as POW, 192–193
Meyerholt, William H., 31
MiG-15 (North Vietnam), 17, 18
MiG-17 (North Vietnam), 17–18, 19, 32
Crusaders (US) and, 73
information to strikers on, 161
Soviets providing/design, 17–18
US bombing restricted areas and, 109
MiG fights (April 1965), 36–37
MiG fights (May 1972), 233–238
Military Exploit Order, 48
Miller, Carl, 222, 223
bridge attacks, 229
Dragon’s Jaw attack (April 1972), 228
Dragon’s Jaw attack (May 13, 1972), 238, 252
Miller, Jay, 176, 177
mining harbors/Operation Pocket Money (May 1972), 230–231
mirror landing systems innovation, 69–71
Mitchell, Billy, 244
Monger, Jack, 154
Moore, Bob, 99
Moore, Joseph H., 135
bomb shortage and, 124
Carolina Moon and, 135
Westmoreland and, 124
Morgan, Hershel S., 32
Morse, Wayne, 12
Mugg, Rick, 223
Mulligan, James, 194
Munich Agreement (1938), 259
Murray, J. V., 114
Nation of Islam, 173
National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 132
Navy
aircraft experience (before 1964), 68
Alpha strike/Alpha strike mix, 82–85
antisubmarine warfare (ASW), 72
“cats and dogs,” 78–79
dividing missions, 72
early missions against Dragon’s Jaw, 86
Iron Hands, 54, 55, 56–57, 82, 91, 112, 151, 262
planes (overview), 72–81
renewal of air attacks (North Vietnam/1972), 221–222
rescue squadron description, 249–250
“sortie war” (with Air Force), 174–175
statistics on sorties, 123
transition to jets and, 68
See also Air Force-Navy joint Dragon’s Jaw attack; aircraft carriers; Task Force 77 (Navy)
Navy Crosses, 104, 118, 237
Navy doctrine, 115, 116
Navy Dragon’s Jaw attack (August 1965), 98–100
as first Navy aircraft loss, 98
SAM/crew ejection and capture, 99–100
Navy Dragon’s Jaw attack (June 1965), 81, 86–91
aerial warfare/air-to-air missiles, 90
CAP station, 88
MiGs and, 89–90, 91
ROE and, 89
Nguyen Can Coi, 21
Nguyen Dang Tang, 21
Nguyen-Hue Operation. See Easter Offensive/Operation Nguyen-Hue
Nguyen Nhat Chieu, 89
Nguyen Quoc Duyet, 142
“Nguyen Toon” (“Colonel Tomb”), 237
Nguyen Van Bay, 17, 163
Nguyen Van Khuy, 139
Nguyen Van Thieu (President Thieu), 201, 258–259, 260, 264, 265
Nguyen Van Tien, 38
Nguyen Xuan Dai, 129
Nichols, John, 56
Nickerson, William B., 117
“Nixinger,” 199–200
Nixon, Richard
American foreign policy control and, 199–200
“armed withdrawal” (Vietnam), 199, 202
attacks on (1972), 260
bombing North Vietnam (1972 to 1973), 260–264
China relations and, 199, 202–203, 205, 206, 229, 230, 257
China visit, 202–203, 205, 229, 257
Fonda and, 191
“law and order” movement and, 172
mining harbors and, 230, 231
North Vietnam airfields/MiGs and, 233n
political background, 172, 199
presidential election (1968), 185, 186
promises to South Vietnam/end of war, 264
reelection, 260
Soviet relations and, 199, 206, 207
Vietnam “negotiations” and, 201, 206
Vietnam War and, 186, 199, 206–207, 218, 219, 230, 231, 233n, 258, 260–261, 264
“Vietnamization” plan, 186, 218
Watergate scandal/resignation, 264
North Vietnam
AAA defenses and, 106–107, 173–174
areas off-limits to US airpower (Nixon) and, 203–204
coastal plain description, 119
cornering Nixon and, 260
government/dictatorship, 24, 59–60, 188
not counting deaths in, 169
order on fighters/“Yankee air pirates” (May 1972), 233
propaganda use, 4, 47–48, 50, 63, 91, 106–107, 111–112, 168, 190, 193, 262, 263
reunification goal and, 2, 12–13
route for China/Soviet Union military equipment, 173
situation after Dragon’s Jaw destruction, 257
South Vietnam attacks (1969), 202
South Vietnam attacks/Easter Offensive (1972), 205–206
tracers use/description, 119
US relations with China/Soviet Union concerns and, 205
Air Force focus and, 36
Cuban Missile Crisis, 5
Eisenhower administration and, 5
fears of Kennedy/Johnson administrations and, 6–7, 257, 265
SALT I treaty and, 257
situation in 1972 and, 257
USS Enterprise and, 92–93, 107
USS Long Beach and, 249–250
World War II and, 267
Obama, Barack, 190
Ogle, Russ, 244–245
Old North Bridge, Concord, 1
Operation Desert Storm, 267
Operation Freedom Train, 218
Operation Nguyen-Hue. See Easter Offensive/Operation Nguyen-Hue
Operation Pocket Money/mining harbors (May 1972), 230–231
Operation Proud Deep Alpha, 204
Oste, Sven, 166–167
Page, Lou
Dragon’s Jaw attack, 86, 88, 89, 90
Phantom capabilities and, 88
Pathet Lao, 4, 66
Pave Knife, 211, 213–214, 215, 223, 238
Pave Light (Zot), 213, 220, 223
Paveway system, 211–216, 219–221
Pearson, Richard D.
