The Society of Wild Weasels
The Society of Wild Weasels (SOWW) is an IRS recognized 501(C)3 non-profit military fraternal organization established to educate, preserve, and perpetuate the Wild Weasel (WW) Concept – the destruction of hostile electronic emitters, such as the guidance radar for Surface to Air missiles. The SOWW was established for those who have an interest in or have participated in the WW program, concept, and mission. From the F-100F first Weasels, through the F-105 F&G, the F-4 C&G, to today’s F-16 Vipers and F-35 Panthers, we have patrolled enemy airspace to protect aircraft and save lives.
35th Anniversary of Desert Storm
COL. Ron Karp commanding officer of the 35th TFW for Desert Storm
Membership
If you are already a SOWW member and would like to update your membership or gain access to this site, please contact the Board at Membership@WildWeasels.org
You must be a member in good standing to be on the mailing lists and receive the quarterly Word from Willie.
If you qualify and want to become a member then:
Now Active
Virtual Museum
Listen to the Audio Interviews
Books on the Wild Weasels
Books on the Wild Weasels Books: Wild Weasel Fighter Attack The Wild Weasels (Wings Over Nam) First In, Last Out Surviving Hell Wild Weasel: The SAM Suppression Story The Hunter Killers America’s White Table Iron Hand Takhli Tales Book Available for Free: Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses and Joint Warfighting in an Uncertain World
Wild Weasel Videos Vietnam F-100F Wild Weasel Wings Over Vietnam True Heroes of Vietnam Podcast 0:00 / 0:00 Podcast: Wild Weasels – True Heroes of Vietnam Linebacker II 0:00 / 0:00 Linebacker II 50th Anniversary Desert Storm Desert Storm Wild Weasels F-4G/F-16 Teammates Wild Weasels 50th Anniversary At Misawa At Shaw F-35 vs S-400 F-35 […]
Wild Weasel Historical Documents The Advanced Wild Weasel – Jerry Looper, 2000. A technically oriented paper written for his children so that they would know what he did when he went to work every day. It is dedicated to Bob Sumpter, WW# 831, who was his supervisor during much of the time. The SA-2 and SR-71 – John A. […]
Weasels and Innovation Curator’s Note: The Wild Weasel went from Pentagon recommendation to SAM killer in 5 Months which is amazing for an aircraft major modification and the training and coordination of adding a crew member. This was not accomplished without an incredible teaming of engineers, developers, aircrews and acquisition personnel. These stories will tell the […]
Click Here to go to Robo and Dutch’s Models Page
We Remember We Remember is dedicated to the Wild Weasel crews that died in combat either as Missing in Action (MIA) or Killed in Action (KIA) and their bravery. In addition, we will have a page dedicated to the Prisoners of War (POWs) that “Returned with Honor” from a place where they must carry on […]
Vietnam Aircrews The first Wild Weasel loss occurred on Dec. 20, 1965. While on an Iron Hand mission over North Vietnam, anti-aircraft fire hit the F-100F crewed by Capts. John Pitchford and Robert Trier. Both ejected, but Capt. Trier was killed while exchanging fire with North Vietnamese troops on the ground. Capt. Pitchford was wounded […]
Threats Editor’s Note: In out threat section we hope to capture the intensity of the threat faced by the Wild Weasels. Each war is different and each threat is unique and one thing that holds true today is that the Weasels of Vietnam, Desert Storm and tomorrow were dedicated to making their systems, tactics and […]
The Story of the Wild Weasels Historian’s Note: One F-4C Wild Weasel unit, the 67th TFS at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, sent six F-4C Wild Weasels to Korat, Thailand, in September 1972. Used in southern North Vietnam during Linebacker, the F-4C Wild Weasel aircrews effectively supported strikes around Hanoi during Linebacker II, flying 460 sorties in […]
