September 18, 1966. LBJ tells a story about the night of the bombing of fuel depots in Hanoi and Haiphong:
“Soon after the Valentis boarded the boat, the President told the story of the night of the bombing of Haiphong oil depots. He said that he was sitting in his room, and Luci came in. She told him that he looked so awful and worried. The President told her why and she said that whenever she had a problem she went to see her little monks (at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in Southwest Washington. ) The President said that he and Mrs. Johnson and Luci went to see the little monks - ‘in the hottest, stinkiest place I’ve ever seen.’ They returned to the White House, and the President said he waited up all night for the different reports. He said that he was proud of the boys, and was sorry they had received no commendation, ‘for they certainly deserved it.’ Finally, the President dropped off into a sound sleep, and at about 8:00 AM the next morning, he heard the little tap at his door (‘one that always tells me it’s one of the girls at the White House —Mrs. Johnson, Lynda, Luci or one of my secretaries—afraid they’ll find me undressed’). He awakened to find Luci at his door. She had come in to see how the monks made out. (She was on her way to the library to return some books—”I am getting married , you know,” she said.)
—The President’s Daily Diary, for Sept. 18, 1966. Photo of St Dominic’s in 2011 by Mr. T in D.C. via Flickr Creative Commons.
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