Good Tuesday morning May 26
A bit of history and some tidbits..
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This day in Naval History May 26,
On This Day
1943
USS Saury (SS 189) attacks a Japanese convoy south of Kyushu and sinks transport Kagi Maru, about 10 miles north of the Nansei Shoto. Also on this date, USS Whale (SS 239) sinks Japanese gunboat Shoei Maru (which is transporting men of the Guam Base Detachment) about 17 miles north-northwest of Rota, Mariana Islands.
1944
USS England (DE 635) sinks its fifth Japanese submarine in a week, (RO 108), 110 miles northeast of Manus.
1952
The feasibility of the angled-deck concept is demonstrated in tests conducted on a simulated deck by Naval Air Test Center and Atlantic Fleet pilots using both jet and prop aircraft on board USS Midway (CVB 41).
1958
Medal of Honor recipient Hospitalman William R. Charette selects the World War II Unknown Serviceman onboard USS Canberra (CAG 2) off the Virginia Capes.
1990
USS Beaufort (ATS 2) rescues 24 Vietnamese refugees in the South China Sea.
Thanks to CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• Media reported the White House, Pentagon, and state of California reached an agreement to start building offshore wind farms off the coast of California.
• United Press International reported the U.S. and Russian navies met in Moscow to discuss air-to-air intercepts in international airspace and interactions between the two nations' ships, after cancelling the 2020 INCSEA due to pandemic-related public health concerns.
• Defense One reported Large Scale Exercise 21 will test new globe-scaling, super-agile concepts and shift focus from a single carrier strike group to a larger fleet-centric approach.
This Day in History May 26
0017 Germanicus of Rome celebrates his victory over the Germans.
1328 William of Ockham is forced to flee from Avignon by Pope John XXII.
1647 A new law bans Catholic priests from the colony of Massachusetts. The penalty is banishment or death for a second offense.
1670 Charles II and Louis XIV sign a secret treaty in Dover, England, ending hostilities between England and France.
1691 Jacob Leisler, leader of the popular uprising in support of William and Mary's succession to the throne, is executed for treason.
1736 British and Chickasaw forces defeat the French at the Battle of Ackia.
1831 The Russians defeat the Poles at the Battle of Ostroleka.
1835 A resolution is passed in the U.S. Congress stating that Congress has no authority over state slavery laws.
1864 The territory of Montana is organized.
1865 The last Confederate army surrenders in Shreveport, Louisiana.
1868 President Andrew Johnson is acquitted of all charges of impeachment.
1897 |
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1896 The last czar of Russia, Nicholas II, is crowned.
1938 The House Committee on Un-American Activities begins its work of searching for subversives in the United States.
1940 The evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk begins.
1946 A patent is filed in the United States for the H-bomb.
1958 Union Square, San Francisco, becomes a state historical landmark.
1961 A U.S. Air Force bomber flies across the Atlantic in a record of just over three hours.
1961 The civil rights activist group, Freedom Ride Coordinating Committee, is established in Atlanta.
1969 Apollo 10 returns to Earth.
1977 The movie Star Wars debuts.
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Carl
COVID: The Perfect Crime? - American Thinker
Bottom line: everyone gets off scot-free. Yeah, sure, there will be lots of saber-rattling and chest-thumping and posturing, but it will all result in nada, IMHO.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/05/covid_the_perfect_crime.html
May 26, 2021
COVID: The Perfect Crime?
So, I am following the media (not just any media talking heads and writers, but Experts) telling viewers, listeners and readers that "We need an investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic so we can know what happened and how to prevent it from happening again."
Really?
If Nicholas Wade in his earth-moving (or is it butt-moving since it got some asses in gear?) article seemed to set the stage pretty well -- currently, the preponderance of the evidence points to the Novel Coronavirus as having escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. From there, the rest is history (and the future, too. Funny how that happens.)
Okay -- let's assume that his escape-from-lab story is true.
Per the article, it would appear that the escape occurred because in a BSL2 lab, Chinese scientists successfully manipulated a less pathogenic virus into a more pathogenic one that needed BSL4 precautions, and it escaped before the Do-It-Right Virus Mover Co. of Hubei Province could arrive. Thus, we pretty much know how it happened.
If this is the case, then the answers from any investigations re: prevention, would be obvious:
1. Have the world's virologists see the Jurassic Park franchise. (Spoiler Alert! Do not try to resurrect/create dinosaurs. It does not end well. Every time.)
Hence, do not do gain-of-function research on viruses. It may not end well. If it makes the public feel better, you can give them a written test after seeing the flicks to determine if the lesson was learned.
2. If you are going to perform gain-of-function research on viruses, do it always in a BSL4 lab in case you succeed.
I can see the arguments:
1. "Well, how do you know that BSL4 will be adequate if you do get lucky and create a really, really virulent bug?" The answer to that, I believe, is quite problematic. It seems as if the only way to know is to create these critters and find out if your predicted precautions were right. Admittedly, some may find cold comfort in that, in which case, vote for Answer 1.
