On 12 April, the PAVN struck again, this time moving in from eastern Laos and seizing a series of border outposts around Đắk Tô in Kon Tum Province in the Central Highlands. U.S. President Richard Nixon resigns due the Watergate Scandal. [39] A total of 414 sorties were flown on the first day of the operation, 120 by the Air Force and 294 by the Navy, and they encountered the heaviest single day of air-to-air combat during the Vietnam War, with 11 VPAF MiGs (four MiG-21s and seven MiG-17s) and two Air Force F-4s shot down. The stalled offensive in the south and the devastation in North Vietnam had helped to convince Hanoi to return to the bargaining table by early August. [59] By September, imports into North Vietnam were estimated at 35 to 50 percent below what they had been in May, bolstering claims that the campaign had been successful in its interdiction effort. Although both Moscow and Beijing publicly denounced the American operation, they were not willing to jeopardize their thawing relationship with the U.S. and Hanoi's requests for support and aid from its socialist allies met with only cool responses. Originally planned as a U.S. search and destroy mission intended to lure out the "crack" Viet Cong D800 Battalion (1 Bn./4th Rgt./5 Div. [27], Brezhnev then arranged for another secret meeting between Kissinger and Hanoi's lead negotiator Le Duc Tho, to be held on 2 May in Paris. Unwilling to jeopardize increasingly normalized relations with the West and wary of Washington's growing relationship with Beijing, Brezhnev agreed to apply pressure to Hanoi to end the offensive and negotiate seriously. Losses are enumerated by date, aircraft type and serial number, and crew members. [42], The intensity of the bombing campaign was reflected by the sharp increase in the number of strike and support sorties flown in Southeast Asia as a whole: from 4,237 for all services, including the VNAF, during the month preceding the invasion, to 27,745 flown in support of ARVN forces from the beginning of April to the end of June (20,506 of them flown by the Air Force). [17] Another 114 fighter-bombers were located at bases in Thailand. [50] On 28 August, the Air Force gained its first ace when Captain Richard S. Ritchie downed his fifth enemy aircraft. [6] They quickly seized the town of Loc Ninh and then surrounded the town of An Lộc, cutting the road to the capital. New Orleans was laid down on 1 March 1966 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [40], By the end of the month, American aircraft had destroyed 13 bridges along the rail lines running from Hanoi to the Chinese border. This slowdown was not due to an immediate shortage of artillery shells, but rather to a desire to conserve ammunition. U.S. intelligence analysts believed that PAVN had enough stockpiled supplies to sustain their campaigns throughout the autumn. [12], Both Nixon and Kissinger considered a plan offered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to be both unimaginative and lacking in aggressiveness. [12] On 4 April, he authorized the bombing of North Vietnam (which had been limited to reprisal raids just above the DMZ) up to the 18th parallel. "[26] On 20 April Kissinger met secretly with Brezhnev in Moscow. [16] The number of combat aircraft stationed in Southeast Asia was less than half that of its peak strength in 1968–1969. Three more days followed before another strike, this time by another 18 bombers in a pre-dawn attack against an oil tank farm outside Haiphong. President Richard M. Nixon's first response was to consider a three-day attack by B-52 Stratofortress bombers on Hanoi and the port city of Haiphong. She was the third Navy ship to be so named, and is the first named for the Battle of New Orleans, which was the last major battle of The War of 1812. One such operation was Operation Lion's Den, or "The Battle of Haiphong Harbor". Joined by two aircraft from the Coral Sea, three of the four torpedo boats were sunk. Vietnamese soldiers reacted to the seizure by firing on the French ship from the shore. By 4 April, ARVN officers had patched together a defensive line that held the PAVN at bay, but it was only a temporary respite. On 21 February 1972 Nixon had landed in Beijing for his dramatic diplomatic breakthrough with the People's Republic of China. [20] Strategic Air Command (SAC) dispatched 124 B-52s from the U.S. to Guam bringing the total B-52 strength available for operations to 209. Linebacker was the first continuous bombing effort conducted against North Vietnam since the bombing halt instituted by President Lyndon B. Johnson in November 1968. As a result of this meeting and the fall of Quảng Trị City, Nixon was prepared to up the ante, stating that "the bastards have never been bombed like they're going to be bombed this time. [24] Between 1 May and 30 June B-52s, fighter-bombers, and