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The account of his last combat mission in Viet Nam by by Lt Col USAF (Ret) Bill Sparks. It is worth the read.
http://www.burrusspta.org/Sparks_last_combat_mission.pdf
http://www.burrusspta.org/Sparks_last_combat_mission.pdf
Posted in these groups: 
Vietnam War
Air Force
Vietnam War Air Force
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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I was stationed at NKP 68/69/70 with 602nd SOS as a young A2C and Sgt. I had the pleasure of working squadron operations with some of the finest and bravest pilots in the Air Force. The Jolly Greens and Sandys never wanted to RTB with a man still on the ground. Your mission brought back many memories and I saw faces of those who did not return. Thank you for posting your rescue.
CMSgt John Momaney, Ret 1992.
Was at George AFB when F105's arrived from McConnell.
CMSgt John Momaney, Ret 1992.
Was at George AFB when F105's arrived from McConnell.
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Captain Waddell, thanks for sharing this story. I supported A-1 "Sandys" from Pleiku AB and I knew several fellow airmen who were stationed at Tahkli RTAB. The "Thud" had a very distinctive sound as it came around for landing. I got to see them at seveal bases, stateside and overseas. Doggone things were BIG!
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Capt Seid Waddell
SMSgt Dan Powell, those A1 Skyraiders had a lot of loiter time and could stay on station strafing and dropping gravel to keep the enemy away from our downed pilots. I have seen them take a lot of battle damage and still make it home. That was quite a SAR asset and those were also very brave pilots.
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SMSgt Dan Powell
Capt Waddell, one photo has always stuck in my memory, it was of a A-1 pilot standing in a hole in the wing of his aircraft that brought him home.
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A bit long but a very interesting story of a motivated Airman. It would have been a nice bit of history to hit the 200 mark though.
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Capt Seid Waddell
TSgt David L., a number of pilots did make the 200 mission mark, like Col George Acree:
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/vietnam/airpower/wildweasel.aspx
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/vietnam/airpower/wildweasel.aspx
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