Re: Carpet Bombing

[<AMPSOne@aol.com>]

John2,

There's a difference between "statement" missions -- i.e. like the "Big Blue 
82" missions being run over Afghanistan right now -- and routine target 
elimination missions like "carpet bombing" or ARCLIGHT missions in Viet Nam. 
Most of those large group missions took nearly every fighter aircraft we had 
for escort to ensure losses of bombers would be low. 

Also the Suiho Dam mission was virtually unopposed: reason was (a) US was 
just so darn good it scared Chinese and Soviet pilots to not take on the 
armada being used or (b) 64th IAK and its Chinese compatriots were pinned to 
the ground by remants of a typhoon, and the Americans took advantage of them; 
your choice. 

As for damage, here is an "official" statement: "31 July 1953: DPRK states 
that air power inflicted the following damage: over 8,700 industries 
destroyed; over 600,000 homes destroyed; 6,000 schools and hospitals 
destroyed; over 40% of all industrial and life support facilities destroyed." 
(Soviet Military Encyclopedia, 1973) 

Cookie Sewell
AMPS