7603
Good Thursday morning July 23 2026 .We are heating 92 by 2 and staying into
the 80s until 6 or so and dropping to 79 by 8.
No outside work on the schedule for today but classes tonight.
.
Regards,
skip
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Rollingthunderremembered.com .
July 23
Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear
Links to all content can now be found right on the homepage
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com. If you scroll down from the banner
and featured content you will find "Today in Rolling Thunder Remembered
History" which highlights events in the Vietnam war that occurred on the
date the page is visited. Below that are links to browse or search all
content. You may search by keyword(s), date, or date range.
An item of importance is the recent incorporation of Task Force Omega (TFO)
MIA summaries. There is a link on the homepage and you can also visit
directly via https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/task-force-omega/.
There are 60 summaries posted thus far, with about 940 to go (not a typo-TFO
has over 1,000 individual case files).
.
Thanks to Micro
To remind folks that these are from the Vietnam Air Losses site that Micro
put together. You click on the url below and get what happened each day to
the crew of the aircraft. ..Skip
For Thursday July 23
For Wednesday July 23 I remember this one. It is a great story of courage
and determination.
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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 100 H-Grams
July 23
1943 USS George E. Badger (DD 196) sinks German submarine (U 613), en route
to mine waters off Jacksonville, Fla., south of the Azores.
1943 TBFs (VC 9) from USS Bogue (AVG 9) breaks up a rendezvous between
German submarines (U 527) and (U 648) south of the Azores. U-527 sinks while
U-648 escapes.
1943 PB4Y aircraft from (VB 107) sinks German submarine (U 598) off Brazil.
1948 During the Arab-Israeli War, USS Putnum (DD 757) evacuates the U.N.
team from Haifa, Israel and becomes first U.S. Navy ship to fly the U.N.
flag.
1950 USS Boxer (CV 21) crosses the Pacific, bringing aircraft, troops, and
supplies for the Korean War, arriving at Yokosuka, Japan.
1994 USNS Patuxent (T-AO-201) is launched at New Orleans, La. Operated by
Military Sealift Command, Patuxent is the 15th ship in the Henry J.
Kaiser-class of underway replenishment oilers.
2017 After a two-year restoration at historic Dry Dock 1 at Charlestown Navy
Yard, Boston National Historical Park, America's oldest commissioned
warship, USS Constitution is refloated. Since entering dry dock on May 18,
2015, ship restorers from the Naval History and Heritage Command Detachment
Boston, and teams of Constitution Sailors have worked to bring Old Ironsides
back to her glory.
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This day in World History July 23
1627 Sir George Calvert arrives in Newfoundland to develop his land
grant.
1637 King Charles of England hands over the American colony of
Massachusetts to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, one of the founders of the Council
of New England.
1664 Wealthy, non-church members in Massachusetts are given the right to
vote.
1793 The French garrison at Mainz, Germany, falls to the Prussians.
1803 Irish patriots throughout the country rebel against Union with Great
Britain.
1829 William A. Burt patents his "typographer," an early typewriter.
1849 German rebels in Baden capitulate to the Prussians.
1863 Bill Anderson and his Confederate Bushwhackers gut the railway
station at Renick, Missouri.
1865 William Booth founds the Salvation Army.
1868 The 14th Amendment is ratified, granting citizenship to African
Americans.
1885 Ulysses S. Grant dies of throat cancer at the age of 63.
1894 Japanese troops take over the Korean imperial palace.
1903 The Ford Motor Company sells its first automobile, the Model A.
1944 Soviet troops take Lublin, Poland as the German army retreats.
1962 The Geneva Conference on Laos forbids the United States to invade
eastern Laos.
1995 Two astronomers, Alan Hale in New Mexico and Thomas Bopp in Arizona,
almost simultaneously discover a comet.
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Thanks to Barrett
In my Fifteenth Air Force (damn autofill) book I cited an ace I knew
somewhat, Fred Trafton of the 31st. He said as a flight commander his
concern was "directing traffic" but he got 6 kills. Around April 44 he
jumped out of his Mustang and was fetched up by partisans who kept him away
from the Germans while conducting business as usual. Lasted a few
months--long enough for Fred and a young guerrilla gal to overcome their
linguistic limitations.
When Fred arrived at the landing site, the C-47 shut down long enough to
load fliers.
Fred refused to get aboard.
So the Skytrain left without him.
Next C-47 that alit discharged a major (or something) who ordered Captain
Trafton to get on the damned airplane. Or ELSE.
A tearful parting played out in that desolate venue...
I was only vaguely aware that Fred had gone Regular Army postwar (off and on
apparently) and pulled long tours in Vietnam.
The Arizona Wing of the CAF has a C-47 that flew Halyard missions.
