John Larrison A 1 Skyraider Pilot Interview
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- John Larrison A-1 Skyraider Pilot - Interview
When discussing my tour in Vietnam, the two most frequent questions are: Why was the US Airforce flying a Korean War vintage Navy propeller aircraft
And why were we involved in the Vietnam war? The two questions are interrelated and date back historically to 1954. It is a rather complex issue, so I’ll try to boil it down to the basics. In the 1950s Vietnam fought a war of independence from the French Colonial rule. In 1954 they defeated the French during the final battle at Dien Bien Phu. The war ended with written
Geneva Accords which spelled out several future agreements. The Key was that Vietnam would be divided into North and South Vietnam and an election would be held in two years to rejoin North and South Vietnam. That never happened. The North went Communistic and declared themselves an Independent North Vietnam and soon started invading the South.
In the early 1960s, the US did not want Vietnam to become a Communist nation and started providing Clandestine (secret) support to the South Vietnamese. However, the Geneva Accords had a requirement that no nation would introduce Modern Weapons to Vietnam. Therefore, the equipment provided to the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF), and any US “advisors” to Vietnam were provided with basically WW-II and or Korean vintage propeller aircraft equipment.
At about the same time, the US Navy was starting to phase out its AD series Skyraiders of Korean war vintage fighter aircraft. There was a Two Seat model, the A-1E. It was just the answer to Vietnam. As it was a propeller aircraft (not a modern weapon), and it fit the plan for Vietnam.
The first USAF A-1E Skyraders arrived in Vietnam in mid-1964. I arrived a few months later in December 1964for a one-year tour. Our cover story was that we were “Advisors” training VNAF pilots in the two-seat A-1E. We
did do some training, but our primary missions were Close Air Support (CAS) to the Vietnamese ground forces. During combat missions, we had to carry a Vietnamese Airman in the right seat to support the pilot training cover story. I am Captain John Larrison and this is my story.
In mid-1965 the United States decided that the Chinese and Russians were pumping modern equipment into the Communistic North Vietnamese and
escalated our support with the entry of F-100s at Bien Hoa and other “modern” fighter in Thailand. At this point, we were able to abandon our training cover story and fly combat solo. The war also escalated into airstrikes along the CV supply routes from North Vietnam south
through Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia to South Vietnam. This route became known as the Ho Chi Min Trail. As part of the build-up of US Forces, both A-1 Squadrons were moved to Thailand to better provide support CAS to operations in Laos, Thailand, and along the Ho Chi Min trail. Also, an important mission was Search and Rescue (SAR) aircover for recovery of
down aircrew. I lead the first A-1s to Udorn, Thailand and Nakhon Phanom (NKP) in mid-1965 which soon developed into the “Sandy” SAR missions. My fellow A-1 Pilots who followed my tour can better cover these operations which grew and continued into in the late 1960s and early
1970 up to the War’s end in 1974.
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❤ the Sandy jocks. Saved a lot of downed pilots.
My late father-in-law was USAF LT. Col. Jerald Ransom from Dallas...he flew 326 missions over S.E. Asia in an A-1....and was the first American A-1 Skyraider pilot🇺🇲 to fly a 100 missions over N. Vietnam....before that he flew 35 missions over Europe as a B-17 navigator...and also served in Korea...he retired as Base Commander of the AFB in Austin in the mid 70's
Hi, your late father-in-law must have been promoted to Col to be a base commander. USAF Vietnam vet here. We had a Sq, of A-1's at NKP where I was stationed. Good day.
@@tombutcher5776 ...yes, he was a Lt. Col...he was Commander of the 602nd Fighter Wing in 1966...in a later tour he was Deputy Commander of the 56th Special Operations Wing
Is awesome been able to hear from those great gentlemen who served in our armed forces and more from Air Force, thank for their service 🇺🇸
Me and my dad love the Skyraider, for as long as we can remember....
Sandy, Spad, Able Dog, Hobo, Firefly, Zorro, as we say in Sweden....a loved child has many names!
I was a Marine Corps pilot in Korea after the shooting stopped but I have flown every A.D. aircraft from the 138 including one that’s at the Marine Corps base in Virginia in the museum terrific airplane actually took what off with over 8000 pounds of ordinance
I just love the A-1 Skyraider:-)
Thanks for kicking ass on our behalf.
My goodness, that must be the healthiest 84 year old I've ever seen.
What a great interview... Even crazier is this guy doesnt even look out of his 60s
Thank you! Another American hero!
Welcome home, thank you Sir, God bless you all...
Burt, Thanks for your comments, John is one heck of a pilot and an absolute treasure. He is one of the unofficial Historians of the A-1 Skyraider association
Thank you John 🇺🇸 and God bless you sir 🙏🏻
John thank you for your story and serving our country and continue too. My grandfather served in WWII and was one of top driver's of boats that dropped the young men off at the shores of Normandy. He would never talk about it but said at one time he watched so many young men (kids) as he said lose their lives and it always bothered him that he couldn't have done something to of helped them. God Bless my Grandfather and you John, also everyone that has and is protecting us by being being in the military! 🙏🥰
Total respect. God bless you.
