The Thunderchief was rapidly withdrawn from USAF service after the end of the Vietnam War. Of the 833 F-105s built, a combined 395 F-105s were lost in Southeast Asia, including 334 (296 F-105Ds and 38 two-seaters) lost to enemy action and 61 lost in operational accidents.Hobson 2001, p. 269.Davies 2002, p. 149. Following the war the USAF began transferring the remaining aircraft to Air Force Reserve (AFRES) and Air National Guard (ANG) units. By the late 1970s, these aging Thunderchiefs were becoming difficult to maintain.Richardson 1992, pp. 44–45. The last F-105Gs with the 128th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the Georgia ANG were retired on 25 May 1983.Davis and Menard 1998, p. 63. The last flight of the F-105 Thunderchief was by the AFRES 466th Tactical Fighter Squadron with F-105Ds on 25 February 1984.Davis and Menard 1998, p. 99.
