Herbert L. Ogier

Navy Commander Herbert L. Ogier was the commanding officer (CO) of the destroyer USS Maddox when it was involved in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. Captain John J.  Herrick, who was commander of the destroyer division that included Maddox, was also on the ship during the incident.  On August 2, 1964, the Maddox was approached by three North Vietnamese torpedo boats. With permission from Herrick, Ogier ordered the gunnery officer to fire at the boats when they came within 10,000 yards (9,100 m) of the destroyer.  Ogier maneuvered Maddox to narrowly avoid being struck by torpedoes.  With the help of F-8 Crusader jets operating from the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga, the North Vietnamese boats were forced to retreat, and the Maddox suffered only minor damage and no injuries.

In 2005, a Top Secret National Security Agency (NSA) historical study was declassified. The report stated, regarding the August 2 incident, "At about 1505G, the Maddox fired three rounds to warn off the communist boats. This initial action was never reported by the Johnson administration, which insisted that the Vietnamese boats fired first." The NSA report also concluded that a possible second attack on August 4 did not occur.  President Lyndon B. Johnson based the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution on this second attack.