Good Monday morning October 18
I hope that you all had a great weekend.
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Today in Naval and Marine Corps History
October 18
1812 The sloop-of-war Wasp, commanded by Master Commandant Jacob Jones, captures HMS Frolic. After a severe engagement of 43 minutes, both vessels are dismasted. HMS Poictiers appears shortly thereafter and Wasp has to surrender as it can neither run nor hope to fight such an overwhelming opponent as the 74-gun ship-of-the-line. Wasp serves the British as HMS Peacock until it is lost off the Virginia Capes in 1813.
1867 The sloop-of-war Ossipee and the third-class screw steamer Resaca participate in formal transfer of Alaska from Russia to U.S. authority at Sitka and remain to enforce law and order in the new territory.
1944 USS Bluegill (SS 242) and USS Raton (SS 270) attack a Japanese convoy in the South China Sea. Bluegill sinks the army cargo ships Arabia Maru and Chinsei Maru and freighter Hakushika Maru. Raton sinks the army cargo ships Taikai Maru and Shiranesan Maru.
1977 USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) is commissioned at Norfolk, Va. The Ike, named after the nations 34th president, is the third nuclear-powered and second Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.
2001 – The pilots of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 became the first Marines known to be engaged in combat in Afghanistan, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. The Marines, piloting Hornets, took off from the deck of the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, and flew several bombing missions, including the destruction of a bridge in northern Afghanistan. The Theodore Roosevelt, carrying approximately 195 Marines, was leading one of the four Navy battle groups in the region.
2003 USS Chafee (DDG 90) is commissioned at Newport, R.I. The first U.S. Navy ship named to honor John Hubbard Chafee, the late Senator from Rhode Island, who also served as Secretary of the Navy under President Nixon.
Today in History October 18
| 1648 | The "shoemakers of Boston"--the first labor organization in what would become the United States--was authorized by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. | |
| 1685 | Edict of Nantes lifted by Louis XIV. The edict, signed at Nantes, France, by King Henry IV in 1598, gave the Huguenots religious liberty, civil rights and security. By revoking the Edict of Nantes, Louis XIV abrogated their religious liberties. | |
| 1813 | The Allies defeat Napoleon Bonaparte at Leipzig. | |
| 1867 | The Alaska territory is formally transferred to the U.S. from Russian control. | |
| 1867 | The rules for American football are formulated at meeting in New York among delegates from Columbia, Rutgers, Princeton and Yale universities. | |
| 1883 | The weather station at the top of Ben Nevis, Scotland, the highest mountain in Britain, is declared open. Weather stations were set up on the tops of mountains all over Europe and the Eastern United States in order to gather information for the new weather forecasts. | |
| 1910 | M. Baudry is the first to fly a dirigible across the English Channel--from La Motte-Breil to Wormwood Scrubbs. | |
| 1912 | The First Balkan War breaks out between the members of the Balkan League--Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Montenegro--and the Ottoman Empire. | |
| 1918 | Czechs seize Prague and renounce Hapsburg's rule. | |
| 1919 | Madrid opens a subway system. | |
| 1921 | Russian Soviets grant Crimean independence. | |
| 1939 | President Franklin D. Roosevelt bans war submarines from U.S. ports and waters. | |
| 1944 | Lt. General Joseph Stilwell is recalled from China by president Franklin Roosevelt. | |
| 1950 | The First Turkish Brigade arrives in Korea to assist the U.N. forces fighting there. | |
| 1967 | A Russian unmanned spacecraft makes the first landing on the surface of Venus. | |
| 1968 | US athletes Tommi Smith and John Carlos suspended by US Olympic Committee for giving "black power" salute while receiving their medals at the Olympic Games in Mexico City. | |
| 2003 | Bolivian president Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada resigns in the wake of protests centered around Bolivia's natural gas resources. | |
| 2007 | Suicide attack on a motorcade in Karachi, Pakistan, kills at least 139 and wounds 450; the subject of the attack, Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, is not harmed. |
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— … For The List for Monday, 18 October 2021… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 18 October 1966… Times Sunday Magazine feature by Sam Butz: "The Pilots Call Hanoi Dodge City" (Part 1 of 3)…
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-18-october-1966-going-to-dodge-1/
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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Thanks to Al
Monday Morning Humor--U.S. Navy
The U.S. Navy has two days of celebration. Navy Day, October 27, was originally sponsored by the Navy League 1922. Navy Day is designed to give recognition to the naval service. In 1972 Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt authorized recognition of 13 October as the Navy's birthday. In contrast to Navy Day, the Navy Birthday is intended as an internal activity for members of the active forces and reserves, as well as retirees, and dependents.
