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Good Sunday Morning June 6

I hope you all having a great weekend.

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Today in Naval History

June 6

1850

The brig USS Perry, commanded by Lt. Andrew H. Foote, captures American slaver Martha off Ambriz (near the city of Luanda), Angola, Africa.

1918

After Allied troops take Hill 142 at Chateau-Thierry, France, during World War I, 12 enemy soldiers crawl in a position to counter attack with five light machine guns. Realizing his company might withdraw if fired upon, Marine Gunnery Sgt. Maj. Ernest A. Janson, quickly rushes and bayonets two enemy leaders, forcing the rest of the enemy attackers to withdraw. For his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" on this occasion, he is awarded the Medal of Honor by both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army.

1918

During World War I at the Battle of Belleau Wood, Lt. j.g. Weedon E. Osborne is killed in action while attempting to rescue a wounded officer. For his "extraordinary heroism" on this occasion, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

1942

During the Battle of Midway, planes from the U.S. carriers Enterprise (CV 6) and Hornet (CV 8) pursue the retreating Japanese fleet, sinking the heavy cruiser Mikuma and damaging the destroyer Mogami. The abandoned USS Yorktown (CV 5) is reboarded and salvage attempts begin. However, a successful torpedo attack by the Japanese submarine I-168 sinks the destroyer USS Hammann (DD 412) and forces the salvage party to leave Yorktown.

1944

Allied forces land troops on Normandy beaches for the largest amphibious landing in history, Operation Overlord (D-Day), beginning the march eastward to defeat Germany.

1957

Two F8U Crusaders and 2 A3D Skywarriors fly nonstop from USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) off the coast of California to USS Saratoga (CVA 60) off the east coast of Florida. This is the first carrier-to-carrier transcontinential flight. The F8Us take 3 hours and 28 minutes and the A3Ds completed the crossing in 4 hours and 1 minute.

1987

USS Antietam (CG 54) is commissioned at Baltimore, Md. The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser is named after the 1862 Battle of Antietam in Baltimore during the Civil War. The cruisers first homeport is Long Beach, Calif.

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Today in History June 6

1523		Gustav Vasa becomes king of Sweden.
1641		Spain loses Portugal.
1674		Sivaji crowns himself King of India.
1813		The United States invasion of Canada is halted at Stony Creek, Ontario.
1862		The city of Memphis surrenders to the Union navy after an intense naval engagement on the Mississippi River.
1865		Confederate raider William Quantrill dies from a wound received while escaping a Union patrol near Taylorsville, Kentucky.
1918		U.S. Marines enter combat at the Battle of Belleau Wood.
1924		The German Reichstag accepts the Dawes Plan, an American plan to help Germany pay off its war debts.
1930		Frozen foods are sold commercially for the first time.
1934		President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Securities Exchange Act, establishing the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1941		The U.S. government authorizes the seizure of foreign ships in U.S. ports.
1944		D-Day: Operation Overlord lands 400,000 Allied American, British, and Canadian troops on the beaches of Normandy in German-occupied France.
1961		Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung, one of the founders of modern psychiatry, dies.
1966		African American James Meredith is shot and wounded while on a solo march in Mississippi to promote voter registration among blacks.
1982		Israel invades southern Lebanon.
1985		The body of Nazi war criminal Dr. Josef Mengele is located and exhumed near Sao Paolo, Brazil.

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Thanks to Dutch

COMMENT & ANALYSIS

The 6th of June, 1944

Free men pay homage once more to the courage of 'the longest day'

Not everyone gets to save the world. Before the colors of the Sixth of June 1944 fade into the mists of time, we remember after the passage of 75 years the uncommon sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers of America, of Britain and Canada, a token force of Free Frenchmen and soldiers of several other nations who struggled on the beaches of Normandy to secure the foothold that enabled the liberation of Europe. We pay particular homage to the 9,000 Americans who sleep in the great cemetery above the beaches. They rest in the peace of American soil, sovereignty conveyed by a grateful France.

President Trump and representatives of allied nations will honor them in ceremonies Thursday in Normandy, the occasion recalling Lincoln's words at the cemetery at Gettysburg, when he honored that earlier generation that gave their lives so that men might live free. Lincoln acknowledged that "we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract." But we must try.

Not everyone, apparently, can focus on the occasion to honor sacrifice of life and limb to preserve freedom. The anniversary never fails to cast partisanship aside, bringing tears to the eyes and hearts of the hard and the tough, but The Washington Post churlishly offered a story headlined "How Trump will ruin the 75th anniversary of D-Day." In the event, the anniversary was not ruined, and a diminishing number of D-Day survivors, all in their 90s and some approaching a full century of life, are there as living monuments to a moment in the human story when virtue, at least for the day, was ascendant over vice. This is likely to be the final grand salute to "the greatest generation" that won World War II.

This was a war that wasn't supposed to happen. Given the proximity to World War I, "the war to end all wars" that took the lives of 10 million soldiers and 20 million civilians and ended only two decades earlier, another war on the European continent had seemed unthinkable. But before the Allies ended the quest of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich another 24 million soldiers and seamen and 50 million civilians would go to their

graves on land and at sea.

The 156,000 troops from eight nations who stormed the beaches of Normandy had hoped the cover of darkness and fair weather would work to allied advantage in surprising the 50,000 Germans dug in along the French coastline. But it was not to be. At 5:20 a.m. the commander of a German observation post above the beaches stepped up to the slit in the concrete bunker to have a look. Color drained from his face. "It's the invasion," he said softly to a junior officer. "There must be 10,000 ships out there." The other officer scoffed. "The enemy doesn't have 10,000 ships."

