Military Biography of Paul Duplessis

PAUL E. DUPLESSIS, USAF, COL (ret), was born in Manchester, NH on April 7, 1933. Upon graduation from Manchester High School (West) in June 1952, he enlisted in the Air Force in anticipation of being selected in the draft and interupting his plans to become an Architect. He joined the Air Force immediately after visiting the US Army, Navy and Marine Corps recruiters and concluded that the Air force had more to offer him than the other three services.
In 1953, after completing basic training at Sampson AFB, NY and volunteered to attend the Airman's Radar Fundamentals Course at Keesler AFB, MS. While at Keesler AFB, he applied and was selected to attend the Air Force Aviation Cadet Training program. Immediately upon graduating from the Radar Fundamentals course, he entered Aviation Cadet Training and completed Primary Air Training at Harlingen AFB, TX. After graduating as Distinguished Gradutate of his class, he selected to attend the Airborne Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) Course at Keesler AFB as a distinguished graduate and received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant on 26 Jan 1954 with the aeronautical rating of Aircraft Observer (ECM).

6921st Radio Squadron (Mobile), Misawa AB, Japan

As the distinguished graduate of aviation cadet training in 1954 and receiving his 2nd Lieutenant Commission, he was given first choice of available assignments. The alternatives were an assignment to either the AF Strategic Air Command (SAC), Air Defense Command (ADC) or a "highly classified overseas assignment at an unknown location". He volunteered for the"highly classified overseas assignment." Two other graduating EWOs, Marc LaPointe and Al Thompson, received similar assignments. I later learned that Marc was sent to USAF Security Service (USAFSS) remote site on Hokkaido and Al was assigned to set up a remote site on the northwest coast of Honshu, Japan.

(Note: Apparently the AF selected these EWOs because the radar receivers used at these ground sites were identical to the airborne equipment that was in the RB-66C aircraft.)

2ndLt Duplessis' first assignment also was a non-flying tour with USAFSS at Misawa AB, Honshu, Japan. He served as Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) Officer for the 6921st Radio Squadron (Mobile) (later previously known as 1st RSM) and other duties as assigned were: classified- materials courier, remote-site pay officer and security- violations investigator in support of three USAFSS sites on Hokkaido Island. On Aug 1955, he was reassigned as Commander of a 15-man classified test team situated on a hill top at Henashi Saki on the northwest coast of Honshu.
Oct 1955, he was re-assigned remote-duty at USAF Wakkanai Air Station on the northern tip of Hokkaido Island, Japan - 26 miles from the USSR-occupied Sakhalin Island.

Classified Information Notice:
Information about USAFSS activities was cloaked in secrecy until September 1997, when the veil was lifted. Since then, several TV programs have told its story, along with a number of military magazines, websites and books. Equipment involved in the science of cryptology during this time period is on public display at the National Cryptologic Museum at Fort Meade, MD on the grounds of the National Security Agency (NSA).

Shaw AFB, SC Operations

In Nov 1956, he was assigned to Shaw AFB, SC, home of Tactical Air Command's TB-25J and RB-66C, electronic reconnaissance/countermeasures (ECM) aircraft. During his ten years at Shaw AFB, he had a number of jobs ranging from combat crew member, senior instructor in the 9th TRS, and Chief Stan/Eval EWO for the 363rd TRW.

Some of his more memorable EB-66 experiences and accomplishments at Shaw AFB include:
• Nov 1962: Completed 1000 hours in the RB-66 Destroyer
• 1957 to 1965: Trained and evaluated over 40 electronic warfare officers (EWO) who came to the 363rd TRW for assignments as RB-66C EWO crew members.
• 1958: Going TDY to Izmir, Turkey as the 363rd TRW Representative to participate in planning EW operations for TAC's Composite Air Strike Force in response to upheavals in Iraq and Lebanon.
• 1959: Participated in electronic warfare evaluation tests, known as WEXVAL, conducted by the Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA) to compete with SAC B-29s and RB-47s for scarce DoD EW funds.
• 1960: Participated in "Big Blast" missions to train Air Defense Command (ADC) students at Tyndall AFB, FL.
• Spring 1962: Was on one of initial two EB-66C crews sent on a 60-day TDY to RAF Chelveston, England to participate in "Swamp Fox" exercises flying electronic reconnaissance missions along the East German, Czechoslovakian and Polish borders.
• October 1962: Was on one of two combat crews that flew electronic reconnaissance missions completely around Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis to detect and report on Soviet radars in Cuba.
• November 1962: Was presented a plaque by Douglas Aircraft Corp, commemorating his completion of 1,000 hours in the RB/B-66.
• 1961- 1964: Was assigned the additional duty of setting up and operating the 363rd TRW EWO Standardization/Evaluation section as the senior flight examiner along with Arnold "Buck" Wade.
• June 1965: Graduated from the University of Omaha in Nebraska with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and returned to Shaw AFB.
Southeast Asia Operations (June 65 to March 66)

In June 1965, Major Duplessis departed Shaw AFB on a "90-day TDY" to Takhli Royal Thai AFB (RTAFB), Thailand as the 9th TRS Staff EWO, senior EWO instructor, and combat crew member. Lt Col Willard Mattson was Squadron Commander and Major Robert Long was the Operations Officer. The squadron's mission was to provide electronic warfare support for the fighter-bomber and reconnaissance missions flown against SAMs, MIGs and radar controlled antiaircraft guns flown over North Vietnam in support of Operation Rolling Thunder. Capt Duplessis flew his first mission over North Vietnam on 8 August 1965.

