▁of ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁T act ical ▁F ighter ▁Wing ▁at ▁U bon ▁Royal ▁Th ai ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Th ailand , ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁The ▁following ▁month ▁Col . ▁Robin ▁Old s ▁was ▁made ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁T F W ▁to ▁inv ig or ate ▁its ▁combat ▁spirit , ▁and ▁together ▁with ▁deput y ▁commander ▁of ▁operations ▁Col . ▁Daniel ▁" Ch app ie " ▁James ▁and ▁G arrison , ▁provided ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁strong est ▁and ▁most ▁experienced ▁command ▁tri um vir ates ▁in ▁S out heast ▁Asia . ▁G arrison ▁fle w ▁the ▁F - 4 C ▁Ph antom ▁II ▁on ▁ 9 7 ▁miss ions ▁over ▁North ▁Vietnam ▁and ▁La os , ▁although ▁Old s ▁noted ▁that ▁G arrison ▁never ▁formally ▁" checked ▁out " ▁( qual ified ) ▁in ▁the ▁type , ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁always ▁fle w ▁with ▁an ▁instruct or ▁pilot ▁in ▁the ▁rear ▁seat . ▁In ▁describing ▁G arrison ' s ▁combat ▁experience , ▁Old s ▁observed ▁that ▁G arrison ▁fle w ▁his ▁" 5 2 nd ▁combat ▁mission ▁on ▁his ▁ 5 2 nd ▁birth day " ▁while ▁at ▁U bon . ▁Old s ▁also ▁noted ▁that ▁by ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁G arrison ▁was : ▁... so ▁ne ars ight ed ▁he ▁carried ▁about ▁four ▁different ▁pairs ▁of ▁glass es ▁with ▁him ... but ▁by ▁God , ▁if ▁you ▁wanted ▁a ▁target ▁bom bed , ▁he ▁would ▁hit ▁it