01:17:34,549 --> 01:17:36,151
Aha... the right valley

2522
01:17:36,885 --> 01:17:37,853
At last.

2523
01:17:39,454 --> 01:17:41,722
We went up and down that

2524
01:17:41,723 --> 01:17:42,857
side of the valley

2525
01:17:42,858 --> 01:17:43,959
for quite awhile,

2526
01:17:44,159 --> 01:17:45,994
but then we came across

2527
01:17:46,962 --> 01:17:47,963
the wreckage.

2528
01:17:49,131 --> 01:17:50,898
And shortly after that,

2529
01:17:50,899 --> 01:17:53,135
we saw the chute.

2530
01:17:54,302 --> 01:17:56,538
Then, I got talking to Vic.

2531
01:17:56,905 --> 01:17:58,040
He said he's about,

2532
01:17:58,206 --> 01:18:00,509
I don't know, 100, 200 yards

2533
01:18:01,810 --> 01:18:03,978
one way or the
other of the chute.

2534
01:18:03,979 --> 01:18:06,314
North I think.

2535
01:18:06,581 --> 01:18:09,683
So we slowed down and

2536
01:18:09,684 --> 01:18:11,553
he talked us right over the top.

2537
01:18:11,820 --> 01:18:14,389
Never did see him, ever.

2538
01:18:14,556 --> 01:18:15,723
These guys were good.

2539
01:18:15,724 --> 01:18:16,324
I couldn't believe it.

2540
01:18:16,325 --> 01:18:17,491
When they dropped

2541
01:18:17,492 --> 01:18:19,093
the tree penetrator through

2542
01:18:19,094 --> 01:18:19,928
the trees,

2543
01:18:20,328 --> 01:18:21,763
I only had to take one step

2544
01:18:21,863 --> 01:18:22,664
to reach it.

2545
01:18:22,731 --> 01:18:24,166
I folded down the blades,

2546
01:18:24,266 --> 01:18:25,167
jumped on it.

2547
01:18:25,367 --> 01:18:26,567
Now the only thing left to do

2548
01:18:26,568 --> 01:18:28,235
was to secure the

2549
01:18:28,236 --> 01:18:29,704
safety line around.

2550
01:18:29,838 --> 01:18:31,573
I couldn't hook it up.

2551
01:18:31,740 --> 01:18:34,009
Anyway,
we sent the penetrator down

2552
01:18:34,709 --> 01:18:36,745
and waited and waited

2553
01:18:37,179 --> 01:18:38,513
and waited.

2554
01:18:38,613 --> 01:18:40,614
And I was running out of fuel

2555
01:18:40,615 --> 01:18:42,717
and I said come on.

2556
01:18:45,020 --> 01:18:47,355
Finally,
I switched the loud hailer

2557
01:18:48,557 --> 01:18:50,025
and I think he heard me.

2558
01:18:50,959 --> 01:18:51,726
Said, you've got to

2559
01:18:51,727 --> 01:18:52,894
get on that seat

2560
01:18:53,395 --> 01:18:55,530
because I'm running out of gas.

2561
01:18:56,531 --> 01:18:57,531
Next thing I hear through

2562
01:18:57,532 --> 01:18:58,900
this megaphone is,

2563
01:18:59,101 --> 01:19:00,601
"Hurry up, let us know when we

2564
01:19:00,602 --> 01:19:01,402
can pull you up.

2565
01:19:01,403 --> 01:19:02,604
We're low on fuel."

2566
01:19:02,971 --> 01:19:04,205
That made me even more nervous

2567
01:19:04,206 --> 01:19:05,440
and I tried harder

2568
01:19:05,807 --> 01:19:07,209
without any success.

2569
01:19:07,542 --> 01:19:09,243
So finally out of desperation,

2570
01:19:09,244 --> 01:19:09,878
I didn't want them

2571
01:19:09,879 --> 01:19:10,979
leaving without me,

2572
01:19:11,279 --> 01:19:12,881
so I finally out of desperation

2573
01:19:13,215 --> 01:19:14,216
on the radio said,

2574
01:19:14,583 --> 01:19:16,751
I was gonna say,
okay, I'm ready.

