ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED 3 OCTOBER 1967

RIPPLE SALVO… #576… A DAY AT THE DAP CAU RAILROAD AND HIGHWAY BRIDGE AND THE BYPASS BRIDGE A MILE SOUTH… but first…

Good Morning: Day FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTY-SIX looking back to a 40-MONTH air war that didn’t get three minutes of Ken Burns’ 18-hour serial story of the Vietnam War… SHAME ON YOU KEN BURNS!!!… Oh, by the way, Mr. Burns. General “Misty” McPeak may feel like he should have been flying for the “other side,” but I never met a single ROLLING THUNDER WARRIOR who had any regret or confusion about which side he was on or wanted to be on… Mr. Burns, you flew the whole 18-hours with your left-wing down and you created a graveyard spiral for your four years of monkeying with the history of the Vietnam war…….

3 OCTOBER 1967… Two articles from The New York Times on a clear and sunshiny Tuesday in NYC…

Page 1: “SENATOR COOPER OF KENTUCKY BIDS U,S, KEEP WAR IN SOUTH–CHALLENGES JOHNSON’S VIEW THAT INITIATIVE LIES IN HANOI’S CONTROL” by John Finney. “Senator John Sherman Cooper took direct issue with President Johnson today (Oct.2) by contending that the initiative toward peace in Vietnam lay within the control of the United States, not Hanoi. In a Senate speech the Kentucky Republican urged that the United States take the ‘first step’ toward negotiations and peace in Vietnam by ordering an ‘unconditional cessation’ of the bombing of North Vietnam.

“Even if such a step fails to result in negotiations, he said, the United States should confine its future military activities to South Vietnam to “reverse the dangerous expansion of the war.’ The speech set off another round in the intensifying Senate debate on the ear, which has become increasingly critical of the Administration policy.

“The Administration found itself defended primarily by conservative Republicans while influential democrats such as Mike Mansfield, the Senate majority leader, and J.W. Fulbright, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke out in support of Senator Cooper.

“Senator Charles Percy, Republican of Illinois, taking his cue from Senator Cooper, went even further in criticizing the President. He said Mr. Johnson had ‘failed to pursue every possibility for negotiations leading to a settlement of the war.’ Like the Cooper speech, the Percy statement was directed at the President’s speech on Vietnam policy last Friday night, which was designed to quiet the growing restiveness in the Senate over the Administration’s policy. Senator Percy said that in the speech the President had ‘attempted to discredit’ all his critics by suggesting that they wanted unilateral withdrawal. “The President’s problem is with the vast majority who are dissatisfied with his performance in Vietnam,’ said Senator Percy, ‘not with the 10-per cent who urge withdrawal.’

“It was becoming evident that Republican ranks are dividing over the pre-election strategy to follow in criticizing the Administration’s policy. Some Republican moderates such as Senator Thruston B. Morton of Kentucky, are trying to drive their party toward a peace platform by criticizing the Administration as becoming militarily over committed in Vietnam. Senator Cooper, an influential member of the Foreign Relations Committee picked up this theme today.

“The speeches of Republican moderates over the last week provoked today the first organized reaction from their conservative colleagues, such as Senators Jack Miller of Iowa, Peter H. Dominick of Colorado, Strom Thurmond of South Carolina and George Murphy of California. In what became a debate within a debate, the conservatives responded to the Cooper speech by objecting to any bombing cessation and by criticizing the Administration for not applying more military pressure.

“Senator Cooper has been critical of Administration policy on the war ever since the bombing of North Vietnam began in 1965. But today was the first time he took direct , personal issue with the President. His criticism was prompted by a statement in the President’s speech on Friday that ‘it is Hanoi’s choice, and not our…that the war continue.

” “Fact and reason dictate,’ Senator Cooper said, ‘that the first step toward negotiations and peace–the unconditional cessation of the bombing of North Vietnam–lies in the choice and control of our country. The reasons which lead the North Vietnamese to ask for the unconditional cessation of bombing, the growing support of this requirement by friend as well as foe, lead to the conclusion that there is little hope for negotiations and for a just settlement of the war in Vietnam until the United States takes this first step–the cessation of its bombing of North Vietnam.’

“Senator Cooper said confinement of the war to South Vietnam would test Soviet intentions in Vietnam, in particular whether the Soviet Union would respond by reducing or cutting off its supplies to North Vietnam. Privately, it was learned, some Soviet diplomats have given indications to Senators that the Soviet Union would reduce its military support of North Vietnam if the war were limited to South Vietnam.

“Senator Fulbright questioned what he described as a premise in the President;\’s speech that American security was  at stake in Vietnam. The Arkansan said American security was ‘much more endangered’ by the present policy, which he said was ‘tying us down militarily’ and placing strains on relations with friendly countries. Senator Gale W. McGee, Democrat of Wyoming, backing the Administration view, argued that what was at stake was not Vietnam but the political alignment of all nations in Southeast Asia.

