Good Friday Morning March 19 .
I hope that you all have a great weekend.
Regards,
Skip.
.
Today in Naval History
March 19
1918
Ensign Stephen Potter is the first American to shoot down an enemy seaplane, a German plane off the German coast during World War I.
1924
Curtis D. Wilbur takes office as the 43rd Secretary of the Navy, where he gains his greatest achievements in enlarging and modernizing the fleet, and establishing a naval air force that would become an overwhelming force during World War II.
1942
Secretary of Navy James V. Forrestal places the newly-established construction battalions, later called Seabees, under the command of officers with the Civil Engineer Corps who are trained in the skills required for the performance of construction work.
1944
TBF and FM-2 aircraft from Composite Squadron (VC 6) onboard USS Block Island (CVE 21) sink German submarine U 1059 west-southwest of Dakar.
1945
Submarine USS Balao (SS 285) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks one troopship and three fishing vessels and damages another off the Yangtze estuary about 90 miles north-northwest of Shanghi.
1945
As Fast Carrier Task Force 58 planes bomb Kure and Kobe Harbors, Japanese aircraft single out the US Navy carriers for attack. USS Wasp (CV 18), USS Essex (CV 9), and USS Franklin (CV 13) are hit. After struck by a second bomb, Franklin suffers subsequent explosions on the flight and hangar decks. Heroic work by her crew, assisted by nearby ships, bring the fires and flooding under control. For their actions during this occasion, both Lt. Cmdr. Joseph T. OCallaghan and Lt.j.g. Donald A. Gary receive the Medal of Honor.
1969
While serving with Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, at Phu Loc 6 in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class David R. Ray is killed in action while providing medical aid to injured Marines during an enemy attack on his unit. Petty Officer Ray is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in that action.
1994
USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) is commissioned at Long Beach, Calif., where then-Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton was the keynote speaker. The Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer.
2003 |
Thanks to CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• National and international press reported on the first high-level meeting between the U.S. and China.
• Trade press reported on a HASC Seapower subcommittee hearing about unmanned systems.
Today in History March 19
1687 | The French explorer La Salle is murdered by his own men while searching for the mouth of the Mississippi, along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. | |
1702 | On the death of William III of Orange, Anne Stuart, sister of Mary, succeeds to the throne of England, Scotland and Ireland. | |
1822 | Boston is incorporated as a city. | |
1879 | Jim Currie opens fire on the actors Maurice Barrymore and Ben Porter near Marshall, Texas. His shots wound Barrymore and kill Porter. | |
1903 | The U.S. Senate ratifies the Cuban treaty, gaining naval bases in Guantanamo and Bahia Honda. | |
1916 | The First Aero Squadron takes off from Columbus, NM to join Gen. John J. Pershing and his Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa in Mexico. | |
1917 | The Adamson Act, eight hour day for railroad workers, is ruled constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. | |
1918 | Congress authorizes Daylight Savings Time. | |
1920 | The U.S. Senate rejects the Versailles Treaty for the second time. | |
1924 | U.S. troops are rushed to Tegucigalpa as rebel forces take the Honduran capital. | |
1931 | The state of Nevada legalizes gambling. | |
1935 | The British fire on 20,000 Muslims in India, killing 23. | |
1936 | The Soviet Union signs a pact of assistance with Mongolia against Japan. | |
1944 | The German 352nd Infantry Division deploys along the coast of France. | |
1945 | Adolf Hitler orders a scorched-earth policy for his retreating German armies in the west and east. | |
1947 | Chiang Kai-Shek's government forces take control of Yenan, the former headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party. | |
1949 | The Soviet People's Council signs the constitution of the German Democratic Republic, and declares that the North Atlantic Treaty is merely a war weapon. | |
1963 | In Costa Rica, President John F. Kennedy and six Latin American presidents pledge to fight Communism. | |
1981 | One technician is killed and two others are injured during a routine test on space shuttle Columbia. |
2003
March 19
War in Iraq begins
On March 19, 2003, the United States, along with coalition forces primarily from the United Kingdom, initiates war on Iraq. Just after explosions began to rock Baghdad, Iraq's capital, U.S. President George W. Bush announced in a televised address, "At this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger." President Bush and his advisors built much of their case for war on the idea that Iraq, under dictator Saddam Hussein, possessed or was in the process of building weapons of mass destruction.
Hostilities began about 90 minutes after the U.S.-imposed deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq or face war passed. The first targets, which Bush said were "of military importance," were hit with Tomahawk cruise missiles from U.S. fighter-bombers and warships stationed in the Persian Gulf. In response to the attacks, Republic of Iraq radio in Baghdad announced, "the evil ones, the enemies of God, the homeland and humanity, have committed the stupidity of aggression against our homeland and people."
Though Saddam Hussein had declared in early March 2003 that, "it is without doubt that the faithful will be victorious against aggression," he went into hiding soon after the American invasion, speaking to his people only through an occasional audiotape. Coalition forces were able to topple his regime and capture Iraq's major cities in just three weeks, sustaining few casualties. President Bush declared the end of major combat operations on May 1, 2003. Despite the defeat of conventional military forces in Iraq, an insurgency has continued an intense guerrilla war in the nation in the years since military victory was announced, resulting in thousands of coalition military, insurgent and civilian deaths.
After an intense manhunt, U.S. soldiers found Saddam Hussein hiding in a six-to-eight-foot deep hole, nine miles outside his hometown of Tikrit. He did not resist and was uninjured during the arrest. A soldier at the scene described him as "a man resigned to his fate." Hussein was arrested and began trial for crimes against his people, including mass killings, in October 2005.
