By the spring of 1970, there were more than 450 known American POWs in North Vietnam
and another 970 American servicemen who were missing in action. Some of the POWs had been
imprisoned over 2,000 days, longer than any serviceman had ever spent in captivity in any
war in America's history. Furthermore, the reports of horrid conditions, brutality,
torture and even death were being told in intelligence reports.
In May of 1970, reconnaissance photographs revealed the existence of two prison camps
west of Hanoi. At Son Tay, 23 miles from Hanoi, one photograph identified a large
"K" - a code for "come get us" - drawn in the dirt. At the other camp
Ap Lo, about 30 miles west of North Vietnam's capital, another photo showed the letters
SAR (Search and Rescue), apparently spelled out by the prisoner's laundry, and an arrow
with the number 8, indicating the distance the men had to travel to the fields they worked
in.
SR-71
Reconnaissance photos taken by SR-71 "Blackbirds" revealed that
Son Tay "was active". SR-71 reconnaisance aircraft took most of the Son Tay
target photos from above 80,000 feet while streaking over North Vietnam at more than three
times the speed of sound.
Aerial Photo of Son Tay
The camp itself was in the open and surrounded by rice paddies. In close proximity was
the 12th North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Regiment totaling approximately 12,000 troops. Also
nearby was an artillery school, a supply depot, and an air defense installation.
Five hundred yards south was another compound called the "secondary school",
which was an administration center housing 45 guards.To make matters more difficult, Phuc
Yen Air Base was only 20 miles northeast of Son Tay.
It was determined that Son Tay was being enlarged because of the increased activity at
the camp. It was evident that the raid would have to be executed swiftly. If not, the
Communists could have planes in the air and a reactionary force at the camp within
minutes.
Son Tay itself was small and was situated amid 40-foot trees to obstruct the view. Only
one power and telephone line entered it. The POWs were kept in four large buildings in the
main compound. Three observation towers and a 7-foot wall encompassed the camp. Because of
its diminutive size, only one chopper could land within the walls. The remainder would
have to touch down outside the compound.Another problem the planning group had to consider
was the weather. The heavy monsoon downpours prohibited the raid until late fall. Finally,
November was selected because the moon would be high enough over the horizon for good
visibility, but low enough to obscure the enemy's vision.
Buffalo Hunter drone
The National Security Agency (NSA) tracked the NVA air defense systems and artillery
units nearby. Also, in addition to the "Blackbirds", several unmanned Buffalo
Hunter "Drones" were sent to gather intelligence on the camp as well. Buffalo
Hunter drones flew reconnaissance missions over North Vietnam during the 1960s and early
1970s to collect tactical intelligence and strategic intelligence. These unmanned aircraft
were launched from airborne DC-130 Hercules cargo aircraft that remained over friendly
territory; after their photo flight, the drones flew back to a location where they could
be landed and have their film recovered; drones were reusable. At the peak of the Buffalo
Hunter operations, the drones made 30 to 40 flights per month over North Vietnam and
adjacent areas of Indochina controlled by communist forces. Although seven "Buffalo
Hunter" unmanned reconnaissance drones were flown at treetop level to take photos of
the Son Tay prison between early September and late October 1970, not a single drone
actually suceeded in flying over the facility, forcing the Strategic Reconnaissance Center
(SRC) at Offutt AFB, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, to use the SR-71 to provide the
requisite imagery. The POW camps were the highest priority for SAC's imagery assets (drone
and SR-71) operating over North Vietnam at that time and the failure to image the Son Tay
facility was deeply felt by SAC personnel.
The drones flights were unsuceesful and it was feared that the NVA would spot them if
they continued. In July, an SR-71 photo recon mission depicted "less active than
usual" activity in the camp. On Oct. 3, Son Tay showed very little signs of life.
However, flights over Dong Hoi, 15 miles to the east of Son Tay, were picking up increased
activity. The planners were scratching their heads. Had the POWs been moved? Had the NVA
picked up signs that a raid was imminent?
BG Donald D. Blackburn |
Col Arthur D. "Bull" Simons |
Brigadier General Donald D. Blackburn, who had trained Filipino
guerrillas in World War II, suggested a small group of Special Forces volunteers rescue
the prisoners of war. He chose Colonel Arthur D. "Bull" Simons to lead the
group.
