Good Thursday Morning May
Regards,
Skip.
This day in Naval History May 6, 2019
1860 The sloop-of-war Portsmouth, commanded by John Calhoun, captures the slaver brig Falmouth off Porto Praya.
1908 The Great White Fleet anchors in San Francisco Bay, Calif. The fleet is delayed from its round-the-world cruise after both Rear Adm. Robley D. Evans and Rear Adm. Charles M. Thomas fall ill. On May 15, Rear Adm. Charles S. Sperry assumed command and completes the cruise ending Feb. 22, 1909.
1916 The first ship-to-shore radio telephone voice conversation was held on board USS New Hampshire (BB 25) off the Virginia Capes.
1944 USS Buckley (DE 51) rams German submarine U 66 while TBMs (VC 55) from USS Block Island (CVE 21) attack U 66 near Cape Verdes.
1945 USS Farquhar (DE 139) sinks the last German submarine, U 881, in the North Atlantic.
1995 USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) is launched at the Avondale Shipyard, Inc. at New Orleans, La. The Henry J. Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler is operated by the Military Sealift Command. The Laramie enters non-commissioned U.S. Navy service May 7, 1996.
Thanks to CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• The Washington Post published an op-ed by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin about integrated deterrence.
• USNI News and the Telegraph reported on the First Sea Lord Adm. Tony Radakin's visit to the U.S. and engagements with CNO Adm. Mike Gilday.
• Stars and Stripes reported Adm. Paparo assumed command as PACFLT.
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This Day in World History May 6
1527 German troops begin sacking Rome. Libraries are destroyed, the Pope is captured and thousands are killed.
1529 Babur defeats the Afghan Chiefs in the Battle of Ghaghra, India.
1682 King Louis XIV moves his court to Versailles, France.
1856 U.S. Army troops from Fort Tejon and Fort Miller prepare to ride out to protect Keyesville, California, from Yokut Indian attack.
1861 Arkansas becomes the ninth state to secede from the Union.
1862 Henry David Thoreau dies of tuberculosis at age 44.
1864 In the second day of the Battle of the Wilderness between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee, Confederate Gen. James Longstreet is wounded by his own men.
1877Chief Crazy Horse surrenders to U.S. troops in Nebraska. Crazy Horse brought General George Custer to his end.
1937 The dirigible Hindenburg explodes in flames at Lakehurst, New Jersey.
1941 Bob Hope gives his first USO show at California's March Field.
1942 General Jonathan Wainwright surrenders Corregidor to the Japanese.
1944 The Red Army besieges and captures Sevastopol in the Crimea.
1945 Axis Sally makes her final propaganda broadcast to Allied troops.
1954 British runner Roger Bannister breaks the four minute mile.
1960 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
1962 The first nuclear warhead is fired from a Polaris submarine.
1994 The Channel Tunnel linking England to France is officially opened.
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Thanks to CAP
VERY Scary.....
From "show me your papers" to "I know what you do and say"……
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Thanks to Dr. Rich
I have no words for this one that are printable.
Honeywell Leaks Technical Details of F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor and B-1 Bomber to China - Joe Biden Gives Them a Sla...
Intentionally selling classified and highly sensitive aviation information to our enemies for several YEARS, and all they get is a minor financial penalty and a verbal warning?
Tam
The company has been accused of violating the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
Honeywell was found to be indulged in unauthorized "exports and retransfers of ITAR-controlled technical data that contained engineering prints showing dimensions, geometries, and layouts for manufacturing castings and finished parts for multiple aircraft, gas turbine engines, and military electronics to and/or within Canada, Ireland, Mexico, the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan," according to the US Government.
Advertisement - story continues below
In the claimed "settlement", the company is required to pay $13 million in civil penalties and other things, $5 million of which was immediately suspended on the condition that Honeywell used it towards "remedial compliance measures".
The US government, however, chose to be a little lenient with the company as it 'voluntarily' disclosed the violations to the state department.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— ... For The List for Thursday, 6 May 2021... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-68)...
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 6 May 1966...
"The Tragic Tale of Captain Charles Ervin Shelton, USAF and his valiant wife, Marian (both deceased and RIP)"
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-6-may-1966-guts-to-the-end/
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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This Day in U S Military History…….May 6
1935 – The first flight of the Curtiss P-36 Hawk. The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design making extensive use of metal in its construction and powered by a powerful radial engine. Perhaps best known as the predecessor of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, the P-36 saw little combat with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was nevertheless the fighter used most extensively and successfully by the French Armee de l'air during the Battle of France. The P-36 was also ordered by the governments of the Netherlands and Norway, but did not arrive in time to see action over either country, before both were occupied by Nazi Germany. The type was also manufactured under license in China, for the Republic of China Air Force, as well as in British India, for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF). Axis and co-belligerent air forces also made significant use of captured P-36s. Following the fall of France and Norway in 1940, several dozen P-36s were seized by Germany and transferred to Finland; these aircraft saw extensive action with the Ilmavoimat (Air Force) against the Soviet Air Forces. The P-36 was also used by Vichy French air forces in several minor conflicts; in one of these, the Franco-Thai War of 1940–41, P-36s were used by both sides. From mid-1940, some P-36s en route for France and the Netherlands were diverted to Allied air forces in other parts of the world. The Hawks ordered by the Netherlands were diverted to the Dutch East Indies and later saw action against Japanese forces. French orders were taken up by British Commonwealth air forces, and saw combat with both the South African Air Force (SAAF) against Italian forces in East Africa, and with the RAF over Burma. Within the Commonwealth, the type was usually referred to as the Curtiss Mohawk. With around 1,000 aircraft built by Curtiss itself, the P-36 was a major commercial success for the company. It also became the basis not only of the P-40, but two other, unsuccessful prototypes: the YP-37 and the XP-42 .
1937 – The airship Hindenburg, the largest dirigible ever built and the pride of Nazi Germany, bursts into flames upon touching its mooring mast in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 passengers and crewmembers. Frenchman Henri Giffard constructed the first successful airship in 1852. His hydrogen-filled blimp carried a three-horsepower steam engine that turned a large propeller and flew at a speed of six miles per hour. The rigid airship, often known as the "zeppelin" after the last name of its innovator, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, was developed by the Germans in the late 19th century. Unlike French airships, the German ships had a light framework of metal girders that protected a gas-filled interior. However, like Giffard's airship, they were lifted by highly flammable hydrogen gas and vulnerable to explosion. Large enough to carry substantial numbers of passengers, one of the most famous rigid airships was the Graf Zeppelin, a dirigible that traveled around the world in 1929. In the 1930s, the Graf Zeppelin pioneered the first transatlantic air service, leading to the construction of the Hindenburg, a larger passenger airship. On May 3, 1937, the Hindenburg left Frankfurt, Germany, for the first of 10 scheduled journey's across the Atlantic to Lakehurst's Navy Air Base. On its maiden voyage, the Hindenburg, stretching 804 feet from stern to bow, carried 36 passengers and crew of 61. While attempting to moor at Lakehurst, the airship suddenly burst into flames, probably after a spark ignited its hydrogen core. Rapidly falling 200 feet to the ground, the hull of the airship incinerated within seconds. Thirteen passengers, 21 crewmen, and 1 civilian member of the ground crew lost their lives, and most of the survivors suffered substantial injuries. Radio announcer Herb Morrison, who came to Lakehurst to record a routine voice-over for an NBC newsreel, immortalized the Hindenberg disaster in a famous on-the-scene description in which he emotionally declared, "Oh, the humanity!" The recording of Morrison's commentary was immediately flown to New York, where it was aired as part of America's first coast-to-coast radio news broadcast. Lighter-than-air passenger travel rapidly fell out of favor after the Hindenberg disaster, and no rigid airships survived World War II.
