The List 5388 TGB

The List 5388 TGB


Good Monday Morning

I hope you all had a great weekend. I have some other items to add to the List so I will send one out later. Today will be that last list until I get home from the hospital this weekend. Then I will pick it up again. All the fun stuff today of no solid food, lots of liquids, preop medicine and my favorite the internal cleanse drink. Can't wait.

Regards,

skip



Today in Naval History

July 13

1812

The frigate, USS Essex, commanded by Capt. David Porter, captures the merchant brig, Lamprey, in the Atlantic.

1854

The sloop of war, USS Cyane, bombards San Juan del Norte (Greytown), Nicaragua, in retaliation for ill-treatment of U.S. citizens. Marines and Sailors also seize weapons and powder in retribution for an attack on U.S. Consular officials for U.S. refusal to pay reparation.

1939

Rear Adm. Richard Byrd is appointed to command the 1939-1941 U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition. Under objectives outlined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Byrd establishes an east and west base and holds a wide range of scientific observations until international tensions end the expedition in early 1941.

1943

TBF aircraft (VC 13) based on board USS Core (ACV 13) sinks German submarine U 487, 720 miles south-southwest of Fayal, Azores.

1943

The Japanese are intercepted from landing reinforcements in the Solomon Islands, resulting in the night Battle of Kolombangara. During the battle, the U.S. Navy loses USS Gwin (DD 433).

1991

USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) is commissioned at Groton, Conn., the third Navy vessel to be named after the Bluegrass state. The thoroughbred of the Fleet is an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine.



CHINFO

Executive Summary:

• Numerous outlets covered the ongoing fire aboard USS Bonhomme Richard.

• CNN reported on Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle's historic completion of the Tactical Air (Strike) aviator syllabus, becoming the first known black female TACAIR pilot.

• Multiple outlets report the White House is weighing new sanctions and policies against China in response to crackdowns in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.



Today in History

Today in History: July 13

1099 The Crusaders launch their final assault on Jerusalem.

1534 Ottoman armies capture Tabriz in northwestern Persia.

1558 Led by the Count of Egmont, the Spanish army defeats the French at Gravelines, France.

1585 A group of 108 English colonists, led by Sir Richard Grenville, reaches Roanoke Island, North Carolina.

1643 In England, the Roundheads, led by Sir William Waller, are defeated by Royalist troops under Lord Wilmot in the Battle of Roundway Down.

1754 George Washington surrenders Fort Necessity to the French, leaving them in control of the Ohio Valley.

1787 Congress, under the Articles of Confederation, enacts the Northwest Ordinance, establishing rules for governing the Northwest Territory, for admitting new states to the Union and limiting the expansion of slavery.

1798 English poet William Wordsworth visits the ruins of Tintern Abbey.

1832 Henry Schoolcraft discovers the source of the Mississippi River in Minnesota.

1862 Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest defeats a Union army at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

1863 Opponents of the draft begin three days of rioting in New York City.

1866 The Great Eastern begins a two week voyage to complete a 12-year effort to lay telegraph cable across the Atlantic between Britain and the United States.

1878 The Congress of Berlin divides the Balkans among European powers.

1939 Frank Sinatra records his first song, "From the Bottom of My Heart," with the Harry James Band.

1941 Britain and the Soviet Union sign a mutual aid pact, providing the means for Britain to send war materiel to the Soviet Union.

1954 In Geneva, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China and France reach an accord on Indochina, dividing Vietnam into two countries, North and South, along the 17th parallel.

1971 The Army of Morocco executes 10 leaders accused of leading a revolt.



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This crew deserved much more in the way of awards. skip

Thanks to Dan

USS Indianapolis & Adrian Marks, The Angel of the Sea

Soon a second angel came in sight His name was Adrian Marks He set the plane down on the sea To save them from the sharks

"A Tribute to the Men of the USS Indianapolis" by Michael Monroney Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 107 (Friday, July 27, 2001) [House p.H4764)

