Vietnam War Secrets

Vietnam War Secrets DVD

2008-03-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

Vietnam War Secrets, an eleven-hour DVD series was released in January 2008 by BCI a division of Navarre Corp. It features full-length interviews with General Nguyen, former Prime Minister of South Viet-Nam; Colonel Phong Ngoc An, commander of the South Vietnamese Air Force combat operations center; and, Frank Snepp, chief CIA analyst in Sai Gon from 1972 until April 29, 1975, the day before Sai Gon was captured by the North Vietnamese Army.

Also, if features rare film from the National Liberation Front (NLF) better known as the Viet Cong and the Pathet Lao in Laos. Plus it has an incredible episode about the secret war in Cambodia. Also included are rare films from the defunct Republic of Viet-Nam about the February and May 1968 attacks against Sai Gon and rare footage of U.S. Marines fighting during February 1968 in Hue, the former Imperial city.
Additionally, there is an incredible film report about the fighting at Khe Sanh, near the demilitarized zone during January and February 1968.

The four disc series is available at Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, and Borders stores and websites plus amazon.com

Nixon and Mao

2008-02-17T10:46:00.000-08:00

Richard Nixon and entourage departed the White House during the morning of February 17, 1972 for his historic trip to China and meeting with Chairman Mao. Strangely, the farwell ceremony did not include any demonstrators although several, young schoolchildren were almost arrested by White House policemen for displaying a sign.
However, anti-Communist Republicans, pro-Taiwan Chinese, and militant Viet-Nam veterans were not in appearance during the morning ceremony at the White House south lawn. Ironically, U.S. Senator and former presidential candidate Barry Goldwater accompanied Mr. Nixon on his trip, apparently to confirm that the Chinese were not red.

Approximately, 5000 people including 1500 school-children from Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland attended the orchestrated, fifteen-minute, farewell ceremony in near-freezing weather. The children and their teachers had not been informed they were important props for Mr. Nixon's departure speech.

The President told the small crowd, assembled in roped-areas that the United States and China must "find a way to see that we can have differences without being enemies at war. If we can make progress toward that goal on this trip, the world will be a much safer world and the chance particularly for all of those young children over there to grow up in a world of peace will be infinitely greater." As he spoke those words, he pointed to the children shivering in the cold. However, Mr. Nixon's vision of peace had not been relayed to White House police.

When a group of giggling children raised a hand-painted sign that said "Be a nice guy to Chou En-lai," three White House policemen rushed over and grabbed it. The children were admonished but not arrested. Obviously, as usual, Mr. Nixon considered any type of demonsration threatening to his carefully orchestrated world.

The departure ceremony at the White House was very unusual because normally the President departed on foreign trips from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland with a simple ceremony only attended by Cabinet members. The White House press secretary later revealed that 6,200 invitations had been issued to ranking Administration officials, their families, and loyal government employees.

After, the brief speech, Mr. Nixon walked along a line of Cabinet members and Congressional leaders, shaking their hands. He was followed by Pat Nixon, his wife, who was wearing a full-length, blond mink coat. She also shook hands and touched arms. Both Mr. and Mrs. Nixon kissed their daughters, Tricia and Julie.

Then they were led by Secretary of State William P. Rogers and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger to the waiting U.S. Marine helicopter for a brief flight to Andrews Air Force Base where Air Force One, the presidential aircraft, was waiting. As heavy snow began falling, Air Force One departed at 10:36 a.m. for Honolulu, Hawaii where the Nixons and their entourage rested for 46 hours.

The Nixons stayed with Brigadier General Victor Armstrong, commander of the First Marine Brigade. It remains unknown how much money was spent by the U.S. Marine Corps to prepare for the visit and dinner parties.

The Nixons departed on Saturday for Guam where they spent the night. The next day the President and his party departed for Shanghai, China for a brief refueling stop. Air Force One arrived in Beijing during Monday at 11:40 a.m. (Beijing time) which was 10:40 p.m. during Sunday in Washington, D.C. The Beijing arrival was broadcast live by satellite to the United States and presented by all three television networks.

Mr. and Mrs. Nixon were welcomed by Premier Chou En-lai but no welcoming speeches were made. Instead, the Peoples Liberation Army band played the Star Spangled Banner.

Two planes with government officials, technicians, journalists and security personnel had preceded the arrival of Air Force One.

