The List 5284 TGB
Good Monday Morning April 20
I hope that you had a good weekend .
Regards,
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Today in Naval History
April 20
On This Day
1861
Union forces burn screw frigate Merrimack and Gosport Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va., to prevent Yard facilities and ships from falling into Confederate hands during the Civil War.
1914
The first call-to-action of naval aviators is given, creating an aviation detachment of three pilots, 12 enlisted men, and three aircraft to join the Atlantic Fleet forces operating off Tampico during the Mexican crisis.
1942
USS Wasp (CV 7) launches 47 British aircraft to reinforce Malta, repeating the exercise May 9.
1944
USS Seahorse (SS 304) torpedoes and sinks Japanese submarine RO 45 off the Mariana Islands.
1947
Navy Capt. L.O. Fox, backed by 80 Marines, accepts surrender of Japanese Lt. Ei Yamaguchi and 26 Japanese soldiers and sailors, two and one half years after the occupation of Peleliu and nearly 20 months after the surrender of Japan.
1953
USS New Jersey (BB 62) shells Wonsan, Korea, from inside the harbor during the Korean War.
1964
USS Henry Clay (SSBN 625) launches a Polaris A-2 missile in the first demonstration to show that Polaris submarines could launch missiles from the surface as well as from beneath the ocean.
2007
USS Saipan (LHA 2) is decommissioned at Norfolk, Va., after serving the Navy for 30 years, including operations Urgent Fury, Sharp Edge, Desert Storm, Deny Flight, and Iraqi Freedom.
CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• Multiple outlets report that the Navy is coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the outbreak on board USS Theodore Roosevelt.
• Another Russian fighter aircraft flew within 25 feet of a U.S. Navy P-8A over the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday, multiple outlets report.
• SOUTHCOM Commander Adm. Craig Faller said Friday that U.S. naval forces in the Caribbean are not aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, reports the Associated Press.
This day in World History
April 20
1139 The Second Lateran Council opens in Rome.
1657 English Admiral Robert Blake fights his last battle when he destroys the Spanish fleet in Santa Cruz Bay.
1769 Ottawa Chief Pontiac is murdered by an Indian in Cahokia.
1770 Captain Cook discovers Australia.
1775 British troops begin the siege of Boston.
1792 France declares war on Austria, Prussia, and Sardinia.
1809 Napoleon Bonaparte defeats Austria at Battle of Abensberg, Bavaria.
1836 The Territory of Wisconsin is created.
1841 Edgar Allen Poe's first detective story is published.
1861 Robert E. Lee resigns from the U.S. Army.
1879 The first mobile home (horse-drawn) is used in a journey from London to Cyprus.
1916 The first National League game is played at Chicago's Wrigley Field, then known as Weeghman Park. The park was renamed Cubs Park in 1920 and Wrigley Field, for the Chicago Cubs owner, in 1926.
1919 The Polish Army captures Vilno, Lithuania from the Soviets.
1940 The first electron microscope is demonstrated.
1942 Pierre Laval, the premier of Vichy France, in a radio broadcast, establishes a policy of "true reconciliation with Germany."
1945 Soviet troops begin their attack on Berlin.
1951 General Douglas MacArthur addresses a joint session of Congress after being relieved by President Harry Truman.
1953 Operation Little Switch begins in Korea, the exchange of sick and wounded prisoners of war.
1962 The New Orleans Citizens Committee gives free one-way ride to blacks to move North.
1967 U.S. planes bomb Haiphong for first time during the Vietnam War.
1999 Two students enter Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado and open fire with multiple firearms, killing 13 students and teachers, wounding 25 and eventually shooting themselves.
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Thanks to THE Bear
For your info... this one is for Ron... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED… When Naval Aviation Roared… Tales of the Brave and Bold… #3…
COMMEMORATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM WAR (1961-1973)... and honoring the intrepid Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers and air crews that carried the war to the heartland of North Vietnam in the years of Operation Rolling Thunder (1965-1968)... GOOD MORNING. It is Monday, 20 April 2020, and I have another...
ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED… When Naval Aviation Roared… Tales of the Brave and Bold… #3…
April 19, 2020Bear Taylor
COMMEMORATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM WAR (1961-1973)… and honoring the intrepid Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers and air crews that carried the war to the heartland of North Vietnam in the years of Operation Rolling Thunder (1965-1968)…
GOOD MORNING. It is Monday, 20 April 2020, and I have another Yankee Air Pirate tale to tell. But first, a remembrance of this week fifty years ago (20-26 April 1967). We were celebrating the safe return of our Apollo 13 astronauts and humming the Jackson Five's new barn burner– ABC. President Nixon got our attention with a televised speech that announced the planned withdrawal of 150,000 more U.S. troops from South Vietnam in 1967, if the North Vietnamese would reciprocate in some manner. A transcript of the speech and a columnist's response to the speech is at…
Nixon 20 Apr 67…NYT…https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/212/2121608065.pdf
Economist 25 Apr 67… https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/212/2121608082.pdf
DURING THE WEEK 20-26 April 1967 the United States lost almost 100 warfighters on the ground in South Vietnam, raising the war total killed-on-the-battlefields of Southeast Asia to 41,854. The nation also lost 14 fixed wing aircraft in Southeast Asia and 18 brave aviators perished in the combat and operational losses. Ten were lost in an AC-130 Gunship loss while executing a night Commando Hunt mission. Two were killed in the crash of an EC-47 shortly after takeoff. Six of the bravest were killed in action in attack and fighter aircraft: CAPTAIN DOUGLAS FRANKLIN MAHAN, USAF; MAJOR EUGENE LACY WHEELER, USMC; LTJG JOHN BRYAN GOLZ, USN; CAPTAIN ALBIN EARL LUCKI, USAF; 1LT ROBERT ARTHUR GOMEZ, USAF: and, CAPTAIN CHARLES K. HACKETT, USAF. The fallen rest in peace, glory gained and duty done… Additonal information on the aircraft losses are at pages 202 and 203 of https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com …
WHEN NAVAL AVIATION ROARED… Episode #3…
USS INTREPID (CVS-11) and Carrier Air Wing TEN strike the Phong Dinh highway and railroad bridge complex three miles north of Thanh Hoa on 8 November 1967…
USS INTREPID and CVW-10 were on the second of three combat cruises made to the Gulf of Tonkin from their homeports of Norfolk, Oceana and Cecil Field/Jacksonville. (That is 3 more combat cruises than another Atlantic Fleet carrier, USS John F. Kennedy, made. Humble Host awaits an explanation). The carrier, newly designated a CVS ASW carrier, departed Norfolf on 11 May 1967 and returned on 30 December 1967. Carrier Air Wing TEN lost twelve aircraft in combat and two in operational accidents. Three aviators were captured after being downed over North Vietnam: LCDR EDWARD H. MARTIN, VA-34; LCDR PETER V. SCHOEFFEL, VA-15; and LT WILSON D. KEY, VA-34. All three POWs returned to the U.S. in March 1973. LT PHILLIP CHARLES CRAIG, VA-15, was killed-in-action on 4 July 1967 while striking the railroad yard of Hai Duong. He had flown more than 200 strike missions. His remains were returned to the United States in 1986 and positively identified in 1987. He is memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery. Leave a remembrance at VVMF, WALL OF FACES…
INTREPID and CVW-10 began their fourth and final line period of the deployment on 1 November. When they completed the period and set sail for home port on 9 December the ship and wing had completed 103 days in combat. As a "small deck," sans A-6 Intruders, the main battery was represented by three light attack A-4 squadrons: VA-34, VA-15 and VSF-3. As a consequence the Air Wing flew mostly day strikes, armed reconnaisance and photo reconnaissance on the 6AM to 6PM schedule. This is the story of one of those middle-of-the-day Alpha Strikes into North Vietnam… The gunners were ready and waiting…
THE MISSION. On 8 November 1967 USS INTREPID and Attack Carrier Air Wing TEN were fragged to strike the two bridges at Phuong Dinh as part of a concentrated effort to interdict road and rail traffic between Hanoi and Thanh Hoa. The following is clipped from the Project CHECO Report: Rolling Thunder, January 1967-November 1968 of 1 October 1969…
"The fear of USSR/ChiCom reaction had precluded a direct attack on the port (of Haiphong). Thus it became necessary to devise peripheral interdiction methods to deny the enemy the full benefits of the port. The enemy moved record tonnages through the Haiphong-Hanoi-Thanh Hoa complex in 1967. He had exceeded the normal capacity of the port for as many as five consecutive months. He used alternate off-loading means to bypass the limited dock facilities, and he supplemented the available warehousing by storing large amounts of material within the city of Haiphong (also off-limits– by ROE– to bombing). Given these expedients, it became apparent that the primary factor limiting port through-put was the system for moving supplies out of the port area to their destinations…. All goods to be moved to the south by rail were sent from Haiphong to Hanoi then south to Thanh Hoa, Vinh and then through Dong Hoi to the DMZ. Two minor highways emanated from Haiphong: Highway 5 to Hanoi and Highway 10, south to Thai-Binh. From Thai-Binh, the primary southward movement followed Highway 10 to the intersection with Highway 1A, the major north/south highway between Hanoi and the DMZ…."