1941 – Bob Hope (b. May 29, 1903) began broadcasting his first USO radio show from March Field at Riverside, Ca. The United Service Organizations (USO) began operations this year and provided free coffee, donuts, and entertainment to US military forces. The organization is supported entirely by private citizens and corporations.
1941 – The first flight of the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was one of the largest and heaviest fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single piston engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to eight tons, and in the fighter-bomber ground-attack roles could carry five-inch rockets or a significant bomb load of 2,500 pounds; it could carry more than half the payload of the B-17 bomber on long-range missions (although the B-17 had a far greater range). The P-47, based on the powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine—the same engine used by two very successful U.S. Navy fighters, the Grumman F6F Hellcat and Vought F4U Corsair—was to be very effective as a short-to-medium range escort fighter in high-altitude air-to-air combat and, when unleashed as a fighter-bomber, proved especially adept at ground attack in both the World War II European and Pacific Theaters. The P-47 was one of the main United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighters of World War II, and served with other Allied air forces, notably those of France, Britain, and Russia. Mexican and Brazilian squadrons fighting alongside the U.S. were equipped with the P-47. The armored cockpit was roomy inside, comfortable for the pilot, and offered good visibility. A modern-day U.S. ground-attack aircraft, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, takes its name from the P-47
1944 – The first flight of the Mitsubishi A7M fighter (designed to replace the Zero) takes place. Technical problems and Allied bombing raids prevent mass production.
1945 – The US 97th Division, part of US 5th Corps of the US 3rd Army, occupies Pilsen in Czechoslovakia. The US 12th Corps advances toward Prague but the army is ordered to halt the advance and allow Soviets to occupy the rest of the country as has been arranged.
1945 – On Luzon, elements of the US 25th Division, part of US 1st Corps, capture the Kembu plateau. On Mindanao, the US 24th and 31st Divisions overrun Japanese positions north of Davao, where the Japanese 35th Army (General Morozumi) is concentrated.
1945 – On Okinawa, the Japanese offensive loses momentum. Japanese forces have sustain losses of at least 5000 killed. Even while it has been going on, American forces have made gains near Machinto airfield and Maeda Ridge.
1969 – A US helicopter crashes 75 miles north of Saigon killing 34 and injuring 35 in what is believed to be the worst helicopter accident of the war. To this date, 2,595 helicopters have been lost.
1972 – The remnants of South Vietnam's 5th Division at An Loc continue to receive daily artillery battering from the communist forces surrounding the city as reinforcements fight their way from the south up Highway 13. The South Vietnamese had been under heavy attack since the North Vietnamese had launched their Nguyen Hue Offensive on March 30. The communists had mounted a massive invasion of South Vietnam with 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. The main North Vietnamese objectives, in addition to An Loc in the south, were Quang Tri in the north, and Kontum in the Central Highlands. In Binh Long Province, the North Vietnamese forces had crossed into South Vietnam from Cambodia on April 5 to strike first at Loc Ninh. After taking Loc Ninh, the North Vietnamese forces then quickly encircled An Loc, the capital of Binh Long Province, which was only 65 miles from Saigon. The North Vietnamese held An Loc under siege for almost three months while they made repeated attempts to take the city, bombarding it around the clock. The defenders suffered heavy casualties, including 2,300 dead or missing, but with the aid of U.S. advisers and American airpower, they managed to hold out against vastly superior odds until the siege was lifted on June 18. Fighting continued all over South Vietnam into the summer months, but eventually the South Vietnamese forces prevailed against the invaders and they retook Quang Tri in September. With the communist invasion blunted, President Nixon declared that the South Vietnamese victory proved the viability of his Vietnamization program, which he had instituted in 1969 to increase the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces.
1994 – The last HH-3F Pelican helicopter in Coast Guard service was retired. This ended the Coast Guard's "amphibious era," as no aviation asset left in service was capable of making water landings.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
MACLAY, WILLIAM P.
Rank and organization: Private, Company A, 43d Infantry, U.S. Volunteers. Place and date: At Hilongas, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 6 May 1900. Entered service at: Altoona, Pa. Birth: Spruce Creek, Pa. Date of issue: 11 March 1902. Citation: Charged an occupied bastion, saving the life of an officer in a hand-to-hand combat and destroying the enemy.
THORDSEN, WILLIAM GEORGE
Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Born: 2 April 1879, Fredericstadt, Germany. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 6, 15 August 1900. Citation. For heroism and gallantry under fire of the enemy at Hilongas, Philippine Islands, 6 May 1900.
*HOWE, JAMES D.
Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company I, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 6 May 1970. Entered service at: Fort Jackson, S.C. Born: 17 December 1948, Six Mile, Pickens, S.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with Company I, during operations against enemy forces. In the early morning hours L/Cpl. Howe and 2 other marines were occupying a defensive position in a sandy beach area fronted by bamboo thickets. Enemy sappers suddenly launched a grenade attack against the position, utilizing the cover of darkness to carry out their assault. Following the initial explosions of the grenades, L/Cpl. Howe and his 2 comrades moved to a more advantageous position in order to return suppressive fire. When an enemy grenade landed in their midst, L/Cpl. Howe immediately shouted a warning and then threw himself upon the deadly missile, thereby protecting the lives of the fellow marines. His heroic and selfless action was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service. He valiantly gave his life in the service of his country.
PATTERSON, ROBERT MARTIN
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Troop B, 2d Squadron. 17th Cavalry. Place and date: Near La Chu, Republic of Vietnam, 6 May 1968. Entered service at: Raleigh, N.C. Born: 16 April 1948, Durham, N.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Patterson (then Sp4c.) distinguished himself while serving as a fire team leader of the 3d Platoon, Troop B, during an assault against a North Vietnamese Army battalion which was entrenched in a heavily fortified position. When the leading squad of the 3d Platoon was pinned down by heavy interlocking automatic weapon and rocket propelled grenade fire from 2 enemy bunkers, Sgt. Patterson and the 2 other members of his assault team moved forward under a hail of enemy fire to destroy the bunkers with grenade and machinegun fire. Observing that his comrades were being fired on from a third enemy bunker covered by enemy gunners in l-man spider holes, Sgt. Patterson, with complete disregard for his safety and ignoring the warning of his comrades that he was moving into a bunker complex, assaulted and destroyed the position. Although exposed to intensive small arm and grenade fire from the bunkers and their mutually supporting emplacements. Sgt. Patterson continued his assault upon the bunkers which were impeding the advance of his unit. Sgt. Patterson single-handedly destroyed by rifle and grenade fire 5 enemy bunkers, killed 8 enemy soldiers and captured 7 weapons. His dauntless courage and heroism inspired his platoon to resume the attack and to penetrate the enemy defensive position. Sgt. Patterson's action at the risk of his life has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for May 6, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
6 May
1908: Through 14 May, the Wrights resumed flights at Kitty Hawk, N.C., with reporters as witnesses. This ended all doubts about the Wright's ability to fly. (24)
1912: Three Army planes from College Park flew the first group cross-country flight to Chevy Chase Club, Md. (4) (11)
1914: While observing Mexican positions from a Curtiss AH-3 hydroairplane at Vera Cruz, Lt (JG) Patrick N. L. Bellinger, the pilot, and Lt Richard C. Saufley, the observer, were struck by rifle
fire. This was the first Navy and first American plane to come under hostile fire. (21) (24)
1918: The Navy commissioned NAS Coco Solo to maintain patrols over the seaward approaches to the Panama Canal. (24)
1937: The German dirigible Hindenberg burned while moored at Lakehurst, N.J. Thirty-five people died in the fire. (21)
1941: Company test pilot Lowery Brabham flew the XP-47B Thunderbolt on its first flight in a trip from the Republic plant to Mitchel Field. (12)
1949: At Cleveland, the Sikorsky S-52-1 helicopter set an international record of 122.75 MPH for a 100-kilometer course (see 27 April 1949).
