U.S. jets conduct retaliatory raids

Thank you, my friend SP5 Mark Kuzinski for reminding us about Operation Flaming Dart I the U.S. Navy operation from February 7, 1965 in retaliation for a VC mortar attack at a helicopter base at Camp Halloway and the adjacent Pleiku airfield in South Vietnam’s Central Highlands, killing 8 U.S. servicemen, wounding 109, and destroying or damaging 20 aircraft.


1. background on Flaming Dart worldhistoryproject.org/1965/2/operation-flaming-dart
"Operation Flaming Dart was a U.S. military operation, conducted in two parts, during the Vietnam War.
United States President Lyndon B. Johnson in February 1965 ordered a series of reprisal air strikes after several attacks on U.S. bases by Vietcong (NLF) units, particularly in reply to a mortar attack at Pleiku. These strikes had originally been intended to be part of a three-phase "program" beginning with attacks in Laos in December, 1964 (Operation Barrel Roll) to bring pressure to bear on North Vietnam, and so had been ready to fly.
Escalation of the Vietnam War officially started on the morning of January 31, 1965 when orders were cut and issued to mobilize the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron from Okinawa to Da Nang Air Base. A red alert alarm to "scramble" was sounded at Kadena Air Base at 3:00 a.m. F-105's, pilots and support were deployed from Okinawa and landed in Vietnam that afternoon to join with up with other smaller units who had already arrived weeks earlier. Preparations were under way for the first step of Operation Flaming Dart.
49 sorties were flown for Flaming Dart I (February 7, 1965) and 99 more for Flaming Dart II (February 11, 1965). The Viet Cong attacked a hotel billeting U.S. personnel in reaction to Flaming Dart I, prompting the second air strike. Flaming Dart I targeted North Vietnamese army bases near Dong Hoi, while the second wave targeted Viet Cong logistics and communications near the Demilitarized Zone.
American reaction to Communist escalation was not restricted to the bombing of North Vietnam. Washington also authorized the use of U.S. jet attack aircraft to engage targets in the south. On February 19, U.S. Air Force B-57s conducted the first jet strikes flown by Americans in support of South Vietnamese ground units. On February 24, Air Force jets struck again, this time breaking up a Communist ambush in the Central Highlands with a massive series of tactical air sorties."

The Operation Flaming Dart raids were later followed by Operation Rolling Thunder, which began a 44-month campaign on March 2, 1965."
2. From travel.voyagevietnam.co/major-battles-vietnam-war-operation-flaming-dart/
"Reprisal air raids signaling a sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam. Early on 7 February 1965, the Viet Cong mortared the U.S. helicopter installation at Camp Halloway and the adjacent Pleiku airfield in South Vietnam’s Central Highlands, killing 8 U.S. servicemen, wounding 109, and destroying or damaging 20 aircraft. President Johnson decided to order reprisals, hoping the quick and effective retaliation would persuade the North Vietnamese that their leadership could not rele on continued freedom from bombing while perserving in belligerent actions against South Vietnam. Johnson dismissed the possibility that a restricted attack would activate Russian or Chinese involvement.
With South Vietnamese agreement, the Johnson administration ordered air strikes against four targets in the DRV north of the 17th parallel. Carried out under a previously developed Joint Chiefs of Staff contingency labeled Flaming Dart, U.S. Navy jets from Seventh Fleet aircraft carriers rocketed and bombed North Vietnamese installations at Dong Hoi. Johnson ordered Flaming Dart II 48 hours later, after Viet Cong killed 23 Americans at Qui Nhon, a second series of sorties explained as the onset of Rolling Thunder."


Aircraft take off from the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) underway in South China Sea dur...HD Stock Footage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_lVZhI8niw

3. Background from historycollection.co/day-history-operation-flaming-dart-begins-vietnam-1965/
"On this day in 1965, the U.S. stepped up their involvement in the Vietnam War when they launched Operation Flaming Dart. Ever since the Tonkin Gulf Incident, the Americans played a greater role in the fighting.
The U.S. High Command, as part of Operation Flaming Dart, ordered some 50 Navy jets from the 7th Fleet aircraft carriers to take off and head towards North Vietnam. Their targets were barracks and a Viet Cong training based in Dong Hoi, a guerrilla training camp in North Vietnam. The Navy jets fired rockets at the targets and later dropped heavy explosives on the sites. The South Vietnamese air force conducted a follow-up operation and they bombed a communications center near Dong Hoi. The air raids inflicted heavy damage on the sites, and killed and injured an unknown number of North Vietnamese soldiers and Viet Cong guerrillas.
Escorted by U.S. jets, a follow-up raid by South Vietnamese planes bombed a North Vietnamese military communications center. The air raids were in retaliation for a communist attack on a U.S. camp in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam. With North Vietnamese support, the Viet Cong, had previously attacked Camp Holloway and its airfield. In this attack, several U.S. military advisors and air force personnel were killed. Over a dozen U.S. planes were damaged in the attack.

The attack by the communists had played into the hands of those in the American administration who favored bombing North Vietnam. Some Presidential advisors who wanted more American involvement in the war urged President Johnson to react strongly to the attack on Camp Holloway. The President was persuaded by his staff, and he ordered retaliatory raids. He gave the order for Operation Flaming Dart. There was also some hope expressed that it might have even deterred the Viet Cong from launching further attacks on South Vietnam.

The raids were supported by the U.S. Congress. The American public was outraged by the attack on Camp Holloway. Some politicians believed that the raids were ill-advised and that they would only lead to an escalation in communist attacks. The communists were not deterred by the raids, and they later ordered more attacks on U.S. targets in South Vietnam. The Viet Cong responded by attacking an American base at Qui Nhon, during which over 20 Americans were killed. This led to President Johnson ordering a second series of retaliatory raids on North Vietnam, known as Operation Flaming Dart II."

Thanks for mentioning me, my friend Maj Marty Hogan

FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless CPT Scott Sharon SSG William Jones

Sad we stopped at retaliatory raids. This was just one of the issues- not wanting to damage infrastructure and limiting warfare- in a war. Odd plan....morning Mark

LTC Stephen F. SP5 Mark Kuzinski COL Mikel J. Burroughs SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Maj William W. "Bill" PriceCPL Dave Hoover SSG William Jones Sgt Vance Bonds SGT (Join to see) Cpl (Join to see) SGT Rick Colburn PO1 H Gene Lawrence Maj Robert Thornton PO3 Bob McCord SPC Douglas Bolton CWO3 Dennis M. Lt Col Charlie Brown TSgt Joe C. PO3 Craig Phillips CW5 Jack Cardwell

Very cool info!