The 35th Cadet Squadron This patch is a tribute to the F-105 pilots who flew Wild Weasel on surface-to-air suppression missions in Vietnam. The lightning bolt signifies the speed of the Air Force strike capability. The 35th Cadet Squadron at the Air Force Academy
Desert Storm Articles Part 5 of a series on the Weasels in Desert Storm. Link to Article
Fight Like You Train! First Combat Mission VR2-Lips EWO Flying from the Front Seat By Warren Thurn 52 TFW Arrives in the Middle East Ready By Uke 52 TFW Gets Desert Storm Deployment Order By Uke My Most Satisfying HARM Ever Shot By Uke Commanding a Weasel […]
Songs of the Wild Weasels Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Bob Petit for donating his song book and Weasel Songs to the Museum. These are the cleanest Wild Weasel songs I have heard and they are good! Marty Cherone (WW #155) Marty Cherone’s nephew wrote this song about the Wild Weasels and his Uncle Marty […]
POWs that Returned with Honor Editor’s Note: All wars are different and require their own strategy and tactics. The Weasels who became prisoners of war had to fight an enemy steeped in torture and on a minute by minute basis. They did that and were able to Return with Honor intact. This is our tribute […]
Lt Col Thomas J. Hanton Biography Pending
The Operation A large joint task force (JTF), known as PROVEN FORCE and consisting of over 140 U.S. Air Forces Europe (USAFE) aircraft, had deployed to Turkey only days before and was a crucial part of the ensuing air campaign. Timeline 0:00 / 0:00 Someone Like You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHOmBV4js_E Jan. 16: Headquarters USAFE activated the 7440th Composite wing […]
Medal of Honor – March 10, 1967 Author Larry Davis told the story of the Medal of Honor mission. “The mission was a ROLLING THUNDER strike against the steel complex at Thai Nguyen (JCS 76.00), about forty miles due north of Hanoi. Lincoln Flight was the Weasel flight, two EF-105Fs armed with Shrikes and CBUs, […]
Medal of Honor – April 19, 1967 On April 19, 1967, Major Thorsness and his Electronic Warfare Officer, Captain Harold E. Johnson, flying F-105F AF Ser. No. 63-8301, led Kingfish flight (three F-105F Weasel aircraft and an F-105D single-seater) on a Wild Weasel SAM suppression mission.[8] The strike force target was JCS target 22.00, the Xuan […]
Light-Hearted Moments Headed to the Dunk Tank, Another Successful Flight Wrapped up in his flying training John Hill and John Buick go for a swim during the party to celebrate their 100th Mission Vietnam Can Get Hot You can never have enough fuel in the F-4 Uh, guys….what are you doing back there? My Instructor […]
Interviews on Wild Weasels Missions First Air Force Strike against Paul Doumer Bridge This is the transcript of a taped interview with Major General James E. McInerney, Jr. regarding the first Air Force strike against the Paul Doumer Bridge in North Vietnam on 11 August 1967. As a Lt. Col., he was the 13th TFS […]
History Quotes, Lexicon, Legends YGBSM: The Origin of our Battlecry A great motto of the Wild Weasel crews is YGBSM: “You Gotta Be Sh-tting Me.” It was B-52 Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) veteran Jack Donovan’s natural response when he was introduced to the tactics and mission details as part of the first Weasels. His […]
F-105 Wild Weasel History – 1962 – 1972 (Part 1 Thru 31 Jan 66) F-4C F-4C Wild Weasel History
Formation of the Wild Weasel Society