In June 2004, the provisional government in place since soon after Saddam's ouster transferred power to the Iraqi Interim Government. In January 2005, the Iraqi people elected a 275-member Iraqi National Assembly. A new constitution for the country was ratified that October. On November 6, 2006, Saddam Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging. After an unsuccessful appeal, he was executed on December 30, 2006.
No weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq. The U.S. declared an end to the war in Iraq on December 15, 2011, nearly ten years after the fighting began.
READ MORE: The Surprising Interrogations That Led to Saddam Hussein's Capture
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Carl
This is really good information on how to work out and not be set back by injury. I have used this method for many years and it is the way I have come back from my summer in the hospital. Start out with light weights and go through the entire range of motion of the muscle. Good posture and do not use the body to sling the weight around. Remember to have a good stretching routine to help your major muscles and ligaments. skip
Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
March 21, 2021
Weight Training for Middle-Aged and Older People
A review of 22 studies specifically on how to grow larger and stronger muscles found that the best way for untrained people to grow muscles is to use lighter weights with more repetitions. On the other hand, most trained athletes gained more strength by using heavier weights with fewer repetitions (Human Movement, July 23, 2020;21(4):18-29). You gain larger and stronger muscles by exercising against enough resistance to damage the muscle fibers and you can get the same muscle damage with resultant muscle growth from lifting lighter weights with more repetitions to failure as you can gain by lifting heavier weights with fewer repetitions for both novice women (Muscle Nerve, Jan 2015;51(1):92-101) and young vigorous men (J Appl Physiol, Jul 1, 2016;121(1):129-3). Lifting lighter weights with more repetitions reduces your chances of injuring yourself.
Why Everyone Should Lift Weights
After age 40, most people lose more than eight percent of their muscle size per decade and by age 70, the rate of muscle loss nearly doubles to 15 percent per decade, markedly increasing risk for disability and disease (Am J Epidemiol, 1998;147(8):755-763). A resistance exercise program can help to slow the loss of muscle fibers and improve mobility as people age (Physiol Rev, Jan 1, 2019;99(1):427-511). Lifting weights or using resistance training equipment will strengthen your skeletal muscles, help to prevent broken bones from falls, and make your heart stronger to reduce risk of heart failure. Aerobic activities such as running, walking, riding a bicycle, swimming or playing tennis will not prevent the loss of muscle strength and size that occurs with aging.
Virtually all middle-aged and older people should do some form of resistance exercise, since extensive data show that having weak arm and leg muscles:
• increases risk for diabetes, heart attacks and premature death (British Medical Journal, Sept 2009; J of Phys, Sept 2009)
• is associated with smaller and weaker upper and lower chambers of your heart (J Am Geriatr Soc, Dec 2019;67:2568-2573)
• predicts death in people who have chronic heart failure (Cardiology, March 25, 2019). Heart failure means that the heart became too weak to pump adequate amounts of oxygen to the brain.
How to Build Muscle Without Injuries
When middle-aged and older people start a weight lifting program, they often get injured, usually because they try to train like young people who pick the heaviest weight they can lift ten times in a row and do three sets of ten lifts. They feel sore for the next few days and when the soreness goes away, they lift heavy weights again, usually two or three times a week. This type of training almost always injures older novice weight lifters and ends their training program. The best way for middle-aged and older people to prevent injuries is to lift lighter weights.
Why You Lose Muscle Strength and Size with Aging
Muscles are made up of hundreds of thousands of individual fibers, just as a rope is made up of many strands. Each muscle fiber is innervated by a single motor nerve. With aging, you lose motor nerves, and with each loss of a nerve, you also lose the corresponding muscle fiber that it innervates. For example, the vastus medialis muscle in the front of your thigh contains about 800,000 muscle fibers when you are 20, but by age 60, it probably has only about 250,000 fibers. However, after a muscle fiber loses its primary nerve, other nerves covering other fibers can move over to stimulate that fiber in addition to stimulating their own primary muscle fibers. Lifelong competitive athletes over 50 who train four to five times per week did not lose as many of the nerves that innervate muscles and therefore retained more muscle size and strength with aging than their non-athlete peers (The Physician and Sportsmedicine, October 2011;39(3):172-8).
How Muscles Become Stronger
Each muscle fiber is made of a series of blocks called sarcomeres that are lined up end to end. Each sarcomere is attached to the one next to it at a "Z line." Muscle fibers do not contract equally along their lengths; they contract only at each "Z line". To strengthen a muscle, you have to put enough force on the muscle to damage the Z-lines, as evidenced by bleeding and swelling into the Z-lines. You can tell you have damaged the Z-lines by the feeling of muscle soreness that begins 8 to 24 hours after you have lifted weights or done any form of resistance exercise. That is the time it takes for the swelling to occur in the Z-lines. This is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Exercising your muscles intensely enough to damage them makes muscles stronger so they can withstand higher loads and be more resistant to injury.
When a muscle is damaged, your immune system sends to the damaged tissue large amounts of the same cells (lymphocytes) and chemicals (cytokines) that are used to kill germs when you have an infection. This causes inflammation, characterized by soreness (pain), increased blood flow to the injured fibers (redness), and increased flow of fluid into the damaged area (swelling). When muscles heal from this damage, they grow beyond their initial size and you become stronger. The immune cells release tissue growth factors to heal the damaged muscle fibers, and you should allow the muscle soreness to decrease or disappear before exercising intensely again. Muscle fibers become larger and increase in number by splitting to form new fibers. If you do not wait until the soreness goes away before exercising intensely again, the fibers can be torn, the muscles weaken and you can become injured.
