RIPPLE SALVO… #272… THE FIRST TWO OF K-HAWK’s SET OF SIX ARDUOUS COMBAT CRUISES… but first…
Good Morning: Day TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO of recollections from the air war in North Vietnam fifty years ago…
29 NOVEMBER 1966… HOME TOWN HEAD LINES from the New York Times on cloudy, cold and rainy Tuesday in New York…
Page 1: “U.S. Upgrades Ties With Bulgarians and Hungarians by raising relationship from legation level to Ambassadorial. Rapprochement is the aim and decision implements policies of closer contacts with Eastern Europe urged by President Johnson.:… Page 1: “Truce Approval By U.S. Is Expected in answer to Vietcong plan as talks with Saigon on the truces over Christmas and the New Year continue.”… Page 1: “President Frees Mortgage Funds of $250 million in aid voted by Congress to spur housing industry. Money now available to finance the mortgages of some 15,000 new homes at low and moderate prices.”… Page 1: “Romney Attacked Goldwater Race As Keyed To the South in a 12-page letter to the defeated nominee written after the election that gave the reason why Romney withheld his support in Goldwater’s run for President in 1964. Romney said he withheld his support because the campaign has ‘a Southern white-rural-orientation.’ “… Page 2: “U.S. and Foe Trade Fire In Highlands. Shooting erupts near camp in Highlands near Cambodian border but no casualties reported. In action closer to Saigon, Vietcong ground fire shot down an Army helicopter 9 miles north of the city killing two and destroying the helicopter.”…
29 November 1966… The President’s Daily Brief…CIA (TS sanitized)…VIETNAM: A Filipino congressman arrived in Saigon yesterday with word that President Marcos intends to visit South Vietnam very shortly. Marcos is still publicly denying any such plans, but rumors of his impending visit are already spreading in Saigon. Such a trip now would be consistent with Marcos’ energetic efforts to follow upon the Manila conference… JORDAN: The anti-regime demonstrations in West Jordan today resulted in some violence, but the day passed without the serious trouble that had been feared. Israeli fighter planes clashed with Egyptian MIG-19s near the border and at least one of the Egyptian planes was downed. Israel has publicly claimed to have knocked out two MIGs, but Egypt has been mum about the whole affair…
29 NOVEMBER 1966… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… NYT: No coverage of the air war… “Vietnam: Air Losses”(Hobson)…One fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 29 November 1966…
(1) CAPTAIN JOHN MORTON ROPER was flying an A-1E of the 602nd ACS and 14th ACW out of Udorn on a Barrel Roll bombing mission on a truck park near Ban Paka and the North Vietnam border when hit in the fuselage by ground fire. He flew his burning aircraft 70 miles before having to crash land. CAPTAIN ROPER did not survive the landing and was Killed in Action… No information on the brave Captain’s final resting place… Left behind?…
RIPPLE SALVO… #272… NATIONAL AIRCRAFT CARRIER MONTH… ARDUOUS? ARDUOUS? USS KITTY HAWK’s six combat cruises to the Gulf of Tonkin over an eight year period is one that set the standard for Arduous. From the start of her first combat cruise in October 1965 to her return from her sixth combat cruise in November 1972 Kitty Hawk and her embarked Carrier Air Wing ELEVEN were away from North Island, the carrier’s homeport for over 75% of the time (66 of 86 months) and logged 806 days on the line at Yankee Station. This summary covers just the first two of her six combat cruises. I will cover the last four tomorrow. Her first two cruises cover the period 19 October 1965 to 30 June 1967 during which she would lose 42 aircraft and leave 43 valiant warriors behind, 8 of whom would return from the Hanoi Hilton in 1973. ARDUOUS!… (Sources: Hobson and Rene’ J. Francillon’s “Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club” and personal records)…
THE FIRST VIETNAM COMBAT CRUISE OF USS KITTY HAWK with CVW-11 embarked departing North Island 19 October 1965 returning 13 June 1966…
Days on the line: 122
Combat Losses: 20
2 Dec: F-4B of VF-114… COMMANDER CARL B. AUSTIN. CO VF-114, (KIA) and LTJG JACOB D. LOGAN (KIA)…
20 Dec: RA-5C of RVAH-13… LCDR GUY D. JOHNSON (KIA) and LTJG LEE E. NORWAHL (KIA)…
21 Dec: A-6A of VA_85… COMMANDER BILLIE J.CARTWRIGHT, CO-VA-85 (KIA) and LT EDWARD F. GOLD (KIA)…
22 Dec: RA-5C of RVAH-13 …LCDR MAX D. LUKENBACH (KIA) and LTJG GLENN H. DAIGLE (POW)…
31 Jan: F-4B of VF-114…LT W.F. KLUMPP and LTJG J.N. STINEMAN … both recovered…
1 Feb: A-1J of VA-115… LTJG B.S. EAKIN … recovered…
3 Feb: RA-5C of RVAH-13… LT GERALD L. COFFEE (POW) and LTJG ROBERT TAFT HANSON (POW-died in captivity)…
18 Feb: A-6A of VA-85… LTJG JOESEPH V. MURRAY (KIA) and LTJG THOMAS A. SCHROEFFEL (KIA)…
5 Mar: F-4B of VF-114… LCDR MAL N. GUESS and LT R.E. PILE … both recovered…
12 Apr: A-3B of VAH-4… LCDR WILLIAM A. GLASSON, LTJG LARRY M. JORDAN, PRCS KENNETH W. PUGH and ATCS RUEBEN B. HARRIS all four KIA…
