Podcasts about tactical fighter squadron

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 106:13

Welcome folks to the eighty-third episode of the lessons from the cockpit show! I am your host Mark Hasara, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force and former KC-135 pilot. Captain John Markle was an F-4 Phantom II pilot in the famous 550th Tactical Fighter Squadron in the spring and summer of 1972, some of the most intense periods of the air campaign over North Vietnam. The LINEBACKER ONE campaign began on 10 May 1972, and John was flying in the famous Oyester flight, shooting down a MiG-21 Fishbed that day. John also tells us about his shoot-down and Recovery on another mission. This episode of the Lessoons from the Cockpit Show is financially supported by www.wallpilot.com, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger. You can choose from the 147 Ready-to-Print aircraft profiles of your favorite airplanes, which are printed and vinyl in four, six, and eight foot lengths you can peel off and stick on any flat surface. We have learned these graphics are also water proof! Wall Pillot also does Custom Aviation profiles. If you have a favorite airplane you want to put your name on, from a favorite unit, with a cool weapons load, then fill out the custom form and we can draw it up for you. These are highly detailed and exhaustively researched profiles of aircraft, so detailed you can read the stenciling on the weapons! This F-4D Phantom II was the jet everyone wanted to fly in the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron. It had the best engines which made this jet faster, but most importantly had the COMBAT TREE Identification Friend or Foe system in its radar. Aircrews flying this jet had a greater advantage over North Vietnamese Air Force pilots because COMBAT TREE could identify enemy aircraft 30 to 40 miles away. This F-4E Phantom II was part of the famous 388th Tactical Fighter Wing stationed at Korat Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand. This F-4E is armed for a Surface-to-Air Missile or SAM Hunter-Killer mission, carrying electronic countermeasure pods and CBU-52 cluster bombs used to destroy the SAM Site SA-2 launchers. The Republic F-105G Wild Weasell was used in the most intense mission of an air campaign, hunting SAM sites across North Vietnam, an extremely dangerous mission. The electronics in the F-105G showed where the SAM radras were operating from and the crews would fire a Shrike or Standard ARM anti-radiation missile at the site. F-4s armed with cluster bombs would then come in and destroy the launchers. This F-105G had three MiG kills during the Vietnam air campaign, one when the pilot ejected its bomb rack which the MiG chasing it ran into and destroyed it! Thanks for downloading this and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! This and previous shows can be found on my YouTube Channel at @markhasara or on the Lessoons from the Cockpit Show YouTube channel. We will be back in two weeks with another episode. I will be on the road next week for the Tanker Weapons School's 25th anniversary.

lessons killers recovery vietnam thailand print surface united states air force cockpit lieutenant colonel mig foe markle north vietnam shrike cbu phantom ii tactical fighter squadron mark hasara

Lessons with MiG Killer John Markle

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 106:13

Welcome folks to the eighty-third episode of the lessons from the cockpit show! I am your host Mark Hasara, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force and former KC-135 pilot. Captain John Markle was an F-4 Phantom II pilot in the famous 550th Tactical Fighter Squadron in the spring and summer of 1972, some of the most intense periods of the air campaign over North Vietnam. The LINEBACKER ONE campaign began on 10 May 1972, and John was flying in the famous Oyester flight, shooting down a MiG-21 Fishbed that day. John also tells us about his shoot-down and Recovery on another mission. This episode of the Lessoons from the Cockpit Show is financially supported by www.wallpilot.com, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger. You can choose from the 147 Ready-to-Print aircraft profiles of your favorite airplanes, which are printed and vinyl in four, six, and eight foot lengths you can peel off and stick on any flat surface. We have learned these graphics are also water proof! Wall Pillot also does Custom Aviation profiles. If you have a favorite airplane you want to put your name on, from a favorite unit, with a cool weapons load, then fill out the custom form and we can draw it up for you. These are highly detailed and exhaustively researched profiles of aircraft, so detailed you can read the stenciling on the weapons! This F-4D Phantom II was the jet everyone wanted to fly in the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron. It had the best engines which made this jet faster, but most importantly had the COMBAT TREE Identification Friend or Foe system in its radar. Aircrews flying this jet had a greater advantage over North Vietnamese Air Force pilots because COMBAT TREE could identify enemy aircraft 30 to 40 miles away. This F-4E Phantom II was part of the famous 388th Tactical Fighter Wing stationed at Korat Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand. This F-4E is armed for a Surface-to-Air Missile or SAM Hunter-Killer mission, carrying electronic countermeasure pods and CBU-52 cluster bombs used to destroy the SAM Site SA-2 launchers. The Republic F-105G Wild Weasell was used in the most intense mission of an air campaign, hunting SAM sites across North Vietnam, an extremely dangerous mission. The electronics in the F-105G showed where the SAM radras were operating from and the crews would fire a Shrike or Standard ARM anti-radiation missile at the site. F-4s armed with cluster bombs would then come in and destroy the launchers. This F-105G had three MiG kills during the Vietnam air campaign, one when the pilot ejected its bomb rack which the MiG chasing it ran into and destroyed it! Thanks for downloading this and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! This and previous shows can be found on my YouTube Channel at @markhasara or on the Lessoons from the Cockpit Show YouTube channel. We will be back in two weeks with another episode. I will be on the road next week for the Tanker Weapons School's 25th anniversary.

lessons killers recovery vietnam thailand print surface united states air force cockpit lieutenant colonel mig foe markle north vietnam shrike cbu phantom ii tactical fighter squadron mark hasara

Lessons with Highest Scoring MiG Ace Chuck DeBellevue

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2024 116:38

Welcome to all my listeners out there to the 81st episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast I am your host Mark Hasara and I'm a veteran of four Wars, an initial Cadre member of the kc-135 weapons school, and curriculum director at National Defense University's Joint Combined Warfighter School One of the great experiences of hosting this show and being a member of the Red River Valley Association is being in contact with these Vietnam heroes. Today we are talking to one of my childhood heroes! Air Force Colonel Chuck DeBellevue was the highest scoring Ace of the Vietnam War, destroying six MiGs while flying F-4 Phantoms in the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the famous Triple Nickel. On today's show Chuck's going to talk about not only knocking down MiGs, but flying Forward Air Control missions and going after nasty air defense sites. Wait till you hear about him getting hit by an 85 or 100 mm shell! This episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show is brought to you and financially supported by Wall Pilot, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger. These are highly detailed and exhaustively researched profiles of famous aircraft printed on vinyl in four, six, and 8 ft lengths you can peel off and stick to walls or any flat surface. The vinyl prints are even waterproof, a good friend has his unit patches on the rear window of his truck for over a year. So go to wall pilot.com, order a couple of our 144 Ready-to-Print graphics. If there's a favorite airplane you want your name on, from a particular unit, with a cool weapons load, fill out the custom request form on the website at wallpilot.com. Chuck talked about flying a famous F-4D Phantom II now on display in the quad at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. This is the famous F-4D tail number 463 Chuck flew on several of his MiG CAP missions, equipped with the Combat Tree IFF interrogation system, and some super duper engines. F-4D tail 463 had a great crew chief in Staff Sergeant Reggie Taylor, keeping 463 in top shape.. Two of Chuck's kills with then Captain Steve Ritchie in the front seat were accomplished in a 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-4E deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Here is a cool picture of Chuck and Steve just after landing from the MIGCAP mission with all of the external tanks punched off! This version of the Phantom has the 20mm Vulcan Cannon in the nose. This F-105G Wild Weasel was assigned to the 17thWild Weasel Squadron flying out of Korat Royal Thai Air Base and accompanied every package into North Vietnam, particularly going anywhere in Route Pack 6 and the Hanoi and Haiphong area. This F-105G Wild Weasel tail number 320 has the distinction of three North Vietnamese MiGs destroyed, one by Vulcan cannon, one by AIM-9 Sidewinder, and supposedly a MiG-17 when the pilot punched off the centerline multiple ejector bomb rack! This F-4E Phantom II flew with the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, carrying Surface-to-Air Missile and Suppression of Enemy Air Defense missions. F-4Es flew as the wingmen with the F-105F/G Weasels launching an anti-radiation missile at the radar, and F-4Es dropping CBU-52 cluster bombs to destroy remnants of the site. This and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit show can be listened to and downloaded from the podcast website at Lessons from the Cockpit.show. All episodes can be found there with the show notes. Episodes are also found on my YouTube channel @markhasara. Become a member of our All Ranks Club, a coin-holding member of our shAll Ranks Club,and every member who joins will get unpublished chapters from my book Tanker Pilot and the history of air refueling. There were 31 chapters unpublished I will send to everyone who joins the All Ranks Club monthly for $8, or yearly for $80. Paying members of the All Ranks Club also receive some of the cool graphics we are making, 7 inch profiles you can stick on water bottles, walls, or even your vehicle. All Ranks Club members will also have a one to two hour Zoom meeting with me to just talk aviation. Go by www.lessonsfromthecockpit.show to join. Next week we meet another Vietnam MiG destroyer Captain John Markle, who flew in formations with Chuck DeBellevue. We look forward to talking to you next week on the Lessons from the Cockpit show.

lessons zoom vietnam wars paying phantom highest print vietnam war surface aim scoring colorado springs suppression vulcans hanoi air force academy phantoms cockpit mig cadre migs national defense university north vietnam sidewinder cbu eglin air force base triple nickel mark hasara tactical fighter squadron

Lessons with Highest Scoring MiG Ace Chuck DeBellevue

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2024 116:38

Welcome to all my listeners out there to the 81st episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast I am your host Mark Hasara and I'm a veteran of four Wars, an initial Cadre member of the kc-135 weapons school, and curriculum director at National Defense University's Joint Combined Warfighter School One of the great experiences of hosting this show and being a member of the Red River Valley Association is being in contact with these Vietnam heroes. Today we are talking to one of my childhood heroes! Air Force Colonel Chuck DeBellevue was the highest scoring Ace of the Vietnam War, destroying six MiGs while flying F-4 Phantoms in the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the famous Triple Nickel. On today's show Chuck's going to talk about not only knocking down MiGs, but flying Forward Air Control missions and going after nasty air defense sites. Wait till you hear about him getting hit by an 85 or 100 mm shell! This episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show is brought to you and financially supported by Wall Pilot, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger. These are highly detailed and exhaustively researched profiles of famous aircraft printed on vinyl in four, six, and 8 ft lengths you can peel off and stick to walls or any flat surface. The vinyl prints are even waterproof, a good friend has his unit patches on the rear window of his truck for over a year. So go to wall pilot.com, order a couple of our 144 Ready-to-Print graphics. If there's a favorite airplane you want your name on, from a particular unit, with a cool weapons load, fill out the custom request form on the website at wallpilot.com. Chuck talked about flying a famous F-4D Phantom II now on display in the quad at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. This is the famous F-4D tail number 463 Chuck flew on several of his MiG CAP missions, equipped with the Combat Tree IFF interrogation system, and some super duper engines. F-4D tail 463 had a great crew chief in Staff Sergeant Reggie Taylor, keeping 463 in top shape.. Two of Chuck's kills with then Captain Steve Ritchie in the front seat were accomplished in a 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-4E deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Here is a cool picture of Chuck and Steve just after landing from the MIGCAP mission with all of the external tanks punched off! This version of the Phantom has the 20mm Vulcan Cannon in the nose. This F-105G Wild Weasel was assigned to the 17thWild Weasel Squadron flying out of Korat Royal Thai Air Base and accompanied every package into North Vietnam, particularly going anywhere in Route Pack 6 and the Hanoi and Haiphong area. This F-105G Wild Weasel tail number 320 has the distinction of three North Vietnamese MiGs destroyed, one by Vulcan cannon, one by AIM-9 Sidewinder, and supposedly a MiG-17 when the pilot punched off the centerline multiple ejector bomb rack! This F-4E Phantom II flew with the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, carrying Surface-to-Air Missile and Suppression of Enemy Air Defense missions. F-4Es flew as the wingmen with the F-105F/G Weasels launching an anti-radiation missile at the radar, and F-4Es dropping CBU-52 cluster bombs to destroy remnants of the site. This and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit show can be listened to and downloaded from the podcast website at Lessons from the Cockpit.show. All episodes can be found there with the show notes. Episodes are also found on my YouTube channel @markhasara. Become a member of our All Ranks Club, a coin-holding member of our shAll Ranks Club,and every member who joins will get unpublished chapters from my book Tanker Pilot and the history of air refueling. There were 31 chapters unpublished I will send to everyone who joins the All Ranks Club monthly for $8, or yearly for $80. Paying members of the All Ranks Club also receive some of the cool graphics we are making, 7 inch profiles you can stick on water bottles, walls, or even your vehicle. All Ranks Club members will also have a one to two hour Zoom meeting with me to just talk aviation. Go by www.lessonsfromthecockpit.show to join. Next week we meet another Vietnam MiG destroyer Captain John Markle, who flew in formations with Chuck DeBellevue. We look forward to talking to you next week on the Lessons from the Cockpit show.

lessons zoom vietnam wars paying phantom highest print vietnam war surface aim scoring colorado springs suppression vulcans hanoi air force academy phantoms cockpit mig cadre migs national defense university north vietnam sidewinder cbu eglin air force base triple nickel mark hasara tactical fighter squadron

Go Bold #68: Stories from the Cockpit: Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret) Billie Flynn reflects on the 25th Anniversary of Operation Allied Force and Canada's fighter participation