How to Start Your Resistance Training Program
If you are not already doing strength training, check with your doctor to make sure you do not have any condition that may be harmed by exercise. Then read my article on Resistance Exercise You Can Do at Home, or -- after you get vaccinated and your community has returned to normal -- find a gym that practices sanitizing of equipment, social distancing, wearing masks and good air circulation. On each exercise, pick the resistance that you can comfortably move 10 times in a row, without straining or hurting your muscles. End the workout immediately if you feel pain that does not go away as soon as you stop the movement.
If your muscles still feel sore 48 hours after your first workout, wait until the soreness is gone before you try again. As you become stronger and the resistance feels very easy for you, try to lift 15 times in a row, then perhaps 20 times. Only when you can lift that weight at least 20 times in a row, and not feel sore the next morning, should you try to increase the resistance level. The key to this program is to avoid injuring your muscles by increasing the number of repetitions gradually so that you do not cause muscle soreness that lasts longer than a day. You should not increase the weight (resistance) until you can lift a set of at least 20 repetitions in each exercise without feeling sore the next morning.
My Recommendations
• Before you start any new exercise program, check with your doctor to rule out any conditions that might be aggravated by resistance training.
• This program is designed for beginners and is intended to prevent injuries that plague older people when they first try to lift weights. It will not build very large muscles, but it will increase your strength and provide all of the other benefits of a weight training program. After many months (injury-free) on this program, if you wish to build larger muscles, you can transition to a more traditional weight training program; see Strength Training Guidelines. Otherwise, you can continue with this safe and effective program of resistance exercise for the rest of your life.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNTNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
thanks to THE Bear
National Vietnam War Veterans Day 2021 —- Mar 29
Dutch... Will Joe show?... Bear
https://militarybenefits.info/national-vietnam-war-veterans-day/
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Tom for finding the url for this one and Carl for the original
This is good and so true!!
Subject: FW: THE AMERICA I GREW UP IN....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2XbkDfyzQs
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Dr. Rich
An early SpaceX engineer crawled inside an imploding rocket on a USAF jet in mid-air to save the company ...
http://a.msn.com/01/en-us/BB1eEuv2?ocid=se
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Micro
A new prescription
A nice, calm, and respectable lady went into the pharmacy, walked up to the pharmacist, looked straight into his eyes, and said, "I would like to buy some cyanide."
The pharmacist asked, "Why in the world do you need cyanide?"
The lady replied, "I need it to poison my husband."
The pharmacist's eyes got big and he exclaimed, "Lord have mercy! I can't give you cyanide to kill your husband. Absolutely not! You CANNOT have any cyanide!"
The lady reached into her purse and pulled out a picture of her husband in bed with the pharmacist's wife.
The pharmacist looked at the picture and said, "You didn't tell me you had a prescription."
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Chuck and Mike Spence
Subject: Case of the missing matzoh
https://www.sdjewishworld.com/2021/03/16/the-case-of-the-missing-matzoh/
Goldy and I were on the Shoe-Gru 8 staff together on Saratoga for Desert Shield/Storm. Great story.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
ROLLING THUNDER thanks to The Bear
The List Friday, 19 March 2021... Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War—19 March 1966 From the archives of http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com
"Dick Wigent and Ron Boyle Go Bridge-Busting"
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.
This Day in U S Military History
19 March
1916 – Eight Curtiss "Jenny" planes of the First Aero Squadron take off from Columbus, New Mexico, in the first combat air mission in U.S. history. The First Aero Squadron, organized in 1914 after the outbreak of World War I, was on a support mission for the 7,000 U.S. troops who invaded Mexico to capture Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. On March 9, 1916, Villa, who opposed American support for Mexican President Venustiano Carranza, led a band of several hundred guerrillas across the border on a raid of the town of Columbus, New Mexico, killing 17 Americans. On March 15, under orders from President Woodrow Wilson, U.S. Brigadier General John J. Pershing launched a punitive expedition into Mexico to capture Villa. Four days later, the First Aero Squadron was sent into Mexico to scout and relay messages for General Pershing. Despite numerous mechanical and navigational problems, the American fliers flew hundreds of missions for Pershing and gained important experience that would later be used by the pilots over the battlefields of Europe. However, during the 11-month mission, U.S. forces failed to capture the elusive revolutionary, and Mexican resentment over U.S. intrusion into their territory led to a diplomatic crisis. In late January 1917, with President Wilson under pressure from the Mexican government and more concerned with the war overseas than with bringing Villa to justice, the Americans were ordered home.
1918 – Congress authorized time zones and approved Daylight Saving Time.
1945 – US Task Force 58 (Admiral Mitscher) conducts air raids naval bases in the Inland Sea, with Kure specifically targeted. Six Japanese carriers and 3 battleships are reported damaged. There are Japanese Kamikaze attacks in response which badly damage the carriers Franklin and Wasp as well as hitting Enterprise and Essex. The 832 killed on board the USS Franklin is the heaviest casualty list ever recorded on a US ship. Admiral Spruance, command the US 5th Fleet, is present for the operations.
1945 – Off the coast of Japan, a dive bomber hits the aircraft carrier USS Franklin, killing 724 of her crew. Badly damaged, the ship is able to return to the U.S. under her own power.
