--- title: "This Air Force pilot took on an entire anti-aircraft complex – and won" description: "In March 1967, U.S. Air Force Capt. Merlyn Dethlefsen was given a virtually impossible task. Somehow, he succeeded. Read more on WATM." date: "2022-09-25" modified: "2023-09-25" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/merlyn-dethlefsen-pilot/" categories: - "Air Force" - "Heroes" - "History" - "War History" --- # This Air Force pilot took on an entire anti-aircraft complex – and won ![A close-up side view of a military jet aircraft in flight, showing the cockpit and nose section. The aircraft has a dark camouflage paint scheme with visible markings and two pilots seated in tandem under a clear canopy. The background shows a hazy sky and a faint landscape below.]() *Lt. Col. Merlyn Dethlefsen flying the Republic F-105F. (U.S. Air Force photo)* In March 1967, U.S. Air Force Capt. Merlyn Dethlefsen and three other F-105 Thunderchief pilots were tasked to fly 50 miles north of Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam. Once there, they were to destroy the Thai Nguyen Steel Works. The works were protected by a ring of 85mm anti-aircraft guns, surface-to-air missile batteries, and squadrons of MiG-21 fighters on patrol. Needless to say, the airmen were outgunned. They went anyway. "Thuds," as F-105s were affectionately known, would go in ahead of fighter-bomber strike forces [to strike SAM sites]() directly. They would purposely allow themselves to be targeted by the SAM batteries' radar in order to track the source. Then they would make their own strike runs at the SAM sites — a tactic known as the "[Wild Weasel]()." What makes this mission particularly dangerous is not just that the Wild Weasel allowed himself to be tracked by SA-2 SAM batteries; the danger was also present for the Thuds who flew in behind him, who remained low enough to evade being tracked by the SAM radar and therefore became vulnerable to ground-based anti-aircraft fire. During this mission, the batteries at Thai Nguyen were much more powerful than expected and took down two of the four Thuds immediately. ![wild weasel logo]() This was not the first rodeo for the remaining pilots. This was not their last rodeo either — eventually, Dethlefsen and his Electronic Warfare Officer, Capt. Kevin "Mike" Gilroy, would fly 100 missions over North Vietnam. After their two wingmen were shot down, Dethlefsen and Gilroy evaded the MiG interceptors by flying deeper into the anti-aircraft umbrella. Wild Weasels' orders usually called for [only one attack pass]() at enemy defenses, but some missions required two. Merlyn Dethlefsen, Gilroy, and their heavily-damaged wingman did far more than the two required passes. With enemy MiGs chasing them down — and heavily damaged by anti-aircraft guns — they destroyed one SAM site with Shrike missiles and another with a strafing run of 20mm rounds and the Thud's 750-pound bombs. ![Merlyn Dethlefsen]() *And then they had a Coke on the flightline. (Wikimedia Commons)* A follow-on strike by 72 fighter-bombers would finish the steel works off. Both of the remaining aircraft made it back to base full of holes from MiGs and 85mm guns. Captain Dethlefsen was awarded the Medal of Honor the very next year while Gilroy received the Air Force Cross. ![Capt. Merlyn Dethlefsen medal of honor]() *Dethlefsen receives the Medal of Honor from President Johnson. (Wikimedia Commons)* ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()