"Come up here and see for yourself the 10,000 ships you say are not there." Gathered before them, stretching to the far horizon, was a spectacle not likely to be seen ever again. It was the greatest invasion force in history, 5,000 allied ships (the exaggeration was understandable), a line of cruisers and destroyers and behind them the great battleships Arkansas, Texas and Nevada, and behind them hundreds of ships with decks covered by 2,727 landing boats made of threequarter inch plywood, the storied Higgins boats, that over the next 24 hours would take 156,000 soldiers to the killing fields.

The landing boats raced to the beaches in tight formation at top speed and under relentless German fire, communicating without radios, cellphones, beepers and the electronic paraphernalia that would one day be ubiquitous, nothing to guide but navigation flags of accompanying control boats barely visible in the smoke of battle. By 10:30 on the night of June 6, immortalized as "the longest day," the five beachheads — Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword — were secure, and Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme allied commander, could discard his prepared statement taking personal blame if the day had failed.

The day did not fail, and the Allies, led by the Americans, the British, Canadians and including soldiers of the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, sometimes sneered at in certain quarters as "the Anglo-Saxons," would write a legend in blood that would last as long as men and women honor courage and pay homage to the bravery of free men. Seventy-five years on, the legend holds.

Lest we forget Thanks to Dutch. This is a good overall look at the invasion.

