11/28/2023 0 Comments Wolfpack logo south korea![]() ![]() Flying with call signs derived from American cars of the period Ford, Rambler, and (inevitably for the CO's flight) Olds, the 8th TFW caught them completely by surprise. His last words to them were, "alright you Wolf Pack, let's go get'em." The attack was an unprecedented success and was the most successful aerial battle of the war. Colonel Olds presented the plan to his pilots as being one where they would be wolves in sheep's clothing. This was the intent of the plan - to draw the MiGs into the Phantoms' kill-zone and strike while the VPAF were still expecting to find the less-dangerous F-105s. ![]() Sharp and deadly, the Filipino bolo does not appear to be a weapon until the opponent is drawn in too close to evade. ![]() Momyer approved the plan, which was assigned the code name Bolo after the cane-cutting machete which doubled as a Filipino martial arts weapon. William Momyer, the Seventh Air Force commander, Dec. The operational plan was presented to Gen. To further convince the enemy, the wing modified its aircraft to carry electronic countermeasures pods previously used only on the F-105s. Olds decided to fly a large F-4 formation using the same routes, altitude, and call signs as the F-105s hoping the MiG-21s would be guided towards them expecting to find slower Thunderchiefs, and when they realized the truth it would be too late. In those less-inhibited times, the men of the 8th TFW openly referred to this great duo as Blackman and Robin.Ĭolonel Olds realized that the F-105 and F-4 formations used the same approaches, time after time, and the SIGINT analysts in Hanoi became expert in identifying the more vulnerable F-105s from the F-4s from their radio frequencies and call signs. His vice commander was Colonel Daniel "Chappie" James who went on to be the Air Force's first black general and the first black four star general in any American military service. It was said the sign over his door read, "Peace Is Not Our Profession," in mocking reference to Strategic Air Command's motto. He was an old-fashioned fighter pilot: impulsive, rough, hard-drinking, but a natural leader and an intuitive tactician. He was a P-38/P-51 Ace during WWII, credited with 12 kills against the German Luftwaffe in 19, and now - at 44 years old - he was the commanding officer of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. F-4 Phantom pilots in South East Asia, Colonel Robin Olds. The idea and planning of this operation was the masterpiece of a living legend among the U.S. The number of F-105 supersonic fighter-bomber planes lost to the MiGs worried the U.S., so the Air Force decided to make an important effort to neutralize the MiG threat: the effort known as Operation Bolo. During the last months of 1966 the MiG-21s of the Vietnam People's Air Force (deployed in the 921st Fighter Regiment) became very active and were successfully intercepting the F-105 Thunderchiefs or "Thuds" formations of the USAF which were flying missions for Rolling Thunder. ![]() Operation Rolling Thunder was the most intense air to ground battle waged during the Cold War period and was fought during the Conflict in Southeast Asia in Vietnam. Operation Bolo was born within the context of Operation Rolling Thunder which went on from Mauntil Nov. 2 marks a significant date in 8th Fighter Wing history following Operation Bolo, and when the 8th began referring to itself as the Wolf Pack. KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea - Jan. ![]()
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