TheList 5450

The List 5350     TGB

Good Thursday Morning June 4, 2020

Some more catching up today and there will be another List later

Regards,

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Today in Naval History

 

On This Day in Naval History June 4

1934

USS Ranger (CV 4), the first U.S. Navy ship designed from the keel up as a carrier, is commissioned at Norfolk, Va. During World War II, she participates in Operation Torch and Operation Leader.

1942

The Battle of Midway begins. During that morning, after sending planes to attack the U.S. base at Midway, the Japanese carriers Akagi, Kaga and Soryu are fatally damaged by dive bombers from USS Enterprise (CV 6) and USS Yorktown (CV 5). Later in the day, USS Yorktown is abandoned after bomb and torpedo hits by planes from Hiryu. The latter is, in turn, knocked out by U.S. carrier planes. Compelled by their losses to abandon their plans to capture Midway, the Japanese retire westward. The battle is a decisive win for the U.S, bringing an end to Japanese naval superiority in the Pacific.

1943

TBF aircraft from USS Bogue (CVE 9) attack German submarine U 603 in the Atlantic. Though U 603 is not sunk, its forced to submerge, sparing a nearby LCI convoy from attack. USS Bronstein (DE 189) finally sinks U 603 in the North Atlantic on March 1, 1944.

1942

As the Battle of Midway continues, US dive-bomber pilots spot the whole Japanese carrier strike force below. The Japanese combat air patrol that should have been above the carriers to protect them were at sea level destroying the American torpedo-bombers. The SBD Dauntless dive bombers attack from 15,000 feet just at the moment when the decks of the carriers Akagi, Kaga, and Soryu are loaded with planes, fuel and ordnance. They were quickly enveloped in flames and destroyed.

1944

The hunter-killer group comprised of five destroyer escorts and USS Guadalcanal (CVE 60) captures German submarine, (U 505). This marks the first time a U.S. Navy vessel captures an enemy vessel since the early 19th century. The feat earns Lt. Albert L. David, who led the team to board the sub, the Medal of Honor.

1944

USS Flier (SS 250) sinks Japanese troopship Hakusan Maru about 375 miles southwest of Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands. Also on this date USS Golet (SS 361) sinks Japanese guardboat No.10 Shinko Maru east of Japan.

2011

USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) is commissioned at the Port of Mobile, Ala. The destroyer, the 60th in her Arleigh Burke-class, departs soon after to her homeport at Naval Station San Diego.

 

CHINFO for June 4

Executive Summary:

•           In a video message to the fleet, CNO Adm. Mike Gilday spoke to Sailors about the murder of Mr. George Floyd and unrest across the United States.

•           Coverage of protests continued as Defense Secretary Mark Esper stated that active duty troops should not be used to control demonstrations and service chiefs from each branch addressed racism in society and within the ranks.

•           USNI News reports that USS Theodore Roosevelt is in Guam to pick up its remaining crew and is ready to continue its deployment that was interrupted by an outbreak of COVID-19.

 

 

This day in History June 4

 

1615 The fortress at Osaka, Japan, falls to Shogun Leyasu after a six-month siege.

1647 Parliamentary forces capture King Charles I and hold him prisoner.

1717 The Freemasons are founded in London.

1792 Captain George Vancouver claims Puget Sound for Britain.

1794 British troops capture Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

1805 Tripoli is forced to conclude peace with the United States after a conflict over tribute.

1859 The French army, under Napoleon III, takes Magenta from the Austrian army.

1864 Confederates under General Joseph Johnston retreat to the mountains in Georgia.

1911 Gold is discovered in Alaska's Indian Creek.

1918 French and American troops halt Germany's offensive at Chateau-Thierry, France.

1919 The U.S. Senate passes the Women's Suffrage bill.

1940 The British complete the evacuation of 300,000 troops at Dunkirk.

1943 In Argentina, Juan Peron takes part in the military coup that overthrows Ramon S. Castillo.

1944The U-505 becomes the first enemy submarine captured by the U.S. Navy.

1944 Allied troops liberate Rome.

1946 Juan Peron is installed as Argentina's president.

1953 North Korea accepts the United Nations proposals in all major respects.

1960 The Taiwan island of Quemoy is hit by 500 artillery shells fired from the coast of Communist China.

1972 Black activist Angela Davis is found not guilty of murder, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy.

 

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Another outstanding H-GRAM from Admiral Cox and the Naval History and Heritage Command

H-GRAM 48 THE NAVAL BATTLE OF OKINAWA

Be sure to click on all the highlighted text to get more information on each subject…skip

Contents

Kamikaze Attacks on U.S. Flagships off Okinawa

The Naval Battle of Okinawa (Continued), 11 May–5 June 1945

75th Anniversary of World War II

This H-gram covers the naval battle of Okinawa from late May to early June 1945, including the kamikaze hits on flagships Bunker Hill (CV-17, Vice Admiral Marc "Pete" Mitscher), New Mexico (BB-40, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance) and Enterprise (CV-6, Vice Admiral Mitscher). All of these ships survived, although the hits on Bunker Hill caused the most casualties in a single ship from a kamikaze attack, with 396 crewmen killed. The mass kamikaze attacks Kikusui No. 6, 7, and 8, and Typhoon Viper are also discussed.

