Iron Hand

The Story of the Effective A-7 Iron Hand Mission that protected the Alpha Strike Launched on May 10, 1972 over North Vietnam

The Story of the Effective A-7 Iron Hand Mission that protected the Alpha Strike Launched on May 10, 1972 over North Vietnam

Each A-7 pilot fired one preemptive Shrike, but someone in the group, who had probably forgotten the pre-briefed plan, called… Read More

1 year ago

The Starfighter’s Worst Day: The Story of two USAF F-104 pilots involved in Iron Hand escort missions that were Shot Down on the Same Day by North Vietnamese SAMs

On Aug. 1, 1966, that the Starfighter saw some of its worst losses in the Vietnam War, with a pair… Read More

2 years ago

The story of the A-4 pilot that destroyed a SAM storage hidden in a mountainside during an Iron Hand mission over North Vietnam

Iron Hand A-4 aircraft orbited over a known site, or between sites, at 10,000 ft, fired their Shrikes and then… Read More

3 years ago

The story of Lt Cdr Mike Estocin the only US Navy jet pilot to ever receive the Medal of Honor for a combat mission

Although Estocin’s A-4E caught fire on its final approach, he made a safe landing into the barrier and the fire… Read More

3 years ago

HERE’S HOW A-6 INTRUDER CREWS DODGED SAMs AND MiGs IN THE SKIES OVER VIETNAM

Sheets began jinking, performing quick dodging maneuvers that made it tough for the MiG-17 pilot to keep the A-6 in… Read More

6 years ago