USAF in Southeast Asia

Sea Witch

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Tell me, aside from the military bases in Guam and in Japan, would the Air Force ever have had any reasons to land in Singapore or Thailand or Burma during the 1950's and 1960's? Even if just once or twice. I just want to know if they could have put there wheels down.

thanks
 

Chase

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I don't know if this time frame or location will help, Sea Witch, but I shoot regularly with an ex-air force sergeant who did two tours with the 355th Fighter Wing in Thailand in the last half of the '60s.

He flew in and out of Takhli Royal Thai AFB near Nakhon Sawan, Thailand.
 

Richard White

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U.S. Air Force definitely maintained air bases in Thailand during the 60's and 70's. Have several friends who flew out of there. Don't remember when the last base we had in Thailand closed, but it should be easy enough to look up.

I don't think we had air bases in Burma, at least not since the end of WWII, but it would not have been surprising for there to have been flights into Burma during the 50s and 60s for training exercises with the Burmese military. Probably not a regular stop for the USAF though.

Re: Singapore - Obviously no bases there, but I'm sure it could have been a refuling stop between SE Asia and Australia during that time period. C-47s and C130s had decent range with fuel, but probably not that good. We had good relations with Singapore during the time period you're referencing, so I can't imagine why we couldn't have landed there.
 

Sea Witch

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Thank you very much Chase, robjvargas, and Richard White. That's what I needed to know. And yes, I mean USAF. I knew there had been lots of activity in Burma during the 40's, just couldn't be sure about the 50's and 60's. As long as it *could* have happened, then my MC is going to sound real.
 

robjvargas

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Well... phooey. Read the post carefully, skipped RIGHT over the title, and missed an answer I just assumed.

::thbhthtpbt::

Hehe.