00-honored-at-mesa-museum/article_33b8a206-5b03-11ed-8706-e7e7a20cb1cc.html
A Flight Back in Time: 'The Forgotten 500' honored at Mesa museum -
Phoenix.org
Skytrains served as cargo carriers, troop transports, med-evac carriers, and
planes that towed gliders behind enemy lines in every theater of the war. It
was developed from the Douglas DC-3 passenger liner of the 1930s, which is
regarded in aviation history as one of the most versatile and reliable
aircraft ever produced. While the museum's C-47 had an admirable military
service record, the ...
www.phoenix.org
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Thanks to YP
My son, Chris, has done lots of work with/for MB, regularly visits their UK
fab. On one of their visits to the Great Antheap, one of the brothers that
run their show had multi alcohols, and next morning, still smelling like
fell in a vat of best bitters demanded an A0 ticket ride in the Air Cam. So
I gave him one.
Stiff upper lippery kept him from spewing. I was impressed.
Chris has an outstanding collection of ejection seats.
YP
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. Thanks to this day in History
Former president Ulysses S. Grant dies
On July 23, 1885, just after completing his memoirs, Civil War hero and
former president Ulysses S. Grant dies of throat cancer.
The son of a tanner, Grant showed little enthusiasm for joining his father's
business, so the elder Grant enrolled his son at West Point in 1839. Though
Grant later admitted in his memoirs that he had no interest in the military
apart from honing his equestrian skills, he graduated in 1843 and went on to
serve first in the Mexican-American War, which he opposed on moral grounds,
and then in California and Oregon, tours of duty that forced him to leave
behind his beloved wife and children.
President Grant's Road to Success
The loneliness and sheer boredom of duty in the West drove Grant to binge
drinking. By 1854, Grant's alcohol consumption so alarmed his superiors that
he was asked to resign from the Army. He did, and returned to Missouri to
try his hand at farming and land speculation. Although he kicked the alcohol
habit, he failed miserably at both vocations and was forced to take a job as
a clerk in his father's tanning business.
If it were not for the Civil War, Grant might have slipped quickly into
obscurity. Instead, he re-enlisted in the Army in 1861 and embarked on a
stellar military career, although his tendency to binge-drink re-emerged and
he developed another unhealthy habit: chain cigar-smoking, which probably
caused the throat cancer that eventually killed him. In 1862, Grant led
troops in the captures of Forts Henry and Donelson in Tennessee, and forced
the Confederate Army to retreat back into Mississippi after the Battle of
Shiloh. After the Donelson campaign, Grant received over 10,000 boxes of
congratulatory cigars from a grateful citizenry.
In 1863, after leading the Union Army to victory at Vicksburg, Grant caught
President Abraham Lincoln's attention. The Union Army had suffered under the
service of a series of incompetent generals and Lincoln was in the market
for a new Union supreme commander. In March 1864, Lincoln revived the rank
of lieutenant general-a rank that had previously been held only by George
Washington in 1798-and gave it to Grant. As supreme commander of Union
forces, Grant led troops in a series of epic and bloody battles against
Confederate General Robert E. Lee. On April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered to
Grant at Appomattox Court House. The victory solidified Grant's status as
national hero and, in 1869, he began his first of two terms as president.
Grant's talent as political leader paled woefully in comparison to his
military prowess. He was unable to stem the rampant corruption that plagued
his administration and failed to combat a severe economic depression in
1873. However, successes of Grant's tenure include passage of the
Enforcement Act in 1870, which temporarily curtailed the political influence
of the Ku Klux Klan in the post-Civil War South, and the 1875 Civil Rights
Act, which attempted to desegregate public places such as restrooms, "inns,
public conveyances on land or water, theaters, and other places of public
amusement." In addition, Grant helped to improve U.S. and British diplomatic
relations, which had been damaged by the British offer to supply the
Confederate Army with tools to break the Union naval blockade during the
Civil War. He also managed to stay sober during his two terms in office.
Upon leaving office, Grant's fortunes again declined. Although he and his
wife Julia traveled to Europe between 1877 and 1879 amid great fanfare, the
couple came home to bankruptcy caused by Grant's unwise investment in a
scandal-prone banking firm. Grant spent the last few years of his life
writing a detailed account of the Civil War and, after he died of throat
cancer in 1885, Julia lived on the royalties earned from his memoirs
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From the archives and nothing has changed
Thanks to Mugs
Reasons why Electric power must come from fossil fuel.
Once again, Prager makes a cogent case.
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The U.S. government poisoned alcohol during Prohibition.
U.S. HISTORY
It's been dubbed the "noble experiment," a name that came from
then-President Herbert Hoover calling Prohibition "a great social and
economic experiment, noble in motive and far-reaching in purpose." In
January 1920, the United States banned the manufacture, sale, and
transportation of "intoxicating liquors," a move made in the wake of
temperance movements that sought moral and social reform throughout the
1800s - in spite of some failed attempts at similar regional programs around
the country.