The following day Mr. Nixon met with Chairman Mao. That was approximately five months before Jane Fonda made her famous trip to Ha Noi, the capital of North Viet-Nam. Ironically, conservative politicians did not chastise Mr. Nixon for embracing Mao and diplomatically recognizing Red China. Yet, five months later they vocally attacked Ms. Fonda.

Also, the same psuedo-patriots never attacked Mr. Kissinger, who during his prior visit to China had told Chou En-lai that the United States would unilaterally withdraw from Viet-Nam, regardless of what President Thieu of South Viet-Nam said or did.

During the official welcome dinner in Beijing, Mr. Nixon gave a brief speech during which he quoted Chairman Mao: "This is the day, this is the hour." In reality, it was the end of U.S. presence in Viet-Nam because Mr. Nixon considered Viet-Nam a unnecessary burden in his quest to be an historic, world statesman. Jane Fonda's trip to Ha Noi, was meaningless. Mr. Nixon had previously decided to abandon Viet-Nam. This was the day, this was the hour.

Special thanks to Richard Nixon Library. Edward Rasen.

U.S. Supports Viet-Nam Coup d'etat

2008-01-28T19:32:00.000-08:00

General Nguyen Khanh during January 29,1964 met with U.S. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge in Sai Gon and accused generals Tran Van Don, Le Van Kim and Mai Huu Xuan of plotting to negotiate with the National Liberation Front, more commonly known as the Viet Cong. The generals were leaders of the Military Revolutionary Council, then ruling southern Viet-Nam. They had led the coup d'etat which toppled President Ngo Dinh Diem during November 1, 1963. General Khanh had supported them during the 1963 coup.

Less than twelve hours after meeting with Ambassador Lodge, Khanh with the support of generals Tran Thien Khiem and Le Van Nghiem, seized control of the Military Revolutionary Council. Khiem was angry with Le Van Kim, who seized his government position. Kim was a high-ranking member of the old Dai Viet political party, which long had opposed Ngo Dinh Diem and Diem's family.

Despite all the propaganda about fighting the Viet Cong, the real battle always had been between Catholics who supported Diem, the Dai Viet party, the Cao Dai, Hoa Hao, and other political groups and of course the Buddhist temple leaders, who represented most of the people. Of course, President Lyndon Johnson nor his advisors ever told such to the American people. It was much easier to pretend the United States was helping a struggling democracy resist Communist aggression.

Moreover, Diem's repressive dictatorship had forced many nationalist groups to join the National Liberation Front in order to survive. The internal battle for control of southern Viet-Nam was always far greater than the external until Spring 1972.

WAR ENDS

2008-01-28T18:48:00.000-08:00

War ended thirty-five years ago in Viet-Nam duing January 28, 1973 at 2400 hours Greenwich Mean Time per the Paris Peace Accord signed January 27th. the final artillery rounds were fired at 0805 (8:05 a.m.) local time Viet-Nam.

U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel William B. Nolde of Mount Pleasant, Michigan was killed by an artillery shell at An Loc in Binh Long Province, eleven hours after the cease-fire commenced. He is listed on the Viet-Nam War Memorial as the last official casualty of the conflict.

However, U.S. Army Warrant Officer First Class Anthony Dal Pozzo, Jr., from Santa Barbara, California was wounded by small-arms fire approximately two-hours before the ceasefire while flying a UH1H "Huey" from the 18th Aviation Company into Can Tho in the Mekong Delta. He died the following day.

The Army of the Republic of Viet-Nam (ARVN) at the time of the ceasefire, had approximately thirteen infantry divisions and seven Ranger groups, plus various paramilitary and home-guard units. Almost all were in static, defensive positions near major cities and towns.

The Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) 2,075 fixed-wing aircraft assembled in sixty-five squadrons with 61,147 personnel not counting U.S. military advisors and civilian technicians. Additionally, the ARVN and the Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) had 929 helicopters, all U.S. made. While the numbers are impressive, major problems existed because VNAF lacked qualified pilots and maintenance technicians. Plus, the ARVN and VNAF did not have the supply and maintenance sources or budgets of their counterpart U.S. military services.

Within two years less than half of the aircraft were in operation and many had been stripped for parts.

The Peoples Army of Viet-Nam (PAVN) had fifteen infantry divisions and twenty-seven seperate infantry and sapper regiments in southern Viet-Nam, supported by various local-force guerrilla units ranging in sized from companies to regiments.

