7598
Good Saturday morning July 18 2026 .The Heat wave is still here and heating
up 85 by 2 and staying into the 80s until 6 or so.
Take care of yourselves where ever you are. I apologize for being late today
and will let you know why when things get sorted out.
Regards,
skip
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History July 18
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/. Go here
to see the director's corner for all 100 H-Grams
July 18
1779 In the largest prize value of the American Revolution, Commodore
Abraham Whipples squadron consisting of Continental frigates Providence,
Queen of France and sloop Ranger, captures 11 British prizes off the
Newfoundland Banks sailing from Jamaica. The cargoes are worth more than $1
million.
1792 Continental Navy Capt. John Paul Jones dies in Paris, France. A legend
during the American Revolution, Jones argues for Congress establishing a
United States Navy. When it fails to do so, the unemployed captain found
work as a rear admiral in the Russian navy for a couple of years, but
eventually returns to France, where he dies. More than a century later, his
body is discovered, exhumed, brought back to the United States under huge
fanfare and reburied in a magnificent sarcophagus at the United States Naval
Academy.
1813 During the War of 1812, the frigate, USS President, commanded by John
Rodgers, sinks the British brig, HMS Daphne, off the Irish coast. In the
next few weeks, she engages three more vessels. USS President captures the
ship, HMS Eliza Swan July 24, burns the brig, HMS Alert, on July 29, and
captures the bark Lion on Aug. 2.
1921 U.S. Army and U.S. Navy aircraft sink the ex-German cruiser,
Frankfurt, in target practice as part of General Billy Mitchell's aerial
bombing demonstration.
1943 German submarine (U 134) shoots down (K 47), the first and only U.S.
airship lost during WW II, in the Fla. straits. In Aug. 1943, (U 134) is
sunk by British aircraft near Vigo, Spain.
1966 Gemini 10 is launched with Lt. Cmdr. John L. Young as command pilot and
Michael Collins is the pilot. The mission entails 43 orbits at an altitude
of 412.2 nautical miles and lasts two days, 22 hours, and 46 minutes.
1981 USS Dallas (SSN 700) is commissioned at Groton, Conn., her first
homeport. The Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine is the
first to be built with an all-digital fire control and sonar system.
1992 USS Shiloh (CG 67) is commissioned at Bath, Maine. The 21st
Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser is the named after the Civil War
Battle of Shiloh.
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Today in World History July 18
1789 Robespierre, a deputy from Arras, France, decides to back the French
Revolution.
1812 Great Britain signs the Treaty of Orebro, making peace with Russia
and Sweden.
1830 Uruguay adopts a liberal constitution.
1861 Union and Confederate troops skirmish at Blackburn's Ford, Virginia,
in a prelude to the Battle of Bull Run.
1877 Inventor Thomas Edison records the human voice for the first time.
1872 The Ballot Act is passed in Great Britain, providing for secret
election ballots.
1935 Ethiopian King Haile Selassie urges his countrymen to fight to the
last man against the invading Italian army.
1936 General Francisco Franco of Spain revolts against the Republican
government, starting the Spanish Civil War.
1942 The German Me-262, the first jet-propelled aircraft to fly in
combat, makes its first flight.
1971 New Zealand and Australia announce they will pull their troops out
of Vietnam.
1994 In Buenos Aires, a massive car bomb kills 96 people.
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Rollingthunderremembered.com .
July 17
Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear
Links to all content can now be found right on the homepage
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com. If you scroll down from the banner
and featured content you will find "Today in Rolling Thunder Remembered
History" which highlights events in the Vietnam war that occurred on the
date the page is visited. Below that are links to browse or search all
content. You may search by keyword(s), date, or date range.
An item of importance is the recent incorporation of Task Force Omega (TFO)
MIA summaries. There is a link on the homepage and you can also visit
directly via https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/task-force-omega/.
There are 60 summaries posted thus far, with about 940 to go (not a typo-TFO
has over 1,000 individual case files).
.