2. "How do you know it didn't occur in another fashion?" I do not. But do you really think that a manner of escape inconsistent with what is already out there will get those responsible to say, "Here. We want to be transparent about our surreptitious experimentation that led to millions of deaths and ill persons world over. These are the records of our secret research. Please review them at your leisure"? If you think this will happen, see here and here. If you think our Intelligence Community will ride to the rescue, see here. This article is not an outlier.
Further, like a Jacobean tragedy, it seems as if there are no truly good folks/folx playing major roles here – apart from the Taiwanese. There is evidence incriminating the People's Republic of China, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (possibly others) of being involved in this pandemic in various ways. They would be the same PRC, CDC, and WHO that would be involved in the investigation, big time. I cannot speak for you, but to me, this sounds a lot like a Coca-Cola funded study exploring the effects of sugary soft drinks on childhood obesity.
Whatever the outcome, vindication or too-mild punishment (few will think the perps got their just desserts), there will be oodles of dissatisfaction because of this strong smell of taint. Few, including the Borglike voting BigTechverse, will be sated.
Instead of investigating what happened and how to prevent it from happening again, the real interesting one is the legal investigation into who pays how much to whom for the injuries and deaths that occurred. Planetwide.
Unfortunately, it will not happen.
Such issues as: spoliation of evidence (which surely has or will occur); numerosity (both legal and lay meanings); conflict of laws; differing criteria for diagnosing COVID-19; and hundreds, if not thousands (it is worldwide, after all), more issues will be raised (e.g., defenses based on the mishandling of the sick -- "The Cuomo, Whitmer, Wolf, Murphy Defense"). The investigation, if pursued, will be paralyzed or (best case scenario) move glacially. Anyway, we will all be dead before it can complete making the matter moot.
Bottom line: everyone gets off scot-free. Yeah, sure, there will be lots of saber-rattling and chest-thumping and posturing, but it will all result in nada, IMHO.
If there are a number of nations that want to hold China (or the USA or whomever else may have contributed in some way to the pandemic) accountable, they will have to do it another way.
Perhaps some form of group economic boycott.
Fat chance.
I remember as a kid being fearful that one day Japan would stop trading with us and the U.S. would come to a stop since everything was made in Japan. We would be without products, replacements, and parts. And warranties would not be honored. Shudder. The country would grind to a halt.
In that respect, China is today's Japan for lots of countries.
Looks to me as if China might just be in the catbird seat on this one, too.
Since we are dealing with politicians and similarly impotent organizations, the best for which one could hope is a vague, fuzzy Chinese mea culpa and the resulting over-the-top praise from the world's leaders for the CCP's "taking responsibility."
Basically, the perps will get away with it.
No matter what else this pandemic is, it may also be the perfect crime. I could be wrong. We shall see.
Michael Applebaum, MD, JD, FCLM, is a physician and attorney in the Chicagoland area. Unlike Palin and Russia, he cannot see Lori Lightfoot from his residence no matter how many boxes she stands on.
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Thanks to DR
Subject: SCOTUS Kicks Newsom's Butt - Did You Hear?
This May Be the Biggest Newsom Loss You Never Heard About – PJ Media
This May Be the Biggest Newsom Loss You Never Heard About
BY MARK TAPSCOTT
PJ MEDIA MAY 20, 2021 1:20 PM ET
AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Pastor Ché Ahn of the Pasadena, California-based Harvest Rock Church must have felt a special satisfaction upon reading these words in last week's decision issued by U.S. District Court Judge Jesus G. Bernal:
Defendant shall pay Plaintiffs the sum of $1,350,000 for Plaintiffs' reasonable attorney's fees and costs necessarily incurred in this case. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1961, post-judgment interest shall begin to accrue 60 days from the date the Court signs the final judgment.
The defendant in this case was none other than California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Harvest Rock was represented from beginning to end on a journey that included a huge victory in the U.S. Supreme Court by Mat Staver's Liberty Counsel.
Search - Supreme Court of the United States
The awarding of attorney's fees is the icing on the cake of freedom won by Staver and his colleagues in the courts against Newsom's repressive and anti-science Covid-19 restrictions. The overall ruling represents the first permanent statewide injunctive relief in such cases anywhere in the country.
The Harvest Rock victory is the latest in a string of profoundly important wins for the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom and practice from New York to California and from the federal district courts all the way to the chambers in the big building at One Street NE in the nation's capital.
But you probably didn't hear about this latest loss for Newsom because the "editors" and "reporters" of the mainstream media giants like the Washington Post and the New York Times couldn't be bothered to report it.
The last time the Post covered it, according to the site's search engine, was this Feb. 6, 2021, story on Harvest Rock's Supreme Court victory. And the most recent entry according to the search engine for the New York Times was its April 5 updating of its similar story on the February Supreme Court decision.
I'll leave it to the "journalists" at those once-respected media outlets to explain their obvious lack of news judgment, but my suggestion is that they don't want to do anything to help any of the crowd of candidates lining up to oppose Newsom in the forthcoming recall election to be held sometime later this year.
