“ VIETNAM: THE B-52 ” 1960’S U.S. AIR FORCE UBON AIR FORCE BASE OPERATION NIAGARA ARC LIGHT 23464
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This film features the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, the craft attributed with flyng over 5,000 missions in Vietnam. The film opens with images of a B-52 unloading its payload (:14). The film is presented by the Department of the Air Force (:31). The scene is Ubon Royal Air Force Base in Thailand (:56) where B-52's had been flying out of since 1967. Pilot and co-pilot sit in the cockpit (1:32). Captain William Dietrich's aircraft is seen parking (2:25). The ground crews arrive (2:33) as the men head to Operational Debriefing (2:57). The number two man on the mission is pointed to (3:15) as well as the Radar Navigator (3:39) and the Navigator (4:03). Staff Sergeant Johnson is also noted (4:42). Enlisted men enjoy recreational time (8:01). Captain Charles McVay speaks on the effectiveness of the B-52 (9:35). McVay was the Commanding Officer of the cruiser USS Indianapolis when it was sunk in 1945 resulting in damage to his career. The B-52 could be delivered around the clock and maintained stealth on missions (10:49). The Battle of Khe Sanh in 1968 is looked to (11:02) as the B-52’s were able to swing in close to the marine positions. The Commander of the 1st Field Force is interviewed (11:40) on the B-52 strikes. A montage of soldiers speak to the aircraft’s arrival (13:50). Radio contact is heard as a refueling takes place (15:58). Sophisticated radar bombing navigation systems prevented weather from interfering with strike capabilities (16:51). Bombs are loaded in the rain (17:45). The room is secured for a secret briefing (18:28). In the briefing, take off times (18:47), weather (16:47) and intelligence are addressed for an upcoming mission (20:44). They rise as the Chaplain enters at the close of the briefing (21:54). Pilots fit into cockpits (25:14) and the Bomber Controller is pointed to (26:34). After the mission, soldiers are seen visiting Bangkok and the floating market (32:44) as they were encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Thai culture. This film was produced by Aerospace Audio Visual Service Military Airlift Command (34:47).
In the first months of 1968, the North Vietnamese attempted to capture a U.S. Marine combat base at Khe Sanh in northern South Vietnam. Air power helped the Marines successfully break the siege. The aerial bombing campaign was named OPERATION NIAGARA because of the "waterfall" of bombs. Meanwhile, B-52s flying ARC LIGHT missions provided carefully controlled close air support that destroyed large numbers of communist soldiers. Altogether, the 98,721 tons of bombs dropped in OPERATION NIAGARA weighed more than the 93,000-ton aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Using B-52s for close air support at Khe Sanh was considered a radical move. Gen. William Westmoreland later said what broke the communists' backs "the fire of the B-52s."
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1st Lieutenant Steve Selig, who was featured in this film died August 4,2014 at the age of 71
R.I.P. 🇺🇸
Thankfully the Air Force took care of my mother and all of us kids. Even though my Dad was not on any of these videos he was a part of this as a navigator- bombardier and not a pilot. His squadron was the 441st unit and part of the 320th Bombardment wing. One of his patches shows the Iron Dukes of Vietnam. I am proud of my late father.
The ground crews who load and service the B52s are unsung heroes. They work long hours in all kinds of weather getting the bombers ready for their mission.They deserve recognition.
Old BUFF crew dog G Model crew chief here. Kudos are appreciated for sure but we choose to stay below the radar and do our job.
I was at Ubon in 1967. It was not a B52 base. Ubon was an F4 base with a couple of C121s a few C130s and a handful of Aussie F86s. Occasionally a C141 would come in with a load of stores and mail.
Assigned there 67 to 68 then again for a couple of months in 70. Recognized all the aircraft serial numbers that could be seen. Had to laugh when I heard the statement " 100 is scratched from the ball game " 55-100 was one of those aircraft that would break for something very frequently. Much later it was used as part of Arc Light memorial at Andersen AFB in Guam. I worked on the D model for 15 of my 22 years in the USAF. I made 2 Arc Light, 3 Bullet Shot, 1 Young Tiger TDY and a year PCS at Utapao.