Thanks to Micro
To remind folks that these are from the Vietnam Air Losses site that Micro
put together. You click on the url below and get what happened each day to
the crew of the aircraft. ..Skip
For Thursday July 18
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. These are great. I have four granddaughters and the two oldest have lived
with us for most of their lives. They both are outstanding students and
fantastic Lacrosse players. The oldest is starting her junior year on an
academic scholarship and will continue to play Lacrosse and the other one
will be starting her freshman year this fall also on a Lacrosse scholarship
. The other two live in Idaho and are both very athletic and very smart.
One was the state champion in gymnastics for four years in a row and the
other is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Thanks to Boysie ... and Dr. Rich
Grandparent Jokes
How grandchildren perceive their grandparents
1. I was in the bathroom, putting on my makeup, under the watchful eyes of
my young granddaughter, as I'd done many times before. After I applied my
lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Grandma, you forgot
to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" I will probably never put lipstick on
again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye....
2. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He
asked me how old I was, and I told him, 72. My grandson was quiet for a
moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"
3. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old
slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the
children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin.
Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room,
putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she
heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"
4. A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood
was like. "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a
tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked
wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this
all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"
5. My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how
you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo and I said, "No, how are
we alike?'' "You're both old," he replied.
6. A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word
processor. She told him she was writing a story.
"What's it about?" he asked.
"I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."
7. I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I
decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was.
She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued.
At last, she headed for the door, saying, "Grandma, I really think you
should try to figure out some of these colors yourself!"
8. When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the
lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects.
Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy
whispered, "It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with
flashlights."
9. When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not
sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised "Mine says I'm 4 to 6."
(WOW! I really like this one -- it says I'm only '38'!)
10. A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother,
"Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother,
more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting."
she said. "How do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You
just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."
11. Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a
teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant."
The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant
means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. 'It means
carrying a child."
12. A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day
when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck
was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.
"They use him to keep crowds back," said one child.
"No," said another. "He's just for good luck."
A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs," she said
firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."
13. A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. "Oh," he said, "she
lives at the airport, and whenever we want her, we just go get her. Then,
when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport."
14. Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things, but I
don't get to see him enough to get as smart as him!
15. My Grandparents are funny, when they bend over, you hear gas leaks and
they blame their dog.
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From the archives for a Saturday
.
This is a repeat but today is brain teaser day to keep your brain sharp.
Lets see if you remember from last year.
Thanks to Al. A bunch of relaxing brain teasers.
Submitted by Sam Craig:
Quiz 1
This is a quiz for people who know everything! I found out in a hurry that
I didn't. These are not trick questions. They are straight questions with
straight answers.
Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know
the score or the leader until the contest ends.
What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several
growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What
are the only two perennial vegetables?
What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the
bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't
been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?
Only three words in standard English begin with the letters 'dw' and they
are all common words. Name two of them.
There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least
half of them?
Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned,
processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.
Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the
letter 'S.'
Submitted by Diane Laos:
Quiz 2
These simple little questions are harder than you think; it just shows you
how little we pay attention to the common place things of life. Put your
thinking caps on. Mind teasers of common knowledge. No cheating. No
looking around, Can you beat 22? (The average is 7) Write down your
answers and check answers (below) after completing all the questions.
On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom?
How many states are there? (Don't laugh, some people don't know) In which
hand is the Statue of Liberty's torch?
What six colors are on the classic Campbell's soup label?
What two letters don't appear on the telephone dial? (No cheating!) What two
numbers on the telephone dial don't have letters by them?
When you walk does your left arm swing w/your right or left leg?
How many matches are in a standard pack?
On the United States flag is the top stripe red or white?
What is the lowest number on the FM dial?
Which way does water go down the drain, counter or clockwise?
Which way does a "no smoking" sign's slash run?
How many channels on a VHF TV dial?
Which side of a women's blouse are the buttons on?
On a NY license plate, is New York on the top or bottom?
Which way do fans rotate?
Whose face is on a dime?
How many sides does a stop sign have?
Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left side?
How many lug nuts are on a standard car wheel?
How many sides are there on a standard pencil?
Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who's missing?
How many hot dog buns are in a standard package?
On which playing card is the card maker's trademark?
On which side of a venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening
between the slats?
On the back of a $1 bill, what is in the center?
