Pathfinders

On 31 October 1965, the 16th TRS arrived in Southeast Asia: Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon, Republic of South Vietnam. These were the first RF-4 aircraft and crews deployed to SEA. The patch on the left was never worn by the crews of the initial wave; the use of this patch by 16th crew members subsequently assigned to TSN is not reported. The blue and yellow patch on the right was designed by McDonnell Airplane Company and was worn by 16th crews of the initial wave on flight suits/jackets, etc. This patch was worn on flying clothing and ubiquitously displayed throughout the RF-4 world and thus became the de-facto logo of the RF-4. (Some information for this caption provided by Kirk Ransom and Tracy Truitt. Credits: patches from the collections of Kirk Ransom and Tracy Truitt; used by permission.)

The next two pictures show the first RF-4C airplanes and crews posted to SEA (more airborne hijinks of the 16th crews: “BUF(F)” in Alone, Unarmed and Unafraid). The occasion is the the receipt of their first Air Medals (Kirk Ransom). The aircraft commanders: kneeling, l-r: Clyde Ream; Warren Anderson;* Charles Flanagan; George Kresse; Winston Peterson. Standing, l-r: Lieut. Col Morgan R. Beamer, squadron commander; Vassilias Tsufis; Squadron Leader Lyle Klaffer (phonetic), Royal Australian Air Force; Bob Corbell; Paul McMillen; Willie Skroch. (Photo credit: library of Conda Eckles; used by permission; indentities provided by Danny Eckles.)

The pilot system operators (PSOs; also, guys in back [GIBs]), seven of whom are focused on something other than the business at hand: kneeling, l-r: Jim Tucker;* Kirk Ransom; Bob Cates; John Shmoldas; Greg Fairhurst. Standing, l-r: Tracy Truitt; Mike Morse; Frank Black; Danny Eckles; Jimmy Wilson; Dick Davies. *Captain Warren L. Anderson and First Lieut. James A. Tucker, in aircraft 64-1045, failed to return from a mission in Route Pack I (southern North Vietnam) on the night of 25/26April66; they were the first RF-4C crew lost in Southeast Asia. (Photo credit: library of Conda Eckles; used by permission; indentities provided by Danny Eckles.)

Maintenance in the combat zone was excellent; maintenance aborts were rare (more on the major who wanted to abort and couldn’t in “Chuck” in Alone, Unarmed and Unafraid). At Udorn in 1967 and 1970, airplanes flew 24/7; the aircraft maintenance crews worked 12 hour shifts, six days per week. (Photo credit: library of Conda Eckles; used by permission.)

Night--Vietnam. An RF-4C gathers intelligence using a photo flash cartridge of at least 110 million candlepower . (See: "Flying into the Jaws of the Cat of Death" --AKA the Doom Pussy-- in Alone, Unarmed and Unafraid.) (Photo credit: library of Tracy Truitt; used by permission.)