RIPPLE SALVO… #327… “WE HAVE THE INITIATIVE, WE HAVE THE FORCES…”… but first…
Good Morning: Day THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN of a non-stop every day stick-to-it review of the air war over North Vietnam…
26 JANUARY 1967… HEAD LINES from The New York Times on a fair Thursday ahead of a snowy weekend…
Page 1: “Vietcong Envoys and U.S. in Touch; Talks Fruitless”… “The United States has quietly made several informal but direct contacts with political representatives of the Vietcong, diplomatic sources said today. So far, it is said, they have not proved fruitful. The sources reported that the channels have been open for several months…Specifically, the United Arab Republic, where the National Liberation Front, political arm of the Vietcong, had been seen intermittently for several months. The sources indicated that there might have been contacts in other capitals as well…The discussions have failed to produce any tangible progress on any significant issue. The discussions have been concerned at least in part with prisoner exchange and welfare.”… Page 1: “U.S. Bars Attacks in Area of Hanoi”… “The Johnson Administration has barred American planes from venturing within five miles of Hanoi’s center…In effect, the new order issued within the last week by the Joint Chiefs of Staff imposes a total sanctuary over a circle ten miles in diameter. The Air Force and Navy must obtain permission for each bombing raid, within 30 miles of Hanoi. Even after permission is received it must be renewed for each strike…Under the new restrictions an American pilot may fly within five miles of the city center only if engaged in air-to-air combat with enemy fighters. That means if somebody’s shooting at you, you can shoot back…except for that all flights in the area are off limits. The stringent restriction apparently was issued in response to reports of civilian bombing casualties that have been widely circulated in the world’s press. In recent weeks, Harrison Salisbury, an assistant managing editor of the New York Times and William Baggs, editor of the Miami Daily News, have written on the spot accounts of bombing destruction in residential areas in Hanoi and other cities of North Veitnam.”… Page: “China’s Army Aids Mao in Two Areas”… “The Chinese army has intervened in support of Mao factions in Manchuria and Anwei Province, but in Inner Mongolia it appears to be backing the other side.”… Page 1: “Israelis and Syrians Confer: Reaffirm Armistice Pledge of 17 years to refrain from hostile and aggressive action. The agreement came in the first session of a United Nations sponsored meeting between the two countries intended to ease tensions along their 45-mile border.”…
Page 1: “Tax on New TV Sets Urged to Help Educational Video”… “The Carnegie Commission on Educational Television proposed yesterday the imposition of a Federal tax on all new TV sets to provide the major source of financing for more non-commercial television in the home. The levy would start at 2% rising to 5% of the manufacturer’s list price. Proceeds from the tax, which were estimated at $40 million per year at the 2% rate would be used to underwrite a Corporation of Public Broadcasting that would be established by Congress.”… Page 1: “NYC Mayor Signs Pact on World Trade Center with the Port of New York Authority”… “The Port Authority will make annual payments to the city in lieu of taxes on the new Trade Center.”… Page 2: “Enemy’s Build-up Believed Slowed”… “Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara said in congressional testimony made public today that ground operation in South Vietnam coastal surveillance and bombing raids against North Vietnam appear to have imposed limits on the build-up of enemy forces in South Vietnam…The Secretary’s comments cane in a lengthy written statement presented in a closed joint session of the Armed Services Committee of the Senate…The confirmed strength of enemy forces in South Vietnam was estimated at about 275,000 at the end of last year (1966).”…(Plus 45,000 North Vietnam regulars; 116,000 Vietcong; and 58,000 political and local Vietcong guerrillas…Total force=494,000)…
26 January 1967… The President’s Daily Brief (PDB): CIA (TS sanitized)…COMMUNIST CHINA: Mao’s propaganda people now claim that “revolutionary rebels”– Mao’s supporters– have seized political authority in a number of provincial capitals. There is probably a good measure of wishful thinking in this.”… The Regime is beginning to tell its people that their country is now able to launch an earth satellite. This jibes generally with our estimates that Peking may be able to orbit a satellite weighing up to a few hundred pounds sometime this year.”…
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM…REAR ADMIRAL (THEN COMMANDER) JEREMIAH ANDREW DENTON, JR., UNITED STATES NAVY…NAVY CROSS…
“The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY CROSS to REAR ADMIRAL (THEN COMMANDER) JEREMIAH ANDREW DENTON, JR., United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism while serving as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from February 1966 to May 1966. Under constant pressure from North Vietnamese interrogators and guards, REAR ADMIRAL DENTON experienced harassment, intimidation and ruthless treatment in their attempt to gain information and cooperative participation for propaganda purposes. During this prolonged period of physical and mental agony, he heroically resisted cruelties and continued to promulgate resistance policy and detailed instructions (as Senior Ranking Officer). Forced to attend a press conference with a Japanese correspondent, he blinked out a distress message in Morse Code at the television camera and was understood by United States Naval Intelligence. When this courageous act was reported to the North Vietnamese, he was again subjected to severe brutalities. Displaying extraordinary skill, fearless dedication to duty, resourcefulness, he reflected great credit upon himself, and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.”