There are 12 buttons on a touch tone phone. What 2 symbols bear no digits?
How many curves are there in the standard paper clip?
Does a merry-go-round turn counter or clockwise?
Trivial stuff to spice your conversation in 2001:
Debra Winger was the voice of E.T.
Pearls melt in vinegar.
It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year's
supply of footballs.
Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are
already married.
The 3 most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca-Cola, and
Budweiser, in that order.
It's possible to lead a cow up stairs...but not down stairs.
Humans are the only primates that don't have pigment in the palms of their
hands.
Ten percent of the Russian government's income comes from the sale of vodka.
The sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog," uses every
letter in the alphabet. (Developed by Western Union to test communications)
The only 15-letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is
uncopyrightable. Stewardesses is the longest word that is typed with only
the left hand.
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, and
purple.
"I am" is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.
A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of when the
engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor
and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.
The airplane Buddy Holly died in was the "American Pie." (Thus the name of
the Don McLean song.)
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history.
Spades - King David; Clubs - Alexander the Great; Hearts - Charlemagne; and
Diamonds - Julius Caesar.
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321 Clans of long ago that
wanted to get rid of their unwanted people without killing them used to burn
their houses down-hence the expression to "get fired."
Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th: John
Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the
last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.
Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks
like it's kissing the conveyor belt.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
The longest recorded flight of a chicken is thirteen seconds.
The name Jeep came from the abbreviation used in the army for the "General
Purpose" vehicle, G.P.
The highest point in Pennsylvania is lower than the lowest point in
Colorado.
Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously.
If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19.
You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to
make change for a dollar.
The only two days of the year in which there are no professional sports
games (MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL) are the day before and the day after the Major
League All-Star Game.
Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.
If you put a raisin in a glass of champagne, it will keep floating to the
top and sinking to the bottom.
Snails can sleep for 3 years without eating.
Actor Tommy Lee Jones and Vice-president Al Gore were freshman roommates at
Harvard.
The fingerprints of koala bears are virtually indistinguishable from those
of humans, so much so that they could be confused at a crime scene.
Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."
The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one mile in every five must
be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war
or other emergencies. (this one has some controversy on if it is true or
not) There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
Submitted by Jerry McClellan:
Seventeen lines to make you smile.
My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was god
and I didn't.
I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.
Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
Don't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive.
You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me Beauty is in the eye
of the beer holder.
I'm not a complete idiot -- Some parts are just missing.
Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.
Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.
Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?
Being 'over the hill' is much better than being under it!
Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew up.
Procrastinate Now!
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!
I smile because I don't know what the hell is going on.
Submitted by J.T. Strong:
If you are choking on an ice cube simply pour a cup of boiling water down
your throat. The blockage will instantly remove itself.
Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to
hold while you chop.
Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the
sink.
For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few
minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.
A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from
rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be
afraid to cough.
You only need two tools in life - WD40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move
and should, use the WD40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
Some people are like Slinkies. They're not really good for anything, but
they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
Answers to Quiz 1:
The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the
score or the leader until the contest ends: Boxing.
2. North American landmark constantly moving backward: Niagara Falls.
(The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the
millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.) Only two
vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing
seasons: Asparagus and rhubarb.
The fruit with its seeds on the outside: Strawberry.
How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle.
The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in
place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing
season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.
Three English words beginning with dw: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle...
Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar: Period, comma, colon,
semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point,
quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or
in any other form but fresh: Lettuce.
Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with 'S': Shoes,
socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings,
stilts.
Answers to Quiz 2
1. Bottom
2. 50 (please tell me you got this one!) 3. Right 4. Blue, red, white,
yellow, black, & gold 5. Q, Z 6. 1, 0 7. Right 8. 20 9. Red 10. 88 11.
Counter (north of the equator) 12. Towards bottom right 13. 12 (no #1) 14.
Left 15. Top 16. Clockwise as you look at it 17. Roosevelt 18. 8 19.
Left 20. 5 21. 6 22. Bashful 23. 8 24. Did you notice there wasn't one?
25. Ace of spades
26. Left
27. ONE
28. *, #
29. 3
30. Counter
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Our Yearly Dementia Test
It's that time of year for us to take our annual senior citizen test.
Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As we grow
older, it's important to keep mentally alert. If you don't use it, you lose
it!
Below is a very private way to gauge how your memory compares to the last
test. Some may think it is too easy but the ones with memory problems may
have difficulty.
Take the test presented here to determine if you're losing it or not.
The spaces below are so you don't see the answers until you've made your
answer.
OK, relax, clear your mind and begin.
1. What do you put in a toaster?
Answer : 'bread.' If you said 'toast' give up now and do something else..
Try not to hurt yourself.
If you said, bread, go to Question 2.
2. Say 'silk' five times. Now spell 'silk.' What do cows drink?
Answer : Cows drink water. If you said 'milk,' don't attempt the next
question. Your brain is over-stressed and may even overheat. Content
yourself with reading more appropriate literature such as Auto World.
However, if you said 'water', proceed to question 3.
3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue
bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made
from black bricks, what is a green house made from?
Answer : Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said 'green bricks,' why
are you still reading these??? If you said 'glass,' go on to Question 4.
4. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to
Milford Haven in Wales . In London , 17 people get on the bus.
In Reading , 6 people get off the bus and 9 people get on.
In Swindon , 2 people get off and 4 get on.
In Cardiff , 11 people get off and 16 people get on.
In Swansea , 3 people get off and 5 people get on.
In Carmathen, 6 people get off and 3 get on.
You then arrive at Milford Haven ..
Without scrolling back to review, how old is the bus driver?
Answer : Oh, for crying out loud!
Don't you remember your own age?
It was YOU driving the bus!!
cid:part2.05020407.08090901@hounddog.org
If you pass this along to your friends, pray they do better than you.
PS: 95% of people fail most of the questions!!
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This Day in U S Military History...July 18
1792 - American naval hero John Paul Jones died in Paris at age 45. His body
was preserved in rum in case the American government wished him back. In
1905 his body was transported to the US and placed in a crypt in Annapolis.
1863 - Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and 272 of his troops are killed in an
assault on Fort Wagner, near Charleston, South Carolina. Shaw was commander
of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, perhaps the most famous regiment of
African-American troops during the war. Fort Wagner stood on Morris Island,
guarding the approach to Charleston harbor. It was a massive earthwork, 600
feet wide and made from sand piled 30 feet high. The only approach to the
fort was across a narrow stretch of beach bounded by the Atlantic on one
side and a swampy marshland on the other. Union General Quincy Gillmore
headed an operation in July 1863 to take the island and seal the approach to
Charleston. Shaw and his 54th Massachusetts were chosen to lead the attack
of July 18. Shaw was the scion of an abolitionist family and a veteran of
the 1862 Shenandoah Valley and Antietam campaigns. The regiment included two
sons of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the grandson of author and poet
Sojourner Truth. Union artillery battered Fort Wagner all day on July 18,
but the barrage did little damage to the fort and its garrison. At 7:45
p.m., the attack commenced. Yankee troops had to march 1,200 yards down the
beach to the stronghold, facing a hail of bullets from the Confederates.
Shaw's troops and other Union regiments penetrated the walls at two points
but did not have sufficient numbers to take the fort. Over 1,500 Union
troops fell or were captured to the Confederates' 222. Despite the failure,
the battle proved that African-American forces could not only hold their own
but also excel in battle.
1942 - The German Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe, the first jet-propelled
aircraft to fly in combat, made its first flight. Walter Nowotny was a
rising young star in the Luftwaffe, chosen by Hitler to be the point man to
lead the new jet fighter under the tutelage of General of Fighters Adolf
Galland who was assigned to prove the airplane in battle. The Axis hopes
were dashed when Nowotny was attacked by American pilots during landing and
crashed. Col. Edward R. "Buddy" Haydon was one of those American pilots.
1943 - German submarine shoots down K-47, the first and only U.S. airship
lost during WW II.
1943 - An aircraft carrying the Commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet,
Admiral Yamamoto, is shot down by P-38 Lighting fighters over Bougainville.
Yamamoto is killed. This action is the result the interception of a coded
Japanese message announcing a visit by Yamamoto. The Japanese fail to deduce
that their codes are insecure.
