TheList 5308

The List 5308 TGB


Some world News and some bits.

Regards,

Skip

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Thanks to Joe…I remember this one from a couple of years ago and it is still a great story

Bad Angel

Hey Skip I know its not Navy or Marines it still makes an interesting story



We were in Hanger #4 of the Pima Air and Space Museum to view the beautifully restored B-29,

When I happened to take notice of a P-51 Mustang near the big bomber.

It' s name? "Bad Angel"







I was admiring its aerodynamic lines and recalled enough history to know that until the Mustangs

came into service, the skies over the Pacific Ocean were dominated by Japanese Zeros.

Then something very strange caught my eye.



Proudly displayed on the fuselage of "Bad Angel" were the markings of the pilot's kills: seven Nazis;

one Italian; one Japanese AND ONE AMERICAN.



Huh? "Bad Angel" shot down an American airplane?





Kill marks on "Bad Angel"



Was it a terrible mistake? Couldn't be.

If it had been an unfortunate misjudgment, certainly the pilot would not have displayed the

American flag.

I knew there had to be a good story here.

Fortunately for us, one of the Museum's many fine docents was on hand to tell it.

In 1942, the United States needed pilots for its war planes lots of war planes; lots of pilots.

Lt Louis Curdes was one.

When he was 22 years old, he graduated flight training school and was shipped off to the

Mediterranean to fight Nazis in the air over Southern Europe.



Lt Louis Curdes



He arrived at his 82nd Fighter Group, 95th Fighter Squadron in April 1943 and was assigned a P-38 Lightning.

Ten days later he shot down three German Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighters.

A few weeks later, he downed two more German Bf -109's. In less than a month of combat, Louis was an Ace.

During the next three months, Louis shot down an Italian Mc.202 fighter and two more Messerschmitt's before his luck ran out.

A German fighter shot down his plane on August 27, 1943 over Salerno, Italy.

Captured by the Italians, he was sent to a POW camp near Rome.

No doubt this is where he thought he would spend the remaining years of the war. It wasn't to be. A few days later, the Italians surrendered. Louis and a few other pilots escaped before the Nazis could take control of the camp.

One might think that such harrowing experiences would have taken the fight out of Louis, yet he volunteered for another combat tour.

This time, Uncle Sam sent him to the Philippines where he flew P-51 Mustangs.

Soon after arriving in the Pacific Theater, Louis downed a Mitsubishi reconnaissanceplane near Formosa.

Now he was one of only three Americans to have kills against all three Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, and Japan.





Pilot Lt. Louis Curdes in his P-51 Mustang "Bad Angel"



Up until this point, young Lt. Curdes combat career had been stellar.

His story was about to take a twist so bizarre that it seems like the fictional creation of a Hollywood screenwriter.

While attacking the Japanese-held island of Bataan, one of Louis' wingmen was shot down.

The pilot ditched in the ocean. Circling overhead, Louis could see that his wingman had survived, so he stayed in the area to guide a rescue plane and protect the downed pilot.

It wasn't long before he noticed another, larger airplane, wheels down, preparing to landat the Japanese-held airfield on Bataan. He moved in to investigate. Much to his surprise the approaching plane was a Douglas C-47 transport with American markings.

He tried to make radio contact, but without success.

He maneuvered his Mustang in front of the big transport several times trying to wave it off.

The C-47 kept ahead to its landing target. Apparently the C-47 crew didn't realize they were about to land on a Japanese held island, and soon would be captives.

Lt Curdes read the daily newspaper accounts of the war, including the viciousness of the Japanese soldiers toward their captives.

He knew that whoever was in that American C-47 would be, upon landing, either dead or wish they were.

But what could he do?

Audaciously, he lined up his P-51 directly behind the transport, carefully sighted one of his 50 caliber machine guns and knocked out one of its two engines.

Still the C-47 continued on toward the Bataan airfield.

Curdes shifted his aim slightly and knocked out the remaining engine, leaving the baffled pilot no choice but to ditch in the ocean.





One of "Bad Angel's" .50 caliber machine guns built into it wings.



