ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED 7 APRIL 1966

RIPPLE SALVO… ON THE RECORD… but first….

Good Morning: Day THIRTY-EIGHT of a look back of fifty years to Operation Rolling Thunder… “the air war…”

7 APRIL 1966 (NYT)… ON THE HOMEFRONT… A clear day in Washington and the President was on the front page of the NYT saying the country would back the military junta in South Vietnam, with of without Ky…The headline read:” Saigon Striving for Compromise With Buddhists,” and the story read that the troops sent to Danang were to be withdrawn as a step to end the political protests that were dividing the country… Page 1 war news: “In the war, United States marines were reported to have destroyed a complex of Viet Cong camps, hospitals and storage 18-miles southeast of Saigon.”…Bad weather over North Vietnam continues to limit Rolling Thunder ops and the Air Force and Navy flew a total of 47 missions. The Navy hit railroad yards in Vinh with Mk-83s. The B-52s hit targets 55 miles west of Saigon…Page 3: An interesting article about cutting costs of the war by serving the troops less pork and bacon– too expensive. The order also included the elimination of butter with margarine to substitute…Page 13: U Thant at the U.N. declared that the U.N. has no role in the Vietnam conflict because neither North or South Vietnam have agreed to present a case to the U.N… Sports pages…Masters at Augusta … Fifty Years Ago this week… with Jack Nicklaus favored. Field includes Player, Palmer, Sanders, Tony Lema, Ken Venturi, Sam Snead and Gay Brewer… Wisconsin agreed to let the Braves move to Atlanta this season if the National League can assure Wisconsin a franchise in 1967, if no assurance, Milwaukee vows to fight the move… Spring training winding down and Orioles Jim Palmer and Frank Robinson whip the Yankees, 2-0… And on page 17…in a little box report: “Defense Department announces the death of 17 troops Killed in Action in Vietnam…

7 APRIL 1966… ROLLING THUNDER… USAF 8thTBS operating out of Danang lost a B-57B operating in Steel Tiger about 55 miles west of Hue. The aircraft was probably hit by ground fire and crashed killing CAPTAIN ROBERT RUSSELL BARNETT and CAPTAIN THOMAS TAYLOR WALKER, Killed in Action, and remembered here today on the 50th anniversary of their deaths in the service of their country… Rolling Thunder light frag executed without loss… Light on RT activity in April 1966, your Humble Host springs ahead to tell the whole story of a coordinated two carrier strike executed on 18 September 1967…I put this out there for your consideration as indicative of the great tales of daring and destruction in the service of our country that belong in the archives of the Rolling Thunder years… Gentlemen, you are getting old… put your story on the record or forever hold your piece….

USS Coral Sea and USS Intrepid versus the Highway and Railroad Bridges of Haiphong on 18 September 1967….

On 18 September 1967 Air Wing Fifteen embarked in USS Coral Sea, in coordination with Air Wing Ten embarked in USS Intrepid, launched a major strike against enemy installations in the port city of Haiphong, North Vietnam. Led by Commander V.W. Daniels, executive Officer of VA-155, Air Wing 15, assigned targets were two key bridges, the Haiphong Railroad/Highway Bridge and the Haiphong Highway Bridge. The Haiphong RR/HW Bridge is a 300×20 feet steel truss bridge built in two levels, one for vehicles and one for narrow gage rail traffic. The highway bridge was 300×25 feet, six span, concrete deck, bowstring truss span bridge with a vertical lift center span to allow passage for waterway traffic. These two bridges were vital links in the railroad and highway system connecting the port city of Haiphong with the rail center at Hai Duong and the capitol city of Hanoi. Destruction of these logistic arteries which serve the principle entry and exit route for North Vietnamese imports and exports would seriously effect the North Vietnamese ability to wage war.

In defense of the strategic area the enemy deployed 22 surface-to-air missile sites, eight of which were known occupied and considered a high threat. These particular sites had become very active due to the increased bombing missions directed against targets in the city of Haiphong. Additionally, 33 active medium and 50 active heavy anti-aircraft guns were emplaced through out the area. Recent experience by pilots overflying these sites indicated that the gunners were well trained and could provide accurate tracking, sector and barrage anti-aircraft fire. An enemy aircraft threat was also prevalent due to the fact that the Kien An airfield located south of the city, as well as within range of jet fighters operating from Phuc Yen airfield north of the capitol city of Hanoi.

Air Wing 15 strike force was composed of 14 A-4E strike aircraft, two Iron Hand A-4Es and four F-4B TarCap aircraft. Additional flak suppressors and Iron Hand aircraft were provided by Air Wing 10. In support of the strike force were four A-1H ResCap aircraft, one E-2A, and one EA-1F aircraft.

