RIPPLE SALVO… #903 … WOODY HAYES (According to Darrell Royal): “THREE THINGS CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU THROW THE BALL, AND TWO OF THEM ARE BAD.” For the ROLLING THUNDER warrior, you accepted that when you crossed the beach and went “feet dry,” three things could happen, and two of them were bad– you could get killed or you could end up on the ground in hostile country. If you were standing on the ground in Southeast Asia wondering where to hide your parachute, three things could happen. Two of them bad. You could end up in the Hanoi Hilton, or you could get killed. When you went feet dry you hoped to get feet wet and chalk up another great memory of fleeing forward to destroy something, and then leaving danger behind on the homeward leg to another OK3. And if you had bad luck and got shot down, you hoped a heroic helicopter crew could/would come save your sweet arse. Fifty years ago, on 24 August 1968, more than 300 Air Force and Navy fighter-bomber aviators went “feet dry.” Six had bad days. And on 24 August 1965, three Naval Aviators had the first of many–2,730–bad days as they went feet dry and ended up in Hanoi tapping on walls… but first…
GOOD MORNING… Day NINE HUNDRED THREE of a review of the pages of history covering Operation Rolling Thunder, the air campaign that divided America in “the year the dream died,” 1968…
HEAD LINES from The New York Times on Saturday, 24 August 1968…
THE WAR: Page 1: “ALLIES BATTLE ENEMY AT CITIES AND BASES”… “The enemy launched mortar and ground attacks yesterday against cities, provincial capitals and military installations throughout the country as the tempo of fighting picked up. the heaviest attacks occurred at Danang and the northern provinces and at a counter-guerrilla camp at Duclop, 130 miles northwest of Saigon near the Cambodian border. A 1,000-man enemy force fired rockets and mortar rounds at the camp and then began a ground assault. Through the night, the American Special forces unit and the montagnard tribesmen in the camp were being supported by helicopter gun ships and tactical aircraft. Allied casualties were light and enemy losses were put at 22 enemy soldiers known killed… The focal point of the enemy assaults were the five northernmost provinces where 30 coordinated ground and mortar assaults took place last night and today. In Danang enemy soldiers slipped into the sprawling Marine-Air Force compound on Marble Mountain, on the fringes of the city… throughout the Danang area a total of 81 enemy soldiers were reported killed. The Marines lost 15 killed… In two other battles at least 10 Americans were killed…”…
PEACE: Page 3: “MANSFIELD PUSHES FOR PROMPT PEACE”… “The Senate Democratic leaders, Mike Mansfield, called on the Democratic party today to ‘delineate a path to a prompt peace in Vietnam. If we could have peace in my judgement, we must be prepared to spend political face for the purpose of saving lives,’ the Montana Senator said in a statement . It continued: ‘If we would have peace, we must act on the premise that this nation’s proper interests do not lie in the prolongation of this deep military involvement on the Asian mainland. If we would provide leadership of relevance in this situation we will delineate a prompt peace in Vietnam. Others may indulge in pietions and pomposities on Vietnam and Asia. As Democrats we cannot. Ours is the responsibility for getting in (to war in Vietnam). Ours should be the responsibility for getting out.”…
Page 9: “HOUSE UNIT ASSERTS U.S. HAS NO POLICY TO WIN IN VIETNAM”… “the House Armed Services subcommittee charge in a report after hearings here and abroad that the United States has formulated no plan to win in Vietnam. The subcommittee’s report suggested that the limitations on the bombing of North Vietnam might haver to be lifted in an effort to close the port of Haiphong to ships if a military victory is to be attained. Representative Mendel Rivers, Democrat of South Carolina and chairman said that ‘the war in Vietnam could and should have been won long ago. Unfortunately, however, our strength is our weakness, for there are those who fear to use it.’ “…Page 1: “CZECHOSLOVAKIA’S SVOVODA IN MOSCOW FOR TALKS–Czechs Stage General Strike–Foreign Minister Flies to U.N. –A Dramatic Move–End of Crisis Is Sought In Direct Discussion With Soviet Chiefs”… Page 1: “SVODOBA GREETED BY SOVIET LEADERS–THOUSANDS LINE STREETS AS HE IS DRIVEN TO KREMLIN–Meeting Extended”… Page 1: “RUSSIANS BECOME JUMPY IN EMPTY PRAGUE STREETS”… Page 15: “Moscow Said To Have Felt Dubcek Broke Vows”… Page 16: “CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS BRIEFED BY PRESIDENT ON CRISIS IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA–Leaders Express Their Support In Backing U.S. Effort To Get U.N. Action–Details Given On Dobyrinin’s Visit To Inform Johnson Of Intervention In Prague”… Page 19: “McGOVERN CHARGES U.S. PARTLY TO BLAME FOR CRISIS IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA”….. Page 1: “Illinois National Guard Told To Shoot If defied In Chicago”…”6,000 Guardsmen on duty during the Democratic Convention.”…. Page 11: “EISENHOWER ALERT, HIS DOCTORS FIND–Despite Critical Condition He Remains Cheerful”…
24 AUGUST 1968…OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times (25 Aug reporting 24 Ops) Page 2: “In the air war, American pilots flew 117 missions over the southern area of North Vietnam.”… VIETNAM: AIR LOSSES (Chris Hobson) There were four fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 24 August 1968…
(1) MAJOR CHARLES HAROLD W. READ and 1LT MELVIN EARL LADEWIG were flying an F-4D of the 497th TFS and 8th TFW out of Ubon on a night armed reconnaissance mission 17 miles northwest of Dong Hoi and were downed in the attack on a storage area. The flight leader observed a large fireball in the target area that a low pass confirmed was the burning wreckage of an aircraft. The conclusion was that there had been no ejection prior to the crash. At 2236 the FAC directed the Phantoms onto a secondary target located in a densely populated and heavily defended North Vietnamese staging area for troops and supplies destined to enter the Ho Chi Minh Trail through the Ban Karai Pass. The lead aircraft lit up the target with flares so the number two aircraft (Read and Ladewig) could make a second bomb run… after making a bomb run on a target, the Phantom was seen as a large fireball. Immediately, Lead transmitted a report to the airborne commander…Visual and electronic searches were conducted with out any result other than a good fix on the crash site at 21 miles northwest of Dong Hoi and 29 miles northeast of the Ban Karai Pass. When no sign of either warrior was found, the search was terminated and MAJOR READ and 1LT LADEWIG were reported Missing in Action. When the two failed to appear with the release of 591 POWs in 1973, the Secretary of the Air Force approved the Presumptive Finding of Death in the case of both CAPTAIN LADEWIG on 8 November 1973 and COLONEL READ on 25 July 1978. They rest in peace where they fell on the attack and on the battlefield.They are remembered on this 50th anniversary of their last flight as they await repatriation and a return to the land they loved…
(2) LT J.R. LEE was flying an A-7A of the VA-27 Royal Maces embarked in USS Constellation on an armed reconnaissance mission in a flight of A-7s armed with Walleye weapons. The flight found and attacked an occupied antiaircraft gun position. Before LT. LEE could commence an attack he was hit at 10,000-feet. He turned toward the sea in a race against the on-board fire. When his hydraulic systems failed he ejected very close to the beach a few hundred yards at sea. A Navy helo crew braved the enemy resistance to make the pick-up, as other USS Constellation aircraft suppressed enemy fire and efforts to capture LT LEE, fifty years ago today…
(3) LTJG B.S. FOSTER was flying an F-8H of the VF-211 Checkmates embarked in USS Hancock on a BARCAP mission when he suffered a total hydraulic system failure. He was able to eject over the Tonkin Gulf well clear of enemy opposition and was rescued by a Navy helicopter to fly and fight again…
(4) LT WILLIAM ARTHUR HEEP and LTJG T.I. McPHERSON, flying an F-4B of VF-143 embarked in USS Constellation, launched on an armed recce mission when the bridle failed on the catapult shot. The Phantom failed to fly and fell off into the sea. LTJG McPHERSON was able to eject and was rescued to fly and fight again. LT HEEP did not eject and went down and under with his aircraft where he remains today.
SUMMARY OF ROLLING THUNDER LOSSES (KIA/MIA/POW) ON THE FOUR 24 AUGUST DATES OF THE FOUR YEARS OF THE OPERATION OVER NORTH VIETNAM…
1968… MAJOR CHARLES HAROLD W. READ, USAF … (KIA)… and… LT MELVIN EARL LADEWIG, USN… (KIA)…
1967… CAPTAIN JAY CRADDLE HESS, USAF… (POW)… of the 537th TFS was downed on his 35th mission while striking the Lang Dang marshaling yards 25 miles northeast of Kep.