Despite the ban, the demand for alcohol remained high. Bootlegging - illegal
production, smuggling, and selling of liquor - thrived. Illegitimate
drinking spots known as speakeasies flourished, with approximately 30,000 of
them existing in just New York City alone by decade's end. As the defiance
against liquor laws intensified, authorities managed to mitigate smuggling
from other countries; the bootleggers, however, responded by stealing
massive quantities of industrial alcohol - used in automotive fluids,
paints, and medical supplies - and refining it to make it drinkable (it
became the country's top source of liquor). Then, the U.S. government tried
to beat the rum-runners at their own game. In 1926, President Calvin
Coolidge's administration mandated that manufacturers add even more
dangerous chemicals to their industrial products - substances such as
gasoline, formaldehyde, and the easily lethal methanol - to dissuade the
underground industries and their customers.
The consequences were immediate - and in many cases, fatal. Consumption of
alcohol continued despite fear of the additives, and some estimates claim
the chemical additions caused around 10,000 deaths in the U.S. Public health
officials, including New York medical examiner Charles Norris, lambasted the
move. Eventually, the official end of the program came with the repeal of
the 18th Amendment in December 1933, marking the end of Prohibition.
By the Numbers
Modern equivalent of how much Al Capone made each year during Prohibition
$1.7 billion
Year statewide Prohibition finally ended in Mississippi
1966
Number of rum-only distilleries in NYC (named, winkingly, the Noble
Experiment)
1
Average number of daily alcohol deliveries made by Congress' own
Prohibition-era bootlegger
25
DID YOU KNOW?
Organized crime started because of Prohibition.
Before Prohibition, organized crime was mostly limited to small gangs who
were involved in petty neighborhood extortion and loan-sharking. When the
1920 ban on alcohol went into effect, mobsters became the key players in the
illicit alcohol trade, procuring, producing, and selling liquor illegally
all over the U.S. Profits got so big, so fast, that these once small-time
criminals and mafias learned to be more "organized" than ever, hiring
lawyers, accountants, truckers, and more to help run their illicit
businesses. They also started working with other criminal groups,
effectively creating underground syndicates. Powerful crime families led by
figures such as Charles "Lucky" Luciano and the notorious Al Capone emerged,
making millions of dollars in the process. The enormous profits fueled the
growth and expansion of organized crime, which continued even after the
repeal of Prohibition.
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From the archives
Hoser was one of those larger than life men who was a good friend and a
great Fighter Pilot. He responded to many of the Lists with a Har har Har
and then let me know what he thought of a subject in one of the lists. The
Hoser stories abound ...skip
Joe "Hoser" Satrapa
Thanks to TK ... and Dr. Rich
In case you've not heard of "Toe-ser" Satrapa. From one of my TMI
classmates, John Fitzgerald, a USNA grad, F8 pilot, flew with the airlines,
retired, now living in FL and Atlanta. Long time friend of OA and mine, TK
------
Got a brief video today of a firefighter plane dropping on a fire and it
remedied me of an old pal from my class at the Naval Academy and a fellow F8
pilot. He passed away in 2019 He was a legend for sure. If you want to spend
a fun 15 minutes or so, google Joe "Hoser" Satrapa . be sure to get to the
story about his right thumb...or you can start by this article.
Thanks to Cowboy for finding the url
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Thanks to Dutch
MORNIN' - YAT con't.thanks to RS
1943, an American blimp went to war with a German U-boat in the darkness
over the Straits of Florida.
K-74 was patrolling for enemy submarines when her crew spotted U-134 running
on the surface. The blimp moved in to attack, but the submarine's
antiaircraft guns opened fire first.
Think about that for a second.
A slow-moving airship, filled with helium and carrying a crew of young
Americans, pressing an attack against a German submarine armed with deck
guns.
K-74 was hit repeatedly and forced down into the sea, becoming the only
United States Navy blimp lost to enemy action during World War II.
The crew survived the crash and spent hours in the water awaiting rescue.
All but one eventually made it out. Aviation Machinist's Mate Second Class
Isadore Stessel disappeared after reportedly being attacked by a shark.
It is already an unusual story-the only American blimp shot down by the
enemy-but that final detail makes it almost impossible to forget. After
surviving enemy gunfire and the destruction of his aircraft, one sailor was
lost while waiting in the open ocean for help.
U-134 escaped the encounter, but not for long. About a month later, the
submarine was sunk in the North Atlantic by the British warship HMS Rother.
There were no survivors.
The Battle of the Atlantic is usually remembered through destroyers,
merchant ships, submarines and long-range patrol aircraft. Yet for a brief
moment in July 1943, one of its strangest battles was fought between a
German U-boat and an American blimp over the waters off Florida.
Today we remember K-74 and the men who flew aboard her.
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Some bits from Nice News
. The Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage are making more headlines! The
group of mostly silver-haired women has been diving for garbage in the
waters off of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for about eight years now, and they
were recently profiled in The New York Times. Nice News Staff Editor Rebekah
Brandes interviewed founder Susan Baur early last year -
________________________________________
.
