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Legendary fighter pilot Robin Olds dies
Col. Robin Olds
Col. Robin Olds preflights his F-4C Phantom before a mission in Southwest Asia. He was the commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Air Base, Thailand, and was credited with shooting down four enemy MiG aircraft in aerial combat over North Vietnam. (U.S. Air Force photo)

6/15/2007 - U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) -- Legendary fighter pilot, retired Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, died June 14 from congestive heart failure one month short of his 85th birthday.

General Olds, rated a triple ace for having shot down a total of 16 enemy aircraft during World War II and the Vietnam War, served his country in assignments to England, Germany, Libya, Thailand and the United States, in positions of squadron, base, group and wing commander, and assignments to Headquarters U.S. Air Force and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"Triple-ace Robin Olds' legendary leadership and heroic service to the cause of freedom have been an inspiration to our nation and our Air Force," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley. "He is one of our 'great captains' and a pioneer of air power.

"He became an ace with 12 aerial victories during World War II, flying P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs, and later shot down 4 MiGs in Vietnam to bring his total to 16. He also led the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing -- the famed "Wolfpack" -- to a record 24 aerial victories, a total unsurpassed by any other wing during the war in Southeast Asia," the general said. 

"Throughout his career, he was a staunch advocate for better fighters, better pilot training and new tactics, culminating in the war-winning air-to-air tactics and doctrine of surgical precision bombing we use today. Brigadier General Olds' courageous life stands as a timeless example of the power of faith and the strength of the human spirit. 

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his devoted family as they mourn his loss, a loss we feel as well. America and our Air Force are eternally grateful for his leadership and accomplishments, and will remember him always," General Moseley said. 

General Olds was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 14, 1922, the son of Maj. Gen. Robert and Mrs. Eloise Olds. He spent his younger years in Hampton, Va., and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he was an All-American tackle.  He graduated in 1943 as a second lieutenant.

Following graduation from pilot training in 1943, General Olds was assigned to the European Theater at the end of World War II, where he flew 107 combat missions.  During the Vietnam War, he flew 152 combat missions in the F-4 Phantom as the wing commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Air Base, Thailand.

General Olds' exploits as the creator and mission commander of Operation Bolo, the most successful aerial battle of the Vietnam War, has been documented in the recent History Channel Dogfights Special series "Air Ambush."

He was assigned to the first jet P-80 squadron in 1946; was a member of the first jet Aerial Acrobatic Demonstration Team; won second place in the Thompson Trophy Race, jet division, in Cleveland, in 1946; and participated in the first dawn-to-dusk transcontinental round trip flight. He was a squadron commander of Royal Air Force No.1 Fighter Squadron, Sussex, England, during an exchange tour in 1948.

General Olds' military decorations include the Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with three oak leaf clusters, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with five oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 39 oak leaf clusters, British Distinguished Flying Cross, French Croix de Guerre, Vietnam Air Force Distinguished Service Order, Vietnam Air Gallantry Medal with gold wings, and Vietnam Air Service Medal.

After his duty in Vietnam, General Olds was named commandant of cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1967 to 1971. His last assignment before retiring from the Air Force in 1973 was as director of safety for the Air Force.

Up to a few months prior to his illness he was frequently called upon as guest speaker and lecturer for his inspirational and motivational talks. He was married to Ella Raines, who died in 1988, and then to Morgan Olds.

General Olds is survived by two daughters, Christina Olds of Vail, Colo., and Susan Scott-Risner of North Bend, Wash.; one granddaughter, Jennifer Newman of Santa Monica, Calif., and half-brother, Fred Olds of Virginia. He died peacefully at his home in Steamboat Springs, Colo., in the company of family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at the U.S. Air Force Academy within the next two weeks. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association toward scholarships for the children or spouses of armed forces aircrew members killed or missing in action.

 This list shows General Olds' official aerial victory credits.

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Links

Pete Williams Ubon 8th SPS MSN Group

Ubon Air Base Photos taken July 25-26, 2002
Photos taken by the Webmaster
 

Air Force Seal

Geographical Location:
Ubon (Ubon Ratchathani) Royal Thai Air Force Base is located approximately 305 miles North-East of Bangkok. The Laotian border is about 40 miles directly East.

