FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R23-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 20

relea00337.pdf
2/G11/VHN/R23-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 20
This is a report after action which took place on 5th August 1964
Document date: 1964-08-05
Department: NSA Headquarters, Ft. Meade, MD (DIRNSDA)
Author: SIGINT; Phu Bai
Document type: Report
pages: 3

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Archivist's Notes: This is comms of DRV naval entities which gives damage reports on some of their vessels T125 and T127, it also mentions that T153 was taking on water and auxiliary engines is damaged. It appears that 450 rounds were expended in the battle which apparently brought down a supersonic jet (US).

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This document is another report of 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 report was after the US air strike that was ordered in retaliation to the two earlier attacks on the USS Maddox on Aug. 5th, 1964. The report states there was damage to two vessels and another taking on water and the auxiliary engine damaged. They said 450 rounds were expelled during the attack and hitting one aircraft. Other reports also describe the damage to the boats along with claims of shooting down US aircraft and even one of a captured pilot. According to the US Navy, no planes were shot down.

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
FOIA: DRV attack on US Ships in Gulf of Tonkin; 2 - 4 August 1964
FOIA: Summary of DRV Naval Communications Revealing Pre-Planned Attacks on USS Maddox
FOIA: SIGINT Reflections of DRV Attacks on USS Maddox - 08/08/1964

Other Readiness Reports:
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R21-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 17
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R18-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 18 (alert)
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R22-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Readiness lantern Report Nr. 18 (attack)
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R23-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 20
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R27-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 25
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R30-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 28
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R32-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 30
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R40-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 39

During the Gulf of Tonkin, the supersonic figher in question would likey be the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. No F-4's were downed around that date so the message would appear to be disinformation (within their command structure) designed to keep the commie moral high.