Kamikaze Attacks on U.S. Flagships off Okinawa

As the ground campaign at Okinawa dragged on in a bloody slog against fierce Japanese resistance, Japanese kamikaze aircraft continued to hit U.S. ships around the island in a series of mass attacks of more than 100 aircraft, interspersed with smaller raids that could occur at any hour, creating immense strain on crews that had to react almost instantly to the threat. The great majority of Japanese kamikazes were shot down by U.S. fighters and antiaircraft fire, but planes flown by pilots who intended to die proved very difficult to stop, and invariably some got through even the best defenses.

On 11 May, two kamikazes in quick succession hit the carrier Bunker Hill, Vice Admiral Mitscher's Task Force 58 flagship, at a critical time, when the flight deck was packed with planes that were armed, fueled, manned, and about to launch. The result was a conflagration of unspeakable horror as 396 Americans died or went missing in the flames and suffocating toxic smoke, the largest loss of life aboard a single ship due to a kamikaze attack. Even when it seemed all hope was lost, Bunker Hill's gunners kept shooting, and her damage control teams never quit. They saved the ship, although she would never be operational as an aircraft carrier again. (Mitscher's chief of staff, Commodore Arleigh A. Burke, was awarded a Silver Star for extricating men from a burning compartment.)

On 13 May, a kamikaze hit Admiral Spruance's Fifth Fleet flagship, the old battleship New Mexico, the second time his flagship had been hit. For a time, Spruance was missing after the plane hit; he was finally found manning a firehose with other Sailors. Despite taking heavy casualties (54 dead Navy and Marine Corps personnel, mostly gunners), the battleships were built to take punishment, and New Mexico stayed in the line as the flagship until Spruance's turnover with Admiral William F. Halsey on 27 May. Spruance was awarded a Navy Cross.

No sooner had Vice Admiral Mitscher transferred his TF 58 flag to Enterprise than she, too, fell victim to a kamikaze attack. On 14 May, 26 Japanese planes attacked. Only one made it through the gauntlet to put Enterprise and her 20 battle stars (the record) out of action for the rest of the war. As the "night carrier," Enterprise had all planes de-armed and de-fueled, gasoline lines drained, and bomb magazines buttoned up, so her damage was far less severe than that of Bunker Hill. Enterprise would be the last carrier to be hit by a kamikaze. For more on the kamikaze attacks on the three flagships (and to see what actor Paul Newman had to do with it), see attachment H-048-1. 

The Naval Battle of Okinawa (Continued), 11 May–5 June 1945

Between Kikusui No. 6 on 10–11 May and Kikusui No. 9 on 3–7 June, there was a steady toll of U.S. warships (mostly destroyers) sunk, damaged beyond repair, or put out of action for the rest of the war by kamikaze attacks. Some of these ships put up valiant resistance, shooting down multiple kamikazes before they could complete their attacks. Some U.S. ships faced one or two kamikazes that just kept on coming no matter how many times they were hit. In most cases the crews saved their ships when they should have sunk, even though many of those ships would never fight again. Crews on other ships simply never had a chance. In every case, a common theme was uncommon valor: Numerous Navy Crosses were awarded to commanding officers who continued to fight even as their ships burned. Navy Crosses went to junior officers, too, such as Ensign Leo D. Fay on Douglas H. Fox (DD-779), who despite mortal wounds led a decimated damage control team in saving the ship from a magazine explosion. Another was Lieutenant Edgar B. Wicklander, USNR, commanding officer of LCS(L)-356, who boldly brought his ship alongside a burning destroyer that had just suffered a magazine explosion and saved the lives of numerous stunned and wounded Sailors.

The most tragic events were the loss of destroyers Longshaw (DD-559) and Drexler (DD-741). Longshaw ran aground and was hit in a forward magazine by shore battery fire, which obliterated the entire ship forward of the bridge, killing 86 crewmen, including the commanding officer. Drexler, a new Allen M. Sumner–class destroyer, was hit by a kamikaze, which caused an explosion so powerful that she went down in less than a minute, taking 164 crewmen to the bottom with her. Damaged Bates (APD-47) was heroically towed into an anchorage area, only then to capsize and sink. LSM-135 was sunk while in the act of rescuing survivors. LST-808 became yet another ship lost to a kamikaze.

During this period, several ships were damaged beyond repair, including four destroyers: Thatcher (DD-514), Butler (DD-636), Forrest (DD-461), and Shubrick (DD-639); destroyer escort O'Neill (DE-188); and the three fast transports Chase (APD-54), Bates, and Roper (APD-20), which had been the first U.S. ship to sink a German U-boat, in 1942. They all would have sunk but for the heroic actions of their crews and some luck.

Other ships were badly damaged, and repairs were not completed until after the war ended: four destroyers, including Braine (DD-630), which survived despite high casualties (67 dead and 103 wounded); a fast destroyer transport; an assault transport; and an LCS (landing craft, support). Other ships were knocked out of action for more than 30 days, but made it back into the war before it was over.

The Japanese continued their dismal track record with Kaiten-equipped submarines, as an Avenger off escort carrier Anzio (CVE-57) caught I-361 on the surface and sank her (and five Kaiten manned torpedoes) with a Fido acoustic homing torpedo.

