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F-111 Operations In Vietnam
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“Of All the Aircraft Used in Vietnam, the F-111 Was the Only Aircraft That Could Effectively Perform on Its Own. The F-111 Did Not Require Top Cover Escorts, Tankers or Wild Weasel ECM aircraft. The 111 Was in Retrospect the Most Cost Efficient Attack Aircraft Used Against North Vietnam.”
When Bill Wilson was captured by the North Vietnamese, one of his captors pointed an accusing finger at him, exclaiming: “YOU! F-One Eleven!” and, with a sweeping palm down gesture, “WHOOSH!” It was a simple eloquence that described the fear and awe that the North Vietnamese felt for the swing-wing marauders that came in the night, unheralded, to sow their seeds of destruction with pinpoint accuracy. When Bill collected his “Golden BB”, he had been flying the F-111 for just over a year. His narrative of that year provides an in-depth look at the F-111’s combat record.
“I graduated from pilot training in July 1971. After attending the mandatory survival schools, I reported to the 428th TFS, 474th TFW, at Nellis AFB, Nevada, for combat crew training in the F-111. Although I was a pilot, there was a shortage of navigators at that time, so I was assigned as a Weapons System Operator. I was still a pilot though, which meant that in addition to learning all of the black-box art associated with the F-111 right seat, I would have to maintain my flying proficiency . . . also from the right seat. By the following April, I was qualified and was flying regular missions with the wing.
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