To All
. Good Thursday morning May 7. We are supposed to clear up soon and get sunny and forecast to be that way for the next week with temps climbing to the 80s tomorrow and for the next 7 days.
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/
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History May 7
1779 The Continental Navy sloop Providence, captures the British brig Diligent off Sandy Hook and is later acquired for service in the Continental Navy.
1934 The frigate Constitution completes her 3-year tour of 76 port cities along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts and then returns to Boston, Mass. Prior to her journey that began July 1931, the 137-year-old frigate undergoes a refit and overhaul. Congress authorized the restoration of Constitution in March 1925.
1942 The Battle of the Coral Sea resumes as Task Force Seventeen (TF-17) intercepts the Japanese intending to invade Port Moresby, New Guinea marking the first naval battle where aircraft carriers engage each other out of sight from one another.
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Today in World History May 7
558 The dome of the church of St. Sophia in Constantinople collapses. Its immediate rebuilding is ordered by Justinian.
1274 The Second Council of Lyons opens in France to regulate the election of the pope.
1429 Joan of Arc breaks the English siege of Orleans.
1525 The German peasants' revolt is crushed by the ruling class and church.
1763 Indian chief Pontiac begins his attack on a British fort in present-day Detroit, Michigan.
1800 Congress divides the Northwest Territory into two parts. The western part will become the Indiana Territory and the eastern section remains the Northwest Territory.
1824 Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony" premieres in Vienna.
1847 The American Medical Association is formed in Philadelphia.
1862 Confederate troops strike Union troops at the Battle of Eltham's Landing in Virginia.
1864 The Battle of the Wilderness ends with heavy losses to both sides.
1877 Indian chief Sitting Bull enters Canada with a trail of Indians after the Battle of Little Bighorn.
1915 The German submarine U-20 torpedoes the passenger ship Lusitiania, sinking her in 21 minutes with 1,978 people on board.
1937 The German Condor Legion arrives in Spain to assist Francisco Franco's forces.
1942 In the Battle of the Coral Sea, Japanese and American navies attack each other with carrier-launched warplanes. It is the first time in the history of naval warfare where two fleets fought without seeing each other. Two crucial battles in 1942 marked the turning point of the war in the Pacific.
1943 The last major German strongholds in North Africa--Tunis and Bizerte--fall to Allied forces.
1945 Germany signs an unconditional surrender, effectively ending World War II in Europe.
1952 In Korea, Communist POWs at Koje-do riot against their American captors.
1954 French troops surrender to the Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu.
1958 Howard Johnson sets an aircraft altitude record in F-104.
1960 Leonid Brezhnev becomes president of the Soviet Union.
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May 7
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 below and get what happened each day to the crew of the aircraft. ……Skip
For Thursday May 7 ..
May 7: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2867
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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.From the archives
. Thanks to Dr.Rich
Incredible footage from inside Red Arrow as jets soar over cloudy London on King Charles's coronation in here if you are interested. .
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. . Getting the Facts Straight
Truth or Nonsense
"PERCEPTIONS" OF THE TRUTH
A recent poll was conducted by a national polling outfit, "yougov.”
Here are the results to the questions asked of average people on the street:
What percentage of the country is black? Answers 41%. Actual, 14 % and growing due to indiscriminate breeding and the fact that the government pays the Mom to have babies.
What percentage is "Latino?” Answers 39%. Actual numbers 17% but growing with our open borders.
How many families make over $500,000 a year? Answers 26%. Actual figure? 1% (We think a quarter of the country is rich).
What percent of Americans are vegetarians? Response? 30% Actual? 5%.
What percent of Americans live in NY city? Answers? 30% Actual 3%.
What percentage of Americans are 'transgender? 22% Actual number, 1%. (People believe this BS!)
What percentage of your fellow citizens are gay? Result? 30% Actual 3%.
So why do people have such inaccurate perceptions on these counts? THE MEDIA! The media run race, gender, wealth stories constantly. Result? You are being brainwashed by the national left with media. Hitler’s propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels would be proud if he had half the success.
Disney just went full-on "gender" They will no longer welcome guests with the traditional "Welcome ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls" Why? Because 1% of the population dictates to the other 99% (that would be the vast majority) and corporate America falls for it! (aka: Tyranny of the Minority)
Regardless of what you think? Less than 20% of Americans use "twitter", yet twitter controls 80% of public opinion; why? The media.
And about that stat that the MEDIA refuses to ever acknowledge: America is 14% Black. So black men make up about 6% to 6.5% of the population. That small number is responsible for over half the murders annually in America!
