In order to make room for it in the Castle Air Museum’s permanent collection, the MC-130P #66-0212 that took part in the special forces raid on Son Tay to free prisoners of war held captive in North Vietnam will be retired
On October 26, 2019, the MC-130P #66-0212 that took part in the special forces attack on Son Tay to free captured soldiers in North Vietnam will be retired and turned into a permanent display at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater. At the time of the operation, the aircraft, designated as Lime 02, was an HC-130P Combat King. As a result, it was upgraded to an MC-130P.
The Combat Shadow aircraft has served in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard for 50 years, according to GVWire. At Moffett Federal Airfield, the aircraft is currently stationed with the 129th Rescue Wing of the Air Guard.
On the evening of November 20, 1070, the POW rescue mission—known as Operation Kingpin—was started from Thailand and South Vietnam. The MC-130 was one of two guide aircraft that led a group of 56 ground assault troops, A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft, and Sikorsky Jolly Green Giant rescue helicopters into difficult North Vietnamese territory.
The Son Tay prison camp, where an estimated 70 captured Americans were being held, was the force’s intended objective. The compound’s airspace, which was only 23 miles from Hanoi, was thought to be among the best protected in the world at the time.
Aircraft 0212 was built for covert operations and has specialized low-level, nighttime navigation equipment. Rescuers were successful in sneaking into the compound without being seen, and the next attack on Son Tay went mostly according to plan. However, after the raiders reached the ground, they realized all of the POWs had vanished.
Operation Kingpin was nevertheless seen as a “tactical” success. The roughly 500 POWs detained around North Vietnam were soon made aware of the raid, which helped to raise their spirits. It is said that the late Sen. John McCain, who was a POW at the time, expressed his “elation” upon hearing of the attempted rescue.
Despite intensive engagement with hostile forces, there were no American casualties and only two minor injuries to mission personnel.
The MC-130 served on active duty before joining the Air Guard, where it carried out rescue and recovery operations. The Combat Shadow is now displayed among more than 70 other former military aircraft at Castle Air Museum. The old Castle Air Force Base is now home to a 25-acre museum that welcomed visitors in 1981.
To refuel special operations helicopters, the MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft flew covert or low visibility, single- or multi-ship low-level missions while intruding on a politically sensitive or hostile country. In order to lessen the possibility of visual acquisition and intercept by airborne threats, the MC-130P conducted the majority of its flights at night.
Leaflet airdrops, small special operations teams, bundles, combat rubber raiding craft, night vision goggle operations, takeoff and landing procedures, and in-flight refueling as a receiver were among the secondary mission capabilities.
U.S. California Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Kim E. Ramirez/Released