RIPPLE SALVO… #499… “What’s a Yankee Air Pirate worth?…”U.S. OFFERS GOLD FOR AID TO PILOTS DOWN IN NORTH”… but first…
Good Morning: Day FOUR HUNDRED NINETY-NINE of remembering the heroics and devotion of America’s military aviators and the indelible events of the air war over North Vietnam fought fifty years ago…
17 JULY 1967… HEAD LINES from The New York Times on a really nice Monday in New York, high of 82…
SUMMER 1967: Page 1: “Plainfield (NJ) Policeman Is Slain By a Mob–National Guard sent In–3 More Killed in Newark–House-to-House Search For Snipers Began As Riots Enter 6th Day–Looting Negroes Attack Patrolman Killing Him With His Own Gun”... “A white Plainfield policeman was beaten, kicked and shot by a mob last night after he chased a looter in the heavily Negro West End section of this suburban city…Police in Middlesex south of Plainfield reported that 46 semi-automatic .22 caliber rifles and about 500 rounds of ammunition have been stolen from the Plainfield Machine Company where the guns are manufactured…More than 300 rioters swept through a 14-block area of Plainfield, a community of 48,000 people.”… Page 20: “Cleveland Drive on Unrest Pushed–Summer Program Backed by Negroes and Whites”... “A massive summer campaign is under way here against the tensions that contribute to Negro rioting. Summer jobs being supported by grants and community employers responding to buying the programs. Federal anti-poverty programs are included along with media campaigns to solicit support. Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr is involved and on the scene.”... Page 21: “Des Moines Police Arrest 17 Negroes In Four Hour Melee”... “The police said a large crowd of Negroes were on a rock and bottle throwing rampage at about 2am. It took authorities four hours to quell the disturbance. Windows in business establishments and a police car were targets for the rocks and bottles.”…Page 22: “Thousands Line-up For Food Supplies in Newark”... “…to receive food being distributed by National Guard. One Newark resident: ‘We’re just about trapped in here. We can’t leave because of ll those guns out there and there is no more food left in the neighborhood. Nore than 700 have been injured in the six days of rioting and 1,200 have been arrested.”…
Page 1: “East Coast Commuter Lines Tied Up As Rail Stoppage Widens–Congress Will act Today–Impact Felt in NYC–160,000 Affected As 5 Railroads are Shut–Long Island Limit Runs–Strike bill Vowed–Leaders see Johnson–Shipments of War Goods Threatened.” Railroads affected, no trains: New York Central; Pennsylvania; Erie-Lacawanna; Jersey Central; and New Haven….
Page 1: “37 Killed In Fire At Prison Camp In North Florida–Blaze Linked to Gas Line and Lamp During Inmates Fight”...”…started during a brawl and flashed through the wooden barracks at the State Prison road camp in Jay, Florida. Eight of the 51 prisoners escaped the fire unharmed.”… Page 17: “Moon Craft Lands; Fate In Doubt”... “Surveyor 4, an unmanned space craft lost contact with its controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Pasadena today. There was no way of knowing whether the spacecraft had landed softly and was upright or crashed into the moon’s Central Lake. A spokesman said: “One way or another Surveyor 4 is on the moon.”
VIETNAM: Page 1: “Marines Meet Heavy Fire In Drive Near Truce Zone”...”Marines on a sweep south of the demilitarized zone came under heavy fire yesterday and killed 25 enemy troops during an all-day battle. One Marine was killed and 30 wounded in the fight 4 miles east-southeast of Giolinh. Operation Hickory, that ended Monday 17th), resulted in 57 enemy killed and 4 Marines killed in the action, with another 99 wounded in the fighting for a nine square mile patch of jungle six miles south of the DMZ near Conthien.”... “In the Central Highlands six hours of fighting accounted for 28 North Vietnamese killed with the loss of two American soldiers killed and 18 wounded.”
