RIPPLE SALVO… #108… NAVY COMMENDATION MEDAL with COMBAT “V”… but first…

Good Morning: Day ONE HUNDRED EIGHT of a Bear’s review of the air war in North Vietnam…

16 JUNE 1966…ON THE HOME FRONT… (NYT)… Cloudy with showers likely on this Thursday in New York…

Page 1: “U.S. To Pull Out Air Force Units Based In France”… “Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara announced today that virtually all American combat units in France would be evacuated in orderly stages in the next few months. The removal of the units, principally Air Force squadrons to neighboring countries will affect approximately 12,700 American military and civilian personnel, 10,700 dependents, and potentially 2,100 French civilians employed by the United States. On March 7, in a hand written letter to President Johnson, the French President signified his intention to withdraw from the integrated NATO command structure by July 1, and required the evacuation of all foreign military personnel not under exclusively French control before April 1,1967.”

Page 1: “Ky Regime’s Foes Step Up Protests”…and Ky has responded with sterner repressive actions. “The governing junta moved a battalion of loyal paratroopers into this rebellious city at dawn today. The paratroopers reinforcing 450 riot policemen already here in Hue’ began clearing the streets of hundreds of Buddhist family altars placed there in nonviolent protest against the government of Premier Ky.” Page1: “Eisenhower Meets Reagan And Backs Him For Governor”…Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower endorsed today Ronald Reagan’s bid to become Governor of California. General Eisenhower said that if Reagan won, you can bet he would become a Republican Presidential possibility…

Page 1: Dallas dateline…”U.S. Told Suburbs Must Help Cities”… “A group of mayors asked the Federal Government today to use its powers to force all-white suburbs to bear part of the burden of housing and schooling low income citizens of large cities. The governors urged that the government threaten to cut off financial aid unless suburban areas helped to provide a reasonable share of the costs of such problems.” The political leaders completed their discussions with a resolution calling for metropolitan areas share the cost of caring for disadvantaged areas across the entire city area. The resolution also called for domestic funding on qan equal footing with the war in Vietnam……Page 2: “Target Selectivity Stressed”… The Pentagon offered a statement for public dissemination: “The limiting factor in our air operations against military targets in North Vietnam is not the distance from Hanoi or Haiphong, but rather the minimization of civilian casualties. Whether an attack is 8 miles or 80 miles from the capitol of the port city is not the point. Our objective is to avoid civilian casualties while striking essential military targets.”  Small box on page DoD announcing 10 troopers killed in action in Vietnam… Page 2: “New North Vietnamese Units Reported In South”…The North Vietnamese 84th and 88th Regiments, totaling 3,000 men were reported in the Central Highlands and digging in as the van guard during the current monsoon rains…

16 JUNE 1966…PRESIDENT’s DAILY BRIEFING… CIA (TS sanitized)… South Vietnam: For the fourth straight day, Buddhist monks continued to try to organize demonstrations in Saigon. Police are dealing with them firmly. Their tactics have irritated at least some people by causing monumental traffic jams. In Hue’ a battalion of airborne troops joined police in continuing the task of cleaning up the streets. There has apparently been little violence. Tri Quang continues his hunger strike in the hospital apparently under informal detention by the government. There is now little doubt that Tri Quang’s militant supporters are running the Buddhist Institute in Saigon, although the relatively moderate Tam Chau remains its titular chairman. At least one government minister has told the U.S. Embassy that he thinks Tri Quang this time has gone too far and has set forces in motion– including anti-US sentiment–he can no longer control…Netherlands: The riots in Amsterdam, which grew out of a construction workers strike, have been given a momentum of their own by young toughs and students…

16 JUNE 1966…ROLLING THUNDER OPERATIONS… First, a casualty report– a weekly summary of military events made public today showed that last week 142 American servicemen were killed in Vietnam and 741 we3re wounded (883 total casualties) and south Vietnam troops suffered 151 KIA and 328 WIA with 300 missing (including deserters) NVN/VC losses: 1,240 KIA and 166 captured…

In air action: “Two U.S. Navy jets were lost to anti-aircraft fire yesterday in air raids in North Vietnam and nine communist surface-to-air missiles were fired at Navy airplanes without hitting any. One Marine helicopter crashed causing two casualties. The SAMs were seen 40 miles northeast of Thanh Hoa (7) and 40 northwest of Vinh (2). The firing sites were protected by several flak sites that put up extremely heavy flak during the day. A Navy Skyhawk jet was downed by such conventional fire 40 miles north of Thanh Hoa. The pilot was seen on the ground after parachuting, but could not be rescued.”….“Vietnam: Air Losses”…reported no fixed wing aircraft losses on 16 June 1966.

RIPPLE SALVO… #108… NCMs all around… with Combat “Vs,” if you please…

More medals for Bon Homme Richard aviators… This follows up the tale I told in yesterday’s RS #107 that highlighted the July 1967 strike led by Commander Marv Quaid and the warriors of VA-212, the “Rampant Raiders.” This evening I recognize the warriors of VA-76 who participated in the Marv Quaid led strike on the eighteen buildings at Nhat Tuu Army Barracks eight miles south of Hanoi. Twelve building were destroyed and the other six were damaged beyond repair. Like VA-212, the VA-76 “Spirits” launched two divisions of four A-4Cs and put a combined total of 48 Mk82/81s into the barracks complex. The “Spirits” lineup of basic killers on the strike included: LCDR Ted Swartz, LCDR Les Jackson, Lt John “Spine Ripper” Waples and LTJG Mike Erskine… Folks, that is a division of legendary tailhooking light attack pilots, both in the air and ashore, that I am proud to have known, flown with or commanded during my flying days. Great warriors, all.  The Navy Commendation Medals with combat “V”, affectionately known as the”Green Weeny,” they were each awarded for this strike were swallowed up in the dozens of awards they each received for gallantry on the Vietnam battlefield. And with that, I am off to the upper deck, a tad of Grand Marnier, the stars, and a few thoughts about “Spine Ripper,” — now that I think about who really was the greatest– Wapes ranks right up, there well ahead of any draft dodger I ever heard of… and a prayer for Bill Zipperer, too… life is great, and the memories are what life is all about…

Lest we forget….           Bear        ……….  –30–  ……….