Rescue at Bundil II The Rescue at Bundil II was a successful Rebel mission to rescue POWs captured during the Battle of Hoth . Background . Alliance Intelligence had discovered that a number of Rebel Alliance personnel from Echo Base were being held prisoner on the Imperial Dreadnaught " VTR - LX " . The prison ship was currently refueling at Calast station , a civilian resort , and Admiral Nammo felt this was the opportune moment to disable the Dreadnaught and rescue their people . Rescue Mission . Skirmish at Calast . The Rebel strike force departed from the " Defiance " and hyperspaced to Calast . " VTR - LX " was under the escort of a squadron of Assault Gunboats , which moved to intercept the attacking Rebels . X - wing group Red provided cover as Y - wing group Green targeted " VTR - LX " itself . Local space was congested with civilian traffic , making dogfighting difficult , and the Gunboats bought enough time for the prison ship and both its accompanying Escort Shuttles to escape into hyperspace . After finishing off the Gunboats , the Rebel force analyzed " VTR - LX " ' s hyperspace vector and concluded there was only one Imperial base it could be bound for : the nearby Bundil II platform . Battle at Bundil II . The Imperials were clearly not expecting the Rebel starfighters to pursue " VTR - LX " further and were grossly unprepared for an attack at Bundil II itself . Upon hyperspacing to Bundil II , the Rebel starfighters fell upon the two Escort Shuttles Griphon and Manticore and destroyed them both . As the platform frantically scrambled fighters and sent out distress calls , Y - wing group Green moved in on the unprotected prison ship and disabled it . This was the cue for Storm Unit ’ s arrival ; the Assault Transport hyperspaced in , docked at the Dreadnaught ’ s dorsal airlock , and began boarding operations . Bundil II ’ s starfighter garrison – a mix of TIE Fighters , Interceptors , and Bombers – attempted to defend the platform and the prison ship , but launched in a staggered pattern that made them easy to intercept . Ace Azzameen and other X - wings from Red group engaged and destroyed most of the Imperial fighters , and the few Bombers that did make torpedo runs against Storm Unit scored very few hits before being picked apart by the Assault Transport ’ s defensive turrets . Storm Unit finished their boarding operation and made for their hyperspace point , informing their comrades that the prisoners had been rescued and they had left the Imperials “ a little present ” aboard the Dreadnaught – a powerful explosive . In what must have been a cathartic moment for the POWs , Storm Unit detonated the bomb , destroying " VTR - LX " in a massive explosion . The Imperial frigate Archon , responding to Bundil II ’ s distress call , finally arrived , but was too late and too far out of range to prevent the Rebels ’ safe escape into hyperspace . Among the prisoners to be liberated was Commander Kupalo , a high - ranking tactical officer and a favorite within the Rebel High Command . Aftermath . Although the rescue mission was a success , this operation would have serious consequences for the Alliance in the coming months . One of the Echo Base personnel rescued , Commander Kupalo , had previously served aboard the " Defiance " for two years and was welcomed back into active service . However , during his captivity , Kupalo had secretly been brainwashed by the Empire into becoming a double agent . When Imperial Commander Zaletta defected to the Alliance some months later with top secret data on the Death Star II , Kupalo would betray the Alliance and attempt to eliminate Zaletta along with the Alliance forces escorting him . Fortunately , he was stopped by fellow pilots Ace Azzameen and Olin Garn from the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser " Liberty " , who served under Kupalo ' s command . After his capture , Kupalo would be put into extensive rehabilitation , leaving Zaletta to assume command of the " Liberty " ' s pilots .