RIPPLE SALVO… #919… ON 31 MARCH 1968 PRESIDENT JOHNSON DREW THE LINE ON ROLLING THUNDER OPS AT 20-DEGREES NORTH–but in practice the 19th Parallel became the northern limit for the air war and the bombing of North Vietnam. The President had hoped for a response by North Vietnam signaling a readiness to deescalate the Vietnam war. The North Vietnamese delivered a document to the United States Ambassador, William Sullivan in Vientiane, Laos on 6 April 1968. The contents of the document were unknown to the public until published in a book—Mission to Hanoi— by William C. Baggs and Harry S. Ashmore and reported in the New York Times on 9 September 1968 under the headline: “EDITORS DESCRIBE HANOI’S POSITION–Disclose Document Making Bombing Halt First Step”… Five months after Hanoi first and formally made their position clear, it remained the same…Document at RS below… but first…
GOOD MORNING… Day NINE HUNDRED-NINETEEN of an old tailhooker’s daily post reminiscing the years of Operation Rolling Thunder and the uncommon valor of the warriors who carried the war into the guns of the North for nearly four years… many of whom then volunteered to go back in 1972 to finish the job in Linebacker I and II…
HEAD LINES from The New York Times on Monday, 9 September 1968…
THE WAR: (“WAR IS A KILLING BUSINESS: it is not a game”)Page 14: “CLASH AT DUCLAP STIRS CONCERN THAT ATTACK IS NEAR” (“take the small cities first, the large cities later”)… “United States paratroopers, who lost 12 killed an 21 wounded in a furious fight for this village, set fire to most of the huts today as they swept through after enemy troops had pulled out. Some livestock was killed by the soldiers before an officer ordered them to stop to save ammunition…A spokesman said every dwelling set afire contained North Vietnamese equipment, weapons, packs or uniforms. He declined to estimate the number of thatched huts burned in the village, 30 miles northwest of Saigon. Several soldiers asked about the job of burning down the huts said they were not unhappy about it. “The VC were using these houses and bunkers and the villagers obviously knew about it,’ one said, ‘but they won’t be able to use them again.'” … Twenty-eight North Vietnamese soldiers were killed and two were captured in the fight which erupted yesterday when helicopters dropped a platoon of about 35 paratroopers into the rice paddies on the outskirts of Sanho…. The enemy soldiers–believed to belong to a regiment that killed 31 paratroopers of the 101st and wounded 27 the day before in a battle three miles to the south–opened fire from a tree line bordering the village. Three airborne companies flown in to try to block the enemy force, and the village was then subjected to artillery and air strikes. The United States commander said 9,520 artillery rounds were fired into the night. This morning the paratroopers moved forward and found the village abandoned. ..One of the prisoners said two other North Vietnamese soldiers were in a bunker underneath a cement-block house. When there was no response to demands to surrender, it was blown up.”…
WAR AND PEACE: On 9 September 1968 the President hosted an impromptu, off-the-record meeting that lasted from 5:45 to 7:24. Attending were “bipartisan Congressional leadership” and the agenda included a brief on the war by Secretary Clifford and the Peace talks by Secretary Rusk… great read.. included a rundown on casualties…In the month of August the enemy lost 13,900 KIA and the United States lost 1,048 Killed in Action in 145 small unit attacks. The Allies lost 2,401… In a second State Department document the exchange of views between Walt Rostow and Ambassador Dobrynin at Rostow’s residence the prospects of peace negotiations were thrashed out. The diplomatic exchange was code named “Chlodnick”… read at…
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v07/d8
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v07/d9
Page 1: “U.S. TO ASK MOVES BY NATO IN WAKE OF PRAGUE CRISIS– Seeks New Effort By Allies Especially To Bring Their Units To Full Strengthening”… Page 1: “CZECHS MAY ACT TO BLOCK THE EXODUS OF REFUGEES”… Page 3: “Gomulka Cautions Prague Leadership”… Page 6: “EUROPEANS FEAR U.S. IGNORES THEM–Moves After Czechoslovakia Invasion Cause Anxiety”… Page 16: “Pope Paul Foresees Better Days Ahead”… Page 1: “NIXON STRESSES COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL–He Pledges, If Elected, A Just Peace In Mideast”… Page 1: “HUMPHREY TERMS CAMPAIGN A POLL ON HUMAN RIGHTS–Charges Nixon And Wallace Strive to Exploit Rears Aroused By This Issue–Fateful Choice Seen–Nominee Teels B’nai Brith nation Must Back Justice and Wider Opportunity”… Page 1: “HUEY NEWTON IS GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER–PANTHERS LEADER FACES 12 TO 15 YEARS IN SLAYING OF OAKLAND POLICEMAN”… Page 15: “Pueblo Rumors Persist In Seoul– But North Korea Does Not Discuss Crew’ Release”…
9 September 1968… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…New York Times/AP: No coverage of air war in the North. VIEWTNAM: AIR LOSSES (Chris Hobson) There were no fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 9 September 1968…
SUMMARY OF ROLLING THUNDER LOSSES ON THE FOUR 9 SEPTEMBER DATES OFTHE FOUR YEARS OF THE OPERATION OVER NORTH VIETNAM…
1968, 1967… NONE…
1966… CAPTAIN JOHN CHARLES BLEVINS, USAF… (POW)… The details of his downing and capture were posted on RTR two years ago this day… However, In his post POW days he was requested to comment on his experience for a book—WE CAME HOME— by Frederick and Barbara Powers, and most of those thoughts are timeless and especially timely in the age this is written…I quote LCOL BLEVINS: “Freedom is a very dear subject to my heart.” He defined freedom as ‘being free to read, write, do your own thing, seek happiness, and the right to believe or not to believe. With freedom goes the responsibility to respect other people’s freedom.”… He was elated at his homecoming in 1973 and leaves this message to his countrymen: “Guard your freedom with your lives. Without freedom, life is a poor existence.”…