"Musical Museum" Is a Pick-Me-Up for Patients With Dementia
Kristin Samuelson, Northwestern University
There's a lot of talk about the benefits of engaging with the arts later in
life - and Northwestern University is walking the walk with its Musical
Museum. The innovative program for older adults with dementia features
hourlong performances by pianists, harpists, singers, guitarists, and more,
as well as lectures beforehand and receptions afterward, so concertgoers
have a chance to chat about their shared experience.
"We decided to call it a museum because we treat each piece of music as if
it's something that's curated for a museum," Borna Bonakdarpour, who helped
develop the program and performs piano at many of the events, told
Northwestern Now. He recently co-wrote a paper on the program's benefits,
noting that participants reported high satisfaction and significantly
improved mood after the sessions.
One attendee shared: "This program provided peace, relaxation, and
occasionally a cathartic release of tears." Another said it was a good way
to "expand our contacts with individuals undergoing similar experiences."
This is no small thing, because even though dementia currently has no cure,
previous research has found that social interaction can potentially ease
some of the symptoms. "Music stays intact for a long time for dementia
patients, so the Musical Museum is a very good way for them to emotionally
regulate and provide intellectual and cognitive stimulation," Bonakdarpour
said, adding that it's "creating joy and connection through art."
Together With CAKES Body
________________________________________
Environment
________________________________________
After a Wildfire, Nevada Watershed Appears to Be Rebounding Quicker Than
Expected
George Frey/Getty Images
After a wildfire, it's not uncommon for affected rivers and streams to take
a while (even decades) to recover. But that doesn't seem to be the case in a
remote stretch of Nevada. Less than three years after the 2023 Huntsman fire
burned roughly 400 acres of vegetation near Silver City's Virgin River
watershed, the surrounding area already seems to be on the upswing, NPR
reports.
Native plants are returning, as are rare birds and fish. These visible signs
of recovery are not by chance; rather, they've come following a concerted
effort between federal agencies and conservation groups to strengthen the
watershed that feeds into the Colorado River, a critical water source for
millions across the Mountain West.
Botanists and other specialists have spearheaded on-the-ground efforts to
remove invasive species and replace them with native flora like cottonwoods,
willows, and mesquite. Fencing has also been added to protect sensitive
habitats from cattle.
"When you do work like this, it's very tangible," Adria Surovy, a Western
water specialist with the National Wildlife Federation, told the outlet.
"You see the results. And this is something we can do to protect our
community and make it more resilient for what's to come." Listen to the
radio story.
Tech
________________________________________
Why Gen Z Is Falling in Love With Film Photography
bojanstory-E+/Getty Images
This article was written by Rotem Rozental, a lecturer in critical studies
at the University of Southern California's Roski School of Art and Design,
for The Conversation.
Film photography is experiencing a resurrection, summoned by unlikely
conjurers: Gen Z. It wasn't too long ago that analog photography - which
uses photographic film and chemical processing - was declared all but dead,
relegated to the province of niche hobbyists and professional artists.
Digital cameras had taken over nearly all areas of photographic production.
Film industry titans like Polaroid and Kodak had shrunk dramatically from
their heyday, becoming shells of their former selves. Darkrooms, where
students learned how to manually develop and print film, shuttered at high
schools and college campuses across the country, replaced by digital labs.
For most people, the spirit of analog photography was mainly channeled
through Instagram filters.
But within the past five years, younger people have been increasingly drawn
to the old way of doing photography.
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. From the Archives
Thanks to Dr. Rich
Getting old isn't for sissies!!
Thanks to Jerry ...
"It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone,
but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone." - Andy Rooney.
"The older I get, the better I used to be." - Lee Trevino, Professional
Golfer.
"Nice to be here? At my age it's nice to be anywhere." - George Burns.
"The older I get, the more clearly I remember things that never happened. -
Mark Twain.
"First you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your
zipper up, then you forget to pull your zipper down." - Leo Rosenberg.
"Old age is like a plane flying through a storm. Once you are aboard there
is nothing you can do about it." - Golda Meir.
"Old people shouldn't eat health foods. They need all the preservatives they
can get." - Robert Orben.
"You spend 90 percent of your adult life hoping for a long rest and the last
10 percent trying to convince the Lord that you're actually not that tired."
- Robert Brault.
"At my age, flowers scare me." - George Burns.
"The years between 50 and 70 are the hardest. You are always being asked to
do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down." - T.S.
Elliot.
"The important thing to remember is that I'm probably going to forget." -
Unknown.
"At age 20, we worry about what others think of us. at age 40, we don't care
what they think of us. at age 60, we discover they haven't been thinking of
us at all." -Ann Landers.
"We don't grow older, we grow riper." - Pablo Picasso.
"I was thinking about how people seem to read the bible a lot more as they
get older, and then it dawned on me-they're cramming for their final exam."-
George Carlin, Comedian.
