The List 5780 TGB
Good Sunday Morning July 18
I hope that you all having a great weekend
Regards
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History:
July 18
1779 In the largest prize value of the American Revolution, Commodore
Abraham Whipples squadron consisting of Continental frigates Providence,
Queen of France and sloop Ranger, captures 11 British prizes off the
Newfoundland Banks sailing from Jamaica. The cargoes are worth more than $1
million.
1792 Continental Navy Capt. John Paul Jones dies in Paris, France. A legend
during the American Revolution, Jones argues for Congress establishing a
United States Navy. When it fails to do so, the unemployed captain found
work as a rear admiral in the Russian navy for a couple of years, but
eventually returns to France, where he dies. More than a century later, his
body is discovered, exhumed, brought back to the United States under huge
fanfare and reburied in a magnificent sarcophagus at the United States Naval
Academy.
1813 During the War of 1812, the frigate, USS President, commanded by John
Rodgers, sinks the British brig, HMS Daphne, off the Irish coast. In the
next few weeks, she engages three more vessels. USS President captures the
ship, HMS Eliza Swan July 24, burns the brig, HMS Alert, on July 29, and
captures the bark Lion on Aug. 2.
1921 U.S. Army and U.S. Navy aircraft sink the ex-German cruiser,
Frankfurt, in target practice as part of General Billy Mitchell's aerial
bombing demonstration.
1943 German submarine (U 134) shoots down (K 47), the first and only U.S.
airship lost during WW II, in the Fla. straits. In Aug. 1943, (U 134) is
sunk by British aircraft near Vigo, Spain.
1966 Gemini 10 is launched with Lt. Cmdr. John L. Young as command pilot and
Michael Collins is the pilot. The mission entails 43 orbits at an altitude
of 412.2 nautical miles and lasts two days, 22 hours, and 46 minutes.
1981 USS Dallas (SSN 700) is commissioned at Groton, Conn., her first
homeport. The Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine is the
first to be built with an all-digital fire control and sonar system.
1992 USS Shiloh (CG 67) is commissioned at Bath, Maine. The 21st
Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser is the named after the Civil War
Battle of Shiloh.
Today in History July 18
1789
Robespierre, a deputy from Arras, France, decides to back the French
Revolution.
1812
Great Britain signs the Treaty of Orebro, making peace with Russia
and Sweden.
1830
Uruguay adopts a liberal constitution.
1861
Union <http://historynet.wpengine.com/union-army> and Confederate
troops <http://historynet.wpengine.com/confederate-army> skirmish at
Blackburn's Ford, Virginia, in a prelude to the Battle of Bull Run
1877
Inventor Thomas Edison records the human voice for the first time.
1872
The Ballot Act is passed in Great Britain, providing for secret
election ballots.
1935
Ethiopian King Haile Selassie urges his countrymen to fight to the
last man against the invading Italian arm
1936
General Francisco Franco
m> of Spain revolts against the Republican government, starting the Spanish
Civil War.
1942
The German Me-262
first jet-propelled aircraft to fly in combat, makes its first flight.
1971
New Zealand and Australia announce they will pull their troops out
of Vietnam.
1994
In Buenos Aires, a massive car bomb kills 96 people.
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This one has been around quite a while but worth the repeat
Thanks to Robert for sending. Be well.
SEMPER FI 🇺🇸🇺🇸
Best email of the day !
Sent by a Friend !!!
As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of
groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a
lady sitting inside the car, with the door open. The old man was looking at
the engine. I put my groceries away in my car, and continued to watch the
old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.
I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm
walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too, and took
a few steps towards him.
I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young
man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade.
He then turned back to the old man. I heard him yell at the old gentleman
saying:
"You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age." And then with a
wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking
lot.
I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief, and mop his brow as he
went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his
wife and spoke with her; he appeared to tell her it would be okay.
I had seen enough, and I approached the old man.
He saw me coming and stood straight, and as I got near him I said, 'Looks
like you're having a problem.'
He smiled sheepishly, and quietly nodded his head.
I looked under the hood myself, and knew that whatever the problem was, it
was beyond me. Looking around, I saw a gas station up the road, and I told
the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and I went
inside. I saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them,
and related the problem the old man had with his car. I offered to pay them
if they could follow me back down and help him.
The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared
to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me
for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine),
spoke with the old gentleman.
When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and
had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded
and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?'
He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa,
Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal ...
He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was
over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics
lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet,
but was stopped by me. I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.
