Thursday, October 17, 2024

TheList 6978


The List 6978     TGB

To All,

Good Thursday Morning October 17, 2024. The painters are back this morning and they should make some good progress today.

Regards,

skip

Make it a good Day

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)

Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/.   Go here to see the director's corner for all 83 H-Grams 

Today in Naval and Marine Corps History

October 17

1863 Sailors from the Union screw steam gunboat Tahoma and side-wheel steamer Adela board the blockade runners Scottish Chief and Kate Dale at Old Tampa Bay, Fla. and destroy them. During the battle, five of the landing party are killed, 10 are wounded and five are taken prisoner. This mission also diverts the real attention from the shelling of Tampa, Fla.

1918 German submarine U-155 torpedoes and sinks the freighter S.S. Lucia in the Atlantic. Despite being rigged with buoyancy boxes to render her virtually unsinkable, a torpedo penetrates the engine room, killing two men and sinking her the next day. USS Fairfax (DD 93) rescues her crew and transfers them to armored cruiser No. 5 USS Huntington.

1922 The Vought VE-7SF, piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Virgil C. Griffin, makes the Navy's first carrier takeoff from USS Langley (CV 1), anchored in York River, Va.

1941 Before the United States' entry into World War II, German submarine U-568 torpedoes and damages USS Kearny (DD 432) near Iceland, killing 11 and injuring 22.

1942 USS Trigger (SS 237) sinks the Japanese freighter Holland Maru near the mouth of Bungo Strait off Kyushu, Japan. Lost in action with all hands later in the war, Trigger receives 11 battle stars for her World War II service and the Presidential Unit Citation for her fifth, sixth, and seventh war patrols.

1943 USS Tarpon (SS 175) sinks German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe No. 28) off Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands.

1944 Naval forces land Army rangers on islands at the entrance to Leyte Gulf in preparation for landing operations on Leyte Island.

1962 Operation Blue Moon—low-level reconnaissance flights over Cuba to help verify Soviet military deployments to that country—becomes operational. VFP-62 initially prepares ten photo variant RF-8A Crusaders with aerial cameras for high-speed, low-level photo missions, and places four of the jets on four-hour alert at NAS Cecil Field, FL, but subsequently shifts the Crusaders to NAS Key West, FL.

1986 Aboard USS America (CV 66), Lt. Cmdr. Barry D. Gabler of VFP-206, the Navy's last photoreconnaissance squadron, makes the final catapult takeoff and carrier landing of an RF-8G Crusader.

1989 An earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale devastates northern California killing 62 people. HM-15 Detachment 3, HC-1, and HC-11 Detachment conduct lifts of food, water, and relief materials to the heavily damaged areas from ammunition ship Flint (AE 32) and fast combat support ship Kansas City (AOE 3). Amphibious assault ship Peleliu (LHA 5) provides food and shelter to 300 homeless earthquake victims.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Today in World History October 17

1244    The Sixth Crusade ends when an Egyptian-Khwarismian force almost annihilates the Frankish army at Gaza.

1529    Henry VIII of England strips Thomas Wolsey of his office for failing to secure an annulment of his marriage.

1346    English forces defeat the Scots under David II during the Battle of Neville's Cross, Scotland.

1691    Maine and Plymouth are incorporated in Massachusetts.

1777    British Maj. Gen. John Burgoyne surrenders 5,000 men at Saratoga, N.Y.

1815    Napoleon Bonaparte arrives at the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic, where he has been banished by the Allies.

1849    Composer and pianist Frederic Chopin dies in Paris of tuberculosis at the age of 39.

1863    General Ulysses S. Grant is named overall Union Commander of the West.

1877    Brigadier General Alfred Terry meets with Sitting Bull in Canada to discuss the Indians' return to the United States.

1913    Zeppelin LII explodes over London, killing 28.

1933    Due to rising anti-Semitism and anti-intellectualism in Hitler's Germany, Albert Einstein immigrates to the United States. He makes his new home in Princeton, N.J.

1941    The U.S. destroyer Kearney is damaged by a German U-boat torpedo off Iceland; 11 Americans are killed.

1956    The nuclear power station Calder Hall is opened in Britain. Calder Hall is the first nuclear station to feed an appreciable amount of power into a civilian network.

1972    Peace talks between Pathet Lao and Royal Lao government begin in Vietnam.

1989    The worst earthquake in 82 years strikes San Francisco bay area minutes before the start of a World Series game there. The earthquake registers 6.9 on the Richter scale--67 are killed and damage is estimated at $10 billion.

1994    Dmitry Kholodov, a Russian journalist, assassinated while investigating corruption in the armed forces; his murkier began a series of killings of journalists in Russia.

2001    Rehavam Ze'evi, Israeli tourism minister and founder of the right-wing Moledet party, assassinated by a member of the Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); he was the first Israeli minister ever assassinated.

2003    Taipei 101 is completed in Taipei, becoming the world's tallest high-rise.

 .

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.

.

. ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … BearπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ⚓️🐻

.

From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com .

 

Thanks to Micro

From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..October 17  another F-111 story

17-Oct:  https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=3034

 

This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip

Vietnam Air Losses Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at:  https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.

 

This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info  https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM

 

MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Servicemembers Killed in the Vietnam War

The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature.

 

  https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )

 

https://www.moaa.org/content/publications-and-media/news-articles/2022-news-articles/wall-of-faces-now-includes-photos-of-all-servicemembers-killed-in-the-vietnam-war/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TMNsend&utm_content=Y84UVhi4Z1MAMHJh1eJHNA==+MD+AFHRM+1+Ret+L+NC

By: Kipp Hanley

.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

.From the archives. I remember my first computer that started up with a C prompt and then you had to work from there. When you were working on a document you had to save it all the time because when it dumped and it did all the time you had to start all over again. Then I got on a Mac and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Skip    BTW Turkey Tucker built me my first home computer a PC around 1987.The drive was so big 40 kb or maybe MB that he had to do some magic to make it work. This was around 1987.

Thanks to Interesting Facts

8 Surprising Facts About the World Wide Web

Every time someone uses the words "internet" and "web" interchangeably, a computer scientist sheds a tear. All jokes aside, the internet, first conceived in 1969, refers to the system of networked computers which makes things like web browsers, web pages, and other applications possible. In other words, the internet is the mostly invisible infrastructure that supports all the wonders of the World Wide Web.

A popular analogy to describe the difference between the two is to picture the internet as a system of highways and the web as the objects you see on those highways, such as buildings, gas stations, or billboards. All the vehicles that travel those highways, stop at stores, and drive to other locations are the data packets zooming around the network and, by extension, the entire world. So while you are technically using the web when you're watching YouTube, for example, it's really the internet that makes it possible.

2 of 8

The Very First Website Belongs to CERN (Yes, That CERN) Today, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, is best known for its Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest particle accelerator which is currently exploring the frontiers of physics. But few know that it's also where the World Wide Web got its start.

Much like in 1969 - when the first internet connection was established between Stanford University and the University of California, Los Angeles - the web was created for the primary purpose of sharing information between scientists working at universities and institutes around the world. As a computer scientist at CERN, Berners-Lee submitted an early proposal for information management outlining what would eventually become the web, but after reading the paper, his supervisor wrote in the margins "vague, but exciting." Berners-Lee continued working on the project until finally launching the world's first website on August 6, 1991. Less than two years later, CERN released the software into the public domain, and the World Wide Web took off. In 2013, CERN launched a program dedicated to preserving the world's very first website: info.cern.ch.

3 of 8

The Web Was Almost Called the "Mesh"

Although the name "web" is a surprisingly accurate descriptor for how the technology works, it wasn't the original moniker. Berners-Lee threw around a few ideas, such as the "Information Mine" or the slight variation "Mine of Information," but in its early stages, he referred to his creation simply as "mesh." It wasn't until sometime in 1990, when Berners-Lee was writing the code, that he opted for the name "World Wide Web," since "mesh" sounded too similar to "mess." Today, the word "mesh" commonly describes a local network of nodes, usually in reference to a Wi-Fi network, in which each node connects seamlessly with a central node instead of using various extenders to repeat a signal.

4 of 8

The First Web Server Was a Steve Jobs Creation In the history of computing, Steve Jobs tends to show up in the most unlikely of places. When Jobs left Apple in 1985, the famous tech guru formed NeXT, Inc., the company responsible for building the NeXTcube. CERN approved the purchase of a NeXTcube so Berners-Lee could flesh out his idea for the web. When the web finally launched, the NeXTcube became the world's first web server. Strangely, it also meant that if the computer were turned off - the entire web went down with it. Maybe that's why the original NeXTcube, now housed in the London's Science Museum, has a handwritten note

warning: "This machine is a server. DO NOT POWER DOWN!!"

5 of 8

The Dreaded "404 Error" Is Immensely Important Most people groan when met with a pesky "404 not found" error message on a website, but the web itself couldn't exist without it. The web's major innovation was its ability to connect various information with hyperlinks - and also its ability not to. In the proto-web days, hyperlinks were added to a central database to make sure they always supplied the correct information; if the link changed in any way, it was updated in the database.

This worked for small computer networks, but as the internet grew, it became nearly impossible to keep an accurate register of all hyperlinks simultaneously.

Berners-Lee came up with a simple yet groundbreaking solution: just don't keep track of them. Similar to how the concept of zero revolutionized mathematics, so too did the idea that a hypertext link could just lead to an error message. Although this led to an increased rate of "link rot" (half of all online links cease to work in five to 10 years), it untethered the web from the restrictions of a centralized register.

6 of 8

A New York Librarian Coined the Phrase "Surfing the Net"

In 1981, Jean Armour Polly convinced the Liverpool Public Library near Syracuse, New York, to purchase an Apple II Plus for public use. At the time, the small library was one of only two libraries in the U.S. with a computer. While her colleagues argued that computers weren't a "core mission" of the library, Polly forged ahead and became one of the internet's earliest pioneers.