"Everything slows down with age, except the time it takes cake and ice cream
to reach your hips." - John Wagner.
"Grandchildren don't make a man feel old, it's the knowledge that he's
married to a grandmother that does." - J. Norman Collie.
"When your friends begin to flatter you on how young you look, it's a sure
sign you're getting old." - Mark Twain.
"You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks." -
Joel Plaskett.
"There's one advantage to being 102, there's no peer pressure." - Dennis
Wolfberg.
"There are three stages of man: he believes in Santa Claus, he does not
believe in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus." - Bob Phillips.
"Looking fifty is great-if you're sixty." - Joan Rivers.
"Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician." - Anonymous.
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. From the archives
Thanks to Interesting Facts
6 Amazing Facts About Growing Old
It's a fact of life - people grow old. While modern society tends to obsess
about the negatives of aging, studies suggest that we often experience more
happiness and contentment in our later years. These six facts investigate
the phenomenon of growing old, debunk some persistent myths about aging, and
explore the brighter side of those golden years.
1 of 6
Old Age Isn't a Modern Phenomenon
A common misconception about old age is that it's a relatively modern
phenomenon, as our predecessors lived brutish lives cut short by disease and
war. While modern medicine has certainly expanded life expectancy, many
people in the past lived as long as people live today. For example, some
ancient Roman offices sought by politically ambitious men couldn't even be
held until someone was 30 - not exactly a great idea if people didn't live
many years beyond that. Scientists have analyzed the pelvis joints (a
reliable indicator of age) in skeletons from ancient civilizations and found
that many people lived long lives. One study analyzing skeletons from
Cholula, Mexico, between 900 and 1531 CE found that a majority of specimens
lived beyond the age of 50. Low life expectancy in ancient times is impacted
more by a high infant mortality rate than by people living unusually short
lives. Luckily, modern science has helped more humans survive our vulnerable
childhood years and life expectancy averages have risen as a result.
2 of 6
Older People Requiring Less Sleep Is a Myth
Another myth about getting old is that as we age, humans need less and less
sleep, somehow magically subsisting on six hours or less when we enter our
senior years. The truth is that the amount of sleep a person needs is only
altered during childhood and adolescence as our bodies need more energy to
do the tough work of growing. Once we're in our 20s, humans require the same
amount of sleep per night for the rest of their lives (though the exact
amount differs from person to person). In fact, the elderly are more likely
to be sleep-deprived because they receive lower-quality sleep caused by
sickness, pain, medications, or a trip or two to the bathroom. This can be
why napping during the day becomes more common as we grow older.
3 of 6
Some of Our Bones Never Stop Growing
The common perception of human biology is that our bones put on some serious
inches in our youth, and then by the time we're 20 or so, nature pumps the
brakes and our skeleton stays static forever. While that's true of a
majority of our bones, some don't quite follow this simplistic blueprint. A
2008 study for Duke University determined that the bones in the skull
continue to grow, with the forehead moving forward and cheek bones moving
backward. Unfortunately, this imperceptible bit of a facial movement
exacerbates wrinkles, because as the skull shifts forward, the overlying
skin sags.
The pelvis also keeps growing throughout your life. Scientists analyzing the
pelvic width of 20-year-olds compared to 79-year-olds found a 1-inch
difference in width, which adds an additional 3 inches to your waistband.
That means our widening in the middle as we age isn't just about a slower
metabolism.
4 of 6
Pupils Get Smaller As We Age
While our hips get bigger, our pupils get smaller. The human pupil is
controlled by the circumferential sphincter and iris dilator muscles, and as
we add on the years, those muscles weaken. Because of this loss of muscle
function, pupils get smaller as we age, and are also less responsive to
light. Smaller pupils make it harder to see at night, so people in their 60s
need three times as much light to read comfortably as people in their 20s.
Reading a menu in a dimly lit restaurant? Forget about it. Other eye changes
include an increased likeliness of presbyopia, or farsightedness (which can
often be resolved with readers), and cataracts, or a clouding of the eye's
lens. In fact, half of people over the age of 80 will have experienced a
cataract of some kind.
5 of 6
Older People Have a Stronger "Immune Memory"
Although the body experiences some slowing down as we age, growing old isn't
all bad news. Researchers from the University of Queensland found that older
people had stronger immunities than people in their 20s, as the body keeps a
repository of illnesses that can stretch back decades. This extra line of
defense begins to drop off in our 70s and 80s, but until then, our bodies
generally just get better and better at fighting off disease due to
biological experience. Additionally, as we age we experience fewer
migraines, the severity of allergies declines, and we produce less sweat.
Older people also exhibit higher levels of "crystalized intelligence" (or
what some might call "wisdom") than any other age group.
