HEAVY BOMBING BY AMERICANS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31323, 20 March 1967, Page 13

HEAVY BOMBING BY AMERICANS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SAIGON, March 19. American Stratofortresses bombed targets down the length of South Vietnam last night and this morning in six raid* representing some of the most concentrated attacks of the war by these aircraft, according to a military spokesman.

The raids, all within 10 hours, hit targets in some hard-to-reach Viet Cong ground positions and in support of ground operations.

United States authorities, meanwhile, revealed today that North Vietnam shore batteries opened fire on two American destroyers and damaged one on Friday as the ships sought vainly to rescue a Navy pilot whose plane was shot down during an air raid. The unidentified pilot was later rescued by a United States helicopter. The destroyers had to abandon the rescue attempt because the shooting was so fierce, the spokesman said. The bombers, each capable of carrying more than 60,000 lb of bombs, twice attacked the Viet Cong’s Shau valley sanctuary, about 27 miles south-west of Hue, where their opponents have launched intensive mortar attacks recently. South along the coast, the Stratofortresses attacked an-

other enemy base camp 29 miles south-west of the United States air base at coastal Tuy Hoa. At dawn today three more waves bombed Communist base camps 18 miles west of Saigon’s Tan Son Nhut airbase. and in support of ground troops pressing against a key enemy supply artery in “Operation Junction

City” along the Cambodian border.

In other air action. United States Air Force pilots flying out of Thailand and Na-y pilots from Seventh Fleet carriers hit targets in North Vietnam.

The targets included roads leading into the Mu Gia pass, a key entrance into the socalled Ho Chi Minh trail.