Col Simons went to Fort Bragg, home of the Army Special Forces and asked for
volunteers. He wanted 100 men possessing certain identified skills and preferably having
had recent combat experience in Southeast Asia. Approximately 500 men responded. Each was
interviewed by Simons, and Sergeant Major Pylant. From that group 100 dedicated volunteers
were selected. All the required skills were covered. All were in top physical condition.
Although a force of 100 men was selected, Simon's believed that the number might be
excessive. However as some degree of redundancy and a reservoir of spares were deemed
necessary, it was decided that they would train the 100.
The ground component commander selected was Lt Colonel "Bud" Sydnor from Fort
Benning, Georgia. Sydnor had an impeccable reputation as a combat leader. Additionally
selected to be a member of the task force from Fort Benning was another superb combat
leader, Capt Dick Meadow. Meadows would later lead the team that made the risky landing
inside the prison compound.
"Barbara" code name of a model of the Son Tay compound built by
the Central Intelligence Agency and used in the training of the Son Tay assault force.
"Barbara" is now on display at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum at
Fort Bragg, NC.
Since the compound was more than 20 miles west of Hanoi, planners of the operation
believed Son Tay was isolated enough to enable a small group to land, release prisoners
and withdraw. In addition to a table model of the Son Tay prisoner of war camp, code named
"Barbara", A full-scale replica of the compound was constructed at Eglin Air
Force Base, Florida, where a select group of Special Forces soldiers trained at night. The
mock compound was dismantled during the day to elude detection by Soviet satellites.
Despite security measures, time was running out. Evidence, although inconclusive, showed
that perhaps Son Tay was being emptied.
On November 18, 1970, the Son Tay raiders moved to Takhli, Thailand, a CIA operated
secure compound. It was here that final preparations were made. The CIA compound at Takhli
became a beehive of activity. Weapons and other equipment checks were carefully conducted.
Ammunition was issued. Simons, Sydnor and Meadows made the final selection of the force
numbers. Of the original 100 SF members of the force, 56 were selected for the mission.
This was unwelcome news for the 44 trained and ready, but not selected. It was known from
the beginning that the size of the force would be limited to only the number considered
essential for the task.
Map of North Vietnam with Son Tay POW Prison
(Source: Air University Library, Maxwell Air Force
Base, Alabama)
Only Simons and three others knew what the mission was to be. Five hours before takeoff
November 20, Simons told his 56 men:
We are going to rescue 70 American prisoners of war, maybe more, from a camp called
Son Tay. This is something American prisoners have a right to expect from their fellow
soldiers. The target is 23 miles west of Hanoi.
A few men let out low whistles. Then, spontaneously, they stood up and began
applauding. Simons had one other thing to say:
You are to let nothing, nothing interfere with the operation. Our mission is to
rescue prisoners, not take prisoners. And if we walk into a trap, if it turns out that
they know we're coming, don't dream about walking out of North Vietnam-unless you've got
wings on your feet. We'll be 100 miles from Laos; it's the wrong part of the world for a
big retrograde movement. If there's been a leak, we'll know it as soon as the second or
third chopper sets down; that's when they'll cream us. if it happens, I want to keep this
force together. we will back up to the Song Con River and, by Christ, let them come across
that God damn open ground. we'll make them pay for every foot across the sonofabitch.
Later in their barracks at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base Simons' men stowed their
personal effects - family photos, letters, money, anything that should be returned to
their next of kin. The raiders were then transported in closed vans to the base's biggest
hangar. Inside the hanger, a four engine C-130 waited to take them on board. The raiders
made a final weapon and equipment check that lasted one hour and
45 minutes.
The plan was not unduly complicated. Using in-flight refueling, the six helicopters
would fly from Thailand, across Laos and into North Vietnam. While various diversions were
taking place locally and across North Vietnam, the task force would close on the camp
under cover of darkness. The single HH-3H "Banana 1" with a small assault force,
would be crashed-landed inside the prison compound, while two HH-53s "Apple 1 and
Apple 2" would disgorge the bulk of the assault force outside. The wall would be
breached and the prison buildings stormed. Any North Vietnamese troops found inside would
be killed and the POWs would be taken outside and flown home in the HH-53s.
Assault Group Blueboy
On Nov. 20, 1970, at approximately 11:18 p.m., tthe raiding force of six helicopters,
accompanied by two C-130Es called Combat Talons, departed Udorn, Thailand, for the final
phase of their mission. At the same time, diversionary attacks were being launched all
over the country. The U.S. Navy created a diversion by initiating a huge carrier strike
against North Vietnam's port city of Haiphong. Ten Air Force F-4 Phantoms were flying MIG
combat air patrol to screen the force from enemy fighters, while an F-105 Wild Weasel
decoy force launched a raid on enemy surface-to-air missle sites. Five A-1 Skyraiders with
the call sign "Peach One to Five", arrived on station to suppress ground fire
around the enemy camp.