2575
01:19:17,052 --> 01:19:19,054
As soon as they heard okay,

2576
01:19:19,287 --> 01:19:20,221
they jerked me up

2577
01:19:20,222 --> 01:19:21,222
which made me lose the

2578
01:19:21,223 --> 01:19:22,623
grip on my radio. I lost it.

2579
01:19:22,624 --> 01:19:23,592
Dropped it in there.

2580
01:19:23,758 --> 01:19:24,925
But the good news is now I at

2581
01:19:24,926 --> 01:19:26,093
least had two hands to hold on

2582
01:19:26,094 --> 01:19:27,161
to the cable.

2583
01:19:27,162 --> 01:19:28,996
Shortly after that, the crewman

2584
01:19:28,997 --> 01:19:30,831
that was running the hoist,

2585
01:19:30,832 --> 01:19:32,767
Meyer I think his name was

2586
01:19:33,969 --> 01:19:35,604
said, I think I got him.

2587
01:19:36,138 --> 01:19:37,505
And sure enough, he started

2588
01:19:37,506 --> 01:19:38,405
reeling the cable in.

2589
01:19:38,406 --> 01:19:40,441
We were really in a high hover,

2590
01:19:40,442 --> 01:19:43,512
about 180 feet. That's big time.

2591
01:19:44,346 --> 01:19:47,748
And... shortly after that,

2592
01:19:47,749 --> 01:19:48,782
he said, "We do, we do

2593
01:19:48,783 --> 01:19:49,518
we have him, we have him"

2594
01:19:49,519 --> 01:19:50,651
And I looked down and there

2595
01:19:50,652 --> 01:19:51,987
hugging that post baby.

2596
01:19:52,821 --> 01:19:53,855
And I took off.

2597
01:19:53,989 --> 01:19:55,189
I started climb up.

2598
01:19:55,190 --> 01:19:56,357
We didn't get the guy until

2599
01:19:56,358 --> 01:19:57,658
we were in the middle

2600
01:19:57,659 --> 01:19:59,427
of the clouds.

2601
01:20:00,262 --> 01:20:02,097
I had to get out of there.

2602
01:20:02,931 --> 01:20:03,832
They pulled me up

2603
01:20:04,166 --> 01:20:05,100
through the trees.

2604
01:20:06,668 --> 01:20:07,935
They had to use my shoulder

2605
01:20:07,936 --> 01:20:09,170
as a battering ram to get

2606
01:20:09,171 --> 01:20:11,039
through this one branch.

2607
01:20:11,439 --> 01:20:12,374
But finally,

2608
01:20:12,641 --> 01:20:14,009
I felt somebody grab the

2609
01:20:14,676 --> 01:20:16,043
nap of my collar and pulled

2610
01:20:16,044 --> 01:20:17,045
me into this chopper

2611
01:20:17,812 --> 01:20:19,614
as it tilted down
and it sped away

2612
01:20:22,050 --> 01:20:24,186
I checked my tacan.

2613
01:20:25,120 --> 01:20:26,288
I knew Da Nang was

2614
01:20:27,055 --> 01:20:27,822
impossible.

2615
01:20:27,823 --> 01:20:31,293
I could not get near Da Nang.

2616
01:20:31,826 --> 01:20:33,027
Nakhon Phanom was also

2617
01:20:33,028 --> 01:20:34,229
too far away.

2618
01:20:35,130 --> 01:20:36,230
And that's where I'd

2619
01:20:36,231 --> 01:20:37,998
always intended to go if we

2620
01:20:37,999 --> 01:20:39,834
managed to get out,

2621
01:20:40,302 --> 01:20:41,703
but it was too far away.

2622
01:20:42,537 --> 01:20:44,371
One of the Sandys just gave me

2623
01:20:44,372 --> 01:20:46,407
a head bearing and distance to

2624
01:20:46,408 --> 01:20:48,576
Halsey and be darn it was about

2625
01:20:48,577 --> 01:20:49,877
50 miles away.

2626
01:20:49,878 --> 01:20:50,978
I'm Curtis Venable,

2627
01:20:50,979 --> 01:20:53,714
I was a Senior Rescue Crewman

2628
01:20:53,715 --> 01:20:55,716
on Helicopter Combat Support

2629
01:20:55,717 --> 01:20:57,052
Squadron One.

