Bombs Away
KE 22155 – An Air Force
B-52 Stratofortress drops its string of bombs over a suspected VC stronghold
in South Vietnam. 20 Aug. 1966
U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO
One of my unfulfilled
desires as a FAC was to know when a B-52 strike was inbound, then go mark the
target seconds before the bombs came raining down.
I had to give that pleasure to J.D. in A Certain Brotherhood.
In the early years most of
the B-52 strikes were against targets in South Vietnam with the Buffs coming
up only occasionally into Steel Tiger to hit Mu Gia Pass or the Ban Laboy
Ford. Later pictures of FOXTROT
show the telltale patterns of B-52 strikes.
My research up through 1968 showed the increasing use of B-52s in Steel
Tiger and in the southern part of the panhandle of North Vietnam.
My comments in Crickets on a Steel Tiger included:
The most effective use of
the B-52s during Operation Cricket would come during the Summer Interdiction
Campaign of 1968 and during Operation Turnpike. B-52 strikes would produce impressive results against Igloo
White-generated truck parks and the Ban Laboy Ford.
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Yes Sir,....a belly full of 750's and 5'ers on
the wing pylons. Sure do love those "tall-tails". I've got a buddy
that flew around backwards (Tail Gunner) until a SAM took out his BUFF and
made him a guest at the HH.
Buzz Sliker, U-Tapao
