TheList 5259

The List 5259 TGB

Good Friday Morning April 3 to all. ..Just a note to thank Knox for letting me know that One of the items on the 1 April world history was wrong. Only took me a couple minutes to realize that I cleverly put the 1 May list vice 1 April. So the April Fool was right here.

Regards

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This Day In Naval History – April 3

1797

Capt. Thomas Truxtun issues the first known American signal book using a numerary system entitled, Instructions, Signals, and Explanations, ordered for the United States Fleet.

1942

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, is named Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA) and also retains the title of Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC).

1943

USS Haddock (SS 231) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Arima Maru north of Palau, and USS Pickerel (SS 177) sinks Japanese submarine chaser Ch 1.

1944

USS Sanders (DE 40), tank landing ship (LST 127), and two infantry landing crafts occupy Mejit Island, Marshall Islands and defeat Japanese force.

1991

USS America (CV 66), along with USS Normandy (CG 60), and USS William V. Pratt (DDG 44) transit the Suez Canal en route to CONUS after providing support for Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

1992

The first five co-ed recruit companies from Recruit Training Command, Naval Training Center, Orlando, Fla., graduate. BRAC recommends closure the following year.



Thanks to CHINFO

•Executive Summary:

• Multiple outlets report that Secretary Modly relieved USS Theodore Roosevelt's commanding officer.

• Secretary Modly announced appointment of Randi Cosentino as the first president of the United States Naval Community College, reports USNI News.

• USNI reports hospital ships USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy are receiving patients.

• Defense News covered USINDOPACOM Commander Adm. Phil Davidson's report to congress on deterring China.





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This day in World History April 3
0628 In Persia, Kavadh sues for peace with the Byzantines.

1367 John of Gaunt and Edward the Black Prince win the Battle of Najera, in Spain.

1559 Philip II of Spain and Henry II of France sign the peace of Cateau-Cambresis, ending a long series of wars between the Hapsburg and Valois dynasties.

1860 The Pony Express connects St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California.

1862 Slavery is abolished in Washington, D.C.

1865 Union forces occupy the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.

1882 The American outlaw Jesse James is shot in the back and killed by his cousin, Bob Ford.

1910 Alaska's Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America is climbed.

1920 F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre are married at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

1936 Bruno Hauptmann, killer of the Lindbergh baby, is executed.

1942 The Japanese begin their all-out assault on the U.S. and Filipino troops at Bataan.

1944 The U.S. Supreme Court rules that black citizens are eligible to vote in all elections, including primaries.

1948 President Harry Truman signs Marshall Plan. It will revive war-torn Europe.

1966 Three-thousand South Vietnamese Army troops lead a protest against the Ky regime in Saigon.

1972 Charlie Chaplin returns to the United States after a twenty-year absence.

1984 Coach John Thompson of Georgetown University becomes the first African-American coach to win an NCAA basketball tournament.



More on the Pony Express

1860 – The first Pony Express mail simultaneously leaves St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California, carried by Henry Wallace riding west and John Roff riding east. During the 1,800-mile journey, the riders changed horses dozens of times, and on April 13 the westbound packet arrived in Sacramento, beating the eastbound packet's arrival in St. Joseph by two days. Operating on a semiweekly basis for nearly two years, the route followed a pioneer trail across the present-day states of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada to California, carrying mail as well as some small freight for the young Wells Fargo Company. The Pony Express Company, a private enterprise, charged $5 for every half-ounce of mail. Although short-lived and unprofitable, the mail service captivated the American imagination and helped win federal aid for a more economical overland mail service. The Pony Express also contributed to the economy of the towns on its route and served the mail-service needs of the American West in the days before the telegraph or an efficient transcontinental railroad. Pony Express mail service was discontinued in October 1861.



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and they get to vote -

thanks to Tam and Dutch



Terror attack in Los Angeles port today 🚨😱
Engineer at Port of Los Angeles Tried to Derail Train Into USNS Mercy

USNS Mercy

A train engineer employed by the Port of Los Angeles intentionally "ran a locomotive at full speed off of the end of the railroad tracks" in an attempt to derail it into the USNS Mercy Navy hospital ship Tuesday afternoon. Eduardo Moreno, 44, of San Pedro was arrested Wednesday morning by federal authorities on one count of train wrecking.

