RIPPLE SALVO… #839… One year ago this day Ripple Salvo #474 posted the tale of the rescue of Lt Denny Wisely, a great story now captured forever in Denny’s superb auto-biography GREEN INK. Mentioned, but not highlighted, in my 22 June 1967 post was the downing of one of Strike-Fighting Light Attack’s best, LCDR JIM PIRIE, as he dropped a span of the Hai Duong railway bridge on his 225th ROLLING THUNDER strike on the North. Mea culpa. But today, on the 51st anniversary of that memorable day 22 June 1967, Humble Host accords CAPTAIN JAMES GLENN PIRIE, USN, who rests in peace, “at home in Alabama”, a post of recognition, respect, and greatest admiration. …But first…
GOOD MORNING… Day EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY-NINE of remembering the sacrifice and commitment of the warriors who took the fight into the enemy homeland in the longest air war in American history–OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…
HEAD LINES from The New York Times on Saturday, 22 June 1968…
THE WAR: Page 1: “U.S. SOURCES DOUBT FOE HAD COPTERS OVER DEMILITARIZED ZONE”… “United States sources said today that misinterpreted radar blips and the sighting of ‘flying lights’ might have caused the reports that enemy helicopters were operating around the demilitarized zone. The sources said it was highly problematic that American planes and artillery last weekend mistakenly attacked allied ships that might have appeared on radar scopes to be low flying helicopters. A United States patrol boat was sunk and American missiles damaged an Australian destroyer…. The spokesman refused to answer any further questions… ???… There were no major actions yesterday, but among the most successful soldiers were the men in helicopters. Crews roaming throughout the country reported killing 45 of the enemy and sinking 68 sampans.”…
PEACE TALKS: Page 1: “RUSK SEES NO GAIN IN THE SUBSTANCE OF VIETNAM TALKS–Seeks to Check Optimism in Wake of Comments By Clifford n ‘Movement””… “Secretary of State Dean Rusk tried today to check any sense of optimism that the Paris talks with North Vietnam were on the verge of significant progress… “We haven’t begun to break through on the substance of peace,’ he said. … He gave the impression that he wished Mr. Clifford had not spoken in the optimistic manner–however guarded–that he did yesterday. While not disputing the Defense Secretary’s judgement, Mr. Rusk clearly wanted to dampen any expectations that might have arisen from Mr. Clifford’s remarks.”…. Page 2: “HANOI ALSO HINTS OF GAIN IN PARIS–Negotiators Appear to Back U.S. View of Better Mood”… ” …go along with the American assessment that the atmosphere of the negotiations on Vietnam is improving lightly, but they insisted there had been ‘no progress’ on issues of substance.”…
Page 1: “CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN TO LEAVE SUPREME COURT—SOME IN G.O.P. OPEN FIGHT TO BR A SUCCESSOR IN ’68– Johnson Advised– Fortas Mentioned As Possible Successor to Chief Justice”… “…The 77-year-old jurist sent a letter to the President about a week ago stating his intention to retire soon after the end of the current Supreme Court term, which expired Monday. Two Republican Senators, Robert P. Griffin of Michigan and John G. Tower of Texas, said in speeches that they would fight any effort by Mr. Johnson a ‘lame duck’ President, to name a new Chief Justice in the fading months of his term…. Speculation immediately centered on Justice Abe Fortas to succeed Warren at the Chief Justice position.”…Page 1: “PRIVATE INDUSTRY PLEDGES 133,000 JOPS TO UNSKILLED–Drive for Hard-Core Unemployed –Passes For Youths In slums Lagging”… “The Johnson Administration’s new program to find jobs for the disadvantaged through the private sector hs fallen far short in youth employment for the summer…”…Page 1: “HOME LOAN RATE RAISED TO 7 1/2%–REPLACES 6% CEILING THAT HAD BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1880″…Page 1: “American In 6-Foot Boat Named ‘April Fool’ Crosses Atlantic In 84-days”…
22 June 1968: The PRESIDENT’S DAILY BRIEF: NORTH KOREA: The South Koreans are tightening security further in view of increased North Korean infiltration. There is some suspicion in Seoul that the North Koreans may try to stage a serious incident around 25 June, the day the Korean War began in 1950…
STATE DEPARTMENT. Office of the Historian. Historical Documents. Foreign Relations 1964-68 Vietnam. Two documents dated 22 June 1968 of note… Document 279 is a summary of a brainstorming conversation at a one hour breakfast meeting ot the President’s Foreign Policy Advisors (Wise Men). President Johnson threw out five points he wanted covered and then went around the table to give everybody a chance to make him wiser. (That must be what and how you use wise men)… worth a look. Document 280 is a tedious recording of a conversation between Harriman and the Soviet Ambassador in Washington Dobrynin on the peace talks. Harriman underlines the need for Russia to make Hanoi understand “the United States could not stop all the bombing without an understanding with Hanoi on restraints on their part and that this is reported to his government.”… read t…
279… https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v06/d279
280… https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v06/d280
22 JUNE 1968… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times (23 June reporting 22 June ops) Page 5: “In the air war, B-52’s bombed artillery positions, troop concentrations and bunkers in the northern half of the demilitarized zone, while fighter-bomber pilots carried out 134 strike missions in the southern part of North Vietnam.”… Page 5: “JETS STRIKE BIG DEPOT”… “United States Air Force jets bombed a large North Vietnamese arsenal and set off more than 100 explosions and dozens of fires, a military spokesman reported today. He said F-105 Thunderchiefs and F-4 Phantom jets had struck what appeared to be a combined ammunition and petroleum storage area near the North Vietnam’s southern coast about 37 miles west-southwest of Donghoi. The pilots said smoke had risen half a mile in the air after the strike. ‘We’re not yet quite sure how big it was, but it looks like the boys really hit pay dirt,’ the spokesman said. Reliable sources also reported that the United States would get additional B-52 jet bombers for raids inside South Vietnam to bring greater pressure on enemy troop concentrations.”…
