To All
Good Thursday morning June 11 Same weather different day. The clouds are clearing and heating up to 84 by 1
Every year at this time after reading and watching the many stories about D-Day and Midway there is always something that catches my attention. Last year it was the story about the two X-boats. Small subs that sat on the bottom of the approaches to the D-Day landing sites for 4 days waiting to do their job which was to provide a light to the approaching landing craft so they could see where to land the troops. Four men in a vessel where there was only room for one to sleep at a time but without them the landings would not be possible. The approaches had been heavily mined by the Germans and they were cleared just enough to get the ships through. The extra day they had to sit there was just one more thing they had to contend with. It all worked. I watched the interview of one of the men still living and he had quite an attitude.
Also the fact that there was an entirely new secret RADAR system that did not get turned on until the night of the landings was another surprise. They only had a small number of sets but the Germans had no idea and no counter to it. It was very accurate so the ships knew exactly where they were and where to go.
Warm regards,
skip
HAGD
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Go here to see the director’s corner for all 97 H-Grams
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
June 11
On This Day in Naval and Marine Corps History June 11
1871
During the Korean Expedition, Rear Adm. John Rodgers squadron lands a party of 650 Marines and Sailors to attack and capture Fort McKee (also known as the Citadel), Korea. Fifteen receive the Medal of Honor for their action during the capture of the Korean fort.
1927
USS Memphis (CL 13) arrives at Washington, D.C., with Charles Lindbergh and his plane, Spirit of St. Louis, after his non-stop flight across the Atlantic. Later that day, Lindbergh becomes the first person to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross when President Calvin Coolidge presents the award at the Washington Monument grounds.
1944
F6Fs from TF 58, commanded by Vice Adm. Marc A. Mitscher, begin to intercept and splash Japanese planes in the vicinity of the Mariana Islands, taking the enemy by surprise.
1944
While operating off the Ryukyu Chain, Japan, two Japanese kamikazes attack USS LCS(L)(3) 122. Lt. Richard M. McCool, Jr. organizes a counter attack, downs one of the kamikazes, and damages the second before it crashes into his vessel. Severely wounded and suffering severe burns, he leads his men to fight the fires and rescue crewmembers. For his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity on this occasion, McCool is awarded the Medal of Honor.
1994
USS Sirocco (PC 6) is commissioned at the Washington Navy Yard, the first commissioning of a Navy ship at that location in 120 years. The sixth of the Cyclone-class patrol coastal boat is currently stationed at Bahrain.
2017
The guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) arrives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to support humanitarian assistance operations in the wake of severe flooding and landslides that devastated many regions of the country.
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Today in World History June 11
1346 Charles IV of Luxembourg is elected Holy Roman Emperor.
1509 Henry VIII of England marries Catherine of Aragon.
1770 Captain James Cook runs aground on the Great Barrier Reef.
1798 Napoleon Bonaparte takes the island of Malta.
1861 Union forces under General George B. McClellan repulse a Confederate force at Rich Mountain in western Virginia.
1865 Major General Henry W. Halleck finds documents and archives of the Confederate government in Richmond, Virginia. This discovery will lead to the publication of the official war records.
1895 Charles E. Duryea receives the first U.S. patent granted to an American inventor for a gasoline-driven automobile.
1903 King Alexander and Queen Draga of Belgrade are assassinated by members of the Serbia army.
1915 British troops take Cameroon in Africa.
1927 Charles Lindbergh, a captain in the US Army Air Corps Reserve, receives the first Distinguished Flying Cross ever awarded, for his solo trans-Atlantic flight.
1930 William Beebe, of the New York Zoological Society, dives to a record-setting depth of 1,426 feet off the coast of Bermuda, in a diving chamber called a bathysphere.
1934 The Disarmament Conference in Geneva ends in failure.
1940 The Italian Air Force bombs the British fortress at Malta in the Mediterranean.
1943 The Italian island of Pantelleria surrenders after a heavy air bombardment.
1944 U.S. carrier-based planes attack Japanese airfields on Guam , Rota, Saipan and Tinian islands, preparing for the invasion of Saipan.
1963 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is arrested in Florida for trying to integrate restaurants.
1967 Israel and Syria accept a U. N. cease-fire.
1987 Margaret Thatcher wins her third consecutive term as Prime Minister.
I missed this one yesterday…skip
On June 10, 1752, Benjamin Franklin was said to have flown a kite during a thunderstorm to collect ambient electrical charge in a Leyden jar, enabling him to demonstrate the connection between lightning and electricity. Franklin became interested in electricity in the mid-1740s, a time when much was still unknown on the topic, and spent almost a decade conducting electrical experiments. He coined a number of terms used today, including battery, conductor and electrician. He also invented the lightning rod, used to protect buildings and ships.
Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, to a candle and soap maker named Josiah Franklin, who fathered 17 children, and his wife Abiah Folger. Franklin’s formal education ended at age 10 and he went to work as an apprentice to his brother James, a printer. In 1723, following a dispute with his brother, Franklin left Boston and ended up in Philadelphia, where he found work as a printer. Following a brief stint as a printer in London, Franklin returned to Philadelphia and became a successful businessman, whose publishing ventures included the Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard’s Almanack, a collection of homespun proverbs advocating hard work and honesty in order to get ahead. The almanac, which Franklin first published in 1733 under the pen name Richard Saunders, included such wisdom as: “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
Whether or not Franklin followed this advice in his own life, he came to represent the classic American overachiever. In addition to his accomplishments in business and science, he is noted for his numerous civic contributions. Among other things, he developed a library, insurance company, city hospital and academy in Philadelphia that would later become the University of Pennsylvania.
Most significantly, Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the United States and had a career as a statesman that spanned four decades. He served as a legislator in Pennsylvania as well as a diplomat in England and France. He is the only politician to have signed all four documents fundamental to the creation of the U.S.: the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778), the Treaty of Paris (1783), which established peace with Great Britain and the U.S. Constitution (1787).
Franklin died at age 84 on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia. He remains one of the leading figures in U.S. history.
And a few more
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
June 11
1963
University of Alabama desegregated
Two African American students, Vivian Malone and James A. Hood, register for classes at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on June 11, 1963, after federalized Alabama National Guard troops force Alabama Governor George Wallace to halt his blockade and submit to a judge’s order ending...
323 B.C.
Alexander the Great dies
1949
Hank Williams Sr., makes his Grand Ole Opry debut
1979
John Wayne dies
1982
“E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” released
1989
China issues warrant for Tiananmen dissident sheltering in U.S. embassy
1788
Russian explorer Izmailov arrives at Yakutat Bay, Alaska
1955
Race car at Le Mans crashes into spectators, killing 83
1944
John F. Kennedy receives medal for gallantry
1963
Buddhist immolates himself in protest
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June 11
Hello All,
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).
If you have any questions or comments about RTR/TFO, or have a question on my book, you may e-mail me directly at acrossthewing@protonmail.com. Thank you Dan
Thanks to Micro
To remind folks that these are from the Vietnam Air Losses site that Micro put together. You click on the url elow and get what happened each day to the crew of the aircraft. ……Skip
June 11: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1806
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 Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
(This site was sent by a friend . The site works, find anyone you knew in “search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
By: Kipp Hanley
AUGUST 15, 2022
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Thanks to Nice News
OlĂ©! After years of planning and anticipation, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is officially here — the first opening ceremony will kick things off in Mexico City this afternoon, followed by a match between co-host Mexico and South Africa. And a couple hundred miles west in Guadalajara, South Korea will face off against the Czech Republic. With three countries hosting for the first time and more participating teams than ever (including more than a few promising underdogs), it’s bound to be an exciting five weeks. Learn how to watch Shakira at the opening ceremony and check out the tournament schedule.
M________________________________________
• Trending baby names are taking point from K-pop, zodiac signs, and Friends
• A folk-pop artist gave a subtle nod to a solar farm in his latest album —
Culture
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Reading and Math Scores Are Trending Up for Younger Students, Report Finds
10’000 Hours—DigitalVision/Getty Images
New federal test scores, released yesterday, show that younger students are gaining ground in both reading and math after years of decline.
The data comes from the National Assessment of Educational Progress’ long-term trend tests — exams students across the nation take every few years and which contain many of the same questions as when they were first given out in the 1970s. The most recent tests were taken by more than 30,000 9- and 13-year-old students between October 2024 and March 2025.
The biggest bright spot was that 9-year-olds returned to pre-pandemic reading levels and made notable improvements in math compared to 2022. A report notes that these students were only 4 at the start of the pandemic and didn’t begin school until in-person learning resumed in most places.
“It is just so encouraging,” Matthew Soldner, acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, told NPR, calling it an “optimistic release.” The report still showed plenty of room for improvement, particularly among the older students, so here’s hoping this is just the beginning of a long upward trend.
Together With Hear.com
________________________________________
Experts Tested 17 Hearing Aids — This Is Their No. 1 Pick
When audiologists call something “the future of hearing,” it’s time to listen. Horizon IX isn’t just another hearing device — it’s smart tech for your ears. Powered by dual-processing AI, it separates speech from background noise for natural clarity, whether you’re in a noisy restaurant or at a quiet family dinner.
Nearly invisible and built for modern life, the Horizon IX is rechargeable, smartphone compatible, and trusted by over 670,000 people hearing more clearly than ever. No more mumbling. No more missing out on the conversation.
