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“Any attempt to place the astonishing operations of the Air Commandos in perspective must begin with an understanding of the extraordinarily hostile environment in which they were placed. Only with this initial understanding can both their missions and their unorthodox tactics be understood. But the most important element in formulating such a perspective is found in the nature of the individual airmen themselves—those who volunteered, fought, and led the remarkable Air Commando/special operations force . . . ”
Michael E. Haas, Col, USAF, Retired Author, Apollo's Warriors
 [NKP] was credited as a perfect base for the independent minded Air Commandos . . . far enough in the jungle to make it an undesirable point for visiting brass . . . a short enough PSP [pierced-steel planking] runway to discourage anything that consumed kerosene [i.e.,jets] from landing except in extreme emergencies . . . uncomfortable enough that the crews were happy to fly combat missions in return for an occasional “motivational” trip to Bangkok . . . and, finally, big enough to hide all the men and equipment purloined from other unsuspecting organizations throughout the world.
 Karst Mountains
 The Karst toward Mu Gia Pass in Northern Laos
Laos remains a mysterious country, dominated by sheer nature, dense jungles, vast empty spaces and remote villages, ‘Karst’ mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, bat swarms, endless muddy rivers and rice paddies. It only opened up from communist isolation in recent years in the 1990’s.  Aerial Photo of NKP RTAFB
 Another Aerial Photo of NKP RTAFB
(Circa 1967/68)  NKP RTAFB - Today
Runway Photo of Nakhon Phanom RTAFB
(Photo taken in 2005)
 USAF Patch - Nakhon Phanom RTAFB "GBNF"
 609th Air Commando Squadron Sign, NKP RTAFB
 100 Mission Patch
 Nimrod Club
 Control Tower at NKP
 View of Control Tower at NKP
2002
 Bob Hope visits NKP
 Rice Bugs
Photo by George Miller
1969/70
 Mission Schedule Board  Flight Line at NKP
 Flight Line 2 at NKP
 Taxiing in at NKP
 An A-26 of the 56th Air Commando Wing swoops low over the fields east of NKP
1969
 Pilot Side View of Mekong River
 Navigator Side View of Mekong River
 A-26 Fully Loaded over NKP
 Strike Photo
 A-26 Gun Nose Photo
Eight .50 Cal Machine Guns
 View of A-26 Bomb Bay
 Landing Accident 1 - Al Shortt in 1968
 Landing Accident 2 - Al Shortt 1968 (Engine Reverse Failure)  Landing Accident 3 - Al Shortt in 1968
 In Formation
 Cockpit Photo
Rolling in on Target
 View through Gunsight in A-26  "Greenhouse Canopy" in Radio Compartment
 TA-645
Displaying Battle Damage at NKP
 TA 670
 2,500 HP Water Injected Radial Engine
 A-26A/B-26K Counter Invader on Ramp at NKP
 TA 646 on ramp at NKP
The last A-26A to be lost in SEA
Major James Sizemore and Major Howard Andre both KIA
8 July 1969
 TA 671 @ NKP
(circa 1967)
 Formidable A-26 Gun Nose
 Preflighting TA 651 "Mighty Mouse" at NKP
(Circa 1969)
 TA 651 "Mighty Mouse"
(circa 1968/69)
 TA 651 "Mighty Mouse"
at boneyard, Davis Monthan AFB
1970
 TA 651 "Mighty Mouse" - Today
On Display at KAI Aerospace Museum
Sacheon South Korea
Photo taken by Abby Grace Michelsen - Granddaughter of Major Michael W. Michelsen, Nimrod Navigator
(2009)
 1:72 Scale Model of TA 651 "Mighty Mouse"
Dedicated by Italeri
 Image of TA 651 "Mighty Mouse"
from Mircrosoft's Flight Simulator Software Game
 Another Image of TA 651 "Mighty Mouse"
from Microsoft's Flight Simulator Software Game |
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Nakhon Phanom |
