RIPPLE SALVO… #598… RECOGNIZING AND REMEMBERING ON THIS DAY… LCOL RAMON ANTON HORINEK and MAJOR AQUILLA FRIEND BRITT… Among the Bravest of the Brave… IRONY…”…incongruity of a sequence of events and the expected results.”… but first…
Good Morning: Day FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-EIGHT visiting in the glorious past of OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…
25 OCTOBER 1967… HEAD LINES from The New York Times on a windy Wednesday in New York City…
Page 1: “ISRAEL GUNS SET REFINERIES AFIRE IN SUEZ EXCHANGE–80 PER CENT OF EGYPTIAN OIL OUTPUT SAID TO BE AT PORT CITY AT SOUTH END OF THE CANAL–A Truce After Three Hours–Each side Accuses The Other of Starting Clash–Cairo Claims Toll of 10 Tanks”... “Egyptian oil installations in the Port City of Suez were set afire today by Israeli shells during three-hour artillery exchange across the Southern end of the Suez Canal… 80 per cent of Egyptian refining capacity last as fuel tanks and refineries went up in flames.”… Page 1: “Mideast Fighting Stirs Clash In U.N.–Soviet Bids Council Censure Israel On Shelling–U.S. Asks General Restraint”… Page 1: “Senator Gore Bids Nation Quit War ‘Morass’–Urges Honorable Exit With Neutralization of Area”... “Senator Albert Gore, Democrat of Tennessee, proposed today that the United States should honorably extricate itself from Vietnam by accepting neutralization of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.”… Page 1: “Israel and Arabs To Get More Jets as U.S. Eases Arms Control”... “The U.S. will send light jet bombers to Israel and military equipment to five pro-Western Arab countries.”… Page 1: “Brooklyn College Students Vote To Return To Classrooms Today“… “…ends a boycott that began last Friday as students and Administration agree to talk.”… Page 8. “FBI Questioning Campus Anti-war Students–Those Who Turned In Their Draft Cards Last Week Get Checked”… “… FBI visiting several college campuses to question students…some claim intimidation.”… Page 28: “Medicare’s First Year: U.S. Reports Program Paid Out $3.2-Billion To Cover Hospital and Doctor Bills”… Page 30: “Police Chief Howard R. Leary Calls Narcotics-Related Crime the No.1 Police Problem In New York City”…
Page 30: “College Drug Use Held Overstated–Reader’s Digest Publishes Findings of Gallup Poll”... “George Gallop reports of mass involvement of college students in the use of drugs are wildly exaggerated, according to an article that will appear today in Reader’s Digest for November…poll on 426 college campuses where 51% of those polled did not know even a single student who had tried LSD or marijuana, but they believe that 13% of fellow collegians across the nation used drugs…6% say they have used and 1% experimented with LSD…”
25 OCTOBER 1967… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… AMONG THE BRAVE…
EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM…25 OCTOBER 1967…
MAJOR AQUILLA FRIEND BRITT, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE (RESERVE)… AIR FORCE CROSS…
“The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the AIR FORCE CROSS (Posthumously) to AQUILLA FRIEND BRITT, Major, U.S. Air Force (Reserve), for EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as commander of a strike force of twenty F-105 Thunderchiefs against a heavily defended target in North Vietnam on 25 October 1967. Through extremely heavy barrages of surface-to-air missiles and antiaircraft fire, MAJOR BRITT, with undaunted determination and indomitable courage, safety guided the strike force on a devastating attack against the primary target. His superb planning, leadership and gallantry, displayed under intense conditions, were the key factors that led to the destruction of this highly significant military target. Though his EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, MAJOR BRITT reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”…
Among MAJOR BRITT’s other Vietnam combat awards: the Silver Star, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Purple Heart, and more than 20 Air Medals… a Warrior’s Warrior… oohrah!…
25 October 1967… Operations Rolling Thunder…New York Times (26 Oct reporting 25 Oct ops) Page 1: Date line 25 Oct. “U.S. PLANES ATTACK MIG BASE IN NORTH FOR A SECOND DAY”... “United States planes attacked the Phucyen MIG air base today for the second consecutive day and bombed the Longbien bridge, Hanoi’s only rail and road link with the port of Haiphong and the Chinese border. Air Force F-105 Thunderchiefs from bases in Thailand, protected by F-4 Phantom fighters, fought off attacking MIG’s to bomb the runway, taxiway and parking areas of the Phucyen base, 18 miles north of Hanoi. A spokesman said that United States planes had fought with MIG’s twice over Phucyen, but there were no immediate reports of damage to either side.