Next time you are thinking Americans have changed and not in a good way, remember, it's fake. It's all a lie. Most people think just like you do, but the media has brainwashed Americans with constant broadcasting of "LIES!”
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.From the Archives
. Thanks to Mike
'Dick Rutan was, and will forever be, Misty Four-Zero'
RECORD-SETTING 'VOYAGER' FLIGHT ONLY PART OF HIS STORY
May 6, 2024
By Jim Moore
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A decorated war hero and aviation pioneer, Dick Rutan, who "played an airplane like someone plays a grand piano," in the words of his younger brother, met death on his own terms on May 3, with his wife and family by his side.
Dick Rutan, Vietnam War veteran and U.S. Air Force 'Misty Four-Zero' fighter pilot, speaks to the audience during a dedication ceremony held at the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor on Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, on October 30, 2014. ‘Misty’ pilots reunited for a panel discussion, a book signing event, and the dedication of a restored North American F-100 Super Sabre, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Vietnam War. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Diana Quinlan.Dick Rutan, Vietnam War veteran and U.S. Air Force 'Misty Four-Zero' fighter pilot, speaks to the audience during a dedication ceremony held at the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor on Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, on October 30, 2014. ‘Misty’ pilots reunited for a panel discussion, a book signing event, and the dedication of a restored North American F-100 Super Sabre, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Vietnam War. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Diana Quinlan.
Dick Rutan, Vietnam War veteran and U.S. Air Force 'Misty Four-Zero' fighter pilot, speaks to the audience during a dedication ceremony held at the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor on Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, on October 30, 2014. ‘Misty’ pilots reunited for a panel discussion, a book signing event, and the dedication of a restored North American F-100 Super Sabre, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Vietnam War. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Diana Quinlan.
A life begun 85 years ago in Loma Linda, California, included setting what his family called "the last great aviation record" with the nonstop flight around the world in the Rutan Model 76 Voyager, designed by younger brother Burt Rutan, in 1986. Dick Rutan's life ended on May 3 in a hospital in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, with his family and longtime friend Bill Whittle present. Whittle told the Associated Press that Rutan opted not to endure a second night on oxygen being administered to treat a lung infection.
Rutan flew 325 combat missions in Vietnam, part of an elite group of fighter pilots with the callsign "Misty" and the unenviable assignment of loitering for hours over enemy antiaircraft units, and enemy fire on one occasion forced him to eject from his North American F–100 Super Sabre. A second successful ejection was necessitated by mechanical failure over England. Rutan retired from the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant colonel, having been awarded medals including the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross (twice), and Purple Heart, though he was by no means finished flying.
The Rutan brothers worked together on many projects, including Voyager—Burt designing cutting-edge aircraft in bunches, Dick flying them. On December 14, 1986, Dick Rutan and copilot Jeana Yeager, who helped build the aircraft with the Rutan brothers and crew chief Bruce Evans, launched Voyager from Edwards Air Force Base in California at 8:01:44 a.m. Pacific time, and flew west, nonstop, for nine days, three minutes, and 44 seconds, returning to land at Edwards, shattering the record for unrefueled flight and earning a Presidential Citizens Medal, presented to the two pilots and the aircraft's designer by President Ronald Reagan.
“We had the freedom to pursue a dream, and that’s important,” Dick Rutan said at the ceremony, according to the AP. “And we should never forget, and those that guard our freedoms, that we should hang on to them very tenaciously and be very careful about some do-gooder that thinks that our safety is more important than our freedom. Because freedom is awful difficult to obtain, and it’s even more difficult to regain it once it’s lost.”
Now in the collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Voyager's historic flight nearly ended before it began. Fully loaded with fuel for the first time, the carbon fiber wings drooped and scraped the runway as the aircraft accelerated with painful slowness to flying speed, damaging the winglets.
Burt Rutan, aboard a chase aircraft with Mike Melvill (who would later fly another Rutan design, SpaceShipOne, into space and open the age of civilian space flight), observed the damage and advised his brother and Yeager that the aircraft remained within limits, and the flight could continue.
Aboard Voyager, Rutan had been unable to see the dragging wingtips from the cramped confines of the pilot's seat, and he used more than 14,000 feet of runway before rotating.
“And then, the velvet arm really came in,” Burt Rutan said later, employing an oft-used description of his brother's masterfully smooth technique, according to the AP. “And he very slowly brought the stick back and the wings bent way up, some 30 feet at the wingtips, and it lifted off very smoothly.”