Finally, several days after Admiral Halsey relieved Admiral Spruance and Fifth Fleet became Third Fleet again, Typhoon Viper hit. All four carriers in Task Group 38.1 suffered significant damage, particularly fleet carriers Wasp (CV-18) and Bennington (CV-20), which had their forward flight decks bashed in. The new heavy cruiser Pittsburgh (CA-72) survived, having had 104-feet of her bow torn off; fortunately, her skipper had just called the crew to battle stations, so the forward berthing compartments were empty and no one was killed. Although Typhoon Viper caused far less damage and far lower personnel losses than Typhoon Cobra had claimed in December 1944, the court of inquiry was scathing in its conclusions of "lessons not learned" from Cobra. 

For more on the naval battle of Okinawa, see attachment H-048-2. And if you are getting tired of reading about kamikazes, imagine what the crews thought as they kept getting hit. There were still three more weeks to go in what seemed like an interminable battle, and they would be costly weeks, too.

For more on the background history of the invasion of Okinawa, please see H-Gram 044. See also H-Gram 045 and 046 for coverage of the earlier stages of the Naval Battle of Okinawa (March–May 1945).

Sources for this H-gram include the Naval History and Heritage Command Dictionary of American Fighting Ships (DANFS) for U.S. ships and "Combined Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy" (http://combined fleet.com) for Japanese ships. Additional sources: History of United States. Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. XIV: Victory in the Pacific, by Samuel Eliot Morison (Little, Brown and Co., 1960); Kamikaze: To Die for the Emperor, by Peter C. Smith (Pen and Sword Aviation, 2014); The Twilight Warriors, by Robert Gandt (Broadway Books, 2010); Kamikaze Attacks of World War II: A Complete History of Japanese Suicide Strikes on American Ships by Aircraft and Other Means, by Robin L. Reilly (McFarland, 2010); Desperate Sunset: Japan's Kamikazes Against Allied Ships, 1944–45, by Mike Yeo (Osprey, 2019); "Anti-Suicide Action Summary, August 1945," COMINCH Document P-0011, 31 August 1945; The Fleet at Flood Tide: America at Total War in the Pacific 1944–1945, by James D. Hornfisher (Bantam Books, 2016); Combined Fleet Decoded: The Secret History of American Intelligence and the Japanese Navy in World War II, by John Prados (Random House, 1995); U.S. Navy Codebreakers, Linguists, and Intelligence Officers Against Japan, 1910-1941, by Steve E. Maffeo (Roman and Littlefield, 2016); Information at Sea: Shipboard Command and Control in the U.S. Navy from Mobile Bay to Okinawa, by Timothy S. Wolters (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013); Hell to Pay: Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947, by D. M. Giangreco (Naval Institute Press, 2009). "Who Sank Destroyer Drexler," by Bill Gordon, http://kamikaze images.net, 2006). Award citations are from "Military Times Hall of Honor" (http://valor.militarytimes.com).

 

 

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June Rites of Passage

by  W. Thomas Smith Jr.

Every June, we Marines are reminded of a fateful day in 1918 wherein our reputation in the modern era was enhanced by some unbelievable shooting, a bit of tooth-to-eyeball combat, and a few Marine-friendly reporters on the Western Front in France. For on June 6 of that year, Marines attacked and destroyed Imperial German Army positions during the Battle of Belleau Wood, an old French hunting preserve near Chateau-Thierry, in a grisly close-quarters slugfest, after which the Germans – convinced the Marines were special American "shock troops" – nicknamed their foes, teufelhunden, devil dogs.

What happened that day became the stuff of legend, or rather lore since the heroics of June 6, 1918 were confirmed by several sources, not the least of which was the enemy.

At one point during the fighting, Gunnery Sgt. Dan Daly – a two-time Medal of Honor recipient – dashed out in front of his Marines and shouted to them: "Come on you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever?!" 

A German after-action report, read: "The Marines are considered a sort of elite Corps designed to go into action outside the United States. The high percentage of marksmen, sharpshooters, and expert riflemen, as perceived among our prisoners, allows a conclusion to be drawn as to the quality of the training in rifle marksmanship that the Marines receive. The prisoners are mostly members of the better class, and they consider their membership in the Marine Corps to be something of an honor. They proudly resent any attempts to place their regiments on a par with other infantry regiments." 

Twenty-six years – to the day – later, just after 2 a.m., Army paratroopers, members of the soon-to-be famous 82nd and 101st airborne divisions, as well as British airborne forces, began jumping behind German lines in the opening hours of the great Allied invasion of Normandy, also in France.

The paratroopers were described by German propagandists as being nothing more than gangsters and cutthroats who had learned to handle a parachute. In reality, they were young men fresh off the farm – and not far removed from their high school football fields – who had volunteered for something that not even their commanders were convinced would work on a large scale. 

Following the paratroopers were waves of glider borne forces. 

Offshore, thousands of warships, freighters, and supporting vessels were crossing the English Channel and moving into position off the French coast.

In less than five hours, the first sea borne assault waves of the initial 175,000-man Allied amphibious force began storming the beaches along a 50 to 60-mile front in the Bay of Seine between Caen and the Cherbourg peninsula. Supporting the invasion force were thousands of Allied warplanes.

Like Belleau Wood for the Marines, the invasion of Normandy made famous – for the Army – the pioneering U.S. Airborne divisions, not to mention the tens-of-thousands of sea borne soldiers, including Rangers, who kicked in the door of Hitler's Fortress Europe.

June is also a special military month for us here in South Carolina. 

For on June 28, 1776, the "first decisive victory of American forces over the British Navy" was achieved by S.C. artillerists during the American Revolution. 

