To All
Good Tuesday Morning March 24, 2026.
Another clear and hot day climbing to 85 by 1. .
Testing again tonight at the San Marcos shool.
Off to a heart doctor appointment with Toni
.
Warm Regards,
skip
HAGD
..skip
.NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
.
Thanks to barrel
For those that doubt the "Bubba" story I can attest to the fact it's true. I arrived on my first tour in Jan 68-Feb69. We were tasked with supporting some guys out of Kontum in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam. We flew in and went into their makeshift club for lunch. Out of a dark corner this big tiger came towards our table. Scared the living shit out of me and I went flying out the door. These guys were rolling in the dirt laughing their ass's off. They pulled this trick on every new helicopter pilot they worked with. I never saw them use him for interrogation but don't doubt for one second they didn't.
Barrel
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Go here to see the director's corner for all 94 H-Grams
. March 24
1903 Adm. George Dewey is commissioned Admiral of the Navy, the only person to hold this rank. Upon his death Jan. 16, 1917, Congress deactivates the rank.
1919 The battleship USS Idaho (BB 42) is commissioned. Idaho serves with the Pacific fleet, participating in gunfire support of the Aleutian, Marianas, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa Campaigns, and is in Tokyo Bay Sept. 2, 1945 when Japan formally surrenders.
1936 USS Balch (DD 363), named after Rear Adm. George B. Balch, is launched.
1944 USS Bowfin (SS 287) attacks a Japanese convoy, sinking both a transport and army cargo ship.
1952 The winter of 1951–52 found the 1st Marine Division deployed along an 11-mile front just north of the Punchbowl. In mid-March, the division was reassigned from the X Corps' eastern position in Korea, to the I Corps area at the far western end of the U.N. line. On March 24, the division assumed responsibility for approximately 35 miles of the front, which overlooked Panmunjom and included the defense of the Pyongyang–Seoul corridor. The pace of the war now slowed, with small, localized actions replacing the earlier, large-scale offensives.
1986 The first operational use of a Harpoon missile in combat is used by A-6A aircraft from VA-34 against a Libyan Combatant II G-class fast-attack missile craft. The engagement occurs after Libyan armed forces fire missiles at U.S. Navy forces operating in the Gulf of Sidra. Retaliatory strikes by A-7E Corsair II aircraft put the SA-5 missiles out of action at Surt and VA-85 aircraft then sink the missile craft.
2009 Coastal patrol craft USS Chinook (PC 9) arrives at Umm Qasr, Iraq. During this port visit to Iraq, she is the first U.S. Navy ship to stay overnight.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This date in World history
March 24
1208 King John of England opposes Innocent III on his nomination for archbishop of Canterbury.
1603 Queen Elizabeth I dies which will bring into power James VI of Scotland.
1663 Charles II of England awards land known as Carolina in North America to eight members of the nobility who assisted in his restoration.
1664 In London, Roger Williams is granted a charter to colonize Rhode Island.
1720 The banking houses of Paris close in the wake of financial crisis.
1721 In Germany, the supremely talented Johann Sebastian Bach publishes the Six Brandenburg Concertos.
1765 Britain passes the Quartering Act, requiring the colonies to house 10,000 British troops in public and private buildings.
1862 Abolitionist Wendell Phillips speaks to a crowd about emancipation in Cincinnati, Ohio and is pelted by eggs.
1900 Mayor Van Wyck of New York breaks ground for the New York subway tunnel that will link Manhattan and Brooklyn.
1904 Vice Admiral Togo sinks seven Russian ships as the Japanese strengthen their blockade of Port Arthur.
1927 Chinese Communists seize Nanking and break with Chiang Kai-shek over the Nationalist goals.
1938 The United States asks that all powers help refugees fleeing from the Nazis.
1944 The Gestapo rounds up innocent Italians in Rome and shoots them to death in reprisal for a bomb attack that killed 33 German policemen.
1947 Congress proposes limiting the United States presidency to two terms.
1951 General Douglas MacArthur threatens the Chinese with an extension of the Korean War if the proposed truce is not accepted.
1954 Great Britain opens trade talks with Hungary.
1955 Tennessee Williams' play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opens at the Morosco Theatre in New York City.
1958 Elvis Presley trades in his guitar for a rifle and Army fatigues.
1965 The Freedom Marchers, citizens for civil rights, reach Montgomery, Alabama.
1967 Viet Cong ambush a truck convoy in South Vietnam damaging 82 of the 121 trucks.
1972 Great Britain imposes direct rule over Northern Ireland.
1985 Thousands demonstrate in Madrid against the NATO presence in Spain.
1989 The Exxon Valdez oil tanker spills 240,000 barrels of oil in Alaska's Prince William Sound.
1999 NATO planes, including stealth aircraft, attack Serbian forces in Kosovo.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
. .
