Good Morning: Day NINETEEN of a long look back to Operation Rolling Thunder…Fifty Years Ago…
19 MARCH 1966 (NYT) …ON THE HOMEFRONT …A rainy Saturday in New York. Lead NYT article blared: “Saigon Refuses to Yield to Pressure of Anti-Government Buddhists.” The ruling junta of generals headed by Cao Ky issued a communique in which they restated their goals for South Vietnam: they were resolved to defeat the Communist aggressors (the National Liberation Front and Vietcong); to build democracy; to make social revolution work; and to improve people’s living conditions. But the ouster of General Thi (or voluntary vacation up in I Corps where he was top dog), provided the Buddhists an opportunity to bring their continuing complaints into the open. Forces were massing on both sides of the issue …On page 9 the air war (as the NYT always referred to RT) news was highlighted by the completion of 47 missions by US pilots, the highest level of effort of the past week. Targets were highway bridges, railroads and motor parks. The weather was improving… Another note: “Air Force planes showered Hanoi and the Red River valley with three million leaflets urging the people of North Vietnam to give up the fight.” Phyops at work… An Ad caught my eye… Six by six Norwegian polar bear rugs, including full paws and head, fully lined, on sale at Norsk off Park Avenue for $950… that’s one way to save the baby seals… NCAA and NIT finals set: BYU v. NYU in the NIT and Kentucky (beat Duke) v. Texas Western (beat Utah) in the NCAA final… The President was home in the WH with an open calendar….Chief Justice Warren Burger turned 75 and reported that he intended to”…stay on the job.” He said; “There is too much new law that provokes extensive litigation, and trials that take too long to try. We must find some way to deal with these cases.”…
19 MARCH 1966… ROLLING THUNDER … Nothing to report due to lousy weather and low level of activity, which gives your humble host an opportunity to demonstrate the potential of this blog to bring the facts of history out of the basements and attics to become the permanent record of a great era of our nation’s history… Herewith is a November 1967 Rolling Thunder mission led by Commander Dick Wigent, Commanding Officer of Attack Squadron 34. Dick, I hope you are reading this account of one of your Rolling Thunder missions from nearly fifty years ago…
7 November 1967…Gulf of Tonkin…USS Intrepid…Carrier Air Wing 10… Attack Squadron 34…
On 7 November 1967, sixteen aircraft from units of Carrrier Air Wing 10 struck the Me Xa bypass highway bridge sixteen miles northwest of Haiphong, North Vietnam. The bridge was a 225 by 10 foot structure on highway 18, a vital link in the enemy transportation system for the movement of men and material. The purpose of the strike was to interdict this supply line by destroying the bridge. The strike was planned, briefed and executed by COMMANDER RICHARD WIGENT, Commanding Officer of VA-34. Planning and tactics of the strike were developed in detail by the strike leader assisted by his division leaders. Composition of the strike group. First division: four A4-C aircraft carrying a mix of Mk-83, 82 and 81 bombs. CDR RICHARD WIGENT, VA-34 was strike leader in this lead division. Second division: four A4-B aircraft each armed with 2-Mk81s and 4-Mk82s. Division leader was LCDR ROBERT LEE LEUSCHNER of VS-3. Third division: four A4-C aircraft each armed with 2-Mk81s and 4-Mk82s. Led by LCDR RONALD RAYMOND BOYLE; Fourth division: Shrike section of two sections accompanying the strike group. Section leaders were LCDR ROBERT LEWIS BOYD, VS-3 and LCDR SAM HENRY HAWKINS. En route to the target the flight expected heavy 37,57 and 85mm flak in two areas of their approach. In addition, three of eight SAM sites were known to be active along their route. For the approach and run-in the three dive bomb divisions were in 45-degree line of bearing to the right to allow flexibility in the event that a SAM evasion maneuver would be required. One Shrike section preceded the bombers by one mile and the second Shrike section was one mile in trail. After rendezvousing the flight climbed to 17,000-feet. Approaching the Haiphong roadstead and crossing the enemy coastline continuous missile warnings and radio warnings of MiG activity were received by the flight. As the strike group turned to a westerly heading northeast of Haiphong one SAM was fired at the flight. LTJG SID EUGENE ATKINSON, VA-15, a wingman in the second shrike section, immediately attacked the site and rendered the SAM ballistic. The bombers were taken under attack by heavy flak that required extensive evasive action. Flight integrity was maintained to the planned roll-in point. The attack began precisely as planned with left hand roll-in. The strike lead division leaders and section leaders scored direct hits on the bridge. Photo BDA showed that 90-feet of the bridge had been dropped. Retirement was heavily opposed by flak but avoided and all aircraft returned safely to the Intrepid. On the basis of this summary of action two DFCs and six Air Medals were approved and awarded, including: CDR WIGENT– the Distinguished Flying Cross; LTJG ATKINSON – the Distinguished Flying Cross; LCDR LEUSCHNER– Air Medal; and LCDR BOYLE -Air Medal.
RIPPLE SALVO… Operation Rolling Stone was executed by thousands of young, and not so young, Americans who heard and heeded the words of President John F. Kennedy. They didn’t think to ask what their country could do for them, they did their duty as they saw it…as did LTJG ATKINSON on 7 November 1967. Turn, face the enemy, and do your duty. That is what Rolling Thunder was about, fifty years ago… Lest we forget… Bear
–30–