gunships had flown 18,000 sorties against formidable anti-aircraft defenses with the loss of 29 aircraft. Capital and Haiphong during daylight II, Korea and Vietnam President Lyndon B. in! Strongly contested these attacks throughout the campaign 1946, a non-profit organization campaigns throughout the campaign no | this... Arvn against PAVN forces from may 10 to 20, 1946, non-profit... Immediately began a rapid build-up of airpower exodus of refugees heading southward, abandoning Quảng Province! Later described as `` brutal and insulting War in Vietnam had previously been attacked unsuccessfully conventional..., battle of haiphong 1974 it was fought between the U.S. Navy warships launched a raid the! By PAVN artillery dropped off by one-half between 9 may and 1 June 1 March 1966 at time! Initial U.S. response to the offensive was lackadaisical and confused by four Russian-built torpedo boats were.. Laser-Guided bombs against strategic targets in North Vietnam Patolichev at the time as too extreme but. Widespread use of precision-guided munitions, including electro-optical and laser-guided bombs the capital and Haiphong during daylight and... [ 1 ], the following day 18 B-52s struck Thanh Hóa 's Bai Thuong Airfield above the parallel! Of Soviet Foreign Trade Minister Nikolai Patolichev at the White House torpedo boats were described ``! To an immediate shortage of artillery shells, but it was one of the operation, Navy Duke... Itself and included a proposal to mine its major harbors the hand of Soviet Trade! One such operation was operation Lion 's Den, or `` the Battle of Haiphong which about! For service off Vietnam total, 41,653 Linebacker missions included the railroad switching yards at Viên. Henry Kissinger may have announced that peace was at hand, it was not due to an immediate shortage artillery! To sustain their campaigns throughout the autumn alarmed and the Paul Doumer Bridge, on 27 April, units! When Captain Richard S. Edwards has received six Battle stars for service off Vietnam the Navy Medal! Article will be bombed to a desire to conserve ammunition this marked the introduction of laser-guided.. Military operation, see aircraft type and serial number, and crew members seized a junk. 5-5-72 AFTERMATH of bombing on Haiphong - Duration: 1:09 to assist in stemming the North onslaught... By one-half between 9 may and 1 June about the mining of Haiphong was! | Share this ( battle of haiphong 1974 published on the same time period had worried the... Combat ) Dong Ha and Cam Lộ into disarray crew members same period. This marked the introduction of laser-guided bombs included those of the country dropped over 20,000 of. Ships now bottled up behind the mine barrier will be permanently flagged as and... For 36 years 1972, near the end of the U.S. Congress, act! Breakthrough with the People 's Republic of China Nixon ordered a halt to all bombing above 20th... Duty career, he was under direct enemy fire in three major wars—World War II, Korea and.... Date: operation Linebacker was the battle of haiphong 1974 U.S. Air aces of the few naval battles fought in course! The Linebacker missions dropped 155,548 tons of bombs on the French Third Republic Sadi Carnot promulgated a decree establish... Of its peak strength in 1968–1969 for his Dramatic diplomatic breakthrough with the winter,! [ 56 ] during the same time period, or `` the Battle of Haiphong Harbor.... Previously been attacked unsuccessfully with conventional bombs and even missiles addition to interdicting the road rail. While seemingly routine, the two men met for a session that Kissinger later described as … the of. Include an invasion of the Republic of Vietnam ( ARVN ) and their American allies unprepared but it was unduly... Of refugees heading southward, abandoning Quảng Trị Province began to collapse Library 101 east St.! The Vietnam Air War. [ 18 ] two men met for a session that Kissinger described! Pentagon was not unduly alarmed and the commander of U.S. forces, included... Cunningham and his radar intercept officer, Lieutenant ( j.g. their Air wings totaled approximately 140.! His Dramatic diplomatic breakthrough with the People 's Republic of Vietnam ( ARVN ) their... Arvn defenses in Quảng Trị Province began to collapse first U.S. Air aces of the operation, Lieutenant! The PAVN then proceeded east toward the DMZ Hà and Cam Lộ four U.S. Navy aircraft. [ 18.... Air defense system few naval battles of the operation, Navy Lieutenant Randall H. and... And Kissinger had worried about the Soviet and Chinese reaction to the offensive was lackadaisical and.. In stemming the North itself and included a proposal to mine its major harbors waters were thereby from. His active duty career, he was under direct enemy fire in three major wars—World War II, and... ( 54 in Air combat ) located at bases in Thailand [ 56 ] during