RIPPLE SALVO… #814… “A DAY TO REMEMBER”… “Memorial Day is all the more poignant in time of war. It is not a day to celebrate but a day to remember. In revolution, in civil war and in wars across the seas, Americans have fought and died for independence, for freedom, for their ideals. Bull Run and Vicksburg, the trenches of Verdun and the djebels of Tunisia, the unseen graves of the Atlantic and the Okinawa’s of the Pacific, the hills of Korea and the operations in the jungles of Vietnam–on Memorial Day all wars and causes blend into one and we honor the dead as heroes. And keep alive the dreams of peace they believed in and fought for.” (NYT, 30 May 1968)
How will YOU use this day of remembrance of our nation’s fallen warriors to contribute to the spirit of the day? MIGHTY THUNDER’s post this morning suggests a path to fulfilling this obligation to those we have sworn not to forget… Humble Host will reinforce MIGHTY THUNDER at the end of this RTR post… Today 28 May also marks the 50th anniversary of the loss of the nuclear submarine USS Scorpion with all 99 sailors lost forever to the briny deep to join with legions of other sailors and aviators. These are the fallen for which there is no private grave, they rest in peace and silence where they fell. Pause today to remember those gone to sea forever… My Ripple Salvo post below is the New York Times published a few days after Scorpion went missing, “SILENCE FROM THE SEA,” to which I add this prayer for this day, and always:…
“LORD OF MERCY, BRING THEM UNDER THE COVER OF THY WINGS, AND LET THEIR SOULS BE BOUND UP IN THE BOND OF ETERNAL LIFE. BE THOU THEIR POSSESSION, AND MAY THEIR REPOSE BE IN SILENT PEACE.”
GOOD MORNING… Day EIGHT HUNDRED FOURTEEN of a remembrance of an air war fought fiercely fifty years ago called OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER 22 years before rolling motorcycles became “Rolling Thunder” in 1987…
HEAD LINES from THE NEW YORK TIMES on a rainy Tuesday, 28 May 1968… (In 1968 Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30, as it had been for fifty years. On 28 June 1968 President Johnson signed into law an act that made the last Monday in May “Memorial Day” in perpetuity.)
Page 1: “U.S. NUCLEAR SUBMARINE WITH 99 OVERDUE–SEARCH FOR SCORPION IS BEGUN BY CRAFT OF THE ATLANTIC FLEET”… “The nuclear-powered attack submarine Scorpion, with 99 men aboard, was reported overdue tonight (27th). A widespread search by planes, ships and submarines of the Atlantic Fleet was quickly ordered. It stretched from the Virginia Capes to the Azores, west of Portugal. By 10 P.M. some 18 ships were involved, two of them dispatched from a base in Spain, the remainder from American ports. Admiral Thomas Moorer, Chief of Naval Operations, said the Scorpion had been scheduled to return to Norfolk, Virginia at 1 P.M. today after completion of a three-month training exercise with the ships of the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. She was last heard from last Tuesday night, he said, and gave her position–about 50 miles south of the Azores–together with her course and speed– 18-knots– and her estimated time of arrival in Norfolk. The Navy is making no assumption that the Scorpion is lost, Admiral Moorer insisted…”… Page 3: “WIVES OF SCORPION’S CREWMEN ‘HOPEFUL’ AS THEY AWAIT RETURN”…”Mrs. Francis A. Slattery, wife of the commander of the missing nuclear submarine Scorpion, waited in her suburban home tonight for news of the Navy’s air-sea search. Naval personnel refused to allow reporters into the Slattery home in Virginia Beach, a suburb of Norfolk. They would say only that Mrs. Slattery and ‘five or six’ other wives of Scorpion crewmen were waiting together… The 36-year-old commanding office,r is married to the former Dorothy L. Record; their three children are Steven, 12, Joline, 11, and Judy 10…. Commander Slattery was graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1954 and from the Naval War College in 1967. Before taking command of the Scorpion, he served on two other submarines, the Nautilus and the Tunny.”… Page 3: “FIVE SUBMARINES LOST SINCE 1950–SINKINGS COST LIVES OF 330–USS Thresher Had 129 Aboard”… “The Thresher, the Squalus, the Thetis. Each was the name of a submarine involved in a major naval disaster. Those few persons–close relatives and members of the submarine service–who know the special anxiety that attends the long silence of a submarine were hoping last night that the missing Scorpion would not be added to them. A total of 330 lives have been lost in five submarine disaster since 1950–the year the British submarine Truculent was rammed by the Swedish tanker Divina and lost in the Thames estuary at a cost of 65 lives… It was April 1963, that the nuclear submarine Thresher began her brief and tragic career. She was the proud first of her class of long-range attack craft made to run silent, run deep and run fast…. with 129 men aboard, she went our for a series of check dives on the morning of April 10. About 7 A.M. she sent out a routine diving message and then slid silently into the sea some 220 miles east of Cape Cod never to be seen again.”…