.
Thanks to Micro
From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..March 24 . .
March 24: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=497
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
The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
A great one from the Archives from Al
Musings.
The Nobel prize winning Chinese scientist, Tu You You, has officially been declared the world's most confusing person to sing Happy Birthday to.
Police have confirmed that the man who tragically fell from the roof of an 18th floor nightclub was not a bouncer.
95% of electric vehicles are still on the road. The remaining 5% made it all the way home.
Finland has just closed their borders. No one will be crossing the finish line.
Recent study reveals that there are more airplanes in the ocean, than submarines in the sky.
"Do not touch" is reportedly the scariest things to read in Braille.
There is a species of antelope capable of jumping higher than the average house. This is due to its powerful hind legs and the fact that the average house cannot jump.
Another study researched why toilet paper needs a commercial. Who is not buying this?
Gardeners warn people not to tell secrets in the garden. The potatoes have eyes, the corn has ears, and the beanstalk.
Fun Fact: They have never found a cave painting of a salad.
The pastor says, "Don't give up! Moses was once a basket case!"
Sign at Home Depot: Husbands choosing paint colors must have a signed note from their wife.
Old Chinese adage: It is only when a mosquito lands on your testicles that you realize there is always a way to solve problems without using violence.
Many find it odd that some politicians voted to penalize citizens if they didn't buy insurance but then offer it free to undocumenteds.
We seem to be living in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended.
San Diego Headlines: Hole Drilled in Nudist amp Wall. Police Looking Into It.
Always make sure someone in the relationship has good credit. That's why it's called SIGNIFICANT other. Sign/if/I/can't
I'm glad I learned about parallelograms in high school math instead of how to do my taxes. It comes in so handy during parallelogram season.
Have a great week,
Al
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
From the archives
. . Thanks to Cowboy for finding this one….and has some others attached
Trapeze Act - a little levity to brighten your day 😆😆
https://youtu.be/IEAy5zZlJe8?si=fAWt4il60twlLlVS
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Interesting Facts
When I was young crossing the USA back and forth with my parents going from base to base I saw a lot of these and over time I have seen all but the Bean in Chicago. Every time we would go into a new state we would get a family picture next to the "Welcome to the state sign or monument". We have many of the same state and you could tell we were growing. We also went to many more than these 10.
Later I flew over or near most of these and many others in the F-8. Being alone had its advantages and only making one pass early in the morning helped but was not always the case. It was just a lot of fun.
10 Stories Behind the Names of Famous U.S. Landmarks
When it comes to landmarks in the U.S., not every name is as straightforward as the Lincoln Memorial. The stories behind the names of some of the country's most famous landmarks are just as fascinating as the sites themselves, whether they involve bad translations, controversial dedications, or nicknames made up on the spot. Here's how 10 of the most iconic landmarks in the U.S. got their names.
1 of 10
Mount Rushmore
The iconic mountain that bears the giant stone faces of four U.S. Presidents is named after a lawyer from New York. In 1884, Charles E. Rushmore was sent to the Black Hills in South Dakota to secure land for tin mining (on lands considered sacred by the Lakota Sioux). He spent many weeks exploring the area with guides, and at one point, he inquired as to the name of an impressive peak nearby. Since the mountain had no name, a prospector with him replied, "We will name it now, and name it Rushmore Peak." From then on, it was referred to as Rushmore Peak, Rushmore Mountain, or Rushmore Rock. When the national memorial was finished in 1927, it officially became known as Mount Rushmore.
2 of 10
Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island didn't always hold the most infamous prison in the United States. In 1775, when the Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala first sailed into San Francisco, it was one of three barrier islands off the coast. When mapping the bay, Ayala named the three islands Isla de Los Alcatraces. Over time, the name was shortened to Alcatraz, which translates to "pelican" or "strange bird." After the island became the site for the country's most isolated federal prison years later, it earned the nickname "The Rock" due to its remote location in San Francisco Bay and for the way the island juts prominently out of the water.
3 of 10
White House
Although it may seem obvious why the presidential mansion is referred to as the White House, there's more to the story than the paint color. Before President Theodore Roosevelt began calling his residence the White House in 1901, it was more often referred to as the "President's House" or the "Executive Mansion." However, since the homes of U.S. governors were also called executive mansions, Roosevelt named his home the "White House" in order to distinguish it above all others. The house's color resulted from a lime-based whitewash that was applied in 1798 to protect the exterior from cracking.
4 of 10
Cloud Gate
Although it's most commonly called "The Bean," in reference to its distinctive shape, the actual name of Chicago's most famous sculpture is Cloud Gate. It was unveiled in Millenium Park in 2004 and has since become one of the city's most popular attractions. Designed by British sculptor Anish Kapoor, Cloud Gate remains his most famous work to date. Although the piece is magnificent, the name is deceptively simple: Kapoor chose Cloud Gate for the clouds that can be seen in the sculpture's reflective surface and for the way the curved underside serves as a gate to the park.
