The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club: Naval Aviation in the Vietnam War

The book "The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club" tells the full story of the US Naval air campaign during the Vietnam War between 1965 and 1975, where the US Seventh Fleet, stationed off the Vietnamese coast, was given the tongue-in-cheek nickname "The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club." The Seventh Fleet played an essential role in supporting operations over Vietnam, providing vital air support to combat troops on the ground and taking part in major operations such as Rolling Thunder and Linebacker I and II. Author Tom Cleaver, a 20-year-old member of Commander Patrol Forces Seventh Fleet, provides a balanced and personal picture of the conflict from both sides, detailing the very earliest incident in the Gulf of Tonkin through to the final evacuation of US nationals in 1975.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 08 June 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The book delves into the comprehensive account of the United States Naval Air Campaign during the Vietnam War, spanning from 1965 to 1975. The US Seventh Fleet, stationed off the coast of Vietnam, earned the amusing nickname "The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club." On August 2, 1964, the USS Maddox became entangled in the infamous Gulf of Tonkin incident, which marked a significant escalation in American involvement in the Vietnam War. Supporting the Maddox on that day were four F-8E Crusaders from the USS Ticonderoga, heralding the commencement of the United States Navy's commitment to the air war over Vietnam.

The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club referred to the US Navys Seventh Fleet, Task Force 77, which was stationed off the coast of Vietnam. At various points throughout the war, this fleet comprised as many as six carriers, carrying 70 to 100 aircraft on board. The Seventh Fleet played a crucial role in supporting operations over Vietnam, providing vital air support to combat troops on the ground and participating in major operations such as Rolling Thunder and Linebacker I and II. Author Tom Cleaver, who served with the US Seventh Fleet during this period and was involved in the dramatic history of The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club, authored the book. Cleaver, who was just 20 years old at the time, was a member of Commander Patrol Forces Seventh Fleet, which had operational control over the Maddox and Turner Joy. His use of dramatic first-hand experiences from interviews with both American and Vietnamese pilots, as well as official Vietnamese accounts of the war, provides a balanced and personal perspective of the conflict from both sides. The book meticulously details the earliest incident in the Gulf of Tonkin through to the final evacuation of US nationals in 1975, vividly bringing to life the story of US air intervention in Vietnam.

Weight: 522g
Dimension: 233 x 153 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472845948