I was stationed at Takhli, Thailand from Sept. 68 - Sept. 69

Korat was another F105 base, Nakhom Pahnom was an F4 fighter base.

U-Tapao was a B-52 and KC-135 tanker base.

Don Muang was primarily the entry/exit base into Thailand for all personnel and most supplies.

I believe Udorn and Ubon were support bases for downed pilots and other emergency rescues.

A few notes found on the Internet

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The black rectangle at the bottom of the aircraft (directly below the pilot) is the cover for our radar array.

Right above the radar array is a panel that drops down to access our doppler equipment (shown on the next pic).

While our base and Korat primarily bombed North Vietnam, there were times they were directed to South Vietnam,

especially when a Broken Arrow was called (meaning American troops were in danger of being overrun and all available

air support were directed to head their way for support).

Our doppler equipment

This guy is standing on our doppler test equipment unit that has to be towed out by a van.

The lid actually opens up to expose all the dials and meters. Once a bad unit is identified, it is pulled and taken into our shop.

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The shift board in the doppler shop basically tells everyone who is working that shift, which

aircraft has a problem and who is out on the flightline working on an aircraft.

Inside our doppler shop: Me and PT Ormes

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An F105F, which is a two seater. The second seat controls ECM equipment and has backup flying controls.

A flight of about 50-60 aircraft would take off around 6:00 in the morning and get back 10:00 or so.

Another 50-60 would take off early afternoon and get back early evening.

They would set up in pods of four, fire their afterburner and take off one at a time, maybe 30 seconds apart.

Our barracks was right across from the end of the runway. After a few weeks the "booms" didn't wake me up.

The afterburner gives an added kick to taking off or evasive actions when dodging SAM missiles or Mig jets.

This is the remains of a F105 that lost power and crashed on takeoff. The pilot died.

Refueling

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Our barracks

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My birthday cake (my nickname was Willy B)

Part of my 21st birthday party - No idea what they were cooking!

What could go wrong??? (Outside of five days in the hospital.)

Since that day I have NEVER EVER eaten Thai food!

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A "baht bug" I told you about a few weeks ago. The "baht" is the official currency of Thailand and one baht when I was there

was worth five cents. The Thai soldiers guarding out planes would catch these flying bugs and sell them for one baht.

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As an augmentee, I was given a helmet, a canteen belt and a whistle. That was it!

The heart underwear was sent to me by Debbie.

If we were called up, we had a place on base to report to and they would give us M16s.

Luckily the two or three times we were called to an alert, they cancelled sending us out.

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This is an EB-66, which I also worked on at Takhli. They had the same doppler system as the F105.

The EB-66 is an old bomber (B-66) converted to an ECM (electronic counter measures) aircraft, thus the "E" designation.

They would fly around jamming enemy radars, dropping chaff, listening and doing lots a secret stuff that was not known to us.

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U-Tapao Air Base in Thailand was home for B52s and KC135 refueling tankers

(After leaving Thailand, I spent my last year at Castle AFB in California working on B52s and KC135s)

A B52 could carry up to 104 500lb bombs!

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Spoerry's Damage

This was on the Weather Channel shortly before the tornado rolled through Arnold.

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Roof over their bedroom (2nd floor) is gone.

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Penny's craft room

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Not sure if this is their master bedroom or guest bedroom

Arnold area pictures

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The old malt shop building