Mayaguez press coverage at the time - Democratic Underground

ochazuke

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Wed Dec-27-06 07:04 PM
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Mayaguez press coverage at the time

I was a total news junkie even when the Mayaguez incident made the front pages back in 1975. I subscribed to Newsweek magazine, which put a kind of cartoon depection of the recapture of that ship on it's cover. So, I read all about it, but I do not recall reading that more Marines died rescuing the ship and its crew (about 40 dead) than were aboard ship.

All the coverage at the time gave me the impression that it was a fairly easy operation. Ford's approval ratings rose dramatically, natch.

Anyone remember different?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayagüez_incident

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Faygo Kid

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Wed Dec-27-06 07:09 PM
Response to Original message

1. Yes, I remember different. It was a tragedy.

Where did you get that it was "a fairly easy operation"? I was copy chief of my college newspaper then, so followed the news wire updates carefully. It was a tragedy, and while I can't remember the details hour by hour, it certainly wasn't easy. I also don't remember Ford's approval going up, "natch" or otherwise. Easy to check, though, and I will do so. I was wondering when this would come up, as it was a major incident in the Ford presidency, no doubt about it.

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ochazuke

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Wed Dec-27-06 07:21 PM
Response to Reply #1

4. Newsweek

That was my primary print source, so you can check that one if you're interested. Of course I must have watched the evening news. I say Ford's approval ratings naturally went up because the media's coverage was that it was an American victory. As you can see from the post below, crucial details, which would cast doubt on the wisdom of the operation, were not made public at the time.

It's cool that you were watching the wire updates. I wonder how they compare to what people thought happened at the time.

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Toots

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Thu Dec-28-06 07:36 AM
Response to Reply #1

5. His approval rating certainly went up with me.

Our guys were captured and he got them back pronto. I was very pleased about that...

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Dr.Phool

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Wed Dec-27-06 07:11 PM
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2. It also came out later that the crew was already released.

Before they sent the troops in.

Another one of Kissingers major fuck ups. That piece of shit has more blood on his hands than (insert evil dictator here).

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ochazuke

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Wed Dec-27-06 07:16 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. Oh, yeah

I remember that now. So the whole operation was premature? Certainly Ford did not wait long before launching the operation.

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