1944 - Two Guard divisions, the 29th (DC, MD, VA) and the 35th (KS, MO, NE)
both claim credit for the final capture of the vital crossroads city of St.
Lo from the Nazis. According to the D-Day plan, St. Lo was supposed to be
secured ten days after D-Day. But due to stubborn German resistance using
each Norman hedgerow as a defensive fighting position, it took 42 days to
take the city. During the 35th Division's approach, Nebraska Guardsman First
Lieutenant Francis Greenlief, of Company L, 134th Infantry (NE), was awarded
the Silver Star for capturing an enemy machine gun nest single-handedly. In
1971 Major General Greenlief was appointed by President Richard Nixon as the
Chief, National Guard Bureau. Another Guard soldier was to gain fame on the
approach to St. Lo, but in a different way. Virginian Major Thomas Howie,
the popular commander of the 2nd Battalion, 116th Infantry (VA), told his
officers in a meeting on the edge of the city "I'll see you in St. Lo!" and
then was killed by a mortar fragment. When the division commander heard the
story he instructed that Howie's body be transported with the lead elements
when they moved into the city. His body was placed on a stretcher and draped
with an American flag and placed on the ruins of the Ste. Croix Church in
the center of the city. A passing New York Times reporter heard the story
and wrote a moving tribute entitled "The Major of St. Lo" but could not
identify Howie by name due to security. The story was picked up by
newspapers across the nation and the "Major" came to represent all the men
killed in the Normandy campaign to liberate France. To honor these men
today, Nebraska has the "Major General Francis Greenlief Training Site" in
Hastings and the "Major Thomas Howie Memorial Armory" is in his hometown of
Staunton, VA.
1945 - Captured German mines explode accidentally, destroying an American
Red Cross club in Italy and killing 36 people.
1945 - Aircraft from the American carrier Wasp attack Japanese positions on
Wake Island.
1945 - The battleship Nagato, which has been reduced to service as a
floating antiaircraft battery, is damaged by American planes at Yokosuka.
Allied air and naval forces strike numerous other targets in the Tokyo area
and encounter almost no opposition.
1947 - President Truman signed the Presidential Succession Act, which placed
the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tempore next in the
line of succession after the vice president.
1966 - Launch of Gemini 10 with LCDR John W. Young, USN as Command Pilot.
Mission involved 43 orbits at an altitude of 412.2 nautical miles and lasted
2 days, 22 hours, and 46 minutes. Recovery was by HS-3 helicopter from USS
Guadalcanal (LPH-7).
1973 - Task Force 78, Mine Countermeasures Force, departs waters of North
Vietnam after completing their minesweeping operations of 1,992 tow hours
for the cost of $20,394,000.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
CARNEY, WILLIAM H.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 54th Massachusetts Colored
Infantry. Place and date: At Fort Wagner, S.C., 18 July 1863. Entered
service at: New Bedford, Mass. Birth: Norfolk, Va. Date of issue: 23 May
1900. Citation: When the color sergeant was shot down, this soldier grasped
the flag, led the way to the parapet, and planted the colors thereon. When
the troops fell back he brought off the flag, under a fierce fire in which
he was twice severely wounded.
CROSS, JAMES E.
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company K, 12th New York Infantry. Place
and date: At Blackburns Ford, Va., 18 July 1861. Entered service at: --.
Birth: Darien, N.Y. Date of issue: 5 April 1898. Citation: With a companion,
refused to retreat when the part of the regiment to which he was attached
was driven back in disorder, but remained upon the skirmish line for some
time thereafter, firing upon the enemy.
HIBSON, JOSEPH C.
Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 48th New York Infantry. Place and
date: Near Fort Wagner, S.C., 13 July 1863, Near Fort Wagner, S.C., 14 July
1863; Near Fort Wagner, S.C., 18 July 1863. Entered service at: New York,
N.Y. Birth: England. Date of issue: 23 October 1897. Citation: While
voluntarily performing picket duty under fire on 13 July 1863, was attacked
and his surrender demanded, but he killed his assailant. The day following
responded to a call for a volunteer to reconnoiter the enemy's position, and
went within the enemy's lines under fire and was exposed to great danger. On
18 July voluntarily exposed himself with great gallantry during an assault,
and received 3 wounds that permanently disabled him for active service.