Dragon’s Jaw attacks and, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42
gunnery training, 36
Peel, Robert
Dragon’s Jaw attack, 61–62
Fred/Dudley (brothers), 61
as POW, 50, 62, 192
tap code, 50
Pensacola News Journal, 198
Perotti, Reno, 211
Peters, Colonel, 62
Peters, Larry
Dragon’s Jaw mission (April 21, 1972), 225, 226, 227
Dragon’s Jaw mission (April 27, 1972), 229
search-and-rescue/celebration, 227, 228
Peters, Ralph, 267
Pham Giay, 38, 46
Pham Van Dong, 4
Phantom F-4, description/capabilities, 14–15, 19, 72, 77–78, 82, 88
Pinegar, Franklin, 227
power plant/near Dragon’s Jaw attack, 150–153
POWs (Americans), 190–198
in China, 197–198
Cuban torturers and, 190, 195
deaths, 118, 157, 190, 194, 195
enemy’s assets and, 192
escapes, 81, 194
faith and, 192, 193, 198
group of eleven (communicators/resisters), 193–194
Ho Chi Minh’s death and, 197
individuals, 32–33, 50, 62, 63, 64, 65, 97, 129, 149, 156–157, 166
information/interrogation, 190
Linebacker II and, 263
McCarthy and, 190–191
Midway’s crew support, 197
Morse Code/torture message and, 193
prison names, 193
release/support and, 197, 198, 264
rescue squadrons and, 250
rope torture, 195, 196
Russian torturers, 190
sense of humor and, 192, 194
solitary confinement, 193–194, 198
tap code and, 50, 194, 195
torture, 157, 190, 191, 192, 193–194, 195, 196, 197, 198
Vietnamese propaganda and, 190, 193
Pribbenow, Merle, 106
Project Aphrodite/dangers, 153
Purvis, Pete, 175, 176–177
Quaid, Commander Marvin, 151
radio weapon guidance, 153, 209
raft sinking at rescues, 116, 116n
Ragland, Dayton, 141
Ramage, Jig, 145, 147
Rampant Raider (Gray), 151
Rampant Raiders, 153–154, 154–156
reconnaissance flights (US), x, 247
Laos and (1964), 4, 81
tracking bridge repairs and, 247
Reed, Charles W., 63
Reichardt, Richard
military position/assignment, 58
rescue of Lambert, 58
Reider, Terry, 157
Remers, Richard T., Carolina Moon/crews and, 134, 135, 136–137, 138, 140, 142
Rever, Donald W., 178
Richardson, David C., 145
Dragon’s Jaw Bridge and, 145, 169–170
Richelieu, Cardinal, 6n
Rinder, Robert, 254
Ringwood, Paul “Worm,” 247
plane fire/ejection, 248–249
reconnaissance (June 1972) mission, 247–248
reconnaissance (October 1972) mission, 250
rescue (“sharks”/porpoises), 249–250
Risner, Robinson, 27
continuing Dragon’s Jaw attacks, 63–64
Dragon’s Jaw attack/Bullpup and, 27, 28, 29, 31, 33
Dragon’s Jaw attack day two and, 34–35, 37
ejection/capture, 64, 192
McCarthy on, 190–191
release, 197
Ritchard, Steven, 237–238
Rogers, William, 199
Rolling Thunder, 123
ending, 187
flaws, 26
POWs, 32–33
study/conclusions (1965), 65–67
summary/results, 187–188
targets, 25, 26
US halt/North Vietnam supplies and, 59–60
