TheList 5367

The List 5367     TGB

To All

Good Saturday Morning June 27, 2020

I hope that you all had a great week.

Regards,

Skip

Today in Naval History

June 27

1861 While commanding a gunboat flotilla, Cmdr. James Harmon Ward is mortally wounded by a musket ball while aiming the bow gun of his flagship, USS Thomas Freeborn at Mathias Point, Va. Ward is the first US Naval officer casualty of the Civil War.

1898 During the Spanish-American War, the 301-ton yacht Hornet captures the Spanish steamer Benito Estenger off Cape Cruz, Cuba.

1945 PV-1 (VPB 142) sinks the Japanese submarine I 165, 450 miles east of Saipan, Mariana Islands.

1945 USS Blueback (SS 326) sinks Imperial Japanese Navy submarine chaser, (CH 2), north of Lombok, Java Sea.

1950 President Harry Truman authorizes U.S. Naval and Air operations south of 38th Parallel, Korea, in support of the U.N. call to assist South Korea.

 

Thanks to CHINFO

No CHINFO on the weekend

 

Today in History June 27

1743		English King George II defeats the French at Dettingen, Bavaria.
1833		Prudence Crandall, a white woman, is arrested for conducting an academy for black women in Canterbury, Conn.
1862		Confederates break through the Union lines at the Battle of Gaines' Mill--the third engagement of the Seven Days' campaign.
1864		General William Sherman is repulsed by Confederates at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.
1871		The yen becomes the new form of currency in Japan.
1905		The crew of the Russian battleship Potemkin mutinies.
1918		Two German pilots are saved by parachutes for the first time.
1923		Yugoslav Premier Nikola Pachitch is wounded by Serb attackers in Belgrade.
1924		Democrats offer Mrs. Leroy Springs the vice presidential nomination, the first woman considered for the job.
1927		The U.S. Marines adopt the English bulldog as their mascot.
1929		Scientists at Bell Laboratories in New York reveal a system for transmitting television pictures.
1942		The Allied convoy PQ-17 leaves Iceland for Murmansk and Archangel.
1944		Allied forces capture the port city of Cherbourg, France.
1950		The UN Security Council calls on members for troops to aid South Korea.
1963		Henry Cabot Lodge is appointed U.S. ambassador to South Vietnam.
1973		President Richard Nixon vetoes a Senate ban on the Cambodia bombing.
1985		The U.S. House of Representatives votes to limit the use of combat troops in Nicaragua.

 

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Thanks to Clyde

Today I took a call from Chaser, Tailhook Association ED, that HOOK 20 is cancelled.  A virtual HOOK is in the works with details to follow.  Chaser said the decision was made following a recent message from Fleet Forces Command and his briefing with the Airboss.  See the statement on the HOOK website https://www.tailhook.net/. 

 I thanked Chaser for taking the time to reach out personally.  He said he had over 150 calls to make with all vendors.  Relationships were most important.  As he said, Tailhook is not just a business but a membership-based association. 

 Chaser said if associations still want to meet, the NUGGET will offer spaces at the HOOK rate.  I'm not sure we want to do that with our own reunion pending but that's not my decision.  Any reservations will be fully refundable.

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for June 27

FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR June 27

THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

 

27 June

1909: In New York, the Sun, Times, and Herald newspapers printed the first ads in the world of a practical airplane for sale. (24)

1911: Lt (JG) John H. Towers (USN), reported to the Curtiss School in Hammondsport for instruction. He became Naval Aviator No. 3. (24)

1923: Lts Lowell H. Smith and John P. Richter made the Army Air Service's first complete hose refueling between two aircraft over San Diego, while setting world refueled speed records for 2,500 and 3,000 kilometers. Their DH-4B received two hose refuelings from a DH-4B flown by Lts Virgil Hine and Frank Seifert. (18) (24)

1929: Capt Frank Hawks set a FAI record for a round-trip cross-country flight from New York to Los Angeles and back. He reached Los Angeles in 19 hours 10 minutes 32 seconds and returned to New York in 17 hours 38 minutes 10 seconds. (9)

1944: American bombers left Russian bases with an escort of P-51 Mustangs and attacked oil production plants in Poland before flying on to Italy. (4)

1950: KOREAN WAR. FEAF and the 374 TCW flew C-54, C-47, and C-46 aircraft to airlift 748 evacuees from Kimpo and Suwon airfields to Japan. Moreover, F-82s, F-80 jets, and B-26 light bombers provided air cover for the evacuation. (21) KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force accepted a mission to establish air superiority over S. Korea to prevent N. Korean air attacks on Republic of Korea forces and to protect evacuation forces. When N. Korean planes appeared over Kimpo and Suwon Airfields, USAF fighters engaged them in the first air battle. Major James W. Little, the 339th Fighter All-Weather Squadron Commander, fired the first shot; however, Lt William G. Hudson flying an F-82 Twin Mustang from the 68th Fighter All-Weather Squadron scored the first aerial victory by shooting down an enemy Yak-11. In all, six pilots shot down seven N. Korean propeller-driven fighters over Kimpo, the highest number of USAF aerial victories in one day for 1950. (16) (24) (28)

KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force B-26s, flying from Ashiya AB, Japan, attacked enemy targets in South Korea in the evening, but bad weather made the raids ineffective. (28)

1952: Glide tests on the Bell X-2 rocket research airplane began at Edwards AFB. (3)

1956: Through 28 June, Navy held its first annual Fleet Air Gunnery Meet at El Centro, Calif. VF112 won team honors and the Earle Trophy, while Lt (JG) H. N. Wellman from VF-43 earned individual honors. (24)

1957: The SM-73 (Goose) was the first plastic airframe missile to fly and the first missile to complete countdown, launch, and flight on the first attempt. (16) (24)

1958: First production model F-105B Thunderchief delivered to the USAF. Operation TOP SAIL. Two 99 AREFS KC-135s from Westover AFB, Mass., broke the FAI speed record from New York to London. Major Burl B. Davenport landed his lead tanker in London after 5 hours 29 minutes 14.6 seconds. Two days later, they returned in 5 hours 53 minutes 12.8 seconds for another record. (1) (9) The 556 SMS from Patrick AFB launched SAC's first Snark missile from Cape Canaveral. (6) (12)

1961: At the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., NASA fired the eight-engine Saturn SA-72 successfully in a 29.9-second static test. (24)

1962: Joseph A. Walker flew the X-15 No. 1 at its maximum speed to set a record 4,159 MPH (Mach 5.92) in a climb from 96,000 to 120,000 feet. (3) (9)

1963: Maj Robert A. Rushworth flew the X-15 No. 3 to 54.15 miles (285,000 feet) and became the second military pilot to receive astronaut's wings for space flight in a winged aircraft. (3) (9) 1966: The McDonnell Douglas F-4K Phantom II first flew.

1968: The first Marine pilot to fly the NF-104 on a zoom flight flew it to 91,000 feet over the desert near Edwards AFB. (3) 1970: The ADC marked its 20th anniversary of continuous 24-hour alert.

