8th ATTACK SQUADRON ASSOCIATION

8th Aero Squadron (1917-1921) 8th Squadron (1921-1923) 8th Attack Squadron (1923-1939) 8th Bombardment Squadron (Light) (1939-1942) 8th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (1942-1943) 8th Bombardment Squadron (Light) (1943) 8th Bombardment Squadron, Light (1944-1951) 8th Bombardment Squadron (L-NI) (1951-1952) 8th Aero Squadron insignia Approved February 14, 1924 (8401 A.C.) 8th Bombardment Squadron (L-NI) (1953-1955) 8th Bombardment Squadron (Tactical) (1955-1969) 8th Attack Squadron (1969-1970) 8th Special Operations Squadron (1970-1972) 8th Fighter Squadron (1972-1974) 8th Bomb Squadron insignia Approved June 21, 1954 (KE 8387) 8th Special Operations Squadron (1974-Present) On a Yellow disc within a Blue band, edged with a narrow White border, a stylized climbing bird, which is entirely Black. MOTTO: BLACK BIRDS. Approved on 19 Jul 1993 NEW ADDITIONS: Slide show of Lewis Partridge photos of K-8 (Kunsan AB) between 1953-1954. Slide show of Ron Kunz photos of K-8 (Kunsan AB) between 1952-1953. Some new photos of 2004 Reunion at Fort Walton Beach and name additions, but still missing some names.Article on WWII MOH Winner Major Raymond Wilkins of the 8th BS excerpted with permission of the Home of Heroes.com website. Photos of Norman Hartman of the 8th BS at Yokota AB and Kunsan AB (1963-1965). New photos from Bill Swain of 8th BS in Australia and Dobodura, New Guinea during WWII. 8th Attack Squadron Association Reunion Gallery FOLKS...HELP!!! Got any photos of past reunions to fill the gallery. NEED PHOTOS. Please share your memories. Email photos to kalani@hanvit.com Click here to go to Reunion Gallery page. 8th Attack Squadron Association Officers Click here to go to "About Us" page.