Submitted by Jim Weaver:
The new Ensign was assigned to subs, where he'd dreamed of working since a young boy. He was trying to impress the Master Chief with his expertise learned in Sub School.
The Master Chief cut him off quickly and said, "Listen, 'sir', it's real simple. Add the number of times we dive to the number of times we surface. Divide that number by two. If the result doesn't come out even, don't open the hatch."
A Comparison of Pilot traditions between the Navy and the Air Force…
On a carrier, the Naval Aviator looks over at the Catapult Officer ("Shooter") who gives the run up engines signal by rotating his finger above his head. The pilot pushes the throttle forward, checks all gauges and gives the Cat officer a brisk salute, continuing the Navy tradition of asking permission to leave the ship. Cat officer drops to one knee while swooping his arm forward and pointing down deck, granting that permission.
We've all seen Air Force pilots look up just before taxi for takeoff and the ground crew waits until their thumb is sticking straight up. The crew chief then confirms that he sees the thumb, salutes and the Air Force pilot then takes off. This time tested tradition is the last link in the Air Force safety net to confirm that the pilot does not have both thumbs up his @$$.
Submitted by Dave Kaney:
Dear Abby,
I joined the Navy to see the world. I've seen it.
Now how do I get out?
Submitted by Jerry Norris:
Four Navy retirees are walking down a street in Norfolk. Then they turn a corner and see a sign that says "Old Timer's Bar." "ALL DRINKS--10 CENTS". They look at each other, then go in.
The old bartender says in a voice that carries across the room, "Come on in and let me pour one for you, what'll it be, Gentlemen?"
There seems to be a fully stocked bar, so the men all ask for a stinger. In short order, the bartender serves up four stingers--and says, "That'll be 10 cents each, please."
They can't believe their good luck. They pay the 40 cents, finish their stingers, and order another round.
Again, four excellent stingers are produced with the bartender again saying, "That's 40 more cents, please."
They pay the 40 cents, but their curiosity is more than they can stand. They've each had two stingers and so far they've spent less than a dollar.
Finally one of the men couldn't stand it any longer and asks the bartender "How can you afford to serve stingers as good as these for a dime a piece?"
"Here's my story. I'm a retired tailor from Brooklyn, and I always wanted to own a bar down by the water. Last year I hit the lottery for $25 million and decided to open this place. Every drink costs a dime whether it's wine, liquor, beer or whatever. They are all the same."
"Wow. That's quite a story" says one of the men.
The four of them sipped at their stingers and couldn't help but notice three other people at the end of the bar who didn't have a drink in front of them, and hadn't ordered anything the whole time they were there.
One man gestures at the three at the end of the bar without drinks and asks the bartender, "What's with them?"
The bartender says, "They're retired Air Force, they're waiting for happy hour."
During my first month of real combat flying, I shot down six planes, took out a comm center and a fuel dump. This may have had a lot to do with my being taken out of combat training in San Diego and reassigned to the weather observation squadron in Pensacola.
As we stood in formation at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, our Flight Instructor said, "Alright! All you #$% @!*& dummies fall out."
