Veteran of the Day
July 21, 2026
Major Rainford Tiffin
United States Air Force
34th Tactical Fighter Squadron
March 4, 1938 – July 21, 1966
“He Flew Into the Storm… And Never Came Home.”
A Dream That Took Flight
Some men dream of flying.
Rainford “Ray” Tiffin made that dream his life’s purpose.
Born on March 4, 1938, in San Francisco, California, Ray grew up in nearby Santa Cruz, where friends remembered him as hardworking, dependable, and determined. After graduating from Santa Cruz High School and attending Monterey Peninsula College, he entered the United States Air Force Aviation Cadet Program in 1961.
At Webb Air Force Base, Texas, he earned the silver wings of an Air Force pilot and began what promised to be an exceptional career. (history.santacruzpl.org)
Guardian of the Sky
Following advanced fighter training, Captain Tiffin served in Japan, ferrying high-performance jet aircraft throughout the Pacific.
He married Judith Woodley, and together they welcomed two sons while stationed overseas.
When America expanded its commitment in Southeast Asia, Ray accepted another assignment, this time to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, where he flew the powerful Republic F-105 Thunderchief, one of the most demanding combat aircraft of the Vietnam War. (history.santacruzpl.org)
Into Harm’s Way
Assigned to the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Captain Tiffin flew repeated strike missions against heavily defended targets in North Vietnam.
On July 21, 1966, flying F-105D Thunderchief, tail number 62-4227, call sign “Portland 04,” he joined three other aircraft attacking a petroleum storage facility near Yên Bái Province.
As the flight exited the target area, intense anti-aircraft fire filled the sky.
When the formation regrouped…
Portland 04 was gone.
No parachute.
No radio call.
No emergency beacon.
Only silence. (dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil)
The Search
His fellow pilots immediately searched the area.
Rescue aircraft followed.
Electronic searches were conducted.
Nothing was found.
Captain Rainford Tiffin simply disappeared into the mountains of North Vietnam.
He was first listed as Missing in Action, later promoted to Major while still missing, and eventually declared dead after years without evidence of survival.
His remains have never been recovered, and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency now classifies his case as non-recoverable. (dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil)
A Family’s Loss
Back home in California, Judith faced the unimaginable task of raising their two young sons without their father.
The uncertainty lasted for years.
Like thousands of military families during the Vietnam War, they lived with hope, heartbreak, and unanswered questions.
For them, the war never truly ended.
Never Forgotten
Today, Major Rainford Tiffin is honored on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
His name is also engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Panel 9E, Line 54, ensuring that generations to come will know that an American airman gave everything in service to his country. (dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil)
Reflection
“Some heroes return with stories.
Some return wrapped in the flag.
Some never return at all…
Yet every one of them continues to fly in the memory of a grateful nation.”
Legacy
Major Rainford Tiffin accepted the dangers of combat because freedom demanded courage.
His final mission became one of the many sacrifices that defined the Air Force’s role during the Vietnam War.
Though his aircraft vanished beyond the horizon…
His service never will.
The Micky Spano Radio Show proudly honors Major Rainford Tiffin, United States Air Force, 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, as Veteran of the Day for July 21, 2026.