"[O]n his first interview with the Los Angeles Port Police, Moreno claimed he did it because he was suspicious of the Mercy and believed "it had an alternate purpose related to COVID-19 or a government takeover."

In a second interview with FBI agents, according to the Department of Justice, Moreno stated that "he did it out of the desire to wake people up," and that the ship was suspicious "and did not believe the ship is what they say it's for."

After running off the tracks, the locomotive crashed through numerous barriers and came within 250 yards of the ship. Fortunately no one was hurt and the ship was not damaged in any way, but the locomotive leaked "a substantial amount of fuel oil, which required cleanup by fire crews and hazmat personnel, according to authorities." Video of the incident shows Moreno in the cab, holding a lighted flare.

Moreno then attempted to flee the scene, but a California Highway Patrol officer who'd seen the crash caught and arrested him. According to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office:

The CHP officer who witnessed the crash reported seeing "the train smash into a concrete barrier at the end of the track, smash into a steel barrier, smash into a chain-link fence, slide through a parking lot, slide across another lot filled with gravel, and smash into a second chain-link fence," according to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint. When the CHP officer contacted Moreno, he made a series of spontaneous statements, including, "You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to. People don't know what's going on here. Now they will."

The Port of Los Angeles Police and the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force are leading the investigation



https://www.redstate.com/jenvanlaar/2020/04/01/engineer-at-port-of-los-angeles-tried-to-derail-train-into-usns-mercy/



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Thanks to Robert. It will get your toe tapping



Good morning !!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIxBmyRQlwQ



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Thanks to Carl

How long does the Coronavirus live on surfaces

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200401/coronavirus-on-fabric-what-you-should-know?ecd=wnl_spr_040220&ctr=wnl-spr-040220_nsl-Bodymodule_Position1&mb=zsPo3ce2JDABIvNV8WrgIuHnVev1imbC5k0WikEa2Ww%3d



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Thanks to Robert

Subject: Fwd: FW: The Fantastic Fifties & Sixties

This is great. I remember dancing to Rock around the clock in the 6th grade at Loring AFB in Maine skip



Enjoy, it will give U a warm & fuzzy feeling. Those were good times

Do you remember?


This is such a great video.... So, enjoy it. For those of you who experienced the iconic 1950's,

a decade that will never be repeated. The cars are fantastic.

The music was so wonderful, romantic, nostalgic, magical....

We were rich and did not know it!

We were innocent and thought we were experienced.

We were very fortunate to have lived in such an era.

Enjoy the past as revealed here. Who knows what the future will bring?

ps: The secret's out! They actually show where the gas filler is on a 56 Chevy!

Turn up your speakers…:)



http://biggeekdad.com/2013/01/ the-best-of-times




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Today's Medal of Honor recipiant

*WETZEL, WALTER C.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, 13th Infantry, 8th Infantry Division. Place and date: Birken, Germany, 3 April 1945. Entered service at: Roseville, Mich. Birth: Huntington, W. Va. G.O. No.: 21, 26 February 1946. Citation: Pfc. Wetzel, an acting squad leader with the Antitank Company of the 13th Infantry, was guarding his platoon's command post in a house at Birken, Germany, during the early morning hours of 3 April 1945, when he detected strong enemy forces moving in to attack. He ran into the house, alerted the occupants and immediately began defending the post against heavy automatic weapons fire coming from the hostile troops. Under cover of darkness the Germans forced their way close to the building where they hurled grenades, 2 of which landed in the room where Pfc. Wetzel and the others had taken up firing positions. Shouting a warning to his fellow soldiers, Pfc. Wetzel threw himself on the grenades and, as they exploded, absorbed their entire blast, suffering wounds from which he died. The supreme gallantry of Pfc. Wetzel saved his comrades from death or serious injury and made it possible for them to continue the defense of the command post and break the power of a dangerous local counterthrust by the enemy. His unhesitating sacrifice of his life was in keeping with the U.S. Army's highest traditions of bravery and heroism.



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Thanks to Barrel I lived on a couple of bases that had the B-36. They made a certain sound that was unmistakable with 6 turning and 4 burning and you did not even have to look up to know what it was. On open house days my buddies and I would always get there as soon as we could and head to the B-36. We would climb in and start cranking each other from the front to the back gunner station on the little track with what was like one of those things that mechanics have to roll under cars on their backs. It would not take to long before someone would come along kick us out. But what fun Then we would head to the fighters. F-102, F-86D, F-89 etc skip

B-36 Ride to Hell....
Ah, back when engines were engines....