That 602nd Mascot is one of the best from that period of American fighter planes. Love the Skyraider, what a plane. The stories from MAC V SOG soldiers who could see the rivets on the Skyraiders as they swept low on gun runs says as much about the pilots as the plane itself. The Vietnamese pilots flying out of Thailand were some of the bravest pilots in the war, flying support for US ground operations and helo pick ups in the middle of gunfights over & over again.
Macvsog we’re some absolute units and so were the pilots of fixed wings and helos man the balls on those men!
John, Thank You for your service to our great nation. 🇺🇸
I flew on two of those “why did I do that” missions. A-37 bombing mission and OV-10 FAC mission. Fun at the time.
Thanks for your service!
Our pleasure! John is one of the airman who arrived very early on in the Vietnam SEA Secret war. Please feel free to subscribe to the channel, we have many more interviews in the editing bay being processed. As well as a couple trips planned to get more interviews.
awesome .... I fly an RV-8 as well !!
Thanks heroes
The first Spad I saw was at an air show in Opa Locka, FL. (My stepfather was stationed in Boca Chica). Staring at the A-1 from the front, the canopy/cockpit was slightly cocked to one side-until that huge radial fired. The engine's massive torque twisted the airframe and made it straight. Damndest thing I ever saw an airplane do. LOL
Welcome home and thanks for sharing this John.
Thank you.
John, my Dad, Bill Gawler was there with you.
Yes Steve - I do remember him. He was 3 class ahead on me at Hurlburt. He was in Express -05 I in Express -08. That would have been in the Summer and Fall of 1964
Great documentary
John , please look up my friend Steve Dennys he is a great friend an a premium human being. he flew the Sandy in the war. he deserves recognition, as he will forever be in our heart and memory:) last i knew he was in vegas.
We will see what we can do, most of our interviews are conducted at the A-1 Skyraider reunions. maybe we will see him in Oct at the 2021 reunion at the Menger Hotel in SanAntonio Texas.
John, I still hope to talk with you one day. Thank you for your service. Thank you even more for flying the A-1E, knowing Dad (Oscar Mauterer) and being the unbelievable person you are.
Pam Good to hear from you again. For other on the link: Oscar was my Flight Commander at Bien Hoa in 1965. He was a KIA a few months after I rotated home.
@@johnlarrison7988 he was actually MIA for years, LKA (last known alive) and is still an active case for DPAA; we continue to seek the fullest possible accounting for him but did have some break-throughs in 2010 and 2014...44 years after he was shot down. P.S. I would like to (finally) get to the A-1 reunion this year. Will be in touch privately!
They would fly these out of Lakehurst New Jersey. In the Marine Corps and Navy we called them ADs! These aircraft could carry half again their weight in payload! I saw them work out in Vietnam. South Vietnamese Air Force was flying them. They came in low and slow on the DMZ. They did good work! The Navy flew them off the carriers.
Proud of the work the A-1 crews did in Vietnam. They earned tons of money they didn't get. I have an old film of some Navy AD's from the Fifties when my uncle was in. One of them was a VNAF A-1. The others I'm sure wound up being Sandys.
Thank you for your service and Welcome Home Sir! God bless you and your family! A-1 saved a lot of boys!
You are awesome I bet flying with you in combat was amazing
Great story teller!
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it, John is a great guy, a wealth of knowledge!
No whining, complaining, or lamenting just getting the job done. Thank you for your service, sir.
Nice tale, loved it
Didn't know A1 had side by side seats.
Epic "true"story.
"The government's not above lyin' to ya!" - LOL
Thank God for the Sandis
This was a great interview John!
I recently found my Grandfather's 1950s 35mm photos from his time flying Skyraiders during the Korean War. I do not know much about his time in service and want to learn more about it. Is there a website or someone to speak to in order to find out more and maybe track down his history flying these? Thank you.
Hello Jay, I think you could find some resources on the A-1Skyraider Facebook page.
Am I missing something. John keeps referring to himself as a "fighter pilot" but all his operational flying appears to have been done as a strike pilot. What am I missing here?
เครื่องบินทำงานเสร็จก็จะเข้าทราบทันที
ระยะอันตรายมากๆมันจะได้ผลคุณต้องไว้ใจ
Down and dirty.
Back when there were Officers Clubs , political correctness took care of that
Still had 'em when I left in '88. But more family oriented (or wife oriented).
Before the screwballs went nuts on operation Tailhook! Everything went downhill from there!
Poetic justice! Female senator mugged recently in front of Oakland City Hall! Karma!