Although information obtained well after the fact supported Captain Herrick's statements about the inaccuracy of the later torpedo reports as well as the 1981 Herrick and Scheer conclusion about the inaccuracy of the first, indicating that there was no North Vietnamese attack that night, at the time U.S. authorities and all of the "Maddox"s crew stated that they were convinced that an attack had taken place. As a result, planes from the aircraft carriers and were sent to hit North Vietnamese torpedo boat bases and fuel facilities during Operation Pierce Arrow.