That day, the garrison at Fort Sullivan – today Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island in Charleston harbor, under the command of militia Col. William Moultrie – repulsed Royal Navy forces under the command of Admiral Sir Peter Parker.

The 12-plus hour battle began around 9 a.m. when Parker's ships opened fire on the fort: many of the British shells sinking harmlessly into the soft palmetto logs of which the fort is constructed. The ships, on the other hand, some of which run aground on the harbor's shoals were constructed of oak, which Moultrie's artillerists quickly shatter sending deadly splinters into the unfortunate British crews.

Moultrie was destined to become a major general in the Continental Army and a South Carolina governor, and afterwards, S.C. would forever be known as the "Palmetto State."

Incidentally, this author's five-times great grandfather, Capt. Thomas Woodward – commanding a company of S.C. Rangers on Moultrie's extreme left – helped thwart an attempt by Royal Marines to land on Sullivan's Island. Woodward survived the battle, but was killed a few years later while in pursuit of a band of Loyalist horsemen. According to reports, he was literally blown out of his saddle by a blast of enemy buckshot. An obelisk to Woodward can be seen from the highway between Simpson and Winnsboro, S.C.

 

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Thanks to Jon. This part of the battle is not very well known.

Marine Aviators at the Battle of Midway

By Mike Johnson

Early June, 1942

The Japanese Empire was at the height of its expansion. One last, insignificant possession of the United States remained to be cleared from the western Pacific Ocean. A mighty Japanese fleet was steaming to do battle and capture Midway. If things went truly well, the Japanese would lure the American fleet into a decisive naval engagement. There was little doubt, at least in Tokyo, that the numerically superior, better-equipped, and much more experienced Japanese fleet would be triumphant.

The Japanese fleet included four of the aircraft carriers that had performed so ably at Pearl Harbor: the Akagi, the Hiryu, the Kaga, and the Soryu. These were accompanied by two huge battleships: the Haruna and the Kirishima. They proceeded as an integrated battle group, their speed constrained by the top speed of the battleships. The time advantage conceded to the Americans would prove costly.

The Japanese had planned on all six carriers from the Pearl Harbor raid, but Shokaku had been badly damaged at the Battle of the Coral Sea in early May. Zuikaku, while not damaged herself, had lost most of her planes and pilots and been forced to return to Japan for refitting. The United States lost the carrier USS Lexington. The Japanese were forced to turn back from their planned invasion of Port Moresby, so the Battle of the Coral Sea was a strategic victory for the Americans. Material loses on both sides, while certainly not trivial, were not decisive.

The Japanese were seeking a decisive victory at Midway.

So were the Americans.

The U.S. forces were deployed in two Task Forces. TF16, under Rear Admiral Spruance, had two carriers, the USS Hornet and the USS Enterprise. TF17, under Rear Admiral Fletcher, had the carrier USS Yorktown.

The fleets were on converging courses to history.

Midway Defenses

The defenses at Midway were meager, cobbled together quickly at the outbreak of hostilities -- the perfect metaphor for the American lack of preparedness prior to WWII.

The defenses included:

•           Ground Assets - Sixth Marine Defense Battalion (reinforced).

•           Naval Assets - Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 1 (MTBRon 1) with eight PT

Boats.

•           Air Assets - Army Air Force - Seventh Army Air Force Detachment with four

B-26 Martin Marauders and 19 B-17 Flying Fortresses.

•           Air Assets - Marine - Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221 with 20 F2A-3

Brewster Buffalos and seven F4F-3 Grumman Wildcats) and Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241 (VMSB-241 with 11 SB2U-3 Vought Vindicators and 16

SBD-2 Douglas Dauntlesses).

The Marine aviators would carry the brunt of the early fighting. VMF-221 would attack the incoming Japanese aircraft, estimated at 108 planes, 36 level bombers, 36 dive bombers, and 36 fighters. VMSB-241 would attack the Japanese surface fleet.

Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241 VMSB-241 was equipped with dive bombers,

11 SB2U-3 Vought Vindicators, and 16 SBD-2 Douglas Dauntlesses. The SBD-2s and ten of the squadron's pilots arrived on Midway on 26 May 1942. Many of the pilots were untrained in dive-bombing, some had never flown their new aircraft, and gasoline was in short supply. Pilot training was a key concern going into the action.

The Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator

The Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless

Maj. Lofton R. Henderson, the commanding officer of the VMSB-241 attack, divided his planes into two groups. He led the first group, comprising 16 SBD-2s. The second group, comprising 11 SB2U-3s, was led by Maj. Benjamin Norris. The planes would attack by glide-bombing because of the lack of training in dive-bombing. They took off at approximately 0630 hours on 4 June 1942. The SBD-2s attacked a Kaga-class carrier. The after-action report indicates that the carrier was hit three times and badly damaged.

Later damage assessment would show that the attack had resulted in near misses but no direct hits. The SB2U-3s attacked the battleship Haruna. As in the case of the carrier, there were near misses but no direct hits.

All of the personnel of VMSB-241 performed in the best tradition of the Marines. They flew against overwhelming odds and aggressively attacked.

Half of the aviators were killed, including Maj. Henderson and Maj. Norris.

Total casualties were approximately 70%.

Those of you who have read of the battles and sacrifices on Guadalcanal know of the central role played by the airfield Henderson Field, named after Maj. Lofton R. Henderson.

