ticoAg/ChineseCorpus-Kaggle-fanti huggingface dataset:
After the Tonkin Gulf incident, the USAF response was to deploy twelve F-102 Delta Dagger air defense interceptor aircraft, their number divided between Tan Son Nhut and at Da Nang Air Base. In addition, eight F-100 Super Sabres joined the F-102s at Da Nang, and two squadrons of B-57 Canberra light bombers landed at Bien Hoa Air Base.
Det 1 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Emblem
: Det 1 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Tan Son Nhut Air Base South Vietnam with RB-57E 55-4264, early 1968
Martin RB-57E-MA 55-4264 at Da Nang AB South Vietnam 3/4 front view, in January 1964. Aircraft was originally B-57E (S/N 55-4264). This aircraft was lost in combat with 460th TRW, Detachment 1 Oct 25, 1968 after being hit by ground fire 3 mi SW of Truc Giang, South Vietnam. Both crew ejected safely and were rescued.
The need for additional reconnaissance assets, especially those capable of operating at night, led to a classified strategic reconnaissance project which began in May 1963.  Earlier that year, the Air Force awarded the General Dynamics company a contract to modify two B-57E Canberras (55-4243, 55-4245) as all-weather high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft.
General Dynamics was chosen to make modifications to the B-57E as it had extensive experience in modifying Canberras with the RB-57D and RB-57F projects and turning the B-57 into a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft equipped with various electronic and imagery equipment.  The forward nose section of the B-57Es were modified to house a KA-1 36-inch forward oblique camera  and a low panoramic KA-56 camera used on the Lockheed U-2. Mounted inside the specially-configured bomb bay door was a KA-1 vertical camera, a K-477 split vertical day-night camera, an infrared scanner, and a KA-1 left oblique camera. The modified aircraft were redesignated RB-57E.
The 2d Air Division was desperate for tactical intelligence and on arrival the pilots that ferried in the RB-57Es were immediately assigned to the Division as combat crews and briefed on missions by Divisional intelligence officers on the reconnaissance  flights they would make.
The first mission was flown on 7 May 1963 by the highly-classified Patricia Lynn squadron (Detachment 1, 33d Tactical Group, later 6250th Combat Support Group, later 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing) operating from Tan Son Nhut AB.  The Detachment flew nighttime reconnaissance missions to identify Viet Cong base camps, small arms factories, and storage and training areas.  The sorties yielded results that heretofore only had been wished for.
The nighttime imagery showed Communist training and base camps; small, hidden factories and storage dumps that RF-101 Voodoo crews had flown over during the day and had been unable to locate from the air.   The existing RF-101s in 1963 could only photograph a few kilometers (they had to fly very low) per flight with their cameras. The RB-57Es could image the whole border with Cambodia in 2 1/2 flights at 16,000 to 17,000 feet with superior results.
From then on, the Patricia Lynn crews both night and day missions over South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and areas of North Vietnam until 1971, being some of the last USAF tactical aircraft to be withdrawn from the country.  The RB-57Es carried the call-sign "Moonglow".  Some missions were flown at low-level over single targets, others consisted of 4-6 specific targets.  At night RB-57Es flew the canals and rivers in the Mekong Delta and southern part of South Vietnam. The sampans were easy to spot with the "real time" IR if the crew could keep over the canal which was difficult in the darkness.
The United States began Operation Steel Tiger over the Laos Panhandle and the DMZ on April 3, 1965, to locate and destroy enemy forces and materiel being moved southward at night into South Vietnam, and to fly bomb damage assessment reconnaissance runs over targets attacked in the secret war in which the United States was engaged there.  These flights teamed with B-57B bombers operating out of Bien Hoa AB and a C-130 Hercules flare ship.  Three more aircraft were subsequently modified in 1964/65 bringing the number of aircraft to five.
Two RB-57Es were lost in combat operations. The first (S/N 55-4243) was lost as a result of a fuselage fire caused by small arms while on a low level reconnaissance mission in August 1965. The crew ejected safely when near Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The second aircraft (S/N 55-4264) was lost on Oct. 15, 1968, after an engine fire started by ground fire forced the crew to eject.
A sixth Patricia Lynn aircraft (55-4257) joined the team in 1968, as a replacement for the combat losses. This aircraft had a Terrain Following Radar designed to allow the aircraft to fly at a constant altitude, which would, in theory, produce better reconnaissance photos. Unfortunately, the aircraft flew so low (500–1000&nbsp;feet) that the infrared film was used up before the entire assessment area could be photographed.
