RIPPLE SALVO… #636… CAPTAIN DAVE LEUE’, USN, who rests in peace, left his countrymen great wisdom to consider as their own after a full life of giving, laughing, loving, learning and leading… A Rolling Thunder warrior-leader–par excellence, Dave’s self-published “Vietnam Combat: An Attack Pilot’s Diary, The Four Freedom’s Betrayed, Volume II,” is the source for ripple salvo 636… but first…
Good Morning: Day SIX HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX of a return to the air war fought fifty years ago in the skies over North Vietnam…
2 DECEMBER 1967… HEAD LINES from The New York Times on a cold Saturday with snow in the forecast…
Page 1: “Thailand Extends Martial Law Area In Terrorist Threat”... “The Thai Government imposed martial law on five southern and central provinces–including one close to Bangkok–in an effort to thwart what is considered to be a growing Communist terrorist movement…Several hundred Chinese guerrillas have been operating in the southern provinces since their rebellion was crushed in Malaysia in 1960.”… Page 1: “RESERVISTS HEED PENTAGON DRIVE–31,000 WHO DROPPED OUT OF ARMY RESERVE UNITS REJOIN UNDER THREAT OF ACTIVE DUTY”… “Non-participating or delinquent members of the Active Reserve were in effect ‘enjoying draft deferment’ in a time of war without contributing to the readiness of the reserve component…31,732 of 61,787 non-participating young men have rejoined their reserve units… 7,481 of remainder will receive orders to active duty by the end of February.”… Page 3: “Law Suits Challenge General Hershey and Selective Service On Draft–6 War Critics Reclassified, Are Backed By ACLU”… suits challenge the draft reclassification of young men who protested U.S. policy in Vietnam.”…. Page 12: “Israel Asserts Egyptian Antiaircraft Guns Down Patrol Plane”… “…crew of 3 killed. Egyptians claim 3 jets were downed.”…
Page 3: “BERTRAND RUSSELL ‘TRIBUNAL’ FINDS U.S. GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES”… Copenhagen, Denmark, Dec. 1: “The self-styled Vietnam ‘war crimes’ tribunal ‘convicted’ the United States as it ended its hearings today. the Russell tribunal, meeting at Roskilde, near here, found the United States guilty on all charges, including genocide, the use of forbidden weapons, maltreatment and killing of prisoners, violence and forced movements of prisoners. It also found the Americans guilty of aggression against Laos and Cambodia.
“In Stockholm in May, the tribunal sponsored by the British philosopher, Bertrand Russell, found the United States guilty of aggression in Vietnam. Neither tribunal had any official standing. Today, the tribunal also said Japan, Thailand and the Philippines were accessories to what it termed American aggression. The chairman, Vladimir Dedijer of Yugoslavia, said the verdicts were unanimous except for the decision on Japan, in which three members of the panel dissented.. The leader of the delegation sent to the hearings by the National Liberation Front, the political arm of the Vietcong, Nguyen Van Thien, presented a Vietcong flag to members of the tribunal.
“The leader of the North Vietnamese delegation, Health Minister Pham Ngoc Thach, presented a cup that he said was made from the wreckage of the 2,143rd United States aircraft shot down over North Vietnam (by NVN count).” (750+/- by U.S. count)…
2 December 1967…OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times devoid of air war coverage…”Vietnam:Air Losses” (Hobson) There were no fixed wing aircraft losses in Southeast Asia on 2 December 1967. NYT, Page 4: “Hanoi Claims Big Plane Toll (Agence France-Presse)”… “The North Vietnamese armed forces and self-defense forces downed 127 United States aircraft in November according to Nanh Dan Vietnamese military papers.”…
RIPPLE SALVO… #635… par excellence: “being an example of excellence, superior; preeminent”… Dave Leue’
Captain Dave Leue’ commanded Light Attack Squadron VA-153 embarked in USS Constellation and later Carrier Air Wing Seven and USS Canisteo. He flew combat in Korea and Vietnam and logged 332 combat missions. Combat awards included four Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star and an Air Medal with “29 stars.”… Dave was a reader and held two Master’s degrees and in retirement was a Professor at Fresno State. He was an engineer with expertise in solar engineering in his post Navy-life in Clovis, California. His combat experiences are well told in two books… I quote from Volume II, pages 171-3…
NAVY AIR…
“Naval Air’s involvement in Vietnam spanned nine years, from January 1964 to June 1973. It paid a heavy price. the Navy lost 854 aircraft, 538 in combat and 316 operationally. In that era, flying from aircraft carriers in all-weather, night and day, was almost as deadly as combat.
