Criteria The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 r... The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 required four years of service. MoreHide
Comments
Just wrote and ask if I was elligible for this medal and they said yes
Criteria The Meritorious Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself under combat or noncombat conditions by either valorous ... The Meritorious Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself under combat or noncombat conditions by either valorous or meritorious achievement which renders that unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service, but not sufficient to justify the award of the Navy Unit Commendation. MoreHide
Criteria This medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who: 1. Served for 6 months in South Vietnam during the period 1 Mar 61 and 28 Mar 73; or 2. Served outside the geographical l... This medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who: 1. Served for 6 months in South Vietnam during the period 1 Mar 61 and 28 Mar 73; or 2. Served outside the geographical limits of South Vietnam and contributed direct combat support to the RVN Armed Forces for an aggregate of six months. Only members of the Armed Forces of the United States who meet the criteria established for the AFEM (Vietnam) or Vietnam Service Medal during the period of service required are considered to have contributed direct combat support to the RVN Armed Forces; or 3. Did not complete the length of service required in item (1) or (2) above, but who, during wartime, were: a. Wounded by the enemy (in a military action); b. Captured by the enemy during action or in the line of duty, but later rescued or released; or c. Killed in action or in the line of duty; or 4. Were assigned in Vietnam on 28 Jan 73, and who served a minimum of 60 calendar days in Vietnam during the period 29 Jan 73 to 28 Mar 73. MoreHide
Best Moment
B-52 Raids Offer to re-up 10,000 dollars IOIC aboard ship USS Saratoga Sqadron Motto VA-75 we penetrate deeper stay in longer and deliver a bigger load
Worst Moment
During the cruise to VietNam we lost 9 Officers/P.O.W./MIA They were LCDR Donald F. Lindland,LCDR Francis J. Davis, LCDR Robert S. Graustein,LCDR Dale V. Raebel, LCDR Barton S. Wade, LT. Fredrick J. Masterson, LT.Robert I. Randall, LT.Larry R. Kilpatrick, LTJG. Roger G. Lerseth and at the time LTJG Roger G. Lerseth I believe was the only known pilot to be released. But I never research the other eight because of knowledge as to how. The ship also lost(deceased) LCDR Frederick W. Wright, III, LT.John J. Cabral,Mr. Harry J. Schanz, SH2 Courtland Hale, IMSN Gary L. Weller, AA Robert M. Norris during the cruise. nuff said UPDATE LCDR DALE RAEBEL, LT. MASTERSON, LT. ROBERT RANDALL, LTJG ROGER LERSETH, WERE ALL captured after their plane was shot down over North VietNam Each of these men survived his Captivity ordeal and returned to the USA during Operation Homecoming in 1973.
Chain of Command
IOIC aboard ship Moon Mullins an A-6 pilot who flew over the north had several Sam missles shot at him one night and they were cruising toward his plane and to avoid the situation took the plane lower only to find heavy tripple A fire so he took his plane lower again to avoid the fire only to fly into a tree and somehow returned to the Saratoga as planned but when looking over the plane after landing we found large branches stuck in the wings. you should have seen his eyes thats how his nickname became moon mullins
Other Memories
Best swimmer in boot camp Joined the reserves in Cedar Rapids, Iowa then moved to Omaha and got orders to the Pentagon and my Employer theatened to fire me if I went and I called the reserve Unit and they would not stand up for me so I dropped out.
Worst Moment
when the 2000 pound hung bomb dropped from the landing plane and slid across the flight deck right over our heads off the side of the ship into the ocean Then again when the Komar Missile boats were delivered to the gulf of tonkin from Russia each with two two thousand pound rockets aboard ready to go against our ship and they all had to be destroyed before they used them on us!
Chain of Command
Great crew
Other Memories
race riots on the ship not a happy time.
Criteria The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served at any time between July 4, 1965, and March 28, 1973, in Vietnam or its contiguous waters or airspa... The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served at any time between July 4, 1965, and March 28, 1973, in Vietnam or its contiguous waters or airspace; or, for any period of service during the same time period in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia or the air spaces thereover and in direct support of operations in Vietnam. MoreHide
Criteria The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served at any time between July 4, 1965, and March 28, 1973, in Vietnam or its contiguous waters or airspa... The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served at any time between July 4, 1965, and March 28, 1973, in Vietnam or its contiguous waters or airspace; or, for any period of service during the same time period in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia or the air spaces thereover and in direct support of operations in Vietnam. MoreHide
Description
served On USS Saratoga with IOIC and my squadron and Carrier Air Wing 3 in VietNam
Description This Campaign period was from 30 March 1972 to 28 January 1973. By 1973, both the logistic establishment and the combat arm of the Vietnamese Navy possessed the material resources to carry on the fighThis Campaign period was from 30 March 1972 to 28 January 1973. By 1973, both the logistic establishment and the combat arm of the Vietnamese Navy possessed the material resources to carry on the fight alone. The 42,000-man naval service marshalled a force of 1,500 ships and craft for warfare on the rivers and canals, in coastal waters, and far out to sea. The supply, training, and repair facilities were structured to man and support the operational navy for a long-term struggle.
