ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED 24 MAY 1968

RIPPLE SALVO… #810… GENERAL GEORGE PATTON, JR. WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE CLASSIC FLANKING MANEUVER–Hold the enemy center and envelope the flank. Mobility. General Giap for the North Vietnamese was also an advocate for flanking and mobility. The United States was not. Our path to defeat was to “establish the formidable defense from which to launch the audacious attack.” And there we sat launching short jabs and sweeps for seven years at the cost of more than 58,000 warriors’ lives. Our best and bravest. Our only offense was: ROLLING THUNDER, which our leadership applied using a “strategy of defeat” called “gradualism.” Ripple Salvo #810 posts a 24 May 1968 NYT, Associated Press story that makes the point…   but first…

Good Morning… Day EIGHT HUNDRED TEN of a return to the 40 months of Operation Rolling Thunder, one day at a time, fifty years ago…

HEAD LINES from THE NEW YORK TIMES on Wednesday, 24 MAY 1968…

THE WAR: Page 1: “TWO WEEK U.S. TOLL OF KILLED IN ACTION IS HIGHEST OF THE WAR–More Than 1,100 Men Died In The Period Up To May 11, During Foe’s Offensive”… “More Americans were killed in combat in the two week’s ended May 11–during the enemy’s latest offensive–than in any other two-week period in the Vietnam war, according to information made public by the United States military command tonight. The fighting, which centered on Saigon and the northeast of the country south of the demilitarized zone, brought the deaths of more than 1,100 Americans.

“In the main current military action, an American position in Tayninh was attacked. Seven United States soldiers were killed and 19 wounded. {In Danang informed sources reported ‘quite a bit of evidence’ that North Vietnamese forces had moved back into the Ashau Vlley, according to The Associated Press. An allied sweep of the valley, which lies east of Danang, was concluded a week ago.}

23,500 DEAD SINCE 1961…  (HUMBLE HOST NOTES: 35,000 MORE WILL DIE WHILE THE PEACE TALKS PROCEED)

“The United States command said that the recent figures raised the total American combat casualties in Vietnam since January 1, 1961, to 23,500 killed in action dn 143,676 wounded in action. In discussing the  death toll for early May, a spokesman for the United States command explained that the time required to compile the figures caused the delay. Casualty figures issued by the Pentagon showed that 383 Americans died in the week of April 28 to May 4, and that 562 died in the second week and 549 in the third week. The figure for the second week was the highest recorded for a single week during the seven years of fighting.

“The spokesman noted that there was less fighting last week than in the first two weeks and explained that the system of calculating casualties resulted in short-term distortion. He said that about 30 percent of those who died in a given week were not counted until the second week. Therefore, the actual number of Americans killed in the first week would be closer to 550 than 383, and the number in the second week closer to 640 than to 562. Although this overlap occurs every week, it does not become obvious until there is a sharp rise or fall in the level of combat.

“On the battlefield, United States Marines reported having killed 203 North Vietnamese in a two-day fight north of the American outpost at Conthien, near the demilitarized zone. In the fighting which ended this morning, the Marines lost 23 killed and 86 wounded. Some of the enemy were identified as members of the 52nd and 64th Regiments of the North Vietnamese Army’s 320th Division. Tanks, helicopters, fighter-bombers and artillery crews were credited with having killed a large number of the enemy.

“The weekly American casualty figure is not made public until the casualties have been officially recorded in Washington, and this is not done until the next of kin has been notified, which takes 24 to 48 hours. The week ends at midnight Saturday but combat deaths on Friday and Saturday that have not been officially recorded are carried over to the next week total….

“During the enemy’s Lunar New year offensive late in January and early in February an average of 474 Americans were killed in battle each week. This was then the highest toll of the war. The previous high had been 378 reported for the week ended May 20, 1967. In presenting the most recent figures, the military spokesman said that 2,282 Americans were wounded last week, 1,314 seriously enough to be hospitalized.”…   End report by Joseph B. Treaster… (Humble Host rated this article too important to chop up and abbreviate. This is what’s called “the unvarnished and painful truth”)…

PEACE TALKS: “PUBLIC FIGURES WARN ON IMPATIENCE IN PEACE TALKS– Citizens Committee Depicts Any One-Sided Concessions as a ‘Road to Surrender'”… I quote from a report by Peter Grose… Dateline Washington, May 23…

“A nonpartisan group of prominent Americans, including former president Dwight D. Eisenhower and former Senator Paul Douglas, warned today that impatience was ‘our deadliest enemy in pursuing negotiations with North Vietnam. In its third major policy statement, the Citizens Committee for Peace with Freedom in Vietnam cautioned that any further one-sided concessions ‘would be the road to surrender.’

“The 1,700-word statement signed by 14 members of the committee, sought to convey the views of what it called the silent center of American opinion. It said that ‘one of the greatest threats to successful negotiations is that Hanoi may underestimate America’s resolve. Though only 14 signatures appeared with the statement, it was made public under the name of the full committee, a group of 200 prominent citizens that was organize by Mr. Douglas last October.

“As in its previous statements, the committee offered tacit support to the broad lines of the Administration’s Vietnam policy. Mr. Douglas denied at a news conference at the Hotel Washington that there had been any consultation with the White House about the statement. ‘Despite your implementation we are not a front for the Administration, the former Senator told a reporter. With him in announcing the statement was Dr. James B. Conant, former president of Harvard University and one-time High Commissioner in and Ambassador to West Germany.

