RIPPLE SALVO… #887… AMONG THE MANY BEAUTIES OF TACTICAL AVIATION IS THE FACT THAT THE MORE SENIOR YOU GET THE FURTHER IN FRONT YOU GO. There are few things more admirable in the trade than O-5, O-6 and O-7 warrior leaders, who can jump into the cockpit of a fighter-bomber, gather up a flight of several hunters, and lead them into the guns, kill the target, and bring them safely home. Rolling Thunder was the proving ground of such men. Some were better leaders than others, but it was the Wing Commanders, Deputy Wing Commanders, and squadron Commanding Officers, and XOs, who were the practitioners of bold “Follow Me” leadership. They were in the van in Rolling Thunder and leading strike groups into the most lethal antiaircraft defenses in the world. On the Navy side of Rolling Thunder it was the O-5s who paid the greatest price in terms of survival rate. They led the toughest strikes; they were the prime targets for the gunners as the first-down-the-throat over the target; and they were the last to clear the target area. They were accountable. They were responsible. They were among the bravest. And, they were inspirational. (In most cases.)… They earned and deserved our respect and admiration, and the top awards for valor (In most cases.)… Humble Host salutes BRIGADIER GENERAL DAVID WILLIAM WINN, USAF (1923-2009)…See below…but first…
GOOD MORNING: Day EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY-SEVEN of a daily journal composed 50 years after the fact to commemorate the air war over North Vietnam called Rolling Thunder…
HEAD LINES from The New York Times on Friday, 9 August 1968…
THE WAR: Page 6: “SWEEP BY ALLIES IN ASHAU VALLEY IS MEETING LIMITED RESISTANCE”… “The allies moved into the 25-mile long valley four days ago. So far only 15 North Vietnamese have been killed. Two American and eight South Vietnamese have died and a total of 40 allied soldiers have been wounded. the operation was kept a secret until thi morning, when the South Vietnamese reported uncovering an enemy base camp in the heart of the lush valley, 30 miles southwest of the old imperial capital of Hue…. The United States command said that 171 American were killed and 1,050 wounded in the week that ended last Saturday….HANOI WARNS OF OFFENSIVE… Hanoi warned today that the days ahead would be ‘more difficult and dangerous than ever before.'”…
Page 1: “NIXON SELECTS SPIRO AGNEW AS HIS RUNNING MATE–WINS APPROVAL AFTER FIGHT ON THE FLOOR–Pledges End Of War–Toughness On Crime–Rebels Put Down–Fail In Effort On Crime–Fail In effort To Have Convention Choose Romney Instead”… Page 1: “NEW LEADERSHIP–LONG DARK NIGHT IS OVER, NOMINEE SAYS–Pledging Action”… Page 1: “LINDSAY REJECTS PLEA BY LIBERALS–REJECTS A MOVE TO NOMINATE HIM–Accepts Invitation to Speak For Agnew”… Page 1: “3 NEGROES KILLED IN NEW MIAMI RIOT–Policemen Battle Snipers–Troops Hold 100 Blocks Amid Looting And Fires”… Page 14: “RACIAL VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN MIAMI–ABERNATHY AND KIRK ASK CALM”… Page 18: “Brooklyn Police Set Up Group To Back Vigorous Enforcement”… Page 14: “STRICT CURFEW IS IMPOSED IN RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY”… Page 13: “Witness Says Black Panther Leader Huey P. Newton Shot Policeman”… Page 16: “RIGHTS GROUPS ASSAIL DEMANDS OF NEW POLICE ANTI-RIOT POLICE UNIT”… Page 1: “President Reveals An Ailment of Colon”… Page 1: “JULY PLAN TO OUST DUBCEK REPORTED–SOURCES IN EAST BERLIN SAY SOVIET AND EAST GERMANY CONSIDERED INVASION”… Page 1: “Peking Increases Pressure On Left–Teams Of To Spread thought Of Mao Counter Radicals”… Page 3: “Israelis and Lebanese Sharing a Quiet Border– Ordinarily It Is Violated Only By Grazing Sheep”…
9 AUGUST 1968… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…New York Times (10 August reporting 9 August ops) Page 4: “In the air war, United States pilots flew 118 missions over North Vietnam, through moderate antiaircraft fire. They reported destroying or damaging 47 trucks, 34 supply boats and 7 bridges.”… VIETNAM: AIR LOSSES (Chris Hobson) There were two fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 9 August 1968…
(1) MAJOR WAYNE BENJAMIN WOLFKEIL was flying an A-1H of the 6th Special Operations Squadron and 633rd Special Operations out of Pleiku responding to attack a target of troops on the Ho Chi Minh trail in Southern Laos when hit and downed by ground fire near the southern tip of southern Laos. MAJOR WOLFKEIL did not clear the aircraft as it crashed in heavy jungle and there was no communication or beeper for the SAR effort to center on. MAJOR WOLFKEIL was listed as Missing-in-Action at that time and his status was changed to “presumed killed in action, body not recovered” in 1979, and that remains his status today…Left behind fifty years ago this day… But not forgotten as he rests in peace where he fell in the service of his country.
