CHRISTMAS IN HANOI

At times the negotiations to end the war seemed almost as long as the war itself. Nixon disgusted with the bargaining process replaced the head of the U.S. delegation Averell Harriman with Henry Cabot Lodge in 1969. Lodge resigned the following year and was replaced by David K. E. Bruce as the National Liberation Front (NLF) or Vietcong proclaimed a new government in South Vietnam.  As the jockeying continued on the world stage secret negotiations were taking place behind closed doors. On August 4, 1969 Henry Kissinger, Nixon's national security advisor, held the first secret meetings in Paris with Hanoi's top negotiator Le Duc Tho. For the next three years the negotiations would go back and forth until October 1972 when the talks broke down as all the parties walked away from the bargaining table.

President Nixon contemplating his next move.

President Nixon was furious and offered an ultimatum to Hanoi, return to the negotiations within 72 hours or else. Tho ignored the ultimatum as Nixon set in motion a winter offensive which already existed on paper. Operation Linebacker II better known as the "Christmas Bombings" would begin a bombing campaign to bring Hanoi to it's knees. Sustaining an air assault of Nixon's grander during winter would need considerable resources. The only air craft in the U.S. arsenal capable of all-weather bombing are the Air Force B-52 bombers, F-111 fighter bombers, and the Navy's A-6 Intruders. There were not enough F-111's and A-6's available in the region to sustain the bombing intensity needed so the job fell on old reliable, the B-52's. 

U.S. Air Force's B-52's on a bombing mission over Hanoi.

Just after dark on December 18, 1972 the first wave of 48 B-52's struck storage facilities, rail yards, and air fields and at midnight the second wave of 30 B-52's struck targets in and around Hanoi. The third wave struck before dawn as the wrath of the U.S. Military was unleashed on Hanoi. December 19th and 20th were a repeat of the first day hitting nuclear power plants and oil storage facilities. The campaign was not without it's losses as the U.S. was operating at a 6% loss rate which could not be sustained.

The Strategic Air Command to cut down on losses changed it strategy by cutting down on the number of aircraft per mission but increased the frequency of strikes as it targeted Hanoi's air defenses. By Christmas Day eleven B-52's were shot down and most strategic targets in Hanoi were either reduced to rubble or rendered useless as the U.S. took a break for the holiday. 

December 26th at dawn Air Force F-105's and F-4 fighter bombers specifically designed to take out radar and guidance missile systems destroyed the remainder of Hanoi's defenses. At dusk on the same day F-111's destroyed all remaining runways stopping any Soviet MiG's (jet interceptors) from taking off. Instead of bombing throughout the night an additional 120 B-52's followed the runway strike by hitting ten different targets simultaneously. 

F-111 Phantom on a bombing run over Hanoi. The Phantom was capable of a 45 degree descend and in a moments notice ascend at the same angle. This was the workhorse of the U.S. arsenal during the Vietnam War.

U.S. Navy Intruders over Hanoi have collapsable wings designed for storage on air craft carriers.




Thunderchiefs a hybrid fighter bomber on a bombing run.



The following morning Hanoi cabled Washington asking if January 8, 1973 was acceptable to resume talks. Nixon rejected the offer and countered with January 2nd as the date or bombing would continue. On December 27th the bombings resumed with only neighborhoods left to destroy and on the morning of December 28th Hanoi agreed to all of Nixon's demands. December 29th all bombings were directed south of the 20th parallel leaving Hanoi a city in complete chaos and ruin. The eleven day siege known as the "Christmas Bombings" had come to an end. 

Henry Kissinger was Nixon's chief advisor and head of negotiations during the Paris Peace Talks. Here he meets with President Nixon to discuss strategy.

Two adversaries smile and shake hands. U.S. chief negotiator Henry Kissinger and North Vietnam's chief negotiator Le Duc Tho meet in Paris.

Hanoi is reduced to rubble as old men, women, and children are the only civilians left to clean up the city. Any abled bodied man old enough to fight was pressed into the military.

With all the military, power plants, and infrastructure destroyed the last bombing missions struck neighborhoods bringing Hanoi to its knees.

Statistics - Linebacker II:

11 Day Mission

739 B-52 sorties (one plane one mission)

20,237 tons of bombs, combined Air Force and Navy

Loses:

15 B-52's

9 fighter bombers

1 Navy recon plane

1 Air Force Jolly Green Giant rescue helicopter

Hanoi's Losses:

1,312 dead in the capital area

300 dead in Hai Phong Area

All power plants destroyed

Oil storage facilities destroyed

Rail yards destroyed

Air fields destroyed

Air defense destroyed

No roof, three half walls, ruble everywhere, and they called it Firebase Chris. However it got its name this bombed out temple was in desperate need of help and the bad boys of Delta were called. Air support was at our fingertips and that included air mobility the fastest and most direct mode of transportation for our unit. 

Wherever you were, whatever you were doing and that included sleeping, your gear was within reach 24/7 and you knew every inch of it by heart. Without thinking you grabbed part or all of it in a moments notice. The call came in and we started running strapping our gear on while heading towards the sound of rotars. They would only touch the ground for an instant and it was our job to be on it when it left. With full gear and rifles on lock I dove head first into the chopper from a dead run. The gunner would only help the first guy on and it was then my job to lock arms with the next and so on and so forth. We were already in the air heading towards Firebase Chris.

Pinned down the camp was taking fire from two sides each in a wood-line of trees and scrub bush and all from small arms. Getting closer and having the air advantage of sight I could see the firefight raging as the pinging of bullets rattled the underside of the chopper. This time I knew he wouldn't touch the ground and I had less time to get out than I had to get in. Being the alpha personality that I was I sat on the edge of the chopper with my legs dangling ready to go. The gunner, right above my head, opened up with ground cover. As the 60 wailed I waited for his boot to kick me in the back and down I went. Dropping ten feet I hit with a thud followed by five other thuds in wet rice paddy mud. Stuck up to our knees like six darts in a wall we struggled to get free. 

I unstrapped my gear and used it as a floatation device to get leverage and working my way free. As fast as I got up I jumped back down in horror. Coming right at me, at what appeared to be straight down, were Phantom jets attacking in tandem. I was hoping they knew what the hell they were doing and no sooner did I think it they changed direction and went back up. In that precise instance they unloaded a small arsenal with such precision all shooting stopped getting both sides attention. After the defening sound of the after burners kicked in there remained nothing but silence and the smell of spent jet fuel. My first encounter with F-111 Phantom jets, the workhorse of Vietnam, was educational to say the least and I just knew we were going to be good friends.

I took these photos on route to Firebase Chris.

Air mobility was important for our unit and we could be transported from one firefight to another as help was needed. The 199th was designed for these types of operations.

Inside an open doored helicopter with two mounted 60 caliber machine guns is defening. Communication between the crew was through head phones in the helmets. Passengers communicate with hand signals.

Hanging out the side of the chopper was always fun unless you were being shot at. Standing on the rudders I took this picture before heading in. Using hand signals due to the noise factor I knew the basics of the operation. Good guys on the right and bad guys on ten left, it was as simple as that.

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