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2024 77:12

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of Operation Allied Force, the NATO aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999.Joining for this episode is retired Lieutenant-Colonel Billie Flynn, who served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for 23 years. In 1984 Flynn was selected to be a pipeliner for the RCAF's new CF-18 Hornet fighter, and ultimately rose in the ranks to become the Commanding Officer of 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron.During his time as Commanding Officer, Colonel Flynn also served as the Commander of Task Force Aviano, the unit of the Canadian Armed Forces that implemented Operation Echo in support of Operation Allied Force; it was there that he led the formation of the "Balkan Rats" and flew combat missions over Kosovo and the former Republic of Yugoslavia.The Task Force Aviano combat unit received Battle Honours from Queen Elizabeth II, the first such distinction for a Canadian fighting unit since World War II.Flynn's 40+ year flying experience includes fighter and test pilot service with the RCAF, the United States Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and NASA. After retiring from the RCAF, Flynn flew as a civilian test pilot for the Eurofighter Typhoon, and later flew as a Senior Test Pilot for the F-35.In this episode you will hear Colonel Flynn's first hand perspective about the RCAF's large fighter force (18 CF-18 jets) which conducted combat operations during Operation Allied Force. He describes the genesis of the "Balkan Rats" and how he and the RCAF fighter force executed on their taskings, and all told flew on 10% of all bombing missions. Flynn also shares his memory of being in the Combined Air Operations Center during the rescue of Vega 31, the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter (actually an attack aircraft) that was shot down on 27 Match 1999.It's a fascinating first-hand perspective on the RCAF's fighter force during Operation Allied Force. We publish this episode to commemorate and honor their service.Go Bold!

canada stories canadian nasa world war ii force navy match republic operation nato fighters queen elizabeth ii commander marine corps vega participation reflects kosovo united states air force allied cf yugoslavia 25th anniversary cockpit hornet canadian armed forces commanding officer nighthawk federal republic rcaf go bold kosovo war eurofighter typhoon lieutenant colonel ret tactical fighter squadron

Flying the A-4 and A-7 with Navy Captain Bo Smith

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2024 71:15

Welcome to the seventy-seventh episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show with your host retired Lt Col Mark Hasara, KC-135 pilot and Air Force Weapons School graduate. I was turned on to a great memoier website by my good friend Scott Brown. Navy Captain Bo Smith is responsible for helping create the Navy's IRON HAND Surface to Air Missile or SAM supression procedures during the Vietnam War. His unit went from flying the A-4 Skyhawk with iron gunsights to the fabulous smart airplane the LTV A-7 Corsair II. In this first of a two part series, Bo tells us what it's like flying the A-4 and A-7 on DIXIE Station to flying the F-105 Wild Weasel at McConnell during an exchange tour with the US Air Force. This episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show is financially sponsored by Wall Pilot, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger. Wall Pilot sells four, six, and eight foot long profiles of famous aircraft printed on vinyl you can peel off and stick on any flat surface. Bo's first assignment flying attack aircraft was in the Douglas A-4C Skyhawk, known as Heinemenn's Hotrod after Ed Heinemann the famous Douglas engineer, because you literally wore the small attack jet. Bo flew with VA-15 Golden Valions and this is his plane during the first Vietnam Cruise of 1966. During the LINEACKER campaign over Vietnam, Bo flew with the VA-82 Mauraders. This VA-82 Mauraders A-7C is loaded for an Iron Hand mission he spoke of during the show carrying Mk20 Rockeye cluster bombs and AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missiles. Here is another Iron Hand A-4F Skyahwk assigned to VA-55 Warhorses. The Mauraders were chosen for the famous Than Hoa Railway Bridge strike carrying AGM- Walleye tv guided bombs. The second Walleye launched by Lt Scott Baldwin dropped one span into the river taking the bridge out of action. During an exchange tour with the Air Force, Bo flew the Republic F-105F and F-105G Wild Weasel Thunderchief. This F-105G from the 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron flew missions over Vietnam and is credited with three North Vietnamese MiG kills, one by dropping a bomb rack off the jet which hit the MiG chasing it The last comat cruise for LTV A-7E Corsair IIs was during Desert Storm. VA-46 Clansmen and VA-72 Blue Hawks were part of the USS John F Kennedy airwing. This VA-72 A-7E was the Squadron Skipper Commander JR "Shooter" Saunders jet armed for a Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses or SEAD mission into Iraq. Please go by Bo Smith's fantastic website, an electronic journal of his exploits flying missions in the A-4 Skyhawk and A-7 Corsair II over Vietnam. He even has some of the charts of his targets showing the triple A gun sites and SAM sites on the maps! This is probably one of the best Vietnam War websites you will come across at Bo Smith. He does update the wesite when he finds new information. The second episode with Captain Bo Smith will be out next week. Thanks for downloading and listening to this and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit show. We are over 25,000 downloads now. This and previous episodes can be found on the new Lessons from the Cockpit website at www.lessonsfromthecockpit.show

lessons va vietnam navy iraq flying air force vietnam war us air force mcconnell suppression cockpit hot rod mig agm desert storm scott brown walleye navy captain shrike skyhawk sead 7e wild weasel mauraders bo smith tactical fighter squadron

Flying the A-4 and A-7 with Navy Captain Bo Smith

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2024 71:15

Welcome to the seventy-seventh episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show with your host retired Lt Col Mark Hasara, KC-135 pilot and Air Force Weapons School graduate. I was turned on to a great memoir website by my good friend Scott Brown. Navy Captain Bo Smith is responsible for helping create the Navy's IRON HAND Surface to Air Missile or SAM suppression procedures during the Vietnam War. Bo started his Naval Aviation career with two Vietnam tours in the Douglas A-4B and A-4C Skyhawk with Attack Squadron VA-15 Valions. His third tour during the 1972 LINEBACKER I and LINEBACKER II campaigns Bo was assigned to Attack Squadron VA-82 Marauders flying the A-7C Corsair II. In this first of a two part series, Bo tells us what it's like flying the A-4 and A-7 on YANKEE Stations, to teaching new aircrews in the Republic F-105 Thunderchief at McConnell AFB Kansas in a US Air Force exchange tour. This episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show is financially sponsored by Wall Pilot, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger. Wall Pilot sells four, six, and eight foot long profiles of famous aircraft printed on vinyl you can peel off and stick on any flat surface. Bo's first assignment flying Navy attack aircraft was in the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk during the 1966 and 1967 Rolling Thunder air campaign. Bo flew with VA-15 Gold Tails, developing the IRON HAND SAM suppression tactics used in Carrier Air Wing Ten. This print of a VA-15 A-4C was Bo's personal Skyhawk during his second 1967 Rolling Thunder Vietnam cruise. During the LINEBACKER I and II campaigns in 1972 over Vietnam, Bo flew with Attack Squadron VA-82 Marauders. This VA-82 Marauders A-7C is loaded for an Iron Hand mission he spoke of during the show carrying Mk20 Rockeye cluster bombs and AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missiles. US Navy attack planes carried similar weapons loads on Iron Hand SAM suppression missions like this A-4F Skyhawk assigned to VA-55 Warhorses. The Marauders were chosen for the famous Than Hoa Railway Bridge strike on 6 October 1972 carrying AGM-62 Walleye tv guided bombs. Walleyes launched by LCDR Leighton "Snuffy" Smith and his wingman Ltjg Marv Baldwin destroyed the center pillar supporting the Than Hoa bridge causing the center span to collapse. LCDR Leighton Smith retired as a four star Admiral and commander of all Naval Forces in Europe. Bo flew the Republic F-105B/D and F-105F Thunderchief as an instructor pilot training new Thud crews during his Air Force exchange tour out of McConnell AFB near Wichita Kansas. Being around Thud Drivers, Bo learned a lot about Air Force SAM and defense suppression tactics, techniques and procedures. Although Bo did not fly Wild Weasel Thuds, this F-105G from the 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron flew missions over Vietnam and is credited with three North Vietnamese MiG kills, one by dropping centerline bomb rack off the jet which hit the MiG chasing it. The last combat cruise for LTV A-7E Corsair IIs was during Desert Storm. VA-46 Clansmen and VA-72 Blue Hawks were part of the USS John F Kennedy air wing sailing in the Red Sea. This VA-72 A-7E was the Squadron Skipper Commander JR "Shooter" Saunders jet armed for a Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses or SEAD mission into Iraq during the Desert Storm air campaign. Please go by Bo Smith's fantastic website, an electronic journal of his exploits flying missions in the A-4 Skyhawk and A-7 Corsair II over Vietnam. He even has some of the charts of his targets showing the triple A gun sites and SAM sites on the maps! This is the best Vietnam War memoir website you will come across at Bo Smith. He does update the website when he finds new information. The second episode with Captain Bo Smith will be out next week. Thanks for downloading and listening to this and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit show. We are over 25,000 downloads now. This and previous episodes can be found on the new Lessons from the Cockpit website at www.lessonsfromthecockpit.show

europe lessons va vietnam navy iraq flying air force vietnam war red sea us navy us air force suppression admiral cockpit mig agm desert storm marauders scott brown 4c walleye rolling thunder thud wichita kansas navy captain shrike skyhawk naval aviation sead walleyes 7e thunderchief bo smith tactical fighter squadron republic f

Go Bold #61: Astronaut Jeremy Hansen on the Artemis II mission to the Moon

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2024 35:53

The Go Bold podcast features senior leaders of allied forces so we can bring personal insight to important topics and events, and preserve those voices for generations to come.Today's episode continues on our objectives as we are honored to welcome Royal Canadian Air Force Colonel Jeremy Hansen to Go Bold! Col. Hansen is a CF-18 Hornet fighter pilot, and he is one of only 4 active astronauts in the Canadian Space Agency.In the years ahead you'll hear a lot about Astronaut Hansen because he has been selected to fly on the Artemis II mission, which will be the first crewed flight test of the Orion spacecraft which will launch atop the SLS rocket.As part of the Artemis II crew, Jeremy Hansen will become the first Canadian to venture towards the Moon, and in doing so he will be the first non-American to leave low earth orbit.There is a lot to Astronaut Hansen's path to space as one might expect, but in short, here are some highlights:In 1988, at the age of 12, he joined the Air Cadets.In 1999 he graduated with a bachelor's degree in honours space science from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario.He completed Fighter Pilot Training in 2003, after which he served as a CF-18 fighter pilot with 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron, and 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron.In 2009 Colonel Hansen was one of two recruits selected by the Canadian Space Agency.In 2011 he graduated from Astronaut Candidate Training and started working at NASAs Mission Control Center in Houston as CAPCOM — which is the voice between the ground and the International Space Station.In 2017 Astronaut Hansen became the first Canadian to be entrusted with leading a NASA astronaut class, and that meant that he is in charge of training astronaut candidates from the United States and Canada.And in 2023 he was assigned to the Artemis II mission.This episode focuses on Astronaut Hansen's Air Force career, training for the Artemis II mission, and his perspective on flying to the Moon and being the first non-American to leave low earth orbit.It's an awesome chat with a great Canadian, so I really hope you'll enjoy this discussion.NOTE: We have also had the privilege to interview another Canadian fighter pilot and Astronaut, and Jeremy's colleague, and that is Josh Kutryk, who we featured in Episode 3 and Episode 22. They are wonderful chats which we highly recommend.Our thanks to Astronaut Hansen for his time and kindness. We wish him and his crewmates a safe journey on their mission towards the Moon! Go Bold!

Go Bold #59: Capt. Caleb Robert on the CF-18 Demo Team for the RCAF 2024 Centennial year

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2024 71:19

2024 is the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), so happy 100th to the RCAF and our respect to all those who have served and are serving in the Air Force.To mark this milestone year, we plan to publish a number of episodes featuring the men and women who are serving in the RCAF, and as we do here at Go Bold, that means we will be speaking with senior leaders in the Air Force including the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, so we encourage you to keep an ear out for those episodes.Central to the efforts to celebrate their 100th Anniversary are the men and women that make up the CF-18 Demonstration Team, which travels across Canada and further abroad to demonstrate the capabilities of Canada's fighter force.Our guest for this episode is Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot, and the pilot for the 2024 CF-18 Demo Team, Capt. Caleb "Tango" Robert.Capt. Robert is a combat qualified element lead on the CF-18 Hornet, and is assigned to 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, the "Alouettes" which is based at 3 Wing in Bagotville, Quebec.In this episode you'll hear about Tango's motivation to serve, flying the CF-18 Hornet, and his operational history. You'll also hear details about this year's CF-18 Demo Team, the jet he'll fly, and Tango's focus for the air show season ahead.It's a great chat with a frontline warfighter of the Royal Canadian Air Force.Go Bold!

canada air force demo quebec commander wing tango capt cf centennial hornet alouettes royal canadian air force rcaf go bold tactical fighter squadron

Go Bold #56: Stories from the Cockpit: LtCol Tom Lawrence on the first ever RCAF participation in Exercise Cobra Warrior

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2023 111:24

This episode focuses on the the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) first ever participation in Exercise Cobra Warrior, a Royal Air Force (RAF) led Large Force Employment exercise.Cobra Warrior is hosted by the UK's Air & Space Warfare Centre which is located at RAF Waddington.The Exercise is held twice a year, and it takes place across the UK and over multiple domains including air, sea, land, space and cyber. We published a detailed overview of Exercise Cobra Warrior in Go Bold #48, so we encourage you to listen to that episode as a compendium to this episode where we are focused on Exercise Cobra Warrior 23-2.This iteration of Cobra Warrior involved more than 50 aircraft from 6 allied countries including: Canada, USA, Italy, Norway, Australia and the UK, along with a NATO E-3A Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) which managed large areas of battlespace and provide surveillance and communications. These aircraft worked together to support a fictional country in conflict to regain sovereign territory.According to a senior officer at the Air & Space Warfare Centre, the intent of Exercise Cobra Warrior was to bring allied forces together in order to enhance the ability to work collaboratively on demanding missions and in dynamic threat environments.Cobra Warrior 23-2 was the first time the exercise conducted operations at night, so that added an entirely new aspect to the operations.For its first ever participation at Cobra Warrior, the Royal Canadian Air Force dispatched an Air Task Force which included CF-18 Hornet fighter jets and the CC-150 Polaris air refueling tanker. RCAF C-17 strategic airlift aircraft also supported the deployment into Europe. Numerous other types of aircraft participated during the exercise, including the RAF's F-35B Lightning which took part from the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. Also participating were RAF Typhoon fighter jets; F-35s from the United States and Norway, F-16s, Voyager MRTT air refueling tankers, HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and many more.Our guest to speak about the Royal Canadian Air Force's participation is Lieutenant-Colonel Tom Lawrence, the Commanding Officer of 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron, and the Commander of the Air Task Force for Canada's participation in Cobra Warrior 23-2.We have a great discussion where we speak about leadership, fighter pilot training, the CF-18 Hornet, and combat operations, and then we dive into the happenings of Exercise Cobra Warrior 23-2. It's an awesome chat with a ton of great information, so we hope you'll enjoy this conversation.Our thanks to LtCol Lawrence for his time and insight.Go Bold!

