LARIET 01 22 DEC 72 FLOYD/PALMER LARIET 01 HEIMPLE/FORSELL LARIET O2 This mission was the first night marginal Hunter-Killer operation against Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) sites in the Southeast Asia conflict. In the past, SAM hunter-Killer operations were conducted only in day VFR weather under optimum conditions against a specific SAM site complex. However, due to the overriding necessity to protect the B-52 bomber force striking targets in the immediate Hanoi area, this Hunter-Killer mission was undertaken at night in marginal weather against the entire SAM defensive network surrounding Hanoi. Five Hunter-Killer teams, composed of an F-4C electronically equipped aircraft loaded with AGM-45 Antiradiati6n Missiles (ARM) and an F-4E strike aircraft loaded with CBU ordnance were assigned general working areas within twenty miles of Hanoi. These areas of responsibility were divided by readily identifiable Geographic features and all included several highly active SAM sites. Lariet flight established a working area in the southeast quadrant of the Hanoi complex, ranging outward from the edge of the city to Banana Valley. Throughout this area lay a solid 8000 foot undercast cloud layer which severely limited the flight's ability to acquire and strike ground targets. The undercast greatly increased .the danger involved in this mission by preventing the visual acquisition of a SAM until it passed through the clouds at 8000 feet, thereby reducing the Hunter-Killer reaction time to an absolute minimum. Working at low altitude over heavily defended regions subjected Lariet flight to the most dense Antiaircraft Artillery(AAA) environment ever encountered in the history of modern warfare. Radar directed 100mm, 85mm and 57mm AAA fire constantly pierced the undercast to detonate all around both aircraft in a blazing barrage of flying shrapnel. Hostile MIG interceptor contact was made as Lariet 01 and 02 ingressed the target area from the southwest of Hanoi. MIG 19 and MIG 21 interceptors were airborne to the southwest, west and Northwest of Hanoi in conjunction with a coordinated SAM attack on the high altitude F-4 chaff flight. Lariet 01 was warned by the mission controlling agency that the MIGs were on the 254 radial of Hanoi, at 53 miles, and Headed south toward Lariet. At that time, Lariet was on the 240 radial, 58 miles from Hanoi, so the flight split to further complicate the tracking solution for the MIGs and the enemy Ground Control Intercept (GCI) operators. Flying in a blacked-out (no exterior lighting) configuration, Lariet successfully negated the MIG attack and assumed their Hunter-Killer role. Once in their operating area, Lariet flight was within the launch range of thirteen confirmed SAM sites. Lariet 02, the F-4E loaded with CBU ordnance, was placed in an optimum position over the highest threat SAM site to bomb the site once it had been pinpointed by Lariet 01. The F-4C, loaded with ARMs, was in a tight orbit around the SAM site complex. From their vantage point, Lariet 01 was in prime position to detect an active site, attack it with an ARM and then protect the crew of Lariet 02 against a SAM launch as they rolled in to bomb the identified site. The degree of difficulty involved in maintaining this posture was extreme. The aircrews of both aircraft were forced to compromise their personal safety time and again in an effort to entice the SAM site operators into tracking their aircraft so that an ARM shot could be made. As the B-52 cell made it’s final turn for the first target, Lariet 01 detected a strong SAM Fansong radar at their 11 o'clock position and the deadly duel began. The crew of Lariat 01 immediately acquired the signal, obtained launch parameters for their ARII, and fired at the threatening site. As the ARM left the aircraft, two SAMs punched through the clouds at their 12 o'clock position guiding on Lariet 01. Seconds later, another two missiles appeared from the same position and guided on the B-52 cell which was then in a turn over target. During this time frame, the airborne AGM-45 ARM continued to guide on the launching site. At the ARM projected impact time the Fansong signal shut down, abruptly and all four SAMs went into ballistic flight. Lariat 02, acting on the visual cue of the exploring ARM, rolled in for a CBU ordnance delivery on the identified site. In spite or intense AAA fire and the dense undercast, Lariat 02 successfully struck their target and swung back out to cover subsequent launches. As the battle progressed, a second SAM site locked onto the bomber force and launched three SAMs in rapid succession. Lariat flight was nearly on top of the launching sites between the missiles and the B-52 force. Without hesitation, Lariet Cl turned head on with the rapidly closing missiles and made a down-the-throat shot with their remaining ARM. With the SAMs, narrowly missing their aircraft, Lariat 01 pressed home the attack until site suppression was assured. As they pulled up from the ARM launch, AAA fire erupted around them on all sides. Determined to silence the SAM site, Lariat 01 maintained visual contact on the site location using moonlit cloud layer contours and directed Lariet 02 to the area for a strike. Braving intense AAA fire and subsequent SAM launches while working just above the undercoat, Lariet 02 methodically placed their ordnance on target to complete site destruction. The site remained off the air and did not launch for the remainder of the night. Although both Lariet aircraft were out of ordnance and ARMs after the last B-52 cell TOT (Time-over-Target), they continued to make feint attacks on launching SAM sites at close range in an effort to draw fire away from the vulnerable bombers then on target area egress. Disregarding their own personal safety, Lariet 01 and 02 succeeded in forcing the SAM operators to operate in a degraded mode to avoid detection and destruction. Due to Lariet Flight's 'aggressive attacks, the SAM radar operators could track their targets for only short periods of time, greatly reducing their accuracy. With this limited system capability, many missiles were detonated prematurely and still others fell back to earth shortly after launch. Throughout the time they remained on station, Lariet 01 and 02 evaded an estimated 50 SAMs and tremendous amounts of AAA fire of all calibers. As a direct result of these courageous actions, the enemy was denied the full use of his target area defenses thus enabling the B-52 bomber force to successfully complete their mission. The courage and resourcefulness displayed by the crews of Lariet Flight in the face of overwhelming odds and in the midst of the most sophisticated air defenses of the conflict cannot be questioned. By their gallantry in action to protect the lives of others, these individuals merit the award of the Silver Star.