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Despite all the Pfantum "chest thumping" I've endured over the years, I have to admit that, coasting in to feet dry on a major ALPHA & seeing that section of "Spooks", loaded for MIGS (or FLAKSUP), cruising on both flanks like sheep dogs snapping at our heels ...ALWAYS gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling at crunch time!
BzB, Ol' Greybeard
It's just a mean-looking plane. I loved seeing those things take off and smoke up the sky when I got to fly out of a Greek airfield a couple years ago.
Despite all the Pfantum "chest thumping" I've endured over the years, I have to admit that, coasting in to feet dry on a major ALPHA & seeing that section of "Spooks", loaded for MIGS (or FLAKSUP), cruising on both flanks like sheep dogs snapping at our heels ...ALWAYS gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling at crunch time!
BzB, Ol' Greybeard
Sounds good to me, Hugh!! Intrepid's pilots in 1966 missed the pleasure of such support .
I must admit, tho, I once had the pleasure of watching an A3 tanker (from another CVA) top off our flight of ~20 bombers en route to Phu Ly...I, unfortunately, loaded up with pods of 2.75" FFAR's, as a FLACKSUP, was to be refueled on the way OUT. Hit my target after SAM avoidance manuvering...made feet wet, hollerin' for the tanker...was advised he went home!! Flew max range to the groove at home plate...called the ball with ~400# on the gauge. Paddles ordered me into the bolter/waveoff pattern...guy in front of me had less than 400#...FUN TIMES!!
Oh yeah, and BTW...thats the time I encountered (and immediately called out to the troops behind me) a damned barrage balloon field. At Phu Ly, 10/09/66, about 4000' AGL, at the nadir of a split "S", and as fast as my little feet would go!! Had NEVER been briefed on the existance of that particular defence...
Nor had I ever been briefed on the existence of barrage balloons up north. I faintly recall hearing a rumor about the existence of such a balloon defense in the vicinity of the main MIG base at Kep Ha (Hanoi). Kep was off limits during our times on Yankee Sta., so never got to go there. Did visit the bridge @ Phu Ly a couple of times tho'...not fun!
BzB
re: "Was Kep ever an approved target? "
see link
http://books.google.com/books?id=qh...CAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=kep vietnam war&f=false
see link
http://books.google.com/books?id=qh...CAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=kep vietnam war&f=false
Good question, and not answered for me in the link (although I am lazy and didn't read the whole thing). So you tell me.
I remember hitting a few NV airfields, but not all. And Kep was active until the end. I never knew why.
EDIT: Oops, meant Phuc Yen not Kep in above cite, Gomenasai!
Kep, an auxiliary MIG base in the "Dodge City" area, hit the approved list about Aug. '67. I visited Kep twice on major Aphas in Sep. & Oct. Their MIGs had been evac'd (sec. leaks?), so our MK-84s (2,000ers) were used on runways/ramps/hangars. w/ only mild AAA/SAM opposition, ho hum.. NBD.
Phuc Yen was grudgingly USN approved in mid-Sept. Our A/W (CVW-14) was sked for a major Alpha on "PY" just prior to leaving the line for R & R, but was cx wx, then initially struck by another CVW after we left. Upon our return to YS 10 days later (after total devastation of Cubi O-Club, which was tolerated in pre-PC days), PY was back to off-limits thru our combat tour end on 11/11/67 (aptly "Veteran's Day")!
I am hoping these bits & pieces of the NVN air war are not too boring to the majority of AW members. They are just eye witness observations of NA history from guyz like Catmando, RonDeb, A4s (where U B?), Black Pony & Bart, Ol' BzB & others who were there...that occurred soooo long ago! I know that I always loved hearing real eye witness stories of WWII & Korea (& Mid-east). Much more valid than those of "war historians" who were nowhere in the area or sometimes weren't even born when the events occurred.
BzB
They were bombing Phuc Yen finally in the end:
Phuc Yen MIG Base
B-52 target (night), 6 sorties (2 cells), 336 bombs dropped. F-111 target (night), 10 sorties, 120 bombs dropped. Runways cratered, revetments destroyed, POL tanks destroyed.
Phuc Yen MIG airfield is now (2007) Noi Bai International Airport.
Phuc Yen MIG Base
B-52 target (night), 6 sorties (2 cells), 336 bombs dropped. F-111 target (night), 10 sorties, 120 bombs dropped. Runways cratered, revetments destroyed, POL tanks destroyed.
Phuc Yen MIG airfield is now (2007) Noi Bai International Airport.
I'm always amazed at what you guys remember about those days! Keep the stories coming. They are a part of history that will be forgotten if not retold. And they are much more interesting to me than reading about whether guys (and gals) can read weather briefs from their iPads.