Environment
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Parks Yield a 300% Return on Investment for Local Communities
Sascha Kilmer—Moment/Getty Images
You can’t put a price tag on a nice day at the park — but you can measure the financial boon parks provide. A recent report from the Trust for Public Land found that for every $1 invested in parks and recreation, communities get back at least $3 in local economic benefits each year.
“You really do get so much goodness out of them,” Will Klein, the organization’s director of parks research, told Grist. “People are healthier, people connect with each other. They drive business activity, especially for small businesses.”
Beyond bolstering nearby shops, parks can also boost property values and even help people save on health care spending by providing a place for residents to get active and breathe fresh air. And they serve as third places, where people can bond outside (for free!) among a landscape of trees, grass, swings, and perhaps a basketball hoop or two.
“Just playing on the playground, talking to neighbors, having barbecues — all that stuff allows people to afford that higher quality of life,” Klein said.
Sports
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Golf Program Gives Incarcerated Individuals a Shot at a New Perspective
Washington State Department of Corrections
At the Cedar Creek Corrections Center outside of Olympia, Washington, a unique program is seeking to drive positive change by teaching incarcerated individuals the ins and outs of golf — and, bigger picture, life skills that apply far beyond the course.
“Initially, when it started, it was not about golf at all. It was about programming, idleness reduction, keeping people busy, bringing diverse groups together,” former superintendent Tim Thrasher, who launched the initiative in 2024, told ABC News, adding: “The rules of golf are the rules of life — you know, the ethics, the etiquette, having to do things right when nobody’s watching.”
The men are on track to be released within the next few years, so the aim is for the program to help set them up for a successful reentry after leaving the minimum-security prison.
“It’s definitely changed me. My anger had led me to where I’m at now, and being able to learn other ways to vent that anger and release it and not dwell on it [has helped],” said Mike Helmer, one of the dozen participants.
In Other News
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1. A new sunscreen ingredient was approved by the FDA for the first time in decades
2. Kendi, a rhino at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, can see clearly again after undergoing a rare cataract surgery
3. Little bundles of (FIFA) joy! NICU babies in some Texas hospitals got all geared up for the 2026 World Cup)
4. Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe through the ages is on display in a new exhibit at Buckingham Palace
5. Geology club MVP: An 11-year-old on a field trip in Kansas found an 85 million-year-old sea creature fossil
*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate
Quote of the Day
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“You were made uniquely, wonderfully, distinctly.”
– ERIC CHURCH
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From the Archives
Thanks to Wigs
Noah's Ark: Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark.
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark .
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.
Give it! Don't just get it!
Most people walk in and out of your life, but FRIENDS leave footprints on your heart
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Thanks to 1440
Good morning, it's Thursday, June 11. The biggest event in soccer kicks off today in North America.
Also in today's Digest: the human instinct to turn left (Need To Know), galaxy-killing wind in the early universe (Sci. & Tech.), the geometry of US highways (Civics Thursdays), were the Founding Fathers drunk?
World Cup Begins
The FIFA Men's World Cup kicks off today and runs through July 19 across the US, Mexico, and Canada. Host nation Mexico opens the tournament against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City at 3 pm ET. See the full schedule.
Spain and France enter as favorites to lift the iconic 18-karat gold trophy, though the winning team does not keep it (eight more trophy facts here). The US national team is fielded by a so-called “golden generation” of young players developed at top European clubs and is predicted by many to reach the Round of 16, as it has in its last three World Cup appearances.
FIFA launched the World Cup in 1930 as an alternative to the Olympics, which barred professional athletes from competing. Join 1440’s editor-in-chief Sony Kassam as she chronicles how FIFA became one of the most powerful and controversial organizations in sports here (w/video).
PS: 1440 is partnering with Men in Blazers to bring you the most detailed coverage of the world’s biggest tournament this summer. Sign up here to get daily, in-depth updates throughout the competition.
Belfast Violence Continues
After anti-immigrant violence overtook the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland for a second night yesterday. Nationalist-populist influencers have called for unrest over an attack described online as an attempted beheading.
The attack took place Monday, when a Sudanese-born suspect was filmed using what is believed to be a kitchen knife to hack at a white man in Belfast. The victim lost his eye and was hospitalized with serious injuries as of this writing. Anti-immigrant protests have since erupted, amplified by nationalist-populists including Tommy Robinson and billionaire Elon Musk. The protests turned violent, with people setting fire to buses, cars, and homes in immigrant neighborhoods (see footage). The family of the victim has denounced the riots, calling for any demonstrations to be peaceful.
The unrest comes days after the sentencing of a Sikh man over the murder of white teenager Henry Nowak. That attack has also sparked ethnic tensions, after police initially took the attacker’s allegations at face value;
🫶 Humankind: Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes makes an impromptu visit to a local Little League practice, spending two hours taking pictures and playing catch.