From the family
Dick Rutan's family notified friends of his death in this email, shared with AOPA:
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard Glenn Rutan flew west on Friday, May 3, 2024 at 7:08 PM PDT
The last time Dick Rutan flew towards the western horizon was on December 14, 1986 when he and copilot Jeana Yeager set the last great aviation record by flying around the world, nonstop and unrefueled, in nine days, three minutes and 44 seconds in an aircraft called 'Voyager,' designed by his younger brother, legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan.
A highly decorated Vietnam veteran, Dick Rutan flew 325 combat missions and was awarded the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with three silver oak leaf clusters, the Collier Trophy and was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross—twice.
During his time in the skies over Vietnam, Dick was a member of an elite group of Fast Forward Air Controllers, often loitering over enemy anti-aircraft positions for six hours or more in a single sortie. These extremely hazardous missions had the call sign 'Misty'; Dick Rutan was, and will forever be, Misty Four-Zero.
He spent his last day in the company of friends and family, including his brother, Burt, and passed away peacefully at Kootenai Health Hospital in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in the company of his loving wife of 25 years, Kris Rutan. He is survived by daughters Holly Hogan and Jill Hoffman, and his four grandchildren, Jack, Sean, Noelle, and Haley.
Rutan extended his first stint at the controls for three days before Yaeger took over. The two battled fatigue, and threaded their damaged aircraft around weather that might have shattered the airframe, Rutan having used a slip to side-load the aircraft and deposit the dangling, damaged winglets in the California desert before continuing into history.
The Voyager team won the 1986 Robert J. Collier Trophy, bestowed by the National Aeronautic Association "for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America."
Richard Glenn Rutan joined the Air Force as a teenager, and honed skills (particularly a soft touch with aircraft that needed it) that served him well in his second act as a test pilot—frequently working with his brother on Scaled Composites projects, including a purpose-built race airplane designed by Rutan to take on the warbirds that dominated the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada. The Pond Racer was a Burt Rutan design that Dick Rutan flew during testing ahead of the first trip to Reno in 1991, where AOPA Pilot caught up with the Rutan brothers and their team to report on the project commissioned by Bob Pond, also known as Rutan Model 158.
The twin-boom design was powered by automotive engines converted to run on methanol to reduce the cooling requirements. Rutan, who flew the first test flight on March 22, 1991, later reported that the cramped confines were uncomfortable, "but you don't have to spend much time there, either." Rutan reported minimal adverse yaw and good lateral stability, though pitch stability was marginal—a characteristic the Voyager pilot was accustomed to, aerodynamic instability having been induced by design in both aircraft in the name of performance.
"I thought at first the landings would be tough, but then I realized that you can see the ground coming up to meet the mains. It's a sweetheart," Rutan told AOPA. "This is a long way from Voyager."
The Pond Racer flew to Reno from the Scaled Composites factory, and, flown by Rick Brickert, qualified for the Silver class at 400 mph, though mechanical problems prevented it from starting the race. In 1993, the team returned to Reno, and Brickert flew it during qualifying, when the engine began leaking oil and caught fire. Brickert was killed in the ensuing accident, which the NTSB determined was caused by oil starvation and a connecting rod failure that caused a fuel-fed fire in the right engine.
Dick Rutan was not done testing unique aircraft. In 2005, he set another record in a 10-mile flight in a rocket-powered aircraft launched from Mojave, California, which held the distinction of being the first such aircraft to carry the U.S. mail, according to the AP. In 2014, Rutan took a more general aviation turn, piloting a Cirrus SR22 retrofitted with an eight-cylinder graphite block diesel engine, a mission that Engineered Propulsion Systems celebrated on YouTube. (Melvill, flying a Rutan Long-EZ, was in the chase aircraft that day, also.)
Scaled Composites President Greg Morris told the AP that Dick Rutan was "bigger than life, in every sense of the word." Morris noted of Rutan's achievements, from his service in Vietnam through Voyager, and the other aircraft he flew first, "any one of those contributions would make him a legend in aviation. All of them together, in one person, is just inconceivable."
The 'Voyager' aircraft circles before landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California on December 23, 1986, completing a record-breaking, nonstop unfueled flight around the world. The aircraft's takeoff weight was more than 10 times the structural weight, but its drag was lower than almost any other powered aircraft. The nine-day, three-minute, 44-second flight nearly doubled the previous distance record set in 1962 by a U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52.
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A bit from Nice News
Famous Alcatraz Coyote Swam Twice as Far as Biologists Thought
Tayfun Coskun—Anadolu/Getty Images
ICYMI, earlier this year, a daring coyote made a great escape to Alcatraz Island, the site of the former federal prison in the San Francisco Bay (where he appeared to be doing quite well).