In 1992, Polly used her newfound knowledge to write a guide about how to use the internet called Surfing the Internet: An Introduction. Although gaining little attention at the time, Polly shared the article again when working at nonprofit research group NYSERnet, one of New York's first internet providers. This time, it went "viral" so to speak - Polly's "surfing"

terminology stuck, and in 2019, the small-town New York librarian, known to history as the "net-mom," was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame.

7 of 8

Today, There Are Nearly 2 Billion Websites It all started with just one small website in 1991, but in the decades since, the web has blossomed into nearly 2 billion websites, as of 2022. The number of registered websites hit the 1 billion mark in 2014, as commemorated by Berners-Lee himself, but the amount nearly doubled in only eight years.

Estimated projections show that in 2050, the World Wide Web will contain 37 petabytes (a petabyte is a massive unit of data equal to 1 million gigabytes). To put that in perspective, the Wayback Machine - a digital collection of past web pages maintained by the Internet Archive - contains over 700 billion pages and only clocks in at about 70 petabytes (as of 2020). And when it comes to global traffic, the numbers are even more astounding. According to the networking company Cisco, web traffic will reach 1 zettabyte in 2022 - that's 1 trillion gigabytes if you're keeping count.

8 of 8

The Web's Creator Has Mixed Feelings About It When Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, his vision was purely utopian - to create a place where anyone could access the best and most reliable information in the world at any time. Of course, over the past three decades, the web has evolved in other directions since then, from scammers and hackers to the spread of misinformation. Although disappointed, Berners-Lee hasn't given up on that original utopian dream. For the web's 30th anniversary in 2019, Sir Tim (he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in

2004) called for companies and governments to safeguard the web, saying, "It's no longer a simple, star-spangled, unicorn-sky world.[but] it'll be worth the effort to make sure the web is a nice and constructive place, because it'll be so wonderful to be in."

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

This Day in U S Military History

1777 – General John Burgoyne with British forces of 5,000 men surrendered to General Horatio Gates, commander of the American forces at Schuylerville, NY. In the fall of 1777, the British commander Gen'l. Burgoyne and his men were advancing along the Hudson River. After Burgoyne had retreated to the heights of Saratoga, the Americans stopped and surrounded them. The surrender was a turning point in the American Revolution, demonstrating American determination to gain independence. After the surrender, France sided with the Americans, and other countries began to get involved and align themselves against Britain.

1781 – Cornwallis was defeated at Yorktown. Cornwallis' options had been running out. He had even tried sending blacks infected with smallpox over enemy lines in an attempt to infect the American and French troops. After a futile counterattack, Cornwallis offered to surrender.

1814 – The crew of USRC Eagle, which had been driven ashore near Negros Head, New York in an encounter with the British brig HMS Dispatch, dragged the cutter's guns up a bluff in an effort to continue the battle. The New York Evening Post gave an account of what happened next to the out-gunned cutter: "During the engagement between the Cutter EAGLE and the enemy, the following took place which is worthy of notice. Having expanded all the wadding of the four-pounders on the hill, during the warmest of the firing, several of the crew volunteered and went on board the cutter to obtain more. At this moment the masts were shot away, when the brave volunteers erected a flag upon her stern; this was soon shot away, but was immediately replaced by a heroic tar, amidst the cheers of his undaunted comrades, which was returned by a whole broadside from the enemy. When the crew of the Cutter had expended all their large shot and fixed ammunition, they tore up the log book to make cartridges and returned the enemy's small shot which lodged in the hull. The Cutter was armed with only 6 guns, 4 four-pounders and 2 twos with plenty of muskets and about 50 men. The enemy being gone and provisions scarce the volunteers from this city left Captain Lee and his crew and arrived here on Thursday evening the 13th instant, in a sloop from Long Island. . .We have since learned that Captain Lee succeeded in getting off the Cutter and was about to remove her to a place of safety when the enemy returned and took possession of her. She was greatly injured, but it is expected that the enemy will be able to refit her to annoy us in the sound."

 

1859 – Abolitionist John Brown leads a group of men in a raid to capture the federal arsenal located at Harpers Ferry, Virginia with the intent to arm slaves he would lead in revolt against their masters. His plans are foiled by local town's people attacking his party and forcing it into the firehouse. They are soon surrounded by militiamen from Jefferson, Berkeley and Frederick counties. One such unit, the "Continental Morgan Guard" from Winchester, VA, is still an element in the Virginia Guard today. As word of the raid spreads other militia troops arrive by train, some from as far away as Richmond. However, U.S. Marines under the command of Army Colonel Robert E. Lee arrive and storm the "Brown's fort" killing or capturing the raiders. Brown is captured and later tried for treason, convicted and quickly hung in Charlestown, VA (now WV). During this period he is guarded by several hundred Virginia militia against the possibility of other raiders trying to free him, though no such attack was launched. Because of his raid and the fear of other attempts to get the slaves to rise in revolt, the growth of volunteer militia units in the southern states rose sharply in the months leading up to the Civil War.

 

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

 There is a lot of talk over the years of the validity of this first one by those that were there. Including his attitude in a Japanese prison camp….We have had it in the List before.

BOYINGTON, GREGORY

Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Squadron 214. Place and date: Central Solomons area, from 12 September 1943 to 3 January 1944. Entered service at: Washington. Born: 4 December 1912, Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. Other Navy award: Navy Cross. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and valiant devotion to duty as commanding officer of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Central Solomons area from 12 September 1943 to 3 January 1944. Consistently outnumbered throughout successive hazardous flights over heavily defended hostile territory, Maj. Boyington struck at the enemy with daring and courageous persistence, leading his squadron into combat with devastating results to Japanese shipping, shore installations, and aerial forces. Resolute in his efforts to inflict crippling damage on the enemy, Maj. Boyington led a formation of 24 fighters over Kahili on 17 October and, persistently circling the airdrome where 60 hostile aircraft were grounded, boldly challenged the Japanese to send up planes. Under his brilliant command, our fighters shot down 20 enemy craft in the ensuing action without the loss of a single ship. A superb airman and determined fighter against overwhelming odds, Maj. Boyington personally destroyed 26 of the many Japanese planes shot down by his squadron and, by his forceful leadership, developed the combat readiness in his command which was a distinctive factor in the Allied aerial achievements in this vitally strategic area.

 

*VAN NOY, JUNIOR

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Headquarters Company, Shore Battalion, Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment. Place and date: Near Finschafen, New Guinea, 17 October 1943. Entered service at: Preston, Idaho. Birth: Grace, Idaho. G.O. No.: 17, 26 February 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Finschafen, New Guinea, on 17 October 1943. When wounded late in September, Pvt. Van Noy declined evacuation and continued on duty. On 17 October 1943 he was gunner in charge of a machinegun post only 5 yards from the water's edge when the alarm was given that 3 enemy barges loaded with troops were approaching the beach in the early morning darkness. One landing barge was sunk by Allied fire, but the other 2 beached 10 yards from Pvt. Van Noy's emplacement. Despite his exposed position, he poured a withering hail of fire into the debarking enemy troops. His loader was wounded by a grenade and evacuated. Pvt. Van Noy, also grievously wounded, remained at his post, ignoring calls of nearby soldiers urging him to withdraw, and continued to fire with deadly accuracy. He expended every round and was found, covered with wounds dead beside his gun. In this action Pvt. Van Noy killed at least half of the 39 enemy taking part in the landing. His heroic tenacity at the price of his life not only saved the lives of many of his comrades, but enabled them to annihilate the attacking detachment.

 

*DURHAM, HAROLD BASCOM, JR.

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Battery C, 6th Battalion, 15th Artillery, 1st Infantry Division . Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 17 October 1967. Entered service at: Atlanta, Ga. Born: 12 October 1942, Rocky Mount, N.C. Citation: 2d Lt. Durham, Artillery, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty while assigned to Battery C. 2d Lt. Durham was serving as a forward observer with Company D, 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry during a battalion reconnaissance-in-force mission. At approximately 1015 hours contact was made with an enemy force concealed in well-camouflaged positions and fortified bunkers. 2d Lt. Durham immediately moved into an exposed position to adjust the supporting artillery fire onto the insurgents. During a brief lull in the battle he administered emergency first aid to the wounded in spite of heavy enemy sniper fire directed toward him. Moments later, as enemy units assaulted friendly positions, he learned that Company A, bearing the brunt of the attack, had lost its forward observer. While he was moving to replace the wounded observer, the enemy detonated a Claymore mine, severely wounding him in the head and impairing his vision. In spite of the intense pain, he continued to direct the supporting artillery fire and to employ his individual weapon in support of the hard pressed infantrymen. As the enemy pressed their attack, 2d Lt. Durham called for supporting fire to be placed almost directly on his position. Twice the insurgents were driven back, leaving many dead and wounded behind. 2d Lt. Durham was then taken to a secondary defensive position. Even in his extremely weakened condition, he continued to call artillery fire onto the enemy. He refused to seek cover and instead positioned himself in a small clearing which offered a better vantage point from which to adjust the fire. Suddenly, he was severely wounded a second time by enemy machine gun fire. As he lay on the ground near death, he saw two Viet Cong approaching, shooting the defenseless wounded men. With his last effort, 2d Lt. Durham shouted a warning to a nearby soldier who immediately killed the insurgents. 2d Lt. Durham died moments later, still grasping the radio handset. 2d Lt. Durham's gallant actions in close combat with an enemy force are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 17, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

 

17 October

1907: Capt Charles DeForest Chandler and James C. McCoy in Signal Corps Balloon No. 10 became the first winners of the Lahm Cup. Leaving St. Louis, their flight ended 20 hours 15 minutes later at Walton, W.Va., after covering 473.56 miles. (24)

1918: Brig Gen William "Billy" Mitchell briefed General John J. Pershing, Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, on a plan to airdrop elements of 1st American Infantry Division behind German lines. General Pershing tentatively approved this concept, but World War I ended before the plan could be developed. (18)

1922: Lt Virgil C. Griffin in a Vought VE-7SF made the first takeoff from a US Navy carrier, the USS Langley (a converted coal collier) at anchor in the York River, Va. (20)