On 1 Oct 1965, the 9th TRS aircraft and crews at Takhli were reassigned to the 41st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (TEWS). Lt. Col Allen Webb was the Squadron Commander; Major Robert Long, Operations Officer; Major Jim Dawley, Staff EWO; and Col Edward Taylor, Commander of the 460th Tac Recon Wing, Takhli RTAFB, Thailand. In early 1996, Captain Duplessis voluntarily changed his assignment status from TDY to PCS.

In addition to his duties as 41st TEWS Special Assistant for EW Operations and senior EWO instructor for the squadron, Capt Duplessis:
• Was the chief EWO on his assigned EB-66C crew supervising three other EWOs flying into the most sophisticated defense system the United States has ever flown against.
• Served as the EW Representative on the 2nd Air Division (AD) Theater Indoctrination Team that briefed all newly deployed fighter squadrons in Thailand.
• Presented two papers during the 1966 PACOM Electronic Warfare /ELINT Conference held in Manila, PI.
• Was selected by the 2nd AD DCS/I to represent 2nd AD at the USAF ECM Consumables Conference at Warner Robins AFB, Georgia in 1966.

Between June 1965 and March 1966 (8 months), Captain Duplessis flew 100 combat missions over North Vietnam in support of Operation Rolling Thunder and was promoted to the rank of Major on 7 Dec 1965.

In September 1965 at Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, he completed 1,500 hours in various models of the E/R/W/B-66 Destroyer aircraft. On March 1, 1966, he flew his 100th combat mission over North Vietnam with a total of 1,763 hours in the E/R/W/B-66 aircraft.

Concurrent Reassignment To Europe

Upon completion of 100 combat missions over North Vietnam, Major Duplessis volunteered for reassignment to Hqtrs USAFE at Lindsey AS in Wiesbaden, Germany as Chief of the Electronic Reconnaisance Branch, DCS/Intelligence.

Click here for a more
comprehensive auto-biography
Chronology of AF Assignments... Click Here...

Awards and Decorations

> * Legion of Merit (Presented during my retirement
ceremony at DIA in Dec 1980)
> Meritorious Service Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters
> Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters
> Armed Forces Expeditionay Medal
> Armed Forces Reserve Medal
> ARMY Good Conduct Medal
> AF Longevity Medal with Six Oak Leaf Clusters
> National Defense Service Medal with One Bronze Star
> Vietnam Service Medal with Two Bronze Stars
> AF Oustanding Unit Award
> Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
> Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon

> Taiwan Veterans Badge of Honor '77
For services rendered during my tour as Deputy Chief, DoD Special Representative Office, Camp Zama, Japan (1974 to 1977)

* The Legion of Merit is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States for exceptionally outstanding conduct in the performance of meritorious service to the United States. The performance must merit recognition by individuals in a key position which was performed in a clearly exceptional manner. The performance of duties normal to the grade branch, specialty or assignment and experience of an individual is NOT an adequate basis for this award.

Col Duplessis' total military flying experience includes a total of 3,103.6 hours in 22 different types of aircraft:
• B-25, B-26, B-66, EB/RB-66C, WB-66
• Cargo/transport aircraft: C-45, C-46, C-47, C-54, C-97, XC-99*, C-118, C-119, C-123, C-130, C-131, C-135
• Training aircraft: T-29, T-33, T-39
• Utility aircraft: U-3 and U-6
• H-19 Helicopter

*XC-99 - The world's largest land-based aircraft, the six-engine cargo and troop transport was built by Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Corporation in 1947. During the period 1955, 2ndLt Duplessis flew 18.6 hours in the XC-99 as a navigator at Kelly AFB, TX, during his 2 months training at USAF Security Service in preparation for his assignment to Misawa AB, Japan.

Photos of the XC-99 from the Air and Space Museum Archives

Article about the XC-99 in Air Force Magazine, February 2004 issue

Current plans are for the Air Force Museum at WPAFB, OH to house the
XC-99 among other experimental aircraft in the museums's R&D hangar.
Paul Duplessis is a member of the B-66 Association, the Association of Old Crows and the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association. He is listed on page 85 in the 1989 edition of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association's "River Rats" book.