Вьетнам соғысындағы «Arc Light» әскери операциясы

U. S. military operation to provide air support in Southeast Asia from 1965 to 1973

During Operation Arc Light (sometimes Arclight) from 1965 to 1973, the United States Air Force deployed 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. The conventional bombing campaign was supported by ground control radar detachments of the 1st Combat Evaluation Group (1CEVG) in Operation Combat Skyspot. Arc Light operations usually targeted enemy base camps, troops concentrations, and supply lines.

Previously dedicated to carrying nuclear weapons, 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. Later in the Vietnam War, the B 52G was also deployed with the B 52D. B 52Ds were also used from the 376th Strategic Wing of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. The 96th Strategic Air Wing from 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.

Congressional investigations of secret CIA activities in Laos revealed that B 52s were used to systematically bomb targets within Laos and Cambodia.

The bombers were first used in Southeast Asia on June 18, 1965. Flying from Andersen AFB, Guam, 27 aircraft dropped and bombs on a Viet Cong stronghold. while circling over the South Pacific Ocean, approximately 250 mile (402 km) offshore at the point of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), unable to conduct mid air refueling in awaiting arrival of 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 Khe Sanh in 1968,

Nineteen technicians of the 1st Combat Evaluation Group were lost in ground combat. 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.