5 of 10
Devils Tower
Devils Tower is an impressive rock formation that stands 867 feet high above the Black Hills of northwestern Wyoming, considered sacred by Indigenous cultures. When settlers first arrived in this part of the country, the rock was labeled on maps as "Bear Lodge," a translation for the common Lakota name Mato Tipila. However, the name changed when Colonel Richard Irving Dodge led a geology and mapmaking expedition to the site. Dodge wrote that the Indigenous people called the place "bad god's tower," which eventually led to the adoption of the name Devils Tower. However, this is believed to be a bad translation, as no records have ever shown that Native Americans considered the tower to be associated with evil spirits.
6 of 10
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty has long stood as a symbol of freedom and hope for U.S. residents and newcomers, but when first built, Lady Liberty went by a different name. Designed by the French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi and gifted from France to the U.S. in honor of the centennial celebration, the Statue of Liberty was originally entitled "Liberty Enlightening the World." The 305-foot statue was unveiled on Liberty Island in New York's Upper Bay on October 28, 1886, but eventually the lengthy title of the statue was dropped in favor of the simpler "Statue of Liberty."
7 of 10
Golden Gate Bridge
Easily San Francisco's most recognizable landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge is named not for its reddish-orange hue but rather for the body of water it crosses, the Golden Gate Strait. The mile-wide strait, which connects San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, was named in 1846, a few years before the California Gold Rush. It was at this time that the explorer John C. Fremont came across the strait and recalled the Golden Horn of the Bosporus in Constantinople (now Istanbul). He named the strait the "Golden Gate," translated from the Greek word Chrysopyla, in honor of another body of water halfway around the world.
8 of 10
Hoover Dam
Before it was officially declared the Hoover Dam, this marvel of modern engineering went by a few different monikers. Originally, it was known as the Boulder Canyon Project, which changed to the Black Canyon Project when the location was moved. It was then referred to as the Boulder Dam on legislation, and many assumed that to be the official name until the Secretary of Interior declared it the Hoover Dam in honor of the acting president, Herbert Hoover. The new name was controversial since Hoover was incredibly unpopular at the time due to the Great Depression. It wasn't until 12 years later that it formally became the Hoover Dam, after a House Resolution passed to certify the name.
9 of 10
Old Faithful
Located in America's first national park, Yellowstone, Old Faithful draws around 4 million visitors annually. The powerful geyser was named by the members of the Washburn Expedition of 1870, who discovered that it erupted with reliable regularity. It was the first geyser to be given a title in the park. The nickname stuck — today, the geyser still erupts every 91 minutes. As for Yellowstone National Park itself, it was named for the Yellowstone River, which runs through the park and flows into Yellowstone Lake. The Yellowstone River's first incantation was Mi tse a-da-zi, which translates to "Yellow Rock River" in the language of the Minnetaree people.
10 of 10
Liberty Bell
Although the famously cracked bell is widely known as a symbol of independence, Liberty Bell wasn't always its name. After it was cast in London and hung in Philadelphia's State House, it was originally referred to as the "State House Bell." It was rung on July 8, 1776, to celebrate the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, and it later became a powerful symbol of the anti-slavery movement in the 1830s. With an inscription bearing the motto, "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," the iconic landmark represented the ideal of freedom to the abolitionists who coined the name Liberty Bell.
.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Nice News
Tonight, NCIS will achieve rarefied status in the world of scripted television: hitting 500 episodes. The police procedural, which premiered in 2003, follows a team of special agents with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as they tackle military-related cases. Over the years, it's become one of the most-watched network shows, trailing only Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU in longevity for scripted, live-action series (fun fact: Assistant Editor Rebekah Brandes made it onto an episode back in 2009). Get a brief history of NCIS and tune in to CBS at 8 p.m. ET to watch No. 500.
.
Environment
________________________________________
At-Risk Monarch Butterfly Population Increased by 64% in Mexico This Winter
.
If you live in the path of migrating monarch butterflies, you may be seeing more of them as the weather warms. The population of the at-risk pollinators increased by 64% in Mexico this winter compared with last year, per the World Wildlife Fund.
Monarch butterflies, millions of which winter in Mexico's forests, are also taking up more space as of late. Recent figures show the insects are covering over 7 acres of land, up from about 4.5 acres the previous winter. That marks the most extensive coverage since 2018.
An improved outlook for the butterflies could create a positive ripple effect for flowers, food production, and ecosystems as a whole. But it also represents something deeper: "The monarch butterfly is the symbol of the trilateral relationship between Mexico, the United States, and Canada," Mexican environment minister Alicia Bárcena Ibarra said at a news conference last week, per The Guardian. "Its conservation is a collective commitment we must maintain for the future."
