A-6 Intruder

105214 USAF – U.S. Marine A-6 aircraft ready for takeoff at Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam.  8 Apr 1969. (Photo by Sgt William D. Callen, USAF)  U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO.

During the later part of my tour in 1967, I occasionally had an A-6 assigned for use over Steel Tiger.  The first time you get an A-6, you think you misunderstood the bomb load that the pilot announced that he’s carrying.  A-6s normally came to us with twenty-four 500-pound bombs. I don’t recall every having a USAF fighter-bomber with more than twelve.  The typical bomb load for an F-105 was six 750s.  So you liked directing an A-6 if you had a worthy target.

The A-6s seldom showed up in Steel Tiger because they were an all-weather attack aircraft that could penetrate North Vietnamese defenses at low level.  In most cases the A-6s could find more critical targets in Route Package 6 than in Steel Tiger.

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Here's how I discussed the Intruders in Crickets on a Steel Tiger.

An attempt to get A-6A Intruder sorties directed to the Steel Tiger provides a concrete example of the secondary status of the Laotian air war.  In April 1967, General Westmoreland requested that any available South Vietnamese-based A-6As not committed against North Vietnamese targets be sent against the night truck operations in Laos.  Admiral Sharp's response provided some insight into how well the United States was equipped to conduct high intensity, all-weather operations in 1967. 

       The limited availability of A-6 assets in South Vietnam would appear to dictate employment in their most effective role, .e., against the more lucrative targets in North Vietnam.  Employment in North Vietnam has not yet achieved the desired level of effort.  This commitment, coupled with that required in support of operations in One Corps, will utilize to best advantage the limited assets available.  In addition, there appears to be some question as to detection capability and accuracy of A-6 systems against the type of moving targets anticipated in Laos. ^[i]

       The Marine A-6As were jet aircraft that the Nails would have liked to see more of on day and night missions.  They were one of America's most advanced night, all-weather aircraft.  The Intruder also carried a bomb load that usually confused the uninitiated FAC.  While the biggest bomb load carried by most strike aircraft was six Mark 117s (750-pound bombs), the Intruder pilots would typically call in with 24 500-pound bombs.  It usually took an extra question or two from the FAC to confirm that the flight leader was reporting 24 bombs per airplane rather than the total for the entire flight. 

 

  
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