Rolling Thunder/Dragon’s Jaw, 34–47
AAA and, 30–31, 32, 35
beginnings, 26–27
bomb fuses and, 28, 30, 31
briefing, 29
Bullpup bombs/problems and, 27–29, 31, 33
decreasing strike aircraft numbers, 60–62
dive-bombing/problems, 28–29, 31
flak suppressors and, 34
losses summary (1965), 65
MiGs ambush description, 39
MiGs and, 37–40, 43–46
Mission Nine Alpha description, 26–32
North Vietnamese losses, 45–46
planning, 26–27, 28–29
reconnaissance photography and, 32–33
results, 47–48
rules of engagement (ROE), 29
as target, 25, 26
weather/winds and, 34, 35
Rollins, David John (“Jack”), 164
Dragon’s Jaw attack (May 1967), 164, 165, 166
injuries/as POW, 166
plane fire/ejection and landing, 165
Rowen, Ron, LGB/target and, 219–221
Rusk, Dean, 50
Rutledge, Howie, 194
Rutledge, Wes, 254
Rutty, Edward, 104
Sabre/Super Sabre F-100, 29–30
Saddam Hussein/regime, 267
Saigon fall/renaming, 265
SALT I Treaty, 257
Salter, Richard C., 12
SAMs/North Vietnam
Air Force/construction sites and, 53
control description/changes, 52
description/mechanism (SA-2), 52
dummy SAMs and, 53
effectiveness (summary), 57
first site, 51
increase in numbers, 20
launch sites description, 53
Soviets supplying, 52
SAMs/North Vietnam US response
anti-radiation missiles/costs (summary), 54–55
cluster SAMs and, 54
evading/maneuvers and timing, x–xii, 53–54
Iron Hands and, 54, 55, 56–57, 82, 91, 112, 151, 262
seeing SAMs and, 53–54
Wild Weasels and, 54, 55, 56–57, 112, 160, 161, 221, 262
Samuel, Wolfgang, 129
Satrapa, Joseph (“Hoser”), 254
photo reconnaissance (Dragon’s Jaw/October 6, 1972), 254–255
Sayers, Sam
Dragon’s Jaw attacks, 113, 114, 118, 122
Hai Duong Bridge attack, 114
Janet (wife), 117
plane fire/ejection, 115–116
rescue, 116–117
SBD Dauntless dive bomber, 46
Schaffert, Richard, 125, 168
Schierman, Wesley, 27, 28–29
Schirra, Wally, 69
Schram, Dick, 146
Schroeffel, T. A., 114
Senaga, Kamejiro, 188
Shane, Larry
Dragon’s Jaw/April 1972 mission and, 225, 226
Thaler and, 224–225
Sharp, Grant, Jr.
bomb shortages and, 124
bombing responsibilities, 108
Carolina Moon and, 135
Sheets, Roger (“Blinky”), 230, 231
Shepherd, Alan, 251
Shepherd, Burt, 251
Shields, John R., 137
Shingledecker, Armon D., 140
Shockley, Crawford (“Sock”), 225
Shrike anti-radar missiles, 55, 56–57, 76, 107, 115, 128, 160, 210, 212, 262–263
Shumaker, Bob, as POW/tap code, 50, 194
Sidewinders description/capabilities, 14, 87–88
Silver Star award, 58
Skyhawk A-4, 46, 74, 79–80
nuclear weapons and, 74, 80
Skyknights, EF-10 and F3D, 126, 127
importance of, 126
name and, 126–127
as night fighter, 126
strike example/results, 127–129
Skyraider, A-1, 46–47
Skywarrior, A-3, 46, 78–79
Smith, David L., 239, 240
Smith, D.D.
