Historical Organization
United States Air Force
United States Air Force
Details
Organization Timeline
NLF attack at Pleiku prompts U.S. air retaliation
📅 7 February 1965An attack on the U.S. advisory compound at Pleiku killed U.S. personnel and wounded others. The Johnson administration used it to justify Operation Flaming Dart air strikes against North Vietnam....
Operation Rolling Thunder bombing campaign approved
📅 13 February 1965The Johnson administration approved a sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam. Air strikes also expanded across the wider region. Officials sought to coerce Hanoi, but the campaign brought...
United States begins Operation Rolling Thunder
📅 2 March 1965U.S. aircraft launched a sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam, intended to pressure Hanoi and support the South Vietnamese government. The gradual escalation devastated infrastructure...
Secret U.S. bombing of Cambodia begins
📅 18 March 1969The United States began the secret Operation Menu bombing of Cambodian border areas. The campaign violated Cambodian neutrality and intensified conflict across Indochina; estimates of civilian...
Operation Linebacker bombing campaign begins
📅 10 May 1972The United States began a major bombing campaign against North Vietnam, including attacks on transport, industrial and military targets. The campaign accompanied mining of ports and the Easter...
U.S. Linebacker II bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong begins
📅 18 December 1972The Nixon administration began intensive air attacks on Hanoi and Haiphong after negotiations stalled. The bombing killed civilians and damaged infrastructure; it did not settle the underlying...
U.S. pauses the Linebacker II bombing campaign
📅 29 December 1972The Nixon administration halted the intensive bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong after eleven days. Civilian deaths and destruction drew international criticism. Negotiations resumed, but the bombing’s...
United States attacks Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan
📅 22 June 2025US forces carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. Washington described the operation as intended to destroy or severely degrade Iran’s nuclear programme. The...
Iran attacks Al Udeid air base in Qatar
📅 23 June 2025Iran fired missiles at the US-operated Al Udeid base in Qatar, saying the action responded to US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. Qatar reported no casualties and condemned the attack. Iran...