We Are Not Ambiturners
Humans consistently show a preference toward moving counterclockwise, a study published yesterday reveals. The phenomenon is not yet understood but holds true across variations in environment, age, gender, culture, and handedness.
The inclination was first observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when researchers in Spain considered how to maintain social distancing in crowds. In 32 out of 33 experiments, pedestrians ended up veering left and moving counterclockwise. Since most animals walk without directional preference (exceptions include temnothorax ants), researchers were puzzled. They conducted further experiments in Spain and Japan, corroborating the findings, including with teenagers, toddlers, and adults in various settings and crowd sizes. That preference was especially pronounced in a nursery school, suggesting the phenomenon may have biological roots.
Researchers hope to conduct further studies in virtual reality spaces. The findings could help inform how airports, malls, and other public spaces are designed. (How do crowd engineers do itIn partnership with Doroni
A Drone Expert Is Making Flying Cars Real
After years working on military drones, Doron Merdinger began sketching a flying car in 2016. He saw how quickly the tech had advanced. Soon, people would fly from driveways. So he built Doroni.
It’s great timing, too. The urban air mobility market is worth $4B today. By 2040, Morgan Stanley puts it at $1 trillion. By 2050, $9 trillion. And with 600+ reservations for Doroni’s aircraft and $240M+ in potential revenue already, the demand for this innovation is undeniable. With commercial deliveries planned for 2028 and $1.4B+ in annual revenue targeted by 2032, Doroni’s scaling fast.
Now they’ve reserved the Nasdaq ticker DRNI in preparation for a potential public listing. And you can claim an early-stage stake in Doroni at $3.10/share today. But hurry; June 18 is the last day to invest at the current share price. Become a Doroni investor today.
In The Know
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> New York Knicks beat San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, rallying from a 29 point deficit (More) | ... and watch the game-winning tip shot by OG Anunoby with 1.2 seconds left
Stanley Cup Final between the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 tonight at 8 pm ET (More)
Sean "Diddy" Combs accused of sexually assaulting an unidentified child actor in 2007; Combs denies the allegations filed in California this week
Science & Technology
> Waymo develops a computer model to predict how people behave in crash and near-crash scenarios, helping its robotaxis better avoid potential collisions
> Galaxy-killing wind that blows away fuel for new stars may explain why astronomers have found an unexpectedly large number of dead galaxies in the early universe
> Novel ultrasound system with a virtual-reality headset lets medical professionals see a 3D augmented-reality image of the scanned tissue, making it easier to identify and analyze
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -1.6%, Dow -1.9%, Nasdaq -2.0%) following latest inflation reading (More) | Consumer price index rose 4.2% year over year in May; figure is the fastest pace in three years but in line with expectations (More)
> SpaceX to begin publicly trading tomorrow, with its price set for $135 per share, valuing the company at around $1.8T
> Amazon to expand its trucking and freight services to third-party shipping, triggering sell-off in major trucking and freight stocks
Politics & World Affairs
> US military says it began striking multiple targets in Iran after President Donald Trump says ceasefire negotiations have stalled (More)
> House Oversight Committee questions Bill Gates about his interactions with Jeffrey Epstein from 2011 to 2014 in closed hearing; Gates says Epstein sought to blackmail him over his affairs with Russian women but denies illicit conduct
> President Donald Trump signs bill allocating $70B toward immigration enforcement through the end of his term, capping partisan fight over the future of Department of Homeland Security funding
In-Depth
> Are Memories Transferable or Edible?
Quanta Magazine | Claire L. Evans. Scientists are revisiting a once-ridiculed claim—that eating trained worms could pass on learned behaviors—as new evidence suggests memory may exist beyond neural connections.
> Inside the World of Epstein's Assistant
The Guardian | Sophie Elmhirst. When Jeffrey Epstein's assistant got pregnant, he bought her a Mercedes and a nanny so she wouldn't quit. She spent nearly 20 years at his side, appeared over 150,000 times in DOJ files, and just testified before Congress.
1440 Civics: Infrastructure
Experts forecast $5.4T will be spent on public and private infrastructure in the United States between 2024 and 2033—but engineers estimate the country needs $3.7T in spending beyond that to bring its infrastructure up to good repair.
Etcetera
What's the safest swimsuit color? It isn't blue.
America's top staycation destinations, ranked.
See the custom sports cars inspired by "Toy Story 5."
Is your dog right-pawed or left-pawed?
Photos of an 85-million-year-old fossil a boy found in Kansas.
Why fewer kids are picking up books for fun.
Scientists think a giant kraken-like creature once ruled the seas.
