The epic story of the KC-135 crew that crossed Vietnam’s DMZ and went into a dive to refuel a flamed out F-105

The boomer told the KC-135 pilot to push over into a dive – probably 10 to 20 degrees nose low and then talked him into position in front of the flamed out F-105.

The Boeing Company’s model 367-80 was the basic design for the commercial 707 passenger plane as well as the KC-135A Stratotanker. In 1954, the Air Force purchased the first 29 of its future 732-plane fleet. The first aircraft flew in August 1956 and the initial production Stratotanker was delivered to Castle Air Force Base, Calif., in June 1957. The last KC-135 was delivered to the Air Force in 1965.

The KC-135 played a decisive role during the Vietnam War too, where the Stratotanker not only allowed heavy fighter-bombers to reach North Vietnamese targets and return, but also towed them back to their bases when they were badly damaged by enemy action.

One Stratotanker even crossed Vietnam’s Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to save two F-105s that were low on fuel.

‘In the book Thud Ridge – Wing Commander Jack Broughton was leading a 2 ship of F-105s that was attempting the rescue of a downed Lt who had been down for a week,’ says Richard Crandall, former USAF F-111 and F-15E Pilot at US Air Force (1980-1998), on Quora.

‘They had helicopters inbound but one had problems and both left – in accordance with “doctrine”. He commented that it was within the rules but in previous rescues one helicopter had been willing to continue alone. As an A-1 was leaving it was hit and caught fire – it called a Mayday. Broughton and his wingman with no fuel to do so returned to CAP him in case he too ejected. The A-1 went into a vertical high speed dive – gutsy move Maverick – as the high speed could have caused the wing root where the fire was to fail from the weakened hot metal. The fire however went out.

‘Broughton and his wingman, Ken Bell, now had no fuel to make it home. They called for help – eventually a Strategic Air Command KC-135 answered. I think the call was “do you have any gas for us?” and the reply was along the lines of “not really, but what little we have sounds like you need more than us”. The tanker broke the rules from SAC and headed North of the DMZ to meet them. The tanker was a Strategic Asset – needed for Air to Air refuelings for B-52s in case nuclear war with Russia occurred.’

Crandall continues;

‘Normally fighters will turn onto the tanker. The fighters and the tanker fly towards each other in opposite direction. When a certain distance away the fighter does a 180 degree turn and rolls out behind the tanker. Col Broughton was told by Bell “Boss, I’m hurting” as he was so low on fuel. Wingman never ever ever say that – the calls are “2, Joker, Bingo, Mayday and I’ve got the ugly one (at the bar)”. Colonel Broughton knew they had minutes only.

‘The tanker did a fighter turn onto the fighters instead – a descending turn to roll out in front of the 2 F-105s. As the tanker rolled out Bell’s jet flamed out. The boomer told the pilot to push over into a dive – probably 10 to 20 degrees nose low and then talked him into position in front of the flamed out 105. Bell had likely extended its Ram Air Turbine to have electrical and hydraulic power without the engine running. Remember that the pilot in the tanker cannot see the 105 – it is behind and below him – has to solely go by the directions of the boomer. The boomer stabs the boom into Bell’s 105 and pumps the gas. On the boom Bell does an airstart. Meanwhile Col Broughton’s jet is chugging – just like in a car about to run out of gas. He jumps onto the boom before his engine quits and gets gas. All 3 aircraft return to Col Broughton’s base in Thailand – the 135 had to go there as no gas to return home.

‘I am sure that the entire tanker crew was hospitalized due to massive alcohol poisoning from the drinks they were given at the bar that night. Every fighter pilot who hear of this story has tremendous respect for all involved in this incident. Truly awesome aviation on everybody’s parts. On Col Broughton and his wingman for not abandoning an aircraft in distress and for the tanker that saved both of them.’

Crandall concludes;

‘This is the picture of this that I have signed by Colonel Broughton:

Photo credit: Mike Machat