OCT 22--This Day in US Military History

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 23:12:13 -0400

1972 – Operation Linebacker I, the bombing of North Vietnam with B-52 bombers, ended.

The U.S. ended all tactical air sorties into North Vietnam above the 20th parallel and brought to a close Linebacker I operations. This “gesture of good will” in terminating the bombing above the 20th parallel was designed to help promote the peace negotiations being held in Paris. US tactical air sorties during Linebacker I operations helped to stem the flow of supplies into NVN, thereby, limiting the operating capabilities of North Vietnam’s invading army. During the five and one-half month period of Linebacker I, the Navy contributed more than 60 percent of the total sorties in North Vietnam, with 60 percent of this effort in the “panhandle”, two large regions between Hanoi and the DMZ. Tactical air operations were most intense during the July-September quarter with 12,865 naval sorties flown. Most attack sorties in North Vietnam fell into two classes–armed reconnaissance and strike. The former was usually directed against targets of opportunity with three main areas proscribed–near Hanoi, Haiphong and the Chinese border. Strike operations were preplanned and usually directed at fixed targets. Most types of fixed targets, not associated with armed reconnaissance, required approval by the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, or by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, prior to attack. Principal Navy aircraft were the A-7 and A-6, which accounted for roughly 60 and 15 percent of the Navy’s attack sorties, respectively. About 25 percent of the Navy’s effort was at night. Carriers participating in the initial May-June operations from Yankee Station were Constellation, Coral Sea, Hancock, Kitty Hawk, Midway and Saratoga.

http://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2004/10/22/october-22/

October 22

22 October 1777 – British General William Howe requested that he be relieved. This request will be accepted. 1777 - American defenders of Fort Mercer on the Delaware River repulse repeated Hessian ...

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jul 10 at 2015 5:59 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 17:59:20 -0400

The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. We stopped our bombing of the north Vietnamese which gave them breathing room to rearm, regroup and prepare for their final onslaught against the south executed so ruthlessly in 1975.