A key part of the reason recall supporters were able to gather more signatures than needed to force a recall election on Newsom was the fact he issued the most restrictive limits in the nation on church worship assemblies and related activities in responding to the Covid pandemic. Newsom's actions were clearly biased, even vengeful.
Somehow or other, Newsom and his allies in the California legislature, bureaucracy, and media concluded that the same people who were free to go to Walmart, the corner bar, or local Safeway without worrying about getting Covid would be instantly infected by stepping foot in a church.
It soon became plain to anybody with open eyes that Newsom was outrageously violating the First Amendment rights of millions of Californians. Protests and "illegal" worship gatherings became a common occurrence in the Golden State, as did state and local officials threatening pastors and church members with jail time and millions of dollars in fines.
Thank God that we still have in America judges who recognize that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights remain the Supreme Law of the Land and must be respected. The American Founders knew to expect political power-seekers like Newsom would come along and they created a government system designed to both contain such persons from succeeding and to equip citizens with effective means of redress.
Pastor Ahn is understandably happy with his lawyers, saying in a statement issued by Liberty Counsel:
"This is a momentous day for churches in America! After nearly a yearlong battle defending our religious freedoms, our lawsuit has reached a permanent settlement in our favor. I am thrilled to see the complete reversal of the last discriminatory restrictions against churches in California, knowing this case will act as a precedent, not only in our state, but also in our nation.
"We are incredibly grateful to our attorney Mat Staver and to Liberty Counsel for their relentless support and fierce determination. Most of all, we give all the glory to God for moving mightily in this historic season!"
For Staver, the decision speaks a new birth of freedom in California for pastors and laymen alike:
"Governor Gavin Newsom's COVID restrictions intentionally discriminated against churches while providing preferential treatment to many secular businesses and gatherings. The Supreme Court intervened multiple times to provide relief. California may never again place discriminatory restrictions on churches and places of worship.
"Gov. Gavin Newsom has now been permanently quarantined and may not violate the First Amendment rights of churches and places of worship again. We are grateful for Pastor Ché Ahn, Harvest Rock Church, and Harvest International Ministry. Pastor Ahn's leadership and courage has toppled the tyranny and freed every pastor and church in California."
I have a hunch that historians will someday conclude the hopefully coming rebirth of individual liberty across America began with the great battles fought and won on behalf of the First Amendment in 2020 and 2021.
Mark Tapscott is an award-winning veteran investigative journalist who covers Congress for The Epoch Times, and the founding editor of HillFaith, the website of a Christian apologetics ministry devoted to presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to congressional aides in the nation's capital. Mark was admitted to the National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame class of 2006, and he was named the Conservative Journalist of the Year in 2008 by CPAC. He was a consulting editor on the Colorado Springs Gazette Pulitzer Prize-winning series "Other Than Honorable" in 2014. Prior to his journalism career, Mark worked for President Ronald Reagan as communications director at the Republican National Committee and as Assistant Director for Public Affairs at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. He worked for a U.S. senator and two representatives prior to joining the Reagan-Bush campaign in 1980.
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Thanks to Rich and Chuck
Epstein Prison Guards
Tova Noel and Michael Thuma cut a deal with prosecutors to avoid jail time for themselves. Once they got the deal, they admitted to falsifying the records of their watch on Jeffrey Epstein. They did not make their rounds, and check on him as required, but stayed away doing other things, including taking a nap, and left Epstein unguarded. Thus it was, that 'all' the security cameras failed, and Epstein somehow managed to 'kill himself', and was found unresponsive later.
Nothing to see here folks, move along...
Georgia
Henry County Judge Brian Amero has given the go ahead to do an actual audit of the ballots from the last election. This will include unsealing 145,000 absentee ballots in Fulton County - the center of the fraud allegations. This will allow investigators to look for fold marks on the ballots, ink vs. printed marks, and things like 'down ballot' checkmarks, and postmarks, etc. Of course, the judge, not wanting to experience a sudden depression and death by self inflicted gunshot wound to the head, leaves these ballots in the hands of the corrupt Fulton County Elections Office. He also says this will not change the results of the election, because it has already been certified.
Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?
Rich
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— ... For The List for Wednesday, 26 May 2021... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)...
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 26 May 1966...
"Remembering 29 brave warriors who perished in SEAsia in 1964"...
https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-26-may-1966-they-gave-all-1/
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 U S Military History…….May 26
Feast day of Saint Philip Neri, Patron Saint of the Special Forces: Although he refrained from becoming involved in political matters, St. Philip broke this rule in 1593 when he persuaded Pope Clement VIII to withdraw the excommunication and anathema laid on Henry IV of France, and the refusal to receive his ambassador, even though the king had formally renounced Calvinism. Neri saw that the pope's attitude was more than likely to drive Henry to a relapse, and probably to rekindle the civil war in France, and directed Cardinal Caesar Baronius, then the pope's confessor, to refuse the Pope absolution, and to resign his office of confessor, unless the Pope would withdraw the anathema. Clement yielded at once, though the whole college of cardinals had supported his policy; and Henry, who did not learn the facts until several years afterwards, testified lively gratitude for the timely and politic intervention. Neri continued in the government of the Oratory until his death.