U.S. Navy fighter-bombers stationed on the USS Constellation operating at "Yankee Station" off northern Viet-Nam, were diverted to alleged military targets in Laos, which was not covered by the Peace agreement. However, the United States previously had signed an agreement in Geneve, Switzerland, which prohibited any type of U.S. military activity in Laos.

Peace Agreement Announced

2008-01-23T08:58:00.000-08:00

President Richard Nixon at the White House during January 23, 1973, (35 years ago as of date during 2008) announced a peace agreement had been concluded regarding the Viet-Nam War. The so-called Paris Peace Accord was signed in Paris by representatives for the United States, the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam (North Viet-Nam), the Republic of Viet-Nam (South Viet-Nam), and the National Liberation Front (South Viet-Nam).

The primary point of agreement was a cease-fire scheduled to commence five days later during the morning of January 28th. Also, the United States agreed to terminate all combat activities in north and south Viet-Nam. However, since the governments of Laos and Cambodia or their opponents did not participate in the negotiations or agreement, the two countries are not included. Subsequently, this will become a major problem for the United States.

Nixon touted the Peace Accord as a great accomplishment but in reality the agreement was less favorable to the United States than a similar agreement signed during October 1972. And although many pro-war warriors later blamed the U.S. Congress for abandoning South Viet-Nam, they were either ignorant, delusional, or addicted to war.

National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, also was the chief negotiator for the United States during the four year negotiations. Mr. Kissinger, prior to becoming National Security Advisor, was a professor at Harvard University, who taught International Diplomacy and Relations. He had received his doctorate degree from Harvard in the same subject.

Later in his memoirs, Kissinger said Nixon's messages to President Thieu of South Viet-Nam were the most brutal in the history of diplomacy. Bui Diem, South Viet-Nam's ambassador to the United States from 1967 to 1972 and then Ambassador-at-Large and Special Envoy to the Paris Peace confirmed the same in his memoirs: "The final decision by Sai Gon to sign the Agreements came after a rather painful exchange of messages between Presidents Nixon and Thieu --- almost everyday during the week prior to signing --- with some of the messages couched in the toughest language that diplomatic practice has ever seen."

Nixon during January 16, 1973 had ordered General Alexander Haig to visit President Thieu in Sai Gon and inform him the United States would unilaterally sign a treaty with North Viet-Nam if Thieu did not sign the agreement. Haig carried a signed message from Nixon which bluntly stated: "I am firmly convinced that the alternative to signing the present agreement is a total cutoff of funds to assist your country... If you refuse to join us, the responsibility for the consequences rests on the Government of South Viet-Nam."

Thieu resisted Nixon's threats because the Agreement established the National Liberation Front as a legitimate political party and legitimate political representative of all territory it controlled. Also, North Vietnamese Army units were allowed to remain in southern Viet-Nam. But, Nixon did not care about Thieu or South Viet-Nam. He had endlessly promised a signed Peace Accord before the November 1972 presidential election and used such to politically emasculate Senator George McGovern, the Democratic Party candidate, who campaigned on an anti-war platform.

If Nixon did not deliver the promised Peace agreement, he faced rebellion in the U.S. Congress and attacks from both conservative and liberal political pundits. Moreover, his Peace pledge had produced one of the greatest victories in the history of presidential elections. If he did not deliver, he faced public outrage. And, Dick Nixon was not going to jeopardize his popularity for worthless South Viet-Nam.

So, Dick Nixon during January 20th sent one more message to Nguyen Van Thieu, which simply and bluntly stated: "If you cannot give me a positive answer by 1200 (hours) Washington time, January 21, 1973, I shall authorize Dr. Kissinger to initial the agreement even without the concurrence of your government." Plus, Nixon told General Haig to remind Thieu that if he did not sign, Nixon would order all aid terminated to South Viet-Nam within forty-eight hours after the Unites States signed such. Also, Nixon told Thieu he would hold a press conference and announce that Thieu was solely responsible for preventing peace in Viet-Nam.

The collapse of South Viet-Nam was implemented by President Richard Nixon not the U.S. Congress, or Jane Fonda, or anti-war demonstrators, or hippies, or liberal journalists, or draft-dodgers like Richard "Dick" Cheney. This is the real story about the Paris Peace Accords and relations between the United States and South Viet-Nam during January, 1973. All subsequent rhetoric and verbal attacks against the Congress and media are just rants from psuedo-patriots or ignorant men with bruised egos who do not want to confront the truth.

