In this episode of Military Tales, retired Captain Larry Zimmerman shares his firsthand experience at Task Force Alpha, a high-tech intelligence center in Thailand during the Vietnam War. From 1969โ1970, Zimmerman led aerial photo intelligence, helping track enemy movements along the Ho Chi Minh Trail using cutting-edge technologyโacoustic sensors, aerial photography, and early drones like the Pave Eagle.
He describes the facility as something out of Star Wars, with massive computers and daily briefings for top generals. Zimmerman details how sensor data was relayed from the jungle, through orbiting aircraft, and back to Task Force Alpha to guide airstrikes and map enemy activity. The episode also touches on unauthorized bombing missions, the strategic challenges of interdicting North Vietnamese supply lines, and Zimmerman’s later service in Desert Storm.
A fascinating look at secret tech, Cold War strategy, and the evolution of modern warfare.
Okay, here is a blog summary article based on the provided source material about Episode 72, “Inside Task Force Alpha: Vietnam’s Secret Tech Hub.”
In a fascinating look back at the Vietnam War, Episode 72 of “Military Tales” features an interview with Larry Zimmerman, a Captain assigned to Task Force Alpha in Thailand from 1969 to 1970. Zimmerman provides an insider’s perspective on this highly advanced, often secret, operational center. Task Force Alpha served as a communication and tracking center for North Vietnamese traffic on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Upon entering Task Force Alpha, many people were struck by its appearance, describing it as looking like “Star Wars” compared to contemporary expectations. The facility housed a huge briefing room featuring large computer arrays (described as big boxes at the time) and a large screen used for morning briefings for the commanding general, General Butcher.
Captain Zimmerman was in charge of the photo intelligence section, specifically aerial photography analysis. His daily tasks, operating around the clock, involved analyzing aerial coverage flown in from Udor for evidence of enemy activity on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. This included monitoring the repair and improvement of the trail, tracking traffic movement, and identifying places where they could interdict movement. His section would brief on significant findings, and they also used the aerial photography to update 1:50,000 scale maps, tracing the actual road network which had evolved from a simple French colonial path into a complex “spiderweb” of roads, bypasses, and river crossings. Another key function was the planning and monitoring of sensors dropped onto the trail.
A variety of sensors, many adapted from Navy designs, were implemented along the trail network. These included:
Signals from these sensors were transferred up to orbiting aircraft, which then relayed the data back down to Task Force Alpha. While not every sensor worked, having a string of three working sensors could provide detection. This sensor data provided crucial information on the location and direction of enemy movement, which could then be relayed, hopefully for an airstrike. This monitoring involved both listening and computer analysis.
Operations faced challenges, including the complexity of the Ho Chi Minh Trail itself, particularly contested areas like Mu Gia, which reportedly had greater air defenses than Berlin. A major constraint was the halt in bombing North Vietnam, which forced US forces to wait until enemy traffic crossed into Laos before engaging. This was viewed as a “serious defensive” posture. The source recounts one notable incident where a general, interpreting his responsibilities broadly on Veterans Day 1969, authorized an unauthorized bombing mission into North Vietnam to test new ordnance. This mission was effective but ultimately cost the general his career and a star. This was cited as the only time photos from Task Force Alpha showed activity inside North Vietnam.
Zimmerman reflected on the broader strategic challenges, noting that the North Vietnamese were willing to take significant losses and filtered far more troops down the trail than could be stopped. He compared their approach to the American strategy against the British in the Revolutionary War โ taking hits, backing off, and filling in behind the enemy.
Task Force Alpha was also a site of early technological experimentation. Zimmerman recalls the beginning of testing with “Pave Eagle,” a small, single-engine drone. Developed after a manned aircraft with a 12-person crew was shot down, the drone was designed to orbit in place of crewed planes. Looking like a Beechcraft and remote-controlled, Pave Eagle had the capability to pick up sensor signals and rebroadcast them. This experimentation in the late 1969/early 1970 timeframe was seen as a significant technological leap, the results of which became more apparent in later conflicts like Desert Shield/Storm.
Regarding security, Task Force Alpha was guarded. It was surrounded by huge 10-foot barrier walls. Zimmerman noted humorously that these walls might have held in the concussion if mortar shells had been lobbed in. Security police were stationed there. While some information might have been top secret, most of their work was classified as secret.
Beyond his Vietnam service, Zimmerman later served in the Army Reserve after a reduction in force. He was recommissioned and served in Civil Affairs during Desert Storm, focusing on humanitarian assistance and helping prepare areas to be turned over to the United Nations. His military career totaled 28 years and 6 months.
The interview also touched on personal details, including his 51-year marriage; he met his wife shortly after returning from Vietnam and they married quickly. He also shared thoughts on attending recent military reunions.
Task Force Alpha stands out as a testament to the rapid technological advancements and complex intelligence operations undertaken during the Vietnam War, utilizing methods that were groundbreaking for their time.