The big plane came down in one piece about 50 yards from his bobbing wingman.

At this point, nightfall and low fuel forced Louis to return to base.

The next morning, Louis flew cover for a rescuing PBY that picked up the downed Mustang pilot and 12 passengers and crew, including two female nurses, from the C-47.

All survived. Later, Lt. Curdes would end up marrying one of these nurses!

For shooting down an unarmed American transport plane, Lt. Louis Curdes was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Thereafter, on the fuselage of his P-51 "Bad Angel", he proudly displayed the symbols of his kills: seven German, one Italian, one Japanese and one American.









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Phone Repair thanks to Mike



Ellisville , Mississippi


An Ellisville school teacher called the local phone company to report her telephone failed to ring when her friends called - and that on the few occasions, when it did ring, her dog always moaned right before the phone rang.

The telephone repairman proceeded to the scene, curious to see this psychic dog or senile lady. He climbed a telephone pole, hooked in his test set, and dialed the subscriber's house.

The phone didn't ring right away, but then the dog moaned and the telephone began to ring.

Climbing down from the pole, the telephone repairman found:

1 . The dog was tied to the telephone system's ground wire with a steel chain and collar.

2. The wire connection to the ground rod was loose.

3. The dog was receiving 90 volts of signaling current when the number was called.

4.. After a couple of jolts, the dog would start moaning and then urinate.

5. The wet ground would complete the circuit, thus causing the phone to ring.

Which demonstrates that some problems CAN be fixed by
pissing and moaning.

Just thought you'd like to know. Your welcome.

😎







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World News thanks to Military Periscope for 4 May



USA—Army Crafts Standards For Resuming Large-Scale Training Army Times | 05/04/2020 The Army is developing a framework to guide commanders when brigade- and battalion-level training events can resume after being put on hold by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reports the Army Times. The service has identified four elements for local commanders to assess before determining whether they can resume training, said an unnamed Army official. These include local outbreak conditions as well as testing, treatment and contact tracing capabilities. The Army has not set specific metrics that commanders will have to reach, leaving the decision to leaders on the ground. The goal is to enable the Army to resume larger-scale training exercises as appropriate.



USA—Military Efforts To Combat Sexual Assault Fall Short, Report Says Military Times | 05/04/2020 A new report by the Dept. of Defense warns that new training and education intended to prevent sexual assault and harassment is falling short and that toxic command cultures remain, reports the Military Times. According to the study released on April 30, the personnel participating in the training and education can recall the information being taught. However, behavior patterns have yet to change significantly. The most problems are seen in middle- and junior-level leaders who are failing to model correct behavior or turning a blind eye to problematic behaviors. Younger service members continue to be at risk of unwanted advances from their leadership and peers. Female personnel from the ages of 18 to 24 were the most at risk of being the target of such behavior, says the report. Command environments identified as toxic were found to have a high correlation with sexual assaults and, in some cases, commanders groomed junior personnel prior to assaulting them. Other issues identified by the report include assaults committed by female aggressors, male-on-male assaults and training that failed to resonate. The Pentagon has been ordered by Congress to produce an annual report on sexual assault prevention efforts.



USA—MSC Mariners File Suit Over COVID-19 Restrictions USNI News | 05/04/2020 The unions representing civilian mariners serving on Military Sealift Command ships in port in the U.S. have filed a formal grievance over restrictions on movement put in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), reports USNI News. Rear Adm. Michael Wettlaufer, the MSC chief, issued an order on March 21 prohibiting civilian sailors on ships pier side in the U.S. from leaving or coming aboard their vessels. Similar restrictions were already in place for vessels overseas. Wettlaufer is only responsible for civilian mariners and his order does not apply to uniformed sailors aboard MSC ships. This has caused unhappiness about perceived different rules when civilian sailors restricted to their ships see uniformed personnel and contractors regularly coming aboard and leaving. The restriction was implemented without giving sailors the opportunity to go home to pack a bag with the necessities for a long stay aboard ship. The unions filed a grievance trying to get the restrictions lifted, arguing that the MSC took steps beyond the recommendations of local and state health officials The restrictions have proven effective alongside other measures at preventing COVID-19 outbreaks on MSC ships. As of April 30, only five civil mariners had tested positive for COVID-19. The command has instituted a "bubble-to-bubble" transfer method to ensure sailors being transferred do not spread COVID-19 by having them undergo 14-day quarantines. All cargo coming aboard the vessels is cleaned with a UV light, cleaning fluid or left out in the sun to prevent the virus coming aboard.



