relea00122.pdf
2/G11/VHN/R18-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 18
This is anothert report based on the attack on the USS Maddox
Document date: 1964-08-05
Department: NSA Headquarters, Ft. Meade, MD (DIRNSDA)
Author: SIGINT; Phu Bai
Document type: Report
pages: 1
Archivist's Notes: This report basically affirms that the DRV Naval vessels T146 and two other "elemenbts" of 135 squadron are planning an
evening attack on 5 August 1964.
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This document is one of several readiness reports of communications from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident,
in which the DRV attacked US Naval vessels on Aug. 2nd, 1964.
This message is a warning that a DRV ship Swatow 146 and two other elements of MTB Squadron anchored off Hon Me island and preparing a night attack.
The message is dated Aug. 5th, 1964, which I believe was the date of the US air strike that damaged a fuel station and several DRV boats. Maybe this
was a message that prompted the air strike. A previous report was a message from Swatow T-146 could not rendezvous with other ships and requesting
another ship to be sent. It is hard to determine exactly what went on from these reports.
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident prompted the US Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which gave President Johnson authority to use military
force to defend allies in the area and ultimately lead to the beginning of the Vietnam War.
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