1957: The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW) at Shaw AFB received TAC's first RF-101 supersonic reconnaissance aircraft. (11)
1959: Launched from Cape Canaveral, the 16th Jupiter missile struck a target area 1,500 miles down range near Antigua Island. Afterwards, the USAF declared the missile operational. (6)
1960: At Edwards AFB, the Minuteman made its first public flight from an underground launch
pad--not a silo. (24)
1962: Operation DOMINIC. The submerged USS Ethan Allen launched a Polaris missile on a flight test from the Pacific. This may have been the first US missile launch with a live nuclear warhead.
1967: SAC flew its 10,000th B-52 mission in SEA. By this time, the B-52s had dropped over 190,000 tons of bombs in combat operations. (1)
1970: COLLIER TROPHY. Neil A. Armstrong and Cols Edwin E. Aldrin and Michael Collins from Apollo XI received the trophy for putting the first man on the moon. (5) (16)
1972: Operation CONSTANT GUARD III: After a North Vietnamese offensive, MAC helped the 49 TFW move 3,195 airmen and 1,600 tons of cargo from Holloman AFB, to Takhli, Thailand, through 15 May. As this offensive continued, MAC's C-5s airlifted 26 tanks, weighing 1.6 million pounds, on 10 flights to Da Nang, where they joined the battle in a matter of hours. (2)
1973: A C-5A returned to Edwards AFB after a 15,000-mile flight that included a low-altitude cargo drop by parachute and an inflight refueling. (3)
1987: At Sembach AB, Germany, the 43d Electronics Combat Squadron, 66th Electronic Combat
Wing, received its first EC-130H Compass Call aircraft. (16)
1994: 1Lt Leslie DeAnn Crosby became the first female pilot in the AFRES to graduate from the
ANG's F-16 fighter training course at Tucson, Ariz. (16)
2006: The last operational C-141 Starlifter (Tail No. 66-0177) from the 445th Airlift Wing (AFRC) at Wright-Patterson AFB landed at Wright Field, Ohio, for donation to the National Museum of the USAF. The landing ended 42 years of Starlifter operations in the active-duty USAF, the Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve Command. The C-141, named the "Hanoi Taxi," flew the first Vietnam prisoners of war from Hanoi to freedom on 12 February 1973. (22)
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World News for 6 May thanks to Military Periscope
USA—ICBM Test Aborted Air Force Global Strike Command | 05/06/2021 A planned test of an intercontinental ballistic missile was aborted shortly before launch, reports the Air Force Global Strike Command. On Wednesday, the unarmed Minuteman III missile was scheduled to be test-fired from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. However, during the final countdown, the missile computer detected an issue in the sequence of checks made prior to launch and shut itself down, as it is designed to do, a command spokeswoman told the Air Force Times. This is the first time such a problem has occurred in some time, the spokeswoman said. The Air Force is investigating the root cause of the fault.
USA—Austin Reverses Elevation Of Top Special Ops Post Politico | 05/06/2021 Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has partially reversed a decision made in November to shift the top civilian position overseeing special operations to report directly to the defense secretary, reports Politico. Then-Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller raised the position of assistant secretary for special operations/low-intensity conflict, putting civilian oversight of special operations on the same level as that of the civilian leaders of the military branches for the first time. The move was seen as a way to promote the needs of the special operations community and strengthen civilian oversight. Austin's decision will return the post to the Pentagon's policy office, while continuing to report to the defense secretary on administrative issues, including training, personnel and equipment. The official will continue to take part in senior leader meetings with the defense secretary, deputy and service secretaries. In other policy areas, such as counterterrorism and irregular warfare, the official will report to the Pentagon policy chief. The change does not affect the oversight of operational missions, which are approved through geographic combatant commanders, with input from policymakers, officials said. The defense secretary signed the measure on Wednesday with immediate effect.
USA—Honeywell Fined For Violating Arms Export Restrictions U.S. State Dept. | 05/06/2021 The U.S. State Dept. says it has come to a settlement with defense firm Honeywell over alleged violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The matter involves the alleged unauthorized exports and retransfers of ITAR-controlled technical data containing engineering prints showing dimensions, geometries and layouts for manufacturing castings and finished parts for multiple aircraft, gas turbine engines and military electronics to and/or within Canada, China, Ireland, Mexico and Taiwan, State said in a release on Monday. Honeywell identified 71 controlled drawings that were exported without authorization from 2011 to 2015 in a declaration the company made in 2016, reported the War Zone website. The affected platforms included the F-35 and F-22 stealth fighters; B-1B bomber; C-130 cargo aircraft; A-7H (since retired) and A-10 strike aircraft; Apache Longbow attack helicopter; M1A1 Abrams tank; Tactical Tomahawk cruise missile; and the T55 turboshaft engine used by CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. The unauthorized transfer of drawings to Canada, Ireland, Mexico and Taiwan were not assessed to have directly affected national security, according to the charging documents. In a release, Honeywell said that the issues it reported involved technologies that were assessed as affecting national security despite being commercially available around the world and emphasized that no detailed engineering or manufacturing expertise was shared. Under the settlement, Honeywell will pay a $13 million civil fine. The State Dept. said it would suspend $5 million of this figure on the condition that the company use the funds to implement strengthened compliance measures.
USA—Marine Corps Eyes New Armored Recon Vehicles Defense News | 05/06/2021 Several companies have submitted bids for a Marine Corps program for a new armored reconnaissance vehicle, reports Defense News. The service released a request for prototype proposals on March 30, reported USNI News. The solicitation period ended on Monday. The request calls for a command, control, communications and computers (C4)/uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) variant with a crew of two vehicle operators and five mission crew. A group 2 UAV along with several types of radios, workstations and mission software is expected to be integrated with the vehicle. General Dynamics Land Systems, which built the current LAV-25 light reconnaissance vehicle, confirmed it submitted a design prior to the deadline. Textron has put forward its Cottonmouth vehicle, which it has already begun testing under a company-funded program. BAE Systems has not confirmed whether it is taking part, although sources connected to the competition told Defense News that they believed the company had submitted a bid. The Marine Corps plans to choose up to three firms to build an ARV prototype for testing. Two companies would subsequently advance to the engineering and manufacturing development phase around fiscal 2024. Current plans call for building around 500 of the new vehicles.
United Kingdom—Judge Acquits Ex-Soldiers In Murder Case From The Troubles Guardian | 05/06/2021 A judge has acquitted a pair of soldiers accused of murdering a member of the Official Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland in 1972, reports the Guardian (U.K.). The case against the two unnamed soldiers collapsed after the public prosecution service decided not to appeal the judge's decision to declare some evidence as inadmissible. The prosecution's case relied on testimony given by the accused to the Royal Military Police in 1972 and then to Northern Ireland police in 2010. Prosecutors acknowledged that there were deficiencies in how the original statements were taken but argued that they should be accepted since the defendants accepted them during questioning in 2010. The judge said the court could not accept the 1972 statements or their 2010 version. The prosecution decided not to appeal the decision, collapsing the case. The judge then pronounced the suspects not guilty. The former soldiers were charged with murder for shooting Official IRA member Joe McCann in the back when he fled an attempt to arrest him in April 1972.
Germany—Defense Ministry Rejects French Offer Of Used Patrol Aircraft Defense News | 05/06/2021 The German Defense Ministry has apparently rejected a French offer for used maritime patrol aircraft to fill a projected capability gap, reports Defense News. The German navy is looking to acquire new patrol aircraft to replace aging P-3 Orion planes by 2025. A planned joint program with France to develop a new maritime patrol capability is not expected to be fielded before 2035. Last month, Paris offered to supply used Atlantic 2 aircraft modernized to the latest Standard 6 configuration to replace the Orions. The first indication that the French offer was not acceptable emerged in an April letter from Thomas Silberhorn, a deputy defense minister, to a German lawmaker on the parliamentary defense committee, reported the German government's Behoerden Spiegel news service. In the letter, Silberhorn said that the Atlantic 2s would not come close to closing the gap in required maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare training and mission capabilities. He noted that France had not specified the condition of the aircraft, which were first produced in 1984 and suggested that they might need to be re-winged. It is not clear if the German government has informed Paris of its decision. The defense ministry wants to make a decision on new aircraft before elections scheduled for later this year. The U.S. P-8A Poseidon is most likely to be chosen as the Orion replacement, analysts said.