As the rest of the squad wandered away, I remained at attention. The Instructor walked over until he was eye-to-eye with me, and then just raised a single eyebrow. I smiled and said, "Sure was a lot of 'em, huh sir?"
One day I somehow lost my sidearm, I had no idea how, but they made me pay for it anyway. They said I'd have to pay for anything I lost. At least then I understood the Naval tradition of the Captain going down with the ship.
When we were finally allowed to call home, it was a real treat to speak to the family again. I told my Mother that the only thing that really bothered me a lot was the Flight Instructor telling me that I was dumb, ugly and possibly the worst excuse for a pilot he'd ever seen.
She said, "Why in Heaven's name would he say things such as that. That's terrible!"
I told her, "That's nothing, I'd hate to tell ya' what he said about you!"
A woman, married to a Navy Pilot, inquired about an increase in their monthly allotment for living quarters, because rents near the station where he was based were so high. She received the following letter back: "Class Q allotments are based upon the number of dependents, up to a maximum of three. If the birth of a child will mean your husband is entitled to more quarters allowance, please notify him to take the necessary action required."
While I'm not sure of the procedure now, when I was in the Navy every so often, you got umpteen shots whether you needed them or not. The carrier pilot in front of me as we passed through the line asked for a drink of water after receiving what seemed to be at least a dozen different needles.
The Corpsman asked if he was dizzy.
"No, not at all." he replied. "I just wanna' see if I'm still water-tight."
Marksmanship rated very low on most aviator's priority lists, and I guess it irritated the heck out of our range instructor, a Marine. A bunch of us were trying to qualify one afternoon, and of the six men firing, not one even hit the target from 100 yards.
The Sergeant shouted, "Cease firing !!! Cease firing !!! Fix bayonets and charge !!! It's your only chance."
Back then the theory was that if aviators were fed saltpeter it would reduce their sex drive. Wouldn't ya' know here it is over 30 years later and the darn stuff's just starting to work.
Some of those simulated tactical situations that they gave us were so easy though. One instructor said "You have two enemy craft on your tail closing at 400 knots. What's the very first thing you do?"
I mean, how simple can you get? The obvious answer to anyone should be: "do 450 knots".
Because of the unusual duty hours at a Naval Air Station, you could pretty much find something to eat at almost any hour. At one chow hall the Chief-in-Charge always used to post a sign: "SORRY, WE'RE OPEN !"
While I was never the best pilot the Navy had ever seen, I did at least manage most of the time. You'd never know it though from listening to my flight instructor.
He once told me, "Tell ya' what Moore, if they ever expand the list of the 'Seven Wonders of the World', I'm gonna' make darn sure that you're on there twice!"
Submitted by J. T. Strong:
An atheist professor was teaching a college class and he told the class that he was going to prove that there is no God. He said, "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you 15 minutes!"
Ten minutes went by. He kept taunting God, saying, "Here I am, God. I'm still waiting."
He got down to the last couple of minutes and a sailor just released from active duty and newly registered in the class walked up to the professor, hit him full force in the face, and sent him flying from his platform.
The professor struggled up, obviously shaken and yelled, "What's the matter with you? Why did you do that?"
The sailor replied, "God was busy; He sent me."
A hearty salute to all Navy sailors, active duty or veteran…and one for all who are serving or who have served,
Al
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Thanks to Carl
There is good reason why President Eisenhower planned to use the term "military-industrial-congressional" complex in his Farewell Address.
Why the Mainstream Media Remains Silent on the JFK Records Deadline
The Future of Freedom Foundation
October 18, 2021
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Thanks to Mike
#1 song outside the USA
Enjoy….or maybe not!