A 1968 update, under the Compass Eagle program, gave the back-seater a video display to monitor the IR scanner system. This allowed the crew to call in strikes on targets in real time, instead of having to return to base to get imagery developed, by which time the enemy would have likely moved on
There were frequent changes and updating of the equipment, including the installation of 12-inch focal length KA-82 and 24-inch focal length KA-83 cameras. The infrared equipment was useful in spotting Viet Cong river traffic at night along the Mekong Delta southeast of Saigon.
In 1969/70, Patricia Lynn missions were flown into Laos and into Cambodia including Barrel Roll strikes in 1969. The Patricia Lynn operation was terminated in mid-1971 with the inactivation of the 460th TRW and the four surviving aircraft returned to the United States.
Known RB-57E Patricia Lynn aircraft were:
* Martin B-57E-MA 55-4243  Modified to RB-57E in 1963. Lost in combat with Detachment 1, 6250th Combat Support Group, when hit by ground fire Aug 5, 1965 and caught fire while on return to base.
* Martin B-57E-MA 55-4245.  Modified to RB-57E in 1963.  Returned to CONUS June 1971. Converted to WB-57E.  Retired to MASDC as BM0069 Jun 15, 1972.
* Martin B-57E-MA 55-4237.  Modified to RB-57E in 1964.  Returned to CONUS June 1971. Converted to  WB-57E. Retired to MASDC as BM0070 Jun 28, 1972.
* Martin B-57E-MA 55-4249. Modified to RB-57E in 1964.  Returned to CONUS June 1971. Converted to  WB-57E. Retired to MASDC as BM0068 Jun 15 1972.
* Martin B-57E-MA 55-4264. Modified to RB-57E in 1965.  Lost in combat with Detachment 1, 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Oct 25, 1968 after being hit by ground fire 3&nbsp;mi SW of Truc Giang, South Vietnam.  Both crew ejected safely and were rescued.
* Martin B-57E-MA 55-4257. Modified to RB-57E in 1968.  Equipped with terrain-following radar.  Converted to EB-57E in 1971 and transferred to ADC 4677th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah.  Retired to MASDC in 1979.
USAF Cessna O-1 (L-19) "Bird Dog"
An O-2 Skymaster dropping leaflets over Vietnam
OV-10 Bronco aircraft firing a white phosphorus smoke rocket to mark a ground target north of Saigon, 1969.
The 505th Tactical Air Control Group was assigned to Tan Son Nhut on 8 April 1964. The Unit was primarily responsible for controlling the tactical air resources of the US and its allies in South Vietnam, Thailand, and to some extent Cambodia and Laos. Carrying out the mission of providing tactical air support required two major components, radar installations and forward air controllers (FACs).
The radar sites provided flight separation for attack and transport aircraft which took the form of flight following and, in some cases control by USAF Weapons Directors. Forward Air Controllers had the critical job of telling tactical fighters where to drop their ordnance. FAC's were generally attached to either US Army or ARVN (Army of Vietnam) units and served both on the ground and in the air.
Squadrons of the 505th were located as follows:
* The 619th Tactical Control Squadron at Tan Son Nhut Air Base.
* The 620th Tactical Control Squadron with responsibility from Pleiku to the DMZ, was located at Son Tra, known as "Monkey Mountain."
* The 621st Tactical Control Squadron which supported tactical air operations in Thailand, located at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, and later at Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base.
* The 19th TASS which operated mainly from the Central Highlands south, located at Bien Hoa Air Base.
* The 20th TASS based at Da Nang Air Base.
* The 21st TASS headquartered at Pleiku Air Base.
* The 22nd TASS based at Binh Thuy Air Base.
* The 23rd TASS based at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base.
The TASS units flew either the O-1G Birddog, O-2 Skymaster, or OV-10 Bronco.