1941 – A British Catalina aircraft, piloted by a US Navy officer, finds Bismark only 700 miles from Brest and it is clear that the aircraft of the Ark Royal (of Force H) offer the best chance of slowing the German ship so that she can be caught. The first strike launched by the Ark Royal finds and attacks the British cruiser Sheffield by mistake owing to bad weather. The attack fails because of defects in the magnetic exploders of the torpedoes, so simple contact types are substituted for a second strike. The 15 Swordfish find the correct target and score two hits. One hit wrecks the German battleship's steering and practically brings her to a halt. During the night Bismark is further harried by torpedo and gunfire attacks by five British destroyers. It is unclear whether they score any torpedo hits.
1942 – Japanese Admiral Nagumo's 1st Carrier Fleet sails for Midway. His task force contains the carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu with two battleships, cruisers and destroyers as escort.
1944 – German submarine U-541 stops the Portuguese liner Serpa Pinto, carrying Jewish refugees to Canada. Two American citizens are removed and 385 others are ordered into the lifeboats. Nine hours later, after the submarine has contacted its base, the passengers are allowed back on board the ship. Three die in the evacuation process, including a 16 month old baby.
1945 – On Okinawa, American bombers and artillery attack Japanese troops withdrawing from the Shuri Line. Soldiers of California's 184th Infantry, assigned to the Regular Army's 7th Infantry Division, succeed in reducing several Japanese strong points as American forces drive deeper into the island's defenses. The 184th was one of 18 Guard infantry regiments separated from it peacetime parent division, in this case the 40th Infantry Division, by the restructuring of all infantry divisions into smaller organizations in 1942.
1945 – Some 464 American B-29 Superfortress bombers fire-bombed Tokyo with about 4000 tons of incendiares. Parts of the imperial palace were damaged as was the nearby business district of Marunouchi, which was the targeted area. A total of 26 of the Marianas-based bombers were lost.
1969 – The Apollo 10 astronauts returned to Earth after a successful eight-day dress rehearsal for the first manned moon landing.
1969 – Operation Pipestone Canyon began when the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines and 3d Battalion, 5th Marines began sweeps in the Dodge City/Go Noi areas southwest of Da Nang. It terminated at the end of June with 610 enemy killed in action at a cost of 34 Marines killed.
2010 – Space Shuttle Atlantis completes what is beleived to be its final scheduled mission after landing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. STS-132 (ISS assembly flight ULF4) was a NASA Space Shuttle mission, during which Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on 16 May 2010. STS-132 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on 14 May 2010. The primary payload was the Russian Rassvet Mini-Research Module, along with an Integrated Cargo Carrier-Vertical Light Deployable (ICC-VLD). STS-132 was initially scheduled to be the final flight of Atlantis, provided that the STS-335/STS-135 Launch On Need rescue mission would not be needed. However, in February 2011, NASA declared that the final mission of Atlantis and of the Space Shuttle program, STS-135, would be flown regardless of the funding situation.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
MARTINEZ, JOE P .
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company K, 32d Infantry, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: On Attu, Aleutians, 26 May 1943. Entered service at: Ault, Colo. Birth: Taos, N. Mex. G.O. No.: 71, 27 October 1943. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. Over a period of several days, repeated efforts to drive the enemy from a key defensive position high in the snow-covered precipitous mountains between East Arm Holtz Bay and Chichagof Harbor had failed. On 26 May 1943, troop dispositions were readjusted and a trial coordinated attack on this position by a reinforced battalion was launched. Initially successful, the attack hesitated. In the face of severe hostile machinegun, rifle, and mortar fire, Pvt. Martinez, an automatic rifleman, rose to his feet and resumed his advance. Occasionally he stopped to urge his comrades on. His example inspired others to follow. After a most difficult climb, Pvt. Martinez eliminated resistance from part of the enemy position by BAR fire and hand grenades, thus assisting the advance of other attacking elements. This success only partially completed the action. The main Holtz-Chichagof Pass rose about 150 feet higher, flanked by steep rocky ridges and reached by a snow-filled defile. Passage was barred by enemy fire from either flank and from tiers of snow trenches in front. Despite these obstacles, and knowing of their existence, Pvt. Martinez again led the troops on and up, personally silencing several trenches with BAR fire and ultimately reaching the pass itself. Here, just below the knifelike rim of the pass, Pvt. Martinez encountered a final enemy-occupied trench and as he was engaged in firing into it he was mortally wounded. The pass, however, was taken, and its capture was an important preliminary to the end of organized hostile resistance on the island.
