16 February 2008

It Was Worth the Trip to D.C.

The weather was unbearably cold and miserable the two and half days that were utilized for research. A trip to the Library of Congress was indeed a treat, taking in the breathtaking architecture but yielded little in research results. Suspecting that not much information would be found here on the basis that Lt. Hunter was not officially operating in Laos, therefore it was highly unlikely that Stars and Stripes would report anything regarding missions or of his rescue in that regards.

A trip to the Vietnam Veteran National Memorial was concluded under rainy conditions that did not allow copying all of Douglas County’s sons until the last day in D.C. on a rather nice day. All eleven names, with the exception of one, was copied in graphite due to not having enough sheets of paper provided by the Ranger on duty a few days prior and the name being the second from the top one on one of the taller slabs of the Wall.

The unexpected wintry conditions did not allow me to visit the National Archives in College Park, Maryland, where there was some footage of Takhli RTAFB in April of 1966 when Lt. Hunter was stationed there. Efforts are being looked into in order to obtain a copy of the short film.

A stop to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center allowed me to view a F-105D that was in the paint scheme of the 388th TFW based at Korat RTAFB. In comparison to the F-105D at Hunter Memorial Park, there were many more official markings on the fuselage, the paint was in a dull matte sheen, the tail cone was silver (not black), and had the bomb rack.

Also at the museum I acquired another book on the Republic Aviation F-105 and will soon add it to the book list with the another book that came in over the weekend: Classified Secret by Jan Churchill - much about FACs operating in Laos, including much information on MSgt Charlie Jones and Lt Hunter’s body being recovered.

Pictures from the Washington, D.C. trip can be found on Flickr under the Saving Hunter Collection.

7 February 2008

New Book Section Online

When taking on any research project, there is always a dependence on previous work by authors who know the subject well. With the case of Saving Hunter, it is a reliance on the stories of real F-105 pilots, forward air controllers, and special forces operating in Southeast Asia, illustrating the hardships of the deadliest air war known to man.

Understanding the story behind Lt. Hunter is divided into two halves: the USAF side of the bombing campaign against North Vietnam and his rescue via the Air Commandos and Air America. Each half has its own thrilling twists and turns, from jettisoning bombs at 500 mph to trudging around in remote mountainous villages in the Plain of Jars.

As the research aspect expands with Saving Hunter, I would like to share the books that are read through the new Book Section under the Resources tab.