Episode 8 of Military Tales features an interview with Bob Carlsen, an A-1 Skyraider pilot. Bob served in the Vietnam War era from July 1971 into December 1972. He was initially a Second Lieutenant and later became a First Lieutenant during his service. His primary duty station was at Nakhon Phanom (NKP), Thailand. However, the A-1s were on alert at various bases, so he also flew out of Da Nang, Vietnam, Bien Hoa, Vietnam, and Ubon, Thailand.

Bob’s time in service totaled 17 months. He initially completed a one-year tour but chose to extend for a second six-month tour. He did this after inquiring about a Raven Forward Air Control (FAC) job; while the extension was guaranteed, the Raven position was not, and he didn’t get it. Despite not getting the Raven job, his tour flying the A-1 at NKP was unbroken, and he stated he enjoyed the entire 17 months. He considered it an excellent assignment for a lieutenant fresh out of pilot training.

When asked about his favorite aspect of flying the A-1, Bob mentioned that the airplane itself was extremely challenging to fly and a beautiful airplane. Beyond that, the rewarding mission was what stood out most to him. He specifically highlighted their primary mission of search and rescue for downed pilots or crew members as the most rewarding part of the job.

Bob explained that when they rescued someone, they were not always brought back to NKP. Sometimes they were taken to a closer base, such as those they staged missions out of like Da Nang or Ubon. He did occasionally have the chance to connect with some of the rescued individuals upon their return to base, with celebrations often happening on the ramp.

Remarkably, despite flying numerous missions, Bob was very fortunate in that he did not take a single hit of battle damage on his aircraft during his entire time over there. He acknowledged that this was highly unusual. He noted that in many of the missions he participated in, other airplanes flying with him did take battle damage, and in one case, they lost a helicopter and the entire crew.

Reflecting on his service, Bob strongly recommended military service to others. He believes it’s a great way to live, especially if it offers training and experience beneficial to one’s future career. He went on to say he wishes the United States would require everyone to serve their country in some capacity, military or civilian, to give back.