D-Day, Normandy, France June 6, 1944
by Brian Williams and John Barratt

The Atlantic Wall
After the invasion and subsequent fall of France in 1940, the German army controlled the entire coast of Northern France. Following the Allied evacuation at Dunkirk, Hitler had hoped that Britain would agree to settle the war. But, because of British determination and Germany's inability to carry out an invasion of England, Germany was forced to maintain a defensive posture along the coast. In 1944, the German war machine was still very powerful despite the many setbacks on the Eastern Front. What it lacked in Luftwaffe and materials, it made up for in highly experienced and trained men. Also, its armor, heavy infantry weapons, and anti-tank capabilities were years ahead of the Americans and British. But, the Allies controlled the air and sea and what they lacked in quality, they hoped to make up for in quantity. The German high command was actually anticipatory about the upcoming Allied invasion. It meant that finally the British and American threat could be "dealt with" once and for all.
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Overlord Preparations
Operation Overlord, the Allied codename for the invasion of Normandy, involved more than 150,000 men and 5,000 ships. It consisted of American, British, Canadian, Polish, and Free French Armies under command of General Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force (the choice of Eisenhower was officially made by President Roosevelt in December 1943, and agreed upon by the British). The Deputy Supreme Commander of the invasion was British Air Chief Marshal Arthur W. Tedder, who had been the commander of the Allied Air Forces in the Mediterranean. While British Admiral Bertram H. Ramsay, was appointed naval commander. He had conducted the evacuation at Dunkirk and also planned the Torch landing in North Africa. British Air Chief Marshal Trafford L. Leigh-Mallory was appointed as commander of the air forces. Montgomery was chosen as the ground forces' commander, despite his well-known personality problems. Eisenhower's first choice was in fact General Harold Alexander, but Churchill needed Alexander to remain in Italy. Montgomery arrived in Britain in January 1944 and began to evaluate the feasibility of the operation. He proposed the expansion of the invasion area to include landings west of the Vire River - allowing for the encirclement of Cherbourg (this would later become Utah Beach).
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The Airborne Landings
The first three of these units were given the missions of securing the eastern and western flanks of the beachhead by destroying bridges and laying mines. Their main mission was to allow for the main invasion force to come ashore without the immediate threat of German flank attacks. They were tasked to destroy bridges where the enemy was likely to stage a counterattack, and to secure bridges where Allied forces were expected to go immediately on the offensive.The US 82nd Airborne Division's mission was to protect the far right flank of the invasion in the Cotentin peninsula. It hoped to accomplish this by destroying bridges over the Douve River and by securing the Merderet River by occupying both sides. It also had the mission to capture Ste. Mere-Eglise from the German garrison stationed there. The capture of Ste. Mere-Eglise was important because it straddled the main road between Carentan and Cherbourg. The US 101st Airborne Division's mission was to secure four exits across the marshland near the coast for the invading US 4th Infantry Division at Utah beach. These causeways needed to be secured because on each side of the exits, it was flooded several feet deep in places. The 101st also were tasked to destroy two bridges over the Douve and to capture the La Barquette lock just north of Carentan. The lock controlled the water height of the flooded areas and it was essential that it be captured. The British 6th Airborne Division was to land Northeast of Caen and secure the left flank of the invasion force by controlling bridges over the Orne Canal and River. The left flank of the invasion force was much more vulnerable to German armored attack since the 21st Panzer was stationed just outside of Caen and the 12th SS Panzer miles to the east. Potentially, if the Panzer Divisions were not stopped by the British 6th, they could attack Sword and the rest of the landing beaches.
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Utah
At 0300 on the morning of June 6th, fleets of Allied bombers roared overhead delivering thousands of tons of bombs onto the German coastal defenses. These were followed at 0500 by the naval bombardment which had been planned to immediately precede the invasion itself. The battleship USS Nevada's 14-inch guns were assigned to the bombardment of the German batteries on Utah beach, while the USS Texas was to fire at Pointe-du-Hoc where the Rangers were to land as part of the Omaha landing. On the western end of Omaha proper, the USS Arkansas pounded a battery at Les Moulins. Several cruisers and destroyers also jumped into the bombardment with pre-determined targets and as opportunity arose. At such close range, there was very little trajectory to the shots and many Americans who were coming in to land, could feel the vacuum of the shells passing overhead. Needless to say, the bombardment was a very welcome sight to those troops about to land. At approximately 0620, the Nevada turned its guns to the beach and began bombarding a concrete seawall. Immediately after the bombardment, the plan called for a rocket bombardment by LCT(R)s (Landing Craft, Tank with Rocket launcher). This was to be followed by the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry, in 20 Higgins boats which carried a 30-man assault team each.
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Pointe du Hoc
Pointe du Hoc was located on the coast to the west of the Omaha beach landings and was the position of six 155mm cannons with a range of 25,000 yards. These cannons had a commanding view of both Omaha and Utah beaches and the potential to cause much damage to the invading force. The area had been bombed since May and then grew in intensity during the three days and nights before D-Day. During D-Day, the USS Texas bombarded the point as did 18 medium bombers of the Ninth Air Force at H-20. The point stood on cliffs between 85 to over 100 feet high at whose base was a very small rocky beach that offered no protection. Because the point was positioned on near impregnable cliffs, the Germans had concentrated their defenses in anticipation of a ground assault from inland. Above were heavily fortified concrete casements interlaced with tunnels, trenches, and machine-gun positions around the perimeter. Although the 716th Infantry Division was thinly stretched along 30 miles of the shoreline, approximately 200 German troops (125 infantry and 85 artillery men) were garrisoned in or around the point. The task fell to Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder's 2nd Ranger Battalion and called for 3 Companies (D, E, and F) of the battalion to scale the heights. Company D was to approach the heights on the west, while E and F were to attack on the east. The main Ranger force (5th Battalion and Companies A and B of the 2nd) were to wait off shore for signal of success and then land at the Point.
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Omaha
The US 1st Army, V Corps had the mission of securing the beachhead between Port-en-Bessin and the Vire River and to advance towards St. Lo. The Corps was to arrive in 4 stages with the 1st Division (with the 29th attached) leading the landings with about 34,000 men in the morning, followed by another 25,000 men after noon. The 1st Division was a veteran unit which had served through the campaigns of North Africa and Sicily. While for the most part, Normandy would be the 29th Division's first experience in combat. Two American Regimental Combat Teams (RCTs) of four rifle companies each, were tasked with the initial landing (the US 29th 116th RCT and the US 1st 16th RCT), followed by the remainder of the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions. Fire support included naval gunfire from the battleships, cruisers, and destroyers offshore, heavy bombing by B-24 Liberators,( only they stayed above the clouds and missed the beach head. Unlike the B-26s at Utah that did a great job there by getting below the clouds) the 741st and 743rd DD (dual-drive amphibious) tank battalions, several battalions of engineers and naval demolition personnel, and several howitzer battalions.
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Gold Beach
Gold Beach was the code name for the center of the landings on the Normandy coast. The British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division of the 2nd Army under Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey was to land at H-Hour + 1 (0730), seize Arromanches and drive inland to capture the road junction at Bayeux. Its additional objectives were to make contact with the US forces to the west at Omaha Beach and the Canadians to their east at Juno Beach. In addition to the 50th, the 47th Royal Marine Commandos were to land on sector Item and to attack south of Arromanches and Longues and take Port-en-Bessin from the rear. Gold Beach spanned nearly 10 miles long although the areas where landings were to occur were about 5 miles wide. Gold was characterized mainly by the 3 sea villages of La Rivière, Le Hamel, and the small port of Arromanches to the west. The Allied sectors were designated from west to east: How, Item, Jig, and King. Of these four sectors, only the easternmost 3 were to actually become assault sectors. Units of the German 716th Division and elements of the veteran 1st Battalion of the 352nd Division defended the coast in the beach houses along the coast with concentrations at Le Hamel and Le Riviere. Fortunately for the Allies, these houses proved to be vulnerable to naval and air bombardment. In addition, an observation post and battery of four 155mm cannon was located at Longues-sur-Mer.
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Juno Beach
Of all the troops involved in the D-Day landings, the men of the Canadian Army , with raw memories of the disaster suffered by Canadian forces in 1942 at Dieppe, might have had greatest cause for apprehension. The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division, (Maj-Gen R.F.L. Keller) supported by the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade, formed part of I Corps (Lieutenant-General J.T. Crocker), whose D-Day objective was to secure Caen and push 11 miles inland to seize Carpiquet airfield. These were ambitious aims, particularly as the presence of rocks offshore meant that the tide would not be high enough for the landings to begin until half an hour later than those elsewhere, and so probably facing an alerted enemy. The main immediate opposition would come from three, fairly low grade, battalions of the 716th Division, but of more concern was the possibility that 21st Panzer Division, believed to be south-east of Caen, might intervene quickly, possibly reinforced during the afternoon by 12th SS Panzer.
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Sword Beach
AAs well as being the furthest east of the landing beaches, "Sword" was also the smallest, only wide enough for a brigade-sized landing force. The 3rd British Division was tasked with getting enough troops ashore to push inland quickly and seize Caen, and link up with 6th Airborne Division. It would prove to be a seriously over-ambitious aim. Early on June 6th Naval Force"S", carrying the assault force and support units, moved into position off the mouth of the River Orne. It was here that the only notable German naval activity of the day occurred, when three E-boats emerged through the Allied smoke screen, fired a salvo of torpedoes, which sank the Norwegian destroyer Largs, and made off unscathed. It proved to be the only appearance of the Kriegsmarine that day, and the Allied bombardment force, including the battleships Warspite and Ramillies, proceeded to lay down the heaviest barrage of the day on the three-mile wide stretch of beach where the 8th British Brigade was to land.
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Counterattack
As Rommel had recognized, Germany's main chance of defeating the invasion lay in prompt counterattacks, particularly by her panzer forces. However, for a variety of reasons, the powerful striking force within easy reach of the invasion beaches which he had called for was not immediately available. A major problem resulted from a lack of clarity in the panzer command structure. The newly formed 47th Panzer Corps was still in process of taking over command of 21st, 116th and 2nd Panzer Divisions, whilst administrative and supply matters remained under Panzer Group West, with both responsible to Rommel's Army Group B. To complicate matters further, Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, Commander in Chief West, was powerless to commit the strategic reserve without the authority of OKW, meaning in effect Hitler.
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The Fight for the Foothold
By nightfall on June 6th 1944-D-Day, Hitler's Atlantic Wall on the coast of Normandy had been breached. The Allies, at a cost of 9,500 casualties compared with 4-10,000 Germans, were ashore in Fortress Europe. But their position remained precarious; the beachheads had less depth than had been hoped for, and British and US forces had not yet linked up. Supplies and reinforcements were not coming ashore as rapidly as had been planned, and the initially slow and piecemeal enemy reaction could not be expected to remain so favorable. The Allies had to link up and expand their currently insecure toeholds into something more substantial as rapidly as possible. For Germany, the result of the first day of fighting had been disappointing, but was not viewed as disastrous. Partly as a result of Hitler's hesitancy, and also as a consequence of virtually complete Allied air supremacy over the approaches to the battle area, 21st and 12th SS Panzer Divisions, forming the immediate mobile reserve, had not intervened effectively on June 6th. Indeed losses from enemy air attack were so substantial that it is unlikely that their earlier release would have made any significant difference.
Rommel, absent in Bavaria during the opening hours of the battle, arrived back at Army Group B Headquarters late in the evening, and began re-organising the currently fragmented command structure.

