The United States Air Force (USAF) deployed combat aircraft to Thailand from 1960 to 1975 during the Vietnam War.

Royal Thai Air Force Bases are an important element in the Pentagon's "forward positioning" strategy.

At Udorn, just from Hanoi supersonic, unarmed RF-101 and RF-4C photo-reconnaissance jets launched and flew missions over target areas immediately before and after a raid to photograph the damage so assessments of attacks could be made.

Udorn also hosted three squadrons of F-4C/D & E Phantoms which flew escort, sweep, and Air Combat Patrol missions to protect other U.S. strike aircraft.

From Takhli flew EB-66 electronic-warfare jets with special equipment that can detect the "fingerprints" of enemy radar in the sky and then send out a signal that fouls up the screen below.

Western governments recognized different leaders, with military aid being provided to the communist Pathet Lao forces by the Soviet Union.

In December, the U.S. air attaché photographed a Soviet Il-14 cargo plane transporting supplies to communist forces near Van Vieng.

The government feared that should Laos fall to the communists, the "Domino Theory" would place the entire region, including Thailand, in jeopardy.

United States Pacific Command (CINCPAC) ordered American technicians to assist the Royal Thai Air Force in processing and analyzing the film.

On 23 March 1961 Pathet Lao anti-aircraft artillery opened fire on an American C-47 as it flew over the eastern portion of the Plaines des Jarres, shooting the plane down.

The official American military presence in Thailand started in April 1961 when an advance party of the USAF 6010th Tactical (TAC) Group arrived at Don Muang at the request of the Royal Thai government to establish an aircraft warning system.

On April 20, 1961 a detachment of six F100 Super Sabres from the 510TFS/405TFW based at Clark AB, Philippines deployed to Don Muang Airport as part of Operation Bell Tone.

Also in March 1962, a small detachment of F-102 "Delta Daggers" from the 509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, based at Clark AB, Philippines were sent to Don Muang under "Operation Bell Tone".

In spite of the agreement, fighting continued in Laos, with North Vietnamese troops hidden in Pathet Lao-held areas.

Near the end of August a USAF RF-101 reconnaissance aircraft was fired on by radar-guided Anti-aircraft warfare (AAA) batteries while flying above the cloud cover.

President Johnson used the flawed information about the incident to order additional forces to the area to support the government of South Vietnam.

Over the centuries, Thai governments had managed to avoid foreign domination with a policy of accommodation with the predominant power in Asia at the time.

The report "Snakes in the Eagles Nest" gives a partial account of combat operations in Thailand during the Vietnam War.

In May 1975, the Royal Thai Government asked the United States to remove all of its combat forces (27,000 troops, 300 aircraft) by 1976.

The removal of U.S. military forces was accomplished by United States Marine Detachment BLT 1/9 out of Okinawa, Japan.

Starting in 1994, the USAF returned to Korat RTAFB for "Cope Tiger", an annual, multinational exercise conducted in two phases in the Asia-pacific region.

Cope Tiger involves air forces from the United States, Thailand, and Singapore, as well as U.S. Marines deployed from Japan.