Warbird Information Exchange

This may interest some http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/m ... Udorn+1966

the 104 didn't operate long in Vietnam, it just wasn't cut out for that geographic area & mission required that dictated it's use. they were sent home & pawned off to many air national guard units before shortly after being phased out.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

The U.S. Air Force had a limited but interesting experience with the F-104 Starfighter in service. From different sources this will clarify what I think were the last several years of service.

The F-104C was only built in enough numbers to equip one TAC fighter wing (479th TFW) and saw limited service in Southeast Asia during 1966/1967 until returning to the U.S. and retiring them from service except for some that went to the Air National Guard. The sole Air National Guard unit that flew the Starfighter after 1967/68 was the Puerto Rico ANG which flew them for several more years until July 1975.

The Air National Guard flew some F-104A's during the early 60's, but from about 1963 to 1965 or so on, the F-104A flew only with active duty squadrons in the USAF's Air Defense Command/Aerospace Defense Command. In 1969 the Aerospace Defense Command's 319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Homestead AFB, FL retired the last F-104A model Starfighters in U.S. service, leaving only Puerto Rico's ANG unit and their F-104C/D's as the last operator of the Starfighter in U.S. service.

I heard that during Vietnam, the Migs were 'afraid' of tangling with the -104 and generally kept their distance when the 104s were in the area.

Anybody hear something about that?

Joe Baugher's excellent summary of the F-104C's service may shed some light on your question. Also in this summary it would appear that the F-104C's first deployments in Vietnam/Southeast Asia came in 1965 rather than 1966. Good stuff here.


http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/f104_9.html

Well, there it is in writing. Thanks, for posting that.