The INTREPID/CVW-10 Rolling Thunder assignment was both the RR/Highway 1A roadway bridge at Phuong Dinh and a bypass road bridge close by. The location was immediately north of the Thanh Hoa "Dragon's Jaw" bridge and it was estimated that destruction of these two smaller bridges would impose the same interuption of enemy logistic movement as dropping a span of the "Dragon's Jaw."… (But not nearly the same level of satisfaction)…
THE ENEMY DEFENSES. The two bridges were protected by the same Integrated Air Defense System defending the Thanh Hoa bridge, a combination of AAA 37mm, 57mm and 85mm guns organized in more than 50 active sites of multiple barrels, some controlled by radar. Several Surface-to Air-Missile sites were active in the area. MiGs were a lesser threat, but were never completely discounted and MiGCAP was required. The following is a more complete picture of North Vietnam defenses in late 1967. Quote from the Project CHECO Report…
"Strikes over NVN, particularly in the vital Northeast sector, had encountered increased opposition. The results for the year had been a reduction in NVN's fighter aircraft capability and frequent disruption of operational airfields. At the beginning of the year, NVN had about 72 fighter aircraft on its airfields. By the end of October, all but one airfield had been struck and approximately 20 fighter aircraft were operating from airfields within NVN (others were operating out of ChiCom airbases). Probably the most notable reaction to the U.S. bombing had been the enemy buildup (and integration) of his air defense system. The number of SAM sites had increased to 270 of which 30 to 35 were occupied, an increase of 119 sites over the 1966 total. Although about 3,495 SAM firings were noted in 1967 as compared with 990 firings in 1966, SAM kill-ratios actually declined. The total AAA weapons increased from approximately 830 guns to a high of 7,959 for 1967." Unquote.
PLANNING. The strike was planned, briefed and led by COMMANDER LESLIE C. HOFTO, commanding Anti-Submarine Fighter Squadron THREE, and employed twenty-two air wing aircraft against the two bridges. Twelve A4s directed their attacks on the bridges; six A4s provided flak suppression and Ironhand support; and 4 F-8 Crusaders provided MiGCAP.
EXECUTION. After an expeditious rendezvous the strike group proceeded to the preplanned coast-in point about 15 miles northeast of the target. As the target was approached the strike group began receiving fire from numerous 85mm and 37/57mm antiaircraft batteries. The intensity of the opposition increased as the strike group splitup to achieve optimum rollin points for their respective attacks on the bridges and active flak sites. LCDR WILLIAM V. BEST, VSF-3, led out his element of flak suppressors to attack the easily identified firing AAA sites. Three sites were silenced by the flak suppressors pressing undaunted dive attacks and accurately placing racks of MK-82s within the diameters of the three sites struck. However, more than a dozen other AAA sites sustained accurate aimed and barrage fire to defend the two bridges. COMMANDER HOFTO and his lead division penetrated the enemy fire to commence and complete their devastating dive bombing runs against the main bridge scoring several direct hits destroying the southern span. LCDR RONALD R. BOYLE, VA-15, leading a division of "Valions," followed the lead division and duplicated the accuracy of COMMANDER HOFTO's division of "Chessmen"to destroy the northern span and seriously damage the center span. The bombing of LT ALBERT A. ISGER, VA-15 was particularly accurate and effective. LCDR NEULAND C. COLLIER, VA-34, led his division of "Road Runners" through the intense flak to score several hits on the bypass bridge, dropping the northern span, fulfilling the assigned mission. The damage assessment witnessed and reported by the pilots was confirmed by post-strike photo reconnaissance. Egress from the target was opposed by the extraordinary volume of enemy fire always encountered in the area of the other Highway 1A bridge three miles closer to Thanh Hoa. All twenty-two aircraft on the mission returned to USS INTREPID intact. Mission accomplished in the face of intense opposition with unsurpassed excellence. Just what CINCPACFLT ordered.
EFFECT. The complete interdiction of Highway 1A at the Phoung Dinh location led to a successive strike on the bridges at Dong Phong Thong, about ten miles north of Phuong Dinh. Success in interdicting 1A at two points enabled strike aircraft to trap trucks, rail cars and locomotives between the two breaks for attack as lucrative targets by follow-on armed reconnaissance missions.
BITS OF RIBBON. For 17 of the 22 strike pilots on this successful strike there was no "bit of ribbon." Just 2-points toward a Strike-Flight Air Medal. COMMANDER HOFTO was awarded a gold star in lieu of a second Distinguished Flying Cross and three other recommendations for DFCs were downgraded to Individual Air Medals ( Ron Boyle, Al Isger and Neuland Collier). Humble Host never understood how or why hundreds of young warriors flying wing, and getting the best hits on more than a hundred intensely opposed missions over North Vietnam–Rolling Thunder– came home, or didn't, without a Distinguished Flying Cross. How could surviving more than 200 missions over North Vietnam be accomplished without a great deal of distinguished flying? Shame on the Admirals who sent their young men into the "valley of death" on a relentless schedule of taking the fight to the enemy where he lived–the only American warriors in the entire Vietnam war so honored–and then deny those bravehearts a bit of red,white and blue….
HOW EXTRAORDINARY BECOMES MERITORIOUS: with the stroke of a pen. Humble Host has chosen the example of the recommendation for the award of a Distinguished Flying Cross for LCDR RONALD R. BOYLE on the mission that took out the bridges of Phoung Dinh on 8 November 1967 that suffered a downgrade to an AIR MEDAL to make the point. The BOYLE DFC award recommendation submitted by INTREPID and CVW-10 was reduced to the AM by the Awards Board of CINCPACFLT as they sat around a table in Hawaii talking about where their next round of golf would be played. The only change in the proposed DFC citation and the Air Medal citation signed by ADMIRAL JOHN J. HYLAND, CINCPACFLT, was to change one word in the lead sentence of the writeups. "For heroic and exceptional achievement in aerial flight…" was changed to "meritorious achievement."
HUMBLE HOST is honored to include the AIR MEDAL citation for LCDR RON BOYLE as part of the story of "the bridges of Phuong Dinh." Ron was my outstanding and indefatiquable Executive Officer during my 1972-74 tour as Commanding Officer of VA-46 embarked in USS JOHN F. KENNEDY. He subsequently fleeted up to command the "Clansmen." He is remembered here with highest respect, admiration and appreciation as he rests in peace having completed a distinguished career in the Navy and later with McDonnell-Douglas (F-18E/F Program). Glory gained, duty done…
"The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the AIR MEDAL to LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RONALD RAYMOND BOYLE, United States Navy, for service as set forth in the following:
"CITATION
"For heroic and meritorious achievement in aerial flight as a pilot attached to Attack Squadron FIFTEEN, embarked in USS INTREPID (CVS-11), on 8 November 1967. Lieutenant Commander BOYLE led a bomber division in a 22 plane strike against the Phoung Dinh highway bridge complex three miles north of Thanh Hoa, North Vietnam. During the approach to the target, Lieutenant Commander BOYLE displayed extraordinary aerial skill in maneuvering his division safely through skies darkened by an umbrella of flak. Disregarding the anti-aircraft artillery fire of ever-increasing intensity and accuracy, he pressed the attack and delivered his bombs onto his assigned bridge with unerring accuracy. His ordnance was observed to impact directly on the target and post strike bomb damage assessment photography revealed three spans of the bridge were totally destroyed. Lieutenant Commander BOYLE's courageous leadership, aggressiveness and precise weapons delivery were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."…. /s/ John J. Hyland, Admiral, USN, CINCPACFLT… Oohrah, XO….
HUMBLE HOST END NOTE. Major General DARYLE E. TRIPP, USAF (Ret) has put his great story of one of the most historic air rescues of all time on the internet. His book, BOXER 22: Air Rescue at the Door of Death, is on line at: (I hope I get this right):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/knsq2jo1b26w5w4/AAD_uJKXa9hWt-CfremwqOk4a?dl=O&preview=BOXER+22-Air+Rescue+at+the+Door+of+Death_by+Gen+Dayle+E+Tripp.pdf
The rescue effort of 51-continuous hours on 5-6-7 December 1969 set records. On 5 December 49 Jet aircraft, 55 A-1s, 15 Jolly Greens, 7 Nail FACs, 3 King HC-130s and a flock of tankers added to the 130 total aircraft in the air over the southwest exit from the MuGia Pass, home to more than 300 enemy AAA barrels. MuGia="Door of Death. Of 6 December, Major General TRIPP wrote: "This day set the an absolute rescue record. The force included 93 jet aircraft (from all services), 96 Skyraiders, 11 Jolly Greens, 12 Nails FACs, 5 King HC-130s, 2 Cobra helicopter gunships and KC-135 tankers that were deployed. A total of 222 aircraft had been committed to the operation." During the 51 hours 490 aircraft sorties were flown. When it came to "Bits of Ribbon," the General reported an Air Force record number of awards for a single event were recommended and awarded following the rescue. One thousand eighty awards were recommended and the number approved set a record that stands today.