RAND, CHARLES F.
Rank and organization: Private, Company K, 12th New York Infantry. Place and
date: At Blackburns Ford, Va., 18 July 1861. Entered service at: Batavia,
N.Y. Birth: Batavia, N.Y. Date of issue: 23 October 1897. Citation: Remained
in action when a part of his regiment broke in disorder, joined another
company, and fought with it through the remainder of the engagement.
CUKELA, LOUIS (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th
Regiment. Place and date: Near Villers-Cotterets, France, 18 July 1918.
Entered service at: Minneapolis, Minn. Born: 1 May 1888, Sebenes, Austria.
G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. (Also received Navy Medal of Honor.) Citation:
When his company, advancing through a wood, met with strong resistance from
an enemy strong point, Sgt. Cukela crawled out from the flank and made his
way toward the German lines in the face of heavy fire, disregarding the
warnings of his comrades. He succeeded in getting behind the enemy position
and rushed a machinegun emplacement, killing or driving off the crew with
his bayonet. With German handgrenades he then bombed out the remaining
portion of the strong point, capturing 4 men and 2 damaged machineguns.
CUKELA, LOUIS (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th
Regiment. Born: 1 May 1888, Sebenes, Austria. Accredited to: Minnesota.
(Also received Army Medal of Honor.) Citation: For extraordinary heroism
while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment, during action in the
Forest de Retz, near Viller-Cottertes, France, 18 July 1918. Sgt. Cukela
advanced alone against an enemy strong point that was holding up his line.
Disregarding the warnings of his comrades, he crawled out from the flank in
the face of heavy fire and worked his way to the rear of the enemy position.
Rushing a machinegun emplacement, he killed or drove off the crew with his
bayonet, bombed out the remaining part of the strong point with German
handgrenades and captured 2 machineguns and 4 men.
*DILBOY, GEORGE
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company H, 103d
Infantry, 26th Division. Place and date: Near Belleau, France, 18 July 1918.
Entered service at: Keene, N.H. Birth: Greece. G.O. No.: 13, W.D., 1919.
Citation: After his platoon had gained its objective along a railroad
embankment, Pfc. Dilboy, accompanying his platoon leader to reconnoiter the
ground beyond, was suddenly fired upon by an enemy machinegun from 100
yards. From a standing position on the railroad track, fully exposed to
view, he opened fire at once, but failing to silence the gun, rushed forward
with his bayonet fixed, through a wheat field toward the gun emplacement,
falling within 25 yards of the gun with his right leg nearly severed above
the knee and with several bullet holes in his body. With undaunted courage
he continued to fire into the emplacement from a prone position, killing 2
of the enemy and dispersing the rest of the crew.
EDWARDS, DANIEL R.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 3d Machine
Gun Battalion, 1st Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18 July
1918. Entered service at: Bruceville, Tex. Born: 9 April 1897, Moorville,
Tex. G.O. No.: 14, W.D., 1923. Citation: Reporting for duty from hospital
where he had been for several weeks under treatment for numerous and serious
wounds and although suffering intense pain from a shattered arm, he crawled
alone into an enemy trench for the purpose of capturing or killing enemy
soldiers known to be concealed therein. He killed 4 of the men and took the
remaining 4 men prisoners; while conducting them to the rear one of the
enemy was killed by a high explosive enemy shell which also completely
shattered 1 of Pfc. Edwards' legs, causing him to be immediately evacuated
to the hospital. The bravery of Pfc. Edwards, now a tradition in his
battalion because of his previous gallant acts, again caused the morale of
his comrades to be raised to high pitch.
*KOCAK, MATEJ (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th
Regiment, 2d Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18 July 1918.
Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Born: 31 December 1882, Gbely (Slovakia),
Austria. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. (Also received Navy Medal of Honor.)
