School Story
University of Florida 1961-65, Pilot trying USAF 1965-66
Three tours flying fighters Viet Nam (F-4, F-105)
After graduation from U of F in 1965, I attend pilot training at Laredo AFB for a year and upon graduation selected F-4 fighter training. Spent many months training in bombing, air to air, survival schools, radar school, fighter weapons school at Nellis AFB before being assigned to the 435 TFS, 8th TF Wing (Wolf Pack), Ubon RTAFB, Thailand (28 April 1968 to 12 Jan 1969) where I served flying 100 missions in North Viet Nam. I returned home to attend additional train at Counterinsurgency before volunteering for a second tour in SEA. I arrived Danang, Viet Nam and was assigned the 421 TFS, 366 TF Wing (Aug.15, 1969 to Mar. 12, 1971. After severing a one year tour, I volunteered for a 3rd tour extending my stay by another 6 months. While at Danang I volunteered for and was selected for the Stormy Fast FAC (Forward Air Controller) squadron. Very Select group of pilots as we only had 4 crews, each crew flying every other day with a morning and afternoon sortie. I flew 4 to 5 hour missions with about 35 minutes of reconnaissance at ground level, jinxing the aircraft in multiply directions at all time to avoid being hit by small arms and artillery fire. We were noted for 50,000 + Combat miles at 5,000 ft. or less. Once a target was spotted I called in fighters and marked the target with Willie Pete ( White phosphorus) rockets Popping up and refueling with a KC-135 and then back on the deck for another 30 to 35 minutes until fuel required another refueling. I have some stories about being hit numerous times but the really exciting/scary one was when a 37 MM shell took off the front of my F-4. Barely making it back to an airfield before running out of fuel using afterburners to stay airborne.
The other story I remember is having a contest with my GIB (Guy in Back) after mission completion and we had extra fuel and rockets before heading back to the base. I would turn off my gun site (to make the contest a little more equal) and I would pick out a object on the ground to aim for. I would try first and then my navigator or as we called them GIB's would take his turn. The funny part of the story and sad part was that I picked what I thought was a large bolder on the bank of the Mekong river. When I fired my Willie Pete rocket and hit the rock, the rest of the smaller rocks started moving. After a much closer look I discovered the rocks were a herd of Elephants. From 10,000 feet they certainly did not look like Elephants. Sorry to have killed such a beautiful animal.
Flying as a Stormy FAC I put the very first combat strike mission into Cambodia when the President of the United States was denying we were there.
After return to USA I was assigned to Eglin AFB, Florida where I was a Test Pilot on the F-4 and did a lot of flying of New F-4 to Europe and Middle East Countries, like Iran, Germany.
I left active duty and joined the Air Force Reserves as a instructor pilot flying F-105 aircraft for several years until I was hired by the Airlines.
Sure brings back the memories just writing about my past!
Flying jobs in Zaire, Saudi Arabia, Jordan before Joining Air Cal which became part of American Airlines. Captain Retired. Own Travel Agency specializing in Gay travel around the world. Enjoying life to the fullest with my husband of 8 years.