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Thanks to Carl for this addition to the D-Day history

http://usdefensewatch.com/2017/06/june-6-1944-the-greatest-day-of-the-20th-century-2/

JUNE 5, 2017 BY RAY STARMANN

JUNE 6, 1944: THE GREATEST DAY OF THE 20TH CENTURY

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Thanks to Dutch

COMMENT & ANALYSIS

The 6th of June, 1944

Free men pay homage once more to the courage of 'the longest day'

graves on land and at sea.

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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear

LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— ... For The List for Sunday, 6 June 2021... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)

From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 6 June 1966...

The Vietnam war as an "Incubator for Discontent" that has led to the catastrophic condition of our divided nation today....

https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-6-june-1966-incubator-2/

This following 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…….June 6

1918 – The first large-scale battle fought by American soldiers in World War I begins in Belleau Wood, northwest of the Paris-to-Metz road. In late May 1918, the third German offensive of the year penetrated the Western Front to within 45 miles of Paris. U.S. forces under General John J. Pershing helped halt the German advance, and on June 6 Pershing ordered a counteroffensive to drive the Germans out of Belleau Wood. U.S. Marines under General James Harbord led the attack against the four German divisions positioned in the woods and by the end of the first day suffered more than 1,000 casualties. For the next three weeks, the Marines, backed by U.S. Army artillery, launched many attacks into the forested area, but German General Erich Ludendorff was determined to deny the Americans a victory. Ludendorff continually brought up reinforcements from the rear, and the Germans attacked the U.S. forces with machine guns, artillery, and gas. Finally, on June 26, the Americans prevailed but at the cost of nearly 10,000 dead, wounded, or missing in action. This is first battle where the AEF experienced the heavy casualties associated with the Great War. It represents the embodiment of U.S. Marine Corps determination and dedication and served as a signal to both allies and adversaries that America was on the Western Front to fight.

1942 – Japanese troops landed on Kiska, Aleutians.

1942 – The Battle of Midway. Admiral Yamamoto considers engaging in a surface battle against the US carrier fleet, but decides to retreat instead. The loss of the main portion of the Japanese carrier fleet and their aircraft pilots in the battle on June 4th has robbed the Japanese of the initiative in the naval battle in the Pacific. Also of importance is the use of code-breaking by the Americans to intercept Japanese planning. Prior knowledge of Japanese intentions at Midway allowed the Americans to prepare a trap.

1944 – Operation Overlord begins. In Normandy, France, during the predawn hours, the US 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions are dropped inland from the right flank beach. The British 6th Airborne Division is landed inland from the left flank beach. These forces achieve their objectives and create confusion among the German defenders. The Allied Expeditionary Force lands in Normandy at dawn. Forces of the 21st Army Group (Field Marshal Montgomery) commands the US 1st Army (General Bradley) on the right and the British 2nd Army (General Dempsey) on the left. There are five invasion beaches: Utah on the right flank, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, on the left flank. At Utah, the US 7th Corps (General Collins) lands with US 4th Division spearheading the assault. The troops advance inland against light resistance. Admiral Moon provides naval support. At Omaha, the US 5th Corps (General Gerow) lands. There is heavy resistance and by the end of the day the American forces have advance less than one mile inland. Admiral Hall provides naval support. At Gold, the British 30th Corps (General Bucknall) lands with 50th Infantry Division and 8th Armored Brigade leading the assault. There is reasonable advance inland although the assigned objectives are not met. At Juno beach, the British 1st Corps (General Crocker) lands with the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division and the Canadian 2nd Armored Brigade leading the assault. The tanks and infantry quickly push inland. Naval support is under the command of Commodore Oliver. At Sword beach, other elements of the British 1st Corps land. The British 3rd Infantry Division, 27th Armored Brigade and several Marine and Commando units lead the assault. The beach is quickly secured and bridges over the Orne River are captured but the first day objectives are not reached. The German 21st Panzer Division counterattacks in the late afternoon but does not dislodge the British defenders. Overall, the Allies land almost 150,000 men. Naval support and massive aerial interdiction prevents the German defenders from concentrating forces for a decisive counterattack. Despite the German resistance, Allied casualties overall were relatively light. The United States and Britain each lost about 1,000 men, and Canada 355. Before the day was over, 155,000 Allied troops would be in Normandy. However, the United States managed to get only half of the 14,000 vehicles and a quarter of the 14,500 tons of supplies they intended on shore. Three factors were decisive in the success of the Allied invasion. First, German counterattacks were firm but sparse, enabling the Allies to create a broad bridgehead, or advanced position, from which they were able to build up enormous troop strength. Second, Allied air cover, which destroyed bridges over the Seine, forced the Germans to suffer long detours, and naval gunfire proved decisive in protecting the invasion troops. And third, division and confusion within the German ranks as to where the invasion would start and how best to defend their position helped the Allies. (Hitler, convinced another invasion was coming the next day east of the Seine River, refused to allow reserves to be pulled from that area.) Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, commander of Britain's Twenty-first Army Group (but under the overall command of General Eisenhower, for whom Montgomery, and his ego, proved a perennial thorn in the side), often claimed later that the invasion had come off exactly as planned. That was a boast, as evidenced by the failure to take Caen on the first day, as scheduled. While the operation was a decided success, considering the number of troops put ashore and light casualties, improvisation by courageous and quick-witted commanders also played an enormous role.

