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Credited USAF Patches From The Air War Over SE Asia


rtepak6
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How about one more to round out the evening ...

 

Courtesy of Col. Kevin “Mike” Gilroy, 354th TFS, F-105F Wild Weasel III EWO, 100 combat missions.

 

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About the SAM Slayer patch, Col. Gilroy wrote, "Takhli gave out the SAM Slayer patch for a hard ordnance kill of a SAM site – Shrike hits didn’t count.”

 

Dale

 

Col (thenCaptain) Kevin Gilroy received the Air Force Cross as the EWO in Major Merlyn Dethlefsen's F-105, when Dethlefsen earned the Medal of Honor on 10 March 1967.during an attack on the Thai Nguyen Steel Works in North Vietnam.

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Speaking of Col.Gilroy, while not strictly "patch related", here is one of his personal challenge coins sent a few years back.

 

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It has the Air Force Cross on one side, and the Sam Slayer logo he helped design on the other. 2" in diameter, it weighs a hefty 2.5 ounces.

 

Dale

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Lots of great stuff in here. I have quite a few "attributed" patches, but will post this one just because of the high number of missions. Doug Roach had 516 total F-4 missions in SEA. He later went on to the Thunderbirds from 73-75. Thai puffy back make.

Randy

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nguoi tien su

Next is a two patch grouping credited to a 354th TFS F-105 pilot, who also flew a tour as a Wild Weasel later in the war.

 

Here is the remainder of Dick Pearson's patches.

 

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For what I understand so far, Pearson deployed three times in SEA. First with the 354th and then with the 357th TFS each time flying the F-105 Thunderchief. He went to Thailand again in 1972 with the 434th TFS this time in the F-4 Phantom.

 

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Here is one you will not find very often...

 

A miniature 432nd TFW/TRW patch that came off of a party suit. This thing is barely 1 1/2 inches tall.

 

Also, a program from a 432nd farewell party for one of the officers. This came from the same time period.

432nd party suit patch b.JPG

432ND INVITATION SMALL.JPG

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Here is the remainder of Dick Pearson's patches.

 

pearso10.jpg

 

For what I understand so far, Pearson deployed three times in SEA. First with the 354th and then with the 357th TFS each time flying the F-105 Thunderchief. He went to Thailand again in 1972 with the 434th TFS this time in the F-4 Phantom.

 

 

Glad you got this group. I saw it on the closed auctions list and wish I had known about it! Interesting to note your name patch and River Rats patch has the same backing as the 100 Missions one I got. There was also this Wild Weasel patch with the same backing from the same seller I got the Missions patch from. I was a little late in getting back to the seller and by the time I did, it had already sold to someone else. I appears this group of patches were probably all worn together on the same suit.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

A pair to Colonel Donald L. Puckett. Deputy Commander of the 307th Strategic Wing, U-Tapao Airfield Thailand, Apr 71 to Apr 72. I would categorize these as more of organizational mission patches, reflecting the total number of missions flown by the Aircraft noted during his command. Interesting.

 

 

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I thought I would put these all together in one post. These are from the estate of Col.Robert L.Murphy,Executive Officer,21st Tactical Air Support Squadron,7th U.S.Air Force.1972post-68747-0-10243600-1458248051.jpgpost-68747-0-43182800-1458248093.jpgpost-68747-0-06062400-1458248136.jpg

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Attached are a couple of Covey FAC patches I obtained quite a few years ago. I have long forgotten the "donor's" name but they have an interesting story. After I retired from the Air Force in 1977, I went to work for General Dynamics in San Diego. In early 1978 I was transferred to Edwards AFB to work on the ALCM Program. Our hanger was pretty close to the flight line snack bar, so often stopped by to grab a drink and a sandwich. One day I ran in to a Lt Col wearing the Covey FAC 300 Mission Patch. I mentioned to him I found his patch interesting and explained I was a collector. He said he probably shouldn't be wearing it, peeled it off his flight suit and handed it to me. Then he said follow him over to his office and that he had some other stuff he would give me. One of the first things he threw on the desk was the COVEY FAC / CCC PATCH, as you can imagine, I about fell over. Some advice for collectors, IF YOU DO NOT ASK, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE.

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firefighter

Cookie great story. You were at the right place at the right time.I was in the AF 82-86 and there were some Vietnam vets but I never saw any pilots wearing any of there war time patches.
Those patches are stone cold killers

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Pat Daniels

So, Mr. Cookieman, You have been holding out on me!

 

Those are two absolutely killer patches. Almost as desirable as the "100 missions over north Wichita" one.

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