Maintenance support was provided by the 505th Tactical Control Maintenance Squadron first based at Tan Son Nhut and later at Bien Hoa Air Base
The 619th Tactical Control Squadron was responsible from the Mekong Delta to Ban Me Thuot in the Central Highlands from 8 Apr 1964-15 Mar 1973.  During this period its primary mission was to operate and maintain  air control management center capable of operating 24 hours a day in order to control air traffic and operate direction finding equipment.  Detachments of the 619th TASS were located as follows:
* Det 1, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Da Nang Air Base: 8 April 1964 - 22 December 1965
* Det 1, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Duong Dong Army Airfield: 15 August 1967 - 20 December 1968
* Det 2, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base: 8 April 1964 - 22 December 1965
* Det 3, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Can Tho Army Airfield: 8 April 1964-30 June 1972
* Det 4, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base: 18 October 1964-22 December 1965
* Det 5, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base: 10 August-22 December 1965
* Det 6, 619th Tactical Control Squadron (Green Hill, Thailand): 10 August-22 December 1965
* Det 7, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Tay Ninh Army Airfield: 10 August 1965-15 May 1968.
* Det 8, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Ca Mau Army Airfield: 10 August 1965-15 May 1968.
* Det 9, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Ban Me Thuot Army Airfield:1 October 1965-29 February 1972.
* Det 10, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Pleiku Air Base: 1 October 1965-8 November 1966.
* Det 11, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Nha Trang Air Base: 22 December 1965-29 February 1972.
* Det 12, 619th Tactical Control Squadron Qui Nhon Army Airfield: 22 December 1965-8 November 1966
North American F-100D 55-3647 and 3559 of the 481st Tactical Fighter Squadron over South Vietnam. Early F-100s were unpainted when they arrived in Southeast Asia like the foreground aircraft, but all eventually received camouflage paint like the aircraft in the back.
Attacks against Americans in South Vietnam continued. On Christmas Eve 1964, the bombing of a residence for American officers at Saigon brought the United States to the brink of bombing North Vietnam. The Johnson administration's reluctance to directly engage North Vietnam ended on 7 February 1965, when the Viet Cong attacked an American detachment near Pleiku, killing eight and wounding 104 American soldiers.
President Johnson approved Operation Rolling Thunder, a limited and carefully paced program of air strikes that more closely resembled the graduated response to the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba than the recommendations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for a vigorous and extensive bombardment. Despite the reliance on gradual escalation, the Johnson administration struck directly at North Vietnam in an attempt to save South Vietnam unilaterally, regardless of the weakness or incompetence of the military government in Saigon, abandoning a policy of partnership with the South Vietnamese that worked toward political stability and economic progress as conditions leading to a military victory in the South.
The United States Air Force now had four distinct air wars on the mainland of Southeast Asia, as the offensive against North Vietnam took its place alongside the attacks in South Vietnam and in northern and southern Laos. In 1965, United States Air Force was not fully equipped, suitably trained, nor doctrinally prepared for the situation in Southeast Asia. The transition from massive retaliation to flexible response and the shift from nuclear to conventional weapons remained incomplete.
As part of the Operation Rolling Thunder buildup, several Tactical Air Command F-100 Super Sabre squadrons wee deployed to Tan Son Nhut Air Base:
* 481st Tactical Fighter Squadron,  29 June 1965-1 January 1966
* 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron,  1 November 1965-15 June 1966
The 481st was deployed on temporary duty from the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon AFB, New Mexico.  The 416th was a PACAF 31st Air Division squadron that was moved to TSN from Bien Hoa AB.  The 418at returned to the United States; the 416th returned to Bien Hoa.
The first tasks facing the USAF, however, were to set up a workable organizational structure in the region, improve the area's inadequate air bases, create an efficient airlift system, and develop equipment and techniques to support the ground battle.
Starting with the buildup in 1965, the Air Force, while continuing to conduct the four air wars, adjusted its structure in Southeast Asia to absorb incoming units. Temporarily deployed squadrons became permanent in November. A wing structure replaced the groups. On 8 July 1965, the 33d Tactical Group was redesignated the 6250th Combat Support Group.
The Army Band plays Christmas music at the Tan Nhut Airbase during the holiday season. 22-29 Dec 1970
On 18 February 1966 the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated and entered the Vietnam War.  Its headquarters shared the Seventh Air Force Headquarters and the Military Assistance  Command Vietnam (MACV).