Marine Fighting Squadron 221

VMF-221 consisted of 20 F2A-3 Brewster Buffalos and seven F4F-3 Grumman Wildcats. The Brewster Buffalo was no match for the Japanese Zero and was being phased out in favor of the Grumman Wildcat. At the time of the battle, most of the squadron's planes were Buffalos. The squadron's pilots were experienced in peacetime, but they had no combat experience.

The Brewster F2A Buffalo

The Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat

Maj. Floyd B. Parks divided VMF-221 into two flights. He led the first flight, comprising 12 Buffalos, directly to the incoming Japanese. One of the 12 developed mechanical problems and had to return to base. Only one of the remaining 11 Buffalos survived. Maj. Parks and eight other pilots died.

Capt. Kirk Armistead led the second flight, comprising eight Buffalos and seven Wildcats. The second flight lost an additional four pilots and planes.

The after-action report filed by Capt. Armistead shows that VMF-221 inflicted serious losses on the enemy. Capt. Armistead included the following tribute:

The F2A-3 is sadly out-classed in all respects by the Japanese 00 Fighters.

Although all pilots of this squadron were aware of this fact, they drove their attack home with daring and skill.

The Japanese air attack did not achieve its goals because of VMF-221 and the ground defenses, and a second attack had to be mounted. In the confusion, with fuel and ammunition on the flight decks, the Japanese carriers were extremely vulnerable to air attack. Enter the American carrier planes.

The Naval Battle

In any short treatment of a consequential and complex event, much detail must be omitted. This essay concentrates on the Marine aviators from the ground bases at Midway. The Navy aviators from the three American carriers were faced with similar difficulties to what the Marines endured. They were vastly outnumbered, with less experience and lesser performance aircraft.

They, like the Marines, attacked without question and with great courage.

It was the Navy aviators who got through and destroyed all four Japanese carriers.

The following is from remarks given by former Secretary of Defense James R.

Schlesinger at a Battle of Midway commemorative dinner on 5 June 2003Through an extraordinary combination of the skill and courage of our pilots, splendid intelligence, prudent risk-taking by our commanders that paid off, and sheer good luck, the apparently inferior American forces were victorious. This victory occurred despite the inferiority of our aircraft, the ineffectiveness of our torpedoes, the substantial absence of backup surface ships, and our overall numerical inferiority. You know the rest!

Four Japanese carriers had been sunk. It all confirmed the dictum of Otto von Bismarck: "the Lord God has special providence for fools, drunkards, and the United States of America." The Japanese offensive had now been blunted. The Japanese fleet turned back toward the Home Islands and the opportunity for victory had been lost forever.

The cost was high. Each of the three American carriers lost about 50% of its aircraft. Hornet lost 32 planes and 37 aviators. Enterprise lost 32 planes and 51 aviators. Yorktown lost 31 planes and 23 aviators. Yorktown was badly damaged by enemy aircraft and later sunk by a submarine, with a significant loss of life.

In Memoriam

The Old Burying Yard at Kittery Point is idyllically situated on the rugged coast of Maine. It is a small cemetery, maybe two hundred graves, on a granite outcropping overlooking the entrance to the Piscataqua River, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and Portsmouth Harbor. Many of the monuments are set off with American flags, signifying veterans, such as the gravestone shown below:

The simple stone is the marker for the Alvord family: Henry, Margaret, and their son John. The ever-encroaching lichen partially covers the inscription "IN LOVING MEMORY."

John Robert Alvord was a United States Marine, a captain, an aviator, and a warrior. He flew Brewster Buffalo MF3 of VMF-221 and fought and died at the Battle of Midway.

Captain Alvord posthumously received the Navy Cross "for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession." The Navy Cross is the second-highest medal of valor, the highest being the Congressional Medal of Honor. Twenty-two other pilots of Captain Alvord's squadron also received the Navy Cross, mostly posthumously.

Each year between Memorial Day and 4 June, I take the short drive up the coast to Kittery Point and visit the Alvord memorial. It is a time of reflection, patriotism, and pride in honor of those brave men and women who have served and continue to serve. Thank you.

Mike Johnson is a concerned citizen, a small-government conservative, and a live-free-or-die resident of New Hampshire. E-mail mnosnhoj@comcast.net.

 

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One of my granddaughters just graduated into High School this morning and showed me a shirt and said I just graduated and all I got was this  T-shirt.  She was one of the first to arrive at the school. All social distancing and masks were in force and they were to get their locks off their lockers and then get their shirts. She was introduced to the empty locker room rule. There was no one there yet and as she was taking her locks off another young lady came in and of course her locker was right next to hers.  I have had that happen to me more times than I can count in various gyms.   skip

 

Thanks to Al

Monday Morning Humor--Graduation

This week's MMH is dedicated to my two grandchildren that graduated from high school this year.

 You missed your 5th grade graduation because you were on jury duty.—Jeff Foxworthy

 

Honest Graduation Speech:

     I would like to thank, the Internet, Google, Wikipedia, Microsoft Office and the one who invented copy and paste!

 

      When my son graduated from high school, he had to give a speech.  He began by reading from his prepared text.  "I want to talk about my mother and the wonderful influence she has had on my life," he told the audience.  "She is a shining example of parenthood, and I love her more than words could ever do justice."

     At this point he seemed to struggle for words.  After a pause he looked up with a sly grin and said, "It's really hard to read my mom's handwriting."

