Airmen and audience members at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, render a salute as Taps is played during a memorial ceremony Dec. 17, 2010, to honor the 33 Airmen who were lost during Operation Linebacker ll. The ceremony commemorates the 38th anniversary of the campaign that led to the end of the Vietnam War. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jamie Powell)

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Brig. Gen. John Doucette, the 36th Wing commander, and retired Lt. Col. Charles McManus, formerly a Strategic Air Command master navigator, lay a wreath during a memorial ceremony Dec. 17, 2010, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to honor the 33 Airmen who were lost during Operation Linebacker II. The ceremony took place in Arc Light Memorial Park on the base, which stands as a memorial to the men and women of the Strategic Air Command who worked, flew and died during the ARC LIGHT operations of the Vietnam War. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jamie Powell)

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Brig. Gen. John Doucette (right center), the 36th Wing commander, and retired Lt. Col. Charles McManus (far right), formerly a Strategic Air Command master navigator, render a salute as the National Anthem is played during a memorial ceremony Dec. 17, 2010, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to honor the 33 Airmen who were lost during Operation Linebacker II. Operation Linebacker II got underway when, on Dec. 18, 1972, 87 B-52s were launched from Andersen in one hour and 43 minutes. Often called "the 11-day war," Linebacker II led to the renewal of the Paris Peace Talks and, on Jan. 28, 1973, the signing of a cease-fire agreement with the government of North Vietnam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jamie Powell)

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During a memorial ceremony Dec. 17, 2010, on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Aircrew members from the 36th Expeditionary Refueling Squadron stand in formation representing the 33 Airmen who lost their lives during Operation Linebacker ll. Operation Linebacker II was conducted from Dec. 18 to Dec. 29, 1972, after peace talks between the U.S. and North Vietnam broke down, and led to the renewal of the Paris Peace Talks. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jamie Powell)

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Remembering Linebacker II: It's about the heroes, not the missions

Published Dec. 21, 2010
By Airman Whitney Tucker
36th Wing Public Affairs

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (AFNS) -- A ceremony to honor the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in support of Operation Linebacker II took place at Arc Light Memorial Park here Dec. 17.

Often referred to as "the 11-day war," Operation Linebacker II was conducted from Dec. 18 to Dec. 29, 1972, after peace talks between the U.S. and North Vietnam broke down. Linebacker II led to the renewal of the Paris Peace Talks and, on Jan. 28, 1973, the signing of a cease-fire agreement with the government of North Vietnam.

"Linebacker II was one of the most successful campaigns in the history of airpower and is often held up as an example of how air wars should be fought," said Lt. Col. Mike Cardoza, 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander.

During operations, Andersen Air Force Base was the site of a massive build-up of air power.

"The objective was to destroy major target complexes such as radio stations, railroads, power plants and airfields located in the Hanoi and Haiphong regions," Colonel Cardoza said. "More than 15,000 people and 150 B-52s lined the flightline. Eighty-seven B-52s were launched from Andersen in less than two hours. Throughout the 11-day operation, Andersen-based B-52s flew 379 of the 729 sorties."

Despite the success of the offensive, 33 B-52 crewmembers were killed or missing in action when the smoke cleared and Operation Linebacker II concluded.

"It is important that the Airmen who gave their lives to the pursuit of freedom be celebrated for the magnitude of their accomplishment," said Brig. Gen. John Doucette, the 36th Wing commander. "It is because of their unyielding commitment to the mission that Andersen Air Force Base has become the premier source of air power in the Pacific Region."

The sacrifices made by those lost in Linebacker II paved the way for the current iteration of expeditionary bombers.

"This really helps us remember what our profession is all about," Colonel Cardoza said. "By continuing this warrior legacy as a part of the continuous bomber presence, we honor their legacy every day. Events like this really help drive that point home for many of us."

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