1949: Boeing delivered the first C-97A to MATS. (24) 1954: Flying a Sikorsky XH-39 at Bridgeport, Warrant Officer Billy I. Webster (USA) established a world helicopter altitude record of 24,500 feet. (24)

1950: KOREAN WAR. FEAF Combat Cargo Command began airlifting fuel and rations to Sinmak, less than 50 miles southeast of Pyongyang, N. Korea, to sustain a UN offensive toward the North Korean capital. The command also began aeromedical evacuations from Sinmak to Kimpo. (28)

1955: At Edwards AFB, Lt Gordon Gray (USN) flew a Douglas A4D-1 Skyhawk to a 695.127 MPH world record for a 500-kilometer (310 miles) closed course. (24)

1963: A 341 SMW crew from Malmstrom AFB launched the first Minuteman I (Model A) missile from Vandenberg AFB in an operational test that was only partially successful. (6)

1967: The USAF accomplished the final balloon launch in a series to test the feasibility of using parachutes with the Voyager capsule for a soft landing on Mars. Maj William J. Knight flew the X-15 to 277,000 feet to qualify for his astronaut wings. (3)

1989: Through 24 October, MAC aircraft delivered more than 250 tons of relief equipment and 100 passengers to the San Francisco Bay area after a 7.1 earthquake. (16)

2001: Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Elements of the 186th Air Refueling Wing (Mississippi ANG) and the 117th ARW (Alabama ANG) formed a composite unit at Incirlik AB, Turkey, to support this operation. The wings switched lead unit status every 90 days. (32)

2005: AMC sent a C-5B (Tail No. 87-0035) from the 436 AW at Dover AFB to the 439 AW, an AFRC wing at Westover AFB. This transfer marked the first time an active-duty "B" model C-5 was assigned to an AFRC unit. (22)

2006: AMC declared an initial operating capability for the C-130J. The command equipped a combat delivery squadron to its full Primary Aircraft Authorized (PAA) limit and manned that unit with trained aircrews and maintenance members to support the mission to reach that capability. (USAF Aimpoints, "AMC Declares C-130J Operational," 17 Oct 2006)

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

From the archives

 B-52 over Hanoi

I will add the article in a day or so on the AF General who told the brass that his crews were not going to fly the same profile again. It killed his career but saved pilots and crews.

 

Long read but that was what it was like

 

Thanks to Chuck

I ran into a friend from college that was a B-52 pilot and he had a ton of missions over the north down by the DMZ. He made every one of those over Hanoi and Haiphong over the Christmas of 1972. He was pretty fed up with what the brass was telling them about having to stay wings level so the EW gear would be effective. The only time he was wings level was when he was dropping his bombs. SKIP

 

A B-52 BOMB RUN Op OVER HANOI...  GREAT READ....

Got this from a friend who is in the 91st. SRW. Assn.

 

Vietnam Magazine

Nightmare up North – B-52s Over Hanoi in Linebacker II

 By Paul Novak

Truly it was "one of the most awesome armadas ever assembled," as Major Bill Stocker, in command of the lead B-52, later described it.  The roar could be heard and vibrations felt 10 miles away when our 78 giant bombers went to full throttle on all eight turbojet engines, one after the other, over 2½ hours, and took off from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.

Thousands of observers cheered the spectacular sight – the complex choreography of the largest launch of B-52s ever undertaken.  The 26 three-ship cells of aircraft moved from 5 miles of walled-in, fortified parking areas and taxiways into position on the runway.  The spectators included the crew of a Russian trawler off the coast of Guam.

Forty-two additional US bombers left later from the U-Tapao airfield in Thailand.  We were all headed for Hanoi and the port city of Haiphong.  The trawler's crew radioed Hanoi and gave the North Vietnamese hours of advance notice that the BUFFs (Big Ugly Fat Fellows) were on their way.  The date was Dec. 26, 1972.  All 120 Boeing B-52s plus dozens of Air Force, Navy and Marine support aircraft would reach their targets and drop thousands of tons of ordnance over a 15-minute period.

Some of us would not return.

I was an Air Force captain and the navigator of a six-man crew from Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts that included aircraft commander Captain Richard "Dick" Purinton, co-pilot Captain Malcolm "Mac" McNeill, radar navigator and bombardier Lt. Col. Jean Beaudoin, electronic warfare officer Major Bob Dickens and tail gunner Master Sgt. Calvin Creasser.

We were one of the lucky teams that made it "over the fence," safely out of enemy territory after hitting our target.  The December 26 flight, part of Operation Linebacker II, which began December 18, was our second mission over the enemy's capital city and our third in North Vietnam.

Most Heavily Defended City

In 1972 Hanoi was considered the most heavily defended city in the world, protected by layers of air defense and the sheer massed quantity of Soviet-made supersonic surface-to-air missiles and MiG fighter aircraft.  In previous air campaigns over North Vietnam – Rolling Thunder in the mid-1960s and Linebacker I in mid-1972 – the US military command had not allowed B-52s to attack Hanoi's air defenses.

The North Vietnamese used early-warning radar with a range of about 170 miles to spot incoming B-52s.  The located target was handed off to fire-control radar that directed the SAMs and at about 40 miles provided more refined data on the position, altitude and speed of the arriving aircraft. Soviet-built MiG-17s, -19s and the technologically advanced -21s, strong competition for American fighters, were launched against the bombers to "pace" them and report altitude and speed to the SAM operators.

B-52s confronted the SAM threat with electronic countermeasures, such as jammers that created an "electronic cloud" over enemy radar and thus covered the aircraft's specific location.  Flying in three-ship cells maximized this effect, hiding all three aircraft.

As the lead navigator, or "Nav," of our three-ship formation, I had to get those aircraft to the target within 30 seconds of our scheduled drop time in a coordinated attack with the 117 lumbering giants in the other cells.

We were coasting into Qui Nhon, South Vietnam, after a five-hour leg from Andersen and an air-to-air refueling over the Philippines, when I called out to Purinton, "Pilot, Nav, right to 3-4-0," giving our intended heading in compass degrees.  The only sound in the aircraft was the comforting roar of the engines.

It was also my job to advise the crew of action points – entering the threat zone, the initial point of the bomb run and the time to target: "Crew, Nav, we're 25 minutes south of the Gulf of Tonkin, about one hour to the target."  Those updates ensured that the items on the bomb-run checklists would be completed.  Each crewmember performed critical tasks at designated points along the flight route.  Missing one of these in hostile territory could prove fatal.

I was stationed on the windowless lower deck along with Beaudoin, a gray-haired Frenchman.  As our radar navigator – "Radar" or just RN during flight – Beaudoin had to direct the rendezvous with the Boeing KC-135 air-to-air refueling tanker, prepare the bombing system, locate the precise aiming point for our target and release our 54,000 pounds of ordnance.

Trouble Over the Gulf

"Pilot, Nav, we've got a problem down here."  My navigation position counters, which showed our latitude and longitude, had failed.  The counters were continually updated by the radar navigator, who gets latitude and longitude figures by locating a known radar return on the ground and placing a set of electronic crosshairs on it, much like an arcade video game.

"Nav, Pilot, what's your plan?"  Purinton asked

"We have the radar.  We'll go range and bearing since I can't use the counters."  This meant I would have to manually identify ground returns from my 5-inch radarscope.  Then I would plot their range and bearing from the aircraft on my chart in order to initiate turns and call action points.

"You want No. 2 to take over navigation for the cell?" was the pilot's logical question.  I wanted to remain as the lead navigator.  I was trained to work without the counters and knew I could.  We were 10 minutes from hostile territory.

"No problem.  I can get us to the target," I replied.  We were entering unfamiliar territory, and I realized it would be a challenge to identify radar returns.  Many of the ground landmarks were built of wood, which does not reflect radar. This was, in fact, a big problem.

"Rog, copy," was the pilot's only response.  He understood the situation and trusted us to get the job done.  For the first time, a knot formed in my stomach.

"Crew, Nav, we're over water and into the Gulf of Tonkin."  This first warning of hostile territory alerted everyone to keep a sharp eye as we made our way toward the coast of North Vietnam.

Threat Area

"Pilot, Nav, left to 2-9-0.  Crew, seven minutes to next turn.  We're 60 miles from the coast.  Seventeen minutes to target."

I instructed electronic warfare officer Dickens to watch for SAMs, even though I knew he was already focused on that activity: "EW, Nav, threat area at the turn."

"Crew, EW, I have launch on two: 1 o'clock and 9 o'clock.  No uplink."  An "uplink" meant the North Vietnamese ground radar was sending guidance signals to the missile.  No uplink was good news for us.  That meant it would be easier to dodge the two missiles.

"Pilot, Nav, right to 3-5-5. Crew, 20 miles from coast-in.  RN let's get the checklists done."

We were 70 miles from Hanoi.  "I've got a SAM!" Purinton called.

"EW has uplink."

SAMs suddenly came at us like an angry swarm of bees.  We were told later that more than 200 of them were fired at the seven waves of B-52s that night.  Our bombers couldn't run from them.  We cruised at 450 mph; the SAM at 2,400 mph.

But no one panicked.  When we realized we hadn't been hit, we instantly went back to work and got ready to unleash total destruction on the Van Dien vehicle depot, 18 miles south of Hanoi.

"Crew, guns," called tail gunner Creasser, who sat 140 feet behind the rest of us.  "I have aircraft at 7 o'clock, tracking."

The tail gunner, manning four .50-caliber machine guns, each with 600 rounds of ammunition, used radar to track and target hostile aircraft.  But the plane Creasser spotted this time turned out to be a friendly escort, a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II.

Our small tables on the lower deck were covered with maps, navigation plotters, checklists, stopwatches and a variety of other navigation equipment.  Amid the mess, the radar navigator and I methodically kept the aircraft on time and on course for the bomb run to Hanoi.

"RN, Nav, confirm that return is Thai Binh," a city about 70 miles from Hanoi.

Beaudoin set the radar range at 100 miles, and Hanoi popped up at our 11 o'clock position, right where it should be.  I stared at it for a moment wondering what was in store for us, certain that I didn't want to know the answer.

"You're right, Nav.  It's Thai Binh."

