PHAN
One of the most critical lessons learnt from VN (and most other wars) was that singles don't survive long in combat. Ask Erich Hartmann...or Johnny Johnson
"Alone, unarmed and scared !!!!e-less" is/was a more apt description.
To answer your question, Recce "Pukes" tried, not always successfully, to get attached to packages of attackers for mutual protection. In the absence of our armed brothers, we went in pairs. Eight eyes "on-stalks" much better than four.
Most missions in Desert Storm / Proven Force (***both North and South) were flown as part of an attack package, if the targets were in the same vicinity. Primarilly for SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defences) "MAGNUM" was always nice to hear if you had an SA-8 tracking your bottom!
Cheers
Kato