Too hear the officer in the bomber crew state "you're in it, but remote." Gave me a chilling and frightful reminder of how far Mankind's length to destroy each other has come.
I was stationed at an Air Force Base in Texas in the early sixties. This was before TV in every room, internet and social media. The only update we had on the Vietnam War was watching filmed footage of B52s carpet bombing the jungles of Vietnam.
Operation Arc Light lasted for 8 years. That's a whole boat load of ordnance.
@@jacobmasters438 that’s a whole waist of ordinance
@@Roscoe.P.Coldchain it’s called ordnance not ordinance. And waste, not waist.
@@timnell207
And I suppose President Bush's "binoclears" were "binoculars"? LOL
@@tomt373 But he did have his finger on the “nukular” button 🤣🤣
This is Utapao AB. Not Ubon.
My Pops was stationed at U-Tapao in 69'-70' as an HF radio technician. Thanks for posting.
In my opinion, the B-52D, was the best looking airplane of all other B-52 types. It was the purest of all bombers, and demonstrated it's ferocious ability during the Vietnam war. The A,B, and C models had the bare skin on them, and were also really awesome looking airplanes themselves, that were given other important roles, but it was the real deal with this awesome airplane, having been decorated with camouflage, and the "high tails" among all earlier B-52s. The "D" model was mass produced, and was one of the most successful variants of the type. Still to this day, with now the B-52s having since been modified with "lower tails" and many other extras, are still undoubtedly the most feared of all aircraft. It has always proven to deliver the "blows" to enemy forces, and succeeded. The Air Force doe not wish to give up the remaining B-52s just yet, as they are getting re-fitted with newer, and more efficient engines. This process will take at least 8-10 years to complete.
A mountains appears in background clearly show areas around U-tapao not Ubon .
Growing up in Dayton Ohio, B-52s taking off and landing was an everyday affair.
Grew up in New Lebanon, west of Dayton on 35. The moment any of us got a license we drove to Fairborn to get as close as possible to the base and “bird watch” any time we could. Built many a model aircraft based on sightings at Wright Pat.
Born at Tachikawa AFB in Japan so it’s fitting we lived around Wright Pat.
When I worked at WPAFB in 1961, I enjoyed driving a date along the dam when there was a night take off. Needless to say they were quite "impressed" by the sight and sound and smoke of a B-52 lifting off burning that fuel mixture of JP4 and injecting water.
Thank you.
My father was there in 69 -72 B-52 crew chief. I wish he were still alive to see this vidio, he would have loved it. He loved to talk about being over there in Utapao . We were in Okinawa at the time
Jimmy I know exactly how you feel. Thanks to CZcams and the great people who find and post there videos. I have found a lot of places and things. That my father talked about and places where he was stationed. I even found the base in Korea where he went during that war. K-13. It sure would have been great to let him see this and here some more stories. Fighter maintenance.
When this was being filmed, I was trying to join the US Army. When they had the draft based on your birthday, mine was number 344, so I was able to stay in college and get my diploma. I thought that diploma might give me a leg up over being a "grunt" in the infantry. It might have, but I failed the physical due to really bad vision in one eye from a genetic disease. On the morning of our tests, we had our mental tests in the morning after a nice breakfast. Then, after lunch, we were given our physicals. When I was told, "Sorry, we just can't use you", I asked if they had a score for the morning tests, and was told, "not yet, ask your recruiter in about a week, he will be told". So two weeks later, I returned to my local recruiter and asked again. He found my records and seemed shocked. I was told, "you made a cumulative average of 88%. If you had been chosen, that's an automatic Officer's Candidate School level. I would like to think that I would have been a good officer.
A B-52..a friend you can depend on!👍✈️
I remember going over to Utapao and Pattaya Beach in February 2002...those B52 parking area enclosures / blast fences were still there... The old momma sans on the beach miss the Nam era too..LOL!