1965… COMMANDER JAMES BOND STOCKDALE, USN, Commander Carrier Air Wing 16 embarked in USS Oriskany… (POW)… The details of his downing, capture and experience as a POW are posted in several earlier RTR posts. Search for Vice Admiral James Stockdale for a week’s worth of reading, good reading… For this post Humble Host will simply repost the Admiral’s Medal of Honor Citation:…
“The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Rear Admiral James bond Stockdale, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while Senior Naval Officer in the Prisoner of War camps of North Vietnam on 4 September 1969. Recognized by his captors as the leader in the Prisoners of War resistance to interrogation and in their refusal to participate in propaganda exploitation. Rear Admiral Stockdale was singled out for interrogation and attendant torture after he was detected in a covert communications attempt. Sensing the start of another purge, and aware that his earlier efforts at self-disfiguration to dissuade his captors from exploiting him for propaganda purposes had resulted in cruel and agonizing punishment. Rear Admiral Stockdale resolved to make himself a symbol of resistance regardless of personal sacrifice. He deliberately inflicted a near mortal wound to his person in order to convince his captors of his willingness to give up his life rather than capitulate. He was subsequently discovered and revived by the North Vietnamese who, convinced of his indomitable spirit, abated in their employment of excessive harassment and torture toward all of the Prisoners of War. By his heroic action, at great peril to himself, he earned the everlasting gratitude of his fellow prisoners and of his country. Rear Admiral Stockdale’s valiant leadership and extraordinary courage in a hostile environment sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.”…
On this 53rd anniversary of Admiral Stockdale’s downing and capture on his 175th combat mission over North Vietnam, he is remembered with highest respect and admiration.
RIPPLE SALVO… #919… NYT, 9 Sept 68, Page 10: TEXT OF THE DOCUMENT FROM NORTH VIETNAM: “Following is the text of the North Vietnamese aide-memoire dated April 5, 1968 concerning talks with the United States…
- The Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam has repeatedly protested against the U.S. action in illegally laying hold of civilians and military personnel on board fishing boats and freighters even in the territorial waters of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam demands that the United States stop all arrogant acts, respect the sovereignty, territory, and security of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam now being illegally detained…. As for the captured American pilots, they are regarded by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnamese people, acting upon orders from the U.S. Government, they have bombed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, an independent and sovereign country, killing civilians and destroying the property of the Vietnamese people. However, in accordance with the humane and lenient policy fo the Government of The Republic of Vietnam, they have enjoyed good treatment. On the occasion of the last Tet festival, for the first time, three of the captured U.S. pilots were released in view of their correct attitude during their detention.
- With regard to the ‘limited bombing’ of North Vietnam announced by President Johnson, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam made clear its view in its April 3, 1968, statement…. The United States Government has not seriously and fully met the legitimate demands of the Government of the Republic of Vietnam, of progressive American opinion, and of world opinion. However, for its part, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam declared its readiness to appoint its representative to contact the United States representative with a view to determine with the American side the unconditional cessation of the United States bombing raids and all other acts of war against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, so the talks may start….. Details about the contact between the representatives of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the United States may be as follows: *The representative with ambassadorial rank of the Government of the Republic of Vietnam is ready to contact the representative of the United States Government…*The place of contact may be Pnompenh or another place to be mutually agreed upon…*In the course of the contact, the United States side will specify the date when the unconditional cessation of the U.S. bombing raids and all other acts of war against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam will become effective; then the two parties will reach an agreement on the time, place and level of the talks.
- Any interpretation of the point of view of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam at variance with the content of this aide memoire is null and void.” End quote…
The American negotiators continue to insist that they would continue to demand reciprocal action by Hanoi in return for a bombing halt. The two editors (Baggs and Ashmore) said in April hat the attitude represented a ‘dangerous and possibly fatal trimming’ of the understanding under which the North Vietnamese had agreed to establish contact and pointed out that their position had been clearly defined. ‘The North Vietnamese position,’ they said, ‘was that agreement to meet under the partial limitation of the bombing constituted a major concession on their part and they would not consider any further act of reciprocity until the bombing had stopped, at which point everything was open for consideration, including mutual de-escalation of the fighting in South Vietnam.’… The State Department rejected this point of view and insisted in the worlds of Ambassador Harriman, that ‘they can’t expect us to stop the bombing without getting some concession from them to protect our troops near the demilitarized zone.’…”….
The “talk while fighting” continues…
RTR Quote for 9 September: MAO’S Principle of Operation #2: “Take small and medium cities and extensive rural areas first, take big cities later.”…
Lest we forget… Bear…