A Different F-105 Question - Col Jack Broughton
robbe...@aol.com
Takhli RTAFB during the Vietnam War? I believe it's "TSGT Willis" but
the photo I have of the right side of the canopy on his F-105D doesn't
show the complete name. Thanks in advance. Ed
Ed Rasimus
<robbe...@aol.com> wrote:
Your gratitude is premature. I don't have a clue.
When Broughton arrived at Takhli, I was just about finished with my
tour at Korat. We had converted to squadron maintenance in mid-summer
of '66, which meant we abandoned the "66-1" SAC-imposed maintenance
model which couldn't sustain high sortie rates for fighters--big
difference between a 12 or 18 aircraft bomber wing flying less than a
third of the fleet each day versus a 2.1 sortie/per day/per assigned
a/c operation in fighters.
We just started putting pilot names on canopies when the airplanes
belonged to the squadron rather than the wing. That's when I got -334
as my airplane. The airplanes had assigned crew chiefs (and usually
two assistant C/Cs) responsible for launching, recovering and basic
maintenance. The pilot, however, flew whatever airplane came up on the
schedule, not necessarily the one with your name on it.
So, Broughton's "airplane" might have been the one with his name, but
not necessarily the one he flew regularly. The crew-chief would have
been a regular--but after all that background, I reiterate that I
don't know who it might have been.
Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com
Guy Alcala
Yes, it was Willis. I'm not sure about the T/Sgt.; Broughton (in "Going
Downtown") refers to him as Sgt. Willis and says how happy he was for him
when he got that promotion; IIRR he adds an aside about how ranks have
changed and how everyone's a Sgt. now about the time that they start
shaving, or words to that effect (skimming, I can't find the quote), but
one photo of Willis and Broughton in the book shows Willis wearing 5
stripes, which would be an AF T/Sgt. (E-6) now.
Guy
Guy Alcala
Ed, the caption to a photo of Willis and Broughton in "GD" reads "A Pilot
and his crew chief share something special. Despite what the government
thought, our Thud belonged exclusively to Sergeant Willis and me." While
I'm sure he had to fly other a/c from time to time due to battle damage or
other maintenance, I believe the operative phrase is RHIP ;-) Broughton is
clear that he flew 62-4338 "Alice's Joy" (Alice being his wife) most of the
time, and as Vice-CO who could pretty much pick his missions, he was in a
better position than just about anyone to make sure he did.
Guy
robbe...@aol.com
Thanks to all. TSgt Willis is the guy.
Ed