This is a summary of the research into a user scenario for the Downtown system. It is set in October and November of 1965 during the early periods of Operation Rolling Thunder.
The background is based on the following snippets put together from various sources:
RT38 29-Oct-65 04-Nov-65 The USAF was assigned the Phu Ly RR Bridge and the Dong Em SAM Support Facility; the Navy was given the Hai Duong RR/Highway Bridge, Me Xa Highway Bridge and the Lang Luong Highway Bridge, with the Kep Highway Bridge as an alternate. Navy struck the Kep Highway Bridge on 31 October, with all spans reported off their piers and in the water.
RT39 05-Nov-65 11-Nov-65 The USAF was assigned the Phu Ly RR Bridge and the Dong Em SAM Support Facility; the Navy was given the Hai Duong RR/Highway Bridge, Me Xa Highway Bridge and the Lang Luong Highway Bridge, with the Kep Highway Bridge as an alternate. On 5 November the Hai Duong Highway Bridge was struck by Navy with damage reported to the east span.
The USAF struck both its targets on 7 November, dropping two spans of the Phu Ly RR Bridge and damaging 22 buildings of the Dong Em SAM Support Facility. On 8 November, moderate damage was inflicted on the Me Xa Highway Bridge.
The data can provide conflicting information and we are relying on several layers of transcription in recording the data into machine readable formats. There are also a range of snippets of narrative from a number of sources which can add or obfuscate the actual events
For example
The OPREA data from 62-67 with a basic filter applied for the first mission date and missions flown into North Vietnam throws this up
Another set of data from a set labelled 62-66 has similar data
What I do know is that the F-105s are reported as being part of a joint strike. They were assigned an Iron Hand Mission and had a USN A-4 Skyhawk assigned as a pathfinder in support of the developing activities to improve SAM suppression. The 8 F-105s were all assigned to attack one SAM site. The Pathfinder, Skyhawk 151173, from Oriskany was shot down and the Pilot killed. The periodic set in the archives contains some data:Chris Hobson's book says that a total of 27 SAMs were launched at this raid and another strike later in the day.
The Shoot down time is reported in the US archives as being 241 which I assume to be 0241. But that isn't necessarily reflected in the data yet so more digging.
The CATC files have more reporting detail. There are just under 110000 lines of data for the Period October/November 1965. A filter on the date (assuming data entry is correct) throws up this data. Broken down by Launch Base and Operation.
RT = Rolling Thunder, BT = Blue Tree, IH = Iron Hand, SD = Steel Dart, VN = a possible data error, an USMC F-4 Flight into NVN.
What we do know is that the two Iron Hand flights led by Lt Cdr Powers (KIA) came from Takhli, the flights were numbered 2321 and 2322. The two flights are listed as attacking Field Defences and AA.
The data indicates a local TOT between 0335 and 0336. The lat and long is close to Kep
What we don't have at the moment is the separation of the strike package from the USN
