Question about Corps Expéditionnaire Français en Extrême-Orient, French Indochina.

[mkr8683]

Comment ca va, Palle! I've been reading 'Street Without Joy,' and it seems that most of the strike aircraft used by CEFEO forces were Hellcats and Bearcats. If I remember correctly, Vinh Yen was one of the few battles fought using mobile forces against the Viet Minh in the open. Fall has this to say about that fight -

"All available fighter-bombers in Indochina and transport planes capable of dumping bomb canisters were marshaled into what became the most massive aerial bombardment of the Indochina War."

Were Hellcats and Bearcats not carrier-based fighters as well as the Corsair? I seem to recall that Corsairs were not used very much in 'La Guerre Sale.'

[scJazz]

22 Dec 50
Napalm is used for the first time in Vietnam against Viet Minh forces at Tien Yen.

1950: France uses napalm against the Viet Mihn at Tien Yen

Supporting link

All of the aircraft in question could have dropped it. I can't find anything that identifies which aircraft(s) did.