The SR-71 Blackbird
The SR-71, popularly called the “Blackbird,” was a sophisticated, long-range reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A models. Its maiden flight occurred on December 22, 1964. The first SR-71 to be put into service was delivered to the 4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (which later became the 9th SRW) at Beale Air Force Base, California, in January 1966.
Thanks to its astonishing speed, the SR-71 could collect intelligence in just seconds as it flew over hostile territory—an ability vividly demonstrated in this story from Richard “Butch” Sheffield, former Blackbird RSO unpublished memoir.
SR-71 Vs North Korea SA-2 SAMs
North Korea, Nov. 22, 1969, SR-71 number, 972
-First SR-71 to overfly North Korea and first to land in South Korea.
Several years later, General Minter recalled that the Commander in Chief Pacific (CINCPAC), Admiral McCain—the father of Arizona Senator John McCain—personally requested this mission. During a visit to Kadena, Admiral McCain was briefed on the SR-71 and the reconnaissance flights over North Vietnam. He confided to General Minter that North Korea concerned him more than Vietnam did.
General Minter had his staff draw up a mission to overfly every surface-to-air missile (SA-2) site in North Korea on one mission and submitted it to CINCPAC. It was approved, and we flew it. It was a perfect day for flying a reconnaissance mission, not a cloud in the sky. I believe that North Korea had about thirty SA-2 sites scattered all around the country. Several of the sites were along the China border, and we flew right over the sites. Because Korea is a narrow country with Japan on one side and China on the other, we had to make 180-degree turns over the water after each pass over Korea. It seemed like we were in a turn the whole mission. We flew over every missile site in North Korea.
F-4 with an engine out
On the last pass, we turned south to head back to Kadena when the generator fail light came on. I looked out the left window and could see Kunsan, South Korea, below us. We were flying at Mach 3+, and it would only take about forty-five minutes to be on the ground at Kadena, and after we debated for a few seconds to land or go on, we decided to shut the engine down and started our descent to Kunsan.
We called the tower at Kunsan and told them we were an F-4 with an engine out and needed to land right away. They cleared the traffic pattern for us, and when we came into view, someone said over UHF radio that they would get us some flying suits to wear. It was a flight surgeon who had been stationed at Beale, and he knew we were in full pressure suits and would need something to wear. He was in the ambulance on the flight line responding to our emergency.
No hangar big enough for the SR-71
Kunsan is located along the West Coast of Korea and fairly close to North Korea. From time to time, the North Koreans would come in boats and attack the base with weapons launched from the boats. Apparently, when we gave the call over HF to Kadena, we were going to land at Kunsan; they had called and told Kunsan to park us in a hangar and give us maximum security. They did not have a hangar that was big enough for us, and the only really secure area was the F-4 nuclear alerts area, where F-4s with nuclear weapons loaded stood on alert. This area was surrounded by large landfilled bunkers and high chain-link fences. They opened the gate, and we taxied right in. The F-4s could not get out, so we shut down the nuclear capability of Kunsan.
Hiding the SR-71 in South Korea
The idea was to hide us so no one would know an SR was in Korea. Parking the SR in this area, where no one could get in, would keep people and the press from knowing what had landed. The only problem was that you could see our rudders sticking up from behind the bunkers all over the place. In no time, the base people and the press knew the first SR to land in Korea had arrived.
After we deplaned, we got out of our pressure suits and into our nondescript, no-markings flying suits. Bob said we needed to go to the Base Exchange and get some “shiny stuff,” or brass items that the Koreans specialize in making. We got someone to take us to the exchange, and we walked in expecting no one to know who we were. All of a sudden, people were pointing at us and talking. They knew who we were because of the white boots we were wearing.
North Korea tracked the SR-71
Because of the threat to the SR and the intelligence we had on our sensors, getting us out of Korea quickly and safely became a high priority throughout PACAF. Soon, C-130s began to arrive with equipment, a new engine, and to pick up the sensors. A KC-135 arrived with JP-7 fuel for us. They put us up for the night in the VIP quarters, and even the Base Commander had dinner for us at the club. The next morning, the aircraft was ready to go, and we left. We took off to the north, went out a few miles, and came back over the base, lit the afterburners, and went straight up.
The North Koreans had tracked our aircraft throughout the flight. I knew because our defense systems had told me, yet the Government of North Korea did not object because they did not want their own people to know that we were spying on them, and they couldn’t do anything about it.
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Photo by Lockheed Martin, U.S. Air Force, and Linda Sheffield Miller