1972: USAF C-123 Provider aircraft operations in SEA ended with the inactivation of the 310th Tactical Airlift Squadron (TAS) and the transfer of its aircraft to the Vietnamese Air Force. (16) (17)

1976: Vandenberg AFB launched the first Titan II with a Universal Space Guidance System. (6)

1990: In the forest north of Santa Barbara, Calif, a fire erupted near the Painted Cave. Through 2 July, MAC C-130 aircrews delivered first suppressant chemicals, fire fighters, and fire-fighting equipment to the area. Aircraft also sprayed the fire from the air. The fire burned 4,900 acres and more than 450 homes, causing $250 million in damage. (26)

1994: C-130 Hercules aircraft from ANG and AFRES units (the 145th Airlift Group (AG), 153 AG and 302 AW) began flying missions to fight fires in the West. Eight aircraft continued this operation through September and dropped more the 5 million gallons of fire retardant. The fires burned more than 2 million acres in six western states. (16) (26)

1995: Lockheed-Martin started assembling the first production model F-22. (16) (26) For the first time a Space Shuttle, the Atlantis, visited the Russian Mir space station. (21)

1996: A C-5 returned to Dover AFB the remains of 19 Air Force officers and airmen killed in the 25 June terrorists attack on the Khobar Towers housing area in Saudi Arabia. (22)

1998: At Edwards AFB, Aurora Flight Service's Perseus B reached 60,200 feet in altitude, slightly above its designed altitude. (3)

2003: An F/A-18 Hornet from the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB achieved a 29 percent fuel savings by flying in a DC-8's wingtip vortex for a study of vortex-induced performance benefits on fighters. The Hornet flew about 200 feet behind the larger plane at 25,000 feet in altitude. (3)

 

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An interesting read.  Click the link to read the full article.

Cheers

Nordo

The USS GERALD R. FORD might be the biggest defense acquisition disaster of all time?!?!  I'm not certain it will ever deploy.

 AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

The Aircraft Carrier We Need

By Jerry Hendrix, National Review, 18 Jun 20

 

https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2020/07/06/the-aircraft-carrier-we-need/#slide-1

 

On April 24 the U.S. Navy announced that a fifth weapons elevator had been certified for use onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78). (A weapons elevator lifts munitions, such as bombs and missiles, from the storage area to the flight deck.) Six more elevators remain uncertified, requiring additional testing and modifications before the carrier can be deployed. Originally estimated to cost $10.5 billion to build, the ship was officially "delivered" to the Navy in May 2017, some 18 months behind schedule, at an eye-popping cost of $12.9 billion. However, even those cost numbers and dates are misleading, as the ship still does not have all of its essential systems certified, owing to major difficulties with its ship-service turbine generators, electromagnetic aircraft-launch systems, advanced arresting gear (the apparatus that slows down aircraft as they land on deck), and finally its weapons elevators. The upshot of all of these difficulties is that the Navy has been forced to use dollars from its crucial operations-and-maintenance accounts to "repair" a brand-new ship, for which it had already paid $13 billion, that has yet to deploy operationally, despite having officially been in the fleet for nearly three years.

 

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Thanks to Mike….a bit of humor

What those early guys went through way back when. Humor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6Q6_8EyRYY

 

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Thanks to gm AND DUTCH

Subject: More Interesting info!

According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report and the Washington Post, last year there were 10 million arrests by police...10 Million!! Out of those 10 MILLION arrests there were 1,004 officer involved fatalities. Out of those 1,004 officer involved fatalities 41 were unarmed. Out of those 41 officer involved unarmed fatalities, now you might find it hard to believe I know, but out of 41 deaths, now hear this... 19 were white - 19 WERE WHITE! 9 were black - 9 WERE BLACK! Now 1 is 1 too many but to me 41 out of 10 million is pretty damn great! Now ask me how many police officers were killed in the line of duty...take a wild guess... 89 police officers, but where's the news on that one? Just to bring it home to you.  Take a guess at how many people were shot in CHICAGO just this last weekend. In Chicago last weekend 82 people were shot within a 48 hour period.  Of those 82 people 19 people died. Yes you got it.  In Chicago last weekend alone there were more black people killed by (wait for it..) black people than were killed by police all last year! The hypocrisy is mind blowing. Now please go research and see for yourself. Thank you to Bernard Kerik, Former NYPD Police Commissioner for sharing this information.

 

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Thanks to Dr. Rich

The Final Approach: Living the Dream

Thanks to Tracy … excellent!!

https://vimeo.com/332359396

 

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This day in US Military History

June 27

 

1829 – In Genoa, Italy, English scientist James Smithson dies after a long illness, leaving behind a will with a peculiar footnote. In the event that his only nephew died without any heirs, Smithson decreed that the whole of his estate would go to "the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." Smithson's curious bequest to a country that he had never visited aroused significant attention on both sides of the Atlantic. Smithson had been a fellow of the venerable Royal Society of London from the age of 22, publishing numerous scientific papers on mineral composition, geology, and chemistry. In 1802, he overturned popular scientific opinion by proving that zinc carbonates were true carbonate minerals, and one type of zinc carbonate was later named smithsonite in his honor. Six years after his death, his nephew, Henry James Hungerford, indeed died without children, and on July 1, 1836, the U.S. Congress authorized acceptance of Smithson's gift. President Andrew Jackson sent diplomat Richard Rush to England to negotiate for transfer of the funds, and two years later Rush set sail for home with 11 boxes containing a total of 104,960 gold sovereigns, eight shillings, and seven pence, as well as Smithson's mineral collection, library, scientific notes, and personal effects. After the gold was melted down, it amounted to a fortune worth well over $500,000. After considering a series of recommendations, including the creation of a national university, a public library, or an astronomical observatory, Congress agreed that the bequest would support the creation of a museum, a library, and a program of research, publication, and collection in the sciences, arts, and history. On August 10, 1846, the act establishing the Smithsonian Institution was signed into law by President James K. Polk. Today, the Smithsonian is composed of 18 museums and galleries and many research facilities throughout the United States and the world. Besides the original Smithsonian Institution Building, popularly known as the "Castle," visitors to Washington, D.C., tour the National Museum of Natural History, which houses the natural science collections, the National Zoological Park, and the National Portrait Gallery. The National Museum of American History houses the original Star-Spangled Banner and other artifacts of U.S. history. The National Air and Space Museum has the distinction of being the most visited museum in the world, exhibiting marvels of aviation and space history such as the Wright brothers' plane and Freedom 7, the space capsule that took the first American into space. John Smithson, the Smithsonian Institution's great benefactor, is interred in a tomb in the Smithsonian Building.

 