Air Force "Jolly Green"
As the group neared the prison, the two "Jolly Greens", dubbed
"Apple-4" and "Apple-5" hovered at 1,500 feet to act as reserve
flareships in the event the C-130s' flares did not ignite.
Suddenly, Major Frederick M. "Marty" Donohue's HH-53 helicopter, call sign
"Apple-3", developed trouble. Without warning, a yellow trouble light appeared
signaling transmission problems. Donohue calmly informed his co-pilot, Capt. Tom Waldron,
to "ignore the SOB". In a normal situation, Donohue would have landed. But this
was no normal mission. "Apple-3" kept going. As Donohue's chopper
"floated" across Son Tay's main compound, the door gunners let loose 4,000
rounds a minute from their mini-guns. The observation tower in the northwest section of
the camp erupted into flames. With that, Donohue set down at his "holding point"
in a rice paddy just outside the prison.
As Maj. Herb Kalen tried to negotiate a landing inside the compound, the almost lost
control of his chopper, call sign "Banana-1", that was carrying the assault
group code-named "Blueboy".
The 40-foot trees that surrounded Son Tay were, in actuality, much larger. "One
tree", a pilot remembered, "must have been 150 feet tall ... we tore into it
like a big lawn mower. There was a tremendous vibration ... and we were down."
Luckily, only one person was injured; a crew chief suffered a broken ankle. Regaining
his composure, Special Forces Captain Richard Meadows scurried from the downed aircraft
and said in a calm voice through his bullhorn: "We're Americans. Keep your heads
down. We're Americans. Get on the floor. We'll be in your cells in a minute." No one
answered back, though. The raiders sprung into action immediately. Automatic weapons
ripped into the guards. Other NVA, attempting to flee, were cut down as they tried to make
their way through the east wall. Fourteen men entered the prison to rescue the POWs.
However, to their disappointment, none were found.
As the raiders were neutralizing the compound, Lt. Col. John Allison's helicopter, call
sign "Apple-2", with the "Redwine" group aboard, was heading toward
Son Tay's south wall. As his door gunners fired their mini-guns on the guard towers,
Allison wondered where "Apple-1" was. Code-named "Greenleaf", it was
carrying "Bull" Simons. Allison put his HH-3 inside the compound and the Special
Forces personnel streamed down the rear ramp. Wasting no time, they blew the utility pole
and set up a roadblock about 100 yards from the landing zone (LZ). A heated firefight
ensued. Guards were "scurrying like mice" in an attempt to fire on the raiders.
In the end, almost 50 NVA guards were killed at Son Tay.
"Apple-1", piloted by Lt.Col. Warner A. Britton, was having troubles of its
own. The chopper had veered off the mark and was 450 meters south of the prison and had
erroneously landed at the "secondary school." Simons knew it wasn't Son Tay. The
structures and terrain were different and, to everyone's horror, it was no "secondary
school" - it was a barracks filled with enemy soldiers - 100 of whom were killed in
five minutes.
As the chopper left, the raiders opened up with a barrage of automatic weapons. Capt.
Udo Walther cut down four enemy soldiers and went from bay to bay riddling their rooms
with his CAR-15. Realizing their error, the group radioed "Apple-1" to return
and pick up the raiders from their dilemma.
Simons, meanwhile, jumped into a trench to await the return of Britton when an NVA
leaped into the hole next to him. Terrified, and wearing only his underwear, the
Vietnamese froze. Simons pumped six shells from his .357 Magnum handgun into the trooper's
chest, killing him instantly.
Britton's chopper quickly returned when he received the radio transmission that Simon's
group was in the wrong area. He flew back to Son Tay and deposited the remaining raiders
there. Things were beginning to wind down. There was little resistance from the remaining
guards.
Meadows radioed to Lt.Col. Elliot P. "Bud" Sydnor, the head of the
"Redwine" group on the raid, "Negative items". There were no POWs. The
raid was over. Total time elapsed was 27 minutes.
