But, the fact of the matter is that there were no B-52s lost to enemy
action until Linebacker.

Well...a D model was lost in November during one of the Freedom Porch
operations, not technically a Linebacker sortie, but I get your point. I guess
my problem was I felt you were slighting the aircrews as responsible for the 12
losses prior to 1972.

I hope you'll agree that the guy who did the 180 back into his own
cell in weather probably wasn't using the best of situational
awareness.

Actually, he did a 180 back into the following cell, and was using standard SAC
Nuclear Ops performing an orbit delay at the ARCP while he waited for the late
tanker. Good SA? Hell No! A habit pattern from years of training? Probably. For
what its worth, a WARNING was added to the T.O. specifically stating NOT to do
orbit delays at the ARCP.

We always laughed, in the fighter wings in Thailand that were going
North, that the little birds were doing the strategic mission while
the BUFFs were going tactical in-country.

Called "Coconut Knocking" sorties by the BUFF crews.

Strange war....

Not so much as you would think. Fast forward 15+ years to DESERT STORM. For a
bulk of that operation B-52Gs pounded Iraqi ground forces and mobilization
areas while F-117s hit Iraqi SOCs and other completely strategic targets. Now
jump forward another dozen years and F-117 and F-15E are hitting strategic
targets in Baghdad while 50% of the B-52 sorties are dedicated to CAS. Vietnam
wasn't strange, it was a glimpse of future air operations.


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"