Operation Raindance

Operation Raindance
Part of Laotian Civil War; Vietnam War
Date 17 March – 7 April 1969 Location Plain of Jars in northeastern Laos Result U.S. Air Force interdiction bombing campaign to support Royalist guerrillas
Belligerents
Kingdom of Laos Supported by  United States	North Vietnam Supported by:  Soviet Union  People's Republic of China
Units involved
U.S. Air Force Royal Lao Air Force Raven Forward Air Controllers Royalist guerrillas	Four PAVN battalions
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown Extensive destruction of materiel

Operation Raindance was a military operation of the Laotian Civil War, staged from 17 March to 7 April 1969. It was launched by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) in support of Hmong guerrillas raised by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). As the guerrillas were being pressured by enemy troops pushing to within ten kilometers of their main bases, the aerial campaign was planned to cause a pullback by the pressing communists.

As the first well-targeted aerial campaign in Laos, Operation Raindance's 65 strikes per day gained such great results that it was extended indefinitely. Even after its "ending" on 7 April, the interdiction continued; eventually, it would be dubbed Operation Stranglehold. In all, it was the most successful Lao air strike operation to date. Among enemy losses to air were two tanks, two BTR-40 armored cars, 32 other vehicles, 28 antiaircraft guns, 28 bunkers, and six gun positions. Bombing caused over 1,500 secondary explosions of munitions, and destroyed over 2,000 storage caches. In one spectacular case, a cavern full of munitions exploded and burned for 16 hours.

The Hmong who followed in the path blasted by the bombers captured and destroyed 300 tons of medical supplies. They ruined a 1,000 bed medical facility they found hidden underground, along with operating rooms and X-ray machines. The three light battalions of guerrillas withdrew in the face of the imminent arrival of four heavily armed People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) battalions. However, the advantages gained in Raindance would shortly be nullified by the communists' first-ever rainy season offensive.