F-105F Thud Wild Weasels and Rolling Thunder

DAYTON, Ohio - In the First in, Last Out: Wild Weasels vs. SAMS exhibit: 1) Survival vest worn by Maj. Edward White while flying F-105F WIld Weasel missions in 1968. White was heavily involved in the Wild Weasel program. He deployed with the first group of F-100F Wild Weasels in 1965, flew F-105F missions in 1967 and 1968 and trained Wild Weasel aircrews in the U.S. 2) Capt. Larry Huggins' "boonie hat." Huggins served as a Wild Weasel pilot with th 44th TFS at Korat in 1968 and retired from the USAF as a brigadier general in 1989. In addition to the 113 mission marks on the hat, is his name spelled out in Cyrillic (Russian) letters. It was written by the "Russian exchanged pilot," a fellow airman and naturalized American whose family had escaped from Russia in the 1930s. 3) Capt. Huggins' F-105 patch, which was commonly worn by F-105 aircrews in Southeast Asia. 4) Capt. Huggins' 100 mission patch. This patch was a badge of honor for pilots and EWOs. Technically, they could return to the U.S. after 80 missions over North Vietnam, but most chose to stay until they completed 100. 5) Capt. Billy Sparks' flight jacket. In addition to his service as a Wild Weasel pilot from March to October 1967, he also flew F-105Ds. All together, he flew more than 140 missions over North Vietnam. 6) The entire family could be proud of Wild Weasel service. This apron belonged to Sparks' wife, Dell, and it was signed by all the wives of the Wild Weasel school at Nellis AFB. 7) Many Wild Weasels made the ultimate sacrifice. POW/MIA bracelets were worn to remember prisoners and the missing until they returned. This POW/MIA bracelet was for Donald Singer, a 354th TFS EWO who went missing in action on Aug. 17, 1966 (along with his pilot, Maj. Joseph Brand). Both of their remains were recovered and returned to the U.S. in October 1977. 8) Each CBU-24 carried 665 of these BLU-26/B 1.2-lb. bomblets. (U.S. Air Force photo)