Despite these advantages, the Vietnamese Navy still was burdened with the old problems of poor leadership, low morale, and lack of dedication on the part of many personnel. The departing Americans in the Naval Advisory Group concluded that the relatively young, recently expanded, and still developing Vietnamese Navy had the potential to add great strength to the defense of South Vietnam, but only if given the time to mature.
The nature of the campaign changed in May when President Nixon ordered the virtual isolation of North Vietnam from external Communist support. Aside from the obvious military rationale, the President sought by this action to end North Vietnamese intransigence at the stalled Paris negotiations. For the first time in the long Southeast Asian conflict, all of the Navy's conventional resources were brought to bear on the enemy. On 9 May, in Operation Pocket Money, Coral Sea's A-6 Intruders and A-7 Corsairs dropped magnetic-acoustic sea mines in the river approaches to Haiphong, North Vietnam's chief port. Shortly thereafter, the other major ports were mined as well. Over 85 percent of the country's military imports passed through these ports. Washington gave foreign ships three days to depart the country, after which the mines armed themselves. Despite this advance notice, 32 foreign, mostly Communist ships elected to remain trapped in North Vietnamese waters.
The fleet's surface combatants also helped deny the enemy unhindered use of the inland coastal areas. On 10 May the 8-inch guns of heavy cruiser Newport News bombarded targets near Hanoi from a position off Do Son while guided missile cruisers Oklahoma City and Providence and three destroyers suppressed the enemy's counterbattery fire from the peninsula. Normally three or four U.S. ships made up the surface action group that cruised along the coast ready to provide air-spotted or direct fire. From April through September, the cruiser destroyer group fired over 111,000 rounds at the enemy, destroying or damaging thousands of bunkers and buildings; knocking out tanks, trucks, and artillery sites; killing 2,000 troops; and sinking almost 200 coastal logistic craft and 4 motor torpedo boats. In August, Newport News, destroyer Rowan (DD 782), and naval air units sank two of the PT boats that attacked the American ships off Haiphong.
The North Vietnamese fought back hard. Earlier in the year Higbee (DD 806) became the first U.S. naval vessel attacked by enemy MiGs, one of which dropped a bomb on the destroyer's stern, wounding four sailors. In addition, while Communist coastal batteries hit 16 ships offshore in 1972, no ship was sunk then or at any time in the Southeast Asian conflict. In July, Warrington (DD 843) struck what was determined to be a wayward U.S. mine that caused extensive damage to the ship. Naval leaders later decided to scrap the already obsolete destroyer rather than spend money on her repair. These few human and material casualties suffered by the Seventh Fleet contrasted with the great punishment absorbed by the North Vietnamese.
From May through December 1972, no large merchant vessels entered or left North Vietnamese harbors. An attempt by the Communist to lighter cargo to shore from ships in international waters was foiled when fleet ships and aircraft, including Marine helicopter gunships, intercepted and destroyed the shuttling craft. The deployed American fleet even curtailed the enemy's intracoastal movement.
Complementing this effort at sea was the massive aerial offensive by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force named Linebacker. In contrast to the earlier Rolling Thunder campaign, in Linebacker Washington gave operational commanders authority to choose when, how, and in what order to strike and restrike targets. Commanders could adjust to changing weather and the enemy's defenses and concentrate their aerial firepower to best effect. As a result, American air squadrons interdicted the road and rail lines from China and devastated North Vietnamese warmaking resources, including munition stockpiles, fuel storage facilities, power plants, rail yards, and bridges.
Using Boeing B-52 bombers and new, more accurate ordnance, such as laser guided bombs and advanced Walleye bombs, the Air Force and the Navy hit targets with great precision and destructiveness. For instance, the U.S. air forces destroyed the Thanh Hoa and Paul Doumer bridges, long impervious to American bombing, and the Hanoi power plant deep in the heart of the populated capital city. They also knocked out targets as close as 10 miles to the center of Hanoi and 5 miles from Haiphong harbor. Between 9 May and the end of September, the Navy flew an average of 4,000 day-and-night attack sorties each month, reaching a peak of 4,746 in August. This represented over 60 percent of the American combat support sorties during the same five-month period.
The North Vietnamese attempted to counter the American onslaught. Employing thousands of antiaircraft weapons and firing almost 2,000 surface-to-air missiles in this period, the enemy shot down 28 American aircraft. In one day alone, the Communist air force challenged U.S. aerial supremacy by sending up 41 interceptor aircraft. On that day, 10 May, Navy pilot Lieutenant Randy Cunningham and his radar intercept officer Lieutenant (jg) William Driscoll became the war's only Navy "aces," adding three kills to the two already credited to them. American air units destroyed a total of 11 North Vietnamese aircraft that day, but lost 6 of their own. The Navy's ratio of kills to losses had improved by the end of air operations on 15 January 1973, when the total stood at 25 MiGs destroyed in air-to-air combat for the loss of 5 naval aircraft. During the Linebacker campaigns, the fleet's SAR units rescued 30 naval air crewmen downed for various reasons in the North Vietnamese theater of operations.
