Video: Dec. 28, 1972 (5:58)

(Thursday, December 28, 1972; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — Hanoi’s Soviet MiG fighters are now taking the brunt of “The Christmas Bombings” battle over North Vietnam as ammunition is critically short. A thousand surface-to-air missiles have been used, but very few are now in evidence. By now, over 100,000 bombs have been dropped over Hanoi and Haiphong. But 33 U.S. air men are dead or missing.

Video: Dec. 26, 1972 (at 1:21)

(Tuesday, December 26, 1972; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — Following a pause for the Christmas holiday, 220 American aircraft struck targets in North Vietnam today over a fifteen minute period, destroying a missile assembly facility and crippling radar stations and airbases. Continue reading Massive ‘Christmas Bombings’ of North Vietnam resume 40 years ago today (1972) →

Video: Bob Hope's last show in Vietnam (8:58)

(Sunday, December 24, 1972, Christmas Eve; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — Comedian Bob Hope, who has been visiting troops in Vietnam at Christmas since 1965 and entertaining American servicemen elsewhere overseas for 31 years, has performed his last show in Vietnam.

“This trip to Vietnam is my last,” he told troops attended a show today at the Tan Son Nhut airbase outside Saigon.

Video: Christmas bombing halt (9:14)

(Sunday, December 24, 1972, Christmas Eve; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — U.S. ‘Christmas Bombings’ of North Vietnam was temporarily halted today for 36 hours starting at 8:00 a.m. local time, although Radio Hanoi reported that raids had continued as late as 7:30 p.m. Continue reading ‘Christmas Bombings’ halted for holiday 40 years ago today (1972) →

Video: Dec. 22, 1972 (6:47)

(Friday, December 22, 1972; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — The target area of “The Christmas Bombings” of North Vietnam today shifted away from Hanoi to the port city of Haiphong and its petroleum storage areas. Continue reading ‘Christmas Bombings’ shift to Haiphong, hospital near Hanoi hit 40 years ago today (1972) →

Video: Dec. 20, 1972 (3:38)

(Monday, December 20, 1972; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — Four American B-52Gs and three B-52Ds were lost today in the first and third waves of “The Christmas Bombings” of the Hanoi area of North Vietnam. A fourth D model, returning to Thailand, crashed in Laos. Only two of the eight downed crews were recovered by search and rescue aircraft. Continue reading Seven B-52 bombers shot down over North Vietnam 40 years ago today (1972) →

Video: Dec. 16, 1972 (at 10:36; labeled as Dec. 15)

(Saturday, December 16, 1972, during the Vietnam War) — Henry A. Kissinger said in Washington today the Vietnam peace talks have not yet produced an agreement “that the president considers just and fair” and blamed Hanoi, which he portrayed as pursuing tactics of delay and sudden, inexplicable changes during secret bargaining in Paris that broke off Dec. 13.

Video: Dec. 12, 1972 (10:11)

(Tuesday, December 12, 1972, during the Vietnam War) — South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu proposed today a Christmas peace package providing for a cease-fire and release of all U.S. and Vietnamese prisoners of war, but the Viet Cong quickly rejected it. Continue reading Thieu proposes temporary Christmas truce in Vietnam 40 years ago today (1972) →