1952 – The 1,000,000th Jeep was produced. In 1939, the American Bantam Car Company submitted its original design for an all-terrain troop transport vehicle–featuring four-wheel drive, masked fender-mount headlights, and a rifle rack under the dash–to the U.S. Armed Forces. The Army loved Bantam's design, but the development contract for the vehicle was ultimately awarded to the Willys-Overland Company for its superior production capabilities. Bantam wound up fulfilling a government contract for 3,000 vehicles during the war; but the Jeep, as designed by Willys-Overland, would become the primary troop transport of the U.S. Army. Mass production of the Willys Jeep began after the U.S. declaration of war in 1941. The name "Jeep" is reportedly derived from the Army's request that car manufacturers develop a "General Purpose" vehicle. "Gee Pee" turned to "Jeep" somewhere along the battle lines. Another story maintains that the name came from a character in the Popeye cartoon who, like the vehicle, was capable of incredible feats. The Willys Jeep became a cultural icon in the U.S. during World War II, as images of G.I.'s in "Gee Pees," liberating Europe, saturated newsreels in movie theaters across the country. Unlike the Hummer of recent years, the Jeep was not a symbol of technological superiority but rather of the courage of the American spirit–a symbol cartoonist Bill Mauldin captured when he drew a weeping soldier firing a bullet into his broken down Willys Jeep. By 1945, 660,000 Jeeps had rolled off the assembly lines and onto battlefields in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Many remained abroad after the war, where their parts were integrated into other vehicles or their broken bodies were mended with colorful impromptu repairs. Wherever the Jeep roamed, it lived up to its design as a vehicle for general use. During the war, Jeep hoods were used as altars for field burials. Jeeps were also used as ambulances, tractors, and scout cars. After the war, surplus Jeeps found their way into civilian life as snowplows, field plows, and mail carriers. Willys-Overland released its first civilian Jeep model, called the CJ (Civilian Jeep) in 1945.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
BURR, HERBERT H.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 41st Tank Battalion, 11th Armored Division. Place and date: Near Dorrmoschel, Germany, 19 March 1945. Entered service at: Kansas City, Mo. Birth: St. Joseph, Mo. G.O. No.: 73, 30 August 1945. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry during action when the tank in which he was bow gunner was hit by an enemy rocket, which severely wounded the platoon sergeant and forced the remainder of the crew to abandon the vehicle. Deafened, but otherwise unhurt, S/Sgt. Burr immediately climbed into the driver's seat and continued on the mission of entering the town to reconnoiter road conditions. As he rounded a turn he encountered an 88-mm. antitank gun at pointblank range. Realizing that he had no crew, no one to man the tank's guns, he heroically chose to disregard his personal safety in a direct charge on the German weapon. At considerable speed he headed straight for the loaded gun, which was fully manned by enemy troops who had only to pull the lanyard to send a shell into his vehicle. So unexpected and daring was his assault that he was able to drive his tank completely over the gun, demolishing it and causing its crew to flee in confusion. He then skillfully sideswiped a large truck, overturned it, and wheeling his lumbering vehicle, returned to his company. When medical personnel who had been summoned to treat the wounded sergeant could not locate him, the valiant soldier ran through a hail of sniper fire to direct them to his stricken comrade. The bold, fearless determination of S/Sgt. Burr, his skill and courageous devotion to duty, resulted in the completion of his mission in the face of seemingly impossible odds.
GARY, DONALD ARTHUR
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, Junior Grade, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Franklin. Place and date: Japanese Home Islands near Kobe, Japan, 19 March 1945. Entered service at: Ohio. Born: 23 July 1903, Findlay, Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as an engineering officer attached to the U.S.S. Franklin when that vessel was fiercely attacked by enemy aircraft during the operations against the Japanese Home Islands near Kobe, Japan, 19 March 1945. Stationed on the third deck when the ship was rocked by a series of violent explosions set off in her own ready bombs, rockets, and ammunition by the hostile attack, Lt. (j.g.) Gary unhesitatingly risked his life to assist several hundred men trapped in a messing compartment filled with smoke, and with no apparent egress. As the imperiled men below decks became increasingly panic stricken under the raging fury of incessant explosions, he confidently assured them he would find a means of effecting their release and, groping through the dark, debris-filled corridors, ultimately discovered an escapeway. Stanchly determined, he struggled back to the messing compartment 3 times despite menacing flames, flooding water, and the ominous threat of sudden additional explosions, on each occasion calmly leading his men through the blanketing pall of smoke until the last one had been saved. Selfless in his concern for his ship and his fellows, he constantly rallied others about him, repeatedly organized and led fire-fighting parties into the blazing inferno on the flight deck and, when firerooms 1 and 2 were found to be inoperable, entered the No. 3 fireroom and directed the raising of steam in 1 boiler in the face of extreme difficulty and hazard. An inspiring and courageous leader, Lt. (j.g.) Gary rendered self-sacrificing service under the most perilous conditions and, by his heroic initiative, fortitude, and valor, was responsible for the saving of several hundred lives. His conduct throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and upon the U.S. Naval Service.
O'CALLAHAN, JOSEPH TIMOTHY
Rank and organization: Commander (Chaplain Corps), U.S. Naval Reserve, U.S.S. Franklin. Place and date: Near Kobe, Japan, 19 March 1945. Entered service at: Massachusetts. Born: 14 May 1904, Boston, Mass. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as chaplain on board the U.S.S. Franklin when that vessel was fiercely attacked by enemy Japanese aircraft during offensive operations near Kobe, Japan, on 19 March 1945. A valiant and forceful leader, calmly braving the perilous barriers of flame and twisted metal to aid his men and his ship, Lt. Comdr. O'Callahan groped his way through smoke-filled corridors to the open flight deck and into the midst of violently exploding bombs, shells, rockets, and other armament. With the ship rocked by incessant explosions, with debris and fragments raining down and fires raging in ever-increasing fury, he ministered to the wounded and dying, comforting and encouraging men of all faiths; he organized and led firefighting crews into the blazing inferno on the flight deck; he directed the jettisoning of live ammunition and the flooding of the magazine; he manned a hose to cool hot, armed bombs rolling dangerously on the listing deck, continuing his efforts, despite searing, suffocating smoke which forced men to fall back gasping and imperiled others who replaced them. Serving with courage, fortitude, and deep spiritual strength, Lt. Comdr. O'Callahan inspired the gallant officers and men of the Franklin to fight heroically and with profound faith in the face of almost certain death and to return their stricken ship to port.
