Capt. Gary Hawes stands beside his Douglas A-1 Skyraider while on alert duty at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base (NKP), Thailand, in September 1970. NKP served as a primary launch point for USAF A-1 Skyraider pilots flying close air support and rescue-escort ("Sandy") missions over Laos and North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, with pilots on alert status ready to scramble at a moment's notice. Project: 219030