The first official Mister Rogers YouTube channel is here.
Historybook: Politician and suffragist Jeannette Rankin born (1880); President John F. Kennedy uses the Alabama National Guard to integrate University of Alabama (1963); Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth P. Hoisington are first two women to become generals in the US Armed Forces (1970); Actress and civil rights activist Ruby Dee dies (2014).
In partnership with Doroni
$DRNI Prepares for Potential Nasdaq Listing
But the real opportunity is now, before Doroni takes to the skies.
They just unveiled the showroom model of their flying car after nearly a decade of R&D. It’s already been preordered by 600+ people, good for $240M in potential revenue for Doroni. And with commercial deliveries targeted for 2028, this futuristic promise is nearly a modern-day reality. They’ve just officially reserved the Nasdaq ticker $DRNI. By 2032,
"Men and women are like right and left hands; it doesn't make sense not to use both."
- Jeannette Rankin
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
Giraffes have purple tongues.
In addition to their spots and long necks, giraffes have another distinguishing feature: Their tongues are often dark purple. Whereas most animals have fully pink tongues, a giraffe’s is infused with melanin that makes it darker; sometimes it’s even blue or black rather than purple, although the base and back are indeed pink. While it hasn’t been proven definitively, there’s a widely accepted theory that the melanin provides ultraviolet protection, preventing giraffe tongues from getting sunburned while the animals feed on tall trees. Giraffe tongues are also long (up to 21 inches) and covered in thick bumps known as papillae, which help protect them from the spiky defensive thorns of the animal’s favorite snack: acacia trees.
Giraffes aren’t the only creatures with darker tongues, of course; okapis, polar bears, impalas, and chow chow dogs have them as well, as do other animals. However, giraffes are distinguished from their purple-tongued friends not only by their status as the world’s tallest mammals, but also because they give birth standing up. Newborn giraffes fall to the ground from a height of more than 5 feet — not that they mind. They can stand within half an hour and run within 10 hours, usually alongside their doting (and similarly dark-tongued) mother.
No two giraffes have the same spot patterns.
A group of giraffes is called a tower
Numbers Don’t Lie
Species of giraffe (southern, northern, Masai, and reticulated)
4
Years a giraffe can typically live in the wild
26
Average height (in feet) of an adult giraffe
14–19
Giraffes that can live in the same group
20
Giraffes have extremely high blood pressure — and it isn’t a problem.
When it comes to most living creatures, hypertension is a serious health issue. By virtue of their extreme height, however, high blood pressure is not only a good thing for giraffes, but an essential part of their biology — a way for their hearts to overcome gravity and pump blood up their long necks. In order to maintain a blood pressure of 110 over 70 at the brain, a normal number for a large mammal, giraffes need a blood pressure at the heart of roughly 220 over 180. That number would be beyond concerning to your cardiologist, as lower than 120 over 80 is considered healthy for humans. Giraffes’ cardiovascular strength is of great interest to scientists, who have marveled at their resilience — and tried to see what lessons we might learn from it.
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From The Archives
Thanks to Bill
A Sea Story - Strange but true.
Sometimes in life, the guy with the so-crazy-it-just-might-work ideas hits one out of the park and saves the day..
This is what happened in 1942 aboard the HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen, the last Dutch warship standing after the Battle of the Java Sea.
Originally planning to escape to Australia with three other warships, the then-stranded minesweeper had to make the voyage alone and unprotected..
The slow-moving vessel could only get up to about 15 knots <http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-abraham-crijnssen> and had very few guns, boasting only a single 3-inch gun and two Oerlikon 20 mm canons <http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-abraham-crijnssen> making it a sitting duck to Japanese bombers that circled above..
Knowing their only chance of survival was to make it to the Allies Down Under, the Crijnssen's 45 crew members frantically brainstormed ways to make the retreat undetected..
The winning idea ? Turn the ship into an island..
You can almost hear crazy-idea guy anticipating his shipmates' reluctance: Now guys, just hear me out..
But lucky for him, the Abraham Crijnessen was strapped for time, resources and alternative means of escape, automatically making the island idea the best idea..
Now it was time to put the plan into action.
HNLMS_Abraham_Crijnssen_Covered_In_Branches
The crew went ashore to nearby islands and cut down as many trees as they could lug back onto the deck..
Then the timber was arranged to look like a jungle canopy <http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-abraham-crijnssen> , covering as much square footage as possible..
Any leftover parts of the ship were painted to look like rocks and cliff faces these guys weren't messing around..
HRMS_Abraham_Crijnssen_disguised_as_a_tropical_island
Now, a camouflaged ship in deep trouble is better than a completely exposed ship..
But there was still the problem of the Japanese noticing a mysterious moving island and wondering what would happen if they shot at it..