united states canada australia europe stories uk italy exercise warrior air norway commander participation cobra cc numerous cf polaris cockpit hornet hh commanding officer royal canadian air force rcaf tom lawrence go bold hms queen elizabeth pave hawk tactical fighter squadron

Guns, MIGs, SAMs, and a Push

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2023 48:52

Welcome to the seventy-fourth episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! I'm your host Mark Hasara, retired KC-135 pilot, author, and entrepreneur! We laid to rest another American veteran this week involved in one of the greatest air strikes of Air Force histroy. He left his mark on aviation because of his incredible courage in the face of overwhelming enemy odds, innovative technique to save two commrades, and airmanship in pulling off a feat which almost got him court martialed. Twenty-two years later an evaluation board awarded him the Silver Star for his efforts to save lives. On this March afternoon, his target was the most heavily defended piece of real estate in enemy territory. This was the first time a large strike package was allowed to bomb this lucrative target. And the enemy knew he and buddies flying in a twenty-seven aircraft US Air Force strike package were coming. This episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show is supported by the book Tanker Pilot, found in all four formats on Amazon. Tanker Pilot is now listed on General Mike Minihan, Commander of Air Mobility Command, Leadership Library reading list. Thirty-two pictures are included in the book, many taken during the events described in the chapters. The hardback, Kindle and Audible versionn havve th epictures in color, the softback in black and white. The Lessons from the Cockpit show is also sponsored by Wall Pilot, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger. You can choose from 136 Ready-to-Print four, six, and eight foot long graphics prinrted on vinyl you can peel off and stick to any flat surface. Wall Pilot can create your favorite aircraft with your name, tail number and codes, and favorite weapons load by filling out a custom request form. These are very detailed and exhaustively researched aircraft profile graphics which you can read the stenciling on the aircraft and weapons. Go to www.wallpilot.com and order one or two profiles for your home, office, or hanger. This F-4E Phantom II was part of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing based out of Takhli Royal Thai Air base during the Vietnam War and is armed for a Surface-to-Air Missile or SAM suppression mission carry CBU-52 cluster bombs dropped on SAM sites to destroy the missiles and launchers. The F-4Es flew in formation with the F-105F/G Wild Weasels which would locate the SAM radars and control vans. The Rupublic F-105F two seat Thunderchief accomplished many missions during the Vietnam War. One special mission was flying night time air strikes in a role called Ryan Raiders. This aircraft was assigned to the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron and painted in the distinctive Ryan Raider wrap around paint scheme. The paint schem was created by Major Ralph Kuster, Thud Pilot extraordinare and MiG-17 Killer. Russian Mikoyian and Gurevich (MiG) fighter aircraft defended the Thai Nguyen Steel Mill on 10 March 1967. The North Vietnamese Air Force flew early model MiG-21 Fishbed fighters like this example assigned to the famous US Air Force Red Eagle squadron based out of Area 51 near Tonapah Nevada. Thanks for downloading this and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit show found on my website at www.markhasara.com under the Podcast pull-down box. I really do appreciate all of you swinging by and downloading a show or two. We are over 23,000 downloads of the show now! All episode can be downloaded from my website. The Lessons from the Cockpit show will soon be moving to its own home and website after the Christmas Holidays. My family and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. There will be one more show, maybe two before the end of the year.

american amazon lessons happy new year merry christmas guns killers air force twenty audible kindle thirty commander print vietnam war surface us air force sams cockpit christmas holiday mig silver star migs cbu air mobility command thunderchief mark hasara tactical fighter squadron

Guns, MIGs, SAMs, and a Push

Cold War Conversations History Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2023 48:52

Welcome to the seventy-fourth episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! I'm your host Mark Hasara, retired KC-135 pilot, author, and entrepreneur! We laid to rest another American veteran this week involved in one of the greatest air strikes of Air Force histroy. He left his mark on aviation because of his incredible courage in the face of overwhelming enemy odds, innovative technique to save two commrades, and airmanship in pulling off a feat which almost got him court martialed. Twenty-two years later an evaluation board awarded him the Silver Star for his efforts to save lives. On this March afternoon, his target was the most heavily defended piece of real estate in enemy territory. This was the first time a large strike package was allowed to bomb this lucrative target. And the enemy knew he and buddies flying in a twenty-seven aircraft US Air Force strike package were coming. This episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show is supported by the book Tanker Pilot, found in all four formats on Amazon. Tanker Pilot is now listed on General Mike Minihan, Commander of Air Mobility Command, Leadership Library reading list. Thirty-two pictures are included in the book, many taken during the events described in the chapters. The hardback, Kindle and Audible versionn havve th epictures in color, the softback in black and white. The Lessons from the Cockpit show is also sponsored by Wall Pilot, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger. You can choose from 136 Ready-to-Print four, six, and eight foot long graphics prinrted on vinyl you can peel off and stick to any flat surface. Wall Pilot can create your favorite aircraft with your name, tail number and codes, and favorite weapons load by filling out a custom request form. These are very detailed and exhaustively researched aircraft profile graphics which you can read the stenciling on the aircraft and weapons. Go to www.wallpilot.com and order one or two profiles for your home, office, or hanger. This F-4E Phantom II was part of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing based out of Takhli Royal Thai Air base during the Vietnam War and is armed for a Surface-to-Air Missile or SAM suppression mission carry CBU-52 cluster bombs dropped on SAM sites to destroy the missiles and launchers. The F-4Es flew in formation with the F-105F/G Wild Weasels which would locate the SAM radars and control vans. The Rupublic F-105F two seat Thunderchief accomplished many missions during the Vietnam War. One special mission was flying night time air strikes in a role called Ryan Raiders. This aircraft was assigned to the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron and painted in the distinctive Ryan Raider wrap around paint scheme. The paint schem was created by Major Ralph Kuster, Thud Pilot extraordinare and MiG-17 Killer. Russian Mikoyian and Gurevich (MiG) fighter aircraft defended the Thai Nguyen Steel Mill on 10 March 1967. The North Vietnamese Air Force flew early model MiG-21 Fishbed fighters like this example assigned to the famous US Air Force Red Eagle squadron based out of Area 51 near Tonapah Nevada. Thanks for downloading this and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit show found on my website at www.markhasara.com under the Podcast pull-down box. I really do appreciate all of you swinging by and downloading a show or two. We are over 23,000 downloads of the show now! All episode can be downloaded from my website. The Lessons from the Cockpit show will soon be moving to its own home and website after the Christmas Holidays. My family and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. There will be one more show, maybe two before the end of the year.

american amazon lessons happy new year merry christmas guns killers air force twenty audible kindle thirty commander print vietnam war surface us air force sams cockpit christmas holiday mig silver star migs cbu air mobility command thunderchief mark hasara tactical fighter squadron

Flying the Cold War A10 Tankbuster Part 2 (306)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2023 49:33

You are listening to part 2 of my chat with Joe who joined the USAF in 1981 and was trained to fly the A10 Warthog a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft designed to provide close air support to ground forces by attacking tanks, armoured vehicles, and other ground targets. Part 1 is here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode305/ In 1985 Joe is sent to 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron at RAF Bentwaters in the UK, just over 50 miles from where his father served in World War 2. His role was to fly the A10 over West Germany and attack Warsaw Pact ground forces should the Cold War turn hot. We hear about the perils of flying the A10 at only 100 feet in mist and rain, whilst navigating with a map on your knee in the days before GPS was available. Joe also recounts visiting the Inner German border and driving to his wartime target sectors to see what they looked like from the ground. He describes how they trained for landing on West German autobahns as well as their tactics against enemy aircraft. Joe also flew the Royal Air Force's VTOL fighter, the Harrier, and tells of the challenge of managing the controls and his respect for the Royal Air Force. Visit the RAF Bentwaters Museum here https://www.bcwm.org.uk/ Extra episode information https://coldwarconversations.com/episode306 The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You'll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory on this link https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

uk flying gps cold war world war usaf west germany royal air force cwc a10 harrier west german vtol warsaw pact raf bentwaters tactical fighter squadron

Col. Ronald Webb, USAF, Vietnam, POW

Veterans Chronicles

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2023 51:14

Ronald Webb was commissioned as a U.S. Navy officer through the ROTC program at Indiana University. First trained as a navigator, Webb later received his pilots' wings in 1966. Soon, he was off to Vietnam, flying missions out of Da Nang with the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On most missions, he served as the "backseater" to Korean War double ace pilot Frederick C. "Boots" Blesse.On June 11, 1967, Webb was flying with a different pilot, but he was more concerned with the dangerous flight pattern they were being asked to be a part of that day. After being overruled, the mission began. They would never return to base and Webb would spent nearly six years as a prisoner of war.In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Col Webb explains the tragic collision that forced them to eject, his futile attempts to evade capture by the Vietnamese, and his treatment after being taken into custody.Webb also details the interrogations and torture he endured from the communists demanding military intelligence and who were trying to use American prisoners as propaganda tools. He also tells us about the tap code that was a lifeline of morale and sanity for the prisoners.Finally, Col. Webb tells us what it was like to taste freedom again after losing it for so long.

american freedom veterans vietnam navy col webb vietnamese indiana university pow korean war usaf rotc da nang vietnam pow tactical fighter squadron

Desert Storm Tanker Lessons Learned

Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2023 70:35

Welcome to the sixty-second episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast and I'm your host Mark Hasara, a former Air Force KC-135 pilot, flying all over the world passing gas! Recently I had a conversation with a colleague on how far the Air Force tanker community had come since Deseet Stomr and the old Strategic Air Command days of the Single Integrated Operations Plan, the nuclear war plan. I felt the tanker community during Desert Storm was not prepared for high-density, high-ops-tempo air refueling operations because it wasn't our primary focus. This episode lays out what I feel are the air refueling lessons learned during the Desert Storm air campaign. This episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast is sponsored and financially supported by the book Tanker Pilot found on Amazon which can be purchased in hardback, softback (photos in black and white), Kindle, and Audible (extra file contains the color pictures). Wall Pilot, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger has many of the aircraft of Desert Storm available in four, six, and eight-foot-long graphics printed on vinyl you can peel off and stick to any flat surface. Wall Pilto also creates custom aircraft artwork at the website wallpilot.com The 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron shot down the most Iraqi Air Force MiG and Mirage aircraft during the Desert Storm air campaign. This F-15C was flown by Captain Cesar "Rico" Rodriguez on his two MiG Kill missions. On the first night of the Desert Storm air campaign, my KC-135 crew refueled COORS 31-34 flight of F-4G Wild Weasels, commanded by Lt Col George "John Boy" Walton flying this F-4G tail number that night. The EF-111A Spark Vark jamming aircraft was part of the Iraqi Integrated Air Defense Network takedown flying with COORS 31 flight and their four F-4G Wild Weasels. This 335th Tac Fighter Squadron F-15E dropped a 2000 lbs GBU-10 laser-guided bomb on a hovering helicopter and is now the Chief's squadron flagship. Large groups of F-111F Aardvarks spread out through Iraqi using laser and tv guided weapons to destroy possible chemical weapons facilities armed like this F-111F from the 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron from the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath England. The USS John F Kennedy airwing had two squadrons of Vought Corsair II attack aircraft loaded the first night with AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles or HARM like this VA-72 Blue Hawks A-7E. The 17th Tac Fighter Squadron deployed in their F-16C Fighting Falcons to Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE flying thousands of missions during Desert Storm. Strategic Air Command and Pacific Air Forces deployed 211 KC-135 Stratotankers to the Gulf Region during Operation Desert Storm. This KC-135R Model flew with the 909th Air Refueling Squadron based in Okinawa Japan. Thanks for downloading this episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast! This and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast can be found on my website at markhasara.com.

amazon lessons chief va large lessons learned air force audible kindle harm uae iraqi mirage tankers cockpit coors agm desert storm operation desert storm okinawa japan gbu gulf region strategic air command pacific air forces tactical fighter squadron mark hasara stratotankers

Desert Storm Tanker Lessons Learned

Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2023 70:35

Welcome to the sixty-second episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast and I'm your host Mark Hasara, a former Air Force KC-135 pilot, flying all over the world passing gas! Recently I had a conversation with a colleague on how far the Air Force tanker community had come since Deseet Stomr and the old Strategic Air Command days of the Single Integrated Operations Plan, the nuclear war plan. I felt the tanker community during Desert Storm was not prepared for high-density, high-ops-tempo air refueling operations because it wasn't our primary focus. This episode lays out what I feel are the air refueling lessons learned during the Desert Storm air campaign. This episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast is sponsored and financially supported by the book Tanker Pilot found on Amazon which can be purchased in hardback, softback (photos in black and white), Kindle, and Audible (extra file contains the color pictures). Wall Pilot, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger has many of the aircraft of Desert Storm available in four, six, and eight-foot-long graphics printed on vinyl you can peel off and stick to any flat surface. Wall Pilto also creates custom aircraft artwork at the website wallpilot.com The 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron shot down the most Iraqi Air Force MiG and Mirage aircraft during the Desert Storm air campaign. This F-15C was flown by Captain Cesar "Rico" Rodriguez on his two MiG Kill missions. On the first night of the Desert Storm air campaign, my KC-135 crew refueled COORS 31-34 flight of F-4G Wild Weasels, commanded by Lt Col George "John Boy" Walton flying this F-4G tail number that night. The EF-111A Spark Vark jamming aircraft was part of the Iraqi Integrated Air Defense Network takedown flying with COORS 31 flight and their four F-4G Wild Weasels. This 335th Tac Fighter Squadron F-15E dropped a 2000 lbs GBU-10 laser-guided bomb on a hovering helicopter and is now the Chief's squadron flagship. Large groups of F-111F Aardvarks spread out through Iraqi using laser and tv guided weapons to destroy possible chemical weapons facilities armed like this F-111F from the 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron from the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath England. The USS John F Kennedy airwing had two squadrons of Vought Corsair II attack aircraft loaded the first night with AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles or HARM like this VA-72 Blue Hawks A-7E. The 17th Tac Fighter Squadron deployed in their F-16C Fighting Falcons to Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE flying thousands of missions during Desert Storm. Strategic Air Command and Pacific Air Forces deployed 211 KC-135 Stratotankers to the Gulf Region during Operation Desert Storm. This KC-135R Model flew with the 909th Air Refueling Squadron based in Okinawa Japan. Thanks for downloading this episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast! This and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast can be found on my website at markhasara.com.

