Takhli Royal Thai AFB 1972-74 Page Two Go here for Page One 
(Some photos contributed by Tim Wheeler, Eugene Moore, Mark Lamiell, Ray Cadd, Lars Eckard and Mark Armitage and others.)
Click a picture to see a larger view.  Push F11 to expand your view.  If you served in Thailand, drop me an email.

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In August 1969 I was stationed at Peterson field in Colorado when I was given orders for Takhli. My hitch was up in March of 1970 so I didn’t have a full year left … so turned down the orders. What I’ve read about this base tells me I likely would’ve been working on F105’s (I was Avionics Instrument repair - 32550) Since they started closing down the base in late 1969 this might have been an odd assignment? Curious about this, I was given a 3 mo early out at Peterson Field so saved myself 6 months of service unless they were giving early outs in Thailand? Nice job of your stories and pictures from Takhli, I enjoyed seeing what might have been …. Sorry about your AO issues … I had a good friend at Peterson who was a crew chief on a C123 in Nam in 1967 and he was pushing barrels of AO out of his plane during operation ranch hand. I looked him up in the 80’s and he was fine …. But who knows about now, lost contact. Thanks for your service.

Sgt John Chamberlain
USAF 1966-1970

John Helton: I was there as MWDH on the N end of the runway when it happened. It was a Security Police QRT in a M 117 Track that saved the Crew. The plane was engulfed in flames and fully loaded with ordnance. The nose gear collapsed penning the crew in. Fire rescue cordoned it off as they thought the crew goners. The QRT Leader SSgt Farmer for whatever reason busted thru the cordon and smashed the M117 repeatedly into the nose freeing the crew who rode out on the roof of the Track to safety. Farmer and his crew should have gotten silver Stars but since they disobeyed lawful orders to save the crew got Commendation medals and letters of Reprimand. After that the O club was officially open to Cops and booze free until base closure in Aug 74. P.S. The track had to be repainted as all paint burned off from the fire. What about Tent City where the SPs lived from Aug 72-Dec 72? 

I am Edgardo Trinidad and I was stationed in Takhli 1972- 1973. I worked in supply and NCOIC of supply locator of the storage and issue. The hootch you have between two ac 130 was my hootch and I lived in the last room. I can tell you that we were all young at the time and what an experience. Glad you posted so many pictures and my memories pep up. Thanks

Chuck Pickering: Found your site while looking for a map of Thailand to follow the news of the kids in the cave. I was at Takhli the same time frame as you. I also moved to Korat just before rotating back stateside. I was a Sgt in the 347th AMS Com/Nav/ECM shop. Enjoyed going down memory lane.

Harry O Komprood:  I was there with the 49^th out of Holloman AFB, I worked in the Liquid Oxygen field, although for the time I was there we were not able to produce clean oxygen due to the herbicide smell in the air which stayed in the oxygen. Slept in a tent on cot, with our mosquito nets. I need to find a picture of the location of the oxygen plant. Any crew chief, supply person or security might remember where the oxygen plant was located in respect to the base.

Gary Langley: I came across site, I was stationed at Takhli Jan 73-Jan 74. I came TDY with the 474th and converted in place to PCS. I was a 462x0 weapons loading. The pictures brought back a lot of memories. All my pictures were destroyed so I really enjoyed yours. Thanks for taking the time to post

Johnny Beabad: I was stationed at takhli from 20 sep 72- 20 sep 74. I was assigned to the MWDS and was the very last GI to leave, taking incountry leave after official closure and remaining in the village until 23 Oct 74. Myself and a dozen took down the last U S Flag to fly over Takhli. Dig your site.

8-2-2017 Bert, Just stumbled onto your site, very interesting and informative but no mention of KC-135's from Fairchild AFB,92nd Air Refueling Squadron. I was a pilot on TDY from Fairchild to Takhli from November 1972 to January 1973,involved in Linebacker II. Just thought you'd like to know. Bill Eason

11-7-14 Hi Bert, just came across your website, the eve before Veteran's Day. I was sent to Takhli in May 72 as a member of the 49th TFW from Holloman AFB, and was there until October when we were replaced by the F-111's.  I wasn't in the states long, went back over a few days before Christmas to Kadena, and literally 10 days later I was sent to Korat, was there to end of January when we stopped bombing Nam.

However, I personally enjoyed Takhli immensely more than Korat and while stationed at Kadena until June of 74, made plenty of trips to Takhli.
I have fond memories of that place, and it was the greatest experience of my life! I still remember the places such as The Starlight Club and CO Massage and Bar. I also remember how on the base the locals would sell pieces of pineapple and peanuts in a bag, and a soda they had, "Kick-A-Poo".

