The B-52: Vietnam - 4258th Strategic Wing operations out of U Tapao Air Base, Thailand (1968)

The surviving copies of this film aren’t very good. I did my best to digitally restore it. B-52 feature films from the Vietnam War are rare. April 2012 marked the 50th anniversary of the B-52. The focus of this dramatic film is an “Arc Light“ bombing mission flown by Pilot Captain George Dietrich and the crew of B-52 D “075,“ 4258th Strategic Wing out of U Tapao, Thailand in support of the besieged marine base at Khe Sahn in 1968. You’ll see every aspect of the mission from Wing briefing, pre-fight check & takeoff, through the bomb run and final touch down. But this is much more than a typical Air Force information film -- it’s more like a home movie. You’ll see Capt. Dietrich and his crew relaxing in a grass hut, sipping PBRs at the end of the runway, shooting the bull & watching the big Buffs takeoff. 258th CO, Brigadier General Alex W. Talmant, who flew 100 missions himself, supplies an honest, straight forward narration that stresses empowering junior officers. At MAC V headquarters, Saigon, the officer in charge of “Target Assignments,“ General Chasaon, gives an informal briefing on the strategic role played by the B-52 in Vietnam, and in an off the cuff “on the street “ interview, Army Gen William R. Peers, commander of corps sized I Field Force, delivers high praise assessing the role played by B-52 Arc Light missions in support of ground operations. But the real stars of the film are the men of the 4258th. You’ll see them up close, going about their business maintaining and arming the big B-52s along with behind the scenes glimpses of field operations at U-Tapao. Most memorably, you’ll ride along with Captain Dietrich and his crew in B-52D 075 on their deadly mission in support of Khe Sahn. This film has a real “you are there“ feel to it and is not to be missed. This film was produced by the US Air Force. Zeno, Zeno’s Warbird Video Drive-In Don’t miss our “B-52 Stratorfortresses Go to War“ DVD: Visit our aviation DVD store at for the World’s largest selection of World War 2 & vintage jet aircraft aviation videos