Relative to the F-4 Phantom II, 12 TFW, or Vietnam
(From the Surfside Sentinel, Cam Ranh Bay AB, RVN, 29 Nov 68)
The 12th TFW began its fourth year of combat operations in Vietnam and its 28th year of active service recently, shortly after the wing completed its 66,000th combat sortie.
The milestone mission was flown by Col. Floyd White, wing commander, against Viet Cong fortifications deep in the III Corps Tactical Zone.
"That was the best F-4 bombing I've seen," the FAC said. He credited the mission with two bunkers destroyed, an enemy supply trail cut, and one secondary explosion.
The 12th arrived at Cam Ranh Bay in November 1965 and began flying combat missions immediately. The wing has participated in numerous operations and has been awarded two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards.
Pilots of the 12th have repeatedly been commended for their gallantry in action. They have been praised for their close air support of friendly ground troops at Khe Sanh, Con Thien, Dak To, the A Shaw Valley, Bu Dop Special Forces Camp and the Kham Duc CIDG Camp, as well as for their interdiction and armed reconnaissance missions in the southern part of North Vietnam.
"The tremendous satisfaction of our close air support and interdiction missions," White said, "comes when I receive letters of appreciation from air liaison officers and ground commanders praising our pilots for missions supporting ground troops or for knocking out an enemy gun."
In 1964, the 12th was the first Air Force wing to be certified operationally ready in the Mach 2 Phantom II.
White is high in his praise for the men of the 12th. "We have real good people here at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base," the commander said, "from the lowest ranking airman to the pilots, support and staff officers -- all of the men have a 'gung ho' attitude and this is what makes the wing a success."