reconnaissance of Dragon’s Jaw, ix–xiii
SAMs/tracers and, x–xiii
Smith, George C., 30
Smith, Homer
Dragon’s Jaw Walleye attacks/scream, 154–156
as POW/death, 157
Smith, John C., and Dragon’s Jaw attack, 86, 87, 88–89, 90
Smith, Leighton W., Jr. (“Snuffy”), 251–252
Distinguished Flying Cross/citation, 255–256
Dragon’s Jaw attack (October 6, 1972), 252–253, 255–256
Dragon’s Jaw attacks (before October 6, 1972), 252
Dragon’s Jaw damage confirmation, 253–254, 256
post-Vietnam career, 256n
Smith, Page, 251
South Vietnam, 7, 173, 265
South Vietnam/US
ARVN/Vietnamese Marine Corps advisers and, 218
during Kennedy administration, 7
Easter Offensive and, 219
fears following US withdrawal, 258–259
Ford’s aid package and, 264–265
helicopter rescue/Saigon, 265
military personnel statistics (1964/1965), 13–14
Southwick, Charles E. (“Ev”), 163
capture/as POW, 166
Dragon’s Jaw attack (May 1967), 163, 164–165, 166
plane fire/ejection and landing, 165
Soviet Union
collapse, 266
conflicts with China, 25
Nixon administration/relations and, 199, 206, 207
Russian torturers/American POWs, 190
SALT I Treaty/US, 257
Soviet Union/North Vietnam
military equipment a
nd, 20, 22, 52, 171, 173
route for supplies, 173
supplies after Dragon’s Jaw destruction and, 257
supporting communism and, 3, 13
training/aircraft design, 17, 18, 123–124, 129
Sparrows, 14, 87
Sroka, Rich, 225
Standard ARM (anti-radar missiles), 55, 76, 262–263
steam catapults innovation, 71–72
Stickney, Philip J., 140–141
Stockdale, James, 96, 100, 102, 103, 106, 195
attacks against secondary targets, 105–106
attacks on Dragon’s Jaw, 103, 104–105
Gulf of Tonkin incident and, 11, 11n
ejection and capture, 106, 195
speaking at Tailhook Convention, 100
Stockdale, James, as POW
breaking leg, 196
disfiguring his face and, 193, 196
Gulf of Tonkin incident and, 11n, 196, 197
Stockdale, James, as POW (continued)
other POWs and, 194, 195
release/life after, 197
suicide attempt and, 196–197
torture, 196–197
years held, 106
Stolz, Larry G., shot-down/death, 204–205
Storz, Ron, 194
Stratofortresses, B-52, 261–262
Stratotankers, 29
Sullivan, Jerry, 233
Sumner, Donald, 251
Dragon’s Jaw attacks (October 6, 1972), 252, 253, 254
Sunday Punchers
attack on Ham Rong port facility and, 96–97
Independence and, 95–96
Super Sabre F-100, 29–30
Taiwan and China, 202, 203
Tanner, Nels, 194
Task Force 77 (Navy), 81, 108
aircraft carriers and, 150
downed US plane and, 167
Dragon’s Jaw attacks/other attacks and, 81, 108, 168
“fragmenting” target list, 91
responsibilities, 145
Taylor, Jeremy (“Bear”)
destroying downed plane (May 1967), 167–168
downed Phantom/pilot’s death and, 149
Dragon’s Jaw attack, 149–150
Taylor, Maxwell, Kennedy administration, 6
television weapon guidance, 153, 209. See also Walleye
Tet ceasefire, 148, 150, 180
Tet Offensive, 181–184
Texas Instruments, 209, 211, 216
Thaler, Bill, 224–225
Dragon’s Jaw mission (April 1972), 225–227, 228
Thanh Hoa Bridge. See Dragon’s Jaw Bridge
Thieu, President (Nguyen Van Thieu), 201, 258–259, 260, 264, 265
Thomas, Spence J., 32
Thorsness, Leo, 56
Thunderchief F-105, 14
Time magazine, 27, 64
Timm, Dwight, 233–234
Tinsley, Richard J., 250
Tomcat description, 78
Tonkin Gulf incident. See Gulf of Tonkin incident
Tran Chau Kinh, 21
Tran Huy Han, 38–39
Trenchard, Boom, 244
Tritonal, 62
Tromp, W. L., 118
Tschudy, William M.
attack on port facility, 96, 97
plane damage/capture, 97