Germany—Ansaar International Islamist Organization Accused Of Funding Terrorism Deutsche Welle | 05/06/2021 The German government has banned an Islamist organization that it says finances terrorist groups around the world, reports Deutsche Welle. On Wednesday, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said that Ansaar International, based in Dusseldorf, and several of its suborganizations had been banned. Subgroups that were affected included the Anis Ben-Hatira Foundation; the Somali Committee for Information and Advice in Darmstadt; the ANS.Justice women's rights association; and the secondhand charity stores Umma Shop and Better World Appeal. Although nominally independent, these suborganizations are reportedly financially dependent on each other and served to disguise the flow of money from Ansaar International, reported Die Zeit newspaper. Ansaar International and its network financed terrorism through donations to terror organizations, including Nusra Front in Syria; Hamas in the Palestinian territories; and Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
Turkey—Batu Indigenous Tank Engine Passes Initial Test Anadolu News Agency | 05/06/2021 Turkey's first domestically developed tank engine has been successfully tested, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). The 1,500-hp Batu water-cooled, turbodiesel engine was turned on for the first time, Ismail Demir, the head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), said on Wednesday, as cited by the Daily Sabah (Istanbul). The engine was placed on the test bench at the end of March, with initial testing set for April. The Batu, developed by Turkish firm BMC Power, is initially intended to power the indigenous Altay main battle tank. It can also be integrated with other types of armored vehicles, officials said.
European Union—Training Mission Considered In Mozambique Reuters | 05/06/2021 The European Union is considering a request from Mozambique for a training mission to help the military fight a growing Islamist insurgency, reports Reuters. On Thursday, E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the bloc was considering a civilian mission to help the Mozambican armed forces fight Ansar Al Sunnah in the northern Cabo Delgado province. Mozambique first requested the assistance in September. Any mission there would be similar to the E.U. training efforts in the Sahel, where the bloc provides training and advice to national security forces. It was not immediately clear if the E.U. would include a military component in a potential mission. E.U. defense ministers are scheduled to discuss the mission during a meeting on Thursday.
European Union—New Rapid Response Force Under Consideration Reuters | 05/06/2021 The European Union is mulling the creation of a joint rapid response force, reports Reuters. Fourteen member states have proposed the establishment of a brigade of 5,000 troops, potentially including ships and aircraft, that could quickly intervene in international crises, with an eye on assisting foreign democratic governments who seek assistance, said a senior E.U. official. The 14 countries are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. E.U. defense ministers are scheduled to discuss the proposal in a Thursday meeting led by E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. E.U. battlegroups of around 1,500 troops have been established previously but have never been used. The battlegroups could form the basis of the new first entry force as part of efforts to strengthen the bloc's military capabilities.
Russia—80,000 Troops Remain Near Ukraine, Pentagon Officials Say New York Times | 05/06/2021 Senior U.S. Defense Dept. officials say Russia has withdrawn only a few thousand troops following a massive deployment to the Ukrainian border earlier this year, reports the New York Times. An estimated 80,000 troops remain near the border despite a well-publicized withdrawal that was completed on May 1, said senior White House officials. Many units left their heavy equipment in place, suggesting that they could be quickly redeployed should President Vladimir Putin choose. Last month, Russia deployed around 120,000 troops to the border ostensibly for exercises. The number of troops along the border remains higher than before the buildup, a NATO official told the Wall Street Journal. Biden administration officials said that they were interpreting the sustained Russian troop presence as a message that he could overmatch the allied troops taking part in U.S. and NATO drills in Europe. Some 28,000 troops are taking part in the U.S.-led Defender Europe drills, which began on Tuesday.
Indonesia—Chinese Ships Arrive To Help Salvage Sunken Sub USNI News | 05/06/2021 Three Chinese naval vessels have arrived in Indonesia to support efforts to recover the Indonesian submarine that sank last month, reports USNI News. On Monday, the ocean tug Nantuo-195 and ocean salvage and rescue ship Yongxing Dao-863, arrived in Bali. The scientific research vessel Tan Suo 2 was expected to arrive on Wednesday. The Nanggala sank in the Bali Strait during a torpedo exercise on April 21 and was later located broken into three pieces at a depth of more than 2,620 feet (800 m), noted Agence France-Presse. All three Chinese ships can conduct salvage operations at depths of up to 14,760 feet (4,500 m). A civilian drilling vessel owned by Indonesia's upstream oil and gas regulator, SKK Migas, with a 1,200-metric-ton capacity crane is also expected to join the recovery operations.
Burma—Shadow Government Establishes Armed Force Irrawaddy | 05/06/2021 Burma's democratically elected government, which was ousted in a Feb. 1 military coup, says it has created an armed force to fight the junta, reports the Irrawaddy (Burma). On Wednesday, the National Unity Government (NUG) announced the formation of the People's Defense Force, saying it had a responsibility to end the military regime's violence against the people of Burma and 70 years of civil war. The NUG a called for the transformation of the Burmese security sector and the establishment of a new federal military, of which the PDF would be a precursor. Further information about the new force would be released later, said NUG Deputy Defense Minister Khin Ma Ma Myo. The new force may include elements of Burma's numerous ethnic separatist groups, many of which have stepped up attacks on security forces since the coup, reported the Kyodo news agency (Tokyo).
Afghanistan—Taliban Fighters Overrun District In Baghlan Province Khaama Press | 05/06/2021 Taliban militants have seized control of the Burka district in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province, reports the Khaama Press (Afghanistan). On Tuesday night, the Taliban gained control of the district following an offensive, a provincial police spokesman said. The Taliban said it captured the police headquarters, district government offices and several security outposts in Burka, reported the Tolo news agency (Afghanistan). Security forces stationed near the district are preparing for a counterattack. Elsewhere in Baghlan province, Taliban fighters attacked an Afghan military outpost on Tuesday in Baghlan Markazi, killing nine personnel and capturing 16. Several military vehicles were also set on fire.
Israel—Netanyahu Again Fails To Form Government Jerusalem Post | 05/06/2021 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to form a government before a deadline set by President Reuven Rivlin, reports the Jerusalem Post. The deadline expired at midnight on Tuesday. Shortly before the deadline, Netanyahu released a statement blaming Naftali Bennett, the leader of the new Yamina party, for refusing to help form a right-wing governing coalition. This is the third time in the last two years that Netanyahu has failed to form a government. On Wednesday night, Rivlin announced that he was giving a mandate to Yai Lapid, the leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party that came in second in the most recent election, to form a government. Lapid and Bennett were expected to begin marathon talks on Thursday to form a unity government. The leaders say they believe they can form a new ruling coalition in about a week. There are concerns that Netanyahu is trying to sabotage efforts to form a government that could replace him.
Morocco—Agreements Signed With Serbia On Security, Political Issues Morocco World News | 05/06/2021 Morocco and Serbia have signed new bilateral agreements on security, political and cultural cooperation, reports Morocco World News. On Wednesday, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic met with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat. During the talks, the ministers signed three accords, covering military cooperation, political consultations and culture, youth and sports. Details of the agreements were not immediately available. Morocco has supported Serbia over Kosovo, maintaining opposition to separatism and supporting national, territorial integrity. Belgrade has provided similar support to Rabat over Western Sahara.