By the end of September 1972, the North Vietnamese diplomats in Paris were much more amenable to serious negotiation than they were at the end of March. Allied air, naval, and ground forces had repulsed the Communist offensive in South Vietnam and in I Corps even regained much lost ground. After drastically reducing the enemy's reinforcements and munitions infiltrated into the South, the U.S. air and naval campaign in the North gradually destroyed Hanoi's ability to prosecute the war.
Believing that a negotiated settlement of the Southeast Asian conflict was within reach in Paris, on 11 October the Nixon administration ordered U.S. Pacific forces to cease bombing in the vicinity of Hanoi. Then on the twenty-third, Washington restricted allied strikes to targets below the 20th parallel. Nevertheless, negotiations with the North Vietnamese again bogged down in Paris while the enemy strengthened the air defenses of the capital and Haiphong and restored the rail lines to China. The Communist once more stockpiled war reserves.
In response to these developments, President Nixon ordered a massive air assault by Air Force B-52 bombers, tactical aircraft, and the Navy's carrier attack units against military targets deep within Hanoi and Haiphong. On 18 December the joint attack, designated Linebacker II, fell on the enemy capital. That night and on succeeding nights of the operation, wave after wave of B-52 bombers and supporting aircraft struck Hanoi, hitting command and communication facilities, power plants, rail yards, bridges, storage buildings, open stockpiles, truck parks, and ship repair complexes. Because of the precision of the air crews and their weapons, there was minimal damage to nonmilitary property. The North Vietnamese met the Linebacker II attack with 1,250 surface-to-air missiles, which brought down 15 of the big American bombers and 3 supporting aircraft; antiaircraft defenses and MiG interceptors destroyed another 4 carrier planes.
The loss of six B-52s on 20 December alone, however, called for a change in tactics and more reliance on technologically superior equipment. Thereafter, the American air forces employed the most advanced precision-guided weapons and electronic countermeasure, target finding, and other equipment. They also concentrated on the destruction of the enemy's missile defense network, including command and control facilities, missile assembly and transportation points, and the missile batteries themselves. To spread thin Communist defenses, the American command broadened the operational arena to include not only Hanoi, but Haiphong, Thai Nguyen, Long Dun Kep, and Lang Dang. This redirection of effort succeeded. By 29 December, the last day of Linebacker II, U.S. forces had neutralized the enemy's surface-to-air missile system while reducing friendly losses to a minimum. Not surprisingly, at year's end the North Vietnamese resumed serious discussions in Paris. On 15 January 1973, both sides ceased combat operations in the North.
Withdrawal from the War
On 27 January 1973, U.S., South Vietnamese, North Vietnamese, and Viet Cong representatives finally signed the long-sought cease- fire agreement at Paris. Under its provisions, the Communist agreed to release all American prisoners of war within a space of two months in exchange for U.S. military withdrawal from South Vietnam and the U.S. Navy's clearance of mines from North Vietnamese waters.
During February and March, U.S. aircraft touched down at Gia Lam Airfield in Hanoi to repatriate 138 naval aviators, some of whom had been prisoners in North Vietnam since 1964. The men were flown to reception centers in the Pacific and the United States, where they received a joyous welcome from families and friends. The repatriation program, appropriately named Operation Homecoming, ensured that the men received extensive medical, psychological, and emotional support for the transition from captivity to freedom. Another five men captured in the war were released earlier by the North Vietnamese while two escaped. Thirty-six naval aviators died while in the hands of the Communist, whose treatment of American prisoners was always harsh and often bestial. The Navy listed over 600 naval flight crew personnel missing and presumed dead at the end of the conflict.
In these same two months, the Navy closed down all remaining base facilities, offices, and commands in South Vietnam. Advisors, the first naval personnel to deploy to Vietnam in 1950, were also the last to leave. The men gathered in Saigon for flights home. On 11 February, the Coast Guard disestablished the office of the Senior Coast Guard Officer, Vietnam, and airlifted out all of its personnel. Soon afterward, the fleet air reconnaissance and communications detachments at Danang relocated to Cubi Point in the Philippines. Finally, on 29 March 1973, the Naval Advisory Group and Naval Forces, Vietnam, were formally disestablished. Thereafter, only 9 Navy and Marine Corps officers assigned to the U.S. Embassy's Defense Attache Office and 156 Marine embassy guards remained in South Vietnam.