United Kingdom—Submarine Commander Sacked After Holding Party For Crew In Port British Broadcasting Corp. | 05/04/2020 The commander of one of the Royal Navy's nuclear-powered attack submarines has been relieved of his command after holding a gathering for his crew in violation of social distancing guidelines, reports BBC News. HMS Trenchant was docked in the Devonport shipyard in Plymouth for maintenance when the Cdr. Jonathan Lewis permitted his crew to hold a barbecue party. A video shared on social media showed sailors DJing, at a barbecue and standing around on the dockside, reported Task & Purpose. Lewis permitted the party to go forward despite advice from senior officers ashore as well as officers under his command to cancel the gathering due to social distancing rules implemented in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Lewis was relieved of command after a navy probe into the incident.



France—Foreign Legion Soldier Dies Of Injuries From IED Blast In Mali Reuters | 05/04/2020 A French Foreign Legion soldier has died from wounds he suffered during an explosion in Mali last month, reports Reuters. Brig. Dmytro Martynyouk of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment died on Saturday in a hospital outside of Paris. He was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) on April 23 during an operation against terrorist groups. It was not immediately clear where the incident took place. In a separate statement, the French armed forces chief of staff said that two troops had been wounded in Mali after their tank struck a roadside bomb, reported Agence France-Presse. At least 42 French soldiers have died during the French mission in Mali, which began in 2013.



Lithuania—Navy Acquiring 3rd Former British Minehunter U.K. Ministry Of Defense | 05/04/2020 The Lithuanian navy has decided to buy another ex-British minehunter, reports the U.K. Ministry of Defense. On April 30, the ministry announced that it had sold the Hunt-class minehunter Quorn, which was decommissioned in 2017, to Lithuania. Vilnius already operates two Hunt-class ships as the Skalvis class. The previous day, the ministry had published an invitation to tender to modernize the hull of the former Hunt-class vessel. The ship will be delivered to Lithuania with the Type 2193 sonar and the M-Cube mine-countermeasure management system, reported Naval News. Lithuania wants to the ex-Quorn to provide the same level of capability as the Skalvis class, requiring a significant modernization program, the ministry said. The goal is for the ship to be operational in Lithuania in 2023. The transfer will generate a return and savings of 2.5 million pounds (US$3.1 million), said the ministry. This includes a sale cost of 1 million pounds (US$1.3 million) and 750,000 pounds (US$939,000) saved by not disposing the ship.



Ukraine—Serial Production Begins For Zoopark-3 Counterbattery Radar Ukroboronprom | 05/04/2020 Ukrainian defense firm NVK Iskra has started mass production of a new counterbattery radar, reports Ukroboronprom, Ukraine's state defense holding company. Company officials announced the start of series production for the 1L2220UK, also known as the Zoopark-3, counterbattery radar on April 30. The first operational unit is expected to be handed over to the Ukrainian army by the end of the year. Delivery of the second system has been delayed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but is on track for delivery in early 2021, the officials said. The official did not disclose the number of radars ordered. Initial plans called for as many as 10 radars to be purchased. The radar passed field testing in April 2019 and demonstrated better than expected performance, said Ukroboronprom. The delivery of a domestically developed counterbattery radar will provide desperately needed capability to military units fighting Russian-backed militants in the eastern Donbas region, said Ukroboronprom officials cited by Ukrinform (Ukraine).



