1. Lowered NV morale because it showed we could hit within 25 miles of Hanoi, with minimal losses to us.

2. Enhanced US PW morale because an effort had been made to free them.

One might also suggest that putting US boots on the ground that close to Hanoi opened up the US psyche to more aggressive actions within North Vietnam itself, culminating in the 1972 Operation Linebacker I and Operation Linebacker II.

One might also consider the effect in 1964 had Linebacker-type actions, as well as US raids, been employed against North Vietnam - rather than the "graduated response" employed by the Johnson Admin.