VIETNAM: AIR lOSSES (Chris Hobson) There was one fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asa on 22 June 1968…
(1) An A-7A of the VA-82 Marauders embarked in USS America was lost off the catapult when the engine exploded shortly after the cat shot. The pilot was able to eject and was rescued in minutes… (HH: sounds like foreign object sucked up on the cat stroke, to me)…
Humble Host flew #196. Flew a 20 minute maintenance test flight on second cycle: launch and recovery with engine checks over the ship. Bagging those traps. #196 combat sortie over North Vietnam was a sunset launch; hustle to beach with a flock of Skyhawks; hit and bust a bridge (with 3 Mk-83s X4) in Happy Valley; find the nights first trucks on the road headed toward Mu Gia pass –they had been napping at Ha Tinh, I betcha, and with young Jesse James on my wing, we set them on fire with four pods of 5-inch ZUNIs ripple-salvoed before retreating to nail a night pinkie landing. What’s the movie?… What a great day!! … Now four short of #200 with four flying days to go…
RIPPLE SALVO… #839… AMONG THE BRAVE… COMMANDER LCDR JAMES GLENN PIRIE, USN…the SILVER STAR…
CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY IN COMBAT… 22 JUNE 1967… NORTH VIETNAM…
“The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER STAR to COMMANDER (then Lieutenant Commander) JAMES GLENN PIRIE, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action on 22 June 1967, while serving as a jet attack pilot with Attack Squadron NINETY THREE (VA-93), embarked in U.S.S. HANCOCK (CVA-19), during aerial combat operations in Southeast Asia. As the strike leader, COMMANDER PIRIE participated in an extremely successful strike against the Hai Duong Railway Bridge in North Vietnam. Penetrating into the heart of the enemy’s heaviest defense area, in the van of the main strike group, he maneuvered his division into a precision dive attack. COMMANDER PIRIE pressed home his strike in the face of a veritable wall of enemy fire, scoring a direct hit while destroying one complete span of the bridge. By his valiant leadership, courageous fighting spirit, and unflagging devotion to duty, COMMANDER PIRIE reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”….
And if you think that’s earning the SILVER STAR the hard way–he was hit and downed as he pulled off the target, ejected near the target and was captured immediately– the GOLD STAR in lieu of a Second SILVER STAR ranks with the absolutely hardest way to serve with conspicuous intrepidity–as a Prisoner of War of the North Vietnamese in the period 1965-1970…. Jim Pirie went in on 22 June 1968 and came home on 18 February 1973.
“The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the SILVER STAR to COMMANDER JAMES GLENN PIRIE, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 22 June 1967 o 30 June 1967. COMMANDER PIRIE’s captors, completely ignoring international agreements, subjected him to extreme mental and physical cruelties in an attempt to obtain military information and false confessions for propaganda purpose. through his resistance to those brutalities, he contributed significantly toward the eventual abandoned of harsh treatment by the North Vietnamese, which was attracting international attention. By his determination, courage, resourcefulness, and devotion, COMMANDER PIRIE reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.”…
Humble Host completes this tribute to his memory with a few lines from two of Jim Pirie’s DFCs… On 6 May 1967 Jim led a division of four A-4s on an armed recce mission that destroyed a barge near Qui Vinh but the intense opposition downed one of his wingmen, LCDR BOB WIDERMAN. Jim immediately got a rescue operation underway since the site was near the coast. Observing the enemy ground troops closing on LCDR WIDERMAN Jim fought tenaciously to buy time for the pick-up… “COMMANDER PIRIE made repeated low-altitude pases over the site of the crash in an effort to locate the downed aviator. His final passes were skillfully executed at an extremely low altitude in the face of constant heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire from surrounding area. Even though his aircraft sustained two hits from ground fire, COMMANDER PIRIE refused to break off his search until relieved by the rescue aircraft.”… On 31 May 1967 “COMMANDER PIRIE participated in a twenty-five aircraft strike against the strategically important Loi Dong and Cong My Petroleum Storage complex three miles northwest of Haiphong, North Vietnam. When the first enemy surface-to-air missile was fired at the strike force, COMMANDER PIRIE immediately delivered his SHRIKE missile at the enemy site. Another enemy missile was fired from a different site and COMMANDER PIRIE again delivered a SHRIKE missile. His actions silenced both sites and there were no further radar emissions.”… Two hundred twenty-five Rolling Thunder missions in 1966-68 was a full share of adrenalin actuated adventure…
One of my heroes from history is Confederate cavalryman General J.E.B. Stuart. His troops thought he was pretty good, too. At the spot where a Michigan cavalryman’s bullet mortally wounded Stuart at Yellow Tavern a few miles north of Richmond, they erected a small memorial to their famous warrior leader. Their tribute to Stuart: “He was Fearless and Faithful, Powerful and Pure, Tender and True.”… so it was with JIM PIRIE, A GOOD OLD BOY…
Lest we forget… Bear…