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Today in History – January 31, 1968 – F-100 pilots Maj Joe Bulger and 1Lt “Fearless” Fred Abrams are given the worst kind of mission

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.

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Countryman, William Earl

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William Earl Countryman

Preferred Name: Earl
Nickname/Call Sign: Mustang
Date of Birth: March 22, 1934
Highest Military Grade: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel
Hometown: Sacramento, Ca.
Biography
Pilot Information
Album

F-100 was my favorite aircraft! During a test flight at Luke, I had an engine fire at 500kts……pulled “way up”.. light went out,…touched down as it burned through the skin.

F-104 story is worthy: A few F-104’s were fitted out with the J79-GE-19 (more thrust)….it was my job to go to DM, test them and fly them back to Sacramento to have them shipped to Taiwan.

I did not know the history behind this aircraft, that some flights required pressure suits above 50k, etc….THESE PLANES WERE TOTALLY CLEAN…NOT EVEN PYLONS. Well, after my turnout of traffic in a 16 deg. climb, I looked down to see supersonic, corrected that and later at 45k started a high-speed run….it hung up at 1.1 to 1.2, then it was like going into burner again accelerating so fast I got it out of burner at 2.3 mach to avoid the 2.5 canopy thermal limit……a genius design!!

After a little research I found where these a/c were used to simulate getting U-2s at 70k and not by a quick zoom… and it so easy to fly!

After serving in the USAF, Earl Taught College and High School Physics in Florida for 14 years. He sailed the waters of the Gulf Coast in a Newport 30 MK3, and became an Investor, He flew his  RV-6 in California (Flies like a jet….great a/c), and later moved to Las Vegas. These days he plays pickleball on his community courts 3+ times per week. Earl says, “What a life….my wife Rita is the greatest!”

Units Assigned

  • 1953 Aviation Cadets
  • 1956-1957 Pilot training, Bainbridge AFB, GA/Nellis AFB, NV
  • 1958-1961 22nd FDS/TFS, Bitburg, Germany
  • 1961-1965 IP, Luke AFB, AZ
  • 1965-1967 Aeronautical Engineering/Astronautics student at University of Michigan
  • 1967-1969 309th TFS, Vietnam (255 missions)
  • 1969-1973 Test Pilot McClellan AFB, CA
  • 1973-1976 Air Force Rep at Fairchild Republic, Farmingdale, NY (A-10 Program)

Awards & Decorations

Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross

Flight Info

F-100 (3000+ hours)
F-86f (Flew the last F-86F to the boneyard)
F-104A/B with -19 engine
F-106

All pilot time single engine
Flight Hours: 5000+ hrs (900 as Nav/ Bombardier).

255 missions in Vietnam

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • Pilot/Radar Bombardier/Navigator

Civilian Education:

  • BS/Aeronautical Engineering/Astronautics, University of Michigan.
  • MS Nova University

Earl Countryman Service Era Photo
Album Slideshow
Slideshow
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Wall of Honor Location

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