"Pilot, Nav, left to 3-2-0. Crew, seven minutes to target.  Radar, bomb run checklist."

The interphone chatter crescendoed as we neared the target.  The co-pilot, gunner and pilot called out SAM launches and clock positions.  The electronic warfare officer confirmed SAM reports and told us whether missiles had locked on to us.  Beaudoin and I reported navigation points, times to target and the action points that alerted other crewmembers to the tasks they needed to perform.  It was the organized chaos verbalized by a B-52 combat crew at war.  Each crew member knew what needed to be done and accomplished it.

One might think fear would lurk about or even dominate the thoughts of a combat flight crew facing possible death or capture and torture.  But it didn't.  Perhaps the training, the necessity of getting a job done or the frenetic activity pushed such thoughts aside.  I don't really know.  I honestly don't remember feeling afraid.  And in talking later with other crewmembers, I learned that fear had no home on that aircraft

Bomb Run

In six minutes our three-ship cell of B-52s was scheduled to unload 162,000 pounds of explosives on the vehicle depot, rendering it unusable to the North Vietnamese.  To reach the target, we had to go through "wall-to-wall SAMs every step of the way," as one crew member said.

We started the bomb run with our three aircraft arranged in an offset triangle, separated by 1 mile of distance and 500 feet of altitude.  The formation was crucial to obtain that "jamming" effect on enemy radar, which enhanced our chances of survival.

The radar navigator placed the electronic crosshairs on our aiming point for the target.

"Nav, confirm aim point," Beaudoin said.

I studied my radarscope for 10 seconds and replied, "Rog, that's it."

"Pilot, RN, center the PDI."  The pilot direction indicator was a steering needle on Purinton's instrument panel tied into the bomb system.  When the indicator was centered, the aircraft was aimed directly at the target.

Beaudoin and I worked our way through the checklist for releasing the bombs.  The arming sequence did not start until a wire was automatically pulled from each bomb as it left the racks.

Dickens interrupted: "Crew, EW, multiple SAM launch, 12 o'clock."

"Pilots searching," co-pilot McNeill announced.  Then "Bingo, have what looks like two, no, three, coming up from our 12 o'clock."

"Uplink!" replied the electronic warfare officer.

"EW, co-pilot, two tracking across."

The two missiles were moving across the pilot's line of sight and going away from us.  The bad news was the third missile.

"Third one still has uplink."

"Damn, comin' straight at us," McNeill yelled the bone-chilling words.

"Crew, starting combat turns," Purinton said.

He put the aircraft into a series of steep banked turns left and right, a tactic meant to break the missile's lock on our aircraft.  The turns also diminished the effectiveness of our electronic countermeasures, but the decision, with a missile headed straight for us, was easy for the pilot to make.

"EW dispensing chaff," Dickens said, referring to aluminum foil-like material ejected to fool the enemy radar and divert the missile.

In the midst of this, the radar navigator and I finished our checklist and concentrated solely on the target, just 90 seconds away.

"I'll need it straight and level at 30 seconds to go, Pilot."

This was essential so the bombing gyro would stabilize before the weapons were released.  Without stability, the bombs could be tossed anywhere.

"Rog," was all Purinton had time to say.  I could hear the strain in his voice.  Maneuvering the steep turns was like driving a loaded cement truck with no power steering, no automatic transmission and no brakes

"Lost uplink," called the electronic warfare officer, his voice at a lower pitch.  The missile missed us and wandered upward.

"Pilot, 60 seconds to target, straight and level, center the PDI," the radar navigator calmly requested.

"Rog, straight and level, PDI centered."

"Crew, Nav, 30 seconds to target."

I counted down.  "Twenty seconds to target," speaking rather calmly, I thought.

"SAM launch dead ahead," called the electronic warfare officer.

"Searching," one of the pilots said to no one in particular.

"Bingo, have it.  Looks like it could hit us right between the eyes."

A SAM traveling at 2,400 mph would take about 10 more seconds to reach the aircraft.  At bombs away, it would hit the aircraft.

This time we couldn't execute combat turns to get out of the way.  Our aircraft was a sitting duck.

"Ten seconds.  Bomb doors open."

We didn't open the doors earlier because that would have created a bigger radar target for SAMs.

"EW dispensing chaff."

"Missile still tracking visually," McNeill said.

"Crew, prepare for bailout," Purinton announced, as calmly as a bus driver announces the next street.

"At bombs away, I'm gonna bend the fuselage" – put the aircraft into an almost impossibly steep turn.

"Five seconds," from the radar navigator.

"Holy Mother..." someone pleaded. (Maybe it was me....I don't remember.)

"Bombs away," Beaudoin said.

The aircraft shuddered as all the weapons departed simultaneously.  The severe turn yanked me to the right, and the ejection seat shoulder straps burned into my skin through the flight suit.

Where was it?  The bailout light?  Where was it?  Oh yeah, look up, Paul.  My mind was doing things my body couldn't comprehend.  All in the flash of an instant.  Nav bails out first.  How can we get this far and then get blown out of the sky?  Ejection D-ring, find it, find it, gotta find it... there.  Keep your elbows in.  Brace your back.  All galloping through my mind.

Not us.  Why us?  Stay with me, God.  Tighten your seatbelt.  Already did that.  A voice.  There's a voice.  Foggy.  Not making sense.  A voice....

An explosion.  A brilliant flash.  The airplane vibrated and rocked from side to side.  The SAM detonated far enough away that there was no damage.

"Crew, Pilot, keep your eyes open.  We're not out of it yet."

What did the voice mean, keep my eyes open?  How could I if I was dead?

"Nav, Pilot, heading?"

Heading... Heading... Nav... yeah... that's me... must not be dead... Heading...

"Crew, Radar, bomb doors closed."

What seemed like minutes of agony flashed by so quickly that no one noticed my slight hesitation responding.

"Left 2-6-0," I heard myself say.

"Everybody OK?"  Purinton polled the crew and got a positive response.

We may have avoided the SAM because of the pilot's extreme hard turn, but we also surmised that the missile missed us because it never achieved uplink.  If it had, the electronic warfare officer would have detected the signals. The SAM must have been launched visually, without radar guidance from the ground, as a desperation salvo

Later... Over the Fence

"Crew, Nav, out of the threat area," I announced.  We could finally relax.

The pilot made his call to the airborne mission commander: "Over the fence with three."

As we turned south, the aircraft was silent.  No interphone chatter, no activity.  It was as if we had entered a different dimension – peaceful and quiet.  The adrenaline left my body, and I sagged in my ejection seat.  It was then that it all hit me: what we did, the danger and the magnitude of it.  We were all drained.

At our debriefing we learned that two B-52s had been shot down.  Two friends of mine weren't coming back.  I had played golf with one of them 36 hours earlier.  That made it personal.  Before, it was a mission – a dangerous one –but it was a thing, a possibility, not the death of a golfing buddy you just had a pitcher of beer and a pizza with at the officers club.

Dick Purinton and I glanced at each other but never spoke of it.  We couldn't do that.  There were more missions to fly.  "Guys, let's hit the roach coach and get a couple chili dogs," he offered. "I'll buy."

So we did... and he did... and everything was back to normal, at least until we launched again for Hanoi.

Four months after the Christmas bombings, Purinton was diagnosed with leukemia at his flight physical.  He died in June 1974 – a true hero.  The man's skill flying this nation's frontline strategic bomber saved my life. 

Paul Novak, a decorated former B-52 navigator who teaches creative writing at an adult extension of Arizona State University in Phoenix, wrote about B-52 crews in his anthology, Into Hostile Skies.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SkipsList" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to skipslist+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skipslist/CACTjsm2RER6k_Xd0nYxfLUtSOi9-Sz38jdyp8wjozk-RWwjdMg%40mail.gmail.com.

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

TheList 6977


The List 6977     TGB

To All,

Good Wednesday Morning October 16, 2024. Well one side of the house is just about done with two coats of paint.  But there is still about four times that much to do.. The leak in the bath room looks like I am going to have to call a plumber today. Just what I needed. Up early this morning I am going to try to get the yard trash guy to let me refill the four tubs that he empties with cans and bags of more and run them across the street so when he comes back down the hill I can get rid of it. Like we used to say louder and funnier and the beat goes on.

Regards,

skip

Make it a good Day

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)

Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/.   Go here to see the director's corner for all 83 H-Grams 

Today in Naval and Marine Corps History

October 16

1821 The schooner Enterprise, commanded by Lawrence Kearny, engages four pirate schooners and one pirate sloop off Cape Antonio, Cuba who are in the act of robbing two American vessels and one British ship. The pirate leader, Capt. Charles Gibbs, escapes to shore but his ship and two others were burned. The remaining ships are sent to Charleston, S.C. as prizes.

1861 The Union screw steamer South Carolina captures the schooner Edward Barnard, with a cargo of turpentine on board, at Southwest Pass, Mississippi River.

1885 Capt. Alfred Thayer Mahan becomes the superintendent of the Naval War College at Newport, R.I.

1891 Two sailors from the cruiser Baltimore are killed and 17 are injured by a mob in Valparaiso, Chile. The incident shifts relations between the United States and Chile. In 1892 Chile pays $75,000 in gold for restitution and apologizes for the incident.

1942 USS Thresher (SS 200) mines the approaches to Bangkok, Thailand, the first US Navy submarine mine plant during World War II.

1943 The Navy accepts its first helicopter, a Sikorsky YR-4B (HNS-1) at Bridgeport, Ct., following a 60-minute test flight by U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Frank A. Erickson.

1957 USS Lake Champlain (CVS 39) reaches Valencia, Spain to assist in flood rescue work at the request of the American ambassador to Spain, John Davis Lodge. The ship's Chickasaw helicopters undertake numerous rescue missions, and the ship's crew fight in the "mud battle" that follows the disaster.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Today in World History October 16

 

1555    The Protestant martyrs Bishop Hugh Latimer and Bishop Nicholas Ridley are burned at the stake for heresy in England.

1701    Yale University is founded as The Collegiate School of Kilingworth, Connecticut by Congregationalists who consider Harvard too liberal.