BOXER 22 is a great story made clear by the best set of pilots charts and maps of the Commando Hunt area every published. General TRIPP obtained several cockpit charts used by aviators involved in the successful rescue of one of the two aviators. In addition, the photographs and other attachments are well chosen and support the prose. General TRIPP is to be commended for his superb book and releasing it to the internet. In fact, Humble Host has been unable to find a source for purchase… Readers of this website who are unable to link to the BOXER 22 above are invited to contact me on the internet at beartaylor@comcast.net and I will forward a sure link…
NEXT POST: Monday, 27 April 2020. NAVAL AVIATION ROARS. Episode #4. USS ENTERPRISE (CVA(N)-65) and Attack Carrier Air Wing NINE strike the Kep Airfield complex in coordination with USS CONSTELLATION strike operations on 7 June 1967… F-4s and A-6s in the van with A-4s as detached flak and SAM suppressors…
Lest we forget… Bear
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
20 April
1912: The Secretary of War published the conditions of the Military Aviator Test in a report to the House of Representatives. (24)
1916: Sgt Maj Elliot Cowdin became the first American pilot to receive the French Medaille Militaire. (24) 1917: The Navy's DN-1 airship made its first flight at Pensacola. It was accepted on 16 May, but after three flights it was grounded and never flew again. (24)
1923: Maj Henry "Hap" Arnold led a group of Army Corps airmen from Rockwell Field to prove the possibility of inflight refueling. Arnold and his men ran a hose between two DeHavilland DH-4Bs for the first inflight hose contact. Although no fuel transferred during the 40-minute test at San Diego, California, the modified tankers demonstrated the feasibility of gravity-flow air refueling. (4) (18)
1942: The carrier USS Wasp entered the Mediterranean and launched 47 RAF Spitfires to Malta. (24) 1943: Staging from Funafuti in Ellice Islands, Seventh Air Force B-24s attacked Tarawa for the first time. (24)
1951: Mrs. Ana Louisa Branger, piloting a Piper Super Cub, set an international altitude record of 27,152 feet in a Class C-1a aircraft (planes of less than 1,103 pounds) at Alexandria. (24)
1959: The Navy's prototype UGM-27A Polaris missile successfully flew a 500-mile course. (16) (24)
1962: The first Titan Is placed on alert to make the 724 SMS operational at Lowry AFB. (6) 1965: Phase out of all first-generation ICBMs completed with the shipment of the last Atlas to storage. Later, on 25 June SAC inactivated three Atlas E, six Atlas F, and six Titan I squadrons. (1) (6)
1966: President Dwight D. Eisenhower's aircraft, a VC-121 Super Constellation named Columbine III, was retired and flown from Andrews AFB to Wright-Patterson AFB. The aircraft went into service with MAC's 89 MAW in August 1954. (18)
1966: Vandenberg AFB launched its last Titan II operational test vehicle. (6) 1972: Apollo XVI: Astronauts John W. Young and Charles M. Duke set a record for the greatest mass AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS landed on the moon. The Lunar Module Orion and the two men weighed 18,208 pounds. When the Orion left on 23 April, the two men set another record for the greatest mass (10,949 pounds) lifted into lunar orbit. (9)
1982: The crew for the movie "The Right Stuff" arrived at Edwards AFB to shoot the film. (3) 1985: B-52 crews completed initial training for Harpoon anti-ship missile operations. (16) (26)
1996: The Idaho ANG's 124th Fighter Wing flew the F-4G Wild Weasel's last operational flight from Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho, to the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center at DavisMonthan AFB. (http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/f4/last.htm)
2007: A Russian Volga-Dnepr AN-124 touched down at Moffett Air Field, Calif., to deploy the 129th Rescue Wing (California Air National Guard), their HH-60G Pave Hawk Rescue Helicopters, and support equipment to Afghanistan. The Air Force contracted the AN-124 for the deployment, because the high operations tempo from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom prevented the use of C-17 Globemaster IIIs and C-5 Galaxys for the deployment. (AFNEWS, "Russian Aircraft Transports ANG Rescue Helicopters," 24 Apr 2007.)
Exercise SNIPER LANCE 2007. More than 200 airmen from US Air Forces in Europe bases arrived Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania, to participate in this exercise. Sniper Lance provided realistic combat flight training for USAF F-15 Eagles, KC-135 Stratotankers and Romanian Air Force MiG-21s based out of the 86th Air Base near the town of Fetesti. (AFNEWS, "USAFE Airmen Kick Off Sniper Lance 2007," 20 Apr 2007); and (AFNEWS, "Air Force Gains Larger Presence in Romania," 9 May 2007.)
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World News for 20 April from Military Periscope
USA—Pentagon To Extend, Loosen Travel Restrictions The Hill | 04/20/2020 The U.S. Dept. of Defense is extending restrictions on travel for service members until June 30, reports the Hill (Washington, D.C.). On Saturday, Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness Matthew Donovan announced that Defense Secretary Mark Esper would extend the measures, which were scheduled to expire on May 11. Esper is expected to officially sign the order on Monday. The defense secretary will review the restrictions every 15 days in consultation with the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported Military.com. Some restrictions will be eased, including those allowing for scheduled permanent change-of-station moves. Such travel will be approved on a case-by-case basis by the relevant installation commanders. Travel for recruiting and entry-level training is also approved. Those who do move may be subject to quarantine measures when they arrive at their new posts, reported the Military Times.
USA—Russian Jet Conducts Another Dangerous Intercept Over Med U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa | 04/20/2020 A Russian fighter jet has again performed a dangerous intercept of an American maritime patrol aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, reports U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa. On Sunday, a Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol surveillance aircraft was twice intercepted by a Russian Su-35 Flanker jet in a period of about 100 minutes. The first interaction was described as safe and professional. During the second intercept, the Russian pilot flew at high speeds and conducted high-powered maneuvers, coming within 25 feet (7.6 m) of the Poseidon and exposing it to wake turbulence and jet exhaust, the command said. The U.S. pilot decreased altitude to increase separation. Aircraft tracking sites cited by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty indicated the incident occurred over the eastern Mediterranean. Russian officials said that the fighter jet was scrambled in response to unusual movements around the Russian-operated Hmeimim airbase in northwestern Syria, reported the Tass news agency (Moscow). The Navy reported a similar unsafe intercept over the Mediterranean on April 15.
USA—Pentagon Falling Short On Responding To Recommendations, Says SIGAR Stars And Stripes | 04/20/2020 The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has criticized the Dept. of Defense for addressing less than half of the recommendations made since 2014, reports Stars and Stripes. The Pentagon has only implemented 84 of the more than 200 recommendations made by the SIGAR since 2014, says the latest study from the watchdog group, which was released on April 16. The report noted that from 2009 to 2014, the Defense Dept. implemented more than 75 percent of SIGAR recommendations. Some recommendations have taken 20 months or more to address, while SIGAR has concluded that the department has no intention of responding to others. For example, the watchdog found that the Pentagon had funded and trained Afghan units connected to human-rights violations and child sex abuse and outlined seven recommendations for the military to avoid violating legislation that prohibits assistance to groups if there is credible evidence of significant human-rights violations. In this case, the department had taken action, but as of January had not fully addressed the recommendations, including requiring contractors to report human-rights violations, the SIGAR report says. Defense Dept. officials emphasized that SIGAR recommendations were thoroughly reviewed but that in some cases the Pentagon does not agree with or only partially agrees with a recommendation. In other cases, the department may take action but will not hear back from SIGAR on whether it was sufficient, the officials said.
USA—CISA Highlights Cyber Threat From Pyongyang U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency | 04/20/2020 The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an advisory on the North Korean cyber threat to the international community. North Korean state-sponsored entities are engaged in a variety of cyber activities to illicitly generate revenue and engage in politically motivated attacks, says the CISA guidance that was published on April 15. These illegal activities include cyber-enabled theft from financial institutions and money laundering; extortion campaigns; and cryptojacking. Cryptojacking involves hijacking computers and using them to mine digital currency, said CISA. The document outlined several known cyber operations conducted by Pyongyang, including the attack on Sony Pictures in 2014; the theft of $81 million from the Bangladesh Bank in 2016; the WannaCry 2.0 ransomware campaign in 2017; the FASTCash fraudulent ATM withdrawal campaign that began in late 2016; and the digital currency exchange hack in 2018 that involved the theft of nearly $250 million in digital currency. CISA called on governments, industry, civil society and individuals to implement several measures to address the North Korean cyber threat. These include raising awareness; sharing technical information; implementing and promoting cybersecurity best practices; notifying law enforcement of suspected attacks; and strengthening compliance with anti-money laundering/countering financing of terrorism/counter-proliferation financing efforts. The agency also announced a $5 million reward to encourage individuals to come forward with information about North Korean illegal cyber activity.
USA—2 More Air Guard Bases In Line For F-35s U.S. Air Force | 04/20/2020 The U.S. Air Force has named the next two Air National Guard units to be equipped with the F-35A Lightning II stealthy fighter. The 115th Fighter Wing at Truax Field, outside of Madison, Wis., and the 187th Fighter Wing at Dannelly Field in Montgomery, Ala., will operate the F-35 starting in 2023, said an Air Force release on April 15. The announcement was made after the completion of the required environmental analysis, which began in early 2018. Opponents tried to prevent the F-35 from being based in Madison, with local officials warning of significant increases in takeoff and landing noise, reported the Wisconsin State Journal (Madison).