17 July 1967…The TS President’s CIA Daily Brief… UNITED NATIONS: The General Assembly which reconvenes today will apparently continue for at least a few more days while last-ditch efforts are made to work out a substantive resolution. The Soviets have been meeting with the Latin Americans over the weekend to discuss a compromise text, but it is doubtful that the Arabs can be persuaded to go along…CONGO: The evacuation of foreigners wanting to leave Kisangani has been completed. Embassy officials describe Kisangani as a dead city. Looting by Congolese soldiers and civilians has been at an all-time high. It now appears that the rebels when they moved out last Wednesday took some European but no American hostages. GREAT BRITAIN: Britain is set to announce tomorrow its intention to pull out of Singapore and Malasia by the mid-1970s. The efforts of numerous governments to change or delay this decision have succeeded only in getting London to make the withdrawal contingent on conditions prevailing east of Suez by the 1970s….
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY…MAJOR HARVEY CARROLL (HC) COPELAND, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE…the SILVER STAR… 17 JULY 1967…
“The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER STAR to MAJOR H.C. COPELAND, United Sates Air Force, for GALLANTRY in connections with military operations against an opposing force a a F-105 Pilot in the 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Takhli Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, PACIFIC Air Forces, in action over North Vietnam, on 17 July 1967. On that date, MAJOR COPELAND was element lead in a four-ship flight directed to attack a railroad yard in the most heavily defended area in Southeast Asia. MAJOR COPELAND flew through intense and accurate tracking and predicted barrage flak to roll in on and attack one of the six firing flak sites in his immediate area. In spite of the barrages exploding only feet from his aircraft, MAJOR COPELAND, unhesitatingly and with great risk to his life, continued has run. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, MAJOR COPELAND has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
COLONEL H.C. COPELAND, USAF…Second Award of the SILVER STAR…” ...for gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force during July 1967, while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. Ignoring international agreements on treatment of prisoners of war, the enemy resorted to mental and physical cruelties to obtain information, confessions and propaganda materials. COLONEL COPELAND resisted their demands by calling upon his deepest inner strengths in a manner which reflected his devotion to duty and great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
COLONEL H.C. COPELAND, USAF…Third Award of the SILVER STAR… For gallantry and intrepidity in ction as a Prisoner of War during the period November 1970 to October 1971… Award of the LEGION OF MERIT…for exceptionally meritorious conduct as a Prisoner of War during the period from July 1967 to October 1972… 2,068 DAYS IN NORTH VIETNAM… Award of the DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS for heroism as an F-105 Pilot over North Vietnam on 1 July 1967. MAJOR COPELAND was hit by enemy flak eleven miles short of the target area but continued the flight to deliver his ordnance on target…
17 July 1967…Operation Rolling Thunder…New York Times..No coverage for 17 July...Except for a short item reporting a drop of millions leaflets southwest of Vinh (see Ripple Salvo)…“Vietnam: Air Losses” (Chris Hobson) There was one fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 17 July 1967…
(1) MAJOR HC COPELAND was flying an F-105D of the 333rd TFS and 355th TFW out of Takhli on a strike on the railway yard at Kep. His F-105D was hit by an 85-mm shell over the target and exploded forcing MAJOR COPELAND to eject. He was quickly captured, interned for almost six years as a POW, and released in March 1973 to resume his distinguished career… Colonel Copeland died on 12 June 2012 at age 81. At his funeral his son made this comment… “He ejected one last time into the heavens and is now a part of the Lord’s squadron.”
RIPPLE SALVO… #499… NYT, 16 July 1967, Page 1: “U.S. OFFERS GOLD FOR AID TO PILOTS DOWN IN NORTH VIETNAM” … “…will receive a reward of $1,000″… Route Package II south of Vinh was littered with leaflets that carried the following offer to the folks on the other end of our ordnance… worth a try, I suppose… “…about 16 millions leaflet offering the reward have been dropped over the Southern part of North Vietnam.” The promise:
“Helping American pilots and other United States military personnel escape to freedom can bring you 50 taels of gold.
“If you see an American who has parachuted to the ground or who has escaped captured do not be afraid. Approach him. Make him understand you wish him no harm by raising your hands.
“Help him in any way you can. Hide him from hostile authorities. Cooperate with him in finding his way to safety. You may escape to freedom with him or return just as you choose.
“You will be paid 50 taels of gold at the time of the American is rescued or an any other time you choose. You may collect the reward in gold bullion or the equivalent amount of any currency you choose, payable in any free world country you wish.”…
RTR QUOTE for 17 July: VERGIL (AEneid): “Yield not to misfortunes, but go all the more boldly to face them.”…
Lest we forget… Bear