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USAF at Ubon Thailand RTAFB - Vietnam War Era
From 1965 to 1974, the base was a front-line facility of the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Vietnam War. Ubon was the location for TACAN station Channel 51 and was referenced by that identifier in voice communications during air missions. 8th Tactical Fighter Wing The 8th Tactical Fighter Wing arrived at Ubon on 8 December 1965 from George AFB, California as part of the US deployment of forces for Operation Rolling Thunder and became the host unit. At Ubon, the 8th TFW's mission included bombardment, ground support, air defense, interdiction, and armed reconnaissance. The operational squadrons of the 8th TFW were: - 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron 8 December 1965 - 23 July 1974 (F-4C/D Tail Code: FG) - 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron 8 December 1965 - 16 September 1974 (F-4C/D Tail Code: FP) - 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron 25 February 1966 - 1 June 1968 (F-4C/D Tail Code: FY) Squadron deployed from 33d TFW Eglin AFB Florida. Transferred to 432d TFW at Udorn RTAFB. Replaced by 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, also from 33d TFW 25 May 1968 - 5 July 1974 (F-4D Tail Code: FA) On 23 April 1966, the 8th TFW scored its first MiG kills of the Vietnam War, shooting down two MiG-17 fighters. By the end of June 1966, after only six months in the theater, the wing had flown more than 10,000 combat sorties, achieving a 99 per cent sortie rate for which they received many commendations Beginning in May 1967, new F-4D aircraft from the 4th TFW at Eglin AFB were delivered to Ubon, re-equipping the 433d, 497th and the 555th TFSs. This gave the wing the distinction of being the first in Southeast Asia to be operationally equipped with F-4Ds. In May 1968, the wing was the first to use laser-guided bombs (LGBs) in combat. During its final years of combat, the 8th TFW used B-57s for night attacks, AC-130 gunships for ground support and armed reconnaissance, and F-4Ds for fast-forward air control, interdiction, escort, armed reconnaissance, and other special missions After North Vietnam invaded the Republic of Vietnam in March 1972, the 8th TFW was augmented by additional F-4 units. To make room for these forces, the B-57 squadron moved to the Philippines. The wing continued combat in Vietnam until mid-January 1973, in Laos until 22 February 1973, and in Cambodia until 15 August 1973. The last scheduled F-4 training flight occurred on 16 July 1974, and on 16 September the wing moved without personnel or equipment toKunsan AB, South Korea, where it absorbed resources of the 3d TFW. |
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