To All
Good Wednesday morning 27 May 2020
A bit of history and some tidbits from today and tomorrow and off to the airport. In the morning
Regards,
Skip
Thanks to Spike who received this From the CO of NAS Corpus Christi:
"FB friends, I need your help. A photo is starting to go viral that is doing more harm than good. It shows a female security Petty Officer and suggests she was the one involved with the shooting. The Sailor in the photo was never assigned here at NAS Corpus Christi, but she's a real person who is rightly concerned about her safety with her identity being published in connection with the shooting. Please, if you see it, encourage the posters to take it down. I know people are trying to be supportive and mean no harm, so I'm hopeful they'll take down the image when contacted.
Thank you."
Yes the shooting really happened but the picture is not her. Still a great dog mask. Need to find one for my neighbors little dog.
On This Day in Naval History May 27
1862 USS Bienville captures the British blockade-runner Patras off Bulls Island, S.C. and USS Santiago de Cuba captures the schooner Lucy C. Holmes off Charleston.
1919 The crew of the Curtiss flying boat NC-4 arrives at Lisbon, Portugal for a stop during its transatlantic flight to Portsmouth, England, arriving May 31.
1942 Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller receives the Navy Cross for his heroism at Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. Adm. Chester W. Nimitz presents the medal to Miller on board USS Enterprise (CV 6). He is killed when his ship is torpedoed Nov. 24, 1943, during the invasion of the Gilbert Islands.
1943 USS Runner (SS 275) departs Midway for her third war patrol but is never heard from again. Overdue and presumed lost in July 1943, she is struck from the Navy list that October.
1952 During the Korean War, USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) receives eight to 10 rounds of 76-mm fire off Suwon, Korea. The destroyer returns fire, silencing the gun crew.
1995 USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) is commissioned at Charleston, S.C. before sailing to her homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Paul Hamilton, named for the third Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton, is the 10th in a class of ship that continues to serve the fleet.
Thanks to CHINFO
Today in History: May 27
.1564 John Calvin, one of the dominant figures of the Protestant Reformation, dies in Geneva.
1647 Achsah Young becomes the first woman known to be executed as a witch in Massachusetts.
1668 Three colonists are expelled from Massachusetts for being Baptists.
1813 Americans capture Fort George, Canada.
1907 The Bubonic Plague breaks out in San Francisco.
1919 A U.S. Navy seaplane completes the first transatlantic flight.
1929 Colonel Charles Lindbergh marries Anne Spencer Morrow.
1935 The Supreme Court declares President Franklin Roosevelt's National Recovery Act unconstitutional.
1937 San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge opens.
1941 The German battleship Bismarck is sunk by British naval and air forces.
1942 German General Erwin Rommel begins a major offensive in Libya with his Afrika Korps.
1944 American General Douglas MacArthur lands on Biak Island in New Guinea.
1960 A military coup overthrows the democratic government of Turkey.
1969 Construction begins on Walt Disney World in Florida.
1972 President Richard M. Nixon and Soviet Communist Party chief Leonid Brezhnev sign an arms reduction agreement.
1999 The international war crimes tribunal indicts Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic for war atrocities.
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Thanks to Frank
Subject: The Hanoi Pick-Up, You Didn't Hear About!
I know I'd never heard of this. Great story. Makes you proud of how our guys acted.
From Fred Ingley via Chuck Mohr (Colonel, Air National; Guard).
Original Story from Jack O'Connor, US Air Force 48th ATF, (Retired) the man who lived it. Another piece of history that gets little to no play.
The Hanoi Pick-Up, You Didn't Hear About!
With thanks to Gen Brett Dula for this historical footnote:
A story that you may find interesting…..**
The following is a little known part of the saga of the ending of
hostilities known as the Vietnam War. Most are aware of the return
of the POW's in 1973 via the several timed C-141 airlifts out of
Hanoi, that became known as the "Hanoi Taxi". However, this is THE
REST OF THE STORY, as Paul Harvey used to say. It's a story,
earmarked by an even more realistic sadness, the retrieval of the
LAST fallen American heroes, of the Vietnam War.
*The Hanoi Pick Up You Haven't Heard of Before**
*I'm sorry this has taken so long. I would be a great procrastinator
if I ever got around to it!!
I've been toying for years about writing the full story, but just
haven't done it. May still do it some day.
I'll give you a down and dirty version so I don't waste too much
of your time. A little background first:
I had flown in and out of Hanoi twice before---flying out of U-Tapao
AB, Thailand---with the peace negotiating team. Both times, we were
ordered to wear civilian clothes and be nice to them. They took our
pictures as we sat around a table for a briefing. The infamous
"Rabbit" was in charge. At least that's who we thought it was. Big
ears. They then took us to a hotel and fed us in a banquet room.