Adrian Marks was 20 years old when he graduated from Northwestern University. He was 28 years old when he ran head on into what he later described as "a sparkling, sun-swept afternoon of horror." At 3:50 pm on Thursday, August 2, 1945 Marks and his aircrew of nine in a PBY5A "Catalina" amphibious aircraft struggled to understand what they were seeing below them in the waters of the Philippine Sea. Several hundred American sailors were floating in an oil slick that spread for miles. Some huddled together in and around life rafts. Some floated alone in their life jackets. Some were being eaten by sharks. These 317 souls — adrift at sea for the last four days with sharks and without hope — were all that were left from the 1,196 sailors aboard the USS Indianapolis when she was hit and sunk in less than 12 minutes by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine at 12:14 am on Monday, July 30th. They had no food nor water And more their rank grew thin Until an angel flew above A man named Wilbur Gwinn An oil-slicked sea and blackened forms Is what the pilot saw What ship has sunk? He asked himself As he looked down in awe He dipped his wings, their spirits soared Help must be on the way And all their prayers seemed answered On that sunny August day (c) 2016 All Rights Reserved Daniel E. Moore, Jr. Page of 1 3 Wilbur Gwinn, "The Angel of the Air," arrived on the scene, completely by accident, during a routine surveillance flight at 11:18 am on Thursday, August 2nd. Gwinn immediately called for assistance from his squadron mates 290 miles to the south on the Island of Peleliu. Marks and his squadron commanding officer, George Atterberry, launched together at 12:42. Air-sea rescues require that pilots and crews offer all possible assistance from the air before departing for their own safe landings ashore or on ships because they've exhausted their supplies and are running low of gas. While Marks and his crew were the first to arrive on scene in an amphibious aircraft, standing orders prohibited Catalina pilots from attempting open sea landings due to the inherent dangers. Catalinas were designed to operate on protected waters — harbors, rivers, coastlines — with the surface chop of the water below 4 feet. The open ocean swells below were approximately 12 feet — at least 3 times greater than what most pilots and crews would consider reasonably safe for amphibious flight operations. Fortunately for the 56 of sailors adrift by themselves, Marks and crew were anything but typical or reasonable. Marks knew that no ship would be on the scene until after midnight. After discussing the situation with his co-pilot and crew, Marks disregarded the orders prohibiting open sea landings and decided he would attempt his first ever open sea landing. In his words, "this decision was based partly on the number of single survivors and the fact that they were bothered by sharks. We did observe bodies being eaten by sharks." At 4:30 pm Marks notified Atteberry, flying overhead in a non-amphibious airplane, that he was going to attempt an open sea landing. Atteberry reminded Marks about the dangers of an open sea landing in a PBY. Marks and his crew made all preparations for landing at 5:05 pm. In his words: An area for landing was selected with the purpose of picking up the most survivors… A power stall was made into the wind. The wind was due North, swells about 12 feet high. The plane landed in three bounces, the first bounce being about 15 feet high…. Immediately after landing a survey of damage done to the plane exposed rivets pulled loose and some seams ripped open. My plane captain and navigator effected emergency repairs, plugging rivet holes with pencils and stuffing seams with cotton. The radio compartment took on water slowly and would have to be bailed out during the night - 10 to 12 buckets of water per hour. The hull of the ship survived very well. While the Navigator was inspecting the damage, my Co-Pilot went aft to organize the rescue party. We proceeded to locate survivors, the single ones, being aided by Commander Atteberry advising me via voice radio just where to go. It was very difficult to see good because of the high swells and without a doubt we would have missed many if it hadn't been for Commander Atteberry directing our actions. We tried to bring the survivors close to the port side and throw a life raft to them. Considerable difficulty was had because of the speed of the plane taxiing and the survivors were dragged through the water. We had to cut the plane's motors quite a few times and considerable time was lost in starting and stopping. We got better at picking the people up as time went by. We had the ladder out and I had a man on the ladder to grab any men who drifted by. The survivors could not help themselves very much, as most of them were weakened terribly and could not grab the ladder and climb up by themselves. (c) 2016 All Rights Reserved Daniel E. Moore, Jr. Page of 2 3 Further difficulties were caused by the fact that some of the men were burned and every time we grabbed them it caused extreme pain. Some of them had broken arms, legs, etc., and extreme care had to be used in handling them.…. Between the time of our landing and darkness, we picked up over 30 single survivors, most of them were in critical condition and would probably not have survived the night…. After dark, several shouts for help were heard nearby and my radioman and another crew man volunteered to go out in a rubber boat to pick them up. I wished them good luck and they cast off. It wasn't long until they were back with two additional men. It was very difficult for them to locate the plane after they had shoved off because of the fact that the auxiliary unit had gone out and we had no lights on the plane. We did have some carbide lights that worked to a good advantage. When Marks' Catalina's fuselage/cabin reached capacity with about 30 survivors, they tied another 26 to the top of the plane's wing. At 12:15 am on Friday August 3, 1945 the USS Cecil J. Doyle, the first of seven rescue ships, arrived and began full scale seaborne rescue operations — 7 hours and 15 minutes after Marks landed and the start of the survivors fifth day in the sea. Marks and crew worked until 3:30 am transferring all 56 survivors to the Doyle which did heavy damage to the plane due to heavy swells. The next morning Marks inspected the plane and decided it was too damaged to safely take off. He ordered its destruction and the Doyle sank the plane. Twelve days later, Japan surrendered, ending World War II. Of the 1,196 souls aboard the USS Indianapolis when she was hit by the Japanese torpedoes, almost 300 went down with the ship. Of the 880 or so remaining, a total of 317 survived over the next five days at sea. Marks and crew are credited for saving the lives of 56 who were most exposed and vulnerable. For their extraordinary heroism, Lieutenant Adrian Marks, USNR, was awarded an Air Medal. His crew received letters of recognition. Marks reportedly refused to wear his Air Medal because he believed his crew should have received higher levels of awards for their proven valor. Conversations with my fellow naval aviators — to include a former numbered Pacific fleet commander — all agree. Marks and crew earned greater recognition. Marks' airmanship and seamanship are worthy of a Distinguished Flying Cross. His entire crew deserve Air Medals. In addition, Navy-Marine Corps Medals should be awarded to his radioman and crewman who volunteered to leave the safety of their PBY at night in order to rescue two additional sailors. Robert Adrian Marks (he did not use his first name) was born on February 18, 1917 at Ladoga, Indiana. He received his undergraduate degree in speech from Northwestern University in 1937. While there he joined Acacia fraternity, joined the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Unit, and participated in Sextant, the naval honorary organization. Commissioned in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1937, Marks earned his law degree from Indiana University Law School in 1940. He was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941. After World War II, Marks returned to his hometown of Frankfort, Indiana, where he practiced law until his death in Frankfort on March 7, 1998 at age 81. (c) 2016 All Rights Reserved Daniel E. Moore, Jr.