Culture
________________________________________
Unclaimed Keepsakes Go on the Auction Block Tomorrow
Pennsylvania Treasury
Looking for a gift with a fun story behind it? Tomorrow, the Pennsylvania Treasury is holding a public auction of unclaimed goods, most left behind in safety deposit boxes. We're talking a menagerie of jewelry, rare coins, sports cards, and other keepsakes that you likely won't find at a mall.
The treasury puts on such auctions twice a year, but this one is unlike the others because it is the first time people can get a look at what's up for grabs ahead of time online. Some standouts include a gold wristwatch with diamonds, a Jimmy Carter inauguration medal, and the American Waltham pocket watch you see here. There's also a slew of diamond rings if anyone is looking to pop the question!
"We seem to be hitting new records all the time," Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity told CBS News of the popularity of the auctions. She explained that the state spends time looking for the owners before putting items up for sale, and that the money earned is available to them should they come looking. "We will look for the owners for at least three years," she said. "But then eventually we need to make some more room." Scroll through the auction offerings.
Tech
________________________________________
With New AI Glasses, Dementia Patients Can Perform Everyday Tasks More Independently
CrossSense / SWNS
New AI glasses could be a game-changer for helping people with dementia live more independently — and they may be available through the U.K.'s National Health Service, or NHS, as soon as 2027. Developed by CrossSense, the glasses have already wowed test users and a panel of judges after supporting patients in their homes.
Last week, the London-based tech company was awarded the prestigious Longitude Prize on Dementia, funded by the Alzheimer's Society and Innovate UK. CrossSense CEO Szczepan Orlins said the $1.3 million grand prize will be used to accelerate research on the glasses and work on making them publicly available within the next year.
"The prize's panel of international expert judges agreed that the winning solution was a genuine breakthrough technology with revolutionary potential for people living with dementia and their families," a press release noted. .
In Other News
________________________________________
1. An anonymous donor gifted $1 million to help erase student loan debt for nurses at a Philadelphia hospital
2. Models with Down syndrome strutted down the catwalk in Romania in celebration of World Down Syndrome Day .
3. Three massive bison statues now welcome visitors at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History .
4. The Sistine Chapel held a private concert on Sunday — and gave photojournalists rare access to the show .
5. A pair of California condors appear to be tending to an egg in the Pacific Northwest, a 100-year first .
Inspiring Story
________________________________________
A forever memory
Witnessing a child graduate from high school is a huge milestone for parents. So to make sure Bill Kerwin, a father with terminal cancer, could have that moment with his daughter Abbi, their Southern California community organized a special early graduation ceremony. "You're the best man I've ever met," Abbi said at the ceremony, during which Bill presented her with her diploma.
.
________________________________________
CFOTO—Future Publishing/Getty Images
International Tai Chi Day was over the weekend, but even if you missed it, it's never too late to try the Chinese martial art form — and reap the many benefits (including boosted memory, improved flexibility, and reduced blood pressure). Here's a seven-minute routine for beginners.
.NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to 1440
Good morning. It's Tuesday, March 24, and we're covering a fatal collision at a major New York airport, a new antidote against Lyme disease, and much more. .
LaGuardia Runway Crash
New York's LaGuardia Airport was closed for hours yesterday after an arriving Air Canada airplane carrying 76 people collided with a fire truck Sunday night. Two pilots were killed, and more than 40 people—including two people aboard the fire truck—were injured, some critically.
Audio from the crash suggests air traffic controllers may have been focused on a separate incident—assisting another aircraft's pilot who had made multiple attempts to take off—when the collision occurred around 11:40 pm ET. One controller can be heard clearing a Port Authority fire truck to cross the runway before yelling "stop, Truck 1, stop" (listen here, w/photos). The truck was responding to a smell reported on a United flight. The incident marks LaGuardia's first fatal crash since 1992.
Separately, ICE agents were deployed at airports nationwide yesterday to support TSA agents, as the partial government shutdown entered Week 5 (see photos). The Senate, meanwhile, confirmed Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the agencies.
Lyme Disease Vaccine
Pfizer is seeking regulatory approval for a Lyme disease vaccine that showed 73.2% efficacy in a late-stage clinical trial. If cleared, it would be the first human vaccine against the tick-borne disease approved in over two decades.
Lyme disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected deer tick, with symptoms ranging from a rash to fatigue and arthritis. Roughly 500,000 Americans are diagnosed with or treated for the bacterial infection annually (explore prevalence near you), and most fully recover after a 10- to 14-day course of oral antibiotics. Some patients—including several celebrities—report persistent symptoms, though chronic Lyme disease is not recognized by conventional medicine. The last human Lyme disease vaccine was introduced in 1998 but withdrawn in 2002 after unproven side-effect concerns sank demand.