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Good Thursday Morning May
Regards,
Skip.
This day in Naval History May 6, 2019
1860 The sloop-of-war Portsmouth, commanded by John Calhoun, captures the slaver brig Falmouth off Porto Praya.
1908 The Great White Fleet anchors in San Francisco Bay, Calif. The fleet is delayed from its round-the-world cruise after both Rear Adm. Robley D. Evans and Rear Adm. Charles M. Thomas fall ill. On May 15, Rear Adm. Charles S. Sperry assumed command and completes the cruise ending Feb. 22, 1909.
1916 The first ship-to-shore radio telephone voice conversation was held on board USS New Hampshire (BB 25) off the Virginia Capes.
1944 USS Buckley (DE 51) rams German submarine U 66 while TBMs (VC 55) from USS Block Island (CVE 21) attack U 66 near Cape Verdes.
1945 USS Farquhar (DE 139) sinks the last German submarine, U 881, in the North Atlantic.
1995 USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) is launched at the Avondale Shipyard, Inc. at New Orleans, La. The Henry J. Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler is operated by the Military Sealift Command. The Laramie enters non-commissioned U.S. Navy service May 7, 1996.
Thanks to CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• The Washington Post published an op-ed by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin about integrated deterrence.
• USNI News and the Telegraph reported on the First Sea Lord Adm. Tony Radakin's visit to the U.S. and engagements with CNO Adm. Mike Gilday.
• Stars and Stripes reported Adm. Paparo assumed command as PACFLT.
:
This Day in World History May 6
1527 German troops begin sacking Rome. Libraries are destroyed, the Pope is captured and thousands are killed.
1529 Babur defeats the Afghan Chiefs in the Battle of Ghaghra, India.
1682 King Louis XIV moves his court to Versailles, France.
1856 U.S. Army troops from Fort Tejon and Fort Miller prepare to ride out to protect Keyesville, California, from Yokut Indian attack.
1861 Arkansas becomes the ninth state to secede from the Union.
1862 Henry David Thoreau dies of tuberculosis at age 44.
1864 In the second day of the Battle of the Wilderness between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee, Confederate Gen. James Longstreet is wounded by his own men.
1877Chief Crazy Horse surrenders to U.S. troops in Nebraska. Crazy Horse brought General George Custer to his end.
1937 The dirigible Hindenburg explodes in flames at Lakehurst, New Jersey.
1941 Bob Hope gives his first USO show at California's March Field.
1942 General Jonathan Wainwright surrenders Corregidor to the Japanese.
1944 The Red Army besieges and captures Sevastopol in the Crimea.
1945 Axis Sally makes her final propaganda broadcast to Allied troops.
1954 British runner Roger Bannister breaks the four minute mile.
1960 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
1962 The first nuclear warhead is fired from a Polaris submarine.
1994 The Channel Tunnel linking England to France is officially opened.
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Thanks to CAP
VERY Scary.....
From "show me your papers" to "I know what you do and say"……
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Thanks to Dr. Rich
I have no words for this one that are printable.
Honeywell Leaks Technical Details of F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor and B-1 Bomber to China - Joe Biden Gives Them a Sla...
Intentionally selling classified and highly sensitive aviation information to our enemies for several YEARS, and all they get is a minor financial penalty and a verbal warning?
Tam
The company has been accused of violating the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
Honeywell was found to be indulged in unauthorized "exports and retransfers of ITAR-controlled technical data that contained engineering prints showing dimensions, geometries, and layouts for manufacturing castings and finished parts for multiple aircraft, gas turbine engines, and military electronics to and/or within Canada, Ireland, Mexico, the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan," according to the US Government.
Advertisement - story continues below
In the claimed "settlement", the company is required to pay $13 million in civil penalties and other things, $5 million of which was immediately suspended on the condition that Honeywell used it towards "remedial compliance measures".
The US government, however, chose to be a little lenient with the company as it 'voluntarily' disclosed the violations to the state department.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— ... For The List for Thursday, 6 May 2021... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-68)...
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 6 May 1966...
"The Tragic Tale of Captain Charles Ervin Shelton, USAF and his valiant wife, Marian (both deceased and RIP)"
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-6-may-1966-guts-to-the-end/
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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This Day in U S Military History…….May 6
1935 – The first flight of the Curtiss P-36 Hawk. The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design making extensive use of metal in its construction and powered by a powerful radial engine. Perhaps best known as the predecessor of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, the P-36 saw little combat with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was nevertheless the fighter used most extensively and successfully by the French Armee de l'air during the Battle of France. The P-36 was also ordered by the governments of the Netherlands and Norway, but did not arrive in time to see action over either country, before both were occupied by Nazi Germany. The type was also manufactured under license in China, for the Republic of China Air Force, as well as in British India, for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF). Axis and co-belligerent air forces also made significant use of captured P-36s. Following the fall of France and Norway in 1940, several dozen P-36s were seized by Germany and transferred to Finland; these aircraft saw extensive action with the Ilmavoimat (Air Force) against the Soviet Air Forces. The P-36 was also used by Vichy French air forces in several minor conflicts; in one of these, the Franco-Thai War of 1940–41, P-36s were used by both sides. From mid-1940, some P-36s en route for France and the Netherlands were diverted to Allied air forces in other parts of the world. The Hawks ordered by the Netherlands were diverted to the Dutch East Indies and later saw action against Japanese forces. French orders were taken up by British Commonwealth air forces, and saw combat with both the South African Air Force (SAAF) against Italian forces in East Africa, and with the RAF over Burma. Within the Commonwealth, the type was usually referred to as the Curtiss Mohawk. With around 1,000 aircraft built by Curtiss itself, the P-36 was a major commercial success for the company. It also became the basis not only of the P-40, but two other, unsuccessful prototypes: the YP-37 and the XP-42 .
1937 – The airship Hindenburg, the largest dirigible ever built and the pride of Nazi Germany, bursts into flames upon touching its mooring mast in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 passengers and crewmembers. Frenchman Henri Giffard constructed the first successful airship in 1852. His hydrogen-filled blimp carried a three-horsepower steam engine that turned a large propeller and flew at a speed of six miles per hour. The rigid airship, often known as the "zeppelin" after the last name of its innovator, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, was developed by the Germans in the late 19th century. Unlike French airships, the German ships had a light framework of metal girders that protected a gas-filled interior. However, like Giffard's airship, they were lifted by highly flammable hydrogen gas and vulnerable to explosion. Large enough to carry substantial numbers of passengers, one of the most famous rigid airships was the Graf Zeppelin, a dirigible that traveled around the world in 1929. In the 1930s, the Graf Zeppelin pioneered the first transatlantic air service, leading to the construction of the Hindenburg, a larger passenger airship. On May 3, 1937, the Hindenburg left Frankfurt, Germany, for the first of 10 scheduled journey's across the Atlantic to Lakehurst's Navy Air Base. On its maiden voyage, the Hindenburg, stretching 804 feet from stern to bow, carried 36 passengers and crew of 61. While attempting to moor at Lakehurst, the airship suddenly burst into flames, probably after a spark ignited its hydrogen core. Rapidly falling 200 feet to the ground, the hull of the airship incinerated within seconds. Thirteen passengers, 21 crewmen, and 1 civilian member of the ground crew lost their lives, and most of the survivors suffered substantial injuries. Radio announcer Herb Morrison, who came to Lakehurst to record a routine voice-over for an NBC newsreel, immortalized the Hindenberg disaster in a famous on-the-scene description in which he emotionally declared, "Oh, the humanity!" The recording of Morrison's commentary was immediately flown to New York, where it was aired as part of America's first coast-to-coast radio news broadcast. Lighter-than-air passenger travel rapidly fell out of favor after the Hindenberg disaster, and no rigid airships survived World War II.
