RIPPLE SALVO… #520… THE QUIET PASSING OF BRAVE HEARTS JIM HIVNER, HOLLY HOLLANDSWORTH, AND JIM SHAPIRO… but first…
Good Morning: Day FIVE HUNDRED-TWENTY of daily pauses to remember the events and intrepid aviators of Operation Rolling Thunder…
7 August 1967… HEADLINES from The New York Times on a bright and sunny Monday in NYC…
VIETNAM: Page 1: Essay by R.W. Apple: “Vietnam: The Signs of Stalemate”... “A little more than two years ago, on July 28, 1965, President Johnson committed the United States more decisively than ever to the war in Vietnam by announcing the deployment of 50,000 more American troops to this striken corner of Southeast Asia. Last Thursday in response to urgent entreaties of his commanders, Mr. Johnson disclosed that he would send 45,000 to 50,000 more men for a total of 525,000 by next June 30 (1968). Between these two benchmarks of the most frustrating conflict in American history. The fighting has careened along, week by week, through wet season and dry, through two Christmas cease fires, through peace feelers and escalation.
By this weekend 12,269 Americans had been listed as killed and 74,818 as injured, millions of artillery shells and billions of bullets had been fired and 833 airplanes had fallen to enemy gunners. The war costs the United States more than $2-billion each month. And yet, in the opinion of most disinterested observers, the war is not going well. Victory is not close at hand. It may be beyond reach. It is clearly unlikely in the next year or even the next two years and American officers talk somberly about fighting for decades.”…
Page 14: “American Battle Deaths Reach 12,269; Enemy’s Tenacity Undiminished–Westmoreland says Tremendous Progress–Rusk Says Enemy Hurting Badly”… “The Americans have killed by count 200,000 but now face the largest enemy force of the war–297,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong in South Vietnam. Still only control a fraction of the country and are increasingly frustrated by the enemy hit-and-run tactics…In all 53 sectors or corps of South Vietnam are under attack by a complete guerrilla structure. There are 10 guerrilla squads for each hamlet; 30-man platoons for each village, and 80-man company for a district and a 350-man company for each of 12 Provinces… There are 12,537 hamlets in South Vietnam and a total population of 13.4 million. At the present, it is estimated that the Viet Cong have total control of 4,000 of the hamlets with a population of 3-million, and have partial or part-time control of all the rest.”... Page 15: “Battle Flares In Central Highlands”... “More than 1,000 South Vietnamese infantrymen battled a force of 400 North Vietnam regulars. At least 75 of the enemy were killed. This was the only major fighting in South Vietnam for the day.”…
Page 14: “U.S. Army Chief-of-Staff Finds ‘Smell of Success’ “... “The United States Army Chief-of-Staff Harold K. Johnson here in Saigon on a two week tour of military installations said today that there ‘was a smell of success in every major area of the war.’… ‘There is a feeling among the Vietnamese officers and troop leaders that at long last they are moving toward a breakup of the enemy effort. The Vietcong are hurting. A year ago they would stand and fight. Now they run in many cases.’ “…
SUMMER IN AMERICA 1967: Page 1: “Emergency State Ended In Detroit–Romney Reports A Return to Normalcy–Death Toll 43-34 Are Negroes”… Page 1: “Rap Brown Calls Riots A Rehearsal For Revolution–Urges a Show of Force in Queens For 17 Negroes Held For Conspiracy–Cheered At Rally Here–While Newsmen are Ejected–A.M.E. Zion Church Assails Black Power”… “H. Rap Brown told 1,500 Negroes in Queens yesterday, ‘It is important for you to go to the courtroom,’ Mr. Brown shouted. ‘It is important for you to go with a show of force. That is black power. If they go to trial and there re only black people in the courtroom, you know what kind of trial they are gong to get.’ The 17 Negroes were taken into custody on June 21 in a predawn raid. They were charged with plotting the murder of Roy Wilkins and Whitney Young. Mr. Brown referred to President Johnson as ‘Lynching’ Johnson and called him the biggest outlaw in history. Both President Kennedy and Johnson ‘tricked people,’ said Mr. Brown.”…
7 August 1967…The President’s TS Daily CIA Brief: ARAB STATES: The Arab foreign ministers meeting in Khartoum wound up about as expected–an exercise in Semitic semantics with little solid accomplishment because of the sharp cleavage between the radicals and moderates….they deferred all decisions including what to do about economic sanctions against the west. A session of oil and financial ministers will be held in Baghdad to consider this subject beginning 15 August… MOROCCANS: the Moroccans claim they are about to turn to the Soviets for arms. The King told Ambassador Tasca last Thursday that this step would be taken most reluctantly, but that he could not afford to wait any longer in view of Algeria’s growing military strength and political radicalism. Kosygin has offered weapons on a gift basis, the King said.
