Ryan 147/AGM-34 Firebee Drones normally flew at 500 feet or less. A North Vietnamese four-position 37MM AAA site firing at the drone, obviously they missed. Buffalo Hunter imagery, blow-ups below.
A 1965 image of one of the first deployments of the SA-2, TAC Recce
Most SA-2 sites found in NVN were four-position field deployed sites which were difficult to locate on imagery. They normally stayed in one location for only a few days
A classic six-position SA-2 Site.
SR-71 imagery of a SA-2 site deployed in a farming commune
A very difficult SAM site to identify, note the two small craters north of the site, no other craters in area, these may have been from a Wild Weasel that missed his target, SR-71 OBC camera
A permanent six-position SA-2 Site under construction near Hanoi, SR-71 imagery
Field deployed SA-2 site near the former Marine Base at Khe Sanh during the NVN Easter Offensive in 1972, Buffalo Hunter drone imagery
January 1973, SR-71 “A” Camera, first SA-3 site in North Vietnam, on the last SR-71 mission over NVN
SAM Support Facility dispersed in trees
November 1972, Buffalo Hunter drone images of SA-2 inflight, one frame later the missile detonation, from Air Force Checo Report
Contrail from SA-2 fired at the A-12 in 1968 near Hanoi, they did not fire at the SR-71
RF-4C shot down by an SA-2
MI-6 Hook at Hanoi Gia Lam Airfield, Buffalo Hunter Drone imagery
MI-6 Dispersed along Red River, Buffalo Hunter imagery
MIG-17 dispersed by helicopter in a village near Kep Airfield
First Mig-21 Fishbed-J identified in North Vietnam at Gia Lam Airfield on drone imagery August 1972
Komar PTG north-east of Haiphong SR-71 image, sunk shortly after reported
Paul Doumer over Red River at Hanoi spams dropped May 1972, Buffalo Hunter Drone image
Thanh Hoa RR bridge 1972 span dropped
The following images are photos from Linebacker II in December 1972
Hanoi Gia Lam Airfield terminal building damaged during Lineback II December 1972, drone image
Linebacker II BDA Gia Lam RR Yard, December 1972
BDA Hanoi Thermal Power Plant Lineback II December 1972
BDA Haiphong Thermal Power Plant Lineback II December 1972
BDA Linebacker II Hanoi Radio Transmitter December 1972
Crash site of B-52G Charcoal 01 shot down the night of December 18, 1972 west of Phuc Yen Airfield by a SA-2, three crewmembers were MIA, their remains were later repatriated by the North Vietnamese. Three of the crew and were captured, they were released at Homecoming. December 22, 1972, Buffalo Hunter Drone imagery, the dots are people.
Nose of Charcoal 01, I would guess a crewmember’s body is at the big crowd at top of photo
The following are from the fall of Saigon April 30, 1975, Buffalo Hunter Drone, the last recce mission over Vietnam
Battle at the main gate of Tan Son Nhut AB
Burning tank near Tan Son Nhut AB
NVN troops and tanks moving down a street off of Plantation Road near Tan Son Nhut AB
The road into Saigon from Bien Hoa
NVN force pouring thru a SVN road block on road from Bien Hoa
The following photos are the flight line of Tan Son Nhut and the artillery/rocket damage
C-119’s
C-130’s and C-7’s
F-5’s and A-37’s
The following images are from the fall of SVN
NVN radars at the former SVN Danang GCI Site
SA-2 site east of Danang Airfield shortly after the city and airfield fell, no need for camouflage. SR-71 “A” camera image
Pleiku AB in the Central Highlands
SA-2 site just south of Bien Hoa AB, SR-71 OBC image
Tanks near An Loc
The following images are from the Mayaguez Incident, May 15, 1975, one USAF, two Navy and ten Marines were MIA from the shoot down of Knife 31, their remains have since been recovered; the body of one Marine killed in the fighting was left behind and is now MIA; a three-man Marine machine gun team is MIA on the island after they failed to get on the last helicopter; and one USAF crewmember is MIA after his CH-53 crashed at sea off the western beach. A fourth CH-53, Knife 13, crashed 35 miles west of NKP while enroute to the incident, killing five crewmembers and 18 security police on board. One more CH-53 crashed at sea with all rescued, and two more were so heavily damaged they barely made it to the mainland.
Knife 23 lost its tail and crashed, everyone got out OK and were later rescued by another helicopter.
Knife 31, 26 POB, four USAF, two USN medics, and 20 USMC. Thirteen survived the crash and swam out to sea where they were rescued; the USAF co-pilot, two USN medics, and ten USMC were MIA, with their remains later recovered by JPAC in underwater recoveries and later identified.
Map at the start of the battle, Lt. Cicere’ Platoon was aboard Knife 23.
USS Pueblo near Wonson North Korea after its capture by the North Koreans. Image taken by A-12 Black Sheild mission.
The USS Pueblo is now a tourist attraction at Pyongyang
Google Earth image of USS Pueblo tourist attraction in Pyongyang.
Tan Son Nhut AB, February 4, 1968
Hickam AFB Hawaii, May 19, 1979
Songtan-up, “The Vil”, outside Osan AB, ROK, RF-4C February 1968
Songtan today
We like cameras and we highlight the KH-9. The KH-9 had a 20-inch aperture with a focal length of 60 inches that allowed it to capture this image of a USSR missile test range in 1984. (Courtesy of Ed Dunlay)