Operation Rolling Thunder was the air offensive conducted by the air forces of the United States against economic and military targets in North Vietnam in support of ground operations and the fighting in South Vietnam. The Rolling Thunder air campaign began on 2 March 1965 and continued into 1968.
Our nation marked the 50th Anniversary of the start of the Vietnam War years ago and has moved on to more recent and ongoing wars. Large segments of our population have little or no knowledge of Rolling Thunder and many others who consider that three year period of history a permanent albatross around our national neck have no interest in looking back. There are others who were there as participants, supporters and critics who recognize the historical significance of the period and the need to revisit Rolling Thunder, not just to reflect on personal memories from that era, but to appreciate the value of reading history one day at a time over an extended period of time as a contribution to understanding the roots of the problems our nation faces in 2016 and forward. This blog is written for them.
Rolling Thunder Remembered is a daily blog looking back 50 years to report the pertinent news and events in both the United States and in Rolling Thunder ops in Southeast Asia. This journal covers the period 1 March 1966 through 19 March 1968 and began operation on 1 March 2016. Sources used by the author, a retired Navy admiral who participated in Rolling Thunder as a Navy Attack Pilot, include the New York Times, Chris Hobson’s incomparable journal: “Vietnam Air Losses: United States Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps Fixed Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia 1961-1973,” and his own library and archives. Header art is R.G.Smith’s: “Spotting On The Waist Cat.”
Fifty years ago our National Leadership had to make several hard choices in pursuit of our national interests, including war waging in Southeast Asia. It is the conclusion of the author of this blog that the roots of the enormous and potentially disastrous situation the United States faces now, in 2016, are an albatross that can be traced to those decisions. It is a long story that is told here one day at a time. Readers are invited along for the author’s remembrance of a long military campaign fought by brave Americans who believed as Daniel Webster did, “My country, right or wrong, my country,” as they manned their fighters and bombers to carry the war to the homeland of an enraged, dangerous and resilient enemy in North Vietnam.
This daily blog is dedicated to those gladiators of brave heart and fighting spirit who were Rolling Thunder fifty years ago…..
This year marks the 43rd anniversary of our withdrawal from Vietnam….
May all of our Brothers-Comrades-Friends-Warriors RIP.
Please, God, watch over these beautiful souls.
SAM ELLIOT NARRATES THIS STIRRING VIDEO….
https://www.youtube.com/embed/aVeBtnfAxP8