 

 Graduation Quotes:

·        I'll be honest. I did not graduate at the top of my class. In fact, I was so close to the bottom, my sheepskin had a tail.—Anonymous

·        Everyone could tell our son was a (Dodgers) fan. When he was handed his diploma, he dropped it.—Anonymous

·        I remember my guidance counselor. The guy studied for years for his job, and deepest thing he ever said to me was, "You have your whole life ahead of you."—Anonymous

·        I'd advise you graduates to keep your graduation gown. It's the only outfit you might not outgrow.—Anonymous

·        One thing you learn from looking at high school graduation photos -- there's a fortune to be made in dermatology.—Anonymous

·        In my graduation picture my nose is too big, my eyes are too far apart, and mouth is lopsided. My face looks like it was put together by Picasso.—Anonymous

·        Graduation is when you separate the students from the athletes.—Anonymous

·        A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success.—Robert Orben

·        Your families are extremely proud of you. You can't imagine the sense of relief they are experiencing. This would be a most opportune time to ask for money.—Gary Bolding

·        The trouble with learning from experience is that you never graduate.—Doug Larsen

·        I think sleeping was my problem in school. If school had started at 4:00 in the afternoon, I'd be a college graduate today.—George Foreman

·        You cannot get to the top by sitting on your bottom.—Proverb

·        Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught.—Oscar Wilde

·        I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.—Mark Twain

·        Wearing colorful Converse high-tops beneath your graduation robe is a great way to tell your classmates that this is just the first of many horrible decisions you plan to make with the rest of your life.—Conan O'Brien

·        If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.—Bette Reese

·        The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.—Vidal Sassoon

·        The unfortunate, yet truly exciting thing about your life, is that there is no core curriculum. The entire place is an elective.—Jon Stewart

 

     It's graduation day, and everybody's going to get their diploma but Josh. At the assembly, the entire senior class stands up and shouts "Let Josh graduate, let Josh graduate!"

     The principal agrees to give Josh one last chance. "If I have five apples in my right hand and five in my left hand, Josh, how many apples do I have?" he asked.

     Josh thought long and hard and then said: "Ten."

     And the entire senior class stood up and shouted, "Give Josh another chance. Give Josh another chance!"

 

     Your families are extremely proud of you.  You can't imagine the sense of relief they are experiencing.  This would be a most opportune time to ask for money.

 

      I was surprised when a friend said he'll work at KFC right after graduation..

     Out of curiosity, I asked him why.

     All he said was, "It's in my bucket list."

 

Congratulations to all graduates, their teachers, and parents,

Al

 

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Daily world news thanks to Military Periscope for 4 June

 

USA—CBO Estimates Guard Component For Space Force Would Cost $100 Million Annually Breaking Defense | 06/04/2020 The Congressional Budget Office says it would cost about $100 million annually to operate a limited Space Force National Guard and Reserve, reports Breaking Defense. An additional $20 million in one-time construction costs for new facilities would also be incurred, according to a CBO report released on Tuesday. The CBO considered a Space National Guard component consisting of the 1,500 guardsmen already assigned to space missions, reported Space News. Those personnel are spread across Air and Army National Guard units in eight states -- Alaska, Hawaii, California, Colorado, New York, Arkansas and Ohio -- and Guam. The National Guard Bureau previously argued that the creation of a Space National Guard would not create additional costs, since existing personnel would simply transfer from their current units. The CBO also estimated the costs of a larger Space National Guard that was around one-third the size of the active force, similar to the Air National Guard. Such a force would involve 5,000 personnel and would have annual operating costs between $385 million and $490 million. Additional onetime costs ranging from $400 million to $900 million would be needed to build the necessary infrastructure, says the report. Under the fiscal 2020 defense budget, the Pentagon is studying a potential Space National Guard, with a report due next year. In March, top Air Force officials told lawmakers that a guard component would be created for the Space Force, but how it would be done was still being determined.

 USA—Navy Begins Flight-Testing Of Extended-Range AARGM U.S. Naval Air Systems Command | 06/04/2020 The Navy has completed the first captive carry flight of the extended-range variant of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM), reports the Naval Air Systems Command. On Monday, an F/A-18E Super Hornet successfully carried a prototype of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile–Extended Range (AARGM-ER) missile in a flight test to evaluate the integration and structural characteristics of the missile throughout a variety of maneuvers. Data collected during the test will inform future flight tests, said program officials. Testing will continue over the next few years ahead of the planned initial operational capability milestone in fiscal 2023. The AARGM-ER is being integrated with the Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler and will be available for integration with all three F-35 Lightning II variants, said NAVAIR. Development of the AARGM-ER began in 2016. The missile integrates a new rocket motor and warhead with the AARGM airframe. The upgrades are expected to increase the missile's range to 155 miles (250 km) as well as its top speed. 

USA—Roosevelt, Air Wing Wrap Up Final Qualifications After Quarantine Navy Newsstand | 06/04/2020 The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt and its air wing have completed the final qualifications necessary to return to operations, reports the Navy NewsStand. The Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11) completed the qualifications on June 2. This was the last barrier to the carrier resuming its deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, which was interrupted by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak aboard the ship. Carrier qualifications certify a unit for sustained operations at sea aboard an aircraft carrier. The qualifications for the air wing and ship had lapsed after spending more than two months in Guam after a major COVID-19 outbreak on the carrier. Prior to completing carrier qualifications, CVW-11 conducted field carrier landing practice at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to prepare for operations at sea. The Roosevelt will now resume its scheduled deployment in the 7th Fleet area of operations in the western Pacific, the Navy said. 