Aircraft Commander 1st Lt. Oliver Hildebrandt, Pilot 1st Lt. Walter Ross, and Co-pilot Captain Wilbur Evans, and a crew of thirteen took off from Carswell AFB in B-36B, 44-92035 of the 26th Bomb Squadron of the 7th Bomb Wing at 5:05 A.M. on November 22,1950. The planned 30-hour training mission consisted of air-to-air gunnery, bombing, simulated radar bombing, and navigational training.

Immediately after take-off, the #4 alternator would not stay in parallel with the other three alternators, so it was taken off-line and de-excited three minutes into the flight. About one minute after the #4 alternator was shut down, flames 8 to 12 feet long erupted from around the air plug of the number-one engine. The left scanner reported the flames to the pilot. Six minutes after take-off, the flight engineer shut down the number-one engine, feathered its propeller, and expended one of its Methyl bromide fire extinguishing bottles.

The mission continued on the power of the remaining five engines. 44-92035 cruised to the gunnery range on Matagorda Island at an altitude of 5,000 feet. It arrived at 7:00 A.M. and the gunners began practicing. Radar Observer S/Sgt. Ray Earl manned the tail turret. The charger for the right gun burned out, so he expended just half of his ammunition. Then the APG-3 radar for the tail turret started acting up, so S/Sgt. Earl secured the set.

Aircraft Commander 1st Lt. Oliver Hildebrandt noted that the vibration from firing the 20 mm cannons increased significantly during the fourth gunnery pass. Immediately afterward, radar operator Captain James Yeingst notified Hildebrandt that the APQ-24 radar set blew up and was smoking. Vibration from the firing of the guns was causing shorting between the internal components of the radar. Then the liaison transmitter failed as well.

The cannons in the left forward upper turret and the left rear upper turret stopped firing. The gunners attempted to retract the gun turrets, but the failed turrets would not retract. Gunner S/Sgt. Fred Boyd entered the turret bay, but other problems began to take precedence over the stuck turrets. Boyd was called out of the bay before he could manually crank the turret down.

At 7:31 A.M. the number-three engine suffered an internal failure. The torque pressure fell to zero. The manifold pressure dropped to atmospheric pressure. The fuel flow dropped off, and the flight engineer could not stabilize the engine speed. The pilot shut down the number-three engine and feathered its propeller. The B-36B had only one operating engine on the left wing, so the pilot aborted the remainder of the training mission and set course for Kelly Air Force Base.

Flight engineer Captain Samuel Baker retarded the spark, set the mixture controls to "normal", and set the engine RPM's to 2,500 to increase the power from the remaining engines. Unknown to Captain Baker, the vibration from the guns had disabled the electrical systems controlling the spark settings and fuel mixture. He immediately discovered that the turbo control knobs no longer affected the manifold pressure.

The B-36B could not maintain its airspeed on the power of the four remaining engines. It descended about 1,000 feet and its airspeed bled off to 135 miles per hour. The pilot called for more power. The flight engineer attempted to increase engine speed to 2,650 RPM and enrich the fuel mixture, but got no response from the engines except for severe backfiring. The fuel mixture indicators for all of the engines indicated lean. The second flight engineer, M/Sgt. Edward Farcas, checked the electrical fuse panel. Although the fuses appeared to be intact, he replaced the master turbo fuse and all of the individual turbo fuses. He noticed that the turbo-amplifiers and mixture amplifiers were all cooler than normal. He climbed into the bomb bay to check the aircraft power panels and fuses, but could not find any problem there.

Kelly Air Force Base had a cloud overcast at just 300 feet and the visibility was restricted to two miles. The weather at Bergstrom Air Force Base not as bad, with scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, broken clouds at 2,000 feet and 10 miles visibility. Carswell Air Force Base was clear with 10 miles visibility, but it was 155 miles farther away than Bergstrom. Air traffic control cleared all airspace below 4,000 feet ahead of the crippled B-36B. Aircraft Commander Hildebrandt was flying on instruments in thick clouds.