He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his
name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We shook hands all
around again, and I said my goodbye's to his wife.
I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the
station. Once at the station, I told them that they had interrupted their
own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay
for the help, but they refused to charge me .
One of them pulled out a card from his pocket, looking exactly like the card
the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then that they were
Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was
leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given
to me. I said I would and drove off.
For some reason I had gone about two blocks, when I pulled over and took the
card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of
the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name was
written: 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'
I sat there motionless, looking at the card and reading it over and over. I
looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on
this day, four Marines had all come together because one of us needed help.
He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to
greatness and courage, and an honor to have been in his presence.
Remember, OLD men like him gave our FREEDOM for America. Thanks to those
who served and still serve, and to all of those who supported them, and who
continue to support them.
America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the
Mall. If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in
front of them!
Remember, Freedom IS NOT free. Thousands have paid the price, so you can
enjoy what you have today.
LET'S DO THIS - JUST 19 WORDS:
GOD OUR FATHER, WALK THROUGH MY HOUSE AND TAKE AWAY ALL MY WORRIES; AND
PLEASE WATCH OVER AND HEAL MY FAMILY; AND PLEASE PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS, AND
WATCH OVER OUR TROOPS, 'WHO ARE DEFENDING THOSE FREEDOMS. AMEN.
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Thanks to Carl
Packard - America's Rolls-Royce
(Many more photos and videos on link of an American classic auto!)
In this July 18, 2021 edition of the AACA Bean Pot Region eNews:
Packard - America's Rolls-Royce
A Gallery of Significant Packards
The Donut Chaser and Other Famous Packard Hood Ornaments
ce-goddesses-cormorants?e=d532dd3e0a
Packard - America's Rolls-Royce
When talking about a legend like Packard, where to begin? The company's
spectacular products, and the great stories about it, have filled volumes.
The definitive tome - 828 pages long - is noted automotive historian Beverly
Rae Kimes' Packard, A History of the Motor Car and the Company (available
used at Abebooks, eBay, and others). The title is most appropriate, as while
Kimes provides a wealth of details about every year and model of the famed
automobiles, the extensive stories about the company and the men who guided
it are usually more interesting than the product itself.
The more one learns about Packard, the more one wonders how such a
well-respected and successful corporation could have quickly come to ruin a
short 11 years after the end of WWII. That itself is a long, complicated
story of one misstep after another (you can read an extremely condensed
version HERE
But we're mostly going to ignore that unfortunate chapter of Packard history
and instead focus on some of the amazing work they did from their auspicious
beginnings in 1899 to their stature as America's premier maker of luxury
automobiles during the height of the Classic Car Era.
Packard Cars History - Documentary -
From the early 1900s until WWII, their big, bold automobiles - having
quality, performance and reliability to match - were bought not only by
America's elites, but by royalty around the world. Their dealers provided
unrivaled customer service, and stock in the company was considered as
blue-chip as the products they made. No purveyor of fine automobiles since
then has earned the reputation that Packard enjoyed. Shown above is a
"factory custom" 1929 Model 645 Dual Cowl Phaeton by Dietrich.
ce-goddesses-cormorants?e=d532dd3e0a
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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,
18
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July 2021… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 18 July 1966…
"Put on the armor of God and speak boldly"…
1966-soft-living/
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…….July 18
1792 – American naval hero John Paul Jones died in Paris at age 45. His body
was preserved in rum in case the American government wished him back. In
1905 his body was transported to the US and placed in a crypt in Annapolis.
1863 – Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and 272 of his troops are killed in an
assault on Fort Wagner, near Charleston, South Carolina. Shaw was commander
of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, perhaps the most famous regiment of
African-American troops during the war. Fort Wagner stood on Morris Island,
guarding the approach to Charleston harbor. It was a massive earthwork, 600
feet wide and made from sand piled 30 feet high. The only approach to the
fort was across a narrow stretch of beach bounded by the Atlantic on one
side and a swampy marshland on the other. Union General Quincy Gillmore
headed an operation in July 1863 to take the island and seal the approach to
Charleston. Shaw and his 54th Massachusetts were chosen to lead the attack
of July 18. Shaw was the scion of an abolitionist family and a veteran of
the 1862 Shenandoah Valley and Antietam campaigns. The regiment included two
sons of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the grandson of author and poet
Sojourner Truth. Union artillery battered Fort Wagner all day on July 18,
but the barrage did little damage to the fort and its garrison. At 7:45
p.m., the attack commenced. Yankee troops had to march 1,200 yards down the
beach to the stronghold, facing a hail of bullets from the Confederates.
