Bear Taylor 
RIPPLE SALVO… #817… TALES OF GREAT COURAGE FROM 31 MAY DAYS-AND-NIGHTS OF OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER…The stories of Navy A-7 Tailhooker Lieutenant Kenny Fields; of Air Force Major Edward Leonard, holder of four Silver Stars, three DFCs and 23 Air Medals earned while flying Spads to save downed pilots, including Ken Fields; of Navy LCDR Arv Chauncey, Rampant Raider, of Nav Cad Class 34-55, oohrah; of the C-130 Charge of the Herc Brigade in Project Carolina Moon; and the 31 May 1965 one way flight of Phantom warrior Major Bob Peel, who logged 2,815 days as an unwilling guest in the prisons of North Vietnam…. but first….
Good Morning…Day EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN of a remembrance of the events and warriors of the war fought over North Vietnam in the years 1965 to 1 November 1968…
HEAD LINES from the OGDEN STANDARD-EXAMINER on Friday, 31 May 1968…
THE WAR: Page 1: “WHILE TALKS CONTINUE, REDS MAINTAIN PRESSURE, HIT HARD IN SAIGON AREA”… “Viet Cong troops pressed hard on two edges of Saigon today in a new cupboard of fighting in the capital and two enemy rockets landed north\wesst of Saigon’s sprawling Tan Son Nhut air base. Other enemy forces trained big Russian guns for the first time on allied bases in the central highlands…. Enemy pressure was maintained as North Vietnam and U.S. negotiators met for the sixth session of cease-fire talks in Paris. In a Saigon news conference today the second-highest Viet Cong ever to defect, Col. Ham Mau said the Communist strategy was to keep up attacks on South Vietnamese cities to improve the bargaining position in Paris. South Vietnamese bombers plastered Viet Cong troops trying to push into the city from the northeast. Aerial observers estimated the strikes killed as many as 200 enemy troops… More serious than the guerrillas surge from the northeast, however, was the infiltration of small squads of Viet Cong into Cholon, the Chinese quarter in Saigon’s western sector….After five days of skirmishing near the U.S satellite communications station in Phu Lam, the government troops appeared to have the situation in Hand… On the northeastern edge of Saigon infiltrators slammed bazooka-type rockets and grenades into a U.S. motor pool and a National Police center. Eleven Americans and six government policemen were wounded, but there were estimates of the 30 to 40 Viet Cong killed. One U.S. Army gunship helicopter was shot down as it worked against the Viet Cong. In the northern sector of the country, U.S. paratroopers government soldiers sealed hamlet held by enemy soldiers and reported killing 168 enemy and taking 49 prisoners today after an all-night artillery barrage. U.S. 101st Airborne Division spokesman said a cordon was placed around the hamlet six miles east of Hue and artillery hammered the trapped enemy all night. When the allied troops entered the hamlet there was little resistance, the spokesman said.”…
PEACE CONVERSATIONS: Page 1: “PEACE TALKS FAIL TO RECORD GAINS”… “U.S. and North Vietnamese negotiators clashed today over ways of de-escalating the war in Vietnam, yet failed again to make any progress toward breaking their deadlock. North Vietnamese Ambassador Xuan Thuy rejected all U.S. proposals for joint action to curb the conflict. He said the United States is the ‘aggressor’ in Vietnam and must end the bombing and other military operations against the North without reciprocity. U.S. W. Averell Harriman made a new appeal to Thuy to take a different tack and told him President Johnson is prepared ‘to go far and fast’ to a common search for peace. The meeting lasted three hours and 45 minutes and ended with an agreement to meet next Wednesday.”… Page 1: “DE GAULLE ACTIONS LULL MOMENTUM OF STRIKE EFFORTS–VAST AREAS OF FRANCE REPORT ‘BACK TO WORK’ MOMENT”… “The great French strike wave seemed to be receding today under the countermeasures of President Charles de Gaulle..The chief of state, following up his dissolution of the National Assembly, named a new government with Georges Pompidou back as Premier.”