While early reports suggested the coyote swam through roughly 1 mile of notoriously choppy waters from San Francisco, a recent update brings a new twist: DNA analysis of coyote tracks and scat confirmed he actually swam double that distance, 2 miles from Angel Island State Park.
“We have never, ever heard such a story of a coyote making such a long journey in a pretty challenging ocean current,” Camilla Fox, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Project Coyote, told the Associated Press. She added that he likely departed home in search of a mate or new turf to defend.
As for where this strong swimmer is today? The coyote has not been seen since late January, but there’s reason to hope he’s doing just fine. National Park Service wildlife ecologist Bill Merkle noted in a Monday news release: “Coyotes are known to be resilient and adaptable, and he certainly demonstrated those qualities.”
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A COUPLE OF BITS FROM 1440
Need To Know
Tsunami Revisited
A tsunami last year in southeastern Alaska was the second-largest in recorded history, a study published yesterday revealed. Waves reached 1,578 feet high, second only to a 1958 tsunami in Alaska that produced up to 1,720-foot waves.
At 5:26 am on Aug. 10, 2025, a mass of rock measuring 83 million cubic yards—24 times the volume of the Great Pyramid of Giza—fell into Alaska’s Tracy Arm fjord (what is a fjord?). The study’s authors blamed climate change, saying the melting glacier next to the mountain left the rock unsupported and vulnerable to collapse. Waves sloshed in the fjord for days and produced seismic activity equivalent to a 5.4-magnitude earthquake, shaking the planet.
Three cruise ships pass through the fjord daily, but due to the early hour, no one was injured. See animated reconstruction of the event, from the perspective of a hypothetical jet skier
🫶 Humankind: Wedding party makes detour to the hospital after the maid of honor goes into labor hours before the ceremony.
Media Mogul Dies
Ted Turner, the media tycoon who created the 24-hour news cycle when he founded CNN in 1980, died yesterday at age 87.
The Georgia native transformed his late father’s billboard company into the media empire Turner Broadcasting System over roughly three decades. After going into debt buying a struggling local TV station, Turner revolutionized TV by using satellites to beam sports and entertainment nationwide. The station's success gave Turner the momentum to launch CNN, the first network to provide nonstop news coverage. Outlets previously aired updates for 30 to 60 minutes once or twice a day. CNN gained credibility during the Persian Gulf War as the only major Western network reporting from inside Iraq (watch coverage). Today, the network is generally more trusted by Democrats and viewed more skeptically by Republicans
After selling TBS to Time Warner in 1996 for $7.5B, he became a major philanthropist, investing in land conservation and pledging $1B to the United Nations
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A bit of humor from the archives
. Thanks to Boysie ... and Dr.Rich
The Pirate
A pirate walks into a bar and the bartender says, “Hey, where have you been, I haven’t see you in a while. What happened, you look terrible”.
“What do you mean” says the pirate, “I feel fine”.
Bartender: “What about the wooden leg, you didn’t have that before”.
Pirate: “Well we were in a battle, and I got hit by a cannon ball, took off my leg … but I’m fine”.
Bartender: “OK, but what about that hook where you hand was, you didn’t have that before”
Pirate: “We were in another battle, and I boarded the ship, got into a sword fight, and lost my hand. I got this hook and I’m fine now”.
Bartender: “What about they eye patch, you didn’t have that before?”
Pirate: Oh, one day were at sea and a bird flew over. I looked up and the bird shit in my eye”.
Bartender: “You’re kidding, you lost your eye from bird shit”.
Pirate: “It was my first day with the hook”!
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.Thanks to Interesting Facts
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The largest volcano in the solar system, Mars’ Olympus Mons, is more than twice as tall as Mount Everest.
Earth is home to stunning snow-capped mountains that tower over their surrounding landscapes, but none quite compares to Mars’ Olympus Mons. First photographed in detail by NASA’s Mariner 9 probe in 1971, Olympus Mons (Latin for “Mount Olympus”) is nearly 16 miles tall. For comparison, its most famous earthly competitor — Mount Everest — is only about 5.5 miles above sea level. The width of Olympus Mons is just as impressive as its height: Stretching 374 miles across, it’s as big as the entire state of Arizona. Olympus Mons is what’s known as a shield volcano, a type formed as lava slowly spreads out and cools; these volcanoes usually have a low profile and are named for their resemblance to a warrior’s shield.
So how did Olympus Mons get so big? Scientists think a combination of low surface gravity and high volcanic activity allowed Mars’ great shield volcano to grow — over billions of years — beyond anything seen on Earth. And unlike on Earth, where volcanoes form as tectonic plates drift over hot spots of lava, Mars’ plate movement is much more limited, meaning magma can build and build in one spot over a long time. So while summiting peaks like Everest and K2 remains an impressive terrestrial feat, the solar system’s biggest climbing challenge awaits on the red planet.