6 of 6
The Atoms That Make Up All of Us Are Already Billions of Years Old
It's true that age is just a number, and in the cosmic view of the universe,
human age is pretty insignificant. The atoms that make up the human body are
already billions of years old. For example, hydrogen - one of the key
components of our bodies - formed in the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago.
Likewise, carbon, the primary component of all known life, formed in the
fiery cauldron of stars at least 7 billion years ago. So when someone says
we're all made of "star stuff," they're very much telling the truth (we're
also made from various supernovae). And while we grow old on Earth, this is
only the latest chapter of a story that stretches back to the beginning of
everything - and it's a story that'll continue until the universe ends.
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This Day in U S Military History...July 23
1940 - German bombers began the "Blitz," the all-night air raids on London.
1943 - Americans occupy Trapani and Marsala. On the north coast, US forces
reach Termini Imerese.
1944 - Elements of the US 4th Corps (part of US 5th Army) penetrate the
outskirts of Pisa but are only able to occupy the area south of the Arno
River.
1944 - On Guam, American marines on the northern beachhead reach Point
Adelup. On the southern beachhead, the marines cross the neck of the Orote
Peninsula, thereby cutting off the main Japanese airfield on the island.
1965 - President Lyndon B. Johnson, in the course of discussions about what
to do concerning the deteriorating situation in Vietnam, is told by some
that he should give the American public all the facts, ask for an increase
in taxes, mobilize the reserves, and declare a state of national emergency
in the United States. Johnson rejected this approach, and informed his staff
that he wanted any decisions implemented in a "low-key manner" in order to
avoid an abrupt challenge to the communists, and to avoid undue concern and
excitement in Congress and in domestic public opinion. During these
discussions, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara urged the president to
"expand promptly and substantially" the U.S. military presence in South
Vietnam. Johnson, not wanting to "lose" Vietnam to the communists,
ultimately accepted McNamara's recommendation and authorized a total of 44
U.S. battalions in South Vietnam, which led to a massive escalation of the
war.
1973 - Eddie Rickenbacker, World War I flying ace, died in Zurich,
Switzerland at the age of 82. Known as a race-car driver before World War I,
he became America's premier flying ace during the war and returned home to a
hero's welcome. Declining offers from the aviation industry and even
Hollywood, Rickenbacker decided to lend his name to a car company, although
he played a negligible role in the company's management and eventually
resigned his position there. Without his high-flying name behind the
product, Rickenbacker Motors crashed and burned. Later he and several
associates bought Eastern Airlines in 1938 and guided it to become one of
the most profitable airlines in the postwar era.
1998 - It was reported that Congress made the Air Force buy more C-130
transport aircraft against its wishes. Since 1978 only 5 of 256 C-130s sent
to the Air National Guard and Air Reserve were requested by the Air Force.
The planes were built in Georgia.
1999 - The 3-day Woodstock '99 music festival began at the decommissioned
Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY, with some 225,000 people. The $35-38
million production ended in chaos with hundreds of concertgoers burning
fires, looting and vandalizing.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
HEARD, JOHN W.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, 3d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At
Mouth of Manimani River, west of Bahia Honda, Cuba, 23 July 1898. Entered
service at: Mississippi. Birth: Mississippi. r)date of issue: 21 June 1899.
Citation: After 2 men had been shot down by Spaniards while transmitting
orders to the engine-room on the Wanderer, the ship having become disabled,
this officer took the position held by them and personally transmitted the
orders, remaining at his post until the ship was out of danger.
BRADLEY, WILLIS WINTER, JR.
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy. Born: 28 June 1884,
Ransomville, N.Y. Appointed from: North Dakota. Citation: For extraordinary
heroism and devotion to duty while serving on the U.S.S. Pittsburgh, at the
time of an accidental explosion of ammunition on that vessel. On 23 July
1917, some saluting cartridge cases were being reloaded in the after
casemate: through an accident an explosion occurred. Comdr. Bradley (then
Lieutenant), who was about to enter the casemate, was blown back by the
explosion and rendered momentarily unconscious, but while still dazed,
crawled into the casemate to extinguish burning materials in dangerous
proximity to a considerable amount of powder, thus preventing further
explosions.
GRAVES, ORA
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 26 July 1896, Los Animas,
Colo. Accredited to: Nebraska. G.O. No.: 366, 1918. Citation: For
extraordinary heroism on 23 July 1917, while the U.S.S. Pittsburgh was
proceeding to Buenos Aires, Argentina. A 3-inch saluting charge exploded,
causing the death of C. T. Lyles, seaman. Upon the explosion, Graves was
blown to the deck, but soon recovered and discovered burning waste on the
deck. He put out the burning waste while the casemate was filled with clouds
of smoke, knowing that there was more powder there which might explode.
*BOYCE, GEORGE W. G., JR.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 112th Cavalry
Regimental Combat Team. Place and date. Near Afua, New Guinea, 23 July 1944.