Special thanks Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Bui Diem.

DIAN PARKINSON ENTERTAINS TROOPS

2008-01-22T23:56:00.000-08:00

Dian Parkinson entertained U.S. troops in Viet-Nam as part of the 1965 Bob Hope Christmas tour. However. Bob presented her as Dianna Lynn Batts, which was her real name, and as Miss USA even though she was fourth runner-up.

Miss Batts told the troops her measurements were 37-23-37 and that she was born at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina because he father was a U.S. Marine.

Miss Batts later became famous as one of the longest-appearing female assistants to Bob Barker on the television program Price Is Right. After departing the program she sued Bob Barker for sexual harassment and extortion.

She was last known to be living in south Florida. If you know where she is, please send the information to vnsecrets@gmail.com because we would like to interview her about the Bob Hope tour.

JOHN McCAIN SURVIVES CRASH

2008-01-22T18:35:00.000-08:00

John S. McCain, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander was shot down over Ha Noi, Viet-Nam during October 26, 1967, while piloting an A-4E (#149959) fighter-bomber from the USS Oriskany. The starboard wing of his aircraft was hit by a Surface-to-Air SA-2 missile, which the Soviet Union supplied to the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam (DRV), better known as North Viet-Nam.

McCain ejected over central Ha Noi and landed in a small lake in the center of the city. He almost died by drowning because both his arms and one leg broke during ejection from the aircraft. Apparently, the U.S. Navy after more than three years of flying bombing missions against North Viet-Nam had not improved aircraft ejection seats.

McCain was captured and held prisoner for five and one-half years until being released during March 14, 1973, approximately, two weeks before the last American troops departed Viet-Nam.

McCain remained in the U.S. Navy after returning from North Viet-Nam but retired so he could campaign during 1982 as a Republican candidate in Arizona for the U.S. House of Representatives. Then during 1986 he won the U.S. Senate seat long held by Barry Goldwater, the former Republican presidential candidate against Lyndon Johnson during the 1964 election.

McCain ran for president during 2000 and lost the nomination to George Bush, Jr. after losing the Republican primary in South Carolina where the Bush organization distributed tens of thousands of letters and flyers alleging McCain was linked to Charlie Keating, the kingpin of the savings and loan scandal in Arizona. Also, the Bush organization spread rumors that McCain had a baby with a black woman although his daughter had been adopted from Mother Therea's orphanage in India.

And, the Bush election committee used psuedo-patriot Ted Sampley to attack McCain as a secret agent for North Viet-Nam, acting as a so-called "sleeper agent" per the Manchurian Candidate film character.

tip of the hat to Elect George Bush, Jr. Committee.

NSA & U.S. ARMY SPY ON ANTI-WAR GROUPS

2008-01-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

Anti-war groups that protested against the Viet-Nam War were spyed on by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.S. Army Security Agency (ASA), the military wing of the NSA, both of which were and are part of the Department of Defense.

Despite laws against domestic spying, the Army Security Agency during early October 1967, established thirty-six temporary listening posts in and around Washington, D.C. and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia prior to the "March on the Pentagon" which occured during October 21 to 23, 1967.

Additionally,soldiers from the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Command, posing as civilians, joined demonstrators riding buses and trains to Washington, D.C. from throughout the United States.

Also, hundreds of undercover FBI agenst or agent provocateurs in the employ of the FBI, infiltrated many groups. All of these operations were approved by Lyndon Johnson, then president.

Plus, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, an anti-communist zealot, on the eve of the "March on the Pentagon", publicly announced that the White House had secret evidence indicating the anti-war movement was Communist-controlled. Strangely, Mr. Rusk pretended that he was a fundamentalist Christian like his parents who were devout followers of John Calvin. Apparently, Mr. Rusk justified his fascist politics by embracing Calvinist preachers who said Communists were agents of the Devil.

You can read the story about the secret spy operations in Final Report (Book II) published by the U.S. Senate Select Committee to Study Intelligence Activities.

And if you know anyone out of the 100,000 people that attended the demonstration, then you know a "communist agent" according to the FBI, which still has such records. Obviously, President Lyndon Johnson, Secretary of State Dean Rusk and FBI Director J. Edjar Hoover, did not believe that "freedom of speech" per the First Admendment of the United States Constitution, applied to anti-war demonstrators but did apply to pro-war demonstrators.