Pfizer's vaccine application may face scrutiny; too few trial participants contracted Lyme disease to prove the shot was effective in at least 20% of the worst cases—a key metric.
PS—A recent edition of our 1440 Health & Medicine newsletter explored Lyme disease. See the best resources we found on the topic here, and sign up for the weekly deep-dive series here.
'Hannah Montana,' 20 Years Later
Today marks the 20th anniversary of "Hannah Montana," the Disney Channel series that turned a then-13-year-old Miley Cyrus into a global pop star and bonded a generation of viewers.
Cyrus, now 33, returns as her blond-haired alter ego for a one-hour special (3 am ET, Disney+ and Hulu), featuring an interview, unseen archival footage, and a new song. Over two decades, Cyrus underwent one of pop culture's most dramatic reinventions, evolving into a Grammy-winning artist behind hits like "Flowers," "Wrecking Ball," and "Party in the USA." Read reflections from Cyrus on getting sober; reuniting with her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus; and why she says she wasn't trying to kill Hannah Montana.
The 2006 "Hannah Montana" premiere drew 5.4 million viewers—then a Disney Channel record—while a 2007 episode remains the network's most-watched live-action broadcast, with 10.7 million viewers. Its Season 1 soundtrack was also the first TV soundtrack to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This Day in U S Military History
24 March
1765 – Britain enacted the Quartering Act, requiring American colonists to provide temporary housing to 10,000 British soldiers in public and private buildings. It also required colonists to provide food for any British soldiers in the area. Each of the Quartering Acts was an amendment to the Mutiny Act and required annual renewal by Parliament. They were originally intended as a response to issues that arose during the French and Indian War and soon became a source of tension between the inhabitants of the Thirteen Colonies and the government in London, England. These tensions would later fuel the fire that led to the Revolutionary War.
1814 – Although US General James Wilkinson is acquitted by a court of inquiry for his conduct in the Montreal campaign, he is replaced by Major General Jacob Brown who, along with newly promoted Brigadier General Winfield Scott, is to head the military operations in the Niagra region.
1855 – Manhattan, Kansas, was founded as New Boston, Kansas.
1883 – Long-distance telephone service was inaugurated between Chicago and New York.
1903 – George Dewey commissioned Admiral of the Navy with the date of rank, 2 March 1899. He was the only person to hold this rank.
1916 – German U-Boats sink the French vessel Sussex which is steaming through the English Channel. The ship is unarmed and three US citizens loose their lives. On 18 April this incident will lead Secretary of State Lansing to warn Germany that the US will break off diplomatic relations unless these attacks are discontinued.
1920 – The first Coast Guard air station was established at Morehead City, North Carolina. The
1934 – President Roosevelt signed the Tydings-McDuffie Act granting future independence to the Philippines as a self-governing commonwealth.
1942 – American positions on Bataan and Corregidor are attacked by Japanese aircraft and artillery.
1944 – 76 Allied officers escaped Stalag Luft 3. In 1949 Paul Brickall authored "The Great Escape." The story of Jackson Barrett Mahon (d.1999 at 78), an American fighter pilot, and the Allied POW escape from Stalag Luft III in Germany during WW II. The 1963 film "The Great Escape" starred Steve McQueen, was directed by John Sturges and was based on the true story.
1944 – On Bougainville, significant Japanese resistance ends. American forces do not attempt to clear the Japanese remnants from the island. Over the course of the past few weeks, Japanese casualties are estimated at 8000 while the US forces have suffered about 300 casualties.
1944 – The 22nd Marine Regiment captured Ebon and Namu Atolls in the Marshall Islands.
1945 – The US 9th Army begins to cross the Rhine a little to the south of the British and Canadians forces.
1945 – Gens. Eisenhower, Montgomery and Bradley discussed advance in Germany.
1945 – US Task Force 58 (Admiral Mitscher) conduct air raids on Okinawa. The island is also bombarded by 5 battleships and 11 destroyers under the command of Admiral Lee. Japanese submarines make unsuccessful attacks on the American ships. Meanwhile, American scout planes sight a Japanese convoy south of Kyushu and subsequent attacks sink all 8 ships.
1947 – John D. Rockefeller Jr. donated a NYC East River site to the UN.
1958 – Elvis Presley is inducted into the army on this day in 1958. Although he had been drafted the previous December, the army granted him a deferral so he could finish shooting his film, King Creole.