Entered service at: Town of Cornwall, Orange County, N.Y. Birth: New York
City, N.Y. G.O. No.: 25, 7 April 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry
and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near
Afua, New Guinea, on 23 July 1944. 2d Lt. Boyce's troop, having been ordered
to the relief of another unit surrounded by superior enemy forces, moved
out, and upon gaining contact with the enemy, the two leading platoons
deployed and built up a firing line. 2d Lt. Boyce was ordered to attack with
his platoon and make the main effort on the right of the troop. He launched
his attack but after a short advance encountered such intense rifle,
machinegun, and mortar fire that the forward movement of his platoon was
temporarily halted. A shallow depression offered a route of advance and he
worked his squad up this avenue of approach in order to close with the
enemy. He was promptly met by a volley of hand grenades, 1 falling between
himself and the men immediately following. Realizing at once that the
explosion would kill or wound several of his men, he promptly threw himself
upon the grenade and smothered the blast with his own body. By thus
deliberately sacrificing his life to save those of his men, this officer
exemplified the highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces.
*EUBANKS, RAY E.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 503d Parachute
Infantry. Place and date: At Noemfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea, 23 July
1944. Entered service at: LaGrange, N.C. Born: 6 February 1922, Snow Hill,
N.C. G.O. No.: 20, 29 March 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty at
Noemfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea, 23 July 1944. While moving to the relief
of a platoon isolated by the enemy, his company encountered a strong enemy
position supported by machinegun, rifle, and mortar fire. Sgt. Eubanks was
ordered to make an attack with 1 squad to neutralize the enemy by fire in
order to assist the advance of his company. He maneuvered his squad to
within 30 yards of the enemy where heavy fire checked his advance. Directing
his men to maintain their fire, he and 2 scouts worked their way forward up
a shallow depression to within 25 yards of the enemy. Directing the scouts
to remain in place, Sgt. Eubanks armed himself with an automatic rifle and
worked himself forward over terrain swept by intense fire to within 15 yards
of the enemy position when he opened fire with telling effect. The enemy,
having located his position, concentrated their fire with the result that he
was wounded and a bullet rendered his rifle useless. In spite of his painful
wounds he immediately charged the enemy and using his weapon as a club
killed 4 of the enemy before he was himself again hit and killed. Sgt.
Eubanks' heroic action, courage, and example in leadership so inspired his
men that their advance was successful. They killed 45 of the enemy and drove
the remainder from the position, thus effecting the relief of our
beleaguered troops.
RUBIN, TIBOR
Corporal Tibor Rubin distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism during
the period from July 23, 1950, to April 20, 1953, while serving as a
rifleman with Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division in the
Republic of Korea. While his unit was retreating to the Pusan Perimeter,
Corporal Rubin was assigned to stay behind to keep open the vital
Taegu-Pusan Road link used by his withdrawing unit. During the ensuing
battle, overwhelming numbers of North Korean troops assaulted a hill
defended solely by Corporal Rubin. He inflicted a staggering number of
casualties on the attacking force during his personal 24-hour battle,
single-handedly slowing the enemy advance and allowing the 8th Cavalry
Regiment to complete its withdrawal successfully. Following the breakout
from the Pusan Perimeter, the 8th Cavalry Regiment proceeded northward and
advanced into North Korea. During the advance, he helped capture several
hundred North Korean soldiers. On October 30, 1950, Chinese forces attacked
his unit at Unsan, North Korea, during a massive nighttime assault. That
night and throughout the next day, he manned a .30 caliber machine gun at
the south end of the unit's line after three previous gunners became
casualties. He continued to man his machine gun until his ammunition was
exhausted. His determined stand slowed the pace of the enemy advance in his
sector, permitting the remnants of his unit to retreat southward. As the
battle raged, Corporal Rubin was severely wounded and captured by the
Chinese. Choosing to remain in the prison camp despite offers from the
Chinese to return him to his native Hungary, Corporal Rubin disregarded his
own personal safety and immediately began sneaking out of the camp at night
in search of food for his comrades. Breaking into enemy food storehouses and
gardens, he risked certain torture or death if caught. Corporal Rubin
provided not only food to the starving Soldiers, but also desperately needed
medical care and moral support for the sick and wounded of the POW camp. His
brave, selfless efforts were directly attributed to saving the lives of as
many as forty of his fellow prisoners. Corporal Rubin's gallant actions in
close contact with the enemy and unyielding courage and bravery while a
prisoner of war are in the highest traditions of military service and
reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.
*LUCAS, ANDRE C.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, 2d Battalion, 506th
Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. place and date: Fire Support Base
Ripcord, Republic of Vietnam, 1 to 23 July 1970. Entered service at: West
point, N.Y. Born: 2 October 1930, Washington D.C. Citation: Lt. Col. Lucas
distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism while serving as the
commanding officer of the 2d Battalion. Although the fire base was
constantly subjected to heavy attacks by a numerically superior enemy force
throughout this period, Lt. Col. Lucas, forsaking his own safety, performed
numerous acts of extraordinary valor in directing the defense of the allied
position. On 1 occasion, he flew in a helicopter at treetop level above an
entrenched enemy directing the fire of 1 of his companies for over 3 hours.
