I just came across this site, and I enjoyed the photos and all of the comments. Buy photos from select Flickr photographers here. By the end of June 1966, after only six months in the theater, the wing had flown more than 10,000 combat sorties, achieving a 99% sortie rate, for which they received commendations. tom@starkwood.com. Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility located near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in Ubon Ratchathani Province. I arrived in Ubon on March 1, 1972 the day the north invaded the south once again. God Speed! He had been reading through my various posts about Ubon Ratchathani at around the time of the Vietnam war (you can find all these posts grouped together here) and decided to make contact. We are now told that the Americans have at last admitted to spraying the base perimeter with agent Orange. John you arrived-1/70 the same time I left. Navigator at desk. My afsc was Aircraft Electrician. I would love to get any info you can offer. My old Air Force buddies and I gathered on the banks of the Ohio River. I will let John take up the story with his own words and photo captions. I was sent TDY to train on C-130 gunship repair and had orders to work in the gun shop at Ubon. If my memory serves me right the mortar crew was trying to hit the Spectre aircraft since they were so effective over the Ho Chi Mihn trail destroying trucks. SFC (Ret) Patricia Babcock, CVSO. His memory is shot too. Thanks for your help. Visitors are welcome to listen and interact with SAM subject matter experts located throughout the Presidential Gallery in . Tower, Bunker Mortar. Does anyone remember the F4 that crashed into the bungalow at the main gate, or any of the circumstances surrounding that crash. Only person I connected with is Jim Bassegio who lives in SC. [exaggeration] . My AFSC was Life Support Systems and home base was Korat In late January or early February of 69 our squadron, the 469th, went TDY to Ubon for approximately 6 weeks while some repairs were done on our flight line and runways. I really hope some other people can find this service and get in touch with people like I did. Airmen downloading reconnaissance cameras from aircraft. I was also there when the egress guy had his accident. My email address is wittyone2@yahoo.com IM have a time with the VA too. Well my friend i was next door building the paveway bombs. The base received combat pay that month. IN ALL OF MY TRAVELLING, UBON HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE PLACE TO HANG MY HAT. Charlie , how the hell are you, long time brother, we did serve together ,lots of memories too! My name is Christina Bienvenu Dawson, Baton Rouge, LA. I remember living in the old hootches when I first arrived, and moving to the new cinderblock barracks later on. Branch of Service: Air Force. My squadron was at the end of the ramp towards the gate. So many wonderful people out there with helping hands extended ! Like you I was assigned to the CBU shop and was loaned out to everybody else as needed. We were told the Aussies were reassigned out of the country due to an accident where some Thai civilians were killed by an incident involving the Australians.I can remember some details of the encampment like an amphitheater and a few other structures constructed of bamboo.The photos I took are long gone, so my plea to any one who might have been there and have pictures of that camp,I would sure appreciate a copy to present in my claim. Privacy Policy | Links I had a great time and intend to go again next year. 35th TCS, 6315th Operations Group, Okinawa, Naha Air Base - 1966 Excitement gripped the pit of my stomach as I heard the pilot say, "Go ahead and depressurize, so the loads can put out the chute." Im from Arkansas. Just interested in knowing the details since it missed us at the gate by only 50 to 75 feet. I havent thought about this in years. http://www.vspa.com/ub-bateman-sappers-1969-1970-1972.htm. Col. Chappy James. It is located in East-Central Thailand, near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in the Ubon Ratchathani Province. Trailer with CBU's cluster bombs waiting to be loaded. Thank God , as far as I know, I dont have cancer but I have the other three. Thank you, I will look up the Facebook Group too. We sure made a lot of CBUs. The construction of U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield began in October, 1965 and was completed slightly more than two years later. (Any other Ubonians, I would like to hear from you as well) GOD Bless you Brother. Views of RF-4C Phantoms landing at Ubon Thai Air Force Base one by one, deploying drag chutes. I was a weapons mechanic in the 433TFS under Wig Commander Col. Robin Olds. (I noticed in one post that the call signs had been changed from Cobra to Red in the early 70s . I am trying to find Carl J. Santoro NY. One year later before departing Ubon the reverse happens, you get handed the rifle, check the serial number, give him back the weapon. (just learning at 68 how this thing works). Photo Details / Download Hi-Res. In 1973 until 1974 the 1982nd Radio Maintenance section maintained the electronic sensor intrusion detection system on the perimeters of both the base and the bomb dump. Hooches to the right and enlisted quarters at the end of the road. I just love auto correct or whatever! The Laos border is about 60 kilometres directly east. I need an Email address so I can attach this 30 page pdf file, Has my email not come through to you yet? On the night of the mortar attack I was Red 5 Line Delivery pulling two trailers of Sparrows & Sidewinders off the line back to the Missile Shop. Phantoms phorever. Col. Robin Olds, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing commander, is carried off the airfield after successfully completing Operation Bolo Airmen Jan. 2, 1967. As a former load crew trainer on B-52s at Minot, and having gone through F-4 training at Homestead, I was assigned to the training crew at Ubon shortly after my arrival, so Im sure I met most of you guys who were at Ubon in 1970. We had stopped at security post C31. Thai Air Force T 28, don't ever remember them doing much, buzz the flight line every now and then. Sign you see after getting off C-130 flight from Bangkok, home for the next 12 months. Great sitebrought back a lot of memories. I too belong to the Ubon Veterans site and it is an excellent site. Ubon RTAFB. I served as an Electronics Warfare Technician from 70-71. I pray that VA wont take years with skin cancer link. I would like to talk to you. FO 976, FO 555. Tags: Ubon Spectre Gunship more . Edward Bouquet. Is Ubon Ratchathani about to be discovered? Never got used to the taste of Water Buffalo beef or whatever that was they fed us at the mess hall. [15]:115, On 5 December 1969 the first AC-130 Surprise Package aircraft equipped with improved night-vision equipment and a Bofors 40 mm gun joined the 16th SOS at Ubon and began operation on 12 December. Have several documents studies and EPA reports email me if you need copies. The 2 story cinder block barracks was brand new when I got there. google_ad_width = 250; TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. License Agreement | Rice bugs were something else, we had a line supervisor who had a bungalow and girlfriend down town so during brief down time from loading he had us collecting rice bugs that were attracted to the flight line lights. Sir Edmund Hillary visited the base on 25 January 1967. I recently received an email from a Mr John Bemiss. Bomb Dump Tower, Fox-3. Location of Service: Lackland Air Force Base, Florida; Moody Air Force Base, Georgia; McConnell Air Force . Where possible, locate an old map of the base and overlay it with the current map from Google Earth showing the distances, etc., from sprayed areas to the perimeter. The entire area was overgrown with heavy thickets of vines and brush. [13]:1278, In May 1968, the wing was the first to use laser-guided bombs (LGBs) in combat and its Mig-Killers nickname was gradually replaced by Bridge-busters. I was a J4620 in the 433rd under Wing Com Col Robin Olds and Vice Com. A pair of RF-4C aircraft flying overhead to commence landing at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base during Vietnam War. Sorry but I lost most of my pictures in the divorce. During the Vietnam War, about 80% of all USAF air strikes over North Vietnam originated from air bases in Thailand. Do you have UBON AIR BASE THAILAND Reunion information you'd like to share. U-Tapao Air Base, Thailand, 1972 The National Archives return to top In Ubon I think, 69-70. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-0055504374659721"; There is a Ubon group page on face book that you need to join. I found one person from the 460th AEMS in Saigon that remembered me being there but was hoping to have some additional backup when I file a claim for AO exposure, i went tdy to the same base in 69 no record can be found emagance that, I ran across some very interesting info linking TCE (Trike or Tri) trichloroethylene with kidney cancer, liver cancer, and Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Think we were the first USAF airmen at UBON,great place, great time! vinway@kataan.net, My name is Roy Sutton . Am SO excited to be receiving all these replies! I havent had much time lately to check for new Ubon USAF related website material, and am thinking this may be one of a few more new adds to the web. Wonderful to hear from you! Regards EC-121 Aircraft parked on ground at Ubon Air Base in Thailand. They flew the F-4C and D Phantom II's on various missions from CAP to CAS. Prior to Ubon I was at a SAC base (B-52) in NY. 36; Ubon AB runway No. Hes name was Bill. 4th Fighter Wing History. I am glad he did as like everyone who has provided this blog with information about old time Ubon it makes for compelling reading and viewing. There is a site on Facebook called Ubon vets,its a closed site, you might want to check it out, hey , Ill be talking to later, glad you connected. Only reason was to join Ubon vets group and happy I did. According with Veterans media both Korat and Ubon were sprayed with agent orange. Col. Robin Olds checks munitions on his F-4C Phantom, Scat XXVII, prior to a mission. Im looking for people who served in the 1982nd Comm Sq at Ubon in 73/74. License Agreement | I was a 46250 specialist in the weapons release shop on the flight line. Banished huh? Ubon RTAFB. 