The War Of The Vietnam War - 1540 Words

Introduction On 2 April 1972, Lt. Col. Iceal Hamilton, call sign BAT-21 Bravo, was a navigator aboard an EB-66C Airplane escorting three B-52s. His plane was hit by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile (SAM). He was the only survivor. Rescue efforts ensued causing it to become the largest single rescue efforts of the Vietnam War. As a direct result, there were 5 aircraft destroyed, 11 Soldiers killed, 2 Soldiers captured, and several other aircraft severely damaged. This rescue mission single handedly changed the way the Air Force conducts Search and Rescue (SAR) operations to this day. History In 1972, under President Nixon’s Vietnamization policy, combat power had been reduced dramatically. Two days prior to Hamilton being shot down, the†¦show more content†¦The crew had conducted this maneuver over 100 times prior. That day the NVA initially fired two SA-2 missiles but the crew conducted a SAM break and successfully evaded impact. The NVA then fired a second volley. This time they did not turn on the radar until after the missiles were airborne. The pilot started the SAM maneuver but it was too late. The missile exploded under the aircraft and the pilot gave Hamilton the signal to eject. Hamilton ejected, but seconds later, the second SA-2 struck the aircraft killing all remaining crewmembers instantaneously. Hambleton parachuted into the middle of more than 30,000 troops crossing the border into South Vietnam. He received shrapnel wounds and four compressed vertebrae from the ejection seat. Hamilton’s landing was concealed by a low fog bank though the NVA did see his parachute deploy. Planning and Preparation Lt. Col. Hamilton served in the military for 29 years. He had served in WWII and the Korean War prior to his tour in Vietnam. During the 1960’s he had worked on several ballistic missile projects to include the PGM-19 Jupiter, Titan I ICBM and Titan II ICBM. He had also served with the US Air Forces Strategic Air Command. He was considered one of the most knowledgeable missile experts in Vietnam at the time. Hamilton stated in an interview that he believes â€Å"if captured he would have never made it to Hanoi.† After landing, with the NVA less than 100m away,