Unidentified SAC Patch

[woofdog19]

Looking to identify this SAC patch?

 

Thanks, Paul

[X_redcatcher]

thats one cool patch, always did like the SPY VS SPY stuff

[firefighter]

Look's Thai made.Probably part of the 307th Bomb Wing while stationed U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand.Very cool.Did it come with another patches or uniforms?

[Johnny Signor]

Try the USAFpatches.com site , I think it's shown on there or in the J.Polder books ..............................

Johnny

[ikar]

U-Tapao had three U-2 aircraft assigned and were housed in a couple small hangers about midway between teh control tower and the B-52 washracks.

 

 

They would take off in the morning and late afternoon everyday.

 

 

Takoff over the Thai Navy hangers

 

 

 

Approach from the gulf side of the base.

 

Interesting report of the sapper attack. No accurate, but interesting.

[woofdog19]

Some great photos of the U-2. The patch is not on the USAF patch site. However, I was able using some of the input I think pin it down 55th Strategic Recon Wing. I found another image of a similar patch on the their website www.55wa.org. I also agree it would definitely had been from the Vietnam era--now just hope for a specific identification. Thanks for all the great input. Paul

Patch image I found on their website.

[firefighter]

Could be a 'crew' patch, i.e.: 55th wing- crew12? A crew was an a/c with 8 or 10 men and LARRY could have been part of that crew.

[ikar]

Some call the U-2 Dragon Lady, like they call the S-71s at Kadena Habu. I just don't remember who called her Dragon Lady at a specific base or if it was system wide.

[Teamski]

Great photos! Thanks!

 

-Ski

[ikar]

You couldn't get too close for some decent shots. Even harder when an SR would make a stop over. The close ones I took while standing in the front of the bus on our way out to the Freedom Bird and the driver had to make a sudden stop to let the U-2 go by.

[ajsr71]

USAF "Poject Dragon Lady" 1956-1966

 

4080th SRW was activated at Turner AFB 1st April 1966. First misssion was to fly the RB-57D Project Black Knight, 4025th SRS, and the second mission was to operate SAC's U-2's under Project Dragon Lady and the 4028th SRS was formed Prior to receiving the U-2 the Wing moved to Laughlin AFB

[TLHorstead]

From what I know and what I have seen, SAC prowlers were not a official unit but were tasked by the "Security Evaluation Team" members if the IG / ORI Team, as a crew chief I was lucky enough That I never found the spy decal painted on my forward fuselage, but I have seen a few. The "Prowler" team sometimes show up as part of an ORI or they conduct independent test, If they were able to mark an airplane Security has some explaining as most of targets were Alert Force (Guarded) aircraft or special purpose aircraft EB-/RB-47's or EC/RC-135 aircraft that required Alert Security or a Security Ramp or Compound when away from our Main Operating Base. I was assigned to the 55th at Offutt and our reconnaissance aircraft were guarded when deployed. The Security Penetration Team never wore the patch when at a base for a test and while I was stationed at Offutt I never saw this patch but as i said I see the insignia painted on a Alert Loaded B-52- Anyway when a crew found this painted around the door of a aircraft ALL HELL broke loose. Terry L Horstead

[ikar]

I would think so. To get close enough to the aircraft to paint it, assuming it was a alert BUFF, they had to violate the red line around the aircraft which mweant the no-lone zone and two man policy were in effect. To do this they had to get past the guard unnoticed. If they did not only would he be in trouble but there was the possibility that anyone else in the area would be too, including them, unless they had special permission in writting to allow that. When nukes are involved that shouldn't be easy to get. S.A.C. always took a dim view of things and happenings around nukes. Chances are they could get in with authentic line badges and pass as the maint. team for that aircraft. If they did that they could paint the marking on the ship and the guard probably wouldn't pay any attention, figuring it was just a new maint. marker or something.

 

One of the times we had somebody try pulling an exercise without notifying anybody the person ended up face down in a puddle of water and snow with a M-16 pointed at his back. He tried to burn the A1C but ended up getting transferred somewhere, never to be seen by us again.