Outspoken, revered Vietnam fighter pilot Jack Broughton dies at 89

LA Times, via Stars & Stripes ^ | Novembe 1, 2014 | Tony Perry

[Timber Rattler]

As a combat pilot, Air Force Col. Jack Broughton was celebrated for bravery and tactical brilliance during the Korean and Vietnam wars. He received promotions and important assignments and seemed headed to become a general.

But a high-profile court-martial during the Vietnam War for allegedly violating the rules of engagement that ruled certain targets off limits ended his career.

After leaving the Air Force, Broughton was free to speak out about what he saw as the incompetence of President Lyndon Johnson and Defense Secretary Robert McNamara in micromanaging the war. Pilots couldn't bomb an enemy outhouse without their approval, Broughton once complained.

(snip)

In a modern era where political and military objectives are intermixed, Broughton was "something of an anachronism. A swashbuckling skyjock of the old school, he wanted nothing more than to roll out his fighter jet every day and 'go to work,'" David Gelman, who covered the Vietnam War for Newsday, wrote in his review of "Going Downtown."

(snip)

In June 1967, as the war intensified, a pilot under Broughton's command told him that he may have fired at a Soviet freighter in the North Vietnamese port of Cam Pha while attacking an anti-aircraft site. The Soviet Union complained bitterly to Washington.

To protect his pilots from criticism by civilian and military officials far removed from the realities of the war, Broughton ordered the destruction of the gun-camera film so that no evidence could exist.

(snip)

"It seemed to be that the whole world was out of focus," Broughton later wrote. "Old friends were turning against us and common sense was not to be found."

[Timber Rattler]

History repeats itself.

[Chainmail]

God bless him and keep him. He was what Americans should always be.

[billhilly]

Without our military what would we be?

[Neidermeyer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx06XNfDvk0

[minnesota_bound]

That Soviet freighter probably brought weapons.

[RWB Patriot]

The beginning of the end of America’s ability to actually win wars.

[vetvetdoug]

My Father was Col Broughton’s crew chief for the F105 (Thud)that Col Broughton flew that day at Takli AFB, Thailand. As my Father removed the camera film from the nose of Col Broughton’s Thud, he accidentally exposed the film. The USAF had Security Police waiting on him as he exited the cockpit of the plane that day as everyone knew what he had done. The Russian Freighter was unloading weapons and ammunition and Col Broughton saw it clearly.

In a twist of irony, the USAF sent my Father, a SMSGT, back to the states and reassigned him as Superintendent of the Sheppard AFB photo lab.

[Yorlik803]

Is that where they got the Idea for “the flight of the intruder”?
And he had Chuck Yeagar as a defender. Two real men who were bad asses.

[elcid1970]

Since we now know Russian pilots flew against us in Korea, why wouldn’t they have done so in Vietnam?

They at least trained the North Vietnamese, who wanted nothing to do with Red China following 1,000 years of Chinese occupation.

Col. Broughton wasn’t the only Vietnam vet whose hatred of LBJ only grows as time goes on, if you get my drift.

[abb]

See Korea and MacArthur.

[Liberty Valance]

Great story! Thanks for posting.

[vetvetdoug]

I always heard it was Col Broughton’s Thud that fired on the Russian ships and the article said it was another pilot under Col Broughton’s command that did the deed. FWIW, the story my Father told me was that when the plane grounded at Takli, the Security Police arrested the pilot and escorted him out and Dad exposed the film. Col Broughton was present according to my Dad and I always thought it was Broughton that flew the plane, not someone under his command. This is a case where oral history and written collide.

[Ace's Dad]

Not too far off on:

Is that where they got the Idea for “the flight of the intruder”?

"Intruder" was set in the Navy (I know the pilot who was the inspiration for "Intruder") and his feelings about what happened match Broughtons.

[gorush]

If you haven’t already read it...”Fighter Pilot” is a great book about another great flier, Robin Olds.

[GreyFriar]

Thank you for this unfortunately sad notification. May he rest in peace.

[huldah1776]

LOL I thought you posted to the wrong thread but after sharing this article with friends of mine who have the facebook page “Rules of Engagement” I decided to check out his books for future reference.

You would think the conservatives would have worked out a way to offset this micromanaging of war by now and protecting our fighters. We have boots in jail today because of the rules of engagement.

[Interesting Times]

Ping.

[jonathonandjennifer]

Thanks for the great post. A lot of great men in that war. Unfortunately never given their due.

[spokeshave]

History repeats itself.

History repeats itself.

Cool music for History Repeating

[oldtech]

The Colonel seems to have been an eagle forced to soar with turkeys.