ROMEO FLIGHT – HANOI, DEC 26 1972
FLOYD/PALMER ROMEO 01
PARKHURST/TAYLOR ROMEO 02
MCLEOD/LAVIGNE ROMEO 03
GRAHAM/WILLIAMS DOODAD 01
On this night, Romeo flight was a 4 ship flight of electronically equipped and
armed F-4C Aircraft tasked with the mission of SAM suppression for the B-52
bomber force striking targets in the vicinity of Hanoi, North Vietnam.
To accomplish this demanding mission Romeo and Doodad challenged all conventional
tactics and procedures by devising a daring new approach to cover simultaneous
TOT's by the bomber force striking targets on both the north and south sides of
Hanoi. The F-4C aircraft of Romeo and Doodad were to position themselves among
the SAM sites to the north and west of Hanoi so they could be in position to attack
those sites during bomber ingress and egress. To do this meant exposing the flight
to continuous SAM and AAA fire in order to detect SAM launches in time to react with
an AGM-45 anti-radiation missile (ARM) and kill the threatening sites before they
could guide their missiles on the B-52s. In essence, these electronically configured
F-4Cs of Romeo and Doodad flights were to operate on a thin line, drawing fire
from the SAM sites and yet retaining the capability to attack the sites when they
launched missiles. After dropping off the pre-strike tanker, Romeo flight proceeded
north to Hanoi and their individual working areas. Romeo 01 worked over Phuc Yen
airfield, Romeo 02 orbited the south and of Thud Ridge and Romeo 03 covered an
area south from the Red River to near Bach Mai airfield. Doodad 01's sector was
to the south. Initial hostile contact was made 30 miles southwest of Hanoi as the
flight ingressed the target areas. Enemy MIG aircraft were airborne to intercept
Romeo and Doodad since they were the first support element into the area. Romeo
and Doodad split, working as single ships at this point and successfully penetrated
the MIG defenses to assume their positions over the SAM sites. It shortly became
apparent that the enemy was using a two-pronged defense alternating MIG activity in
certain quadrants of the city with SAM launches in the others. Thus, SAM activity was
highly concentrated in the areas worked by Romeo and Doodad that night, with extensive
MIG activity extending further outward to the north, west and southwest. Immediately
assessing the change in enemy tactics, Romeo flight took advantage of the situation
and methodically varied their positions to within 10 miles of the city of Hanoi proper
to tighten their coverage of the SAM sites. Although this decision increased their
exposure to heavy AAA, it put the F-4Cs in an optimum position from which to fire as
SAM sites became active. The effect of Romeo and Doodad’s aggressive challenge to
target area defenses soon became apparent. Multiple SAM launches were directed at
both Romeo and Doodad to break their hold on the SAM network. Seizing the opportunity,
Romeo and Doodad attacked 10 SAM sites time and again until they forced the SAM
operators to keep their radars on the air long enough to obtain successful ARM shots.
During this wide ranging duel, 8 ARMs were launched by Romeo flight resulting in 4
probable SAM site kills and 4 sites suppressed. Throughout the bomber force ingress,
strike and egress, Romeo and Doodad effectively degraded the enemy’s target area defenses
to the point where they were ineffective against the vulnerable B-52 force. There
can be little doubt that the aggressive actions of Romeo and Doodad were instrumental
in the success of this significant USAF strike mission.
For their extraordinary achievements in nullifying the most sophisticated air defenses
of modern warfare, these individuals are recommended for the award of the
Distinguished Flying Cross.