1793    Queen Marie Antoinette is beheaded by guillotine during the French Revolution.

1846    Ether was first administered in public at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston by Dr. William Thomas Green Morton during an operation performed by Dr. John Collins Warren.

1859    Abolitionist John Brown, with 21 men, seizes the U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry, Va. U.S. Marines capture the raiders, killing several. John Brown is later hanged in Virginia for treason.

1901    President Theodore Roosevelt incites controversy by inviting black leader Booker T. Washington to the White House.

1908    The first airplane flight in England is made at Farnsborough, by Samuel Cody, a U.S. citizen.

1934    Mao Tse-tung decides to abandon his base in Kiangsi due to attacks from Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists. With his pregnant wife and about 30,000 Red Army troops, he sets out on the "Long March."

1938    Billy the Kid, a ballet by Aaron Copland, opens in Chicago.

1940    Benjamin O. Davis becomes the U.S. Army's first African American Brigadier General.

1946    Ten Nazi war criminals are hanged in Nuremberg, Germany.

1969    The New York Mets win the World Series four games to one over the heavily-favored Baltimore Orioles.

1973    Israeli General Ariel Sharon crosses the Suez Canal and begins to encircle two Egyptian armies.

1978    The college of cardinals elects 58-year-old Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, a Pole, the first non-Italian Pope since 1523.

1984    A baboon heart is transplanted into 15-day-old Baby Fae--the first transplant of the kind--at Loma Linda University Medical Center, California. Baby Fae lives until November 15.

1995    The Million Man March for 'A Day of Atonement' takes place in Washington, D.C.

1995    Skye Bridge opens over Loch Alsh, Scotland

1998    General Augusto Pinochet, former dictator of Chile, arrested in London for extradition on murder charges

2002    Inaugural opening of Bibliotheca Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt., a modern library and cultural center commemorating the famed Library of Alexandria that was lost in antiquity

.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.

.

. ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … BearπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ⚓️🐻

.

From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com .

 

Thanks to Micro

From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..October 16 

16-Oct:  https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1403

 

This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip

Vietnam Air Losses Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at:  https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.

 

This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info  https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM

 

MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Servicemembers Killed in the Vietnam War

The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature.

 

  https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )

 

https://www.moaa.org/content/publications-and-media/news-articles/2022-news-articles/wall-of-faces-now-includes-photos-of-all-servicemembers-killed-in-the-vietnam-war/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TMNsend&utm_content=Y84UVhi4Z1MAMHJh1eJHNA==+MD+AFHRM+1+Ret+L+NC

By: Kipp Hanley

.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to Dr. Rich, Gailard via Dutch ...

 

*I Was a Sailor Once*

 

I liked standing on the bridge wing at sunrise with salt spray in my face and clean ocean winds whipping in from the four quarters of the globe -- the ship beneath me feeling like a living thing as her engines drove her swiftly through the sea.

 

I liked the sounds of the Navy - the piercing trill of the boatswains' pipe, the syncopated clangor of the ship's bell on the quarterdeck, the harsh squawk of the 1MC, and the strong language and laughter of sailors at work.

 

I liked Navy vessels -- nervous darting destroyers, plodding fleet auxiliaries and amphibs, sleek submarines and steady solid aircraft carriers.

 

I liked the proud names of Navy ships: Midway, Lexington, Saratoga, Coral Sea, Antietam, Valley Forge - - memorials of great battles won and tribulations overcome.

 

I liked the lean angular names of Navy "tin-cans" and escorts - Barney, Purdy, Dahlgren , Mullinix, McCloy, Damato, Leftwich, Mills, Leary, Mahan, Wainwright -mementos of heroes who went before us. And the others - San Jose, San Diego, Los Angeles, St. Paul, Chicago - named for our cities.

 

 I liked the tempo of a Navy band blaring through the topside speakers as we pulled away from the oiler after refueling at sea.

 

 I liked Liberty Call and the spicy scent of a foreign port.

 

 *** I even liked the never-ending paperwork and all-hands working parties as

 my ship filled herself with the multitude of supplies, both critical and

 mundane in order to cut ties to the land and carry out her mission anywhere

on the globe where there was water to float her.

 

 *** I liked sailors, officers and enlisted men from all parts of the land,

 farms of the Midwest, small towns of New England, from the cities, the

 mountains and the prairies, from all walks of life. I trusted and depended

 on them as they trusted and depended on me - for professional competence,

 for comradeship, for strength and courage.  In a word, they were

 "shipmates"; then and forever.

 

 *** I liked the surge of adventure in my heart, when the word was passed:

 "Now set the special sea and anchor detail - all hands to quarters for

 leaving port," and I liked the infectious thrill of sighting home again,

 with the waving hands of welcome from family and friends waiting pier side.

 

 *** The work was hard and dangerous; the going rough at times; the parting

 from loved ones painful, but the companionship of robust Navy laughter, the

 "all for one and one for all" philosophy of the sea was ever present.

 

 *** I liked the serenity of the sea after a day of hard ship's work, as

 flying fish flitted across the wave tops and sunset gave way to night.

 

 *** I liked the feel of the Navy in darkness -- the masthead and range

 lights, the red and green navigation lights and stern light, the pulsating

 phosphorescence of radar repeaters - they cut through the dusk and joined

 with the mirror of stars overhead. And I liked drifting off to sleep lulled

 by the myriad noises large and small that told me that my ship was alive and

 well, and that my shipmates on watch would keep me safe.

 

 *** I liked quiet midwatches with the aroma of strong coffee - the lifeblood

 of the Navy permeating everywhere.

 

 *** And I liked hectic watches when the exacting minuet of haze-gray shapes

 racing at flank speed kept all hands on a razor edge of alertness.

 

 *** I liked the sudden electricity of "General quarters, general quarters,

 all hands man your battle stations," followed by the hurried clamor of

 running feet on ladders and the resounding thump of watertight doors as the

 ship transformed herself in a few brief seconds from a peaceful workplace to

 a weapon of war - ready for anything.

 

 *** And I liked the sight of space-age equipment manned by youngsters clad

 in dungarees and sound-powered phones that their grandfathers would still

 recognize.

 

 *** I liked the traditions of the Navy and the men who made them.

 I liked the proud names of Navy heroes: Halsey, Nimitz, Perry, Farragut,

 John Paul Jones and Burke. A sailor could find much in the Navy:

 comrades-in-arms, pride in self and country, mastery of the seaman's trade.

 An adolescent could find adulthood.

 

 *** In years to come, when sailors are home from the sea, they will still

 remember with fondness and respect the ocean in all its moods - the

 impossible shimmering mirror calm and the storm-tossed green water surging

 over the bow. And then there will come again a faint whiff of stack gas, a

 faint echo of engine and rudder orders, a vision of the bright bunting of

 signal flags snapping at the yardarm, a refrain of hearty laughter in the

 wardroom and chief's quarters and mess decks.

 *** Gone ashore for good they will grow wistful about their Navy days, when

 the seas belonged to them and a new port of call was ever over the horizon.

 *** Remembering this, they will stand taller and say,

 

 *"I WAS A SAILOR ONCE AND I WOULD DO IT AGAIN."*

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to Interesting Facts

A Michigan town once held a funeral for 30,000 pizzas.

On March 5, 1973, several hundred people gathered at a farm in tiny Ossineke, Michigan, to witness a burial they would remember for the rest of their lives. One local grocery store closed its doors so employees could attend; even Michigan Governor William G. Milliken dropped by to pay his respects. Was this a funeral for a native son who made good, or perhaps a beloved civic leader? No, it was a ceremony to bid arrivederci to some 30,000 frozen pizzas that may have been harboring dangerous toxins.

This bizarre scene stemmed from the discovery of swollen mushroom tins at Ohio's United Canning Company two months earlier. After FDA tests revealed the presence of bacteria that causes botulism, calls to United Canning's extended branch of customers eventually reached frozen-pizza maker Mario Fabbrini. When two test mice croaked after eating his mushroom pizza, Fabbrini believed he had no choice but to recall his wares from store shelves and swallow the estimated $60,000 in losses. Attempting the pizza equivalent of turning lemons into lemonade, he announced intentions for a grand "funeral," and arranged for a series of pickup trucks to dump his 30,000 unwanted mushroom pies into an 18-foot hole. After placing a flower garland on the grave — red gladioli to symbolize sauce, white carnations for cheese — Fabbrini served fresh (mushroom-free) pizza to anyone brave enough to partake.

Further tests later showed that the mice had died not from botulism, but from peritonitis, and it was unclear whether their deaths were pizza-related casualties. Sadly, the $250,000 Fabbrini later won in a lawsuit against United Canning and two other defendants wasn't enough to fully revive his business, and Fabbrini sold the company in the early 1980s. Nevertheless, much like that sauce stain that never entirely disappears from your shirt, the story of the Great Michigan Pizza Funeral endures for those who know where to look.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

.

Thanks to Micro

Feeling Old In 2024? This might be the reason why...  

 

- The Beatles split 50 years ago.

- The movie, 'Wizard of Oz' is 85 years old. The only one I was not there for…skip

- Elvis died 46 years ago. He'd be 89 today.

- Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' video is 42 years old.

- Mickey Mantle retired 55 years ago.

- The movie, 'Saturday Night Fever' is 49 years old.

- The Ed Sullivan show ended 53 years ago.

- The Corvette turned 71 years old this year. My uncle had one of the first and it was white and cool.

- The Mustang is 60.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

. Thanks to Bill

Heaven and Hell

While walking down the street one day a corrupt Senator was hit by an automobile and tragically died.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the Senator.

 "Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really?, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

 The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They played a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are all having such a good time that before the Senator realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it's time to visit heaven...

So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell...

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders.

"I don't understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil smiles at him and says,

"Yesterday we were campaigning, Today, you voted.."

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

.

. Thanks to Glenn…

.

On the first day, God created the dog and said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past.  For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said, "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

And God saw it was good.

On the second day, God created the monkey and said, "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span."

The monkey said, "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the dog did?"

And God, again saw it was good.

