100 Missions Up North

DAYTON, Ohio - On display: Maj. Koenitzer wore a 100-mission patch on his flight suit when he trained F-105 crews at McConnell AFB in 1967-1968. Koenitzer wore a humorous “100-mission” patch on the shoulder of his MA-1 jacket that celebrated his many R&R trips to the Princess Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. John Mesenbourg, the operations officer in the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron, earned this 100 mission F-105 patch. Lt. Col. Albert Vollmer had what he described as “two missions without a landing“ (he was shot down twice). His shoot-downs are recorded as half missions. This plaque with the 100-mission patch design was awarded to Capt. Robert Dorrough, an F-105 Wild Weasel pilot in the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, when he flew his 100th mission over North Vietnam on Jan. 24, 1968. Some pilots, like Capt. Paul "Matt" Dillon, had the 100-mission patch painted on their helmet visor covers. Dillon wore these patches to note his untimely deployment to South Korea. “OGDAA” stood for “one good deal after another.” (U.S. Air Force photo)