RF-101 Vietnam War - Who Has Touched the Sky
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- Reconnaissance mission during Vietnam war accompanied by the music of "The Anita Kerr Singers". As a young and fearless fighter pilot I flew 100 combat missions in the RF-101 as a participant in that "unpopular" war.
Such a gorgeous aircraft.
My Dad worked on the ejection seats of the RF-101's with the KYANG.
My husband Jerry flew the RF101 Voodoo in Vietnam from 62-65 with the 15th TRS. Of all the planes he flew(and there were many) he loved this one the most. And I remember fondly the wives who waited and supported each other as our husbands flew," Alone, Unarmed and Unafraid". Jerry would have been the first to translate that slightly differently! Thank you for the video.
You Americans, there is no shortage of stories to tell, our greetings here from Brazil, I was born on November 28, 1967, I believe that the Vietnam War was at its peak.
If your husband is still alive, give him my greetings, a real hero.
I was at K.I. Sawyer AFB in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in 1965 & 66. We flew the Voodoo's and had a SAC wing of B-52's, That place was the coldest I have ever been, and I served in both Alaska and Greenland!
I was stationed at Shaw AFB in 1965 and we deployed to Viet Nam in November. From there the 20th TRS moved to Udorn RTB around April 1966. We had both RF101s and RF4, I believe, C models. For us ground guys the Thailand duty was pretty good. For the flight crews not so much. A bunch of us bought Honda 90S motorcycles and went all over Thailand during our "off" time. At one point myself and another airman rode our little Hondas all the way down to Bangkok and back for R&R.
Memories! This film was taken at Udorn AB Thailand. In Sept 1966 we in the 13th RTS flew there to set up a modular photo lab so Udorn could be used for recon missions. Some of us stayed and the rest went back to Ton Son Nhute where we were transferred to the new lab at TSN and renamed the 6470th RTS
RF-101's were at Shaw AFB when I got there in 1971. never got to work on them but loved the look of them. much respect for all who were involved with the airplane.
The RF-101C is my favorite series fighter and one of my all time favorite aircraft as well;) I used to play in an F-101A as a kid. It was in an aicraft salvage yard by the airport where my grandfather owned an aircraft repair facility. I've enjoyed this Video many times;)
Mr Bunk. Total respect from the UK.
Love the plane, the film and the music. Goosebumps. Count this film another successful mission you have completed.
Thank you.
Song composed is very beautiful song.
I flew the a , c, g,& h check out at Shaw in 1968. Our guard unit was activated and sent to Japan during the Pueblo incident flying show of force missions into S Korea.
I preferred the C model it had a view finder.
Great low level platform for photography.
LJ
Interesting clip for a military jet of the poetry and music by Rod McKuen .
Thank you. Thank you for giving part of your life to the mission. Thank you for making something beautiful from that time. I had job choices when I graduated from college, but the one I accepted was with the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs. I could not conceive of a more deserving group than veterans. Thank you again.
My dad ejected from one of these over the Bohai sea at nearly 25,000ft due to a faulty fire warning light. He loved that play till the dad he died.
Recce Voodoos! :) Thank you for posting this video and thank you for your service, sir!
Salute you Voodoo Driver. I was with the 45TRS 67-68. Major Beckstrom flew his 100th mission when I was there.
Back at you with the salute. I was in the 45th in 1970. Art was an instructor at Shaw when I went through the checkout. I believe that he UNsuccessfully bailed out on a mission out of Shaw while I was at Saigon. He was one of the true NICE GUYS.
nick econ hi, can you response my doubt ? RF-101B flow over Vietnan or served only in US on ANG reco units ? thanks
Marcelo Albuquerque From what I can tell, the RF-101Bs were all (except one airframe) converted from former Canadian CF-101B airframes and accepted into service in late 1971/early 1972. They were not deployed to Vietnam, and only saw service with the 192d TRS of the Nevada ANG. Only about 21 were converted, and they were retired after around three years of service due to high operating costs.
I was a PI in the 16 TRS PPIF at Tan Son Nhut from Sep 67 through July 68. I read out 45 TRS missions daily (along with 12 TRS / 16 TRS RF-4Cs and Det 1 45 TRS RB-57s. The split verticals on the Voodoos were my favorite sensors to plot.
Anyone here know Maj Blair Wrye? He was my flight commander when I flew the B model with the 322nd FIS at Klamath Falls,Or He was KIA flyinf the RF in Nam.
Beautiful Very patriotic. Nice video.
God bless our country and the service Men and Wemen who protect our freedoms and Christian way of life 💘🙏☮️🌎💯💘
My Dad. My Hero!!
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Voodoo 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I first noticed an RF101 wreck in Alaska 1996, and have always wondered if the pilot survived. The circumstances of the loss are unknown to me and I am trying to find out more. Available Information I could find was limited to:
RF-101C-40-MC s/n 56-0170
*USAF 363rd TRW.
*3/15/1963: Crashed near Elmendorf AFB, AK. " The term "near Elmendorf AFB" is quite funny albeit true when seen from a global perspective, as the Cook Inlet is between the area of the wreck and Elmendorf AFB.
As there is very little damage to the wings of the plane, I wonder if the fore and aft Fuselage was blown of with explosive charges by a demolition crew, at the same time the two engines were salvaged. In 1996 the stacks of wooden dunnage under the wings still held the whole wing and fuselage canter section off the ground....
Any real information would be appreciated!
A video about the wreck is on my channel. Best Regards from Anchorage!
+BetterAircraftFabric - Art Beckstrom was the pilot. He ejected successfully but landed in the water and nearly succumbed to exposure before he was rescued. In 1968 Art's RF-101 was severely damaged by enemy fire over Vietnam. He landed at a diversion base and that aircraft was scrapped. A few years after that Art was killed in an unsuccessful bailout (chute failed to fully deploy to low level, high speed downward vector of aircraft) from an RF-101 while flying a low level training mission out of Shaw AFB, SC. Art was a genuinely nice guy and a extremely proficient pilot but fell prey to the old axiom that says, "three strikes and you're out..."
+HerBunk Hi, Thanks for the instant response! Yes any water up here in March is bad news if one goes in that. As any sweetwater is still frozen in March he must have landed in the Cook Inlet Saltwater, its full of drifting ice in March. Do you have any other facts on this accident? I am going to share your message with a friend of mine who was a Voodoo pilot in the 363rd as well. Best Regards, Lars
The music is nice, but seems out of place. CCR would fit better.
Totally depends upon whether you have ever piloted a fighter plane or not. I have and this song says it all...
Did you know "Rich" Richardson?
Yes - he and I were in the same squadron at Shaw in the early 70s. He was a few years older than me. I believe that he still lives in Sumter, SC. Thanks for your interest.
HerBunk that's my grandfather! A few years back they dedicated the RF-101 gate guardian out at Shaw to him.
Did you know Buster Sipes?
No - I don't recognize the name.
Thanks. I lived under the runway at Upper Heyford for many years and seeing the video took me back to those noisy days and the incredible RF 101.
i think KORN COVERS THIS SONG ...................