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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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Hettlinger, Frank L.

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Frank L. Hettlinger

Preferred Name: Frank
Nickname/Call Sign: Hett
Date of Birth: March 15, 1930
Highest Military Grade: 0-8 – Major General
Hometown: Terre Haute, IN
Biography
Pilot Information

Frank Hettlinger flew the F-100 D&F models with the 113th Tactical Fighter Squadron/181st Tactical Fighter Group of the INANG.

During his AF career which spanned 1951 to 1989, he held positions of:

Flt Cmdr and Flying safety Officer – 113th TFS
Operations Officer – 113th/ 181 TFG
Group Commander –  181st TFG
Wing commander –  122nd TFW
Commander Indiana ANG

In December 1952, after enlisting in the USAF, Frank married Lorraine Bartholomew, who passed away in 2016. They have 2 daughters and 2 sons.

Units Assigned

  • 1951 Enlisted USAF
  • 1/1953-6/1953 Nellis AFB, NV (F-80, F-86)
  • 7/1953-3/1954 47th FIS, Niagara Falls, NY (F-86F, T-33)
  • 4/195-12/1955 40th FIS, Yokota AB, Japan (F-86 D/E)
  • 3/1956-1/1957 148th FIS, PAANG, Reading, PA (F-51D, C-46)
  • 2/1957-9/1978 181st TFG/113th TFS IND ANG (F-86A, T-33, F-84 F/C-47, RF-84F, C-54, F-100D/F, T-29, F-4C)
  • 9/1978-2/1984 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing, INANG, Ft Wayne, IN (F-4E, C-131)
  • 3/1984-6/1989 HQ Indiana ANG, Indianapolis, IN (F-4E)
  • 1989 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-80
F-86 A/D/E/F
T-33
F-51D
C-46
F-84 F
C-47
RF-84F
C-54
F-100D/F
T-29
F-4 C/E
C-131F

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • Class 52-H, Hondo, TX and Williams AFB, AZ
  • Squadron Officer School and Air War College by correspondence
  • Flying Safety Officers Course, USC, CA

Civilian Education:

  • BS/Physics, Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA
  • Also attended Texas Tech and Indiana State

Wall of Honor Location

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