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@williammcguire5685

Жыл бұрын

All I can say is excellent stuff. Thank you so much.

McNamara and LBJ were beyond doubt the very best combat strategists Hanoi ever had.

@CFITOMAHAWK2

Жыл бұрын

LOL.. Democrats. Dummies.. lol..

@rodbutler4054

Жыл бұрын

Very well said! LBJ was the leader of this fiasco and McNamara was his dupe. Many brave Americans died for his personal vanity.

@johnmarlin4661

Жыл бұрын

True FACT !!

@fighterjetsteve

Жыл бұрын

.....and Joe Biden is the best President the Chinese have ever had.

@duane356

Жыл бұрын

Dean Rusk should get an honorable mention, also

I'm sure this man knew Major Curtis Abbot Eaton.He flew a F-105 Thunderchief.On August 14,1966 Major Eaton was the number four on a bombing mission deep into North Vietnam.Shortly after pulling off the target he radioed that he had been hit,and was going to eject.The number three aircraft radioed back to ask his position,however Major Eaton did not respond and was not heard from again.He was declared lost in action. The Air Force promoted him to Colonel.I am a very close family friend.Col.Eaton was a veteran of WW-2,The Korean war and Vietnam war.He loved flying loved this country Rest easy Col.Eaton

@serpentines6356

Жыл бұрын

Ah, may he, and all the others be having a grand time in the great beyond. In high school I wore one of those MIA silver bracelets. I lost it somewhere along the way. Unfortunately, I don't recall his name. 🙏 🌿 💜

Thank you for this wonderful story Colonel Vizcarra…….My very best Buddy Colonel Ted Mollier USAF RETIRED, was himself an F-105 PILOT who flew two 100 mission tours out of Takhli in 1967 And 1969….. a very close friend and Buddy of Colonel Billy Sparks USAF, a F 105F, Weasel pilot, who wrote the book " TAKHLI TALES” in which Ted is mentioned many times. Sadly Billy passed in 2013 after a bout with cancer and Ted also passed on 10 April 2022. Being Ted’s closest friend, he very reluctantly shared some his mission tales ( for one of which he earned a Silver Star ), thus it was fantastic to hear your brave stories of the events that earned you Air Force Cross. We are forever indebted to you for your selfless bravery, dedication and sacrifice. May 🙏🏻GOD BLESS YOU 🙏🏻 🇺🇸and All who serve(d). Rusty Iron Mike (USMC).🇺🇸

@thankfullyredeemedmaderigh7436

Жыл бұрын

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🤟🏻

I could listen to this man all night……….

Thank you,sir,for your service to a FREE and grateful nation!!!

This 40 minutes flew by. What a great guy and his memory is awesome to recall these stories. Thanks for your service and balls of tremendous steel to protect us back home!!!

@epicstorm2006

2 ай бұрын

You should read his book, "Thud Pilot."

60 years later, he still turns out detail after detail with such accuracy, it's amazing! I was a KC-135 Boom Operator, my first air refueling in training was a flight of F-105 Wild Weasels, they have a face only their pilots could love!

@No_ReGretzky99

Ай бұрын

Much much respect and thank you for your service I had my first seizure at 18 I tried to go to the military at 19 I wanted to fly f-16s or the f-15 strike eagles I even tried to go infantry in the Marines I also wanted to be a jtac controller if I couldn't fly I got a lot of respect for boom operators in kc-135 pilots people don't understand how tough it is to be in sync with the aircrafts

A friend of mine was a F-105G wild weasel pilot. He won’t shut up about it. No I’m kidding. He does talk about it sometimes but he’s very humble. He’s got a F-105 ejection seat on casters in his office. It’s surprisingly comfortable. I can imagine him sitting in it in the dark and reliving mission’s. First in last out. BTW he was Arnold palmers pilot and president of Cessna for a time.

I met a retired F-105 pilot at my barbershop in Summerlin(West Las Vegas) last year. He's in his 70's still going strong. He was limping around with a bad knee surgery but still teaching a class at UNLV. Wish I would have offered him a ride to show my appreciation for his service.