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thanks to THE Bear -

ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED… When Naval Aviation Roared… Tales of the Brave and Bold… #15…

July 12, 2020Bear Taylor

COMMEMORATING the 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM WAR (1961-1973)… and honoring the indomitable Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers and aircrewmen who took the war to the doorstep of Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, North Vietnam during the years of Operation Rolling Thunder (1965-1968)…

GOOD MORNING. It is Monday, 13 July 2020 and Faithful Scribe has a pair of A-6A Intruder ROLLING THUNDER war stories to tell. But first a few of the headlines of news made fifty years ago this week (13-19 July 1970) when we were waging war in Southeast Asia and sort of looking for peace in Paris…



HEADLINES. NORTHERN IRELAND's Protestant Orange Order marched peacefully in Belfast and 18 other towns in the United Kingdom's six northern Ireland counties to celebrate "Orange Day" and the annual celebration of the 1690 Battle of Boyne that led to the Protestant-Catholic "partition" of Ireland. Twenty thousand British troops maintained order…. AT RIVERFRONT STADIUM in Pittsburg the National League won its 8th straight Major League All-Star game, 4-3, in 12-innings. Pete ROSE scored the winning run by taking out catcher Ray FOSSE (Cleveland) at the plate. Carl YASTRZEMSKI was MVP…. The UNITED KINGDOM ground to halt as 40 ports shut down in a longshoremen strike that lasted for three weeks… In the UNITED STATES the "Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks" sustained a policy of disallowing African-Americans and other non-whites from membership. The prohibition was removed three years later… The FRENCH cruise ship MS FULVIA burned and sank in mid-Atlantic, but not before MS ANCERVILLE rescued all 448 passengers and the 273 personnel of the FULVIA crew….

