A U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom II of fighter squadron VF-161, tail code "NL," launches from an aircraft carrier flight deck while a second Phantom awaits its turn in the foreground. During the Vietnam War, carriers stationed on Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin sustained round-the-clock flight operations, launching Phantoms and attack aircraft on strike, escort, and combat air patrol missions over North and South Vietnam. Project: 219012