Time Magazine ran an article shortly after the 49th arrived and in the article it stated the only casualties at that point was from snake bites or "picking up" something in the brothels downtown! One more memory I had was while on the base bus heading up to where the little shops were, some pilots stopped the driver, and got out, and captured a python that was slithering across the road way and made it the mascot of their squadron...can't remember for sure, but I believe it was the 8th TFS.  Hank Hart

3-18-14  Hey Bert  Thank you for the memories.   I was TDY to Takhli in 1972 from Holloman AFB. with the 49th TFW. Still paying for it lost 3/4 of kidney from lack of water. Takhli had been closed when we returned. Will share stories soon.  Jesus N. Guerrero
 

7-16-13  Crewed 67-113 in Red flight. Was on Face Book looking for old friends and did a search and saw these photos. Know a few of them. I was known then as Jerry George, been going by Jake George for over 35 years. Left Takli and went back to Plattsburg to a shop with 6 Jerrys. I also went by Jake and Jake has stuck. I am getting ready to retire from Civil Service in the Air Force after 35 years. I ended up retiring from the Navy reserves after a stint in the Army Guard. That's right I aimed high, been all I could be and lived the adventure. I hung around with Tom McClure, Bob Weiss, Carl Toothacker, Roy Alloway, Gary Schiter and others. Would love to see if any of them are still around and on facebook. Will try to scan some photos and send them your way. I am now a published author and own a publishing company. A long way from Takhli but have fond memories. Jake George

3-11-13  I really enjoyed your photos. I was stationed at Takhli from Nov 67 thru Nov 68. I was a weapons loader on the F-105. Galen Kruse

1-22-13 I served with the 347th AMS ( USAF) in Takhli in 74 til we were moved to Korat.  Great pictures, great memories --  thanks!  Evan Reed

5-20-11 My name is John and I was stationed there 72-73 , 366 Munitions Maintenance Squadron. I was from DaNang as well. Quite the experience, the lady , someone's daughter who wrote about her dad with possible agent orange exposure, was an interesting finding. My buddy , the late George Banta from Oregon, passed away ,geez, 15 years ago or so and his wife wrote me to see if I could help her with the VA as they told her he wasn't exposed, ,time has passed, it just interesting that others have had similar experiences. I found the area beautiful. I have many pics, slides. I found the people very friendly and very hospitable. Of course, humans are good and bad ,everywhere. I just thought to say hello. See ya, John Gresko

1-23-11  Ah, good ole Takhli. I was assigned there with the F-105's and the 355th Fighter Squadron in 1970-71. I had previously spent 1 1/2 years on Okinawa and TDY to Suwon, S Korea with the 82nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron. I enjoyed Thailand. I traveled a lot and had many friends both in Bangkok and Takhli. Civilians that is. Oh yeah, the ladies downtown as well. Looking at your photo's brought me back many years. Thanks for putting these pics online.  Tim Swett [email protected] I am now 61 years young and retired

1-16-11 JUST VIEWED THE PICTURES OF TAKHLI. I SERVED WITH THE 49TH TAC THEIR TDY FROM HOLLOMAN AFB AT THIS TIME. WORKED WITH FMS AND 9TH TAC SQUADRON – F4 CREW CHIEF. PICTURES BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES. THANKS, MIKE LLOYD

1-5-2011  I was stationed at Takhli RTAFB in 1972-73.Went through Takhli last July on my way back to Bangkok from Prichit, I didn't recognize a thing. It is a city now with many businesses and car dealers. Thanks for the memories. Take care. Sgt. J P Ferguson, USAF

12-7-2010  Bert, I just enjoyed looking at you pictures about the air base. I was a buck sergeant SP with the 6280th SPS during that same time. Looking at your pictures brought back a lot of memories. Thanks again for sharing them. Ted C. Florence Chief of Police Retired

11-30-10 Hey Bert, I got to reminiscing lately about my time in Thailand and did a search and your site was the second I hit. Thanks for posting all those great pictures. I gotta tell you, it sure has changed from when I was there in 66 - 67. They were just building the new EM barracks (near the main gate) when I was preparing to return stateside. We lived in hootches across the street from the base swimming pool, if that was still there, and you could expect the power to go off daily. I was in the 355th TFW - FMS working on the Thuds and for the first 3-4 months we worked out of Quonset huts. Then we moved into our new building right behind an EB-66 maintenance hangar. If they were still there when you were, you know what a pleasure it was hearing those engines scream. Did the F-111's replace the Thuds or were they both flying? Again thanks, and I have to add that the year I spent there went by too quickly. I tried to extend for 6 months, which would have been the end of my enlistment, but some stupid AF reg. said I applied too late, so they sent me home with a seven month early-out. Go figure.  Ron Roback from NY

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