NEWMAN, BERYL R.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 133d Infantry, 34th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Cisterna, Italy, 26 May 1944. Entered service at: Baraboo, Wis. Birth: Baraboo, Wis. G.O. No.: 5, 15 January 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 26 May 1944. Attacking the strongly held German Anzio-Nettuno defense line near Cisterna, Italy, 1st Lt. Newman, in the lead of his platoon, was suddenly fired upon by 2 enemy machineguns located on the crest of a hill about 100 yards to his front. The 4 scouts with him immediately hit the ground, but 1st Lt. Newman remained standing in order to see the enemy positions and his platoon then about 100 yards behind. Locating the enemy nests, 1st Lt. Newman called back to his platoon and ordered 1 squad to advance to him and the other to flank the enemy to the right. Then, still standing upright in the face of the enemy machinegun fire, 1st Lt. Newman opened up with his tommygun on the enemy nests. From this range, his fire was not effective in covering the advance of his squads, and 1 squad was pinned down by the enemy fire. Seeing that his squad was unable to advance, 1st Lt. Newman, in full view of the enemy gunners and in the face of their continuous fire, advanced alone on the enemy nests. He returned their fire with his tommygun and succeeded in wounding a German in each of the nests. The remaining 2 Germans fled from the position into a nearby house. Three more enemy soldiers then came out of the house and ran toward a third machinegun. 1st Lt. Newman, still relentlessly advancing toward them, killed 1 before he reached the gun, the second before he could fire it. The third fled for his life back into the house. Covering his assault by firing into the doors and windows of the house, 1st Lt. Newman, boldly attacking by himself, called for the occupants to surrender to him. Gaining the house, he kicked in the door and went inside. Although armed with rifles and machine pistols, the 11 Germans there, apparently intimidated, surrendered to the lieutenant without further resistance, 1st Lt. Newman, single-handed, had silenced 3 enemy machineguns, wounded 2 Germans, killed 2 more, and took 11 prisoners. This demonstration of sheer courage, bravery, and willingness to close with the enemy even in the face of such heavy odds, instilled into these green troops the confidence of veterans and reflects the highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces.
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PETRY, LEROY A.
Rank: Staff Sergeant, Organization: U.S. Army, Company: Company D, Division: 2d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Born: 29 July 1979, Santa Fe, NM, Departed: No, Entered Service At: New Mexico, G.O. Number: , Date of Issue: 07/12/2011, Accredited To: New Mexico, Place / Date: 26 May 2008, Paktya Province, Afghanistan. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Staff Sergeant Leroy A. Petry distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy in the vicinity of Paktya Province, Afghanistan, on May 26, 2008. As a Weapons Squad Leader with D Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Staff Sergeant Petry moved to clear the courtyard of a house that potentially contained high-value combatants. While crossing the courtyard, Staff Sergeant Petry and another Ranger were engaged and wounded by automatic weapons fire from enemy fighters. Still under enemy fire, and wounded in both legs, Staff Sergeant Petry led the other Ranger to cover. He then reported the situation and engaged the enemy with a hand grenade, providing suppression as another Ranger moved to his position. The enemy quickly responded by maneuvering closer and throwing grenades. The first grenade explosion knocked his two fellow Rangers to the ground and wounded both with shrapnel. A second grenade then landed only a few feet away from them. Instantly realizing the danger, Staff Sergeant Petry, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his safety, deliberately and selflessly moved forward, picked up the grenade, and in an effort to clear the immediate threat, threw the grenade away from his fellow Rangers. As he was releasing the grenade it detonated, amputating his right hand at the wrist and further injuring him with multiple shrapnel wounds. Although picking up and throwing the live grenade grievously wounded Staff Sergeant Petry, his gallant act undeniably saved his fellow Rangers from being severely wounded or killed. Despite the severity of his wounds, Staff Sergeant Petry continued to maintain the presence of mind to place a tourniquet on his right wrist before communicating the situation by radio in order to coordinate support for himself and his fellow wounded Rangers. Staff Sergeant Petry's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service, and reflect great credit upon himself, 75th Ranger Regiment, and the United States Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for May 26, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
1920: The Boeing 5-ton GA-1 armored triplane with twin-Liberty engines, eight machine guns, and a 37MM GAX cannon tested at McCook Field. (24)
1923: Lt H. G. Crocker used a DH-4B Liberty 400 to make a nonstop transcontinental South-North flight from Ellington Field, Houston, Tex., to Gordon, Ontario, in 11 hours 55 minutes. (24)
1942: Vance Breese flew Northrop's prototype P-61 Black Widow, the first American-designed night fighter with radar guidance, for the first time at Hawthorne, Calif. (12)
1948: At the White Sands Proving Ground, the first Navaho research test vehicle (NATIV) launched successfully. (6) 1952: KOREAN WAR. The 315th Air Division received its first C-124 Globemaster as two squadrons began the conversion from C-54 to C-124 aircraft. Through 27 May, 10 B-29s from the 19th Bombardment Group attacked the Sinhung-dong rail bridge, destroying 1 locomotive, 16 boxcars, 350 linear feet of the bridge, and nearly 400 feet of track on the approaches. (28)