The food was delicious and we were ordered to drink their beer when
offered. It didn't taste too bad and was only about 2-3% so the
brass weren't concerned about us being able to fly afterwards. Then
they took us to museums---their War Museum on the first mission.
They had parts of our warplanes that had been shot down and also
showed us the gun where Hanoi Jane Fonda sat for that infamous
picture. I don't know if it was the real gun or not---didn't matter---I think they just wanted a reaction.
They got none from any of us. We were allowed to take photos of
certain areas. They wouldn't let us take pix of their rail
marshaling yard which was full of bomb craters and wrecked
engines---I got some anyway with my little Minox spy camera.
On the next trip they took us to their Peace Museum. Absolutely
stunning!!! Lots of HUGE White Jade figures. A beautiful museum. Our
bombs never got close to it. Strangely enough---they told us that
the wrecked train yard was where they were fixing their engines. If
you didn't know better, it could have looked true There was not a
single bomb crater outside of the yard. All buildings were intact!!
A lot more happened there, but don't want to bore you with all the
details. They were very proud of their many manhole covers in the
sidewalks which they used to hide from our bombing raids. All three trips were interesting!!
Anyway, that is was why I was chosen to lead a two ship formation
of C-130's, to retrieve our Fallen Heroes. I just happened to be TDY
at U-Tapao from Clark AB where I was stationed. That should set the
stage A little too wordy, but it should help you to understand my involvement.
I was one of only a few crew members on either plane to have been
there before. Our Mission Commander was Col Novas and we had a One
Star on board, with an open line, to President Nixon. It was a
fairly high priority mission.
After stopping in Saigon for a final briefing in Saigon, our two
C-130E's (with augmented crews) left Tan son Nhut AB and went "feet wet"
up the coast of Vietnam. We stayed about 30 miles off the coast so
as not to bother anyone. We hit the mouth of the Red River and
turned upstream toward our destination---Gia Lam Airport just east of Hanoi.
We were encountering broken clouds which were getting worse. After
going over Thuan Nghiep, the river straightens out considerably so I
requested we drop to about 1500 ft so I could better make out the
landmarks---both on radar but mainly visual---when I could see the
ground. I wasn't about to trust the radio aids from Gia Lam nor
Hanoi. Before we descended, we could easily make out Hai Phong
harbor on our radar about 40 miles to the Northeast so we were on track.
We made contact with Hanoi and advised them of our impending
approach into their territory This had all been pre-arranged, so no problem there.
It was on up-river that they started screwing around with us and
trying to subtly get us confused.
They were trying to get us lost and force us to abort the mission
so they could say we caused an international incident by not picking
up those who died in captivity when everything had been arranged.
That's another reason I had been picked to lead. They tried to spoof
us on earlier missions by moving the ADF and VORTAC ever so slightly
to locations which would cause us to fly into restricted airspace.
In fact, a crew a few weeks earlier bought the spoof and was
threatened with a "shoot down" if they didn't abort the mission, so
that made this mission even more critical. If you were watching
closely enough, you could see the needles quiver a little each time
they changed location. They were good at it though, so I had the
other nav continually watch for that in case we lost visual or radar contact. I had my head out the front searching for ground fixes.
Then, they really tried to get us fouled up. The second plane was
following closely, mainly by keeping us on their radar---depending
on us to lead them in. Hanoi Approach Control called us and told us
to take up a heading to final. The pilot started to turn and I
virtually screamed into the mike "Negative, Negative--Maintain
Heading". That was the first of three times they tried to get us to
turn too soon After the second time, Col Novis told the pilot to ignore the tower and go by my direction only.
I knew we were still about 30-45 miles out and they were doing their
best to get us off course and lost in that bad weather with low
ceilings and get us to an area with which we were not familiar. The
weather was really bad---the cloud cover was closer to full than
"broken". We would get a break in the undercast every mile or so. We
descended to about 1000 ft, which helped some.
Now---remember that bridge that they tried so hard to take down
during the war?? We lost a lot of F-105 Thuds & F-4's there. That
bridge and a huge sand bar about 3 miles downstream were my aiming
points. I was getting a little concerned when they weren't coming in
view as fast as I thought they should. Guess I was just overly
anxious. I checked the radar and found both about 15 miles ahead. I
alerted the pilot to be ready to turn and he relayed to #2 that we would turn in a couple of minutes.
Ground Approach had given up trying to get us to turn early after
a few scoldings from them that we were ignoring their instructions.
We did not answer. We descended a little farther, so I could get a
visual on both the sand bar and the bridge. I remembered where we
had turned, on my earlier approaches. We flew about 30 seconds past
the sand bar, and with the bridge in sight, I told the pilot to turn
to the appropriate heading---I seem to recall it was 335
degrees---but not sure now. Descent was begun and both planes broke
out at about 750 feet. There it was---right in front of us. I
strapped myself in. The other aircraft radioed a "Talley Ho" so we knew everything was fine---or so we thought.