USA—Navy Orders Another 15 LCAC-100 Landing Craft U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command | 04/20/2020 U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded a contract modification to Textron Systems for additional LCAC-100-class air-cushioned landing craft. The $386 million deal covers the manufacture of LCAC-109 through LCAC-123, said a Defense Dept. release. Work under the contract is scheduled to conclude by January 2025. The landing craft will replace the existing LCACs as assault transports for weapons, equipment, cargo and personnel being deployed to shore from amphibious warships. The Navy ordered the first nine LCAC-100s under a detail design and construction contract. LCAC-100 was delivered on Feb. 6 and will serve as the developmental unit for the new class. LCAC-101 is nearing completion and is expected to begin builder's trials within weeks. Another seven craft are in the later phases of construction, said NAVSEA.
United Kingdom—Mission Master UGVs to Haul Cargo For Troops Rheinmetall Defence | 04/20/2020 The British military has ordered uncrewed ground vehicles optimized for cargo transport missions, reports the German manufacturer, Rheinmetall. The order, placed at the end of 2019, covers four Mission Master-Cargo vehicles for the U.K. Robotic Platoon Vehicle program. Two stretcher systems, which can be installed in 60 seconds, are included. The value of the deal was not disclosed. The project is intended to help the British army determine the extent that robotic vehicles can boost the capabilities of dismounted troops at the platoon level. The vehicles are scheduled to be delivered throughout the spring of 2020. Rheinmetall Canada will supply the vehicles and Rheinmetall BAE Land Systems will provide on-location support services. The Mission Master-Cargo is designed to reduce the combat load carried by soldiers. It can carry up to 1,100 pounds (500 kg) of supplies, tactical and medical equipment.
Germany—Naval Shipyard Consolidation Sought To Boost Competitiveness Defense News | 04/20/2020 The German government is facilitating negotiations between national naval shipbuilders to create a more competitive conglomerate, reports Defense News. Talks began early this year between ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, German Naval Yards Kiel and Lurssen, reported Germany's NDR public broadcaster. The negotiations have focused on surface ships, excluding submarines, reported Reuters. The discussions come after German Naval Yards Kiel and TKMS lost the tender for the German navy's MKS-180 frigate program to Dutch shipbuilder Damen teamed with Lurssen. German Naval Yards Kiel is challenging that decision in court. The government could use its position in future consolidation talks to end the protest, enabling the MKS-180 program to move forward quickly, analysts said. A consolidated naval shipbuilding sector is the only way Germany can remain competitive in the market, said industry officials.
Germany—Government Set To Buy Super Hornets, Growlers From U.S. Bloomberg News | 04/20/2020 Germany intends to order 45 new aircraft from Boeing, according to German media reports cited by Bloomberg News. On Sunday, Der Spiegel reported that Germany planned to buy 30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and 15 EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft. Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer emailed U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper about the proposed procurement on April 16, the magazine said. German and U.S. officials have not confirmed the report. In March, German officials revealed a plan to purchase both Eurofighter Typhoons and Super Hornets, with the latter replacing the fleet's Tornado IDS jets in the nuclear strike role. The Growlers would replace Germany's Tornado ECR electronic warfare aircraft.
Kazakhstan—Air Force Grounds MiG-31 Fleet After Crash Kazakh TV | 04/20/2020 The Kazakh air force has grounded its fleet of MiG-31 interceptors after one of the jets crashed, reports Kazakh TV. On April 16, a Kazakh MiG-31 experienced an engine fire shortly after taking off from an airfield in Karaganda, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Defense. The pilots were ordered to eject and guided the jet into a field where it would not hit civilians before bailing out safely. The aircraft in question was scheduled to be retired in 2021 after reaching 30 years of service, the defense ministry said. The Kazakh MiG-31 fleet has been in decline, noted the War Zone website. Forty were upgraded to the MiG-31BS configuration, but only 21 remained in service in early 2020, according to Flight Global. An investigation into the incident is underway.
North Korea—Officials Hiding COVID-19 Cases From International Community, Sources Say Radio Free Asia | 04/20/2020 North Korean officials have been concealing cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) since March, sources tell Radio Free Asia. Government-sponsored speakers visited various organizations and neighborhood watches in late March to educate people about the COVID-19 pandemic and confirmed that there were cases in at least three parts of the country, two sources told the news service on April 16. The virus was confirmed in Pyongyang, South Hwanghae province and North Hamgyong province, the speakers said. South Hwanghae is in the far south, while North Hamgyong is in the far north, leading many to question how the virus had not spread to the rest of the country, the North Korean sources said. The lecturers blamed citizens for failing to implement quarantine and sanitation guidelines set up by the regime to prevent the spread of the virus, said the sources. Meanwhile, North Korea has publicly claimed that there were no COVID-19 cases within its borders. As recently as April 1, Pyongyang told media that measures to stop the spread of the virus were 100 percent successful. These measures included quarantining whole counties along the Chinese border and canceling most major events. Analysts have expressed concern that North Korea's limited health care system is unprepared for a major coronavirus outbreak.
Philippines—11 Soldiers Die In Operation Against ASG Leader Philippine Daily Inquirer | 04/20/2020 Eleven Philippine soldiers have been killed and 14 wounded in clashes with extremists in the southern Sulu province, reports the Philippine Daily Inquirer. On Friday, soldiers from Delta Company, 21st Infantry Battalion, were on the tail of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) militants in Patikul after two major encounters in the region that resulted in heavy casualties among the rebels, said a spokesman for the Western Mindanano Command. The soldiers were pursuing ASG leader Radullan Sahiron and close aide Hatib Sawadjaan when they encountered at least 40 militants in an ASG compound, said the spokesman. The fighting took place at close quarters, he said. On Saturday, soldiers killed Sahiron's grandson, known as Vikram, after he fired on police during an arrest operation, reported Agence France-Presse. Vikram was believed to believe to be involved in manufacturing explosives, including those used in a deadly cathedral bombing in 2019.
Iran—Defense Ministry Touts New Drones Press Tv | 04/20/2020 The Iranian Defense Ministry says it has taken delivery of new combat and surveillance drones, reports the state-run Press TV. On Saturday, Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami said that Iran had recently acquired three armed uncrewed aerial vehicles of a new, multirole, jet-powered design, reported Reuters. These drones have a range of 930 miles (1,500 km), a ceiling of 39,370 ft (12,000 m), a top-speed of 560 mph (900 kph) and an endurance of 180 minutes, said Hatami. The drones were manufactured domestically, in collaboration with local universities. He did not reveal the name of the system. At the same time, the Iranian army took delivery of a large batch of Ababil-3 and Karar drones. The Ababil-3 is a surveillance system with an operational radius of 90 miles (150 km), while the Karar is a strategic combat drone with a comparable payload to a crewed aircraft, said Hatami. The Karar can also be used as a cruise missile, reported the Jerusalem Post.
Burkina Faso—Security Forces Massacre 31 Alleged Terrorism Suspects In North, Says Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch | 04/20/2020 Burkinabe security forces may have extrajudicially killed 31 men suspected of ties to terrorist groups, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. The alleged massacre took place on April 9 in Djibo, 125 miles (200 km) north of Ouagadougou, the capital, says the report, which was published on Monday. The report relied on testimony from 17 witnesses, including 12 who observed the arrests and later burial. According to witnesses, the men were arrested by security forces near their homes and farms and taken away in 10 military vehicles to an isolated area nearby. Residents said all those taken away had been killed, many with their limbs still bound. All were members of the Fula (Peuhl) community. Armed Islamist groups in northern Burkina Faso have largely recruited from the Peuhl community. Witnesses described the perpetrators as a mixture of security personnel in military uniforms and others in civilian clothes, some of whom were believed to be members of a specialized counterterrorism force based in the area. Burkina Faso has battled insurgents since 2015, including groups linked to ISIS, in the northern parts of the country.
Chad—44 Boko Haram Suspects Die In Prison Cell Agence France-Presse | 04/20/2020 A group of 44 suspected militants has been found dead in a prison cell in Chad, reports Agence France-Presse. On April 16, prison officials found the suspects dead in their cell, Chadian Chief Prosecutor Youssouf Tom said on national television on Saturday. A post-mortem analysis of four corpses indicated traces of a lethal substance that caused heart attacks and asphyxiation, he said. The rest were buried. An anonymous security source told AFP that 58 prisoners had been placed in a single cell and denied food and drink for two days. Local human-rights groups echoed those accusations. The government rejected the allegations. The victims were among 58 suspected Boko Haram members arrested during recent operations around Lake Chad. From March 31 to April 8, Chadian troops conducted a large-scale operation to clear militants from the Lake Chad area. Around 1,000 militants were reported killed by the army. At least 52 soldiers died in the fighting. The operation was launched after a Boko Haram ambush killed 100 soldiers in the region.
Israel—Prisoner Swap Being Discussed With Hamas Times of Israel | 04/20/2020 Israel and Hamas have been discussing a possible prisoner exchange, reports the Times of Israel. The talks are the result of an "exceptional and rare opportunity," stemming from the climate created by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), said an unnamed senior Israeli source quoted by Channel 13 (Israel). Hamas is said to be concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in the densely populated Gaza Strip and wants a deal that would include medical assistance. A senior Hamas delegation met with Egyptian intelligence to discuss the prisoner exchange, said unnamed Palestinian sources cited by Channel 12 (Israel). The exchange would include the remains of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 war in Gaza and two Israeli civilians who are believed to be held by Hamas after entering Gaza on their own in 2014 and 2015. In return, Israel would free an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners.