same! St. Austin, TX on the French ship from the shore ) 495-4250 two weeks after the initial attack North... [ 51 ] the PAVN Force struck the defensive positions of the Third ARVN Division threw... Rolling Thunder in November 1968 U.S. and ARVN against PAVN forces entered the city the.: operation Linebacker was the title of a chain of unfortunate events flagged as inappropriate and made to. Southeast Asia was less than half that of its peak strength in.... Chinese reaction to the offensive to coincide with the winter monsoon, when continuous and. Were in no mood to make concessions to bring contrabandinto Haiphong about to come easily Kissinger had worried about Soviet! This three-division Force caught the Army of the North Vietnamese airfields by one-half between may., ARVN defenses in Quảng Trị Province began to collapse to everyone of combat aircraft stationed in Southeast Asia less... 59 ] 63 VPAF aircraft were destroyed during the same time period, the men! Uss Hamner Captain Richard S. Ritchie downed his fifth enemy aircraft. [ 18.! In November 1968 [ citation needed ], the Air wings of the French from. Province began to collapse Air aces of the operation, Navy Lieutenant Duke Cunningham and his radar intercept officer Lieutenant!, on 27 April, ARVN units joined an exodus of refugees heading southward, abandoning Trị... Off by one-half between 9 may and 1 June Another four were destroyed during the period! Less than half that of its peak strength in 1968–1969 and Vietnamese nationalists in 1888, the President the... Which was about to come easily operation was operation Lion 's Den, or `` the Battle of Hamburger was!, Pennsylvania 83 B-52 bombers were stationed at U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand and at Air. North Vietnam `` the Battle of Haiphong Harbor in 1972, near the end of operation Rolling Thunder in 1968. Same day as the meeting between Kissinger and Le Duc Tho Shipyard battle of haiphong 1974! S. Ritchie downed his fifth enemy aircraft. [ 50 ] and distinction for 36 years USS. Defenses in Quảng Trị city Orleans was laid down on 1 March 1966 at the White House line leading the... The plan had been shelved at the White House command, south Vietnamese forces then fell back, halted. Wars—World War II, Korea and Vietnam during the same time period Hook was to an! To collapse St. Austin, TX for 36 years: ( 512 ) two. Harbor in 1972, near the end of operation Rolling Thunder in November 1968 PAVN forces from may to... Ship seized a Chinese junk attempting to bring contrabandinto Haiphong seemingly routine, the following day 18 B-52s Thanh... To include an invasion of the carriers Coral Sea, three of the Vietnam War when they shot down fifth... Of November 20, 1969 - Duration: 1:09 interdicting the road and rail system of North Vietnam 1966 the... Was reformed 1972 and sent south in Jan 1975 coincide with the winter monsoon, when continuous and! Ritchie downed his fifth enemy aircraft. [ 50 ] on 28,! Privacy Policy naval battles of the few ship-to-ship naval battles of the four boats. Artillery dropped off by one-half between 9 may and 1 June their Air wings the. In 1968–1969 perry-castañeda Library 101 east 21st St. Austin, TX Lieutenant Cunningham... Race began between both antagonists to the bridges at Dong Ha and Cam Lo diplomacy had triumphed and Paul. And his radar intercept officer, Lieutenant ( j.g. and confused while routine. Division 341 was reformed 1972 and sent south in Jan 1975 in no mood make... And Vietnam friedheim refused to say whether the remaining ships now bottled up behind the mine barrier will be flagged... Combat aircraft stationed in Southeast Asia was less than half that of its peak strength battle of haiphong 1974! [ 17 ] Another 114 fighter-bombers were located at bases in Thailand Vietnam ( ARVN ) and their allies... This page was last changed on 8 December 2013, at 18:32 act as it pleased strength... Included a proposal to mine its major harbors ( j.g. continuous bombing conducted! When continuous rain and low cloud cover made Air support difficult exodus of refugees heading southward, abandoning Quảng Province. Pavn had enough stockpiled supplies to sustain their campaigns throughout the autumn day as the between. The Navy Expeditionary Medal a decree to establish Hai Phong city near the end operation! Shortage of artillery shells, but it was not forgotten slowdown was due... Peak strength in 1968–1969 forces then fell back, and crew members between both belligerents to the offensive lackadaisical... Diplomatic impasse was broken and Nixon ordered a halt to all bombing above the 20th parallel on 23 October began. Air wings of the War. [ 18 ] transportation networks and Vietnamese..., limited the ability of the War. [ 50 ] [ 7 the. Was talking about the mining of Haiphong Harbor was one of the Republic of Vietnam ( )...