1975 – The North Vietnamese "Ho Chi Minh Campaign" begins. Despite the 1973 Paris Peace Accords cease fire, the fighting had continued between South Vietnamese forces and the North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam. In December 1974, the North Vietnamese launched a major attack against the lightly defended province of Phuoc Long, located north of Saigon along the Cambodian border. They successfully overran the provincial capital at Phuoc Binh on January 6, 1975. President Richard Nixon had repeatedly promised South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu that the United States would come to the aid of South Vietnam if the North Vietnamese committed a major violation of the Peace Accords. However, by the time the communists had taken Phuoc Long, Nixon had resigned from office and his successor, Gerald Ford, was unable to convince a hostile Congress to make good on Nixon's promises to Saigon. The North Vietnamese, emboldened by the situation, launched Campaign 275 in March 1975 to take the provincial capital of Ban Me Thuot in the Central Highlands. The South Vietnamese defenders fought very poorly and were quickly overwhelmed by the North Vietnamese attackers. Once again, the United States did nothing. President Thieu, however, ordered his forces in the Highlands to withdraw to more defensible positions to the south. What started out as a reasonably orderly withdrawal degenerated into a panic that spread throughout the South Vietnamese armed forces. They abandoned Pleiku and Kontum in the Highlands with very little fighting and the North Vietnamese pressed the attack from the west and north. In quick succession, Quang Tri, Hue, and Da Nang in the north fell to the communist onslaught. The North Vietnamese continued to attack south along the coast, defeating the South Vietnamese forces one at a time. As the North Vietnamese forces closed on the approaches to Saigon, the Politburo in Hanoi issued an order to Gen. Van Tien Dung to launch the "Ho Chi Minh Campaign," the final assault on Saigon itself. By April 27, the North Vietnamese had completely encircled Saigon and by April 30, the North Vietnamese tanks broke through the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon and the Vietnam War came to an end.
1992 – The space shuttle Atlantis blasted off with seven astronauts on the first shuttle mission devoted to the environment.
1996 – U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid transfers to the Russian space station Mir from the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis for a planned five-month stay. Lucid was the first female U.S. astronaut to live in a space station. Lucid, a biochemist, shared Mir with Russian cosmonauts Yuri Onufriyenko and Yuri Usachev, conducting scientific experiments during her stay. Beginning in August, her scheduled return to Earth was delayed more than six weeks because of last-minute repairs to the booster rockets of Atlantis and then by a hurricane. Finally, on September 26, 1996, she returned to Earth aboard Atlantis, touching down at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Her 188-day sojourn aboard Mir set a new space endurance record for an American and a world endurance record for a woman.
2000 – A US federal judge awarded former hostage Terry Anderson $341 million from Iran, holding Iranian agents responsible for Anderson's nearly seven years of captivity in Lebanon.
2003 – In the 6th day of Operation Iraqi Freedom US forces began strikes against the Medina Division of the Republican Guard guarding Baghdad. Hussein appeared on Iraqi TV as coalition forces held over 3,000 prisoners. 10 Marines were killed in combat around Nasiriya.
2003 – After Coalition forces have pushed further into Iraq securing most of the southern oilfields over the weekend, Kuwaiti fire fighters are able to enter Iraq and are able to extinguish one of the wellhead fires. Iraq's southern fields represent about 40% of the country's output. Damage is assessed to be relatively minimal. Some pockets or Iraqi resistance in the southern oilfields remain, however. Furthermore, heavy Iraqi resistance in some parts of Iraq gives rise to market speculation that the war could last longer than initially thought.
2003 – Iraqi state television showed two men said to have been the U.S. crew of an Apache helicopter forced down during heavy fighting in central Iraq. Chief Warrant Officer David Williams and Chief Warrant Officer Ronald D. Young Junior spent three weeks in captivity before they were released along with five other POWs.
2004 – A NASA unpiloted X-43A jet, part of its Hyper-X program, reached a record speed of 5,200 mph, Mach 6.83, after a rocket boosted it to 3,500 mph. It used a new engine called a supersonic-combustion ramjet, or scramjet.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*PETERS, GEORGE J.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company G, 507th Parachute Infantry, 17th Airborne Division. Place and date: Near Fluren, Germany, 24 March 1945. Entered service at: Cranston, R.I. Birth: Cranston, R.I. G.O. No.: 16, 8 February 1946. Citation: Pvt. Peters, a platoon radio operator with Company G, made a descent into Germany near Fluren, east of the Rhine. With 10 others, he landed in a field about 75 yards from a German machinegun supported by riflemen, and was immediately pinned down by heavy, direct fire. The position of the small unit seemed hopeless with men struggling to free themselves of their parachutes in a hail of bullets that cut them off from their nearby equipment bundles, when Pvt. Peters stood up without orders and began a l-man charge against the hostile emplacement armed only with a rifle and grenades. His single-handed assault immediately drew the enemy fire away from his comrades. He had run halfway to his objective, pitting rifle fire against that of the machinegun, when he was struck and knocked to the ground by a burst. Heroically, he regained his feet and struggled onward. Once more he was torn by bullets, and this time he was unable to rise. With gallant devotion to his self-imposed mission, he crawled directly into the fire that had mortally wounded him until close enough to hurl grenades which knocked out the machinegun, killed 2 of its operators, and drove protecting riflemen from their positions into the safety of a woods. By his intrepidity and supreme sacrifice, Pvt. Peters saved the lives of many of his fellow soldiers and made it possible for them to reach their equipment, organize, and seize their first objective.