The poor weather at Kelly Air Force Base convinced Hildebrandt to change course from Kelly to Carswell Air Force Base, passing by Bergstrom Air Force Base on the way in case the airplane could not make it to Carswell. Bombardier Captain Robert Nelson made two attempts to salvo the 1,500 pounds of practice bombs in the rear bomb bay, but the bomb bay doors would not open by automatic or manual control, or emergency procedure.

There was no way to dump fuel to reduce the weight of the B-36B. The flight engineers resorted to holding down the switches used to prime the fuel system in an attempt to increase fuel flow to the engines. M/Sgt. Edward Farcas held down the prime switches for the number-two and number-four engines while Captain Baker held down the prime switch for the number-five engine and operated the flight engineer's panel. The configuration of the switches did not allow them to prime the number-five engine and the number-six engine at the same time.

The high power demand coupled with the lean fuel mixture made the cylinder head temperatures of the engines climb to 295 degrees C. Flight engineer Baker jockeyed the throttles, decreasing the throttle setting of the engine with the highest cylinder head temperature until another engine grew even hotter. The high temperature caused the gasoline/air mixture in the cylinders to detonate before the pistons reached top dead center, diminishing power and damaging the engines.

Despite the critical situation with the engines, Aircraft Commander Hildebrandt decided to continue past Bergstrom Air Force Base to Carswell. Bergstrom was overcast and its runway was only 6,000 feet long. Carswell offered a much longer runway. By the time the B-36B reached Cleburne , the backfiring on all engines increased in violence. The number-2, number-5, and number-6 engines were running at 70% power and the number-4 engine was producing only 20% power. The airspeed had dropped off to 130 miles per hour.

Aircraft Commander Hildebrandt attempted to restart the number-one engine, the one that had spouted flames on take-off, but fuel was not getting to its induction system. He tried to restart the number-three engine, but could not unfeather the propeller on that engine. As the bomber passed to the west of Cleburne , the right scanner reported dense white smoke, oil, and metal particles coming from the number-five engine.

After a short while the number-five engine lost power, and Aircraft Commander Hildebrandt feathered the propeller on that engine while still twenty-one miles from Carswell Air Force Base. The B-36B could not stay airborne on the power of the three remaining failing engines. It was flying at just 125 miles per hour, seven miles per hour above the stall speed, losing both altitude and airspeed. Howard McCullough and W. Boeten were flying Civil Aeronautics Authority DC-3 N342 near Cleburne . They were notified by Meacham Tower to be on the lookout for 44-92035. They spotted it about five miles south of Cleburne . They observed that the number-one and number-three propellers were feathered and the number-five engine was on fire. They turned to follow the descending bomber. Aircraft Commander Hildebrandt ordered the crew to bail out of the stricken bomber.

Bombardier Captain Robert Nelson had bailed out of airplanes on two previous occasions. He had crash landed twice and ditched once. He was the first man to bail out from the forward crew compartment. He suffered contusions of his lower spine when he landed.

Radar Operator Captain James Yeingst responded to stress with laughter and jokes. He was a bit giddy before the bailout. He was the second man to exit from the forward crew compartment. His parachute streamed after he pulled the rip cord. He passed Captain Nelson going down. Captain Yeingst's parachute mushroomed open just before he hit the ground, but he suffered fatal injuries.

Co-pilot Captain Wilbur Evans was the third man to exit from the forward crew compartment. He had bailed out of airplanes twice before and crash landed several times during WW-II. This time he broke both bones in his lower right leg when he landed.

Navigator Captain Horace Stewart had previously tried to get off flying status because he felt that the B-36 was too dangerous. It is reported that during the hour before bailout, he was tense, nervous, and chain-smoking. He was the fourth man to bail out from the forward crew compartment. He pulled his rip cord right as he exited the forward escape hatch on the left side of the fuselage. His parachute opened and pulled him toward the number three propeller. His head hit the downward pointing blade of the propeller, killing him instantly.

Radio Operator Cpl. Paul Myers followed Captain Stewart out the escape hatch. Myers landed with minor injuries. Flight Engineer M/Sgt. Edward Farcas jumped head first through the exit hatch of the forward crew compartment right after Cpl. Myers. His parachute did not open when he pulled the rip cord. He pulled the parachute out of its pack with his hands and landed with only minor injuries.