1941 – Bob Hope (b. May 29, 1903) began broadcasting his first USO radio show from March Field at Riverside, Ca. The United Service Organizations (USO) began operations this year and provided free coffee, donuts, and entertainment to US military forces. The organization is supported entirely by private citizens and corporations.
1941 – The first flight of the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was one of the largest and heaviest fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single piston engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to eight tons, and in the fighter-bomber ground-attack roles could carry five-inch rockets or a significant bomb load of 2,500 pounds; it could carry more than half the payload of the B-17 bomber on long-range missions (although the B-17 had a far greater range). The P-47, based on the powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine—the same engine used by two very successful U.S. Navy fighters, the Grumman F6F Hellcat and Vought F4U Corsair—was to be very effective as a short-to-medium range escort fighter in high-altitude air-to-air combat and, when unleashed as a fighter-bomber, proved especially adept at ground attack in both the World War II European and Pacific Theaters. The P-47 was one of the main United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighters of World War II, and served with other Allied air forces, notably those of France, Britain, and Russia. Mexican and Brazilian squadrons fighting alongside the U.S. were equipped with the P-47. The armored cockpit was roomy inside, comfortable for the pilot, and offered good visibility. A modern-day U.S. ground-attack aircraft, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, takes its name from the P-47
1944 – The first flight of the Mitsubishi A7M fighter (designed to replace the Zero) takes place. Technical problems and Allied bombing raids prevent mass production.
1945 – The US 97th Division, part of US 5th Corps of the US 3rd Army, occupies Pilsen in Czechoslovakia. The US 12th Corps advances toward Prague but the army is ordered to halt the advance and allow Soviets to occupy the rest of the country as has been arranged.
1945 – On Luzon, elements of the US 25th Division, part of US 1st Corps, capture the Kembu plateau. On Mindanao, the US 24th and 31st Divisions overrun Japanese positions north of Davao, where the Japanese 35th Army (General Morozumi) is concentrated.
1945 – On Okinawa, the Japanese offensive loses momentum. Japanese forces have sustain losses of at least 5000 killed. Even while it has been going on, American forces have made gains near Machinto airfield and Maeda Ridge.
1969 – A US helicopter crashes 75 miles north of Saigon killing 34 and injuring 35 in what is believed to be the worst helicopter accident of the war. To this date, 2,595 helicopters have been lost.
1972 – The remnants of South Vietnam's 5th Division at An Loc continue to receive daily artillery battering from the communist forces surrounding the city as reinforcements fight their way from the south up Highway 13. The South Vietnamese had been under heavy attack since the North Vietnamese had launched their Nguyen Hue Offensive on March 30. The communists had mounted a massive invasion of South Vietnam with 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. The main North Vietnamese objectives, in addition to An Loc in the south, were Quang Tri in the north, and Kontum in the Central Highlands. In Binh Long Province, the North Vietnamese forces had crossed into South Vietnam from Cambodia on April 5 to strike first at Loc Ninh. After taking Loc Ninh, the North Vietnamese forces then quickly encircled An Loc, the capital of Binh Long Province, which was only 65 miles from Saigon. The North Vietnamese held An Loc under siege for almost three months while they made repeated attempts to take the city, bombarding it around the clock. The defenders suffered heavy casualties, including 2,300 dead or missing, but with the aid of U.S. advisers and American airpower, they managed to hold out against vastly superior odds until the siege was lifted on June 18. Fighting continued all over South Vietnam into the summer months, but eventually the South Vietnamese forces prevailed against the invaders and they retook Quang Tri in September. With the communist invasion blunted, President Nixon declared that the South Vietnamese victory proved the viability of his Vietnamization program, which he had instituted in 1969 to increase the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces.
1994 – The last HH-3F Pelican helicopter in Coast Guard service was retired. This ended the Coast Guard's "amphibious era," as no aviation asset left in service was capable of making water landings.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
MACLAY, WILLIAM P.
Rank and organization: Private, Company A, 43d Infantry, U.S. Volunteers. Place and date: At Hilongas, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 6 May 1900. Entered service at: Altoona, Pa. Birth: Spruce Creek, Pa. Date of issue: 11 March 1902. Citation: Charged an occupied bastion, saving the life of an officer in a hand-to-hand combat and destroying the enemy.
THORDSEN, WILLIAM GEORGE
Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Born: 2 April 1879, Fredericstadt, Germany. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 6, 15 August 1900. Citation. For heroism and gallantry under fire of the enemy at Hilongas, Philippine Islands, 6 May 1900.
*HOWE, JAMES D.
Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company I, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 6 May 1970. Entered service at: Fort Jackson, S.C. Born: 17 December 1948, Six Mile, Pickens, S.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with Company I, during operations against enemy forces. In the early morning hours L/Cpl. Howe and 2 other marines were occupying a defensive position in a sandy beach area fronted by bamboo thickets. Enemy sappers suddenly launched a grenade attack against the position, utilizing the cover of darkness to carry out their assault. Following the initial explosions of the grenades, L/Cpl. Howe and his 2 comrades moved to a more advantageous position in order to return suppressive fire. When an enemy grenade landed in their midst, L/Cpl. Howe immediately shouted a warning and then threw himself upon the deadly missile, thereby protecting the lives of the fellow marines. His heroic and selfless action was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service. He valiantly gave his life in the service of his country.
PATTERSON, ROBERT MARTIN
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Troop B, 2d Squadron. 17th Cavalry. Place and date: Near La Chu, Republic of Vietnam, 6 May 1968. Entered service at: Raleigh, N.C. Born: 16 April 1948, Durham, N.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Patterson (then Sp4c.) distinguished himself while serving as a fire team leader of the 3d Platoon, Troop B, during an assault against a North Vietnamese Army battalion which was entrenched in a heavily fortified position. When the leading squad of the 3d Platoon was pinned down by heavy interlocking automatic weapon and rocket propelled grenade fire from 2 enemy bunkers, Sgt. Patterson and the 2 other members of his assault team moved forward under a hail of enemy fire to destroy the bunkers with grenade and machinegun fire. Observing that his comrades were being fired on from a third enemy bunker covered by enemy gunners in l-man spider holes, Sgt. Patterson, with complete disregard for his safety and ignoring the warning of his comrades that he was moving into a bunker complex, assaulted and destroyed the position. Although exposed to intensive small arm and grenade fire from the bunkers and their mutually supporting emplacements. Sgt. Patterson continued his assault upon the bunkers which were impeding the advance of his unit. Sgt. Patterson single-handedly destroyed by rifle and grenade fire 5 enemy bunkers, killed 8 enemy soldiers and captured 7 weapons. His dauntless courage and heroism inspired his platoon to resume the attack and to penetrate the enemy defensive position. Sgt. Patterson's action at the risk of his life has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for May 6, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
6 May
1908: Through 14 May, the Wrights resumed flights at Kitty Hawk, N.C., with reporters as witnesses. This ended all doubts about the Wright's ability to fly. (24)
1912: Three Army planes from College Park flew the first group cross-country flight to Chevy Chase Club, Md. (4) (11)
1914: While observing Mexican positions from a Curtiss AH-3 hydroairplane at Vera Cruz, Lt (JG) Patrick N. L. Bellinger, the pilot, and Lt Richard C. Saufley, the observer, were struck by rifle
fire. This was the first Navy and first American plane to come under hostile fire. (21) (24)
1918: The Navy commissioned NAS Coco Solo to maintain patrols over the seaward approaches to the Panama Canal. (24)
1937: The German dirigible Hindenberg burned while moored at Lakehurst, N.J. Thirty-five people died in the fire. (21)
1941: Company test pilot Lowery Brabham flew the XP-47B Thunderbolt on its first flight in a trip from the Republic plant to Mitchel Field. (12)
1949: At Cleveland, the Sikorsky S-52-1 helicopter set an international record of 122.75 MPH for a 100-kilometer course (see 27 April 1949).
