relea00125.pdf
2/G11/VHN/R27-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 25
This is another report following 02 August Attacks on USS Maddox
Document date: 1964-08-05
Department: NSA Headquarters, Ft. Meade, MD (DIRNSDA)
Author: SIGINT; Phu Bai
Document type: Report
pages: 3
Archivist's Notes: DRV communications mention that they managed to shoot down one US plane and the pilot has been captured and was in DRV custody.
It also goes on to say that a further 5 were damaged and 2 were on fire. They also mention the bombing of DRV Naval basses by the US. This tends to be
a moral booster and not necessarily the truth. Port Wallut communicates further that "The mobilized unit is enthusiastically and zealously prepared
to hunt the enemy (US)"
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This document is another report of SIGINT intercepted 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 one makes a claim that a US pilot was captured after downing an aircraft. This was on Aug. 5th, 1964 after the US air strike in retaliation for
the earlier attacks on the USS Maddox. The US reported that no aircraft were shot down and that no pilot was captured. The damage reports against the
US from the DRV appeared to be exaggerated as time went on.
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.
Related FOIA Documents:
FOIA: DRV Naval Entity Reports Losses and Claims two Enemy Aircraft Shot Down - 4 August
1964
FOIA: DRV Naval Entity Claims six U.S. Aircraft Downed by Naval and Air Defence Forces - 6
August 19
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All these SIGINT reports from the Gulf of Tonkin incident clearly highlight the importance of good intelligence gathering.
To read about the history of SIGINT in good detail click here.
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