388 TFW - Korat AB 1970/71
Personal Photos
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Fighter Ops This was the first stop for crews returning from a mission, and Maintenance Debriefing faced this building directly across a small fenced-in parking lot. This may be the only image of the 388 TFW insignia you're likely to see; the present owners of that unit designation don't even bother to display it on their web page. ( Perhaps they know their present F-16s can never equal the feats of the past...)
"Routine Training Mission" It was common knowledge that the 388th flew only "routine training missions" from Korat. Here, a crew departs for the Laotian practice range.<G> The closeup shows the pilot signalling his peaceful intentions... 
"Armed Reconnaisance" Sometimes, the birds at Korat flew "armed reconnaisance" missions as well; the dozen Mk-82s, two AIM-7E-2s, and the 650 rounds of 20mm HEI/API were present only for protection, if fired upon while flying "Laotian Highway Patrol" duty. Yeah, right.
New Year's Day, 1971 Yes, that really does say "Happy New Year" on the side of that napalm can-with-fins. Early jets without sophisticated bombing systems would drop the unfinned variety, which tumbled end-over-end. The Dive Toss specialists at Korat could use one of these to accurately pick out a specific target, just like a conventional iron bomb.
AGM-78 This was one of only six Wild Weasels in all of S.E. Asia capable of carrying the magical AGM-78C Standard ARM - which had a 100% effectiveness in destroying SAM sites. (Even shooting at targets behind him !) In a miniature form, it was translated into the AGM-88 of today, which is similar to the AGM-45 on the outboard. Because the missiles were rare and expensive, the other wing carried a fuel tank in its place.
History here: The WCS dispatch board on 23 December, 1970 - a month after the Son Tay Raid. Made from a slide, this pic shows almost all of the F-4Es assigned, and every one of the F-105Gs. ( center panel ) There has been some controversy about the tail numbers of Weasels lost during this raid to release POWs. If an F-105G tail number appears here, it was untouched during the raid. ( Send email for plain text of tail numbers - they're much easier to read on the original slide...)
Christmas Eve, 1970 This F-4E was decked out with some red-and-white striped "candy canes" - presents for Charlie.
With some hydraulic work in progress, it wasn't long before this jet was winging North... 
AGM-12C Bullpup To my knowledge, these are the only photos of AGM-12s on a combat jet anywhere on the net. The first PGMs of the post-WW II era, they were difficult to employ. The front seater flew the missile via a small joystick in front of the throttles, watching the smoke trail from the rear, while the WSO flew the plane. The top pic shows the short-lived intake art applied to Korat jets; this one was "gator", (67-0283) and is hard to see. The lower pic shows 67-370 just prior to taxiing out. Yes, those engines are running. Munitions load this trip: 2xAGM-12C, 6xMk-82, and 2xAIM-7E-2.
We never did learn what target it was that required remotely controlled missiles to take down. Normally, our Dive Toss, throwing dumb iron bombs - was good enough!
The microwave lamp WCS troops ( and a few others ) will be able to identify the components used to make this expensive lamp. It was truly "one of a kind" - and assembled by Bernie "B." Bernot. 
6010 WWS The thumbnail photo shows a single Wild Weasel in a row of Thuds poised for the morning SAM-supression missions. When they accompanied B-52s North, a virtual armada joined in: EB-66C/E electronic jamming aircraft and F-4Es for Mig CAP.
EB-66C/E 'Sooies' Korat also had a squadron of EB-66 electronic warfare craft. Loaded with high-power ECM gear and a sizeable chaff dispenser where the tail gun used to be during a previous lifetime. Some carried up to a crew of seven, with four EWOs in a downward-ejecting, windowless area between the wings. These aircraft were severely underpowered, with a tiny engine under each wing.
The WCS toads of Korat
Outside the shop door The WCS shop wasn't far away from the action on the flightline. Pictured are Bill Sweetser on left, and (???) on the right. That thin, handsome young buck Sgt. in the middle is the author of this site, me.
Did someone say, "Cutback" ? "C'mon Sarge - the paperwork's been complete since 0330, and there's only two birds coming back before dawn...", SSgt Ron Charlton ( long-time "homesteader" at Tahkli and Korat) complained - but it was not to be. (Ron's holding the newspaper on left.) In this rather large 125k image, look closely at the "clean" dispatch boards, and see if you can figure why Randy Wright ( holding phone ), Wilcox, Holbrook, Bernie Bernot, and Terry Shadrack are still there. We never could.
Maintenance Debriefing Marty Buth, outside of debrief. He is facing Fort Apache, displayed at the top of this page.
