River Rats

The Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association was formed in Thailand in 1967 to improve tactics and coordination among aircrews flying over North Vietnam. Rich in tradition, it grew into a fraternal organization which has lasted far beyond the Southeast Asia War.Early in 1967, Col. Robin Olds, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) commander, hosted the

Reconnaissance and Retaliatory Strikes

President Johnson ended the bombing of North Vietnam in October 1968. believing that USAF unarmed reconnaissance aircraft would be permitted to fly over the country unopposed. When North Vietnam fired on some of these planes, newly elected President Richard Nixon ordered several retaliatory strikes against air defense sites. Still, North Vietnam

Ranch Hand Insignia and other items

InsigniaThe Ranch Hand insignia was designed in 1962 by Capt. Alan Kidd and Lt. John Hodgin, and it contains several elements of the Ranch Hand tradition. The symbol in the middle is the Chinese character for purple. The brown stripe on a green field represents a defoliated strip of jungle. Yellow and red represent the national colors of South

Rockwell International GBU-8 Electro-Optical Guided Bomb

The GBU-8 Electro-Optical Guided Bomb was one of the "smart bombs" that revolutionized aerial warfare. A standard bomb fitted with a Homing Bomb System (Hobos), the GBU-8 was first used during the Southeast Asia War.In 1967 the Department of Defense asked Rockwell International Corp. to develop the GBU-8 Hobos. It consisted of three parts: a

Republic F-105G Thunderchief

The F-105, nicknamed the "Thud," evolved from a 1951 project by to replace the F-84F fighter-bomber. The prototype first flew in October 1955, and Republic delivered the first production aircraft to the U.S. Air Force in 1958. Republic also developed a fully combat-capable two-seat trainer version, the F-105F, and 143 of them in 1963-1964.The

Republic F-105D Thunderchief

  In 1951 Republic Aviation began a project to develop a supersonic tactical fighter-bomber to replace the F-84F. The result was the F-105 Thunderchief, later affectionately nicknamed the "Thud." The prototype YF-105A first flew in October 1955, but the first F-105D did not fly until June 1959. A total of 833 Thunderchiefs of all types were built,

R&R: Rest and Relaxation

The 5th Air Force carried military personnel from Korea to Japan (usually from Seoul to Tachikawa near Tokyo) for badly-needed, three to five day R&R (Rest and Relaxation) leave. Many took the train from Tachikawa to visit Tokyo while others visited the peaceful surroundings of Japanese national parks. A tremendous boost to morale, the R&R program

Reconnaissance

"Korea not only presented a different kind of war for military planners and politicians, it also presented a different kind of place for aerial reconnaissance to prove itself." - Brig. Gen. George W. Goddard, pioneer of modern air reconnaissance U.S. Air Force reconnaissance units in the Far East were undermanned and under-equipped, and jet

Russian VK-1 Jet

The VK-1 was used to power the MiG-15. It had a thrust of 6,000 pounds. Essentially, it was an improved version of the British-built Rolls-Royce "Nene" engine, incorporating enlarged combustion chambers, turbine blades and tailpipe for handling a greater flow of intake air.Click here to return to the Korean War Gallery. 

Republic F-84E Thunderjet

The rugged F-84 Thunderjet gained its greatest renown during the Korean War. Initially sent to escort B-29s on long-range missions over North Korea, the Thunderjet excelled as a close air support and daytime interdiction strike aircraft. In Korea, F-84 pilots attacked enemy railroads, dams, bridges, supply depots and troop concentrations with