Electronic Countermeasures Ravens
Strategic Air Command Crow ECM Electronic Warfare Raven
"They Will Not See" (Non Videbunt) (Or similar translation), especially through that obscuring cloud of Cigar Smoke.
This Raven also possesses a Tiger's tail, legs and claws. This is a reference to a slogan of the "Old Crows" (Electronic Warfare Officers) and on many of the ECM patches "Every Crow a Tiger." The Crow holds lightening bolts and olive branch of the Stragegic Air Command emblem in his armored gauntlet ("Peace is our Profession") At the time this is written, I cannot remember what the raven has grasped in his tiger paw...
Takhli was a 8th AF Tactical Air Command installation on a Royal Thai Air Force base, not SAC... I wore my SAC 305th BW Hustler patches until forced to remove them
Raised on the Bottle:
Having been on Coke since hatching, the ravens were permanently addicted to the stuff. They'd take it direct from the bottle, and could recognize a Coca Cola bottle afar.
Takhli Thailand, 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops (ECM)355 Tac Avionicsravensravencokecoca colabottleaddictedtakhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionics
Coca Cola, hamburger, and peanuts:
Your snack wasn't safe, always someone wanting you to share. This may be a banana party... not sure.
There were about 10 Airmen the Ravens associated with, 3 or 4 on each shift. They hung out with everybody, but only their 'mothers, fathers, and siblings' had the privilege of dining with them.
If you laid your snack down unattended, it was fair game. Hold it visible, and you'd immediatly hear the raucous "Share! Share!" of incoming ebony pirates.
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac Avionicsravenscoca colaairmenbananahamburgerpeanutssnackmothersfathersebonypirateincomingsiblingstakhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionicsraven
Daylight mission:
Protecting the support equipment against the enemy...
Listening, watching, on guard, especially looking for a buddy or an unattended snack, or visiting brass.
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac Avionicsravensmissionenemybrasssnackguardwatchinglisteningsupporttakhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionicsraven
Final Mission:
Unfortunately, B66P tail number 444 crashed and burned shortly after it's initial rollout. Original Stealth Technology, the P version was constructed of operational restriction directives and old tech manuals, and therefore had an extremely small radar cross-section. Investigation revealed something about a hundred mission keg party and barbeque, but we believe the Air Force engaged in a cover-up to avoid disclosure of tactical operations and new technology... .
Nothing to do specifically with the ravens, although we suspect them of stashing captured Second Lieutenants' bars in the engine intakes, which may have contributed to the airframe's loss. A secondary factor may have been the extremely hot exhaust gases from the advanced engines fueled by JP-BS6OS. (Johnson's Political Male Bovine Excrement - 1960's)
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Lots of practice bomb runs in the area, although the Ravens' mission was almost never offensive, they could never resist pretending they were real Yankee Air Pirates, or Wild Weasels.
One had been trained (on the point-and-speak command "Kill") to 'attack' any 'brass' that entered the area, while the others stood off, ready to assist... a swooping dive and loud 'jamming' noise would put any snooping officer on guard... followed by a distracting perch on his head and an attempt to capture his stars, bars or leaves...
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac AvionicsravensbombmissionoffensiveYankee Air Pirateswild Weaselbrassjammingyankeepiratewildweaseltakhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionicsraven
Looking suspiciously like a Lieutenant's bar, the two boys examine a recent find. Probably just a piece of hamburger or other goodie they've come up with. Right.
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac Avionicsravenslieutenanthamburgergoodietakhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionicsraven
Mission Debriefing...
Always happy to tell you what went down, the gossip of the day, or just cheer you up, this raven was my buddy... she'd always hang close, slept much of the day, and often hung out with me on the midnight screen room shift...
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac Avionicsravensmissiondebrieftakhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionicsraven
My Supervisor. Always trying to get in my head.
Actually, I think she missed the forest and jungle, and this was as close to a wooden perch as she could come...
The Electronic Warfare Screen room is in the background... where we ran-up our Elint receivers, warning systems, and transponder jammers.
The high-powered active jammers ran hot in a different area. We had to shield the receivers because of RF traffic and systems on the base. We didn't want a QRC 65 transponder to lock on the wing commander's communication or GCA channels and get him upset... although it was always a temptation.
(We did, once in awhile, hook up an antenna and mess over the Field Maintence troops' two-way systems... especially if they were holding up repairs on one of our EB-66's. Shhhh... don't tell anybody, that's a secret).
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac AvionicsravenssupervisorforestjunglewoodenperchEB66B66electronicelectronic warfarescreen roomwarfarescreenElintwarningsystemtransponderjammerantennawarning systemstakhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionicsraven
The largest ECM shop in the world at the time...
During the Vietnam war, Takhli was home to many "Tech Reps" from the manufacturers of our equipment... had to keep the problems out of prototype and new systems.
No issue was ever solved without the help and supervision of our ravens... they consulted on every situation.
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac AvionicsravensecmVietnamVietnam warprototypesystemtakhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroops355tacavionicsraven
Crow ECM Electronic Warfare Raven
Electronic Countermeasures PatchravenpatchECMElectronicWarfareElectronic Warfare Electronic Countermeasures ElectronicCountermeasures
Pre-Mission Final Briefing:
"Now, stay away from those intakes, avoid the engine exhausts, always keep your wingman in view, stay out of Laos, and no bombing of the dikes in the north".
That's a Thud in shelter (F-105) with an EB-66 in the background.
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac Avionicsravensmissionfinal briefingpremissionengineexhaustLaosdikesnorthThudF105EB66B66takhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionicsraven
Many Didn't Come Back...
and some returned wounded.
Black Birds, especially Ravens, were a bad omen to the Thais. They were afraid of them.
This brave airman took a direct hit from a hammer thrown by a Thai worker, and barely survived. His left leg was broken, and if memory serves, the 'cast' was placed with the help of the Base Guard Dog Vet.
Amazingly, our guy did very well, and the leg soon healed, although the Air Force refused him a Purple Heart.
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac Avionicsravensblack birdThaiairmancastguard dogpurple heartair forcetakhlithailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionicsraven
Our Raven's leg now healed, we assist with the removal of the cast. Not bad for a bunch of young airmen untrained in medical practice. You have to take care of your own, you know.
Takhli Thailand 1968-1969 Countermeasures troops ECM "355" Tac Avionicsravenstakhliairmenmedicalthailand19681969countermeasurestroopsecm355tacavionicsraven
Crowman - Advanced Technology Secret Weapon
Emerging from a cloud of Chaff, armed with a high-power RF waveguide, radiating what appears to be high intensity infrared from his head, CROWMAN baffled opposing radar and missles, confusing and distracting system operators, and was the original "Shock and Awe" weapon of mass confusion.
I believe this airman's name was 'Couches'
Takhli Thailand, 1968-1969
