In a recent letter to your web author, Colonel C.L. Van Etten, USAF (Ret.), then commander of the 6441st Tactical Fighter Wing at Yokota AB, Japan in 1964, to which the 36th TFS reported, wrote the following about the initial combat deployment to Korat RTAFB:

"The Gulf of Tonkin incident was on 4 August 1964. On 8 August at 0200 hrs., I received a call on my hot line from General Graham, Fifth Air Force Commander in Tokyo. He wanted to know how long it would take to get 18 Thuds ready to deploy to Clark Air Base and then on to Korat Air Base, Thailand. My answer was "tomorrow" - and that I could have 75 ready to fly to the Kremlin - all I needed was tankers. I selected Lt.Colonel Don McCance, commander of the 36th to supply the birds and pilots. We launched on schedule, refueled over Kadena Air Base on a KB-50J, with probe and drogue. Proceeded to Clark AB and flew through typhoon Ida enroute - the wildest ride of my life. We penetrated in elements of two at 26,000 ft and .88 Mach. All ended up at 12,000 ft and 1.01 Mach. One good thing about the Thud, it's built like a TANK".

"Arrived at Korat on 11 August and flew our first combat mission the following day - target in the Plaine Des Jarres - one bird damaged by flak. We continued deploying to Korat and Takhli until permanent squadrons were assigned to these bases. My Director of Operations, Colonel Jack Broughton departed to become Vice Commander, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing at Takhli RTAFB. He is the author of the book "THUD RIDGE".