“Leave a Remembrance”… Vietnam Veteran Memorial Foundation…Wall of Faces… I did…
(2) COLONEL DAVID W. WINN was flying an F-105D of the 357th TFS and 355th TFW out of Takhli in a flight of Thunderchiefs tasked to attack and destroy an anti-aircraft gun position just north of the DMZ. While recovering from a successful attack on an active site his aircraft was hit by 37mm fire as he climbed through 5,000-feet. COLONEL WINN turned toward the coast but had to eject two miles short. He came down close to the village of Xom Quan and was captured. COLONEL WINN became the most senior POW to be held by the North Vietnamese for the duration of the war.
COLONEL WINN was the deputy wing commander of the Takhli Wing and was flying with the 333rd TFS in a 357th aircraft when he was shot down. COLONEL WINN joined the Air Force in 1943 and flew the B-26 Martin Marauder medium bombers and P-38 Lightnings with the Twelfth Air Force in the Second World War. He served an exchange tour with the RAF and flew Hawker Hunters and Electric Lightnings in the early 1960s. He was shot down earlier on 15 April 1968 while hunting and killing trucks 10 miles south of Dong Hoi. He was able to fly the aircraft several miles in an attempt to get to Danang but was forced to eject over the Gulf. He was rescued by an Air Force HH-3E. (See RTR for 15 Apr 68, Ripple Salvo #771)…
SUMMARY OF ROLLING THUNDER LOSSES (KIA/MIA/POW) FOR THE FOUR 9 AUGUST DATES OF THE FOUR YEARS OF THE OPERATION…
1965… NONE…
1966… NONE…
1967… CAPTAIN ALLEN SHELDON CHERRY, USAF… (KIA)… and … CAPTAIN LAUREN ROBERT LENGYEL, USAF… )POW)… and… 1LT GLENN LEO MYERS, USAF… (POW)…
1968… COLONEL DAVID W. WINN, USAF… (POW)…
RIPPLE SALVO… #887… COLONEL DAVID W. WINN, USAF (1923-2009)… Colonel Winn was 45 years old on the day he was captured. He wa 50 when he was released from internment in the Hilton Hanoi in 1973 after 55-months of inhuman treatment. He was the oldest of all of our POWs and the most senior. He emerged in poor health– he had been confined to the “punishment cell” in Calcutta for six weeks in 1972 and the old bones had a hard time absorbing the steady diet of torture. He shared leadership responsibilities with six other senior officers but was kept isolated and out of touch with all but a few other very senior leaders for most of his captivity. Never-the-less, he served with distinction and added four valorous medals to his heroic perfomance in Vietnam, including the AIR FORCE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL and a Second SILVER STAR… The Citation for his first SILVER STAR citation reads:
“For gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as the Pilot of an F-105D Thunderchief of the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactcal Fighter Wing, Takhli Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, on 23 June 1968. On that date, Colonel Winn was instrumental in effecting the rescue of his wingman, downed by hostile ground fire, in the Gulf of Tonkin. With complete disregard for his own safety, he continued to make numerous aggressive passe up and down the extremely well defended coast of North Vietnam until the safe recovery of his wingman could be effected. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Colonel Winn has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
When COLONEL WINN was freed from the Hilton Hanoi in 1973 he was asked to contribute to the history project of Captain and Mrs. Frederic Wyatt, USN, titled: WE CAME HOME. Humble Host snipped a few quotes… I quote Colonel Winn…
“I don’t know how to put those 55-months at Hoa Lo and the Plantation into words right now–maybe someday. For me, that experience has to marinate a while. Meanwhile there is work to do and a determination to be worthy of all the prayers and efforts on our behalf–for those of us who came out. We are the lucky ones and we know it. I reckon we ought now to get even–to make our lives important for those who couldn’t come back, and for those whose steadfast and determination gave us our freedom and a chance for freedom ato all of Southeast Asia.” End quote…
COLONEL WINN included Ezekiel 36:24-28 in his short summary of his POW experience…
He promoted to Brigadier General before retiring in 1978 to pursue his interests in writing, speaking, community service and family– wife Mary, who kept the home and family of three sons and a daughters together while he was “away.” GENERAL WINN and his wife of 57 years rest in peace together in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis… Glory gained, duty done…
RTR quote for 9 August: MARSHALL FOCH: “Victory equals will.”…
Lest we forget… Bear