Aug. 6, 1964 | Robert McNamara Press Conference Q&A

Aug. 6, 1964 - Communist China will probably move combat jet airplanes into North Vietnam as a result of the U.S. air raids on Communist torpedo boat bases, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara said today.
McNamara said there was no evidence such a move has occurred. But he said it was a “logical” move because North Vietnam has no jets of its own.
McNamara told a Pentagon news conference that 25 North Vietnamese torpedo gunboats were damaged or destroyed, and an oil storage facility at Vinh was 95% destroyed. In addition, seven anti-aircraft installations had been put out of action.
McNamara said U.S. reinforcements sent to Asia will remain “as long as they are necessary.”

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