Ellsworth Air Force Base in Pennington County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
A-7D Corsair II
Big Little Bomb Carrier
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 20, 2026
1. A-7D Corsair II Marker
It's small compared to the B-1 bomber in front of the museum, but the Corsair II had a lot in common with that big machine. The A-7D stayed up a long time without refueling, carried a lot of bombs, dropped them with great accuracy, and usually got its pilot home safely. In 12,928 combat missions in Vietnam, only four A-7Ds were lost. That's especially impressive considering they flew close to enemy guns while supporting ground troops.
"[He] and his buddies were badly pinned down and in danger of being overrun somewhere in the jungles of South Vietnam. A couple of Navy A-7s showed up and saved their day. He vowed that he would shake the hand of the first A-7 pilot that he met. I was that lucky man."
-Roger Thompson, Contrails The Memoirs of a Pilot, 2004.
COL GROVE RATHBUN
Born and raised in western South Dakota, Rathbun began flying in high school and continued for 65 years. He spent 27 years in the Air National Guard in Minnesota and Pennsylvania, flying F-102s and A-7s—including this very plane. Rathbun had a lasting impact on South Dakota aviation.
Rathbun's service to aviation included a term
this page online
Each A-7D could carry the same bomb load as three World War II B-17s.
Originally a Navy plane, A-7Ds had folding wings, to save space on aircraft carriers.
DATA CARD
Top Speed mph · 690
Crew · 1
Range · Continental
Payload · One 20mm cannon plus 15,000 lbs. of mixed ordnance
Erected by South Dakota Air and Space Museum.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, Cold • War, Vietnam. In addition, it is included in the South Dakota Air and Space Museum series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1967.
Location. 44° 7.972′ N, 103° 4.314′ W. Marker is in Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, in Pennington County. Marker and aircraft are on static display at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2890 Davis Drive, Ellsworth AFB SD 57706, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in West River, in the Badlands, and in Greater Rapid City. It is also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor, on the prairies,
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 20, 2026
2. A-7D Corsair II and Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: YT-38 Talon (a few steps from this marker); FB-111A Aardvark (within shouting distance of this marker); HGM-25A Titan I (within shouting distance of this marker); U-3A Blue Canoe and U-8D Seminole (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named HGM-25A Titan I (within shouting distance of this marker); F-102A Delta Dagger (within shouting distance of this marker); F-84F Thunderstreak (within shouting distance of this marker); F-105B Thunderchief (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ellsworth Air Force Base.
Regarding A-7D Corsair II. Although an official field museum of the US Air Force Heritage Program and is adjacent to Ellsworth AFB main gate, the museum does not require access onto the base.
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 20, 2026
3. A-7D Corsair II
Credits. This page was last revised on October 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 7, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 7, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