2630
01:20:57,419 --> 01:20:59,587
Captain Le Bourgeois called me

2631
01:20:59,588 --> 01:21:01,156
to the bridge and he told me

2632
01:21:02,190 --> 01:21:03,992
he wanted to know what the

2633
01:21:04,426 --> 01:21:06,894
fuel load was for my helicopter.

2634
01:21:06,895 --> 01:21:07,695
And I told him.

2635
01:21:08,163 --> 01:21:09,163
And then I found out

2636
01:21:09,164 --> 01:21:10,865
where the helicopter was at.

2637
01:21:11,766 --> 01:21:13,534
I decided at that point

2638
01:21:13,535 --> 01:21:15,003
that they weren't getting back

2639
01:21:16,171 --> 01:21:18,173
So... that's what I told him.

2640
01:21:22,510 --> 01:21:24,246
And he went full blast.

2641
01:21:24,879 --> 01:21:26,748
He went full bores online

2642
01:21:27,449 --> 01:21:28,449
and we run about

2643
01:21:28,450 --> 01:21:30,085
45 minutes down stream.

2644
01:21:30,919 --> 01:21:32,921
I later was told that

2645
01:21:33,388 --> 01:21:35,257
we were doing 42 knots.

2646
01:21:35,924 --> 01:21:37,125
Captain Le Bourgeois,

2647
01:21:37,192 --> 01:21:38,693
God bless him,

2648
01:21:39,194 --> 01:21:41,796
he turned that ship South

2649
01:21:42,631 --> 01:21:43,265
flank speed

2650
01:21:43,266 --> 01:21:44,633
all the way down that coast.

2651
01:21:44,899 --> 01:21:46,900
And he was right off the coast

2652
01:21:46,901 --> 01:21:48,136
about 20 miles

2653
01:21:48,803 --> 01:21:50,472
by the time we got there... but

2654
01:21:51,740 --> 01:21:52,874
but that's where I went.

2655
01:21:53,475 --> 01:21:54,608
I wasn't sure I was gonna

2656
01:21:54,609 --> 01:21:55,777
get there,

2657
01:21:56,077 --> 01:21:56,977
but I knew if I could

2658
01:21:56,978 --> 01:21:58,446
get to the water,

2659
01:21:58,780 --> 01:22:01,749
we'd had a good chance of

2660
01:22:01,750 --> 01:22:02,817
getting picked up.

2661
01:22:03,251 --> 01:22:04,718
I couldn't go down in

2662
01:22:04,719 --> 01:22:06,887
North Vietnam.

2663
01:22:06,888 --> 01:22:09,156
That never crossed my mind

2664
01:22:09,157 --> 01:22:10,625
Or Laos for that matter

2665
01:22:10,959 --> 01:22:12,827
that wasn't a whole lot better

2666
01:22:13,261 --> 01:22:15,330
That's why I like,
go to the water.

2667
01:22:15,497 --> 01:22:16,231
You know... Navy.

2668
01:22:16,298 --> 01:22:17,398
What else can you do?

2669
01:22:17,399 --> 01:22:18,833
Got to head for the water and

2670
01:22:20,068 --> 01:22:21,436
that's what we did.

2671
01:22:21,770 --> 01:22:23,170
In the chopper it was so noisy

2672
01:22:23,171 --> 01:22:24,338
we could not talk to each other.

2673
01:22:24,339 --> 01:22:26,640
But this young looking gunner

2674
01:22:26,641 --> 01:22:28,309
kept on looking over at me

2675
01:22:28,310 --> 01:22:29,476
and kept on giving me

2676
01:22:29,477 --> 01:22:31,145
the old thumbs up sign.

2677
01:22:31,146 --> 01:22:32,580
I acknowledged back

2678
01:22:33,014 --> 01:22:34,281
so I was feeling really good

2679
01:22:34,282 --> 01:22:35,617
that everything's fine.

2680
01:22:35,950 --> 01:22:37,152
Pretty soon,

2681
01:22:37,652 --> 01:22:39,120
he hands me a

2682
01:22:39,421 --> 01:22:40,422
Mae West

2683
01:22:40,955 --> 01:22:42,189
to put on. I think I'm heading

2684
01:22:42,190 --> 01:22:43,957
West towards Nakhon Phanom

2685
01:22:43,958 --> 01:22:45,126
where the rescue

2686
01:22:45,860 --> 01:22:47,996
Air Force rescue
units came from.

2687
01:22:48,263 --> 01:22:50,030
So I need a life vest

2688
01:22:50,031 --> 01:22:52,000
just to cross the Mekong River?

2689
01:22:52,500 --> 01:22:53,834
But then, he opens up the

2690
01:22:53,835 --> 01:22:55,937
door and starts
dumping things out.

2691
01:22:56,104 --> 01:22:58,006
The machine gun,
all the ammo cans.

2692
01:22:58,340 --> 01:22:59,373
I'm thinking to myself

2693
01:22:59,374 --> 01:23:00,841
what the heck's going on?

2694
01:23:00,842 --> 01:23:01,875
And then I remember their

2695
01:23:01,876 --> 01:23:03,044
dramatic call,

2696
01:23:03,345 --> 01:23:04,712
hurry up let us know

2697
01:23:04,713 --> 01:23:06,280
when we can pull you up,

2698
01:23:06,281 --> 01:23:07,782
we're low on on fuel.

2699
01:23:08,216 --> 01:23:09,784
Started a slow,

2700
01:23:10,018 --> 01:23:11,886
a low powered descent

2701
01:23:12,487 --> 01:23:15,490
just to keep some
fuel in the tank.

2702
01:23:16,358 --> 01:23:18,560
And we managed to
get to the water.

2703
01:23:18,693 --> 01:23:20,194
A friend of mine was flying an

2704
01:23:20,195 --> 01:23:21,696
H-3 off the coast

2705
01:23:21,896 --> 01:23:23,030
Apparently someone had

2706
01:23:23,031 --> 01:23:23,831
stationed him there

2707
01:23:23,832 --> 01:23:24,665
and I don't know which

2708
01:23:24,666 --> 01:23:26,568
carrier he was from,

2709
01:23:27,502 --> 01:23:28,803
but...

2710
01:23:30,038 --> 01:23:31,338
I knew we were home free at that

2711
01:23:31,339 --> 01:23:32,506
point even if I had to

2712
01:23:32,507 --> 01:23:34,075
go in the water.

2713
01:23:35,043 --> 01:23:36,711
But the thing kept flying.

2714
01:23:37,178 --> 01:23:37,912
Not a hiccup.

2715
01:23:37,913 --> 01:23:39,247
I couldn't believe.

2716
01:23:39,848 --> 01:23:41,014
The H-2 has a two

2717
01:23:41,015 --> 01:23:43,318
hour endurance capacity.

2718
01:23:43,585 --> 01:23:44,885
I was two and half hours

2719
01:23:44,886 --> 01:23:46,755
at that point.

2720
01:23:46,888 --> 01:23:48,856
I said, keep going as

2721
01:23:48,857 --> 01:23:50,257
long as it will fly.

2722
01:23:50,258 --> 01:23:51,825
And sure enough

2723
01:23:51,826 --> 01:23:54,428
by golly, I got to Halsey,

2724
01:23:54,429 --> 01:23:56,231
put it down and

2725
01:23:56,531 --> 01:23:57,998
the picture was taken.

2726
01:23:57,999 --> 01:24:03,104
Laughing Surprise... surprise.

2727
01:24:03,671 --> 01:24:05,839
When the helicopter landed

2728
01:24:05,840 --> 01:24:07,408
aboard, I did the refueling

2729
01:24:07,409 --> 01:24:10,010
myself and we had about

2730
01:24:10,011 --> 01:24:11,512
five gallons of usable fuel

2731
01:24:11,513 --> 01:24:13,046
on board. We almost lost it.

2732
01:24:13,047 --> 01:24:15,783
And there's an iconic photograph

2733
01:24:15,784 --> 01:24:17,218
of me with big bug eyes.

2734
01:24:17,719 --> 01:24:19,354
And everybody that sees it says

2735
01:24:19,387 --> 01:24:21,222
man, you must have been scared.

2736
01:24:21,389 --> 01:24:22,257
I really wasn't.

2737
01:24:22,390 --> 01:24:23,425
I was shocked.

2738
01:24:23,758 --> 01:24:24,892
I was shocked to find out

2739
01:24:24,893 --> 01:24:25,960
I was on a ship.