My favourite plane of all time the stratofortress and the supermarine spitfire 🏴
Love the B-52
Very interesting. Lot involved in all the planning and operations. Now all gone. Only memories of what once was....
Nothing better than SAC crewdogs
oooooh rahhhh great job we finished the box, cleaned the room, did a broadcast and still are ready to save the world ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤good job guys
Impressive! SSgt E.B. Johnson (more than likely the tailgunner) earned a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Tuskegee and was a curator of reptiles at the Miami Serpentarium. Those credentials should have earned him a commission and a shot at an aeronautical rating. I salute you SSgt Johnson!
In this day and age, I would hope he would have a shot at a commission. But you have to wonder if maybe he didn't want to be an officer, which could be a possibility. Very impressive resume nonetheless.
Reference 9:35 in the description comments, this is NOT Captain *McVay* of the USS Indianapolis being interviewed….this is a general at *MACV*, which is an acronym for Military Assistance Command Vietnam…..
Thank God for our military, because of you I'm fortunate to have my freedoms as an American, my appreciation for all who served and who serve now is everything to me, my relatives have served in every war from WW1 to desert storm, thank you from the bottom of my heart. 🙏🇺🇸
Your welcome Gomer.
WWII was the last "war" we fought for our freedom. Everything after has been nothing but political police actions. That had nothing to do with our freedom.
The man at 9:35 is NOT Captain Charles McVay per the description, but is USMC Lt. Gen. John Robert Chaisson. A correction needs to be made.
Fascinating film of B 52 and their deployment in Vietnam conflict.
Thank you Periscope Film for showing us all of these archives. We learn a lot. Well, at least I do ! It is interesting and very talkative to watch a different type of propaganda.
I think you mean U-tapao RTAFB on the Gulf of Siam near Sattahip, Thailand.
The video really is interesting. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
B-52 Tactical Air Support, 1985 Jumping into Eglin AFB, just before the doors opened on the C-141 b, they passed the word that the drop zone is actually covered in cactus 🤣🤣🤣, let's go, 2/325 C/co. First time i actually saw the 60 gunner hit so hard, he bounced, rotated 360 and conducted a second, perfect plf, on the same landing, un frickin real to see . that's when the Stratofortresses came over at 500', and wing tipped over and did a180.
they cut out the bomb sequence... search on YT for the full vid...
Based at Grand Forks N.D. 1980-84 at the time it was still S.A.C. B-52 & KC -130 tankers. used to hear the engines being revved up from either take offs or engine testing. It was very cool.
Very educational. I didn't realize what it takes to get one airborne.
"Very educational. I didn't realize what it takes to get one airborne."
Yes, and a lot more. I worked on some of these same aircraft in the 1980s. B-52D models. What you see here is just the preflight. Crew Chiefs on the different shifts met the aircraft when it landed. With the help of the maintenance teams they off load the crew and park the aircraft. The Crew Chief can check things out while waiting for the maintenance log to get back from Crew debrief. Then when they get the gripes from the flight they go to work scheduling specialists to take care of all of their writeups one way or another. Fix or defer. Myself and my partner, we always attended to our aircraft even on days when it didn't fly....making sure everything was up to snuff. We had to "guard" it, so to speak, to keep specialists from robbing parts from it. We didn't always have time to clean the interior....so if we found some time we'd do that. The character of these aircraft depended largely on the Crew Chief squadron......whether it was a piece of junk or one that everyone wanted to fly. We kept our aircraft in such good shape that the preflight checklist was a walk though....no surprises. All the routine servicing completed. Pretty much all we had to do was sump the tanks and dip them to verify the fuel load....which could have changed while we were off duty. I didn't realize how good we were doing at first until I noticed our aircraft was flying a lot more than the others. I stopped the Aircraft Commander during his walk around and asked him, "Sir, why are they flying this aircraft so much?" he poked his finger in my chest and said...."Because it goes on-time." Those are the most gratifying words I ever heard in my life.
at 8:58....the targets that we select come from 2 sources. The commanders out in the field and a little lady that we've come to love, Miss Jane Fonda. She guides us on the most strategic areas to bomb and has a heartfelt commitment to prosecuting this war with the utmost efficiency and a desire to achieve victory.