ON THE BATTLEFIELD. Operation CLINCH VALLEY, a short 8-hour engagement fought on the Khe Sanh plain by the 101st Airborne Division, supported by waves of air-to-ground bomb, rocket and strafing attacks, resulted in a final body count of 266 NVN dead, mostly by air, and no American or SVN KIA… The engagement successfully cutoff the flow of enemy support for their activities in the northern areas of the Ashau Valley, including participation in the 1-22 July confrontation at Fire Support Base RIPCORD… On 18 July a CH-47 aircraft was downed at the firebase, crashed into the base ammunition storage area and wiped out 5 of the 6 105mm howitzers at the base. (This is probably the downed C-47 reported by Hobson as lost on a training flight on 17 July 1970)…

IN THE AIR WAR (13-19 July 1970). The CH-47 was the only fixed wing aircraft loss during the week of operations in Southeast Asia… MAJOR Lloyd Arthur McGREW was the lone fatality in the crash. He rests in peace at the Masonic Cemetery in Delphi, Indiana…



WHEN NAVAL AVIATION ROARED. Tale #15 from the cache of Rolling Thunder stuff recorded in Faithful Scribe's 1985 notes from CINCPACFLT awards files, now stored in a cave on Mount Ogden… USS KITTY HAWK (CVA-63), Attack Carrier Air Wing ELEVEN and Medium Attack Squadron EIGHTY-FIVE Black Falcons departed North Island, San Diego on the second of six deployments to Yankee Station during the Vietnam war. They returned home on 20 June 1967 after logging 118 days and nights of Rolling Thunder operations. The air wing lost 17 aircraft and left 12 brave, bold aviators behind: three were killed in action, two died in captivity and seven were captured by the North Vietnamese and spent six years enduring deprivation and torture as POWs. These seven were among the 591 POWs returned in March, 1973. This tale of Intruder crew heroics took place on 26 March 1967 when three VA-85 A-6As kept North Vietnam awake and at their gun and missile sites as they struck the Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Complex… A second VA-85 A-6 tale follows in my End-Note…

THE MISSION. "Get some ordnance on the Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Plant 28 miles northeast of Hanoi. Shut 'em down." The weather over North Vietnam in February and March 1967 precluded daylight and visual strike operations north of the 20th parallel and, as a consequence, the oft struck Thai Nguyen plants were in full operation. The night/all-weather strike capability of the American air forces were tasked by CINCPACFLT on 26 March to make the destruction of the steel plant an immediate priority. The Navy's two A-6 Intruder squadrons at Yankee Station, including the VA-85 Black Falcons embarked in USS KITTY HAWK, were given the task. Faithful Scribe singled out the VA-85 strike flown on the night of 26 March 1967 to tell the tale. The three Intruder crews who carried out that mission were: LCDR Wendy MULLEN and LTJG Pat MURPHY; LT George BURRIDGE and LTJG Joe BURNS; and, LCDR Fred Metz and LTJG Dante KOLIPANO. This is their story as recorded in my notes…

THE PLAN. The VA-85 crews chose to coordinate and strike the steel mill simultaneously from opposite directions in order to split and confuse the formidable enemy defenses of dozens of 37mm/57mm/85mm AAA sites, multiple surface-to-air missiles sites, and three MiG bases hosting more than 30 MiG fighters. It was a night, all-weather strike for which the A-6 and its radar bombing system were specifically designed. MULLEN/MURPHY chose the most direct and dangerous route proceeding up the Red River Delta then turning north near Hanoi to strike the steel mill 28 miles northeast of the capitol city from the south. They would reverse this route to retire from the target area. They chose this heavily defended route and most dangerous path to provide deception and mutual support for the A-6 coming from the north. BURRIDGE/BURNS were to penetrate the coast north of Haiphong about 30 miles south of the Chinese border on a westerly heading until northeast of Thai Nguyen then turning to strike the mill from the north. This northern approach route flown at low level took advantage of mountainous terrain to reduce enemy detection/opposition. METZ/KOLIPANO also flew this route, preceding BURRIDGE/BURNS by three minutes to provide IRONHAND support for the duration of the strike. BURRIDGE/BURNS and METZ/KOLIPANO planned to exit post-strike on a path reverse to their inbound navigation route. The low-level, straight path attacks were to be made using the on-board radar systems, requiring Bombardier/Navigators MURPHY and KOLIPANO to establish prominent off-set aim points in the Thai Nguyen area for use in identifying and striking their respective specific structures in the steel mill complex. Ordnance for the two bombers was 26 MK-82s on each (13,000#) with the IRONHAND aircraft loaded with six AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missiles…