BUCHA, PAUL WILLIAM
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company D, 3d Battalion. 187th Infantry, 3d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Place and date: Near Phuoc Vinh, Binh Duong Province, Republic of Vietnam, 16- 19 March 1968. Entered service at: U .S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. Born: 1 August 1943, Washington, D.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Bucha distinguished himself while serving as commanding officer, Company D, on a reconnaissance-in-force mission against enemy forces near Phuoc Vinh, The company was inserted by helicopter into the suspected enemy stronghold to locate and destroy the enemy. During this period Capt. Bucha aggressively and courageously led his men in the destruction of enemy fortifications and base areas and eliminated scattered resistance impeding the advance of the company. On 18 March while advancing to contact, the lead elements of the company became engaged by the heavy automatic weapon, heavy machine gun, rocket propelled grenade, Claymore mine and small-arms fire of an estimated battalion-size force. Capt. Bucha, with complete disregard for his safety, moved to the threatened area to direct the defense and ordered reinforcements to the aid of the lead element. Seeing that his men were pinned down by heavy machine gun fire from a concealed bunker located some 40 meters to the front of the positions, Capt. Bucha crawled through the hail of fire to single-handedly destroy the bunker with grenades. During this heroic action Capt. Bucha received a painful shrapnel wound. Returning to the perimeter, he observed that his unit could not hold its positions and repel the human wave assaults launched by the determined enemy. Capt. Bucha ordered the withdrawal of the unit elements and covered the withdrawal to positions of a company perimeter from which he could direct fire upon the charging enemy. When 1 friendly element retrieving casualties was ambushed and cut off from the perimeter, Capt. Bucha ordered them to feign death and he directed artillery fire around them. During the night Capt. Bucha moved throughout the position, distributing ammunition, providing encouragement and insuring the integrity of the defense. He directed artillery, helicopter gunship and Air Force gunship fire on the enemy strong points and attacking forces, marking the positions with smoke grenades. Using flashlights in complete view of enemy snipers, he directed the medical evacuation of 3 air-ambulance loads of seriously wounded personnel and the helicopter supply of his company. At daybreak Capt. Bucha led a rescue party to recover the dead and wounded members of the ambushed element. During the period of intensive combat, Capt. Bucha, by his extraordinary heroism, inspirational example, outstanding leadership and professional competence, led his company in the decimation of a superior enemy force which left 156 dead on the battlefield. His bravery and gallantry at the risk of his life are in the highest traditions of the military service, Capt. Bucha has reflected great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*McMAHON, THOMAS J.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 2d Battalion, 1st Infantry, 196th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. place and date: Quang Tin province, Republic of Vietnam, 19 March 1969. Entered service at: portland, Maine. Born: 24 June 1948, Washington, D.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. McMahon distinguished himself while serving as medical aid man with Company A. When the lead elements of his company came under heavy fire from well-fortified enemy positions, 3 soldiers fell seriously wounded. Sp4c. McMahon, with complete disregard for his safety, left his covered position and ran through intense enemy fire to the side of 1 of the wounded, administered first aid and then carried him to safety. He returned through the hail of fire to the side of a second wounded man. Although painfully wounded by an exploding mortar round while returning the wounded man to a secure position, Sp4c. McMahon refused medical attention and heroically ran back through the heavy enemy fire toward his remaining wounded comrade. He fell mortally wounded before he could rescue the last man. Sp4c. McMahon's undaunted concern for the welfare of his comrades at the cost of his life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*RAY, DAVID ROBERT
Rank and organization: Hospital Corpsman Second Class, U.S. Navy, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 19 March 1969. Entered service at: Nashville, Tenn. Born: 14 February 1945, McMinnville, Tenn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a HC2c. with Battery D, 2d Battalion, at Phu Loc 6, near An Hoa. During the early morning hours, an estimated battalion-sized enemy force launched a determined assault against the battery's position, and succeeded in effecting a penetration of the barbed-wire perimeter. The initial burst of enemy fire caused numerous casualties among the marines who had immediately manned their howitzers during the rocket and mortar attack. Undaunted by the intense hostile fire, HC2c. Ray moved from parapet to parapet, rendering emergency medical treatment to the wounded. Although seriously wounded himself while administering first aid to a marine casualty, he refused medical aid and continued his lifesaving efforts. While he was bandaging and attempting to comfort another wounded marine, HC2c. Ray was forced to battle 2 enemy soldiers who attacked his position, personally killing 1 and wounding the other. Rapidly losing his strength as a result of his severe wounds, he nonetheless managed to move through the hail of enemy fire to other casualties. Once again, he was faced with the intense fire of oncoming enemy troops and, despite the grave personal danger and insurmountable odds, succeeded in treating the wounded and holding off the enemy until he ran out of ammunition, at which time he sustained fatal wounds. HC2c. Ray's final act of heroism was to protect the patient he was treating. He threw himself upon the wounded marine, thus saving the man's life when an enemy grenade exploded nearby. By his determined and persevering actions, courageous spirit, and selfless devotion to the welfare of his marine comrades, HC2c. Ray served to inspire the men of Battery D to heroic efforts in defeating the enemy. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for March 19, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