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Thanks to Mike
Today, a legend turns 100.
Corporal Don Graves is one of the last Iwo Jima Marines.
He charged into history with a flamethrower and unshakable courage.
He’s spent his life teaching us what service really means.
100 years of grit.
Patriotism.
Purpose.
We don’t get many like him.
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Thanks to American Facts
How old is the Grand Canyon
Some of the most fun I ever had flying was running the Grand Canyon in anF-8 Crusader. There are turns that you can not make when you are below the rim. Not the big one but the one way down at the bottom above the river so you pull up to clear the rim and then drop back down where you can continue the run. Waving at the folks in inner tubes floating down was always fun . We were low enough to recognize them.…skip
The Grand Canyon is one of America’s greatest natural wonders, but its history holds more surprises than you might think. From its ancient formation to modern discoveries, this canyon’s story is filled with adventure, mystery, and national pride. Here are 10 astonishing facts that reveal its amazing journey through time.
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Ancient origins
The Grand Canyon isn’t just old—it’s millions of years older than previously thought. Some rock layers at the bottom date back 1.8 billion years, nearly half the age of Earth itself. While the canyon itself is around 5 to 6 million years old, recent studies suggest parts of it began forming 70 million years ago—during the dinosaur era.
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Once an ocean floor
Long before it was a canyon, this region sat beneath an ancient sea. The Kaibab Limestone, the canyon’s top layer, formed from marine fossils left behind as the waters receded 270 million years ago. The presence of coral, shellfish, and even shark fossils proves the area was once home to a thriving ocean ecosystem.
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Carved by more than water
While the Colorado River played a huge role in shaping the canyon, other forces were at work. Volcanic activity, tectonic uplift, and even landslides helped carve out its immense depths. Lava flows from nearby volcanoes poured into the canyon, creating layers of rock that tell the story of violent geological change.
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The earliest human inhabitants
Humans have lived near the Grand Canyon for at least 12,000 years. The earliest known inhabitants were Paleo-Indians, who left behind stone tools and spear points. Later, the Ancestral Puebloans built cliff dwellings and left behind intricate pottery, proving that this seemingly inhospitable land was once home to thriving communities.
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First European encounter
Spanish explorer GarcÃa López de Cárdenas was the first European to lay eyes on the canyon in 1540. Sent by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado in search of legendary cities of gold, he and his men were shocked by its vastness. They tried to climb down for water but failed, unable to comprehend its sheer scale.
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Named a national monument
President Theodore Roosevelt designated the Grand Canyon a national monument in 1908, calling it a place "every American should see." He was instrumental in protecting it from commercial exploitation, setting the stage for its eventual National Park status in 1919.
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Hidden caves
The Grand Canyon contains over 1,000 caves, but fewer than 400 have been explored. Some remain completely untouched, preserving prehistoric fossils and evidence of ancient human life. Today, only one cave is open to the public—Grand Canyon Caverns, located nearby in Arizona.
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Phantom ranch
Built in the 1920s, Phantom Ranch remains one of the most isolated lodges in America. Located at the bottom of the canyon, it’s only accessible by hiking, mule ride, or rafting. Due to high demand, reservations are awarded through a lottery system.
America’s first canyon explorer
John Wesley Powell led the first recorded expedition through the Grand Canyon in 1869. With one arm lost in the Civil War, he braved the Colorado River’s treacherous rapids in wooden boats. His journey mapped the canyon’s uncharted territory, proving it wasn’t an impassable wasteland but a geological treasure trove.
Forgotten civilizations?
In the 1930s, explorer Emery Kolb uncovered a sealed cave in the canyon containing ancient artifacts and human remains. Some speculated it belonged to a lost civilization, but archaeologists determined it was a prehistoric Native American site. The canyon still holds thousands of undiscovered archaeological sites, adding to its mystery and historical significance.
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This Day in U S Military History…….May 7
1864 – Following two days of intense fighting in the Wilderness forest, the Army of the Potomac, under the command of Union General Ulysses S. Grant, moves south. Grant’s forces had clashed with Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in a pitched and confused two-day battle in which neither side gained a clear victory. Nonetheless, Lee could claim an advantage, since he inflicted more casualties and held off the Yankees, despite the fact that he was outnumbered. When Lee halted Grant’s advance, Grant proved that he was different than previous commanders of the Army of the Potomac by refusing to fall back. Many of his veteran soldiers expected to retreat back across the Rapidan River, but the order came down through the ranks to move the army south. The blue troops had just suffered terrible losses, and the move lifted their spirits. “We marched free. The men began to sing,” recalled one Yankee. In some ways, warfare would never be the same. Grant had promised President Abraham Lincoln that there would be no turning back on this campaign. He would aggressively pursue Lee without allowing the Confederates time to retool. But the cost was high: Weeks of fighting resulted in staggering casualties before the two armies dug in around Petersburg by the middle of June.