And that was Democracy in the United States and southern Viet-Nam during 1967. The U.S. Army in Viet-Nam practiced the same sort of Democracy but without the hypocrisy. U.S. military commanders simply told combat soldiers: "Your's is not to question why, your's is but to do or die.

John McCain Escapes Death

2008-01-21T21:46:00.000-08:00

John McCain was sitting in the cockpit of an A-4 jet fighter on the flight deck of the USS Forrestal when he says he heard a "whoosh" and then an explosion. Then, two A-4 aircraft in front of him erupted in flames and were engulfed by flaming JP-5 jet fuel. Lieutenant Commander McCain, a U.S. Navy pilot did not know his aircraft had been hit by a ZUNI rocket, accidentally fired from an F-4 "Phantom" across the flight deck.

The rocket punctured the belly fuel-tank of McCain's aircraft and the explosion caused a 1,000 pound bomb to fall into the spreading fire. In less than two minutes, the bomb exploded killing flight-deck personnel and firefighters. Plus, it ignited other bombs on other aircraft.

The fires engulfed the flight deck and spread to other sections of the ship. It took more than thirteen hours during July 29, 1967 to contain the fires. The losses were devestating including 134 sailors and aviators killed plus 64 men injured. It was the greatest loss of men on an aircraft carrier since the USS Franklin was bombed by Japanese aircraft during World War II.

The Forrestal was removed from duty and immediately departed for Cubi Point in the Philippines. After temporary repairs it continued to Norfolk, Virginia for major repairs. It never returned to Viet-Nam.

However, Lt. Commander McCain subsequently was shot down over North Viet-Nam and held as a prisoner in Hanoi.

The U.S. Navy later blamed Captain John K. Breling, commander of the Forrestal for the alleged faulty firing switch on the F-4 "Phantom" aircraft. But, flight deck and ammunition personnel had long complained about weapons and ordnance problems. However, out of loyalty to the Navy, Breling accepted reassignment and a formal reprimand in his service file, rather than demanding a court-martial which would have produced a public record of the weapons and ordnance problems.

Obviously, the solution to the problem was simply to ignore it. And, that is way it was on the USS Forrestal during July 29, 1967. Do you know someone who was stationed on the Forrestal during the tragedy?

Swift Boat Sunk

2008-01-19T17:44:00.000-08:00

Swift Boat Vets and POWs for Truth pretended to be an independent, non-political veterans group when it actively led media attacks against U.S. Senator John Kerry during the 2000 presidential campaign. However, it now appears to be sunk after some questionable financial transactions.

The organization led by retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Roy "Latch" Hoffman during February 8, 2006 donated $100,000 to the Admiral Roy F. Hoffman Foundation, which coincidentally lists Roy F. Hoffman as chairman. It was the second "donation" from Swift Boat Vets to the Hoffman Foundation.

Subsequently, during April 6, 2006, the organization filed a report with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Weymouth D. Symmees, who signed the report as "legal custodian of records and authorized official" declared that the group did not receive any donations during the preceding fiscal period but spent $218,871 of which $100,000 went to the Hoffman Foundation and $113,695 was paid to attorney Patton Boggs of Washington, D.C.

Swift Boat Vets for Truth raised money from veterans under the pretense of exposing Senator Kerry's military service. Strangely, nothing was ever said about funding the Roy F. Hoffman Foundation.

But, we must thank the Swift Boat Vets for helping elect George Bush, Jr. as president because Mr. Bush had the courage during November 2006, to visit Hanoi, Vietnam and praise the Communist government whiling standing under a plague of Ho Chi Minh. The following day, Mr. Bush personally endorsed Viet-Nam's membership application for the World Trade Organization. Of course nothing was said about his father, former president George H.W. being senior advisor to the Carlyle Group, which is investing billions of U.S. dollars in China and Viet-Nam. After all, it is probably just coincidental.

And just in case all the psuedo patriotic veterans have forgotten, George Jr. was preceded in Hanoi by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who visited during June 2006, and reviewed the Peoples Army of Viet-Nam (PAVN) honor guard at Viet-Nam's Ministry of Defense headquarters. Mr. Rumsfeld praised what was long-called the NVA, just in case there was any doubt about which was the better army during the war.