Because of this, the crew figured the best means of convincing the Axis powers that they were an island was to truly be an island: by not moving at all during daylight hours..
While the sun was up they would anchor the ship near other islands, then cover as much ocean as they could once night fell praying the Japanese wouldn't notice a disappearing and reappearing island amongst the nearly 18,000 existing islands <http://www.mapsofworld.com/indonesia/facts.html> in Indonesia..
And, as luck would have it, they didn't..
The Crijnssen managed to go undetected by Japanese planes and avoid the destroyer that sank the other Dutch warships, surviving the eight-day journey to Australia and reuniting with Allied forces..
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Thanks to Barrel
Origin of Left and Right
I have often wondered why it is that Conservatives are called the "right"
and Liberals are called the "left."
By chance I stumbled upon this verse in the Bible:
"The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left."
Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NIV)
Thus sayeth the Lord. Amen.
Can't get any simpler than that. And yes I checked the source the Bible
Spelling Lesson
The last four letters in American..........I Can
The last four letters in Republican.......I Can
The last four letters in Democrats.........Rats
End of lesson. The Test followed in November, 2024
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This Day in U S Military History…….June 11
1775 – The Battle of Machias (also known as the Battle of the Margaretta) was the first naval engagement of the American Revolutionary War. It took place in and around the port of Machias in what is now eastern Maine, and resulted in the capture by Patriot militia of a British schooner. Following the outbreak of the war and the start of the Siege of Boston, British authorities enlisted the assistance of Loyalist merchant Ichabod Jones to assist in the acquisition of needed supplies. Two of Jones’ merchant ships arrived in Machias on June 2, accompanied by the British armed sloop Margaretta, commanded by midshipman James Moore. The townspeople, unhappy with Jones’ business practices, decided to arrest him, and in the attempt, decided to go after Moore and his ship. Moore was able to escape out of the harbor, but the townspeople seized one of Jones’ ships, armed it and a second local ship, and sailed out to meet him. In a short confrontation, they captured Moore’s vessel and crew, fatally wounding him in the process.
1918 – A Marine assault following artillery bombardment succeeds in capturing two-thirds of Belleau Wood, but with heavy casualties. A battalion commander, Lt. Col. Frederick Wise erroneously reports his men were in control of the woods, but has misread his maps and position. Brigade Commander James Harbord requests relief for his men reporting their near physical exhaustion.
1944 – Five days after the D-Day landing, the five Allied landing groups, made up of some 330,000 troops, link up in Normandy to form a single solid front across northwestern France. On June 6, 1944, after a year of meticulous planning conducted in secrecy by a joint Anglo-American staff, the largest combined sea, air, and land military operation in history began on the French coast at Normandy. The Allied invasion force included 3 million men, 13,000 aircraft, 1,200 warships, 2,700 merchant ships, and 2,500 landing craft. Fifteen minutes after midnight on June 6, the first of 23,000 U.S., British, and Canadian paratroopers and glider troops plunged into the darkness over Normandy. Just before dawn, Allied aircraft and ships bombed the French coast along the Baie de la Seine, and at daybreak the bombardment ended as 135,000 Allied troops stormed ashore at five landing sites. Despite the formidable German coastal defenses, beachheads were achieved at all five landing locations. At one site–Omaha Beach–German resistance was especially strong, and the Allied position was only secured after hours of bloody fighting by the Americans assigned to it. By the evening, some 150,000 American, British, and Canadian troops were ashore, and the Allies held about 80 square miles. During the next five days, Allied forces in Normandy moved steadily forward in all sectors against fierce German resistance. On June 11, the five landing groups met up, and Operation Overlord–the code name for the Allied invasion of northwestern Europe–proceeded as planned.
1944 – U.S. battleships off Normandy provide gunfire support.
1944 – Elements of the French Expeditionary Corps (part of US 5th Army) capture Montefiascone, west of Viterbo. Force of the British 8th Army, inland, are engaged near Cantalupo and Bagnoregio.
1944 – The US 15th Air Force, operating from bases in Italy, raids the airfield at Focsani, Romania. The aircraft fly on to Soviet held territory in the first “shuttle” run of this sort.
1944 – US Task Force 58 (Admiral Mitscher) begins raids against Japanese bases on Saipan, Tinian and other islands. TF58 has 9 fleet carriers and 6 light carriers. Task Group 58.7 (Admiral Lee) provides escort. An estimated 36 Japanese planes are shot down. Task Group 58.4 attacks shipping in the area. The Japanese lose 3 minor warships and about 30,000 tons of merchant transport by the aircraft. The operations are overseen by Admiral Spruance, commanding the Central Pacific Area, on board the cruiser Indianapolis.