1942 – Battle of the Coral Sea: American Admiral Fletcher sends Task Force 44 to attack Japanese troop transports bound for Port Moresby. The Japanese retaliate with attacks from land based aircraft. The Japanese also sight the American tanker Neosho and the Sims, they send aircraft after the ships and the Neosho is sunk. The Americans find Japanese Admiral Goto’s close support force and they proceed to sink the carrier Shoho. Meanwhile, Japanese Admiral Takagi sends planes out in an attempt to find the American fleet. Twenty-one of the Japanese planes are lost without engaging the enemy, including a small group which attempt to land on the American aircraft carrier Yorktown. The Japanese troop transports return to Rabaul to await the outcome of the battle.
1944 – The US 15th Air Force and British Bomber Command attack railway yards in Bucharest during the day and night, leaving the city in flames.
1944 – The US 8th Air Force conducts a massive raid on Berlin with 1500 aircraft.
1944 – The US 9th Air Force attacks the railway yards at Mezieres-Charleville with Marauders and P-38 Lightnings.
1945 – On Luzon, the US 43rd Division advances about 5 miles toward Ipo. American troops attacking towards a ridge near Guagua are repulsed by Japanese defenders.
1945 – On Okinawa, the US 7th Division completes the elimination of Japanese units that infiltrated into the Tanabaru area. Fruitless attacks on the Japanese held Shuri Line continue. Note”still have over 6 more weeks of this battle.
1954 – In northwest Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces decisively defeat the French at Dien Bien Phu, a French stronghold besieged by the Vietnamese communists for 57 days. The Viet Minh victory at Dien Bien Phu signaled the end of French colonial influence in Indochina and cleared the way for the division of Vietnam along the 17th parallel at the conference of Geneva. On September 2, 1945, hours after the Japanese signed their unconditional surrender in World War II, communist leader Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam, hoping to prevent the French from reclaiming their former colonial possession. In 1946, he hesitantly accepted a French proposal that allowed Vietnam to exist as an autonomous state within the French Union, but fighting broke out when the French tried to reestablish colonial rule. Beginning in 1949, the Viet Minh fought an increasingly effective guerrilla war against France with military and economic assistance from newly Communist China. France received military aid from the United States. In November 1953, the French, weary of jungle warfare, occupied Dien Bien Phu, a small mountain outpost on the Vietnamese border near Laos. Although the Vietnamese rapidly cut off all roads to the fort, the French were confident that they could be supplied by air. The fort was also out in the open, and the French believed that their superior artillery would keep the position safe. In 1954, the Viet Minh army, under General Vo Nguyen Giap, moved against Dien Bien Phu and in March encircled it with 40,000 Communist troops and heavy artillery. The first Viet Minh assault against the 13,000 entrenched French troops came on March 12, and despite massive air support, the French held only two square miles by late April. On May 7, after 57 days of siege, the French positions collapsed. Although the defeat brought an end to French colonial efforts in Indochina, the United States soon stepped up to fill the vacuum, increasing military aid to South Vietnam and sending the first U.S. military advisers to the country in 1959.
1965 – 6,000 Marines of the 4th marine Division are sent to Chu Lai, a sandy pine barren along the coast 55 miles south of Danang to build a second jet air base. Chu Lai will sport a new type of field, the Short Airfield for Tactical Support (SATS) — a 4,000 foot long airstrip of aluminum matting with arrestor wires like an aircraft carrier. Initially all planes will take off via jet assist, but a catapult will be installed two years later. By 1 June, A-4 Skyhawks and MAG-12ss will be using the field.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
JONES, WILLIAM H.
Rank and organization: Farrier, Company L, 2d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Little Muddy Creek, Mont., 7 May 1877- at Camas Meadows, Idaho, 20 August 1877. Entered service at: Louisville, Ky. Birth. Davidson County, N.C. Date of issue: 28 February 1878. Citation: Gallantry in the attack against hostile Sioux Indians on May 7, 1877 at Muddy Creek, Mont., and in the engagement with Nez Perces Indians at Camas Meadows, Idaho, on 20 August 1877 in which he sustained a painful knee wound.