1874 – Using new high-powered rifles to devastating effect, 28 buffalo hunters repulse a much larger force of attacking Indians at an old trading post in the Texas panhandle called Adobe Walls. The Commanche, Kiowa, and Cheyenne Indians living in western Texas had long resented the advancement of white settlement in their territories. In 1867, some of the Indians accepted the terms of the Treaty of Medicine Lodge, which required them to move to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) but also reserved much of the Texas Panhandle as their exclusive hunting grounds. Many white Texans, however, maintained that the treaty had ignored their legitimate claims to the area. These white buffalo hunters, who had already greatly reduced the once massive herds, continued to hunt in the territory. By the early 1870s, Commanche, Kiowa, and Cheyenne hunters were finding it harder to locate buffalo, and they blamed the illegal white buffalo hunters. When the federal government failed to take adequate measures to stop the white buffalo hunters, the great chief Quanah Parker and others began to argue for war. In the spring 1874, a group of white merchants occupied an old trading post called Adobe Walls near the South Canadian River in the Indian's hunting territory. The merchants quickly transformed the site into a regional center for the buffalo-hide trade. Angered by this blatant violation of the treaty, Chief Quanah Parker and Lone Wolf amassed a force of about 700 Commanche, Kiowa, and Cheyenne braves. On this day in 1874, the Indians attacked Adobe Walls. Only 28 hunters and traders occupied Adobe Walls, but they had two advantages over the Indians: the thick walls of the adobe structure were impenetrable to arrows and bullets, and the occupants had a number of high-powered rifles normally used on buffalo. The hunters .50 caliber Sharps rifles represented the latest technology in long-range, rapid firing weaponry. Already skilled marksmen, the buffalo hunters used the rifles to deadly effect, decimating the warriors before they came close enough even to return effective fire. On the second day of the siege, one hunter reportedly hit an Indian warrior at a distance of eight-tenths of a mile. Despite their overwhelmingly superior numbers, after three days the Indians concluded that Adobe Walls could not be taken and withdrew. The defenders had lost only four men in the attack, and they later estimated that the Indians had lost 13. Enraged by their defeat, several Indian bands subsequently took their revenge on poorly defended targets. Fearful settlers demanded military protection, leading to the outbreak of the Red River War. By the time the war ended in 1875, the Commanche and Kiowa had been badly beaten and Indian resistance on the Southern Plains had effectively collapsed.

 

1940 – The Germans set up two-way radio communication in their newly occupied French territory, employing their most sophisticated coding machine, Enigma, to transmit information. The Germans set up radio stations in Brest and the port town of Cherbourg. Signals would be transmitted to German bombers so as to direct them to targets in Britain. The Enigma coding machine, invented in 1919 by Hugo Koch, a Dutchman, looked like a typewriter and was originally employed for business purposes. The German army adapted the machine for wartime use and considered its encoding system unbreakable. They were wrong. The Brits had broken the code as early as the German invasion of Poland and had intercepted virtually every message sent through the system. Britain nicknamed the intercepted messages Ultra.

 

1950 – A patrol of F80C Shooting Stars from the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron intercepted eight Ilyushin IL-10 fighters over Kimpo. Captain Raymond E. Schillereff and Lieutenant Robert H. Dewald each scored single victories while Lieutenant Robert E. Wayne claimed a pair IL-10s. These were the first air-to-air victories achieved by jet fighters in U.S. Air Force history.

 

Congressional Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

 

*MURPHY, MICHAEL P.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, Naval Special Warfare Task Unit. Place and Date: Asadabad, Konar Province, Afghanistan, 27 – 28 June 2005. Entered Service at: Patchogue, New York. Born: 7 May 1976, Smithtown, New York Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as the leader of a special reconnaissance element with Naval Special Warfare Task Unit Afghanistan on 27 and 28 June 2005. While leading a mission to locate a high-level anti-coalition militia leader, Lieutenant Murphy demonstrated extraordinary heroism in the face of grave danger in the vicinity of Asadabad, Konar Province, Afghanistan. On 28 June 2005, operating in an extremely rugged enemy-controlled area, Lieutenant Murphy's team was discovered by anti-coalition militia sympathizers, who revealed their position to Taliban fighters. As a result, between 30 and 40 enemy fighters besieged his four-member team. Demonstrating exceptional resolve, Lieutenant Murphy valiantly led his men in engaging the large enemy force. The ensuing fierce firefight resulted in numerous enemy casualties, as well as the wounding of all four members of the team. Ignoring his own wounds and demonstrating exceptional composure, Lieutenant Murphy continued to lead and encourage his men. When the primary communicator fell mortally wounded, Lieutenant Murphy repeatedly attempted to call for assistance for his beleaguered teammates. Realizing the impossibility of communicating in the extreme terrain, and in the face of almost certain death, he fought his way into open terrain to gain a better position to transmit a call. This deliberate, heroic act deprived him of cover, exposing him to direct enemy fire. Finally achieving contact with his headquarters, Lieutenant Murphy maintained his exposed position while he provided his location and requested immediate support for his team. In his final act of bravery, he continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally wounded, gallantly giving his life for his country and for the cause of freedom. By his selfless leadership, courageous actions, and extraordinary devotion to duty, Lieutenant Murphy reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

 

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Thanks to Carl

 

https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/lifestyle-and-wellness/how-long-does-alcohol-stay-in-your-system?cid=63emHLN062220ENG&elqTrackId=28AF7BCE02A4C3250F1714A0BE98688B&elq=9bd5b9c4f1854732b56ace988ed0bb8f&elqaid=3320&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=1728

 

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?

By  Susan Fishman

Last Updated: May 19, 2020

 

When you have a glass of wine, a beer, or your favorite mixed cocktail, the body goes through an extensive process to break down the alcohol. It does this mainly in the liver through two enzymes: alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). These enzymes help break apart the alcohol molecule so your body can eliminate it from the body.

It typically takes about one hour for the liver to break down one 'unit' of alcohol. But this can vary depending on your age, weight, gender, metabolism, how much you eat, the type and strength of alcohol, and any medicines you take. How your liver is functioning may also have an effect on how your body metabolizes alcohol. 

Breaking Down Units

Units of alcohol are typically represented by the standard measure, alcohol by volume (ABV), which shows the amount of pure alcohol as a percentage of the total volume of liquid in a drink. You can monitor how many units you are getting by the strength and size of your drink: 

Standard glass of wine (12% ABV) = 2.1 units

Large glass of wine (12% ABV) = 3 units

Pint of low-strength beer (3.6% ABV) = 2 units

Pint of high-strength beer (5.2% ABV) = 3 units

Single measure (25 milliliters, ml) of spirits (gin, rum, tequila, whiskey, vodka) = 1 unit

If you drink a standard glass of wine, which equals 2.1 units, it will generally take your body about two hours to break down the alcohol (depending on the factors previously mentioned). A standard drink is defined as:

5 fl oz of wine

12 fl oz of regular beer

8 to 9 fl oz of malt liquor

1.5 fl oz shot of distilled spirits 

Detecting Alcohol in Your System 

The liver breaks down 92 to 98% of an alcoholic drink as it moves through the digestive system, filtering out toxins through the kidneys. That leaves roughly 2 to 8% of alcohol that's eliminated through other means, such as sweat, breath and urine. This process of eliminating alcohol from your body can take many hours (though the absorption may be slightly slower when you have food in your stomach). This means if you have a few drinks in the evening, the alcohol could still be in your blood the next day. You could even be over the legal alcohol limit to drive the next day. 

Some alcohol will enter the bloodstream through the stomach walls before it's broken down, and part of it then travels to the brain. A blood test is the preferred test during DUI arrests and in rehabilitation centers that treat individuals with alcohol use disorder. It can detect alcohol in the bloodstream for up to 12 hours after the last drink. Breath tests (breathalyzer) can also determine the blood alcohol content (BAC). The higher your BAC, the more likely you are to show signs of intoxication. These tests can detect alcohol consumption about 24 hours after the last drink.

Urine tests can detect metabolized alcohol between 12 and 48 hours after drinking, depending on how much alcohol was consumed. Other tests, like a hair test, which can detect alcohol for up to 90 days, can show that you drank alcohol, but not specifically when or how much you drank. 

Reducing Your Risk

With each drink, your BAC rises, and you are more likely to show signs of intoxication. These may include: 

Decreased coordination

Lowered inhibitions

Slurred speech

Confusion

Difficulty concentrating

Breathing problems

Drinking heavily puts people at risk for many adverse health consequences, including alcoholism and liver damage. With excessive drinking, or binge drinking the risk of overdose increases, and your breathing can become dangerously slow, or even stop. So it's important to regularly monitor how much you are drinking and how often:

Try not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week—seven standard glasses of wine (5 ounces each).

