THE TARGETS IN NORTH VIET NAM

THE Pentagon's "Bombing Encyclopedia" for North Viet Nam lists 18,000 potential targets, ranging from a tumbledown bamboo bridge over a little-used canal to Ho Chi Minh's Hanoi headquarters. Only 5,000 of them are considered militarily significant, and most can be attacked at the Pentagon's discretion. Between 350 and 400 politically sensitive targets have been referred to President Johnson for his personal approval to raid them. To date, he has given the go-ahead on all but approximately 50.

In the 21 years since regular raids on the North were begun, the air campaign has gradually spread from the southern panhandle section of North Viet Nam to encompass nearly every area of the country and nearly every type of target. The number of raids has steadily increased. There were 23,500 missions (usually with two to five planes in each mission) in 1966; so far this year, nearly 22,000 missions have been flown. In addition to the thousands of trucks, railroad cars and sampans that have been destroyed, the five jet airfields bombed and the hundreds of miles of roads and rail lines severed, other prime targets have included:

More than 50 attacked: bridges, SAM sites and barracks.

More than 20: supply depots.

Less than 20: ammunition dumps, petroleum storage areas, power plants, ports and ferry slips.

Others attacked (number of targets classified): Naval bases, munitions factories, iron-and steelworks, cement plants, radar and flak sites, railyards and shops, and communications installations.

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