JORDAN, GEORGE
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company K, 9th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Fort Tularosa, N. Mex., 14 May 1880; at Carrizo Canyon, N. Mex., 12 August 1881. Entered service at: Nashville, Tenn. Birth: Williamson County, Tenn. Date of issue: 7 May 1890. Citation: While commanding a detachment of 25 men at Fort Tularosa, N. Mex., repulsed a force of more than 100 Indians. At Carrizo Canyon, N . Mex., while commanding the right of a detachment of 19 men, on 12 August 1881, he stubbornly held his ground in an extremely exposed position and gallantly forced back a much superior number of the enemy, preventing them from surrounding the command.
*FARDY, JOHN PETER
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S Marine Corps. Born: 8 August 1922, Chicago, Ill. Accredited to: Illinois. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a squad leader, serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Islands, 7 May 1945. When his squad was suddenly assailed by extremely heavy small arms fire from the front during a determined advance against strongly fortified, fiercely defended Japanese positions, Cpl. Fardy temporarily deployed his men along a nearby drainage ditch. Shortly thereafter, an enemy grenade fell among the marines in the ditch. Instantly throwing himself upon the deadly missile, Cpl. Fardy absorbed the exploding blast in his own body, thereby protecting his comrades from certain and perhaps fatal injuries. Concerned solely for the welfare of his men, he willingly relinquished his own hope of survival that his fellow marines might live to carry on the fight against a fanatic enemy. A stouthearted leader and indomitable fighter, Cpl. Fardy, by his prompt decision and resolute spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death, had rendered valiant service, and his conduct throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
*HANSEN, DALE MERLIN
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 13 December 1922, Wisner, Nebr. Accredited to: Nebraska. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 7 May 1945. Cool and courageous in combat, Pvt. Hansen unhesitatingly took the initiative during a critical stage of the action and, armed with a rocket launcher, crawled to an exposed position where he attacked and destroyed a strategically located hostile pillbox. With his weapon subsequently destroyed by enemy fire, he seized a rifle and continued his 1-man assault. Reaching the crest of a ridge, he leaped across, opened fire on 6 Japanese and killed 4 before his rifle jammed. Attacked by the remaining 2 Japanese, he beat them off with the butt of his rifle and then climbed back to cover. Promptly returning with another weapon and supply of grenades, he fearlessly advanced, destroyed a strong mortar position and annihilated 8 more of the enemy. In the forefront of battle throughout this bitterly waged engagement, Pvt. Hansen, by his indomitable determination, bold tactics and complete disregard of all personal danger, contributed essentially to the success of his company’s mission and to the ultimate capture of this fiercely defended outpost of the Japanese Empire. His great personal valor in the face of extreme peril reflects the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service.
*PETERSON, OSCAR VERNER
Rank and organization: Chief Watertender, U.S. Navy. Born: 27 August 1899, Prentice, Wis. Accredited to: Wisconsin. Citation: For extraordinary courage and conspicuous heroism above and beyond the call of duty while in charge of a repair party during an attack on the U .S .S. Neosho by enemy Japanese aerial forces on 7 May 1942. Lacking assistance because of injuries to the other members of his repair party and severely wounded himself, Peterson, with no concern for his own life, closed the bulkhead stop valves and in so doing received additional burns which resulted in his death. His spirit of self-sacrifice and loyalty, characteristic of a fine seaman, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
*SCHWAB, ALBERT EARNEST
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 17 July 1920, Washington, D.C. Entered service at: Tulsa, Okla. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a flamethrower operator in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Rykuyu Islands, 7 May 1945. Quick to take action when his company was pinned down in a valley and suffered resultant heavy casualties under blanketing machinegun fire emanating from a high ridge to the front, Pfc. Schwab, unable to flank the enemy emplacement because of steep cliffs on either side, advanced up the face of the ridge in bold defiance of the intense barrage and, skillfully directing the fire of his flamethrower, quickly demolished the hostile gun position, thereby enabling his company to occupy the ridge. Suddenly a second enemy machinegun opened fire, killing and wounding several marines with its initial bursts. Estimating with split-second decision the tactical difficulties confronting his comrades, Pfc. Schwab elected to continue his l-man assault despite a diminished supply of fuel for his flamethrower. Cool and indomitable, he moved forward in the face of a direct concentration of hostile fire, relentlessly closed the enemy position and attacked. Although severely wounded by a final vicious blast from the enemy weapon, Pfc. Schwab had succeeded in destroying 2 highly strategic Japanese gun positions during a critical stage of the operation and, by his dauntless, single-handed efforts, had materially furthered the advance of his company. His aggressive initiative, outstanding valor and professional skill throughout the bitter conflict sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
WAINWRIGHT, JONATHAN M.