What went wrong? Where were the POWs? It would be later learned that the POWs had been
relocated to Dong Hoi, on July 14. Their move was not due to North Vietnam learning of the
planned rescue attempt but because of an act of nature. The POWs were moved because the
well in the compound had dried up and the nearby Song Con River, where Son Tay was
located, had begun to overflow its banks. This flooding problem, not a security leak,
resulted in the prisoners being transported to Dong Hoi to a new prison nicknamed
"Camp Faith". Murphy's Law - "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong" -
had struck again.
Colonel Arthur D. "Bull" Simons, answers questions about the Son Tay POW
Rescue Raid from the Pentagon Press Corps. Also in the picture are (left to right): Melvin
R. Laird, Secretary of Defense; Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff; and Air Force Brigadier General Leroy J. Manor, who commanded the overall
operation.
In the “Commander’s Comments” section of his after-action report, Brig.
Gen. Leroy J. Manor, wrote:
Each man knew precisely what his task was under each contingency and was an expert
in his area?from demolittion specialist to the radio operator. The rapid and smooth
transition to an alternate plan at the objective testifies to ability of the force to
adapt to varying condition. Innovations were made in equipment, procedures, and tactics.
The capability was developed to enter cell block regardless of degree of security or
hardness of construction. Night viewing devices were obtained to provide maximum
visibility for the road block elements. A night firing optic was obtained from commercial
sources which was adapted to the weapons and increases night firing effectiveness
threefold. The communications gear and procedures were specially adapted to provide
defendable command and control on the ground. Redundancy in communications was considered
essential and provided. The extensive joint training with the helicopter and A-1 elements
assured a closely knit team which was essential to survival and extremely effective.
Was the raid then a failure? Despite the intelligence failure, the raid was a tactical
success. The assault force got to the camp and took their objective. It's true no POWs
were rescued, but no friendly lives were lost in the attempt. Furthermore, and more
importantly, the raid sent a clear message to the North Vietnam that Americans were
outraged at the treatment our POWs were receiving and that we would go to any lenghth to
bring our men home. At Dong Hoi, 15 miles to the east of Son Tay, American prisoners woke
up to the sound of surface-to-air missles being launched, the prisoners quickly realized
that Son Tay was being raided. Although they knew they had missed their ride home, these
prisoners now knew for sure that America cared and that attempts were being made to free
them. Morale soared. The North Vietnamese got the message. The raid triggered subtle but
important changes in their treatment of American POWs. Within days, all of the POWs in the
outlying camps had been moved to Hanoi. Men who had spent years by themselves in a cell
found themselves sharing a cell with dozens of others. From their point of view the raid
was the best thing that could have happened to them short of their freedom. In the final
assessment, the raid may not have been a failure after all.
Political cartoonist R.B. Crockett of the Washington Star said it best, and
first, the day after the news of the Son Tay raid broke. At the top of the Star's
editorial page was a drawing of a bearded, gaunt POW. His ankle chained to a post outside
his hutch. He looks up watching the flight of American Helicopters fade into the distance.
Below the cartoon is a three word quote: "Thanks for trying".
For his efforts in planning and conducting the Son Tay Raid Colonel Arthur
D. "Bull" Simons was presented the Distinguished Service Cross by president
Richard M. Nixon in a White House Ceremony
Defense Secretary Melvin R. Laird presenting awards to the Special
Forces
soldiers and airman who assaulted the Son Tay compound
Brigadier General Leroy J. Manor, Colonel Simons, SFC Adderly, and TSgt Leroy W. Wright
were decorated by President Nixon at the White House on November 25, 1970 for their parts
in the rescue attempt. The remainder of the raiders were decorated by Secretary of Defense
Melvin R. Laird at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on December 9, 1970. Listed below is a
complete list of awardees.
Son Tay Awards for Valor Recipients
United States Army
Distinguished Service Cross
COL Arthur D. Simons, LTC Elliot P. Sydnor, CPT Richard J. Meadows, MSG
Thomas J. Kemmer, SFC Tyrone J. Adderly and SSG Thomas E. Powell
Silver Star
LTC Joseph R. Cataldo, CPT Thomas W. Jaeger, CPT James W. McClam, CPT Dan
H. McKinney, CPT Eric J. Nelson, CPT Glenn R. Rouse, CPT Daniel Turner, CPT Udo H.
Walther, 1LT George W. Petrie, Jr., MSG Calen C. Kittleson, MSG Joseph W. Lupyak, MSG
Billy K. Moore. MSG Herman Spencer, SFC Donald D. Blackard, SFC Earl Bleacher, Jr., SFC
Leroy N. Carlson, SFC Anthony Dodge, SFC Freddie D. Doss, SFC Jerry W. Hill, SFC Marion S.