The last provision of the cease-fire agreement that directly related to the Navy entailed removal of the U.S. sea mines laid along the North Vietnamese coast and the Mark 36 Destructors dropped into inland waterways. On 28 January, following months of extensive preparation and training, the Seventh Fleet's Mine Countermeasures Force (Task Force 78), led by Rear Admiral Brian McCauley, sailed from Subic Bay and shaped course for a staging area off Haiphong. On 6 February, one day after Commander Task Force 78 met in the city to coordinate actions with his North Vietnamese opposite, Colonel Hoang Huu Thai, Operation End Sweep got underway. Ocean minesweepers Engage (MSO 433), Force (MSO) 445), Fortify (MSO 446), and Impervious (MSO 449) swept areas off the coast near Haiphong while being escorted by guided missile frigate Worden (DLG 18) and destroyer Epperson (DD 719). By the end of the month, amphibious ships New Orleans (LPH 11), Dubuque (LPD 8), Ogdon (LPD 5), Cleveland (LPD 7), and Inchon (LPH 12) had joined the force off North Vietnam. These ships carried 31 CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters from the Navy's Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 12 and from Marine helicopter squadrons HMM-165 and HMH-463. These aircraft towed minesweeping sleds and other devices to carry out aerial mine countermeasures along the inland waterways and the shallow port areas. A total of 10 ocean minesweepers, 9 amphibious ships, 6 fleet tugs, 3 salvage ships, and 19 destroyer types served with Task Force 78 during the six months of Operation End Sweep.
The Americans began airborne minesweeping in the primary shipping channel to Haiphong on 27 February and in the ports of Hon Gai and Cam Pha on 17 March. During the early part of April, MSS 2, an old, decommissioned LST, filled with foam and other buffers and crewed by a few daring volunteers, made eight check runs up the Haiphong channel to ensure that no mines threatened the vital waterway. Meanwhile, U.S. naval instructors trained 50 North Vietnamese personnel to conduct minesweeping operations on rivers and inland waterways. Further, U.S. C-130 transport aircraft flew into Cat Bi Airfield to transfer minesweeping gear to the North Vietnamese. Airborne and ocean sweeping operations continued in the Haiphong and northern areas until 17 April, when U.S. leaders temporarily withdrew the task force to persuade the North Vietnamese to adhere to the terms of the Paris agreement. Convinced that Hanoi had received the intended message, on 18 June Washington restarted Operation End Sweep. The task force returned to the anchorage off Haiphong. In little more than a week, Admiral McCauley declared the water approaches to Haiphong and the harbors of Hon Gai and Cam Pha free of danger from mines. Afterward, the American flotilla worked the coastal areas off Vinh in southern North Vietnam. Finally, on 18 July 1973, with Operation End Sweep completed, the Seventh Fleet departed North Vietnamese territorial waters. Thus ended the U.S. Navy's long, arduous, and costly deployment off the Communist mainland.... More
People You Remember
VA-75,VF-103,VF-31,VAW-123,RVAH-1,HS-7,VA-37
Description Operation Linebacker was the title of a U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 air interdiction campaign conducted against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) from 9 May to Operation Linebacker was the title of a U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 air interdiction campaign conducted against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) from 9 May to 23 October 1972, during the Vietnam War.
Its purpose was to halt or slow the transportation of supplies and materials for the Nguyen Hue Offensive (known in the West as the Easter Offensive), an invasion of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), by forces of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), that had been launched on 30 March. Linebacker was the first continuous bombing effort conducted against North Vietnam since the bombing halt instituted by President Lyndon B. Johnson in November 1968.... More
People You Remember
Uss Saratoga
Memories A-6 intruder returning to Carrier had a 2000 pound hung bomb but was given permission to land and asA-6 intruder returning to Carrier had a 2000 pound hung bomb but was given permission to land and as it caught the arresting wire the 2000 pounder on camera released and slid across the flight deck so those of us in IOIC could hear it as it slid across the deck and off the side of the ship into the Gulf of Tonkin thank God it didn't fall far enough to arm itself!!!... More
Description Operation Linebacker II (18–29 December 1972) was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North VietnOperation Linebacker II (18–29 December 1972) was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) during the final period of US involvement in the Vietnam War. The operation was conducted from 18–29 December 1972, leading to several of informal names such as "The December Raids" and "The Christmas Bombings".
Unlike the Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Linebacker interdiction operations, Linebacker II, would be a "maximum effort" bombing campaign to "destroy major target complexes in the Hanoi and Haiphong areas which could only be accomplished by B-52s." It saw the largest heavy bomber strikes launched by the US Air Force since the end of World War II. Linebacker II was a modified extension of the Operation Linebacker bombings conducted from May to October, with the emphasis of the new campaign shifted to attacks by B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers rather than smaller tactical fighter aircraft.... More
Memories CARRIER True sto CARRIER True stories on an aircraft carrier, just not all the same day.
