This page is dedicated to all the U.S. Air Force veterans who served with me in Texas and Southeast Asia from 1969-1973
After basic training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas, I and around 68 others who passed the language exam were sent to Biggs Field, Ft. Bliss, El Paso, Texas, to attend the Defense Language Institute (DLISC) and learn Vietnamese--Northern dialect (Hanoi)--class O2VN47B2469. Most of those who made it through were sent to Goodfellow AFB at San Angelo, Texas, for a course in radio intercept training, and then to airborne radio intercept training. After Thanksgiving 1970, we were sent overseas and most of us were assigned to the 6990 Security Squadron at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, then under American control (GRI) which reverted to Japan while we were there. After intensive on-the-job training we were certified to fly missions in RC-135M aircraft in Southeast Asia, more specifically over the Gulf of Tonkin and Laos. During this time, we earned our enlisted aircrew wings, Air Medals and Combat Crew badge, as well as flight and combat pay. "Brothers always!"
Reunion in El Paso, July 2004. Sadly, several of those pictured are no longer with us.
USAFSS Aircraft of the Vietnam War Painting by Chas Downs
Map showing hometowns of DLISC students
RC-135M taking off from Kadena AFB headed for a mission over Laos or the Gulf of Tonkin.
When severe weather threatened Okinawa our aircraft typhoon evaced , usually to the Philippines.
EC-47s were based in South Vietnam and Thailand and flew on dangerous low level missions
The 6990th was also tasked with sending personnel to Nakon Phanom, Thailand to support the T-ball operation there
A C-130B-II at Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam, where it flew missions over Laos. The 699th had a detachment there until it was disbanded in October 1971.
SR-71s regularly flew out of Okinawa despite U.S. official denials.
This F-4C belonged to the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18th TFW.
Okinawa served as a safe haven when typhoons threatened other U.S. bases. These B-52s flew in from Guam.
This is me in my flight suit inside our barracks at Kadina. My haircut was definitely non-reg.
Map of the combat zone in Southeast Asia
National Defense Medal Vietnam Service Medal & SVN Campaign Medal Air Medal