Switzerland—Court Frees Suspected PKK Leader Sought By Germany Reuters | 06/04/2020 A Swiss court has blocked the extradition to Germany of an alleged leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group, reports Reuters. On Thursday, the Federal Criminal Court found that the unnamed Turkish citizen had not violated Swiss laws in 2014, when he allegedly spread PKK propaganda and recruited fighters for the group. Any recruiting efforts were likely focused on fighters to battle the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, the court said. The court ordered the man be released and given US$2,000 in compensation for his time in custody. The PKK is not a banned organization in Switzerland and as such, supporting the group was not a crime, said the court. Since 1984, the PKK has fought a low-scale insurgency against the Turkish government.

 North Korea—Pyongyang Threatens To Walk Away From Peace Measures Over Propaganda Leaflets Yonhap | 06/04/2020 Top North Korean officials have threatened to abandon agreements to reduce tensions with South Korea over the sending of propaganda leaflets over the border by defectors and activits, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). Activists and North Korean defectors occasionally send large numbers of propaganda leaflets into North Korea on large balloons. On Thursday, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of dictator Kim Jong Un, said that Pyongyang could pull out of peace agreements made in 2018 if Seoul does not take steps to prevent activists and defectors from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets over the border, reported the state-run Korea Central News Agency. These steps could include fully abandoning the Kaesong Industrial Park, ending tours of Mt. Kumgang, shuttering a joint liaison office or terminating the comprehensive military agreement (CMA). The CMA calls for a series of trust-building and other measures to decrease tensions. In response, the South Korean Unification Ministry said on Thursday that it would push for legislation banning activists from trying to send the leaflets, saying that such operations increase tensions. It did not indicate how it might ban these activities or address potential concerns about free expression. 

South Korea—Seoul Seeks To Cut Defense Budget To Help Fund Recovery From COVID-19 Yonhap | 06/04/2020 The South Korean government is seeking to shift money from the defense budget to help fund a new spending plan to address the economic fallout from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The cuts will help fund a third supplementary budget worth about US$28.6 billion, to be created by readjusting the annual budget and issuing state bonds, the defense ministry said on Wednesday. A total of US$255.9 million will be taken from the defense budget, including US$125.8 million from procurement and US$132.8 from operations. Around US$57.8 million will be obtained by postponing a planned purchase of naval surface-to-air missiles from the U.S. Other acquisition cuts include the planned purchase of 20 230-ton next-generation patrol boats and a facility for tactical ground-launched guided weapons. Meanwhile, the ministry will add US$14.7 million in spending to train soldiers on the latest information and communications technology. South Korea announced an initial budget cut of US$1.2 billion in April. The reductions represent a 3.6 percent cut to the defense budget. 

India—Several Agreements Inked With Canberra To Strengthen Ties Hindustan Times | 06/04/2020 Australia and India have just signed a number of agreements bolstering bilateral cooperation in areas such as military logistics, strategic minerals and cyber technology, reports the Hindustan Times. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison formalized the agreements on Thursday during a virtual summit due to travel restrictions stemming from the novel coronavirus pandemic. The leaders signed a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, which enables both sides to use the other's logistics facilities, facilitating more complex joint exercises and improving interoperability. In addition, the parties elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership and upgraded their 2 + 2 foreign affairs and defense dialogue to the ministerial level. The leaders also signed agreements on cyber and cyber technology cooperation; mining and processing of strategic minerals, such as rare earth metals; and an implementing agreement on defense science and technology cooperation as part of the existing memorandum of understanding on defense collaboration. 

India—High-Level Talks Seek To Reduce Border Tensions With China Press Trust Of India | 06/04/2020 India and China have agreed to hold military-to-military talks with the goal of reducing tensions along the mutual border in the Ladakh area, reports the Press Trust of India. On Saturday, three-star generals from each nation are scheduled to meet at the Indian Border Point Meeting hut in Chushul-Moldo, in India's Ladakh province, reported All India. India, which reportedly requested the meeting, will be represented by Lt. Gen. Harinder Singh, who commands the 14 Corps, which is responsible for Ladakh. The Indian camp is expected to request a return to the pre-tension status quo, including the withdrawal of Chinese engineering projects on Pangong Lake. The Chinese army has reportedly deployed around 2,500 troops in Pangong Tso and the Galwan Valley as well as beefed up temporary infrastructure and armaments. Beijing opposes Indian projects to improve road infrastructure in the region. Talks between lower-level commanders have failed to resolve tensions between the sides at various border points in the region. The current standoff is focused on portions of the shared border in eastern Ladakh/western Tibet, particularly Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley and Demchok. 

India—Order Placed For Indigenous Upgrade For BMP-2 IFVs Indian Ministry Of Defense | 06/04/2020 The Indian Ministry of Defense has placed an order for upgraded infantry fighting vehicles with a state-owned firm as part of the government's "Make in India" program, according to a ministry release. On Tuesday, the ministry awarded a US$145 million purchase order to the Ordnance Factory Board for 156 upgraded BMP-2/2K tracked armored vehicles for the army's mechanized infantry battalions. Work on the IFVs is expected to be completed by 2023. The BMP-2/2K vehicles will be powered by a 285-hp engine and will be lighter for increased battlefield mobility, including a top speed of 40 mph (65 kph). The armored vehicles will have an amphibious capability, with a top speed of 4 mph (7 kph) in water. The Indian government has been focusing on domestic production of military equipment to help combat the economic downturn caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Afghanistan—Kunduz Police Chief Dies From COVID-19 Khaama Press | 06/04/2020 The police chief of the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan has died from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), reports the Khaama Press (Afghanistan). Abdul Rashid Bashir contracted COVID-19 some time ago and was undergoing treatment when he died, said an interior ministry spokesman. COVID-19 is rapidly spreading throughout the country. The government has identified 16,509 positive cases and 270 deaths so far, according to the ministry of public health. Several hundred cases have been reported in Kabul. 

