Forgotten F-105 Warriors of Rolling Thunder

[Adam]

A topic very close to my heart is that of the story of F-105 pilots and backseaters (Bears) during the air war over Nth Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. I firmly believe that had these people been allowed to do their job properly, history could very well have been different. As it was, even with one hand tied behind their backs with very restrictive ROI, they came very close to shutting down Nth Vietnam in 1967. Those morons Johnson and "Dr. Strange" McNamara combined with weak senior leadership within the USAF and JCS cost countless lives by allowing the Vietnam War to drag on for another six years. Imagine if what was done in Linebacker II was done is 1967.

 

I have been in correspondence with a legendary 105 pilot by the name of Lt. Col John Piowaty. He's told me about a F-105 documentary he is writing for that is being put together now and requires funding. It's a "Kickstarter" program and if enough funds come in, the doco will go ahead. I've pledged a small amount and you are only charged if the program goes ahead. Depending on how much you pledge, it's possible to get G.I Basel's book "Pak 6" (which I already have and it's great!), plus a copy of the doco itself.

 

I believe this is a forgotten story that needs very much to be told. What tears me up is that slime bag McNamara has even made a movie to re-write history (his way) and try to wash his very blood stained hands of his absolute incompetence from this period. The 105 pilots need to tell their story before they are gone.

 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/202 ... lling-thun

 

Click on the Kickstarter link and see John Piowaty discuss this project. He still sports his "bullet proof" moustache too!

If anyone wants to discuss this with me in more detail, please email me at adormer@optusnet.com.au

 

If enough people even put in a small amount, we could see this story told properly by those who were there.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp6RLQcUTrc

[LSP_Ron]

It is interesting that this sounds like some war film out of WW2, virtually identical in overall duologue yet some 20+ years later. I was a kid back then, I didn't really notice how different these reports were compared to today's times until I watched this.

 

Ron

[Adam]

It is interesting that this sounds like some war film out of WW2, virtually identical in overall duologue yet some 20+ years later. I was a kid back then, I didn't really notice how different these reports were compared to today's times until I watched this.

 

Ron

 

I honestly don't know how these guys did what they did on so little sleep and dealing with those horrific losses - particularly in 67. I was born in 64, so I was still playing with Dinky toys with a finger up my nose when these guys where flying up North. To me they are the last of a very special breed of aerial warrior. BTW, the majority of the bombs the 105 dropped were WW2 era Mk.117's - just re-finned for higher speeds (less than 200 kt B-17 to a potential 600+ kt F-105 at low level).