In order to reduce effectiveness of the enemy defense it was planned to divide his fire by striking both bridges simultaneously from different directions immediately following an attack by Air Wing 10on the railroad yards located to the west of the city. Run-in and bomb delivery sectors were restricted due to a hospital area located in close proximity to the targets. It was agreed that Air Wing 10 would proceed Air Wing 15 on target by not more than one minute and would provide six A4C surface-to-air missile suppression aircraft and ten A-4B for flak suppression, in addition to an attack element to strike the railroad yards. Four of the Air Wing 10 suppressors were to join the Air Wing 15 strike force en route to the target to provide close flak suppression support.

The two air wings rendezvoused over their respective carriers and proceeded independently between multiple cloud layers toward the target. Upon reaching a position in the vicinity of the northern SAR destroyer, the two forces combined, Air Wing 15 assuming a position five miles in trail. As the force closed the target area, intense gunfire control radar and surface-to-air missile tracking radar activity was detected. At this point the Air Wing 15 Iron Hand aircraft positioned themselves to counter the SAM site northeast of the city which fired on previous strike groups entering the Haiphong complex. Within seconds after the site began emitting, an Iron Hand anti air-to-surface missile was fired and was observed to impact in the site. No further radar emissions were detected from this site and the Iron Hand aircraft proceeded to a position north of the city where they provided protection for both strike groups until completion of the attack and the post-strike photo reconnaissance.

Reaching a position abeam of the So Son Peninsula the attack force split into two elements. The southern element, led by LCDR R.F. Coleman was composed of seven A-4E aircraft. Its target assignment was the northern highway bridge. Skirting the southern edge of the city and proceeding to a planned roll-in point to the west of the intended target, LCDR Coleman’s flight was immediately taken under attack by 57 and 87mm fire from sites in the vicinity of Kien An airfield. The northern element led by CDR V.W. Daniels was composed of seven A-4E strike aircraft. The intended target was the railroad/highway bridge. Arcing to the east and proceeding to a roll-in point just north of the intended target, CDR Daniels flight was taken under heavy attack by medium anti-aircraft fit=re from the sites located west of Cat Bi airfield and in the city proper. Both element leaders maneuvered their forces skillfully, seeking altitudes and areas relatively safe from enemy flak concentrations. Despite this heavy enemy fire, both elements reached their respective roll-in points nearly simultaneously and executed a superbly coordinated and extremely effective attack on their assigned targets with the northern element rolling in just as the last aircraft of the southern element was releasing its bombs.

For the entire ingress and egress of the attack force, the TarCap  stationed themselves in an optimum position to protect the strike force and to provide visual and radar search for enemy aircraft as well as visual lookout for surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft fire. The photo reconnaissance element which had been holding offshore and had observed two apparently ballistic SAMs explode in their vicinity made their photo run through heavy anti-aircraft fire obtaining outstanding photographic coverage on all targets. Assessment of the post strike photography showed superior results. One approach span and one overwater span on the highway bridge was cleanly dropped. The east and west approaches to their bridge were also completely destroyed. the previously undamaged south end of the railroad/highway bridge was heavily damaged with holes in both the decks of the bridge structure rendering the bridge unusable. Both approaches to this bridge were also severely interdicted… 

RIPPLE SALVO… ON THE RECORD… the “Summary of Action” above, concluded with the following:

“These accomplishments in the face of continuous and grave danger reflect great credit on the skill, daring, courage and leadership of those participating in this action. The Air Wing 15 major assault on 18 September 1967 against the highway/railway bridge and highway bridges in Haiphong, North Vietnam, was one of the strikes referred to in COMSEVENTHFLEET msg of 20 Sept 67, which is quoted in part:

“Key targets in the plan to isolate Haiphong from the hinterland are the Highway and Railway Bridges located in the environs of the port city. It is noted that a significant advance towards the realization of our objectives has been achieved by the Coral Sea and the sharp shooters of CVG-15 with the dropping of the west span and the east approach ramp of the Haiphong Highway Bridge and the cratering of the Highway/Railway Bridge. A special note has been taken of the determination and aggressiveness of CTG-77.3 forces during the operations of 17 and 18 September while striking targets in the heavily defended Haiphong complex on six different occasions. The excellent results achieved are a fitting tribute to your teamwork, dedication and courage. Well done! /S/ ADM John J Hyland.”

  Fifty years ago the strike pilots who carried the fight to the enemy where he lives possessed more than courage. They were required to fly their not very smart aircraft to a very specific spot in the sky to release their dumb weapons using unsophisticated gun sights in order to hit their targets. A few knots off airspeed, a degree or two off dive angle, an early or late off altitude release, and a bit out of 1-G flight, and the bombs went off-target. Dive bombing while looking down hot gun barrels and being shot at was demanding and dangerous business. Documents that tell the story of Rolling Thunder warriors, as recorded above, belong in the history books. This website, WHICH IS OPEN TO ALL WHO WRITE, is a sure way to get these stories ON THE RECORD and into the national archives. Get ‘er done. (PS… I hope Tom Brown and Len Giuliani recognize my retelling of one of their hundreds of tales from Rolling Thunder… )

Lest we forget…..      Bear