Perfect Storm on Yankee Station...

MacCaulay

Banned
...I was taking a look at some of the books at Border's today when I noticed an interesting paperback written by the chief firefighter on board the Forrestal during the explosion. Now in a usual day, I'll think of probably ten or twenty ideas to pitch (most of them run through one end of my head and out the other side) but I don't usually write them down as they're not that well thought out.

But just for shits and giggles...let's suppose the VPAF (purely by chance) sent out two or three MiG-17s or -19s that were crossing the beach outbound towards the Forrestal at the time of the explosion.

Or if you don't like that, then let's say that there's...say...SIX MiG-19s heading inbound towards the Forrestal at the time, making an attempt to push the CAP around but not realizing they've actually just stumbled upon a stricken carrier.
 
There were 3 carriers on Yankee Station, one would think the other CAW would be able to take care of any intruding Migs. That said the USN would shit itself to discover such vulnerability, equivilent to a two pronged attack.
 
Or if you don't like that, then let's say that there's...say...SIX MiG-19s heading inbound towards the Forrestal at the time, making an attempt to push the CAP around but not realizing they've actually just stumbled upon a stricken carrier.


What will happen?

The carrier's several escorts - forget about them? - shoot down the MiGs with their SAMs and Johnson has an actual Tonkin Gulf incident to wave at Congress with the result being more bombing and a wider war.
 

CalBear

Moderator
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Properly stage-managed you get a three division amphibious landing that cuts though the North and over throws the Communists.
 

CalBear

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In 1968 the U.S. was still able to draw on much of the WW II shipping as well as new construction. Figure two pure amphib and Air Cav.
 
Cuoldn't the Gulf of Tonkin Incident be stage managed the same way? Or would we need 2 years of getting nowhere to provoke an invasion?
 
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