Shaw's troops and other Union regiments penetrated the walls at two points
but did not have sufficient numbers to take the fort. Over 1,500 Union
troops fell or were captured to the Confederates' 222. Despite the failure,
the battle proved that African-American forces could not only hold their own
but also excel in battle.
1942 – The German Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe, the first jet-propelled
aircraft to fly in combat, made its first flight. Walter Nowotny was a
rising your star in the Luftwaffe, chosen by Hitler to be the point man to
lead the new jet fighter under the tutelage of General of Fighters Adolf
Galland who was assigned to prove the airplane in battle. The Axis hopes
were dashed when Nowotny was attacked by American pilots during landing and
crashed. Col. Edward R. "Buddy" Haydon was one of those American pilots.
1943 – German submarine shoots down K-47, the first and only U.S. airship
lost during WW II.
1943 – An aircraft carrying the Commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet,
Admiral Yamamoto, is shot down by P-38 Lighting fighters over Bougainville.
Yamamoto is killed. This action is the result the interception of a coded
Japanese message announcing a visit by Yamamoto. The Japanese fail to deduce
that their codes are insecure.
1944 – Two Guard divisions, the 29th (DC, MD, VA) and the 35th (KS, MO, NE)
both claim credit for the final capture of the vital crossroads city of St.
Lo from the Nazis. According to the D-Day plan, St. Lo was supposed to be
secured ten days after D-Day. But due to stubborn German resistance using
each Norman hedgerow as a defensive fighting position, it took 42 days to
take the city. During the 35th Division's approach, Nebraska Guardsman First
Lieutenant Francis Greenlief, of Company L, 134th Infantry (NE), was awarded
the Silver Star for capturing an enemy machine gun nest single-handedly. In
1971 Major General Greenlief was appointed by President Richard Nixon as the
Chief, National Guard Bureau. Another Guard soldier was to gain fame on the
approach to St. Lo, but in a different way. Virginian Major Thomas Howie,
the popular commander of the 2nd Battalion, 116th Infantry (VA), told his
officers in a meeting on the edge of the city "I'll see you in St. Lo!" and
then was killed by a mortar fragment. When the division commander heard the
story he instructed that Howie's body be transported with the lead elements
when they moved into the city. His body was placed on a stretcher and draped
with an American flag and placed on the ruins of the Ste. Croix Church in
the center of the city. A passing New York Times reporter heard the story
and wrote a moving tribute entitled "The Major of St. Lo" but could not
identify Howie by name due to security. The story was picked up by
newspapers across the nation and the "Major" came to represent all the men
killed in the Normandy campaign to liberate France. To honor these men
today, Nebraska has the "Major General Francis Greenlief Training Site" in
Hastings and the "Major Thomas Howie Memorial Armory" is in his hometown of
Staunton, VA.
1945 – Captured German mines explode accidentally, destroying an American
Red Cross club in Italy and killing 36 people.
1945 – Aircraft from the American carrier Wasp attack Japanese positions on
Wake Island.
1945 – The battleship Nagato, which has been reduced to service as a
floating antiaircraft battery, is damaged by American planes at Yokosuka.
Allied air and naval forces strike numerous other targets in the Tokyo area
and encounter almost no opposition.
1947 – President Truman signed the Presidential Succession Act, which placed
the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tempore next in the
line of succession after the vice president.
1966 – Launch of Gemini 10 with LCDR John W. Young, USN as Command Pilot.
Mission involved 43 orbits at an altitude of 412.2 nautical miles and lasted
2 days, 22 hours, and 46 minutes. Recovery was by HS-3 helicopter from USS
Guadalcanal (LPH-7).
1973 – Task Force 78, Mine Countermeasures Force, departs waters of North
Vietnam after completing their minesweeping operations of 1,992 tow hours
for the cost of $20,394,000.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
CARNEY, WILLIAM H.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 54th Massachusetts Colored
Infantry. Place and date: At Fort Wagner, S.C., 18 July 1863. Entered
service at: New Bedford, Mass. Birth: Norfolk, Va. Date of issue: 23 May
1900. Citation: When the color sergeant was shot down, this soldier grasped
the flag, led the way to the parapet, and planted the colors thereon. When
the troops fell back he brought off the flag, under a fierce fire in which
he was twice severely wounded.