If you drink 14 units per week, spread your drinking over three or more days. 

Be sure to go several days a week without any alcohol. 

Also, keep in mind that while things like coffee, water, a shower or sleep may perk you up, they do not speed up the breakdown of alcohol, or sober you up any faster. And they will not eliminate alcohol from your blood. As long as you are consuming more alcohol than you're eliminating, your BAC will continue to go up.
For information about alcohol use disorder, or treatment of alcohol abuse, visit SAMHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). 

 

 

 

 

 

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TheList 5366

The List 5366     TGB

To All

Good Friday Morning June 26, 2020

I hope that you all have a great weekend.

Regards,

Skip

Today in Naval History

June 26

1945 USS Bearss (DD 654), USS John Hood (DD 655), USS Jarvis (DD 799), and USS Porter (DD 800) sink three Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers and a guardboat and damage a fourth auxiliary submarine chaser south of Okekotan, Kurils.

1945 USS Parche (SS 384) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks gunboat Kamitsu Maru and freighter Eikan Maru seven miles of Todo Saki, southern Honshu.

1950 After North Korean invaded South Korea, USS Mansfield (DD 728) and USS De Haven (DD 727) evacuates 700 Americans and friendly foreign nationals from Inchon, Korea.

1962 U.S. Naval Facility, Cape Hatteras, N.C., makes the first Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) detection of a Soviet diesel submarine.

Thanks to CHINFO

Executive Summary:

•           The Associated Press reported on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS San Jacinto's record-breaking, 161 consecutive days at sea.

•           CNO Adm. Mike Gilday released a video sharing personal experiences from Sailors to encourage dialogue about race relations and inclusiveness within the Navy.

•           Breaking Defense reported on Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite's trip to Norway.

 

 

Today in History June 26

363		Roman Emperor Julian dies, ending the Pagan Revival.
1096		Peter the Hermit's crusaders force their way across Sava, Hungary.
1243		The Seljuk Turkish army in Asia Minor is wiped out by the Mongols.
1541		Former followers murder Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish Conqueror of Peru.
1794		The French defeat an Austrian army at the Battle of Fleurus.
1804		The Lewis and Clark Expedition reaches the mouth of the Kansas River after completing a westward trek of nearly 400 river miles.
1844		Julia Gardiner and President John Tyler are married in New York City.
1862		General Robert E. Lee attacks George McClellan's line at Mechanicsville during the Seven Days' campaign.
1863		Jubal Early and his Confederate forces move into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
1900		The United States announces it will send troops to fight against the Boxer Rebellion in China.
1907		Russia's nobility demands drastic measures be taken against revolutionaries.
1908		Shah Muhammad Ali's forces squelch the reform elements of Parliament in Persia.
1916		Russian General Aleksei Brusilov renews his offensive against the Germans.
1917		General Pershing arrives in France with the American Expeditionary Force.
1918		The Germans begin firing their huge 420 mm howitzer, "Big Bertha," at Paris.
1926		A memorial to the first U.S. troops in France is unveiled at St. Nazaire.
1924		After eight years of occupation, American troops leave the Dominican Republic.
1942		The Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter flies for the first time.
1945		The U.N. Charter is signed by 50 nations in San Francisco, California.
1951		The Soviet Union proposes a cease-fire in the Korean War.
1961		A Kuwaiti vote opposes Iraq's annexation plans.
1963		President John Kennedy announces "Ich bin ein Berliner" at the Berlin Wall.
1971		The U.S. Justice Department issues a warrant for Daniel Ellsberg, accusing him of giving away the Pentagon Papers.
1975		Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is convicted of election fraud.
1993		Roy Campanella, legendary catcher for the Negro Leagues and the Los Angeles Dodgers, dies.

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Thanks to Dennis. This story was in the list a couple of years ago but it is worth the repeat.

This is a great read

A REALLY SUSPENSEFUL read of about 20 minutes. Spare the time!  You'll be glad you did. the "California Clipper" was the first commercial aircraft to circumnavigate the globe. The risks they had to take were unprecedented to avoid destruction by the Japanese after war was declared on Dec 5th. What started as a routine shuttle between San Francisco and Auckland, New Zealand (and back across the Pacific to S.F.) turned out to be a trip around the world to New York by returning home from the OPPOSITE DIRECTION to avoid Pacific hostile Jap fighters.

Dennis

 

Written by John Bull, Writer and Historian - Aug 11, 2014

This Plane Accidentally Flew Around the World

After Pearl Harbor, the crew of Pan Am flight 18602 was forced to do the impossible

 

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From Pickett's Charge to Roosevelt's Rough Riders by  W. Thomas Smith Jr.

06/29/2010

 

This Week in American Military History

 

June 28, 1776: In what has been described as the "first decisive victory of American forces over the British Navy" during the American Revolution, the garrison at Fort Sullivan, S.C. (today Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island in Charleston harbor) under the command of militia Col. William Moultrie repulse Royal Navy forces under the command of Admiral Sir Peter Parker.

The 12-plus hour battle begins around 9 a.m. when Parker's ships open 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) are constructed of oak, which Moultrie's artillerists quickly shatter sending deadly splinters into the unfortunate British crews.

Moultrie is destined to become a Maj. Gen. in the Continental Army and a S.C. governor. And S.C. will forever be known as "the Palmetto State."

(AUTHOR NOTE: My five-times great grandfather, Capt. Thomas Woodward – commanding a company of S.C. Rangers on Moultrie's extreme left – helps thwart an attempt by Royal Marines to land on the island.) June 28, 1778: The Battle of Monmouth, N.J. is fought between Gen. George Washington's Continental Army (including the legendary Molly Pitcher) and British forces under Gen. Sir Henry Clinton. Though tactically inconclusive, the battle is a strategic victory for the Americans who prove they can go toe-to-toe with the British Army in a large pitched battle.

July 1, 1898: U.S. Army Lt. Col. (future U.S. pres.) Theodore Roosevelt leads several of his "Rough Riders" – a crack regiment of U.S. cavalry troopers during the Spanish American War – in the famous charge up San Juan Hill, Cuba.

For his actions, Roosevelt will receive the Medal of Honor. A portion of his citation reads: "Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt, in total disregard for his personal safety, and accompanied by only four or five men, led a desperate and gallant charge up San Juan Hill, encouraging his troops to continue the assault through withering enemy fire over open countryside.

Facing the enemy's heavy fire, he displayed extraordinary bravery throughout the charge, and was the first to reach the enemy trenches, where he quickly killed one of the enemy with his pistol, allowing his men to continue the assault."

July 3, 1863: Day-three of the Battle of Gettysburg: Confederate Maj. Gen.

George Pickett leads his ill-fated division against Union Army forces under the command of Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock positioned on Cemetery Ridge.

Said to be "the highwater mark of the Confederacy," Pickett's charge will fail.

Gen. Robert E. Lee – commanding general of the Army of Northern Virginia – had ordered the charge. Lee's subordinate (corps) commander, Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, had argued against such a charge. But following Lee's orders, Longstreet directed Pickett to attack.

Years later, Pickett will be asked why his attack failed. His reply: "I've always thought the Yankees had something to do with it."

