2MAR65
The weather was as fine can be for a mission.
Orders were to get some pictures of what was left of a fuel depot after the Air Force hit it so we could send a mop up strike if needed. Also need to see what kind of AAA reaction there might be but it really shouldn't be too much.
Launched at 1330 then turned onto course while gaining altitude. The plan being to give the Air Force guys a good head start and let them get in ahead before i made my move. So it was up to 20,000ft and wait for the right time. Everything was just like training so far, even if all i was doing was circling about 30 miles of the NV coast. It wasn't too much time before it was my turn. Nose down, throttle back, aiming for the right moment, distance, altitude and speed according to plan. Letting the plane go down until it was truely time for business.
It was quite surprising to see just how sudden the NV reacted. As soon as i went feet dry SW of Haiphong they were already shooting. Sparse and inaccurate, but still coming up. As i neared Haiphong more AAA was being fired but it wasn't really bad, mainly low and behind, 37mm for the most part, some 85mm and a few 57mm tracers were seen. The turn towards the primary leg really had them missing badly and over the primary it wasn't bad at all even though they were blasting away. Speaking of the primary, on the way towards the target zero smoke was observed nor was any kind of fire as i closed in. Looks like the Air Force missed.
Throughout my time over NV MIGs were up but they were no threat all all. I was moving too fast and low and for the most part, the AAA fire would have discouraged any threat from 6 o'clock for much of the mission.
The final leg SW of Hanoi to the the sea was a snap. Was in the vicinity of multiple MIGs but they were onto the Air Force heading outbound down at three low mostly to my track so they were no threat.
Finally it was feet wet SE of Thai Binh and back home with the film. All things considered, it was as smooth a mission as one could ask for.