31 January 1968 – On the first full day of the Tet Offensive, Major Joe Bulger (Flight Lead) and 1Lt “Fearless” Fred Abrams were asked to bomb their own base. In the early hours of the day, Vietcong forces had launched an attack on Bien Hoa AB. “The whole east end was hot,” Abrams said.
Onofrio “Niffy” Andrews went to “Officer training in Missouri and jet training in Texas [which] was followed by more training, according to Andrews. After four months at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix for gunnery training, he spent two months in Nevada before an “F-100 checkout” which preceded a four-year tour in Europe. Three of those years would be spent flying the F-100 on nuclear alert, which meant “getting to the aircraft, starting and taking off within 15 minutes” remembers Andrews. “Serious business,” he says, “with a slim chance of delivery and return.” “(1)
Source: (1) Veterans Voice: Bristol man recalls the pride and grit of being a fighter pilot, by Mary K. Talbot, Special to The [Providence, RI] Journal. For the full article go to https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2021/01/24/onofrio-niffy-andrews-flew-jets-air-force-during-cuban-missile-crisis-and-vietnam-war/6679084002/