Good Monday Morning April 20
I hope that you had a good weekend .
Regards,
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Today in Naval History
April 20
On This Day
1861
Union forces burn screw frigate Merrimack and Gosport Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va., to prevent Yard facilities and ships from falling into Confederate hands during the Civil War.
1914
The first call-to-action of naval aviators is given, creating an aviation detachment of three pilots, 12 enlisted men, and three aircraft to join the Atlantic Fleet forces operating off Tampico during the Mexican crisis.
1942
USS Wasp (CV 7) launches 47 British aircraft to reinforce Malta, repeating the exercise May 9.
1944
USS Seahorse (SS 304) torpedoes and sinks Japanese submarine RO 45 off the Mariana Islands.
1947
Navy Capt. L.O. Fox, backed by 80 Marines, accepts surrender of Japanese Lt. Ei Yamaguchi and 26 Japanese soldiers and sailors, two and one half years after the occupation of Peleliu and nearly 20 months after the surrender of Japan.
1953
USS New Jersey (BB 62) shells Wonsan, Korea, from inside the harbor during the Korean War.
1964
USS Henry Clay (SSBN 625) launches a Polaris A-2 missile in the first demonstration to show that Polaris submarines could launch missiles from the surface as well as from beneath the ocean.
2007
USS Saipan (LHA 2) is decommissioned at Norfolk, Va., after serving the Navy for 30 years, including operations Urgent Fury, Sharp Edge, Desert Storm, Deny Flight, and Iraqi Freedom.
CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• Multiple outlets report that the Navy is coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the outbreak on board USS Theodore Roosevelt.
• Another Russian fighter aircraft flew within 25 feet of a U.S. Navy P-8A over the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday, multiple outlets report.
• SOUTHCOM Commander Adm. Craig Faller said Friday that U.S. naval forces in the Caribbean are not aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, reports the Associated Press.
This day in World History
April 20
1139 The Second Lateran Council opens in Rome.
1657 English Admiral Robert Blake fights his last battle when he destroys the Spanish fleet in Santa Cruz Bay.
1769 Ottawa Chief Pontiac is murdered by an Indian in Cahokia.
1770 Captain Cook discovers Australia.
1775 British troops begin the siege of Boston.
1792 France declares war on Austria, Prussia, and Sardinia.
1809 Napoleon Bonaparte defeats Austria at Battle of Abensberg, Bavaria.
1836 The Territory of Wisconsin is created.
1841 Edgar Allen Poe's first detective story is published.
1861 Robert E. Lee resigns from the U.S. Army.
1879 The first mobile home (horse-drawn) is used in a journey from London to Cyprus.
1916 The first National League game is played at Chicago's Wrigley Field, then known as Weeghman Park. The park was renamed Cubs Park in 1920 and Wrigley Field, for the Chicago Cubs owner, in 1926.
1919 The Polish Army captures Vilno, Lithuania from the Soviets.
1940 The first electron microscope is demonstrated.
1942 Pierre Laval, the premier of Vichy France, in a radio broadcast, establishes a policy of "true reconciliation with Germany."
1945 Soviet troops begin their attack on Berlin.
1951 General Douglas MacArthur addresses a joint session of Congress after being relieved by President Harry Truman.
1953 Operation Little Switch begins in Korea, the exchange of sick and wounded prisoners of war.
1962 The New Orleans Citizens Committee gives free one-way ride to blacks to move North.
1967 U.S. planes bomb Haiphong for first time during the Vietnam War.
1999 Two students enter Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado and open fire with multiple firearms, killing 13 students and teachers, wounding 25 and eventually shooting themselves.
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Thanks to THE Bear
For your info... this one is for Ron... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED… When Naval Aviation Roared… Tales of the Brave and Bold… #3…
COMMEMORATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM WAR (1961-1973)... and honoring the intrepid Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers and air crews that carried the war to the heartland of North Vietnam in the years of Operation Rolling Thunder (1965-1968)... GOOD MORNING. It is Monday, 20 April 2020, and I have another...
ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED… When Naval Aviation Roared… Tales of the Brave and Bold… #3…
April 19, 2020Bear Taylor
COMMEMORATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM WAR (1961-1973)… and honoring the intrepid Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers and air crews that carried the war to the heartland of North Vietnam in the years of Operation Rolling Thunder (1965-1968)…
GOOD MORNING. It is Monday, 20 April 2020, and I have another Yankee Air Pirate tale to tell. But first, a remembrance of this week fifty years ago (20-26 April 1967). We were celebrating the safe return of our Apollo 13 astronauts and humming the Jackson Five's new barn burner– ABC. President Nixon got our attention with a televised speech that announced the planned withdrawal of 150,000 more U.S. troops from South Vietnam in 1967, if the North Vietnamese would reciprocate in some manner. A transcript of the speech and a columnist's response to the speech is at…
Nixon 20 Apr 67…NYT…https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/212/2121608065.pdf
Economist 25 Apr 67… https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/212/2121608082.pdf
DURING THE WEEK 20-26 April 1967 the United States lost almost 100 warfighters on the ground in South Vietnam, raising the war total killed-on-the-battlefields of Southeast Asia to 41,854. The nation also lost 14 fixed wing aircraft in Southeast Asia and 18 brave aviators perished in the combat and operational losses. Ten were lost in an AC-130 Gunship loss while executing a night Commando Hunt mission. Two were killed in the crash of an EC-47 shortly after takeoff. Six of the bravest were killed in action in attack and fighter aircraft: CAPTAIN DOUGLAS FRANKLIN MAHAN, USAF; MAJOR EUGENE LACY WHEELER, USMC; LTJG JOHN BRYAN GOLZ, USN; CAPTAIN ALBIN EARL LUCKI, USAF; 1LT ROBERT ARTHUR GOMEZ, USAF: and, CAPTAIN CHARLES K. HACKETT, USAF. The fallen rest in peace, glory gained and duty done… Additonal information on the aircraft losses are at pages 202 and 203 of https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com …
WHEN NAVAL AVIATION ROARED… Episode #3…
USS INTREPID (CVS-11) and Carrier Air Wing TEN strike the Phong Dinh highway and railroad bridge complex three miles north of Thanh Hoa on 8 November 1967…
USS INTREPID and CVW-10 were on the second of three combat cruises made to the Gulf of Tonkin from their homeports of Norfolk, Oceana and Cecil Field/Jacksonville. (That is 3 more combat cruises than another Atlantic Fleet carrier, USS John F. Kennedy, made. Humble Host awaits an explanation). The carrier, newly designated a CVS ASW carrier, departed Norfolf on 11 May 1967 and returned on 30 December 1967. Carrier Air Wing TEN lost twelve aircraft in combat and two in operational accidents. Three aviators were captured after being downed over North Vietnam: LCDR EDWARD H. MARTIN, VA-34; LCDR PETER V. SCHOEFFEL, VA-15; and LT WILSON D. KEY, VA-34. All three POWs returned to the U.S. in March 1973. LT PHILLIP CHARLES CRAIG, VA-15, was killed-in-action on 4 July 1967 while striking the railroad yard of Hai Duong. He had flown more than 200 strike missions. His remains were returned to the United States in 1986 and positively identified in 1987. He is memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery. Leave a remembrance at VVMF, WALL OF FACES…
INTREPID and CVW-10 began their fourth and final line period of the deployment on 1 November. When they completed the period and set sail for home port on 9 December the ship and wing had completed 103 days in combat. As a "small deck," sans A-6 Intruders, the main battery was represented by three light attack A-4 squadrons: VA-34, VA-15 and VSF-3. As a consequence the Air Wing flew mostly day strikes, armed reconnaisance and photo reconnaissance on the 6AM to 6PM schedule. This is the story of one of those middle-of-the-day Alpha Strikes into North Vietnam… The gunners were ready and waiting…
THE MISSION. On 8 November 1967 USS INTREPID and Attack Carrier Air Wing TEN were fragged to strike the two bridges at Phuong Dinh as part of a concentrated effort to interdict road and rail traffic between Hanoi and Thanh Hoa. The following is clipped from the Project CHECO Report: Rolling Thunder, January 1967-November 1968 of 1 October 1969…
"The fear of USSR/ChiCom reaction had precluded a direct attack on the port (of Haiphong). Thus it became necessary to devise peripheral interdiction methods to deny the enemy the full benefits of the port. The enemy moved record tonnages through the Haiphong-Hanoi-Thanh Hoa complex in 1967. He had exceeded the normal capacity of the port for as many as five consecutive months. He used alternate off-loading means to bypass the limited dock facilities, and he supplemented the available warehousing by storing large amounts of material within the city of Haiphong (also off-limits– by ROE– to bombing). Given these expedients, it became apparent that the primary factor limiting port through-put was the system for moving supplies out of the port area to their destinations…. All goods to be moved to the south by rail were sent from Haiphong to Hanoi then south to Thanh Hoa, Vinh and then through Dong Hoi to the DMZ. Two minor highways emanated from Haiphong: Highway 5 to Hanoi and Highway 10, south to Thai-Binh. From Thai-Binh, the primary southward movement followed Highway 10 to the intersection with Highway 1A, the major north/south highway between Hanoi and the DMZ…."
