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The Ghost Squadron
After years of silence, a naval squadron whose members risked
their lives on a classifi ed surveillance mission in Vietnam is
honored with the highest award given to a military unit.
M
ore than 40 years after carry-
ing out top-secret surveillance
missions in Vietnam, 48 surviv-
ing members of Observation Squadron 67
(VO-67) were honored with a Presidential
Unit Citation at the U.S. Navy Memorial in
Washington, D.C., May 14.
From November 1967 to July 1968, the
naval squadron, nicknamed Ghost Squad-
ron, was tasked with placing highly so-
phisticated surveillance equipment along
the Ho Chi Minh Trail to detect enemy
movement. Navy planes would risk fl ying
low to the ground through the heavily de-
fended airspace to drop electronic sensors.
The squadron eventually would implant the 20 men who died while serving on the Crew Two of Obser-
several thousand listening devices. mission are remembered at each reunion. vation Squadron 67
The squadron also lent intense aerial (VO-67) prepares to
support to the Khe Sanh Marine Corps Duty on Display take off on a surveil-
base during the 1968 Tet Offensive.
A
collection of photographs lance mission.
VO-67 implanted sensor fi elds around honoring the duty, courage,
the base as it was under siege by North camaraderie, and sacrifi ce of
Vietnamese troops, potentially halving U.S. servicemembers is on display at the
the number of casualties. Women in Military Service for America
For decades, members of VO-67 couldn’t Memorial in Arlington, Va., until Labor
talk about the classifi ed missions. After Day. The collection features 115 black-and-
the information was declassifi ed in 1998, white and color photographs that depict
squadron members were allowed to speak U.S. soldiers and Marines in action span-
to others about what they did. Members of ning from the Civil War to the present day.
the squadron have held several reunions; The photos include a black-and-
white shot of “California Joe,” one of the
THIS MONTH IN HISTORY
North’s deadliest sharpshooters during
the Civil War; a line of grunts making
■ On Aug. 19, 1871, Orville Wright was born.
He and his brother, Wilbur, later would invent the
their way across a rain-drenched rice
airplane. Today, the day is celebrated as National
paddy during the Vietnam War; and pic-
Aviation Day. Also, on Aug. 2, 1909, the U.S. War
tures of U.S. servicemembers serving in
Department bought its first plane from the brothers.
Afghanistan and Iraq. MO
PHOTO: COURTESY A.G. ALEXANDER/VO-67 ASSOCIATION AUGUST 2008 MILITARY OFFICER 69
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