2740
01:24:26,694 --> 01:24:27,761
Of course the joke in

2741
01:24:27,762 --> 01:24:28,929
the family is that this

2742
01:24:28,930 --> 01:24:30,631
was the most expensive Navy

2743
01:24:30,632 --> 01:24:32,399
rescue ever and that I had to

2744
01:24:32,400 --> 01:24:33,267
give them my first

2745
01:24:33,268 --> 01:24:34,635
and second born because

2746
01:24:34,636 --> 01:24:36,905
both sons went into Navy Air.

2747
01:24:39,307 --> 01:24:41,075
On October 31st,

2748
01:24:41,576 --> 01:24:42,877
1968,

2749
01:24:43,778 --> 01:24:45,112
one of the most controversial

2750
01:24:45,113 --> 01:24:47,214
military campaigns in

2751
01:24:47,215 --> 01:24:49,150
United States history

2752
01:24:49,384 --> 01:24:50,819
came to a halt.

2753
01:24:51,753 --> 01:24:53,555
There was no fan fare or

2754
01:24:53,755 --> 01:24:55,423
or ticker tape parades.

2755
01:24:55,890 --> 01:24:57,591
Thud pilots would go on

2756
01:24:57,592 --> 01:24:59,928
to fight an unwinnable war

2757
01:25:00,295 --> 01:25:02,095
run by politicians for

2758
01:25:02,096 --> 01:25:03,331
another five years.

2759
01:25:03,565 --> 01:25:04,965
Senior officials in the

2760
01:25:04,966 --> 01:25:06,468
Johnson Administration

2761
01:25:06,835 --> 01:25:09,169
facilitated more Thuds being

2762
01:25:09,170 --> 01:25:11,306
shot down than any enemy gunner,

2763
01:25:11,573 --> 01:25:14,142
MiG pilot or SAM site operator.

2764
01:25:15,009 --> 01:25:16,777
One of the greatest casualties

2765
01:25:16,778 --> 01:25:18,512
of the air war in Vietnam was

2766
01:25:18,513 --> 01:25:20,280
loss of trust of the

2767
01:25:20,281 --> 01:25:21,782
US government by the

2768
01:25:21,783 --> 01:25:23,651
very men defending it.

2769
01:25:24,652 --> 01:25:26,587
Thud pilots are a testament to

2770
01:25:26,588 --> 01:25:28,857
extraordinary heroism,

2771
01:25:29,457 --> 01:25:30,658
determination

2772
01:25:31,025 --> 01:25:32,860
and sacrifice of men willing to

2773
01:25:32,861 --> 01:25:34,695
serve their country at whatever

2774
01:25:34,696 --> 01:25:35,497
cost.

2775
01:25:35,797 --> 01:25:37,264
Too many of their names are

2776
01:25:37,265 --> 01:25:39,266
forever inscribed on a

2777
01:25:39,267 --> 01:25:41,869
polished black granite wall,

2778
01:25:41,870 --> 01:25:43,203
resting solemnly at the

2779
01:25:43,204 --> 01:25:45,005
nation's capital.

2780
01:25:45,006 --> 01:25:46,340
The long list of the

2781
01:25:46,341 --> 01:25:51,011
58,286 names of America's

2782
01:25:51,012 --> 01:25:53,514
best etched in the order they

2783
01:25:53,515 --> 01:25:55,016
were taken from us

2784
01:25:55,383 --> 01:25:58,018
honors them and silently serves

2785
01:25:58,019 --> 01:26:00,688
as a deafening reminder.

2786
01:26:01,155 --> 01:26:03,825
50 years after Rolling Thunder,

2787
01:26:04,158 --> 01:26:06,828
these names set in stone

2788
01:26:07,395 --> 01:26:09,364
serve as a warning.

2789
01:26:10,231 --> 01:26:12,232
A warning to the political class

2790
01:26:12,233 --> 01:26:13,333
who order America's

2791
01:26:13,334 --> 01:26:16,671
sons and daughters
in to harms way.

2792
01:26:16,871 --> 01:26:18,672
Disfunctional strategies with no

2793
01:26:18,673 --> 01:26:20,007
intention of winning

2794
01:26:20,008 --> 01:26:21,709
will not stand.

2795
01:26:22,477 --> 01:26:24,546
Never again.