1945 – On Okinawa, the Japanese pocket in the Oroku Peninsula has been reduced to perimeter measurable in yards but their resistance remains fanatical. An assault by the US 1st Marine Division (US 3rd Amphibious Corps) fails to capture Kunishi Ridge. A regiment of the US 96th Division reaches the town of Yuza but is forced to withdraw by intensive Japanese fire. An important height east of Mount Yaeju is captured by American forces. Still going since 1 April…..!!!!!
1945 – On Luzon, fighting at Orioung Pass continues as Japanese forces continue to hold the US 37th Division.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
WENS, MICHAEL
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 6 February 1853, New York, N.Y. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 169, 8 February 1872. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Colorado during the capture of Korean forts, 11 June 1871. Fighting courageously in hand-to hand combat, Owens was badly wounded by the enemy during this action.
PURVIS, HUGH
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 5 March 1846, Philadelphia, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 169, 8 February 1872. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Alaska during the attack on and capture of the Korean forts, 11 June 1871. Braving the enemy fire, Purvis was the first to scale the walls of the fort and capture the flag of the Korean forces.
ROGERS, SAMUEL F.
Rank and organization: Quartermaster, U.S. Navy. Born: 1845, Buffalo, N.Y. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 169, 8 February 1872. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Colorado during the attack and capture of the Korean forts, 11 June 1871. Fighting courageously at the side of Lt. McKee during this action, Rogers was wounded by the enemy.
TROY, WILLIAM
Rank and organization: Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1848, Boston, Mass. Accredited to: Massachusetts. G.O. No.: 169, 8 February 1872. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Colorado during the capture of the Korean forts, 11 June 1871. Fighting at the side of Lt. McKee, by whom he was especially commended, Troy was badly wounded by the enemy.
MOSHER, LOUIS C.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, Philippine Scouts. Place and date: At Gagsak Mountain, Jolo, Philippine Islands, 11 June 1913. Entered service at: Brockton, Mass. Birth: Westport, Mass. Date of issue: Unknown. Citation: Voluntarily entered a cleared space within about 20 yards of the Moro trenches under a furious fire from them and carried a wounded soldier of his company to safety at the risk of his own life.
PETTY, ORLANDO HENDERSON
Rank and organization: Lieutenant (Medical Corps), USNRF. Born: 20 February 1874, Harrison, Ohio. Appointed from: Pennsylvania. Citation: For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 5th Regiment, U.S. Marines, in France during the attack in the Boise de Belleau, 11 June 1918. While under heavy fire of high explosive and gas shells in the town of Lucy, where his dressing station was located, Lt. Petty attended to and evacuated the wounded under most trying conditions. Having been knocked to the ground by an exploding gas shell which tore his mask, Lt. Petty discarded the mask and courageously continued his work. His dressing station being hit and demolished, he personally helped carry Capt. Williams, wounded, through the shellfire to a place of safety.
HUBER, WILLIAM RUSSEL
Rank and organization: Machinist’s Mate, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Aboard the U.S.S. Bruce at the Naval Shipyard, Norfolk, Va., 11 June 1928. Entered service at: Pennsylvania. Birth: Harrisburg, Pa. Citation: For display of extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on 11 June 1928, after a boiler accident on the U.S.S. Bruce, then at the Naval Shipyard, Norfolk, Va. Immediately on becoming aware of the accident, Huber without hesitation and in complete disregard of his own safety, entered the steam-filled fireroom and at grave risk to his life succeeded by almost superhuman efforts in carrying Charles H. Byran to safety. Although having received severe and dangerous burns about the arms and neck, he descended with a view toward rendering further assistance. The great courage, grit, and determination displayed by Huber on this occasion characterized conduct far above and beyond the call of duty.
*COLE, ROBERT G.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division. Place and date: Near Carentan, France, 11 June 1944. Entered service at: San Antonio, Tex. Birth: Fort Sam Houston, Tex. G.O. No.: 79, 4 October 1944. Citation: For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty on 11 June 1944, in France. Lt. Col. Cole was personally leading his battalion in forcing the last 4 bridges on the road to Carentan when his entire unit was suddenly pinned to the ground by intense and withering enemy rifle, machinegun, mortar, and artillery fire placed upon them from well-prepared and heavily fortified positions within 150 yards of the foremost elements. After the devastating and unceasing enemy fire had for over 1 hour prevented any move and inflicted numerous casualties, Lt. Col. Cole, observing this almost hopeless situation, courageously issued orders to assault the enemy positions with fixed bayonets. With utter disregard for his own safety and completely ignoring the enemy fire, he rose to his feet in front of his battalion and with drawn pistol shouted to his men to follow him in the assault. Catching up a fallen man’s rifle and bayonet, he charged on and led the remnants of his battalion across the bullet-swept open ground and into the enemy position. His heroic and valiant action in so inspiring his men resulted in the complete establishment of our bridgehead across the Douve River. The cool fearlessness, personal bravery, and outstanding leadership displayed by Lt. Col. Cole reflect great credit upon himself and are worthy of the highest praise in the military service.