Radar Mechanic Robert Gianerakis and Flight Engineer Captain Samuel Baker were the next to escape from the forward compartment. Both landed with only minor injuries. Radio Operator Sgt. Armando Villareal bailed out after Captain Baker. Villareal did not trust his parachute to open, so he pulled the rip cord while he was still in the forward crew compartment. He held his parachute in his arms as he jumped feet first through the escape hatch. Despite his unorthodox method of escape, he landed with only minor injuries.

Pilot 1st Lt. Walter Ross was the next to last to leave the forward compartment. He landed with only minor injuries. Gunner S/Sgt. Andrew Byrne and Radar Observer S/Sgt. Ray Earl were the first two crew members to bail out of the rear crew compartment. Both landed with only minor injuries. Gunner Cpl. Calvin Martin was the third man to exit the rear crew compartment. He was swinging under his parachute as he hit the ground. He broke his right ankle as he landed. He fell backward onto a rock, fracturing his third lumbar vertebra and compressing his tailbone. Gunner S/Sgt. Ronald Williams followed Cpl. Martin out the rear escape hatch. He landed with only minor injuries. Gunner S/Sgt. Fred Boyd was the last man to exit the rear crew compartment. He called to Aircraft Commander Hildebrandt over the intercom to let him know that everyone had escaped from the aft compartment. When he turned back to the exit hatch, it had fallen shut. He had to open the hatch again to make his escape. He broke the fibula of his left leg when he landed farther to the north than the other crew members.

After S/Sgt. Boyd reported that all other crew members had bailed out of the rear compartment, Aircraft Commander Hildebrandt set the autopilot and jumped clear when the bomber was less than 1,000 feet above the ground. He and nine other crew members escaped from the B-36B with only minor injuries. When McCullough and Boeten in DC-3, N342 saw the parachutes of the escaping crew members, they announced the bail-out on the emergency frequency of 121.25 megacycles.

Each report of Emergency Parachute Jump indicates that the incident occurred 20 miles south southeast of Carswell Air Force Base. The descent of the B-36B was witnessed by Mr. Buck Bell and his wife, who lived about 5 to 7 miles southwest of Crowley, Texas. Mr. Bell saw the crew members parachuting from the bomber, but did not see it hit the ground about one mile north of his house. Mr. James Bandy and his wife were on the road to Cleburne about 4 miles from their house on Route 1 near Joshua when they spotted the B-36B trailing smoke, flying in a nose-high attitude. They saw it hit the ground in a level attitude, raising a cloud of dust.

The B-36B descended straight ahead in a nose-high attitude for a mile after Aircraft Commander Hildebrandt bailed out. It stalled, pitched nose down, and impacted in a terraced field on Les Armstrong's Dairy, 14 miles south of Carswell Air Force Base, 2 miles west of the South leg FTW range, and six miles west of Crowley at 9:50 in the morning. The forward crew compartment separated and folded underneath the rest of the fuselage. The tail section broke off, and the rear crew compartment came away from the mid-fuselage as the wreckage slid 850 feet along the ground and twisted to the right.

The rear sections of the airplane remained largely intact. The elevation at the crash site was approximately 700 feet. Mr. W. Doggett witnessed the bail-out and crash from his home on Route 1 near Joshua. The B-36B impacted about 2-1/2 miles north of his house. He drove to the crash site in his pickup truck and helped the surviving crew members to regroup.

Four minutes after the crash, McCullough and Boeten in DC-3, N342 reported that two Navy aircraft were circling the wreckage. The wreckage smoldered for about eight minutes before a fire broke out in the number-six engine. The 15,000 gallons of remaining fuel consumed the forward fuselage and wings. The civilians and crew members were driven away from the crash site by exploding ammunition and the knowledge of the presence of 1,500 pounds of bombs aboard the airplane.










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World News from Military Periscope for 3 April

France—4 French Soldiers In Africa Test Positive For Coronavirus Reuters | 04/03/2020 Four French soldiers deployed in Africa's Sahel region have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), reports Reuters. All four were deployed with Operation Barkhane, which is headquartered in Mali, a military spokesman told Agence France-Presse on Thursday. The group arrived "several" weeks ago and did not demonstrate any symptoms, the spokesman said. Three have been repatriated while one was receiving treatment in his country of deployment. These are the first confirmed COVID-19 cases among French troops deployed abroad.