1944 – Brig. General Norman "Dutch" Cota was the first American General to step foot on Omaha Beach. Cota, assistant commander of the 29th Infantry Division, heroically spurred his men to cross the beach under withering German fire. He went on to lead his infantrymen across France to the Siegfried Line and in the battle of Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge.

1944 – The Allied invasion of France, commonly known as "D-Day" begins as Guardsmen from the 29th Infantry Division (DC, MD, VA) storm onto what will forever after be known as "bloody Omaha" Beach. The lead element, Virginia's 116th Infantry, suffers nearly 80% casualties but gains the foothold needed for the invasion to succeed. The 116's artillery support, the 111th Field Artillery Battalion, also from Virginia, loses all 12 of its guns in high surf trying to get on the beach. Its men take up arms from the dead and fight as infantrymen. Engineer support came from the District of Columbia's 121st Engineer Battalion. Despite high loses too, its men succeed in blowing holes in several obstacles clearing paths for the men to get inland off the beach. In the early afternoon, Maryland's 115th Infantry lands behind the 116th and moves through its shattered remnants to start the movement in off the beach. Supporting the invasion was the largest air fleet known to history. Among the units flying missions were the Guards' 107th (MI) and 109th (MN) Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons The Normandy campaign lasted until the end of July with four Guard infantry divisions; the 28th (PA), 29th, 30th (NC, SC, TN) and the 35th (KS, MO, NE) taking part along with dozens of non-divisional units all earning the "Normandy" streamer.

1944 – Cherokee tribal members communicated via radios in their native language on the Normandy beaches. Some 6,603 Americans were killed along the coast of France during the D-day invasion. A total of 9,758 Allied soldiers died during the invasion. "D-Day" by Stephen Ambrose was published in 1994.

1945 – On Okinawa, elements of the US 6th Marine Division advance in the Oruka Peninsula following their landing. Naha airfield is secured. Elements of the US 96th Division (US 24th Corps) reach the lower slopes of Mount Yaeju and are halted by intensive Japanese fire.(still going on since 1 April)

1945 – American forces advance without meeting significant resistance in the Cayagan valley, on Luzon, as well as on Minadanao.

1952 – F-86 Sabres scored one of the greatest single victories of the war, destroying eight MiGs and damaging two others.

1964 – Two U.S. Navy jets flying low-altitude target reconnaissance missions over Laos are shot down by communist Pathet Lao ground fire. Washington immediately ordered armed jets to escort the reconnaissance flights, and by June 9, escort jets were attacking Pathet Lao headquarters. The downing of the two reconnaissance aircraft and the retaliatory strikes were made public, but the full extent of the U.S. involvement in Laos was not. In fact, the U.S. fighter-bombers were flying combat missions in support of Royal Lao forces in their war against the communist Pathet Lao and would continue to do so until 1973.

1972 – South Vietnamese forces drive out all but a few of the communist troops remaining in Kontum. Over 200 North Vietnamese had been killed in six battles in and around the city. The city had come under attack in April when the North Vietnamese had launched their Nguyen Hue Offensive (later called the Easter Offensive), a massive invasion by North Vietnamese forces designed to strike the blow that would win them the war. The attacking force included 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, with more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. In addition to Kontum, the other main North Vietnamese objectives were Quang Tri in the north and An Loc farther to the south. Initially, the South Vietnamese defenders were almost overwhelmed, particularly in the northernmost provinces, where they abandoned their positions in Quang Tri and fled south in the face of the enemy onslaught. At Kontum and An Loc, the South Vietnamese were more successful in defending against the attacks, but only after weeks of bitter fighting. Although the defenders suffered heavy casualties, they managed to hold their own with the aid of U.S. advisors and American airpower. Fighting continued all over South Vietnam into the summer months, but eventually the South Vietnamese forces prevailed against the invaders and retook Quang Tri in September. With the communist invasion blunted, President Nixon declared that the South Vietnamese victory proved the viability of his Vietnamization program, which he had instituted in 1969 to increase the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces so that U.S. troops could be withdrawn.

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

JANSON, ERNEST AUGUST (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 49th Company. (Served under name of Charles F. Hoffman) Born: 17 August 1878, New York, N.Y. Accredited to: New York. (Also received Army Medal of Honor.) Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June 1918. Immediately after the company to which G/Sgt. Janson belonged, had reached its objective on Hill 142, several hostile counterattacks were launched against the line before the new position had been consolidated. G/Sgt. Janson was attempting to organize a position on the north slope of the hill when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with 5 light machineguns, crawling toward his group. Giving the alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted the 2 leaders, and forced the others to flee, abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative and courage drove the enemy from a position from which they could have swept the hill with machinegun fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops.

*OSBORNE, WEEDON E.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, Junior Grade, (Dental Corps), U.S. Navy. Born: 13 November 1892, Chicago, Ill. Appointed from: Illinois. Citation: For extraordinary heroism while attached to the 6th Regiment, U.S. Marines, in actual conflict with the enemy and under fire during the advance on Bouresche, France, on 6 June 1918. In the hottest of the fighting when the marines made their famous advance on Bouresche at the southern edge of Belleau Wood, Lt (j.g.). Osborne threw himself zealously into the work of rescuing the wounded. Extremely courageous in the performance of this perilous task, he was killed while carrying a wounded officer to a place of safety.