Even though his helicopter was heavily damaged by enemy fire, he remained in
an exposed position until the company expended its supply of grenades. He
then transferred to another helicopter, dropped critically needed grenades
to the troops, and resumed his perilous mission of directing fire on the
enemy. These courageous actions by Lt. Col. Lucas prevented the company from
being encircled and destroyed by a larger enemy force. On another occasion,
Lt. Col. Lucas attempted to rescue a crewman trapped in a burning
helicopter. As the flames in the. aircraft spread, and enemy fire became
intense, Lt. Col. Lucas ordered all members of the rescue party to safety.
Then, at great personal risk, he continued the rescue effort amid
concentrated enemy mortar fire, intense heat, and exploding ammunition until
the aircraft was completely engulfed in flames. Lt. Col. Lucas was mortally
wounded while directing the successful withdrawal of his battalion from the
fire base. His actions throughout this extended period inspired his men to
heroic efforts, and were instrumental in saving the lives of many of his
fellow soldiers while inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Lt. Col.
Lucas' conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action, at the cost of his
own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military
service and reflect great credit on him, his unit and the U.S. Army.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 23, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE
INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
23 July
1908: Thomas S. Baldwin delivered the Army's first airship and hydrogen
plant to Fort Myer. (18)
1914: Special Order 171 appointed a board of visitors at the North Island
Aviation School to examine candidates for the new aviation mechanician
rating. (24) 1918: The Director of the Army Air Service ordered every flying
field in the United States to have an air ambulance. This was based on the
February
1918 efforts of Maj Nelson E. Driver, a medical officer, and Captain William
C. Ocker, Commander of Flight Training at Gerstner Field, Louisiana, to
modify the rear cockpit seat of a JN-4 Jenny to accommodate a patient in a
semireclining position. (18)
1936: The Navy awarded a contract to Consolidated for the XPB2Y-1
four-engine flying boat. (24)
1940: Radar used for the first time in shooting down an enemy bomber. 1948:
MATS deployed men and equipment to establish an Airlift Task Force in
Germany to relieve Berlin. Maj Gen William H. Tunner commanded the Task
Force operations under USAFE's operational control. (16) (24)
1951: Lockheed flew the first production model of L-1049 Super
Constellation.
1956: At Edwards AFB, Lt Col Frank K. (Pete) Everest flew the Bell X-2 at a
record speed of Mach 2.87, over 1,900 MPH. (3) (9)
1958: The Boeing Vertol VZ-2A Tiltwing research aircraft successfully
transitioned from vertical to horizontal flight and back for the first time.
(20) 1959: A Boeing 707 flew the first commercial flight from New York to
Moscow. The 8-hour, 54- minute flight time broke the record for the
5,090-mile flight of 11 hours 6 minutes made a few days earlier by a Russian
TU-114. (24) At Vandenberg AFB, construction began on the first Atlas E
coffin-type launcher. (6)
1966: MACKAY TROPHY. The YF-12A Test Force received the trophy from General
John P. McConnell, CSAF, at Edwards AFB for flights on 1 May 1965 that set 9
world speed and altitude records. (3)
1970: McDonnell-Douglas DC-10, first wide-bodied trijet transport, rolled
out at Long Beach.
1971: Hughes Aircraft Company received a contract to build 2,000 Maverick
air-to-surface missiles for F-4Es and A-7Ds. (12)
1972: Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1) launched from Western
Test Range. As the first US civilian satellite to be flown, it acquired
synoptic, multispectral repetitive images for three months and derive data
on agriculture and forestry resources, minerals, and land resources. The
satellite also represented the first step in merging space and remote
sensing technology to manage earth resources more efficiently.
1987: At Sacramento, Aerojet General conducted the first full-duration
firing of a Titan IV first stage engine. During the test, the engine burned
for 200 seconds and generated 500,000 pounds of thrust.
1995: To ease economic suffering in Byelorussia, a 433 AW C-5 Galaxy
airlifted in 28 pallets of medical supplies, blankets, clothes, furniture,
and a military ambulance. (16)
1999: Through 27 July, the Space Shuttle Columbia flew a mission to deploy a
new satellite, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory to watch X-rays from
high-energy regions of the universe. In the mission, Col Eileen Collins, the
first female pilot of a space shuttle, became the first female commander of
a space shuttle mission. (21)
2004: Congressman Jerry F. Costello (D-Ill.) announced that the 932 AW at
Scott AFB would receive three new C-40Cs, the military version of the Boeing
737, and three modern C-9C Nightingales. The C-9Cs were transferred from
Andrews AFB to replace the three C-9As at Scott. (22)
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
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