Awesome site! Thought that maybe the nickels had been forgotten. I was one of the group of Maint folks who came down from Yakota in 1966. A number of us were out of the 36th TFS. After we got to Korat the Thais would not allow the US to bring our fighters in country. Don't remember just how long that lasted but do remember that we were not allowed to go on the flight line until our A/C came in. Korat was not a great place to have nothing to do! Since a lot of us had prior time in Thailand, our rotation to the next assignments started, as I remember in Dec of 66. My own was Feb of 67. I would go to Germany and the 526th FIS and back to Duces.

I must say here as I often say to anyone who will listen, of 20 yrs in the AF, the finest time was that spent on the F-105 and with the people whom I was able to work with.

Also I want to mention standing in the pay line in the darkened 34TFS orderly room while Major Blank ran the gun camera film over and over, answering any questions about his shoot down of the MIG. As I went by him I asked, "Did the MIG pilot get out?" His reply was "NO, watch those shells go down his wing and over the cockpit, he never had a chance." The right guy, in the right Thud, at the right time!
Tom

Hi Tom, Thanks for the entry and thanks for your service. We appreciate your comments and story about your time with the F-105. Jack

Jack, Thanks for the website and I might add job well done.
I was one of the guys that came down to help start the 34th from the 36th TFS out of Yokota.
I well remember how we arrived ready to continue with what we had done TDY from Japan for the previous 2 years at Takhli, and the Thai Government’s refusal to allow our F-105s in country for a short time period. We maintenance folks had to sit and wait.
Also I well remember the pay line snaking through a darkened 34th TFS Orderly Room and Major Blank standing by the projector as the gun camera film of his MiG shoot down was run over and over. We were told that the Major would answer any questions we might have. The guy in front of me asked Major Blank if he thought he had killed the MiG pilot. With no hesitation at all he replied "There is no doubt in my mind that he was killed, watch those shells walk in on the left wing and through the canopy".
Like others, I find that looking back on a 20 yr AF stint, those few years in the 36th TFS and the 34th TFS were truly the most outstanding.
Thanks to all the "thud drivers" and never forget the ones we didn't get back, thus my E mail address. Tom Elder