RIPPLE SALVO… #935… ON 26 SEPTEMBER 1966, CAPTAIN ARTHUR T. BALLARD, F-105D DRIVER WITH THE 13TH TACTICAL FIGHTER SQUADRON and 388TH TACTICAL AIR WING OPERATING OUT OF KORAT IN THAILAND was part of a wing strike on a POL storage target north of Hanoi, North Vietnam when his aircraft was hit by AAA 25 miles northwest of Thai Nguyen and short of his target. With his Thunderchief on fire he gave it his best to get bombs on target and pressed on until the smoke in the cockpit rendered him unconscious. When he came around he heard a wingman telling him to eject. He did. This time when he regained consciousness he was on the ground in the middle of North Vietnam with a broken leg, among other injuries. More than 2,350 days as a POW of the North Vietnamese followed. He was released from the Hanoi lock-up in March 1973, pen in hand. Two of Ted Ballard’s captivating testimonials are linked to the RTR archive today, on the 52nd anniversary of his touchdown in North Vietnam… See below…But first…
GOOD MORNING…Day NINE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE of a return to the days of the air war called Operation Rolling Thunder and the sacrifices and heroism of the men who were called Yankee Air Pirates…
THE WAR…Page 13: “ALLIES REPEL FIERCE ATTACK ON CAMP NEAR TAYNINH”… “A United States Special Forces camp near the Cambodian border withstood a savage enemy shelling and ground attack this morning with the aid of heavy artillery barrages and air support. The camp at Katum, in Tayninh Province, some 25 miles north of the city of Tayninh was blasted by more than 300 rounds of mortar fire and recoilless-rifle fire before the ground assault began. The South Vietnamese authority said that the camp had suffered light casualties while killing 135 soldiers and capturing eight. No American casualties were reported, although the camp at Katum, like other Special Forces outposts, has several United States advisors… SCENE OF B-52 RAIDS… The sharp fighting occurred in the same general area that has been heavily raided by B-52 bombers in the last several days. For the last month, enemy strategy has included a number of attacks on isolated Special Forces camps that keep watch on primary infiltration routes from Cambodia into South Vietnam. In Saigon, the United States military command announced that an armored cavalry squadron that had been scheduled to come to South Vietnam would not be sent. Instead, the squadron’s armored personnel carriers and other equipment will be sent here for the use by units of the South Vietnamese Army. The change in plans will not effect current United States troop ceiling of 549,500 men….ALLIES ON JUNGLE SWEEP… For the last two weeks, some 3,000 American and South Vietnamese troops have been sweeping through an enemy stronghold in the dense jungle a few miles south of Quangtri. It is the first time in the war that a large allied force has entered the vast areas that has served as a springboard for attacks on the province capital of Hue. So far the allies have killed 160 enemy soldiers…What the Americans and South Vietnamese had hoped to do in their operations was to destroy the enemy’s haven. During the operation the allies have lost 21 men and 60 wounded.”…
PEACE TALKS: The State Department, Office of Historian, Historical Documents were free flowing in view of peace talk ongoing in Norway, Paris, with the Soviets in Washington, and meetings in the White House. Four documents are linked for your consideration. #33 is a telegram from the Embassy in Norway to Secretary Rusk to tell him that the North Vietnamese talking to the Norwegians are saying they can go no further until the bombing –Rolling Thunder–ceases…. #34 is a report from Harriman in Paris to Secretary Rusk that the North Vietnamese “have been totally intransigent.” …. “The DRV (North) is refusing to include the GVN (South) in talks regarding the political future of South Vietnam. This must mean that Hanoi wants to dictate the political future of South Vietnam.”… #35. Is the “Notes of the 591st Meeting of the National Security Council.”…These documents are usually interesting reading. This one is a spirited back and force on the bombing of the North. The President says: “I would like us to review the following areas precisely; 1. Instructions to the U.S. negotiators in Paris; 2. Their positions on the bombing halt; and 3. Their reactions to the instructions…”… Notes are cryptic and hard to follow, but worth the read. Bombing of the North– ROLLING THUNDER– remains the focus of all negotiations and White House discussions….#36. Short meeting following the National Security meeting to discuss the George Ball skipping out of the United Nations job (“I cannot permit myself to remain quiet any longer about Nixon. He is a liar, dishonest, and a crook. this is my country. We would get poor leadership,’ and he said he “must be free.”)… Read at.. (Link to the first one and use the little carrot in the right margin to step to the next in order)….