When it stood up, the 460th TRW, alone, was responsible for the entire reconnaissance mission, both  visual and electronic reconnaissance, throughout the Southeast Asia (SEA) area of responsibility.  On  18 February 1966 the 460th TRW began with 74 aircraft of various types.  By the end of June 1966, that number climbed to over 200 aircraft.  When the 460th TRW stood up, the Wing gained several flying units
* 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
* 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (located at: Udorn RTAFB, Thailand)
* 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (located at: Takhli RTAFB, Thailand)
* Detachment 1 of the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (see: Patricia Lynn Project)
On 15 October 1966, the 460th TRW assumed host wing responsibilities for Tan Son Nhut Air Base, to include being responsible for all depot-level aircraft maintenance responsibility for all USAF organizations in South Vietnam.  In addition to the reconnaissance operations, the 460th TFW's base flight operated in-theater transport service for Seventh Air Force and other senior commanders throughout South Vietnam.   The base flight operated T-39A Saberliners, VC-123B Providers (also known as the "White Whale"), and Cessna U-3Bs between 1967-1971.
;RF-101C Voodoo
* 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 30 March 1966 - 31 December 1970 (RF-101C Tail Code: AH)
:Deployed from 39th Air Division, Misawa Air Base, Japan. The unusual thing about the 45 TRS was that while most of the squadron's assets were in Southeast Asia, there was a housekeeping force of one officer and one enlisted airman back at the squadron's home station at Misawa. Inactivated in place. Later reactivated as an RF-4C squadron on 15 October 1971 with the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Bergstrom AFB, Texas.
;RF-4C Phantom II
: When it joined the 460 TRW, the 16th TRS was the only unit operating the RF-4C Phantom II in Southeast Asia.  It was also the first unit to achieve initial combat readiness of this aircraft in August 1965. The 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing's contingent of RF-4Cs increased first on 29 July 1966 and then on 9 September 1966 when the Wing received additional RF-4C squadrons, the 12th TRS, and the 6461st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, based at Udon RTAFB, Thailand .
* 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 29 July 1966 - 31 August 1971 (RF-4C Tail Code: AC)
:Deployed from 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Bergstrom AFB, Texas
:Reassigned to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Bergstrom AFB, Texas
* 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 27 October 1965 - 15 March 1970 (RF-4C Tail Code: AE)
;RB-66C Destroyer
: In addition to the visual reconnaissance part of the 460 TRW's overall mission, the Wing's mission also included electronic warfare. To handle the communications countermeasures mission for the 460th TRW, the 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, located at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand flew the RB-66C Destroyer. On 8 June 1966, the 460 TRW gained another RB-66 squadron, 6460th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, also stationed at Takhli. While the 41st and 6460th TRSs completed other electronic  warfare missions, the primary role of both squadrons was to find enemy radar sites in North Vietnam that controlled anti-aircraft missile and gun sites. Being unarmed, the RB-66s could not attack these anti-aircraft sites themselves. However, after  identifying these sites, strike aircraft could either try to avoid them or target them.
RF-101C serial 56-176 of the 45th Tactical Recon Squadron - Tan Son Nhut Air Base - 1969
12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron McDonnell RF-4C-26-MC Phantom 65-0893 Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, 1968
During the end of 1966, the 460th TRW and its responsibilities changed. First, on 18 September 1966, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. After the 432d TRW activated it
took control of the reconnaissance squadrons in Thailand. With the activation of the 432d TRW, the 460th TRW was no longer responsible for all air reconnaissance missions throughout the SEA area of responsibility. However, the 460th TRW  provided the new 432d TRW with continued support in recovering RF-101 and RF-4C aircraft returning from high priority, high interest target missions.
In addition to all of its main  missions, the 460 TRW  took part in several additional operations, either directly or through supporting it. During their time in SEA both the 12th and 16th TRSs supported  Operation "Arc Light" by flying bomb damage assessment missions.  Additionally, these two squadron flew "Operation Search" missions that found some of the targets for "Arc Light".
To help military leaders at all levels better understand the topography of sections of the DMZ and Laos, on 20 October
1967, the RF-101Cs of the 45 TRS began flying aerial mapping missions as part of Project "Muscle Shoals." This program morphed into Project "Igloo White" which also included ground sensors and B-66 electronic warfare aircraft as well as the  RF-101Cs.  Ignoo White continued until the United States withdrawal from South Vietnam in 1972.
Project Niagara: On the morning of 21 January 1968 regular forces of the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces attacked the US Marine strategic bases at and around Khe Sanh. Immediately, the 460th TRW began Project "Niagara" to locate enemy troops and equipment surrounding Khe Sanh. The efforts of the 460th TRW directly contributed to the effectiveness of the most intensive bombing campaign of the conflict, to include the first use of B-52s as tactical bombers sometimes dropping their bombs with 100 yards of the base. Khe Sanh held out because of this intensive bombing and aerial resupply. Relief forces reached the besieged base during the first week of April. At that time "Niagara" changed to "Pegasus" and continued for three more weeks as US forces regained control of the area around Khe Sanh.