… Page 1: “JOHNSON BOWS TO CONGRESS–OKs 46-BILLION SPENDING CUT–MILLS PREDICTS QUICK PASSAGE OF TAX HIKE”… “…reluctantly agreed to accept a $6-billion cut in government spending in order to get the tax increase he thinks vital to the nation and economy.”… Page 1: “LBJ Hikes Interest On Bonds”… Page 1: “Hunt For Scorpion Detects Submerged Metal Object”… Page 1: “LOOTING AND SNIPING IN LOUSIVILLE STRIFE–Arrests Pass 400″… “Arrests in Louisville’s West End climbed to more than 400 today as police and volunteer Negro marshals tried to cope with scattered looking and isolated incidents of sniping.”… Page 3: “NIXON TAKES FIGHT TO DEEP SOUTH–HOPES TO ATTRACT INDEPENDENT AND DEMOCRATIC VOTE”… “…takes his fight for the Republican presidential nomination into the Deep South today on the eve of a weekend strategy huddle to plan what he calls ‘a brand new campaign.’ “…
31 MAY 1968… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times (1 June reporting 31 May ops)… Page 3: “In the air war over North Vietnam, American pilots flew through moderate to heavy ground fire to strike road and river traffic and storage areas together with bridges, barges and a SAM–or surface-to-air missile — transporter. The United States Command reported that 44 secondary explosions and 31 fires were set off by the bombing raids.”… “VIETNAM: AIR LOSSES” (Chris Hobson) There were four fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 31 May 1968…
(1) An A-7E of the VA-82 Marauders embarked in USS America was lost at sea when the engine failed during an aerial refueling. The pilot ejected and was rescued by Navy helicopter.
(2) MAJOR EUGENE PAUL BERESIK was flying an F-105D of the 469th TFS and 388th TFW and was downed near Tiger Island while strafing an enemy gun position. MAJOR BERESIK was apparently too low to eject and was killed in action. A detailed story of the flight is below.
(3) LT KENNETH WALLACE FIELDS was flying an A-7E of the VA-82 Marauders embarked in USS America and went down while striking a storage area in southern Laos. His rescue — THE RESCUE OF STREETCAR 304: A Navy Pilot’s Forty Hours on the Run in Laos— is his story. Buy the book. A review is below to suck you in to some great reading…
(4) CAPTAIN EDWARD W. LEONARD was flying an A-1H of the 602nd ACS and 56th ACW in the rescue of LT FIELDS, was downed in the action and evaded capture for a time, but wound up a POW. More on CAPTAIN LEONARD’s participation below.
RIPPLE SALVO… #817… Tales from 31 May 1968; then one each from 1967, 1966, and 1965…
1968: “THE RESCUE OF STREETCAR 304… “In 1968, during a forty hour period, the Air Force flew 189 sorties to rescue a Navy A-7 pilot, call sign Streetcar 304, (LT KENNETH W. FIELDS) in one of the largest rescue efforts of the Vietnam war. Before it ended, four pilots had ejected, seven planes were lost or heavily damages; and, at one point, seven airman awaited rescue behind enemy lines. Streetcar 304 now provides his personal narrative about the event. On his very first combat mission, Fields catapulted off the USS America, flew to Laos, dropped his bombs in the midst of an enemy (flak) trap and was shot down. Streetcar describes his last fearful farewell night at home with his wife, his tracer-ridden bomb runs and a last moment ejection. Cringe when he describes being shot at while floating down in his parachute. Ride along in the cockpit of two rescue pilots as enemy tracers zoom upward and shoot each one down. Feel your heart skip a beat as Streetcar and one Air Force pilot (CAPTAIN EDWARD W. LEONARD) separately evade numerous close encounters with Pathet Lao guerrillas, are nearly killed time and again by friendly bombs, and deal with the stress of jungle animals and lack of sleep. Suffer with his wife when she receives word that he is down, fate unknown, and then describes her own forty hours of suspense. Relate to the pilots who are ordered to make one final rescue attempt. Shed a tear with Streetcar when one rescuer (CAPTAIN LEONARD) is captured by the enemy. Experience the final harrowing rescue attempt during which Fields is wounded by a friendly bomb.” STREETCAR 304 is published by U.S. Naval Institute and is available on Amazon hardcover like new or new for $24…
