Anthology – RememberedSky Vietnam Air War ’72-’73 Stories

Posted on May 5, 2021 by Ed

Testimony of Pilot # 28

“Those of us who came home will never forget those who could not ”           Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association

My return to Schoolboy from first combat mission, 28 April, 1972. Photo by Keith ‘Floo’ LaFlair

Rememberedsky was begun so as to tell stories from the ’72-73 Vietnam War beginning with response to the North Vietnamese 30 March Easter Offensive, on into Linebacker I & II operations by the USS Midway Carrier Airwing Five (CAG 5) and inclusive fighter and attack squadrons – VF-151, VF-161, VFP-63, VA-56, VA-93, and VA-115. Perspective was from my A-7B squadron, the VA-56 Champs, and then later from Dave Snako Kelly of the VA-115 A-6 squadron. An additional focal point was from the air-ground attack mission more than the air-air missions of the VF F-4 Phantom fighter squadrons – blowing stuff up, providing close airsupport to ground troops rather than hunting and killing MiGs.

USS Midway (Schoolboy) CAG Five fighter and attack squadrons: VF-151 Switchboxes, VA-56 Champs, VFP-63 Baby Giants, VA-115 A-rabs, VF-161 Rockrivers, VA-93 Ravens.

Most of that writing was done between 2012 and 2013, but stories still arise as by example the Missmus Bismus Christmas stories this last Christmas time of 2020. The expectation is there will be more on occasion, but this post provides a catalog of those stories  and links currently on line. As we go into the 49th anniversary of Linebacker I operations, some readers may find this listing of 43 TINS useful.

Linebacker I  Operations

  1. Air War Vietnam: Remembrance at 40 Years – All Days Come From One Day … Posted on September 19, 2012
  2. Dangerous Sky – Combat Rescue: Part #1 – Sandy Superb … Posted on September 23, 2012
  3. Dangerous Sky – Combat Rescue: Part # 2 – Wolf FAC … Posted on September 23, 2012
  4. Story Telling … Posted on October 14, 2012
  5. The “War and Remembrance” Thread … Posted on October 18, 2012
  6. Not On My Watch … Posted on October 18, 2012
  7. ALPHA Strike (Part 1) … Posted on October 19, 2012
  8. Stories of the Carrier – A Bad Night for Schoolboy (1/6) … Posted on October 24, 2012
  9. Schoolboy – stories from the night of 24 October 1972 (2-5/6) … Posted on October 24, 2012
  10. Schoolboy: Essence of Winning and Losing (6/6) … Posted on October 25, 2012
  11. ALPHA Strike (Part 2): Snako and Boris doing “Bidness” on same strike near Hanoi … Posted on November 20, 2012
  12. ALPHA Strike (Part 3): Snako’s MiG Kill … Posted on November 23, 2012

Linebacker II and Christmas 1972

  1. Christmas ’72 Stories: (1) The “Ornaments” from Ghosts of Christmas Past … Posted on December 25, 2012
  2. Christmas ’72 Stories: (2) Night time in the Red River Valley … Posted on December 26, 2012
  3. Christmas ’72 Stories: (4) Snako’s Two Night LB II Hat Trick … Posted on December 26, 2012
  4. Christmas ’72 Stories: (4) MiG-CAP & Roman Candles … Posted on December 27, 2012
  5. Christmas ’72 Stories: (5) What did we know? When did we know it? … Posted on December 29, 2012
  6. Christmas ’72 Stories: (6) “We had been there too long!” … Posted on December 29, 2012
  7. War and Remembrance 18 December 1972; Linebacker II and the General Who Made It So … Posted on December 18, 2017
  8. Missmus Bismus #1: The Ghosts of Christmas Past … Posted on December 22, 2020 
  9. Missmus Bismus #2: The Ornaments … Posted on December 23, 2020
  10. Missmus Bismus #3: Shangri-La…found .. Posted on December 24, 20
  11. Missmus Bismus #4: Epilogue .. Posted on December 24, 2020 

 Post Linebacker II and Into 1973

  1. Christmas ’72 Stories: (8) “A-rab Beeper, come up voice.” … Posted on January 15, 2013
  2. Forty Years Ago Tonight … Morning of 24 January onboard USS Midway inbound to Subic Bay after our eighth Line Period … Posted on January 23

Operation Homecoming 

  1. Christmas ’72 Stories, Epilogue: Linebacker II and the POWs – Prelude to Coming Home ... Posted on March 17, 2013
  2. Operation Homecoming Part 1: The POWs Come Home … Posted on March 17, 2013
  3. Operation Homecoming Part 2: Some History … Posted on March 17, 2013
  4. Operation Homecoming Part 3: Jack Fellowes … Posted on March 17, 2013
  5. Operation Homecoming Part 4: The Bracelets … Posted on March 17, 2013
  6. Operation Homecoming Part 5: Always Leading and Always Will … Posted on March 29, 2013
  7. Operation Homecoming Part 6: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton … Posted on March 31, 2013
  8. Operation Homecoming Part 7: Lady and the Flag … Posted on April 2, 2013
  9. Operation Homecoming Part 8: The First and the Last … Posted on
  10. Operation Homecoming Part 9: The POW 40th Reunion … Posted on June 4, 2013 

People

  1. Smokey- For love of the game … Posted on November 6, 201
  2. Christmas ’72 Stories: (7) A Gentlemen’s Gentleman … Posted on January 6, 2013
  3. Gifts & Reflection – No Better Title: “These Good Men” … Posted on February 2, 2013
  4. Memorial Day 2015: Mondo and Arlo ... Posted on May 25, 2015 by Ed

Reflection

  1. Christmas ’72 Stories: (Final) Gifts, a Tree, and a Turkey with all the Trimmings … Posted on January 24, 2013
  2. Year of War- Reflection … Posted on June 4, 2013
  3. Missmus Bismus #4: Epilogue … Posted on December 24, 2020 
Welcome to North Vietnam

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