RIPPLE SALVO… #337… THE BLACK FALCONS OF VA-85 versus THE INDESTRUCTIBLE THANH HOA BRIDGE... but first…
Good Morning: Day THREE HUNDRED THIRTY SIX of a return to the air war with North Vietnam fifty years ago…
5 FEBRUARY 1967… HEAD LINES from The New York Times on a cloudy Sunday in NYC with snow on the way…
Page 1: “White House Aide Confirms Moves for Peace Talks”... “Walt Rostow, a special assistant to President Johnson, said today that the United States and North Vietnam are involved in what is or might turn out to be a negotiating process toward a settlement in Vietnam. Mr. Rostow made this comment in reply to a question about published reports that North Vietnam had agreed in December to an American suggestion for face-to-face discussions aimed at ending the war. The reports said Hanoi has changed its mind after American bombing raids in the Hanoi region in December, published in the Washington Post explaining that he felt it was a bad time to discuss any particular track. ‘This is an extremely interesting and delicate phase in what might turn out to be a negotiating process. Nothing as yet has happened that would justify us as saying we have a serious offer to negotiate.’ “... Page 1: “U.S. Prestige Drop Found by Kennedy”... “Senator Robert Kennedy returned yesterday from his tour of European capitals and said that ‘One of the prices of the Vietnam war had been an undermining of United States prestige in Europe…” …Page 1: “Apartheid Keeps Crew On U.S. Ship”… “The United States carrier Franklin Delano Roosevelt steamed into Table Bay Harbor here in Capetown, South Africa (en route to the South China Sea) to take on fuel and provisions, but 3800 crewmen aboard were told they would not get shore leave because of apartheid laws. The decision to keep the crew aboard during the four day layover was taken at the highest level because of difficulties in organizing leave arrangements. (A picture of the carrier FDR was centered on page of the NYT)…
Page 1: “Schools To Groom 2,000 Poor Youths for College Here”... “Poor youngsters who have strong potential despite beginning grades will be given a chance to go to college under a sweeping program that will bring together the Board of Education, two Roman Catholic school systems and 39 colleges and universities in the Metropolitan area. The plan to go into effect next fall, will affect about 2,000 to 3,000 ninth and tenth grade students who would not ordinarily go to college. An Administrator said: ‘We are not talking about a project here. This is a massive program that will ultimately include all disadvantaged students with college potential.’ “… Page 1: “Moscow Protests Chinese Violence Against Embassy”…”The Soviet Government warned China today to halt a campaign of violence and humiliation against Russians in Peking or face retaliatory actions by the Soviet Union…’the restraint and patience of the Soviet people are not boundless.’ “…
Page 3: “U.S. Estimates Vietnam Foe Has 180 American Captives”…”being held prisoners of either North Vietnam or the Vietcong. The estimate followed disclosure yesterday that three Navy pilots previously listed as Killed in Action were prisoners. The United States estimates that there are 150 American imprisoned in the North and 30 by the Vietcong. The Pentagon lists 139 servicemen as captured and 355 as missing in action…” … “No Man Left Behind!”
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM… CAPTAIN MONTE LARUE MOORBERG, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE… the AIR FORCE CROSS…
“The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the AIR FORCE CROSS (Posthumously) to MONTE LARUE MOORBERG, CAPTAIN, U.S. Air Force, (34th TFS and 388th TFW out of Korat) for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force on 2 December 1966. On that date, CAPTAIN MOORBERG led a flight of F-105 Thunderchiefs against the Phuc Yen Petroleum and Oil Storage Facility, located 14 miles north of Hanoi, North Vietnam. Despite intense antiaircraft fire, at least three SA-2 missile launches, a constant threat of MiG fighter attacks, and exceptionally adverse weather, he led his flight to, and successfully put his ordnance on the target. His calm and courageous leadership was instrumental in enabling his flight to return safely. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, CAPTAIN MOORBERG reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
Among CAPTAIN MOORBERG’s combat awards are the Air Force Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart and nine Air Medals….
This from Hobson’s “Vietnam: Air Losses,” page 82… “A major strike on Phuc Yen airfield’s POL storage facility claimed three Air Force aircraft. The first to fall was an F-105 that was hit by 37mm AAA as it dived on the target from about 6,000-feet. The aircraft rear fuselage was seen to be on fire and the pilot (CAPTAIN MOORBERG) may have been hit as he was not seen to eject before the aircraft crashed about 15 miles west of the airfield.” 2 December was a black day for Rolling Thunder aviators with eight aviators captured and four killed in action… (See RTR for 2 December 1966)…
5 FEB 1967… Operation Rolling Thunder…New York Times (6 Feb reporting 5 Feb ops) Page 1: “U.S. Planes Blast Army Barracks Near Hanoi”... “Six flights of Thunderchiefs–18 to 24 planes– attacked North Vietnam’s Xuanmai army barracks 20 miles southwest of Hanoi yesterday…The pilots reported that 3 buildings were set afire and several other fires were started in the compound area. The flights also silenced three antiaircraft sites in the area. For the second day U.S. and enemy jets tangled over North Vietnam. Four American Phantom fighter-bombers were attacked by twice that number of MIGs. Gunfire was exchanged but neither side inflicted any damage. The air action over the North Saturday cost the United States two more planes and six aircrew men aboard are listed as missing. The planes were the 470th and 471st aircraft lost since the war began. One was an Air Force EB-66 loaded with sophisticated electronic gear. (See RTR 4 Feb) Yesterday a Hanoi broadcast asserted that North Vietnamese ground fire knocked out eight United States aircraft Saturday and one yesterday. It also said a number of U.S. pilots were captured…The North Vietnamese say they have shot down 1,674 United States planes (and drones) since the war began.”… (Bear#24/2BullpupBs/TamDa bridges)… “Vietnam: Air Losses” (Hobson) There were no fixed wing aircraft lost on 5 February 1967 in Southeast Asia…
RIPPLE SALVO… #337… The VA-85 BLACK FALCONS led by COMMANDER RON HAYES took on the toughest target in North Vietnam (tough to get into to and triple tough to knock down) on the night of 4-5 February 1967. Result: A draw. But this is a great tale for understanding how creative, determined and courageous A-6 Intruder crews were for the duration of Operation Rolling Thunder. My source for the following is impeccable documentation from my stuff…
“On the night of 4 February 1967, Attack Squadron EIGHTY FIVE, embarked in USS KITTY HAWK (CVA-63) as an element of Attack Carrier Air Wing ELEVEN, was assigned a strike against the highly strategic Thanh Hoa railroad/highway bridge, North Vietnam’s only north south rail link in the Thanh Hoa area. Damage to the vital enemy bridge would restrict the flow of equipment and supplies southward and seriously hamper North Vietnam’s line of communication. Photographic intelligence indicated that precious damage to the seemingly indestructible target had been repaired.