THE WAR: Page 14: “Early this morning, at least four enemy rocket shells were sent crashing into the capital and there were reports that one Vietnamese civilian was killed and 10 wounded. …Yesterday to the northwest of the city, south Vietnamese marines made a block-by-block search for remnants of an enemy unit that had split into small bands. They reported killing 32 of the enemy after civilians had been ordered to leave their homes so that fighter-bombers could hit the area with napalm and bombs. To the north, near Dongha, the sprawling Marine base nine miles south of the DMZ, United States marines were said to have killed 92 enemy soldiers when they came upon an unsuspecting force of 100 men. The marines, who sustained 11 killed and 31 wounded pinned the enemy force down with their opening fire, then artillery and tactical air strikes. In the Mekong Delta, 23 enemy soldiers were said to have been killed by the Second Brigade, Ninth Infantry Division…U.S. losses were 3 killed and 25 wouned….14 Americans were killed nd 56 wounded late Saturday when enemy forces hit a night defensive position of the First Brigade, fourth Infantry Division 122 miles west of Dakto. Enemy casualties under a pounding of artillery and fighter-bombers were said to have been 76 killed….”… Page 14: “HANOI VOWS AID TO GUERRILLAS”…
PEACE TALKS IN PARIS: “HARRIMAN DISPLAYS 1959 PLAN BY HANOI TO INFILTRATE THE SOUTH”… ‘United States negotiators at the preliminary talks on Vietnam asserted today that allied forces have captured an official North Vietnamese Communist party history showing that party leaders in 1959 decided in May of 1959 to begin a military campaign against the South Vietnamese Government. The Johnson Administration has long contended that the war in Vietnam was essentially a campaign mounted by Hanoi rather than a civil war started by South Vietnamese dissidents as Hanoi contends. But not until recently have American officials referred specifically to the capture of ‘an official party history’ in War Zone C. northwest of Saigon, that mentioned such a decision by Hanoi.’… Page 1: “HANOI IS BELIEVED SHIFTING ON DENIAL IT USES TROOPS IN SOUTH VIETNAM”… “Amid harsh words today at the fifth session of the preliminary talks on Vietnam, Hanoi’s delegation took an apparent step toward acknowledging that North Vietnamese troops are in the South. The American spokesman, William J. Jorden, said later that the chief North Vietnamese delegate, Xuan Thuy, had come ‘about as close as he has to date in admitting’ the presence of North Vietnamese regulars in the South.. Others saw potential significance in the language used by Mr. Thuy, who said:‘Vietnam is one country, the Vietnamese people are one. When the United States commits aggression against Vietnam, any Vietnamese has the right to fight them, and that on any portion of his dear country’s territory. This is a sacred and inherent right.’ “…
Page 1: “HIGH COURT BACKS BAN ON BURNING OF DRAFT CARDS–RULES OUT SYMBOLIC SPEECH APPEAL IN UPHOLDING ’65 CURB ON WAR PROTESTERS”… “The Supreme Court upheld today a law of 1965 that makes it a crime to burn or otherwise destroy or mutilate a draft card.”… Page 1: “Justices Of Supreme Court Tell South To Spur Integration of All Schools”… Page 1: “FRENCH STRIKERS TURN DOWN PACT–Continue Sit-Ins– Voting With Raised Hands Workers Defy leaders–Walkouts Still spread”… Page 1: “ALLIES TO YIELD OCCUPATION POWER TO BONN–Step is Linked To Expected Passage of Emergency Laws By Government parliament”…
28 MAY 1968… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times (29 May reporting 28 May ops) Page 2: “In the air war, United States pilots flew 108 missions over the southern part of North Vietnam. An F-105 Thunderchief was lost to ground fire from an automatic weapon near Donghoi. The pilot was reported missing in action. The loss of the aircraft brought the unofficial total of American aircraft downed over North Vietnam to 842.”… “VIETNAM: AIR LOSSES” (Chris Hobson) There were three fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast asia on 28 may 1968…
(1) An A-4F of the VA-212 Rampant Raiders embarked in USS Bon Homme Richard was lost due to non-combat engine failure. The pilot ejected and was rescued to fly and fight again as soon as he could get refitted with a new hardhat… oohrah… “If you fall off a horse….”
