The First Surface to Air Missle (SAM) strike in North Vietnam

On July 25th 1965, the first surface to air missle launched in the Vietnam War was fired at a formation of four (4) Air Force F4 fighters over Hanoi. The missle took out the number 2 man in the forma

On July 25th 1965, the first surface to air missle launched in the Vietnam War was fired at a formation of four (4) Air Force F4 fighters over Hanoi. The missle took out the number 2 man in the formation and the other (3) recieved strike damage. Two days later the Air Force requested active Electronic Warfare support from the Marine Corps for the first surface to air missle (SAM) strike in North Vietnam. Marine Composite Reconnaince Squadron 1 (VMCJ-1) stationed at Danang South Vietnam were tasked to fly the mission. VMCJ-1 with its ancient F3D2Qs was the primary squadron that provided active Electronic Warfare support to both the Navy and Air Force strikes in North Vietnam from early 1965 until the end of the war. The F3D2Q affectionally know as the DRUT was a subsonic straight wing jet with no ejection seats. It had an escape chute between the pilot and EWO, and was armed with two 20mm guns. For one reason or another VMCJ did not have enough Electronic Warfare Officers to fly the maximum effort.I was a Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) in Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 flying in the f4 Phantoms. Prior to becoming an RIO, I was an EWO in VMCJ squadrons for eight (8) years and had Electronic Warfare as a seconday MOS.I was requested by VMCJ to fly the mission. I asked my Commanding Officer who I was teamed with in the F4 if I could fly the mission. He said go ahead have fun.Up to that time the only Marine aircraft flying missions in North Vietnam was VMCJ. They flew several missions every day providing EW support for the Navy and the Air Force. They flew in pairs with no fighter escort. I was teamed with the squadron maintenance officer Major Mitchell. We were briefed to fly over water to Haiphong harbor, then turn due west 75 miles to our initial point (IP) 40 miles SSE of Hanoi and set up a racetrack pattern over the target at 20,000 feet, The aircraft we were assigned did not have all the ECM equipment installed yet. The other 5 aircraft took off. After about 13 minutes the Commanding Officer of VMCJ said , we are going to cancel you. Major Mitchell so no skipper were ready to go, so he said "Ok get the hell out of here" so we taxied out and took off as a single aircraft. We were 110 miles from Danang over water abeam Vinh, when I calculated that we were not going to make our IP on time flying the course briefed. I plotted a new course and we transitioned over land. As we were passing over Thanh Hoa at 20,000 feet, I intercepted about 15 fire control radars tracking our aircraft. I commenced jamming and breaking the locks. The entire area was black with heavy anti-aircraft fire. We got thru that and arrived at our IP  right on time, as forty six (46) Air Force 105s at intervals attacked the  two missle sites. Six (6) aircraft were shot down four (4) 105s and two (2) RF101s. They were ashot down by convential ground fire at lower altitudes. There were four (4) SAM signals present, but no SAMs were fired. Several MIG formations passed thru our are during the attack , but we were not engaged. collectibvely VMCJ F3D2Qs jammed fire control,SAM radars GCI, Communications and dropped chaff. After the attack was over we did not attempt to join on the other 5 F3Ds, because of the heacy MIG activity. We departed alone and headed for the coast and feet wet. About 33 miles NNE of Vinh we recieved a MIG alert at our six at 14 miles. We had two 20mm guns, but as we crossed into North Vietnam we test fired our guns, the port gun immediately jammed, and the starboard 20mm fired about 5 shells and it jammed, so we had no guns, we decended very rapidly to a very low altitude and proceeded to Danang. We were the first F3D to land. One month later the Commanding General of the 1st Marine Air Wing ordered fighter escort for all VMCJ missions  in North Vietnam. The first escort flown in August 1965 was kind of a history thing for the Marine Corps as it was to be the first Marine Fighters to enter communist territory since the last war. The first escort consisted of two F4s, One flown by the Commanding officer of VMFA-513 and the other by the Commanding Officer of VMFA-542 sharing the glory of going in on the historic flight. Since I was teamed with the CO of VMFA-542, I made that missions as well.

                                             DUKE STEINKEN

 

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