8th Tactical Fighter Wing

The nickname of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing -- the “Wolfpack” -- fit Robin Olds’ aggressive style. Pictured here are revetments and F-4s of the 8th TFW at Ubon, Thailand. (U.S. Air Force photo)

General Dynamics F-111A

A 474th Tactical Fighter Wing F-111A aircrew stands in front of their aircraft before a mission. In September 1972, the 474th TFW deployed 48 F-111As to Thailand. (U.S. Air Force photo)

F-105F Thud Wild Weasels and Rolling Thunder

DAYTON, Ohio - In the First in, Last Out: Wild Weasels vs. SAMs exhibit 1) Capt. Robert Dorrough's K-2B flight suit and "boonie hat" from his service as a Wild Weasel pilot at Korat from June 1967 to January 1968. On his hat are hash marks showing each mission, with the red marks denoting missions in Route Pack 6. Although new aircrews were supposed to have low-threat orientation missions to start their tours, Dorrough's first mission was near Hanoi. 2) Maj. Arthur Oken's K-2B flight suit from his service with the 354th TFS of the 355th TFW at Takhli in 1969-1970. Oken flew as a Wild Weasel EWO in F-100Fs, F-105Fs and F-105Gs. In his three tours, he flew over one hundred Wild Weasel combat missions (including about 20 F-100F missions in Route Pack 6. 3) Knife and machete carried by Dorrough on all his missions. He bought the handmade machete while in survival school in the Philippines. 4) Patches, the F-105 Wild Weasels in the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Korat were in one squadron. It was first designated the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron and later the 44th TFS. (U.S. Air Force photo)

100 Missions Up North

DAYTON, Ohio - Capt. Richard “Dick” Rutan’s boonie hat (front left). In 1968, he flew 105 F-100F Misty FAC missions. During his tour, he was shot down, but was recovered. In 1986, Rutan, along with Jeanne Yeager, flew the Voyager aircraft on the first, non-stop, unrefueled flight around the world. Col. Larry Bogemann, an F-105 pilot in the 34th TFS, 388th TFW, kept track of his missions on this boonie hat (back left). Capt. Robert Bradshaw, an F-105 pilot in the 354th TFS, 355th TFW, decorated his hat with metal pull tabs from beverage cans (back right). During his tour from September 1966-May 1967, he flew 108 combat missions. The “6A” was for missions near Hanoi in Route Pack 6A, “NVN” was for missions in other parts of North Vietnam, and “NC” meant “non-counters” in Laos. The monkey pin was for good luck, and it related to an invincible white monkey in an ancient epic Thai tale. Lt. (later Major) Ed Rasimus, an F-105 pilot in the 421st TFS, completed his 100th mission over North Vietnam on November 3, 1966. The red hash marks were originally intended “to signify the days that were just a bit more intense than they should have been.” However, there were so many that he ended up using them to signify every tenth mission. Rasimus completed over 250 combat missions in Southeast Asia, and his second tour in F-4Es is the top row of hash marks (and Laotian missions are on the back) (front right). (U.S. Air Force photo)

Maj. Stan Goldstein

In January 1968, before completing his F-105 Wild Weasel training, Maj. Stan Goldstein was hurriedly deployed to Osan AB, South Korea, in response to the Pueblo incident (North Korea captured a U.S. ship and its crew). The incident was resolved peacefully, so he had a patch made. He later completed a 100-mission tour in Southeast Asia in the 44th TFS, 388th TFW. (U.S. Air Force photo)

General Dynamics F-111F

General Dynamics F-111F (S/N 70-2373) of the 48th TFW, RAF Lakenheath, takes off. (U.S. Air Force photo)