The Air War in the Skies Over Hanoi, North Vietnam

1. The Air War in the Skies Over Hanoi, North Vietnam Taking the Fight to the Enemy

2. Overview • This is not a discussion about war stories, although it will include war stories. • It is about Integrity, Fear, Courage, Discipline, Patriotism, Leadership and Teamwork in a very unpopular war. • The American people did not support the Vietnam War and blamed the American military. Returning veterans were not treated very well like we are today. • It is how we prepared ourselves for combat over Hanoi, North Vietnam. • Who is on your team? How does you and your team effect the mission?

3. Rolling Thunder Strikes into North Vietnam from 1965 and 1968 Over half of the 850 F-105s built were lost over North Vietnam Took 100 combat missions into Route Package 6 to complete a tour President Johnson put a bombing halt on strikes into North Vietnam from 1968 to 1972 Supply shipments had protection from attack until they crossed into Laos on the Ho Chi Minh Trail History

4. History • Linebacker I begin April 16, 1972 • Tactical fighters attack key targets in North Vietnam in an attempt to stop the flow of supplies into South Vietnam • Extensive use of procession munitions, Laser and TV guided bombs, to hit high value and strategic targets • Linebacker II begin in December, 1972 • Strategic bombers used to force the North Vietnamese to the peace table

5. USAF F-4D

6. North Vietnamese MiG-21J

7. Map of Southeast Asia Udorn RTAFB Da Nang NKP Takhli Korat Ben Hoa U Tapao Tan Son Nhut Ubon

8. Map of North Vietnam Thai Nguyen Yen Bai Hanoi Phuc Yen Hour Glass ThanhHoa Fishes Mouth Vinh

9. Initial Checkout Arrived in Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base on 30 November 1971 about 1330 Assigned to the 555 Tactical Fighter Squadron (Triple Nickel) Part of the 432 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Arrived too late to get on the flying schedule Started checkout the next morning

10. 555 Tactical Fighter Squadron

11. Blood Chit

12. Linebacker I 16 April 1972: First mission to Hanoi Coordinated strikes into the heartland of the enemy Thanh Hoa Bridge finally destroyed Other targets included the Paul Doomer Bridge in Hanoi, the Hanoi Rail Yards and the Thai Nuen Steel Mills Dams, dikes and MiG bases were off limits?

13. Training “If you don’t train the way you are going to fight, you will fight the way you trained!” Combat is a very expensive way to train We were well trained, but not for the war we were fighting Had received good air-to-ground training but had no dissimilar air-to-air training until we started flying into North Vietnam during Linebacker

14. 10 May 1972 • USAF and Navy extremely successful. • USAF F-4s (Oyster Flight) destroys 3 x MiG-21s using AIM-7 Sparrows. • Navy F-4s destroys 1 x MiG-21 and 7 x MiG-17s using AIM-9 Sidewinders. Navy A-7 fires 20mm gun at MiG-17 and probably damages it. • USAF loses 2 x F-4s. Navy A-7 fired on by Navy F-4 but AIM-7 missed. • Total of 11 North Vietnamese MiGs shot down.

15. Oyster Flight MiG-21s & 19s • LocherPickup Thai Nguyen Hanoi Oyster Flight ThanhHoa

16. Engagement Areas July 1972 Thud Ridge Phuc Yen 8 July

17. First Things First

18. Buick Flight 28 August 1972 Happy Face

19. After the Rescue 9 Sep 1972

20. Results Triple Nickel’s score for 1972: 20 MiG kills F-4D 67-0463s score: 6 MiG kills Three AF Aces Chuck DeBellevue: 6 kills (4 MiG-21s w/Ritchie; 2 MiG-19s w/Madden Steve Ritchie: 5 kills (4 MiG-21s w/DeBellevue; 1 MiG-21 w/Pettit) Jeff Feinstein: 5 kills (flew with variety of pilots in 13 TFS) Two Navy Aces Randy Cunningham and Willie Driscoll: 5 kills

21. The Crew That Made It Happen Sgt Reggie Taylor, Dedicated Crew Chief

22. Key Team Members SSgt Reggie Taylor, Crew Chief F-4D 67-0463

23. Key Team Members Weapons Load Crew TSgt Dan Ames, SSgt Tom Penton A1C Doug Freeman, A1C Joe Mozzy

25. Party Anyone?

26. F4D 67-0463 at the AF Academy

27. Questions?

28. Laredo Highway Patrol