China—Beijing Eyes Zhuhai Airshow For H-20 Bomber Reveal South China Morning Post | 05/04/2020 The Chinese government is considering unveiling its new strategic bomber later this year, reports the South China Morning Post. The Xian H-20 stealth bomber is expected to be ready for delivery in 2020 and could make its debut at the Zhuhai Airshow in November, military sources told the newspaper. The timing of the delivery and unveiling of the H-20 is contingent on several factors, including the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and tensions with Australia, Japan and the Koreas, all of which would be within strike range of the new bomber. Officials in Beijing are weighing how such an announcement would affect relations with neighbors, said one military source. The rollout has also been affected by delays related to its engine. The H-20 will initially be powered by the upgraded WS-10 engine while it awaits the completion of a new, more powerful powerplant. The new engine could be ready in two or three years, a source said. The stealthy aircraft has a cruising range of 5,300 miles (8,500 km), according to U.S. Defense Dept. estimates. This would put bases in Guam, Japan and the Philippines within range. Inducting the H-20 into service would complete China's nuclear triad, which includes the Jin-class ballistic missile submarine and the DF-4, DF-5 and DF-31 land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles.



South Korea—Cross-Border Firing Deemed Accidental Yonhap | 05/04/2020 North Korean troops apparently unintentionally fired at a South Korean guard post inside the demilitarized zone along the land border, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). On Sunday, North Korean troops opened fire on a South Korean border post near the town of Cheorwon, prompting South Korean troops to broadcast warnings and fire back, said the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). There were no injuries reported on the South Korean side. South Korean officials said that the firing did not appear to be a provocation and could have been related to foggy conditions and a shift change on the northern side of the border at the time of the incident. Troops found four bullet marks on the guard post. At least 20 rounds were fired in response. It was not known if any North Korean facilities sustained damage. Officials used the inter-Korean communications line to notify Pyongyang of the incident and seek an explanation, said the JCS. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview with ABC News that the firing was most likely accidental. This was the first reported exchange of fire across the border since the defection of a North Korean soldier in 2017.



Australia—Navy Orders Additional Patrol Boats To Support Industry Australian Dept. Of Defense | 05/04/2020 The Royal Australian Navy is ordering new Cape-class patrol boats to support the shipbuilding industry amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reports the Australian Dept. of Defense. The Aus350 million (US$229 million) deal with Austal covers six patrol boats, bringing Australia's total Cape-class fleet to 16. The navy currently leases two Cape-class boats, with eight more in service with the Australian Border Force. The additional ships will expand the navy's patrol capabilities ahead of the introduction of the Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels, the defense department said. The contract will also provide an economic stimulus and increase employment opportunities at the shipyard as part of an effort to respond to the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, said Defense Minister Linda Reynolds.



India—Senior Officer, LeT Leader Killed In Kashmir Fighting India Today | 05/04/2020 Five security personnel and two militants have been killed in fighting in India-administered Kashmir, reports India Today. On Saturday, security forces launched an operation after receiving reports that civilians were being held hostage in the town of Handwara, about 36 miles (58 km) northwest of Srinagar. The team extracted the hostages but came under heavy fire, resulting in an eight-hour gun battle. The army dispatched paratroopers to assist, who eventually killed the terrorists. Among the fatalities was Col. Ashutosh Sharma, the commander of 21 Rashtriya Rifles, the Indian army's counterterrorism unit. A major, two enlisted soldiers and a state police officer were also killed. One of the terrorists killed in the fighting was a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba chief known as Haider, a Pakistani citizen, reported the Press Trust of India. A new group, the Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian officials rejected the claim.



Afghanistan—Taliban Targets Army Base In Helmand TOLONews | 05/04/2020 Several Afghan security personnel have been killed and injured in an attack on an Afghan army base in the southern Helmand province, reports the Tolo News (Kabul). On Sunday, a car bomb was detonated at a base in the Nahr-e-Siraj district. A survivor told Reuters that the facility was used by the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, and Afghan army. At least 150 personnel were stationed at the base. A spokesman for the provincial governor said that five were killed and five injured in the blast. A security source said that 18 had been killed. On Monday, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it caused dozens of casualties. Taliban attacks on Afghan forces have increased following a February deal intended to reduce the U.S. presence in Afghanistan..



