A-1 Skyraider combat crew training class 69-06, Hurlburt Field, Florida, 1969. Twelve U.S. Air Force pilots pose before a Skyraider marked 884 at the conclusion of their transition training. Before deploying to Southeast Asia, Air Force A-1 pilots - many of them coming from jets or from multi-engine aircraft - retrained at Hurlburt Field on the propeller-driven Skyraider, learning the low-altitude ordnance delivery, forward air control and rescue-escort techniques the 'Sandy' mission demanded. Graduates joined the 1st, 6th and 602nd Special Operations Squadrons and the Da Nang detachment. Identified by later annotation, back row: Lt Col 'Shorty' Hartz, Capt Dick Diller, Capt Bob Karre, 1Lt Vern Saxon, Maj Jim Pretlow, Maj John Williams; front row: Maj Jim Monk, Capt Ralph Highmiller, 1Lt Smith, Lt Alan W. Williams, 1Lt Don Travis, 1Lt Jim George. Project: 218839