Leon Ralph STIRM

Leon Ralph Stirm, (Service # AF16728843), a Vietnam Veteran, enlisted in the United States Air Force on 12 Jan 1962 and was Honorably discharged on 11 Oct 1966 with the rank of A1C (Airman First Class, later changed to Sargent) with the pay grade of E4.
Upon completion of basic training (boot camp) at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX, he was sent to Technical Training School at Chanute AFB, Rantoul, IL to become an Aircraft & Missile Electrician. Upon graduation he was sent to Sewart AFB, Smyrna, TN and was assigned to the 4442nd Training Squadron where he worked on C-130 aircraft. He received orders in Nov 1963 that sent him to Itazuke AB, Fukuoka, Japan. His first night in Japan was spent in the transit barracks at Tachikawa AB and about 4 AM guys were running up and down the hallway shouting that President Kennedy had just been shot in Dallas. In Feb 1964 Itazuke AB was closed and everyone was transferred to Yokota AB, Fusa, Japan, not too far from Tokyo.
From the home base in Japan, he was sent on temporary duty (TDY) to Osan AB (K55), Korea, to support the "alert" F-105 aircraft loaded with nuclear bombs. There mission was to bomb any country that attacked us.
In Aug 1964 the "Tonkin Crisis" sent him, via Clark AB, Philippines, to Korat AB, Thailand for five months to support F-105 aircraft bombing North Vietnam.
In Mar 1965 he was sent on TDY to Takhli AB, Thailand for about seven months, again to support F-105 aircraft bombing North Vietnam.

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Last update 6 Feb 2009