Thank you for keeping these experiences alive

Incredible experience of an Air Force Pilot. True warrior!

Awesome stories guys. Thanks to all our Veteran hero's

My god hearing that you guys weren’t allowed to destroy all the Sam sites makes me really believe what a lot of Vietnam vet’s say that you guys weren’t allowed to win the war.

I remember doing a book report on 'Thud Ridge" back in high school, about these pilots and the thud.

Thank you for answering the call to serve ❤🇺🇸

I forgot how involved the politicians were in tactics. Just nuts.

@randykelso4079

Жыл бұрын

...to put it mildly.

@johnmarlin4661

Жыл бұрын

True FACT !!

To say Thank You seems so inadequate for your dedication to service but it's all I have, from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU

What an incredible story!!! A proud member of the caterpiller club and rescued to boot. God bless you.

WELCOME HOME, THANK YOU SIR, GOD BLESS YOU ALL....

Phenomenal story. I love hearing these guys tell about their experiences. The whole time a picture is constantly being painted in my mind of what it all could have looked and felt like. Thank you for sharing this.

I had an SA2 fired at me in the vicinity of the DMZ. I was above a broken layer of clouds and fortunately I had a APR25/26 warning device and was able to avoid it. As I dove through the clouds, I could see the vapor trails going up through the layer I had just passed through.

@No_ReGretzky99

Ай бұрын

What was you flying?? F16s and f15E are my fav thanks for your service and sacrifices!!!❤

Great interview. I love hearing stories from these guys.

Amazing! I have heard several interviews with his sons and seen the movies made by his son. This is the first interview with Victor that I've seen. Amazing stories and I remember seeing the famous picture of Victor arriving back at a base/boat with eyes as big as tennis balls.

@No_ReGretzky99

Ай бұрын

Where can I watch his son's shows??

40 min interview felt like it was 15 mins tops. Really enjoyed hearing his story. The Gunner kid giving repeated thumbs up after getting you up with the hoist, yeah he was probably indeed very happy to be part of your rescue. Again, great story.

The way he talks about such negative events with such humor and humility is such a Latino thing lolol God bless this man.

It was my father’s squadron - the 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron/ 15th Tactical Fighter Wing out of Ubon - that lost that first aircraft to a SAM. My father told my mother about flying over that site everyday and watching them build it, but not being able to do anything about it because of the rules of engagement. The 45th was the first unit of the 15th Wing to go over - and the first Air Force unit to kill a MiG - and they were about to rotate back to MacDill when this happened. Ross Fobair, who had flown with my father since pilot training, and who was on his final mission, was probably killed outright as the missile detonated right under him. His remains were finally repatriated in 2001. The pilot, Richard Keirns, was a 47thTFS pilot doing an orientation flight prior to the 47th arriving to relieve the 45th. He became a Prisoner of War for the second time, having been a guest of the Germans after his B-17 was shot down in WWII. He returned home 8 years later in Operation Homecoming. Our rules of engagement left those men - and my father - sitting ducks for fear of harming any Russian advisors on the ground. After the Iron Curtain came down years later it came to light that that shoot down wasn’t the work of the Vietnamese, but rather the Russian advisors that we were so worried about harming. The Russians killed Capt. Roscoe Fobair, with help from Johnson and McNamara.

@epicstorm2006

2 ай бұрын

😥

I was at Korat where they had the -105 Wild Weasels. Great aircraft, booming afterburner. This was in '72, and there were not a lot of them left.

In the book "Thud Ridge", Jack Broughton explained how the criminally insane in DC dispatched them to fly the SAME route at the SAME time, everyday on their strike missions. The incompetent "experts"there even determined the payload. The North Vietnamese lined the entire route with anti -aircraft artillery and surface to air missiles. On every mission they lost someone promoting the development of the Wild Weasel program. One of the Lt Colonels teaching at my AFJROTC program in high school flew F-4s and he was pretty bitter about being sent on these suicide missions. From the looks of the past 20 yrs it seems nothing has changed as the "leadership" squanders lives and refuses to act responsibly.