19 March
1910: Orville Wright opened the first Wright Flying School at Montgomery, Ala. This site became Maxwell AFB. (24) (18)
1918: Ensign Stephan Potter shot down a German seaplane and became the first American naval aviator to be officially credited with an enemy seaplane. (24) The 94th Aero Squadron (Hat in the Ring Squadron), 1st Pursuit Group, flew its first operation across French lines. (8) (11)
1943: Lt Gen Henry Hap Arnold received his fourth star, making him the first four-star general for the US AAF. (8)
1945: Eighth Air Force's 496 BG conducted one of the last "Carpetbagger" operations in World War II by dropping 82 agents into Germany. (4)
1969: SECDEF Melvin Laird announced that the FB-111 program would be reduced, due to its lack of intercontinental range. He thus limited the USAF to four squadrons with 60 aircraft and a few replacements. Laird revealed that a new bomber, the Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft (AMSA) would be developed. This aircraft later became the B-1. (1)
1970: Major Jerauld R. Gentry, an AFFTC test pilot, made the first powered flight of the Martin Marietta X-24A Wingless Lifting Body over Edwards AFB. A B-52 dropped the X-24A. (3)
1971: USAF Southern Command began moving residents from Nicaraguan farming areas ravaged by the Cerro Negro volcano. During the 10-day mission, C-123s airlifted 885 Nicaraguans and 190,000 pounds of household goods, food, and other supplies to a new area. (5)
1978: For the first time, USAFE F-15 Eagles and Navy F-14 Tomcat aircraft began joint dissimilar air combat tactics training. (16) (26)
1984: Operation EAGLE LIFT. Through 9 April, MAC flew 28 C-5 Galaxy and 17 C-141 missions to carry 1,286 passengers and 1,594 tons of cargo for the deployment of 3 E-3A AWACS to provide aerial surveillance for Egypt and the Sudan against threats from Libya. Five KC-135 and 2 KC-10 missions provided aerial refueling. (16) (21) Exercise GRANDERO I. Through 2 July, MAC aircraft participated in a combined US and Honduran field training exercise in Honduras. (16)
1989: Bell Pilot Dorman Canon and Boeing pilot Dick Balzer flew the V-22 Osprey at the Bell Helicopter Textron's flight research center at Arlington, Tx. (20)
1992: Two F-15s intercepted two Russian TU-95 Bear bombers near the Alaskan coast, the first such interception since the breakup of the Soviet Union. (26)
1997: Exercise CORONET 97-2. Through 20 March, the 509 BW conducted the longest B-2 Spirit Global Power mission to date when The Spirit of Florida flew from Whiteman AFB to Puerto Rico. Major Robert O'Neal and Capt Scott Hughes of the 393BS flew the nearly 30-hour, round-trip flight with its four aerial refuelings and a live conventional weapon release at the Vieques Range, Puerto Rico. (AFNEWS Article 970345, 26 Mar 97)
2000: The Air Force Research Laboratory at Edwards AFB fired a Lockheed Martin Titan IV solidfuel rocket booster for the first time since 1993 in its Leuhman Ridge test stand. The test lasted 140 seconds and generated 1.7 million pounds of thrust. (3)
2003: Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Just after 9:30 p. m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), US forces fired about 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Iraq, striking three targets around Baghdad. The attack began the US-led, multinational coalition effort to liberate the people of Iraq and depose Saddam Hussein and his regime from power. F-117A Nighthawks, flying "decapitation strikes," successfully used the new dual-door and ripple launch techniques. (See 15 March 2003) (3) (22)
2004: The first active-duty C-130J Hercules (No. 02-0314) arrived at the 314 AW at Little Rock AFB. (22)
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
World News for 19 March thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Vella Gulf Cruiser Back In Port For More Repairs Navy Times | 03/19/2021 A Navy cruiser has returned to port to fix fuel tank issues for the second time in a month, reports the Navy Times. USS Vella Gulf set sail in February as part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group but was forced to return to Norfolk, Va., after experiencing a fuel leak. That issue was traced to corrosion and leakage in a single tank, which was repaired, a Navy spokeswoman said. The cruiser returned to sea last week. On Sunday, the Vella Gulf returned again to Norfolk after another fuel leak was discovered in the same tank. The service is looking into whether the two incidents are connected.
USA—Report Details Costs, Benefits Of Basing Troops In Japan, S. Korea Air Force Magazine | 03/19/2021 The Government Accountability Office has completed a study on the value of stationing of U.S. troops in Japan and South Korea, reports Air Force magazine. The U.S. currently shoulders around two-thirds of the costs of basing troops in the two countries, says the report, which was released on Wednesday. There are about 55,000 American troops in Japan and 28,500 in South Korea. From 2016 to 2019, the Dept. of Defense spent around $20.9 billion on military salaries, construction facilities and maintenance for troops in Japan, with Tokyo providing another $12.6 billion in financial support, or 38 percent of the total cost. Over the same period, the Pentagon spent $13.4 billion on forces in South Korea, while Seoul provided an additional $5.8 billion, or 30 percent of the total cost. The figures do not include some forms of indirect support, such as waived taxes and duties, utilities, and foregoing rent on facilities used by the U.S. Being able to base forces in Japan and South Korea is overall good for the U.S. and regional security, the GAO said. There are six main benefits from this investment: promoting regional stability and deterring adversaries; enhancing the capabilities of the Japanese and South Korean militaries; promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific; supporting denuclearization in North Korea and broader nonproliferation efforts; supporting quick responses to military and nonmilitary emergencies; and strengthening bilateral ties with both countries.
