Leonard “Lucky” Eckman wanted to serve our nation but the Dean at his military school discouraged him from applying to Air Force Academy because “It will take 50 years before that place amounts to anything.” Lucky graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1963 and in 2021 was named an AF Academy Distinguished Graduate.
Bob Lodge and Roger Locher in their F4 Phantom
He was Top Gun in his F-105 class at Nellis Air Force Base and was soon assigned to the 562nd Tactical Fighter Squadron flying in Vietnam. Lucky describes what it was like flying the “Thud”, which carried a payload greater than a World War II B-17.
Lucky flew 350 combat missions, 287 over North Vietnam. He was shot down and rescued on his 131st mission. During his third tour, Lucky flew “Wild Weasel” missions which basically consisted of going out as “bait” daring enemy surface to air missiles to shoot at him.
In the 1970’s, the US developed an airborne radar modification that allowed US pilots to “eavesdrop” on the North Vietnamese networks used to control their MIG fighters. This highly classified program was code named “Combat Tree”. Using Combat Tree, US fighters could identify and engage the enemy planes beyond visual range.
Major Robert Lodge knew more about Combat Tree than any other pilot in the theatre and was the unofficial expert in the field. He shared with fellow pilots that he would rather die than risk being captured and divulging the secrets that could put more pilots at risk.
On May 10, 1972 Lodge and his Weapons Systems Officer Capt. Roger Locher were part of one of the greatest air to air combat actions of the war. Their Phantom was hit by cannon fire and the cockpit soon filled with smoke. After telling Locher to eject, Lodge rode his plane into the ground, taking his secrets with him to the grave.
Eckman is now part of an initiative to have Lodge’s Silver Star upgraded to a Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism.