RA-5C Operations on Yankee Station

The multisensor suite of the RA-5C was put to good use during the cruise. We tracked waterborne logistic craft along the coast of North Vietnam using the high resolution of the side looking radar.  The Passive Electronic Countermeasure suite, carried in the bomb bay by replacing one of the three fuel cans, was used to update the electronic order of battle.  The squadron used its photographic equipment to surveil the NVN roads and bridges.  And of course we conducted battle damage assessment following Alpha Strikes conducted by the air group.  These last were generally the most "interesting" of our mission.

Actually, there was a fifth mission category, one that we would prefer to forget.  We were told that there was very high level interest on nighttime activity in the port of Haiphong.  The RA-5C at that time carried electronic flasher pods and could take nighttime photos using this equipment.  Two issues:  the images weren't all that great, and you had to fly at low altitude.  Once the flashers were turned on, you were an obvious target for every NVN weapon from small arms on up.  I believe our squadron conducted two or three of these.  These were enough to establish that there wasn't anything new going on at night, so they were discontinued, to our thanks.