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The A-6 Intruder possessed a unique capability to hunt trucks by using the "system". Trucks were attacked at night, or in bad weather, or both. The search radar had an AMTI capability (Airborne Moving Target Indicator). When the AMTI was enabled and the vehicle exceeded a minimum speed, the Doppler shift of the return radar echo was sensed and displayed on the B/N's scope. Quite often the roads we were interested in searching were in valleys, surrounded by mountains. Good B/N's could enable AMTI, canceling just enough ground return to pop out the "movers"; but still see the mountains to navigate clear of a sudden and final stop. We usually cruised through the valleys around 400 knots and 3000 feet AGL. The speed was fast enough to maneuver; allowing just enough time for the B/N to identify a target, set up an attack and for the pilot to fly the attack commands on the VDI. The altitude was above small arms fire, but right in the AAA zone. These missions were termed an Armed Reconnaissance, usually referred to as an Armed Recce (pronounced wreck 'KEY). After President Johnson canceled the Rolling Thunder missions to deep North Vietnam, Armed Recce's in Route Package One, were the typical A-6 Direct Air Support missions. When all missions to North Vietnam were suspended, we flew Armed Recce's in Laos (along the Ho Chi Minh Trail supply route). During the spring and summer of 1968, trucks were attacked with CBU's (Cluster Bomb Units). The preferred ordinance to attack trucks varied over the course of the war. CBU's were a clam shell canister containing many softball sized bomblets. The CBU was fused to open the canister in the air and spread a large pattern of the bomblets, giving good coverage on the ground. CBU's generated a lot of fine shrapnel. Truck tires were punctured and gas tanks pierced. But all too often, the trucks were only damaged; they were recovered, repaired and returned to service. Later we used 500-pound bombs with daisy cutter fuse extenders. A daisy cutter is an 18 or 36 inch "pipe" filled with high explosive that screws into the bomb fuse well and accepts the fuse in the other end. The bomb explodes when the fuse hits the ground, increasing the effectiveness of the shrapnel for targets at ground level. These weapons were more effective in destroying trucks, with the tradeoff of a sparser coverage over the ground.
In the spring of 1969, we began to use Rockeyes. The Rockeye was a container filled with 217 finned bomblets, with a shaped charge warhead (like a bazooka round). Like the CBU, the Rockeye was fused to open the canister in the air, allowing the bomblets to spread. It was designed as an anti-armor weapon, but it was very effective against trucks. The Rockeye was a better weapon than 500-pound bombs because it had a denser pattern and the shaped charges were lethal to trucks. The only problem was that it was an expensive munition. We were told to use them on good targets, but never waste them. In May 1969 both Don and I were getting short (getting close to completing our tour in Vietnam). We both had received orders to the 2nd MAW, at MCAS Cherry Point, NC. This night we were assigned an Armed Reconnaissance mission along Route 9 in Laos. We had been there before and knew that it was well defended by 23 mm and 37 mm AAA. This would be my 197th mission and the 273rd for Don. The squadron had more pilots than B/N's, so the B/N's flew more. We adhered to the typical A-6 aircrew routine. We attended the evening briefing for A-6 aircrews at 1700 (5 p.m.) and then went to supper. After sunset we went to the Tun Tavern (the Officer's Club), watched the movie on the patio and had a soda. The "pilot van", (a 6x6, 2½ ton truck) took us to the flight line. We were airborne a little after midnight. It was a dark and virtually moonless night. We headed northwest to Laos. As we crossed the mountains in western Vietnam and eastern Laos we let down towards the valley containing Route 9. Don set up the radar AMTI to look for "movers". Shortly after we entered Laos, Don spotted a mover (a single truck) on Route 9. He set up the armament panel, selecting two Rockeyes. Don locked on and stepped the computer into attack. The computer generated steering to the release point and I followed it. As we were executing the attack, we took AAA fire. The (NVA) gunners were good; we had a number of airbursts very close to the aircraft. I began to jink and Don came out of the boot to see what was happening. The flak was on the right side and getting closer. Don said, "Break left!" I broke left, hard. The fire continued to follow us until we were well south of Route 9. We wondered about how the gunners were able to deliver such accurate fire. There were no indications of any search or fire control radar. I doubled checked that the external lights were off and it was a moonless night. We even wondered if the gunners were using a "star-light" scope to spot and track us. By this time I had continued the turn so the aircraft was heading southeast, back towards Vietnam. We decided simultaneously that "this is bullshit and we need to get that bastard". We set up the attack again heading northwest. Don reacquired the mover, stepped the computer into attack and I followed the steering. We were fired upon again. I was jinking the aircraft and the AAA tracked us. But this time we completed the run. Two Rockeyes were released. I broke hard left and jinked out of the area. Don saw several secondary fires in the target area. We brought home four of the six Rockeyes. We also brought home the 22 Mark 82's we had on the wing stations. This was one of the few times I dropped Rockeyes. The next day a RF-4 took photos of a burned-out truck located where we dropped. This was the only time I was told of BDA confirmed by Photo Reconnaissance. I assume that the intelligence section crossed checked aircrew de-brief information with the immense amount of daily aerial photos. I presume that we were (usually) not told about BDA so that if we were captured, we could honestly claim ignorance of the results of our missions. Prologue, Epilogue and Biography: Don and I met each other in 1967; both of us were transitioning to the A-6 in VMA (AW)-224 at MCAS Cherry Point. We flew together in training and went overseas about the same time. Both of us were assigned to VMA (AW)-242. We teamed up in 242 and were roommates. We flew our last combat mission on June 3rd (Don's 282nd, my 203rd and our 116th together). It was a routine night TPQ. The only thing that was even memorable was that it was our last combat mission and the last time we flew together. When we returned to MCAS Cherry Point, Don was assigned to VMA (AW)-332 and I was assigned to VMAT (AW)-202. Although we never flew together after we left Vietnam, we have remained close friends.
FILE ARCHIVED ON 2003.06.23 AND RETRIEVED FROM THE INTERNET ARCHIVE ON 2005.11.21 BY INTERNET ARCHIVE WAYBACK MACHINES. ONLY NON-COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS INCLUDED. |