It’s U-Tapao, not Ubon ( title is incorrect). Otherwise, another awesome video!
I was on one deployment to Anderson in Guam 2004. Don’t know if it’s still there but they had a static display of the B52D. It was hard to imagine what that plane would look like airborne but this video cured that. Having worked around the B52H for three years the engines screaming overhead sound different than what they did then on the D model. I helped restore the static display with a fresh coat of paint when I was there and it was a pleasure I’ll never forget. It’s a piece of history we should never forget. Lastly and most important never forget the crew who kept her flying and on target.
The static display B-52 you mentioned , I believe its gone due to the corrosion, someone said they have apiece of art to signify the tail of a B-52
deployed from Carswell AFB Texas 7th Bomb Wing in support of Operation Arc Light in 1965. We have a D model B-52 at March Field Air Museum in Riverside Ca.
had the honor to paint the 175 Bombing missions on the side of the Aircraft!
@@rudylerma3042 Wow, they say that the D model on display at March was grounded in 1975 because the wing spar was broken.
I was a fuels specialist there from 1988-1990. We used to run our PT tests around that Arc Light display. It looked sharp when I was there, so thanks!
The base was U-Tapao, not Ubon! In '68 - '69 the 4258th Bomb Wing (SAC) was the main Unit.
Fascinating documentary about the flight operations of B - 52's . Charlie didn't like 'em . Good .
🏆🏆🏆👍🇺🇲🙏
Thank you for sharing.
The B-52 bomber crew is relaxing with Schlitz beers after the mission and debriefing. They're happy and relieved that they weren't shot down by MiG-17s, MiG-19s, or the notorious Soviet-built SAM-2 high altitude anti-aircraft missile, "the flying telephone pole". Group cohesion means a lot to them. Even as officers, they have their one and only enlisted crewmember with them, black staff sergeant, who mans the quad .50 caliber heavy machine guns in the tail and monitors the radar for pursuing enemy interceptor aircraft.
But those days of slugging down a beer after a mission are long over. The U.S. military have become like religious monks. The blame for that goes to hostile American media and aggressive lawyers for misbehaving military personnel. Today that crew can count on relying on cold soda or hot coffee after a mission. Absolutely NO alcohol.
"Today that crew can count on relying on cold soda or hot coffee after a mission. Absolutely NO alcohol."
AFTER a mission? You mean before a mission. It would be unheard of for the military to ban alcohol entirely. Recruiting would go to ZERO.
"The blame for that goes to hostile American media and aggressive lawyers for misbehaving military personnel."
Wait......the MEDIA caused the Airmen to misbehave? You lost me there pal.
@@rael5469 You have to remember that for right-wing chickenhawks, all that matters is that there's a grievance to whine about, even if it's fabricated from their fever dreams.
I agree! I flew in two recon squadrons from 1989 to 1995 and not only did we drank after every mission, we had lounges/bars in both of those squadrons.
@@rael5469 He's not far off. Not a Vietnam Vet but an OIF vet (aviation at that) and alcohol is absolutely banned at that. You can consume once away but while conducting ops or on station you cant drink. Today drinking and tobacco use is very highly discouraged. Sodas and coffee is pretty much it. Its not to do with politics but the military's "professional" image.
B-52's were stationed at UTapao not Ubon. Ubon was a TAC base with F4s
@PeriscopeFilm - Thanks for posting this but your title is incorrect. As stated @0:55 in the video it is U-tapao Royal Thai AFB, not Ubon RTAFB. I was a young USAF F-4E Phantom II crew chief stationed TDY (Temporary Duty) at Ubon's famous 8th TFW during the height of the air war in '72-'73. Elements from all three 4th TFW F-4E squadrons from Seymour Johnson AFB were deployed there under emergency war orders. This was President Nixon's Linebacker I campaign to help combat the massive March 1972 North Vietnamese incursion into the south known as the Easter Offensive. LOL I was 'lucky' enough to be there for both Linebacker campaigns, 14 months total! Anyway, please correct your title, PF.
