Today in history: the Son Tay Raid Published Nov. 21, 2013 By Richard Shea 27th Special Operations Wing Historian Office CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- By the spring of 1970, the North Vietnamese held more than 450 known U.S. Prisoners of War, some imprisoned for more than 2,000 days. In May 1970, reconnaissance photos revealed an active prison camp, Son Tay, believed to contain 65 U.S. POWs; 23 miles west of Hanoi, in close proximity to the 12,000 troop 12th North Vietnamese Army Regiment, sat an air defense installation and an artillery school. Intelligence reports gave hope to the possibility of a rescue attempt. Days later, with the rescue decision made, planners recognized the need for a nighttime raid during clear weather and little moon illumination, considering the number of enemy forces in and around the camp. Those parameters dictated a window of opportunity between October and December. With the President not in Washington and an October rescue too close, November was selected for the rescue mission. Knowing the helicopter held the key to penetrating the camp; it would take the C-130E(I) Combat Talon to provide precise low-level navigation to enable the helicopters assault. Two Combat Talons would provide escort for a helicopter assault force and A-1E Skyraider strike force. Crew selection and training began in early September. To reduce the possibility of compromise, Operation Kingpin's commander sourced his air assets from different squadrons. In the case of 64-0523 it came from the 15th Special Operations Squadron, while the crew was sourced from the 7th Special Operations Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Nov. 21, 1970, Combat Talon 64-0523 flew as lead aircraft under the call sign Cherry 1 and successfully escorted six helicopters to their intended objective, dropped four illumination flares and two battlefield simulators on target, and orbited the holding point assisting departing forces as they exited the objective area. While Operation Kingpin yielded no POWs, it was deemed a tactical success, was flawlessly executed and had a positive effect on the overall prison population as morale soared. Nearly 44 years after that momentous flight, the Air Commandos of Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., in a ceremony befitting royalty, placed Cherry 1 in her permanent resting place, a location most fitting for an aircraft that changed the attitudes of American POWs and the mindset of their captures. The 27th Special Operations Wing was honored to host five of the 11 crewmembers from that late-November night: aircraft commander Irl "Leon" Franklin, pilots William "Bill" Guenon, Randal "Randy" Custard, navigator Thomas "Tom" Eckhart and flight engineer Ken Lightle. Today marks the 43rd anniversary of that historic flight. As we work through our daily challenges, take a moment to remember the effort of those who served before us and set the bar high by providing the much needed hope and boost in morale needed by POWs throughout North Vietnam.