Postgate, John W., Jr.

Late one afternoon while on alert, L/Col Miles and I were scrambled to help relieve an outpost in the hills of III Corp which was under attack by the VC and NVA regulars. The clouds were so low that it was almost impossible to release our MK-82 slips in a dive and get out of the blast area. Somehow, we managed to get all ordnance on target and resounding “Atta Boy” from the relieved ground troops.

While a FAC assigned to the Ranger Advisory team 99 at Duc Hoa, we were rudely awakened one night by mortars landing near the Air Field (a 900-foot dirt strip). We all hit the bunker (a ditch) and I was told the Ranger Camp to the north was under attack, and the VC were trying to prevent me from putting in Air Strikes. I went back to my bunk, put my boots on, and ran to my 0-1. It took me 15 minutes to order Air and after five flights of fighters (F-100s and A-1’s) the camp was saved. I flew three times (all night).

The Army rewarded me with a Bronze Star for my actions. (I had too many others to write here). I never forgot that my duties and ambition to the United States Air Force was to fly and fight.

Although I was forced to take an ATC assignment or SAC after the F-89 Squadron 66 FIS was replaced, I managed to get in a lot of good flying, including teaching 7 UPT classes and graduating 20 student pilots. After surviving a mid-air collision I was bumped up to Wing Stan Eval.

This gave me the opportunity to be introduced to some interesting people. During a Canopy-off test (T-37) I flew at Edwards AFB, and after writing a procedure paper, I met Col. Fritz Fulton, a pioneer in aviation (Military). He gave me a pilots tour of the XB-70 (before the crash, also the A-12, B-58, and a flight in test school, F-104.

At Kadena AFB my boss was Col. John Voll, WW11 P-51 Ace (22 kills) also the Commander of the JASDF, Lt Gen. Ryuji Yamada. Plus Army, Navy, and Marine Commanders during the Reversion of Okinawa back to the Japanese.

This Pennsylvania Farm Boy got to fly the best close Air Support Bomber, F-100D, and one of the fastest engine fighters of all time, that being the F-106A. I had the honor to fly with the 614th Lucky Devils in Vietnam 1967/68, with our esteemed Leader Major General Ken Miles, and received a Regular Commission while stationed in RVN, of which I am very proud. I flew 778 Combat missions on two tours in RVN (475 as FAC) 303 as F-100 Fighter Pilot.

Two of my sons were accepted, one at West Point, the other at the USAF Academy. I was given the honor to administer the oath to my son when he graduated from the Air Force Academy, (AC F-15 pilot), now retired as a Lt. Col. with a second career as an Airline Captain.

After I retired from the Air Force, I started the Air Force Association Bakersfield Chapter in 1989 serving as Chapter President, also serving as Vice President of the TROA (MOAA). I became a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Bakersfield Lodge #266, serving as the Exalted Ruler, 2005-2006. Recently I attended the dedication of an F-100D to the Palm Springs Air Museum. Palm Springs, California which is Major General Ken Miles stomping grounds.

(Life is good, Don’t forget your nickel).

“John enlisted in the United States Air Force in September 1954 and went through Aviation Cadet Pilot Training from March 1955 to June 1956. After completion of F-89 school, John was assigned to Air Defense Command at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. A year later, the Northrop F-89 Scorpions were phased out and he went to Greenville Air Force Base, Mississippi, as a T-33 instructor pilot. In 1960, he was re-assigned to Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, flying T-33, T-37, and T-38s as a Stand Eval and Instructor pilot.

In 1965, he volunteered for Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller, Assistant ALO, and Forward Air Control Safety/Instructor at Bien Hoa. After training, he was assigned to the 19th TASS and flew out of Duc Hoa under the 99th advisory team. During this tour, John, whose call sign was ‘Cobra 2’, flew over 1,200 combat hours and 475 missions in the O-1.

After a short break at Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, he again volunteered for Vietnam and was assigned to the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phan Rang Air Base. His next assignment was back to Air Defense Command in July 1968, as an F-106 pilot at McCord Air Force Base, Washington. He returned to Kadena AFB, Okinawa, in 1971 as the 313th Air Division Assistant Operations Officer, Okinawa Reversion Officer, and Instructor pilot.

He finished his 23-year career in the Air Force as a Fighter Duty Officer and T-33 Instructor Pilot at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas. He flew the F-89, T-29, O-1, T-33, T-37, T-38, F-100, F-102, and F-106. His decorations include five Distinguished Flying Crosses, 33 Air Medals, the Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with palm, two with bronze star, and two with a gold star.” -excerpt from News From many sources from “Happy Valley” Phan Rang AB, Vietnam …keeping the memories alive Phan Rang News No. 18 5