Narrated by Chet Huntley, this Vietnam War film “The American Navy in Vietnam” shows the wide-ranging work of the U.S. Navy in the conflict. It features the USS Kittyhawk on Yankee Station off the coast of S.E. Asia, and the activities of the 7th Fleet as it works to fight the Viet Cong. The U.S. Marine Corps’ combat activities are shown, as well as the work of inland and riverine naval forces and intelligence and medical and civic action programs.
This film features footage of American warships during the controversial Gulf of Tonkin incident, which triggered American military action in Vietnam, as well as depictions of the landing of U.S. Marines on the beaches at Da Nang and Chu Lai. Naval advisors training South Vietnamese military personnel and Seabee construction units building military facilities and hospitals are also seen.
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, also known as the USS Maddox Incident, is the name given to what were originally claimed to be two separate confrontations involving North Vietnam and the United States in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. The original American report blamed North Vietnam for both incidents, but eventually became very controversial with widespread claims that either one or both incidents were false, and possibly purposeful. On August 2, 1964, the destroyer USS Maddox, while performing a signals intelligence patrol as part of DESOTO operations, reported being attacked by three North Vietnamese Navy torpedo boats of the 135th Torpedo Squadron. The Maddox expended over 280 3-inch and 5-inch shells in a surface action with Vietnamese torpedo boats. One US aircraft was damaged, three North Vietnamese torpedo boats were damaged, and four North Vietnamese sailors were killed, with six more wounded. There were no U.S. casualties.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