“The attack on the Longbien bridge met heavy antiaircraft fire and numerous surface-to-air missiles, the spokesman said. There were no reports of lost planes. The Phucyen MIG base was attacked for the first time yesterday by coordinated strikes of Air Force and Navy planes, then hit again last night by Marine jets from bases in South Vietnam. The spokesman said that pilots in the attack this morning reported that craters from previous raids had already been filled with concrete and dirt by laborers.
“One MIG-21 was shot down during the initial attack on Phucyen and nine MIG’s were reported destroyed of damaged on the field. A MIG-17 was listed as probably destroyed in another fight by Air Force pilots who were attacking the Kep air base, 27 miles northeast of Hanoi.
“No American planes were reported lost during the raids on the MIG bases. An Air Force F-105 Thunderchief, a A-4 Skyhawk and two Navy F-4 Phantoms were downed during the day over North Vietnam. The losses raised the total of United States planes downed over the north to 711. In other raids Air Force pilots bombed a rail siding near Langson, 24 miles south of the Chinese border.”…
Page 2: “Longbien Bridge Damaged”... (Agence France-Presse) Two waves of United States fighter-bombers struck at northern Hanoi today, damaging the Longbein Bridge. One of the arches of the bridge sank on its side in the water. Observers saw other damage along the length of the bridge. The northern suburb of Gialam, site of Hanoi’s commercial airfield, was also bombed. Two planes were shot down as the people watched–one by a surface-to-air missile and the other by antiaircraft fire. A communique said that a third plane had also been shot down. Gialam airfield, two miles across the Red River from the city limits, appeared not to have been hit.”…
“Vietnam: Air Losses” (Chris Hobson) There were five fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 25 October 1967…
(1) MAJOR RICHARD EUGENE SMITH was flying an F-105D of the 354th TFS and 355th TFW out of Takhli in a strike force of 21 F-105s assigned to strike the Paul Doumer (Longbein) Bridge in Hanoi. Chris Hobson recorded the flight this way:
“Soon after dawn on the morning of the 25th a total of 21 F-105s from the Takhli Wing, carrying 3000-pound bombs struck the Paul Doumer Bridge over the Red River on the outskirts of Hanoi, Major Smith of Wildcat Flight pulled up from dropping his bombs on the target and felt his aircraft being hit by medium caliber antiaircraft fire. The aircraft started to burn as Major Smith raced across Hanoi in a vain attempt to reach safety. He was forced to eject about 25 miles west of Hanoi and injured his left leg as he left the aircraft. Richard Smith was shot twice through the thigh during his capture. He was imprisoned until his release on 14 March 1973.”…
(2) CAPTAIN RAMON ANTON HORINEK was flying an F-105D of the 333rd TFS and 355th TFW as a participant in the strike on the Phuc Yen air base as a flak suppressor. His aircraft was hit by 57mm antiaircraft fire over the target and an engine fire forced him to eject almost directly over Phuc Yen. He was immediately captured and spent the rest of the war in Hanoi. He was released in March 1973... CAPTAIN HORINEK WAS ON HIS THIRD COMBAT TOUR IN VIETNAM… He had previously done tours as an A-1 Skyraider and O-1 Bird Dog FAC and had been awarded the AIR FORCE CROSS…
AMONG THE BRAVE… EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM… CAPTAIN RAMON ANTON HORINEK… 16-19 FEBRUARY 1966…