BARRETT, CARLTON W.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France, 6 June 1944. Entered service at: Albany, N.Y. Birth: Fulton, N.Y. G.O. No.: 78, 2 October 1944. Citation: For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, in the vicinity of St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France. On the morning of D-day Pvt. Barrett, landing in the face of extremely heavy enemy fire, was forced to wade ashore through neck-deep water. Disregarding the personal danger, he returned to the surf again and again to assist his floundering comrades and save them from drowning. Refusing to remain pinned down by the intense barrage of small-arms and mortar fire poured at the landing points, Pvt. Barrett, working with fierce determination, saved many lives by carrying casualties to an evacuation boat Iying offshore. In addition to his assigned mission as guide, he carried dispatches the length of the fire-swept beach; he assisted the wounded; he calmed the shocked; he arose as a leader in the stress of the occasion. His coolness and his dauntless daring courage while constantly risking his life during a period of many hours had an inestimable effect on his comrades and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.

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*MONTEITH, JIMMIE W., JR.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Colleville-sur-Mer, France, 6 June 1944. Entered service at: Richmond, Va. Born: 1 July 1917, Low Moor, Va. G.O. No.: 20, 29 March 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, near Colleville-sur-Mer, France. 1st Lt. Monteith landed with the initial assault waves on the coast of France under heavy enemy fire. Without regard to his own personal safety he continually moved up and down the beach reorganizing men for further assault. He then led the assault over a narrow protective ledge and across the flat, exposed terrain to the comparative safety of a cliff. Retracing his steps across the field to the beach, he moved over to where 2 tanks were buttoned up and blind under violent enemy artillery and machinegun fire. Completely exposed to the intense fire, 1st Lt. Monteith led the tanks on foot through a minefield and into firing positions. Under his direction several enemy positions were destroyed. He then rejoined his company and under his leadership his men captured an advantageous position on the hill. Supervising the defense of his newly won position against repeated vicious counterattacks, he continued to ignore his own personal safety, repeatedly crossing the 200 or 300 yards of open terrain under heavy fire to strengthen links in his defensive chain. When the enemy succeeded in completely surrounding 1st Lt. Monteith and his unit and while leading the fight out of the situation, 1st Lt. Monteith was killed by enemy fire. The courage, gallantry, and intrepid leadership displayed by 1st Lt. Monteith is worthy of emulation.

*PINDER, JOHN J., JR.
Rank and organization: Technician Fifth Grade, U.S. Army, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Colleville-sur-Mer, France, 6 June 1944. Entered .service at: Burgettstown, Pa. Birth: McKees Rocks, Pa. G.O. No.: 1, 4 January 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, near Colleville-sur-Mer, France. On D-day, Technician 5th Grade Pinder landed on the coast 100 yards off shore under devastating enemy machinegun and artillery fire which caused severe casualties among the boatload. Carrying a vitally important radio, he struggled towards shore in waist-deep water. Only a few yards from his craft he was hit by enemy fire and was gravely wounded. Technician 5th Grade Pinder never stopped. He made shore and delivered the radio. Refusing to take cover afforded, or to accept medical attention for his wounds, Technician 5th Grade Pinder, though terribly weakened by loss of blood and in fierce pain, on 3 occasions went into the fire-swept surf to salvage communication equipment. He recovered many vital parts and equipment, including another workable radio. On the 3rd trip he was again hit, suffering machinegun bullet wounds in the legs. Still this valiant soldier would not stop for rest or medical attention. Remaining exposed to heavy enemy fire, growing steadily weaker, he aided in establishing the vital radio communication on the beach. While so engaged this dauntless soldier was hit for the third time and killed. The indomitable courage and personal bravery of Technician 5th Grade Pinder was a magnificent inspiration to the men with whom he served.

*ROOSEVELT, THEODORE, JR.
Rank and organization: brigadier general, U.S. Army. Place and date: Normandy invasion, 6 June 1944. Entered service at: Oyster Bay, N.Y. Birth: Oyster Bay, N.Y. G.O. No.: 77, 28 September 1944. Citation: for gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, in France. After 2 verbal requests to accompany the leading assault elements in the Normandy invasion had been denied, Brig. Gen. Roosevelt's written request for this mission was approved and he landed with the first wave of the forces assaulting the enemy-held beaches. He repeatedly led groups from the beach, over the seawall and established them inland. His valor, courage, and presence in the very front of the attack and his complete unconcern at being under heavy fire inspired the troops to heights of enthusiasm and self-sacrifice. Although the enemy had the beach under constant direct fire, Brig. Gen. Roosevelt moved from one locality to another, rallying men around him, directed and personally led them against the enemy. Under his seasoned, precise, calm, and unfaltering leadership, assault troops reduced beach strong points and rapidly moved inland with minimum casualties. He thus contributed substantially to the successful establishment of the beachhead in France .

*WOODFORD, HOWARD E.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company I, 130th Infantry, 33d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Tabio, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 6 June 1945. Entered service at: Barberton, Ohio. Birth: Barberton, Ohio. G.O. No.: 14, 4 February 1946. Citation: He volunteered to investigate the delay in a scheduled attack by an attached guerrilla battalion. Reaching the line of departure, he found that the lead company, in combat for the first time, was immobilized by intense enemy mortar, machinegun, and rifle fire which had caused casualties to key personnel. Knowing that further failure to advance would endanger the flanks of adjacent units, as well as delay capture of the objective, he immediately took command of the company, evacuated the wounded, reorganized the unit under fire, and prepared to attack. He repeatedly exposed himself to draw revealing fire from the Japanese strongpoints, and then moved forward with a 5-man covering force to determine exact enemy positions. Although intense enemy machinegun fire killed 2 and wounded his other 3 men, S/Sgt. Woodford resolutely continued his patrol before returning to the company. Then, against bitter resistance, he guided the guerrillas up a barren hill and captured the objective, personally accounting for 2 hostile machinegunners and courageously reconnoitering strong defensive positions before directing neutralizing fire. After organizing a perimeter defense for the night, he was given permission by radio to return to his battalion, but, feeling that he was needed to maintain proper control, he chose to remain with the guerrillas. Before dawn the next morning the enemy launched a fierce suicide attack with mortars, grenades, and small-arms fire, and infiltrated through the perimeter. Though wounded by a grenade, S/Sgt. Woodford remained at his post calling for mortar support until bullets knocked out his radio. Then, seizing a rifle he began working his way around the perimeter, encouraging the men until he reached a weak spot where 2 guerrillas had been killed. Filling this gap himself, he fought off the enemy. At daybreak he was found dead in his foxhole, but 37 enemy dead were lying in and around his position. By his daring, skillful, and inspiring leadership, as well as by his gallant determination to search out and kill the enemy, S/Sgt. Woodford led an inexperienced unit in capturing and securing a vital objective, and was responsible for the successful continuance of a vitally important general advance.