The swells of the ocean were slamming into the bow of the ship. Forty foot waves as it pushed ahead into the wind to launch the aircraft. The spray was thirty feet higher against the bow, but the F4 Phantom jet was preparing to slide down the catapult and into the wind, ninety feet above the ocean, loaded down with five hundred pound bombs, destined for targets unknown to most. Alongside, on number two catapult, an A-6 Intruder was loaded with five hundred pound bombs and two Shrike missiles that are protection against SAMs (surface to air missiles). The deflector shield for both aircraft were raised at the rear of the aircraft. Then with the night skies overhead the F4 Phantoms catapult officer signaled the F4 pilot to crank up the jet engines. As the engines began roaring, turning the night sky into red, purple, blue and yellow from the thrusts of the jet, the heat grew, as the heat bounced off the deflector shield and the smell of JP5 fuel was in the air. The final signal was given as the catapult officer dropped to one knee and pointed his arm forward. The jet slid down the ship's bow, over the ocean, above the waves, and into the sky of the Gulf of Tonkin. The deflector shield dropped and another plane moved up, taking its place while the A-6 Intruder on catapult two turned up its engines and being a bigger aircraft, its thrust made more noise. The catapult officer again signaled the pilot and dropped to one knee with one arm outstretched. The bomber shot down the catapult, flames from the thrust, screaming as it left the ship, it dropped a little closer to the waves, then climbed into the night sky. The deflector shield dropped. A new plane moved up until the launch was complete. Most jets had targets over North Vietnam, and back then there were few TV or Laser guided bombs, so targets were found by coordinates or just lights on a road or train tracks. Later the planes began returning on the horizon, ready to touch down on the bouncing postage stamp on the sea, each lining up for their turn to land. The landings were beautiful. It wasn?t until the last minute you saw the jet coming in under the dimly lighted flight deck, trying to catch one of the four arresting wires with their tail hook. The planes touched down at one hundred and fifty miles per hour. First the F4 phantoms landed as they burned the most fuel per hour. They were a beautiful bird to see coming in from the conning tower above the flight deck, one after another, pure power, and sort of a thoroughbred of the Vietnam War. And the phantom came in with a roar. Then another plane came in. This was an A-6 Intruder, the one with the two Shrike missiles, and both were missing . The Shrikes had been fired at SAM sights (Fan Song radar installations that controlled the SAM's guidance systems.). The Shrike missile followed the radar signal back to the trailers that issued the signal and blew them up. Then there was another A-6 Intruder that had to be caught in the flight deck safety net because it had dodged SAMs by flying lower going into antiaircraft fire and then flying even lower to dodge the antiaircraft fire over Hai Phong. The pilot, realizing the thump in his wing and his engine meant they had hit the top of the trees, and they kept on flying. Leaves and tree branches had hit bomber. They were not taking any chances on this landing. So, as the A-6 landed and caught the arresting wire, the safety net also stopped the jet, preventing a carrier accident in a landing. But the intruder landed safely and everything worked out OK, even with tree branch sections imbedded in the wing. Next was another A-6 Intruder that had a 2000 pound bomb hung on its wing that failed to fall off onto its target. The Bomb could fall off at anytime. The pilot was given permission to land and the deck was cleared of non-essential personnel. As the jet approached I was just under the flight deck. I was broadcasting a closed circuit TV camera from IOIC (Intergraded Operational Intelligent Center) to all squadron ready rooms, showing the A-6 landing. Time was up; the lights of the plane were approaching and visible. You could see the plane's tail hook was down. We followed the pilot in on camera just above us. You could hear the landing and the pulling of the arresting wires. Then it happened! The bomb fell off the planes wing, sliding along the carrier's deck. The cameras caught it all. You could hear the 2000 pound bomb slide down the flight deck, would the bomb explode as it slid down the flight deck and then the bomb went off the side of the ship. You could hear a pin drop. Silence, then a roar of joy as the bomb didn't have time to drop far enough to arm itself. All was well. The landing ended and the crews prepared for another launch, some of which were not always the best. One of those launches involved our squadron Commander Earnest and his co Pilot LCDR Jackson. As they launched something went wrong . The thrust failed or the plane was flipped by the wind. The co pilot LCDR Jackson punched out. But the squadron Commander Earnest did not and he went down with his plane. Lost forever in the Gulf of Tonkin, down in Davey Jones Locker. The co-pilot LCDR Jackson was rescued though. Then there was an A-7 pilot who was shot down over North Viet Nam, Squadron planes were diverted to search for him. One pilot, back on the carrier, in his debriefing, said he saw this plane being hit by a SAM missile and the wing blown off, and saw the pilot punch out. Upon their return, when the debriefing acknowledged his signal, and his location had been picked up, several planes diverted to look for the downed pilot. This brought in what was referred to as "BIG MOTHER," a helicopter rescue team that did highly dangerous and classified missions, their mission being, to fly back to the same location where the plane was shot down, find the signal and bring back the pilot alive and well. Where was the pilot? Well he was operating on SERE tactics in the North which stood for "Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape". Of the North Vietnamese people, most were armed, and they were all looking for the pilot. To escape he was crawling through the rice paddies, smearing himself with what he thought was mud, to hide the white of his skin under a full moon. It smelled like a toilet and most rice paddies are just that. The workers defecate in the rice paddies as they work during the day. One rice paddy to another he crawled, smearing the mud on his exposed skin, with just his head above water. Suddenly a peasant sighted him, pointed his AK-47 at him, then yelled for others who were searching for him. Surprisingly the peasant turned and ran for help (Why the pilot thought? We were both scared). Then the pilot also ran and hid, finally reaching his pick up point. He waited. Back at carrier command, the planning and strategy were being put together with the "BIG MOTHER" team and their support. The next night chopper teams flew off into the night, over to the same area where the A-7 had been shot down. Just above the tree line, at the recovery point, "BIG MOTHER" dropped down to the ground where the pilot lay flat on his belly. Guns start blaring, cutting just about everything down that stood. Then silence. The pilot stood up and started running towards "BIG MOTHER". Into the helicopter he jumped and the guns started blaring again as the chopper rose and headed off into the night. The pilot was rescued, and only minutes had taken place. Upon his return there was a grand welcome for the pilot. Two days later was a debriefing in front of the squadron and ship's personnel as the pilot explained his story. He had great respect for the "BIG MOTHER" team and the complete rescue party . This was one pilot who did not become a P.O.W. and have to shake Jane Fonda's hand.... More
Description Operation Linebacker II (18–29 December 1972) was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North VietnOperation Linebacker II (18–29 December 1972) was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) during the final period of US involvement in the Vietnam War. The operation was conducted from 18–29 December 1972, leading to several of informal names such as "The December Raids" and "The Christmas Bombings".