CROSS, JAMES E.
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company K, 12th New York Infantry. Place
and date: At Blackburns Ford, Va., 18 July 1861. Entered service at: ——.
Birth: Darien, N.Y. Date of issue: 5 April 1898. Citation: With a companion,
refused to retreat when the part of the regiment to which he was attached
was driven back in disorder, but remained upon the skirmish line for some
time thereafter, firing upon the enemy.
HIBSON, JOSEPH C.
Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 48th New York Infantry. Place and
date: Near Fort Wagner, S.C., 13 July 1863, Near Fort Wagner, S.C., 14 July
1863; Near Fort Wagner, S.C., 18 July 1863. Entered service at: New York,
N.Y. Birth: England. Date of issue: 23 October 1897. Citation: While
voluntarily performing picket duty under fire on 13 July 1863, was attacked
and his surrender demanded, but he killed his assailant. The day following
responded to a call for a volunteer to reconnoiter the enemy's position, and
went within the enemy's lines under fire and was exposed to great danger. On
18 July voluntarily exposed himself with great gallantry during an assault,
and received 3 wounds that permanently disabled him for active service.
RAND, CHARLES F.
Rank and organization: Private, Company K, 12th New York Infantry. Place and
date: At Blackburns Ford, Va., 18 July 1861. Entered service at: Batavia,
N.Y. Birth: Batavia, N.Y. Date of issue: 23 October 1897. Citation: Remained
in action when a part of his regiment broke in disorder, joined another
company, and fought with it through the remainder of the engagement.
CUKELA, LOUIS (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th
Regiment. Place and date: Near Villers-Cotterets, France, 18 July 1918.
Entered service at: Minneapolis, Minn. Born: 1 May 1888, Sebenes, Austria.
G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. (Also received Navy Medal of Honor.) Citation:
When his company, advancing through a wood, met with strong resistance from
an enemy strong point, Sgt. Cukela crawled out from the flank and made his
way toward the German lines in the face of heavy fire, disregarding the
warnings of his comrades. He succeeded in getting behind the enemy position
and rushed a machinegun emplacement, killing or driving off the crew with
his bayonet. With German handgrenades he then bombed out the remaining
portion of the strong point, capturing 4 men and 2 damaged machineguns.
CUKELA, LOUIS (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th
Regiment. Born: 1 May 1888, Sebenes, Austria. Accredited to: Minnesota.
(Also received Army Medal of Honor.) Citation: For extraordinary heroism
while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment, during action in the
Forest de Retz, near Viller-Cottertes, France, 18 July 1918. Sgt. Cukela
advanced alone against an enemy strong point that was holding up his line.
Disregarding the warnings of his comrades, he crawled out from the flank in
the face of heavy fire and worked his way to the rear of the enemy position.
Rushing a machinegun emplacement, he killed or drove off the crew with his
bayonet, bombed out the remaining part of the strong point with German
handgrenades and captured 2 machineguns and 4 men.
REPORT THIS AD
*DILBOY, GEORGE
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company H, 103d
Infantry, 26th Division. Place and date: Near Belleau, France, 18 July 1918.
Entered service at: Keene, N.H. Birth: Greece. G.O. No.: 13, W.D., 1919.
Citation: After his platoon had gained its objective along a railroad
embankment, Pfc. Dilboy, accompanying his platoon leader to reconnoiter the
ground beyond, was suddenly fired upon by an enemy machinegun from 100
yards. From a standing position on the railroad track, fully exposed to
view, he opened fire at once, but failing to silence the gun, rushed forward
with his bayonet fixed, through a wheat field toward the gun emplacement,
falling within 25 yards of the gun with his right leg nearly severed above
the knee and with several bullet holes in his body. With undaunted courage
he continued to fire into the emplacement from a prone position, killing 2
of the enemy and dispersing the rest of the crew.
EDWARDS, DANIEL R.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 3d Machine
Gun Battalion, 1st Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18 July
1918. Entered service at: Bruceville, Tex. Born: 9 April 1897, Moorville,
Tex. G.O. No.: 14, W.D., 1923. Citation: Reporting for duty from hospital
where he had been for several weeks under treatment for numerous and serious
wounds and although suffering intense pain from a shattered arm, he crawled
alone into an enemy trench for the purpose of capturing or killing enemy
soldiers known to be concealed therein. He killed 4 of the men and took the
remaining 4 men prisoners; while conducting them to the rear one of the
enemy was killed by a high explosive enemy shell which also completely
shattered 1 of Pfc. Edwards' legs, causing him to be immediately evacuated
to the hospital. The bravery of Pfc. Edwards, now a tradition in his
battalion because of his previous gallant acts, again caused the morale of
his comrades to be raised to high pitch.
