In 1967, the 8th Air Force Tactical Fighter Wing deployed F-105 fighter bombers, nicknamed "Satan's Angels," to Thailand as part of Operation Rolling Thunder in North Vietnam. The wing's F-4 fighters achieved significant success against North Vietnamese MiG-21s in Operation Bolo. However, U.S.A.F. aircraft faced challenges from North Vietnamese surface-to-air missiles (S.A.M.s) while trying to neutralize these defenses. The EF-100 Super Sabres and EF-105 Thunder Chiefs, known as "Wild Weasels," used anti-radar missiles to counter S.A.M.s, but suffered significant losses, with 50% of U.S.A.F. aircraft being shot down.
100 Missions Surviving Vietnam 2020
US Air Force pilots in the Vietnam War were driven by a tradition: completing 100 combat missions allowed them to return home, bearing the weight of each intense aerial operation.