Rear Admiral Denton’s A-6 Intruder was shot down and he was captured on July 18, 1965. He was also awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his distinguished service as the Senior Ranking Officer in the Little Vegas and Alcatraz Prison Camps in North Vietnam during the period July 1965 to February 1973 (7 1/2 Years). Among his other awards for valor are three Silver Stars and the Distinguished Flying Cross. …. oohrah…
26 JANUARY 1967… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…New York Times (27 Jan reporting 26 Jan ops) … Page 2: “No bombs have fallen on Hanoi since the December 13-14 truck yard raids 2 miles south of Hanoi and railroad marshalling yards 5 miles north of the city center.”… “Bad weather again hampered air operations over the North. Only 51 missions were flown. In the South, Air Force, Navy and Marine pilots reported nine enemy soldiers killed in raids involving 457 planes, including B-52s from Guam that dropped 750 and 1,000-pound bombs on a suspected enemy headquarters.” Humble Host: 457 sorties get a BDA “score” of 9 enemy KBA. Wanna cry?…
“Vietnam: Air Losses” (Hobson) there were three fixed wing aircraft downed in Southeast Asia on 26 January 1967…
(1) CAPTAIN THOMAS RAYMOND MORGAN was flying an F-100D of the 612th TFS and 35th TFW out of Phan Rang and participating in a raid on Vietcong buildings 30 miles west of Nha Trang and was hit on a weapons delivery run. Trailing smoke broke into flames followed by an explosion that denied CAPTAIN MORGAN time to eject and he was Killed in Action 50 years ago this day. His remains were returned to the United States in 1994, identified in 1997 and buried in his homeland shortly thereafter. The Joint US/Vietnamese Recovery Team and the U.S. Army’s Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii vital roles in making “no man left behind” a reality for hundreds of families. There work will never be done…
(2) MAJOR J.C. NABORS was flying an F-100D of the 531st TFS and 3rd TFW out of Bien Hoa on a call mission to attack on a Vietcong base camp 20 miles North of Saigon. CAPTAIN NABORS aircraft was hit by ground fire on his diving attack and the aircraft continued into the ground with no ejection. CAPTAIN NABORS was Killed in Action facing the enemy and “came home on his shield,” having given his life for his beloved country. He is remembered.
(3) An a-1E of the 602nd ACS and 14th ACW out of Udorn crashed in Thailand due to control failure. The pilot survived to fly and fight another day…
RIPPLE SALVO… #327… When I was coming home from my first combat cruise on Enterprise in July 1967 I was a “ship rider.” Most of the aviators in the Navy Air Wings got a “golden carpet” flight home from Clark AFB to arrive home about a week before the ship arrived in Alameda, or their respective home ports. A few officers in every squadron had to ride the ship home to wrap up the cruise paperwork, including the awards. I was a ship rider-writer for VA-113. A day short of arriving in San Francisco/Alameda a contingent of press were flown out to the ship to cover the homecoming. The journalists jumped all over the few fighter-bomber pilots who were riding the ship, including me. Against the wishes of my Commanding Officer, who would have preferred I be restricted to my stateroom, I was interviewed by a San Francisco Examiner reporter. Among his many questions, answered forthrightly, was: “What was your mission?” My answer: “To carry the fight to the enemy in his homeland so the South Vietnamese will be encouraged and fight better. In addition, we are interdicting the flow of men and material from North to South and in the process we blow up a lot of bridges and SAM sites.” Unfortunately, the young writer said I said… “Whatever our mission is over there,” ignoring what I said. Two days later Herb Caen of the Examiner ran a column read by millions (?) that referred to “the Navy pilot who is as confused as the rest of us: he doesn’t know what the mission is either.”… Thereafter, I was banned from talking to the press…
On 24 January and 26 January President Johnson received a telegram and a memo that spelled out what General Westmoreland’s “guidance for 1967” was for the Allied forces in South Vietnam. The pair of documents in some unclassified version should have been shared with the most likely candidates to come face to face with the press– the warriors– so we could assist in the education of the public…
(1) Telegram from General Westmoreland to the President on 24 January 1967: The conclusion reads: “In summary, we have two equally important tasks to accomplish simultaneously–maintain relentless pressure on enemy combat forces and support systems and provide expanding security to the population. Our progress will be measured in terms of Viet Cong bases eliminated, of territory cleared of enemy influence, of population secured, of land and water lines of communication which provide uninterrupted flow of goods to market, and of enemy forces destroyed. The number and nature of out tasks require a combination of deliberate planning and flexible execution. Imagination in the use of our assets, understanding of the political and economic effect of actions, appreciation of our role in support of the people of South Vietnam will contribute to our success and to attainment of U.S. objectives. The majority of the people will gravitate toward the side which manifests greater strength. We must demonstrate throughout the country that the Government of South Vietnam is the stronger.”
(2) Memorandum from the President’s Special Assistant (Walt Rostow) to President Johnson on 26 JANUARY 1967 at 10:00 A.M….
“Mr. President:
‘Westy’s command guidance for 1967 will interest you.
‘It is clear: we have the initiative, and, we will have sufficient forces for steady offensive pressure on base areas, pacification, opening roads, etc.
‘The unsolved problems are: the detailed planning of pacification, province by province; galvanizing the ARVN for pacification; getting the right allocation of U.S. forces between pacification and base area attacks; and getting the right coordination from Saigon down to the provinces between military and civil elements and between U.S. and Vietnamese efforts.
“But we are moving; and Westy’s vision of 1967 is basically cheering. Walt”
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v05/d28
CAG’s QUOTES for 26 January: “NAPOLEON: “In war, morale counts for three quarters, the balance of manpower counts for only one quarter.” (Morale: wanting to do what you have to do)… PATTON: “Any politician should be put in jail who votes for an appropriation bill and fails to vote the tax to pay for it.”…
Lest we forget… Bear…