“Senator Cooper replied: ‘My own judgement is that these countries are going to settle their own destiny, and sometimes they settle it better if we are not there.’ “…

Page 5: “HARRIS POLL SHOWS A DECLINE TO 58% IN SUPPORT OF WAR”... “Fifty-eight per cent of the American public now supports the Vietnam war, a drop from 72 per cent in July and 61 per cent in August, according to a survey by Louis Harris published in yesterday’s New York Post. Continuation of the bombing of North Vietnam is now favored by 48 per cent with 37 per cent opposed and 15 per cent not sure. Mr. Harris said, ‘This compared with percentages of 59, 25, and 16 respectively, in June and 67, 18, and 15 in April….The number of people who want the United States to get out as quickly as possible has risen to 37 per cent, exactly the same percentage as those who say we must continue to fight to get a negotiated peace. Those advocating ‘total military victory’ have now dwindled to 20 per cent. However only 13 per cent of the American people favor precipitate withdrawal ‘to give it all up.’

” ‘Forty-six percent admit that they feel ‘discouraged and frustrated’ over the war. Only 7 per cent can foresee an early settlement and 61 percent feel that our military forces are not improving their position in the fighting.

” ‘Reaction to the recent Vietnamese elections was moderately favorable, with one in four Americans feeling more confidence in the ability of the South Vietnamese to govern themselves compared with only 5 per cent who feel critical of the election.’

“President Johnson received 31 per cent approval of his handling of the war. This was down from 33 per cent approval in August and from 46 per cent in June. Over the last year and  half, President Johnson has never achieved more than 50-per cent support for his conduct of the war, according to Mr. Harris.”…

3 OCTOBER 1967… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times (4 Oct reporting 3 Oct ops)…Page 13: “U.S. Planes Bomb Near China Line–Bridges and Rail Yards Hit–Hanoi Claims 7 Planes”... “United States pilots bombed two bridges and two railroad yards near the Chinese border yesterday (3 Oct), the closest just 10 miles south of the boundary…There were no immediate reports of antiaircraft fire or enemy aircraft opposition. No aircraft were reported lost (The Hanoi radio said seven American planes were downed in raids Tuesday, UPI reported)… The closest target to the border was the Longbinh bridge over Highway 4, 10 miles southwest of China. Navy pilots from the carrier Constellation attacked the bridge, and a spokesman said reconnaissance photographs showed the western span was dropped.

“Air Force pilots flying F-105 Thunderchiefs and F-4 Phantoms from bases in Thailand struck one railroad yard 14 miles from the border, another at Langgiai, 21 miles south of the boundary, and the Caobang highway bridge 15 miles from the line. The Spokesman said pilots knocked down a span in the Caobang bridge and destroyed 12 to 15 boxcars in the Langgiai yard. The spokesman said Air Force pilots encountered numbers of surface-to-air missiles and moderate to heavy flak during an attack on the Dap Cau railroad and highway bridge 20 miles northeast of Hanoi. Pilots reported heavy damage to the bridge. At least three anti-aircraft sites were damaged in the raid…

“The new raids followed several days of bad weather in the region north of Hanoi. The United States has been attacking major bridges and rail lines intensively in recent months in an effort to curb the flow of supplies from China. Administration spokesmen in Washington said Monday that a raid on the Longbien rail and highway bridge in Hanoi August 11, along with other attacks in the stepped-up air campaign, has slowed the enemy’s supply movement.”…

3 October 1967…”Vietnam: Air Losses” (Chris Hobson) There were four fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 3 October 1967…

(1) MAJOR JOSEPH D. MOORE and 1LT S.B. GULBRANDSON were flying an F-4D of the 435th TFS and 8th TFW out of Ubon on a raid on the Cao Bang highway bridge when the strike group was attacked by MIG 21s about 50 miles southwest of Hanoi. MAJOR MOORE AND 1LT GULBRANDSON’s Phantom was hit and damaged by an air-to-air missile forcing a shutdown of one engine. They were able to fly the aircraft over Laos before having to eject. They were both rescued by Air Force rescue folks to fly and fight again. MAJOR MOORE would get half a MIG 17 on a December 1967 flight.

