Transferred from the US Navy and modified to fulfil a counterinsurgency role, the first USAF Skyraiders were two-seat A-1Es which arrived with the 1st Air Commando Squadron at Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, in May 1964. In March 1965 this one, ex BuNo 132649, crashed during an interdiction mission near Can Tho, but was recovered by a CH-54 Skycrane. Repaired at Tan Son Nhut and transferred to Pleiku AB, in March 1966 it flew a Medal of Honour-winning mission to rescue a downed airman. In September 1967 it was repatriated to Hurlburt Field, FL and ferried to the USAFM

Ca.1953: TOS USN as AD-5. Ca.1960: Stored Litchfield Park, AZ. 1962: Redesignated A-1E. 6/63: TOS USAF as 52-132649 and assigned to 1st Air Commando Sqdn, Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam. 21 Mar '65: Hit by ground fire and crashed; it caught fire and both crew killed. Retrieved by CH-54 and taken to Tan Son Nhut AFB for repair. 10 Mar '66: Maj. Bernard Fisher rescued a downed airman, for which he received the Medal of Honor. 4/66: 14th Air Commando Wing, Nha Trang. 3/67: 14th ACW returned to Pleiku. 4/67: 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing, Pleiku. 9/67: Hurlburt Field, FL; flown to NMUSAF.