Unlike the Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Linebacker interdiction operations, Linebacker II, would be a "maximum effort" bombing campaign to "destroy major target complexes in the Hanoi and Haiphong areas which could only be accomplished by B-52s." It saw the largest heavy bomber strikes launched by the US Air Force since the end of World War II. Linebacker II was a modified extension of the Operation Linebacker bombings conducted from May to October, with the emphasis of the new campaign shifted to attacks by B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers rather than smaller tactical fighter aircraft.... More
People You Remember
AIR INTELLIGENCE officers and Navy Pilots
Memories 11 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS A BOOK ABOUT THE LAST GREAT BOMBING CAMPAIGN IN VIET NAM WAR THAT NIXON DID TO 11 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS A BOOK ABOUT THE LAST GREAT BOMBING CAMPAIGN IN VIET NAM WAR THAT NIXON DID TO TRY TO WIN THE WAR.... More
Description Operation Linebacker II (18–29 December 1972) was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North VietnOperation Linebacker II (18–29 December 1972) was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) during the final period of US involvement in the Vietnam War. The operation was conducted from 18–29 December 1972, leading to several of informal names such as "The December Raids" and "The Christmas Bombings".
Unlike the Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Linebacker interdiction operations, Linebacker II, would be a "maximum effort" bombing campaign to "destroy major target complexes in the Hanoi and Haiphong areas which could only be accomplished by B-52s." It saw the largest heavy bomber strikes launched by the US Air Force since the end of World War II. Linebacker II was a modified extension of the Operation Linebacker bombings conducted from May to October, with the emphasis of the new campaign shifted to attacks by B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers rather than smaller tactical fighter aircraft.... More
People You Remember
unknown
Memories These are stories of one pilot on a carrier who had previous experience of combat before Viet Nam anThese are stories of one pilot on a carrier who had previous experience of combat before Viet Nam and somehow everyone felt he had a sixth sense while in a plane, or jet, he was an ace in his own ranking, although he only dropped bombs in Viet Nam and Korea to my knowledge, prior he may have done other missions before I had knowledge of him. This pilot ran bombing runs everywhere and always returned and back then that took talent, skill, and lots of knowledge. One bombing run he flew a run up by Hai Phong to knock out a Sam sight with Rock-eye (which are cluster bombs) but to prevent all bombs from exploding aircraft alternate the drop from one wing to the other so they don?t bang together after release thus leaving a time factor in the drop zone and with no fault of the pilot the drop is spread out over a large area to hit a target with no fault to the pilot thus collateral damage occurred, especially back in the Viet Nam era, and before. Well when he dropped his rock-eye he started early to cover the Sam site. Which was over a village just before the Sam site then on to the Sam site and then over another village, both villages were not on a military map for planning but they were both hit with a good shot of rock-eye along with the Sam site itself. Not a happy time for his ego, I think he drank a few beers in his bunk that night as it was not his intensions, actually a few trash bags full to wash away the thoughts. He always reminded me of Pappy Boyington of the Black sheep squadron. Maybe a wild oats of Pappy?s. Another mission of this pilot was in Hanoi and the way the bombs are dropped they sometimes flew what is an arc where you start high with a dive and start a loop so centrifugal force carried the bombs deeper into the enemy north without the plane going all the way into the target area and keeping the pilot safer by less time over enemy territory. Well anyway like in the other story he temporarily had a hung bomb and it wasn?t till he reached the peak of his arc that the bomb released late causing the bomb to go farther into enemy territory, which was not known until till later when the bomb landed in the Hanoi hospital area. And was determined an accident. But this was at the same time Jane Fonda was supposed to be in the area, anyway it made the news. And we all chuckled at the situation. Story three the weather was serious monsoon rain day and night but in a clear spot the only lasted a few hours Air intelligence found an Airstrip on a Dike with Mig jets on the runway, these Dikes are massive and support a airstrip easily with no actual damaged if bombed. Well the monsoon started again to a constant down pour. And two planes each with 14, 500 pound bombs, each with high drag(high drag bombs have fins that pop out to slow down the speed of the bomb way behind the aircraft so the aircraft is not hit by shrapnel of the exploding bombs)somehow these two planes launched in the monsoon rains at around 4am from the carrier deck flew to north Viet Nam to bomb the jet runway which was a threat to the carriers and other ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. Anyway