Operation Bolo
 
 
For most of the Vietnam War, rules of engagement forbade pilots
from engaging enemy aircraft unless they showed "hostile intent."
In the early years of the conflict, enemy MiGs would harass
American pilots by flying close to strike forces and forcing them
to jettison their bombs before they were over any targets.  Then
the MiGs would disappear before American fighters arrived.
 
On September 30, 1966, Colonel Robin Olds took over the 8th
Tactical Fighter Wing.  As a 24-1/2-victory ace of World War II,
Olds was eager to get his pilots into combat, but first he had to
lure the enemy to a fight.  So Olds devised a plan: Operation
Bolo.  He used flights of Phantoms, F-105s and F-104C
Starfighters and ordered his pilots to operate their electronic
gear so as to simulate an attack of only the less-feared F-105s. 
 
On January 2, 1967, the enemy took the bait.  North Vietnam sent
MiGs armed with both radar-guided and heat-seeking missiles
against the "F-105s."  The MiGs ambushed the formation, only to
find themselves set upon by Olds' aggressive F-4s. The result was
a slaughter.  Seven MiGs were destroyed and the hamstrung U.S.
got a much-needed tonic for morale.