The INTREPID/CVW-10 Rolling Thunder assignment was both the RR/Highway 1A roadway bridge at Phuong Dinh and a bypass road bridge close by. The location was immediately north of the Thanh Hoa "Dragon's Jaw" bridge and it was estimated that destruction of these two smaller bridges would impose the same interuption of enemy logistic movement as dropping a span of the "Dragon's Jaw."… (But not nearly the same level of satisfaction)…
THE ENEMY DEFENSES. The two bridges were protected by the same Integrated Air Defense System defending the Thanh Hoa bridge, a combination of AAA 37mm, 57mm and 85mm guns organized in more than 50 active sites of multiple barrels, some controlled by radar. Several Surface-to Air-Missile sites were active in the area. MiGs were a lesser threat, but were never completely discounted and MiGCAP was required. The following is a more complete picture of North Vietnam defenses in late 1967. Quote from the Project CHECO Report…
"Strikes over NVN, particularly in the vital Northeast sector, had encountered increased opposition. The results for the year had been a reduction in NVN's fighter aircraft capability and frequent disruption of operational airfields. At the beginning of the year, NVN had about 72 fighter aircraft on its airfields. By the end of October, all but one airfield had been struck and approximately 20 fighter aircraft were operating from airfields within NVN (others were operating out of ChiCom airbases). Probably the most notable reaction to the U.S. bombing had been the enemy buildup (and integration) of his air defense system. The number of SAM sites had increased to 270 of which 30 to 35 were occupied, an increase of 119 sites over the 1966 total. Although about 3,495 SAM firings were noted in 1967 as compared with 990 firings in 1966, SAM kill-ratios actually declined. The total AAA weapons increased from approximately 830 guns to a high of 7,959 for 1967." Unquote.
PLANNING. The strike was planned, briefed and led by COMMANDER LESLIE C. HOFTO, commanding Anti-Submarine Fighter Squadron THREE, and employed twenty-two air wing aircraft against the two bridges. Twelve A4s directed their attacks on the bridges; six A4s provided flak suppression and Ironhand support; and 4 F-8 Crusaders provided MiGCAP.
EXECUTION. After an expeditious rendezvous the strike group proceeded to the preplanned coast-in point about 15 miles northeast of the target. As the target was approached the strike group began receiving fire from numerous 85mm and 37/57mm antiaircraft batteries. The intensity of the opposition increased as the strike group splitup to achieve optimum rollin points for their respective attacks on the bridges and active flak sites. LCDR WILLIAM V. BEST, VSF-3, led out his element of flak suppressors to attack the easily identified firing AAA sites. Three sites were silenced by the flak suppressors pressing undaunted dive attacks and accurately placing racks of MK-82s within the diameters of the three sites struck. However, more than a dozen other AAA sites sustained accurate aimed and barrage fire to defend the two bridges. COMMANDER HOFTO and his lead division penetrated the enemy fire to commence and complete their devastating dive bombing runs against the main bridge scoring several direct hits destroying the southern span. LCDR RONALD R. BOYLE, VA-15, leading a division of "Valions," followed the lead division and duplicated the accuracy of COMMANDER HOFTO's division of "Chessmen"to destroy the northern span and seriously damage the center span. The bombing of LT ALBERT A. ISGER, VA-15 was particularly accurate and effective. LCDR NEULAND C. COLLIER, VA-34, led his division of "Road Runners" through the intense flak to score several hits on the bypass bridge, dropping the northern span, fulfilling the assigned mission. The damage assessment witnessed and reported by the pilots was confirmed by post-strike photo reconnaissance. Egress from the target was opposed by the extraordinary volume of enemy fire always encountered in the area of the other Highway 1A bridge three miles closer to Thanh Hoa. All twenty-two aircraft on the mission returned to USS INTREPID intact. Mission accomplished in the face of intense opposition with unsurpassed excellence. Just what CINCPACFLT ordered.
EFFECT. The complete interdiction of Highway 1A at the Phoung Dinh location led to a successive strike on the bridges at Dong Phong Thong, about ten miles north of Phuong Dinh. Success in interdicting 1A at two points enabled strike aircraft to trap trucks, rail cars and locomotives between the two breaks for attack as lucrative targets by follow-on armed reconnaissance missions.
BITS OF RIBBON. For 17 of the 22 strike pilots on this successful strike there was no "bit of ribbon." Just 2-points toward a Strike-Flight Air Medal. COMMANDER HOFTO was awarded a gold star in lieu of a second Distinguished Flying Cross and three other recommendations for DFCs were downgraded to Individual Air Medals ( Ron Boyle, Al Isger and Neuland Collier). Humble Host never understood how or why hundreds of young warriors flying wing, and getting the best hits on more than a hundred intensely opposed missions over North Vietnam–Rolling Thunder– came home, or didn't, without a Distinguished Flying Cross. How could surviving more than 200 missions over North Vietnam be accomplished without a great deal of distinguished flying? Shame on the Admirals who sent their young men into the "valley of death" on a relentless schedule of taking the fight to the enemy where he lived–the only American warriors in the entire Vietnam war so honored–and then deny those bravehearts a bit of red,white and blue….
HOW EXTRAORDINARY BECOMES MERITORIOUS: with the stroke of a pen. Humble Host has chosen the example of the recommendation for the award of a Distinguished Flying Cross for LCDR RONALD R. BOYLE on the mission that took out the bridges of Phoung Dinh on 8 November 1967 that suffered a downgrade to an AIR MEDAL to make the point. The BOYLE DFC award recommendation submitted by INTREPID and CVW-10 was reduced to the AM by the Awards Board of CINCPACFLT as they sat around a table in Hawaii talking about where their next round of golf would be played. The only change in the proposed DFC citation and the Air Medal citation signed by ADMIRAL JOHN J. HYLAND, CINCPACFLT, was to change one word in the lead sentence of the writeups. "For heroic and exceptional achievement in aerial flight…" was changed to "meritorious achievement."
HUMBLE HOST is honored to include the AIR MEDAL citation for LCDR RON BOYLE as part of the story of "the bridges of Phuong Dinh." Ron was my outstanding and indefatiquable Executive Officer during my 1972-74 tour as Commanding Officer of VA-46 embarked in USS JOHN F. KENNEDY. He subsequently fleeted up to command the "Clansmen." He is remembered here with highest respect, admiration and appreciation as he rests in peace having completed a distinguished career in the Navy and later with McDonnell-Douglas (F-18E/F Program). Glory gained, duty done…
"The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the AIR MEDAL to LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RONALD RAYMOND BOYLE, United States Navy, for service as set forth in the following:
"CITATION
"For heroic and meritorious achievement in aerial flight as a pilot attached to Attack Squadron FIFTEEN, embarked in USS INTREPID (CVS-11), on 8 November 1967. Lieutenant Commander BOYLE led a bomber division in a 22 plane strike against the Phoung Dinh highway bridge complex three miles north of Thanh Hoa, North Vietnam. During the approach to the target, Lieutenant Commander BOYLE displayed extraordinary aerial skill in maneuvering his division safely through skies darkened by an umbrella of flak. Disregarding the anti-aircraft artillery fire of ever-increasing intensity and accuracy, he pressed the attack and delivered his bombs onto his assigned bridge with unerring accuracy. His ordnance was observed to impact directly on the target and post strike bomb damage assessment photography revealed three spans of the bridge were totally destroyed. Lieutenant Commander BOYLE's courageous leadership, aggressiveness and precise weapons delivery were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."…. /s/ John J. Hyland, Admiral, USN, CINCPACFLT… Oohrah, XO….
HUMBLE HOST END NOTE. Major General DARYLE E. TRIPP, USAF (Ret) has put his great story of one of the most historic air rescues of all time on the internet. His book, BOXER 22: Air Rescue at the Door of Death, is on line at: (I hope I get this right):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/knsq2jo1b26w5w4/AAD_uJKXa9hWt-CfremwqOk4a?dl=O&preview=BOXER+22-Air+Rescue+at+the+Door+of+Death_by+Gen+Dayle+E+Tripp.pdf
The rescue effort of 51-continuous hours on 5-6-7 December 1969 set records. On 5 December 49 Jet aircraft, 55 A-1s, 15 Jolly Greens, 7 Nail FACs, 3 King HC-130s and a flock of tankers added to the 130 total aircraft in the air over the southwest exit from the MuGia Pass, home to more than 300 enemy AAA barrels. MuGia="Door of Death. Of 6 December, Major General TRIPP wrote: "This day set the an absolute rescue record. The force included 93 jet aircraft (from all services), 96 Skyraiders, 11 Jolly Greens, 12 Nails FACs, 5 King HC-130s, 2 Cobra helicopter gunships and KC-135 tankers that were deployed. A total of 222 aircraft had been committed to the operation." During the 51 hours 490 aircraft sorties were flown. When it came to "Bits of Ribbon," the General reported an Air Force record number of awards for a single event were recommended and awarded following the rescue. One thousand eighty awards were recommended and the number approved set a record that stands today.
