RIPPLE SALVO… #606… The first meeting of the President’s Foreign Policy Advisors since 1965…The President’s first question for about 20 of the wisest men in America was: “How do we unite this country?”… The meeting notes are great history and clear evidence of the important role that Operation Rolling Thunder–the bombing of North Vietnam–played in American foreign policy… but first…
Good Morning: Day SIX HUNDRED SIX of a day-by-day review of the 40-month portion of the air war with North Vietnam code named OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…
2 NOVEMBER 1967… HEAD LINES and Leads from The New York Times on a cloudy and rainy Thursday in New York…
Page 1:”Johnson Asserts War Protestors Do Not Aid Peace–At Impromptu News Parley, He Calls Them No Help In Search For a Solution–Backs Critics Rights–But He Urges Courage and Stability At Home Front To Hasten A Settlement.”…President Johnson said today that antiwar demonstrations in the United States were not helping to bring peace in Vietnam any closer. At an impromptu news conference this afternoon, the President said that if the demonstrators knew about Communist propaganda based on the protest against the war…they would see that they ‘have not contributed a great deal to the solution that we so eagerly seek… ‘If we are manifesting out there,’ the President declared, ‘I have not the slightest doubt that we will find the solution–and find it much earlier united than we will divided.’ “… Page 1: “Columbia Students Support On-Campus Recruiting”… “Following protests at Brooklyn, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Harvard and Fordham, and earlier at Columbia, the 3,100 men students at Columbia College and the School of Engineering were asked how they felt about recruiters for the military on campus… 2,175 responded, 1.473 (67.3%) said they did not object.”...Page 1: “U.S. Sends Envoy To sound Nasser On Mideast Talks–Robert Anderson Former Secretary of Treasury Will Seek Discussion Under U.N.–Thant Issues An Appeal To Israel and the UAR to Use The U.N. Observation System When The Cease Fire Line is Broken”… Page 1: “President Asks Congress To Act On Tax Increase–Wants Lawmakers to Stay In Session ‘Till They Have Faced Up to Problems–Avoids A Priority List–But He Empahasizes Ending Uncertainty on Economy and Urban Development”…
2 November 1967: President’s Daily Brief: NORTH VIETNAM: Hanoi radio on 25 October carried commentary on antiwar activities in the US during the 15-21 October “week of protest” for the benefit of its domestic audience. It called antidraft activities of American youth “most remarkable,” and went on to note specific events across the country. The broadcast said “our people highly appreciate the strenuous struggle of the American people against the war and consider it a “precious conribution toour fight against the US aggressors.” By coordinating our efforts on two fronts, we will certainly defeat”’the US ruling clique in Vietnam…. HANOI ON RECENT US ANTIWAR EVENTS: Hanoi’s international broadcast on 28 October covered several recent manifestations of US opposition to the war, but without commentary. The broadcast noted a peace march in Hawaii on 22 October, the hunger strike of some of the Pentagon demonstrators, the release of folk singer Joan Baez from an Oakland jail, and US student protests against the Dow Chemical Company for making napalm for use in Vietnam…. HANOI ON VICE PRESIDENT’S TRIP TO SAIGON: “In a sarcastic commentary, a Hanoi broadcast in Vietnamese to South Vietnam ridicules Vice President Humphrey’s trip and hints darkly that he will be in danger. The broadcast says “other people have reminded” the Vice President that there are “not only rotten eggs and tomatoes in Vietnam but some terrible things,” and that “people should take precautions.” The broadcast concludes by warning that “Mr. Humphrey had better be ready to get away quickly, for, who knows, this thorny land might be the place to bury not only his reputation but hid career.”…
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY…LIEUTENANT COMMANDER (Then Lieutenant) ALLAN R. CARPENTER… U.S. NAVY…the SILVER STAR MEDAL…NORTH VIETNAM…1 NOVEMBER 1966…
“The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER STAR MEDAL to LIEUTENANT COMMANDER (then lieutenant), U.S. Navy, for CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY and INTREPIDITY IN ACTION on 1 November 1966, as a Pilot serving with Attack Squadron SEVENTY-TWO (VA-72), embarked in USS FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT (CVA-42), during a mission in support of combat operations in Southeast Asia. Lieutenant Commander CARPENTER’s mission was to provide missile suppression for a vital photographic reconnaissance flight in an extremely well-defended area of North Vietnam. When an enemy surface-to-air missile was launched against his flight, he immediately reacted with his own air-to-ground missile and, in the face of a solid barrage of light, medium and heavy anti-aircraft fire, followed his missiles track to the launching site to deliver a devastating rocket attack against the missile guidance vans. Determined to inflict maximum destruction, Lieutenant Commander CARPENTER skillfully directed additional attacks by his wingmen against the enemy launching site, thereby significantly reducing the anti-air threat in a major enemy complex, and assuring the successful completion of the photographic mission. His daring actions, inspiring leadership and courageous devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
Lieutenant Commander CARPENTER was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the SILVER STAR MEDAL for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 1 November to 3 November 1966. Lieutenant Commander CARPENTER’s captors, completely ignoring international agreements, subjected him to extreme mental and physical cruelties in an attempt to obtain military information and false confession for propaganda purposes. Through his resistance to these brutalities, he contributed significantly toward the eventual abandonment of harsh treatment by the North Vietnamese, which was attracting international attention. By his determination, courage, resourcefulness, and devotion Lieutenant Commander CARPENTER reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Services and the United States Armed Forces.”