1957: The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW) at Shaw AFB received TAC's first RF-101 supersonic reconnaissance aircraft. (11)
1959: Launched from Cape Canaveral, the 16th Jupiter missile struck a target area 1,500 miles down range near Antigua Island. Afterwards, the USAF declared the missile operational. (6)
1960: At Edwards AFB, the Minuteman made its first public flight from an underground launch
pad--not a silo. (24)
1962: Operation DOMINIC. The submerged USS Ethan Allen launched a Polaris missile on a flight test from the Pacific. This may have been the first US missile launch with a live nuclear warhead.
1967: SAC flew its 10,000th B-52 mission in SEA. By this time, the B-52s had dropped over 190,000 tons of bombs in combat operations. (1)
1970: COLLIER TROPHY. Neil A. Armstrong and Cols Edwin E. Aldrin and Michael Collins from Apollo XI received the trophy for putting the first man on the moon. (5) (16)
1972: Operation CONSTANT GUARD III: After a North Vietnamese offensive, MAC helped the 49 TFW move 3,195 airmen and 1,600 tons of cargo from Holloman AFB, to Takhli, Thailand, through 15 May. As this offensive continued, MAC's C-5s airlifted 26 tanks, weighing 1.6 million pounds, on 10 flights to Da Nang, where they joined the battle in a matter of hours. (2)
1973: A C-5A returned to Edwards AFB after a 15,000-mile flight that included a low-altitude cargo drop by parachute and an inflight refueling. (3)
1987: At Sembach AB, Germany, the 43d Electronics Combat Squadron, 66th Electronic Combat
Wing, received its first EC-130H Compass Call aircraft. (16)
1994: 1Lt Leslie DeAnn Crosby became the first female pilot in the AFRES to graduate from the
ANG's F-16 fighter training course at Tucson, Ariz. (16)
2006: The last operational C-141 Starlifter (Tail No. 66-0177) from the 445th Airlift Wing (AFRC) at Wright-Patterson AFB landed at Wright Field, Ohio, for donation to the National Museum of the USAF. The landing ended 42 years of Starlifter operations in the active-duty USAF, the Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve Command. The C-141, named the "Hanoi Taxi," flew the first Vietnam prisoners of war from Hanoi to freedom on 12 February 1973. (22)
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World News for 6 May thanks to Military Periscope
USA—ICBM Test Aborted Air Force Global Strike Command | 05/06/2021 A planned test of an intercontinental ballistic missile was aborted shortly before launch, reports the Air Force Global Strike Command. On Wednesday, the unarmed Minuteman III missile was scheduled to be test-fired from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. However, during the final countdown, the missile computer detected an issue in the sequence of checks made prior to launch and shut itself down, as it is designed to do, a command spokeswoman told the Air Force Times. This is the first time such a problem has occurred in some time, the spokeswoman said. The Air Force is investigating the root cause of the fault.
USA—Austin Reverses Elevation Of Top Special Ops Post Politico | 05/06/2021 Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has partially reversed a decision made in November to shift the top civilian position overseeing special operations to report directly to the defense secretary, reports Politico. Then-Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller raised the position of assistant secretary for special operations/low-intensity conflict, putting civilian oversight of special operations on the same level as that of the civilian leaders of the military branches for the first time. The move was seen as a way to promote the needs of the special operations community and strengthen civilian oversight. Austin's decision will return the post to the Pentagon's policy office, while continuing to report to the defense secretary on administrative issues, including training, personnel and equipment. The official will continue to take part in senior leader meetings with the defense secretary, deputy and service secretaries. In other policy areas, such as counterterrorism and irregular warfare, the official will report to the Pentagon policy chief. The change does not affect the oversight of operational missions, which are approved through geographic combatant commanders, with input from policymakers, officials said. The defense secretary signed the measure on Wednesday with immediate effect.
USA—Honeywell Fined For Violating Arms Export Restrictions U.S. State Dept. | 05/06/2021 The U.S. State Dept. says it has come to a settlement with defense firm Honeywell over alleged violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The matter involves the alleged unauthorized exports and retransfers of ITAR-controlled technical data containing engineering prints showing dimensions, geometries and layouts for manufacturing castings and finished parts for multiple aircraft, gas turbine engines and military electronics to and/or within Canada, China, Ireland, Mexico and Taiwan, State said in a release on Monday. Honeywell identified 71 controlled drawings that were exported without authorization from 2011 to 2015 in a declaration the company made in 2016, reported the War Zone website. The affected platforms included the F-35 and F-22 stealth fighters; B-1B bomber; C-130 cargo aircraft; A-7H (since retired) and A-10 strike aircraft; Apache Longbow attack helicopter; M1A1 Abrams tank; Tactical Tomahawk cruise missile; and the T55 turboshaft engine used by CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. The unauthorized transfer of drawings to Canada, Ireland, Mexico and Taiwan were not assessed to have directly affected national security, according to the charging documents. In a release, Honeywell said that the issues it reported involved technologies that were assessed as affecting national security despite being commercially available around the world and emphasized that no detailed engineering or manufacturing expertise was shared. Under the settlement, Honeywell will pay a $13 million civil fine. The State Dept. said it would suspend $5 million of this figure on the condition that the company use the funds to implement strengthened compliance measures.
USA—Marine Corps Eyes New Armored Recon Vehicles Defense News | 05/06/2021 Several companies have submitted bids for a Marine Corps program for a new armored reconnaissance vehicle, reports Defense News. The service released a request for prototype proposals on March 30, reported USNI News. The solicitation period ended on Monday. The request calls for a command, control, communications and computers (C4)/uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) variant with a crew of two vehicle operators and five mission crew. A group 2 UAV along with several types of radios, workstations and mission software is expected to be integrated with the vehicle. General Dynamics Land Systems, which built the current LAV-25 light reconnaissance vehicle, confirmed it submitted a design prior to the deadline. Textron has put forward its Cottonmouth vehicle, which it has already begun testing under a company-funded program. BAE Systems has not confirmed whether it is taking part, although sources connected to the competition told Defense News that they believed the company had submitted a bid. The Marine Corps plans to choose up to three firms to build an ARV prototype for testing. Two companies would subsequently advance to the engineering and manufacturing development phase around fiscal 2024. Current plans call for building around 500 of the new vehicles.
United Kingdom—Judge Acquits Ex-Soldiers In Murder Case From The Troubles Guardian | 05/06/2021 A judge has acquitted a pair of soldiers accused of murdering a member of the Official Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland in 1972, reports the Guardian (U.K.). The case against the two unnamed soldiers collapsed after the public prosecution service decided not to appeal the judge's decision to declare some evidence as inadmissible. The prosecution's case relied on testimony given by the accused to the Royal Military Police in 1972 and then to Northern Ireland police in 2010. Prosecutors acknowledged that there were deficiencies in how the original statements were taken but argued that they should be accepted since the defendants accepted them during questioning in 2010. The judge said the court could not accept the 1972 statements or their 2010 version. The prosecution decided not to appeal the decision, collapsing the case. The judge then pronounced the suspects not guilty. The former soldiers were charged with murder for shooting Official IRA member Joe McCann in the back when he fled an attempt to arrest him in April 1972.
Germany—Defense Ministry Rejects French Offer Of Used Patrol Aircraft Defense News | 05/06/2021 The German Defense Ministry has apparently rejected a French offer for used maritime patrol aircraft to fill a projected capability gap, reports Defense News. The German navy is looking to acquire new patrol aircraft to replace aging P-3 Orion planes by 2025. A planned joint program with France to develop a new maritime patrol capability is not expected to be fielded before 2035. Last month, Paris offered to supply used Atlantic 2 aircraft modernized to the latest Standard 6 configuration to replace the Orions. The first indication that the French offer was not acceptable emerged in an April letter from Thomas Silberhorn, a deputy defense minister, to a German lawmaker on the parliamentary defense committee, reported the German government's Behoerden Spiegel news service. In the letter, Silberhorn said that the Atlantic 2s would not come close to closing the gap in required maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare training and mission capabilities. He noted that France had not specified the condition of the aircraft, which were first produced in 1984 and suggested that they might need to be re-winged. It is not clear if the German government has informed Paris of its decision. The defense ministry wants to make a decision on new aircraft before elections scheduled for later this year. The U.S. P-8A Poseidon is most likely to be chosen as the Orion replacement, analysts said.
