Editing Operation Arc Light

{{Short description|U.S. military operation to provide air support in Southeast Asia from 1965 to 1973}}
{{Infobox military operation
| name          = Operation Arc Light
| partof        = Second Indochina War<br>([[Vietnam War|Vietnam]] • [[Laotian Civil War|Laos]] • [[Cambodian Civil War|Cambodia]]), ''[[Combat Skyspot]]''
| image         =
| image_size    = 270px
| image_upright = 
| alt           = Operation Arc Light Memorial
| caption       = Arc Light Memorial on [[Andersen AFB]], Guam
| type          = [[Close air support]] operations
| location      = [[Andersen Air Force Base]],<br>[[Guam]], [[United States]] ([[Territories of the United States|territory]])<br>[[U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield]], [[Thailand]]
| commanded_by  = [[United States Air Force]]; [[National Security Agency]]; [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]; 
[[Richard Nixon]]
| target        = [[Vietnam]], [[Laos]], [[Cambodia]]
| date          = 1965–1973
| executed_by   = U.S. Air Force, [[Strategic Air Command]], ''Combat Skyspot''; National Security Agency
| casualties    = 16 [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52 Stratofortresses]] lost
}}
{{Campaignbox Vietnam War}}
During '''Operation Arc Light''' (sometimes '''Arclight''') from 1965 to 1973, the [[United States Air Force]] deployed [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52 Stratofortresses]] from bases in the U.S. Territory of [[Guam]] to provide battlefield air interdiction during the [[Vietnam War]]. This included strikes at enemy bases, supply routes, and behind the lines troop concentrations, as well as occasionally providing close air support directly to ground combat operations in [[Vietnam]].<ref name="Bowman">{{cite book|last1=Bowman|first1=John S.|title=The Vietnam War: an Almanac|date=1985|publisher=World Almanac Publications|location=New York|isbn=0911818855|page=[https://archive.org/details/vietnamwaralmana00bowm/page/118 118]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/vietnamwaralmana00bowm}}</ref>

The [[Conventional weapon|conventional bombing]] campaign was supported by ground-control-radar detachments of the [[1st Combat Evaluation Group]] (1CEVG) in [[Combat Skyspot|Operation Combat Skyspot]]. Arc Light operations usually targeted enemy base camps, troops concentrations, and supply lines.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

== Aircraft used ==
Previously dedicated to carrying [[nuclear weapon]]s, the U.S. Air Force began to train strategic bomber crews in 1964 to deliver conventional munitions flying the B-52F.

The B-52Fs were deployed to [[Andersen Air Force Base]] on Guam and [[U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield]] in [[Thailand]], southeast of [[Bangkok]]. To add conventional bomb capacity, Project Big Belly modified all B-52Ds to enable them to carry 30 tons of conventional bombs.

By mid-April 1966, all B-52Fs were redeployed back to the U.S. and were replaced by Big Belly-modified B-52Ds.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}} Later in the [[Vietnam War]], the B-52G was also deployed with the B-52D.<ref name=usaf>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030119032144/http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/PopTopics/arclight.htm Operation ArcLight] from The Air Force Historical Studies Office. </ref>

B-52Ds were also used from the [[376th Air Expeditionary Wing#376th Strategic Wing|376th Strategic Wing]] of [[Kadena Air Base]], [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]], [[Japan]]. The [[96th Test Wing#Strategic Air Command|96th Strategic Air Wing]] from [[Dyess Air Force Base|Dyess AFB]], [[Texas]], deployed for Arc Light in June 1970 for 180 days. Upon completion of the Arc Light deployment, the 376th SW B-52Ds either returned to the continental U.S. or were sent to U-Tapao. The 376th SW then ceased bomber operations, but continued flying Young Tiger tanker missions.

== Operations in Laos and Cambodia ==
{{Further|Operation Barrel Roll}}{{Further|Operation Menu}}
Congressional investigations of secret [[CIA activities in Laos]] revealed that B-52s were used to systematically bomb targets within Laos and Cambodia.

