The Vietnam War consumed F-105 pilots very quickly, and he was needed to train replacements. News coverage of the incident was mostly unflattering to the Academy and the service. Fair enough.

When the Republic F-105 Thunderchief first debuted in 1955, the new supersonic fighter did not impress its pilots. The Air Force community proceeded to assign a slew of derogatory nicknames ...

The F-105 was made in several variants ... The armament was certainly deadly in the right context, but the MiG pilots were hopelessly outgunned (or out-missile'd) when going up against anything ...