BOXER 22 is a great story made clear by the best set of pilots charts and maps of the Commando Hunt area every published. General TRIPP obtained several cockpit charts used by aviators involved in the successful rescue of one of the two aviators. In addition, the photographs and other attachments are well chosen and support the prose. General TRIPP is to be commended for his superb book and releasing it to the internet. In fact, Humble Host has been unable to find a source for purchase… Readers of this website who are unable to link to the BOXER 22 above are invited to contact me on the internet at beartaylor@comcast.net and I will forward a sure link…
NEXT POST: Monday, 27 April 2020. NAVAL AVIATION ROARS. Episode #4. USS ENTERPRISE (CVA(N)-65) and Attack Carrier Air Wing NINE strike the Kep Airfield complex in coordination with USS CONSTELLATION strike operations on 7 June 1967… F-4s and A-6s in the van with A-4s as detached flak and SAM suppressors…
Lest we forget… Bear
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
20 April
1912: The Secretary of War published the conditions of the Military Aviator Test in a report to the House of Representatives. (24)
1916: Sgt Maj Elliot Cowdin became the first American pilot to receive the French Medaille Militaire. (24) 1917: The Navy's DN-1 airship made its first flight at Pensacola. It was accepted on 16 May, but after three flights it was grounded and never flew again. (24)
1923: Maj Henry "Hap" Arnold led a group of Army Corps airmen from Rockwell Field to prove the possibility of inflight refueling. Arnold and his men ran a hose between two DeHavilland DH-4Bs for the first inflight hose contact. Although no fuel transferred during the 40-minute test at San Diego, California, the modified tankers demonstrated the feasibility of gravity-flow air refueling. (4) (18)
1942: The carrier USS Wasp entered the Mediterranean and launched 47 RAF Spitfires to Malta. (24) 1943: Staging from Funafuti in Ellice Islands, Seventh Air Force B-24s attacked Tarawa for the first time. (24)
1951: Mrs. Ana Louisa Branger, piloting a Piper Super Cub, set an international altitude record of 27,152 feet in a Class C-1a aircraft (planes of less than 1,103 pounds) at Alexandria. (24)
1959: The Navy's prototype UGM-27A Polaris missile successfully flew a 500-mile course. (16) (24)
1962: The first Titan Is placed on alert to make the 724 SMS operational at Lowry AFB. (6) 1965: Phase out of all first-generation ICBMs completed with the shipment of the last Atlas to storage. Later, on 25 June SAC inactivated three Atlas E, six Atlas F, and six Titan I squadrons. (1) (6)
1966: President Dwight D. Eisenhower's aircraft, a VC-121 Super Constellation named Columbine III, was retired and flown from Andrews AFB to Wright-Patterson AFB. The aircraft went into service with MAC's 89 MAW in August 1954. (18)
1966: Vandenberg AFB launched its last Titan II operational test vehicle. (6) 1972: Apollo XVI: Astronauts John W. Young and Charles M. Duke set a record for the greatest mass AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS landed on the moon. The Lunar Module Orion and the two men weighed 18,208 pounds. When the Orion left on 23 April, the two men set another record for the greatest mass (10,949 pounds) lifted into lunar orbit. (9)
1982: The crew for the movie "The Right Stuff" arrived at Edwards AFB to shoot the film. (3) 1985: B-52 crews completed initial training for Harpoon anti-ship missile operations. (16) (26)
1996: The Idaho ANG's 124th Fighter Wing flew the F-4G Wild Weasel's last operational flight from Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho, to the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center at DavisMonthan AFB. (http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/f4/last.htm)
2007: A Russian Volga-Dnepr AN-124 touched down at Moffett Air Field, Calif., to deploy the 129th Rescue Wing (California Air National Guard), their HH-60G Pave Hawk Rescue Helicopters, and support equipment to Afghanistan. The Air Force contracted the AN-124 for the deployment, because the high operations tempo from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom prevented the use of C-17 Globemaster IIIs and C-5 Galaxys for the deployment. (AFNEWS, "Russian Aircraft Transports ANG Rescue Helicopters," 24 Apr 2007.)
Exercise SNIPER LANCE 2007. More than 200 airmen from US Air Forces in Europe bases arrived Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania, to participate in this exercise. Sniper Lance provided realistic combat flight training for USAF F-15 Eagles, KC-135 Stratotankers and Romanian Air Force MiG-21s based out of the 86th Air Base near the town of Fetesti. (AFNEWS, "USAFE Airmen Kick Off Sniper Lance 2007," 20 Apr 2007); and (AFNEWS, "Air Force Gains Larger Presence in Romania," 9 May 2007.)
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World News for 20 April from Military Periscope
USA—Pentagon To Extend, Loosen Travel Restrictions The Hill | 04/20/2020 The U.S. Dept. of Defense is extending restrictions on travel for service members until June 30, reports the Hill (Washington, D.C.). On Saturday, Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness Matthew Donovan announced that Defense Secretary Mark Esper would extend the measures, which were scheduled to expire on May 11. Esper is expected to officially sign the order on Monday. The defense secretary will review the restrictions every 15 days in consultation with the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported Military.com. Some restrictions will be eased, including those allowing for scheduled permanent change-of-station moves. Such travel will be approved on a case-by-case basis by the relevant installation commanders. Travel for recruiting and entry-level training is also approved. Those who do move may be subject to quarantine measures when they arrive at their new posts, reported the Military Times.
USA—Russian Jet Conducts Another Dangerous Intercept Over Med U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa | 04/20/2020 A Russian fighter jet has again performed a dangerous intercept of an American maritime patrol aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, reports U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa. On Sunday, a Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol surveillance aircraft was twice intercepted by a Russian Su-35 Flanker jet in a period of about 100 minutes. The first interaction was described as safe and professional. During the second intercept, the Russian pilot flew at high speeds and conducted high-powered maneuvers, coming within 25 feet (7.6 m) of the Poseidon and exposing it to wake turbulence and jet exhaust, the command said. The U.S. pilot decreased altitude to increase separation. Aircraft tracking sites cited by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty indicated the incident occurred over the eastern Mediterranean. Russian officials said that the fighter jet was scrambled in response to unusual movements around the Russian-operated Hmeimim airbase in northwestern Syria, reported the Tass news agency (Moscow). The Navy reported a similar unsafe intercept over the Mediterranean on April 15.
USA—Pentagon Falling Short On Responding To Recommendations, Says SIGAR Stars And Stripes | 04/20/2020 The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has criticized the Dept. of Defense for addressing less than half of the recommendations made since 2014, reports Stars and Stripes. The Pentagon has only implemented 84 of the more than 200 recommendations made by the SIGAR since 2014, says the latest study from the watchdog group, which was released on April 16. The report noted that from 2009 to 2014, the Defense Dept. implemented more than 75 percent of SIGAR recommendations. Some recommendations have taken 20 months or more to address, while SIGAR has concluded that the department has no intention of responding to others. For example, the watchdog found that the Pentagon had funded and trained Afghan units connected to human-rights violations and child sex abuse and outlined seven recommendations for the military to avoid violating legislation that prohibits assistance to groups if there is credible evidence of significant human-rights violations. In this case, the department had taken action, but as of January had not fully addressed the recommendations, including requiring contractors to report human-rights violations, the SIGAR report says. Defense Dept. officials emphasized that SIGAR recommendations were thoroughly reviewed but that in some cases the Pentagon does not agree with or only partially agrees with a recommendation. In other cases, the department may take action but will not hear back from SIGAR on whether it was sufficient, the officials said.
USA—CISA Highlights Cyber Threat From Pyongyang U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency | 04/20/2020 The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an advisory on the North Korean cyber threat to the international community. North Korean state-sponsored entities are engaged in a variety of cyber activities to illicitly generate revenue and engage in politically motivated attacks, says the CISA guidance that was published on April 15. These illegal activities include cyber-enabled theft from financial institutions and money laundering; extortion campaigns; and cryptojacking. Cryptojacking involves hijacking computers and using them to mine digital currency, said CISA. The document outlined several known cyber operations conducted by Pyongyang, including the attack on Sony Pictures in 2014; the theft of $81 million from the Bangladesh Bank in 2016; the WannaCry 2.0 ransomware campaign in 2017; the FASTCash fraudulent ATM withdrawal campaign that began in late 2016; and the digital currency exchange hack in 2018 that involved the theft of nearly $250 million in digital currency. CISA called on governments, industry, civil society and individuals to implement several measures to address the North Korean cyber threat. These include raising awareness; sharing technical information; implementing and promoting cybersecurity best practices; notifying law enforcement of suspected attacks; and strengthening compliance with anti-money laundering/countering financing of terrorism/counter-proliferation financing efforts. The agency also announced a $5 million reward to encourage individuals to come forward with information about North Korean illegal cyber activity.
USA—2 More Air Guard Bases In Line For F-35s U.S. Air Force | 04/20/2020 The U.S. Air Force has named the next two Air National Guard units to be equipped with the F-35A Lightning II stealthy fighter. The 115th Fighter Wing at Truax Field, outside of Madison, Wis., and the 187th Fighter Wing at Dannelly Field in Montgomery, Ala., will operate the F-35 starting in 2023, said an Air Force release on April 15. The announcement was made after the completion of the required environmental analysis, which began in early 2018. Opponents tried to prevent the F-35 from being based in Madison, with local officials warning of significant increases in takeoff and landing noise, reported the Wisconsin State Journal (Madison).
