FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R10-64 SIGINT ReadinessBravo Lantern Report No. 6

relea00114.pdf
2/G11/VHN/R10-64 SIGINT ReadinessBravo Lantern Report No. 6
This is a report which informs of DRV Naval vessel damage after the 2 August Attack on USS Maddox.
Document date: 1964-08-04
Department: NSA Headquarters, Ft. Meade, MD (DIRNSDA)
Author: SIGINT; Phu Bai
Document type: Report
pages: 3


Archivist's Notes: This report details some of the DRV Naval vessels that were damaged in the 2 August 1964 attacks on the USS Maddox. There were 3 MTBs involved. (Motor Torpedo Boats). T333, T336 and T339. These belived to be MTB Squadron 135. T333 Damaged, T336 Heavily damaged, T339 (initiallyinitially reported t333 as being sunk) was relatively lightly damaged..

Title: 2/G11/VHN/R1064;040850ZAug.

Subject: Sigint, Readiness, Bravo, lantern, Report Attack on USS Maddox

Document Summary: DVR After Action Report completion of MTB attack on USS Maddox.

In a series of messages from T146, sized up the after action report of the

attack on the USS Maddox on 02Aug.

The 3 MTB's which were engaged (T333 @ T336 @ T339)

Comprised what is to be believed MTB Squadron 135.

Damage reports were as follow: MTB T333 pierced with 3 holes, possibly life boat damaged,

Lube oil pressure is low, Auxillary engine damaged, Quarter pipes suspect.

MT336- Heavily Damaged with many holes, all oil is possibly lost or contaminated, deck gun barrel
damaged, 2 men wounded. MT336 was towed.

Possibly to Van Noa:

MTB T339 Sunk as reported by T333

Comment: MTB T333 sustained relatively light damage, is still operative

with report of lube oil 200, fuel 5000 and fresh water for 2 days.

Archivists notes: this is a good quality document with plenty to read on the first two pages, page 3 is blank.

This document is one of several readiness reports of PT boat movements by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, in which the DRV attacked US Naval vessels.

The damage described in this report is the most detailed that I’ve seen yet. The damage to the boats was after the first attack on Aug. 2nd, 1964, and the damage was probably from shots fired from the USS Maddox.

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.

Other Readiness Reports:
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R21-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report
FOIA: SIGINT Readiness Bravo, Lantern Report Number 1
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R07-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Report Nr 2
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R08-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr 3
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R28-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 4
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R09-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr 5
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R11-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 7
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R12-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 8
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R13-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 9
FOIA: 2/G11/VHN/R14-64 SIGINT Readiness Bravo Lantern Report Nr. 10

Not much else to add to the above.

Further reading/comparisons on the gulf of tonkin incident can be found ...

navy mil faq version

gwu edu version

webcom version

wikipedia version