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for June 6, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

6 June

1923: Through 13 June, US Navy pilots of Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet, set 20 new world records for Class C seaplanes at San Diego. The 6 June records included: Lt (JG) Mainrad A. Schur with a 72 MPH speed record for 500 kilometers in a DT-2 torpedo plane; Lt Henry T. Stanley with distance and duration records, with a 250 kilogram payload, of 574.75 miles in 10 hours 23 minutes 58 seconds in an F-5L patrol plane; Lt Herman E. Halland with a distance and duration records, with a 500 kilogram payload, of 466 miles in 7 hours 35 minutes 54 seconds; and Lt Robert L. Fuller with distance and duration records, with a 1,000 kilogram payload, of 205.2 miles in 2 hours 45 minutes 9 seconds. (See 7 June) (24) (25)

1936: The Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Inc., at Paulsboro, N.J., began producing 100-octane aviation gasoline, using the catalytic cracking method. (21)

1944: Operation OVERLORD. American and Allied aircraft flew approximately 15,000 interdiction, close air support, and airlift sorties in support of the D-Day invasion. (4) (21)

1952: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force F-86 Sabres destroyed eight MiG-15s in aerial combat, the highest daily tally for the month. (28)

1957: Navy fighters flew nonstop from the USS Bon Homme Richard near California to the Saratoga off eastern Florida in the first carrier-to-carrier transcontinental flight. (24) (This was Curt Dose's father Bob flying The F8 Crusader) See the end of today's List. I found the article from the List 5197 in 2020

1960: SECDEF Thomas S. Gates, Jr., announced an agreement to give Skybolt missiles to the British. (6) ELECTRONIC FLIGHT PLANNING. Two F-100s took off from Itazuke AB on PACAF's first computer-planned mission, a 2-hour 30-minute training flight. The 8 TFW developed the system to electronically compute flight plans. The computer-produced frag orders were more detailed and accurate and could be produced in a few seconds with the touch of some buttons. The new system permitted a quick reaction to changes in combat profiles, a factor that would later prove a vital ingredient in combat missions to come. (17)

1962: Capt William Stevenson flew a 19 BMW B-52H from Homestead AFB, 11,336.92 miles over a closed course (from and back to Seymour-Johnson AFB). He averaged 510 MPH in the 22- hour, 38-minute, 42-second nonstop, nonrefueled flight. (1) (9)

1964: A team of nine USMC parachutists claimed world records for 7-man, 8-man, and 9-man team jumps at night after freefalling from 44,100 to 1,300 before opening their parachutes. They jumped from a USMC KC-130F at Ft. Bragg, NC. (16)

1967: Operation CREEK HAVEN. Through 11 June, during the 7-Day War between Israel and neighboring Arab states, MAC, TAC, and USAFE aircraft and aircrews evacuated nearly 7,000 people from Libya to Europe, with 2,556 then airlifted to the US. (18)

1970: Lockheed delivered the first C-5 Galaxy to an operational wing. General Jack J. Catton, the MAC Commander, flew the aircraft from Marietta to Charleston AFB, where Brig Gen Clare T. Ireland, the 437 MAW Commander, accepted it. (2)

1975: The last 16 B-52s at U-Tapao AB, Thailand, began their redeployment to the US. (16) (26)

1979: First F-16 from the Dutch production line delivered in a ceremony at Fokker-VFW Schiphol Plant at Schipol Airport in the Netherlands. (12)

1991: The Air Force unveiled the Northrop AGM-137A Tri-service Standoff Attack Missile (TSSAM). It was a stealthy ground-attack weapon with a less than 600 kilometers range. (20)

1996: At NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, the first Air Force aircrew graduated from the Navy's EA-6B Fleet Replacement Squadron to join one of five new combined Navy/Air Force EA-6B "Prowler" squadrons. The joint venture between the Air Force and Navy consolidated the airborne threat radar jamming mission and led to the retirement of the EF-111 Raven. (AFNEWS Article 960505) The first woman commander of a group that maintains USAF missiles, Lt Col Kai Lee Norwood, assumed command of the 91st Logistics Group. (26)

2000: An AFFTC B-1B from Edwards AFB dropped three different Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensers (WCMD) on a single bombing pass. The WCMD was a 1,000-pound inertially guided cluster munition. (3)

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F-8 Crusader: Carrier to Carrier Cross Country.

Two F-8 Crusaders catapult from the USS Bon Homme Richard in the Pacific and land on the USS Saratoga in the Atlantic Ocean. Non-stop.

F-8 & AJ.

The following is extracted from Bill Northrup's narrative of the event.

Toward the end of May 1957 Capt Dose, CO of VX-3, based at NAS Atlantic City NJ, received a call from a friend at DCNO AIR Operations asking him if he could set up and make a historic carrier-to-carrier west to east flight in about a week, specifically, on the anniversary of D-Day, 6 June. President Eisenhower and top government officials and Navy Admirals and lots of press were to be on the east coast carrier, the USS Saratoga. Bob said "Sure, they will make it happen."