South Korea—Air Force Seeks To Field Global Hawk Drones This Year Yonhap | 04/03/2020 The South Korean air force is pressing to bring its newest uncrewed aerial systems into service by the end of the year, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). Preparations for the operational deployment of the RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk has been proceeding without issue, a source told the news agency on Friday. The exact timeframe for their service entry has yet to be finalized, said a separate military source. South Korea received its first of four Global Hawks from the U.S. in December. The remaining air vehicles are expected to be delivered later this year.



Bulgaria—Contract Awarded For F-16 Fighter Jets Dept. Of Defense | 04/03/2020 The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to produce fighter jets for Bulgaria, reports the Dept. of Defense. The US$512 million Foreign Military Sales contract announced on Thursday covers eight F-16 Block 70 aircraft. The deal includes six single-seat and two dual-seat jets, reported Flight Global. The F-16s are being procured to replace Bulgaria's aging MiG-29 fighters. Work will take place in Fort Worth, Texas, and a new facility in Greenville, S.C., and is scheduled to be completed by Jan. 31, 2027.



Vietnam—Chinese Ship Sinks Fishing Boat In S. China Sea Deutsche Presse-Agentur | 04/03/2020 A Chinese ship has rammed and sunk a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the South China Sea, reports Deutsche Presse-Agentur. On Thursday, the Chinese boat rammed the Vietnamese vessel near the disputed Paracel Islands, detaining the eight crewmembers, said a local official from Vietnam's Quang Ngai province, which has authority over the islands. Two Vietnamese ships that attempted to rescue the fishermen were also detained, he said. Chinese officials released the boats and crew later in the day. The boats were expected to return to port on Sunday, at which time their condition would be assessed, and a complaint filed to the relevant authorities. China and Vietnam claim the remote, uninhabited islands. The Paracels were occupied by China in a bloody invasion in 1974.



European Union—Court Rules Against 3 Member States For Violating Refugee Deal British Broadcasting Corp. | 04/03/2020 The European Union's top court has ruled against three member states for violating the bloc's refugee policy, reports BBC News. On Thursday, the European Court of Justice ruled against the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland for failing to abide by the terms of a 2015 agreement. That accord stipulated that about 160,000 refugees then residing in Greece and Italy would be more evenly distributed across member states to share the burden, reported the New York Times. The Czech Republic only accepted 12 of 2,000 refugees that it was supposed to host under the deal. Hungary and Poland refused all refugees. The countries argued that they should be exempt from hosting them due to security concerns. The court found that those grounds were only valid when applied to individuals, not groups. The European Commission, the executive body of the E.U., now has grounds to take legal action to impose fines on the three countries, reported the Guardian (U.K.).



Estonia—U.S. Delivers Anti-Tank Missiles Estonian Public Broadcasting | 04/03/2020 The U.S. has delivered Javelin anti-tank missiles to Estonia, reports Estonian Public Broadcasting. A total of 128 missiles were delivered in February, according to a U.S. Embassy release on Thursday. The delivery was part of a larger contract between the Estonian Center for Defense Investment and the U.S. Dept. of Defense, said the embassy. These weapons will enhance the capability of Estonian forces and improve interoperability with NATO, the embassy said.



USA—Army Working On Ways To Continue Training Despite COVID-19 Outbreak Defense One | 04/03/2020 The U.S. Army is planning to continue training during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak by isolating healthy groups of soldiers for field exercises, reports Defense One. The goal is to create "safety bubbles" around these groups and send them into the field for a month with prepackaged meals for collective training that might otherwise pose a risk of infection, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said during a Thursday interview. The Army is currently trying to determine how big of a unit can be deployed on such exercises, McCarthy said. On Tuesday, the Army made its first test of the safety bubble concept, reported Military.com. About 800 recruits traveled from basic combat training in South Carolina to bases in Virginia, Oklahoma, and Texas, maintaining distance between soldiers on buses. The vehicles had restrooms to ensure that they did not need to stop. The Pentagon has sought to balance the need to maintain readiness with efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.



