16th
Special Operations Squadron,
Ubon RTAFB
1971
The 16th Special Operations Squadron was a unique
unit, since it was the only squadron using the AC-130 Spectre gunship during
the war. The AC-130 was a modified version of the C-130 cargo aircraft,
featuring side-firing weapons (7.62mm miniguns, 20mm Vulcan guns, 40mm bofors
guns and even a 105mm howitzer on the version appearing in 1972). Using the
technique of the “pylon turn”, the AC-130 could orbit over its target with its
guns always pointed at the target.
It was used with great success for night interdiction
missions over the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia and Laos, and also participated
in the defense of the city of An Loc in South Vietnam during the Easter
Offensive in 1972. The 16th SOS started operations in 1968 and
remained in Southeast Asia until 1975, when it participated in the rescue attempt
of the SS Mayaguez crew who had been abducted by the Khmer Rouge. The 16th
SOS was based in Ubon Royal Thai Air Force base as part of the 8th
Tactical Fighter Wing, until it was transferred to Korat RTAFB in 1974.
This photo series describes the celebration of the 100th
mission of a Spectre navigator, with water and champagne. The navigator wears
the CWU-27/P nomex fire retardant flight suit which was then starting to appear
in the Southeast Asia theater. The other crew members wear older K-2B grey cotton
flight suits, which have been converted to party suits (with shortened sleeves
and embroidered Spectre insignia), and one of them wears a custom flight suit
made of ERDL camouflage material. The airman photographing the event with a
Polaroid Land Camera wears a Thai-made uniform based on the classical OG-107
fatigue cut, but made of lightweight rip-stop poplin.
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