Bear Taylor 
RIPPLE SALVO… #357… THE CHARTER SCHOOL–JROTC COMBINATION… but first…
Good Morning: Day THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-SEVEN of a return to the air war over North Vietnam fifty years ago…
25 FEBRUARY 1967… HEAD LINES from The New York Times on a cloudy, windy and cold Saturday in NYC…
Page 1: “McNamara Denies Discord With Rusk on Bombing Policy“…”Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara denied today that he and Secretary of State Dean Rusk had differed over the bombing of military targets in North Vietnam.’I can’t recall a single instance when we have differed on bombing policy and not a single instance when our recommendations have differed on particular bombing targets.’ Secretary McNamara said he desired to set the record straight. An unspecified press report of an apparent difference of opinion between him and the Secretary of State. After making his point Mr. McNamara was asked to comment on a Senate speech today by Senator Robert “Scoop” Jackson, Democrat of Washington, calling for ‘some more meaningful targets in North Vietnam.’ Secretary McNamara: ‘We may well have to add additional targets in the future.‘ Secretary Rusk, questioned on the McNamara statement, observed that he and Secretary McNamara ‘have been together at all times in the many efforts to find a peaceful settlement to the war.’ “… Page 1: “24 Air Academy Cadets Resign in New Cheating Investigation in another cheating scandal at the Air Force Academy. The announcement came two years after an earlier scandal during which 109 cadets were forced to resign. The Honor Code: ‘We will not lie, steal, or cheat of tolerate anyone who does.’ The Honor Committee had learned from three sources that widespread cheating was going on...” Page 2: “Sihanouk Asserts U.S. Will Gain Prestige if It Leaves South Vietnam”…”Predicts No Face will Be Lost and Ho Chi Minh Would Ask For Aid”…Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodian Chief of State: ‘I tell the Americans that as an Asian because I am profoundly Asian–I know there would be no loss of face in their withdrawal from Vietnam. There is loss of face only in the continuation of their criminal policy. They would gain enormous prestige if the left Vietnam alone. Even Ho Chi Minh would ask them for aid.’ Sihanouk made the remarks at a luncheon in Paris at the Anglo-American Press Club.”…
Page 2: “Air General’s Transfer is Laid to His ‘Lack of Sound Judgment'”…“The Air Force Chief of Staff says he removed Major General Jerry D. Page from Command of the Air War College at Maxwell because he showed a ‘lack of judgment’ in that post. General John P. McConnell gave this assessment of the controversial transfer in a memorandum submitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine. An incident at a December 15 seminar at the War College involved General Page engaging a student in conversation about bomb shortages in Vietnam.”… Page 1: “Boston Strangler Flees Massachusetts Mental Institution”...”…escaped with two others and remained at-large while the others were captured. Albert DiSalvo carjacked a car and was lost in Boston.”…
Page 1: “North Shelled By U.S. Artillery for the First Time”...”Artillery Based in South Vietnam fired 63 rounds of 175mm into and over the 6-mile wide demilitarized zone. The targets were anti-aircraft gun positions that had fired at an Air Force O-1E Bird Dog. ‘This action is designed to supplement air strikes against military targets in the demilitarized zone, especially at night and in bad weather.”…
25 FEBRUARY 1967…OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…NYT: No coverage of air war… (Bear/#39/STwithFAC/Troops5kia) “Vietnam: Air Losses” (Hobson) There were two fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 25 February 1967…
(1) LCOL JOSEPH LESLIE HART was flying an A-1C of the 1st ACS and 14th ACW out of Pleiku on a road reconnaissance mission 45 miles southwest of Hue when his aircraft was hit by ground fire and immediately crashed with no opportunity to abandon the aircraft. LCOL HART was Killed in Action fifty years ago on this date. Resting place unknown…Left behind???…
(2) LTJG R.C. EWING and LT DAVID WESLEY HOFFMAN were flying an F-4B of the VF-96 Fighting Falcons embarked in USS Enterprise and lost an engine on the catapult shot. Both aviators successfully ejected and were rescued to fly and fight again…
RIPPLE SALVO… #357... It was my honor and pleasure to attend and speak at the Dining In of The Utah Military Academy held in a hangar on Hill Air Force Base this evening. I was surrounded by about 200 Air Force Junior ROTC cadets and the staff of a charter school that has broken the code. What, you say? This combination is a rarity but should receive the attention of the recruiters of talent for out academies and the officer ranks of the future. These are the young people whose parents have the wisdom to take advantage of the charter school option and put their kids in military training. This initiative in Riverside, Utah is the only such enterprise in the state and I was advised that there aren’t many of these across the country. If not, why not? With charter schools going big time under President Trump every service should be investigating this outstanding combination of schooling and military training. What a pipeline opportunity for young talent this would seem to be... At any rate, I was very impressed with the polish of the kids in their first Dining In and the incredible support provided by the Air Force at Hill Air Force Base. Bonus for me, I spent the dinner sitting with the 388th Wing Commander and got an update on the F-35.. one interesting comment “I wish we were getting the Navy F-35Cs…more power and more gas.”..???…The event included an A+ “POW/MIA Table Ceremony” complete with Bible…I will close with Chaplain Scott Baker’s invocation/grace…delivered at full voice on a major Air Force Base…oohrah… God was there in an F-35 hangar… I quote…
“God of Heaven–What a privilege it is to gather and celebrate with our JROTC counterparts tonight. LORD, my prayer is that each and every one of these emerging adults would be blessed. I pray for mentors to encourage them, for families to enfold them, and for leaders to create places for them. God, watch over this next generation of Air Force officers, causing them to be full of integrity, service and excellence.
“We are aware of a larger mission tonight, a mission where our friends and family are in harm’s way–and pray for them, that you would bless and keep them safe.
“And now we as we prepare to eat this sumptuous meal together, we ask that you strengthen us for our part of the mission–that we might steward the time and the energy and the gifts you have given to all of us, for we ask it in your most holy name. Amen….
Lest we forget….. Bear
