Saigon, May 8: American Navy jets struck at a military base and training camp about 24 km west of Hanoi to-day, the American Command announced. Radio Hanoi said two of the planes were shot down, but the Command denied it. The command announced the raids within hours of a Hanoi broadcast which charged that the actual targets were dikes and agricultural areas in the Red River delta south of Hanoi. By Hanoi’s account it was the fifth day of major raids above the demilitarised zone (DMZ). A U.S. Command spokesman said: “Tactical aircraft of the U.S. Navy to-day struck military targets approximately 24 km west of Hanoi. There were no B-52’s involved in the strikes. The tactical aircraft hit military targets which included storage facilities, barracks and training facilities which are helping to support the communist invasion across the DMZ. All U.S. aircraft returned safely from the strikes. No further details are available.” Highly reliable sources in Hanoi said American aircraft to-day attacked five provinces around the North Vietnamese capital. The sources said the official announcement was being withheld while the authorities tried to assess the damage, and a communique would be issued later.