Misc. Korat photos
 | Fighter Ops This was the first stop for crews returning from a mission, and Maintenance Debriefing faced this building directly across a small fenced-in parking lot. This may be the only image of the 388 TFW insignia you're likely to see; the present owners of that unit designation don't even bother to display it on their web page. ( Perhaps they know their present F-16s can never equal the feats of the past...) |
 | "Routine Training Mission" It was common knowledge that the 388th flew only "routine training missions" from Korat. Here, a crew departs for the Laotian practice range.<G> The closeup shows the pilot signalling his peaceful intentions... | |
 | "Armed Reconnaisance" Sometimes, the birds at Korat flew "armed reconnaisance" missions as well; the dozen Mk-82s, two AIM-7E-2s, and the 650 rounds of 20mm HEI/API were present only for protection, if fired upon while flying "Laotian Highway Patrol" duty. Yeah, right. |
 | New Year's Day, 1971 Yes, that really does say "Happy New Year" on the side of that napalm can-with-fins. Early jets without sophisticated bombing systems would drop the unfinned variety, which tumbled end-over-end. The Dive Toss specialists at Korat could use one of these to accurately pick out a specific target, just like a conventional iron bomb. |
 | AGM-78 This was one of only six Wild Weasels in all of S.E. Asia capable of carrying the magical AGM-78C Standard ARM - which had a 100% effectiveness in destroying SAM sites. (Even shooting at targets behind him !) In a miniature form, it was translated into the AGM-88 of today, which is similar to the AGM-45 on the outboard. Because the missiles were rare and expensive, the other wing carried a fuel tank in its place. |
 | History here: The WCS dispatch board on 23 December, 1970 - a month after the Son Tay Raid. Made from a slide, this pic shows almost all of the F-4Es assigned, and every one of the F-105Gs. ( center panel ) There has been some controversy about the tail numbers of Weasels lost during this raid to release POWs. If an F-105G tail number appears here, it was untouched during the raid. ( Send email for plain text of tail numbers - they're much easier to read on the original slide...) |
 | Christmas Eve, 1970 This F-4E was decked out with some red-and-white striped "candy canes" - presents for Charlie. With some hydraulic work in progress, it wasn't long before this jet was winging North... |  |
| AGM-12C Bullpup To my knowledge, these are the only photos of AGM-12s on a combat jet anywhere on the net. The first PGMs of the post-WW II era, they were difficult to employ. The front seater flew the missile via a small joystick in front of the throttles, watching the smoke trail from the rear, while the WSO flew the plane. The top pic shows the short-lived intake art applied to Korat jets; this one was "gator", (67-0283) and is hard to see. The lower pic shows 67-370 just prior to taxiing out. Yes, those engines are running. Munitions load this trip: 2xAGM-12C, 6xMk-82, and 2xAIM-7E-2. We never did learn what target it was that required remotely controlled missiles to take down. Normally, our Dive Toss, throwing dumb iron bombs - was good enough! |
 | The microwave lamp WCS troops ( and a few others ) will be able to identify the components used to make this expensive lamp. It was truly "one of a kind" - and assembled by Bernie "B." Bernot. |  |
 | 6010 WWS The thumbnail photo shows a single Wild Weasel in a row of Thuds poised for the morning SAM-supression missions. When they accompanied B-52s North, a virtual armada joined in: EB-66C/E electronic jamming aircraft and F-4Es for Mig CAP. |
 | EB-66C/E 'Sooies' Korat also had a squadron of EB-66 electronic warfare craft. Loaded with high-power ECM gear and a sizeable chaff dispenser where the tail gun used to be during a previous lifetime. Some carried up to a crew of seven, with four EWOs in a downward-ejecting, windowless area between the wings. These aircraft were severely underpowered, with a tiny engine under each wing. |
The WCS toads of Korat
 | Outside the shop door The WCS shop wasn't far away from the action on the flightline. Pictured are Bill Sweetser on left, and (???) on the right. That thin, handsome young buck Sgt. in the middle is the author of this site, me. |
 | Did someone say, "Cutback" ? "C'mon Sarge - the paperwork's been complete since 0330, and there's only two birds coming back before dawn...", SSgt Ron Charlton ( long-time "homesteader" at Tahkli and Korat) complained - but it was not to be. (Ron's holding the newspaper on left.) In this rather large 125k image, look closely at the "clean" dispatch boards, and see if you can figure why Randy Wright ( holding phone ), Wilcox, Holbrook, Bernie Bernot, and Terry Shadrack are still there. We never could. |
 | Maintenance Debriefing Marty Buth, outside of debrief. He is facing Fort Apache, displayed at the top of this page. |
| Misc. Korat photos
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