Nobel prize-winning author William Faulkner will write, "For every Southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, there is the instant when it's still not yet two o'clock on that July afternoon in 1863, the brigades are in position behind the rail fence, the guns are laid and ready in the woods and the furled flags are already loosened to break out and Pickett himself with his long oiled ringlets and his hat in one hand probably and his sword in the other looking up the hill waiting for Longstreet to give the word and it's all in the balance, it hasn't happened yet, it hasn't even begun yet, it not only hasn't begun yet but there is still time for it not to begin against that position… ."

July 4, 1776:  The American colonies – already at war with Great Britain – declare their independence.

July 4, 1802:  The U.S. Military Academy at West Point opens its doors.

July 4, 1863:  The Confederate city of Vicksburg, Mississippi falls to Union Army forces under the command of Maj. Gen. (future U.S. pres.) Ulysses S. Grant. It will be decades before the city celebrates the 4th of July again.

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thanks to Hal 

 

In the year 1812, the French invaded Russia, and on almost this same date, June 22, 1941, Hitler unleashed the German Army on Russia. It was Operation Barbarossa and it was evident that Hitler did not know much of Russia's history.  And the results were about the same.

It was a secret between dictators, Josef Stalin and Adolph Hitler, that they looked at the map of Europe and decided which countries each would occupy.  Hitler proceeded to invade and occupy most all of Western Europe and when he felt that it was under control, he broke the pact and turned his army Eastward on the Russians.  Again the Russians took all the livestock with them as they retreated and burned the fields and barns and houses to the ground, leaving nothing for the Germans to forage.

When Napoleon invaded, Typhus became a Russian ally. Nearly one-third of his army died of Typhus which is transmitted by infected lice.  An army in the field in those days lived under the filthiest conditions.  

The German army surrounded Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and for a thousand days, nothing came in and nothing got out.  It wasn't long before all the pets and zoo animals were eaten by the starving Russians, and they even scraped off the wallpaper paste which was wheat-based for food.  As people died, others did not have the strength to bury them and they were stacked like cordwood in the winter.

America provided weaponry for the Russians, make that the Soviet Army, and they began to push the Germans back.

At war's end, Russia had lost twenty-seven million civilians and soldiers. The Russian army killed about four million Germans. Allied forces made the decision to allow the Russians to take Berlin. It was get even time.  Ninety-two thousand German soldiers and eighty-one thousand Russian soldiers died in that battle.  Berlin was reduced to rubble and twenty-two thousand German civilians died in the battle. Whatever German soldiers who were left alive and captured were sent to slave labor camps, the gulags, in Siberia. Some were repatriated in 1953. But most had died.

You might not know this, but at war's end, the Soviet army liberated the German stalags and took twenty-five thousand, six hundred American Prisoners of War to the labor camps In the Soviet Union.  None ever came home. General Patton knew this and wanted to go after them. The assignment to kill General Patton was given to OSS Agent Douglas Bazata.  But that's another story....

Hal

 

1812

Napoleon's Grande Armee invades Russia

Following the rejection of his Continental System by Czar Alexander I, French Emperor Napoleon orders his Grande Armee, the largest European military force ever assembled to that date, into Russia. The enormous army, featuring some 500,000 soldiers and staff, included troops from all the European countries under the sway of the French Empire.

During the opening months of the invasion, Napoleon was forced to contend with a bitter Russian army in perpetual retreat. Refusing to engage Napoleon's superior army in a full-scale confrontation, the Russians under General Mikhail Kutuzov burned everything behind them as they retreated deeper and deeper into Russia. On September 7, the indecisive Battle of Borodino was fought, in which both sides suffered terrible losses. On September 14, Napoleon arrived in Moscow intending to find supplies but instead found almost the entire population evacuated, and the Russian army retreated again. Early the next morning, fires broke across the city, set by Russian patriots, and the Grande Armee's winter quarters were destroyed. After waiting a month for a surrender that never came, Napoleon, faced with the onset of the Russian winter, was forced to order his starving army out of Moscow.

During the disastrous retreat, Napoleon's army suffered continual harassment from a suddenly aggressive and merciless Russian army. Stalked by hunger and the deadly lances of the Cossacks, the decimated army reached the Berezina River late in November, but found their way blocked by the Russians. On November 27, Napoleon forced a way across at Studenka, and when the bulk of his army passed the river two days later, he was forced to burn his makeshift bridges behind him, stranding some 10,000 stragglers on the other side. From there, the retreat became a rout, and on December 8 Napoleon left what remained of his army to return to Paris. Six days later, the Grande Armee finally escaped Russia, having suffered a loss of more than 400,000 men during the disastrous invasion.

 

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Berlin Airlift: When American power was unstoppable

65th anniversary marks saving of German city from Soviet strangulation

By Thomas V. DiBacco

In this era of increasing diplomatic friction with Russia over Ukraine, it would be well to remember that April 30 marks the 65th anniversary of the first, and most unbelievable, successes of American and Western foreign policy marking the beginning of the Cold War.

That was the first sign on April 30, 1949, that the Soviet Union started to ease its Berlin blockade of Western power access to the city by permitting limited canal traffic. A formal agreement ending the blockade came on May 4. It had been a 328-day siege, coming to an end thanks to the massive airlifting of supplies to the beleaguered city.

After World War II, Germany was divided into four temporary zones occupied by the United States, Great Britain, France and Soviet Union. Berlin was located 100 miles inside the eastern-located Soviet zone, and it, too, was divided into four zones, but essentially two as a result of Western powers merging their boundaries, a situation that also mirrored the larger geographical zones. Postwar agreements looked forward to a unified Germany, and Western powers initiated, first in 1947, an economic-aid program named after Secretary of State George Marshall and second in 1948, currency reform that would stabilize Germany's almost worthless existing monetary system.

The Soviets balked at both notions. Recognizing that West Berlin could produce only about a quarter of its food needs and even less of its energy requirements, they began on June 24, 1948, to block all rail, road and canal access from the west. The goal, of course, was to gain total control of the city because the Western powers, it was thought, would give up under such total blockage — or risk war. That was unlikely, given that the latter had only 22,600 troops in their Berlin section. The Soviets in their zone, on the other hand, numbered 1.5 million soldiers. Worse, at the start of the Soviet blockade, West Berliners had only 36 days of food supplies and 45 days of coal.

Gen. Lucius D. Clay, head of the U.S. Occupation Zone, set forth both the dilemma and solution: "There is no practicability in maintaining our position in Berlin, and it must not be evaluated on that basis. We are convinced that our remaining in Berlin is essential to our prestige in Germany and in Europe. Whether for good or bad, it has become a symbol of the American intent."

Hence began the largest military-diplomatic relief effort in history, as impressive as the D-Day invasion in terms of its boldness and tenacity. Operation Vittles, as the airlift was dubbed by Americans, was meticulous in terms of its planning, calculations and results. Some 1,990 calories for each of the 2.2 million West Berliners were set as the minimum daily requirement, necessitating 1,534 tons per day in food and 3,475 tons of coal and gasoline for fuel and electricity. Although Soviet fighters boasted that they would challenge the airlift, the threat was hollow. Some 400 Western-supplied cargo planes — flying stacked above each other in a 20-mile wide air corridor — arrived every three minutes at first two, then three airfields in West Berlin. On Saturday, April 16, 1949, a day before the end of Lent, a record 1,398 planes landed in what was called the Easter Parade, averaging one every 61.8 seconds.