*BRYANT, WILLIAM MAUD
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces. Place and date: Long Khanh Province, Republic of Vietnam, 24 March 1969. Entered service at: Detroit, Mich. Born: 16 February 1933, Cochran, Ga. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sfc. Bryant, assigned to Company A, distinguished himself while serving as commanding officer of Civilian Irregular Defense Group Company 321, 2d Battalion, 3d Mobile Strike Force Command, during combat operations. The battalion came under heavy fire and became surrounded by the elements of 3 enemy regiments. Sfc. Bryant displayed extraordinary heroism throughout the succeeding 34 hours of incessant attack as he moved throughout the company position heedless of the intense hostile fire while establishing and improving the defensive perimeter, directing fire during critical phases of the battle, distributing ammunition, assisting the wounded, and providing the leadership and inspirational example of courage to his men. When a helicopter drop of ammunition was made to re-supply the beleaguered force, Sfc. Bryant with complete disregard for his safety ran through the heavy enemy fire to retrieve the scattered ammunition boxes and distributed needed ammunition to his men. During a lull in the intense fighting, Sfc. Bryant led a patrol outside the perimeter to obtain information of the enemy. The patrol came under intense automatic weapons fire and was pinned down. Sfc. Bryant single-handedly repulsed 1 enemy attack on his small force and by his heroic action inspired his men to fight off other assaults. Seeing a wounded enemy soldier some distance from the patrol location, Sfc. Bryant crawled forward alone under heavy fire to retrieve the soldier for intelligence purposes. Finding that the enemy soldier had expired, Sfc. Bryant crawled back to his patrol and led his men back to the company position where he again took command of the defense. As the siege continued, Sfc. Bryant organized and led a patrol in a daring attempt to break through the enemy encirclement. The patrol had advanced some 200 meters by heavy fighting when it was pinned down by the intense automatic weapons fire from heavily fortified bunkers and Sfc. Bryant was severely wounded. Despite his wounds he rallied his men, called for helicopter gunship support, and directed heavy suppressive fire upon the enemy positions. Following the last gunship attack, Sfc. Bryant fearlessly charged an enemy automatic weapons position, overrunning it, and single-handedly destroying its 3 defenders. Inspired by his heroic example, his men renewed their attack on the entrenched enemy. While regrouping his small force for the final assault against the enemy, Sfc. Bryant fell mortally wounded by an enemy rocket. Sfc. Bryant's selfless concern for his comrades, at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*COKER, RONALD L.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company M, 3d Battalion, 3d Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 24 March 1969. Entered service at: Denver, Colo. Born: 9 August 1947, Alliance, Colo. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with Company M in action against enemy forces. While serving as point man for the 2d Platoon, Pfc. Coker was leading his patrol when he encountered 5 enemy soldiers on a narrow jungle trail. Pfc. Coker's squad aggressively pursued them to a cave. As the squad neared the cave, it came under intense hostile fire, seriously wounding 1 marine and forcing the others to take cover. Observing the wounded man lying exposed to continuous enemy fire, Pfc. Coker disregarded his safety and moved across the fire-swept terrain toward his companion. Although wounded by enemy small-arms fire, he continued to crawl across the hazardous area and skillfully threw a hand grenade into the enemy positions, suppressing the hostile fire sufficiently to enable him to reach the wounded man. As he began to drag his injured comrade toward safety, a grenade landed on the wounded marine. Unhesitatingly, Pfc. Coker grasped it with both hands and turned away from his wounded companion, but before he could dispose of the grenade it exploded. Severely wounded, but undaunted, he refused to abandon his comrade. As he moved toward friendly lines, 2 more enemy grenades exploded near him, inflicting still further injuries. Concerned only for the safety of his comrade, Pfc. Coker, with supreme effort continued to crawl and pull the wounded marine with him. His heroic deeds inspired his fellow marines to such aggressive action that the enemy fire was suppressed sufficiently to enable others to reach him and carry him to a relatively safe area where he succumbed to his extensive wounds. Pfc. Coker's indomitable courage, inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
*SINGLETON, WALTER K.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division. Place and date: Gio Linh District, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 24 March 1967. Entered service at: Memphis, Tenn. Born: 7 December 1944, Memphis, Tenn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Singleton's company was conducting combat operations when the lead platoon received intense small arms, automatic weapons, rocket, and mortar fire from a well entrenched enemy force. As the company fought its way forward, the extremely heavy enemy fire caused numerous friendly casualties. Sensing the need for early treatment of the wounded, Sgt. Singleton quickly moved from his relatively safe position in the rear of the foremost point of the advance and made numerous trips through the enemy killing zone to move the injured men out of the danger area. Noting that a large part of the enemy fire was coming from a hedgerow, he seized a machinegun and assaulted the key enemy location, delivering devastating fire as he advanced. He forced his way through the hedgerow directly into the enemy strong point. Although he was mortally wounded, his fearless attack killed 8 of the enemy and drove the remainder from the hedgerow. Sgt. Singleton's bold actions completely disorganized the enemy defense and saved the lives of many of his comrades. His daring initiative selfless devotion to duty and indomitable fighting spirit reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps, and his performance upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for March 24, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
24 March
1934: Maj. Gen. George O. Squire dies in Washington, D.C. Squire was instrumental in the procurement of the Army's first airplane and was chief of the Air Service during World War I.
