GOOD MORNING… Day NINE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN of a daily remembrance of the events and warriors of the air campaign waged in the skies of North Vietnam from 1965 to 1 November 1968… Humble Host notes that 1 November is on the horizon and my daily posts will reflect the slowing tempo and changing nature of Rolling Thunder. The countdown of posts tied to the 50th anniversary of a specific day in the 44-month operation has begun. Humble Host will be posting about Rolling Thunder indefinitely, but at a leisurely pace fitting an old warhorse pastured in deep bluegrass… 34 Days to Cessation…
HEAD LINES from The New York Times for Saturday, 28 September 1968…
THE WAR: Page 1: “FOE CONTINUES HEAVY SHELLING A ALLIED POST NEAR CAMBODIA–GROUND ATTACKS ARE MADE ON GREEN BERET CAMP AND VIETNAMESE POSITIONS”…”Two Special Forces camps and a South Vietnamese Army outpost along the Cambodian border came under intense fire early today as enemy forces continued to hit isolated posts northwest of Saigon. One of the camps was struck by more than 1,000 rounds of rocket fire and mortar shells preceding a ground attack tht was beaten back after several hours of bitter fighting. There was some indication that allied artillery fire was directed into Cambodia during an attack on the South Vietnamese camp at Thienngon, some 25 miles northwest of Tayninh… Spokesmen said 130 of the attackers had been killed and that allied casualties were 4 killed and 13 wounded…. ‘Did the allied artillery fire at rocket sites in Cambodia,’ the spokesman was asked. ‘We have no information on that,’ he replied with a grin…”… “PACIFICATION GAINS REPORTED BY THIEU”… “President Nguyen Van Thieu said today that his Government’s first development program had ‘more or less’ recovered from the blows of the enemy’s offensive during the enemy’s offensive during Tet, the Lunar New Year, early this year. He said the original plans for pacification for 1968 were being carried out on schedule
Page 1 Head Lines: “BALL SAYS THANT IS NAIVE ON WAR–Criticizes View That End Of Bombing Of North Vietnam Will End The War”… “FORTAS RECEIVES CRITICAL SETBACK AS DIRKSEN SHIFTS–G.O.P. Chief Now Opposes Cloture–His Position On Confirmation Unclear”… “MUSKIE SAYS VICTORY KEY IS PERSONALITY–NOT ISSUES”… “NIXON SAYS RIVAL IS USING WALLACE–Presses Argument In South That Humphrey Can’t Win”… “HUMPHREY TURNS ON ECONOMIC ISSUES–He Stresses Prosperity–War Protest Mars Rally”… “FRENCH AGAIN BAR ENTRY BY BRITAIN INTO THE MARKET–Debre, in Brussels, Kills German Tariff Proposal, Thus Rebuffing London–Veto Third Since 1963–Plan Offered By Brandt Is Viewed As Sign Of New Firmness By France”… “Senate Panel Bids Johnson Delay Ratifying Atom Pact”…
28 SEPTEMBER 1968… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times: “In the air war on 27 Sept American pilots flew 138 mult-aircraft missions over North Vietnam. Among the targets were sampans, trucks and bridges.” (29 Sept reporting 28 Sept Ops) “Over North Vietnam, American pilots flew 119 strike missions through moderate antiaircraft fire. No planes were reported to have been shot down.
VIETNAM: AIR LOSSES (Chris Hobson) There was one fixed wing aircraft downed in Southeast Asia on 28 September 19689…
(1) LT D.J. WRIGHT was flying an A-4F of the VA-55 Warhorses embarked in USS Hancock was downed on a wing strike on the Tam Da railway bypass 11 miles north of Vinh. LT WRIGHT was recovering from his bomb run and passing through 4,000-feet was hit by 37-mm rounds in the port wing root. He was able to get to the coast before he had to eject. He came down a few miles at sea and under the cover of Navy A-7s was recovered by a Navy SH-3 to fly and fight again, and again….
SUMMARY OF ROLLING THUNDER LOSSES (KIA/MIA/POW) FOR THE FOUR 28 SEPTEMBER DATES OF THE FOUR YEARS OF THE OPERATION OVER NORTH VIETNAM…
1966, 1967, 1968… NONE…
1965… LCDR CARL JULIUS WOODS, USN… (KIA)… On this day 53 years ago LCDR WOODS was flying an A-1H of the VA-196 “Main Battery” embarked in USS Bon Homme Richard on a road reconnaissance mission northwest of Vinh en route to a bridge target at Qui Vinh when hit by anti-aircraft fire. LCDR WOODS was able to fly his failing Skyraider 4o miles before having to abandon the aircraft. He had a good parachute and water entry with an Air Force helicopter on scene within minutes, but LCDR WOODS was under water and presumed drowned. He is remembered with respect and admiration as he rests in peace, 53 years down and forever to go… VVMF, WALL OF FACES and “Leave a Remembrance”…
RTR quote for 28 September: MAO TSE TUNG: “War is the highest form of struggle for resolving contradictions, when they have developed to a certain stage, between classes, nations, states, or political groups; and it has existed ever since the emergence of private property and of classes.”…
Lest we forget… Bear