Mexico—13 Police Killed In Mexico State Ambush Guardian | 03/19/2021 Thirteen Mexican security personnel have been killed in an ambush in the southern Mexico state, reports the Guardian (U.K.). On Thursday, gunmen ambushed the police vehicle as it traveled through the municipality of Coatepec Harinas, about 75 miles (125 km) southwest of Mexico City, said officials. Eight state police officers and five members of the state investigative police force were killed. State Security Secretary Rodrigo Martinez-Celis called the attack an "affront to the Mexican state" and vowed a response. There were no immediate claims of responsibility. A state intelligence report last year identified 26 active criminal groups in the state, with La Familia Michoacana and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel fighting over key territories.
Denmark—Frigate Set To Be Deployed To Fight Piracy Off W. Africa Danish Ministry Of Foreign Affairs | 03/19/2021 The Danish government has decided to send a frigate to the Gulf of Guinea to join international counter-piracy efforts there, reports the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Plans call for the deployment to run from November 2021 to the end of May 2022, the ministry said. The frigate will be equipped with a Seahawk naval helicopter and a special operations task force trained to carry out rescue operations on hijacked ships. The mission will focus on fighting pirates and supporting and escorting civil shipping in the Gulf of Guinea. It will remain under direct Danish command, but efforts will be made to coordinate with other naval vessels in the region, the ministry said. The decision was driven by growing insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, where an estimated 40 percent of global pirate attacks take place.
Russia—MiG, Sukhoi To Cease To Exist As Part Of Reorganization Daily Sabah | 03/19/2021 Russia's storied MiG and Sukhoi aviation design bureaus will cease to exist as independent entities as part of major structural reforms at the United Aircraft Corp. (UAC), reports the Daily Sabah (Istanbul). Sukhoi and MiG have been subsidiaries of the UAC since 2006 but maintained a degree of autonomy. Under the plan, all three will be merged into a single corporate aircraft manufacturing firm to consolidate the management of aircraft programs and other assets, UAC announced on Thursday. The engineering and design functions, including all aviation design bureaus, will be consolidated in a separate design center based in Moscow, reported RIA Novosti. The move is expected to create savings through optimizing the administrative and managerial staff as well as reducing non-production costs and the company's debt burden. These actions are estimated to save up to US$1.7 billion. The integration is expected to take several years.
Armenia—Pashinyan Refuses Court Order To Reinstate Ousted Army Chief, Calls Snap Election Agence France-Presse | 03/19/2021 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has defied a court ruling to reinstate an ousted military chief, reports Agence France-Presse. On Tuesday, a court ordered Pashinyan to reinstate chief of staff Col. Gen. Onik Gasparyan pending a final decision on the officer's dismissal. On Thursday, the prime minister's office rejected the ruling and said Gasparyan's ouster remains in force, reported Armenpress (Yerevan). Gasparyan was relieved of his post after signing a letter criticizing Pashinyan's handling of last year's war with Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was widely seen as a humiliating loss. Artak Davtyan was nominated to the top service position on March 10. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Pashinyan announced snap parliamentary elections following talks with members of the opposition and President Armen Sarkisian. The vote is scheduled for June 20, the prime minister said.
Japan—Information-Sharing Agreement To Be Signed With Germany Jiji Press | 03/19/2021 Japan is poised to sign a military information-sharing pact with Germany, reports the Jiji Press (Tokyo). The agreement on the protection and sharing of sensitive data could be signed as soon as next week, unnamed sources said. The accord would enable Japan and Germany to share information more easily and remove certain obstacles to the export of Japanese defense equipment to Germany, the sources said. Such information could cover troop movements, equipment and terrorist plots, reported the Nikkei (Tokyo) newspaper. Japanese has similar agreements with Australia and the U.S. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reached a broad agreement on information protection in February 2019, but it took time to negotiate the details due to differences in legal interpretations. In December, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told her Japanese counterpart, Nobuo Kishi, that Germany was considering posting liaison officials to Japan as well as additional military exercises and ceremonial visits.
Japan—Final Phantom Fighters Leave Service The Aviationist | 03/19/2021 The last F-4EJ Phantom fighters in Japanese service have retired, reports the Aviationist blog. On March 17, the final three F-4EJs made their last flight from the Gifu Air Base, north of Nagoya. The jets were assigned to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Air Development and Test Wing, which specializes in pre-operational testing and verification of equipment for the service. One of the aircraft was the first F-4 Phantom imported from the U.S. in 1971. The F-4EJ Kai was retired from front-line service last year. With the retirement of the Phantom from Japanese service, South Korea becomes the only remaining operator of the F-4 in the Asia-Pacific, noted Flight Global.
South Korea—Springtime Command-Post Exercise With U.S. Concludes Yonhap | 03/19/2021 South Korea and the U.S. have wrapped up this year's annual spring military exercise, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The Combined Command Post Training (CCPT) exercise began on March 8 and concluded on Thursday. The exercise was conducted virtually, with no outdoor drills taking place and a minimal number of troops, as part of efforts to avoid antagonizing North Korea. The drill nevertheless triggered complaints from Pyongyang, which threatened to scrap an inter-Korean military pact and cut off dialogue. This year's exercise did not include a planned full operational capability test, a key requisite for Seoul to resume responsibility for wartime operational control of its forces. The test was originally scheduled as part of combined drills in 2020 but was postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the allies conducted a simulated theater operation under the Combined Forces Command and led by a South Korean four-star general, said the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff. The South Korean government has indicated that it wants to complete the transfer of operational control by the end of Moon Jae In administration in May 2022.