EXECUTION. The night strike launched, rendezvoused and topped off their fuel before proceeding on their individual navigation routes to briefed coast-in points. BURRIDGE/BURNS and METZ/KOLIPANO headed north over the Gulf of Tonkin together, then separated as they coasted-in south of the Chinese border, descending independently through solid cloud conditions to low altitude for the long flight through clouds and mountainous terrain. About midway to the Thai Nguyen target area, METZ/KOLIPANO picked up enemy radar and gained altitude required to provide IRONHAND protection (in other words, make their presence known and be prepared to fire Shrikes at bold transmitters–a standoff duel by any definition). They maintained this vulnerable position for the period of the strike and effectively fired all six of their Shrikes at radiating targets during the execution phase of the strike. In each case, the radiating target was silenced thereby substantially reducing the enemy capability to counter the two strikers operating at very low altitude. Both BURRIDGE/BURNS and MULLEN/MURPHY successfully executed their attacks almost as planned, striking their targets almost simultaneously while negotiating moderate to heavy 37mm/57mm anti-aircraft fire in their respective bombing runs. Enemy opposing fire for the last five miles approaching bomb release was described by both crews as "intense." All 52 500-pounders were delivered on the structures in the steel mill complex in minimum weather conditions. BURRIDGE/BURNS aircraft sustained minor AAA shrapnel damage during the bombing run. MULLEN/MURPHY fared better, but were required to violently maneuver at low altitude to avoid five North Vietnamese surface-to-air missiles on their approach to the target from the south. (See CTF-77 message below) There were no easy days, or nights, for gallant Intruder crews. All three Intruders returned to KITTYHAWK to make flawless night traps…



BITS OF RIBBON. The SILVER STAR was recommended for LCDR Wendy MULLEN and LTJG Tom MURPHY. CINCPACFLT awarded DFCs. LT George BURRIDGE and LTJG Joe BURNS, Jr., were recommended and awarded DFCs. Individual AIR MEDALS were recommended and approved for LCDR Fred METZ and LTJG Dante KOLPANO. There was another accolade: an attaboy from the Commander of Task Force 77. It read: quote:

"Please convey to LCDR C.W. MULLEN and LTJG T.P. MURPHY of VA-85 my admiration for the skill and determination exhibited by this aircrew in their attack against the Thai Nguyen Steel Mill during the early morning of 26 March.

"It is noted that five surface-to-air missiles were fired against the A-6 flown by these officers, that these missiles were avoided by a series of high 'G' 90-degree turns at very low altitude at night, with a fully loaded airplane carrying 13,000 pounds of bombs. Throughout these violent maneuvers the Bombardier/Navigator continued to maintain the navigational track and immediately provided correct data to continue the attack. As a result of evasive tactics used it was necessary to approach the target from an umplanned heading. Despite this LTJG MURPHY was able to acquire the target and the crew completed a successful all-weather systems attack. Had the pilot elected to abort his mission while under heavy attack he could have appreciably increased his probability of survival by jettisoning his load of bombs. That this aircrew continued on to complete the attack is a tribute to their courage, skill and determination to accomplish their mission despite the most immediate and urgent hazard of the five surface-to-air missiles exploding in rapid succession at close quarters. The fact that this was the second time that this crew had accomplished a similar feat is further testimony to their dedication and devotion to duty." Rear Admiral Richardson.



END NOTE. Two days prior to the VA-85 strike on Thai Nguyen there was another VA-85 mission that did not end nearly as well. That, too, is a mission that needs to be included in this journal of Rolling Thunder remembrances. On 24 March 1967 LCDR John Cooley "Buzz" ELLISON and B/N LTJG James E. PLOWMAN participated in a four-plane (A-6s) strike on the Bac Giang Thermal Power Plant in North Vietnam, call sign Buckeye. Coming off target, visual and aural contact with LCDR ELLISON and LTJG PLOWMAN was lost. The Combat Information Center tracking their aircraft reported that their track went 11 miles north of the planned exit route, and radar was lost in the vicinity of Ha Bac Province, North Vietnam, very near the Chinese border. Although the two downed aviators were reported to have made contact with rescuers, there was no additional contact by radio, beeper or visual, and the search-and-rescue operation was terminated. Both VA-85 Intruder aviators were listed as Missing-in-Action. Neither showed up, as hoped, with the POWs during "Homecoming" in March 1973. In 1980 they were declared administratively Killed-in-Action. When the walking encyclopedia of POWs held in North Vietnam, Navy Seaman Douglas HEGDAHL was granted an early release, he included in his intel debrief "Buzz" Ellison among the prisoners he remembered meeting in the Hilton Hanoi or at some time during his years in captivity. The North Vietnamese never admitted capturing either ELLISON of PLOWMAN. In 1996 a joint U.S and Vietnamese team located and excavated an A-6 crash site and recovered aremains which were later identified as those of LTJG PLOWMAN. CAPTAIN "Buzz" ELLISON remains missing to this day and his case is assessd by the DPAA to be in the category of "Active Pursuit."… His memory is honored with an appropriate marker at the Arlington national Cemetery and at the Naval Academy… LCDR James E. PLOWMAN rests in peace at Arlington National Cemetery awaiting the return of his pilot…

