sammywoody Loc: Moncks Corner, SC

I have enjoyed all the feedback from my UHH friends immensely, and learning a little more about you at the same time. Thanks for caring enough to comment.
Here are a few more images to share;

Some of you mentioned Ubon or Korat - for those that don't know, here is a layout of U.S.A.F. bases in Thailand during the war


A shot of my bird taxiing by - notice radar domes in background - this was before I painted the Casper nose art on the nose

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Loaded and ready for a mission. Don't know this pilot. Whenever us crew chiefs launched a plane it was hot. I was 20 YRs old then and after we fired up those twin J-79s the heat spiraled backwards against the revetment walls and came back in your face. Our birds were walled in on three sides to prevent losing more than one plane at a time in the event we were attacked from the air. It was a tropical climate, but we did what we had to do

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Our squadron insignia for the 13th Panther Pack

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This is our squadron mascot, Eldridge. I got to pet him once as he was tame most of the time - ha ha. He was supposed to be a Black Panther, but was actually a Malaysian Leopard - look closely and you can see his spots in download. The 13th TFS was dubbed the "Panther Pack".

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Here is a wallpaper shot of our squadron - some personal friends in here, many dead and some still alive

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This is a cheesy model I built of my plane with a couple of GBU Paveway laser guided 2,000 LB bombs on it, This was a common bomb load for us and we always carried two, one under each inboard wing pylon

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This is a packet of chaff, extremely thin metal slivers of cut tin foil - we placed 1-2 packs in the speed brake wells before each flight. Purpose was to help deflect/confuse enemy radar, and of course, they were dispersed when the speed brakes were opened/lowered during flight

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This is Bob "BC" Connelly, just before a mission, who just happens to live about 100 miles up the road from me even now. Notice the CBUs (cluster bomb units) with fuse extenders loaded on the plane behind him.


This is BC getting some juice (fuel) from a KC-135 tanker. Notice the 2 F-105s

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This is BC and me a couple of years ago when he came down to a local flyin

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jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I bet you were glad that you took so many pictures back then - and took good care of them.

Great shots.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Thanks for your service, especially during a difficult period of time.

Did the crew do a pre-flight at the end of a mission in order to be able to take off more quickly if needed? I know the air tanker pilots use that procedure during the fire season. If there's a fire everything is ready to go. It's just a matter of kick the tires, light the fires, and head to the hot spots to drop slurry on them.

Great mascot. I'm fond of cats, but mine won't eat me if he a tad hungry and has an empty bowl.
--Bob

queencitysanta Loc: Charlotte, North Carolina

Thanks for showing us pictures but most of all thank you for your service to our country.

ValliPride Loc: Lost in Florida

Thank you for Serving.

Kentski Loc: Michigan

Sammywoody,,

I enjoy your pictures. I was a 1nf div Artillery guy (69-70).

Thank you for your service...and welcome home!

Jim Carter Loc: Momence, Il.

Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!

GrayPlayer Loc: Granby, Ct.

Thanks!

Ol' Frank Loc: Orlando,

Thanks for showing us some very good pictures of life then. We can always say these pictures were taken by someone we "know". Thanks for sharing.

Photog8 Loc: Morriston, FL

Interesting and informative. Thanks for your service. Glad you made it home safe...God bless those that didn't.

sammywoody Loc: Moncks Corner, SC

Hi Bob. First we did Postflight inspections, then repairs done, battle damage repairs as necessary; then we would service with fuel, LOX (liquid Oxygen), bomb load, pack the drag chute, etc. THEN we would do a Preflight Insp. When we launched the plane we would have the pilots cycle flight controls, IFR (in flight refueling) door, speed brakes. During Operation Linebacker II we sometimes launched the same bird three times a day - very fatiguing

sammywoody Loc: Moncks Corner, SC

Thanks for looking - an honor to serve

sammywoody Loc: Moncks Corner, SC

Thanks a million for your kind comments!