How many B-52s were lost in Linebacker II?

The operation took place from 18 to 29 December 1972, during the Vietnam War. Between 197 and 207 B-52 strategic bombers took part. Over that twelve-day period, from 18 to 29 December 1972, there was a one-day pause on Christmas Day. More than 20,000 tons of munitions were dropped. The Strategic Air Command B-52s flew 729 of the 741 planned sorties and dropped 15,000 tons of bombs.

Fifteen B-52s were shot down. That figure represents a loss rate of under 2%. North Vietnamese forces fired some 1,240 anti-aircraft missiles. In a single attack, the 68 surface-to-air missiles launched by North Vietnamese batteries brought down three B-52s.

Of the 92 crew members involved in B-52 losses, 26 were recovered, 25 were missing in action, 33 became prisoners of war and eight were killed in action or died of their wounds. American reports of the operation claim six MiG-21s shot down, two of them by B-52 tail gunners.