"Gangway Intruder Crew"…..

NEXT POST by Faithful Scribe: Tale #16 of the brave and bold. USS BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA-34) and VA-192 tickle the Thanh Hoa Bridge, the "The Dragon's Jaw," with AGM-12B Bullpups early in Rolling Thunder–17 June 1965…

Lest we forget… Bear



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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/.



July 12, 1976

The Navy retired the last C-117 Skytrain.



July 13, 1977

A pilot in an F-4J Phantom II from NATC Patuxent River, Maryland, made the first landing using the microwave landing system at the FAA Test Facility, Atlantic City, N.J. The system was designed to reach out electronically, catch target aircraft, and fly them to safe landings without the pilots touching the controls.



July 14, 1922

Daedalian Life Member Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, a fighter pilot and triple ace with 16 official aerial victories in two wars, was born on this date as Robert Oldys Jr., at Luke Field Hospital, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii. He was the first son of Daedalian Founder Member #12856 Capt. Robert Oldys, Air Service, United States Army, and Eloise Wichman Nott Oldys. In 1931, the family name was legally changed from Oldys to Olds. As a child, Robert Jr., became known as "Robin," a dimunuitive of Robert. Learn more about this member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame HERE. .



July 15, 1939

The Army Air Corps acquired performance rights to the song "Wild Blue Yonder" by composer Robert Crawford. It subsequently became the official U.S. Air Force song.



July 16, 1969

Apollo 11, crewed by Neil A. Armstrong, Col. Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., USAF, and Lt. Col. Michael Collins, USAF, launched from John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida. On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin in lunar module Eagle separated from command and service module Columbia and descended to the moon. "Houston, Tranquility Base here — the Eagle has landed," Armstrong reported to mission control when the lunar module touched down on the moon at 1618 EDT. At 2256 EDT, a naval aviator became the first person to walk on the moon when Armstrong stepped onto the surface. Collins, who retired as a major general in the Air Force Reserve, is a Daedalian Life Member.



July 17, 1989

The first Northrop B-2A Spirit, 82-1066, took off from Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California, on its first flight. The crew was Northrop Chief Test Pilot Bruce J. Hinds and Col. Richard Couch. The top secret "stealth bomber" prototype landed at Edwards AFB, California, 1 hour, 52 minutes later. After completing the flight test program, -1066 was placed in storage until 1993, awaiting upgrade to the Block 10 operational configuration. In 2000 it was again upgraded to the Block 30 standard. It is now named Spirit of America and assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri.



July 18, 1980

NASA astronaut Charles Conrad Jr. became the 12th naval aviator enshrined at the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio. Conrad, who died in 1999, was a Daedalian Life Member.



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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 13, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY



13 July

1911: Glenn Curtiss flew the Navy's second aircraft, the A-2, at Hammondsport for the first time; Lt Thomas G. Ellyson flew the second flight. (24)

1916: The 1st Aero Company, from New York's National Guard, became the first Guard unit to be mobilized into Federal Service in answer to the border crisis with Mexico. The unit trained at Mineola, but did not deploy to the border. (21)

1918: The 1st Marine Aviation Force left Miami for Philadelphia, where the Marines boarded the De Kalb Navy Transport for France. They disembarked at Brest on 30 July. (10)

1921: KEY EVENT. Brig Gen William "Billy" Mitchell's Martin MB-2 and Handley Page bombers sank several ships off the Virginia Capes. The tests studied the use of bombs on ships to suggest how ship design could counter an air attack. The bombers sank a German sub, the destroyer G-102, the light cruiser Frankfurt, and the battleship Ostfriesland on 21 July to prove that unopposed aircraft could sink capital ships. (5) (18)