1956: A Pan American Airways DC-7C claimed the distance record for a nonstop commercial flight by flying from Miami to Paris, France in 13 hours 55 minutes. (24) First flight of Republic's F-105 Thunderchief. (12)
1959: Douglas Aircraft Company received a contract from the Air Force for advanced design studies of the Skybolt missile. (6)
1961: MACKAY TROPHY. Maj William R. Payne and Captains William L. Polhelmus and Raymond Wagener from the 43 BMW at Carswell AFB flew a B-58 Hustler 4,612 miles across the Atlantic from New York to Le Bourget Field, Paris, in FAI record time. They completed the trip in 3 hours 19 minutes 41 seconds by flying at 1,089.36 MPH (by comparison Lindbergh's flight took 33 1/2 hours) to earn the Mackay Trophy for the flight. On 3 June, however, the crew died when the B-58 crashed after take-off from LeBourget Field for the Paris Air Show. (1) (21)
1972: In Moscow, President Nixon and Communist Party Leader Leonid I. Brezhnev signed a treaty that limited anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems and an interim agreement on strategic offensive arms. The ABM treaty limited each country to two ABM deployment areas with a radius of 150 kilometers (93 miles) each and with no more than 100 missiles (ABMs) each. Under the strategic agreement, the Soviet Union could deploy 1,618 ICBM and 740 SLBM launchers, while the US could have 1,054 ICBM and 656 SLBM launchers. (26)
1973: SKYLAB 2. The lab launched from Kennedy Space Center on a Saturn IB with Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., Paul Weitz, and Dr. Joseph Kerwin aboard. On 26 May, the astronauts met with Skylab 1 during the fifth orbit, where hey worked in space to repair the space station through 21 June. On 18 June, the astronauts surpassed the endurance record in space set by the Soyuz 11 crew. They returned on 22 June, landing 830 miles southwest of San Diego. (21)
1983: General Dynamics delivered the 500th F-16A aircraft to Hill AFB. (12) 1999: Operation ALLIED FORCE. The 104th Expeditionary Operations Group deployed a small contingent of Air Guardsmen and A-10s from Trapani AB to Tazar AB, Hungary, to perform combat search and rescue operations. (32)
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World News for 26 May thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Biden To Meet With Putin In Geneva Politico | 05/26/2021 The leaders of the U.S. and Russia have agreed to meet next month in Switzerland, reports Politico (Washington, D.C.). The meeting is scheduled for June 16 in Geneva, the White House confirmed on Tuesday, as reported by CNN. The summit will take place at the end of Biden's first trip to Europe, during which he will meet with NATO and European Union partners on various issues, including their concerns about Russia. The meeting is not expected to result in any major agreements. It is instead seen as a forum for the leaders to directly air their grievances and discuss potential areas of common ground. Nuclear arms control is expected to be high on the agenda. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is in Geneva this week for talks with his Russian counterpart to finalize details of the presidential summit.
USA—Dialogue Sought With Chinese Military Chiefs South China Morning Post | 05/26/2021 The U.S. is working to hold high-level military-to-military talks with China after previous efforts have been scuttled over protocol issues, reports the South China Morning Post. On at least three occasions, China rebuffed requests by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to speak with Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Xu Qiliang over the phone, reported the Financial Times (U.K.). Those requests violated diplomatic protocol, according to the state-run Global Times (Beijing). Chinese officials maintain that Austin's counterpart is Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and any direct requests for communication be made to him. China's displeasure at the request likely stems from deeper divisions that have been growing between the nations since a contentious conference in March, analysts said. On Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. would continue to seek dialogue with China. Kirby declined to confirm the Chinese account of the dispute.
USA—Fighter Fleet Mission Capable Rate Increased In 2020 Air Force Magazine | 05/26/2021 The Air Force saw an overall increase in mission-capable rates for its fighter fleet in fiscal 2020, reports Air Force magazine. The F-35A Lightning II saw a dramatic increase, with its mission-capable rate jumping from 61.6 percent in fiscal 2019 to 76.07 percent in fiscal 2020, according to figures seen by the magazine. The mission-capable rate denotes the percentage of jets in the inventory that are ready and available to accomplish at least one of their assigned missions over a period of time. The full mission-capable rate measures how many aircraft are available to perform their full complement of missions. The F-35 increase was driven by additional funding for spare parts; a greater percentage of the fleet being newer-build aircraft with fewer problems; and the opening of additional depots, Joint Program Office director Lt. Gen. Eric Fick said during congressional testimony last month. Mission-capable rates for the F-22 Raptor increased slightly from 50.57 percent in 2019 to 51.98 percent in 2020. The F-15C improved from 70.05 percent to 71.93 percent; F-16C from 72.97 percent to 73.9 percent; and F-16D from 70.37 percent to 72.11 percent. Some fleets saw a decline in mission-capable rates. The F-15E Strike Eagle fleet fell from 71.29 percent to 69.21 percent, while the F-15D fleet dipped to 70.52 percent from 72.45 percent.