Rank and organization: General, Commanding U.S. Army Forces in the Philippines. Place and date: Philippine Islands, 12 March to 7 May 1942. Entered service at: Skaneateles, N.Y. Birth: Walla Walla, Wash. G.O. No.: 80, 19 September 1945. Citation: Distinguished himself by intrepid and determined leadership against greatly superior enemy forces. At the repeated risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in his position, he frequented the firing line of his troops where his presence provided the example and incentive that helped make the gallant efforts of these men possible. The final stand on beleaguered Corregidor, for which he was in an important measure personally responsible, commanded the admiration of the Nation’s allies. It reflected the high morale of American arms in the face of overwhelming odds. His courage and resolution were a vitally needed inspiration to the then sorely pressed freedom-loving peoples of the world.
KAYS, KENNETH MICHAEL
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. place and date: Thua Thien province, Republic of Vietnam, 7 May 1970. Entered service at: Fairfield, Ill. Born: 22 September 1949, Mount Vernon, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. (then Pvt.) Kays distinguished himself while serving as a medical aidman with Company D, 1st Battalion, 101st Airborne Division near Fire Support Base Maureen. A heavily armed force of enemy sappers and infantrymen assaulted Company D’s night defensive position, wounding and killing a number of its members. Disregarding the intense enemy fire and ground assault, Pfc. Kays began moving toward the perimeter to assist his fallen comrades. In doing so he became the target of concentrated enemy fire and explosive charges, 1 of which severed the lower portion of his left leg. After applying a tourniquet to his leg, Pfc. Kays moved to the fire-swept perimeter, administered medical aid to 1 of the wounded, and helped move him to an area of relative safety. Despite his severe wound and excruciating pain, Pfc. Kays returned to the perimeter in search of other wounded men. He treated another wounded comrade, and, using his own body as a shield against enemy bullets and fragments, moved him to safety. Although weakened from a great loss of blood, Pfc. Kays resumed his heroic lifesaving efforts by moving beyond the company’s perimeter into enemy held territory to treat a wounded American lying there. Only after his fellow wounded soldiers had been treated and evacuated did Pfc. Kays allow his own wounds to be treated. These courageous acts by Pfc. Kays resulted in the saving of numerous lives and inspired others in his company to repel the enemy. Pfc. Kays’ heroism at the risk of his life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR MAY 7 THANKS TO HAROLD “PHIL” MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
May 7
1945: Mass produced B-17s, B-24s, B-25s, B-29s, P-38s, P-40s, P-51s, and C-47s led to Victory Day in Europe. On 7 May, the German High Command surrendered unconditionally at Reims, effective
9 May. With that surrender, ATC began Projects Green and White, for personnel and aircraft, respectively, to move 250,000 people and 5,900 aircraft from Europe and the Mediterranean theaters to the US by September 1945. (4) (12) (18)
1953: The 63 TCW (Heavy) at Donaldson AFB, S. C., received the first C-124 aircraft. Service testing for the aircraft occurred in February-March 1952, and the first live paratroop drops from these aircraft took place at Fort Bragg. (11)
1956: The 762d Air Control and Warning Squadron began operating the “Texas Tower” radar defense installations erected on Georges Shoal some 100 miles east of Cape Cod, Mass. (24)
1958: Flying a Lockheed F-104A Starfighter at Edwards AFB, Maj Howard C. Johnson set a 91,243-foot FAI altitude record for class C jets. (9)
1962: Operation QUICK KICK. Units of all US military services cooperated in the largest US land-sea-air exercise since World War II. (24) While submerged, the USS Ethan Allen successfully launched a Polaris missile on the full-flight test with a nuclear warhead for the Operation Dominic nuclear tests in the Pacific. This launch was reported as the first US firing of a missile with a live nuclear warhead. (16) (24)
1963: Dr. Theodore von Karman, sometimes called the Father of Astronautics, died at Aachen, West Germany, a few days before his 82d birthday. (5) (16)
1966: The Minuteman Force Modernization program started at Whiteman AFB, when SAC removed the first flight of 10 Minuteman I missiles from their silos. These missiles were replaced with Minuteman IIs. (1) (6)
1984: The HH-60D helicopter completed its first data flight at Edwards AFB.
1985: Exercise DISTANT HAMMER: Through 17 May, USAFE EF-111 Ravens participated in their first NATO exercise. (16)
1994: Through 9 May, six USAF airlift aircraft moved 623 people, including 448 Americans, from Yemen to Saudi Arabia after civil war broke out. (16)
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