30,000 Combat Sorties -- Air National Guard in Viet Nam

Air National Guard Web Site ^

[Liberty Ship]

On 3 May, F-100s from the 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Colorado) arrived at Phan Rang Air Base. By 1 June, all of the l20th's pilots were flying combat missions. In the meantime, the 174th (Iowa), 188th (New Mexico), and the 136th (New York) had all deployed to Vietnam with their F-100s. In addition, 85 percent of the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron -- on paper a regular Air Force unit -- were Air Guardsmen. The Air Guard units were quickly and effectively integrated into Air Force combat operations in Southeast Asia (SEA). Prior to their return home in April 1969, they flew 24,124 sortie and 38,614 combat hours. Those numbers rose to approximately 30,000 sorties and 50,000 combat hours if the predominantly Air Guard 355th was included.

[Liberty Ship]

It is unfortunate that Kerry chose to lump service in the National Guard along with "fleeing to Canada" and "going to jail" (both felonies) as "acceptable" ways to dodge the draft. This Web sites documents that Air National Guard pilots were, in fact, much more exposed to being put at personal risk than, for example, the non-flight Navy crews of aircraft carriers deployed in the area.

My guess is that the only reason that the Texas, Alabama, and even Georgia Air National Guard was not called up for Viet Nam was the fact that they were acting as a check on Cuba -- remember? At the time the Soviet Empire was still a very real threat.

[American_Centurion]

From what I heard. The aircraft President Bush piloted was an interceptor of strategic bombers and would have had no place in Vietnam.

[American_Centurion]

From what I heard. The aircraft President Bush piloted was an interceptor of strategic bombers and would have had no place in Vietnam.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I remember those F-100s at Des Moines. My god, their afterburners were LOUD !

[wildbill]

On TV last night a National Air Guard general stated that the F102 fighter wings were not deployed to Viet Nam.

I beleive he mentioned the F102 was not considered a useful plane for the Viet Nam mission and that the units flying F102s had a mission of air cap protection of the continental US.

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

I've read that many places but that doesn't make it correct.
SEE:
http://enterprise.uccs.edu/bnystuen/public/BensTest.html

Towards the end, photos of 64th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at DaNang.
IIRC, that is in Vietnam.

[captbarney]

How about sending this info to all the news agencies we know of? I have.

[PhiKapMom]

Thank you for posting this. There were F-102's stationed in SEA as several of them were blown up on the tarmack at one of the air bases along with some C-130's.

The F-102's were starting to be phased out of the active inventory while he was flying -- think the F-4's replace them and they were replaced by the F-16's which his old unit flies today. The squadron that the President was assigned to was to protect the Gulf of Mexico and the refineries along the coast from intruders. The Cold War was flourishing and the Soviet Union had its puppet in Cuba -- there were squadrons around the Country that were flying to protect the United States.

[Kozak]

From what I heard. The aircraft President Bush piloted was an interceptor of strategic bombers and would have had no place in Vietnam.

Hey, lets not let facts,or logic get in the way of Kerry and the press's spin and lies.

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

The ANG is full of it (maybe a democrat?).
Just enter "F102 DaNang" in Google and check the first page of entries.

[MEG33]

Can you post a link to the file here,please?

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

That should be the ANG 'general' is full of it. OOPS

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

? You posted to "Backhoe" but refer to post #10 - me.
What file do you mean?

[MEG33]

Backhoe keeps a file on Bush's military service record articles,also on Kerry articles.

I wanted him to post it because I don't do links and I am filling up the thread pinging people!

I just erase the name,write a new name, and click on post.I wasn't referring him to your post,but to the thread.

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

Post #10 was meant to be addressed to you. (and the addendum in #12)
Sorry, the nonsense about President Bush, F102s, and Vietnam drives me up the wall.
Then, to have an ANG general lie his blanking head off...

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

OK, now I understand.
As in my prior post, this subject drives me crazy else I might have remembered seeing your post in another thread and figured it out w/o asking.

[American_Centurion]

I was just passing on what I heard.

I'm certain that Lieutenant Bush would have been happy to fly combat missions had he been mobilized. It's obvious to me that the man is no coward.

[wildbill]

Perhaps the general was referring to a time period later than 1966 after F102s had been replaced--or maybe he was just wrong. After all, it was merely an unrehearsed TV statement without research. I don't know that it matters since his unit was not deployed to Viet Nam in any event.

I understand the F102s were being phased out of the Texas Air Guard at the latter part of Bush's service for a more advanced plane, and since he was not re-enlisting, it was not considered worthwhile to begin his training in the new planes. He was sort of a lame duck training-wise.

[backhoe]

Can you post a link to the file here,please?

You bet- here's one:

-The Real Military Record of George W. Bush: Not Heroic, but Not AWOL, Either-The Original Story--

Then there's Hanoi John:

-John Kerry- some selected, informative links...--

...and I'll cross-link to the top links, too.

[MEG33]

A visit to the Kerry file will cheer you up!It's devastating!

(I am a Texan.I have lived through now the third election on these rumors,lies and misrepresentations.)

It may entertain the dems but it'll be blown out of the water.They are using it to keep the Kerry ,Fonda history off the radar screen.