d33. https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v07/d33
d34. https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v07/d34
d35. https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v07/d35
d36. https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v07/d36
PAGE 1 HEAD LINES: “BUDGET CUTTERS PONDER PULLOUT OF THREE U.S. SQUADRONS IN KOREA”… “Muskie Bids Hecklers Share Platform”… “Wallace Says Law Stand Deters Reprisal by Right”… “HUMPHREY URGES HIGHER PENSIONS–Proposes 50 Per Cent Rise in Social Security Benefits Over The Next Four Years”… “Nixon Says Humphrey Harms Efforts Of U.S. In Paris Talks”… “ELECTRONIC BLACKOUT IN A-BLAST REMAINS PROBLEM–THREAT TO RADAR AND MISSILES CALLED SERIOUS BY SENATOR”… “SOVIET PROPOSAL ON MIDEAST PEACE DISCLOSED BY U.S.–American Officials Studying Compromise Suggested 2 Weeks Ago In Capital–U.N. Role is Emphasized–Plan Said To Include Israeli Withdrawal to Frontiers Held Before 1967 War.”…
26 SEPTEMBER 1968… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times/AP: No coverage of air operations north of the DMZ… VIETNAM: AIR LOSSES (Chris Hobson) There was one fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 26 September 1968…
(1) CAPTAIN DALE ALAN LUSTER, USMC, was flying an A-4E of the VMA-121 Green Knights on a close air support mission near Phuoc An, nine miles west of Tam Ky when downed by automatic weapon fire. CAPTAIN LUSTER was dropping napalm on enemy positions within 50-yards of friendly forces at very low altitude when hit. He did not eject from the aircraft before it impacted the ground and exploded.”… He was on his second combat tour in Vietnam and had flown 200 missions….CAPTAIN LUSTER rests in peace in Arlington National Cemetery on this 50th anniversary of his supreme sacrifice. He died delivering weapons on a numerically superior enemy force that had pinned down an Army unit and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) for his extraordinary and final heroic performance…
SUMMARY OF ROLLING THUNDER LOSSES (KIA/MIA/POW) FOR THE FOUR 26 SEPTEMBER DATES FOR THE FOUR YEARS OF THE OPERATION OVER NORTH VIETNAM…
1965, 1968… NONE…
1966… CAPTAIN ARTHUR T. BALLARD, USAF… (POW)… and… MAJOR JOSEPH MILLARD STINE, USAF… (KIA, Body Not Recovered)… and… 1LT DYKE AGUSTUS SPILMAN, USAF… (KIA, Body Not Recovered)…
1967… 1LT HAROLD JOHN MOE, USMC… (KIA)…
RIPPLE SALVO… #935… HUMBLE HOST SALUTES LCOL TED BALLARD on this, the 52nd Anniversary of his last day as an F-105 Warrior and first day as an American POW in North Vietnam. The details of his last flight were reported in my RTR blog of 26 September 1966 (Ripple Salvo #209). Not included in that blog was reference to two extraordinary first person remembrances of his great adventure in North Vietnam. The first was written in response to a request from the authors of WE CAME HOME, Captain and Mrs. Frederic A. Wyatt, USNR, Retired. His brief remarks concerning his 2,350 days as a POW include this citation:
“I wish every American could have witnesses the individual courage, the devotion to duty, and the unswerving patriotism of our fighting men during our years of captivity. This is the greatest nation on earth. Support it, enjoy it, but please don’t abuse our many freedoms.”
In addition to these remarks published on the POWNETWORK.ORG, is an article by Ted Ballard titled “CHRISTMASES IN THE DUNGEONS OF NORTH VIETNAM.”… Ted’s recall of the days and events surrounding his seven Christmases as a POW are a modern day Christmas story to be told as widely and as often as Charles Dickens’ classic. It is a saver. Print it, save it, and read it every year for a refresher in human perseverance, courage and faith. Read at…
https://www.pownetwork.org/bios/b/b077.htm
Ted has also put on line through The 12 TFW Association a 30-page memoir of his “shootdown and capture,”and his seven years “In The Dungeons” of North Vietnam. His is a great story, well told, and an easy read for any American of any age, who enjoys reading about American patriotism and heroism in the face of the enemy for every day for years on end. Ted speaks for about 600 stouthearted American men who served years above and beyond the call of duty in the dungeons of North Vietnam… Make time to read this story of guts with no glory…. Read at: http://www.12tfw.org/dungeons.pdf
RTR Quote for 26 September: TED BALLARD, “In The Dungeons” : “A few days later, on November 5, 1966, a loose nail was found in a crack in the wall near a window in our cell. George was accused ‘of plotting the blackest crime against the Vietnamese people,’ and for punishment had to stand facing the wall with his arms straight up over his head. This form of torture was for fourteen hours, each day, seven days a week. It lasted for seven weeks. He was allowed no bath or shave. For variation they made him stand in the same position in the middle of the room. He was frequently beaten and slapped by the guards.” (Page 18-19)…
Thanks, Ted…
Lest we forget…. Bear
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