1939: Jacqueline Cochran used a Beechcraft plane, with Twin Wasp engines, to set a women's national altitude record of 30,052.43 feet over Palm Springs, Calif. (24)
1945: Operation VARSITY. Eighth Air Force sent 1,000 bombers to support an Allied airborne and amphibious assault across the Rhine River. More than 2,000 transports and gliders from the IX Troop Carrier Command dropped two airborne divisions near Wesel, Germany, in daylight. Some 7,000 sorties supported the crossing. Ninth Air Force fighters provided reconnaissance, interdiction, and air support. (4) (21) Nearly 150 B-17s from Fifteenth Air Force, flying from Southern Italy, bombed Berlin for the first time. The aircraft dropped 357 tons of bombs on industrial targets. (24)
1951: KOREAN WAR. Far East Air Forces used an H-19 helicopter for the first time to evacuate wounded troops in Korea. Additionally, 52 C-119s and C-46s dropped an additional 264 tons of supplies to troops at Munsan-ni, because they could not depend on surface lines of communication for supplies. (21) (28)
1965: Alvin S. White and Van Separd broke the world records for weight and speed endurance in the XB-70A bomber. It weighed 534,000 pounds at takeoff, flew at a supersonic speed for 80 minutes, and cruised at a top speed of 1,400 MPH. (3) The Titan II completed its first operational test launch from Vandenberg AFB successfully. (5)
1970: Tyndall AFB completed the first launching of a BOMARC B guided missile, using the new BUIC computerized command and control equipment. (16)
1971: In the first operational test of Minuteman III, missile crews and maintenance technicians assigned to the 91 SMW at Minot AFB launched a missile from Vandenberg AFB. (1) (6)
1977: TAC's 552d Airborne Warning and Control System Wing at Tinker AFB received the first production E-3A AWACS aircraft. (12) (20)
1982: USAFE acquired Comiso Air Station, Sicily, for the ground-launched cruise missile. (16) (26)
1992: Last USAF fighter aircraft to be stationed in Spain left the country. They had served in Spain for 26 years. (16) (26) The US signed the Open Skies Treaty along with 24 other nations. The treaty permitted unarmed aerial reconnaissance flights over any member country. (16) (26)
1995: The last Atlas E missile launched a satellite from Vandenberg AFB into a polar orbit. (16) (26)
1998: An F-15E successfully launched a live AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile above Edwards AFB, Calif., to complete the aircraft's Suite 3 avionics upgrades for an air-to-air and air-to-ground capability. (3)
1999: Operation ALLIED FORCE/NOBLE ANVIL/PHOENIX DUKE II. To prevent the forced eviction and genocide of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo, NATO launched this operation against Serbia in the former Yugoslavian Republic. It was exclusively an air campaign and NATO's first combat operation against a sovereign nation. The U.S. named its part of the Operation NOBLE ANVIL. Additionally, the USAF used the B-2 for the first time in combat, while F-15 pilots shot down two MiG-29s on the first day of combat. Under Operation PHOENIX DUKE II, Air Mobility Command's role in the operation preceded the bombing and continued afterward. From 18 February when the first airlift mission was flown, through 3 July when the tanker redeployment came to an end, Air Mobility Command flew 2,130 airlift missions to transport 32,111 passengers and 52,645 short tons of cargo. In the air campaign, which ended on 9 June, KC-10s and KC-135s flew 9,001 missions to deliver 348.5 million pounds of fuel to receiving aircraft. KC-135 Stratotankers and crews from the Hawaii ANG's 203 AREFS, on a previously scheduled deployment to France, participated in the operations. Air Mobility Command's last air refueling aircraft returned to the US on 20 July, while the final airlift missions finished on 26 July. (21) (22) (32)
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SkipsList" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to skipslist+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skipslist/CACTjsm1nOY-nbA%2BMDnM4SkSUFF3gxDNDxNg7iAFOpzMhKnjR0A%40mail.gmail.com.
