It's the evening of December 18th, 1972 in the skies over Laos, eight years into the United States military

involvement in the Vietnam War.

Captain Bob Certain, a B-52 navigator, says a silent prayer as his aircraft makes an eastbound turn toward North Vietnam.

Today U.S. President Richard Nixon ordered the start of an enormous bombing campaign.

This morning, Captain Certain Certain and over a hundred fellow

aviators were briefed on tonight's mission. The plan is for three waves of B-52s

to attack targets across North Vietnam, including its capital Hanoi.

When Captain Certain noticed that all three groups would fly nearly identical routes in

single file, he had his doubts.

Flying the same route over and over might turn the B-52s into easy

targets for North Vietnam's anti-aircraft arsenal. But it's not his job to ask questions.

Tonight he's just focused on doing everything in his power

to ensure his mission succeeds. The radio comes alive with reports from B-52s that

have already entered the target zone. The North Vietnamese are trying to take them down

with surfaced air missiles, and this news confirms Captain Certain Spheres that they're in for a rocky flight.

But they've been ordered to take no evasive action until they reached their target.

So Captain Certain and his fellow crewmen turned their focus from the radio and onto the path ahead.

As they approached their target, the doors of the B-52 open to prepare to drop the bomber's payload.

But all at once, the radar screens and other instruments on the lower deck go black.

Then comes the frantic voice of the B-52's co-pilot. They've been hit.

As Captain Certain looks around, he sees flames overtaking the plane.

He needs to act fast or the B-52's payload of 27 750-pound bombs will explode and take him and the rest of the crew with them.

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