ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED 23 APRIL 1967

RIPPLE SALVO… #414… When Snoopy takes a break…     but first…

Good Morning: Day FOUR HUNDRED FOURTEEN of swimming back through a great era of air combat history–ROLLING THUNDER…

23 APRIL 1967…HEAD LINES on the home front from The New York Times on a fair and windy Sunday in NYC…

Page 1: “Greek Monarch is Said to Refuse to Support Junta”... “A military junta with dictatorial powers is ruling Greece, apparently against the will of King Constantine…the 26-year old King has refused to sign a decree declaring a state of siege and suspending a broad range of constitutional liberties…. Athens is calm and the same is true for the rest of the country.”... Page 1: “Soviet Orbits Astronaut for First Time in 2 Years”… “The Soviet Union launched its first manned spacecraft in more than two years in to orbit around the earth today. Colonel Vladimir M. Kosmarov, a 40-year old was at the controls of the spacecraft called Soyuz One.”… Page 1: “U.S. Task Force Set-up in North to Meet Threat”... “The American command announced tonight the formation of a division size fighting force of 15,000 men to cope with the increased enemy threat in the five northern most provinces of South Vietnam. General William Rosson has been placed in command.”…

Page 15: “Dr. King Upheld as Critic of War”... “A New York rabbi defended yesterday the right of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to speak out against the war in Vietnam as well a civil rights…Preaching yesterday at Beth Am, the People’s Temple on Thayer Street Rabbi Israel Margolies reminded worshipers that Dr. King was a past recipient of the Nobel Peace prize. ‘To suggest as some do now that the recipient of that coveted award has no right to oppose our deepening involvement in a bloody and brutal war against people of color, is to deny Dr. King that which is not only his right as an American citizen but his duty as a man of God.”... Page 15: “De Gaulle Bars Vietnam ‘Trial;’ Russel Group seeks New Site”... “President de Gaulle has forbidden Bertrand Russell’s ‘Vietnam War Crimes Tribunal’ from holding sessions in France. In a letter to organizer of the ‘trial’ President de Gaulle made it clear that the group cannot hold meetings in France…It is believed the French authorities are concerned because the session would violate an 1881 law, still in effect which forbids insults to heads of state, either French or foreign. The group is looking for a new site to try President Johnson for war crimes.”…(Humble Host note: The group will find a site in Belgium)…

Page 17: “Hanoi Puts Raid Toll at 44 Killed and 110 Wounded”...”Dr. Pham Ngoc Thach, Minister of Public Health in North Vietnam said today that 44 civilians were killed and 110 wounded in the United States raid on Haiphong on Thursday (Apr 20)…He denied the port city was without electrical power.’The United States says it has attacked these power plants, but in fact it launched a concentrated attacks on industrial installations in the town’s populated areas. I can tell you that there is no shortage of electrical power in Haiphong.’ “…

23 April 1967…The President’s Daily Brief…CIA (TS sanitized)…SOUTH VIETNAM: Thieu’s hat is still in the presidential ring, despite Ky’s more aggressive maneuvering to be selected as the military’s candidate. Ambassador Lodge notes that most of the senior generals seem to be keeping their lines open to both Thieu and Ky–and waiting to see where the power lies... GREECE: Athens is outwardly calm. The curfew has been shortened, and infantry and armored units, although still in control of the city, are less in evidence. Behind this calm facade, however we believe there are many tensions and uncertainties. The King–painfully aware that the young coup leaders control the guns–has gone along part way. He still is not in sympathy with the coup or its perpetrators, however, and it is resisting demands to sign some of their more drastic measures. There could yet be a showdown between them. The forced retirement of several high-ranking officers may mean that the coup leaders are consolidating their control of the armed forces…. ISRAEL-SYRIA: Further serious incidents are in prospects as both sides continue to build up troop strength along their borders. United Nations officials have been unable to get either side to cease its provocation.( Humble Host notes: They will go to war in June)…

23 APRIL 1967…OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…The New York Times (24 Apr reporting 23 Apr ops)…Page 1: “In the air war over the North the United States Air Force Phantom jets flew through heavy antiaircraft fire yesterday to bomb a major steel mill near Hanoi for the 11th time. The pilots reported having shot down one MIG-21 and said a second was probably shot down. The plane downed near Hanoi was the 40th MIG shot down by United States planes over the North. The U.S. reported no losses. (Humble Host note: see F-4 downed below)  Major Robert Anderson of Tulsa and his crewman Captain Fred Kjer of Allen, Neb., were credited with having shot down the MIG with a Sparrow missile.”…

“Vietnam: Air Losses” (Hobson) there were two fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 23 April 1967…

(1) 1LT JOHN WILSON VANDEVENTER was flying an O-1G of the 19th TAS and 504th TASG out of Bien Hao and operating from a forward strip (Black Horse) providing forward air control for ground units in the area. His aircraft was hit by small arms fire on takeoff and crashed killing 1LT VANDEVENTER. An Army observer on the flight survived the crash. 1LT VANDEVENTER , Killed in Action. Young. Bold. Bright. Brave. Happy (he was flying combat at the point of the spear). Gone. Not forgotten.

(2) CAPTAIN W.J. MEKKERS and 1LT J.B. MILLHOLLON were flying an F-4C of the 389th TFS and 366th TFW were part of a strike group that hit the Thainguyen steel and iron complex. The strike group encountered heavy flak en route to the target and the MEKKERS/MILLHOLLON Phantom was damaged and set afire by the ground fire. They were able to fly the flaming aircraft about 30 miles before having to eject. they were rescued by an Air Force HH-3 SAR helicopter….

RIPPLE SALVO… #413… Your Humble Host is cramped with Blogger Block… it happens… Even Charles Schultz’s Snoopy takes a break now and again from his duty hasslin’ with the Red Baron. At which time he retires to a supine position on the top of his dog house to sigh… and utter, in the little cloud of comment that accompanies his picture, … “Falcon 109!”… 

CAG’s QUOTES for 23 April: MAO TSE-TUNG: “Be united, alert, earnest and lively.”… PATTON: “Overstressing the value of concealment has a further disadvantage due to the psychological effect -produced on the soldier.” …

Lest we forget…   Bear