amazon lessons chief va large lessons learned air force audible kindle harm uae iraqi mirage tankers cockpit coors agm desert storm operation desert storm okinawa japan gbu gulf region strategic air command pacific air forces tactical fighter squadron mark hasara stratotankers

Go Bold #39: Stories from the Cockpit: LtCol Stephen Latwaitis on RCAF Air Task Force - Romania (Block 60)

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2023 58:25

In our last episode we spoke with Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) fighter pilot Lieutenant-Colonel David McLeod, who was the Commander of Air Task Force - Romania for Block 54 of NATO Enhanced Air Policing in Romania.Our episode today is a compendium to that episode because we had the honor to speak with Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Latwaitis, a RCAF fighter pilot who is the Commanding Officer of 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, the "Alouettes", which is based at Canadian Forces Base Bagotville. The Colonel served as the Commander of Air Task Force (ATF) - Romania for Block 60 of NATO Enhanced Air Policing in Romania, which was conducted in the latter half of 2022 from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base. Our conversation took place in December 2022 as the ATF wrapped up its operations.We are publishing these episodes on NATO Enhanced Air Policing back-to-back in order to get an appreciation for the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) mission, how Canada has conducted deployments for it, and more importantly, to get an appreciation of how global events like the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine has affected deployments for the mission.You'll hear how the RCAF formed its contingent for Block 60, and how they had the opportunity to work alongside Romanian colleagues and several Allies in conducting interoperability training to enhance NATO's collective assurance and deterrence on the southeastern flank, all while in the shadow of war in Europe. Exercise highlights during Block 60 included Thracian Viper in Bulgaria.The Colonel described how members from the Air Task Force for Block 60 worked for the first time with Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) which is headquartered in Ramstein, Germany. AIRCOM oversees the NATO Air Policing mission with 24/7 command and control from two Combined Air Operations Centres (CAOCs): one in Torrejón, Spain, which covers European NATO airspace South of the Alps; and the other in Uedem, Germany, which covers European NATO airspace North of the Alps.The RCAF will not be returning to Romania in 2023, so keep an ear out here for more on developments with the RCAF CF-18 Hornet fleet.We thank LtCol Latwaitis for his kindness, time and insight.Go Bold!

covid-19 canada europe stories germany ukraine spain south north exercise tasks nato romania commander allies bulgaria task force colonel romanian alps atf cockpit hornet commanding officer ramstein alouettes torrej rcaf go bold tactical fighter squadron

Go Bold #38: Stories from the Cockpit: LtCol David McLeod on RCAF Air Task Force - Romania (Block 54)

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2023 44:00

In this episode we focus on a NATO Enhanced Air-Policing deployment conducted by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) -- specifically Block 54 which took place in Romania from August 2020 until the end of that year.This particular deployment of combat coded CF-18 Hornets is notable because it coincided with the early days of the COVID pandemic, so that posed challenges in both planning and execution when compared to a standard deployment.Our guest is RCAF Lieutenant-Colonel David McLeod, who at the time was Commanding Officer of 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron, and the Commander of Air Task Force - Romania for Block 54. Our interview took place just as the deployment wrapped up and while the Colonel was still at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania (January 2021).We are publishing this episode because it forms a historical account of what the RCAF does -- in this case flying quick reaction alert missions for NATO -- and also because our next episode will focus on a more recent NATO Enhanced Air-Policing deployment (Block 60) which was also conducted by the RCAF, so it will be interesting to hear differences in the deployment and security situation in the region.NATO Air Policing is a peacetime mission that aims to preserve the security of Alliance airspace. It is a collective task and involves the continuous presence of fighter aircraft and crews, which are ready to react quickly to possible airspace violations.Enhanced Air Policing is part of NATO's Assurance Measures introduced in 2014 along NATO's eastern borders, after Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexation of the Crimean peninsula. The Alliance implemented these Assurance Measures with the goal to demonstrate the collective resolve of Allies, demonstrate the defensive nature of NATO and deter Russia from aggression or the threat of aggression against NATO Allies. They are flexible and scalable in response to fluctuations in the security situation facing the Alliance.In this episode you will hear about the logistics of moving a detachment of CF-18 fighter jets to another continent, COVID protocols that helped make the mission a success, an alert intercept, various training opportunities the RCAF did with allied air assets, and surface assets like HMS Dragon and USS Donald Cook which were in the Black Sea. You'll also hear how the RCAF exercised a Canadian Joint Data Link ground station which was used to connect to the NATO network.We thank LtCol McLeod for his time, and for the pilots out there, remember to: Always bring a copy of your flight plan with you! (You'll have to listen to know why).Go Bold!

covid-19 stories russia alliance tasks nato romania commander allies task force colonel hornets cf mcleod black sea cockpit commanding officer crimean airbase rcaf nato allies go bold tactical fighter squadron

Go Bold #22: The Bleeding Edge: Astronaut Joshua Kutryk shares his insight on the Artemis Program

Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2022 33:10

We welcome back Colonel Joshua Kutryk, an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and former fighter pilot and test pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).We had the privilege to speak with Colonel Kutryk in Episode #3, so please check out that great discussion too!Our discussion for this episode focuses on the work that Colonel Kutryk is doing at NASA while living in Houston, Texas. Much of his time is focused on training for future missions to space, but he also assists with various NASA programs like those that involve the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.The majority of our discussion focuses on the upcoming Artemis I mission and the Artemis program, which marks a new era of lunar exploration after almost 50 years since end of the Apollo missions.In early September, NASA's Space Launch System rocket, known as SLS, and the Orion spacecraft which sits atop the SLS, are scheduled to launch for the first time as part of the Artemis I mission which will orbit the moon.September 3 will mark the second launch attempt for Artemis I. This uncrewed test flight will have three instrumented test mannequins, known as phantoms, in the Orion spacecraft.Following a successful Artemis I mission, an astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency will form part of the crew for the Artemis II mission, which will be the first crewed mission to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.That means that Canada will be the second nation in the history of mankind to have someone travel to the moon, which is incredibly exciting!Colonel Kutryk is kind to share his thoughts on the upcoming Artemis I mission, and he discusses the contributions and potential opportunities for Canadian industry in the space domain. This includes the Artemis program itself, the lunar Gateway, the Canadarm3, and lunar rovers.He also shares his thoughts on safety and security in space.We would like to thank Colonel Kutryk for his time and insight, and we look forward to the launch of Artemis I.Go Bold!----Prior to joining the Canadian Space Program, Colonel Kutryk worked as an experimental test pilot and a fighter pilot in Cold Lake, Alberta, where he led the unit responsible for the operational flight-testing of fighter aircraft in Canada. As the officer in charge of fighter evaluations, he was responsible for safely conducting the initial airborne evaluations of new technologies and systems on the CF-18. He worked with a team of aerospace engineers, analysts, aircraft technicians and program managers in order to make the CF-18 safer and more effective in its mission.Colonel Kutryk has worked on a variety of technical flight test projects, ranging from out-of-control flying to automated navigation and flight control systems to weapon guidance and control. In addition, he has worked extensively as an instructor, teaching other pilots how to fly the CF-18 on demanding missions.In 2012, Colonel Kutryk received the prestigious Liethen-Tittle Award from the United States Air Force for being their top test pilot graduate.From 2007 to 2011, Colonel Kutryk served as a CF-18 fighter pilot with 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron in Bagotville, Quebec. During that time he flew missions in support of NATO, UN and NORAD commitments around the world. He has been deployed in both Libya and Afghanistan.Colonel Kutryk was one of two recruits selected by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in July 2017 through the fourth Canadian astronaut recruitment campaign. Colonel Kutryk was one of the top 16 candidates (from over 5,350 hopefuls) during Canada's 2009 astronaut recruitment campaign. Due to his perseverance and dedication, he now finds himself in the Canadian Astronaut Corps.In July 2017, Colonel Kutryk relocated to Houston, Texas, to take the two-year Astronaut Candidate Training Program at the Johnson Space Center as a member of the 2017 NASA astronaut class.The program includes scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in International Space Station (ISS) systems, simulated extravehicular activities (EVAs, or spacewalks), robotics, physiological training, flight training, language courses, and sea and wilderness survival training.Colonel Kutryk completed the two-year Astronaut Candidate Training Program and obtained the official title of astronaut in January 2020.