Shortly after returning to the United States, President Bush pushed legislation through the U.S. Congress establishing Permanent Normal Trade Relation (PNTR) trade status for Viet-Nam. The Republican controlled Senate confirmed such during December 9, 2006.

So, we need to thank Swift Boat Vets for Truth even if the money is being siphoned by Latch Hoffman.

tip of the hat to Chuck Colson

U.S. Navy Swindle

2008-01-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

Although, all U.S. military forces departed Viet-Nam thirty-five years ago as of March 30, 1973, the United States Navy is still sqaundering tax dollars on Viet-Nam era ships which have been decommissioned. The three most blatant examples are the former carriers USS Ranger, USS Forrestal and USS Saratoga. The Navy has continually delayed scrapping all in hopes that some private group will raise money to renovate and berth such as museums. However, the delays are now fifteen years. Meanwhile, tax dollars have and are being wasted on these rusted relics.

The USS Ranger formerly known as CVA-61 was a Forrestal-class carrier built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company and commissioned during August 10, 1957. It initially served off Viet-Nam during May 1, 1963, more than two years before U.S. military combat units were deployed. The Ranger's final deployment off Viet-Nam commenced during December 18, 1972 and ended during December 30th.

The Ranger was decommissioned during July 10, 1993 and sent to the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Bremerton, Washington. The U.S. Navy has continually delayed scrapping the vessel while various private groups attempt to raise money to convert it to a museum. The latest group is the Ranger Museum Foundation of Portland, Oregon. Ironically, the USS Ranger was never stationed or served at Portland.

Yet, the U.S. Navy continues to waste tax dollars maintaining the ship even though there are carrier museums in New York City and San Diego and a battleship museum at Camden, New Jersey. Meanwhile, the Navy is maintaining the USS Saratoga which is in limbo waiting for a private group to obtain a pier site at Davisville, Rhode Island; and, the USS Forrestal which is sitting in storage at the U.S. Naval Station, Newport, Rhode Island.

These are just a few of the many old ships being maintained for no purpose at taxpayer expense.

courtesy of Dispatch News Service

USS New Jersey battleship scandal

2008-01-17T22:31:00.000-08:00

The USS New Jersey was the only battleship that served off Viet-Nam and it was one of the great scandals of the conflict. The U.S. Navy during 1966 in response to requests by U.S. Marine commanders in the I Corps section of southern Viet-Nam, proposed removing a battleship from the proverbial "mothball" fleet for renovation and deployment to Viet-Nam.

However, after receiving a cost estimate from the Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT), the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon officially announced that "activation is not financially justified." The overhaul and renovation with new electronics and weapons systems was estimated at $17.5 to $20 million, not including ammunition or training personnel. It may seem like a minor matter but there were not any active duty battleships so an entire crew had to be trained. Also, the annual operating budget without ammunition was estimated at $12.8 million. After the announcement, it appeared that the idea was dead in the water.

However, suddenly during August 1967, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara decided to recommission a battleship instead of a much less expensive heavy cruiser. He approved a budget of $27 million, which was $7 million more than the high-end of the previous estimate. Why? We don't really know but there appears to have been political pressure from the Democratic Party to the President. Also, behind the scenes there were many Senators and Congressmen lobbying for reactivation of ships at various shipyards in various states. The reason was simple: money into local economies.

The New Jersey was berthed with the battleships Iowa and Wisconsin in the Delaware River near the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. It was the best maintained battleship in the mothball fleet. Originally, the New Jersey had been commissioned during May 23, 1943 and decommissioned during June 30, 1948. Then during the Korean War it was recommissioned during November 21, 1950 and decommissioned a second time during August, 21, 1957. It was recommissioned for the third time during April 6, 1968 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and departed during May 16th for Long Beach, California where it arrived during June 11th.

The next leg of the voyage was to Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. It departed Subic Bay during September 25, 1968 and five days later off Viet-Nam fired it's 16-inch guns for the first time in sixteen years.

The first and only tour to Viet-Nam lasted approximately six months and during April 1, 1969 the New Jersey departed the coast of Viet-Nam near the Demilitarized Zone for Subic Bay, Philippines. The battleship anchored at Long Beach, California during May 5, 1969.

The big questions remain unanswered. Why was $21 million plus the cost of training a crew spent on a ship that was only used for six months? Why was the New Jersey renovated considering the incredible cost for special ammunition on a rush basis? Why did Secretary of Defense McNamara switch from renovating a less expensive heavy cruiser to a battleship? And, most importantly, why was it even sent to Viet-Nam when President Johnson was actively pursuing a peace treaty with North Viet-Nam?

