Heavyweight

F-105D on the Ramp at Takhli

The standard joke around the bar in the officer's club in the early sixties would go something like this: an F-4 driver would raise his voice and demand, "What's the sound an F-105 makes when it hits the ground?" came the rousing course response, "THUD!!!" Numerous chortles, snickers, and guffaws.

Requiem for a Heavyweight

The F-105D, along with the 2 seater version the F-105F (and later, the F-105G) carried the brunt of the attacks on North Vietnam, especially through the period 1965-1969. The Republic aircraft foundry and iron works built a total of 753 of these models and over half of the inventory was converted to scrap metal in and arround North Vietnam. Here are some of their stories.

The F-105F Wild Weasels had one of the most dangerous jobs of the war, supressing enemy air defenses. They would go in ahead of the regular strike force and do their magic, killing AAA, fending off MiGs, and baiting SAMs. They flew cover till the last plane came off the target. Their motto was: "First in Last out!"

First in...Wrong Way Out

Rescue of Marlin Lead (Captain Bill Sparks)

Rescue of Dogwood Two (Captain Frank Tullo)

A Bridge Downtown (Col Bill Norris)

Other stories of valor were comon....

Valor

Winner of the Air Force Cross, three times....

Air Force Cross

Jerry Hoblit gets his justly deserved recognition...even if it was 36 years late.

Belated Air Force Cross

Two US Airmen won the Medal of Honor flying the F-105F, Wild Weasels, out of Takhli RTAFB into North Vietnam:

Merlyn Dethlefsen

Leo Thorsness

These are not F-105 storys... but they could have been. They are still good reading.

Death

Noble Calling

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