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A key wing in the history of the B-52 is 307th Strategic Wing, U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield (RTNAF, hereafter simply as U-Tapao) Thailand. You may never have heard of it, but when you consider its location in the Southeast Asia Theater, particularly in the Vietnam conflict era, you may realize its strategic importance. Perhaps no installation was more important during Vietnam than U-Tapao. Before U-Tapao was built, bombing missions into Vietnam were flown from installations much further from the fight, such as Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, and Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. This necessitated very long sorties, with many hours of transit time and aerial refueling before reaching the combat zone. In 1965, the Royal Thai Navy and the US reached an agreement and built what is now known as U-Tapao, putting the bombers on Vietnam’s figurative doorstep. The airfield was built with a large, 11,000 foot long runway, and initially 15 BUFFs were authorized to be stationed there. In August 1966 the first KC-135 tankers reached U-Tapao, with B-52s arriving on 10 April 1967. The very next day, U-Tapao launched BUFFs on OPERATION ARC LIGHT combat sorties over Vietnam. In later years, up to 54 BUFFs were flying from U-Tapao.
Combat operations out of U-Tapao were not without loss, however, as on 26 December 1972 during an OPERATION LINEBACKER II sortie, dozens of BUFFs experienced furious fighting by the North Vietnamese Army, who launched literally hundreds of surface to air missiles (SAMs) at the incoming waves of bombers, some at nearly a dozen for a single target. In fact, one B-52D, call sign Ash 1, had suffered a SAM attack, injuring the gunner, and heavily damaging the aircraft. While the crippled plane was able to reach U-Tapao, it crashed beyond the runway, and burned. Tragically, only the copilot and gunner survived the crash. Another BUFF, call sign Ebony 2 literally exploded in the sky over Hanoi when it was struck by a SAM, with the loss of the pilot and another crew member and the surviving four becoming prisoners of war. These are just two notable examples of the intense fighting in the skies during combat operations over Vietnam. The sheer professionalism by the aircrews in this dangerous airspace is a testament to their determination, devotion to duty and patriotism, as many never came home.
To provide administrative organization, Strategic Air Command (SAC) activated the 4258th Strategic Wing in June 1966. On 21 January 1970, the 4258th was reorganized under the 307th Strategic Wing, which was notable as the only SAC wing located in Southeast Asia. Bombers attached to the 307th were deployed from their home wing and temporarily attached to a “Provisional” bomb squadron. Almost 20 SAC bomb squadrons were detached from their home wings during their deployments to U-Tapao. The 307th ceased B-52 combat sorties on 14 August 1973. The last BUFFs left U-Tapao in June 1975. On 30 September 1975, the 307th was inactivated.
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To find this cache, calculate the coordinates from the information in this listing.
N 48° AB.CDE W 101° FG.HIJ
A= Year US and Royal Thai Navy reached agreement to build U-Tapao, XXNX, A=(N-4)
B= Number of B-52s authorized to be stationed at U-Tapao, XN B-52s, B=(N-5)
C= Total length of U-Tapao’s runway, XN,XXX feet, C=(N+3)
D= Day in April 1967 when first B-52s arrived, NN (April), D=(NN-3)
E= Year the first KC-135 tankers reached U-Tapao, XXXN, E=(N-2)
F= Maximum recorded number of BUFFs later stationed at U-Tapao, NX, F=(N-4)
G= Call sign for aircraft that exploded over Hanoi on 26 December 1972, Ebony N (number only), G=(Nx4)
H= Year 4258th was reorganized under the 307th Strategic Wing, XXXN, H=(Nx0)
I= Year of final U-Tapao B-52 combat sorties, XXXN, I=(N-3)
J=Year final BUFFs left U-Tapao, XXXN, J=(N-1)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-Tapao_Royal_Thai_Navy_Airfield
http://www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0307sw.htm
McCarthy, J. and Allison, G. (2018). Linebacker II: A View from the Rock. Air Force Global Strike Command: Barksdale AFB Louisiana. https://media.defense.gov/2010/Oct/13/2001330010/-1/-1/0/AFD-101013-045.pdf
https://www.historynet.com/the-11-day-war.htm