Wolf Pack Warrior Mourned

  • Published
  • By Capt. Tiffany Payette
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
The Wolf Pack mourns its first Wolf, Brig. Gen. Robin "Wolf" Olds who passed June 14 from congested heart failure. This triple ace fighter pilot who shot down 16 enemy aircraft during World War II and Vietnam will be remembered for a variety of heroic acts, his true leadership and being the founder of the Wolf Pack.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to Brig. Gen. Old's family during this time of mourning. The Air Force and the Wolf Pack will never forget this true American hero", said Col. CQ Brown, commander, 8th Fighter Wing.

One of the Wolf Pack's most memorable events of Brig. Gen. Olds was during Operation Bolo in Southeast Asia in the late 1960s, while he was a colonel and the commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing.

U.S. planners wanted to trick the North Vietnamese into committing their MiG-21s against American forces on equal ground. In concert with Seventh Air Force planners, Colonel Olds, commander, 8th TFW, devised a plan to draw the MiGs into a fight against F-4Cs armed for air-to-air combat--wolves in sheep's clothing so to speak. The Phantoms would simulate F-105s by flying at the same altitude, speed, and route. The fighters would also use F-105 call signs, tanker rendezvous points, and would even make false radio calls to trick communist ground controllers.

The wing brought a lot of experience to the fight. Then Colonel Olds alone carried 12 enemy kills from World War II under his belt

In the final pre-flight brief on New Year's Day 1967, Colonel Olds told his pilots, "All right you wolf pack, let's go get them." On Jan. 2, 1967, 11 four-ship flights from the 8th began converging on the North Vietnamese airfield of Phuc Yen. The wing's flights were stretched in a long line with five minutes separating each flight. The spacing allowed sustained coverage of the enemy airfield for 55 minutes--the fuel endurance of the MiG-21.

The 8th flew into the Hanoi area from Ubon, Thailand, with a heavy cloud deck obscuring the ground, the first four-ship flight, Olds Flight, arrived over Phuc Yen Airfield at 3 p.m.

According to plan, the MiGs took the bait. Colonel Olds' flight scored three kills.

In 12 minutes, the 8th recorded seven confirmed and two possible kills without a single loss. Operation BOLO established US air superiority over the North. The 8th TFW had destroyed nearly half of North Vietnam's most advanced fighters in only five days.

Following Operation BOLO, the 8th began referring to itself as the Wolf Pack, with Colonel Olds being the 8th TFW commander he became the first Wolf in 1967. The Wolf Pack's reputation soon grew as their continued success in air-to-air missions prompted units throughout the Air Force to also refer to the 8th as the Wolf Pack. The 8th finished the war as the leading MiG-killer, logging 38.5 confirmed MiG kills. In fact, Bob Hope once referred to the 8th as the "world's largest distributor of MiG parts."

General Olds' military decorations include the Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with three oak leaf clusters, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with five oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 39 oak leaf clusters, British Distinguished Flying Cross, French Croix de Guerre, Vietnam Air Force Distinguished Service Order, Vietnam Air Gallantry Medal with gold wings, and Vietnam Air Service Medal.

"The Wolf Pack will say goodbye to a true American hero, legend and friend during a commemoration ceremony Tuesday. We will provide full honors to this Airman who selflessly gave everything for his country. It is a true honor to follow in his footsteps as Wolf 46. He will be greatly missed by all Wolf Pack warriors," said Col. Brown.

The Wolf Pack will hold a commemoration event June 19 here. There will be a wing retreat and a missing man formation flown by the 8th FW in his memory.

For a complete biography on General Olds go to: http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6651