RFT 583: Great Balls of Fire

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2022 12:45 Very Popular

I turned off my Big Ben alarm clock at 0230, the usual wake-up time for our Linebacker mission. When the scheduling board simply indicated “Special”, we knew it would be a 0400 mass briefing at Wing Headquarters for a bombing mission over North Vietnam. We wouldn't know our target until the mission briefing. The schedule was normally posted at the end of each day's flying, and the previous day I had seen my name listed for the number four position in Jazz Flight for today's Special. My Weapon Systems Officer would be Bill Woodworth. F-4 pilots quickly become creatures of habit mixed with ritual, and I walked the short distance to the Ubon Officer's Club to have my standard breakfast: cheese omelet, toast with butter, and coffee. I had successfully flown thirty-one Counters – missions over North Vietnam – and I wasn't about to change anything without a pretty compelling reason. A few weeks earlier, the Thai waitress had misunderstood me when I had ordered, and brought me a plain Omelet. I politely ate it, and the mission on that day was the closest I had come – up until then – to getting shot down. After breakfast, I walked to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing Headquarters building, and performed my usual routine of stopping by the Intel desk and checking the Shoot-down Board. The Shoot-down Board was a large Plexiglas-covered board that listed the most recent friendly aircraft losses, written in grease pencil. We could tell, at a glance, if any aircraft had been shot down the previous night, the call sign, aircraft type, and survivor status. There were no friendly aircraft losses over North Vietnam to enemy action in the previous day. That was not surprising. The Special for the previous day had been canceled when the strike leader, my Squadron Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Brad Sharp, crashed on takeoff when his left tire exploded at 160 knots. He aborted, taking the departure end barrier, and his aircraft caught fire when pieces of the shredded tire pierced his left wing fuel tank. Brad's emergency egress was delayed when he got hung up by his leg restraint lines. As he sat in his seat, seeing the canopy melting around him, his WSO, Mike Pomphrey, ran back to the burning aircraft and pulled him out, saving his life. As Mike dragged him to a drainage ditch 100 yards away to hunker down, the ejection seats, missiles and, eventually, bombs cooked off. Ubon's only runway was out of commission, and the entire Linebacker mission, for all bases, was canceled. Overnight, the runway at Ubon was repaired, and our mission was on for this day. The mission briefing was in a large auditorium. The Wing Commander led the Mission Briefing, followed by an Intel Briefing and Weather Briefing. Slides were projected onto the screen to show the targets on a map of North Vietnam, then reconnaissance photos of the individual targets for the strike flights. Jazz Flight's target was POL (Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants) storage near Kep Airfield, north of Hanoi. During the briefing, we all received our mission line-up cards, showing our Estimated Times Enroute (ETE), fuel computations, strike frequencies, and flight de-confliction information. A mass strike over Route Package Six, the area of North Vietnam covering Hanoi, Haiphong and points north, required a massive orchestration effort. The run-in directions, Time Over Target (TOT), and egress plan for each of the sixteen four-ship strike flights, plus all of the same information for support flights, such as MiG-Cap, were designated to exacting specifications. After the mass briefing, we assembled in our respective squadrons for our individual flight briefings. When I walked into the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, my first order of business was to check the Flight Crew Information File Book. The FCIF was a book that had last-minute changes to procedures and other instructions for aircrews. After reading the latest entries in the book, each crewmember would initial his FCIF card and turn the card over in the vertical card file so that the green side of the card was facing out, instead of the red side. That way, the Ops Officer could instantly see if all the crews were flying with the most current information. The briefing for Jazz Flight lasted about 45 minutes. Our Flight Lead briefed engine start and check-in times, flight join-up, frequencies, tactics, and our munitions load. Today we would each carry two 2,000-pound Mark-84L laser-guided bombs. After the briefing we waited our turns for the most important part of the preflight. The building that housed our squadron had not been designed for a mass launch of 32 crewmembers all needing to use the latrine at the same time. It was a three-holer, and everyone always badly needed to use the facility before a mission up north. It was a major bottle-neck to our individual plans. After that essential stop we went by the Life Support section to leave our personal items, such as wedding rings, wallets and anything else we wouldn't need for the flight, in our lockers. The only thing I would carry in my pocket was my ID Card and my Geneva Convention Card. And, of course, I had my dog tags around my neck. Then we would pick up our G-suits, helmets, survival vests and parachute harnesses and board the “bread truck” for transportation to the flight line, with a quick stop at the armory to retrieve our .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolvers. Our Thai driver always had a cooler stocked with plastic flasks of cold water, and we would grab several and put them in leg pockets of our G-suits. I also grabbed several piddle packs. The F-4 did not have a relief tube, so we carried piddle packs. The piddle pack was a small plastic bag with a 2 inch by 6 inch sponge inside and a spout at one end. When you used this portable urinal, the entire assembly would expand to about the size of a football. This flight was scheduled to be a bit longer than the standard mission, so I grabbed three piddle packs. There were two ways to get to Pack Six from Ubon: right turns and left turns. With right turns, the missions are about 45 minutes shorter. Head north over Laos, refuel on Green Anchor, make a right turn at Thud Ridge and proceed to the target. Left turns takes us to the east coast of Vietnam, and proceed north “feet wet”, then make a left turns toward Vinh to strike our targets. Today we would make left turns. We launched off at dawn and headed into the rising sun. Our route of flight took us east across Laos to DaNang, then north to the Gulf of Tonkin, then northwest to our target in the area of Kep. Our refueling would be along Purple Anchor as we headed north for pre-strike and south for post-strike. One of my rituals during every refueling, in between hook-ups, was to break out one of the water flasks, finish off an entire pack of Tums, and fill one of the piddle packs. Using the piddle pack in the seat of the Phantom was easier said than done. It required a bit of maneuvering. I handed the jet over to Bill, my WSO, as I loosened my lap belt, loosened the leg straps on my parachute harness, and unzipped my flight suit from the bottom. Then I did my best to fill the piddle pack without any spillage. Our route was already taking us feet wet, and I wasn't looking forward to becoming feet wet in any other respect. Bill flew smoothly, and I finished my business with no problem, and took control of the airplane again for our refueling top-offs. We conducted our aerial ballet in total radio silence as our four airplanes cycled on and off the refueling boom, flying at almost 400 knots, as we approached the refueling drop-off point. When we finished refueling, we switched to strike frequency and headed north-northwest to the target area. Typical for a Linebacker mission, strike frequency was pretty busy. There were “Bandit” calls from Disco, the Airborne Early Warning bird, an EC-121 orbiting over the Gulf of Tonkin. And SAM breaks. And, of course, the ever-present triple-A (Anti-Aircraft Artillery)that produced fields of instant-blooming dandelions at our altitude. We pressed on. In the entire history of the Air Force, and the Army Air Corps before it, no strike aircraft has ever aborted its mission due to enemy reaction, and we were not about to set a precedent. Weather in the target area was severe clear, and Flight Lead identified the target with no problem. We closed in to “fingertip” formation, with three feet of separation between wingtips. “Jazz Flight, arm ‘em up.” We made a left orbit to make our run-in on the designated attack heading. Then a left roll-in with 135 degrees of bank. My element lead, Jazz Three, was on Lead's right wing, and I was on the far right position in the formation. Our roll-in and roll-out was in close fingertip position, which put me at negative G-loading during the roll-out. During negative-G formation flying, the flight controls work differently. I was on the right wing and a little too close to Element Lead, so I needed to put the stick to the left to increase spacing. Totally unnatural. At the same time, I was hanging against my lap belt, which I had forgotten to tighten when I had finished my piddle-pack filling procedure. My head hit the canopy, as dust and other detritus from the cockpit floated up into my eyes. But I maintained my position. We rolled out on the correct run-in heading, and reached our delivery parameters right on profile. Five hundred knots at 20,000 feet. Lead called our release. “Jazz Flight, ready, ready, pickle!” We all pushed our Bomb Release “pickle” buttons on our stick grips at the same time, and eight 2000-pound bombs guided together to the target that was being illuminated by the laser designator in the Lead's Pave Knife pod, guidance performed by his WSO. Immediately after release, we performed the normal 4-G pullout. And I was instantly in excruciating pain. I screamed out in pain on our “hot mike” interphone. “Are you okay?” Bill called. “I think I've been shot in the balls!” I screamed. Then, I realized what had happened. I had carelessly neglected to tighten my lap belt and parachute harness leg straps after relieving myself during the refueling. My body had shifted, and my testicles had gotten trapped between the harness and my body. With a 4-G pull, my 150-pound body was exerting 600 pounds of pressure on the family jewels. As soon as I knew what the problem was, I unloaded the aircraft to zero Gs, to try to readjust myself. But I was still headed downhill, and Mother Hanoi was rushing up to me at 500 knots. And I was getting further out of position in my formation. So I gritted my teeth and pulled. When we got onto the post-strike tanker, I adjusted myself, but the damage had been done. I was in agony all the way back to Ubon. As soon as I landed, I went to see the Flight Surgeon and told him what had happened. He told me to drop my shorts and show him my injury. “Wow! I'd heard you guys had big ones, but these are even larger than I expected.” I looked down, and saw that my testicles were swollen to the size of large oranges. The Flight Surgeon put me on total bed-rest orders, telling me I could only get out of bed to use the bathroom until the swelling subsided. While I was flat on my back, waiting for the pain to subside, I couldn't get that stupid old joke out of my head, the one where the kid goes into a malt shop and asks for a sundae with nuts, and the clerk asks, “Do you want your nuts crushed?” And the kid has a wise-crack answer. All of a sudden, it didn't seem so funny. After about five days I was feeling much better. The Flight Surgeon had offered to submit my injury for a Purple Heart, but I declined. For starters, my injury was not due to enemy action, it was due to my carelessness. And I wasn't too keen on standing in front of the entire squadron at my next assignment while the Admin Officer read the citation to accompany the award of the Purple Heart. “On that day, Captain Nolly managed to crush…”. No thanks! A few months later, the Flight Surgeon showed up at our squadron. “You're famous, and made me a famous author,” he beamed, as he held up the current issue of Aerospace Medicine magazine. In the article, he recounted how a 27-year-old pilot had experienced a strangulation injury to his testes that came very close to requiring amputation. Castration! “There was no use in telling you and making you worry, when there was nothing we could do for you other than bed rest, and wait to see if you healed,” he commented. Well, it's been 41 years now, and I'm at an age where I don't embarrass as easily. More important, I sired three healthy children several years later, so the equipment works just fine, thank you. Lots of guys have great “There I was” stories of their time in Vietnam. I racked up 100 missions over the north, and had some exciting missions. This mission was not the most exciting, but was certainly the most memorable.

RFT 582: Protecting Taiwan

Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2022 13:51 Very Popular

The 18th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Kadena AB, Okinawa maintained two Squadron of McDonnell F-4C Phantom II aircraft from November 1972 until May 1975. On 6 November 1972, the 18th Wing dispatched the McDonnell Douglas F-4C/D Phantom II fighters of 44th Fighter Squadron and 67th Fighter Squadron to the Ching Chuan Kang Air Base until 31 May 1975, to assist Taiwan's defense against aerial threats from China. The following are the units that the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing once stationed at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taiwan： 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tail Code: ZL) (6 November 1972 – 10 April 1975) (F-4C/D) 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tail Code: ZG) (6 November 1972 – 31 May 1975) (EF-4C, F-4D) In March 1973, the number of US troops stationed at CCK was about 5,000. 16 September 1973 - A 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-4C aircraft crashed during a temporary duty assignment in Taiwan; the crewmembers safely ejected. 15 October 1973, an EF-4C 63-7462 of the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron crashed shortly after takeoff from CCK AB. On 13 November 1973, the 374th TAW was reassigned to Clark AB Philippines. On November 15, 1973, the 6217th Combat Support Group was reactivation. On 1 September 1974, the 6217th Combat Support Group was renamed the 6217th Tactical Group. On 10 April 1975, the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing withdrew from Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taichung, Taiwan, total of 24 McDonnell F-4C/D Phantom II fighters and 450 pilots and ground crews to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. In May 1975, the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron was withdrawn from CCK AB, Taiwan, with the final squadron of 18 F-4Cs departing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, between 27 and 31 May. From 1 June 1975, Due to the withdrawal of F-4 fighter jets, the 6217th Tactical Group was reorganized to the 6217th Air Base Squadron, and CCK AB had been placed in caretaker status. On 31 July 1975, the number of US troops stationed at CCK AB was 571. From 1977, the number of US troops stationed at CCK AB has been reduced to 100. On 1 January 1979, the US normalized relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC). on 25 April 1979, which resulted in the lowering of the national flag by US Air Force personnel and their withdrawal from the base.

china protecting taiwan republic wing us air force squadron prc f4 cck fighter squadron taw taichung tactical fighter squadron

Go Bold #13: Stories from the Cockpit: RCAF Capt. Haggart-Smith on the 2022 CF-18 Demo Team

Jones.Show: Thought-Full Conversation

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2022 24:45

Every year, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) selects a special group of people to make up the CF-18 Demonstration Team. The CF-18 Demonstration Team is a truly national team; its members all come from RCAF units across the country, and all are selected for their superior performance, dedication to excellence, and the desire to represent Canada's operational air force.RCAF Capt. Jesse Haggart-Smith is currently a Unit Flight Safety Officer and two-ship lead with 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron at 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, and he has been selected as the 2022 CF-18 Demo Team pilot.In this episode you'll hear about his career and what he's planning for the 2022 airshow season. Go Bold!

canada stories demo wing capt cf cockpit rcaf cold lake go bold tactical fighter squadron

147: Vietnam POW Captain Wayne O. Smith Lives in Gratitude

Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2022 37:21

Highly decorated Air Force veteran Wayne O. Smith was born in 1943 in Richmond, Kentucky. He entered the U.S. Air Force Academy on June 26, 1961, and graduated with a commission as a 2d Lt. on June 9, 1965. Lt. Smith next attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Moody AFB, Georgia, where he was awarded his pilot wings in September 1966. He served with the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida, from October 1966 to July 1967, when he deployed with his unit to Southeast Asia. He then flew with the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, and was forced to eject over North Vietnam while flying his 90th combat mission on January 18, 1968. On his last mission, Lt. Smith was credited with shooting down a MIG-17 in aerial combat before his aircraft was shot down. He was immediately captured and taken as a Prisoner of War and spent the next 1,882 days in captivity before being released during Operation Homecoming on March 14, 1973. After recovering from his injuries at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, Capt. Smith left active duty on September 4, 1973, served in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard for a year, and then left the reserves in 1976. In 1999 Wayne Smith retired from MidAmerica Energy as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Generation. Earlier, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of BF Goodrich Chemicals and prior to that he was Chief Executive of BOC Gases for the U.S., Canada, and South America. He began his business career with Air Products and Chemicals, where he was appointed to a number of executive assignments over a 16-year period. He was a pilot flying Boeing 727s for Eastern Airlines for a short time before becoming a corporate executive. Wayne is married to Lois A. Bolin, Ph.D., of Naples, Florida. He has two children and two grandchildren, who also reside in Naples. Military Service Summary: • U.S. Air Force Academy 1961-1965 • U.S. Air Force 1965-1973 • Pennsylvania Air National Guard 1973-1974 • U.S. Air Force Reserve 1974-1976 • Cold War 1965-1976 • Vietnam War 1967-1973 (POW) His military honors include two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, seven Air Medals, and the Purple Heart. JONES.SHOW is a weekly podcast featuring host Randall Kenneth Jones (author, speaker & creative communications consultant) and Susan C. Bennett (the original voice of Siri). JONES.SHOW is produced and edited by Kevin Randall Jones. JONES.SHOW Online: Join us in the Jones.Show Lounge on Facebook. Twitter (Randy): https://twitter.com/randallkjones Instagram (Randy): https://www.instagram.com/randallkennethjones/ Facebook (Randy): https://www.facebook.com/mindzoo/ Web: RandallKennethJones.com Follow Randy on Clubhouse Twitter (Susan): https://twitter.com/SiriouslySusan Instagram (Susan): https://www.instagram.com/siriouslysusan/ Facebook (Susan): https://www.facebook.com/siriouslysusan/ Web: SusanCBennett.com Follow Susan on Clubhouse LinkedIn (Kevin): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-randall-jones/ Web: KevinRandallJones.com www.Jones.Show

RFT 573: Dingus Flight

Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 17:30 Very Popular

Operation Linebacker launched on May 10, 1972. It marked the first bombing of Hanoi in North Vietnam since the end of Operation Rolling Thunder in November 1968. I was a ground spare, waiting to launch in the even that any of the strike F-4 aircraft from Ubon Royal Thai Air Base aborted, either on the ground or in the air. I sat in my fully armed aircraft and waited for all of the strike aircraft to launch, then conttinued to wait until they had all reached the airborne pre-strike tanker aircraft, then I de-armed and taxied back to the parking revetment. And then I waited for my brothers to return. A few hours later, they all did. ALL of them. The next day, May 11, 1972, was my turn to fly, as Number Two in Dingus Flight. (Later, strike aircraft carried tree call-signs - Maple, Elm, Walnut, etc. - but at this point in the operation we used call signs from the VCSL - Voice Call Sign List.) During the pre-flight briefing, Wing Commander Colonel Carl Miller made an announcement: “Yesterday, we had a close call. One of our aircraft mis-ID'd an aircraft and fired at one of our aircraft. Lucily, he missed, but we can't have that again. Effective immediately, the Rules of Engagements are changed. All MiGs are silver. You MAY NOT fire at a camouflaged aircraft. If I hear that you fire at a camouflaged airplane I'll ship your ass home the minute you land. Any Questions?” None of us had any questions. It was pretty clear. MiGs are silver. On this day, like the previous day, our Wing Commander would lead the strike. The Commander of the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, my squadron, would be the lead of Dingus Flight. I was put in the Number Two position because I was still a fairly new pilot, an “FNG”, and the Number Two position was a place where the flight lead could keep a close watch on the FNG. Our target would be the Bac Mai Airfield. We took off as the sun rose, headed north over Laos for our refueling, and proceeded toward our target. My back-seater was First Lieutenant Johnny Wyatt. Johnny was an “old head”: he had been on the strike over Hanoi the previous day, so he knew what to expect. We ingressed the target area in spread formation, approximately 1000 feet between aircraft. I was on Lead's right. Just as Lead rocked us in to close “fingertip” formation for our bomb run, Johnny screamed at me. “We got a SAM (Surface-to-Air Missile) at four o'clock! Break right!” I had no idea what a SAM looked like in flight, and I didn't see it. “I don't see it.” “It's a f@#cing SAM! BREAK RIGHT!” When easy-going Johnny is screaming, I knew it was serious. I broke hard right. Shortly after that, the SAM exploded right where I would have been. Listen to the podcast for the rest of the story!