“The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the AIR FORCE CROSS to RAMON ANTON HORINEK, Lieutenant Colonel (the Captain), U.S. Air Force, for EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as a Forward Air Controller and Pilot of an O-1 Airplane of the 1st air Commando Group, Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, PACIFIC Air Force, in action with friendly forces in Southeast Asia, from 16 February 1966 to 19 February 1966. CAPTAIN HORINEK successfully directed air strikes which permitted the safe withdrawal of friendly forces and destruction of an evacuated site despite repeated machine gun hits on his light aircraft. While providing support for an attack against a second site his aircraft was again struck by hostile fire. Realizing the importance of his presence, he landed on the site airstrip, knowing that the approaches were dominated by the enemy. On foot, and under constant fire, he directed strikes which dislodged the enemy and permitted resumption of aircraft evacuation from the strip. Throughout the period, alternately in the air, and on the ground, he continued to direct strikes while repeatedly exposed to fierce hostile fire, until the site was successfully evacuated. CAPTAIN HORINEK’s gallantry and professionalism permitted the safe withdrawal of many friendly troops and prevented the recovery of quantities of munitions and supplies by the enemy. Through his EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM, superb airmanship and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, CAPTAIN HORINEK has reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
Among LIEUTENANT COLONEL HORINEK’s personal military awards: the Air Force Cross, two Silver Stars, three Legion of Merit (With V), three Distinguished Flying Crosses, 3 Bronze Stars, seven Air Medals, 2 Purple Hearts and the Prisoner of War Medal… oohrah!!!
(3) LT JEFFREY MARTIN KROMMENHOEK was flying an A-4E of the VA-163 Saints as part of an air wing strike on the Phuc Yen air base on the afternoon of the 25th. Approaching roll-in over the target the formation met a barrage of antiaircraft fire from gun barrels and surface-air-missile sites. LT KROMMENHOEK was last seen at roll-in and was not heard from, voice or beeper, again. He was carried as Missing in Action but did not come home with the POWs and his status was changed to presumptive Killed in Action. LT KROMMENHOEK perished 50 years ago today and rests in peace on the battlefield where he died bravely serving our country… left behind, but remembered…
(4) and (5) An F-105D of the 469th TFS and the 388th TFW out of Korat and a C-123-K collided on a runway at Tan Son Nhut resulting in the death of the F-105D pilot... MAJOR AQUILLA FRIEND BRITT…
“A C-123 Provider from Phan Rang landed at Tan Son Nhut as its penultimate port of call during a long day shuttling around South Vietnam’s airfields. As the aircraft was about to take off for its return flight to Phan Rang, the pilot saw a huge thunderstorm directly in its path and decided to abort the flight. He was ordered to taxi along the runway to return to the parking area and had covered about 2,000-feet when the tower warned him to clear the runway immediately. However, before the Provider could turn off the runway it was hit by a Thunderchief as it landed in poor visibility. The F-105’s starboard wing sliced through the left side of the Provider’s fuselage and the jet’s fuselage tore off both the C-123’s engines from the port wing. The Thunderchief pilot died in the collision and the burning aircraft tumbled down the runway for another 5,000-feet….Apparently, Major Britt had been ordered to Tan Son Nhut to take part in a special ceremony to celebrate his 100th mission.” (Hobson)
RIPPLE SALVO… #598… Irony? Fate? Aquilla Britt was one of the bravest of the brave. Killed on a landing roll-out on his way home, 100-missions in his log, a survivor of a full share of deadly combat. Duty done.
RTR QUOTE for 25 October: MINOT SAVAGE: “The brave die never, though they sleep in dust. Their courage serves a thousand living men.” If the living know, care and remember!…
Lest we forget… Bear