== Operational use ==
The bombers were first used in [[Southeast Asia]] on June 18, 1965. Flying from Andersen AFB, Guam, 27 aircraft dropped {{convert|750|lb|round=5|adj=on}} and {{convert|1000|lb|round=5|adj=on}} bombs on a [[Viet Cong]] stronghold.<ref name=usaf/> During this mission two B-52Fs were lost in a mid-air collision on June 19, 1965,<ref name=satgens>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xShQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0AwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7177%2C1314151 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=B52 performance satisfies generals |date=June 20, 1965 |page=2}}</ref> while circling over the South Pacific Ocean, approximately {{convert|250|mi}} offshore at the point of the [[Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone|Demilitarized Zone]] (DMZ), unable to conduct mid-air refueling in awaiting arrival of [[Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker|KC-135A]] tankers for pre-strike air refueling.

Missions were commonly flown in three-plane formations known as "cells". Releasing their bombs from the [[stratosphere]], the B-52s could neither be seen or heard from the ground. B-52s were instrumental in destroying enemy concentrations besieging [[Battle of Khe Sanh|Khe Sanh]] in 1968,<ref name=usaf/> and in 1972 at [[Battle of An Loc|An Loc]] and [[Battle of Kontum|Kontum]].

[[File:Bombs from B-52 Arc Light strike exploding.jpg|thumb|Bombs from B-52 Arc Light strike exploding]]

Arc Light was re-activated at Andersen on February 8, 1972, when [[President of the United States|President]] [[Richard Nixon]] resumed bombing of [[North Vietnam]] in an effort to move peace talks along. Operation Bullet Shot saw over 15,000 men were sent to Andersen on temporary duty over the next 90 days. With limited barracks and other facilities, tents were set up for use by men working 80-hour weeks. Bullet Shot included B-52-D and B-52-G aircraft.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

Arc Light missions continued until the cessation of hostilities by U.S. forces on August 15, 1973. Between June 1965 and August 1973, 126,615 sorties (B-52D/F/G) were flown over Southeast Asia. During those operations, the U.S. Air Force lost 31 B-52s; 18 were lost from hostile fire over North Vietnam and 13 from operational causes.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

The typical full bomb loads were:{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

* B-52D: 108 500-lb. bombs, or a mixed load of 84 500-lb. bombs in the bomb bay and 24 750-lb. bombs on underwing pylons.
* B-52F: 36 {{convert|500|lb|round=5|adj=on}} and {{convert|750|lb|round=5|adj=on}} bombs in a mixed load, or 51 500-lb. bombs, 27 in the bomb bay and 24 on underwing pylons.
* B-52G: 27 bombs, all in the bomb bay, no external bombs were carried.

==Problems==
Communication leaks undermined the effectiveness of the campaign. According to Stephen Budiansky, "Despite [[NSA]]'s occasional success in tightening up particularly leaky communication practices, the problems continued throughout the war. On Andersen the Vietcong were given as much as eight hours' warning and often revealing exact launch times and likely targets, because of a [[Spy ship|Soviet trawler]] stationed off the island listening to conversations and seeing actual B-52 launches."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Budiansky|first1=Stephen|title=Code Warriors|date=2016|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|location=New York|isbn=9780385352666|pages=262–264}}</ref>

==Combat Skyspot Memorial==
Nineteen [[technician]]s of the [[1st Combat Evaluation Group]] were lost in ground combat.<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://combat-skyspot.tripod.com/CSS.htm
 |title       = Combat SkySpot
 |access-date  = 26 July 2011
 |author      = 1CEVG member
 |work        = unit history
 |publisher   = Tripod
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20101101231201/http://combat-skyspot.tripod.com/CSS.htm
 |archive-date = 1 November 2010
}}</ref> On September 21, 2010, President [[Barack Obama]] presented the [[Medal of Honor]] to the sons of Chief Master Sergeant [[Richard L. Etchberger]] for his actions in the [[battle of Lima Site 85]]. A memorial to all 1CEVG technicians is located directly behind the Arc Light memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://limasite85.us/memorials1.html|title= The COMBAT SKYSPOT memorial at Andersen AFB Guam, September, 1999|access-date= 23 Sep 2010|author= member|work= unit history|publisher= limasite85.us|quote= The memorial consists of an AN/MSQ-77 (AN/TSQ-81) parabolic antenna poised at 45 degrees elevation…situated directly behind the ARC LIGHT Memorial, a B52D Stratofortress…. The aircraft and the radar are facing the Vietnam theater, in solemn tribute to the men who flew the weapons and the men who directed them over targets of opportunity.}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord missing|Vietnam}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arc Light}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1965]]
[[Category:Aerial operations and battles of the Vietnam War]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1965]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1966]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1967]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1968]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1969]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1970]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1971]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1972]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1973]]