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Today in History – July 15, 1967 – T.H. Herndon ejects from F-100D #563275

15 July 1967 – T.H. Herndon was flying F-100D #563275. Enroute to a target of 150 Vietcong in a treeline, he was hit by 57mm AAA during a climb. He ejected and was recovered by USAF Helo. Herndon was serving with the 531st TFS out of Bien Hoa AB.

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Pahl, Robert S.

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Robert S. Pahl

Preferred Name: Bob
Date of Birth: August 2, 1942
Highest Military Grade: 0-6 – Colonel
Hometown: Griffin, GA
Robert S. Pahl - now
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Pilot Information
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Capt. R. S. Pahl Cited for Vietnam Bombing (The Post-Standard, February 7, 1972 [Happy Valley Phan Rang News)

GRIFFISS AFB – Gallantry and achievement may seem to have been relegated to the distant past, but a 29-year-old Rome Air Development Center pilot has proved that they are still current.

Capt. Robert S. Pahl of the Center’s Flight Test Division was recently decorated with one of the nation’s highest honors: the Silver Star for gallantry in Vietnam. In addition, the B-57 Reconnaissance pilot added two oak leaf clusters to the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement in battle on two other occasions.

The Rossville, Ga., native, while stationed at Phan Rang Air Base, Vietnam, with the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, carried out three highly successful missions against enemy forces.

On Feb. 5, 1971, Capt. Pahl flew his F-100 fighter-bomber to a location where friendly forces were pinned down by intense ground fire. Heavy antiaircraft fire, poor visibility and darkness notwithstanding, Pahl delivered devastation with unerring accuracy against the hostile forces. He destroyed their effectiveness, thereby enabling the allies to regroup and prepare for an offensive thrust the following month.

Three days later, shortly after midnight, he scrambled from the alert pad at Phan Rang to aid friendly forces immobilized by intense mortar, rocket and automatic weapons fire. Despite a low, 5,000-foot ceiling, heavy ground fire and minimal visibility, the Air Force officer again completed his mission with pinpoint accuracy. This was accomplished at the risk that an error in judgment would have resulted in destruction of friendly forces.

A month later, on March 6, Capt. Pahl went to the aid of U.S. Army personnel who were under heavy rocket attack at Fire Base Alpha Four, deep within the demilitarized zone. His flight was the only available one to destroy the rocket sites with precision. The citation for his Distinguished Flying Cross states, “If Captain Pahl had not displayed such great courage, professionalism and aerial skill, it is likely a disaster would have befallen the American Unit.”

(This same article appeared in Phan Rang News 26 which was from the Syracuse Post Standard and is slightly different than this one from The Post-Standard…)

Units Assigned

  • 10/1966 Commissioned, OTS, Lackland AFB, TX
  • 12/1966-12/1967 UPT, Moody AFB, GA (T-41, T-37, T-38)
  • 4/1968-8/1968 RTU, 429th & 524th Tactical Fighter Squadrons, Cannon AFB, NM (F-100)
  • 10/1968-8/1970 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Wethersfield, UK (F-100)
  • 10/1970-7/1971 352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Phan Rang AB, RVN  (F-100)
  • 8/1971-4/1973 Flight Test, Rome Air Development Center, Griffiss AFB, NY (B-57 & C-131)
  • 4/1973-5/1973 Student, RTU, Nellis AFB, NV (F-111)
  • 6/1973-7/1976 RAF Upper Heyford, UK (F-111E)
  • 8/1976-2/1977 Mountain Home, ID, 366th TFW (F-111F)
  • 3/1977-3/1978 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, UK (F-111F) Creek Swing/Ready Switch Cadre
  • 3/1978-2/1980 Ramstein AB, GE, USAFE Stan/Eval (F-111 E & F)
  • 3/1980-3/1982 EWCAS Joint Test Force, Nellis AFB, NV
  • 3/1982-6/1987 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron/Ops Off; 522nd Tactical Fighter Squadron/Ops Off; 523rd Tactical Fighter Squadron/CC, Cannon AFB, NM (F-111D)
  • 6/1987-4/1990 48th Tactical Fighter Wing/ADO & DO, Interim 493rd Tactical Fighter Squadron/CC, RAF Lakenheath, UK (F-111F)
  • 4/1990-8/1992  USAF Liaison to US Army Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL,
  • 9/1/1992 Retired USAF

Civilian:

  • 7/1992-8/2007 Lockheed Martin Aero, Manager, F-22 System Effectiveness, Marietta, GA
  • 8/2007 Retired

Awards & Decorations

Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Silver Star
Silver Star with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Flight Info

T-41
T-37
T-38
F-100
B-57
C-131
F-111 D/E/F

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • SOS
  • ACSC
  • AWC

Civilian Education:

  • 1965 BS/Industrial Management, Georgia Tech

Pahl_ Robert Phan-Rang-1970
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