8th ATTACK SQUADRON ASSOCIATION TABLE OF CONTENTS Squadron Insignia World War I and between the Wars (1917-1941) World War I: 8th Aero Squadron de Havilland DH-4 "Liberty Plane" -- Specifications Between the Wars -- 8th Squadron (Surveillance) in June 1921; 8th Squadron (Attack) in Nov 1921; 8th Attack Squadron in Jan 1923; 8th Bombardment Squadron (Light) in Sep 1935; Mexican Border Patrol Operations Split between McAllen and Laredo Squadron Returns to Kelly Field -- San Antonio, Texas Move to Fort Crockett, Texas -- Galveston, Texas Mail Service Move to Barksdale Field, Louisiana Move to Hunter Field, Georgia -- Savannah, Georgia World War II (1941-1945) Receive A-20As and A-24s (Jan 1941) 8th Embarks for Australia (Jan 1942) The Philippines Falls Kudos to Maintenance Personnel Move to Charter Towers (March 1942) 8th Starts Flying B-25s (Mar 1942): - Tale of appropriating Dutch B-25s North American B-25 Mitchell - Specifications Move to Port Moresby, New Guinea (Mar 1942) Outlook Dismal (April 1942) B-25s First Mission (Apr 1942) 8th Moves Back to Charter Towers (May 1942) The Tide of Battle Changes (July 1942) A-24 Dauntless removed from service (Aug 1942) 3rd Group Receives A-20 Havocs (Aug 1942) 8th Without Aircraft (Sep 1942-Feb 1943) 8th Receives First B-25s (May 1943) Move back to Port Moresby (Jan 1943) Move to Dobodura (April 1943) Air Campaign for Rabaul Medal of Honor: Major Raymond H. Wilkins Move to Nadzab (Feb 1944) 3rd BW Convert to A-20G (Early 1944) Douglas A-20G Havoc - Specifications Move to Hollandia (May 1944) A-26B Combat Trials (Jun 1944) Move to Dulag, Leyte, PI (Nov 1944) Move to San Jose, Mindoro, PI (Jan 1945) Move to Sobe, Okinawa (Aug 1945) End of the War (Aug 1945) Occupation Forces in Japan -- Convert to B-26 Douglas B-26 Invader -- Specifications Move to Atsugi AB (Sep 1945) Move to Yokota AB (Aug 1946) Korean War Korean War Begins -- First mission of Korean War -- Last mission of Korean War; Flew from Iwakuni until Kunsan AB (K-8) ready for first flights in Aug 1951. The Way We Did Business Medal of Honor: Capt John S. Walmsley The Early Days of the 8th Bomb Squadron at Kunsan -- Start of operations from K-8 (Aug 51) Night Flying Maintenance Sections Miho - A Break in the Action Deployed to Pusan (Apr-May 52) Flight Line Accident (Dec 52) Accusations of Germ Warfare The War is Over After the Korean War -- Johnson AB (1954-1960) and Yokota AB (1960-1964). Convert to B-57Bs (1957) with nuclear alerts at Kunsan AB (1958-1964) Move to Misawa AB (1954-1957) 3rd Bombardment Group Deactivated Move to Johnson AB, Japan (1957-1960) Martin B-57 Canberra -- Specifications 3rd BW uses K-8 for LABS Training (1957-1958) Move to Yokota (1960-1963) Cold War Duties Nuclear Mission (1958-1964) Reason Nuclear Alert in Korea Nuclear Alerts at Kunsan Monthly Rotations to Kunsan Life on C-pad Off-duty Routine on C-pad After the End of Nuclear Alert Vietnam -- 3rd Bomb Wing (Tactical) goes to Florida to convert to F-100s. Last B-57 squadrons in USAF get a reprieve from deactivation. B-57s to Vietnam: 8th & 13th attached to 41st AD and 2nd AD. (1964-1969). B-57s to Vietnam -- Historical Perspective (1963-1970) Chronology of War (1963-1969) B-57B History -- History in Vietnam; mission; Interdiction (1965) -- Perspective of Airpower use and view on Interdiction importance in 1965 Assigned to 405th Fighter Wing (1964) Assistance to RVNAF B-57 Program (1964-1965) 8th TBS Rotation (1965-1968) -- The 8th TBS and 13th TBS Monthly Rotation from Clark to Vietnam (1965-1968) Casualties (1964-1968) The Guns of Tchepone (Mar 66) Friendly Fire Incident (Aug 66) Move to Phan Rang (1966-1969) FAC Interface with B-57 on Night Interdiction in Laos (Nov 1967) -- Insights into night interdiction operations 13th TBS Deactivated & 8th TBS attached to 35th TFW (Jan 68) TET Offensive (Jan 1968) Mid-air Collision (Dec 1968) Doom Pussy B-57 Maintenance Canberra Commemorative Cover (1998) 1968 Map of Vietnam & Chronological History (1968-1973) A-37B: 8th Special Operations Squadron -- B-57s deactivated. 8th SOS moves to Bien Hoa (1970-1972) Convert to A-37B Cessna A37A/B Dragonfly -- Specifications Combat Dragon (1967) 604th ACS attached to Bien Hoa (1967) -- Article Ollie Maier; Casualties TET Offensive (Jan 1968) -- Article 90th Attack Squadron, 3rd TFW, Bien Hoa (1969-1970) 8th Attack Squadron, 3rd TFW, Bien Hoa (1969) 90th SOS and 604th ACS Start Shutting Down (Mar 1970) 8th SOS, 35th TFW (Sep 1970) CONFUSION: Tail code: "EK" for the 8th SOS/14th SOW??? 8th SOS Starts to Pack Up to Go Home (1971) The War Goes On (1972) 8th SOS Inactivated (Dec 1972) 8th Fighter Squadron: Becomes a Paper Unit (1972) Life after Vietnam (1974) News Articles & Commentary Final Return Home: 1Lt Michael J. Blassie (04 April 1948 - 11 May 1972) - article Airman Magazine A-37, Flying and Operating - article Dennis Selvig VNAF A-37s Attack Ton Sonhut AB article Nghia T. Ta Appendix: Air Munitions Close Air Support A-37 Call Sign Sources from AFHRA 8th Special Operations Squadron -- Move to Clark AB (1972-1974). 8th SOS to 8th Fighter Squadron to 8th SOS again. Move to Eglin with 1st Special Operations Wing (1974-Present). 16th Special Operations Wing 8th Special Operations Squadron Operation Eagle Claw -- Aborted Iran Rescue Mission Operation Urgent Fury -- Grenada Operation Just Cause -- Panama Operation Desert Shield -- Saudi Arabia Operation Desert Storm -- Saudi Arabia Operation Provide Promise -- Bosnia Operation Deny Flight -- Bosnia Operation Restore Hope -- Somalia Operation Assured Response -- Liberia Operation Southern Watch -- Saudi Arabia Operation Iraqi Freedom -- Oman 711th Special Operations Squadron Combat Talon I/II: MC-130E/H (Overview) Combat Talon I: MC-130E -- Specifications Combat Talon I: MC-130H -- Specifications News Articles 8th Attack Squadron Association Reunion Information 8th Attack Squadron Association Photo Gallery 8th Attack Squadron Association Officers

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28 October 2003

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