"The Effects of Leadership on Carrier Air Wing Sixteen's Loss Rates during Operation Rolling Thunder, 1965-1968"

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FIELDS GROUPS: MILITARY AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS;ADMINISTRATION AND
MANAGEMENT;MILITARY OPERATIONS, STRATEGY AND TACTICS;FIRE CONTROL AND
BOMBING SYSTEMS
CORPORATE AUTHOR: ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH
KS
TITLE: The Effects of Leadership on Carrier Air Wing Sixteen's Loss
Rates during Operation Rolling Thunder, 1965-1968
DESCRIPTIVE NOTE: Master's thesis
PERSONAL AUTHORS: Fey, Peter
REPORT DATE: 16 JUN 2006
PAGINATION: 161 PAGES
MONITOR ACRONYM: XA
MONITOR SERIES: USACGSC
DESCRIPTORS: *MILITARY HISTORY, *NAVAL AVIATION, *ATTRITION, *TACTICAL
ANALYSIS, *LOSSES, *VIETNAM WAR, *LEADERSHIP, LESSONS LEARNED, MILITARY
COMMANDERS, TACTICAL WARFARE, NORTH VIETNAM, WING LEVEL ORGANIZATIONS,
TONKIN GULF, TACTICAL BOMBING, CLEAR WEATHER, MONSOONS, BOMBER
AIRCRAFT, CULTURE, MILITARY TACTICS, AERIAL WARFARE, AIRCRAFT CARRIERS,
THESES, STRATEGIC ANALYSIS, MORALE, PILOTS
IDENTIFIERS: *ROLLING THUNDER OPERATION, BOMBING CAMPAIGNS, USS
ORISKANY, CVA-34 CLASS VESSELS, *CARRIER AIR WING 16, CVW-16, LOSS
RATE, JAMES STOCKDALE, AIR WING LEADERSHIP, STRATEGIC GOALS,
OPERATIONAL GOALS, AERIAL TACTICS, STENNIS HEARINGS, ROE(RULES OF
ENGAGEMENT), ALPHA STRIKES, IRON HAND MISSIONS, FLAK SUPPRESSION,
PROJECT SHOEHORN
LIMITATION CODE: 01, 00, 00
ABSTRACT: During Operation Rolling Thunder, Carrier Air Wing 16
suffered the highest loss rates of any unit in naval aviation during
the Vietnam conflict. During three separate cruises on the USS Oriskany
(CVA-34), the air wing was continually plagued with high losses. The
worst losses were taken during the June 1967 through January 1968
deployment. During 122 days of combat, the USS Oriskany lost one-half
the airplanes assigned to her and one-third of her pilots. All total,
20 aviators were killed or missing in action, 7 were taken prisoner of
war, and 39 aircraft lost. This thesis examines the factors that led to
Carrier Air Wing 16's extreme loss rates. First it provides background
information on the Rolling Thunder campaign. Then it discusses the
divide between America's strategic goals and its operational-level
goals and the resulting effects on the United States Navy. Next, it
examines the underlying reasons for attrition at the tactical level and
the! air wing's leadership to determine what role, if any, leadership
played in the losses. The study concludes with a discussion of the
morale issues that arise from this experience, and their implications
for a professional military dependent on volunteers.
SOURCE CODE: 037260