USA—Acting Navy Secretary Relieves Roosevelt Carrier CO For Warning Of COVID-19 Outbreak Fox News | 04/03/2020 The U.S. Navy captain who raised the alarm about a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on his ship has been relieved of command, reports Fox News. Capt. Brett Crozier, the commander of the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, was removed from his duties on Thursday. The decision was made because Crozier circumvented the chain of command and was not made out of retribution, emphasized Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, as quoted by Business Insider. Crozier will retain his commission and continue to serve in the Navy, reported NBC News. After more than 100 cases of the virus were confirmed aboard the Roosevelt, Crozier wrote a letter to Navy leaders detailing the spread of COVID-19 on the ship and asking to evacuate most of the crew and disinfect the ship to prevent further infections. The letter was published by the San Francisco Chronicle. Modly accused Crozier of sending the letter over unclassified networks and leaking it to the newspaper. The acting secretary said the letter unnecessarily raised alarms with family members of the crew and made public concerns about the operational capability of a major warship that could have emboldened adversaries to take advantage. After the letter was published, the Navy permitted most of the crew leave the ship for quarantine in Guam, reported the Voice of America News.



Ivory Coast—Trucks Ordered From S. Korea On The Way Defence Web | 04/03/2020 The Ivorian military is set to receive a batch of military trucks purchased from South Korea to replace aging French vehicles, reports Defence Web (South Africa). The US$10 million order covers 100 trucks to be supplied by South Korea firm Kia, said a government letter detailing the purchase. The vehicles are scheduled to be delivered later this year. The trucks are intended to replace French-built ACMAT vehicles.



Nigeria—Air Force Kills Large Number Of Bandits In Retaliatory Airstrikes This Day | 04/03/2020 A Nigerian air force helicopter gunship has killed several bandits that had attacked a joint police patrol in the central Niger state, reports This Day (Lagos). On March 31, the gunship attacked an area outside of the village of Kalaibu, where the bandits had gathered ahead of an assault on the village, said a military spokesman. The bandits had recently killed several police personnel and soldiers in an attack on a patrol, the spokesman said.. The attack helicopter was dispatched to the village based on human intelligence that indicated the bandits were in the area. No casualty figures were provided.



Turkey—Troops Disrupt Kurdish Militant Attack In Syria Anadolu News Agency | 04/03/2020 The Turkish Ministry of Defense says its forces have prevented a terrorist attack by Kurdish militants in northwestern Syria, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). On Thursday, Turkish commandos neutralized 14 Kurdish fighters who were preparing an attack in a part of Syria identified only as part of its Operation Euphrates Shield, the ministry said. The ministry uses the term "neutralized" for hostile fighters who surrendered or were killed or captured. Euphrates Shield was the first of three operations carried out by Turkey to create a safe zone in northern Syria and push Kurdish fighters away from its borders. Euphrates Shield was launched in 2016, while operations Olive Branch and Peace Spring began in 2018 and 2019, respectively.



Germany—Government Approves Several Export Deals Defense-Aerospace | 04/03/2020 The German government has just approved several arms export deals, reports defense-aerospace.com. On Tuesday, the German Minister for Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier told lawmakers that the Federal Security Council had approved arms sales to Egypt, Qatar, Pakistan, the Philippines and Israel, reported Deutsche Presse-Agentur. ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems was granted a license to export a Type 209 submarine to Egypt and four Sa'ar VI-class corvettes to Israel, reported Shephard Media. A license was also granted to Rheinmetall to export ammunition and fuses worth 179 million euros (US$196 million) to Qatar. The ammunition is likely for Qatar's Leopard 2A7+ tanks and PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers, experts said. In addition, the council approved the sale of an RAS 72 Sea Eagle maritime patrol aircraft from Rheinland Air Service. The aircraft is based on the ATR 72 transport. The sale of 72 Diehl Defense air defense missiles, likely the IRIS-T, to the Philippines was also authorized. A German opposition lawmaker criticized the exports, arguing that the weapons would go to authoritarian regimes in areas of tension and crisis.