AMONG THE BRAVEST…
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… GALLANTRY AND DEVOTION TO DUTY… COLONEL JAMES OTIS HIVNER, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE… the SILVER STAR… 5 OCTOBER 1965… AND SECOND AWARD 1 JUNE 1966…
“The President of the United States of America...takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER STAR to CAPTAIN JAMES OTIS HIVNER, United States Air Force, for GALLANTRY in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as Aircraft Commander of an F-4C fighter-bomber of the 43d Tactical Fighter Squadron, in action over Southeast Asia, on 5 October 1965. On that date, CAPTAIN HIVNER’s aircraft was struck by hostile anti-aircraft fire while approaching its assigned target. Disregarding the ensuing fire and smoke, CAPTAIN HIVNER displayed an extraordinary degree of courage as he determinedly continued his attack rather than abort the mission and dropped his bombs squarely on target. Then after a futile attempt to further control his damaged aircraft, CAPTAIN HIVNER was forced to eject while deep within hostile territory. By his GALLANTRY and DEVOTION TO DUTY, CAPTAIN HIVNER has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”…
“The President of the United States of America... takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a SECOND AWARD OF the SILVER STAR to LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES OTIS HIVNER, United States Air Force, for GALLANTRY and INTREPIDITY in action in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force on 1 June 1966, while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. Ignoring international agreements on treatment of prisoners of war, the enemy resorted to mental and physical cruelties to obtain information, confessions, and propaganda materials. LIEUTENANT COLONEL HIVNER resisted their demands by calling upon his deepest inner strengths in manner which reflected his devotion to duty and great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
7 AUGUST 1967… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…New York Times (8 Aug reporting 7 Aug ops) Page 2: “A United States F-4 Phantom jet was shot down, the 637th plane lost over the North and the two crewmen are missing. American pilots flew 134 missions. In a truck park just north of the demilitarized zone bombs set off 70 secondary explosions and officials speculated they may have hit a shipment of surface-to-air missiles.”…
“Vietnam: Air Losses”(Chris Hobson) There were two fixed wing aircraft downed in Southeast Asia on 7 August 1967…
(1) CAPTAIN GLENN HUBERT WILSON and 1LT CARL DENNIS CHAMBERS were flying an F-4C of the 559th TFS and 12th TFW out of Cam Ranh Bay on an armed reconnaissance flight just north of the demilitarized zone and took a barge on an inland waterway 10 miles south of Dong Hoi under attack. As Captain WILSON put the F-4 into a dive-bombing run, ground fire scored hits on the Phantom that erupted into a fire requiring ejection. Both airmen safely ejected but were captured by the enemy almost immediately. They were interned as POWs and released from captivity in 1973. Young 1LT CHAMBERS was on his 101st mission when captured…
(2) CAPTAIN N.J. OTTO and 1LT R.E. R.E. MEEKS were flying an RF-4C on reconnaissance mission in the Steel Tiger, Southern Laos areas near the North Vietnamese border. As they transited the area a few miles west of the DMZ at 10,000-feet they were hit by ground fire and forced to eject over Laos a few minutes later. They were rescued by an Air Force HH-3E.
RIPPLE SALVO… #520… GLORY GAINED, DUTY DONE… A Pause to Remember… In recent days three brave Rolling Thunder warriors — River Rats all — pulled the chocks and powered outta here “to that unknown and silent shore…” Humble Host pauses to express respect and admiration for three bold warriors who hung it out for our country. Their departure deserves a few notes for the RTR record.
Jim Hivner did 2,687 24-hour days as a prisoner of the North Vietnamese. From the time of his arrival at Briarpatch in April 1965 until the last days in February 1973, he was under the control of merciless keepers. Tortured, starved, beaten, and paraded in the infamous Hanoi March that left him bloodied and battered, not for the first time, he survived on guts and faith. A painful chapter–almost beyond comprehension–in a life of service to our country as noble as any.
Paul Hollandsworth was a bold and fearless leader of men who loved to fly and fight. During Rolling Thunder he was part of the Bon Homme Richard, Carrier Air Wing 21 group of warriors that couldn’t be outflown or outperformed in the business of MIG kills, urban removal, bridge destruction and SAM suppression. Bonnie Dick and CAG-21 were the President’s own (PUC) in 1967… Holly went to war in the A-4, Commanded an A-6 squadron and finished up as the CO of VX-5 where he flew everything that delivered weapons, including the conduct of the FA-18 operations evaluation in 1981-3. Holly was of good cheer and deserving of the universal respect and admiration he enjoyed throughout his life of living, learning, leading, loving and flying… whattaguy!!!
Colonel Dick Shapiro was unknown to me but all the guys who mastered the rotor winged contraptions detailed to forget themselves and go save errant Thud, Phantom and Skyhawk guys from the jaws of of the enemy enjoys my respect, admiration and appreciation to the fullest. Dick earned his Silver Star fetching aviators from a fate worse than death–ask a POW of the North Vietnamese… Every SAR had a Star–a guy like Dick Shapiro, who put the lives of others ahead of his own… May Dick Shapiro rest in peace, and may we all remember his unselfish service for others and his country…
RTR QUOTE for 7 August: SENECA: “He whom you say has passed away has simply posted on ahead.”…
Lest we forget… Bear