1968: (Hobson) “When LT FIELDS was shot down near Ban Kate a USAF Skyraider, which was already in the area was directed to search for the downed airman. Night was drawing in rapidly but CAPTAIN EDWARD W. LEONARD came down to 500-feet in an effort to protect the Corsair pilot until the rescue forces arrived. Unfortunately, the Skyraider was hit by automatic weapons fire about 10 miles to the southwest of LT field’s position. Captain Leonard ejected but was captured by a North Vietnamese soldier. He was eventually sent to Hanoi and was released on 28 March 1973. Captain Leonard had flown over 250 missions in Southeast Asia and had been shot down during a mission over northern Laos on 18 March but managed to fly most of the way back to base before having to eject on that occasion.”… Writing of his experience MAJOR LEONARD wrote the following (extracted from pownetwork and WE CAME HOME)… “After being shot down while flying a rescue mission over Laos, I managed to avoid capture for two days. While sitting in a tree, a Communist soldier lying in a hammock, looked up and saw me….In the summer of 1969 for some unknown reason I was interrogated about a possible escape attempt. They did not appreciate my answers and as the saying goes, ‘they tortured me until I was guilty.’… I have no regrets over any of the twelve years of military service. In fact, I regard my time as senior officer in the compound as the most important job I ever had, and in the glory of the company of some of the most magnificent men I have ever known. Those years gave me the opportunity to know how to use freedom….Boredom was the one thing I was not prepared for. I spent hours exercising, praying and filling in the hours with various mental projects. I had a ‘patriot hour.’ I recalled everything from my Boy Scout Oath to my commissioning at the Air Force Academy. Then there was ‘story hour’ during which I imagined myself in various situations and acted the parts of every character in dramas. Dreams were many and coming home has more than fulfilled my fondest dreams.”… LTCOL EDWARD W. LEONARD went west on 16 November 2014. He was awarded four Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, three Distinguished flying Crosses, the Bronze Star with Combat V, two Purple Hearts and 23 Air Medals for his heroic service as a pilot and a POW for five years… oohrah… His daughter Tracy wrote: “The measure of any man is whether he leaves this earth having added more than he extracted. My father positively changed the lives of numerous men for the better. In many cases they were strangers and he risked his life for them, prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, so they could live.”
1968: From the Compilation “34TFS/F-105 History” by Howie Plunkett…31-May-68… “On 31 May, a practice strike exercise was conducted to simulate a typical strike in RP-5 or RP-6…. One of the 44 total aircraft taking part in the exercise was damaged by 37-mm AAA fire. Only two instances of AAA fire were recorded. No SAMs were launched… but three aircraft were lost in the exercise: An F-105D whose pilot MAJOR EUGENE P. BERESIK from the 34th TFS was KIA; A Navy A-7A, call sign Streetcar 304 piloted by LT KENNETH FIELDS; and an A-1H of the 602 ACS piloted by MAJOR EDWARD LEONARD… “… “The 34th TFS F-105D piloted by MAJOR BERESIK was hit by gunfire while strafing a Tiger Island gun site in RP-1, North Vietnam. Crashed at sea off the coast of North Vietnam. MAJOR BERESIK ejected but rescue failed an the pilot was declared KIA. Call sign “No Trump 01” cause of loss is unknown. He was on an armed reconnaissance when his aircraft went down about 20 miles southwest of Dong Hoi, near Tiger Island. He was the lead aircraft in a flight of two F-105s No Trump flight had completed its primary mission and had been directed to return to an island in the Gulf of Tonkin called Tiger Island to strafe. No Trump flight was joined by Detroit flight consisting of CAPTAIN JOSEPH SECHLER AND CAPTAIN LAWRENCE BOGEMANN.”… “Detroit One and No Trump 02 heard No Trump 01 call that he was hit and was bailing out. He repeated the bail out call. No Trump 02 stated that MAJOR BERESIK’s voice sounded strange, like he may have been hit personally or was under some strain. He also saw a large puff of smoke and saw the aircraft hit the water about 5 or 6 miles east of Tiger Island. He and the two members of Detroit flight saw the chute descending. Detroit 01 saw the chute collapsing. He made a turn in order to make a low pass and lost sight of him. No Trump 02 and Detroit 02 lost sight of the chute at approximately the same time. There was no beeper signal heard, no radio contact and no survival equipment sighted. There were two Covey FACS and a Jolly Green helicopter in the immediate area. SAR was conducted and terminated at 1945 due to dakness MAJOR BERESIK had flown a total of 73 missions into North Vietnam, five of which had been in RP-6. His body was not recovered.”… MAJOR EUGENE P. BERESIK’S name is on The Wall. You are invited to “leave a remembrance” by calling up the FACES ON THE WALL site. ..You will join a remembrance from the recent past by MAJOR BERESIK’s “youngest son and namesake” who has left a remembrance for the ages: “Thanks for your service and sacrifice. I was too young to remember but thanks to your wonderful brothers and sisters, I’ve gained knowledge and insight into the man you were. The folks you grew up with in Webster still speak with great pride when they say ‘did anybody ever tell you the time your father buzzed Webster in his F-105?’ They’re all very proud of you too. I’ve inherited quite a few of your traits (good and bad) first and foremost my love of this country and family. Mom remarried a great man who raised us as his own–I know you’s be proud of the three of us. Life is short but heaven is forever–We’ll see you again.”…
1967… Search the RTR archives, 31 May 1967 … Ripple Salvo #452… Title “Flying Eagle Two Two Six” and it tells the story of one of the great ones: LCDR ARV CHAUNCEY. “I’M HIT AND I’M HEADING BACK”…that was 31 May 1967 and he got home in March 1973…
1966… Search the RTR archives, 31 May 1966 … Ripple Salvo #93…. Title “CAROLINA MOON” and the story I called “The Charge of Hercules” as the C-130s tried a different way to wipe out the “Dragon’s Jaw.”… and the loss of an F-4C with MAJOR DAYTON WILLIAM RAGLAND and 12LT NED RAYMOND HERROLD, who were flying a night diversionary mission south of Thanh Hoa to improve the chances of the C-130s putting mines in the Song Ma River. MAJOR RAGLAND’s service and sacrifice was unsurpassed. He is remembered with admiration and respect. As is young 1LT HERROLD, who was killed in action 52 years ago this day… Ripple Salvo #93 is a remembrance of the nine brave C-130 crew that tried mightily, twice, in CAROLINA MOON, but failed and paid the ultimate price… MAJOR THOMAS FRANKLIN CASE and his eight brother in arms on the flight were killed in action and lay where they fell for many years, but their remains were returned home, identified and buried at home thanks to the Joint Recovery Team…
1965… On 31 May 1966 1LT ROBERT D. PEEL was flying an F-105D of the 563r TFS and 23rd TFW out of Takhli as part of a strike group attacking JCS Target #14, the Thanh Hoa Bridge, and was shot down while approaching roll-in at 14,000-feet a few miles south of the target. He was captured and spent the rest of the war in the North Vietnamese prison system– 2,815 days and nights… He returned in March 1973 and continued his service until his retirement from the Air Force in 1980 in the grade of LCOL…
RTR Quote for 31 May: MARK KNOPFLER, Brothers in Arms: “Through these fields of destruction, Baptisms of fire. I’ve witnessed your suffering, As the battles raged higher. And though we were hurt so bad, In the fear and alarm, You didn’t desert me, My brothers in arms.”…
Lest we forget… Bear