Iraq—10 Militiamen Die In ISIS Attacks North Of Baghdad Voice Of America News | 05/04/2020 Ten Iraqi paramilitary members have been killed in militant attacks in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad, reports the Voice of America News. Early Saturday, six members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) were killed in an ISIS attack in the village of Mekeeshfa south of Tikrit, reported Agence France-Presse. A vehicle dispatched to support the militiamen struck an IED, killing three more. A 10th was shot and killed in the nearby village of Tal al-Dahab, reported Asharq Al-Awsat (London). A spokesman for Iraq's joint military operations command said that air and ground operations against ISIS had been launched across the country. An Iraqi military analyst said that Iraq forces had conducted more than 90 pre-emptive attacks, destroying at least 35 terrorist cells. Separate ISIS attacks on PMF positions were also reported in Jurf al-Nasr, Babel province, and eastern Saladin province on Sunday, according to a PMF media statement cited by Rudaw (Iraqi Kurdistan). Casualty figures for those engagements were not immediately available. ISIS has been increasing its operations in recent months after losing most of its territory in 2017.



Argentina—Air Force Continues To Modernize Aging Fleet Jane's Defence Weekly | 05/04/2020 Argentinean air force efforts to update its aging fleet are continuing despite economic problems and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reports Jane's Defence Weekly. One program to modernize four of the service's C-130H transport aircraft has been accelerated, Brig. Gen. Xavier Isaac, the air force chief of staff, told the magazine. In addition, the air force has signed a contract with Fabrica Argentina de Aviones (FADeA) for modernize a fifth aircraft, with delivery anticipated by early 2021. Work is also underway to purchase a used Boeing 737 passenger jet in the 737-300, -400 or -700 configuration. The transport will replace the service's current Fokker F28 aircraft. A second air force F28 is currently being modernized with the goal of extending its service life until 2024. Finally, the procurement of 10 TC-12B Huron trainers from U.S. Navy stocks has been completed, with the first aircraft due to arrive by the end of 2020. The planes will be used to train air force transport pilots and for liaison missions between bases.



Bolivia—Military Transport Goes Down Shortly After Taking Off Telesur | 05/04/2020 A Bolivian military plane crashed near the north-central city of Trinidad killing all six people onboard, reports Telesur English (Caracas, Venezuela). On Saturday, the Beechcraft B-55 went down while transporting four Spanish citizens to Santa Cruz where they would catch a flight back to Spain. The plane was also carrying novel coronavirus (COVID-19) test samples, reported the Voice of America News. The air force crew of two was killed in the crash. An investigation has been opened into the incident, with a report due in eight days. Initial reports indicated that the aircraft sought to return to the airport in Trinidad 12 minutes after taking off after experiencing an engine failure, reported Reuters.



Venezuela—Government Says Attempted Armed Incursion Defeated New York Times | 05/04/2020 The Venezuelan government says that it has stopped an attempted incursion by an armed group, reports the New York Times. On Sunday, Venezuelan security forces intercepted a speedboat carrying 10 men in the port city of La Guaira, about 18 miles (29 km) from Caracas, killing eight and capturing two, said Interior Minister Nestor Reverol. One of the two men captured confessed to being a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent, according to government accounts cited by Agence France-Presse. Two more boats involved in the operation were not intercepted, reported the Washington Post. The government blamed foreign mercenaries, without providing details. In a video statement, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, Jordan Goudreau, and Venezuelan National Guard Capt. Javier Nieto Quintero announced the launch of "Operation Gideon." The pair said that as many as 60 personnel, including two U.S. special operators, had been activated in Venezuela, with the goal of capturing senior members of the Maduro administration. Goudreau said that the operation was based out of the Colombia border region, where many Venezuelan military defectors have been living. He also said that he had requested backing from the U.S. and Venezuelan political opposition but was denied. His claims could not be immediately verified. Opposition and pro-regime officials linked the effort to Cliver Alcala, a dissident retired Venezuelan army general extradited to the U.S. from Colombia in March to face drug-trafficking charges.