The daily food supplies varied from 640 tons of flour to 109 tons of meat and fish, from 19 tons of powdered milk to five tons of whole milk for children, the latter dubbing the planes "candy bombers" because of their always dependable supply of sweets.

And not only were supplies brought in, but manufactured goods made by West Berliners filled returning planes. Some 175,000 ill West Berliners, including young children, were also airlifted out during the period as a result of a severe winter. The total statistical accomplishments were breathtaking: From June 24, 1948, to May 12, 1949, when the Soviets capitulated and opened up all routes to the city, more than 278,000 flights had taken off, and 1,592,787 tons of supplies had been airlifted, equal to about 1,000 pounds per West Berliner. To make certain that sufficient surpluses were built up for West Berliners, air deliveries continued until Sept. 30, 1949. To be sure, there were losses during the airlift period. Seventeen American and eight British aircraft had crashed, with 70 resulting deaths. The pilots represented not only traditional occupation-zone powers, but also Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans.

As for Americans at home, the era of the airlift was no picnic. A railroad strike, demobilization problems, short supplies, and high prices made for public unrest. Still, a national poll on Sept. 15, 1948, indicated that 85 percent backed the airlift policy, with only 7 percent opposed and 8 percent undecided.

Thomas V. DiBacco is professor emeritus at American University.

 

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for June 26

FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR June 26

THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

 

26 June

 

1909: Glenn H. Curtiss flew his first Curtiss airplane in exhibitions at the Aeronautical Society's meet at Morris Park aerodrome. These were the first flights over New York City. (24)

1942: The F6F Hellcat first flew.

1945: B-29s started nighttime raids on Japanese oil refineries. (20)

1946: The Aeronautical Board agreed that the US AAF and US Navy would use the knot and nautical mile as standard aeronautical units of speed and distance. (20)

1948: KEY EVENT--Operation VITTLES. An airlift began with C-47s in response to the blockade of Berlin. At Furstenfeldbruck, Germany, SAC had a 30l BG squadron with B-29s in place for training. SAC also ordered two other 30lst squadrons to Furstenfeldbruck along with the 28 BG from Rapid City AFB and 307 BG from MacDill AFB to England for alert duty. (1) (2) The 7 BG at Carswell AFB received SAC's first B-36A Peacemaker (44-92004). With its 160- foot length and 230-foot wingspan, the six-engine Peacemaker was the world's largest warplane. The bomber had an intercontinental capability. (1) (12) (21)

1950: President Truman ordered the USAF and US Navy to aid South Korea, which had been invaded by the North Korean Communist forces. The 68th Fighter All-Weather Squadron flew F-82 Twin Mustangs to provide cover for a Norwegian ship evacuating US citizens from Seoul, Korea, by sea. SB-17 planes then covered the ship's movement from Inchon to Japan. In continued preparation for air evacuation of US citizens from Korea, FEAF traded C-54s for C-47s from all over the Far East to permit operations on smaller airfields. (21) (28)

1954: Operation WOUNDED WARRIOR. Through 17 July, airlift aircraft from FEAF and MATS carried 509 French Foreign Legion veterans from Saigon, Vietnam, to Paris, France, and Oran, Algeria, by way of Tokyo and Westover AFB, Mass. The 14,000-mile airlift had to follow an eastern route for political reasons. (18)

1956: An aircraft flew the first mission in the CARTRAC air traffic control tests conducted at Shaw AFB. This test continued through 15 December.

1957: TAC's first WB-66 weather reconnaissance aircraft arrived for duty with the 9th Reconnaissance Squadron, 363d TRW, at Shaw AFB.

1962: At Vandenberg AFB, a 389 SMS crew of Francis E. Warren AFB successfully launched an Atlas D in the first test of the Army's Nike-Zeus interceptor. The interception failed. (6)

1963: A Thor-Delta rocket launched NASA's SYNCOM II communications satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral. Five hours later, an apogee kick motor fired to place the satellite into a synchronus orbit. (16)

1964: Through 24 July, C-130s delivered over 950 tons of food to remote areas in Pakistan in affected by flooding. (18)

1971: The last F-100 unit in Southeast Asia, the 35 TFW at Phan Rang AB in S. Vietnam, ceased operations. (17)

1972: The Air Force unveiled the F-15 superiority fighter in ceremonies at the McDonnell Douglas facility in St. Louis. (30)

1983: Through 1 July, three USAF C-130s moved 170 tons of food, medicine, and other relief supplies to help victims of a flood in northwestern Peru. (16)

1994: A 60 AW C-5 from Travis AFB flew a 34-ton Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine to Chernobyl, Ukraine. There, medical specialists used the machine to treat victims of the 1986 nuclear reactor meltdown. (16)

2001: Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld proposed a one-third cut in USAF's fleet of 93 B-1B bombers. Under that initiative, which surprised Congress and the National Guard Bureau, the ANG B-1B units in Georgia and Kansas would lose their B-1s and unit funding by 1 October 2001. (32)

 

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Thanks  to Mud

              Happy Birthday Chesty wherever you are. 

 

S/F,

 

- Mud

 

 

 

 

 

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This day in US Military History

June 26

1917 – During World War I, the first 14,000 U.S. infantry troops land in France at the port of Saint Nazaire. The landing site had been kept secret because of the menace of German submarines, but by the time the Americans had lined up to take their first salute on French soil, an enthusiastic crowd had gathered to welcome them. However, the "Doughboys," as the British referred to the green American troops, were untrained, ill-equipped, and far from ready for the difficulties of fighting along the Western Front. One of U.S. General John J. Pershing's first duties as commander of the American Expeditionary Force was to set up training camps in France and establish communication and supply networks. Four months later, on October 21, the first Americans entered combat when units from the U.S. Army's First Division were assigned to Allied trenches in the Luneville sector near Nancy, France. Each American unit was attached to a corresponding French unit. Two days later, Corporal Robert Bralet of the Sixth Artillery became the first U.S. soldier to fire a shot in the war when he discharged a French 75mm gun into a German trench a half mile away. On November 2, Corporal James Gresham and privates Thomas Enright and Merle Hay of the 16th Infantry became the first American soldiers to die when Germans raided their trenches near Bathelemont, France. After four years of bloody stalemate along the Western Front, the entrance of America's well-supplied forces into the conflict was a major turning point in the war. When the war finally ended on November 11, 1918, more than two million American soldiers had served on the battlefields of Western Europe, and more than 50,000 of these men had lost their lives.

 

1944 – Coast Guard LCDR Quentin R. Walsh and his small commando/reconnaissance unit forced the surrender of Fort du Homet, a Nazi stronghold at Cherbourg, France, and captured 300 German soldiers and liberated 50 U.S. paratroopers who had been captured on D-Day. For his heroic actions Walsh was awarded the Navy Cross.