They were to pick up a new Crusader for Paul Miller at the factory at Dallas equipped with the new inflight refueling modification. They went to Dallas, and Bob's F8, an older one, had to be modified with the new refueling probe, etc., which was done in short order.

The F8 Crusader was a helluva machine. The previous year CDR Duke Windsor had set a speed record of 1015.429 mph. Not only that, he was ordered to "Hold it to just over 1000 mph" by the brass. The F8 had a very long cruise range also compared to other fighters of that time.

The flight was planned to be two legs with inflight refueling over Dallas. It being only six miles off the great circle route, San Diego-Jacksonville. It was calculated that they would go into afterburner and go supersonic at a specific time on each leg with a safe margin of fuel remaining to, on the first leg, refuel airborne, and the second to make a "Mach Descent" to a carrier landing aboard Saratoga. The first leg was to be thirteen minutes supersonic and seventeen on the last. Longer on the last because they would be starting from 25,000 feet after refueling and not ground level. They figured to go to 43,000 feet and fast cruise to the point where afterburners were lit and acceleration to Mach 1.7. This was the maximum speed allowed for the early Crusaders due to directional instability above that Mach. Later F8s had ventral fins which allowed Mach numbers above 1.9.

A practice flight was made from Dallas. Bob and Paul went west to the point where they were to go into A/B for the thirteen minutes of the last of the first leg east bound. They turned, went into burner, accelerated to 1.7 Mach headed for Dallas and the awaiting AJ Savage tanker plane. During the descent to the tanker they gave Dallas a "really good" sonic boom! Not intentionally, of course (?) Later that evening the Chance Vought test pilot, John Conrad, came to the BOQ where Bob and Paul were staying and told them "You guys almost knocked me out of my bathtub".

They had taken on enough fuel on that practice flight so they were sure the new inflight refueling system worked properly then landed at NAS Dallas. The next day they flew to NAS Alameda and the F8s were loaded aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard. The carrier then headed to the San Diego area.

June 6 1957. CAPT Dose and LCDR Miller catapulted off the Bon Homme Richard,, joined up, and headed east on the first leg of their flight. They climbed in A/B to 43,000feet (that took only about 4.5 minutes). Came out of A/B and continued the flight plan. This plan was all set except for one place. The White Sands Nuclear testing area. The USAF had not previously cleared them through that air space. CAPT Dose

contacted the Air Controllers seven minutes out warning them they were coming. They received clearance 35 seconds prior to crossing into that air space! CAPT Dose said, "It wouldn't have made any difference, because we were coming through regardless".

Thirteen minutes prior to the descent point to the tankers awaiting near Dallas they went into burner and accelerated to 1.7 Mach and held this Mach to the descent point to the tankers. Out of A/B. Descend. Pick up the tankers. Plugged in and took on a full load of fuel and went into A/B and again climbed to 43,000 feet for the last leg.

Bob said "It was one of those rare days. A beautiful clear dark blue sky all across the southern states". They didn't get any help from the jet stream winds that day. It was absent. Practically no help there at all. For the last leg's seventeen minutes of supersonic flight they went into A/B. This was near the middle of Alabama. As they proceeded the Crusaders wanted to go faster, so to keep the Mach from exceeding 1.7 they started a slow climb. Over eastern Alabama, while CAPT Dose gave the FAA controller his report, the controller exclaimed "What the hell are you guys flying?" That gave Bob and Paul a grin. They were really haullin' buggy!

During the slow climb on their way toward Jacksonville the Crusaders had attained an altitude of 47,500 feet arriving at the descent point. Over Jacksonville Bob said "There was the biggest, tallest thunderstorm I ever saw. It must have topped out about 60,000 feet. I decided to go around the north side of it". (This is the scene chosen for the painting). About 50 miles east of Jacksonville cruised the carrier group with many ships including three carriers. Bob and Paul were breaking Mach 1 in their descent and were heading for the Saratoga where President Eisenhower and staff -etc. were waiting. They came by the ship just above deck level about 100 feet out doing 650 knots. That got everyone's attention! Three hours twenty eight minutes! An unofficial record never broken.

Now CAPT Dose realized they had to do something to kill off all that excess speed if they were to be in good shape to get aboard on the first pass. They were really honkin'! Every Navy pilot knows you have to look good around the boat. So Bob decided to go a little farther upwind before breaking for the turn downwind and pulling a lot of Gs' to help kill off all that excess speed. The Crusader was reluctant to slow up and Bob arrived on final approach at last with 220 knots, slow enough to raise the wing and drop the gear. He said "I had about 142 knots very close in and added a lot of power (for the first time since descent!)" Made a big correction near the ramp and caught the #3 wire. Paul Miller got aboard OK also. He had a little more time to get slowed up for his landing. Later, the LSO, Lt Sharp, remarked to his CO, CAPT Dose, "Skipper, that was a dilly!!"

After climbing down from their cockpits they were surrounded by the press before being greeted by President Eisenhower. Bob remembered 'Ike' as being "A very impressive gentleman who was very interested in all the details of our flight".

After the festivities CAPT Dose and LCDR Miller launched and headed home to Atlantic City. Their Crusaders had performed flawlessly. Their 'record' stands.

The significance of Dose's and Miller's flight was that it was not a "Project" anything. That was the beauty of it. It was a last-minute event set up by the U.S. Navy to portray the advances in the capabilities of new naval aircraft. They knew that President Eisenhower would be on the USS Saratoga to observe naval exercises off the coast of Jacksonville, and that it would be a good time to do something special.

John Glenn's "Project Bullet" six weeks later was a very official record run that had been set up well ahead of time to be a "big thing". Remember Dose and Miller only had about a week to get this organized. These type of flights will probably never happen again due to the restrictions in supersonic flight over the U.S.

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