Memories of Ubon!
  • The 601st Combat Photo Flight, Det 3, Ubon 
    "The Rat Pack"
    (Al Sterling's Website)
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  • The 601st Photo Flight publication "Rodent Review" 1968-69
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  • The 621st TCS Det 3 (LION) Afterburner Club
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  • Howard Johnsons (Thai) Restaraunt (AC-130 Spectre Shops Area)
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  • "Queen Bee Missions" in 1965
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  • Spectre Gunships arrival at Ubon in November 1968
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  • Calibration Docks (CAL) & the F-4E's TDY from Seymour-Johnson AFB *1973-74*
  • The POL "Dirty Thirty" 1969-70
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  • The "Hollywood Bungalows"
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  • The "8th AMS Ubon Gourmet Society"
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  • "Magilla Gorilla Squadron Patch Board"
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  • The "Dudley Do Right" Awards
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  • The "Spoody Oodies (Bud & Boob Farms)
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  • The "Muddy Blaries" (Bud & V-8 Juice)

  • The 1973 "New Years Eve Brawl" at the Ubon Hotel

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Aircraft Assigned at various times during the Viet Nam war:

AC-130A/E/H, B-57G (Canberra), AC/NC-123K ("Black Spot Bomber"),
F-4C/D/E, RF-4C, EC-47, A-1E (Sky Raider), OV-10 (Bronco)

** Units Currently Represented **

American Armed Forces Thailand Network (AFTN)* Station - 940
Det 5-4 (Lion Control) *1962*
Air Postal Squadron, Detachment 12
ICS *6-23-2007
USASTRATCOM Signal Battalion (Long Lines Comm)*6-23-2007
1st Mobile Communications Group (MOB) TDY from PI *6-23-2007
13th Tactical Bomber Squadron (TBS) "Grim Reapers"
3rd Airborne Rescue & Recovery Squadron, Detachment 3 (AR&RS)
4th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) TDY Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC 1972
4th Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS) TDY Seymour-J, NC
5th Radio Research Unit Detachment "B"
5th Radio Research Unit Detachment "C"
5th Radio Research Unit Detachment "J"
6th Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 5
8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) *F-4D's Tail Code FG*
8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) *B-57G Tail Code FK*
8th Bomb Squadron *B-57*
8th Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS)
8th Organizational Maintenance Squadron (OMS)
8th Avionics Maintenance Squadron (AMS)
8th Civil Engineering Squadron (CES)
8th Supply Squadron (SUP)
8th Transportation Squadron (TS)
8th W C Squadron (WCS)
8th Avionics & E (A&E)
8th Security Police Squadron (SPS)
8th USAF Hospital *6-23-2007
10th Weather Squadron Detachment 17 (WS)
13th TBS
16th Special Operations Squadron (SOS *AC/NC-123K* *1968-70*
16th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) *AC-130A/E/H*
20th TASS Tdy Danang, VN *6-23-2007
23rd Tactical Airborne Support Squadron (TASS) OL-1
25th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
31st Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW)
33rd Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) TDY from Eglin AFB, Florida *1967-
38th Air Rescue & Recovery Squadron, Detachment 3 (AR&RS)
45th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) *1962*
47th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
58th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
68th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
80th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
83rd RRSOU Detachment J *6-23-2007
334th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) TDY Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC 1972
335th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) TDY Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC 1973
336th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) TDY from Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC 1973
360th TEWS
374th Tactical Airlift Wing, Detachment 1 (TAC) "Blind Bat"
408th Munitions Maintenance Squadron (MMS)
431st Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
435th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
497th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) "Nite Owls" *F-4D's Tail Code FP & FA*
433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
525th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
554th Civil Engineering Squadron (CES)
555th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)
555th Avionics Maintenance Squadron (AMS)
555th Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS)
555th Munitions Maintenance Squadron (MMS)
601st Photo Flight Squadron, Detachment 3
619th Tactical Control Squadron, Detachment 2 (TCS) (LION) *1966-75*
621st Tactical Control Squadron, Detachment 3 (TCS)
834th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES)
1964th Communications Squadron Det 6 *64-65*
1980th Communications Squadron (Comm) 
1982nd Communications Squadron (COMM)
6233rd Air Base Fire Department *1974-75*
6994th Security Squadron, Detachment 3 (SS) *Prior to Jan 1974*
6994th Security Squadron (SS) *After Jan 1974*

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