“The sturdy construction of the bridge suggested a large concentration of heavy bombs released to explode simultaneously as a requirement for target destruction. Despite the surface-to-air missile threat and a dense concentration of anti-aircraft guns and automatic weapons surrounding the target, a daring but dangerous plan involving a night formation attack with three A-6 aircraft was formulated by COMMANDER RON HAYS to achieve a heavy weight of ordnance on the bridge. Each A-6 was loaded with five 2,000 pound bombs, all of which were programmed to be salvoed simultaneously on a signal from the leader. Never before had such a tactic been planned against a heavily defended target in North Vietnam. The proposed tactics required outstanding “parade” formation flying by the strike leader and by the two wingmen, especially, who would have only dim formation lights to fly by–lights which perhaps could be seen from the ground on the dark night. Because of the added danger of midair collision in a close formation flown at low altitude at night in a heavily defended area only volunteers were accepted for the mission. The wingmen, LT FRANK WAGNER and LTJG IRV WILLIAMS, the irrepressible Irv Williams, were thoroughly briefed by CDR HAYS (VCNO to be), the flight leader, of the additional hazards involved and of the voluntary nature of the mission.
“The bombardier/navigators, LT TED BEEN, LT MANFRED SCHRUPP and LT JIM DOBBERTEEN, also volunteers, were required to maintain an exact navigational track and to run concurrent bomb release solutions to that either of the wing aircraft could assume the flight lead if necessary. In addition, the wingmen bombardier/navigators were briefed to aid pilots who would be concentrating on formation flying by giving aircraft attitude information, distance, remaining to target and to call break away after bomb release, where upon the wing pilots would turn independently to pre-assigned headings to clear the target area. Other bombardier/navigator duties included management of all ordnance switched and electronic countermeasure functions during the attack.
“The attack was made on a dark night with no moon and no visible horizon. The optimum approach to the target necessitated thirty miles of wings level flight over enemy territory. Precise navigation and final steering information were provided by LT BEEN, the lead B/N who masterfully used the complex A-6 weapons system throughout the mission to allow CDR HAYS considerable leeway in maneuvering the flight for maximum ease on the wingmen. The complete darkness, low altitude and high speed made the problem of maintaining a wing position extremely difficult. No part of the leader’s aircraft could be seen by the wingmen except for the dimmed formation lights. Lateral distance was judged in many cases by the feel of air pressure as the aircraft flew in close proximity. During the attack the formation was subjected to intense anti-aircraft and automatic weapons fire of such accuracy that tracers from automatic weapons passes between the aircraft, flying almost wing tip-to-wing tip. Despite the intensive ground fire and a surface-to-surface missile warning, at nine miles to go to bomb release, the close strike formation was maintained throughout the attack. As a result of the flight’s courageous and extraordinary airmanship several direct hits were scored on the target, as verified by post strike reconnaissance. The resulting damage, the most significant ever achieved during attacks covering more than a year’s time, seriously weakened the bridge and rendered it unserviceable for an extended period of time.”
Alas, the best laid plans… There weren’t many awards for COMMANDER HAYS and the Black Falcons for their imaginative and brilliantly executed mission, (“They didn’t drop it, did they!”) but the 4 February 1967 aviators racked up a sock full of unbeatable memories and tales for a lifetime of Happy Hours. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of bridges in North Vietnam, but none so challenging for Navy fighter-bombers than the great Thanh Hoa Bridge. Just to hit the bridge with a ton or two of ordnance was reward enough for any Rolling Thunder aviator. Dropping it would take years of trying, and eventually it would fall. When it went, there wasn’t any warrior who had ever scored a hit or two on the great bridge that didn’t feel like he had contributed to the eventual destruction of the monster… oohrah…
CAG’s QUOTES for 5 February: ANONYMOUS: “Every successful military effort is spearheaded by an elite force of courageous, skilled, disciplined and loyal fighters imbued with the spirit of attack.” … PATTON: “Roman civilization fell due to the loss of the will to conquer.”…
Lest we forget… Bear