In The Spirit Of Memorial Day

…get a Thud flying again.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the F-105 Thunderchief, it was a single seat all weather fighter bomber that flew 75% of all missions over North Vietnam. Approximately half were lost to enemy fire. A little over a hundred F-105 pilots were killed in action and a like number were held prisoner by the North Vietnamese Army. The Collins Foundation is attempting to return an F-105 to flight status in order to honor all those who flew maintained and worked on her. The foundation already flies an F-4 and an A-4. They have enlisted Leo Thorsness a Medal of Honor awardee and former POW to help. Here is part of his report on their meeting with the USAF Chief of Staff regarding their effort to have a Thud fly again.

Hello Gents: 5-17-10: Thanks to several of you, and organizations that
support getting the F-105 “Thud” back in the air. Bob Jeffrey and Jim Hivner
suggested we contact Cavanaugh Museum about their Thud. I have learned that
aircraft, like all Thuds on display, on ramps, and in museums, are on loan
from the USAF Museum in Wright Pat. Apparently that Museum gets control of
USAF aircraft when they are decommissioned. Gen Charlie Metcalf, the
Director, and I have spoken a couple times about getting a Thud airborne.
Twice he has told me, “Forget it Leo, it won’t happen.”

Recently the Air
Force, through a letter from the Vice Chief of Staff, has come out against
transferring a Thud to the Collings Foundation.
http://www.collingsfoundation.org The letter said all Thuds are “committed.”
The Collings Foundation is the predominate organization now flying vintage
American military aircraft.

Dr Collings and I met with the USAF Chief of Staff, General Schwartz,
Friday, May 14th. I spoke as the “face” of the Thud, representing officially
the Wild Weasels, and for many River Rats, POWs and MOH recipients.

Gen Schwartz was straight forward and said the AF was not in favor of giving
a Thud away because of three reasons: Availability, Sustainability and
Liability…

…I opened our rebuttal citing the emotional side mentioning most or all
members of the organizations (above) are in favor of seeing a Thud airborne
again. I said that a flying Thud would be a phenomenal memorial to all
living and dead Thud aviators, maintainers and want to be “Thuders” – to
all Vietnam Veterans. I cited Thud numbers: just over 800 built, just under
400 lost in combat, just over 100 Thud aviators killed in actions and right
at 100 POW Thud Aviators.

Next Dr Collings professionally and methodically rebutted the three issues
mentioned by General Schwartz:

Availability: there are just over 100 Thuds available – about 23 F & G. Dr
Collings had pictures of several sitting on ramps as pigeon poop collectors
with panels falling off etc. He also told the Chief that there are Museums
who have offered “their” Thud to the Collings Foundation.

Sustainability: Dr Collings said the Collings Foundation would ask for the
eight thuds, which will succumb to corrosion, sitting on the ramp at
Lackland AFB as “spare parts” and did not feel sustainability would ever be
a problem. He noted a Thud flying nowadays would be much easier to maintain
than a Wartime Thud. Example: the air ducts would be in permanent sub-sonic
position as FAA does not allow the Thud to fly supersonic. Dr Collings did a
good job refuting the sustainability issue. Also they have maintained a F-4
& A-4. And have received no support from the USAF. That 2-engine beast
requires a lot more attention.

Liability also was well refuted. The Collings folks have been flying the F-4
for 11 years, and about five years flying the A-4. There are several legal
“hold harmless” precedents that have held the government harmless after a
USAF / Army Air Corp aircraft has had incidents. The Liability issues were
well handled, like the Sustainability and Availability issues.

I closed the meeting mentioning that we Thud aviators did our best for the
Air Force and United States – often knowing the odds for Weasels were
greater than 50 percent of being shot down at the beginning of the war. I
appealed saying that I hope the Air Force would go to bat for us as we Thud
drivers did the Air Force in Vietnam. Also I mentioned that there are over
200 Vietnam era Soviet bloc country jets flying in the United State – we
should be allow at least one Thud in the air.

To his credit, General Schwartz said they would “Double back” on the
issues/concerns. After that, he will ask us to another meeting for their
final decision to support or oppose the Collings Foundation getting a
F-105F/G.

Sorry for the long report. But as long as we spent in Hanoi, I felt this
report deserved more than one summary paragraph.

The battle is not won, but nor have we lost. The battle is ongoing to get a
Thud airborne. Whatever support you are willing to give is appreciated
gents. Congressional support is paramount and any calls that can be made are
very helpful. We are still waiting to hear if Ike Skelton, Chairman House
Armed Services Committee will support this. No response yet!

Best regards, tailwinds

Leo Thorsness

What you can do, is call or write your elected officials and let them know that this issue has some meaning to you. Please if you feel the urge, drop a line and get those dudes to actually do something worthwhile to honor those who gave all up on Thud Ridge.

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