Key Facts
- Duration
- 5 Dec 1965 – 11 Nov 1968
- Tactical air sorties flown
- 103,148
- B-52 sorties (Arc Light)
- 1,718
- U.S. aircraft/helicopters shot down
- 132
Strategic Narrative Overview
The campaign was initially directed by the U.S. 2nd Air Division, which was superseded by the Seventh Air Force on 1 April 1966. Aircraft of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force and U.S. Air Force units based in South Vietnam conducted strikes, distinguishing Tiger Hound from Barrel Roll and Steel Tiger missions flown from Thailand. U.S. Navy Task Force 77 also participated. Over the operation's lifespan, more than 103,000 tactical sorties and nearly 1,720 B-52 sorties struck supply routes and infrastructure.
01 / The Origins
During the Vietnam War, North Vietnam used the Ho Chi Minh Trail — running through southeastern Laos — to funnel troops and supplies into South Vietnam. General William C. Westmoreland viewed the Laotian border region as an extension of his operational area, and persuaded the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff to carve out a dedicated interdiction zone from the existing Operation Steel Tiger area, leading to the creation of Operation Tiger Hound in December 1965.
03 / The Outcome
Operation Tiger Hound formally ended on 11 November 1968, when its missions were absorbed into the broader Operation Commando Hunt. By that point, 132 U.S. aircraft and helicopters had been lost over Laos. The campaign failed to sever the Ho Chi Minh Trail decisively, and North Vietnamese logistics continued to support operations in South Vietnam throughout the war.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
William C. Westmoreland.
Side B
1 belligerent