Operation Custom Tailor was an American

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several ...

and

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed ...

strike force that conducted a raid on

Haiphong Haiphong ( vi, Hải Phòng, ), or Hải Phòng, is a major industrial city and the third-largest in Vietnam. Hai Phong is also the center of technology, economy, culture, medicine, education, science and trade in the Red River delta. Haiphong wa ...

North Vietnam North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...

, in 10 May 1972. It was a history-making strike that involved the most formidable cruiser/destroyer fleet in the Western Pacific since

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. During the strike, military targets within four miles of Haiphong were hit and enemy opposition was heavy.

Operation

The ships participating were , , , and . During the raid, USS ''Hanson'' entered Haiphong Harbor to suppress North Vietnamese shore batteries while enabling other

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

forces to mine the Haiphong Harbor entrance. This made USS ''Hanson'' the last American warship to enter Haiphong Harbor during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

and the last one out.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Custom Tailor, Operation Conflicts in 1972 Campaigns of the Vietnam War 1972 in Vietnam Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1972 Naval battles of the Vietnam War involving the United States Naval battles of the Vietnam War May 1972 events in Asia History of Haiphong