On the third day, God created the cow and said, "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years."

The cow said, "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And God agreed it was good.

On the fourth day, God created humans and said, "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."

But the human said, "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

So that is why for our first twenty years, we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves.

For the next forty years, we slave in the sun to support our family.

For the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren.

And for the last ten years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information.

I'm doing it as a public service.

If you are looking for me I will be on the front porch...

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

A reminder of the value of the H-Grams available from Admiral Cox through the NHHC. There are now 83 for your reading pleasure

 

Go to this site and select the Director's corner to find all the H-Grams , https://www.history.navy.mil/

Thanks to the Naval History and Heritage Command

In November 2016, Director Cox initiated a series of "H-grams." Inspired by the late Admiral Zumwalt's series of Z-grams used to communicate with Sailors throughout the Navy, H-grams are an avenue by which NHHC provides significant historical context to aid today's decision-makers. H-grams and associated attachments reflect Director Cox's personal assessment, aided by NHHC historians, of significant events in U.S. Navy history. Each H-gram draws on archival material, historic imagery, and written and oral history. In addition to the H-grams reproduced here, you'll find links to Director Cox's regular contributions to The Sextant, NHHC's blog. The linked content explores a variety of topics, but consistently emphasizes the importance of honoring the service of Sailors throughout history and understanding the relevance of the past to today's Navy.

Click on the colored items to get the full story In his latest H-Gram Special Edition, Director Cox discusses the World War II Battle off Samar, the event underlying the theme to this year's Navy Birthday: "No Higher Honor." Samar was a key engagement in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in modern naval history and a decisive U.S. Navy victory over the Imperial Japanese Navy. The phrase is from the after-action report of Lieutenant Commander Robert Copeland, skipper of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), lost in a valiant sacrificial action off Samar. In lauding the calm courage of his crew in the face of near-certain death, Copeland wrote that there was "no higher honor" than the privilege to lead such a gallant crew.

As a postscript: On 14 April 1988, the third USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) struck an Iranian-laid mine in the Arabian Gulf. Upon FFG-58's commissioning in 1986, her skipper, Paul X. Rinn, had a bronze plaque installed that listed the names of all those who served aboard the first Samuel B. Roberts when she fought so valiantly off Samar. As FFG-58 was burning and in grave danger of sinking, Sailors were seen to place their hand on the plaque, gaining inspiration and strength from the legacy of those who endured and persevered before. Post-event computer-simulation showed that FFG-58 should have gone down, yet those Sailors saved their ship in one of the most awesome displays of damage control in U.S. Navy history. At a time when the survival of the ship was very much in doubt, Rear Admiral Anthony Less, Commander Middle East Force, queried Rinn as to whether he was considering abandoning ship. Rinn responded he had absolutely no intention of doing so, finishing his defiant statement with the ship's motto, "No Higher Honor."

 

Close-Quarters Antisubmarine Warfare

29 July 2021

4 June 1944 Crew members of USS Pillsbury (DE-133), who made up the first party to board U-505 after she had been abandoned by her German crew. They are (from left to right): GM1/c Chester Mocarski; EM2/c William Riendeau; CMM George Jacobson; MOMM1/c Zenon Lukosivs; SM2/c Gordon Hohne; BM2/c Wayne Pickles, Jr.; RM2/c Stanley E. Wdowiak; and TM2/c Arthur W. Knispel. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (80-G-49179)

 

Download a pdf of H-Gram 064. (6 MB)

This H-Gram covers several epic battles between U.S. surface ships and U-boats involving ramming and hand-to-hand combat, including the use of Coca Cola bottles, coffee mugs and pots, sheath knives, spent shell casings, flare pistols, hand grenades, shotguns, and tommy guns as antisubmarine warfare (ASW) weapons. If you only have time to read one, USS Borie (DD-215) vs. U-405 is the Cox choice for most epic ASW fight of all time.

Overview

I'm taking a break from "Battles You've Never Heard of" series because frankly they are really time-consuming to research. I meant to write about these Battle of the Atlantic submarine actions during the 75th anniversary of WWII series and again when the Tom Hanks' movie, Greyhound, came out (which, by the way, is really good, albeit historical fiction,) but my day job kept interfering.

U.S. Navy PBY Catalina and HMCS Oakville vs. U-94─27 August 1942 A Guantanamo-based VP-92 PBY Catalina flown by Lieutenant Gordon Fiss caught U-94 in the moonlight just as the U-boat was about to torpedo the destroyer USS Lea (DD-118,) with the convoy escort commander embarked, as the 15-tanker convoy TAW-15 transited the Windward Passage. Depth charges from the Catalina blew off U-94's bow hydroplanes, rendering U-94 unable to submerge. The Canadian corvette HMCS Oakville was the first convoy escort to respond. U-94 avoided Oakville's first attempt to ram. The second ram attempt was a glancing blow. With most guns unable to depress far enough, Oakville crewmen showered U-94's conning tower with empty Coca Cola bottles. Oakville's third attempt to ram was a solid hit, with German resistance suppressed by machine gun fire.

Oakville's skipper called away the boarding team in an attempt to capture the U-boat, however an untimely blast from one of Oakville's 4-inch guns incapacitated most of the team, just as Oakville lost power due to engine room flooding. Only Sub-Lieutenant Harold Lawrence and Petty Officer Art Powell managed to make the leap on to U-94 before Oakville drifted away. Pushing two Germans over the side, the pair then shot and killed two more Germans who rushed them from the conning tower hatch. With the sub rapidly sinking, the pair was able to get the rest of the German crew to come topside at gunpoint, while Lawrence went below in a vain attempt to gather codebooks or other documents (the Germans had already deep-sixed them.) Lawrence had to swim through the control room, barely making it out the conning tower before U-94 went down. Lawrence, Powell, and 26 Germans were rescued by Lea and Oakville before the rescue was cut short as U-511 attacked the convoy from a different direction; 19 Germans were lost. Oakville's only casualty was Lawrence, cut by a Coca Cola bottle. For this action, Oakville's skipper, Lieutenant Commander Clarence King, was the first Canadian awarded a U.S. Legion of Merit during the war. (Please see H-064-1 for more detail.)

 

USCGC Campbell (WPG-32). Crewmen signal with a blinker lamp, 1943. (NH 100093-KN)

 

USS Campbell (WPG-32) vs. U-606─22 February 1943 The battle for westbound North Atlantic convoy ON-166 was one of the most vicious of the war; 14 Allied ships and 263 men would be lost. Battered and scattered by days of gales, the 63-ship convoy was set upon by as many as 14 German U-boats from two wolfpacks as it transited the four-day gap in air cover in the mid-Atlantic. Based on Intelligence, the convoy escort commander knew what they were in for.

One of the convoy escorts was USS Campbell (WPG-32,) a Coast Guard cutter under U.S. Navy wartime control, commanded by Commander James A. Hirshfield, USCG. Campbell was nearly hit by a torpedo from U-753 as she rescued 40 Norwegian crewmen from a torpedoed ship. While trying to catch up to the convoy, Campbell engaged multiple U-boats that were trailing the convoy. In the meantime, U-606 penetrated through the convoy escorts and sank two freighters and crippled a third, before a sustained depth charge counter-attack by Polish destroyer Burza forced U-606 down to 780 feet (30 feet below test depth) in order to escape. Determining that the damage to U-606 was fatal, the skipper chose to emergency surface to give his crew a chance.

In the poor visibility, Campbell first sighted U-606 at a range of 40 yards. In the short─but vicious─gun battle that followed, the German skipper was killed on the bridge while Hirshfield was wounded on his. Much of the German crew had already assembled to abandon ship, but jumped into the frigid Atlantic before rafts could be launched and perished. Simultaneously with the gun battle, the two vessels collided and U-606's bow planes ripped open Campbell's hull, causing flooding and loss of power and propulsion.

With both vessels drifting, Hirshfield called away the boarding team in an attempt to capture the sinking submarine, but a line tending mishap dumped the boat and the entire boarding team into the water. As the sub sank, Burza arrived on scene and rescued the boarding team and twelve of U-606's 48-man crew. Refusing recommendations to scuttle his ship, Hirshfield had most of Campbell's crew and the 40 Norwegians transferred to Burza. Campbell's famous mascot dog, K9C Sinbad, remained aboard due to the captain and crews' belief that nothing bad would happen to Campbell as long as Sinbad was aboard. Campbell drifted for three days before a tug towed her to Newfoundland. The all-Black crew of one of the 20mm guns performed with great effectiveness, and Chief Steward Louis C. Etheridge, Jr., became the first Black Sailor in the Coast Guard awarded a Bronze Star. For this action, Commander Hirshfield was one of six Coastguardsmen awarded a Navy Cross during the war. (Please see H-064-1 for more detail.) USS Borie (DD-215) vs. U-405─1 Nov 1943 In the early morning darkness of 1 November 1943, one of the oldest destroyers in the U.S. Navy, commanded by the youngest destroyer skipper in the Navy, was locked in seventy minutes of close-quarters mortal combat in heavy seas with a tenacious U-boat and her savvy commander. Detached from USS Card (CVE-11) Hunter-Killer group to pursue a submarine that escaped an earlier attack by Card aircraft, USS Borie instead engaged and damaged a different U-boat, the U-flak 2 (ex-U-262). While returning to the group, Borie encountered U-405. As Borie was in her first depth charge run, a malfunction caused every depth charge on the stern to roll in the water at once resulting in a massive explosion that lifted Borie's stern out of the water and brought a damaged U-405 to the surface.

Unable to submerge, U-405 crewmen manned their guns and hit Borie with several 20mm rounds before a fusillade of fire from Borie killed most of the Germans on deck. Lieutenant Charles Hutchins of Borie had a speed and firepower advantage, but Lieutenant Commander Rolf-Heinrich Hopman of U-405 had a maneuverability advantage and dangerous torpedoes. Both commanding officers used their relative advantages to maximum effect during the battle.