://www.youtube.com/embed/WgOHOHKBEqE?feature=player_detailpage
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Thanks to Dutch
'Accountability' Marine gets light sentence; judge blasts command
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This Day in U S Military History
1775 – The Burning of Falmouth (now Portland, Maine) prompts the Continental Congress to establish the Continental Navy. The Burning of Falmouth was an attack by a fleet of Royal Navy vessels on the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts (site of the modern city of Portland, Maine, and not to be confused with the modern towns of Falmouth, Massachusetts or Falmouth, Maine). The fleet was commanded by Captain Henry Mowat. The attack began with a naval bombardment which included incendiary shot, followed by a landing party meant to complete the town's destruction. The attack was the only major event in what was supposed to be a campaign of retaliation against ports that supported Patriot activities in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. Among the colonies, news of the attack led to rejection of British authority and the establishment of independent governments. It also led the Second Continental Congress to contest British Naval dominance by forming a Continental Navy. Both Mowat and his superior, Vice-Admiral Samuel Graves, who had ordered Mowat's expedition, suffered professionally as a consequence of the act.
1776 – At the Battle of Pelham Col. John Glover and the Marblehead regiment collided with British Forces in the Bronx. Sir William Howe, Commander-in-Chief of the British army, landed 4,000 English and Hessian troops near the stables on Pelham Parkway in an action which became the first permanent invasion of the American mainland in the American Revolution. Howe's objective was to outflank the American army by marching west across today's Bronx along the Boston Post Road. This would also cut off Washington's vital supply route from New England and enable the British to surround Washington and quickly end the rebellion. However, 600 seamen from the Boston area, led by Colonel John Glover, and fighting from behind Pelham Manor's stone walls put an end to Howe's plan and saved Washington's army. The main significance of the Battle of Pelham lay in the fact that it bought time for Washington to remove the American army from an extremely perilous position and to retreat to White Plains. It is for this reason that the Battle of Pelham has been called the battle that saved the American Revolution.
1812 – U.S. sloop of war Wasp captures HM brig Frolic. Folic had been separated from a convoy by a storm. While repairing damage, the Wasp came into view and was at first taken for a part of the convoy. On October 18th the "Wasp" moved toward the British ship. The "Frolic" hoisted Spanish colors, this keep the strange ship from pursuing the convoy. At 11:30 a.m. the two ships were sailing no more than 60 yards apart. The "Wasp" fired her port guns, and the "Frolic" fired her starboard guns. The British ship fired rapidly, delivering three broadsides to the American's two. Both crews cheered wildly as the battle became heated. The "Wasp" was landing more shot than the British ship. The ocean was very rough, the crew of the "Frolic" fired their cannon when they were on the crest of the waves. The Americans fired their guns on the lower part of the waves. But in spite of the weather both ships fire was well directed. At 11:36 a.m. the "Wasp's" maintop-mast was shot away and fell with it's yard. At 11:46 a.m. her mizzentop -gallant mast came down and by 11:52 every brace and most of her rigging had been shot away. The British ship however, had been severely damaged in her hull and lower masts. The "Wasp" gradually moved ahead and raked the "Frolic" with a devastating effect. The American ship fired again, this caused many casualties on the "Frolic". The ships came together, and after one failed attempt because of rough seas the Americans boarded the British ship. Not one Englishman was there to stop the crew of the "Wasp" from boarding. The man at the wheel was dazed but still at his post. Captain Whinyates and Lieutenant Wintle were wounded so severely that they could not stand without support. The crew of the "Frolic" could not fight any longer and Lieutenant Biddle lowered the flag at 12:15 just 43 minutes after the battle had started. The American ship had been damaged severely in her rigging but only two or three shots struck her hull. The American's had 5 killed and 5 wounded. The British had 30 killed and 60 wounded. The American ship "Wasp" had a crew of 135 and carried 9 guns. The British ship "Frolic" had a crew of 110 and carried 10 guns.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
THOMPSON, MAX