Spent a few years in SAC with BUFFs, Lancers and, Minuteman IIIs.
Another thing they all had in common was they were all glad they we're infantry!
This was practically nothing - the guys who flew the B17s over Germany in daytime raids had the real balls of steel.
Buffellows, awesome airplanes, maybe it wasn't a big secret to the north Vietnamese, since they didn't have a clue of the arrival of the airplanes, until it was too late. It took about 5 Hiroshima size bombs to convince the enemy to run, and quit fighting. Good!
Who wrote the description/timeline of the video? The officer at 9:35 is wearing a Marine corps uniform with a star, McVay was court-martialed in 1949!
Very considerate to do the bombing missions on a set schedule.
In the year 2525, if man is still alive
If woman can survive, they will find
B-52s.
In 1988 I had been approved for a B-52 tail gunner but they phased it out unfortunately. I would have gotten some good pay back then . I would have been the only NCO on the plane. I think everyone else were Officers.
The way to refresh your munitions supplies to ensure they will work in a critical situation and to keep the manufacturer in business is to dump them capriciously as they did here.
Otherwise a total waste to the U.S. taxpayer.
8 years sustained battlefield air interdiction campaign.
Yep. A waste *and* a war crime.
@@samuelglover7685 All war is a crime against humanity.
In the days when the size of your tail fin showed you manliness
imagine being a foot soldier and these birds come around and start carpet bombing along your coordinates when your platoon sergeant says RUN you better goddam run salute to all who served
Salute!
Wouldn't even hear em or see em. Absolutely can not imagine how awful that would be to undergo an 8 year sustained battlefield air interdiction campaign. Either delivering it, or recieving it.
Before I flew the B-52, I flew through an Arc-Light strike in Vietnam. They MISSED ME!
The BUFF!
The B-52 effectively ended the war for us and got our POW's back after LB II. The crews that flew those missions had iron cast balls.
Dunno about the iron casting, Rango Six; we were just so well-trained, until the fireworks started, those missions were just like all the rest (165 total for me). Really, we were just young enough to think we were bulletproof and going to live forever. Our crew flew five LBII strikes, and 15 BUFFs in our cells came home from them, but, as you know, many didn't, and I lost several friends. 16 lost bombers equaled at least 72 (not too many strap-hangers on those missions) men rescued, captured, or killed, and hearing the reports on the radios, and, particularly, the multiple locator beacons from the ejections was heartbreaking. Sometimes it all seems like yesterday.
@@drverploegh You guys were all heroes in my book. I was a SAC Missile Crew Commander while that was going on and knew a couple of those guys from ROTC. We prayed for you all during LB II.
Was it Biggs AFB?
Ubon ? U tapao ?
" NOTHING CAN $TOP THE U.S.A.F "
เวียดนาม: THE B-52 ” 1960 กองทัพอากาศสหรัฐอุบลปฏิบัติการฐานทัพอากาศ NIAGARA ARC LIGHT 23464"
This is not Ubon; It is U Tapao.
WOW a 32 year old AB.
🇺🇸
31:00 Not too smart there. Lighting up a smoke right in front of your oxygen mask??? (Hand to forehead.)
My father was there June 1975 June 1976 to help close down U tapeo AFB and turn the base back to Royal Thai AirForce right after the end of Vietnam War. United States had alot of muntions & bombs to be loaded on ships to send back to the states. He was commander at time 635th MMS ( MMS aka at the time Mickey Mouse...Munitions Maintenance Squadron) Lt. COL James L. Williams Jr.
@ James Williams : Tnks for your service, and your dad Col. Williams !