Citation: When the advance of his battalion was checked by a hidden
machinegun nest, he went forward alone, unprotected by covering fire from
his own men, and worked in between the German positions in the face of fire
from enemy covering detachments. Locating the machinegun nest, he rushed it
and with his bayonet drove off the crew. Shortly after this he organized 25
French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led
them in attacking another machinegun nest, which was also put out of action.
*KOCAK, MATEJ (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 31 December 1882,
Gbely (Slovakia), Austria. Accredited to: New York. ( Also received Army
Medal of Honor. ) Citation: For extraordinary heroism while serving with the
66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes
section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When a hidden machinegun
nest halted the advance of his battalion, Sgt. Kocak went forward alone
unprotected by covering fire and worked his way in between the German
positions in the face of heavy enemy fire. Rushing the enemy position with
his bayonet, he drove off the crew. Later the same day, Sgt. Kocak organized
French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led
them in an attack on another machinegun nest which was also put out of
action.
*EVANS, RODNEY J.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th
Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Tay Ninh Province, Republic
of Vietnam, 18 July 1969. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 17 July
1948, Chelsea, Mass. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in
action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Evans
distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism while serving as a squad
leader in a reconnaissance sweep through heavy vegetation to reconnoiter a
strong enemy position. As the force approached a well-defined trail, the
platoon scout warned that the trail was booby-trapped. Sgt. Evans led his
squad on a route parallel to the trail. The force had started to move
forward when a nearby squad was hit by the blast of a concealed mine.
Looking to his right Sgt. Evans saw a second enemy device. With complete
disregard for his safety he shouted a warning to his men, dived to the
ground and crawled toward the mine. Just as he reached it an enemy soldier
detonated the explosive and Sgt. Evans absorbed the full impact with his
body. His gallant and selfless action saved his comrades from probable death
or injury and served as an inspiration to his entire unit. Sgt. Evans'
gallantry in action at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself,
his unit, and the U.S. Army.
McGINTY, JOHN J. III
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant (then S/Sgt.), U.S. Marine Corps,
Company K, 3d Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division, Fleet Marine
Force. place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 18 July 1966. Entered service
at: Laurel Bay, S.C. Born: 2 1 January 1940, Boston, Mass. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty. 2d Lt. McGinty's platoon, which was providing rear
security to protect the withdrawal of the battalion from a position which
had been under attack for 3 days, came under heavy small arms, automatic
weapons and mortar fire from an estimated enemy regiment. With each
successive human wave which assaulted his 32-man platoon during the 4-hour
battle, 2d Lt. McGinty rallied his men to beat off the enemy. In 1 bitter
assault, 2 of the squads became separated from the remainder of the platoon.
With complete disregard for his safety, 2d Lt. McGinty charged through
intense automatic weapons and mortar fire to their position. Finding 20 men
wounded and the medical corpsman killed, he quickly reloaded ammunition
magazines and weapons for the wounded men and directed their fire upon the
enemy. Although he was painfully wounded as he moved to care for the
disabled men, he continued to shout encouragement to his troops and to
direct their fire so effectively that the attacking hordes were beaten off.
When the enemy tried to out-flank his position, he killed 5 of them at
point-blank range with his pistol. When they again seemed on the verge of
overrunning the small force, he skillfully adjusted artillery and air
strikes within 50 yards of his position. This destructive firepower routed
the enemy, who left an estimated 500 bodies on the battlefield. 2d Lt.
McGinty's personal heroism, indomitable leadership, selfless devotion to
duty, and bold fighting spirit inspired his men to resist the repeated
attacks by a fanatical enemy, reflected great credit upon himself, and
upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval
Service.
MODRZEJEWSKI, ROBERT J.
Rank and organization: Major (then Capt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company K, 3d
Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division, FMF. place and date: Republic of
Vietnam, 15 to 18 July 1966. Entered service at: Milwaukee, Wis. Born: 3
July 1934, Milwaukee, Wis. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On 15
July, during Operation HASTINGS, Company K was landed in an enemy-infested
jungle area to establish a blocking position at a major enemy trail network.