“Most combat losses, 55% were antiaircraft artillery and automatic weapons. Surface-to-Air missiles accounted for 15% and another 37% were from unknown causes. Our own ordnance (bomb blast & premature detonation) accounted for more losses(3%) than from enemy Migs (2%).
“‘Rolling Thunder’ the Navy and Air Force piecemeal air attack on the heavily defended transportation system, was a failure. Had President Johnson followed the JCS advice in 1965 to mine Haiphong harbor, with the support of our press and elites, ala World War II, we may have a free, thriving and productive South Vietnam today.”
WHY DID WE FIGHT?
“The battle for the free people of Vietnam arose from the philosophical, political and military power of the Soviet Union. In my first volume, ‘Korean Combat, The Four Freedoms Betrayed,’ it was shown that both the Korean and Vietnamese wars flowed directly from Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s arming of Joe Stalin and the Soviets. Roosevelt betrayed his pledge given in his ‘Four Freedoms’ speech ‘to fight those dictators’… If FDR had fought and defeated Stalin and the Soviet Union, with Hitler, in WWII as he pledged, there would have been no ‘Cold War,’ Korean War or Vietnamese wars.
“In reading Richard Nixon’s Memoirs, and Henry Kissinger’s Years of Upheaval, I was struck by the realization that LBJ’s, Nixon’s and Kissinger’s greatest challenge in trying to gain a meaningful peace in Vietnam and explain US policy and objectives to the American people, was our own hostile media and universities that supported the socialist philosophies of our opponents! Our media’s support of our enemies was a key factor in the war’s outcome.”
SUMMING UP
“Our sacrifices in Vietnam accelerated the demise of the Soviet Union. The battle against Communism was just another battle in the continuing quest for the free society our founders envisioned. It continues today in our own nation.
“Our founders crafted the Constitution of the United States. This revolutionary document for the first time set forth an elected government with powers granted by the Almighty, shared by the judicial, legislative and executive branches, supported by a free-market economy.
“Our founders risked all to fight the oppression of Kings and Queens. In my time, national and international socialism replaced kings and queens as oppressors. They call themselves progressives. Witness recent history: Hitler, Stalin, Khrushchev, Mao, Kim Ill Son, Castro, Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh and lesser despots. Did they bring the world progress?
“Hardly. These socialist regimes supported by ‘progressives’ gave their people gulags, graves and abject poverty. Why should we elect leaders and support parties that emulate them?
“You may call me ‘Conservative.’ I prefer, ‘Revolutionary.’
Support the Constitution, continue the quest for ‘The Four Principles’ throughout the world.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Freedoms
Humble Host: Dave, thanks. My sentiments, exactly! I’ll fly your wing again anytime… Rest in peace…
RTR Quote for 2 December follows this: “In direct defiance of the President Nixon’s pledge to President Thieu, progressives in our Congress pass the Second Supplemental Appropriations Act For Fiscal Year 1973. This Act prohibits use of any funds to: Support directly or indirectly or indirectly combat activities in or over Cambodia, Laos, North Vietnam or South Vietnam, or off the shores of Cambodia, Laos, North Vietnam and South Vietnam.”
To which DAVE LEUE’ concludes: “This act of Congress assures victory to our communist enemy, North Vietnam, and death for our allies in South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.”
Lest we forget… Bear