F-4G A left side view of an F-4E Phantom II and an F-4G Advanced Wild Weasel Phantom II aircraft from the 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron. Both aircraft are equipped with AN/ALQ-119 electronic countermeasures pods and AGM-45 Shrike missiles. The F-4G is also equipped with an AGM-78 Standard anti-radiation missile on the left inside wing pylon. […]
F-4C Hunting Ready for Anything F-4C Hunting 2 by Lethal Getting Ready to Deploy Combat Ready Ready to Fly Getting Prepped for another Combat sortie F-4C Brain Damage at Korat
F-4C at Korat korat flight of 4 line-up Linebacker Orders Kadena to Korat Front Page Linebacker Orders Kadena to Korat
F-4C History of the F-4C Wild Weasel The Air Force converted 36 F-4C aircraft to Wild Weasel capability starting in 1968 carrying the AGM-45 Shrike and the AGM-78 Standard ARM which gave it a much greater range and capability over the AGM-45. Together with F-105Gs the F-4C aircraft was used extensively in Vietnam during Operations […]
F-4 Phantom Weasels Hunting 561st Flagship with HARMs Wall-to-Wall HARMs Formation Over George Air Force Base 37th Wing Flagship on a HARM Test Mission Weasels Red Flag Hunting Cluster Bombs and HARMs: A Perfect Pairing 563rd Flagship Refuels 563rd Formation with HARMs, CBU, and Mavericks 37th Flagship Leading the Way F-4C Flying in Germany in […]
F-35 Lightning II Luke Lightnings in Formation
F-16 Viper Weasels Hunting Not a bad day to be a Gambler Wild Weasel Gambler Maintenance What A View 77 FS Gambler Pride Red Flag, Vegas and the 77 FS Gamblers ready day or night! 77 FS Gamblers about to provide the Winning Hand at Red Flag Tiger Weasels Win Danger Close Mission On 11 […]
F-105s Hunting Pete Psouprake and Bill Robinsons 100th mission celebration. L to Right. Pete Tsouprake, Bill Robinson,Bob Tondearu,Ken Ryckman,Clyde Hayman, Mack Angel. F-105G with Strike and Standard ARM F-105G on Flightline Going Hunting F-105G and Crews Wild Weasel with Names John Hill and John Buick celebrate their return from their successful 100th Mission F-105G #275 […]
F-100 The First Wild Weasel F-100F Wild Weasel First WW Commander Major Gary Willard Major Gary Willard Rick Westcott F100 Wild Weasel leading a SAM attack, courtesy of Bob Breault
DESERT STORM Night One First Baghdad Mission This Flag was flown over Baghdad by the first Surface to Air Suppression Mission of Desert Storm. A joint USAF-USN strike that included 12 F-4Gs, 4-EF-111s, 4 F-15s, 4-F-14s, 4 A-6s, 4 EA-6Bs, 4 F-18s and 38 drones that followed a F-117 attack and cruise missile launch. The […]
Desert Storm Artwork F-4G Fat Lady Bahdad Air Show Desert Storm Phatom and the HARM Weasel Country 2
Coffee Cups, Mementos, & Coins
Books on the Wild Weasels Books: Wild Weasel Fighter Attack The Wild Weasels (Wings Over Nam) First In, Last Out Surviving Hell Wild Weasel: The SAM Suppression Story The Hunter Killers America’s White Table Iron Hand Takhli Tales Book Available for Free: Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses and Joint Warfighting in an Uncertain World […]
Audio Interviews 0:00 / 0:00 Dick Myers Interview 0:00 / 0:00 Mike Dugan Interview
Aircrew Throughout the Years Rick Morgan WW1 EWO Waller – Padgett 100th Mission Success 200th Mission Parade Jim Marquis WW1 Start of the Legends Pete Tsouprake Wild Weasel Class Gordon Jenkins, Korat 1973 and the F-105 Leo Thorness and H. Johnson F-4 Iranian Deployment Scouting the Countryside On one of the weekends, they took us […]
Additional Patches
169 Fighter Wing McEntire Wild Weasels The Swamp Fox Wild Weasels have been a huge part of saving lives and defending freedom across the world. Here are some pictures of these warriors in action
Upcoming Events
River Rats 52 Annual Reunion
10/22/2025 to 10/26/2025 When: 22 October 25 Where: Map this event »Holiday Inn Resort, Pensacola Beach, Florida14 via de Luna DrGulf Breeze, Florida 32561United States Contact: Mat