After we landed, Ground Control took over and marshaled us to the
proper area to pick up the remains of our guys. There were two green
tents and they were having us come in and turn so that our prop wash
would flow directly on the tents---probably blowing them away. Our
Aircraft Commander called for neutral props and warned the second aircraft to do likewise.
Both planes coasted in to a nice easy stop in the right place---I'm
sure to the disappointment of the martialling crews.
Col Novas made the decision on the spot to set up an Honor Guard in
front of each tent. This time, we were in our Class A's and were not
under ANY orders to associate with the enemy. We all felt better
about that!! He sent us out two at a time at 15 minute intervals,
Each pair did facing movements to relieve the previous pair as time
dictated. The first pair at our tent was Col Novas and our pilot.
The tent flaps were tied wide open. What the first set of Honor
Guards---and ultimately all of us---saw, was several stacks of green
boxes, with a rock on them, with white painted names and dates. The
sight was shocking and really ticked us off. Unfortunately, I do not
remember any of the names. The boxes---which in reality were
coffins----were about 30 inches by 18 inches by 18 inches. It tore
us up to think that our guys who had suffered so much, were in those
tiny green boxes. We all decided individually and as a team, that
the Vietnamese would never touch our fallen comrades again.
The Honor Guard rotation was maintained for well over two hours,
while the final release papers were being signed at their government
offices, in downtown Hanoi. Obviously, the North Vietnamese didn't
know what to think of the Honor Guard. We saw the guys who had been
our escorts, on earlier trips. They smiled and waved at us. We
glared back at them. Some civilians tried to get close to
watch---they were chased back over the dikes by armed guards.
We were finally given the OK to load our precious cargo onto the
waiting C-130's---their cargo ramps open, as they sat waiting. As
the word came that we could begin returning our Guys to American
Soil---in this case---our C-130's, the North Vietnamese moved in, to
begin loading. We immediately formed a cordon around the tents,
though unarmed, we motioned for the NVA guards to stop, and basically dared the armed NVA, to try us.
They stopped with a puzzled look on their faces---but never tried to
cross the line. They had touched our Heroes for the last time.
It was early evening by then and the General was back by then and
became part of our new makeshift Honor Guard---set up on both sides
of the
C-130 ramps. I was part of three pairs who tenderly picked up a "coffin,"
with its' "headstone," and proceeded up the ramp. Two more were
inside the plane to place an American Flag over each Fallen Hero, as
he came on board. We exited thru the crew door to go retrieve
another Hero. The General led the others on either side of the
ramps, in a military "Hand Salute," as each box of remains passed on
board. I don't remember exactly how many bodies we recovered---seems
like 36---but each was treated with ultimate respect. We took our time to make sure all were properly honored.
It took a considerable amount of time, but we didn't care. We did it right.
We all finally boarded both C-130's and buttoned them up. As we
were getting all four engines turning, I noticed the pilot had a
wicked smile on his face. I listened on a discreet channel, while he
suggested to the other pilot, to change prop pitch, after they began
moving and turn the planes, so that the prop wash would now hit the
two green tents and the Vietnam officials and NVA soldiers, gathered around them.
The turn was smooth, slow and graceful, until the aircraft
Loadmastergave the word. The suddenly, eight turboprops from 2
stopped C-130E's, at full military power, at full forward pitch, for
about 3-5 seconds, with brakes on, were on full display. They then
changed the pitch back to the taxi setting, but we got turned around
in time to see the tents flying and some of the folks we had just
left, were rolling on the ground. We received departure instructions
from the tower and began an uneventful trip back to Saigon and on to
U-Tapao, to the Identification folks, from Hawaii, stationed there. The General informed President Nixon that extraction had been completed successfully.
Further ID would be performed at Hickam AFB as necessary. Our
Heroes were taken to Hickam AFB by C-141's. I have talked to many
people about this extraction of our Fallen Comrades---and to a
man---they thought that the C-141's did the entire mission. I hope
someone will set the story straight someday. In fact, I have never
seen anything about C-130's, being involved with the extraction of
the first of those American Hero's, who died in captivity. Believe
me----I know C-130's were used!! I may have missed some story about
it, because I had to get busy for my PCS stateside, the next month. I have never heard anything about that mission since.
Well, Bill, that's about it. As I said a lot more little things
happened on all three trips---even some funny things on the first
two, but that third mission was the best thing I ever did in my 24 year USAF career.
Sorry to be so wordy, and focused on "I" & "me", but I'm not sure
how else I could tell it with any conviction.
PS: Somehow, I forgot to turn in my log and charts from the
mission, and no one else thought about it. I had them for a long
time, but they disappeared---probably on my move to CO from AL. I
sure wish I could find them again!! They are really historical documents.
I did meet a woman at one of our OCS reunions, whose husband was on board that day. I was completely speechless as she thanked me.
