My USAF service took up a very short period of my life. I earned a B.S. and Masters degrees, married and had a son, lost that son to cancer at age 15, held a career as a Juvenile Probation Officer, worked in retail logistics, acted in two independent films, sang baritone in choirs and performed many solo pieces as well, fished a lot, hunted some, and traveled some. Even those events are just highlights of my 60+ years of life. Retired early when physical limitations made it a necessity, and have built a small house in our piece of the northern Minnesota forest.
Vietnam War/Cease-Fire Campaign (1972-73)/Operation Linebacker II
From Month/Year
December / 1972
To Month/Year
December / 1972
Description Operation Linebacker II (18–29 December 1972) was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) during the final period of US involvement in the Vietnam War. The operation was conducted from 18–29 December 1972, leading to several of informal names such as "The December Raids" and "The Christmas Bombings".
Unlike the Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Linebacker interdiction operations, Linebacker II, would be a "maximum effort" bombing campaign to "destroy major target complexes in the Hanoi and Haiphong areas which could only be accomplished by B-52s." It saw the largest heavy bomber strikes launched by the US Air Force since the end of World War II. Linebacker II was a modified extension of the Operation Linebacker bombings conducted from May to October, with the emphasis of the new campaign shifted to attacks by B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers rather than smaller tactical fighter aircraft.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
December / 1972
To Month/Year
December / 1972
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember David Eberhardt
Memories Flight Following and MIG CAP throughout operation.
