#b 52d

First thought that pops into your head when you see this?

A: Those are 750lb bombs and that’s a lotta bombs going into that Buff

Linebacker II Bombing Hanoi

Operation Linebacker II B-52D

Early B-52D missions went under code name Arc Light.

B-52D lands at Utapo RTAB in Thailand 🇹🇭 KC-135 in foreground.

A U.S. B-52 drops a load of 750-pound bombs over a Vietnam coastal area during the Vietnam War, Nov. 5, 1965.

On this day in 1965, The U.S. Air Force began using B-52 bombers in Viet Nam, which were designed to carry nuclear weapons; however, they were refitted to carry conventional weapons (500-lb bombs), and initially about 50 were based at Andersen AFB in Guam. This was called Operation Arc Light.

With it's effectiveness, additional bombers were added to U-Taupo air base in Thailand, and up to 800 sorties a month were conducted. The B-52's flew at 30,000 feet, and were silent to the enemy. All you could see from the ground were contrails like those made by airlines. However, when the bombs started falling, all hell broke loose on the ground.

In these early years, these heavy bombers were primarily used to interdict supply routes, and ammunition depots. In later years, the bombers went into to North Viet Nam bombing factories, railyards, communication facilities, ports, and even Hanoi (Operation Linebacker II - it ended the war in Dec. of 1972). Below is a 1965 crew returning from a bombing mission. The pilot and co-pilot are the two in center.

The H models remained stateside for Nuclear Alert during the war.

On this day in 1965, the U.S. Air Force launched its first B-52 Arc Light bombing missions in Vietnam. Massive Stratofortress strikes hit Viet Cong targets in Binh Duong Province — part of Operation Arc Light that delivered overwhelming American airpower from high altitude.

Over 126,000 B-52 sorties flew in Southeast Asia, showcasing U.S. technological might and support for ground forces. Strength and resolve. 🇺🇸 #ThisDayInHistory #USAF