*Jack O'Connor, 48th ATS, USAF, Ret.*
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for May 27
FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR MAY 27
THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
1913: Under General Order No. 39, Army officers who qualified as military aviators received a Military Aviator's Certificate and badge. At the time, 24 officers qualified. (18)
1931: The first full-scale wind tunnel for testing airplanes placed in operation at the Langley Field Laboratory of the NACA. (21)
1939: Lt Col Alfred A. Cunningham, first Marine and fifth naval aviator, died at his home in Sarasota, Fla.
1951: KOREAN WAR. Unit 4/SAM C-47s flew leaflet drop/voice broadcast sorties encouraging the enemy to surrender to elements of the U.S. Army's IX Corps. Some 4,000 enemy soldiers surrendered, with many carrying leaflets. The captives reported morale problems among the enemy because of UN aerial attacks. (28)
1958: Gen O. P. Weyland accepted TAC's first production F-105B Thunderchief from Republic at its Farmingdale plant in Long Island. (12) Company test pilot Robert Little flew the McDonnell Douglas' XF-4H-1 Phantom II prototype on its first flight in St. Louis. (8)
1959: The 702 SMW (ICM-Snark) at Presque Isle AFB received SAC's first Snark missile. (6)
1963: McDonnell-Douglas' two-seat, twin-engine F-4C Phantom II completed its first flight. (4) (12)
1965: The Army's XH-51A, fastest helicopter in the world, demonstrated its rigid motor system and auxiliary jet engine during a test flight. It had a top speed of 272 MPH. Without thrust from the engine, the XH-51A could be operated as a helicopter.
1966: The McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom made its first public flight.
1970: The Air Force completed the Minuteman III's basic R&D program. The last launch of the Minuteman III at the Eastern Test Range took place on 14 December 1970.
1971: Boeing received a $81,745,707 contract to produce 19 737 jet transports for the USAF's Undergraduate Navigator Training System. Honeywell received an earlier contract to build 52 ground simulators for the system. (16)
1996: The Air Force named the ninth B-2 the "Spirit of Hawaii" in ceremonies at Hickam AFB. (AFNEWS Article 960453, May 96)
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"This Day in Aviation History" brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/.
May 26, 1923
First Lt. t Harrison Gage Crocker, Air Service, United States Army, made the first south-to-north non-stop flight across the U.S. when he flew from the Gulf of Mexico to the U.S./Canada border near Gordon, Ontario. Lieutenant Crocker's airplane was a modified DH-4B-1-S, serial number A.S. 22-353. This was the same airplane flown by Lt. James H. Doolittle on an east-to-west transcontinental flight on Sept. 4 1922. The DH-4B-1-S had a 240-gallon main fuel tank and a 28-gallon reserve tank. It carried 24 gallons of lubricating oil for the engine. Click HERE to read the full story. Crocker was Daedalian Founder Member #49. Doolittle was #107.
May 27, 1919
At 2001 hours, Lt. Cmdr. Albert C. Read of NC-4 completed the first Atlantic Ocean crossing by air when he landed at Lisbon, Portugal, after departing from the Azores early on the morning of May 26. On May 31, Read lifted off again and arrived at Plymouth, England, at 1326. The crew of NC-4 are shown in the photo with the Commander, Azores Detachment, Capt. Richard H. Jackson. From left are: 1st Lt. Elmer F. Stone, USCG, CMM Eugene S. Rhoads, Lt. j.g. Walter K. Hinton, Ens. Herbert C. Rodd, Lt. James L. Breese, Lt. Cmdr. Albert C. Read, and Capt. Jackson. Read was Daedalian Founder Member #9899; Stone, #3473; and Hinton, #9485.
May 28, 1980
The U.S. Air Force Academy graduates its first female cadets. Ninety-seven women are commissioned as second lieutenants.
May 29, 1953
Strategic Air Command receives its first KC–97G Stratofreighter, a flying boom-type tanker that could dispense 8,513 gallons of aviation gasoline. Unlike previous models, the KC-97G could haul cargo without reconfiguration or carry 96 troops or heavy equipment without modification.
May 30, 1912
At the age of 45, Wilbur Wright died of typhoid fever at Dayton, Ohio. Wilbur, along with his younger brother Orville, are the "fathers of modern aviation." It was Wilbur who was at the controls at Kitty Hawk on Dec. 17, 1903, when they succeeded in flying the first free, controlled flight of a power-driven airplane. Wilbur flew the plane for 59 seconds over a distance of 852 feet. Wilbur and Orville always took shared credit for their innovations, and maintained a close relationship throughout their lives. Behind the scenes, however, there was a division of labor. With his sharp instincts, Wilbur was the business mind and executive of the operation, serving as president of the Wright company. Milton Wright wrote later about his son in his diary: "A short life, full of consequences. An unfailing intellect, imperturbable temper, great self-reliance and as great modesty, seeing the right clearly, pursuing it steadfastly, he lived and died."