*KOCAK, MATEJ (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th
Regiment, 2d Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18 July 1918.
Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Born: 31 December 1882, Gbely (Slovakia),
Austria. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. (Also received Navy Medal of Honor.)
Citation: When the advance of his battalion was checked by a hidden
machinegun nest, he went forward alone, unprotected by covering fire from
his own men, and worked in between the German positions in the face of fire
from enemy covering detachments. Locating the machinegun nest, he rushed it
and with his bayonet drove off the crew. Shortly after this he organized 25
French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led
them in attacking another machinegun nest, which was also put out of action.
*KOCAK, MATEJ (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 31 December 1882,
Gbely (Slovakia), Austria. Accredited to: New York. ( Also received Army
Medal of Honor. ) Citation: For extraordinary heroism while serving with the
66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes
section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When a hidden machinegun
nest halted the advance of his battalion, Sgt. Kocak went forward alone
unprotected by covering fire and worked his way in between the German
positions in the face of heavy enemy fire. Rushing the enemy position with
his bayonet, he drove off the crew. Later the same day, Sgt. Kocak organized
French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led
them in an attack on another machinegun nest which was also put out of
action.
*EVANS, RODNEY J.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th
Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Tay Ninh Province, Republic
of Vietnam, 18 July 1969. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 17 July
1948, Chelsea, Mass. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in
action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Evans
distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism while serving as a squad
leader in a reconnaissance sweep through heavy vegetation to reconnoiter a
strong enemy position. As the force approached a well-defined trail, the
platoon scout warned that the trail was booby-trapped. Sgt. Evans led his
squad on a route parallel to the trail. The force had started to move
forward when a nearby squad was hit by the blast of a concealed mine.
Looking to his right Sgt. Evans saw a second enemy device. With complete
disregard for his safety he shouted a warning to his men, dived to the
ground and crawled toward the mine. Just as he reached it an enemy soldier
detonated the explosive and Sgt. Evans absorbed the full impact with his
body. His gallant and selfless action saved his comrades from probable death
or injury and served as an inspiration to his entire unit. Sgt. Evans'
gallantry in action at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself,
his unit, and the U.S. Army.
McGINTY, JOHN J. III
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant (then S/Sgt.), U.S. Marine Corps,
Company K, 3d Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division, Fleet Marine
Force. place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 18 July 1966. Entered service
at: Laurel Bay, S.C. Born: 2 1 January 1940, Boston, Mass. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty. 2d Lt. McGinty's platoon, which was providing rear
security to protect the withdrawal of the battalion from a position which
had been under attack for 3 days, came under heavy small arms, automatic
weapons and mortar fire from an estimated enemy regiment. With each
successive human wave which assaulted his 32-man platoon during the 4-hour
battle, 2d Lt. McGinty rallied his men to beat off the enemy. In 1 bitter
assault, 2 of the squads became separated from the remainder of the platoon.
With complete disregard for his safety, 2d Lt. McGinty charged through
intense automatic weapons and mortar fire to their position. Finding 20 men
wounded and the medical corpsman killed, he quickly reloaded ammunition
magazines and weapons for the wounded men and directed their fire upon the
enemy. Although he was painfully wounded as he moved to care for the
disabled men, he continued to shout encouragement to his troops and to
direct their fire so effectively that the attacking hordes were beaten off.
When the enemy tried to out-flank his position, he killed 5 of them at
point-blank range with his pistol. When they again seemed on the verge of
overrunning the small force, he skillfully adjusted artillery and air
strikes within 50 yards of his position. This destructive firepower routed
the enemy, who left an estimated 500 bodies on the battlefield. 2d Lt.
McGinty's personal heroism, indomitable leadership, selfless devotion to
duty, and bold fighting spirit inspired his men to resist the repeated
attacks by a fanatical enemy, reflected great credit upon himself, and
upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval
Service.
MODRZEJEWSKI, ROBERT J.
Rank and organization: Major (then Capt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company K, 3d
Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division, FMF. place and date: Republic of
Vietnam, 15 to 18 July 1966. Entered service at: Milwaukee, Wis. Born: 3
July 1934, Milwaukee, Wis. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On 15
July, during Operation HASTINGS, Company K was landed in an enemy-infested
jungle area to establish a blocking position at a major enemy trail network.