they flew to the target and at fifty feet above ground and high drag bombs the two planes dropped the bombs at 50 feet above the ground and said they were so low they could have landed. Upon return to the carrier the photo RVAH squadron flew a BDA flight at six am and the north Vietnamese had filled all 28 bomb holes except a couple. What a pisser this was to the mission. Then there also was the Russian shipment of Komar missile boats by train from over by Germany?s Baltic sea across Russia by Kamchatka, south pass Japan into the China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin onto tiny Islands or stone outcroppings in wooden crates ready to dismantle and put into the Gulf of Tonkin bay, with it two, two thousand pound missile warheads that could damage ships or even carriers with a 20 mile range. All Missions were stopped and search and destroy missions were put in place till all Komar missile boats were found and destroyed. It was a great team effort to the fleet to eliminate the threat. And Naval Intelligence from Germany to the Gulf of Tonkin proved their value that saved a lot of lives. And the CIA and SR-71?s helped too. Now the biggest peace time cold war event was in the Mediterranean and the Saratoga was refueling with the supply ship for fuel when a large soviet ship came between them and caused an emergency break away and the Captain of the Saratoga was just a little pissed and demanded to over take the soviet ship with the supply ship and upon command when the soviet ship passed between the two ships again rapidly closing together to literality ram the soviet ship, well the soviet ship put everything it had in full reverse and we all avoided a three ship collision by a hounds tooth. And finally my first crossing of the Atlantic at night the Captain took us thru or close to a hurricane and for most of the night as we tried to sleep you would be pressed to your bunk as the carrier rose (and I was in the very forward bunks) then as the carrier passed the swell it went down so fast I would literality leave my bunk 8-12 inches in the air and at the bottom of the fall hit my bunk as the ocean crashed on the flight deck above me. This process went on all night and I learned to have sympathy for those on the DD?s and other small ships out there with us all the time. At the bottom of the fall the carrier just shook and rattled like a freight train before the waves crashed on top of the flight deck. Looking back it was a great experience.... More
Description This Campaign was from 1 December 1971 to 29 March 1972. The allies completed the last major phase of the ACTOVLOG program in early 1972 when the Vietnamese Navy took over the former centers of AmericThis Campaign was from 1 December 1971 to 29 March 1972. The allies completed the last major phase of the ACTOVLOG program in early 1972 when the Vietnamese Navy took over the former centers of American naval power in South Vietnam, the Logistic Support Bases at Nha Be, Binh Thuy, Cam Ranh Bay, and Danang. The Navy's other Vietnamization projects lasted until the total withdrawal of American forces from South Vietnam in March 1973. Construction and turnover of the last of 16 coastal radar sites (one on board a station ship) was completed in August 1972. Further, COMNAVFORV erected over 4,500 shelters for Vietnamese Navy personnel and their families. American planners hoped these better living conditions would strengthen the morale of Vietnamese sailors. U.S. personnel completely restructured and streamlined the allied navy's supply system, with special attention devoted to the Naval Supply Center at Saigon. After an intensive $8 million effort with the help of American civilians, the Naval Advisory Group improved management procedures, developed a skilled work force, and modernized the industrial plant at the Saigon Naval Shipyard. By early 1972, the Vietnamese facility had finished building 58 ferrocement junks, reconditioned hundreds of newly acquired river craft, and achieved the ability to overhaul all of the Vietnamese Navy's seagoing ships in-country, a major goal of the advisory program.... More
People You Remember PT2 William Haaland, Lt. R. DuChateau,Ltjg W. Wardlaw, LT.W.C. Martin, CDR. Richard Bordone, Ltjg R.PT2 William Haaland, Lt. R. DuChateau,Ltjg W. Wardlaw, LT.W.C. Martin, CDR. Richard Bordone, Ltjg R. M. Tanner Remembering CDR. C"M" Earnest, and LCDR LINDLAND who lost their plane and did not return... More
Memories MOST were good memories Enjoyed Bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong and Quang Tri Officers enjoyed lookingMOST were good memories Enjoyed Bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong and Quang Tri Officers enjoyed looking for Jane Fonda so they could drop a BOMB on her lucky they couldn't find her!!!Does this surprise anyone ? General Vo Nguyen Giap. General Giap was a brilliant, highly respected leader of the North Vietnam military. The following quote is from his memoirs currently found in the Vietnam war memorial in Hanoi: 'What we still don't understand is why you Americans stopped the bombing of Hanoi . You had us on the ropes. If you had pressed us a little harder, just for another day or two, we were ready to surrender! It was the same at the battles of TET. You defeated us! We knew it, and we thought you knew it. But we were elated to notice your media was definitely helping us. They were causing more disruption in America than we could in the battlefields. We were ready to surrender. You had won!' General Giap has published his memoirs and confirmed what most Americans knew. The Vietnam war was not lost in Vietnam -- it was lost at home. The exact same slippery slope, sponsored by the US media, is currently well underway. It exposes the enormous power of a Biased Media to cut out the heart and will of the American public. A truism worthy of note: ... Do not fear the enemy, for they can take only your life. Fear the media far more, for they will destroy your honor.... More
