What was the name of the US operation to mine Haiphong Harbor in 1972?

The U.S. operation to mine Haiphong Harbor in 1972 was Operation Pocket Money. It was a U.S. Navy aerial-mining campaign launched on May 9, 1972, during the Vietnam War.

The operation aimed to disrupt North Vietnam’s supply network during the Nguyen Hue Offensive, known in the United States as the Easter Offensive. Haiphong was especially important because most of North Vietnam’s imported cargo entered through the port. Carrier-based aircraft dropped mines at the harbor entrance, while additional missions targeted other North Vietnamese ports and waterways.

Operation Pocket Money is often confused with Operation Linebacker, the broader bombing campaigns conducted against North Vietnam that same year. The mines were given delayed arming times so neutral ships could leave, and their removal later became Operation End Sweep in 1973. Thus, Pocket Money refers specifically to the mining campaign, not the entire 1972 air offensive.