Shortly after landing, the company encountered a reinforced enemy platoon in
a well-organized, defensive position. Maj. Modrzejewski led his men in the
successful seizure of the enemy redoubt, which contained large quantities of
ammunition and supplies. That evening, a numerically superior enemy force
counterattacked in an effort to retake the vital supply area, thus setting
the pattern of activity for the next 2 1/2 days. In the first series of
attacks, the enemy assaulted repeatedly in overwhelming numbers but each
time was repulsed by the gallant marines. The second night, the enemy struck
in battalion strength, and Maj. Modrzejewski was wounded in this intensive
action which was fought at close quarters. Although exposed to enemy fire,
and despite his painful wounds, he crawled 200 meters to provide critically
needed ammunition to an exposed element of his command and was constantly
present wherever the fighting was heaviest, despite numerous casualties, a
dwindling supply of ammunition and the knowledge that they were surrounded,
he skillfully directed artillery fire to within a few meter* of his position
and courageously inspired the efforts of his company in repelling the
aggressive enemy attack. On 18 July, Company K was attacked by a
regimental-size enemy force. Although his unit was vastly outnumbered and
weakened by the previous fighting, Maj. Modrzejewski reorganized his men and
calmly moved among them to encourage and direct their efforts to heroic
limits as they fought to overcome the vicious enemy onslaught. Again he
called in air and artillery strikes at close range with devastating effect
on the enemy, which together with the bold and determined fighting of the
men of Company K, repulsed the fanatical attack of the larger North
Vietnamese force. His unparalleled personal heroism and indomitable
leadership inspired his men to a significant victory over the enemy force
and reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps, and the U.S.
Naval Service.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 18, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE
INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
18 July
1909: American Louis Paulhan set an FAI altitude record of 492 feet in a
Voisin airplane at Dounais, France. (9)
1916: The Secretary of the Navy created allowances for flight clothes. (24)
1943: A German sub shot down the Navy's K-74 Airship off the coast of
Florida. It was the only airship lost to enemy action in the war. (24)
1946: Formal jet transition training course established at Williams Field
with P-80 Shooting Stars.
1950: KOREAN WAR. The 19 BG began modifying a few B-29s to use radio-guided
(Razon) bombs to bomb bridges accurately. (28)
1958: The USAF awarded a contract to North American's Autonetics Division to
develop an allinertial guidance system for the Minuteman. (6)
1961: The largest polyethylene balloon manufactured to date, holding 13.5
million cubic feet of helium at peak altitude, launched from Bemidji, Minn.
1962: NASA achieved a record for man-made objects in space when it launched
"Big Shot." This rigidized Echo-type balloon left Cape Canaveral aboard a
Thor missile. When it inflated at 922 miles in altitude, the balloon stood
13-stories tall. (16) (24)
1966: The Air Force's Cambridge Research Laboratory sent up a balloon twice
as large as any previously launched from Holloman AFB. The
456-foot-diameter, 26-million-cubic-foot balloon lifted 1,700 pounds to
130,000 feet to test its equipment in rarified air similar to that of Mars
for the Voyager program. (5) (16) GEMINI X: Through 21 July, a Titan booster
sent Astronauts Cmdr John W. Young (USN) and Maj Michael Collins (USAF) into
space to practice docking with targets. In the first hookup, the astronauts
achieved the longest docking yet, while in the second they retrieved an
object from a passive satellite. Young and Collins splashed down 594 miles
east of Cape Kennedy after 70 hours 47 minutes in space and 43 orbits. They
also set an FAI altitude record of 476 miles. (9) (26)
1967: For the first time, an HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopter was refueled
during a rescue mission. The helicopter was refueled by an HC–130 Hercules.
(18)
1969: NASA and the Air Force decided to conduct a cooperative YF-12 flight
research program. (3)
2002: At McConnell AFB, the Airborne Laser (ABL), a highly-modified Boeing
747-400F, made its first flight. The world's first directed-energy combat
aircraft had a rotating nose turret with a 5- foot diameter telescope to
focus and direct a laser to destroy ballistic missiles in flight. (3)
2006: The eighth and final C-17 (tail no. 05-5153), named the Spirit of
Kamehameha-Imua in honor of Kamehameha the Great, arrived at Hickam AFB to
complete the 15 AW's conversion to an operational strategic airlift wing.
(22)
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