After ten minutes of trying to match U-405's evasive maneuvers, which kept going despite repeated gunfire hits, Hutchins gave the order to ram. Instead of a killing perpendicular blow, a last moment avoidance turn-away by Hopman and a big wave resulted in Borie sitting atop the U-boat's foredeck at a 20-30 degree angle. Locked together for the next 10 minutes in mounting 20-foot seas, hull plating and seams in Borie began to part. With Borie's guns unable to depress far enough, the Germans saw their chance to man their machine guns and fill Borie's underhull full of holes. But Borie's crew was drilled and ready for this scenario. Lining the lifelines, Borie's crew was armed with tommy guns, rifles, shotguns, pistols, flare guns, and anything that could be thrown. Displaying extraordinary courage, Germans continued to pour from the conning tower in an attempt to reach their guns, only to be cut down one after the other, including one by a thrown knife to the stomach and another hit in the head by a thrown spent 4-inch shell casing. Borie's XO fired a submachine gun from the bridge. Around 35 of U-405's crew of 49 were killed in the initial exchange of fire and in the close-quarters battle.

Still, U-405 wouldn't quit, and finally the U-boat managed to back out from under Borie, still trying to escape. Borie's forward engine room flooded due to damage from the ram, but the engineer and "black gang" stayed at their posts in frigid neck-deep water to keep both engines operating during the battle. The next minutes were a battle of turn radius that Borie was losing. Just as U-405 was lined up for a stern tube shot, Hutchins doused the searchlight, and in the darkness U-405 opened the range to escape. Borie maneuvered for a second ram attempt, only this time U-405 turned to ram Borie. With extraordinary shiphandling, Hutchins was able to twist his ship away and fire depth charges from his K-guns that straddled U-405's conning tower, bringing the sub to a halt six-feet short of Borie.

Again U-405 backed away and made another attempt to escape until finally gunfire from Borie blew Hopman off the bridge and brought the U-boat to a halt. As about 15 German survivors abandoned the sinking U-405, they fired flares. As Borie moved to rescue the Germans, the flares were answered by another U-boat. In avoiding an incoming torpedo, Borie plowed through the German rafts and none of U-405's crew survived.

For the next 14 hours, with her hull severely battered, Borie's crew fought to keep her afloat in mounting seas reaching 40-feet, jettisoning torpedoes, ammunition, 20mm guns, and as much topside weight as possible. Attempts by other Card escorts to assist were thwarted by the seas and pouring rain. Hutchins finally had to make the difficult decision to abandon ship before darkness set in. Borie lost no crewmen in the battle with U-405, but 27 were lost to the raging sea. Lieutenant Hutchins and Petty Officer Saum were awarded the Navy Cross. Engineer Lieutenant Morrison Brown was awarded a posthumous Navy Cross. (Please see H-064-2 for more detail.) USS Buckley (DE-51) vs. U-66─6 May 1944 Harried for four days by ships and aircraft of the USS Block Island (CVE-21) Hunter-Killer group, U-66 was low on fuel and batteries. Taking a chance in the predawn hours, U-66 remained on the surface even as a Block Island Avenger torpedo bomber tracked U-66 at a respectful distance. For 45 minutes, guided by the Avenger, destroyer escort USS Buckley (DE-51) steamed at flank speed to catch U-66, in the end holding fire hoping the U-boat would mistake Buckley in the darkness for the "Milchkuh" refueling submarine U-66 desperately needed. It worked for a while until U-66 fired a recognition flare signal. Not getting the desired response, U-66 fired a torpedo at Buckley that narrowly missed. What followed was 16 minutes of life-or-death action between Lieutenant Commander Brent Abel's crew on Buckley and Oberleutnant zur See (Lieutenant (junior grade)) Gerhard Seehausen's U-66.

U-66 opened fire first, putting a 4.1-inch round through Buckley's funnel as most of the U-boat's fire went high and long. Buckley returned fire, blasting the sub's 4.1-deck gun over the side with the first directed salvo from Buckley's 3-inch guns. U-66 fired another torpedo that missed by ten feet. In moments the two vessels were side-by-side at 20-feet apart. Although the sub's conning tower was riddled by 40mm and 20mm gunfire, U-66 kept going. Abel gave the order to ram, and Buckley crunched up on U-66's foredeck and stuck. Germans poured out of hatches, some seemingly intent on surrendering, most intent on fighting. With Buckley's main guns unable to depress enough, Germans attempted to reach their machine guns. About ten armed Germans clambered up on Buckley's forecastle to create a diversion so U-66 could back out from under Buckley; one made it as far as the wardroom where he was beaten down by a Black steward's mate with a coffee pot. Other Germans tried to board elsewhere and were fought off with fists, coffee mugs, empty shell casings, pistols, rifles, and a tommy gun from the bridge wing.

The hand-to-hand and close quarters combat lasted only about two minutes before U-66 was able to extricate herself from under Buckley and tried to get away. Just as enough distance had opened for Buckley to fire her K-gun depth charges, U-66 turned into Buckley and rammed. As the U-boat scraped down Buckley's hull, a Buckley crewman dropped a grenade down the conning tower hatch into the control room where fires could be seen raging. As U-66 passed aft of Buckley, the U-boat was still underway but out of control. Germans abandoned the sub as she drove herself under and then exploded from scuttling charges. Ten Germans were captured aboard Buckley and 26 more were pulled out of the water by Buckley the next day; 24 Germans perished. Astonishingly given the volume of fire, Buckley's only casualty was a bruised fist from knocking a German over the side. Lieutenant Commander Abel was awarded the Navy Cross.

The Germans got a measure of revenge on 29 May when U-549 torpedoed and sank escort carrier Block Island and blew the stern off destroyer escort Barr (DE-567) only to be sunk herself by Block Island's escorts. Block Island was the only U.S. carrier lost in the Atlantic. (Please see H-064-2 for more detail.)

 

USS Chatelain (DE-149) with survivors of the captured German submarine U-505 on her forecastle, 4 June 1944. Photographed from USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (80-G-324344)

 

USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60,) Hunter-Killer Group vs. U-505─4 June 1944 The Submarine Tracking Room (F-21) of U.S. TENTH Fleet was aware of the general movements of U-505 throughout her patrol due to Ultra Intelligence derived from intercepted and decrypted German communications and high-frequency direction finding (HF/DF.) U-505's fruitless patrol off West Africa was plagued by equipment breakdowns and poor morale. Based on Intelligence from F-21, TENTH Fleet knew when U-505 started home and vectored the USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60) Hunter-Killer group to intercept. After several days of fruitless searching, Guadalcanal broke off the search to head to Casablanca for refueling. Ten minutes later, destroyer escort Chatelain (DE-149,) commanded by Lieutenant Commander Dudley S. Knox, gained sonar contact on U-505, between Guadalcanal and the escorts.

Chatelain conducted an immediate Hedgehog attack with no result. U-505's skipper, Oberleutnant zur See (Lieutenant (junior grade)) Harald Lange, put up his periscope and was dismayed to see the array of ships and aircraft around him. U-505 got off an acoustic homing torpedo that missed, just as Chatelain rolled in for a devastating depth charge attack.

When the crippled U-505 came to the surface, Chatelain, Pillsbury (DE-133,) Jenks (DE-665) and two Wildcat fighters hit the U-boat with a deluge of gunfire. Lange was badly wounded on the conning tower, two others were wounded and one killed. Realizing the situation was hopeless, Lange ordered the sub abandoned and scuttled. However, in the haste to abandon, the crew neglected to set the charges. Two Avengers airborne were under orders not to drop depth charges if the submarine surfaced, as the Task Group Commander Captain Daniel V. Gallery, had a plan to try to capture a U-boat.

In accordance with Gallery's plan, the screen commander ordered boarding teams away. The team from Pillsbury was underway first and those from Chatelain and Jenks were diverted to rescue the 58 German survivors. Although abandoned and settling by the stern, U-505 was still churning in circles at 6-7 knots. The leader of the boarding team, "Mustang" Lieutenant (junior grade) Albert David made the first leap from the whaleboat, followed by two pretty officers. Knowing that the scuttling charges could go off at any moment and that the sub could sink at any minute, and not knowing if any armed Germans were still below and willing to fight, David plunged down the conning tower ladder without hesitation into the dark U-boat, followed by Petty Officers Knispel and Wdowiak. The petty officers set about rounding up codebooks and valuable papers, while David worked valves to keep the U-boat from sinking. As more of the team came down the hatch, another petty officer found and closed a bilge strainer that was flooding the boat.

Another boat arrived with Guadalcanal's engineer, Commander Earl Trosino, and a salvage party. Another petty officer found and disarmed 13 of the 14 scuttling charges known to be in the U-boat (based on Intelligence). An attempt to tow U-505 by Pillsbury resulted in two flooded compartments when U-505's bow planes sliced into Pillsbury's hull. Finally, Guadalcanal was able to take U-505 in tow. The transit to Bermuda would feature the unique event of a carrier conducting alongside underway refueling and flight operations and towing a submarine, all at the same time.

After the capture of U-505, great lengths had to be taken to ensure the Germans didn't find out, otherwise they would have to assumed the Enigma coding machine was compromised, which would result in the loss of probably the most valuable source of Intelligence in the war. Among other measures, U-505's crew was sequestered from other POWs and denied any contact with the outside world; it wasn't until 1946 that their families learned they were alive, and the crew was not returned to Germany until December 1947. Lieutenant (junior grade) David was awarded the Medal of Honor (the only one awarded in the Atlantic Fleet during the war,) but died of a heart attack before receiving it. Knispel and Wdowiak were each awarded the Navy Cross. Numerous awards went to others in the Guadalcanal Hunter-Killer group. U-505 is now an exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. (Please see H-064-3 for more detail.) As a final note, Intelligence played a critical factor in each of these incidents. The Convoy Escort Commander of TAW-15 was warned that U-boats were waiting in the Windward Passage, and the convoy escort commander of ON-166 was warned of the large number of U-boats in his path, both due to intercepted German communications. Each took action as result and did the best they could with the resources available. Card and Block Island Hunter-Killer groups were where they were because Allied Intelligence knew the location and timing of the Milchkuh refueling rendezvous points. The boarding teams were armed with information on the workings of U-boats, derived from the capture of U-570 by the British in 1941 and from interrogations of captured U-boat crews by Naval Intelligence Special Activities Branch, which treated the Germans humanely and were rewarded with a bonanza of useful Intelligence.