Project Grand Canyon:  The A Shau Valley, is a 22-mile long valley located 6 miles from the Laos border close to the former De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) which separated North and South Vietnam between 1954 and 1976. The valley became a North Vietnamese Army staging area and was one of the main routes for the Ho Chi Minh Trail to funnel troops and  supplies towards Hu? and Da Nang. Also there were three abandoned airfields and a deserted South Vietnamese Special Forces camp in the valley.  On 10 April 1968 the United States Army 1st Air Cavalry Division began Operation "Delaware." To support this the 460th TRW began Program "Grand Canyon" to locate enemy positions, particularly the
anti-aircraft batteries making  up one of the most complex interlocking defensives in South Vietnam. The 29 day
operation cleared out the 5,000 to 6,000 enemy forces for a time.
A few months after the 460th TRW's activation, two squadrons activated on 8 April 1966 to take on projects "Hawkeye," "Phyllis Ann," and "Drillpress."  In April 1969 the 460th TRW stood up an additional detachment to fly EC-47s.  This started out as 460th TRW Det 2, but on 1 June 1969 the unit transferred to become 360th TEWS Det 1.
;EC-47 Skyktrain
* 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 8 April 1966 - 31 August 1971 (EC-47N/P/Q Tail Code: AJ)
:Deployed from 1st Air Commando Wing, England AFB, Louisiana.
:Reassigned to 1st Air Commando Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida
* 361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 8 April 1966 - 31 August 1971 (EC-47N/P/Q Tail Code: AL) (Nha Trang AB)
:Deactivated in place
* 362d Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 1 February 1967 - 31 August 1971 (EC-47N/P/Q Tail Code: AN) (Pleiku AB)
362d Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron EC-47s at Pleiku AB, 1968
Project "Hawkeye":  This mission came about as a better and safer way to conduct radio direction finding (RDF), whose main target during the Vietnam conflict were Viet Cong radio transmitters.  Before this program RDF involved tracking the signals on the ground.  Because this exposed the RDF team to ambushes, both the US Army and USAF began to look at airborne RDF.  After some initial problems, "Hawkeye" was born.  While the US Army used U-6 Beaver and U-8 Seminole aircraft for its  own version of the "Hawkeye"  platform, the USAF modified several C-47 Skytrains/Dakota.  These were one of the main workhorse during World War II and the  USAF had a great many of them in its inventory
Project "Phyllis Ann": Also used modified C-47s.  However, the C-47s for this program were highly modified with a great deal of advanced, for its time, navigational and reconnaissance equipment.  In essence the "Hawkeye" and "Phyllis Ann" missions were the same.  The real difference was that the "Phyllis Ann" aircraft were more  sophisticated.  On 4 April 1967, project "Phyllis Ann" changed to become "Compass Dart".  A year later, on 1 April 1968, "Compass Dart" became "Combat Cougar".  Because of security concerns the operation's name changed two more times first to "Combat Cross", and then to "Commando Forge".
"Project "Drillpress": Used modified C-47s, their mission was a little different.  Whereas, "Hawkeye" and "Phyllis Ann" tracked Viet Cong radio traffic to find the enemy and track their movements, "Drillpress" listened into that traffic and collected intelligence from it.  This data gave insights into the plans and strategy of both the Viet Cong and the North Vietnam military.  Information from all three projects contributed in a major way to the intelligence picture of the battlefield in Vietnam.  In fact about 95 percent of the B-52 Stratofortress Arc Light strikes conducted in South Vietnam were based, at least partially, on the data from these three programs.  On 6 October 1967, "Drillpress" changed to "Sentinel Sara".
Lam Son 719: On 8 February 1971 units from the Army of the Republic of South Vietnam (ARVN) launched  Operation "Lam Son 719" into the southeastern panhandle of Laos.  This operation called for ARVN troops to drive west from Khe Sanh, cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail, seize Tchepone in Laos and, after destroying North Vietnamese Army forces and supplies, then return to South Vietnam. While ARVN provided and commanded the ground forces entering Laos, US Army and Air Force units furnished aviation airlift and supporting firepower.  Part of that support came from 460th TRW units like