vietnam flight id fighters commander laos linebackers maple engagements hanoi elm walnuts number two wing commander migs north vietnam dingus any questions fng tactical fighter squadron

Go Bold #6: Stories from the Cockpit: LtCol Forrest Rock on RCAF Air Task Force - Romania (Block 51)

The Daily Mindset Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2022 44:03

One of our goals at Go Bold is to preserve history from first-hand perspectives. For this episode, I chat with Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Lieutenant-Colonel Forrest Rock, Commander of Air Task Force - Romania (2019).ATF-Romania is the air component of Operation REASSURANCE, Canada's contribution to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe.Our chat happened in January 2020, soon after the detachment concluded operations at Mihail Kogӑlniceanu Airbase for Block 51 of NATO's Enhanced Air Policing mission. LtCol Rock was still in Romania at the time of our conversation, so his thoughts were as current as could be!The Enhanced Air Policing mission reinforces NATO's collective defence, demonstrating the Alliance's combined strength and solidarity to any potential airspace aggressor. It is part of NATO assurance and deterrence measures introduced in 2014 after Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea.For this iteration of ATF-Romania, the RCAF sent CF-18 fighter jets from 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron, which is home-based at CFB Cold Lake. They were supported by personnel from all over Canada, primarily from 2 Air Expeditionary Wing, 3 Wing Bagotville, and 19 Wing Comox.You'll hear about the planning required to deploy to Europe, the transit across the Atlantic ocean, and some of the logistic elements required to establish their detachment in Romania.You'll hear about their Quick Reaction Alert responses and how the detachment shadowed and intercepted "tracks of interest" including Russian Su-24 Fencer and Be-12 Mail aircraft.In addition to the Enhanced Air Policing mission, the ATF conducted regular training with their Romanian counterparts, including flight operations, emergency response, flight safety, aircraft maintenance, command and control, and military policing.ATF-Romania also participated in several multinational and joint training exercises such as Exercise Silver Arrow in Latvia, Exercise Blue Bridge 19, and Exercise Ramstein Dust.If that wasn't enough, the ATF also did over 200 hours of community outreach where they helped orphanages and helped to purchase equipment for the Center for Children with Disabilities.At the conclusion of the 2019 iteration of ATF-Romania, LtCol Rock issued the following statement:“It has been a tremendous honour for the members of Air Task Force-Romania 2019 to work along side our Romanian and regional NATO Allies. Whether fulfilling our NATO enhanced Air Policing mandate or participating in the multitude of multinational joint training opportunities with our Romanian MiG-21 and F-16 counterparts, the Romanian, French, and US Navy, the Bulgarian Air Force, or Task Force Latvia, our efforts have clearly demonstrated Canada's reliability and commitment to NATO collective defence from both a deterrence and assurance perspective. The members of this Task Force have once again demonstrated the value and capabilities of our Canadian Armed Forces and further solidified Canada's reputation as a reliable defence partner.”We commend 401 TFS Squadron and all the members of ATF-Romania for the work they did, and for helping the community there were part of during their 4 month deployment.Thank you LtCol Rock for sharing your experiences and perspectives.Go Bold!

canada children europe stories rock french russia atlantic mail alliance tasks nato romania commander eastern europe us navy disabilities task force romanian latvia crimea cf atf cockpit canadian armed forces airbase fencer rcaf nato allies go bold russian su air expeditionary wing tactical fighter squadron quick reaction alert

My Life Story Part I

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2022 23:40

When we were kids we all wanted to be a soldier fighting an enemy in war or an Astronaut in space. As kids, we played outside with sticks for rifles; used sound effects for bullets and bombs. We would even pretend to be wounded. War to us then was a fictional place where you could be a hero then go home for dinner. Like my friends, our fathers before us served in World War II and Korea. They knew the truth of war because they lived it but rarely ever talked about it. We grew up watching actors like John Wayne, Audie Murphy, and so many others as heroes fighting Germans and Japanese during World War II. I was especially drawn to the aviators like Chuck Yeager, Jimmy Doolittle, and astronauts of the Gemini and Apollo era. They seemed larger than life, and I wanted to be like them. I have lived a purpose driven life since I was eighteen. My childhood was wonderful. In May of 1968 we moved into our new home. I grew up on a street called Cool Brook in Louisville, Kentucky in a small town called Fern Creek or at least it was back then. My family consists of myself and two older brothers. Summer of that year I went with a friend and his family to see 2001 A Space Odyssey at a drive-in theater. That was the year the movie was released. When I was a little boy my mom and dad took me to a local carnival where they were giving helicopter rides. I got a ride in one which was the first time I had left the Earth since I was born. It sure was fun and it gave me my first taste of flying. Two close friends of my mother were Billy Davis and his wife. Billy was an aerial photographer for the Courier Journal newspaper in Louisville. He owned his own plane. When I was a young teenager, he took us flying in his plane. This would be the second time I flew, and it was far more thrilling. Little did I know then that I would fly again during my service in the Air Force, and become part of an elite combat fighter squadron called the 72nd Tactical Fighter Squadron originally created after Pearl Harbor in April of 1942. In the military, I was in charge of not just machinery but airmen as well. My civilian life was quite different. In civilian life I was never the boss of anything, save raising my three kids on my own. I never held a public office. I never made much money. I never chased any of the contemporary definitions of success—popularity, power or position. Yet, despite my humble life, my kids, grand kids, and great-grandchildren will know about me. I hope that through this book my family and future generations will know who I was, and what I did. I hope that my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who read my autobiography will come to know me, and have a better understanding of the sacrifices made by Cold War veterans as well as veterans in any conflict. Maybe it will make up for not being able to spend time with them while they grew up. Most importantly, I want to share my memories in the hope that my experiences will serve as an example for future generations who must make difficult decisions, and possibly put their lives on the line for the preservation of liberty. To date, the Cold War was the longest and one of the most misunderstood wars in American history. It lasted 46 years. I am the grandson of a World War I veteran and the son of a World War II Veteran. I am an American Airman and a Cold War Veteran. This is my story.

american earth war german japanese kentucky world war ii korea air force apollo louisville cold war gemini astronauts pearl harbor john wayne life story space odyssey drive in theater chuck yeager courier journal world war ii veterans audie murphy billy davis fern creek tactical fighter squadron

Defence Deconstructed: A Pan-Domain Approach to North American Defence

The CGAI Podcast Network

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2021 38:19

In this new episode of Defence Deconstructed, David Perry talks to LGen Alain Pelletier, Deputy Commander of NORAD, about the modernization of the binational command This episode was made possible thanks to the support of the Department of National Defence's MINDS Program Defence Deconstructed is brought to you by Irving Shipbuilding and Boeing. Participants' Bios: Lieutenant-General Alain Pelletier is the Deputy Commander North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He has held a number of command positions: Commander of 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, Commander of 3 Wing Bagotville, Québec, Commander of Task Force Libeccio, the Canadian Air Component to NATO's Operation Unified Protector over Libya. He also was the Deputy Commander Continental U.S. NORAD Region based at Tyndall AFB, Florida, where he was responsible for the Continental U.S. daily air defense readiness in addition to the defense of the U.S. National Capital Region. Host Bio: Dave Perry (host): Senior Analyst and Vice President with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (www.cgai.ca/david_perry) Recording Date: 6 Dec 2021 Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on LinkedIn. Head over to our website at www.cgai.ca for more commentary. Produced by Charlotte Duval-Lantoine. Music credits to Drew Phillips

music head colorado vice president north american nato boeing commander defence colorado springs libya domain senior analyst norad deconstructed david perry deputy commander national defence national capital region canadian global affairs institute recording date drew phillips tyndall afb peterson air force base tactical fighter squadron charlotte duval lantoine

Role Call - Show 7 - POW Mike Burns - Climate Champion

VBN - Veterans Broadcast Network

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2021 64:41

Mike Burns was born in 1944 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was commissioned a 2nd Lt through the Air Force ROTC program at De Paul University, Illinois, on July 15, 1966, and went on active duty beginning October 18, 1966. Lt Burns next completed Undergraduate Pilot Training, and was awarded his pilot wings at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, in October 1967, followed by survival training, jungle survival school, and F-4 Phantom II Combat Crew Training between October 1967 and May 1968.Lt Burns served as an F-4 Pilot Systems Operator with the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from May 1968 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War while flying his 19th combat mission on July 5, 1968.After spending 1,714 days in captivity, Capt Burns was released during Operation Homecoming on March 14, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, and then received an Air Force Institute of Technology Assignment to Notre Dame University, Indiana, from January 1974 until he left active duty on March 31, 1974.ENDING SONG BY BILL SCHUSTIK

war ohio illinois indiana champion oklahoma thailand climate prisoners lt depaul university fort wayne notre dame university north vietnam mike burns air force rotc wright patterson afb air force institute climate champion tactical fighter squadron

Raptors, Bears and Bush with Mike "Coma" Reed

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2021 49:32

Welcome to this episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! Our conversation with Mike "Coma" Reed continues this week, telling us his story of integrating all the systems in the Lockheed F-22 Raptor, arguably the most lethal fighter jet in the world. Mike explains why the F-22 program and development performed so well and the F-35 program continues to have challenges. Age and treachery will always overcome youth and exuberance as Mike relates an event with a Russian TU-95 Bear Bomber off the coast of South Korea. Then-Vice President George H. W. Bush visited South Korea and F-4E Phantom IIs from Mike's 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron, The Flying Fiends, escorted the VP's plane into Osan Air Base Korea. Today the Flying Fiends continue to defend the Korean Peninsula from aggression from North Korea and China as a Cold War atmosphere increases in the Far East. Prints of Mike's two F-4E Phantoms for the walls of your home or office can be purchased from our sponsor Wall Pilot at the following links: https://wallpilot.com/product/f-4e-36th-tac-fighter-squadron-osan-korea/ https://wallpilot.com/product/3rd-tfs-f-4e-euro-ii-scheme/ To learn more about the Russian TU-95 Bear bomber: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-95 Enjoy the second hour of my interview with my boyhood buddy Mike Reed!

china lessons bear bears bush south korea cold war north korea toronto raptors coma raptor far east prints cockpit korean peninsula mike reed tupolev tu lockheed f tactical fighter squadron

Raptors, Bears and Bush with Mike "Coma" Reed

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2021 49:32

Welcome to this episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! Our conversation with Mike "Coma" Reed continues this week, telling us his story of integrating all the systems in the Lockheed F-22 Raptor, arguably the most lethal fighter jet in the world. Mike explains why the F-22 program and development performed so well and the F-35 program continues to have challenges. Age and treachery will always overcome youth and exuberance as Mike relates an event with a Russian TU-95 Bear Bomber off the coast of South Korea. Then-Vice President George H. W. Bush visited South Korea and F-4E Phantom IIs from Mike's 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron, The Flying Fiends, escorted the VP's plane into Osan Air Base Korea. Today the Flying Fiends continue to defend the Korean Peninsula from aggression from North Korea and China as a Cold War atmosphere increases in the Far East. Prints of Mike's two F-4E Phantoms for the walls of your home or office can be purchased from our sponsor Wall Pilot at the following links: https://wallpilot.com/product/f-4e-36th-tac-fighter-squadron-osan-korea/ https://wallpilot.com/product/3rd-tfs-f-4e-euro-ii-scheme/ To learn more about the Russian TU-95 Bear bomber: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-95 Enjoy the second hour of my interview with my boyhood buddy Mike Reed!

china lessons bear bears bush south korea cold war north korea toronto raptors coma raptor far east prints cockpit korean peninsula mike reed tupolev tu lockheed f tactical fighter squadron

Second Hour interview with Mike Reed

Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2021 49:31

Welcome to this episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! Our conversation with Mike "Coma" Reed continues this week, telling us his story of integrating all the systems in the Lockheed F-22 Raptor, arguably the most lethal fighter jet in the world. Mike explains why the F-22 program and development performed so well and the F-35 program continues to have challenges. Age and treachery will always overcome youth and exuberance as Mike relates an event with a Russian TU-95 Bear Bomber off the coast of South Korea. It didn't go so well for him and his pilot! Then-Vice President George H. W. Bush visited South Korea and F-4E Phantom IIs from Mike's 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron, The Flying Fiends, escorted the VP's plane into Osan Air Base Korea. The air corridor and escort operation was called COPE BUSH. Today the Flying Fiends continue to defend the Korean Peninsula from aggression by North Korea and China as a Cold War atmosphere increases in the Far East. Prints of Mike's two F-4E Phantoms for the walls of your home or office can be purchased from our sponsor Wall Pilot at the following links: https://wallpilot.com/product/f-4e-36th-tac-fighter-squadron-osan-korea/ https://wallpilot.com/product/3rd-tfs-f-4e-euro-ii-scheme/ To learn more about the Russian TU-95 Bear bomber: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-95 Enjoy the second hour of my interview with my boyhood buddy Mike Reed!

china lessons bear bush south korea cold war north korea raptor far east prints cockpit korean peninsula second hour mike reed lockheed f tactical fighter squadron