Criteria The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service... The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service during the current War on Terrorism. In addition, all members of the National Guard and Reserve who were part of the Selected Reserve in good standing between August 2, 1990, to November 30, 1995, are eligible for the National Defense Service Medal. In the case of Navy personnel, Midshipment attending the Naval Academy during the qualifying periods are eligible for this award, and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Midshipmen ae only eligible if they participated in a summer cruise that was in an area which qualified for a campaign medal. MoreHide
Description A Western Pacific Cruise is a ship's deployment from her home port, usually lasting between 5 and 8 months. Ships visit different ports such as Phuket, Thailand; Salalah, Oman; Darwin, Australia, BaliA Western Pacific Cruise is a ship's deployment from her home port, usually lasting between 5 and 8 months. Ships visit different ports such as Phuket, Thailand; Salalah, Oman; Darwin, Australia, Bali, Jebel Ali, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong. The ships hosted foreign militaries, performed numerous underway replenishments-at-sea and conducted general quarters drills, fire drills and maritime patrols.
US Navy provides during these deployments provocative "freedom of navigation" operations, known as FONOPS, that send warships into the disputed areas around the world on any given year.
Any cruise is hazardous with sailors injured or killed during flight, refueling, ordnance, operations or weather; day or night. Foriegn military vessels threatening by fast approach to ramming. Often at times ships are endangered by low fly overs from hostile aircraft.
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People You Remember LTJG R. A. Duchateau, LCDR J. M. McNabb, LCDR A.M. Page, Bill Haaland Lionel Chadwick LTjg DuChateauLTJG R. A. Duchateau, LCDR J. M. McNabb, LCDR A.M. Page, Bill Haaland Lionel Chadwick LTjg DuChateau Lt martin, Ltjg wardlaw OS division Lt BC Kelly Lt Marsh Tanner... More
Memories LT. T. F. Bahn was a snob, till I wrote my senator Harold Hughes Of Iowa and put sugar back into theLT. T. F. Bahn was a snob, till I wrote my senator Harold Hughes Of Iowa and put sugar back into the military as a whole. No more cyclamates in the military via my letter!!!
War Demostrations for Nixon and Kissinger and Melvin Laird Laying in the Foward ship nets off the catapults watching the Ocean below Tape recording Briefing and doing ship broadcasts of flight breifings on camera. Plotting Triple AA's and Sam Sights. Searching for Russian Komar Missile boats shipped from russia via train to vietnamese Islands to take out ships (carriers)with two 2000lbs weapons. We got them all!!... More
William Haaland PT2
B-52 Raids Offer to re-up 10,000 dollars
IOIC aboard ship USS Saratoga
Sqadron Motto VA-75 we penetrate deeper stay in longer and deliver a bigger load
During the cruise to VietNam we lost 9 Officers/P.O.W./MIA They were LCDR Donald F. Lindland,LCDR Francis J. Davis, LCDR Robert S. Graustein,LCDR Dale V. Raebel, LCDR Barton S. Wade, LT. Fredrick J. Masterson, LT.Robert I. Randall, LT.Larry R. Kilpatrick, LTJG. Roger G. Lerseth and at the time LTJG Roger G. Lerseth I believe was the only known pilot to be released. But I never research the other eight because of knowledge as to how.
The ship also lost(deceased) LCDR Frederick W. Wright, III, LT.John J. Cabral,Mr. Harry J. Schanz, SH2 Courtland Hale, IMSN Gary L. Weller, AA Robert M. Norris during the cruise. nuff said UPDATE
LCDR DALE RAEBEL, LT. MASTERSON, LT. ROBERT RANDALL, LTJG ROGER LERSETH, WERE ALL captured after their plane was shot down over North VietNam Each of these men survived his Captivity ordeal and returned to the USA during Operation Homecoming in 1973.
IOIC aboard ship
Moon Mullins an A-6 pilot who flew over the north had several Sam missles shot at him one night and they were cruising toward his plane and to avoid the situation took the plane lower only to find heavy tripple A fire so he took his plane lower again to avoid the fire only to fly into a tree and somehow returned to the Saratoga as planned but when looking over the plane after landing we found large branches stuck in the wings. you should have seen his eyes thats how his nickname became moon mullins
Best swimmer in boot camp Joined the reserves in Cedar Rapids, Iowa then moved to Omaha and got orders to the Pentagon and my Employer theatened to fire me if I went and I called the reserve Unit and they would not stand up for me so I dropped out.