@user-di4bt7qu2i

Жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, the leadership of our government and air force is even more of a disaster today. They are more concerned with diversity and inclusion than with winning a war. The next conflict (most likely with china) will show this in tragic detail.

@RW77777777

Жыл бұрын

For people that like conspiracy theories, you wonder if there were deliberate efforts to prolong the war hearing all the unconventional instructions that seasoned troops would thankfully ignore.

Excellent video. By the time I had finished all of my training (1975) the war was over but I got training on all parts of Vic’s ejection and rescue although we got better equipment and training from lessons learned from his and others ejections. Man that was a long time ago.

Thank you Victor! Glad you made it. Incredible story!

Thanks for guys like him, went through the same training in the 70s, all the bugs in systems were worked out because of guys like him, plus trainers cautioned us about the mistakes people make under duress.

Thank you

McNamara's clueless understanding of waging war cost a lot of lives AND failed to accomplish the mission

@brandspro

Жыл бұрын

Why wouldn’t a car company exec know how to run a war? 🙄

I salute you Sir!

An Interesting and Honest Account, Thankyou for your Service 👍

Thank you for your service

What a fine gentleman.

God bless this man and all of his kind.

I was a Black Knight in '79-80

@randykelso4079

Жыл бұрын

So was I (1964-66; Nam, class of '65; we flew F-8s). Having a tough time figuring out why an Air Force pilot would wear a NAVY VF-154 Black Knights patch on his jacket, and in such a prominent place. Exchange pilot, maybe? Haven't finished the video yet, though.. maybe he will explain it in the video itself. Stay tuned... Subsequent edit: No joy. The mystery remains unsolved.

Thank You 🙏 Sir !

Fragmentary order. Great story and full respect for your service Sir

Lol that gunner was happy to have found you no doubt but he was probably trying to bring you out of shock!

Very interesting, enjoyed the interview.

Had a friend Bill S from grade school in Hillsdale NJ I ran into him in Herbs. In Pearl River NY he said to me while you were doing all that ground ponding in the Nam you should have looked up I was flying over your head.THEN he said those sams look like flying telephone poles when they are coming up at you

Kinda of eerie to think that his radio is probably still out there somewhere laying on the jungle floor. I wonder what's left of it, if anything.

What a man. 👍

Being from the UK, I don't really know anything about the Vietnam War. I have read a couple of books on some experiences from some of the people there,and there's some really interesting stories. Of course in war, there's always the really horrible stuff.I was deeply shocked and appalled at the massacre of My Lai.

@serpentines6356

Жыл бұрын

You may enjoy reading about pilot Hugh Thompson who is credited with stopping the massacre. (Maybe you did). He came in on the scene, and when he realized what was happening he put his guns towards the soldiers. Pretty hairy stuff alright. There are good articles about it online of course. It was so heartbreaking to hear about it in the states. Terrible shame, but I do know how things got very, very bad and messed up in Vietnam. The problem with fragging became very bad. The messes, and very bad decisions were what ended the war. Not the anti-war protests as many people think. A very interesting aspect to WW2 was our Navajo code Talkers. I highly suggest watching the video of Navajo code talker Peter McDonald's talk at Notre Dame. There are several other interviews with several code talkers. All quite fascinating. All on KZread.

@DJ-dt3zv

Жыл бұрын

Many thanks. I'll definitely check that out..

@brandspro

Жыл бұрын

Please understand that that was an aberration, and while not the only example, was not the norm. It was a horrible, insane war that took on a life of its own, and just like any war, horrible, insane things can happen on any side. The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong committed numerous atrocities - as the burial pits that line Hwy 1 in Quang Tri will attest. We, as a species, are capable of horrible things when pushed beyond our limits.

@DJ-dt3zv

Жыл бұрын

Yes,I agree.

What an awesome story. Great guy

This just proves that angels do exist. In dire need of rescue, look to the heavens and here somes this bird with a hand reaching down for him.

