THE DEADLY RAILROAD BRIDGES

On Thu, 05 Feb 2004 03:51:01 GMT, Dana Miller
wrote:

How much did the Air Corps briefers tell you about the purpose behind
the selection of a particular target? Did most aircrew members have a
good understanding of target selection so that most/all targets were
chosen for obvious reasons? Did all the aircrew go to the pre-flight
breif or just pilots/BNs? Different briefs for different crew positions?

Ed, et al,

In the North Vietnam campaigns, the ROE were spelled out, so there was
an overall framework for operations. Before you flew your first
mission, you had to read and pass a test on the ROE. Big issue was
prohibited areas and buffer zones, such as the China border. Also
questions of allowable targets--no dams, dikes, hospitals, schools,
etc. At some periods no airfields or SAM sites until they fired. That
changed later in the war.

Large package briefings for Pack VI strikes has all tactical aircrews
present--F-4, F-105 with nosegunners and back-seaters. The EB-66,
EC-121, tankers, recce briefed elsewhere. Several bases participated
so there were briefings and timing sequences involved at all
locations.

Typically, you assembled half an hour before mass brief to review
maps, prepare line-up cards, get code-words for the day. Mass brief
covered weather, intel, operations sequence, SAR plan. Then break up
into four-ship flight briefing by flight lead for tactics,
ingress/egress formations, emergency handling. Finally break to
individual airplane crew where front and back seater coordinate their
duties.

Targets were pretty familiar and the objectives were obvious. Cut
railroad bridges, interdict supplies, destroy POL, etc. No great
strategies involved. Small area, limited number of targets.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8