17 Apr: A-6A of VA-85… LCDR SAM SAYERS and LCDR C.D. HAWKINS… both recovered…
17 Apr: A-1H of VA-115… LTJG WILLIAM L. TROMP (POW died in captivity)… or KIA?
20 Apr: A-4C of VA-113… COMMANDER JOHN ABBOTT, CO-VA 113 (KIA)…
20 Apr: A-4C of VA-113… LTJG Harry Welch… recovered…
21 Apr: A-6A of VA-85… COMMANDER JACK E. KELLER, CO-85 and LCDR ELLIS E. AUSTIN…both KIA…
22 Apr: A-6A of VA-85… LCDR ROBERT F. WEIMORTS and WILLIAM B. NICKERSON … both KIA…
26 Apr: F-4B of VF-114… LTJG W.W. SMITH and LTJG R. BLAKE… (both recovered)…
27 Apr: A-6A of VA-85… LT WILLIAM R. WESTERMAN (PH) and LTJG BRIAN E. WESTIN (NAVY CROSS)… both recovered…
28 Apr: F-4G of VF-213...LT R.A. SCHILTZ and LTJG D.C. LEWIS… (both recovered)…
18 May: F-$b of VF-213…LCDR C.N. SOMMERS, II and LCDR W.K. SULLIVAN… (both recovered)…
Operational Losses: 5 (2 A-4Cs, 1 killed; 2 A-1Hs, 2 recovered; 1 A-6A, 2 recovered)
THE SECOND VIETNAM COMBAT CRUISE OF USS KITTY HAWK and CVW-11… 5 November 1966 to 12 June 1967…
Days on the line: 118
Combat Losses: 15
21 Dec: A-4C of VA-144… LTJG DANNY ELLOY GLENN… (POW)…
19 Jan 67: A-6A of VA-85… COMMANDER ALLEN COLE BRADY, XO VA-85 (POW) and LCDR WILLIAM P. YARBROUGH… (KIA)…
19 Jan: F-4B of VF-114… LCDR DONALD ROBERTS ASHBY and LTJG DENNIS MICHAEL EHRLICH… (both KIA)…
20 Jan: A-4C of VA-112… LTJG JERRY F. HOGAN… (KIA)…
4 Feb: F-4B of VF-213… LT DONALD E. THOMPSON and LT ALLAN P. COLLAMORE… (both KIA)…
8 Mar: A-3B of VAH-4… LTCR CARROLL O. CRAIN, LTJG GEORGE F. PAWLISH, and AT RONALD E. GALVIN… ( all KIA)…
9 Mar: RA-5C of RVAH-13… COMMANDER CHARLES L. PUTNAM (KIA) and LTJG F.S. PENDERGAST… (recovered) great story…
24 Mar: A-6A of VA-85… LCDR JOHN COOLEY ELLISON and LTJG JAMES EDWIN PLOWMAN … ( both KIA )…
27 Mar: A-4C of VA-112… LT ALEXANDER J. PALENSCAR… (KIA)
24 Apr: F-4B of VF-114… LCDR CHARLES E. SOUTHWICK and ENSIGN JIM ROLLINS… (both recovered)…
24 Apr: A-6A of VA-85… LTJG LEWIS IRVING WILLIAMS and LTJG MICHAEL DURHAM CHRISTIAN… (both POW)…
14 May: F-4B of VF-114… LCDR CHARLES E. SOUTHWICK and LT DAVID JOHN ROLLINS… (both POW)…
19 May: RA-5C 0f RVAH-13… LCDR JAMES LLOYD GRIFFIN and LT JACK WALTERS… (both POW and both died in captivity)…
19 May: F-4B of VF -114… LTJG JOSEPH CHARLES PLUMB and LTJG GARETH LAVERNE ANDERSON… (both POW)…
21 May: F-4B of VF-114… LT DENNY WISELY and ENSIGN JIM H. LAING…(both recovered)…
Operational Losses: 2 (2 F-4Bs 1 crew killed and 3 recovered)
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COMBAT CRUISE: 2 AN-2 and 2 MIG-17 Kills…
(1) LT DENNY WISELY and LTJG DAVID JORDAN of VF-114 Bag an AN-2 on 20 December 1966…
(2) LT DAVID McCREA and ENSIGN DAVID NICHOLS of VF-213 bag an AN-2 on 20 Dec 1966…
(3) LCDR CHARLES SOUTHWICK and ENSIGN JAMES W. LAING of VF-114 kill a MIG-17 on 24 April 1967…
(4) LT DENNY WISELY and LTJG GARETH L. ANDERSON of VF-114 kill a MIG-17 on 24 April 1967…
Ripple Salvo comment: You say Arduous? USS Kitty Hawk returned from #2 of 6 cruises to enjoy a 4 1/2 month turnaround to replace half the Air Wing personnel, re-equip with upgraded aircraft and systems, and spend more than a month at sea integrating new boys into the fighting line-up. Then off to war again on a 7 1/2 month cruise with another 125 days on the line and little liberty to go with it. God bless all you guys who ran the Kitty Hawk gauntlet for our God, country and a real special set of human beings–the ladies and families who also served at home… All of this was fifty years ago and off most folks scopes… but if you were around in 1966 and 1967 and are still here you remember that unsurpassed level of commitment, sacrifice and indomitable courage, forever and ever…
It is good to celebrate NATIONAL AIRCRAFT CARRIER MONTH… I plan to stretch the applause for the Vietnam War carriers through December… Tomorrow: the other four cruises of Kitty Hawk…
Lest we forget… Bear -30-