May 31, 1930
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Arthur H. Page Jr. won the last Annual Curtiss Marine Trophy Race for service seaplanes in an F6C-3 Hawk, with a speed of 164.08 mph over the Potomac River at NAS Anacostia, D.C.
June 1, 1917
U.S. Army Col. Raynal Bolling leads a mission to Europe to examine the practicality of constructing British and French fighters in the U.S. It led to the establishment of the Engineering Division of the U.S. Department of War 's Bureau of Aircraft Production to test its recommendations and to the manufacturing of the Airco DH-9 bomber and Bristol F-2B fighter in the U.S. Bolling was Daedalian Founder Member #2229.
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Thanks to Dutch
China plans to deploy two aircraft carriers off Taiwan for war games to stoke tensions with Washington as Beijing warns of a 'new Cold War' amid virus blame game
Let me add =
China has two operational aircraft carriers =
Hull # 16 = LIAONING, a "type 001" variant. The hull was the ex-Soviet carrier Varyag which was purchased by China when it was just about 70% complete. It was commissioned in 2012.
Hull #17 = SHANDONG, a "Type 002" variant, which was built by the Chinese. It was commissioned in 2019.
There are two more carriers, both "Type 003" under construction in China.
The first of those, Hull #18, is expected to be delivered in about three years and is expected to have EMALS catapults and arresting gear and to be oil-fired.
Hull #19 is expected to be delivered a couple years after Hull #18 and will probably have nuclear propulsion.
Let us remember that China has "populated" the entire South China Sea with quite a number of islands which they have expanded and on which they have build formidable military bases, most with runways suitable to operate any combat aircraft.
Dutch
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This Day in American Military History May 27
1919 – First Lieutenant Elmer F. Stone, USCG, piloting the Navy's flying boat NC-4 in the first successful trans-Atlantic flight, landed in the Tagus River estuary near Lisbon, Portugal on 27 May 1919. Stone was decorated that same day by the Portuguese government with the Order of the Tower and Sword. Three aircraft, designated NC-1, NC-3 and NC-4–called "Nancy" boats–had taken off from New York's Rockaway Naval Air Station for Lisbon on May 8, with intermediate stops planned for Newfoundland and the Azores. Only NC-4 completed the 3,925-mile transatlantic flight. Heavy rain and fog forced NC-1 down at sea, where it sank on May 17. NC-3 came down in rough seas and taxied 200 miles into the harbor at Horta in the Azores.
1942 – The Japanese invasion fleet for Midway puts to sea from Saipan and Guam with troop transports carrying 5000 men. They are escorted by cruisers and destroyers. Likewise, the invasion force for the Aleutians sets sail in two groups from Ominato.
1942 – The damaged USS Yorktown arrives at Pearl Harbor and repairs begin immediately.
1958 – The Air Force received its first production Republic F-105B Thunderchief. In 1951, Republic Aviation began a project to develop a supersonic tactical fighter-bomber to replace the F-84F. The result was the F-105 Thunderchief, which later gained the affectionate nickname "Thud". Although the prototype YF-105A made its first flight on October 22, 1955, the first production aircraft, an F-105B, was not delivered to the United States Air Force (USAF) until May 27, 1958. A supersonic aircraft capable of carrying conventional and nuclear weapons internally as well as externally, the F-105B was the heaviest, most complex fighter in the USAF inventory when it became operational. F-105s were produced only in the "B," "D" and "F" series (later, some "F"s were modified to become F-105Gs). Of the 833 Thunderchiefs built, only 75 were produced as F-105Bs.
1958 – The F-4 Phantom II makes its first flight. The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor aircraft/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was also adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force, and by the mid-1960s had become a major part of their respective air wings. The Phantom is a large fighter with a top speed of over Mach 2.2. It can carry more than 18,000 pounds (8,400 kg) of weapons on nine external hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and various bombs. The F-4, like other interceptors of its time, was designed without an internal cannon. Later models incorporated a M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Beginning in 1959, it set 15 world records for in-flight performance, including an absolute speed record, and an absolute altitude record. During the Vietnam War, the F-4 was used extensively; it served as the principal air superiority fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, and became important in the ground-attack and aerial reconnaissance roles late in the war. The Phantom has the distinction of being the last U.S. fighter flown to attain ace status in the 20th century. During the Vietnam War, the USAF had one pilot and two weapon systems officers (WSOs), and the US Navy one pilot and one radar intercept officer (RIO), achieve five aerial kills against other enemy fighter aircraft and become aces in air-to-air combat. The F-4 continued to form a major part of U.S. military air power throughout the 1970s and 1980s, being gradually replaced by more modern aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 in the U.S. Air Force, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the U.S. Navy, and the F/A-18 Hornet in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The F-4 Phantom II remained in use by the U.S. in the reconnaissance and Wild Weasel (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) roles in the 1991 Gulf War, finally leaving service in 1996. It was also the only aircraft used by both U.S. flight demonstration teams: the USAF Thunderbirds (F-4E) and the US Navy Blue Angels (F-4J). The F-4 was also operated by the armed forces of 11 other nations. Israeli Phantoms saw extensive combat in several Arab–Israeli conflicts, while Iran used its large fleet of Phantoms in the Iran–Iraq War. Phantoms remain in front line service with seven countries, and in use as an Target drone in the U.S. Air Force. Phantom production ran from 1958 to 1981, with a total of 5,195 built, making it the most numerous American supersonic military aircraft.