USA—Navy Looking To Understand, Mitigate Effects Of Outbreak On Industry USNI News | 04/03/2020 The Navy is working to determine the potential effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on its procurement projects and implement mitigation measures, reports USNI News. On Thursday, James Geurts, the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, said that his office would be working over the summer to adjust programs based on issues caused by COVID-19. Navy acquisition personnel have been working to understand the current status of all procurement programs so that it can identify which future delays were caused by the pandemic. As part of an effort to reduce pressure on the supply chain, the service is working to award contracts early where possible to ensure businesses, particularly smaller firms, can continue to operate during the outbreak or will have work once quarantines are lifted, said a Navy spokesman. Recent contracts cover AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles from Raytheon; the Near Coast Patrol Vessel from Metal Shark; the Navajo-class salvage ship from Gulf Island; and a berthing barge from VT Halter. The Navy also expects to soon award contracts to Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding for the second San Antonio-class Flight 2 amphibious transport dock and to Swiftships for utility landing craft.



USA—Boeing On The Hook To Replace Boom Operator Cameras On KC-46 Tankers Defense News | 04/03/2020 The U.S. Air Force and Boeing have come to an agreement on a plan to address problems with the remote vision system (RVS) on the KC-46 Pegasus aerial tanker, reports Defense News. The RVS has been the most significant of several problems with the KC-46. While the sensors and cameras have proven viable in most conditions, certain lighting conditions can cause image warping, contributing to problems safely connecting the refueling boom to receiving aircraft. The agreement creates a two-phase path forward. Under the first phase, Boeing will develop incremental software and hardware improvements to fine-tune RVS imagery. The second phase involves a complete redesign of the RVS featuring a near total replacement of its hardware and software, including new color cameras, advanced displays and computing technology. Under the terms of the fixed-price contract and other agreements with the Air Force, Boeing will be responsible for funding the entire redesign project. The KC-46 is expected to be ready for operations by the mid-2020s.



Pakistan—Court Overturns Of 4 Accused Of Killing Journalist Daniel Pearl Cable News Network | 04/03/2020 A Pakistani court has overturned the convictions and sentences of four men believed to have been involved in the killing of journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002, reports CNN. On Thursday, the high court in Sindh province overturned the convictions, as well as the death sentence and three life sentences. The four were accused of kidnapping and murdering Daniel Pearl, the South Asia bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal, who was kidnapped while investigating Pakistani extremists in Karachi. Militants later beheaded Pearl and sent a video of his death to U.S. officials. An authoritative report produced by Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., found that the kidnapping and execution of Pearl involved three sets of militants: one that kidnapped him; one that kept him prisoner at a house outside Karachi; and a third that killed him, which consisted of senior Al-Qaida members, reported the Guardian (U.K.). The study found that most of those involved in the crime had evaded punishment by Pakistani authorities. Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh, a British citizen who had been sentenced to death, had his sentence reduced to seven years for kidnapping. Sheikh has already served 18 years and was expected to be released shortly. The three other individuals were ordered released, reported the Washington Post. The decision can still be appealed to the Pakistani supreme court. The provincial prosecutor general said that he expected to file an appeal.



Venezuela—Patrol Ship Sinks After Ramming Cruise Ship The War Zone | 04/03/2020 A Venezuelan navy patrol ship has sunk after it rammed a civilian cruise ship, reports the War Zone website. Around midnight on March 30, the cruise ship Resolute, owned by Columbia Cruise Services in Germany, was drifting off the coast of Venezuela while performing engine maintenance when it was intercepted by the patrol ship Naiguata, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The Naiguata ordered the vessel to follow it into Puerto Moreno on Isla De Margarita for allegedly violating Venezuela's territorial waters. According to the company, the Resolute was 13.3 nautical miles (24.6 km) from the Venezuelan coast, outside the 12-mile (19-km) definition of territorial waters set under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Naiguata fired warning shots and then rammed the Resolute's starboard bow at a 135-degree angle in an apparent attempt to turn the vessel around and point it towards Venezuela. The Resolute, which has a strengthened bow for operations in icy waters, sustained minimal damage. The Naiguata was badly damaged, began taking on water and eventually sank. The Resolute remained in the area for an hour after contacting rescue authorities in Curacao, reported the Maritime Executive. She departed after being released from the scene by the authorities and continued to her planned destination of Willemstad, Curacao. All 44 crewmembers of the Naiguata were safe. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the Resolute of intentionally ramming the patrol ship, calling it an "act of aggression and piracy." The attempted seizure may be related to a dispute between Venezuela and Portugal, where the Resolute is flagged.