Shortly after landing, the company encountered a reinforced enemy platoon in
a well-organized, defensive position. Maj. Modrzejewski led his men in the
successful seizure of the enemy redoubt, which contained large quantities of
ammunition and supplies. That evening, a numerically superior enemy force
counterattacked in an effort to retake the vital supply area, thus setting
the pattern of activity for the next 2 1/2 days. In the first series of
attacks, the enemy assaulted repeatedly in overwhelming numbers but each
time was repulsed by the gallant marines. The second night, the enemy struck
in battalion strength, and Maj. Modrzejewski was wounded in this intensive
action which was fought at close quarters. Although exposed to enemy fire,
and despite his painful wounds, he crawled 200 meters to provide critically
needed ammunition to an exposed element of his command and was constantly
present wherever the fighting was heaviest, despite numerous casualties, a
dwindling supply of ammunition and the knowledge that they were surrounded,
he skillfully directed artillery fire to within a few meter* of his position
and courageously inspired the efforts of his company in repelling the
aggressive enemy attack. On 18 July, Company K was attacked by a
regimental-size enemy force. Although his unit was vastly outnumbered and
weakened by the previous fighting, Maj. Modrzejewski reorganized his men and
calmly moved among them to encourage and direct their efforts to heroic
limits as they fought to overcome the vicious enemy onslaught. Again he
called in air and artillery strikes at close range with devastating effect
on the enemy, which together with the bold and determined fighting of the
men of Company K, repulsed the fanatical attack of the larger North
Vietnamese force. His unparalleled personal heroism and indomitable
leadership inspired his men to a significant victory over the enemy force
and reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps, and the U.S.
Naval Service.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 18, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE
INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
18 July
1909: American Louis Paulhan set an FAI altitude record of 492 feet in a
Voisin airplane at Dounais, France. (9)
1916: The Secretary of the Navy created allowances for flight clothes. (24)
1943: A German sub shot down the Navy's K-74 Airship off the coast of
Florida. It was the only airship lost to enemy action in the war. (24)
1946: Formal jet transition training course established at Williams Field
with P-80 Shooting Stars.
1950: KOREAN WAR. The 19 BG began modifying a few B-29s to use radio-guided
(Razon) bombs to bomb bridges accurately. (28)
1958: The USAF awarded a contract to North American's Autonetics Division to
develop an allinertial guidance system for the Minuteman. (6)
1961: The largest polyethylene balloon manufactured to date, holding 13.5
million cubic feet of helium at peak altitude, launched from Bemidji, Minn.
1962: NASA achieved a record for man-made objects in space when it launched
"Big Shot." This rigidized Echo-type balloon left Cape Canaveral aboard a
Thor missile. When it inflated at 922 miles in altitude, the balloon stood
13-stories tall. (16) (24)
1966: The Air Force's Cambridge Research Laboratory sent up a balloon twice
as large as any previously launched from Holloman AFB. The
456-foot-diameter, 26-million-cubic-foot balloon lifted 1,700 pounds to
130,000 feet to test its equipment in rarified air similar to that of Mars
for the Voyager program. (5) (16) GEMINI X: Through 21 July, a Titan booster
sent Astronauts Cmdr John W. Young (USN) and Maj Michael Collins (USAF) into
space to practice docking with targets. In the first hookup, the astronauts
achieved the longest docking yet, while in the second they retrieved an
object from a passive satellite. Young and Collins splashed down 594 miles
east of Cape Kennedy after 70 hours 47 minutes in space and 43 orbits. They
also set an FAI altitude record of 476 miles. (9) (26)
1967: For the first time, an HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopter was refueled
during a rescue mission. The helicopter was refueled by an HC-130 Hercules.
(18)
1969: NASA and the Air Force decided to conduct a cooperative YF-12 flight
research program. (3)
2002: At McConnell AFB, the Airborne Laser (ABL), a highly-modified Boeing
747-400F, made its first flight. The world's first directed-energy combat
aircraft had a rotating nose turret with a 5- foot diameter telescope to
focus and direct a laser to destroy ballistic missiles in flight. (3)
2006: The eighth and final C-17 (tail no. 05-5153), named the Spirit of
Kamehameha-Imua in honor of Kamehameha the Great, arrived at Hickam AFB to
complete the 15 AW's conversion to an operational strategic airlift wing.
(22)
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
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