 

Congressional Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

*MURANAGA, KIYOSHI K.
Private First Class Kiyoshi K. Muranaga distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 26 June 1944, near Suvereto, Italy. Private First Class Muranaga's company encountered a strong enemy force in commanding positions and with superior firepower. An enemy 88mm self-propelled gun opened direct fire on the company, causing the men to disperse and seek cover. Private First Class Muranaga's mortar squad was ordered to action, but the terrain made it impossible to set up their weapons. The squad leader, realizing the vulnerability of the mortar position, moved his men away from the gun to positions of relative safety. Because of the heavy casualties being inflicted on his company, Private First Class Muranaga, who served as a gunner, attempted to neutralize the 88mm weapon alone. Voluntarily remaining at his gun position, Private First Class Muranaga manned the mortar himself and opened fire on the enemy gun at a range of approximately 400 yards. With his third round, he was able to correct his fire so that the shell landed directly in front of the enemy gun. Meanwhile, the enemy crew, immediately aware of the source of mortar fire, turned their 88mm weapon directly on Private First Class Muranaga's position. Before Private First Class Muranaga could fire a fourth round, an 88mm shell scored a direct hit on his position, killing him instantly. Because of the accuracy of Private First Class Muranaga's previous fire, the enemy soldiers decided not to risk further exposure and immediately abandoned their position. Private First Class Muranaga's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.

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World News thanks to Military Periscope for 26 June

  USA—Damaged Tubes Prevent F-35As From Flying Near Lightning Air Force Magazine | 06/26/2020 The U.S. Air Force has ordered its F-35A Lightning II fighters to refrain from flying near thunderstorms after a problem with the lightning protection system was found during routine maintenance, reports Air Force magazine. The F-35As are under a cautionary restriction prohibiting them from flying within 25 miles (40 km) of thunderstorms or lightning, a Lockheed Martin spokesman said Wednesday. The restrictions were implemented after the service discovered damage to the onboard inert gas generation system (OBIGGS) tube during depot maintenance at Ogden Air Logistics Complex, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Flawed tubes were later discovered on 14 of 24 F-35As inspected by the Air Force, reported Bloomberg News.  The OBIGGS fills the fighter's fuel tanks with inert nitrogen gas to prevent an explosion if it is struck by lightning. The damaged tube could have prevented the system from working, officials said. Deliveries of the F-35 were paused from June 2 through June 23 to allow Lockheed to ensure that it was installing the system correctly. The company says the problem is occurring in the field and has resumed deliveries. A maintenance action could be causing the problem, analysts said. The OBIGGs problem does not appear to affect the carrier and short-takeoff-vertical-landing F-35 variants operated by the Navy and Marine Corps. 

 

USA—Senate Passes Hong Kong Autonomy Act South China Morning Post | 06/26/2020 The U.S. Senate has passed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act in response to Beijing's decision to pass a national security law seen as stripping the city of its semi-autonomous status, reports the South China Morning Post. The legislation passed on Thursday by unanimous consent and is now headed to the House of Representatives, which will consider its own version of the bill. Its passage was nearly derailed after one of its co-sponsors, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) briefly blocked it at what he said was the request of the White House for technical amendments, reported Politico (Washington, D.C.). If signed into law, the act would mandate punitive sanctions against individuals, banks and other entities that violate the Sino-British Joint Declaration that established China's commitments to Hong Kong following its transfer from British sovereignty. 

USA—Counterterrorism Efforts Fail To Slow Terror Groups, Says State Dept. Report Voice Of America News | 06/26/2020 The State Dept.'s annual report on terrorism says that recent successes against terrorist groups have not had an appreciable effect on defeating the threat, reports the Voice of America News. The report, published on Wednesday, listed numerous successes, including the defeat of the Islamic State's caliphate and the killings of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Hamza bin Laden, the son of Al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden. Despite those successes, dangerous terror threats persist, says the document. Challenges include the variety of terrorist threats globally and the tendency of other nations to rely on the U.S. to take the lead. Militant groups are also adapting to successful counterterror operations, with ISIS shifting from a territorial control model to a global network, said experts. The report noted the Sahel region of Africa, Somalia and southeast Asia as areas where terror groups had found success. In Somalia, the State Dept. warned that the Somali army remained incapable of removing Al-Shabaab from territory it controlled, reported the East African (Kenya). The study also found an increasing and spreading threat of racially or ethnically motivated terrorism, particularly white supremacist attacks, reported ABC News. 

United Kingdom—Johnson Pursues Sovereign Satellite Navigation Capability Times Of London | 06/26/2020 The British government is preparing to invest in its own satellite navigation system after losing access to the military signals from the European Union's Galileo system, reports the Times of London. Late Thursday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak approved a measure to acquire a 20 percent stake, worth about 500 million pounds (US$620 million), in OneWeb, a firm that operates low-orbit satellites. OneWeb filed for bankruptcy in March due in part to financial stresses related to the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. London is technically bidding for the stake, but government officials said the transaction was at "a very advanced stage." The U.K. needs access to its own satellite navigation capabilities, since it has been denied the use of the military component of the E.U.'s Galileo system after leaving the bloc. OneWeb has placed 74 of a planned 650 satellites in orbit and says it will be able to provide broadband and military and civilian global positioning services once completed. Johnson previously pledged to domestically develop a new system, but costs and delays in such a project forced him to reconsider. An unnamed source told the Times that the purchase was "messy" and might not provide the best value for money. 

Belgium—Army NH90 Helicopters To Be Retired Due To Expense Defense-Aerospace | 06/26/2020 The Belgian military plans to retire its NH90 tactical transport helicopters due to high costs and limited industrial support, reports defense-aerospace.com. Personnel shortages and the need to implement costly upgrades have further reduced their operational utility, the Belgian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry plans to reduce NH90 operations before retiring the helicopters and replacing them with a cheaper platform, analysts said. The Belgium will instead focus on its naval NH90 helicopters, which support frigate and search-and-rescue operations. The defense ministry also said that it had decided to retire its fleet of aging B-Hunter uncrewed aerial vehicles four months ahead of schedule. The Hunter fleet is obsolete and has limited availability, the ministry said. The early retirement will enable personnel to begin training for MQ-9B SkyGuardian operations ahead of the drone's fielding in 2023. 

Turkey—Alpagu Loitering Munition Set To Join Army Anadolu News Agency | 06/26/2020 Turkish defense firm STM has developed a new loitering munition that will soon enter service with the Turkish military, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). The Alpagu is a fixed-wing tactical uncrewed aerial vehicle designed to loiter over an area before crashing into its target to deliver its explosive warhead. The drone has a lightweight structure, weighing less than 4.4 pounds (2 kg), and a low radar cross-section, according to the manufacturer. It can be used in a swarm and integrate with a variety of other platforms. The Alpagu can be operated by a single soldier or launched from a vehicle-based multiple launcher. STM is working to increase the capabilities of the system, including larger, longer-range variants weighing around 22 pounds (10 kg). Deliveries of the initial variant are expected to begin toward the end of the year following final testing, reported the Daily Sabah (Ankara).

 European Union—Germany To Push Defense Projects During Council Presidency Defense News | 06/26/2020 Germany plans to push defense cooperation during its upcoming six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, reports Defense News. Berlin's plans include the first common threat analysis for the E.U., Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said on Wednesday in an interview with the Atlantic Council think tank. A threat analysis agreed to by all 27 member states could provide a new framework for the development of military capability requirements. Germany will also seek to obtain a deal on non-member state participation in E.U. defense cooperation projects. U.S. defense companies have been pressing for maximum access to the E.U.'s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), which includes subsidies from the European Defense Fund. The fund is expected to receive about US$9 billion for projects from 2021 to 2027. Germany is set to propose a compromise to let non-member states, with a focus on NATO allies, to participate in projects as long as an E.U. country retains "primacy." 

