Takhli Message Board

Takhli RTAFB - Land of the King Cobra

Takhli AB 1966-67, Agent Orange Claim

Posted by Charlie Salas A1C on 7/10/2012, 20:55:02

Just found this Web site this year (2012) after making a claim to the VA for Herbicides,looking for as much information on how the VA works and how Herbicides had claused my Prosatae Cancer.
In August, 2009 I had Radical Prostatectomy Surgery. My Story
After Texas, I was sent to Nellis AFB in Nevada, all my time in the AF I was working on the F105 D then F models. Made A1C AFSC# F43151C all at Nellis AFB, I was the Crew Chief on F105F # 62-4438 at Nellis, I do remember a Col Bottomy (spelling wrong) always flying my nickel to Washinton DC quite a few times,thought I was going to get discharged at Nellis...But got my orders I was going to the 355 Tac Ftr Wg,(PACAF) I was there from Aug 1966 through July 1967, but when I got to Takhli I was re-assigned to the 355th FMS as an aircraft mechanic,all my friends from Nellis were crewing there own aircraft,I saw them all the time,I was fixing their aircraft on the flight line from flight control rigging to remove and replacing surface controls, I did alot of work with a Tech Rep from Republic Aircraft frist name was Bob can't remember his last name,we also work on the B-66 sometimes changing windows or pressure seals.
Can't remember where our work shack was but I do remember we were across Air America and the hanger for the U2 was on our righ and would taxi in front of us and get on the runway and take-off there was only two turn outs we were next to one and one on the other end of the runway and a main road to the Thai military side of the base that went across the active runway.
Also remember being an Air-police Augmentee and doing guard duty it was always at nite, before sun rise and I was always on the base Perimeter, the ground had no vegetation on it and we where in the middle of the jungle and no ground cover at all, when I was there I never paid any attention to that, the whole area must have been sprayed with AO or some kind of Herbicide to control the ground cover, I do remember one early morning while guard duty that the base came under full ALERT and a AP came to me and said that the Thai-cong is coming toward me from the north to get down find cover until they get back with some equipment,(rifles and ammo)I was one with the dirt trying to find a good area to defend myself, well they did come back for us gave us our weapons and ammo, but thats as far as that got, I think we had other full alert a few days later but the base never realy came under attack, but it did scare the crap out of me.
Also remember going to Korat AB or Udorn AB to help with a F105 that needed some repair, kind of remember some of this stuff, but its been 46 years ago, I was 22 years young when I came home, sure wish I would have made a daily log of my stay in Takhli, oh well... they also were spraying the base and living area and flight line all the time, have more to say, but anyway had a life changing experance, wish I could remember more and names of all the troops I work with.

Charlie Salas
E-mail address: dpcharlie@cox.net