Lieutenant Commander CARPENTER was awarded a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the SILVER STAR MEDAL for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while a POW of the North Vietnamese in August 1967.
Among Commander CARPENTER’s other combat awards: Legion of Merit with V; two Bronze Stars with V, 12 Air Medals, two Purple Hearts and the Prisoner of War Medal….. oohrah… Fifty Years ago this night Al Carpenter was in Hanoi… serving with honor…
2 November 1967… Operation Rolling Thunder…New York Times: Devoid of coverage of the airwar in North Vietnam.
“Vietnam: Air War” (Chris Hobson) There were two fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 2 November 1967.
(1) LTJG FREDERIC WOODROW KNAPP was flying an A-4E of the VA-164 Saints embarked in USS ORISKANY an armed reconnaissance mission north of Vinh and joined his flight in an attack on a truck 30 miles northwest of Vinh. He was observed to execute a 30-degree dive Zuni rocket attack on the truck but failed to recover and flew into the ground. No ejection. In October 1982 the Vietnamese handed over a Geneva Convention card belonging to LTJG KNAPP. He is carried as “Killed in Action/Body not recovered.” Fifty years ago this day LTJG KNAPP laid down his life for his country. He is remembered with admiration… (Oriskany’s 29th Aircraft Loss of 1967 cruise)
(2) LCDR RICHARD DAVID MORROW and LT JAMES JOSEPH WRIGHT were flying an A-6A of the VA-196 Main Battery embarked in USS CONSTELLATION on night DST mine seeding attack on a ferry crossing 10 miles south of Hanoi and failed to return from the mission. There was intense AAA and SAM activity in the area. A fireball was seen by other Intruder crews in the area of Van La. The remains of both LCDR MORROW and LT WRIGHT were returned to the United states in August 1978 and positively identified in November 1978… They perished fifty years ago carrying the fight into the very heart of our enemy… bold and brave–and remembered…
RIPPLE SALVO… #605… The meeting of the President’s “Foreign Policy Advisors” on the morning of 2 November 1967 was a milestone of the Vietnam War. It was the end of the McNamara era, as he himself noted in his autobiography. We are fortunate to have the minutes of that meeting in the historical documents of the Johnson library in Austin. Humble Host spent several days as a researcher at the library in 2002 and the Johnson meeting file was mostly pages of redacted copy, still too classified to be of any use in telling the Rolling Thunder story. What was Top Secret then, is unclassified now, 50-years after the fact… This is good reading for participants in the airwar. The important and unique role of of the Rolling Thunder warriors as the gold plated bargaining chip for the United States in pursuing negotiations and settlement of the war. In the 2 November meeting of wizards the bombing of North Vietnam–Rolling Thunder–was the paramount issue, and topic of discussion, of the day….
Operation Rolling Thunder’s place in the history of the Vietnam war remains a minor footnote, inexplicably.
Two historical documents are referenced. One: A memo by the President’s Special Assistant Walt Rostow that reflects his meeting with the members of the President’s Policy Advisors on the evening of November 1. Overnight Rostow put together an extraordinary example of high level staff work… He is the President’s man-Friday and in this case he is brilliant… Document Two: A six-pager of meeting notes with nearly twenty really smart guys (BOGSAT) meeting for 3 1/2 hours in the Cabinet Room in the White House… The President’s first question: “How do we unite the country?”… Our current President should be seeking the same advise…
(1) https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v05/d376
(2) https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v05/d377
RTR Quote for 2 November: MARCUS AURELIUS, Meditations: “We were born for cooperation, as are the feet, the hands, the eyelids, and the upper and lower jaws.”
Lest we forget… Bear…