Papua New Guinea—Another Guardian-Class Patrol Boat Delivered Austal | 03/19/2021 The Papua New Guinea Defense Force has received its second of four Guardian-class patrol boats being supplied by the Australian government, reports Austal, the shipbuilder. The Rochus Lokinap was delivered to the Australian Dept. of Defense and immediately donated to Papua New Guinea during a ceremony at Austal's Henderson shipyard in Western Australia, the company said in a March 17 release. The ship is the ninth in the Guardian class built under Australia's Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project, in which it supplies patrol boats to Pacific island nations to strengthen maritime security in the region. Twenty-one Guardian-class boats are being built for 12 countries, with deliveries slated to be completed by 2023.
Burma—At Least 9 Killed As Crackdown On Protests Continues Reuters | 03/19/2021 At least nine protesters have been killed after Burmese security forces fired on demonstrations against the Feb. 1 military coup, reports Reuters. On Friday, security forces used tear gas and live ammunition to disperse protesters at a barricade in the town of Aungban. Seven demonstrators were killed on the spot. Another died later of their wounds, an official with Aungban's funerary service said. Witnesses said that the demonstrators refused to abandon the post. Another protester was killed by troops in the northeastern town of Loikaw, according to the Myanmar Now news portal. Protests were also reported in Yangon, Mandalay, Myingyan, Katha and Myawaddy. Some shooting was reported in Yangon, though no information on casualties was immediately available. At least 232 people have been killed by security forces since the Feb. 1 coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Separately, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in a virtual address that he supported the restoration of democracy and called on Burmese security forces to abandon violent and confrontational tactics.
Pakistan—Army Chief Calls For Peaceful Relations With India Dawn | 03/19/2021 Pakistani army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa says it is time to move forward toward peace with India, reports the Dawn (Karachi). Speaking at the Islamabad Security Dialogue on Thursday, Bajwa said that it was time to "bury the past and move forward" to resolve the longstanding conflicts with India. Stable relations are key to achieving peace and growth in South Asia, he said. The army chief urged India to help "create a conducive environment" for resolving disputes, including the Kashmir issue. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, speaking at the same event, said that Pakistan needs a partner "that is ready to engage in good faith, that is prepared to eschew belligerence, and that is committed to meaningfully address the factors that have bedeviled peace and security in South Asia for decades." Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that India would need to take the first step to normalize ties.
United Arab Emirates—Planned Summit With Netanyahu Off Over Electioneering Haaretz | 03/19/2021 The United Arab Emirates has called off a planned summit with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and officials from Arab countries who signed onto the U.S.-backed "Abraham Accords" normalizing ties with the Jewish state, reports Haaretz (Israel). Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed is reportedly furious that Netanyahu has been exploiting the agreement as part of his election campaign after the prime minister claimed during an election rally that the U.A.E. planned to invest billions of dollars in Israel. On Wednesday, former Emirati Foreign Minister Andwar Gargash said that the U.A.E. would not be part of "internal electioneering" in Israel, emphasizing that the purpose of the Abraham Accords was to establish a "robust strategic foundation to foster peace and prosperity with the state of Israel and in the wider region," rather than affect any domestic elections. Netanyahu was originally scheduled to make his first official visit to the U.A.E. on March 11, but it fell through after Jordan declined to approve the flight path for the prime minister's aircraft in time. Israel is scheduled to hold elections on March 23, noted Al Jazeera (Qatar).
Yemen—Houthis Take Key High Point Near Marib Agence France-Presse | 03/19/2021 Houthi rebels are threatening the strategic northern Yemeni city of Marib after capturing a key mountain outside the city, reports Agence France-Presse. After heavy fighting resulting in dozens of casualties on each side, the rebels seized Mount Hilan, which overlooks the oil-rich city, government sources said on Friday. The victory has enabled the Houthis to cut some government supply lines and put them in range of the Al-Mashjab defensive line west of Marib city. Houthi fighters launched an offensive to take the strategic northern city in early February.
Sudan—Military Firm Agrees To Transfer Civilian Ops To Government Reuters | 03/19/2021 A major Sudanese military firm has agreed to turn over its civilian operations to the government, reports Reuters. On Wednesday, Defense Industrial Sudan Systems agreed to transfer its civilian operations to the finance ministry. The goal is to eventually convert it to a public shareholding company. As part of the arrangement, the government will form the Council of Finance and Investment, overseen by the finance minister, and the Council of Industrial Priorities, overseen by the industrial minister, reported the Sudan Tribune (Paris). The move is also seen as a way to reduce tensions between the military and civilian elements of Sudan's transitional government. Although Sudan has a limited defense industrial capacity, the military owns more than 200 companies that produce cars, electrical appliances, meat, agricultural crops, cereals and road construction. The military has been criticized for hiding the profits of these companies, which do not appear in official budget statistics.
Morocco—300 VLRA Tactical Vehicles Ordered For Special Ops Forces Defence Web | 03/19/2021 Morocco has ordered hundreds of new tactical vehicles from French firm Arquus for its special operations forces, reports Defence Web (South Africa). The order for 300 VLRA-2 4 x 4 light tactical vehicles was placed at the end of 2020, Arquus chief executive Emmanuel Levacher said last week. The vehicles will provide special operations units with increased firepower and mobility. The VLRA-2 was specifically designed for special operations. It features NATO Standard Agreement (STANAG) Level 4 ballistic protection and Level 2A and 2B mine protection. The vehicle can carry up to 12 troops and has high mobility and low maintenance costs, according to the manufacturer.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.