Well, I think we know now just how successful the expenditure of blood and treasure turned out to be.
Proved a good point, our forefathers generation did. That communism is the scourge of the world and it must be struck down at all points of the globe.
Hey, if it weren't for these heroes swilling beer in the air-conditioned O club, we'd all be speaking Vietnamese! FREEDOM!
Probably more successful than you think actually. In about 15 years the Soviet Union falls apart, and what's left? China, Vietnam, North Korea. The Last Bastions of Communism?
We put the heat on in that area of the world and after Vietnam there was no more communist shenanigans of any note in that part of the world-or any other part of the world.
I guarantee you that Vietnamese probably question their role in the Vietnam war against America more than you question our role.
Surely they can't think it was worth the absolute punishment we gave them when they ended up being a part of the world market and working in slavish conditions today to provide the world with cheap goods.
Seriously. The Northern Commies handed them a bill of goods. And they know it now.
Back when the Air Force was the Air Force, before political correctness
It's still the AF.
B-52 always From U-TAPAO Air Base ( Next from PATTAYA Beach) not from UBON Air Base ( North East Province of THAILAND).
Volaron en las alas de Ícaro y se chamuscaron las alas cayendo como plastas de estiércol
Esto no se aplicaba a las tripulaciones de combate de los B52.
For every B-52, there will be a C-400... Amen.
The summary refers to Captain Charles McVay as the former CO of the USS Indianapolis - someone needs to get their facts straight!!
Major Kong
You bull them up to much they are just ordinary people like you and me
"You bull them up to much they are just ordinary people like you and me"
No....they aren't ordinary. I saw LOTS of people who could not hack it on the flight line and were sent home. You don't have a clue what you're talking about.
Lighting and smoking a cigar in flight with your O2 mask dangling?. Isn't he worried that a spark near 100% O2 could ignite a fire and burn his face off, or worse, an explosion? Not very professional to an otherwise very professional crew.
If the mixture is within the combustion limits and the cigar/cigarette ignites, and the fool is lucky, he will be dead before he knows what has happened! If death isn't instantaneous, the victim will wish that death had been instantaneous!
Back in the day it was common to smoke. There is little danger as the O2 system was pressure -demand. No O2 was flowing unless you inhaled and created a pressure drop. There was a continous flow setting, but that was only used for very high Alt and unpressurised operations or smoke in the cockpit.
funny i know a macvsog guy funny how the air crews got as much as they did i doubt they ever figured out that they got actual guys one the ground doing BDAs bomb damage assessments
21:50 is probably the biggest difference between today's woke military and the respectable military of yesterday.
You insurrectionist republican traitor to America. Many of those Airmen were shot down and captured....or killed. Trump disrespected all POWs when he said, "He's not a hero. He's a loser. He's only a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured. OK? I hate to tell you." It was a despicable thing to say....and that sums up the republican party of today.
You sound woke to me.
It’s sad the full force of these operations couldn’t defeat a bunch of guys in black pyjamas running around with AKs.
WGA
moo
The sad part is, very few of the bombs dropped actually landed on VC or NVA positions. However, many of them did take out civilians.
Nonsense! Leftist BS!
Nice killers...
Nice to see all those new fathers, with one year old or two year old toddlers, working so hard to turn Vietnamese one year olds and two years olds into hamburger. To "keep America free", you bet.
Don't forget more tonnage of bombs dropped on Cambodia than all US bombs dropped in the entire WW2 theater.
Bowling puppets of illuminated states of america
Lt.Ken Station haz no children!? Is he mm.. ..does he have a dog? He's not gay is he! ?? Has he found a wife prospect yet ? Wtf!
Don't ask,Don't tell!
I bet we didn't take out more than 2 or 3 villages of innocent women and children today
Try that line on a Marine grunt who was at Khe Sanh during the siege & he will probably take your head off. But it's always good to hear from those who weren't there & have no idea what they are talking about.
@@murrygandy6546 how can you kill women and children...its easy I just dont lead them as much...Full metal jacket