Congressional Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
PHIPPS, JIMMY W.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company B, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Near An Hoa, Republic of Vietnam, 27 May 1969. Entered service at: Culver City, Calif. Born: 1 November 1950, Santa Monica, Calif. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a combat engineer with Company B in connection with combat operations against the enemy. Pfc. Phipps was a member of a 2-man combat engineer demolition team assigned to locate and destroy enemy artillery ordnance and concealed firing devices. After he had expended all of his explosives and blasting caps, Pfc. Phipps discovered a 175mm high explosive artillery round in a rice paddy. Suspecting that the enemy had attached the artillery round to a secondary explosive device, he warned other marines in the area to move to covered positions and prepared to destroy the round with a hand grenade. As he was attaching the hand grenade to a stake beside the artillery round, the fuse of the enemy's secondary explosive device ignited. Realizing that his assistant and the platoon commander were both within a few meters of him and that the imminent explosion could kill all 3 men, Pfc. Phipps grasped the hand grenade to his chest and dived forward to cover the enemy's explosive and the artillery round with his body, thereby shielding his companions from the detonation while absorbing the full and tremendous impact with his body. Pfc. Phipps' indomitable courage, inspiring initiative, and selfless devotion to duty saved the lives of 2 marines and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
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Daily News for 26 May thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Roosevelt Carrier Returns To Sea After COVID-19 Outbreak Navy Newsstand | 05/26/2020 The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is back at sea after nearly two months in port in Guam due to a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, reports the Navy NewsStand. On May 21, the carrier departed from Naval Base Guam to conduct carrier qualification flights in the Philippine Sea. The Roosevelt had been in port since March 27 after several sailors began showing symptoms of COVID-19. More than 1,000 sailors from the carrier's crew have since tested positive for the virus. The crew was moved off the carrier, which underwent extensive cleaning before crewmembers could return. The Roosevelt is now operating under scaled manning, which involves deploying with a mix of personnel optimized to complete a specific mission. Carrier qualification operations require fewer sailors than other missions, enabling the crew to maintain enhanced social distancing requirements, said Capt. Carlos Sardiello, the commander of the Roosevelt. In addition, sailors on the ship will continue to implement all Navy COVID prevention and mitigation policies, he said.
USA—Trump To Pull U.S. From Open Skies Treaty The Hill | 05/26/2020 President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from the Open Skies Treaty, reports the Hill (Washington, D.C.). The Trump administration was expected to officially inform Russia of its intention on May 22, reported the New York Times. The treaty, which entered force in 2002, permits the 35 signatories to conduct unarmed observation flights over each other's territory, with the goal of providing transparency about military activities and prevent misunderstandings that could lead to conflict. The treaty has been criticized by defense hawks in the administration and Congress who accused Russia of cheating on the agreement. Russia has restricted flights around its Kaliningrad exclave and the Russian border near the breakaway Georgian republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The State Dept. declared Russia to be in violation of the treaty due to the restrictions in 2017, with similar violations reported since, most recently in April 2019. The decision has been widely criticized. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said that the move "cripples our ability to conduct aerial surveillance of Russia, while allowing Russian reconnaissance flights over U.S. bases in Europe to continue." The remaining signatories are expected to remain in the accord, although Moscow is likely to cut off flights in response to Trump's decision, hindering their ability to monitor troop movements near their borders, a particular concern for allies such as the Baltic states. The withdrawal is the latest move by the Trump administration to abandon an international arms control agreement. Washington has previously withdrawn from the Iranian nuclear agreement and the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Experts also warned that the decision could be a sign that the administration intends to allow the New START nuclear arms control treaty to expire early next year.
Greece—Security Forces Illegally Expel Migrants Back To Turkey Wall Street Journal | 05/26/2020 Greek authorities have been forcibly expelling migrants into Turkey without permitting them to seek asylum in violation of international law, reports the Wall Street Journal. The expulsions began in late March, with at least 250 migrants sent back since, according to the Border Violence Monitoring Network. The number is likely far higher, according to an official with the non-governmental organization. The policy appears to be an extension of previous efforts to remove asylum seekers picked up on Greece's borders or off its coast. Those expelled include individuals who had already begun the process of applying for asylum, according to witness accounts. Greek officials have denied that it is forcibly expelling migrants.