USA—Navy Orders Another 15 LCAC-100 Landing Craft U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command | 04/20/2020 U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded a contract modification to Textron Systems for additional LCAC-100-class air-cushioned landing craft. The $386 million deal covers the manufacture of LCAC-109 through LCAC-123, said a Defense Dept. release. Work under the contract is scheduled to conclude by January 2025. The landing craft will replace the existing LCACs as assault transports for weapons, equipment, cargo and personnel being deployed to shore from amphibious warships. The Navy ordered the first nine LCAC-100s under a detail design and construction contract. LCAC-100 was delivered on Feb. 6 and will serve as the developmental unit for the new class. LCAC-101 is nearing completion and is expected to begin builder's trials within weeks. Another seven craft are in the later phases of construction, said NAVSEA.
United Kingdom—Mission Master UGVs to Haul Cargo For Troops Rheinmetall Defence | 04/20/2020 The British military has ordered uncrewed ground vehicles optimized for cargo transport missions, reports the German manufacturer, Rheinmetall. The order, placed at the end of 2019, covers four Mission Master-Cargo vehicles for the U.K. Robotic Platoon Vehicle program. Two stretcher systems, which can be installed in 60 seconds, are included. The value of the deal was not disclosed. The project is intended to help the British army determine the extent that robotic vehicles can boost the capabilities of dismounted troops at the platoon level. The vehicles are scheduled to be delivered throughout the spring of 2020. Rheinmetall Canada will supply the vehicles and Rheinmetall BAE Land Systems will provide on-location support services. The Mission Master-Cargo is designed to reduce the combat load carried by soldiers. It can carry up to 1,100 pounds (500 kg) of supplies, tactical and medical equipment.
Germany—Naval Shipyard Consolidation Sought To Boost Competitiveness Defense News | 04/20/2020 The German government is facilitating negotiations between national naval shipbuilders to create a more competitive conglomerate, reports Defense News. Talks began early this year between ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, German Naval Yards Kiel and Lurssen, reported Germany's NDR public broadcaster. The negotiations have focused on surface ships, excluding submarines, reported Reuters. The discussions come after German Naval Yards Kiel and TKMS lost the tender for the German navy's MKS-180 frigate program to Dutch shipbuilder Damen teamed with Lurssen. German Naval Yards Kiel is challenging that decision in court. The government could use its position in future consolidation talks to end the protest, enabling the MKS-180 program to move forward quickly, analysts said. A consolidated naval shipbuilding sector is the only way Germany can remain competitive in the market, said industry officials.
Germany—Government Set To Buy Super Hornets, Growlers From U.S. Bloomberg News | 04/20/2020 Germany intends to order 45 new aircraft from Boeing, according to German media reports cited by Bloomberg News. On Sunday, Der Spiegel reported that Germany planned to buy 30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and 15 EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft. Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer emailed U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper about the proposed procurement on April 16, the magazine said. German and U.S. officials have not confirmed the report. In March, German officials revealed a plan to purchase both Eurofighter Typhoons and Super Hornets, with the latter replacing the fleet's Tornado IDS jets in the nuclear strike role. The Growlers would replace Germany's Tornado ECR electronic warfare aircraft.
Kazakhstan—Air Force Grounds MiG-31 Fleet After Crash Kazakh TV | 04/20/2020 The Kazakh air force has grounded its fleet of MiG-31 interceptors after one of the jets crashed, reports Kazakh TV. On April 16, a Kazakh MiG-31 experienced an engine fire shortly after taking off from an airfield in Karaganda, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Defense. The pilots were ordered to eject and guided the jet into a field where it would not hit civilians before bailing out safely. The aircraft in question was scheduled to be retired in 2021 after reaching 30 years of service, the defense ministry said. The Kazakh MiG-31 fleet has been in decline, noted the War Zone website. Forty were upgraded to the MiG-31BS configuration, but only 21 remained in service in early 2020, according to Flight Global. An investigation into the incident is underway.
North Korea—Officials Hiding COVID-19 Cases From International Community, Sources Say Radio Free Asia | 04/20/2020 North Korean officials have been concealing cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) since March, sources tell Radio Free Asia. Government-sponsored speakers visited various organizations and neighborhood watches in late March to educate people about the COVID-19 pandemic and confirmed that there were cases in at least three parts of the country, two sources told the news service on April 16. The virus was confirmed in Pyongyang, South Hwanghae province and North Hamgyong province, the speakers said. South Hwanghae is in the far south, while North Hamgyong is in the far north, leading many to question how the virus had not spread to the rest of the country, the North Korean sources said. The lecturers blamed citizens for failing to implement quarantine and sanitation guidelines set up by the regime to prevent the spread of the virus, said the sources. Meanwhile, North Korea has publicly claimed that there were no COVID-19 cases within its borders. As recently as April 1, Pyongyang told media that measures to stop the spread of the virus were 100 percent successful. These measures included quarantining whole counties along the Chinese border and canceling most major events. Analysts have expressed concern that North Korea's limited health care system is unprepared for a major coronavirus outbreak.
Philippines—11 Soldiers Die In Operation Against ASG Leader Philippine Daily Inquirer | 04/20/2020 Eleven Philippine soldiers have been killed and 14 wounded in clashes with extremists in the southern Sulu province, reports the Philippine Daily Inquirer. On Friday, soldiers from Delta Company, 21st Infantry Battalion, were on the tail of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) militants in Patikul after two major encounters in the region that resulted in heavy casualties among the rebels, said a spokesman for the Western Mindanano Command. The soldiers were pursuing ASG leader Radullan Sahiron and close aide Hatib Sawadjaan when they encountered at least 40 militants in an ASG compound, said the spokesman. The fighting took place at close quarters, he said. On Saturday, soldiers killed Sahiron's grandson, known as Vikram, after he fired on police during an arrest operation, reported Agence France-Presse. Vikram was believed to believe to be involved in manufacturing explosives, including those used in a deadly cathedral bombing in 2019.
Iran—Defense Ministry Touts New Drones Press Tv | 04/20/2020 The Iranian Defense Ministry says it has taken delivery of new combat and surveillance drones, reports the state-run Press TV. On Saturday, Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami said that Iran had recently acquired three armed uncrewed aerial vehicles of a new, multirole, jet-powered design, reported Reuters. These drones have a range of 930 miles (1,500 km), a ceiling of 39,370 ft (12,000 m), a top-speed of 560 mph (900 kph) and an endurance of 180 minutes, said Hatami. The drones were manufactured domestically, in collaboration with local universities. He did not reveal the name of the system. At the same time, the Iranian army took delivery of a large batch of Ababil-3 and Karar drones. The Ababil-3 is a surveillance system with an operational radius of 90 miles (150 km), while the Karar is a strategic combat drone with a comparable payload to a crewed aircraft, said Hatami. The Karar can also be used as a cruise missile, reported the Jerusalem Post.
Burkina Faso—Security Forces Massacre 31 Alleged Terrorism Suspects In North, Says Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch | 04/20/2020 Burkinabe security forces may have extrajudicially killed 31 men suspected of ties to terrorist groups, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. The alleged massacre took place on April 9 in Djibo, 125 miles (200 km) north of Ouagadougou, the capital, says the report, which was published on Monday. The report relied on testimony from 17 witnesses, including 12 who observed the arrests and later burial. According to witnesses, the men were arrested by security forces near their homes and farms and taken away in 10 military vehicles to an isolated area nearby. Residents said all those taken away had been killed, many with their limbs still bound. All were members of the Fula (Peuhl) community. Armed Islamist groups in northern Burkina Faso have largely recruited from the Peuhl community. Witnesses described the perpetrators as a mixture of security personnel in military uniforms and others in civilian clothes, some of whom were believed to be members of a specialized counterterrorism force based in the area. Burkina Faso has battled insurgents since 2015, including groups linked to ISIS, in the northern parts of the country.
Chad—44 Boko Haram Suspects Die In Prison Cell Agence France-Presse | 04/20/2020 A group of 44 suspected militants has been found dead in a prison cell in Chad, reports Agence France-Presse. On April 16, prison officials found the suspects dead in their cell, Chadian Chief Prosecutor Youssouf Tom said on national television on Saturday. A post-mortem analysis of four corpses indicated traces of a lethal substance that caused heart attacks and asphyxiation, he said. The rest were buried. An anonymous security source told AFP that 58 prisoners had been placed in a single cell and denied food and drink for two days. Local human-rights groups echoed those accusations. The government rejected the allegations. The victims were among 58 suspected Boko Haram members arrested during recent operations around Lake Chad. From March 31 to April 8, Chadian troops conducted a large-scale operation to clear militants from the Lake Chad area. Around 1,000 militants were reported killed by the army. At least 52 soldiers died in the fighting. The operation was launched after a Boko Haram ambush killed 100 soldiers in the region.
Israel—Prisoner Swap Being Discussed With Hamas Times of Israel | 04/20/2020 Israel and Hamas have been discussing a possible prisoner exchange, reports the Times of Israel. The talks are the result of an "exceptional and rare opportunity," stemming from the climate created by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), said an unnamed senior Israeli source quoted by Channel 13 (Israel). Hamas is said to be concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in the densely populated Gaza Strip and wants a deal that would include medical assistance. A senior Hamas delegation met with Egyptian intelligence to discuss the prisoner exchange, said unnamed Palestinian sources cited by Channel 12 (Israel). The exchange would include the remains of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 war in Gaza and two Israeli civilians who are believed to be held by Hamas after entering Gaza on their own in 2014 and 2015. In return, Israel would free an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners.
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