Operation Shed Light

Operation Shed Light

American Intervention

• Nui Thanh
• Chu Lai
• Starlite
• Plei Me
• Minh Thanh
• Hump
• Gang Toi
• 1st Bau Bang
• Ia Drang Valley
• Crimp
• Masher/White Wing
• Suoi Bong Trang
• Cu Nghi
• Kim Son Valley
• A Shau
• Birmingham
• Xa Cam My
• 1st Dong Ha
• Wahiawa
• Hastings
• Minh Thanh Road
• Prairie
• Đức Cơ
• Long Tân
• Beaver Cage
• Attleboro
• Bong Son
• Tân Sơn Nhứt airbase
• Lam Son II
• LZ Bird
• Cedar Falls
• Tuscaloosa
• Tra Binh Dong
• Bribie
• Junction City
• Ap Gu
• Suoi Tre
• 2nd Bau Bang
• Francis Marion
• Union
• Hill 881
• 2nd Ap Bac
• 1st Con Thien
• Malheur I and Malheur II
• Baker
• Nine Days in May
• Union II
• Vinh Huy
• Buffalo
• 2nd Con Thien
• July Two
• Hong Kil Dong
• Suoi Chau Pha
• Swift
• Dong Son
• Wheeler/Wallowa
• 3rd Con Thien
• Medina
• Ông Thanh
• 1st Loc Ninh
• Kingfisher
• Kentucky
• 1st Dak To
• Mekong Delta
• Tam Quan
• Thom Tham Khe
• Phoenix
• Coburg

1968 Offensives

• New Year's Day Battle of 1968
• Khe Sanh
• 1st Tet
• 1st Saigon
• Huế
• 1st Quảng Trị
• Ban Houei Sane
• Lang Vei
• Lima Site 85
• Toan Thang I
• Delaware
• 2nd Dong Ha
• May '68
• Kham Duc
• Coral-Balmoral
• Hoa Da-Song Mao
• Duc Lap
• Speedy Express

Drawdown 1968-73

• Dewey Canyon
• Taylor Common
• 2nd Tet
• Apache Snow
• Hamburger Hill
• Twinkletoes
• Binh Ba
• Pat To
• LZ Kate
• Bu Prang
• Kent State
• Texas Star
• Chicago Peak
• Khe Gio Bridge
• FSB Ripcord
• 1st Cambodia
• Kompong Speu
• Prey Veng
• 2nd Cambodia
• Snuol
• Tailwind
• Jefferson Glenn
• Hat Dich
• Lam Son 719
• Ban Dong
• Hill 723
• Son Tay Raid
• Chenla I
• Chenla II
• FSB Mary Ann
• Long Khanh
• Nui Le

Easter Offensive

• 2nd Quảng Trị
• 3rd Quảng Trị
• 2nd Loc Ninh
• An Lộc
• 3rd Dong Ha
• 2nd Dak To
• Kontum
• Thunderhead

Post-Paris Peace Accord (1973-1974)

• End Sweep
• Iron Triangle
• Svay Rieng

'Spring '75'

• Phuoc Long
• Ban Me Thuot
• Hue-Da Nang
• Xuân Lộc
• 2nd Saigon

Air operations

• Farm Gate
• Chopper
• Ranch Hand
• Pierce Arrow
• Barrel Roll
• Pony Express
• Flaming Dart
• Iron Hand
• Rolling Thunder
• Steel Tiger
• Arc Light
• Tiger Hound
• Shed Light
• Thanh Hóa
• Bolo
• Popeye
• Yen Vien
• Niagara
• Niagara II
• 1st Do Luong
• 2nd Do Luong
• Igloo White
• Giant Lance
• Commando Hunt
• Menu
• Patio
• Freedom Deal
• Linebacker I
• Enhance Plus
• Linebacker II
• Homecoming
• Tan Son Nhut Air Base
• Babylift
• New Life
• Eagle Pull
• Frequent Wind

Naval operations

• Gulf of Tonkin
• Market Time
• Vung Ro Bay
• Game Warden
• Double Eagle
• Sea Dragon
• Deckhouse Five
• Bo De River, Nha Trang, Tha Cau River
• Sealords
• Hai Phong Harbor
• Đồng Hới
• Custom Tailor
• End Sweep
• Hoang Sa
• East Sea
• Mayaguez

During the 1960s the United States military worked hard to interdict the movement of men and materiel along the Ho Chi Minh trail. Decidedly lacking in the ability to accurately strike at night or in adverse weather, the United States Air Force decided to initiate a crash development project in 1966: Operation Shed Light. The North Vietnamese were experts in the use of weather and darkness to conceal their movement, and understanding the superiority of American air power put their skills immediately to good use. US forces seeking to impede the steady flow of supplies attempted to locate largely static targets during the day with poor results.

The United States Air Force, focused toward nuclear weapons and delivery of such munitions against static strategic targets had spent little effort in expanding its tactical capabilities since the end of the World War II. Operation Shed Light sought to rectify this by bringing together improved tactics and technology. The programs were subsequently centered on improved communication and navigation aids for all-weather and night flying, sensor equipment for seeing through clouds, foliage, and darkness, improved equipment and methods for target marking and battlefield illumination, and aircraft and tactics to utilize these developments. In the end, few of the programs would yield applicable results and most of the aircraft developed under its umbrella would largely fall into obscurity. The most applicable developments were those that could be mainstreamed such as the work done on navigation and communication and sensor equipment.