The purpose of a fuse extender was to cause the bomb to detonate three feet above the ground for maximum blast effect against troops in the open. A fuse extender was a three foot metal tube that screwed into the nose of the bomb with the fuse on the tip of the tube. Every bomb had at least one fuse, which was the device that caused the bomb to detonate. It was common for six of the bombs to have fuse extenders. My typical bomb load was twelve Mark 82 500 pound general purpose bombs. I then rendezvoused with another Forward Air Controller and dropped another load of bombs on the bad guys and returned to Korat. After dropping all my bombs on the first target, my flight of two F-4s landed at DaNang Air Base, South Vietnam, to rearm and refuel. I did not mind too much because the Route Pack VI missions were much more dangerous.Īlthough I did get to fly combat missions into Route Pack VI, most of the combat missions I flew were close air support missions at night in the northern part of South Vietnam or Laos. Because I was a young, inexperienced and very green 1st Lt., I was assigned to the close air support missions. One group, the older and more experienced guys, flew daily Operation Linebacker I missions into Route Pack VI and the other group flew close air support missions. When I arrived at Korat in the summer of 1972, the 35th TFS was divided into two groups. These missions were in defense of the good guys who were being attacked by Viet Cong or North Vietnamese army men. These missions consisted of dropping bombs (usually Mark 82 500 pound general purpose bombs – slick, with fuse extenders and snake eye, but sometimes cluster bomb units “CBUs”) under the direction and control of a forward air controller. Close air support missions primarily in the northern part (Military Region 1) of South Vietnam.If the MiGs got too close to the F-4 bombers, the bombers would be forced to jettison their bombs and take evasive action to avoid being shot down. The job of the strike escort was to engage and destroy MiGs that threatened the strike force. The strike escort F-4s were the second line of defense if enemy MiGs got past the MiG CAP (combat air patrol) F-4s. Each strike escort mission consisted of four 35th TFS F-4s flying in “fluid four” formation on the perimeter of the strike force (the Phantoms carrying bombs) as the strike force ingressed and egressed the target in the Route Pack VI area of North Vietnam. Strike escort missions as part of operation Linebacker I into Route Pack VI, the most heavily defended area in the history of aerial warfare. The primary difference between the D and E models was that the D model did not have a 20mm canon and the E model had a 20mm canon built into the nose.ĭuring the summer and fall of 1972, the 35th TFS had two primary missions: We brought our F-4D models from Korea, but we also flew the F-4E models based at Korat. The 35th TFS was based at Korat Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, but was on temporary duty (TDY) from Kunsan Air Base, Korea. Army and going to Vietnam, fate ultimately sent me to Vietnam.ĭuring the summer and fall of 1972, I was a member of the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron flying combat missions over South Vietnam, North Vietnam and Laos. Although I joined to United States Air Force to avoid being drafted into the U.S. I was fortunate to have been able to fly the F-4 Phantom II supersonic (mach 2+) fighter bomber for five years from 1971 – 1976. Major Sullivan Ballou’s Last Letter to His Wife.President Lincoln’s Letter to Lydia Bixby.General MacArthur’s Duty, Honor, Country Speech.
35th Tactical Fighter Squadron Mig Kills.Thank You Martin Baker – the F-4s Ejection Seat.Joe Lee Burns Shot Down over North Vietnam.Roger Locher Kills a Mig, is Shot Down & Evades for 23 Days.Robin Olds, the Fighter Pilot’s Fighter Pilot.Articles by 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron Guys.
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