You may still believe the propaganda or war stories about it serving a need or purpose, etcetera. But, Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, a former conservative Republican Congressman, announced during August 22, 1969, just eleven weeks after the New Jersey returned to Long Beach, California, that it was on the top of his list for ships to be removed from service. It was simply a bottomless money pit in need of another renovation. It was decommissioned during December 17, 1969, just seven months after returning from Viet-Nam.

Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig during January 2000 announced the ship would be donated to the Home Port Alliance of Camden, New Jersey for use as a museum. It was towed from Bremerton, Washington near Seattle to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for a $7.2 million overhaul and opened as a museum during October 21, 2001.

And that is just one example of how tax dollars were squandered by self-serving politicians and military leaders during the Viet-Nam conflict.

Edward Rasen writer/producer Viet-Nam War Secrets documentary film series

First military unit to Viet-Nam

2008-01-16T20:56:00.000-08:00

Can you name the first U.S. military unit deployed to Viet-Nam? And, when did they arrive? Temporary Duty Orders (TDY) not eligible. A little hint: it was not a U.S. Army unit. Give up?

They arrived from Hulburt Field, Florida with four B-B26F medium bombers, eight T-28 fighters, and four SC-47 twin-engine cargo aircraft. They were Detachment 2A of the 4400th Combat Crew Training Squadron better known as "Jungle Jim," and they arrived during November 11, 1961.

Their arrival marked the official beginning of Operation Farm Gate. Initially, Farm Gate was a training mission to produce Vietnamese pilots. In reality, U.S. pilots flew combat missions while Vietnamese sat in training seats or in the case of the B-26 bombers and Douglas SC-47 "Gooney Birds" either behind the cockpit or in the cargo area.

Subsequently, Farm Gate evolved into other programs. And that is how it was during 1961.

Edward Rasen, producer Vietnam War Secrets

Vietnam War Secrets documentary series DVD

2008-01-15T23:02:00.000-08:00

Viet-Nam War Archive announces Vietnam War Secrets, an eleven hour documentary series plus a comprehensive event timeline and many formerly classified documents from the United States Department of Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been nationally released by Navarre Corporation and is available online at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, bn.com, bestbuy.com and borders.com. Also, the four DVD series will soon be sold in Best Buy and Borders stores.

Vietnam War Secrets focuses on the many secrets relating to the conflict and is based on many recently declassified documents, audio recordings and films. For example, the true story is revealed about the famous Gulf of Tonkin incidents during August 2 and 4, 1964, which led to the U.S. Congress passing the so-called Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which gave certain "war powers" to President Lyndon Johnson in order to protect U.S. military personnel from attacks off northern Viet-Nam.

However, for many years and in many history books including the official history by the U.S. Navy, the true story was never told. Then during December 2005, after many delays, the U.S. National Security Agency, which is part of the Department of Defense, released it's secret history of the event and disclosed that no U.S. Navy ships were attacked during August 4th. How does the NSA know, you might ask.

Well, the USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy were conducting secret "Desoto" spy missions for the National Security Agency and the ships were carrying special electronic communications huts manned by US Navy personnel supervised by NSA officials, solely to intercept North Vietnamese communications.

Moreover, President Johnson and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara forgot to tell Congress that the Navy ships were conducting the 17th Desoto mission. Plus, they forgot to tell Congress and the American people that during the same time, the CIA was seperately conducting secret covert sabotage missions known as "Oplan 34A" against North Vietnamese radio transmitters on off-shore islands. The raids were conducted by Swift boats operating from Da Nang in southern Viet-Nam and staffed with Vietnamese mercenaries, trained, armed, paid and directed by CIA officers.

The so-called 34-Alpha raids were specifically aimed at antagonizing the North Vietnamese Security forces so the NSA could identify the North Viet communications networks during an military alert.

The NSA investigation is now available online at the NSA website which is open to the public.

Edward Rasen, the producer and host of Vietnam War Secrets, also points out that when a similar incident occured in the same area one month later, President Johnson did not order a military response and dismissed such saying "those dumb sailors were probably shooting at flying fish." Obviously, he knew the earlier incident was bogus and also did not have much faith in U.S. Navy personnel.