79 Squadron RAAF which provided top-cover for USAF aircraft whilst in Thai airspace with its CAC Sabres. Grounded the planes for like a week. It was decided as the base at U-Tapao was being established as a KC-135 tanker base to move them out of Dong Muang to base the B-52s there where they could fly unrefuelled though tout both Vietnams. I pushed the door a little to the right and got on the floor and began writing a totally scared and maybe last letter home,to my girl friend. I have been having recurring skin cancer issues in the last year. The following photos are of the full scale attack on January 13, 1970. Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand Ubon RTAFB, Thailand | The Flight of BARON 52 On February 5, 1973, an EC-47Q electronic warfare collection aircraft tail number 43-48636, call-sign BARON 52, flying out of Ubon RTAFB, Thailand was shot down over Saravane Province, Laos, about 50 miles east of the city of Saravane. If anyone has any ideas before Oct 11, please advise to ebouquet@comcast.net Thanks to all who will reach out to me and I will do the same for you. Sorry for your lose. Udon, Ubon and Utapao are three. I dont want to overtake this wonderful blog/thread with my requests, responses & replies. The following Photos of the January 13, 1970 attack against American forces stationed at Ubon Air Base, during the Vietnam War, are graphic and gory. Thanks, If you have not already found Facebook,,Ubon Vets, I highly recommended you look for it and join,, there are over 800 members,, and a wealth of information on that site,, good luck and welcome, I would like a copy of of that. He would bring us fresh pineapples and we would grab a bunch of apples from the mess for him as Thais loved apples. Ubon RTAFB. I do, but have not found it yet. I remember the fellow loading the seat, and it blew him out and crew chief pulled the chute and covered him. Browse Military Units. Crew members of EC-121 Aircraft work and check equipment inside aircraft at Ubon Air Base in Thailand. We really loved that guy.Was there during the big Mig raid shoot down.. He was the commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Air Base, Thailand, and was credited with shooting down four enemy MiG aircraft in aerial combat over North Vietnam. bob longcake, I served at Ubon in 1973-74, and closed the 8thMMS as it had renamed. Here is my review on it. In late December 1966 the 8th TFW commander Colonel Robin Olds developed a plan to lure North Vietnamese MiGs into combat and destroy them. After crouching there for awhile I noticed I was shielding myself behind napalm that was on the aircraft. Thank you, thank you, John ! Contact Us | Air start attempts unsuccessful. WOW, i JUST RAN ACROSS THIS SITE RANDOMLY. Got there sept 70 till sept 72. The 3 of us 46250 guys on the arm/dearm team that night and the one F-4 crewchief spent the rest of the night in the bunker, in the grass, next to the arm/dearm shack, the bunker was not sand bags, but plywood boxes filled with sand. IN 2011 AND 2012 I SPENT 2 MONTHS BOTH YEARS VISITING HER FAMILY OUTSIDE OF WARIN. Not to say we havent done it just that it is easier and quicker when you are the one answering our questions. Hey Charlie ,by the way, do you remember TSGT Hughie Martin from our 2nd tour, Ive been emailing with him for about ten years, hes also on Ubon Vets FB. Im going to try to find that Facebook site someone referenced. Yeah I bet the course was a bit rough back in the 1960s! 21; Korat AB runway No. I heard they were giving 10-20%. . If anyone out there remembers me or those mentioned above please feel free to contact me. email merryb@tds.net According to my papers, was in 8OMS Section A. Buddy Letter s must include Service #, job title at Ubon Royal Air Force Base ,where your job took place and why you feel yourself and others with similar jobs on the outer perimeter could have presumptive exposure to Toxic ( tactical ) Herbices. Any help would be appreciated. Sorry to hear of his health issues too although not surprised. Japan and their photo lab arrived at Don Muang. What a great site. The F-4D had improved radar-bombing capabilities and could deploy the AGM-62 Walleye television-guided bomb, but replaced the AIM-9 Sidewinder with the infra-red AIM-4 Falcon which proved to be inferior. There were no EOD guys available, so I had to crawl underneath the F-4, and dearm the whole plane, plus remove 2 AIM-7 missles. My memory is not so good anymore but I too recall during my tour of a couple attacks during 72-73, as I recall we had a zapper killed and we had a round of mortars on base trying to take out our gunships. Major Mack talks about the strike crew's tasks. 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