In 1962 the 80th began to transition to the F-105 Thunderchief, and in May 1964 moved to Yokota Air Base, Japan, where it was attached to the 41st Air Division.  A few months afterwards, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing moved to the United States, so the "Headhunters" were reassigned to the 41st Air Division.  Stationed at Yokota until 1971, the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron served under several different parent units over the next few years, including the 6441st Tactical Fighter Wing, 41st Air Division, and 347th Tactical Fighter Wing.  The squadron performed two combat deployments to Southeast Asia in 1964 and 1965, serving first for two months at Korat Air Base, Thailand and later for two months at Takhli Air Base, Thailand.  For these two combat tours the 80th earned the Vietnam Advisory campaign streamer.  During this period, 8 TFW/CC Col Robin Olds gave the 8th TFW its nickname of "Wolf Pack."  It has stuck ever since, and is known the world over with great reverence. These two deployments made up the total of the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron's involvement in Vietnam.  80th pilots flew against such major targets as the Tai Nguyen steel plant, storage facilities at Haipong, northeast and northwest rail lines, Phuc Yen, Kep, and the Doumer Bridge. On 23 August 1967, while flying an F-105 Thunder Chief (the largest single-engine fighter ever produced) 1Lt Dave Waldrop gunned downed a Mig-17 over North Vietnam.  While in Vietnam, the 80th accumulated 7,384 combat missions in Southeast Asia, with 2,657 combat missions over North Vietnam.  These missions represent 17,104.4 combat hours over Southeast Asia.  Members of the 80th were decorated with 7 Silver Stars, 64 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 426 Air Medals while deployed to Vietnam.  Sadly, several "Headhunters" remained in Vietnam after the Squadron departed.  Of these, Quincy Collins, Murphy Neal Jones, and Don Heiliger--POW's--were repatriated and returned home in 1973 after a long stay in the "Hanoi Hilton."  However, William V. Frederick was KIA 5 July 1967 over North Vietnam, and Lynn K.  Powell was KIA on 21 August 1967 over North Vietnam.  During the late 1960s, the Air Force used the squadron for the defense of Korea.  The squadron converted to the F-4C Phantom in late 1967 and early 1968.   Headhunters in the Yokota Era – F4C (1967-1971) (This information in yellow was compiled by Joe Snoy and sent in by Norm Turner on 2 Aug 2003.  Many thanks to Joe and Norm for this very important information in our Squadron's History) In the winter of 1967 - 1968, the 80th began transitioning to the F-4C Phantom II at Yokota AB, Japan as part of the 347 TFW.  It was during January 1968 that the 80th was involved in the Pueblo Incident.  All available aircrews and aircraft were sent to Korea to participate in the USAF reaction.  At the time of the incident most of the squadron¹s F-105 crews and equipment were in the process of augmenting the F-105 units at Takhli and Korat, Thailand and the replacement F-4C crews and conventional ordinance at Yokota were almost nonexistent.  Most of 1968 was spent getting the squadron equipped and combat ready.  During the summer of 1968 the 80th became the first PACAF squadron to be manned with a small contingent of specially trained F-4C Wild Weasel crews composed of highly experienced F-4 aircraft commanders and Electronic Warfare Officers (EWOs).  The first modified F-4C Wild Weasel aircraft arrived in April of 1969. Throughout the 1968 - 1971 time frame the primary mission of the 80th was to deploy on a rotating basis with the 35th and 36th TFS to Osan AB, Korea, providing a nuclear strike alert posture against targets in North Korea, China and the Soviet Union.  The squadron maintained several aircraft on fifteen-minute nuclear alert full time, and engaged in a vigorous conventional weapons training program.  On several occasions the squadron reacted to provocations by the North Koreans by putting crews and aircraft on heightened states of air defense and conventional weapons alert. In 1970 all PACAF F-4C Wild Weasel aircrews were transferred to the 80th.  At this time the squadron was composed almost exclusively of Wild Weasel aircrews. These crews trained in Wild Weasel tactics while maintaining all weapons qualifications and pulling nuclear alert as a primary commitment. On 15 February 1971, shortly after its twenty-ninth anniversary, the squadron was deactivated in a general reduction and realignment of US military forces in Japan, Korea and Okinawa.  Shortly after this order was issued it was announced that the squadron designation would be reactivated in Korea without equipment and personnel.  At the time of deactivation the 80th personnel, including all the Wild Weasel crews, were transferred to the 35 TFS and later in the spring these crews and all the F-4C aircraft deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa to form the 67 TFS under the 18th TFW. A year or so later, the F-4C Wild Weasels, trained by and formerly in the 80th TFS performed with distinction in combat during Linebacker II. After heightened operations following the Pueblo crisis in January 1968, the squadron began a series of periodic deployments to Osan Air Base, South Korea.  Between 1968 and 1971, the 80th deployed to Osan nine times, usually for about a month each time.  In April 1969, 80th aircrews participated in the search for the wreckage of the Navy E-121 from Atsugi NAS that had been shot down by the North Koreans. For its involvement, the squadron earned one Battle Honor, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross (with Palm), and four Air Force Outstanding Unit Citations.  During the war, the 80th produced one Ace, Jeff Feinstein, with 5 confirmed kills as a WSO in the F-4. One of our own fellow Headhunters, Col Jacksel M. "Jack" Broughton, wrote two books on his Vietnam experiences, Thud Ridge and Going Downtown.  President Lyndon Johnson often bragged, "Those boys can't hit an outhouse without my permission."  Visit Col Broughton's Web Site, check out these two outstanding books--now in reprint--and see how the Rules of Engagement (ROE), written and controlled by civilians 10,000 miles away, affected the war---the only one our Country ever lost....   This Web Site best viewed at 1024 x 768 or higher © Copyright 1999 - 2008 by Jay Riedel and Jeff Collins, all rights reserved.   Return to Top of page