John J. Herrick
John Jerome Herrick (1920 – 1997) was the commander of the United States Navy vessel USS Maddox during the Gulf of Tonkin Incident in August of 1964.
Biography
On 30 July 1964, Herrick, along with the rest of the Maddox crew participated in a ruse whereby they attacked the North Vietnamese Army while disguised as South Vietnamese combatants. This served to create a diversion for Alekseï Gavrani to reach the northern side of Hòn Mê.[1]
The following day, Herrick discussed the event with another member of the crew, Ogier, who argued that they were underestimating the North Vietnamese and asked that he speak with Gavrani, hoping to avoid starting a war. Herrick met with Gavrani who insisted that they drop him off in North Vietnam to continue his mission, a demand that Herrick initially protested but ultimately complied with.[1]
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References
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