Sweden—3rd Flotilla Receives 1st Patrol Boat Upgraded For ASW Defense-Aerospace | 06/26/2020 The Swedish navy's 3rd Naval Flotilla has taken delivery of its first patrol boat upgraded for anti-submarine warfare duties, reports defense-aerospace.com. On Tuesday, HSwMS Dristig was handed over in Karlskrona, said a release from the Swedish armed forces. Six Tapper-class patrol boats are being upgraded to fulfill a requirement for passive anti-submarine warfare monitoring missions. The vessels will be evenly divided between the 3rd and 4th Naval Flotillas. Following the 2014 operation to try and find a submarine reported in the Stockholm archipelago, the military decided to regain passive capabilities to detect submarines. Prior to 2005, there were four hydrophone buoys deployed to support such missions. The modified guard boats use sonar buoys to detect the movement of submarines. The engines and auxiliary machinery have also been replaced, the armed forces said. 

South Korea—Defense Committee Approves Plan For Additional Early Warning Aircraft Yonhap | 06/26/2020 South Korea's defense project promotion committee has approved several new acquisition programs, including the procurement of additional airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). On Friday, the committee approved a US$1.32 billion plan to launch a project in 2021 to purchase AEW&Cs from a foreign supplier by 2027 instead of developing an indigenous aircraft, said the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. The military has been pushing for the acquisition of two more aircraft in addition to the four E-737 AEW&Cs currently in service. The aircraft would help fill any surveillance gaps amid growing regional security threats, officials said. The committee also approved a US$725 million plan to acquire domestic Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft between 2021 and 2026. The military currently operates six such aircraft to gather signals intelligence from North Korea and wants to replace four of them with more advanced models. Finally, the committee approved plans to buy upgraded T-50 Block 2 jet trainers through 2024 at a cost of about US$823 million to support increased air force demand for pilot training. 

Philippines—4 Suspected Terrorists Killed Outside Manila Rappler | 06/26/2020 Four suspected terrorists have been killed in a Philippine police operation outside Manila, reports the Rappler (Manila). On Friday, police and military personnel were preparing to search the house of suspected terrorists in Paranaque outside Manila when they were fired on, setting off a gun battle, according to police reports. One of the suspects attempted to lob a grenade at the security forces but it detonated prematurely. When security personnel entered the house, all four militants had been killed. At least one officer was injured by shrapnel that hit his legs, reported the Straits Times (Singapore). Intelligence indicated that the cell was responsible for finance and logistics for the Islamic State-affiliated faction of the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu province. One suspect, Merhama Abdul Sawari, is believed to have helped plan the Jolo cathedral attack in January 2019. 

Iran—No Casualties In Explosion At Military Site Outside Tehran Wall Street Journal | 06/26/2020 There has been an explosion near a sensitive military site outside Tehran, reports the Wall Street Journal. On Friday, residents reported signs of a blast near the Parchin military facility east of the Iranian capital. The fire caused by the explosion was brought under control and there were no casualties, said a military spokesman. The blast was caused by an industrial gas tank in a civilian area of Parchin, the spokesman said. The Parchin complex is a large facility that produces rockets and ammunition for the Iranian military and houses multiple test sites. The Khojir missile base is also located in the vicinity. The incident is under investigation, reported state media cited by Agence France-Presse. 

Iraq—Security Forces Arrest 14 Iran-Backed Paramilitaries Al Jazeera | 06/26/2020 Iraqi security forces have arrested 14 Iran-backed militiamen in a raid on their base in southern Baghdad, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). On Thursday, security forces arrested at least 14 suspected members of Kataib Hezbollah, in what was called a pre-emptive operation against rocket attacks. During the operation, the Counterterrorism Service seized at least 10 rockets. Kataib Hezbollah has been blamed for numerous rocket attacks on U.S. facilities in Iraq. The move is complicated because the group is technically part of the government-funded Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), consisting of Shi'ite militias dominated by Iran-backed groups. Following the operation, unidentified gunmen drove towards government buildings and the CTS headquarters to demand the release of the militiamen, reported Reuters. The raid is the first sign that new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi could take a harder line on the Iran-backed groups, which exert significant influence in the country. 

Egypt—Editor Of Independent News Outlet Released On Bail Egypt Today | 06/26/2020 Authorities have released the editor-in-chief of an independent Egyptian news website after arresting her on charges of illegally operating a website, reports the Egypt Today. Nora Younis, who edits the al Manassa website, was arrested on Wednesday night and released on a bail of US$617. Police officers claiming to be from the censorship bureau raided the office of the website and examined its computers to verify that they were operating with licensed software, Sayyid Turki, the executive editor of al Manassa, told the Mada Masr news site. Two laptops using the open-source Ubuntu operating system were seized during the raid. Prosecutors said that Younis faces charges of operating a platform that facilitates cyber crimes; operating a website without government authorization; violating copyright; and "unjust use" of information and telecommunications technology. Younis is a well-known journalist in Egypt. She worked at the Washington Post and as a managing editor for the Al-Masry Al-Youm news website before founding al Manassa in 2015. Al Manassa and at least 500 other websites have been blocked in Egypt since 2017. Egypt was named the third-worst jailer of journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists in 2019, noted Al Jazeera (Qatar). 

Morocco—Order Placed For Apache Attack Helicopters Boeing | 06/26/2020 Morocco has finalized a contract for 24 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, reports Boeing, the manufacturer. On Thursday, the U.S. Army awarded Boeing a US$439 million contract modification under the Foreign Military Sales program for new-build AH-64E aircraft and Longbow crew trainers for Morocco, reported the Dept. of Defense. Work under the deal is due to conclude by March 1, 2025. In November, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that the Morocco wanted to buy 24 Apaches, with options for 12 more, in a deal worth up to US$4.25 billion. The proposed sale also covered crewed-uncrewed teaming video receivers and air-to-air-to-ground kits, which would allow the crew to control drones from the cockpit, reported Flight Global. Due to the timeline, the Apaches will likely be supplied in the latest Version 6 configuration, reported Jane's. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2024. 

Niger—10 Aid Workers Abducted In Tillaberi Agence France-Presse | 06/26/2020 Suspected jihadists have abducted 10 aid workers in southwestern Niger, reports Agence France-Presse. On Wednesday, attackers on motorbikes entered a village in the Tillaberi region and ordered the relief workers to follow them, said the Action and Impact Program in the Sahel (APIS) aid group. The kidnappers also made off with two 4 x 4 vehicles used by the organization, it said. It was the first reported kidnapping in the area since 2018. Motorbikes, often favored by militants for their speed and low-profile, were banned in the area in January. There were no immediate ransom demands or claims of responsibility. 

Democratic Republic of the Congo—WHO Declares End To 10th Ebola Outbreak; 11th Already Underway World Health Organization | 06/26/2020 The World Health Organization has declared the end to the 10th outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On Thursday, the WHO announced that the outbreak in the eastern DRC had ended after no new cases were recorded for 42 days, twice the incubation period for the virus. The outbreak, which began on Aug. 1, 2018, in North Kivu province, was the second largest to date and made more challenging by taking place in an active conflict zone. The WHO was on the cusp of declaring the outbreak over in April when a new case emerged three days before the end of the required 42 days, noted Al Jazeera (Qatar). There were a total of 3,470 cases during the outbreak, which caused 2,287 fatalities, the WHO said. The 11th Ebola outbreak in the DRC was declared on June 1, after seven cases were identified in Mbandaka city and neighboring Bikoro Health Zone in the western Equateur province.

 

 

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