(2) An O-1G of the 19th TASS and 504th TASG out of Bien Hoa suffered engine failure on takeoff and the aircraft was destroyed in the crash landing. The pilot an his observer survived the experience, the pilot–a fearless FAC– to suit-up and go again, the observer to the bar to think about it…
(3) MAJOR ROGER DEAN INGVALSON was flying an F-105 of the 34th TFS and 388th TFW out of Korat and had a bad day… The story is logged in the compilation: “34 TFS/F-105 History“ by Howie Plunkett…. “28-May-68… F-105D…34th TFS and 388th TFW Korat. Hit by automatic AAA wile strafing troops and trucks (Recall form yesterday’s RTR that on 3 May 1968 MAJOR INGVALSON enjoyed a three strafing pass day in Mugia Pass strafing 800-POL drums and his debrief comment: “I think we got all the drums. it was the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.”) Crashed in RP-1, North Vietnam. MAJOR ROGER DEAN INGVALSON, 34 TFS pilot ejected and became a POW. Released 14 March 1973… Call sign: ‘Gator 01’…Major Ingvalson, Operations Officer of the 34th TFS, was shot down 28 May about five miles west of Donghoi, while on an armed reconnaissance mission. His aircraft was downed by automatic weapons fire. He has been declared a Prisoner of War.
“On his 87th combat mission over North Vietnam, Major Ignvalson was lead of a flight of two on a strike mission in North Vietnam … the other member of the flight was Captain Gary G. Durkee, Gator 02. The flight took off from Korat at 06:49 and Major Ingvalson was shot down at 09:30.
Narrative #1: The Wingman: “The following is an extract from the statement of Captain Gary G. Durkee: While on a strafing pass against some trucks I observed Major Ingvalson’s aircraft hit just as he pulled off the target. His aircraft immediately caught fire and began to burn intensely. After three attempts, I made contact with Major Ingvalson, and told him he was hit. I then asked, ‘are you alright?’ He replied, ‘Roger, I’m heading for the water’ and began to turn to the sea. During this turn I lost sight momentarily of his aircraft. The next time I saw it (5 seconds later) it was engulfed in flames and rolling out of control. I was circling the aircraft and after seeing it hit the ground, I heard a strong beeper. About 10 seconds later, I spotted his chute and as I flew by him, I thought I saw him wave both arms at me. From the time he was hit to his ejection was only about 45 seconds. I remained over him along with Misty 11 for the next 15 minutes, while the rescue effort began. During this time, Misty told me that they observed Major Ingvalson run into a wooded area. I do not believe he was observed after this. I remained in the area until fuel requirements dictated that I leave.’…. SAR was conducted for approximately one hour and thirty minutes. No contact was made \with major Ingvalson. Two photographs of Major Ingvalson have been released and on 27 December 1968 a Hanoi radio broadcast stated that he has been captured….
Narrative #2: From another source: “…Major Ingvalson was the lead aircraft in a flight of two F-105s on a GAM launch mission…. Gator flight had completed its launch, refueling (strike on a bridge) and been directed to return (for Misty control) … for a strafing run against a truck marked by a Misty FAC. Major !ngvalson was hit in the belly fuel tank and began streaming fire. Gator 2 called to him that he was hit and he called back that he was OK and heading for the water. 45-seconds later the aircraft began to roll and the pilot was forced to eject. Gator 2 observed him descending in chute to ground. FAC Misty 11 and 12 were in the immediate area and had downed crewmember’s location in sight through field glasses. FAC saw pilot leave chute and run into a wooded area. They also observed two individuals immediately appearing to inspect the chute. Prior to hit, no ground fire had been observed, but after crewmember was downed, FACs reported they were receiving moderate amounts of automatic weapon fire Weather was broken with holes and starting to close in. SAR was conducted. SAR was terminated due to weather at 1056. Electronic search was conducted the following day without results.”
