Initial Cadre of Juvat Headhunters
RE: 80th Squadron picture taken in January or February 1971 (most likely it was February).
This was PACAF’s F4C Wild Weasel squadron after the consolidation of Weasel aircrews and aircraft from Yokota and Misawa in late 1969 or early 1970. Most of the crews in the pic and aircraft flew to Kadena in one “mass gaggle” on March 11, 1971 to become the 67th TFS (F4C Wild Weasel squadron) upon landing.
Later the 80th squadron designation was transferred to Korea in 1971 after Lt Gen Jay T. Robbins intervened to keep the squadron alive, as I recall. I began to lose track of the 80th history after that.
I spent 5 years in PACAF and had the "additional duty” of squadron historian while I was assigned/reassigned and reassigned again to various squadrons (80th, 35th, 80th, 67th) from 1968-1972.
After the VN War ended the AF finally got all the squadrons realigned with their historical parent Wings. The VN War really disconnected the fighter squadrons from their historic parent Wings - all kinds of strange organizational structures evolved, dissolved and reappeared.
Just my observations from a long time ago in a land far away.
Joseph "Joe" Snoy
jsnoy@comcast.net
Front cockpit : Lt Col Dave Oakes/CC
Rear cockpit : Lt Col Frank Payne/Ops Officer
First row kneeling left to right:
Joe Brownlee, Hal Bergmann*, Al Palmer*, Armand Klinger* ,Bill Hitztaler*, Jerry Hoff, Jimmy Yoshinaka, Hanspeter Zimmerman*, Curt Hartzell*, Don Genovese, John Frazer*, Joe Snoy* , ‘Tok' Tokita
Back row left to right:
Barry Watts, Jim Thomas* (peeking around Barry), John Gritsavage, Joe Middleton*, Dick Myers (left of ladder - future Chairman of JCS Gen. Richard B. "Dickey Duck” Myers), Duane Houk* Jim Monsees (2 Migs NVN), Billy Goff (in back), Tom Floyd, Dave Cooper, T.R. Marino*, Ross Paxton, Jim Violette*, Ray Penley, (unk crew chief in far back), Bill McCloud, Ken Latour, John Bremer, Marty Bourque*, Charlie McCoy*, Norm Turner, Bob Belles
*indicates Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO). All other are Aircraft Commanders.
