Thanh Hóa Bridge

Thanh Hóa bridge

Thanh Hóa Bridge after it was hit by laser-guided bombs

Date	April 4, 1965 – May 13, 1972
Location	19°50′17″N 105°47′39″E / 19.83806°N 105.79417°E / 19.83806; 105.79417Coordinates: 19°50′17″N 105°47′39″E / 19.83806°N 105.79417°E / 19.83806; 105.79417 Near Thanh Hóa, Thanh Hóa Province, North Vietnam
Result	North Vietnam victory 1965, US victory 1972

Belligerents

United States

North Vietnam

Casualties and losses

11 aircraft destroyed (1965), none (1972)

3 MiG-17 crashed (1965)

The Thanh Hóa Bridge (Vietnamese: Cầu Hàm Rồng, Hàm Rồng Bridge), spanning the Song Ma river, is situated 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Thanh Hóa ( ), the capital of Thanh Hóa Province in Vietnam. The Vietnamese gave it the nickname Hàm Rồng (Dragon's Jaw). In 1965 during the Vietnam War, it was the objective of many attacks by US Air Force and US Navy aircraft which would fail to destroy the bridge until 1972, even after hundreds of attacks. In their first air combat, a small force of seemingly mismatched MiG-17s inflicted significant losses on much larger and more advanced American F-105 Thunderchief at a cost of 3 of their own, with an F-100 Super Sabre claiming the first probable American kill of the conflict. The encounter led to significant changes in American tactics and training, and a return to dog-fighting in air combat doctrine. Eventually, in 1972, the bridge was destroyed by USAF F-4 Phantoms using laser-guided bombs and US Navy Vought A-7s with advanced and conventional bombs.

Originally built by the French during the colonial era in Vietnam, the Thanh Hóa bridge was sabotaged by the Viet Minh in 1945. From 1957, the Vietnamese started rebuilding it.

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