Posted on Jan 8, 2022
#VeteranOfTheDay Air Force Veteran Karl Richter - VAntage Point
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Richter quickly established himself as a formidable fighter pilot during the Vietnam War. He took every opportunity to fly, going on his first mission within days of arriving in Thailand. He even turned down opportunities to use his leave to travel to Hong Kong or Bangkok in favor of flying more combat missions.
In September 1966, at 23 years old, Richter became the youngest American pilot to shoot down a North Vietnamese MiG aircraft during a mission to find surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites in North Vietnam. Richter’s most prominent mission came in April 1967 when he lead a group of F-105s charged with destroying the defenses protecting a North Vietnamese railroad facility. Despite heavy cloud cover hiding the enemy defenses, Richter led a successful mission, crippling enemy anti-aircraft artillery and missile defenses.
In September 1966, at 23 years old, Richter became the youngest American pilot to shoot down a North Vietnamese MiG aircraft during a mission to find surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites in North Vietnam. Richter’s most prominent mission came in April 1967 when he lead a group of F-105s charged with destroying the defenses protecting a North Vietnamese railroad facility. Despite heavy cloud cover hiding the enemy defenses, Richter led a successful mission, crippling enemy anti-aircraft artillery and missile defenses.
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