Russia—Radar Capable Of Tracking Hypersonic Targets Made Available For Export Tass | 05/26/2020 Russia has launched an advanced air defense radar capable of tracking hypersonic targets on the international market, reports Russia's Tass news agency. The 59N6-TE mobile radar features a solid-state array and can track aerodynamic and ballistic targets, Rosoboronexport, Russia's arms export agency, said on May 20. The system, which operates in the decimeter wavelength, can detect targets flying at speeds of up to Mach 6.5 (8,000 kph) at a maximum range of up to 280 miles (450 km) and at altitudes up to 124 miles (200 km). The 59N6-TE can track 1,000 targets simultaneously and identify eight types of targets, including anti-radar missile threats, according to Rosoboronexport. Demand for such radars is high in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, the agency said.
Russia—4 Killed In Mi-8 Helo Crash In Far East Tass | 05/26/2020 Four military personnel have been killed in a helicopter crash in Russia's far eastern Chukotka region, reports the Tass news agency (Moscow). On Tuesday, an Mi-8 utility helicopter was conducting engine tests at an altitude of about 49 feet (15 m) when an unspecified technical problem caused it to plummet to the ground at the Ugolny Airport, reported the Siberian Times. A video of the incident showed the helicopter hovering unevenly before swaying from side to side and crashing. All four crewmembers onboard were killed, said the Russian Ministry of Defense. This was the second crash involving an Mi-8 in Russia in a week.
China—Beijing Plans New National Security Legislation For Hong Kong South China Morning Post | 05/26/2020 The Chinese government plans to develop and implement new national security legislation for Hong Kong, reports the South China Morning Post. On May 22, the government was expected to table a resolution that would permit its top legislative body, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, to develop and pass a new national security law for the autonomous city. The new law would prohibit secessionist and subversive activity, foreign interference and terrorism in the city, unnamed sources told the newspaper. The new law would likely be used to shut down pro-democracy protests, activists said. A vote is anticipated at the end of the NPC's current session, which is expected to wrap up on May 28. The move demonstrates that the central government has decided that the city's legislative council will not be able to pass such a law, as required under the Basic Law. Efforts to produce new national security regulations for the city have been hindered by the opposition and widespread anti-government protests over the last year.
China—Beijing Eyes 6.6 Percent Boost To Defense Spending Global Times | 05/26/2020 China has announced that it plans to increase defense spending by 6.6 percent this year, reports the state-run Global Times. On May 22, the government released its latest draft budget, which called for boosting spending from US$167 billion to US$178.2 billion, reported Defense News. The figure represents the smallest increase in three decades, but was only slightly less than the 7 percent to 7.75 percent boost predicted prior to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has resulted in a 6.8 percent reduction in economic growth in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The 2019 defense budget featured a 7.5 percent increase. In real dollar terms, the US$11 billion boost is the fifth largest for the Chinese defense budget. The increase demonstrates that Beijing intends to protect defense spending despite the economic damage caused by the pandemic, analysts said. Beijing is widely believed to lack full transparency on its defense spending, omitting many expenditures from official figures.
North Korea—Kim Chairs Meeting On Increasing Nuclear Deterrence Yonhap | 05/26/2020 Kim Jong Un has presided over a meeting of North Korea's Central Military Commission to discuss nuclear strategy, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The meeting focused on new policies to strengthen nuclear deterrence and otherwise boost the armed forces, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Sunday. It did not provide details on the policies. The agenda included measures to increase the firepower of North Korean artillery. Kim also signed measures on military education, reorganization and promotions. Ri Pyong Chol, who is known for his involvement in weapons development, was elected as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission during the meeting.
Philippines—2 Killed In Blast During Islamic Holiday Philippine News Agency | 05/26/2020 Two people have been killed and 14 injured in an explosion in the southern Maguindanao province in the Philippines, reports the official Philippine News Agency. On Sunday, an 81-mm mortar bomb went off damaging four homes during celebrations for the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Fitr in the village of Datu Saudi Ampatuan. An initial report suggested it was an improved explosive device, said a spokesman for the army's 6th Infantry Division, which is stationed in the region. Five people were hospitalized due to their injuries. The army has been fighting with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) terrorist group in the area since May 21, the spokesman said.
Afghanistan—Government Set To Release Hundreds Of Taliban Prisoners TOLONews | 05/26/2020 The Afghan government is preparing to release hundreds of Taliban prisoners amid a three-day cease-fire, reports the Tolo News (Kabul). On Saturday, the Taliban announced a three-day cease-fire for the Eid Al-Fitr holiday. In response, the Afghan government pledged to release 2,000 additional Taliban members and work to push forward peace efforts. At least 100 prisoners were released on Monday, a government spokesman told the news outlet. Sources at the Afghan National Security Council told the Khaama Press (Kabul) on Tuesday that the government planned to release 900 additional prisoners by the end of the day. A spokesman for the Taliban said that it also intended to release additional members of government security forces captured by the group.
