B-52 Operation Arc Light

Operation Arc Light was the 1965 deployment of B-52F Stratofortress as conventional bombers from bases in the US to Guam. By extension, Arc Light, and sometimes Arclight, is the code name and general term for the use of B-52 Stratofortress as a CAS platform to support ground tactical operations assisted by ground-control-radar detachments of the 1CEG during the Vietnam War.

In 1964, the U.S. Air Force began to train strategic bomber crews in the delivery of conventional munitions. Under Project Big Belly, all B-52Ds were modified so that they could carry nearly 30 tons of conventional bombs. B-52s were deployed to air force bases in Guam and Thailand. Arc light operations were most often close air support bombing raids of enemy base camps, troops concentrations, and/or supply lines.

The first use of these heavy bombers in Southeast Asia occurred on 18 June 1965. Flying out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, twenty-seven aircraft used 750 and 1,000 pound bombs to attack a Viet Cong stronghold. During this mission two B-52Fs were lost in a mid-air collision; another was unable to conduct air refueling. Missions were commonly flown in three-plane formations known as "cells" and were also employed when ground units in heavy combat requested fire support. Releasing their bombs from 30,000 feet, the B-52s could neither be seen nor heard from the ground as they inflicted horrific damage. B-52s were instrumental in nearly wiping out enemy concentrations besieging Khe Sanh in 1968[1] and An Loc and Kontum in 1972.

Arc Light missions continued until the cessation of hostilities by all U.S. forces on August 15, 1973. Between June 1965 and August 1973, 126,615 B-52 sorties were flown over Southeast Asia. During those operations, the U.S. Air Force lost 31 B-52s: 18 from hostile fire over North Vietnam and 13 from operational causes.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Operation
• Arc
• Light
• Boeing
• B-52
• Stratofortress
• BUFF
• Vietnam
• War
• USAF
• combat
• aircraft

[FreshMintBlue]

Holy shit you're stupid - seriously

[EdikShepherd]

My best friend's old man told me about the time in Vietnam that he saw arc light bombings on the horizon and could feel his legs shaking from miles and miles away.

[russelljfd]

Who said they were refugees, or highland ethnic minority villages?

[centurion180ad]

@russelljfd If you are a War Criminal, I hope you get yours....

[centurion180ad]

@russelljfd I know because I read Hague & Geneva Conventions.

You don't bomb refugees, or highland ethnic minority villages.

[centurion180ad]

@hammerogod It was criminal when Luftwaffed did it too.

NILO records and eye witness demonstrate that carpet bombing when not properly designated, was dropped upon infrared heat sources when they were almost certainly refugees holing up in hard to access remote hamlet locations.

This was brought up, and the officers asking where threatened.

[russelljfd]

@ centurion180ad - I hope a B-52 passes over your dumb-ass and 'unloads'

[russelljfd]

@ centurion180ad - How do you know that the Rural “targets” in Laos & Cambodia didn't deserve it?

[hammerogod]

Load up Google Earth and go look at the Arc Light impact areas.

They are mostly still clearly visible.

[hammerogod]

@centurion180ad

While I agree that Robert McNamara should have been hung I would like to remind you that carpet bombing was first used by the Luftwaffe over Spain before WWII began.

Most of the areas in Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia where carpet bombing was used were virgin jungle with a population of roughly Zero.

You can use Google Earth to confirm that.

That jungle is still fucked up.

[tock101]

Fact, the top speed of the B-52 is a national secret.

[jsward123]

@EdikShepherd arclights got the impact velocity of a small nuke