‘Intelligence reported that the SA-2 couldn’t track below 1500 ft. We were disturbed to see that their assessment was incorrect’, Lt Lyle Bull, A-6 Intruder B/N
Throughout the Vietnam War, Grumman’s A-6 Intruder served as the carrier aviation’s “Main Battery.” For the whole conflict, it served as the most effective medium attack aircraft in the theater thanks to its ability to strike targets with a significant ordnance load in practically any weather.
The A-6’s most famous role in Vietnam, though, was as a single-ship, extremely low-altitude night striker.
On the evening of October 30, 1967, Naval Aviator Lt Cdr Charlie Hunter and his Bombardier/ Navigator (B/N) Lt Lyle Bull launched in a single A-6A from USS Constellation (CVA-64) and carried out a textbook attack on the nearby Red River ferry docks, which had previously been untouched. Their VA-196 Intruder, BuNo 152618, was equipped with five Multiple Ejector Racks (MERs) and 13 Mk 83 1000-lb Snakeye bombs.
The ferry location, which is positioned over the Red River, had been on the “prohibited” list but had been off it since, making it a significant target until this moment. Several attempts by Carrier Air Wing Fourteen Alpha Strikes to attack the target had failed, as explained by Rick Morgan in his book A-6 Intruder Units of the Vietnam War, largely because of strong defenses that included, according to Lyle Bull, “20 SA-2 surface-to-air missile sites and exactly 597 AAA emplacements”! XO Bob Blackwood had long believed that a single Intruder could reach the objective and strike it if it flew at a very low altitude during the night. He was adamant that hitting the rail ferry facility was the Intruder’s purportedly intended goal.
Hunter and Bull took off from “Connie,” dashed 500 feet north toward Hanoi after going “feet dry” close to the “armpit” north of Vinh. To stay within the radar shadow produced by the ridgelines, they originally went down parallel karsts.
Hunter skillfully piloted the aircraft as it came closer to the target while Bull had his head down in the radar boot deciphering the returns to mark their path. The first sign of SAM activity didn’t appear until 18 miles away from the target, but it picked up speed after that. They both recalled that intelligence had informed them that the SA-2 could not track below 1500 ft when the first SAM that came. Hunter began a high-G barrel turn to try to throw the missile off when it seemed to be following them at a distance of under 500 feet. The danger suddenly materialized from behind them.
‘Intelligence reported that the SA-2 couldn’t track below 1500 ft. We were disturbed to see that their assessment was incorrect’, the B/N would later say.
Their entire world, however, was lit up by further SAMs and a tremendous amount of gunfire as the A-6 was now upside down at a height of 500 feet.
The pilot righted the aircraft and lowered the Intruder to 100 feet above the ground while traveling at a speed of more than 450 knots, counting at least five missiles on their way. Bull distinctly remembers occasionally seeing 50 feet on the radar altimeter, but he had entire confidence in Hunter. However, he recalls that when they were so low, the SAMs did not pursue them. They pulled up to 200 feet to release their “Snakeyes” as soon as the target showed up on the radar.
They were heavily struck and turned to the east to get away from the Gia Lam airport in Hanoi, which was now in their direct line of sight. They saw more AAA on the way out, with at least one 85 mm round coming dangerously close, but they were able to land as intended and recover onboard constellation after a memorable 1.9 hours of flight.
Following their hard work that evening, both men were awarded the Navy Cross, becoming the first of five US Navy A-6 crews to do so. Later, both Hunter and Bull would achieve the rank of rear admiral.
Photo by U.S. Navy
A-6 Intruder Units of the Vietnam War is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.