Hanoi Gia Lam Airport Control Tower

Our C-130 was one of the first to land at Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi following Vietnam ceasefire which occurred in late January of ’73 … mission was connected to preparations for Operation Homecoming which would bring home over 500 US POWs from Hanoi Hilton. Only a month or two before the extremely heavy “Christmas” bombing campaign over North Vietnam known as Linebacker II occurred between Dec 18-29 1972. Amazing this runway at North Vietnam’s main airfield had become operational … here we see the main “control tower” which was little more than a plywood hut, thatch and tin roofs, and a few antennas on bamboo poles. Photo taken out open window of C-130 while taxiing after landing.