RFT 514: July F-4 Memories

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2021 24:36

Brushy Four On 1 July 1972 I was number 4 in Brushy Flight, attacking a target in Kep, North Vietnam. As we exited the target area, our flight was targeted by a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) from our left 7 o'clock position. This SAM was tracking differently than a typical SA-2. The typical SA-2 traveled in a lead-pursuit flight path, not too difficult to defeat if you can see it. this SAM was different. It was traveling in a lag-pursuit flight path, aiming directly at out flight. We separated into two sections of two aircraft, about 1000 feet apart, with each wingman flying in close formation with his lead aircraft. As number 4, I flew in formation on the left wing with Brushy 3, the deputy flight lead. I watched the missile track toward our section in my left rear-view mirror. It was heading directly for me. As it was about to hit me, I flinched to the left and was immediately rocked by the sound of the explosion as it hit Brushy 3. Fortunately, Brushy 3 did not go down. The missile detonated as a proximity burst. His aircraft was leaking fluids, but continued to fly. Because he had lost his utility hydraulic system Brushy 3 could not refuel, so he would have to land at DaNang, South Vietnam, if his fuel supply lasted. I was assigned to escort him to DaNang. Miraculously, his fuel supply lasted, and he landed with an approach-end engagement on runway 17 left while I landed on runway 17 right. After refueling, I led another F-4 in formation back to Ubon. The reason I led the flight, at low altitude, was because the other aircraft could not pressurize. It had taken a small arms round through the rear canopy, right through the back-seater's heart. Walnut Four The Vietnam Veterans Memorial – The Wall – has panels that list the KIA (Killed In Action) casualties in chronological order of their loss. Panel W1, the last panel, encompasses the date July 30, 1972. My name is not on that panel, because my military Brothers, Sid Fulgham, J.D. Allen and the crew of Purple 28, saved my life. I was Number Four in Walnut Flight, four F-4s on a strike deep into enemy territory north of Hanoi. The flight was being led by our new squadron commander, Sid Fugham, on his first mission leading a strike over Hanoi, and J.D. was the deputy flight lead, Walnut Three. Enroute to the target, we faced heavy reactions. SAMs (surface-to-air missiles), AAA (anti-aircraft artillery) and MiG calls (enemy aircraft). As we egressed the target area over the Gulf of Tonkin, Lead called for a fuel check, and that was when we all realized that my fuel was significantly below the other airplanes in the flight. In fact, I wouldn't have enough fuel to make it to the post-strike refueling point. Sid was out of ideas, and that's when J.D. went into action. With Sid's concurrence, J.D. took command of the flight, sent us over to the emergency GUARD frequency, and made contact with the refueling tankers. One of them, Purple 28, volunteered to fly up into enemy territory to meet us. That crew put their airplane, their lives, and their careers on the line to save me. Back in 1972, navigation was not the GPS precision it is today. The INS (inertial navigation system) position on the F-4 could be off by as much as 10 miles for every hour of operation. The only way to roughly determine our position was radial/DME from a TACAN located on a Navy ship, far away. J.D. asked the tanker for his position from the TACAN, then gave the tanker a heading to meet up with us. Picking the tanker up on radar, J.D. told him when to begin his turn to a heading to match ours, and told him to start a descent. In the meantime, he directed me to start a half-nozzle descent. My WSO and I were running through the Preparation For Ejection checklist, and I was periodically reporting my fuel state. The last reading I recall seeing was 0 on the tape and 0030 on the counter. About two minutes fuel. With fuel gauge tolerance, perhaps a bit more, perhaps less. Up until this time I had simply been flying the headings, speeds and altitudes J.D. had assigned. I was pretty much operating on mental autopilot. The next thing I knew, I looked up and saw the refueling boom of the tanker directly above me, flying a "toboggan maneuver". I opened up my refueling door and immediately heard the rush of JP-4 entering my aircraft. And I knew I wouldn't need to step over the side on this mission. I think of J.D. and the tanker crew, and silently thank them, every time I hold my wife, my kids, my grandkids. If they hadn't stepped up to the plate when they did, I'm fairly certain I wouldn't have made it home. When you pull the ejection handle over shark-infested enemy-controlled water, there are a thousand things that can happen to prevent a happy outcome. So on this coming July 30th, I want to once again thank my Brothers, the brave tanker crew, Sid Fulgham, and J.D. Allen. My Last F-4 Flight In 1973 I was assigned to the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron, at Kadena Air Base, in Okinawa. The squadron was on long-term TDY to CCK Air Base, in Taiwan. I was going through squadron check-out in the F-4C, and had flown a gunnery mission to Ie Shima bombing range in Okinawa. For several weeks before July 5th I had been feeling unusually tired. I still ran five miles every day, and put in a lot of hours at the squadron on my additional duties as Life Support Officer, as well as filling in for the Admin Officer, who was TDY. But, naturally, as a self-designated Iron Man, I didn't check in with a flight surgeon. On this flight, I was feeling really, really weak. During the pitch-out during our arrival back at the base, I was blacking out from two Gs! After we taxied in to park, I couldn't climb out of the airplane by myself, and an ambulance crew took me to the hospital. Turned out I had Mononucleosis. After I was released from the hospital, I was placed on non-flying duties for several months, and during that time I was reassigned to Wing Headquarters in a desk job. Although I continued to fly after I recovered, it was in the T-39 Sabreliner, not the F-4. So I never had the closure of a "champagne flight" in the F-4.

brothers memories navy iron man taiwan gps picking combat guard purple gulf surface aaa jp aviation ins okinawa gs hanoi sams en route mig f4 south vietnam tonkin dme north vietnam da nang number four kep mononucleosis tdy brushy kadena air base ubon tactical fighter squadron tacan

Episode 82: Vietnam War: The Music - The Times They Are A-Changin'

Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2021 115:07

This exhibit is called The Vietnam War: The Music. Our mission here at the Music Museum is to support all Vietnam Veterans and those who serve the United States, then and now. We thank you for your service. Early-on, in Vietnam, soldiers turned to music as a lifeline to the home front they’d promised to defend. Rock & roll (R&R) really became rest & relaxation (R&R) for the troops. It was this music that got you through another day, another day closer to going home. Music was a big part of a soldier’s down time that centered within the hooches of Vietnam. The music that was popular during the Vietnam War was, and is still, therapy. There are songs you can remember, and then there are songs you REALLY remember. Many of these songs will have a special meaning for you. A place, a brother, a time gone by. This program is for you, the Vietnam Vets, who will never forget. Our goal with The Vietnam War: The Music is to honor the fallen and the survivors with the music that got them through “just one more day”. Our shows are broadcast around the world. They say thank you & “welcome home” to all Vietnam Vets. There is no opinion offered on the War. It’s all about the music. For your service and your sacrifice, this is The Vietnam War: The Music. This episode: The Times They Are A-Changin' Join the conversation on Facebook at----- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008232395712 or by email at dannymemorylane@gmail.com You’ll hear: 1. The Times They Are A-Changin' by Bob Dylan 2. Welcome Home by Country Joe McDonald 3. Born on the Bayou by Creedence Clearwater Revival 4. Soldier Boy by The Shirelles 5. The Ballad of the Green Berets by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler 6. Hello Vietnam by Johnnie Wright (w/ Kitty Wells, backing vocal) 7. I Fall To Pieces by Patsy Cline 8. (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding 9. Sitting in the Cab of My Truck by Chip Dockery [He served with the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Udorn] 10. People Got To Be Free by The (Young) Rascals 11. These Boots Are Made For Walkin' by Nancy Sinatra 12. Oh, Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison 13. The Minute Men (Are Turning In Their Graves) by Stonewall Jackson 15. Respect by Aretha Franklin 16. Sugar Shack by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs 17. I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) by The Four Tops 18. Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys 19. Gallant Men by Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen 20. Mr. Lonely by Bobby Vinton 21. We Gotta Get Out Of This Place by The Animals 22. The Locomotion by Little Eva 23. Dear Uncle Sam by Loretta Lynn 24. Good Luck Charm by Elvis Presley 25. Big Girls Don't Cry by The Four Seasons 26. What We're Fighting For by Dave Dudley 27. You by The Aquatones (w/ Lynne Nixon, lead) 28. Light My Fire by The Doors 29. The Battle Of New Orleans by Johnny Horton 30. Chu Yen (Siagon Girl) by Saul Broudy (lead), Robin Thomas & Tom Price 32. Honky Tonk Women by The Rolling Stones 33. Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation by Tom Paxton 34. Leaving On A Jet Plane by Peter, Paul And Mary 35. Together Again by Buck Owens 36. I Feel Fine by The Beatles 37. Sky Pilot by Eric Burdon & The Animals 38. Coney Island Baby by The Excellents 39. With God On Our Side by The Neville Brothers 40. God Bless America by Connie Francis

united states music rock war respect vietnam sitting lonely bob dylan vietnam war ballad cry bayou green beret pretty woman god bless america cab good vibrations vietnam veterans changin patsy cline sittin locomotion vietnam vets eric burdon light my fire soldier boy connie francis sugar shack good luck charm times they are a changin young rascals kitty wells i feel fine little eva big girls don fighting for battle of new orleans robin thomas coney island baby leaving on a jet plane with god on our side tactical fighter squadron i fall to pieces

RFT 448: A-10/Airline Pilot Odie Espinship

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2020 45:21

Jeff became a USAF fighter pilot flying the venerable A-10 Thunderbolt, also known as the “Warthog”. He was stationed with the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Eilson AFB in Fairbanks, Alaska. While there, he qualified as one of the youngest 4-ship flight leaders in the entire squadron. He served as an instructor and was also combat search and rescue qualified. He won numerous Top Gun awards for air-to-ground bombing and gunnery. Due to Jeff’s outgoing, personable, always smiling, eager to please personality, his squadron mates quickly gave him his callsign “Odie” aptly named after the popular cartoon Garfield’s sidekick. Now, few people know Jeff by his first name…but simply call him “ODIE.” After 6 years of dedicated service in the Air Force, Odie decided to fulfill another lifelong dream by becoming an airline pilot. He began his career with Delta Air Lines in 1992, where he currently flies international routes out of Atlanta, GA. Amid his tenure as an airline pilot, Odie also flew a 1943 T-6 “Texan ” on the airshow circuit. A tragic accident took the life of his brother, as well as the life of the pilot. This significant event in Odie’s life ignited the spark that helped create what TargetLeadership is today. Odie has three children whom he is immensely proud of, a daughter two sons.

alaska ga air force amid top gun texan garfield delta airlines fairbanks thunderbolt airline pilots warthog odie tactical fighter squadron

DARK RAIN by Dana Duthie

This Week in America with Ric Bratton

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2020 20:35

DARK RAIN by Dana Duthie Iran has planted families in American society to live American lives until their call came to spread death and destruction. In one day four devastating attacks on U.S. military targets kills hundreds of Americans. The Operations Director of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is pulling the strings. He threatens further daily attacks if the U.S. doesn’t pull completely out of the Mideast and if Israel doesn’t cease to exist. One of the “mole” pilots steals his F-16 and bomb off of nuclear alert at a U.S. base in Germany and flies it to Libya with the intent to follow it up with a nuclear attack on Tel Aviv. The U.S. President assembles a team of special operators to thwart further attacks on American soil, and launch a large scale attack, succeeding in destroying the Libyan base and recovering the fighter and its bomb. The main perpetrator is eliminated in Iran. The world is again “safe.” For now. Colonel Dana Duthie’s career as an Air Force fighter pilot is the basis for many of the experiences in his books. His Air Force career spanned 24 years, from pilot training in Georgia and instructor in Texas to the skies over Southeast Asia, and from flying the F-4 phantom in Germany to the F-16 Falcon in South Carolina, Korea and Germany. The theme of “Phantoms of the Shah” spawned from his tour with the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron in Germany flying the F-4 during 1975-79. “Tremble” is based in South Korea where Duthie was a squadron commander of the 80th Fighter Squadron flying the F-16 in 1985/6. “Dark Rain” dwells on the twilight of the hero’s career as a Colonel in the Air Force and it has bits and pieces of Duthie’s total experiences as an Air Force fighter pilot. Colonel Duthie also “paid his dues” with three headquarters assignments and professional schooling. He retired from the Air Force in 1992. He lives in Broomfield and Steamboat Springs, Colorado with his wife. They have two children and three grandchildren nearby. One of their grandsons is currently assigned to the USS Carl Vinson, nuclear aircraft carrier in the Pacific. https://www.amazon.com/DARK-RAIN-Dana-Duthie/dp/1645509699/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1597188274&sr=8-1 www.danaduthiebooks.com http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/daduthie1.mp3

american texas president israel americans germany colorado iran rain south carolina korea air force south korea pacific falcon southeast asia tel aviv shah colonel libya phantoms libyan operations director mideast tremble steamboat springs broomfield fighter squadron duthie uss carl vinson iranian revolutionary guard tactical fighter squadron

TREMBLE by Dana Duthie

This Week in America with Ric Bratton

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2020 19:30

TREMBLE by Dana Duthie North Korea is at it again. Kim Jong Un raids and kills several UN weapons inspectors and holds three others hostage at one of his suspected nuclear sites. The U.S. unilaterally mounts a SEAL Team raid to rescue the hostages while simultaneously launching a massive air attack to destroy the facility. The U.S. and South Korean presidents play “tit for tat” trying to resolve a major upheaval in Seoul. Brad Mitchell, the 80th Squadron Commander is shot down and rescued by the SEALS. They make their way through the jungle to escape, though without the hostages. Things ease back to normal - as normal as can be on the Korean peninsula. Colonel Dana Duthie’s career as an Air Force fighter pilot is the basis for many of the experiences in his books. His Air Force career spanned 24 years, from pilot training in Georgia and instructor in Texas to the skies over Southeast Asia, and from flying the F-4 phantom in Germany to the F-16 Falcon in South Carolina, Korea and Germany. The theme of “Phantoms of the Shah” spawned from his tour with the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron in Germany flying the F-4 during 1975-79. “Tremble” is based in South Korea where Duthie was a squadron commander of the 80th Fighter Squadron flying the F-16 in 1985/6. “Dark Rain” dwells on the twilight of the hero’s career as a Colonel in the Air Force and it has bits and pieces of Duthie’s total experiences as an Air Force fighter pilot. Colonel Duthie also “paid his dues” with three headquarters assignments and professional schooling. He retired from the Air Force in 1992. He lives in Broomfield and Steamboat Springs, Colorado with his wife. They have two children and three grandchildren nearby. One of their grandsons is currently assigned to the USS Carl Vinson, nuclear aircraft carrier in the Pacific. https://www.amazon.com/Tremble-Dana-Duthie/dp/1648583814/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=dana+duthie&qid=1597188320&sr=8-2 www.danaduthiebooks.com http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/daduthie2.mp3

texas germany colorado south carolina korea korean air force south korea pacific falcon southeast asia shah seoul south koreans seals colonel kim jong un phantoms seal team tremble steamboat springs broomfield fighter squadron duthie squadron commander uss carl vinson brad mitchell tactical fighter squadron