“Mr. Douglas was chairman of the President’s Commission on Urban Problems and has served on numerous other public boars since his defeat for reelection in 1964…. (also in the group: Gen Omar Bradley: Gen Lucius Clay, and former Senator Leverett Saltonstal)…

“Mr. Douglas read a telegram received yesterday from General Eisenhower, who is convalescing at Walter Reed Army Medical Center after a mild heart attack. He said he hoped the statement received ‘wide circulation throughout the country and the world,’ and added,: ‘In my judgement it can serve a highly constructive purpose at this time.’ According to Mr. Douglas, General Eisenhower played an important role in drafting the statement before he became ill last month.

“The statement made these key points: Many Americans citizens have been misled, both by supporters and opponents of our commitment in Vietnam, to place too big a value on negotiations or ‘talks’ in themselves –and to expect too much, too soon.

“Americans think of negotiations as the road to peace, but there is unmistakable evidence that Ho Chi Minh thinks of negotiations as another way to fight a war–in effect , as another weapons system.

“‘There is no early prospect for world peace in the traditional sense,’ the statement concluded. United States policy must continue to be ‘the willingness to fight a limited conflict, with limited means , at limited risk for limited objectives.’

Previous statements from the group, which also included former President Harry S. Truman, have warned against surrender in Vietnam, ‘however camouflaged,’ and defended the Administration’s precious insistence that Hanoi deescalate in return for a bombing pause.”…

24 MAY 1968… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times (25 May reporting 24 May ops) Page 1: “In the air war over North Vietnam American pilots flew 129 missions against targets just north of the demilitarized zone at the border with South Vietnam. The northern most target was a railroad bridge four miles south of the 19th Parallel.”… “VIETNAM: AIR LOSSES”(Chris Hobson) There were three fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 24 May 1968…

(1) MAJOR R.T. LOFTUS and an unidentified crewman were flying an O-2A of the 20th TASS and 504th TASG out of Danang on a FAC mission and were controlling a strike on enemy troops 15 miles southwest of Danang when hit by small arms fire in the aft engine. MAJOR LOFTUS made a forced landing and was rescued with his observer without injury. The aircraft was destroyed and the Major lived to fly and FAC again, and again…..

(2) CAPTAIN STEVEN J. DRISCOLL, USMC, was flying an A-4C of the VMA-223 Bulldogs and MAG-12 at Chu Lai on a close air support mission about 20 miles west of Chu Lai. He was hit with ground fire while attacking a Viet Cong gun position and was force to eject before he could make it home. he was rescued by an Air Force helicopter to fly and fight again…

(3) LCOL WALLACE A. FORD was flying an A-1H of the 6th ACS and 14th ACW out of Peiku on a calle mission to attack enemy troops 15 miles west ofTam Ky. LCOL FORD was hit by ground fire on his third strafing attack on the enemy troops. The aircraft did not recover from the low altitude strafing pass and LCOL FORD was killed on impact. He was the Commanding Officer of the 6th ACS…  Special Forces troops were repulsed by enemy troops in two attempts to recover LCOL FORD’s body. A third attempt was successful and he rests in peace at home where his five kids and expanding legacy can visit his final resting place in the cemetery at West Point on the Hudson… He is remembered here on the 50th anniversary of his final flight and death on the battlefield…   

RIPPLE SALVO… #810… NEW YORK TIMES, 24 MAY 1968, Page 1: “ENEMY RETURNS TO ASHAU VALLEY– BIG NORTH VIETNAMESE UNITS BACK AFTER ALLIED SWEEP”… Danang, South Vietnam, May 23— “Highly informed sources said today that there was ‘quite a bit of evidence’ that the North Vietnamese had moved back into the Ashau Valley with large forces. A major allied operation recently swept the valley east of Danang and 30 miles southwest of Hue. The move ended a week ago. The sources said the North Vietnamese could be again using truck convoys in the valley to replace the vast amounts of weapons, food and other war material destroyed during the allied operation. Allied troops never intended to stay in the valley and left just ahead of monsoon rains that would have made their stay highly hazardous because of the difficulties in reinforcing, resupplying and launching air strikes.

BIG ROAD-BUILDING PROJECT…

“For some reason the allies operating on the valley floor did not attempt to destroy major segments of the road, a direct truck route from North Vietnam through Laos to South Vietnam. Long called the biggest enemy base camp in South Vietnam, Ashau took on fresh importance with the recent discovery of a major enemy road-construction project from the valley in the direction of Danang, the biggest allied base in the northern war zone. In one aerial sighting, more than 1,000 construction workers were spotted along an open segment of the road. Bull dozers are believed to be in use.

“Thick jungles and bad weather make United States operations against the new road almost impossible except by bombing. Finished sections of the road are said to extend from Laos about 7.5 miles inside South Vietnam, with work under way on an additional six miles. United States planes are spraying the Ashau Valley and likely routes out of it with herbicides in an attempt to kill all foliage that the North Vietnamese are using for cover during the road construction. Still another road spotted farther south could give the enemy trucks access to base areas that threaten not only the vital Danang region but the Kontum Province as well.

ENEMY SHIFTED IN NORTH…

“Meanwhile, elements of two North Vietnamese divisions have pulled out of their normal haunts in the sensitive northern provinces, probably to reinforce troops in the Central Highlands. In reporting this, reliable sources said there was no firm evidence to support intelligence reports from United States field units that North Vietnam had committed two more divisions, either in part or whole, in the northern provinces. Two of the North Vietnamese 225th Division and three regiments have completed a march south from the area of Khe Sanh, in the northwest to an area west of Kontum, in the highlands, a distance of about 165 miles, the sources said. In addition, they reported two regiments of the Second North Vietnamese Division, which normally operates just south of the Marine base at Danang, have disappeared. Such a direction would put the regiments on the infiltration trails toward the Kontum area.” … End AP story…    (Kontum is the initial point for attacks on Saigon from the northwest!)…

RTR quote for 24 May: NAPOLEON I, Maxims of War, 1831: “Aptitude for war is aptitude for movement.”

Lest we forget….         Bear