No need to protect your family jewels when you got family jewels of steel❤❤ thank you for your service

That was cool

I had 5 uncles that fought in Vietnam, all came back... I've never heard any stories out of all 5 that served. My moms brother, my uncle bill was some what shell shocked she soad never ask him about wat.. he's the only uncle still alive..

Nice note about McNamara he made. It’s understood McNamara wantend the war. So no pre bombing of sam sites

I adore this man! Thud pilots are the best!!!! ♥♥♥♥♥

Any doubt idiots were running the war? I loved the Thunderchief as a kid. Who needs so-called Superhero movies when the real thing was and is in our midst? You're my hero, sir.

Thank you please bring more and more of these guys we need to hear are stories. Rewriting history is what the left does best.

Common sense tells you to dive hard the cheap sams cannot reverse

It should be that when our country puts these brave warriors in harms way the gloves are off. Instead it’s lions led by swine.

@davec3583

Жыл бұрын

Do you ever think about the damage your country has done to other countries that have never done anything to you? For example, the dirt-poor Vietnamese civilians obliterated by airstrikes and artillery? The indiscriminate environmental destruction of Agent Orange? The savagery of murdering psychopaths like Tiger Force? And you want them to take the gloves off? FOR WHAT?!

It was a poor effort considering the US aircraft and aircrew losses over South Vietnam, and that the US owned the skies and the Vietcong had no air assets themselves. Vietnam was the war that made air to air combat between fighters redundant. It ushered in the period when a shoulder fired missile costing $20k could down a $20m fighter without even having to aim it properly. And we are seeing that played out in Ukraine. Why send a pilot in a $30m F35 on a mission to take out a ground target, when a drone costing less than $5k can do the job almost undetected.

@No_ReGretzky99

Ай бұрын

Well with drones there are thousands of miles away operating them the best visual cues are in real time no drone will ever act as a human pilot

I know Vic got a killer autographed pic from him

Vizcarra is a last name from Northern Spain. Lots of Vietnam Veterans with Spanish last names. We volunteered a lot to fight the commies all over the world.

However courageous were pilots like him, he shouldn't have been sent there to do what he was doing. The US tried to browbeat my country into going to war alongside them, glad they wouldn't, unlike Iraq. As someone like General Giap (think it was) said to US negotiators, you may kill 10 of us for every one of you, but we will still win. Their courage & will to survive & prevail against the monstrous US military-industrial complex is an example to us all. We should salute them. It was was never about Communism, that was the US's pretext. It was about spheres of influence/control & perceived easy pickings.

@brandspro

Жыл бұрын

You know nothing like as much as you think you do.

@daffyduk77

Жыл бұрын

@@brandspro Just because the guy interviewed must have been extremely resourceful, courageous, highly trained, & well-armed, doesn't mean he was on the right side. Some of the most courageous people, it seems to me, in WW2 would have been U-boat submariners, German fighter-pilots & Japanese kamikaze pilots. I'd salute their courage. Sadly misguided. As have been so many US military in subsequent wars, or UK's military in Malaya, Suez canal zone etc. Russia in Afghanistan, Chechnya, now Ukraine. Israel in Lebanon. On & on. Worst has been when they've used conscripts instead of volunteers. If they were defending their homeland, it would be a different matter

@TUBAYOU

9 ай бұрын

You really don’t know much buddy. Sorry.

@daffyduk77

9 ай бұрын

@@TUBAYOU seemingly more than many Americans. Maybe that's not too hard, mind.

Thank you for your service, Colonel. All of you Thud pilots had big brass ones to fly and try to fight under the absurd ROE's y'all had.

@No_ReGretzky99

Ай бұрын

I understand ROEs war is never over and sucks but rules to a war is stupid, RIP TO ALL THE INNOCENT LIVES LOST

Like # 888

🫡

This is why we lost that war cuz the government US government did not want to when it. Sam sites should have been taken out. Fifty-eight thousand American soldiers sailors and airmen.

Οne SAM shot down 4 F-4 Phantoms? Wow!!