Depending on what you believe about how we got involved in the Second Southeast Asian War Games, here's the official account of what happened today in 1964.
"On the afternoon of 2 August 1964, while steaming well offshore in international waters, the USS Maddox was attacked by three North Vietnamese motor torpedo boats. The destroyer maneuvered to avoid torpedoes and used her guns against her fast-moving opponents, hitting them all. In turn, she was struck in the after gun director by a single 14.5-millimeter machine gun bullet. Maddox called for air support from the carrier Ticonderoga, whose planes strafed the three boats, leaving one dead in the water and burning. Both sides then separated."
Alas and alack, we then had a war, 45 years ago today.
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