Turkey—Navy Kicks Off Major Drill In Aegean, E. Med. Anadolu News Agency | 05/26/2021 The Turkish navy has just begun a major exercise involving scores of ships and aircraft, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). On Tuesday, the Sea Wolf 2021 drills began in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean. The exercise is scheduled to conclude on June 6. Around 25,500 personnel, 132 ships, 10 submarines, 43 aircraft, 28 helicopters and 14 uncrewed aerial vehicles are set to participate in the exercise. Ten public institutions and the Turkish Red Crescent are also taking part. The Sea Wolf exercise is focused on testing the management, efficiency, judgment and decision-making abilities of naval forces as well as coordination with air and land forces and public institutions. The training includes surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare and search-and-rescue scenarios. The exercise will conclude with 83 ships visiting 22 ports in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
Lithuania—Baltic States Commit To Increased Defense Cooperation Defense News | 05/26/2021 The defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania met last week to discuss cooperation, reports Defense News. On Monday, the ministries announced the results of the May 21 meeting in Siauliai, Lithuania, that was organized ahead of the NATO summit in Brussels scheduled for June 14. The summit took place before the current crisis with Belarus over the diversion of a European passenger jet and focused on Russian aggression, reported Estonian Public Radio. The defense ministers agreed to tighten defense cooperation, calling for the strengthening of air defenses with NATO support. They also agreed to pursue joint procurement of multiple launch rocket systems. The ministers signed a joint communique emphasizing the importance of sustainable development of defense capabilities, ensuring deterrence, transatlantic relations and the need for the presence of NATO forces in the Baltic states.
Switzerland—Pilot Uninjured After F-5 Crashes In Alps Swiss Information Service | 05/26/2021 A Swiss air force pilot is unhurt after ejecting from his jet in central Switzerland, reports the Swiss Information Service. On Wednesday, the F-5 Tiger went down near the resort of Melchsee-Frutt in the Swiss Alps. The fighter was on a training flight with two other jets at the time of the crash. The pilot ejected safely. The area in which the plane went down was uninhabited and there were no reports of casualties on the ground. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.
Serbia—Military Accepts T-72 Tanks, BRDM-2 Vehicles Donated By Russia Serbia Ministry of Defense | 05/26/2021 Russia has handed over a batch of tanks and armored reconnaissance vehicles to the Serbian military, reports the Serbian Ministry of Defense. On Sunday, Serbian Minister of Defense Nebojsa Stefanovic and the chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, Gen. Milan Mojsilovic, attended the handover ceremony at the Mija Stanimirovic barracks in the city of Nis. The Russian donation included 30 T-72MS tanks and 30 BRDM-2MS vehicles, with an estimated value of 75 million euros (US$91.5 million). The delivery represented a full battalion set of tanks and armored reconnaissance vehicles. Eleven T-72s and 10 BRDM-2s were previously handed over in November 2020. The T-72MS is a modernized variant of the T-72. The Serbian tanks were upgraded by Russia's 61st Armored Overhaul Institute. The BRDM-2MS features a thermal imaging camera that can spot targets at 2.2 miles (3.5 km) and identify them at 1.2 miles (2 km). It is also equipped with a two-axis stabilized turret that can hit targets on the move.
Russia—Bombers Begin Ops From Hmeimim Airbase After Upgrades Tass | 05/26/2021 Russia has deployed long-range bombers to its base in Syria after the completion of runway upgrades, reports the Tass news agency (Moscow). The Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers arrived at Hmeimim on May 25 and conducted their first familiarization flights over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The deployment was made possible by the upgrading of the airfield's second runway with a new surface and new navigation facilities and radio equipment, the ministry said. An analyst cited by the War Zone website said that the bombers came from bases at Shaykovka in western Russia and Belaya in Russia's Far East. Officials said that the bombers would return to Russia following the training in Syria.
Armenia—Soldier Killed In Border Clash With Azerbaijani Forces Agence France-Presse | 05/26/2021 An Armenian soldier has been killed in a cross-border clash with Azerbaijani troops, reports Agence France-Presse. On Tuesday, troops exchanged fire near the Verin Shorzha border point in the eastern Gegharkunik district of Armenia, said the Armenian defense ministry. Armenian officials said that the situation in the area was calm following the exchange and blamed Azerbaijan's troops for firing first. Azerbaijani officials denied that their troops had fired shots and suggested the incident was an accident that took place entirely within Armenia. The area is adjacent to the Kalbajar region that was retaken by Azerbaijani forces following last year's war in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
South Korea—Stronger Defense Ties Agreed With Germany Yonhap | 05/26/2021 The defense ministers of Germany and South Korea have agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). On Wednesday, South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook hosted his German counterpart, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, in Seoul. During the talks, Kramp-Karrenbauer expressed interest in strengthening the bilateral defense and security relationship. She also invited Suh to visit Germany in the near future. Suh said that the two countries could be "optimum partners to work for shared interests in the region." Germany reportedly plans to deploy a warship to the region for the first time in decades. Kramp-Karrenbauer is the first German Defense Minister to visit South Korea since 2007.
