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Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by Dick Williams on 8/17/2013, 8:16:53

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-TOP-jawaharlal-nehru-allowed-cia-spy-planes-to-use-indian-air-base-to-spy-on-china-4349167-NOR.html

Story from the Indian press with several mentions of Takhli as U-2 base and some history I'd never known of Indian cooperation in the U-2 program.

Here's a section of the article:

The use of Charbatia, an abandoned World War II base in Orissa, was agreed during a meeting between the then US President John F Kennedy and Indian President S Radhakrishnan on June 3, 1963, but Indian work to improve it took longer than expected. Therefore, the missions resumed from Thailand's Takhli, NSA said, based on the 400-page CIA report released by it.

According to the report, which details the spying programmes conducted with the planes from 1954 to 1974, the U-2 mission on 10 November 1963 was the longest yet flown by a U-2 at 11 hours 45 minutes, and the pilot was so exhausted that project managers limited future flights to 10 hours endurance.

In fact, the longest U-2 mission to date was the one flown from Takhli on September 29, 1963, it said.

------

The article mentions a newly declassified CIA history of the U-2 program. I'll try to find that online when I return from a trip next week or you can all do some sleuthing and see if you come up with it - the article cites the National Security Archive so that's a good place to start.

Fascinating part of Takhli history and I've never known of anyone associated with the U-2 program at Takhli to make mention of it here or elsewhere on Takhli websites. Maybe with this declassification some will feel free to do so. We saw the U-2s land and takeoff sometimes but they were in a world of their own once on the ground. Their own spooky CIA world.

Dick Williams
Takhli Base Weather 69-70
Kansas City MO

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by Dennis on 8/17/2013, 10:55:35, in reply to "Takhli in the News - from 1963"

You hear about the A-12 Blackbird spy plane that landed at Takhli in Oct 6, 1967 ??

It was similar to the famous SR-71 Blackbird. The A-12 came out first and evolved into the SR-71 as I understand it.

The A-12 made an emergency landing at Takhli after an engine failure high over Laos. It was diverted to Takhli because Takhli had the CIA U-2 unit there. It caused a lot of excitment when it landed.

I've got a good article about it and I'll email it to you if you want it.

I also have a photo that I found somewhere on the internet that is suppose to be a picture of an SR-71 Blackbird at Takhli.
I guess it's possible that it's actually the photo of the AR-12 that landed in 67.

I was there in 69-70

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by Bob on 8/17/2013, 14:03:48, in reply to "Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963"

I aarived a t Takhli in Jul 65 as part of the 1st "big" contingent of PCS troops. I think there were 700-800 that arrived that July. The "dreaded" jet lag hit me about a week after I arrived andf day was night and night was day regarding sleeping. I remember being wide awake one morning around 3:00-3:30 so I got up and started walking around. I was down near the a/c parking ramp and started walking adjacent to the parking ramp when I heard a jet engine--I knew it wasn't an F-105 or RB-66. Real soon I realized it was a U2 taxing out. All black and silhouetted against the ramp light. I was standing there in amazement when flashing lights and from 2 vehicles came out of nowhwere. Of course it startled me and then they "challenged me" with their weapons. I know they were'nt dressed in old fatigues--I think they were dressed in some type of coveralls. I got the 3rd degree--what are you doing here--where did you come from etc. I told them I just arrived PCS and my sleeping habits were all messed up. They "flashed"--and Imean FLASHED sone ID and got info from me. They told me to FORGET what I saw and go back to quarters. Later that day I was called to the squadron CO's office and he asked me what I saw. Just like I was told--I SAW NOTHING I told him. There was some real "official" looking guy dressed in a suit also in the office. The CO said he "knew" what I'd seen and NEVER to repweat it again. Funny thing, I know of at least a dozen or more guys who said they'd seen the U2. They asked me if I'd seen it--I told them in my BEST Sgt Shultz from Hogan's Heros--I see nothing & I know nothing! I remember them telling us before we left the Phillipines after being briefed on Takhli that we WERE NOT in Thailand. In the Pax Terminal I saw the latest TIME magazine and on the front covder--an F-105 with the caption below the picture--F-105's from Takhli supporting the war effort!!
Bob

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by susie on 8/19/2013, 5:56:54, in reply to "Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963"

Wow! I really love hearing of those incidences... it's almost like a 007 movie!

thank you so very much for sharing Bob!