(2) LCOL RONALD RUNYON KING was flying an F-105D of the 354th TFS and 355th TFW and returning from a mission over the Gulf of Tonkin when the aircraft ran out of fuel and crashed at sea. LCOL KING perished in the crash… Killed in action and body not recovered, he rests where he fell fifty years ago today… Gone but not forgotten…

(3) LTJG A. D. PERKINS was flying an A-4B of the VSF-3 Chessmen embarked in USS Intrepid on a strike on a road and railroad bridge near Haiphong. Chris Hobson tells the story: “LTJG Perkins was part of the flak suppression force that accompanied the bombers. As he started his dive to fire his Zuni rockets the aircraft was hit by AAA. He jettisoned his ordnance and headed towards the coast but the aircraft was hit again and further damaged and LT Perkins was struck in the left leg by shrapnel. Smoke filled the cockpit and most of his instruments failed. LT Perkins jettisoned his canopy to clear the smoke but the aircraft was hit by flak again or the engine might have exploded. The pilot ejected at 8,000-feet over Haiphong Harbour (Hobson is a Brit and that’s the way they spell harbor) and was rescued from within yards of a ship by a Navy UH-2 flown by LT Tim Melecosky from HC-1. Lt Melecosky was shot down by ground fire the next day while operating from the USS Coontz on another SAR mission… all the crew were rescued by a Seaking from HS-2″… (Humble Host notes:  a pair of junior officer stories wrapped in lots of luck — one for the ages)…

(4) MAJOR ROBERT WARREN BARNETT was flying an F-105D of the 469th TFS and 388th TFW out of Korat on a strike on the Dap Cau road bridge, 25 miles northwest of Haiphong. Hobson: “As the aircraft approached 16,000-feet they heard a SAM warning and a missile exploded close to Major Barnett’s  aircraft causing major damage including hydraulic failure and an engine fire. Major Barnett ejected close to Uong Bi, 15 miles northwest of Haiphong, and was captured by Vietnamese using tracker dogs on the morning of the 5th. Major Barnett was on his 43rd mission when he was shot down… he was released from captivity on 14 March 1973.”…   More in Ripple Salvo…

RIPPLE SALVO… #576… The 388th Does Dap Cau (and other targets on 3 October 1967): extracted from the “34 TFS F-105 History” compilation of W. Howard Plunkett, page 138 of 300… “03-Oct-67” …  Thanks, Howie…

“F-105s from the 388 TFW ‘heavily damaged the Dap Cau railroad and highway bridge (JCS 16), 20 miles northeast of Hanoi. Pilots also damaged at three anti-aircraft sites near the bridge.’ The Rolling Thunder mission was RT56A-153 and the coordinates of the target were 21-12-15N 106-05-42E. The 388 TFW also struck the Dau Cap bypass bridge one mile south of JCS16 where one F-105D was lost and its pilot, Major Robert W. Barnett from the 469 TFS, was captured. 1LT Earl J. Henderson was a 469 TFS pilot on Bob Barnett’s flight. It was his 19th combat mission into North Vietnam.

“Target: Dap Cau Railroad Bridge 15 miles north-northeast of Hanoi…Armament: 6×750.01….

“Henderson: ‘Never made it to the target. Lead aircraft hit by SAM one minute prior to target. Jettisoned everything and turned toward water with him. He bailed out about 1 mile inland. During RESCAP, two MiG-21s made two passes on me. Chased them for 30 miles, fired out of range, no hits.’ “… Lt Henderson received the Silver Star for this mission. “Lieutenant Henderson was a member of a flight of F-105 Thunderchiefs assigned to attack a target deep in hostile territory. When the lead aircraft in his flight was shot down, he circled the area, giving cover for his downed flight leader. During the rescue operation, he dodged a surface-to-air missile and evaded two attacks by MIG aircraft. Then by maneuvering his aircraft, he gained the advantage and successfully chased the MIGs out of the area and prevented their interference in the rescue operation….”

“Pilots from the 34 TFS participating in the Dap Cau bridge strike were Major Dwight E. Sullivan, Major Kenneth W. Mays, Captain Robert H. Middleton… Captain Robert M. Crane… and Major David C. Dickson, Jr. flying his 16th combat mission and his 7th in Route Pack 6. Dickson struck a target 8 nautical miles NE of Hanoi. He noted on the band on his post-mission cigar, ‘Rough. B. Barnett down.‘ Dickson had known Barnett during their assignment to Perrin, AFB, TX…

“Major Aquilla f. Britt from the 469 TFS was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross (5th Oak Leaf Cluster) for extraordinary achievement for a mission he flew that day. ‘…Major Britt led a flight on a flak suppression mission in support of a high priority military target. Major Britt overcame four SA-2 missiles and heavy hostile fire to personally destroy an active firing site. …’

“Lt Col Richard F.B. Gimmi, Jr. and Captain Steven W. Long, Jr., both also from the 469 TFS, flew a mission against a nearby target at 21-09N and 106-46E… “

3 October 1967… just another day for the bravest of the brave… the strike pilots of Rolling Thunder…

RTR QUOTE for 3 October: THOMAS JEFFERSON, 1st Inaugural Address: “Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.”

Lest we forget…    Bear