Narrative #3: Major Ingvalson: LCOl Robert Smith’s autobiography web site. Ingvalson described his shoot down.”My mission was to lead a flight of two to knock a bridge down in North Vietnam. We both had an air-to-ground mission hung under each wing–bombs. It was a fun assignment–no defenses, I thought. We were successful on this, my 87th mission. A Misty F-100 Forward Air Controller, requested that we hit an enemy convoy of trucks. Having a full load of 20 mike-mike cannon shells available, I jumped on the chance to attack and destroy the enemy. I believed in high-speed, low altitude engagement to assure accuracy. I rolled in above 500 knots, waiting to below 50-feet before pulling the trigger. Surprise! heavy defenses were in the area. Explosion. My cockpit filled with smoke immediately. I hit the afterburner to gain some valuable altitude, pulled the canopy ejection handle to get rid of the smoke, and shot up to about 600-feet when all hell broke loose. My aircraft went into an uncontrollable roll. The problem was that now I no longer was ascending but I was heading down. Urgent! Ignoring any ejection procedures but rather by reflex, I pulled the ejection seat handle and squeezed the trigger. That’s the last thing I remembered until I regained consciousness just before hitting the ground. Now I realized that I was doomed to be captured. My freedom was about to go. Dozens of little brown people were racing toward me, yelling in an angry foreign tongue. As I hit the ground my first reaction was to feel for broken bones because with 15 years of experience, I was fully aware of the chance of multiple fractures in such a high-speed bailout. To my amazement I had none, not even bruises.” End quote…
One of the Misty FACs on this mission was Captain P.K. Robinson, who was shot down by a SAM over four years later on 1 July 1972 while flying an F-4E from the 469th at Korat. He too became a POW who was released after 9 months of captivity. On Captain Robinson’s search for Major Ingvalson, Captain Dick Rutan was in the back seat of their F-100F…” End extracts from Howie Plunkett’s “compilation.”
COLONEL ROGER DEAN INGVALSON, USAF, (RETIRED) Passed away on December 24, 2011. Among his combat awards was the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with Combat V, the Distinguished Flying Cross and several Air Medals. For the rest of this great and fearless warfighter, Humble Host most strongly suggests you google up the POW Network entry for then Major Ingvalson…read at…
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/i004.htm
Include in the POW Network Ingvalson resume is this from Colonel Ingvalson… “Now that we, the known POWs are home, I hope that on one will stop their efforts because there are hundreds of men we still have no word of. My son waited for me (Major Ingvalson’s wife died of multiple sclerosis while he was imprisoned) for five years, but now I am home. The loved ones of the ‘Missing in Action’ are still waiting. They need our prayers. Every possible effort should be made to learn of their status and to assure each living American has a chance to come back to this freedom which I have learned to enjoy so much once again.”… Colonel Ingvalson: On this Memorial Day and the 50th anniversary of your bad day near Donghoi–followed by more than 1700 bad days and nights in the care of Rat and his staff of animals— you are remembered with admiration and respect… rest easy, glory gained, duty done…
RIPPLE SALVO… #814… NYT, 1 JUNE 1968, Page 46. OpEd… “SILENCE FROM THE SEA” …
“From the waters of Chesapeake By across the wide Atlantic to the Azores destroyers and airplanes and men with hooded eyes are searching for a sign of the Scorpion. The missing nuclear attack submarine and her crew of 99 are, in naval parlance, overdue. But with the waiting families, heroic in their own way, all America hopes for a signal of life from the vessel submerged somewhere in the trackless bournes of the seas. The United States is one of the great maritime nations and technological nations. Yet even the development of the most sophisticated weapons systems cannot overcome the elemental forces of the untamed oceans. Thus explorers, travelling beneath the mountainous waves on the surface and braving the crushing pressures below, are the Magellan’s of the twentieth century, testing the unknown.
“There have been technical improvements since the nuclear submarine Thresher was lost five years ago (April 1963), but the basic question is whether advances in safety have kept pace with advances in nuclear power plants.
“The silent service operates in the world of undersea cold war. But puny, warlike man is still no match for the brute force of nature. Submarines are vital to the nation’s defense arsenal. No effort can be spared to make them as safe as humanly possible for the daring men who patrol below the surface of the oceans.”… (The hull of the USS Scorpion was found in October 1968)…
LEAVE A REMEMBRANCE… Go to the “Wall of Faces” or the “The Wall” and identify a fallen warrior you want to let know has not been forgotten… there are more than 58,000 fallen Americans to select from… Humble Host and Mighty Thunder will be adding these sites to the RTR Home Page to enable you to easily “Leave a Remembrance” as the spirit strikes you…
RTR quote for 28 May, Memorial Day 2018: Navy Seal ROBERT O’NEILL, “Don’t Wish Me A Happy Memorial Day. There is nothing happy about the loss of the brave men and women of our armed forces who died in combat defending America. Memorial Day is not a celebration… Memorial Day is a time to think of ‘might have beens that never were.’ Of brave Americans who put their country before themselves. Without these heroes, America would not be America.”…
Lest we forget… Bear