Skyraider Trivia

[Tango_Romeo]

[smiley=engel017.gif]Air Force Skyraider Units - Viet Nam & Thailand
They flew out of Udorn, NKP, Pleiku, Bein Hoa, Nha Trang and QuiNhon.

[Tango_Romeo]

"Bet You Didn't Know" Skyraider Facts:

[hellcat-44]

The Skyraider is like an A-10 Warthog with a San Miguel induced thiamine deficiency.

[Tango_Romeo]

[quote]The Skyraider is like an A-10 Warthog with a San Miguel induced thiamine deficiency.

[Tango_Romeo]

Did you know?  The attack on the real Bridges At Toko-Ri was made by Skyraiders and Corsairs.   Only the recon photos were taken by Panthers.... 8-)

...four AD-3s from Fighter Squadron (VF) 194 and two F4Us from VF-653 led by Lieutenant Commander Robert Schreiber, CO of VF-194, were scheduled to hit three railroad bridges on the Kowon-Yangdok-Samdong-ni rail line. Aerial reconnaissance photographs from F9F Panther photo planes showed that the targeted stone bridges lay in a deep valley with heavily defended guns atop surrounding hills, which required a hit-and-run attack.

A single coordinated dive-bombing attack was planned in which each AD would drop two or three 1,000-pound delay-fused bombs, and the F4Us would drop 250-pound bombs on the bridges. Only two of the three bridges were destroyed, so Schreiber called for a second attack, during which VF-194 pilot Ensign Marvin S. Broomhead's AD was hit in the engine. Too low to bail out, he landed the Skyraider wheels up on a small, snow-covered clearing atop a mountain. Moments before touching down a small arms bullet grazed his temple, causing him to crash-land, breaking both ankles and a vertebra. Pulling himself out of the cockpit, he crawled clear of the wreckage to watch his circling comrades who were anxiously calling for the rescue helicopters from Rochester and Greer County, which were not available.

The cruiser Manchester (CL 83), however, had an HO3S-1 that was used for shore gun spotting, but it was more than 100 miles away. Despite the distance, pilots Lt. Edward Moore and Marine Corps 1st Lt. Kenneth Henry answered the call and headed inland, finding Broomhead surrounded by enemy troops on the mountain top. Suddenly their helicopter sputtered from enemy ground fire and rolled over next to the AD wreckage, injuring Henry in the process. Broomhead's squadron mates frantically called for a fourth helicopter. A rescue attempt by an Air Force helo was driven off by heavy ground fire and 60-knot winds.

Broomhead could not get up with both ankles broken, Henry was down with a sprained knee, and Lt. Moore was not about to leave them. With dusk approaching and the RESCAP planes running out of gas and ammunition, hope for a rescue was lost. All three were now alone in the darkness facing Chinese Communist troops coming up the hill.

By the following morning, the only visible trace of the three airmen was a large circle of what appeared to be blood in the snow near the wreckage. Actually, it was mostly dye marker from life vests that had spread through the snow, creating a huge red circle around the aircraft that gave the appearance of a massacre. 

[Tango_Romeo]

Here is a rare photo of a USAF Skyraider making an emergency landing using the cable arresting system that the Air Force used on SEA airfields.  Note that the troubled Sandy (one gear dangling) has his hook down to engage the system.  PS It worked.  [smiley=engel017.gif]

[Tango_Romeo]

USN and Marine Squadrons:

Too numerous to list.

[Tango_Romeo]

I DID NOT SAY, "Down, Please."

[Tango_Romeo]

Dieter Dengler was shotdown over North Vietnam in his Skyraider, was captured, escaped and was returned to his carrier 171 days later.  An amazing story.  Diengler weighed 93lbs when he escaped.

[Tango_Romeo]

The Yankee Extraction System...or how do I get out of my SPAD in a hurry?

[Bill_Kestell]

Did someone say Martin AM-1 MAULER?  FWIW, Tom ... I have a book on that a/c as well ... not as thick as the Mitchell ... but MOST instructive.

Not an operational success ... but one of my all-time favorites.

[Tango_Romeo]

[glow=yellow,2,300]Did someone say Martin AM-1 MAULER? [/glow]

Not me!  Never heard of that plane.   I didn't say a word!   ;D

[Tango_Romeo]

[glow=yellow,2,300]Bernie Fisher, Skyraider Pilot, 1st Air Commando Squadron
USAF's First Living Medal of Honor Winner[/glow]

During the Battle of A Shau on March 10, 1966

[glow=yellow,2,300]For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On that date, the Special Forces camp at A Shau was under attack by 2,000 North Vietnamese Army regulars. Hostile troops had positioned themselves between the airstrip and the camp. Other hostile troops had surrounded the camp and were continuously raking it with automatic weapons fire from the surrounding hills. The tops of the 1,500-foot hills were obscured by an 800 foot ceiling, limiting aircraft maneuverability and forcing pilots to operate within range of hostile gun positions, which often were able to fire down on the attacking aircraft. During the battle, Maj. Fisher observed a fellow airman crash land on the battle-torn airstrip. In the belief that the downed pilot was seriously injured and in imminent danger of capture, Maj. Fisher announced his intention to land on the airstrip to effect a rescue. Although aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, he elected to continue. Directing his own air cover, he landed his aircraft and taxied almost the full length of the runway, which was littered with battle debris and parts of an exploded aircraft. While effecting a successful rescue of the downed pilot, heavy ground fire was observed, with 19 bullets striking his aircraft. In the face of the withering ground fire, he applied power and gained enough speed to lift-off at the overrun of the airstrip. Maj. Fisher's profound concern for his fellow airman, and at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.[/glow]

[hellcat-44]

Great stuff TR!
Was curious about the fate of Broomhead/Moore/Henry.
So... all POW's...but couldn't find if Moore/Henry survived.

[Tango_Romeo]

ALL THREE SURVIVED....THEY WERE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN KILLED ON THE SPOT BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A LARGE AREA OF BLOOD STAINS ON THE SITE.  THAT TURNED-OUT TO BE A RED DYE MARKER. 

James Michener news-dispatched the death scene of the three airmen from his post aboard Valley Forge, believing that Chinese soldiers had killed them during the night [glow=yellow,2,300](in reality, all three survived their ordeal and were repatriated as POWs after the war)[/glow].