Vietnam War: The Music - S. 3 / E. 9 – Hard Corps Warriors

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2020 121:56

Early-on, in Vietnam, soldiers turned to music as a lifeline to the home front they promised to defend. Rock & roll (R&R) really became rest & relaxation (R&R) for the troops. It was this music that got you through another day, another day closer to going home. Music was a big part of a soldier’s down time that centered within the hooches of Vietnam. The music that was popular during the Vietnam War was, and is still, therapy. There are songs you can remember, and then there are songs you REALLY remember. Many of these songs will have a special meaning for you. A place, a brother, a time gone by. This program is for you, the Vietnam Vets, who will never forget. This episode contains a song by Chip Dockery, who did two tours in Vietnam with the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the "Panther Pack". The song is from the album, “In Country - Folk Songs of Americans in the Vietnam War”, available from I-Tunes and other digital music sources. Our mission here at the Music Museum is to support all Vietnam Veterans and those who serve the United States, then and now. We thank you for your service. From the Gulf Coast of Florida, going around the world on demand, this is The Vietnam War: The Music. **** This episode is called “Hard Corps Warriors” ***** Join the conversation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008232395712 **** or by email at dannymemorylane@gmail.com **** In this episode you’ll hear: 1) Tougher Than The Rest by Bruce Springsteen 2) Welcome Home by Country Joe McDonald 3) Nowhere To Run by Martha & The Vandellas 4) The Bumper Of My S.U.V. by Chely Wright 5) Hey Tonight by Creedence Clearwater Revival 6) Inside Looking Out by Eric Burdon & The Animals 7) The "A" Team by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler 8) Salt Of The Earth by The Rolling Stones 9) Rag Mama Rag by The Band 10) Moondance by Van Morrison 11) Spanish Harlem by Ben E. King 12) SWLABR by Cream 13) As Good As You've Been To This World by Janis Joplin 14) What It Takes by Montgomery Gentry 15) Vietnam by Jimmy Cliff 16) Summer by War 17) Panther Pack Is Prowling / Ling Po Drove the Truck [To the tune of two 60s hit, "The Cruel War & Michael Row The Boat"] by Chip Dockery 18) The Song Is Over by The Who 19) Salute to the Nurses by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler 20) This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) by The Isley Brothers 21) War by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band 22) Rock 'n' Roll Music by The Beatles 23) The Best Way To Travel by The Moody Blues 24) Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell 25) Keep A Light In The Window Till I Come Home by Solomon Burke 26) Searching For My Love by Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces 27) Foxy Lady by The Jimi Hendrix Experience 28) The Unknown Soldier by The Doors 29) Midnight Rambler by The Rolling Stones 30) Work Me, Lord by Janis Joplin 31) To Love Somebody by The Bee Gees 32) Hey Jude by The Beatles

Vietnam War: The Music - S. 3 / E. 7 – Dispatches From The Jungle

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2020 116:34

This exhibit is called Vietnam War: The Music. Our mission here at the Music Museum is to support all Vietnam Veterans and those who serve the United States, then and now. We thank you for your service. ****** This episode and it’s title was inspired by the outstanding writing of Michael Herr in his book called “Dispatches” published in 1977. It is a hybrid of memoir and fiction hailed as one of the most important books about the war, describing the experiences of disillusioned young American soldiers there. Herr, in his book, also professed that “Vietnam was the first ‘rock ‘n’ roll war’, and Jimi Hendrix was its forward scout.” ***** Early-on, in Vietnam, soldiers turned to music as a lifeline to the home front they promised to defend. Country music was a big part of a soldier’s down time that centered around the hooches and outposts of Vietnam. One of the songs in this episode was written and performed by Chip Dockery who served two tours with the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron ("Panther Pack") in Vietnam. Listen to “KING OF THE TRAIL”. This song is part of a series which Chip wrote about the North Vietnamese truck drivers on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Parking in caves during the day and driving by night, they tried to evade the fighter attacks, B-52 strikes and reconnaissance planes. **** Our shows say thank you & “welcome home” to all Vietnam Vets. There is no opinion offered on the War. It’s all about the music. **** For your service and your sacrifice, this is Vietnam War: The Music. **** This episode is called “Dispatches From The Jungle” ***** Join the conversation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008232395712 **** or by email at dannymemorylane@gmail.com **** In this episode you’ll hear: 1) Run Through the Jungle by Creedence Clearwater Revival 2) Welcome Home by Country Joe McDonald 3) Bring The Boys Home by Freda Payne 4) Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf 5) Soldier Baby Of Mine by The Ronettes 6) We Can Work It Out by The Beatles 7) Smokin' Cigarettes And Drinking Coffee Blues by Marty Robbins 8) When The Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin 9) Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who 10) In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) by Zager & Evans 11) Go Where You Wanna Go by The 5th Dimension 12) There's a Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere by The Louvin Brothers 13) King of the Trail [To the tune of Roger Miller's 1965 hit, "King of the Road"] by Chip Dockery 14) Low Rider by War 15) My Girl by The Rolling Stones 16) She's Not There by The Zombies 17) Twistin' The Night Away by Sam Cooke 18) Waist Deep In The Big Muddy by Pete Seeger 19) Wasted Words by The Allman Brothers Band 20) American Soldier by Toby Keith 21) Wooden Ships by Crosby, Stills & Nash 22) Soul Deep by The Box Tops 23) The Last Letter by Ray Price 24) Guide You Home by Sugarland 25) Changes by David Bowie 26) Strange Days by The Doors 27) Rider in the Rain by Reckless Kelly & Joe Ely (Willy Braun, Cody Braun & Joe Ely, vocals) 28) Dueling Banjos by Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell 29) You Are The Sunshine Of My Life by Stevie Wonder 30) Everybody's Everything by Santana 31) Saturday Night by Billy Dean 32) All Things Must Pass by George Harrison 33) Who Knows Where the Time Goes by Stephen Stills & Judy Collins

Vietnam War: The Music - S. 3 / E. 5 – Out Beyond The Wire

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2020 119:06

I’m Danny Lane, the curator of The Music Museum. This exhibit is called The Vietnam War: The Music. Our mission here at the Music Museum is to support all Vietnam Veterans and those who serve the United States, then and now. We thank you for your service. Early-on, in Vietnam, soldiers turned to music as a lifeline to the home front they promised to defend. Rock & roll (R&R) really became rest & relaxation (R&R) for the troops. It was this music that got you through another day, another day closer to going home. Music was a big part of a soldier’s down time that centered within the hooches of Vietnam. The music that was popular during the Vietnam War was, and is still, therapy. There are songs you can remember, and then there are songs you REALLY remember. Many of these songs will have a special meaning for you. A place, a brother, a time gone by. This program is for you, the Vietnam Vets, who will never forget. ***** In this episode we feature a song by a two-tour Vietnam Veteran, Chip Dockery, who served with the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base. His song is a "brag song" for a pilot friend's going home party. It lists the places he has been, the people (mostly forward air controllers) and agencies with which he has worked, and the missions he has flown. It’s called “I’ve Been Everywhere” ****** Our goal with The Vietnam War: The Music is to honor the fallen and the survivors with the music that got them through “just one more day”. Our shows are broadcast around the world. They say thank you & “welcome home” to all Vietnam Vets. There is no opinion offered on the War. It’s all about the music. **** For your service and your sacrifice, this is The Vietnam War: The Music. **** This episode is called “Out Beyond The Wire” ****** ***** Join the conversation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008232395712 **** or by email at dannymemorylane@gmail.com **** In this episode you’ll hear: 1) Volunteers by Jefferson Airplane 2) Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town by Kenny Rogers & The First Edition 3) Welcome Home by Country Joe McDonald 4) You Can't Do That by The Beatles 5) Casey Jones by The Grateful Dead 6) For You by Johnny Cash & Dave Matthews 7) Southbound and Down by Dave Dudley 8) Dancing In The Street by Martha & The Vandellas 9) Tour of Duty by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit 10) Badge by Cream 11) Purple Rain by Prince and The Revolution 12) Almost Cut My Hair by Crosby, Stills & Nash 13) And When I Die by Blood, Sweat & Tears 14) Lay Me Down (Draped in the Red White and Blue) by Elvis Carden 15) She Never Spoke Spanish To Me by The Texas Tornados 16) I've Been Everywhere by Chip Dockery 17) Ooby Dooby by Creedence Clearwater Revival 18) Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere by Neil Young (w/ Crazy Horse) 19) Boys by The Shirelles 20) Coming Home Soldier by Bobby Vinton 21) Abilene by George Hamilton IV 22) Down In The Boondocks by Billy Joe Royal 23) Take It To The Limit by Suzy Bogguss 24) Hanky Panky by Tommy James & The Shondells 25) People Got to Be Free by Dionne Warwick 26) Love Hurts by The Everly Brothers 27) From The Beginning by Emerson, Lake & Palmer 28) I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Politician by The Byrds 29) Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker 30) The Letter by The Box Tops 31) Anna (Go To Him) by Arthur Alexander 32) The Beautiful by Five for Fighting 33) To Love Somebody by Janis Joplin 34) Act Naturally by Buck Owens 35) Queen Of The Highway by The Doors 36) A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians

united states music rock war blood boys vietnam lake volunteers duty wire sweat vietnam war johnny cash neil young kenny rogers stills red white vietnam veterans be free jason isbell crazy horse vietnam vets tommy james edie brickell take your love new bohemians danny lane ooby dooby tactical fighter squadron

Vietnam War: The Music - S. 2 / E. 7 – The Order Is Rapidly Fading

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2020 116:26

This exhibit is called The Vietnam War: The Music. Our mission at the Music Museum is to support all Vietnam Veterans and those who serve the United States, then and now. We thank you for your service. ----- Many of the songs in this episode will have a special meaning for you. A place, a brother, a time gone by. This program is for you, the Vietnam Vets, who will never forget. ----- In this episode you’ll hear the song, “BATTLE HYMN OF THE RIVER RATS” Dick Jonas wrote this song while flying to the first "practice" stateside reunion of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots' Association ("Red River Rats") in 1969. The Red River Rats are pilots who flew combat missions across the Red River in North Vietnam. They held "practice" reunions in Thailand and the United States until the POW's came home in 1973, when the first real reunion was held. Other units have adapted this song for themselves, notably the Ravens, who flew forward air control in the secret war in Laos. ------- Visit: http://www.fighterpilotuniversity.com/ ------ ----- DICK JONAS (guitar) Dick Jonas, the best-known song writer of the air war, flew 125 missions with the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron ("Satan's Angels"), 8th Tactical Fighter Wing ("Wolfpack"), Ubon Rachitani Royal Thai Air Force Base, 1967-1968. He participated in Rolling Thunder (the code name for U.S. air operations over North Vietnam at that time), took part in Steel Tiger missions, and flew in support of Khe Sahn. ----- Our goal with The Vietnam War: The Music is to honor the fallen and the survivors with the music that got them through “just one more day”. Our shows are broadcast around the world. They say thank you & “welcome home” to all Vietnam Vets. There is no opinion offered on the War. It’s all about the music. - ---- For your service and your sacrifice, this is The Vietnam War: The Music. - ----- This episode: Vietnam War: The Music - S. 2 / E. 7 – The Order Is Rapidly Fading Don’t forget to join the conversation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008232395712 - - - - - or by email at dannymemorylane@gmail.com - - - - - In this episode you’ll hear: 1) The Times They Are A Changin' by Simon & Garfunkel 2) Song Of The Patriot by Johnny Cash & Marty Robbins 3) We Take Care Of Our Own by Bruce Springsteen 4) Soldiers & Jesus by James Otto 5) Welcome Home by Country Joe McDonald 6) Love Minus Zero/No Limit by Buck Owens 7) She Has Funny Cars by Jefferson Airplane 8) Whipping Post by The Allman Brothers Band 9) Battle Hymn of the Red River Rats by Dick Jonas 10) Street Fighting Man by The Rolling Stones 11) War Song by Vinnie James 12) Black And White by Three Dog Night 13) East Bound and Down by Dave Dudley 14) Cry Baby by Janis Joplin 15) Lucky Man by Emerson, Lake & Palmer 16) Some Gave All by Billy Ray Cyrus 17) My Generation by The Who 18) Rag Mama by Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band 19) John Brown by State Radio 20) Tell All The People by The Doors 21) Didn't I by Montgomery Gentry 22) Slippin' Into Darkness by War 23) Get Back by The Beatles 24) The King Is Gone (So Are You) by George Jones 25) Universal Soldier by Glen Campbell 26) Don't Think Twice, It's All Right by Waylon Jennings 27) Someday Never Comes by Creedence Clearwater Revival 28) I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel 29) Once I Was by Judy Collins 30) These Are My People by Johnny Cash 31) It Ain't Me Babe by Peter, Paul And Mary 32) The Green Fields of France by Dropkick Murphys 33) Flowers of the Forest [aka "The Lament"] by Mike Oldfield

united states jesus christ music france war satan angels thailand lake ravens lament vietnam war johnny cash pow laos rapidly wolfpack fading red river think twice vietnam veterans all right rolling thunder mike oldfield vietnam vets north vietnam into darkness times they are a changin jim kweskin me babe tactical fighter squadron

Vietnam War: The Music - S. 1 / E. 1 - The Times They Are A-Changin' [2 hours]