1966… NONE…
1965… LTJG RICHARD MARVIN BRUNHAVER… (POW)… and… COMMANDER FRED AGUSTUS FRANKE, JR., USN, Commanding Officer, VF-21… (POW)… and… LCDR ROBERT HARTCH DOREMUS, USN… (POW)…
On 24 August 1965, LTJG BRUNHAVER , VA-22, embarked in USS Midway, was downed on a low level Snakeye attack on a bridge near Phong Bai, 30 miles south of Thanh Hoa. After bomb release he was unable to control his A-4 and struck a karst ridge damaging the aircraft forcing him to eject. He was captured to become the 7th Navy POW of the war. He had completed more than 100 combat missions at the time of his downing. The Citation for his Second SILVER STAR reads: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. On 10 June 1969, his 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 purposes. Through his resistance to those 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 to duty, he reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.”…
On 24 August 1965, COMMANDER FRANKE and LCDR DOREMUS, VF-21, embarked in USS Midway, were downed by a North Vietnamese SAM to become the first Navy aviators to be nailed by an SA-2 Guideline missile in the war. They were the 8th and 9th Navy POWs (by Humble Host count) and like LTJG BRUNHAVER they would spend 2,730 days in the North Vietnamese prisoner-of-war system of prisons. They were downed while flying MIGCAP for an Air Wing Rolling Thunder strike on the Thanh Hoa Bridge. CAPTAIN FRANKE was awarded the LEGION OF MERIT with VALOR device, among other awards for courage under fire. The Citation reads: “For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from August 1965 to February 1973. By his diligent efforts, exceptional leadership, devotion and loyalty to the United States, and under the most adverse of conditions, he resisted all attempts by the North Vietnamese to use him in causes detrimental to the United States. While in daily contact with the North Vietnamese guards and officers he performed duties in staff positions, maintaining good order and discipline among the prisoners. Under constant harassment from their captors and due to the frustrations of the prisoners during their long internment, many difficult situations arose, requiring perseverance, endurance and ingenuity. Using his extraordinary courage, resourcefulness, and sound judgement, he reflected great courage upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces…The Combat Distinguishing Device is authorized.”… CAPTAIN DOREMUS’ first of two awards of the SILVER STAR was earned earlier in the USS Midway’s deployment to Yankee Station. The Citation reads: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving in Fighter Squadron TWENTY-ONE, embarked in USS MIDWAY (CVA-41), as Flight Officer of a F-4B Phantom aircraft during a mission in support of combat operations in Southeast Asia against North Vietnam forces on 17 June 1965. Engaging at least four and possibly six FRESCO aircraft, Commander (then Lieutenant Commander) Doremus accounted for one confirmed kill and contributed to a second confirmed kill by the other F-4B aircraft in the fight by diverting the remaining enemy planes from the threat to U.S. striking forces. With heavy antiaircraft fire bursting throughout the patrol area, his crew relentlessly maintained their vigil and pressed forward their attack, seeking out and destroying the enemy aircraft thereby preventing damage to friendly strike aircraft in the area. By his outstanding courage, skill, and devotion to duty in the face of grave personal risk, Commander Doremus upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”…
RIPPLE SALVO… #903… There is among the remembrances left for the warriors whose names are on The Wall on the Washington Mall a wonderful poem by the niece of COLONEL CHARLES HAROLD W. READ, USAF, who went missing 50 years ago this day. He remains where he fell on 24 August 1968. The poem, MISSING IN ACTION by Laura Read Turner is posted here to honor the memory of COLONEL READ and to recognize and admire the enduring love of Laura Read Turner for her long missing Uncle… “MISSING IN ACTION“… I quote…
“Missing in action
The situation grim
And yet
They have not said
That he is dead
They’ve left a slender, gossamer thread
Of hope to which we cling
So slim a thread suspending so much hope
And the two griefs enshroud our minds
A cloud of mourning glimmering
With but the slightest shine of hope
That just perhaps he isn’t dead
And this then brings the second dread
Agony of
If he lives is he in pain
Suffering,
Wounded, tortured, ill
One grief is pain enough
Still we will take the two of them
To get the one with hope.”…. End quote ……. Five Stars!!! oohrah…
RTR quote for 24 August: SENATOR MIKE MANSFIELD, 22-Aug-68: “We have yet to put aside the fantasy that peace can be achieved by coffee breaks in Paris even as war goes on as usual in Vietnam.”
Lest we forget… Bear
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