Afghanistan—Withdrawal From Afghanistan Accelerating, Say U.S. Officials New York Times | 05/26/2021 U.S. officials say the withdrawal of American troops and contractors from Afghanistan will be completed well ahead of President Biden's Sept. 11 deadline, reports the New York Times. The reduction of U.S. forces from 100,000 in 2011 to around 3,500 and about 17,000 contractors means there has been less equipment to pull out. At the current pace, U.S. and allied troops expect to be out of the country by mid-July. On Monday, U.S. Central Command released an update indicating that the withdrawal process was 16 to 25 percent complete. Some facilities have already been closed. Kandahar airfield was quietly handed over to Afghan troops in April. The military is still working out how to maintain a counterterrorism capability, likely involving air assets flying thousands of miles from the Middle East or from carriers in the Arabian Sea. Another issue is the Afghan military's ongoing reliance on contractors to maintain and repair equipment, especially for the air force. There are plans to continue training some Afghan troops outside of Afghanistan, possibly in Jordan.
Afghanistan—41 Prisoners Freed In Commando Raid In Herat Province Khaama Press | 05/26/2021 Afghan commando units have freed dozens of prisoners being held by the Taliban in the western Herat province, reports the Khaama Press (Kabul). On Monday night, the commandos raided a Taliban prison in the village of Marwa in the Pasthun Zarghun district, an Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman said. Forty-one people were rescued, including 19 Afghan National Defense and Security Force personnel and 22 civilians. Seven Taliban fighters were killed and some of their weapons and ammunition were destroyed in the operation, the spokesman said.
Afghanistan—Australia Shutters Embassy Australian Broadcasting Corporation | 05/26/2021 The Australian government has announced that it will close its embassy in Kabul, reports the Australian Broadcasting Corp. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne said that the embassy will close on Friday, in what they said was expected to be a temporary measure. The move was made ahead of the withdrawal of international military forces from Afghanistan. Australia has about 80 troops there, which are expected to be pulled out by September. The decision was made amid an increasingly uncertain security environment. The government has been advised that the necessary security arrangements to support the embassy were not available. Following the announcement, the Taliban released a statement pledging to provide a safe environment for foreign diplomats, reported Al Jazeera (Qatar). Canberra will now revert to the visiting accreditation model for its diplomatic representation to Afghanistan. Australia opened its embassy in Afghanistan in 2006.
United Arab Emirates—Growing Ties With China May Endanger F-35 Purchase Wall Street Journal | 05/26/2021 U.S. concerns about relations between the United Arab Emirates China could threaten a planned purchase of advanced American weapons, reports the Wall Street Journal. Despite clearing the proposed US$50 billion sale of 50 F-35 fighter aircraft, 18 MQ-9 Reaper drones and advanced munitions in April, Washington continues to seek guarantees from Abu Dhabi that it will protect the sensitive technology. The U.S. wants to ensure Israel's qualitative military edge in the region; limits on the use of the new weapons in ongoing conflicts in Libya and Yemen; and that no third-party countries, including China, have access to U.S. fighter jet and drone technology. Emirati officials have resisted some of these demands, said one U.S. official. The U.S. has also indicated that allowing China to set up a military base in the U.A.E. would kill the deal, though the definitions of what constitutes a base have not been agreed upon. The Emirati government has longstanding relations with China, with increasing evidence of growing security ties. For example, in recent weeks Chinese military aircraft landed in the U.A.E. and unloaded crates of undetermined materiel, according to U.S. intelligence.
Israel—Iron Dome Shoots Down Friendly Drone During Gaza Fight Times of Israel | 05/26/2021 The Israel Defense Forces have confirmed that one of its small uncrewed aerial vehicles was shot down by Israeli air defenses during the recent fighting in the Gaza Strip, reports the Times of Israel. The Skylark drone was downed by an Iron Dome missile defense system, the IDF said without providing further details. The incident, which is under investigation, reportedly caused concern in the Israeli air force over the ability of the Iron Dome to discriminate between friendly and hostile aircraft. The Iron Dome is said to have the ability to differentiate between friendly and adversary aircraft, which played a key role in a decision by international aviation authorities to allow commercial aircraft to continue flying into Israel during the fighting.
Sudan—Court Sentences Paramilitary Officer To Death For June 2019 Killing Sudan Tribune | 05/26/2021 A Sudanese court has sentenced a member of the security forces to death for the killing of a protester during demonstrations in 2019, reports the Sudan Tribune (Paris). On Monday, a Khartoum court found Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Maj. Youssif Mohi Al Din Al Faki guilty of killing protester Hanafi Abdel Shakour during a pro-democracy sit-in in June 2019 in Omdurman. Abdel Shakour's family declined to forgive the officer and accept a financial payment in lieu of punishment as permitted under Islamic law. The court then sentenced the RSF officer to death by hanging, reported the New Arab (London). An estimated 200 protesters were killed by members of the paramilitary RSF during the crackdown, which followed the ouster of President Omar Bashir. Activists and family members of victims have criticized the government for failing to bring the perpetrators to account.
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