Iraq—ISIS Deputy Commander Arrested, Says Intel Service Al Jazeera | 05/26/2020 Iraqi security forces say they have arrested the deputy leader of the Islamic State terrorist group, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). On Wednesday, the Iraqi Intelligence Service said that it had arrested Nasser al-Qirdash without providing any details. Al-Qirdash was made second-in-command of ISIS last year after the leader of the terrorist group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed in a U.S. raid.
Egypt—2 Dozen Helicopters Ordered From Leonardo, Documents Reveal Defence Web | 05/26/2020 An Italian Foreign Ministry report indicates that Egypt purchased more than two dozen helicopters from defense firm Leonardo last year, reports Defence Web (South Africa). Egypt ordered 24 AW149 military and eight AW189 civilian helicopters from Leonardo for 871 million euros (US$942 million), according to a ministry report to the Italian senate on arms exports in 2019. Leonardo did not include the AW149 sale in its 2019 financial records, noted Shephard Media in March. The defense firm has not confirmed or denied the deal. The AW149 was reportedly chosen over the NH90 to meet a shipboard helicopter requirement, reported La Tribune (France) in April 2019.
Libya—Foreign Fighters Abandon Front Line In Setback For Haftar Bloomberg News | 05/26/2020 About 1,500 Russian and Syrian fighters backing Libyan leader Khalifa Haftar have pulled back from the front lines near Tripoli, reports Bloomberg News. Over two days, the fighters retreated to the city of Bani Walid, southwest of Tripoli, before being flown to Juffra airbase in central Libya, Bani Walid Mayor Salem Alwayan said on Sunday. A spokesman for the forces backing the U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) said that 15 transports, including An-14 cargo aircraft, and four Pantsyr air defense systems had been detected near the Bani Walid airport, reported the Libya Observer. Pro-GNA forces said on Monday that they had paused operations in Tarhouna, Bani Waleed and Nasma for 48 hours to allow for the withdrawal, reported Turkey's Anadolu Agency. Both the Libyan National Army (LNA) and GNA forces have received aid from foreign fighters, many paid for by their international backers. Forces loyal to the GNA have pushed back Haftar's LNA from several key points in recent weeks with Turkish support.
Ivory Coast—1st Joint Op With Burkina Faso Neutralizes 22 Suspected Jihadists Reuters | 05/26/2020 Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast have conducted their first joint counterterrorism operation along the mutual border, reports Reuters. During the operation, eight suspected jihadists were killed and 14 wounded, an Ivorian army official said on Sunday. The fatalities took place on Burkinabe territory, the official said. The troops also recovered automatic weapons, ammunition, motorbikes and mobile phones at the militant hideout in Alidougou in southern Burkina Faso, a source told Bloomberg News. The operation was launched on May 11, with about 1,000 Ivorian soldiers and an undisclosed number of Burkinabe troops. Militants from the Al-Qaida-aligned Jama'at Nasr al-Islam Wal Mulsimin have been increasingly active in the area, according to a researcher from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. Attacks in the Ivory Coast are rare, but militants have been using the Comoe National Park near the northeastern border with Burkina Faso as an escape route.
Democratic Republic of the Congo—ADF Kills 9 Civilians In Beni Agence France-Presse | 05/26/2020 Nine civilians have been killed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, reports Agence France-Presse. On Sunday, militants attacked houses and civilians in the Beni region, said a regional administrator. The attackers fled after a gun battle with Congolese troops. An undisclosed number of military personnel were wounded in the exchange. The fatalities included two women and seven men. Several homes were burned. The attack was blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which has been accused of killing more than 400 civilians since October, when the government launched an operation to clear it from the region.
Peru—Space Agency Signs Data-Sharing Accord With U.S. Space News | 05/26/2020 The Peruvian space agency has inked an agreement with the U.S. Space Command to share information on space objects, reports Space News. On May 20, Gen. John Raymond, the chief of space operations, told reporters that the U.S. had signed a new space situational awareness agreement with Peru earlier in the month. Maj. Gen. Javier Tuesta Marquez from the National Commission on Aerospace Research and Development of the Republic of Peru (CONIDA) and Rear Adm. Marcus Hitchcock, director of strategy plans and policy for U.S. Space Command, signed the memorandum of understanding in mid-May, said a SPACECOM spokesman last week. Under the agreement, Peru will gain access to high-quality satellite tracking data from all 25 other members of the network. The document links CONIDA with experts at the 18th Space Control Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., who track space objects for the U.S. The signatories to the agreement include Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Korea, Romania, Spain, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, the U.K. and the U.S.
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