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Good Friday Morning May 21

I hope that you all have a great weekend.

 

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This day in Naval History May 21, 2019

 

1917 During World War I, USS Ericsson (DD 56) becomes the first U.S. Navy warship to fire a torpedo in the war at a German U-boat.

1918 During World War I, while serving as an officer on USS Christabel (SP-162), Ensign Daniel A.J. Sullivan, exhibits "extraordinary heroism" in securing live depth charges that came loose during combat with a German U-Boat. For his action, he receives the Medal of Honor.

1943 USS Nields (DD 616) sinks Italian submarine Gorgo that is attacking a US convoy off Algeria.

1944 During preparations for the invasion of Saipan, accidental ordnance blasts on LST 353 at West Loch, Pearl Harbor, kills 163 and injures 396. Six tank landing ships, three tank landing craft, and 17 track landing vehicles are destroyed in explosions and fires.

1983 USS Albuquerque (SSN 706) is commissioned at Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn. 

2005 The first T-AKE ship, USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1), is launched at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in San Diego, Calif. The dry cargo ship replaces the aging T-AE ammunition ships and T-AFS combat stores ships that are nearing the end of their service lives.

 

Thanks to CHINFO

 

Executive Summary:

•           USNI News reported on comments from PTDO UNDERSECNAV James Geurts during USNI's annual meeting.

•           Trade press reported on the start of NATO's Steadfast Defender 2021, an exercise off the coast of Portugal involving 11 allied nations from North America and Europe.

•           Trade press reported Fincantieri Marinette Marine was awarded a contract for the future USS Congress.

 

 

Today in History May 21

996		Sixteen year old Otto III is crowned the Roman Emperor.
1471		King Henry VI is killed in the Tower of London. Edward IV takes the throne.
1506		Christopher Columbus dies.
1536		The Reformation is officially adopted in Geneva, Switzerland.
1620		Present-day Martha's Vineyard is first sighted by Captain Bartholomew Gosnold.
1790		Paris is divided into 48 zones.
1832		The Democratic party holds its first national convention.
1856		Lawrence, Kansas is captured and sacked by pro-slavery forces.
1863		The siege of the Confederate Port Hudson, Louisiana, begins.
1881		The American Red Cross is founded by Clara Barton.
1927		Charles Lindbergh lands in Paris completing the first solo air crossing of the Atlantic.
1940		British forces attack German General Erwin Rommel's 7th Panzer Division at Arras, slowing his blitzkrieg of France.
1941		The first U.S. ship, the S.S. Robin Moor, is sunk by a U-boat.
1951		The U.S. Eighth Army counterattacks to drive the Communist Chinese and North Koreans out of South Korea.
1961		Governor John Patterson declares martial law in Montgomery, Alabama.
1970		The U.S. National Guard mobilizes to quell disturbances at Ohio State University.
1991		In Madras, India, a suicide bomber kills the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi.

 

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Thanks to JD

 

Thought this might be of interest for The List, , enjoy.  Outlaw out...  

 

OF CARRIERS AND AIR CARRIER GROUPS 

Germany's Failed Carrier Programs and the Aircraft Involved 

Author: Rob Harvan 

WWII History Series 

 

Introduction 

World War Two saw an incredible shift as naval warfighting doctrine shifted from big-gun warships to submarines and carrier-based aircraft. The Japanese attack on Hawaii on December 7, 1941 provided clear evidence that naval airpower could defeat the traditional battle fleet. So profound was this shift most of the major sea powers began cancelling battleship construction programs by mid1943 in favor of large, fast carriers capable of carrying 50-plus aircraft such as the US Navy's Essex class and the Royal Navy's Implacable and Colossus classes. 

 

This was not the case for the Axis Powers. Japan entered the war with a carrier force based mainly converted battleship/battlecruiser hulls with a few smaller purpose-built carriers. Wartime attrition and lack of resources prevented Japan following a path like the Allies. Italy began converting an ocean liner to a carrier, but exited the war before it was completed. 

 

Germany entered World War Two with no aircraft carriers and, while it did launch one pre-war, never completed it, nor any of the other eight planned. Its carrier and carrier aircraft programs were a series of construction and starts and stops. The same can be said of Germany's plans for carrier-borne aircraft.

 

This article has two goals: a brief discussion the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) carrier construction programs and a more detailed discussion of the four aircraft planned – at various points during the war – to be used. 

 

Aircraft Carriers 

Unlike the USA, UK and Japan Germany never developed a "deep-water" carrier doctrine. Instead, carriers and the aircraft aboard were considered a scouting force with some offensive capability that would be used in the North and Baltic Seas. 

 

Between 1936 and 1943, the Kriegsmarine developed plans for five classes of aircraft carriers, totaling nine individual vessels. 

 

Graf Zeppelin class - Four vessels of around 33,500 tons each; more-or-less the same size as the Essex class. Aircraft complement of 43 aircraft. The Graf Zeppelin was launched in 1938, but work was halted in December 1940 as German war strategy looked to the Soviet Union. Construction was restarted in May 1942, but halted again in February 1943 by Hitler who saw no utility in surface warships. The second carrier was cancelled on the stocks and scrapped; the last two were never started. 

 

Weser class – One vessel converted from the incomplete 17,139-ton Admiral Hipper class cruiser Seydlitz and renamed Weser. Similar to a CVE escort carrier vessel (auxiliary carrier in Kriegsmarine parlance), the conversion was started in early 1942. Aircraft complement of 10 fighters and 10 dive bombers. The superstructure was razed but the flight deck never built. The project was cancelled in June 1943. 

 

Europa class – One vessel to be converted from 56,000-ton ocean liner. Compared to the other carrier projects, the Europa would have been huge, outweighing the US Battleclass carriers by some 10,000 tons! Conversion started in May 1942 and its aircraft complement was to be 24 fighters and 18 dive bombers, certainly small for the vessel's size. Stability and structural weakness issues hampered the project from the start and it was finally cancelled in December 1942. 

 

De Grasse class – One vessel to be converted from the incomplete 11,400-ton French cruiser De Grasse at Lorient in France. Another CVE-like) ship, the project began in August 1942 and would have had an aircraft complement of 11 fighters and 12 dive bombers. Issues related to insufficient skilled workforce, bombing of the port and powerplant problems led to cancellation in February 1943. 

 

Jade class – Two vessels converted from the 23,500-ton ocean liners (Gneisenau and Potsdam) and renamed Jade and Elbe. Work on carriers similar in size to the Yorktown class began in December 1942. Aircraft complement was to be 12 fighters and 12 dive bombers. Both projects cancelled in January 1943 due to lack of resources. 

 

Aircraft

Four aircraft were selected for flight operations. Had the Graf Zeppelin become operational in 1939, its air group would have been made up of the Messerschmidt Bf-109T fighter, the Junkers Ju-87C dive bomber and the Fieseler Fi-167 torpedo bomber. By 1942, the mix was changed to the Messerschmidt Me-155 fighter and the Junkers Ju87D dive bomber. All the other classes were to have carried Me109Ts and Ju-87C/Ds. 

 

Let's discuss each aircraft. 

Fieseler Fi-167  

– The only aircraft specifically designed for carrier operations, the Fi-167 was developed to meet a Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) specification for an all-metal carrier borne biplane bomber with a speed of 185 mph, a range of 630 miles and capable of both dive bombing and torpedo bombing. 

 

It had a two man crew and was equipped with folding wings. The aircraft fixed undercarriage in case of a water landing and the lower wing had flotation compartments to keep the aircraft afloat. Main armament was either a 2,200-pound bomb or a 1,687-pound torpedo. The Fi-167 was also armed with two 7.92mm machines; one firing forward and controlled by the pilot and the other firing to the rear and operated by the observer. 

 

Just 14 aircraft had been produced when completion of the Graf Zeppelin was halted in April 1940. When the program briefly resumed in May 1942, the Fi-167 was dropped in favor of the Junkers Ju-87 Stuka. This was due to the Luftwaffe believing the Fi-167 was obsolete for combat options. (Perhaps they should have checked with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which used biplane torpedo bombers throughout the war.) The aircraft were used for various testing programs in occupied Europe until 1944 when most were transferred to the Croatian Army. None are known to have survived. 

 

Junkers Ju-87 

 

– This dive bomber was known as the Stuka (short for Sturzkampfflugzeug) and was well-known for its inverted gull wings, fixed landing gear and sirens (called Jericho trumpets) that wailed during its near vertical dives. The design also included automated pullup dive brakes allowing the Stuka to continue its pull-out even if g-forces had rendered the pilot unconscious. It had a two-man crew of a pilot and a gunner. 

 

There were numerous versions of the Ju-87, but the two types developed for carrier operations were the Ju-87C-0 dive bomber and the Ju87D-4 torpedo bomber. The C-0 was capable of carrying a 550-pound bomb and was armed with three 7.92mm machine guns (two firing ahead and one to the rear. The D-4 could carry the LT-350 torpedo, a licensed version of the Japanese Type 91 aerial torpedo with an 1,800- pound warhead. It had two 20mm cannon facing forward; the rear gunner still being equipped with a 7.92mm machine gun. Both models had folding wings, arrestor gear and water landing survival gear, including a two-seat rubber dinghy with a flare gun, signal ammunition and other emergency supplies. Production of the two carrier models is hard to determine. Records note two C-0s being completed. Perhaps five D-4s were created by modifying a land-based version, the D-3. As carrier construction delays mounted, the RLM ordered all D-4s to be stripped of carrier gear and re-designated them as D3s. Today, only complete two Stukas are extant. 

 

Messerschmidt Bf-109 – 

 

The Luftwaffe's standard fighter prior to the arrival of the FW-190. In late 1938, as the Graf Zeppelin was nearing launching, the RLM requested Messerschmidt develop a carrier-version of the Bf-109E. 

 

Designated the Bf-109T (for Traeger or carrier), the aircraft was given a tailhook mounted ahead of the tailwheel; catapult fittings to the landing gear and wider ailerons and wing slats. In addition, the wing span was increased from 32 feet 41/2 inches to 36 feet 4 inches. Unlike the other carrier aircraft, the 109T did not have folding wings. They were unnecessary because the fighter had been designed with detachable wings to facilitate transport. 

 

The on-again-off-again nature of the Graf Zeppelin's construction affected 109T production. When the carrier program was halted in December 1940, just seven aircraft (T1s) had been built. When construction of the Graf Zeppelin was restarted in May, 1942, a new aircraft design, the Me-155, was presented to the RLM (see below). 

 

The Luftwaffe elected to build another 63 fighters but without the aircraft carrier gear. Designated the T-2, The Bf 109Ts were issued to several training units in early 1943. Then, in April 1943, Jagdstaffel Helgoland was formed with the T-2s and operated from Duene until late 1943, when the unit transferred to Lista in south Norway. The unit was renamed as 11/JagdGruppe 11 on November 30, 1943 and the Bf 109Ts remained in operation with it until the summer of 1944. After that time, were returned to training units in Germany. This suggests the rest were scrapped. No Bf-109Ts survive today; there are at least 67 other versions extant (as of 2016) with more being restored. 

 

Messerschmidt Me-155 

– The Bf-109T was based on the outdated E version from the Battle of Britain. When the Graf Zeppelin construction program was restarted in May of 1942, neither the Kriegsmarine nor the Luftwaffe saw the Tmodel as viable carrier fighter. This led Messerschmidt to offer up a radical new design: the Me-155. 

 

The Me-155 was an upgraded version of the Me-109G-1. That aircraft's fuselage was married to a new folding wing with wheels that retracted inward along with an arrester hook and catapult fittings. Its armament was to be three 20mm cannon (one in the nose and one in each wing) and two 13mm machine guns (one in each wing). It is critical (and typical to this story) that while all engineering drawings were complete in September 1942, no Me-155 was ever built. 

 

This was because the RLM rejected Messerschmidt's proposal for two reasons. One was the Graf Zeppelin completion was estimated to be two years; that is to say, 1944. Diverting Messerschmidt production assets to a project as dicey as carrier aircraft – given the program's history – was not the best use of scarce assets. The other was the knowledge in Germany that the B-29 was being developed. This is what caused the RLM to take the Me155 project and hand it to the Blohm & Voss company ordering that company to make a very high-altitude fighter to defend against expected B-29 attacks. The BV-155 was an entirely different design bearing little or no resemblance to the Me-15. Surprisingly, while no Me-155 exists, there is a BV-155 in the hands of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. 

 

Conclusion 

When all is said and done, the word confusion seems the best way to describe Germany's efforts at carrier warfare in World War Two. There was never a singular vision about carrier warfare, perhaps no vision at all is a better way to put it. The internecine fighting between the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe, coupled with Hitler's erratic interest in a surface navy also contributed to the situation. 

 

Sources: forum.warthunder.com; historynet.com; navypedia.org; Wikipedia.org

 

 

 

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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear

LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— ... For The List Friday, 21 May 2021... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻

 

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)

From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 21 May 1966...

"The DPM Exercise... weighing the alternatives"

 

https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-21-may-1966-memo-to-lbj/

 

 

This work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip

 

Vietnam Air Losses

Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at:  https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.

 

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This day in American Military History May 21

 

1542 – On the banks of the Mississippi River in present-day Louisiana, Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto dies, ending a three-year journey for gold that took him halfway across what is now the United States. In order that Indians would not learn of his death, and thus disprove de Soto's claims of divinity, his men buried his body in the Mississippi River. In late May 1539, de Soto landed on the west coast of Florida with 600 troops, servants, and staff, 200 horses, and a pack of bloodhounds. From there, the army set about subduing the natives, seizing any valuables they stumbled upon, and preparing the region for eventual Spanish colonization. Traveling through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, across the Appalachians, and back to Alabama, de Soto failed to find the gold and silver he desired, but he did seize a valuable collection of pearls at Cofitachequi, in present-day Georgia. Decisive conquest also eluded the Spaniards, as what would become the United States lacked the large, centralized civilizations of Mexico and Peru. As was the method of Spanish conquest elsewhere in the Americas, de Soto ill-treated and enslaved the natives he encountered. For the most part, the Indian warriors they encountered were intimidated by the Spanish horsemen and kept their distance. In October 1540, however, the tables were turned when a confederation of Indians attacked the Spaniards at the fortified Indian town of Mabila, near present-day Mobile, Alabama. All the Indians were killed, along with 20 of de Soto's men. Several hundred Spaniards were wounded. In addition, the Indian conscripts they had come to depend on to bear their supplies had all fled with baggage. De Soto could have marched south to reconvene with his ships along the Gulf Coast, but instead he ordered his expedition north-westward in search of America's elusive riches. In May 1541, the army reached and crossed the Mississippi River, probably the first Europeans ever to do so. From there, they traveled through Arkansas and Louisiana, still with few material gains to show for their efforts. Turning back to the Mississippi, de Soto died of a fever on its banks on May 21, 1542. The Spaniards, now under the command of Luis de Moscoso, traveled west again, crossing into north Texas before returning to the Mississippi. With nearly half of the original expedition dead, the Spaniards built rafts and traveled down the river to the sea, and then made their way down the Texas coast to New Spain, finally reaching Veracruz, Mexico, in late 1543.

 

1863 – Under Lieutenant Commander J. G. Walker, U.S.S. Baron De Kalb, Choctaw, Forest Rose, Linden, and Petrel pushed up the Yazoo River from Haynes' Bluff to Yazoo City, Mississippi. As the gunboats approached the city, Commander Isaac N. Brown, CSN, who had commanded the heroic ram C.S.S. Arkansas the preceding summer, was forced to destroy three "powerful steamers, rams and a "fine navy yard, with machine shops of all kinds, sawmills, blacksmith shops, etc. . . to prevent their capture. Porter noted that "what he had begun our forces finished," as the city was evacuated by the Southerners. The Confederate steamers destroyed were Mobile, Republic, and "a monster, 310 feet long and 70 feet beam." Had the latter been completed, "she would have given us much trouble." Porter's prediction to Secretary Welles at the end of the expedition, though overly optimistic in terms of the time that would be required, was nonetheless a clear summary of the effect of the gunboats' sweep up the Yazoo: "It is a mere question of a few hours, and then, with the exception of Port Hudson (which will follow Vicksburg), the Mississippi will be open its entire length."

 

1881 – In Washington, D.C., humanitarians Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons found the American National Red Cross, an organization established to provide humanitarian aid to victims of wars and natural disasters in congruence with the International Red Cross. Barton, born in Massachusetts in 1821, worked with the sick and wounded during the American Civil War and became known as the "Angel of the Battlefield" for her tireless dedication. In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln commissioned her to search for lost prisoners of war, and with the extensive records she had compiled during the war she succeeded in identifying thousands of the Union dead at the Andersonville prisoner-of-war camp. She was in Europe in 1870 when the Franco-Prussian War broke out, and she went behind the German lines to work for the International Red Cross. In 1873, she returned to the United States, and four years later she organized an American branch of the International Red Cross. The American Red Cross received its first U.S. federal charter in 1900. Barton headed the organization into her 80s and died in 1912.

 

1945 – On Okinawa, US 3rd Amphibious Corps reports advances near the Horseshoe, Half Moon and Wana positions, on the western flank. On the east-side, US 7th and 96th Divisions (parts of US 24th Corps) attack near Yonabaru. Japanese forces begin to pull out of the Shuri Line.

 

 

 

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

 

IZAC, EDOUARD VICTOR MICHEL
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Aboard German submarine U-90 as prisoner of war, 21 May 1918. Entered service at: Illinois. Born: 18 December 1891, Cresco, Howard County, lowa. Citation: When the U.S.S. President Lincoln was attacked and sunk by the German submarine U-90, on 21 May 1918, Lt. Izac was captured and held as a prisoner on board the U-90 until the return of the submarine to Germany, when he was confined in the prison camp. During his stay on the U-90 he obtained information of the movements of German submarines which was so important that he determined to escape, with a view to making this information available to the U.S. and Allied Naval authorities. In attempting to carry out this plan, he jumped through the window of a rapidly moving train at the imminent risk of death, not only from the nature of the act itself but from the fire of the armed German soldiers who were guarding him. Having been recaptured and reconfined, Lt. Izac made a second and successful attempt to escape, breaking his way through barbed-wire fences and deliberately drawing the fire of the armed guards in the hope of permitting others to escape during the confusion. He made his way through the mountains of southwestern Germany, having only raw vegetables for food, and at the end, swam the River Rhine during the night in the immediate vicinity of German sentries.

 

SULLIVAN, DANIEL AUGUSTUS JOSEPH
Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve Force. Born: 31 July 1884, Charleston, S.C. Appointed from: South Carolina. Citation: For extraordinary heroism as an officer of the U.S.S. Cristabel in conflict with an enemy submarine on 21 May 1918. As a result of the explosion of a depth bomb dropped near the submarine, the Christabel was so badly shaken that a number of depth charges which had been set for firing were thrown about the deck and there was imminent danger that they would explode. Ens. Sullivan immediately fell on the depth charges and succeeded in securing them, thus saving the ship from disaster, which would inevitably have caused great loss of life.

 

LINDBERGH, CHARLES A.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve. Place and date: From New York City to Paris, France, 20-21 May 1927. Entered service at: Little Falls, Minn. Born: 4 February 1902, Detroit, Mich. G.O. No.: 5, W.D., 1928; act of Congress 14 December 1927. Citation: For displaying heroic courage and skill as a navigator, at the risk of his life, by his nonstop flight in his airplane, the Spirit of St. Louis, from New York City to Paris, France, 20-21 May 1927, by which Capt. Lindbergh not only achieved the greatest individual triumph of any American citizen but demonstrated that travel across the ocean by aircraft was possible.

 

DOLBY, DAVID CHARLES
Rank and organization. Sergeant (then Sp4c.), U.S. Army, Company B, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Place and date. Republic of Vietnam, 21 May 1966. Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa. Born: 14 May 1946, Norristown, Pa. G.O. No.: 45, 20 October 1967. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, when his platoon, while advancing tactically, suddenly came under intense fire from the enemy located on a ridge immediately to the front. Six members of the platoon were killed instantly and a number were wounded, including the platoon leader. Sgt. Dolby's every move brought fire from the enemy. However, aware that the platoon leader was critically wounded, and that the platoon was in a precarious situation, Sgt. Dolby moved the wounded men to safety and deployed the remainder of the platoon to engage the enemy. Subsequently, his dying platoon leader ordered Sgt. Dolby to withdraw the forward elements to rejoin the platoon. Despite the continuing intense enemy fire and with utter disregard for his own safety, Sgt. Dolby positioned able-bodied men to cover the withdrawal of the forward elements, assisted the wounded to the new position, and he, alone, attacked enemy positions until his ammunition was expended. Replenishing his ammunition, he returned to the area of most intense action, single-handedly killed 3 enemy machine gunners and neutralized the enemy fire, thus enabling friendly elements on the flank to advance on the enemy redoubt. He defied the enemy fire to personally carry a seriously wounded soldier to safety where he could be treated and, returning to the forward area, he crawled through withering fire to within 50 meters of the enemy bunkers and threw smoke grenades to mark them for air strikes. Although repeatedly under fire at close range from enemy snipers and automatic weapons, Sgt. Dolby directed artillery fire on the enemy and succeeded in silencing several enemy weapons. He remained in his exposed location until his comrades had displaced to more secure positions. His actions of unsurpassed valor during 4 hours of intense combat were a source of inspiration to his entire company, contributed significantly to the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. Sgt. Dolby's heroism was in the highest tradition of the U.S. Army.

 

RODRIGUEZ, JOSEPH C.
Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Pfc.), U.S. Army, Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Munye-ri, Korea, 21 May 1951. Entered service at: California. Born: 14 November 1928, San Bernardino, Calif. G.O. No.: 22, 5 February 1952. Citation: Sgt. Rodriguez, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations. Sgt. Rodriguez, an assistant squad leader of the 2d Platoon, was participating in an attack against a fanatical hostile force occupying well-fortified positions on rugged commanding terrain, when his squad's advance was halted within approximately 60 yards by a withering barrage of automatic weapons and small-arms fire from 5 emplacements directly to the front and right and left flanks, together with grenades which the enemy rolled down the hill toward the advancing troops. Fully aware of the odds against him, Sgt. Rodriguez leaped to his feet, dashed 60 yards up the fire-swept slope, and, after lobbing grenades into the first foxhole with deadly accuracy, ran around the left flank, silenced an automatic weapon with 2 grenades and continued his whirlwind assault to the top of the peak, wiping out 2 more foxholes and then, reaching the right flank, he tossed grenades into the remaining emplacement, destroying the gun and annihilating its crew. Sgt. Rodriguez' intrepid actions exacted a toll of 15 enemy dead and, as a result of his incredible display of valor, the defense of the opposition was broken, and the enemy routed, and the strategic strongpoint secured. His unflinching courage under fire and inspirational devotion to duty reflect highest credit on himself and uphold the honored traditions of the military service.

 

DOSS, DESMOND T.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Urasoe Mura, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 29 April-21 May 1945. Entered service at: Lynchburg, Va. Birth: Lynchburg, Va. G.O. No.: 97, 1 November 1945. Citation: He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them 1 by 1 to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making 4 separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire. On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter; and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of 1 arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station. Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.

 

*EREVIA, SANTIAGO J.
Rank and Organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division.  Place and Date: May 21, 1969, Tam Ky, Vietnam.  Born: 1946, Nordheim, TX.  Departed: No.  Entered Service At: San Antonio, TX.  G.O. Number: . Date of Issue: 03/18/2014.  Accredited To: .  Citation:  Then-Spc. 4 Erevia distinguished himself May 21, 1969, while serving as a radio-telephone operator during a search-and-clear mission near Tam Ky City, in the Republic of Vietnam.

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for May 21, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

 

21 May

 

1929: Assistant Secretary of War for Aviation F. Trubee Davison directed the Army Air Corps to hold a public demonstration of the usefulness of air refueling in military operations. The demonstration was to be part of the maneuvers of 1929. What was planned as a round-trip, nonstop bomber mission from Dayton to New York on 21-22 May failed to reach fruition when weather grounded the tanker. The Keystone bomber, however, continued on to New York and Washington, D.C. On the return leg, the bomber and tanker successfully connected over New York City.

 

1931: Through 30 May, Brig Gen Benjamin D. Foulois, Assistant to the Chief of the Air Corps, led a provisional division in the largest maneuvers to date. The exercise involved 667 airplanes and 1,400 men in flights over northeastern and midwestern states. The provisional division included a pursuit wing, a bomb wing, an attack group, two observation wings, and a transport group. (21)

 

1937: Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan left San Francisco on a West to East around-the-world flight. Their trip ended on 2 July when they disappeared near Howland Island in the Pacific. (9)

 

1944: Operation CHATTANOOGA CHOO-CHOO. An effort began to attack trains in Germany and France by air. (4)

 

1949: Capt Hubert D. Gaddis, flying a Sikorsky S-52-1 helicopter, set an international and US altitude record of 21,220 feet at Bridgeport. (24)

 

1953: KOREAN WAR. Using SHORAN to aim the bombs, B-29s hit the Kuwonga dam directly seven times. The dam did not burst, because the N. Koreans had lowered the water level 12 feet to reduce the pressure on the dam. (28)

 

1955: In his F-86 Sabre, Lt John M. Conroy (ANG) made the first dawn-to-dusk round trip transcontinental flight from Los Angeles to New York and back in 11 hours 18 minutes 27 seconds by averaging a FAI record 432.6 MPH. Returning, he also set a New York to Los Angeles record of 4 hours 24 minutes for the 2,446-mile flight. (9) (24)

 

1956: Operation REDWING. On Bikini Atoll in the Pacific, Maj David Crichlow flew a B-52 bomber to nearly 50,000 feet and dropped an H-bomb. This was the first known airborne-dropped H-bomb to explode. (16) (24)

 

1957: Maj Robinson Risner flew Lindbergh's transatlantic route with a F-100 in 6 hours 40 minutes (as compared to 33 1/2 hours). 1958: The USAF said that the first site for the Titan I ICBM would be at Lowry Range near Denver, Colo.

 

1959: The Air Force recovered a Thor-Able nose cone after a 6,000-mile flight over the Atlantic from Cape Canaveral. (24) Test pilot Maj Robert C. Ferry flew Bell Aircraft's XV-3 Convertiplane on its first flight for the USAF. (3)

 

1960: At Eglin AFB, the Air Force retired the last World War II B-25 Mitchell medium bomber from its active inventory. It was a VB-25J model that flew staff support missions. (20) 1966: The 1370th Photo Mapping Wing retired the USAF's last RB-50.

 

1969: The C-5A Galaxy became the heaviest aircraft flown to date in a flight from Dobbins AFB, Ga., with a 728,100-pound takeoff weight. This exceeded the C-5's designed gross weight takeoff load by 100 pounds. Previous record was 703,826 pounds.

 

1973: Maj Herbert K. Fisher was the first USAF officer to enter a Pilot Requalification Program for former prisoners of war.

 

1984: The 390 SMW at Davis-Monthan AFB took its last Titan II site (570-5) off alert. (1)

 

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Thanks to Chuck…I can relate to this one

Subject: FW: A man's age According to Home Depot...lol

 

You are in the middle of some home projects: putting in a new fence, painting the porch, planting some flowers and fixing a broken door lock.
You are hot and sweaty, covered with dirt, lawn clippings and paint. You
have your old work clothes on. You know the outfit -- shorts with a hole in! 

Right in the middle of these tasks you realize that you need to run to Home Depot for supplies. Depending on your age you might do the following: 

In your 20s: Stop what you are doing. Shave, take a shower, blow dry your hair, brush your teeth, floss and put on clean clothes. Check yourself in the mirror and flex. Add a dab of your favorite cologne because, you never know, you just might meet some hot chick while standing in the checkout line. And yes, you went to school with the pretty girl running the register.

In your 30s: Stop what you are doing, put on clean shorts and shirt. Change your shoes. You married the hot chick so no need for much else. Wash your hands and comb your hair. Check yourself in the mirror. Still got it! Add a shot of your favorite cologne to cover the smell. The cute girl running the register is the kid sister of someone you went to school with.

In your 40s: Stop what you are doing. Put on a sweatshirt that is long enough to cover the hole in the crotch of your shorts. Put on different shoes and a hat. Wash your hands. Your bottle of Brut is almost empty, so don't waste any of it on a trip to Home Depot. Check yourself in the mirror and do more sucking in than flexing. The hot young thing running the register is your daughter's age and you feel weird about thinking she's spicy. 

In your 50s: Stop what you are doing. Put on a hat. Wipe the dirt off your hands onto your shirt. Change shoes because you don't want to get dog crap in your new sports car. Check yourself in the mirror and swear not to wear that shirt anymore because it makes you look fat. The cutie running the register smiles when she sees you coming and you think you still have it. Then you remember -- the hat you have on is from Bubba's Bait & Beer Bar and it says, 'I Got Worms ' 

In your 60s: Stop what you are doing. No need for a hat any more. Hose the dog crap off your shoes. The mirror was shattered when you were in your 50s. You hope you have underwear on so nothing hangs out the hole in your pants. The girl running the register may be cute but you don't have your glasses on, so you're not sure.

In your 70s: Stop what you are doing. Wait to go to Home Depot until you call the drug store to have your prescriptions ready for pick too and check your grocery list for a quick stop there. Got to save trips! Don't even notice the dog crap on your shoes. The young thing at the register stares at you and you realize your balls are hanging out the hole in your crotch... who cares.

In your 80s: Stop what you are doing. Start again. Then stop again. Now you remember you need to go to Home Depot. You go to Wal-Mart instead. You went to school with the old lady greeter. You wander around trying to remember what you are looking for. Then you fart out loud and turn around thinking someone called your name. 


In your 90s & beyond: What's a home deep hoe? Something for my garden? Where am I? Who am I? Why am I reading this? 

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World News for 21 May thanks to Military Periscope

 

  USA—Sanctions On Nord Stream 2 Officials Waived U.S. Dept. Of State | 05/21/2021 The Biden administration has decided to waive sanctions on senior officials at the firm building the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, reports the State Dept. In a report delivered to Congress on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he had determined that the waiving of sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG CEO Matthias Warnig and two other corporate officers was in the national interest. At the same time, four Russian vessels involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2 were hit with sanctions, reported BBC News. The U.S. remains opposed to the project on the grounds that it will weaken European energy security as well as that of Ukraine and other eastern NATO and European Union states, Blinken said. Nord Stream 2 is intended to transport gas from the Russian Arctic to Germany via a pipeline under the Baltic Sea. The $11 billion project is 95 percent complete. Experts have warned that the project is likely too far along to be stopped. 

 

USA—Blinken Holds 1st Meeting With Russian Foreign Minister Cable News Network | 05/21/2021 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with his Russian counterpart for the first time since President Joe Biden took office, reports CNN. On Wednesday, Blinken held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Iceland on the sidelines of an Arctic Council summit. The meeting did not have any off-limit topics or a stringent time limit, unnamed sources said. The agenda was expected to cover a variety of substantive issues ahead of a possible summit between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin later this year. These included malign Russian behavior, such as military deployments near Ukraine; actions against Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; opposition leader Alexei Navalny's health; and the repression of opposition groups, a State Dept. spokesman said. Areas of potential cooperation such as Afghanistan, strategic stability and curbing the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs were also discussed. The meeting was constructive, and both sides understood the need to overcome the unhealthy environment between them, Lavrov said as cited by Russia's Tass news agency. 

 

France—Navy Orders 2 More H160 Helicopters Airbus | 05/21/2021 The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has exercised an option for two additional H160 helicopters for the French navy, reports manufacturer Airbus. The order is in addition to four H160s ordered last year for the navy. All six are being supplied in the search-and-rescue configuration, with deliveries set begin in May 2022. Th H160s are being equipped with a winch and modular cabin that can be customized for specific missions. The aircraft will be certified for operations with night-vision goggles and equipped with the Euroflir 410 electro-optical sensor system. The aircraft will operate out of Lanveoc-Poulmic naval air station in Brittany, Cherbourg airport in Normandy and Hyeres naval air station in Provence.

 

Germany—British Army Orders More Mission Master UGVs Rheinmetall Ag | 05/21/2021 The U.K. Ministry of Defense has ordered a second batch of modular uncrewed ground vehicles from Rheinmetall, reports the German defense firm. The contract, awarded in late February, covers four Mission Master UGVs for the second phase of the British army's Robotic Platoon Vehicle program. An original batch of four Mission Masters was ordered in the cargo configuration in the spring of 2020. These vehicles are being delivered in the fire support configuration, equipped with the Rheinmetall Fieldranger Multi remotely operated weapon station armed with a stabilized 7.62-mm machine gun. The value of the contract was not disclosed. Deliveries are scheduled to run from May to August. Separately, Rheinmetall announced on Tuesday that it had signed a 140 million euro (US$170.9 million) contract with Hungary for StrikeShield hard-kill active protection systems for previously ordered Lynx infantry fighting vehicles. The sale is the largest to date for the StrikeShield. 

 

Germany—Ban Enters Effect For 3 Hezbollah-Linked Groups Deutsche Welle | 05/21/2021 The German government has officially banned three pro-Hezbollah entities on charges of fundraising for the Lebanese militant organization, reports Deutsche Welle. The prohibition against the German Lebanese Family, People for Peace and Give Peace groups was announced in mid-April and entered effect on Wednesday. The groups are accused of providing financial support to the families of deceased Hezbollah members under the guise of religious or humanitarian objectives, reported the Tagesschau television news service. The organizations used PayPal, Western Union and cash payments to finance Hezbollah, the program reported. The knowledge that families will be supported in the event of a fighter's death is considered an encouragement for militants to take up arms. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, police raided the facilities of the organization in the states of Hamburg, Hesse, North-Rhine Westphalia and Rhineland Palatinate. Berlin designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization and banned the group in Germany last year. Around 1,050 Hezbollah members and supporters are believed to be active in the country, according to Germany's domestic intelligence agency. 

 

Romania—Agreement Signed For Naval Strike Missiles Raytheon | 05/21/2021 Romania has signed an agreement with the U.S. Navy to purchase anti-ship missiles through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process, reports Raytheon. On Tuesday, Romania signed the letter of offer and acceptance, officially committing to purchasing the Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System (NSM CDS), the company said in a release. Romania is the first country to purchase the NSM through the FMS process. The complete coastal defense system includes mobile launch vehicles; command, control and communications platform; transport and loading/unloading platforms; and sensors. Raytheon will also provide initial logistics and maintenance support and training. The Romanian military will be the second deploy the NSM in a coastal defense role after Poland, noted Naval News. 

 

European Union—Advocate General Finds Polish Legislation In Violation Of E.U. Treaties Al Jazeera | 05/21/2021 A top European Union lawyer has ruled that a controversial Polish law reforming the judicial system is incompatible with European Union treaties, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). On Thursday, Advocate General Michal Bobek issued his opinion against the law, which was passed by the ruling Euroskeptic Law and Justice Party (PiS) and allows the justice minister to second judges to higher courts and end that secondment at any time. The Polish law fails to ensure the necessary separation of powers between the judicial and executive branches or provide safeguards for individuals in criminal proceedings against undue external pressure and political influence on the judges hearing their case, Bobek said in his opinion. Although the advocate general's finding is not binding, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) frequently follows such opinions. The PiS has been at odds with the E.U. over many of its reforms since it came to power in 2015. Bobek's opinion comes two weeks after he found against the Polish government in a similar case on the formation of a Disciplinary Chamber for judges. The Disciplinary Chamber was established in 2017 as a body of Poland's Supreme Court with the power to discipline judges, including those in lower courts. The body has been criticized for being created to pressure the courts into issuing rulings favorable to the government. The European Commission brought the complaint to the ECJ over the chamber, arguing it violated E.U. law. In an opinion issued on May 6, Bobek stated that the broad new definition of disciplinary offenses had a chilling effect on judges and had weakened their protections and independence. The ECJ ordered the suspension of the Disciplinary Chamber pending its final ruling, but the chamber has continued to work. The court is now deliberating both cases, with rulings expected later this year. 

 

European Union—European Parliament Suspends Investment Pact With China Reuters | 05/21/2021 The European Parliament has voted to halt an investment pact with China after Beijing sanctioned E.U. officials, reports Reuters. On Thursday, the Parliament overwhelmingly voted to suspend ratification of an investment pact, with 599 votes in favor, 30 against and 58 abstentions. The resolution is not legally binding, but represents the official position of the body. Negotiators reached a deal on the E.U.-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment in December following seven years of talks. Plans to seal the agreement were dashed in March when Beijing imposed sanctions on 27 European officials, politicians and researchers in response to Western measures against China over its human-rights abuses against ethnic Uighurs in the western Xinjiang region, reported Axios. E.U. lawmakers say the Chinese measures were not based in international law. The Chinese government has denied any wrongdoing. European officials said that no further talks would be held on the investment agreement until China lifts the sanctions on European officials and entities. Following reports of the anticipated vote on Wednesday, Chinese officials defended the sanctions, with one former diplomat predicting that the E.U. would return to the table after tensions had subsided, reported Bloomberg News. 

 

Japan—Report Confirms Chinese Acquisition Of Land Near SDF Bases Asian News International | 05/21/2021 Chinese-linked companies have been acquiring land near Japan Self-Defense Force (SDF) and U.S. military bases in Japan, reports Asian News International (New Delhi). Chinese-backed corporations were involved in more than 700 transactions to acquire land near SDF and other military sites, reported the Sankei Shimbun (Tokyo). Japanese authorities became aware of the attempted purchases last year, following a comprehensive investigation into property surrounding military facilities. The purchases covered property near U.S. and Japanese bases, as well as Japanese coast guard stations and military storage sites. They included sites physically close to bases and nearby high rises, from which occupants could monitor U.S. and Japanese military activities. Locations included Okinawa and Tottori prefecture, in southern Honshu. The Japanese Cabinet is currently considering measures that would restrict purchases within 0.6 miles (1.0 km) of military sites. 

 

Australia—Stalwart Replenishment Ship Heads Home Navantia | 05/21/2021 The second and last auxiliary ship built by Navantia for the Royal Australian Navy is heading home, reports the Spanish shipbuilder. On Thursday, the Stalwart departed Navantia's Ferrol shipyard for a 30-day journey to her future homeport of HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. Once in Australia, the Stalwart will undergo final installation and testing of combat, communications and some logistics systems. The Stalwart is scheduled for delivery on Aug. 31, after the completion of final outfitting, Navantia said. 

 

Burma—Air Force Chief Attends HeliRussia Show Moscow Times | 05/21/2021 Burma's top air force official was scheduled to attend Russia's annual helicopter exhibition in Moscow this week, reports the Moscow Times. On Thursday, Gen. Maung Maung Kyaw planned attend the HeliRussia Expo, said a Burmese diplomatic source. The air force chief was expected to lead a delegation that included U Tay Za, a businessman under U.S. sanctions, reported the Irrawaddy (Burma). During the expo, the delegation was expected to discuss "over 20 megaprojects," including arms procurement, said Burmese sources. The Russian Defense Ministry did not publicly indicate whether it would meet with the Burmese delegation. Moscow has been strengthening military cooperation with Burma, including agreeing to the sale of Pantsyr-S1 air defense systems, Orlan-10E drones and radar equipment earlier this year. 

 

Afghanistan—Government Forces Retreat From District In Laghman Province Khaama Press | 05/21/2021 Taliban forces have taken control of the Dawlat Shah district in the eastern Laghman province, reports the Khaama Press (Afghanistan). On Wednesday night, Afghan security forces retreated from the district after several days of fighting due to a lack of supplies and support. The Taliban had reportedly surrounded the area for six months prior to the latest offensive. At least 15 government soldiers were reportedly killed during the fighting. Security forces were reportedly unable to evacuate their wounded. 

 

Oman—Defense Cooperation Accord With India Extended Press Trust Of India | 05/21/2021 India and Oman have renewed agreements on military cooperation and maritime issues, reports the Press Trust of India. On Thursday, officials from both countries signed an agreement extending a memorandum of understanding on military cooperation in a ceremony in Muscat, the Omani capital, said the Indian Defense Ministry. Another accord on maritime issues was also signed, said the ministry. Details of the agreements were not immediately made public. 

 

Israel—Unconditional Cease-Fire With Hamas Enters Effect Jerusalem Post | 05/21/2021 Israel says it has reached an unconditional cease-fire with Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, after 11 days of fighting, reports the Jerusalem Post. The Israeli Security Cabinet voted in favor of the Egypt-mediated deal on Thursday. Sporadic rocket fire and airstrikes were reported before the deal entered into force at 2 a.m. on Friday. The terms of the agreement call for a mutual and simultaneous truce, reported Reuters. Two Egyptian delegations will observe implementation of the accord from Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories, reported Agence France-Presse. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that in the 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Israel had achieved all of its objectives and prevented numerous planned Hamas operations, reported the Times of Israel. At least 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, and 12 Israelis, including one child, were killed in the fighting. 

 

Nigeria—Boko Haram Leader May Be Dead After Standoff With ISWAP Guardian | 05/21/2021 Nigerian intelligence officials are investigating reports that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau may have killed himself to avoid capture by the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), reports the Guardian (U.K.). On Wednesday, Shekau was attacked by dozens of armed Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants, who demanded that he swear allegiance to ISWAP chief Abu Musab Al Barnawi after killing several of the Boko Haram chief's bodyguards, the officials said. Following an hour-long standoff, Shekau attempted to take his own life using a gun or explosives, said intelligence officials. The incident took place in the Timbuktu Triangle in Sambisa Forest, between Borno and Yobe states, reported the Premium Times (Abuja). A Nigerian military spokesman told Reuters that the military was investigating the claim. ISWAP launched an offensive against the Boko Haram faction earlier this year but paused operations during Ramadan, which ended on May 12 in Nigeria. Boko Haram is the weaker of the two factions, noted local officials. Shekau has been reported as dead numerous times since assuming leadership of the group in 2009, said analysts. 

 

Nigeria—New JF-17 Fighters Formally Delivered Dawn | 05/21/2021 Pakistan has officially handed over three fighter jets ordered by the Nigerian air force, reports the Dawn (Karachi). The JF-17 Thunder aircraft were delivered in a ceremony at the Makudri air force base in the eastern Benue state on Friday. The handover was part of ceremonies marking the 57th anniversary of the establishment of the Nigerian air force. Pakistan approved the sale of JF-17 fighters to Nigeria in October 2018 in a deal valued at US$184 million. The aircraft arrived in Nigeria in March and April. 

 

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