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A-6E Intruder
VMA(AW)-533 "Nighthawks," Operation Desert Storm, 1991
an A-6E Intruder attack plane/bomber flown by VMA(AW)-121, the
"Green Knights," stationed at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, in 1977
an A-6E Intruder attack plane/bomber that, flown by the VA-115 "Eagles," was
accidentally shot down (both crew members safely ejected) by the Japanese
destroyer Yuugiri during a RIMPAC exercise on June 4, 1996
"NF500," VA-115 "Eagles," USS Independence, 1996
(VA-85 "Black Falcons" from the USS Forrestal and VA-35 "Panthers" from the USS Nimitz). U.S. Navy A-6E Intruder attack bomber armament (including Mark 20 Rockeye cluster bombs, Mark 82 Snakeye
high-drag bombs, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles)
"AJ500," VA-35 "Black Panthers," USS Nimitz, 1978
an A-6E Intruder flown by the VA-35 "Black Panthers" stationed on
the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in 1978
an A-6E Intruder attack plane/bomber flown by the Marines' VMA(AW)-533
"Nighthawks" in 1991's Operation Desert Storm
During the Vietnam war, many air crews were frustrated by the
political nature of target selection. Real, worthy targets of military
significance were put off limits to avoid annoying the enemy or the allies of
the enemy. Instead, missions were sent against "suspected" targets like truck
parks and staging areas more often than not, this resulted in the bombing of
some innocent trees. That would be frustrating but not necessarily infuriating.
What was infuriating is that crews were lost and killed in the missions to
worthless targets.
Flying his A-7 Corsair through the gauntlet at Mu Gia Pass in the
Annamite Mountains between North Vietnam and Laos in 1969, Lt. Russel Rajani of
Attack Squadron VA-56 drops 500-pound "Snakeye" bombs and strafes the road in an
effort to slow movement of supplies on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
A-7E Corsair II from the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing |
