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By Bonnie Bartel Latino

and Colonel Tom Latino, USAF (retired)

By Bonnie Bartel Latino
and Colonel Tom Latino, USAF (retired)
Bonnie’s POV: On Dec. 18, 1972, as a new civil servant, I was seated at my desk as the appointments clerk for Andersen Air Force Base’s medical clinic. The big push for appointments happened early every week day morning. By afternoon I was sorting medical records of the patients who had appointments the next day. Suddenly my feet felt vibrations in the floor and heard windows rattling. As quickly as those discombobulating sensations calmed down, another began. “Oh, my gosh! I didn’t realize Guam has earthquakes!”
“That’s no ‘quake,” the NCOIC (Non-commissioned officer in charge) Technical Sgt. Woods replied. “Those are B-52s taking off!” Then, another and another. Sgt. Woods and I joined others from the medical records section hurrying outside. The clinic was near the base runway. By late afternoon, black smoke filled the sky. The big black bird-like planes we were accustomed to seeing on the flight line had morphed into a menacing, yet controlled, flock that looked as if they escaped from a science fiction movie.
Capt. Latino’s POV: As I drove into the base early that morning, I noticed highly unusual activity. Normally, only a few of the base’s 153 B-52 bombers (99 B-52G models and 54 B-52D models) now at Andersen would be moving as they prepared to launch the usual three-aircraft cells sporadically during the day for missions, code named ARC LIGHT, over South Vietnam. However, that morning aircraft moved all over the airfield, an incredible sight! Something big was happening.
At my office, our squadron commander called and instructed me to see him for a meeting. Our small officer staff quickly assembled, the commander said, “Men, we’re going today! The B-52s are launching OPERATION LINEBACKER II. We’re hitting the north – Hanoi – and other targets in North Vietnam!” We all asked questions to be certain of our individual branch responsibilities. We also learned that as part of the operation, U.S. forces flying from U-Tapao Royal Navy Base Thailand would simultaneously launch 54 B-52 Ds.
We quickly returned to our offices to carry out our specific duties. As the officer-in-charge of the Operations Branch, I noticed an increase in our radio communications activity and a busier than normal technical control facility. The busiest branch, Air Traffic Control, had to keep up with the enormous increase in aircraft movements on the ground and, later, in the air. The Maintenance Branch kept all radio and radar equipment in operating order.
Our primary building was located across the street from the flight line. Aircraft ground movements were continuous. Just before 3 p.m. I heard the roar of the first B-52 taking off. I went outside to watch the launch as did my fellow officers and other squadron personnel. The usual roar of the plane then increased greatly as the water augmentation kicked in increasing the heavily laden bomber’s takeoff thrust. Telltale black smoke trailed from the bomber’s eight engines. The noise and vibration rattled buildings all over Andersen. This became constant, since there was a long line of bombers moving into position to take off. Ninety seconds later the next bomber in line began its charge down the runway.
Twenty-six B-52s launched in the first wave of OPERATION LINEBACKER II! Eerie silence followed after the last aircraft lifted off, but that was short-lived. Two more waves launched from Andersen later that day for a total of 87 bombers on the first day of what became an 11-day dual-pronged bombing campaign. – TL
Bonnie continues: It was literally a wild time to be stationed at Andersen. Many of the pilots and their crews were young, the B-52s were old, and the flights to and from Vietnam were long. Andersen crews normally flew for 14 hours on their 6,000-mile round trip. Some missions followed routes further to the north to meet tankers from Kadena AFB in Okinawa, which meant an 18-hour round trip of 8,200 miles. It would have been grueling, even had the crews not been involved in war fighting.
Some of the planes’ aging parts were said to have fallen off during those flights. Several crews watched as Surface-to-Air missiles shot down other B-52s crewed by their friends. Those who made it back safely had no idea if the lost crew members were taken POW, killed or would be determined as missing.
Tension grew exponentially with each flight. Linebacker II continued through Christmas ceasing only on the 25th. The crews flew missions, returned to base, ate a meal and slept, only to awaken and do it all over again. Their lives must have seemed both precious and precarious, especially to those who had wives and/or families. For relaxation during their brief off-time, many crew members visited near-by off base dive bars. Word got back to the wing commander. Disappointed by some of their antics, he confined all air-crews to base. You can imagine their frustration. Crews turned their attention to the O’Club for liquid refreshment, dinner and The Dropouts’ music. Tom and I were there for dinner most nights as we still lived in our jungle bungalow. Meals and drinks were good to outstanding and inexpensive.
By the second or third night of their confinement, many of the young pilots lined up from the dining room to the front entrance. No woman came in or out without kissing every man in line. They were never obnoxious and quickly allowed hesitant women to escape with only hugs. And how they loved to be hugged.
Who could blame them.
According to online sources www.airandspaceforces.com and www.andersen.af.mil “ … During Linebacker II, the Air Force lost 15 B-52 bombers (eight from Andersen) … Of 92 B-52 crew members involved in the losses, 26 were recovered, 25 became missing in action, 33 became prisoners of war, and eight were either killed in action or later died of wounds. In addition, the US lost two F-111As, three F-4s, two A-7s, two A-6s, one EB-66, one HH-53, and one RA-5C.”