Posted on Feb 7, 2018
U.S. jets conduct retaliatory raids - Feb 07, 1965 - HISTORY.com
2.05K
45
13
13
13
0
As part of Operation Flaming Dart, 49 U.S. Navy jets from the 7th Fleet carriers Coral Sea and Hancock drop bombs and rockets on the barracks and staging areas at Dong Hoi, a guerrilla training camp in North Vietnam. Escorted by U.S. jets, a follow-up raid by South Vietnamese planes bombed a North Vietnamese military communications center.
These strikes were in retaliation for communist attacks on the U.S. installation at Camp Holloway and the adjacent Pleiku airfield in the Central Highlands, which killed eight U.S. servicemen, wounded 109, and destroyed or damaged 20 aircraft.
Even before the attack, presidential advisors John T. McNaughton and McGeorge Bundy had favored bombing North Vietnam. After the attack in the Central Highlands, they strongly urged President Johnson to order the retaliatory raids. Johnson agreed and gave the order to commence Operation Flaming Dart, hoping that a quick and effective retaliation would persuade the North Vietnamese to cease their attacks in South Vietnam.
Bundy, who had just returned from Vietnam, defended the air raids as “right and necessary.” Senate Majority Leader Mansfield (D-Montana) and GOP leader Everett Dirksen (Illinois) supported the president’s decision, but Senators Wayne Morse (D-Oregon) and Ernest Gruening (D-Alaska) attacked the action as a dangerous escalation of the war.
The retaliatory raids did not have the desired effect. On February 10, the Viet Cong struck again, this time at an American installation in Qui Nhon, killing 23 Americans. Johnson quickly ordered another retaliatory strike, Flaming Dart II.
These strikes were in retaliation for communist attacks on the U.S. installation at Camp Holloway and the adjacent Pleiku airfield in the Central Highlands, which killed eight U.S. servicemen, wounded 109, and destroyed or damaged 20 aircraft.
Even before the attack, presidential advisors John T. McNaughton and McGeorge Bundy had favored bombing North Vietnam. After the attack in the Central Highlands, they strongly urged President Johnson to order the retaliatory raids. Johnson agreed and gave the order to commence Operation Flaming Dart, hoping that a quick and effective retaliation would persuade the North Vietnamese to cease their attacks in South Vietnam.
Bundy, who had just returned from Vietnam, defended the air raids as “right and necessary.” Senate Majority Leader Mansfield (D-Montana) and GOP leader Everett Dirksen (Illinois) supported the president’s decision, but Senators Wayne Morse (D-Oregon) and Ernest Gruening (D-Alaska) attacked the action as a dangerous escalation of the war.
The retaliatory raids did not have the desired effect. On February 10, the Viet Cong struck again, this time at an American installation in Qui Nhon, killing 23 Americans. Johnson quickly ordered another retaliatory strike, Flaming Dart II.
U.S. jets conduct retaliatory raids - Feb 07, 1965 - HISTORY.com
Posted from history.com
Vietnam War
American History
Military History
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
5
5
0
The arrogant narcissist that brought America the Edsel and the inept President that was better at back room Senate dealings then as Commander and Chief sacrificed hundreds of pilots and aircrews in their misguided attempt to run the Vietnam air-war from the Oval Office. Ask a former resident of the Hanoi Hilton (I served with one as well as a pilot who flew over 200 combat missions in Vietnam) if you think I am wrong. McNamara and Johnson NEVER ALLOWED THE USAF, USN and USMC to bomb MIG airfields; never allowed them to destroy the bridges and rail lines between China and North Vietnam, never allowed them to bomb the dikes in Hanoi which, if breached, would have flooded the city, never allowed them to destroy the dredge in Haiphong harbor that would have slowed the off loading of key war supplies because Haiphong harbor was so shallow. They never allowed the USAF, USN and USMC to fully interdict Mu Gia pass between Laos and North Vietnam (the KEY pass for supplies that traveled down the Ho Chi Min trail). McNamara and Johnson used American flyers to send "...political messages..." to Ho Chi Min and Giap. The problem was that they were playing checkers awhile the North Vietnamese were playing Chess and because of it American Fliers were killed and those that bailed out suffered unimaginable cruelties. Some think that Westmoreland lost the Vietnam War - no it was lost as soon as these two buffoons decided to play Field Marshall and waste American lives.
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/readings/drew2.htm
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/readings/drew2.htm
Rolling Thunder 1965: Anatomy of a Failure
American air power doctrine was based on the concept of strategic bombardment, a concept based on two fundamental assumptions. The first assumption was that any American war would be waged to destroy the enemys ability to wage modernwarfare. The second assumed that any enemy the UnitedStates might engage would be a modern industrialized state. In Vietnam, neither assumption held true. The American objective, when engaging the North...
(5)
(0)
4
4
0
U.S. retaliates against the North Vietnamese - 2/7/1965
On this day in 1965, America responds to North Vietnamese attacks on U.S. bases with retaliatory air raids in Operation Flaming Dart. For more subscribe: htt...
Thanks for reminding us SP5 Mark Kuzinski that on February 7, 1965 as part of Operation Flaming Dart, 49 U.S. Navy jets from the 7th Fleet carriers Coral Sea and Hancock dropped bombs and rockets on the barracks and staging areas at Dong Hoi, a guerrilla training camp in North Vietnam. Escorted by U.S. jets, a follow-up raid by South Vietnamese planes bombed a North Vietnamese military communications center.
On this day in 1965, America responds to North Vietnamese attacks on U.S. bases with retaliatory air raids in Operation Flaming Dart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-lj0P_hWk8
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSgt Robert Marx PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT (Join to see) SGT Keith Bodine Maj Marty Hogan
On this day in 1965, America responds to North Vietnamese attacks on U.S. bases with retaliatory air raids in Operation Flaming Dart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-lj0P_hWk8
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSgt Robert Marx PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT (Join to see) SGT Keith Bodine Maj Marty Hogan
(4)
(0)
4
4
0
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google