The River Rats
Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association
“Leon, your relentless pursuit to bring back an appreciation for and adoption of the warrior spirit among the members of the public and our fighting forces is without peer. Thank you for what you continue to do.”
— Gen. Ron Fogleman USAF [Ret.] 15th CSUSAF
We are proud to collaborate with the RRVA, river-rats.org, to provide support for military families.
“Many believe the war in Vietnam was a war without heroes. But that was not the case.”
— Richard Nixon
The Founders
Col. Lawrence “Larry” Pickett
USAF
Col. Robin Olds 8th TFW
Ubon Thailand, 1967
Col. Robin Olds 8th TFW
Ubon Thailand, 1967
World Record F-104 Team 1958
Gen. Jimmy Doolittle
MJ “Scrappy” Johnson
Capt. Walt Irwin
Hamilton AFB 83rd FIS
World Record F-104 Team
HAFB, 1958
Col. Howard “Scrappy” Johnson, USAF
“We had the freedom to pursue a dream, and that’s important,” Dick Rutan said at the ceremony. “And we should never forget, and those that guard our freedoms, that we should hang on to them very tenaciously and be very careful about some do-gooder that thinks that our safety is more important than our freedom. Because freedom is awfully difficult to obtain, and it’s even more difficult to regain it once it’s lost.”
- Lt.Col. Dick Rutan USAF [Ret.] SEA “Misty” 40 FastFAC
RIP 1st July 1938 - 3rd May 2024
Heritage Photo Gallery
2nd Tactics Conference 1967
The 8th TFW & 366th TFW is Greeted by the 388th TFW at Korat RTAB
JB Stone is Greeted
Elephant Parade - Robin Olds Leading the Way
Chappie James
Robin and Chappie
The Elephant Parade
Senior Air Staff is Greeted
Bob Hope and Raquel Welch, USO Tour
Col. Bud Day POW CMH
Dean Etchenberg
Party Time
Party Time
F-100 "Burners Lit"
Robin Olds
JB Stone - Robin Olds
Robin and JB Stone
Strapping on the F-4 Robin Olds
Victory Toast - MIG Kill
Chappie James - Robin Olds - Vermont Garrison
8th TFW HQ MIG Kills Scoreboard
ADC Goose Bay Laborador
F-94 Starfire ADC
Scrappy Johnson, Jimmy Dolittle, Walt Erwin
World Record Setting F-104 Team HAFB
1958
Scrappy Johnson, Walt Erwin, and Jimmy Lowe (Jet ACE, Korea - 9 MIGs) in the Cockpit - World Record Setting F-104 Team HAFB
HAFB ADC Worldwide Rocket Shoot - Willy Air Force Base, 1954
Jackie Cochrane and Scrappy
Tony LeVier with Scrappy
Hamilton Field, 1958
"Earthquake" Titus Cmdr. 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Da Nang 1967
Steve Ritchie "Triple Nickel" - 555th TFS Udorn, Thailand - Ace
"Earthquake" Titus
Great Leader - Fighter Pilot - Test Pilot Extraordinaire!
A True Warrior
Wing Commander Earthquake Titus is Greeted by His Staff
Kadena AB, Okinawa
EQ Titus MIG Kill Celebration 366th TFW Da Nang
"The Gun Fighters"
The Triple Nickel
555th TFS - 8th TFW
The MIG Kills Celebration
The MIG Kills Celebration
The MIG Kills Celebration
The MIG Kills Celebration
The MIG Kills Celebration
The MIG Kills Celebration
The MIG Kills Celebration
The MIG Kills Celebration
Marty Cavato
Just in Time
Thirsty 105s
Ready to Rumble
MIG Killers
Steve Ritchie Painting a MIG Kill
Mig Killer: Chuck DeBellevue - 6 Victories
Air Warrior
"Buff" Comes Home - Utapao, Thailand
Into the Jaws of Steel
B-52s Going to Work
Heading "Up North"
FAC OV-10 "Bronco"