Good Morning: Day ONE HUNDRED SIXTY SEVEN of a revisit to the air war with North Vietnam fought fifty years ago one day at a time…
15 AUGUST 1966… FROM THE PAGES OF THE NEW YORK TIMES…”All the news that is fit to print”… A fair Monday at Yankee Stadium…
Page 1: “Westmoreland Finds Hanoi Firm In Its War Effort”…”General William C. Westmoreland declared today that there had been no lessening of Vietnam’s resolve to prosecute the war. The Commander of the United States forces in Vietnam gave the assessment after a surprise meeting here (Johnson City, Texas) with President Johnson to discuss the war. General Westmoreland views were reflected by the President. In a prepared statement, Mr. Johnson declared the although a Communist military takeover of South Vietnam is now impossible the American people must know that there will be no quick victory. General Westmoreland arrived at President Johnson’s ranch last night. There had been no indication that such a meeting would be held. The White House explained that the President and General Westmoreland had agreed at last February’s Honolulu conference to meet again, but they had not been able to work out a meeting convenient to both until this week. A Sunday brief was held for the press on the lawn at the ranch. General Moreland in his description of the prevailing attitude in Hanoi noted that the recent heavy bombing by United States planes had achieved ‘considerable success’ but ‘there is no indication that the resolve of the leadership in Hanoi has been reduced. There is every indication that they plan to continue the conflict in accordance with the present pattern that prevails.’ The President in his statement declared: ‘A Communist military takeover of South Vietnam is no longer just improbable. As long as the United States and our brave allies are in the field, it is impossible. The single most important fact now is our will to prosecute the war until the Communists, recognizing the futility of their ambitions, either end the fighting or seek a peaceful settlement. No one can say when this will be or how many men will be needed, or how long we must persevere. The American people must know that there will be no quick victory, and the world must know that we will not quit. The day will come however when the independence of the Vietnamese people will be assured and our men will come home.”…The General described the Vietcong as strong in the Delta region and said it was possible that the allies would move forces into that area. However it would be premature to predict with certainty that such a step would be taken. He said the Vietcong are attempting to move into Phase 2 of Mao Tes-tung’s classic military strategy and that in the rest of the country the enemy was attempting to move into Phase 3. Under Mr. Mao’s doctrine, Phase 1 involves terrorism and sabotage; Phase 2, the use of small, flexible and highly mobile military units; and, in Phase 3, the use of larger units.
Both leaders expressed profound admiration for United States fighting men in Vietnam. General Westmoreland applauded their ‘ compassion, integrity and endurance’ and Mr. Johnson said that ‘no words of mine can say how much we owe them. General Westmoreland, I want you to take back with you my personal message to all our men in Vietnam, and that message is this: You are our best. You make every American proud.’…
Page 1: “McNamara Expects Rise In Air Losses”…”Secretary of Defense Robert M. McNamara estimates that the United States will lose 580 attack aircraft worth a total of $1.2 billion in Vietnam in the current year. But Mr. McNamara has assured that the pending $5.8 billion defense fund bill includes provisions for more than enough replacement aircraft. Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 1. the Secretary said: “Attack aircraft losses will be around 580, probably. At $2 million each that would be about $1.2 billion.” Mr. McNamara was questioned: ‘With all the sorties over North Vietnam, what do you find to destroy up there,’ asked Senator Young, ‘they don’t have much industry up there, do they?’..A: No, the industry is very small. About 15-per cent of their economy might be thought of as industrial. The other 85-per cent is agricultural. Our attacks in North Vietnam are directed principally against the lines of communication over which they move men and equipment to South Vietnam.’ …. Page 10: “Opponents Of Vietnam War Assail Committee of The House”…”Groups protesting American involvement in the war in Vietnam charged today that the House Committee on Un-American Activities was attempting to kill the peace movement in the United States. Representatives of 12 organizations told a news conference they plan to hold street corner rallies and mass meetings in Washington to protest a committee hearing that starts Tuesday on a Vietnam bill. The committee subpoenaed 11 persons to testify at the hearing. The bill would prohibit spending money, supplies and other help to any power, organization or person engaged in hostilities against the United States.” … Page 1: ” Satellite Moves Into Lunar Orbit On Photo Mission”…”Lunar Orbiter 1 moved successfully into an orbit around the moon today. The camera-bearing spacecraft is the nation’s first vehicle to circle earth’s nearest neighbor. With almost flawless precision the 850-pound cloverleaf shaped spacecraft swept to the right of the moon, slowed down with a rocket burst and fell into a wide counter-clockwise orbit. Success came after a 92 hour 236,319 mile journey that began Wednesday at Cape Kennedy. Orbit comes as close as 119 miles to the moon and an orbit takes 3-hours, 37 minutes, 36-seconds.”
15 AUGUST 1966…THE PREIDENT”S DAILY BRIEF… CIA (TS sanitized) South Vietnam: The number of Communists defecting to the government is running 70-percent ahead of last year. Defectors are coming in at the rate of about 44 a day, and so far this year close to 12,000 have turned themselves in. There has been an increase in the number of Vietcong officers, too, and the information they pass on is proving quite helpful to tactical commanders…. Eastern Europe: Next month’s Warsaw Pact exercise in Czechoslovakia is being billed as the largest ever held. Elements of several Soviet divisions will apparently be moved into Czechoslovakia from the USSR. This is intended to be another demonstration of the Soviet Union’s growing capability for rapid reinforcement of Eastern Europe.
15 AUGUST 1966… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…NYT (16 August reporting 15 August)…Page 3: “The United States command reported the loss of two F-105s today over North Vietnam yesterday, bringing to 17 the number of planes lost in eight days and to 339 the total shot down since the raids began in February 1965. Both pilots were reported as missing. In the air war, United States Air Force, Navy and Marine pilots flew 108 missions against North Vietnam targets yesterday striking 14 oil depots, anti-aircraft gun positions, cargo barges, and rail traffic. American planes flew 373 single plane sortie in South Vietnam…huts structures and sampans…B-52 bombers from Guam continued to hit suspected Vietcong encampments in south Vietnam.” … “Vietnam: Air Losses” (Hobson)..reported these losses on 14 August rather than 15th… There were no fixed wing aircraft losses in southeast Asia on 15 August 1966….
RIPPLE SALVO… #167… Enough said for the week… Time to do some star gazing, brandy in hand, old friends on my mind…
Lest we forget… Bear ……….. –30– ……….