Syria—Air Force Receives Additional MiG-29 Fighters From Russia Tass | 06/04/2020 Russian officials have confirmed the delivery of a second batch of fighter jets to the Syrian air force, reports the Tass news agency (Moscow). An unspecified number of MiG-29 fighters were handed over to Syrian officials at the Hmeimim air base, the Russian Embassy in Damascus said on Wednesday. The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on May 30 that the "advanced and modernized" MiG-29s had been delivered during a ceremony at the airfield. The aircraft were later dispersed to other airfields and expected to begin operations on June 1, said news agency said. U.S. officials have accused Russia of using its involvement in Syria to mask the transfer of weapons to Libya, where Russian mercenaries back eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar, reported Reuters. As many as 14 MiG-29s and Su-24 strike jets are believed to have moved from Russia to Libya via Syria, where some of them have been repainted to disguise their origins.

 Israel—IAI Test-Fires LORA Ballistic Missile At Sea Israel Aerospace Industries | 06/04/2020 Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) says that it has successfully completed a dual test of its Long-Range Artillery Weapon System (LORA) ballistic missile. The customer demonstration employed a ground launcher on a cargo vessel and a remote launch system due to safety requirements in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, said a company release on Tuesday. The complex test included two scenarios designed to demonstrate the advanced capabilities of the system, said IAI. The two missiles successfully struck their floating targets, one at a range of 56 miles (90 km), and the other at a distance of 250 miles (400 km), reported the Times of Israel. In both cases, the missiles were successfully launched on their planned trajectory, navigated to their target and precisely hit it, said IAI. 

Libya—GNA Claims Complete Control Of Tripoli British Broadcasting Corp. | 06/04/2020 Libya's U.N.-recognized government says it has regained full control over Tripoli from forces supporting eastern militia leader Khalifa Haftar, reports the BBC News. On Thursday, the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) announced that it had regained control over the Tripoli International Airport. The airport has been closed since 2014 and mostly functions as a prison and strategic military site, but its capture was a major symbolic victory, said analysts. Separately, military sources with Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) told Reuters that LNA forces would complete their withdrawal from the towns of Ain Zara, Abu Salim and Qasr bin Ghashir outside of Tripoli toward Tarhuna, a local stronghold, on Thursday. Meanwhile, GNA President Fayez Al Sarraj and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are slated to meet on Thursday. Turkish support, including armed drones, has helped the U.N.-backed government push back LNA forces after Haftar launched a campaign to retake the capital in April 2019. In addition, the opposing camps are expected to resume U.N.-brokered peace talks in Geneva. 

Rwanda—New Status Of Forces Agreement Expands Cooperation With U.S. Defence Web | 06/04/2020 Rwanda and the U.S. have signed a new status of forces agreement (SOFA) that will strengthen and broaden bilateral military cooperation, reports Defence Web (South Africa). The agreement, signed on May 28 in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, replaces a previous SOFA that was inked in 2005. The new accord is broader than its predecessor and covers U.S. military personnel and contractors in Rwanda for training exercises, humanitarian activities and other activities as mutually agreed upon, said Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta. The U.S. and Rwanda have been strengthening ties recently, including finalizing a state partnership program agreement between Kigali and the Nebraska National Guard in December 2019, said U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda Peter Vrooman.

 Democratic Republic of the Congo—16 Killed In Latest Attack Blamed On CODECO Militants Agence France-Presse | 06/04/2020 At least 16 civilians have been killed in militant violence in the northeastern Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, reports Agence France-Presse. On Wednesday, an armed group attacked a village in the Mambisa area, north of Bunia, the provincial capital, said a local official. Four men, seven women and five children, all civilians, were killed, said the administrator. A source from the U.N.-led peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, confirmed the toll. The attack was blamed on the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO) militia, which recruits primarily from the Lendu ethnic group and has been blamed for a series of attacks on the Hema community. At least 300 people have been killed in attacks attributed to CODECO this year, with another 200,000 displaced as a result of the violence. Tens of thousands died during previous fighting between the Lendu and Hema communities from 1999 to 2003.

 South Africa—Crashed C-130 In DRC Being Cannibalized For Parts Defence Web | 06/04/2020 The South African air force has abandoned attempts to repair a C-130 transport that crashed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in January and has begun salvaging components from the aircraft, reports Defence Web (South Africa). The C-130BZ was landing at the Goma Airport when it experienced an engine fire and went off the runway, hitting a culvert and suffering major damage to its left wing. The aircraft remains at the site of the accident. South African air force personnel have begun stripping usable parts from the aircraft for potential use on South Africa's remaining C-130 transports. Salvaging work was delayed by U.N. bureaucracy and travel restrictions imposed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The damage to the aircraft was sufficiently extensive that it was not economical to repair the aircraft, especially given the air force's tight budget, said experts.