For more detail on these Close-Quarters ASW events please see H-064-1 (for Oakville /U-94 and Campbell/U-606,) H-064-2 (for Borie/U-405 and Buckley/U-66), and H-064-3 (for Guadalcanal/U-505.) As always, you are welcome to share these stories of U.S. Navy valor widely. Back issues of H-Grams can be found in Director's Corner along with a wealth of other great U.S. Navy history on the Naval History and Heritage Command's website.

 

, https://www.history.navy.mil/

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

This Day in U S Military History

1781 – General Cornwallis finding no way out from Yorktown seige. At about 4:00 A.M. Lt. Colonel Robert Abercromby led 350 British troops on a sortie to spike allied guns now in position on the second parallel. Abercromby was able to spike four guns after pretending to be an American detachment. Moving to another position along the parallel, the British were this time driven back to their lines by a French covering party. However, they had managed to spike two more guns, but the allies were able to get all the spiked guns back into action within six hours. That evening, General Cornwallis attempted to ferry across the York River to see about fighting his way out by way of Gloucester, but a storm frustrated these efforts.

 

1946 – Ten Nazi war criminals condemned during the Nuremberg trials were hanged. The defendants included: Luftwaffe commander Hermann GΓΆring, who was sentenced to death but committed suicide the morning of the execution; former deputy FΓΌhrer Rudolph Hess, sentenced to life imprisonment; Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, hanged; head of the armed forces high command Wilhelm Keitel, hanged; writer and "philosopher" of National Socialism Alfred Rosenberg; U-boat Admiral Karl DΓΆnitz, 10-year imprisonment; Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, life imprisonment; Hitler Youth leader Baldur von Shirach, 20-year imprisonment; procurer of slave labor Fritz Sauckel, hanged; and Alfred Jodl, chief of staff of the German high command, hanged. The hanging was badly botched as most Nazis slowly strangle to death. Also hanged were: Hans Frank, Governor-General of occupied Poland; Wilhelm Frick, Hitler's Minister of the Interior; Julius Streicher, rabid anti-Semite editor of Der Sturmer; Alfred Rosenberg, Nazi philosopher and war criminal; Arthur Seyss-Inquart (54), Nazi leader of occupied Holland; Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Austrian Nazi and SS leader.

1962 – The Cuban missile crisis began as President Kennedy was informed that reconnaissance photographs had revealed the presence of missile bases in Cuba. Kennedy organized the Executive Committee of the National Security Council. These 19 men will help him through the coming crisis

 

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

LONSWAY, JOSEPH

Rank and organization: Private, Company D, 20th New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Murfrees Station, Va., 16 October 1864. Entered service at:——. Birth: Clayton, N.Y. Date of issue: Unknown. Citation: Volunteered to swim Blackwater River to get a large flat used as a ferry on other side; succeeded in getting the boat safely across, making it possible for a detachment to cross the river and take possession of the enemy's breastworks.

NEIBAUR, THOMAS C.

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company M, 107th Infantry, 42d Division. Place and date: Near Landres-et-St. Georges, France, 16 October 1918. Entered service at: Sugar City, Idaho. Born: 17 May 1898, Sharon, Idaho. G.O. No.: 1 18, W .D., 1918. Citation: On the afternoon of 16 October 1918, when the Cote-de-Chatillion had just been gained after bitter fighting and the summit of that strong bulwark in the Kriemhilde Stellung was being organized, Pvt. Neibaur was sent out on patrol with his automatic rifle squad to enfilade enemy machinegun nests. As he gained the ridge he set up his automatic rifle and was directly thereafter wounded in both legs by fire from a hostile machinegun on his flank. The advance wave of the enemy troops, counterattacking, had about gained the ridge, and although practically cut off and surrounded, the remainder of his detachment being killed or wounded, this gallant soldier kept his automatic rifle in operation to such effect that by his own efforts and by fire from the skirmish line of his company, at least 100 yards in his rear, the attack was checked. The enemy wave being halted and Iying prone, 4 of the enemy attacked Pvt. Neibaur at close quarters. These he killed. He then moved alone among the enemy Iying on the ground about him, in the midst of the fire from his own lines, and by coolness and gallantry captured 11 prisoners at the point of his pistol and, although painfully wounded, brought them back to our lines. The counterattack in full force was arrested to a large extent by the single efforts of this soldier, whose heroic exploits took place against the skyline in full view of his entire battalion.

*BAUER, HAROLD WILLIAM

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 20 November 1908. Woodruff, Kans. Appointed from: Nebraska. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous courage as Squadron Commander of Marine Fighting Squadron 212 in the South Pacific Area during the period 10 May to 14 November 1942. Volunteering to pilot a fighter plane in defense of our positions on Guadalcanal, Lt. Col. Bauer participated in 2 air battles against enemy bombers and fighters outnumbering our force more than 2 to 1, boldly engaged the enemy and destroyed 1 Japanese bomber in the engagement of 28 September and shot down 4 enemy fighter planes in flames on 3 October, leaving a fifth smoking badly. After successfully leading 26 planes on an over-water ferry flight of more than 600 miles on 16 October, Lt. Col. Bauer, while circling to land, sighted a squadron of enemy planes attacking the U.S.S. McFarland. Undaunted by the formidable opposition and with valor above and beyond the call of duty, he engaged the entire squadron and, although alone and his fuel supply nearly exhausted, fought his plane so brilliantly that 4 of the Japanese planes were destroyed before he was forced down by lack of fuel. His intrepid fighting spirit and distinctive ability as a leader and an airman, exemplified in his splendid record of combat achievement, were vital factors in the successful operations in the South Pacific Area.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 16,  FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

16 October

1917: Final tests of the Army's airplane radiotelephone at Langley Field achieved a 25-mile record for plane-to-plane communications and a 45-mile for plane-to-ground.

1943: Lockheed received a contract to produce the XP-80 Shooting Star, the first true American jetpropelled fighter. (12) The Remington Arms Company announced a new type of incendiary ammunition that could pierce self-sealing fuel tanks and cause explosions. (24)

1951: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force F-86 Sabre pilots destroyed nine MiG-15s in aerial combat, a record daily high. Additionally, through 17 October B-29s flew 31 day and night sorties, the high for the month, to attack rail bridges, marshaling yards, and the Samchang airfield. The bombers also dropped leaflets and reconnaissance sorties. (28)

1953: Test pilot Robert O. Rahn flew the XF4D-1 Skyray at Edwards AFB to a world speed record of 728.11 MPH over a 100-kilometer (62 miles) closed course. (24)

1955: Boeing's prototype 707 set unofficial cross country records for transports by crossing the US twice in a day at 592 MPH from Seattle to Washington DC and 567 MPH back to Seattle. (24)

1957: The USAF launched artificial meteors that exceeded 33,000 MPH, some 8,000 MPH faster than the velocity needed to escape earth. Carried by an Aerobee rocket to a height of 35 miles, the nose cone then rose to 54 miles where shaped charges blasted the pellets into space. (21)

1958: North American Aviation Inc. at Downey, Calif., received a contract to build the Hound Dog air-to-surface missile. (12) The 1st Missile Division at Vandenberg AFB accepted the first Atlas ICBM launcher. (6)

1963: PROJECT VELA HOTEL/PROJECT 823. The USAF set up a nuclear detection system by launching twin satellites from Cape Canaveral into circular 57,000-mile-high orbits on opposing sides of the earth. The 47-pound, 20-sided satellites, known as Project Vela Hotel or Project 823, could detect nuclear explosions from 186,000,000 miles away. (5)(16) Operation GREASED LIGHTNING. Maj Sidney J. Kubesch flew a Convair B-58 Hustler (normally assigned to the 305 BMW at Bunker Hill AFB, Ind.) on the longest supersonic flight to date. He flew 8,028 miles from Tokyo to London in 8 hours 35 minutes. The B-58 used five inflight refuelings and flew at an average speed of 938 MPH. Kubesch set two other records: speed from Tokyo to Anchorage, 3 hours 9 minutes 42 seconds at 1,093.4 MPH; and speed from Anchorage to London, 5 hours 24 minutes 54 seconds at 826.9 MPH. (1) (9)

1967: The F-111A supersonic tactical fighter became operational with TAC, when it flew from Fort Worth, Texas, using its terrain following radar guidance to Nellis AFB. (12) (16)

1972: The USAF flew its A-7D Corsair II in combat for the first time. A-7s assigned to the 354 TFW deployed from Myrtle Beach AFB to Korat AB, Thailand, six days earlier. (They redeployed to Myrtle Beach in May 1974) (26)

1975: The Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory at Edwards AFB fired the Super Hippo reusable solid propellant rocket motor for the first time. (3)

1978: The first production F-15C for testing arrived at Edwards AFB from the St. Louis factory. (3)

1985: Two H-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopters, with support from two refueling capable HC-130 Hercules, rescued 33 survivors from the shipwrecked Philippine ship, Marcos Faberes. (16)

1995: Through 17 October, the 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron monitored the strength and movement of Hurricane Roxanne in the Gulf of Mexico. The unit also searched for survivors of a pipe-laying barge sunk by the hurricane. One crew found a survivor in a raft and radioed his position to the Coast Guard, which then rescued 23 of the 236 survivors. (26)

2001: An AFFTC pilot flew two Global Hawks concurrently for the accelerated Replace-On-Station program at Edwards AFB. The test showed that one pilot could control two UAVs with a little additional effort. Sensor functions were marginal in the test. (3)

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SkipsList" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to skipslist+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skipslist/CACTjsm0m-XcUbWBA8KJv84JN0R0MDAKg7bGu8xJ0Q6JeXnB25Q%40mail.gmail.com.

TheList 6978

The List 6978     TGB To All, Good Thursday Morning October 17, 2024...

4 MOST POPULAR POSTS IN THE LAST 7 DAYS