Germany—Ansaar International Islamist Organization Accused Of Funding Terrorism Deutsche Welle | 05/06/2021 The German government has banned an Islamist organization that it says finances terrorist groups around the world, reports Deutsche Welle. On Wednesday, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said that Ansaar International, based in Dusseldorf, and several of its suborganizations had been banned. Subgroups that were affected included the Anis Ben-Hatira Foundation; the Somali Committee for Information and Advice in Darmstadt; the ANS.Justice women's rights association; and the secondhand charity stores Umma Shop and Better World Appeal. Although nominally independent, these suborganizations are reportedly financially dependent on each other and served to disguise the flow of money from Ansaar International, reported Die Zeit newspaper. Ansaar International and its network financed terrorism through donations to terror organizations, including Nusra Front in Syria; Hamas in the Palestinian territories; and Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
Turkey—Batu Indigenous Tank Engine Passes Initial Test Anadolu News Agency | 05/06/2021 Turkey's first domestically developed tank engine has been successfully tested, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). The 1,500-hp Batu water-cooled, turbodiesel engine was turned on for the first time, Ismail Demir, the head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), said on Wednesday, as cited by the Daily Sabah (Istanbul). The engine was placed on the test bench at the end of March, with initial testing set for April. The Batu, developed by Turkish firm BMC Power, is initially intended to power the indigenous Altay main battle tank. It can also be integrated with other types of armored vehicles, officials said.
European Union—Training Mission Considered In Mozambique Reuters | 05/06/2021 The European Union is considering a request from Mozambique for a training mission to help the military fight a growing Islamist insurgency, reports Reuters. On Thursday, E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the bloc was considering a civilian mission to help the Mozambican armed forces fight Ansar Al Sunnah in the northern Cabo Delgado province. Mozambique first requested the assistance in September. Any mission there would be similar to the E.U. training efforts in the Sahel, where the bloc provides training and advice to national security forces. It was not immediately clear if the E.U. would include a military component in a potential mission. E.U. defense ministers are scheduled to discuss the mission during a meeting on Thursday.
European Union—New Rapid Response Force Under Consideration Reuters | 05/06/2021 The European Union is mulling the creation of a joint rapid response force, reports Reuters. Fourteen member states have proposed the establishment of a brigade of 5,000 troops, potentially including ships and aircraft, that could quickly intervene in international crises, with an eye on assisting foreign democratic governments who seek assistance, said a senior E.U. official. The 14 countries are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. E.U. defense ministers are scheduled to discuss the proposal in a Thursday meeting led by E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. E.U. battlegroups of around 1,500 troops have been established previously but have never been used. The battlegroups could form the basis of the new first entry force as part of efforts to strengthen the bloc's military capabilities.
Russia—80,000 Troops Remain Near Ukraine, Pentagon Officials Say New York Times | 05/06/2021 Senior U.S. Defense Dept. officials say Russia has withdrawn only a few thousand troops following a massive deployment to the Ukrainian border earlier this year, reports the New York Times. An estimated 80,000 troops remain near the border despite a well-publicized withdrawal that was completed on May 1, said senior White House officials. Many units left their heavy equipment in place, suggesting that they could be quickly redeployed should President Vladimir Putin choose. Last month, Russia deployed around 120,000 troops to the border ostensibly for exercises. The number of troops along the border remains higher than before the buildup, a NATO official told the Wall Street Journal. Biden administration officials said that they were interpreting the sustained Russian troop presence as a message that he could overmatch the allied troops taking part in U.S. and NATO drills in Europe. Some 28,000 troops are taking part in the U.S.-led Defender Europe drills, which began on Tuesday.
Indonesia—Chinese Ships Arrive To Help Salvage Sunken Sub USNI News | 05/06/2021 Three Chinese naval vessels have arrived in Indonesia to support efforts to recover the Indonesian submarine that sank last month, reports USNI News. On Monday, the ocean tug Nantuo-195 and ocean salvage and rescue ship Yongxing Dao-863, arrived in Bali. The scientific research vessel Tan Suo 2 was expected to arrive on Wednesday. The Nanggala sank in the Bali Strait during a torpedo exercise on April 21 and was later located broken into three pieces at a depth of more than 2,620 feet (800 m), noted Agence France-Presse. All three Chinese ships can conduct salvage operations at depths of up to 14,760 feet (4,500 m). A civilian drilling vessel owned by Indonesia's upstream oil and gas regulator, SKK Migas, with a 1,200-metric-ton capacity crane is also expected to join the recovery operations.
Burma—Shadow Government Establishes Armed Force Irrawaddy | 05/06/2021 Burma's democratically elected government, which was ousted in a Feb. 1 military coup, says it has created an armed force to fight the junta, reports the Irrawaddy (Burma). On Wednesday, the National Unity Government (NUG) announced the formation of the People's Defense Force, saying it had a responsibility to end the military regime's violence against the people of Burma and 70 years of civil war. The NUG a called for the transformation of the Burmese security sector and the establishment of a new federal military, of which the PDF would be a precursor. Further information about the new force would be released later, said NUG Deputy Defense Minister Khin Ma Ma Myo. The new force may include elements of Burma's numerous ethnic separatist groups, many of which have stepped up attacks on security forces since the coup, reported the Kyodo news agency (Tokyo).
Afghanistan—Taliban Fighters Overrun District In Baghlan Province Khaama Press | 05/06/2021 Taliban militants have seized control of the Burka district in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province, reports the Khaama Press (Afghanistan). On Tuesday night, the Taliban gained control of the district following an offensive, a provincial police spokesman said. The Taliban said it captured the police headquarters, district government offices and several security outposts in Burka, reported the Tolo news agency (Afghanistan). Security forces stationed near the district are preparing for a counterattack. Elsewhere in Baghlan province, Taliban fighters attacked an Afghan military outpost on Tuesday in Baghlan Markazi, killing nine personnel and capturing 16. Several military vehicles were also set on fire.
Israel—Netanyahu Again Fails To Form Government Jerusalem Post | 05/06/2021 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to form a government before a deadline set by President Reuven Rivlin, reports the Jerusalem Post. The deadline expired at midnight on Tuesday. Shortly before the deadline, Netanyahu released a statement blaming Naftali Bennett, the leader of the new Yamina party, for refusing to help form a right-wing governing coalition. This is the third time in the last two years that Netanyahu has failed to form a government. On Wednesday night, Rivlin announced that he was giving a mandate to Yai Lapid, the leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party that came in second in the most recent election, to form a government. Lapid and Bennett were expected to begin marathon talks on Thursday to form a unity government. The leaders say they believe they can form a new ruling coalition in about a week. There are concerns that Netanyahu is trying to sabotage efforts to form a government that could replace him.
Morocco—Agreements Signed With Serbia On Security, Political Issues Morocco World News | 05/06/2021 Morocco and Serbia have signed new bilateral agreements on security, political and cultural cooperation, reports Morocco World News. On Wednesday, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic met with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat. During the talks, the ministers signed three accords, covering military cooperation, political consultations and culture, youth and sports. Details of the agreements were not immediately available. Morocco has supported Serbia over Kosovo, maintaining opposition to separatism and supporting national, territorial integrity. Belgrade has provided similar support to Rabat over Western Sahara.
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