1948: The first of three Consolidated Vultee rocket research test vehicles built under a cancelled research contract with the US AAF launched successfully. (6)

1950: KOREAN WAR. An Air Weather Service RB-29 led the first strategic bombing strike from Japan against North Korea. The FEAF Bomber Command sent 49 B-29s from the 22 BG and 92 BG to attack oil refineries and marshalling yards at the port of Wonsan. (1) (2) (28) The 3 ARS began flying SB-17s off the Korean coast to drop rescue boats to downed B-29 crews. (28)

1952: KOREAN WAR. Far East Air Forces initiated a new general warning leaflet drop program over enemy territory. The new leaflet identified specific towns and targets to be destroyed by air attacks. (28)

1959: PROJECT SKYHOOK. The Office of Naval Research sent a "record-sized" plastic balloon to 139,500 feet in altitude. (24) The 4530th Combat Crew Training Wing at Williams AFB, Ariz., graduated the last active duty F-86F class (60A). Operation HERCULES ARK. The 4440th Air Delivery Group airlifted 20 calves donated by businessmen in Waco, Texas, to Colonel Dean Hess's Orphans Home of Korea. (11)

1965: SAC issued a requirement for a mobile ICBM. (6)

1967: DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSSES. Nine Air Force, eight Navy, and one Marine astronaut received DFCs for their Mercury and Gemini space flights. (16)

1968: An FB-111A bomber successfully completed a 30-minute maiden flight from Carswell AFB.

1972: At Eglin AFB, the GAM-72A Quail missile completed its last operational test in an overwater flight. (6) 1



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July 13, 2020

This Day in US Military History

1861 – Union General George B. McClellan distinguishes himself by routing Confederates under General Robert Garnett at Corrick's Ford in western Virginia. The battle ensured Yankee control of the region, secured the Union's east-west railroad connections, and set in motion the events that would lead to the creation of West Virginia. Two days before Corrick's Ford, Union troops under General William Rosecrans flanked a Confederate force at nearby Rich Mountain. The defeat forced Garnett to retreat from his position on Laurel Hill, while part of McClellan's force pursued him across the Cheat River. A pitched battle ensued near Corrick's Ford, in which Garnett was killed—the first general officer to die in the war. But losses were otherwise light, with only 70 Confederate, and 10 Union, casualties. The Battle of Corrick's Ford was a significant victory because it cleared the region of Confederates, but it is often overlooked, particularly because it was overshadowed by the Battle of Bull Run, which occurred shortly thereafter on July 21. However, the success made McClellan a hero, even though his achievements were inflated. Two weeks later, McClellan became commander of the Army of the Potomac, the primary Federal army in the east. Unfortunately for the Union, the small campaign that climaxed at Corrick's Ford was the zenith of McClellan's military career.



1863 – Rioting against the Civil War military draft erupted in New York City; about 1,000 people died over three days. Antiabolitionist Irish longshoremen rampaged against blacks in the deadly Draft Riots in New York City in response to Pres. Lincoln's announcement of military conscription. Mobs lynched a black man and torched the Colored Orphan Asylum.



1866 – Great Eastern began a two week voyage to complete a 12-year effort to lay telegraph cable across the Atlantic between Britain and the United States. Massachusetts merchant and financier Cyrus W. Field first proposed laying a 2,000-mile copper cable along the ocean bottom from Newfoundland to Ireland in 1854, but the first three attempts ended in broken cables and failure. Field's persistence finally paid off in July 1866, when Great Eastern, the largest ship then afloat, successfully laid the cable along the level, sandy bottom of the North Atlantic. As messages traveled between Europe and America in hours rather than weeks, Cyrus Field was showered with honors. Among the honors was this commemorative print referring to the cable as the Eighth Wonder of the World.



