RIPPLE SALVO… #260… so far: “DEPRESSINGLY BARREN OF TANGIBLE RESULTS”….. but first…
Good Morning: Day TWO HUNDRED SIXTY of a day by day review of the 1000-day operations of ROLLING THUNDER…
17 NOVEMBER 1966… HOME TOWN HEADLINES from the New York Times… On a cloudy Thursday in the Bronx…
Page 1: “President Well After Surgery; Polyp Benign and abdominal operation is less complicated than team of doctors had expected. Johnson is already active.” … Page 1: “Pontiff Rebukes Group in Jesuits for Sinister Acts, says some harbor the idea that secularism will help defend the Gospel. Pope both praises and blames the Progressives seeking to modify strict rules…’some Jesuits he suggested believe incorrectly that to defend the Gospel in Christ it is necessary to adopt the habits of the world, its mentality, its profanities, indulging the naturalist values of modern customs.'” …Page 1: “Secretary of Labor Wirtz Proposes Youth Training and urges Federal Regulations for both military and non-defense programs.” … Page 1: “Blow To Soviet Seen In Coolness of Reds To Parley On China–a serious setback for Soviet Union.” … Page 1: “Heavy Fight Erupts at Vietnam Border”…”Heavy fighting broke out today for the first time in six weeks near the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Vietnam…14 North Vietnamese soldiers killed 10 miles south of the border…a Marine helicopter was shot down.”… Page 6: “Russell Discusses His Plan for War Crimes Trial In Paris”…At his first news conference in London Bertrand Russell, the British philosopher, who heads up the “Peace Foundation, and has organized a sham trial for war crimes of the United States, President Johnson and Secretary McNamara, says he has Prima Facie evidence against the United States. Russell posted five questions that the Private Tribunal will consider: “Has the United States committed acts of aggression according to international law? Has the American Army used or experimented with new weapons or weapons forbidden by the laws of war? Have Vietnamese prisoners been inhumanely treated contrary to the laws of war? Have purely civilian targets been bombed? And, have forced labor camps or population deportations or other acts tending to the extermination of population been resorted to?”…
17 November 1966…The President’s Daily Brief…CIA (TS sanitized) NORTH VIETNAM: recent photography shows that the North Vietnamese and Chinese Communists are starting to improve the rail line connecting Hanoi with Kunming, China. The line joining Kunming to the main Chinese rail network was only completed in March. Improvements of the Kunming route is in line with Hanoi’s policy of ensuring alternate transport facilities. Up to now, however, the Pingshiang-Hanoi Railroad has seemingly been handling deliveries from China more that adequately… SOUTH VIETNAM: Ky is reconsidering the idea of appointing General Quang Minister of Revolutionary Development. Although we know the transfer was seriously proposed, Ky described it as “crazy” when Ambassador Lodge proposed it….Ky is moving very cautiously on this one…COMMUNIST CHINA: The United States Intelligence Board has approved a Special Intelligence Estimate on Peking’s advanced weapons program. The estimate concludes that the Chinese could have a few 500-1000 mile missiles deployed in 1967 or 1968 and a few intercontinental missiles in the early 1970’s. The intercontinental missile in particular is likely to be very crude by our standards and intended primarily as a psychological weapon….also…As the seesaw struggle for power goes on, some of the more practical-minded leaders around Chou En-Lai appear to have gained ground…
17 NOVEMBER 1966… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…NYT… No coverage of air war over North Vietnam…”Vietnam: Air Losses” (Hobson): One fixed wing aircraft was lost in Southeast Asia on 17 November 1966… (1) LTJG WILLIAM TAMM ARNOLD was flying an A-4C of the VA-22 Fighting Red Cocks embarked in USS CORAL SEA and was Killed in Action…Here is the way Chris Hobson reported the tragedy:
“The seasonal monsoon weather was reducing the tempo of operations over North Vietnam and many missions had to be scrubbed. A section of A-4s approached the coast of North Vietnam about 15 miles north of Dong Hoi and let down through a dense overcast to see if an armed reconnaissance was feasible. The leader determined that the weather was too bad for the mission and decided that the aircraft should jettison their bombs in a loft maneuver and return to the ship. The aircraft pulled up and released their ordnance as they entered clouds. LTJG ARNOLD was heard to say he was in the clouds and coming down to regain visual flight over the sea. The leader saw a flash, which he assumed was his wingman’s bombs, but as he could not establish visual or voice contact with LTJG ARNOLD it became obvious that the aircraft had flown into the sea after descending through the cloud layer.”
…”unmercifully unforgiving of human error”… LTJG ARNOLD was Killed in Action on a combat mission while in the service of our country. Brave, bold and gone so young… 50 years ago this day. He is remembered as he rests where he died–at sea.
RIPPLE SALVO… #260… In late November 1966 the United States was taking stock of where we stood in our war with North Vietnam on South Vietnam soil and in the air over North Vietnam as we carried the fight to his Heartland. The following is from “The Pentagon Papers” (Gravel Edition, Vol Four, pages 385-6) in a paragraph titled: “What Did It Mean.” I quote…
“…DOD and the President were beginning to question the concept of operations for Vietnam which had led to programs, now becoming increasingly costly and depressingly barren of tangible results. The illusion of a quick victory ‘on the cheap’ had fled, and hard reality intervened. People in and out of government were beginning to seek alternatives to our policies in Vietnam with increased interest, and Program 5 (the Plan for 1967) was to reflect this basic mood surfacing in late 1966…
“Public disenchantment with the war was growing and this was being manifested in diverse ways. On the ‘hawk’ side powerful political figures (and many lesser ones) were increasingly vocal in their opposition to bombing restraints and restrictive force levels. Senator Stennis was in the vanguard of this group. On the other side (‘doves’), public and private figures alike were energetically working to create a genuine political war issue and to generate palatable alternative policies for the upcoming 1968 Presidential elections. (Senator Fulbright was in the vanguard of this group). Feeding a less focused sense of public dissatisfaction was an increasing awareness of the opportunity costs of the war in terms of natural resources–men, money and attention–denied to domestic programs. (‘The Great Society’). As the defense slice of the budget hovered near the eighty billion dollar mark, the public realized it was ‘paying more (for the war) and liking it less.’ There were strong inclinations to ‘paying less’ as long as the voter was resigned to liking it less.
“The press was moving beyond the bounds of its traditional relationship vis-a-vis the Administration and assuming a leading role in catalyzing the swell of public opposition and questioning about the war. Acute even early on in the war, the press opposition intensified and expanded as the divergence of official public opinion pronouncements on the war and what reporters and their sources saw on the ground.” …unquote…
And that’s the way it was 50 years ago this week… hmmmm….“beginning to question the concept of operations” (what are we doing in Iraq?)… “depressingly barren of tangible results” (Afghanistan?)… “the illusion of a quick victory on the cheap” (a few drones and lead from behind?)… “public disenchantment growing” (endless warring in the Mid-east?)… “resources denied to domestic programs” ( 47% on food stamps, half the working population not working)… “the press moving beyond the bounds of its traditional relationship” (the media of Presidential Campaign 2016?) Your Humble Host adds: “We live in interesting times”… again!
Lest we forget… Bear -30-