Category Archives: Vietnam War

ALPHA Strike (Part 3): Snako’s MiG Kill

My MIG Kill at Kien An Airfield Continuing excerpts from Not on My Watch, by Dave ‘Snako’ Kelly Despite the official story, I did ‘kill’ a MIG.  (And I have photographic evidence to back it up!)  There is, however, some … Continue reading

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ALPHA Strike (Part 2): Snako and Boris doing “Bidness” on same strike near Hanoi

Continuing excerpts from Not on My Watch, by Dave ‘Snako’ Kelly The following are some of my more memorable Alpha Strikes of the 1972-73 cruise. Remembered Sky Note: On 22 July 1972, Schoolboy launched a major 30 plus plane Alpha … Continue reading

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Schoolboy: Essence of Winning and Losing (6/6)

Just a little bit of repeat by way of summary to make sure a point or two gets highlighted: Twilight Launch by Jim Horsely, VA-115 pilot  On the “day after” – morning of 25 October – USS Midway launched strikes into … Continue reading

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Schoolboy – stories from the night of 24 October 1972 (2-5/6)

The stories of the A-6 accident on 24 October 1972 were originally posted on the Project White Horse FORUM beginning with Naval Aviation 100 Years – Part 1: A Bad Night for Schoolboy – A Self-designing, High Reliability Organization. These … Continue reading

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Stories of the Carrier – A Bad Night for Schoolboy (1/6)

To this day I can’t watch – actually hear – the scene in A Christmas Carol where Marley is about to appear to Ebinezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve without recalling that night. The junior officers of Attack Squadron 56 (VA-56) … Continue reading

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ALPHA Strike (Part 1)

On May 10th, three and a half years after Lyndon Johnson called a halt to the Rolling Thunder campaign, Richard Nixon authorized the full-scale resumption of bombing operations against North Vietnam.  the new operation was called Linebacker and the rules of … Continue reading

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Not On My Watch

by Dave ‘Snako’ Kelly Prologue This is a memoir of my personal experiences in Naval (carrier) Aviation and my short but intense involvement in the Air War over Vietnam. Admittedly my perspective is somewhat limited. My tours were at the … Continue reading

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The “War and Remembrance” Thread

This is a quick follow on description of plans for the “war and remembrance” thread that began with  Air War Vietnam: Remembrance at 40 Years – All Days Come From One Day and continued with Dangerous Sky – Combat Rescue: Part #1 … Continue reading

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Dangerous Sky – Combat Rescue: Part # 2 – Wolf FAC

Introductory note: Before  we tell Hippo’s story and complete the telling of the rescue of a downed Air Force Wild Weasel crew well inside North Vietnam in November 1972, I think it necessary to provide a short comment on how … Continue reading

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Dangerous Sky – Combat Rescue: Part #1 – Sandy Superb

Few missions are more dangerous than rescue of a downed aircrew behind enemy lines.  Needless to say, a slow moving helicopter is an easy target. The aircrew location must be exact, few search planes escaped damage,  suppressing enemy fire critical.  … Continue reading

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