Code Name

Command

Unit

Time Frame

Comments

Iron Lung

USAF

SAC recon

Jenny

US Navy

EC-121 Psyops TV and Radio broadcasts from two orbits.  One 20 miles east of the coastline just north of DMZ, second 20 miles east of Haiphong.  8 - 12 hr orbit with missile cruiser sitting underneath

Joint Task Force 728

USAF

Group formed to expedite the air-supported anti-infiltration barrier sys in Laos (Igloo White)

Jungle Jim

USAF

April 01, 61

4400 Cmbt Crew Tng Sq was formed to fly ops against guerrillas, overt or covert later became Air Commandos, then, 1968, Special Operation

Leaping   Lena

SF

15 May 64

SF led Indigenous air dropped long range recon and intel patrols, Laos

Leghorn

Combined

SOG radio relay and NSA signal intercept site atop a pinnacle in So. Laos

Lima Site

Combined

Crude airstrips used to resupply Lao, Hmong forces in Laos.  See Lima Site List.

Linebacker 1

Combined

May - Jun 72

Resumption of full scale bombing of NVN

Linebacker 2

Combined

Dec 72

11 day all out bombing of NVN that led to our exit from the war, and most importantly the return of our POWs.  Bout time, 7 yrs to late

Litterbug

USAF

C-47, 0-2, U-10 psyops leaflet drop a/c

Little Puff

FAC

Very unoffical local project to mount M-60 in the rear seat of an 0-1

Lonesome Tiger

USAF

1966

Test of FLIR system for B-26K

Loudmouth

USAF

C-47, 0-2, U-10 Psyops loudspeaker a/c

Lucky Dragon

USAF

February 01, 1964

U-2 Recon flights over SEA

Lucky Tiger

USAF

May 01, 1965

Movement of 606 ACS to NKP under command of Col Aderholt

MAAG-L

Combined

Military Assistance Advisory Group-Laos

Mike Force

SF

Company and battalion isze units of mercenaries, usually Montagnards, led by SF operating inside SVN

Mill Pond

USAF

B-26s armed recon over Laos

Mr Hoo

OSS

1944

Code Name for Ho Chi Minh, Maj Allison Thomas

Mud River

USAF

Anti-vehicle subsystem under Igloo White

Muscle Shoals

USAF

1967 - 1968

Renamed Igloo White in 68

Nickel Steel

SF

Intelligence ops into the western DMZ. previously called Spike Teams

Nightingale

Army

Firefight simulator tested by one of our Green Hornet members

Olympic Torch

USAF

1972

U-2 Flights in support of the Linebacker operations

OMEGA

SF

OP Double Cross

SF

SF Spike Teams operating in the DMZ under III Marine Amphib Force authority

OP Hardnose

SF

Early SF and Indig ground recon of budding HCM Trail

Op Momentum

CIA

1 May, 1965

CIA effort to involve and fund Vang Pao as a significant fighting force

Op Night Watch

Air Commando

May 01, 1965

A-26 initial night truck interdiction effort in Sam Neua Prov. Surprised NVN and DID stop traffic

Op Pig Fat

Vang Pao

1 May, 1965

Vang Pao attempt to recapture Lima 85, Phu Pha Thi

OP Plan 34-67

Combined

Operations in the NVN/Laos border area

Op Switchback

Combined

1 Nov 63

Transfer of covert ops responsibility from CIA to SOG

Op Triangle

CIA

May 01, 1965

CIA effort to get the 3 Lao factions to work together

OPE

Combined

Operation Popeye

Combined

Weather Modification.  At various time also Operation Compatriot and Op Intermediary

OPLAN - 34

SOG

15 Dec 63

Plan for a continuing series of covert attacks against NVN, utilizing SF, SEALS and USAF Air Commandos

OPPLAN  -34A

Combined

Program of agent insertion and harassment raids against NV

OPPlan-35

SF

Indigenous merc Laos cross border ops.  Spike Teams

OPS 35

Combined

SOGs Ground Studies Branch, headquarters to U.S. led cross border recon and Hatchet Force ops

OPS-34

Combined

Designation for Airborne Studies Branch, which oversaw agent team operations in NVN, and later Laos and Cambodia

OPS-80

Combined

SOG Recovery Studies Branch, responsible for Bright Light missions

Pacific Ocean

SF / CIA  Combined

May 01, 1958

Training program (CIA) by SF of the Vietnamese 1st Observation Gp, Made first recons into the Southern Panhandle of Laos

PAVE AEGIS 

USAF

16 SOS   Ubon

1968 to the end

105mm gun system for AC-130E Spectre

Pathfinder

USAF

2 or more a/c using lead a/c loran or other navigation sys

Pave Eagle

USAF

Beechcraft Debonair a/c used for radio relay

Pave Knife

F-4 a/c equipped for laser guided bomb delivery

Phoenix

SF/ CIA

Phu Dung

SF

8 Apr 71

Rename of Prairie Fire

Phyllis Ann

USAF (A/C)

1966

C-47Ds equipped with Radio Direction Finding gear

Pierce Arrow

USAF

TAC

Aug 64

TACs deployment of F-100s to Clark, 405 TFWg, for rotational deployment to VN & Thailand

Pink Rose

USAF

Program to defoliate a target area twice, spray a drying agent an unleash 10 flight of B-52s, each dropping 42 M-35 incendinary bombs, burning the cover of bunker complexes

Pipestem

USAF

Oct 61

Limited recon by RF-101 over selected areas of Laos and SVN.  Replaced by Able Mable TF, Nov 61

Popeye

USAF

1966

Original concept for a rainmaking pgm using USAF a/c to seed clouds

Prairie Fire

SF      Combined

Re-name from Shinning Brass.  Air supported teams to locat targets and do BDA

Programs Evaluation Office

Combined State Dept

May 01, 1965

Disguised military mission, sending "technicians" to Laos

Project  Mud

Combined

Idea to drop Calgon Detergent on HCM Trail to produce mud

Project  Unity

SF

Organized combat- ready Thai light infantry battalions for Laotian service

Project 404/ Palace Dog

Combined

Secret unit that controlled much much of the air war in Laos in the 60s and 70s, included White Star teams and other attached to the Defense Attaché Office, Laos

Project Agile

USAF

1962

Initial combat tests for what was to become Ranch Hand

Project X

USAF

Aircrews unofficial name for the first A-1s from 602 ACS sent TDY to NKP in support of SAR Ops