A-6 Intruder Pilot to Present on Combat Experiences at EAA Speaker Series | Aviation

By Sam Oleson.

Richard (Dick) Koehler, who flew the A-6 Intruder during the Vietnam War, will speak about his career and experiences in the cockpit on Thursday, October 10, at 7 p.m. as part of the EAA Aviation Museum Aviation Adventure Speaker Series.

Dick, EAA 161427, grew up with aviation being a part of everyday life, as his father flew PB4Y Privateers in the U.S. Navy during World War II and stayed involved in aviation for years afterward, later training Dick. After graduating from Purdue University with an aeronautical engineering degree while on a full Navy ROTC scholarship, Dick went on active duty with the Navy in 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War.

Following pilot training and jet carrier qualifying, Dick selected the Grumman A-6 Intruder as the aircraft he wanted to fly, having graduated at the top of his class and earning pick of the litter. Dick was deployed to Southeast Asia in 1971 aboard the USS Enterprise. During his time on the Enterprise, which lasted until 1973, Dick flew 147 combat missions in the A-6, flying the standard A-6A attack variant, suppression of enemy air defenses-focused A-6B, and the KA-6D tanker variant.

“The A-6 had beautiful handling qualities,” Dick said. “It was designed to be a very efficient subsonic… all-weather bomber. So there were two of us in the airplane, the pilot and the bombardier/navigator. We sat…