Chapter 5

USAF ARDF Program Matures: 1967-1968

The intelligence community in RVN had been aware through ARDF and other sources that a TET attack might take place, but did not know its precise nature. On the evening of 31 January 1968, the VC and NVA made their most daring attack in the war, a massive raid against Saigon and Tan Son Nhut Air Base. From 31 January through 3 February, the 360th TEWS was able to launch only four aircraft. The remainder were grounded by battle damage. Nevertheless, these four aircraft fixed 453 enemy targets, 70 percent within 20 miles of Tan Son Nhut and Saigon. The complete record of the reactiion to these fixes is not available, but it is known that, on 4 February, artillery and airstrikes hit 14 fixes. A FAC aircraft made a post strike reconnaissance an "reported numerous enemy bodies throughout the strike zone". Similar action was taken against 33 fixes on 5 February 1968. The 199th Light Infantry Brigade enjoyed major success against the enemy on the basis of fixes reported on 4 February and used as the basic for planning the unit's deployment on 6 February.

A few days earlier, on 3 February, the EC-47 made it "most significant accomplishment... in II Corps". The Commanding General, I FFV, "personally took information" based on 20 fixes sent under FLASH precedence to his headquarters, to Ban Me Thuot, to redeploy his forces successfully against the enemy.

In another area, at Nha Trang, during the TET Offensive, the 361st TEWS flew eight "base support" missions and supplied 40 fixes to be hit by air an naval fire. On 31 January, a 361st TEWS crew produced 11 fixes, which established that the enemy was closer to Nha Trang than other intelligence had indicated. The Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2 I Field Force, commented:

OPERATION CODENAME
  OR LOCATION               DATES           FIXES            FEEDBACK

FARGO                   22 Dec-20 Jan        63        Gave commander check
                                                       on infiltration from
                                                       Cambodia; basis for
                                                       B-52 planning.

My Tho                      15 Jan            2        2 "immediate interest"
                                                       64 enemy KIA; 4 captured;
                                                       28 bunkers destroyed.

ATTALA                    21-27 Jan         717        9 "immediate interest"
                                                       planned on basis of ARDF;
                                                       7 airstrikes; destroyed
                                                       65 bunkers.

MANCHESTER              12 Jan-18 Feb     1,496        391 "immediate interest"
                                                       4-5 rounds artillery
                                                       against each one.

SAN ANGELO              15 Jan-10 Feb       310        35 "immediate interest"
                                                       103 enemy KIA.

Phuoc Vinh                20-27 Feb         UNK        6 B-52 strikes.

Bien Hoa                  20-27 Feb         UNK        9 B-52 strikes.