1866 – Colonel Henry Carrington begins construction on Fort Phil Kearny, the most important army outpost guarding the Bozeman Trail. In 1863, a Georgia-born frontiersman named John Bozeman blazed a wagon road that branched off from the Oregon Trail and headed northwest to the gold fields of western Montana. The trail passed through the traditional hunting grounds of the Sioux, and Chief Red Cloud attacked several wagon trains to try to stop the violation of Indian Territory. Despite the questionable legality of the Bozeman Trail, the U.S. government decided to keep it open and began building a series of protective army forts along the route. Colonel Henry Carrington was assigned the task of designing and building the largest and most important of these outposts, Fort Phil Kearny. A talented strategist and designer, Carrington planned the fort with care. He selected a site in northern Wyoming that was near a source of water and commanded a view over a good section of the Bozeman Trail. He began building on this day in 1866, setting up a timbering operation and sawmill to supply the thousands of logs needed for construction. By fall, Carrington had erected an imposing symbol of American military power. A tall wooden palisade surrounded a compound the size of three football fields. Inside the walls, Carrington built nearly 30 buildings, including everything from barracks and mess halls to a stage for the regimental band. Only the most massive and determined Indian attack would have been capable of taking Fort Phil Kearny. Unfortunately, Carrington's mighty fortress had one important flaw: the nearest stands of timber lay several miles away. To obtain the wood essential for heating and further construction, a detachment had to leave the confines of the fort every day. The Indians naturally began to prey on these "wood trains." In December, a massive Indian ambush wiped out a force of 80 soldiers under the command of Captain William Fetterman. Despite this weakness, Fort Phil Kearny was still a highly effective garrison. Nonetheless, the U.S. Army found it nearly impossible to halt completely the Indian attacks along the trail. In 1868, the government agreed to abandon all of the forts and close the trail in exchange for peace with the Indians. Immediately after the soldiers left, the Indians burned Carrington's mighty fortress to the ground.



1943 – The 10 Mountain Division came into being on July 13, 1943, at Camp Hale, Colorado as the 10th Light Division (Alpine). The combat power of the Division was contained in the 85th, 86th, and 87th Infantry Regiments. The Division's year training at the 9,200 foot high Camp Hale honed the skills of its soldiers to fight and survive under the most brutal mountain conditions.



The Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day



PITTS, RYAN M.
Rank and Organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade. Place and Date: July 13, 2008, Wanat ViIlage, Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Entered Service At: Boston, MA. Accredited To: . Born: 1985 , LOWELL, MA. G.O. Number: . Date of Issue: 07/21/2014. Departed: No. Citation: Sergeant Ryan M. Pitts distinguished himself by extraordinary acts of heroism at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Forward Observer in 2d Platoon, Chosen Company, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade during combat operations against an armed enemy at Vehicle Patrol Base Kahler in the vicinity of Wanat Village, Kunar Province, Afghanistan on July 13, 2008. Early that morning, while Sergeant Pitts was providing perimeter security at Observation Post Topside, a well-organized Anti-Afghan Force consisting of over 200 members initiated a close proximity sustained and complex assault using accurate and intense rocket-propelled grenade, machine gun and small arms fire on Wanat Vehicle Patrol Base. An immediate wave of rocket-propelled grenade rounds engulfed the Observation Post wounding Sergeant Pitts and inflicting heavy casualties. Sergeant Pitts had been knocked to the ground and was bleeding heavily from shrapnel wounds to his arm and legs, but with incredible toughness and resolve, he subsequently took control of the Observation Post and returned fire on the enemy. As the enemy drew nearer, Sergeant Pitts threw grenades, holding them after the pin was pulled and the safety lever was released to allow a nearly immediate detonation on the hostile forces. Unable to stand on his own and near death because of the severity of his wounds and blood loss, Sergeant Pitts continued to lay suppressive fire until a two-man reinforcement team arrived. Sergeant Pitts quickly assisted them by giving up his main weapon and gathering ammunition all while continually lobbing fragmentary grenades until these were expended. At this point, Sergeant Pitts crawled to the northern position radio and described the situation to the Command Post as the enemy continued to try and isolate the Observation Post from the main Patrol Base. With the enemy close enough for him to hear their voices and with total disregard for his own life, Sergeant Pitts whispered in the radio situation reports and conveyed information that the Command Post used to provide indirect fire support. Sergeant Pitts' courage, steadfast commitment to the defense of his unit and ability to fight while seriously wounded prevented the enemy from overrunning the Observation Post and capturing fallen American soldiers, and ultimately prevented the enemy from gaining fortified positions on higher ground from which to attack Wanat Vehicle Patrol Base. Sergeant Ryan M. Pitts' extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade and the United States Army.



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