Howell, SFC John Jakovenko, SFC Jack G. Joplin, SFC Daniel Jurich, SFC David A. Lawhon,
Jr., SFC Gregory T. McGuire, SFC Billy R. Martin, SFC Charles Masten, SFC Donald R.
Wingrove, SFC Joseph M. Murray, SFC Noe Quezada, SFC Lorenzo Robbins, SFC Ronnie Strahan,
SFC Salvador M. Suarez, SFC Donald E. Taapken, SFC William L. Tapley, SFC Richard W.
Valentine, SSG Charles G. Ericson, SSG Kenneth E. McMullen, SSG Walter L. Miller, SSG
Robert F. Nelson, SSG David Nickerson, SSG Paul F. Poole, SSG John E. Rodriquez, SSG
Lawrence Young, SGT Terry L. Buckler, SGT Gary D. Keel, SGT Keith R. Medenski, SGT
Franklin D. Roe, SGT Patrick St. Clair and SGT Marshal A. Thomas
Distinguished Flying Cross
1LT George W. Williams, CWO Ronald J. Exley, CWO Jackie H. Keele, and
CWO John J. Ward
United States Air Force
Distinguished Service Medal
Brigadier General Leroy J. Manor
Air Force Cross
LTC John V. Allison, LTC Warner A. Britton, MAJ Frederic M. Donahue, MAJ
Herbert D. Kalen and TSG Leroy M. Wright
Silver Star
LTC Albert P. Blosch, LTC Royal A. Brown Jr., LTC Herbert R. Zehnder, MAJ
Eustace M. Bunn. MAJ Irl L. Franklin, MAJ John Gargus, MAJ James R. Grochnauer, MAJ Alfred
C. Montrem, MAJ Kenneth D. Murphy, MAJ Harry L. Pannill, MAJ Edwin J. Rhein, MAJ Richard
S. Skeels, MAJ John C. Squires, CAPT John M. Connaughton, CAPT David M. Kender, CAPT
Norman C. Mazurek, CAPT Thomas L. Stiles, CAPT William D. Stripling, CAPT Thomas R.
Waldron, MSgt Harold W. Harvey, MSgt David V. McLeod Jr., MSgt Maurice F. Tasker, TSgt
Dallas R. Criner, TSgt Billy J. Elliston, TSgt William E. Lester, TSgt Charles J.
Montgomery Jr., TSgt Jimmy O. Riggs, TSgt Paul W. Stierwalt, TSgt Lawrence Wellington,
SSgt Daniel E. Galde, SSgt Melvin B. D. Gibson, SSgt Aron P. Hodges. SSgt Donald LaBarre
and SSgt James J. Rogers.
The Son Tay Raid would not be Colonel Simons last attempt to free prisoners in a
foreign country. In early 1979 , after his retirement, Colonel Simons was asked by Ross
Perot, then Chairman of EDS, to plan and conduct a rescue operation to free two Electronic
Data Systems, Inc (EDS) employees who were taken hostage by the Iranian government. In
February 1979,Colonel Simons planning efforts proved successful as he organized a mob in
Tehran which stormed Gazre prison where the EDS employees were being held hostage. The two
Americans, along with 11,000 Iranian prisoners, were freed. Col. Simons and his party fled
450 miles to Turkey, and were later returned to the United States. Noted author, Ken
Follet, wrote a best selling novel, On Wings of Eagles, (Morrow & Company,
1983) about the rescue. The book was later made into an NBC TV mini series.
Colonel Simons died of heart complications three months later.
Son Tay Raiders Patch
Son Tay Raiders Reunion in Kansas City
Members of the team gathered for their 44th anniversary reunion in early October 2014,
in Kansas City, Kan., where they were honored during pre-race ceremonies of the NASCAR
Hollywood Casino 400 held at Kansas Speedway. The ceremony was the culmination of weekend
activities honoring the veterans of the raid.
If you would like to learn more about the Son Tay Raid I recommend that you visit the Son Tay Association Webpage or read the following: The
Raid by Benjamin F. Schemmer(Harper & Rowe, 1976); The Secret Vietnam War: The
United States Air Force in Thailand, 19611975, by Jeffrey D.Glasser (McFarland &
Company); Bring our POWs Back Alive, by Dale Andradé, Vietnam Magazine, February
1990; and SOG - The Secret Wars of American Commandos in Vietnam by John L. Plaster
(Simon & Schuster, 1997).