MIZE, OLA L.
Rank and organization: Master Sergeant (then Sgt.), U.S. Army, Company K, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Surang-ni, Korea, 10 to 11 June 1953. Entered service at: Gadsden, Ala. Born: 28 August 1931, Marshall County, Ala. G.O. No.: 70, 24 September 1954. Citation: M/Sgt. Mize, a member of Company K, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Company K was committed to the defense of “Outpost Harry”, a strategically valuable position, when the enemy launched a heavy attack. Learning that a comrade on a friendly listening post had been wounded he moved through the intense barrage, accompanied by a medical aid man, and rescued the wounded soldier. On returning to the main position he established an effective defense system and inflicted heavy casualties against attacks from determined enemy assault forces which had penetrated into trenches within the outpost area. During his fearless actions he was blown down by artillery and grenade blasts 3 times but each time he dauntlessly returned to his position, tenaciously fighting and successfully repelling hostile attacks. When enemy onslaughts ceased he took his few men and moved from bunker to bunker, firing through apertures and throwing grenades at the foe, neutralizing their positions. When an enemy soldier stepped out behind a comrade, prepared to fire, M/Sgt. Mize killed him, saving the life of his fellow soldier. After rejoining the platoon, moving from man to man, distributing ammunition, and shouting words of encouragement he observed a friendly machine gun position overrun. He immediately fought his way to the position, killing 10 of the enemy and dispersing the remainder. Fighting back to the command post, and finding several friendly wounded there, he took a position to protect them. Later, securing a radio, he directed friendly artillery fire upon the attacking enemy’s routes of approach. At dawn he helped regroup for a counterattack which successfully drove the enemy from the outpost. M/Sgt. Mize’s valorous conduct and unflinching courage reflect lasting glory upon himself and uphold the noble traditions of the military service.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for June 11, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD “PHIL” MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
11 June
1926: The Ford 4-AT Trimotor first flew.
1930: Through 4 July, John and Kenneth Hunter used a Stinson “Detroiter” monoplane to set a world endurance record of 553 hours 41 minutes 30 seconds. (24)
1943: After weeks of Allied bombings, the Italian garrison on Pantelleria Island surrendered without firing a shot. It was the first large defended area to fall to air power. (21)
1944: In a “shuttle raid” between the USSR and Italy, Fifteenth Air Force bombed the Rumanian airfield at Foscani. (4) Navy Task Force 58, with seven heavy and eight light carriers, opened the campaign to occupy the Marianas. (24) 1945: The 393d BMS aircrews arrived at Tinian Island in the Marianas from Wendover AFB, Utah. Their aircraft, Boeing B-29s, were the only combat planes assigned to the 509th Composite Group, which later dropped the atomic bombs on Japan. (8: June 90)
1948: The USAF revised its aircraft designations from “P” for pursuit to “F” for fighter. (12)
1951: Bill Bridgeman flew the D558-II to a record speed of Mach 1.79 at Edwards AFB. KOREAN WAR/DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS. An SA-16 of the 3 ARS picked up a downed F-51 pilot from the Taedong River near Kyomipo, N. Korea. The SA-16, although receiving fire from both sides of the river, made a landing approach without lights, avoiding low electrical transmission lines and rocks and debris on the river's surface. The pilot earned the award for the rescue. (28)
1956: Chrysler Corp. received the Jupiter IRBM contract. (6)
1957: The General Dynamics' (Convair Division) experimental Atlas missile made its first launch from Cape Canaveral. (12) The 4080 SRW at Laughlin AFB, Tex., received SAC’s first U-2 (serial number 56-6696). (1)
1993: Operation CONTINUE HOPE. AC-130 Spectre gunships joined a UN raid on Somali warlord forces to retaliate for a 5 June attack on UN forces in Mogadishu. (16) (26)
1996: ACC received its first J-8 JSTARS aircraft. (21)
2007: ROBERT J. COLLIER TROPHY. The National Aeronautic Association presented its annual trophy to the Lockheed Martin Corporation and the USAF for developing the F-22 Raptor. The award submission focused heavily on the F-22's performance during the 2006 Northern Edge exercise in Alaska where Raptors flew 97 percent of their assigned sorties. The F-22 pilots scored an 80-to-1 kill ratio against their opponents and direct hits with 100 percent of their 1,000-pound GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions. The exercise increased overall situational awareness for the entire team through the F-22's integrated avionics package. (AFNEWS, “F-22 Team Garners Collier Trophy,” 11 June 2007.)
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