Dennis , if you have the pictures or the story I would like to get it... when and if you get time..

susie
susieswan39@yahoo.com

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by Bob Wiley on 8/19/2013, 8:16:16, in reply to "Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963"

Thanks Susie--I know there are plenty more stories out there and when we hear some more--I know morememories will be jogged! Hard to believe I left Takhli 47 years ago this past July--time do fly.
Bob

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by Dennis on 8/19/2013, 12:33:17, in reply to "Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963"

Here's that link to that A-12 Blackbird article

http://nvahof.org/oral_history/article131recovery.pdf

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by susie on 8/21/2013, 9:36:19, in reply to "Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963"

Thank you all for the pictures and links!

I love post like this...

susie

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by Dick Williams on 8/21/2013, 20:06:21, in reply to "Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963"

Great find Dennis and thanks for posting the link. I'll find a place to keep that one permanently in view.

Dick in KC MO

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by Russ Feldt on 11/12/2013, 5:43:39, in reply to "Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963"

I was at Takhli in 1969. I remember the U2's landing and taking off frequently. They had a hanger at the far end of the base, I think up past the passenger terminal. Don't recall ever seeing an SR-71 land there and I had seen them a lot on Okinawa.

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by normand st pierre on 12/5/2013, 22:39:24, in reply to "Takhli in the News - from 1963"

I arrived at oct1962 to april1963takhli I was in air rescue and was sometimes woken at 0200 or 0300 to be in the air when the u-2 took off

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by AL HUDSON JR. on 7/18/2014, 5:30:59, in reply to "Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963"

I WAS IN 355TH TFW WG INTELLIGENCE MATERIALS FEB68 TO SEP 68 WORKED W/ MAJOR HARRINGTON - SGT SATTERFIELD/ SGT. DUNN ETC. THERE WHEN 2 F111 CRASHED A SIGNAL WAS HEARD MECHNIC FAILURE ALHUDSONJR@YAHOO.COM OF N.C.

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by doug bamforth on 12/31/2020, 16:21:56, in reply to "Takhli in the News - from 1963"

I was based in Takhli from June 63 to June 64 and the U-2s were there all the time. We were also doing spraying around the base areas with what turned out to be Agent Orange at that time especially in 1963. It was why i was awarded 100% from the VA I have a picture in my phone of the patch that we had at that time. if anyone wants more info my email is dougbam@sbcglobal.net

Re: Takhli in the News - from 1963

Posted by Jim Elmore on 1/20/2021, 13:11:47, in reply to "Takhli in the News - from 1963"

What happened to the link for the base map. It will not come up when you click on the link.
Thanks

Previous Message

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-TOP-jawaharlal-nehru-allowed-cia-spy-planes-to-use-indian-air-base-to-spy-on-china-4349167-NOR.html

Story from the Indian press with several mentions of Takhli as U-2 base and some history I'd never known of Indian cooperation in the U-2 program.

Here's a section of the article:

The use of Charbatia, an abandoned World War II base in Orissa, was agreed during a meeting between the then US President John F Kennedy and Indian President S Radhakrishnan on June 3, 1963, but Indian work to improve it took longer than expected. Therefore, the missions resumed from Thailand's Takhli, NSA said, based on the 400-page CIA report released by it.

According to the report, which details the spying programmes conducted with the planes from 1954 to 1974, the U-2 mission on 10 November 1963 was the longest yet flown by a U-2 at 11 hours 45 minutes, and the pilot was so exhausted that project managers limited future flights to 10 hours endurance.

In fact, the longest U-2 mission to date was the one flown from Takhli on September 29, 1963, it said.

------

The article mentions a newly declassified CIA history of the U-2 program. I'll try to find that online when I return from a trip next week or you can all do some sleuthing and see if you come up with it - the article cites the National Security Archive so that's a good place to start.

Fascinating part of Takhli history and I've never known of anyone associated with the U-2 program at Takhli to make mention of it here or elsewhere on Takhli websites. Maybe with this declassification some will feel free to do so. We saw the U-2s land and takeoff sometimes but they were in a world of their own once on the ground. Their own spooky CIA world.

Dick Williams
Takhli Base Weather 69-70
Kansas City MO

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