The Gulf of Tonkin Incident involved a pivotal moment for U.S. foreign policy in the 1960s. On this day, the destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy were patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin when they reported coming under attack from North Vietnamese torpedo boats. The Maddox had previously been involved in a skirmish a few days earlier, which had already heightened U.S. vigilance in the area. During the encounter, the crew reported radar and sonar detections indicative of an attack, leading to a series of strikes on suspected enemy positions. The initial reports, however, were later reconsidered as they emerged from potential sonar malfunctions and misinterpretations of friendly and enemy movements in the region.

The U.S. administration, led by President Lyndon B. Johnson, reacted swiftly. This incident was used to justify an expanded military involvement in Vietnam, fostering a public narrative that North Vietnam was aggressively attacking U.S. forces without provocation. Johnson addressed Congress, leading to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized him to use conventional military force in Southeast Asia without needing a formal declaration of war. The incident ultimately marked a significant escalation of U.S. military engagement in the Vietnam War.