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  • Laos: The Panhandle and the Ho Chi Minh Trail

    THE TRAILThe confused situation caused by the civil war in Laos permitted North Vietnam to use southern Laos -- known as the "Panhandle" -- to move troops and supplies to South Vietnam. In 1959 the communists began traveling along the same network of paths through the Panhandle's mountains and

  • Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard in SEA

    During the Southeast Asia War, the Air Force Reserve (AFRES) and Air National Guard (ANG) primarily remained a Cold War strategic reserve in case a wider war broke out. As such, it operated mostly outside the combat theater, helping fill the gaps left when active duty units deployed for combat.In

  • South Vietnam: Build-Up and Engagement

     THE WAR INTENSIFIESIn early 1965 the Viet Cong further intensified their guerilla war and began direct attacks on U.S. forces. The VC also scored some impressive victories over South Vietnamese troops. With the passage of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, the U.S. increased its forces even more. Military

  • Down in the Weeds: Ranch Hand

    The dense jungle in Southeast Asia allowed the enemy to ambush vehicles and boats on transportation routes, creep close to stage attacks on bases, move men and materiel and hide their own camps. Ranch Hand crews denied the enemy this cover by spraying herbicides in key areas. To accomplish the

  • South Vietnam: The Advisory Years, 1961-1965

     INTO THE FRAYPreventing South Vietnam from falling to communism was the United States' key goal in the Southeast Asia War. The 1954 Geneva Peace Accords called for a temporary division of North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel, with a unification election to be held in 1956. At the time,

  • General Atomics Aeronautical Systems YMQ-9 Reaper

    The MQ-9 is a long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) with a primary mission of locating and destroying time-critical and highly mobile targets. In addition to this "hunter-killer" mission, the MQ-9 also provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to military

  • Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor

    The Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor is the world's first stealthy air dominance fighter. Its radar, weapons control and electronic warfare systems work together as one integrated unit. The Raptor combines stealth, maneuverability and the ability to fly long distances at supersonic speeds -- or

  • North American T-28B Trojan

    North American designed the T-28 to replace the World War II era T-6 trainer. First flown in September 1949, the Trojan entered production in 1950. An 800-hp engine powered the USAF version (T-28A) while the later U.S. Navy versions (T-28B and C) were powered by a 1,425-hp engine. When production

  • Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PF “Fishbed-D”

    The MiG-21 is one of the world's most famous jet fighters. This Soviet-made aircraft first flew in 1955, and more than 50 countries have used various versions. Western forces code-named the MiG-21 "Fishbed," and some versions have flown well into the 21st century. The USSR built more than 10,000

  • Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F

    The Soviet MiG-17 (NATO code-name "Fresco") was designed to replace the famous MiG-15 of the Korean War. Although similar in appearance to the MiG-15, the MiG-17 had more sharply swept wings, a longer fuselage, an afterburner, and better speed and handling characteristics. The first flight of a