What F-102 units were called up for Viet Nam

F-102s were stationed in Thailand, in 1967, primarily as weather recon
aircraft.

At one point in 1967, (I think around September) there was a Search and
Rescue (SAR) effort near Route 9 (in N. Vietnam, just east of the border
with Laos). I was Sandy lead for this mission. Several SAMs were fired;
turns out, all or most were fired at the F-102s, our MIG cap, not at us.

None hit (and the downed pilot was rescued). Later on, I talked to some
of the F-102 pilots. This was the high point of their tour: they were
shot at.

Seems to me that the worst thing that can happen to a warrior is not to
be allowed to take part. There were lots of warriors in the F-102 bunch.

Jim Thomas

In article t, Jim
Thomas wrote:

F-102s were stationed in Thailand, in 1967, primarily as weather recon
aircraft.

At one point in 1967, (I think around September) there was a Search and
Rescue (SAR) effort near Route 9 (in N. Vietnam, just east of the border
with Laos). I was Sandy lead for this mission. Several SAMs were fired;
turns out, all or most were fired at the F-102s, our MIG cap, not at us.

None hit (and the downed pilot was rescued). Later on, I talked to some
of the F-102 pilots. This was the high point of their tour: they were
shot at.

Seems to me that the worst thing that can happen to a warrior is not to
be allowed to take part. There were lots of warriors in the F-102 bunch.

Jim,
wondering about your thoughts on RCS of the F-102 vs the A-1's?
(Assuming you were in A-1's)

Did they get shot at because of that big wing/big RCS, or because of
operating altitude?

regards

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur

In this case, I think the F-102s were targets because they were high. We
A1s and Jollys were at a couple thousand feet, as I recall.

Jim Thomas

Harry Andreas wrote:
In article t, Jim
Thomas wrote:


F-102s were stationed in Thailand, in 1967, primarily as weather recon
aircraft.

At one point in 1967, (I think around September) there was a Search and
Rescue (SAR) effort near Route 9 (in N. Vietnam, just east of the border
with Laos). I was Sandy lead for this mission. Several SAMs were fired;
turns out, all or most were fired at the F-102s, our MIG cap, not at us.

None hit (and the downed pilot was rescued). Later on, I talked to some
of the F-102 pilots. This was the high point of their tour: they were
shot at.

Seems to me that the worst thing that can happen to a warrior is not to
be allowed to take part. There were lots of warriors in the F-102 bunch.


Jim,
wondering about your thoughts on RCS of the F-102 vs the A-1's?
(Assuming you were in A-1's)

Did they get shot at because of that big wing/big RCS, or because of
operating altitude?

regards