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Haaren, Germany, 18 October 1944. Entered service at: Prescott, Ariz. Birth: Bethel, N.C. G.O. No.: 47, 18 June 1945. Citation: On 18 October 1944, Company K, 18th Infantry, occupying a position on a hill near Haaren, Germany, was attacked by an enemy infantry battalion supported by tanks. The assault was preceded by an artillery concentration, lasting an hour, which inflicted heavy casualties on the company. While engaged in moving wounded men to cover, Sgt. Thompson observed that the enemy had overrun the positions of the 3d Platoon. He immediately attempted to stem the enemy's advance single-handedly. He manned an abandoned machinegun and fired on the enemy until a direct hit from a hostile tank destroyed the gun. Shaken and dazed, Sgt. Thompson picked up an automatic rifle and although alone against the enemy force which was pouring into the gap in our lines, he fired burst after burst, halting the leading elements of the attack and dispersing those following. Throwing aside his automatic rifle, which had jammed, he took up a rocket gun, fired on a light tank, setting it on fire. By evening the enemy had been driven from the greater part of the captured position but still held 3 pillboxes. Sgt. Thompson's squad was assigned the task of dislodging the enemy from these emplacements. Darkness having fallen and finding that fire of his squad was ineffective from a distance, Sgt. Thompson crawled forward alone to within 20 yards of 1 of the pillboxes and fired grenades into it. The Germans holding the emplacement concentrated their fire upon him. Though wounded, he held his position fearlessly, continued his grenade fire, and finally forced the enemy to abandon the blockhouse. Sgt. Thompson's courageous leadership inspired his men and materially contributed to the clearing of the enemy from his last remaining hold on this important hill position.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 18, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
18 October
1911: Capt George W. McKay, Michigan National Guard, was the first National Guardsman to qualify as a pilot. He received FAI pilot certificate number 67. (5) (21)
1918: Maj Charles Biddle, the 13th Pursuit Squadron's Commander, downed his eighth German fighter in a fierce dogfight over Verdun. (4)
1922: Brig Gen William "Billy" Mitchell used Lt Russell L. Maughan's Curtiss R-6 racing biplane, powered by a D-12 Curtiss Conqueror engine, to set a world speed record of 222.97 MPH over a one-kilometer course near Mount Clemens. (9)
1950: KOREAN WAR. An RB-29 crew spotted more than 75 fighters at Antung Airfield, China, just across the Yalu River from N. Korea. That intelligence suggested that Communist China might intervene in the war. (28)
1961: NASA fired a Scout rocket to an altitude of 4,261 miles in a study of the ionosphere. (24) The USAF announced that its H-43B Huskie rescue helicopter had ascended to 32,840 feet to set a world altitude record for light (Class E-1d) helicopters. (24)
1962: NASA launched Ranger V, a lunar probe, from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas-Agena B booster. A failure of the spacecraft's power system, however, made the planned television transmission of moon pictures impossible. The probe vehicle passed within 450 miles of the moon and entered a solar orbit. (24) CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS. The Air Force Reserves mobilized eight troop carrier wings and six aerial port squadrons for the Cuban Missile Crisis. (21)
1965: The 107 TFG, New York ANG, became the first tactical ANG unit to deploy to the Pacific for a joint-service exercise in peacetime. (16) (26)
1967: OSO IV, the 3,000th man-made sent into space, returned data on solar effects on communications.
1977: A Program Management Directive redesignated the F-15A and F-15B as the F-15C and F-15D, respectively. (30)
1984: First B-1B flight completed at Palmdale. (12) Through 20 October, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center arranged search and rescue missions for 47 people during heavy snows, high winds, and low temperatures in Colorado and New Mexico. (16) (26)
1985: First flight of an F-111 aircraft with the Mission Adaptive Wing took place at Edwards AFB. The wing had no flaps, slats, ailerons, or spoilers, but used internal hydraulic actuators to change its camber in flight. The wing also had a flexible composite covering to maintain a smooth surface. According to the Boeing Military Airplane Company, the wing produced a 25 to 30 percent increase in range and maneuverability to give the F-111 tighter sustained maneuvers for evasive action and survivability, increased fatigue life, better handling, and a more stable weapons platform.
1995: Lockheed rolled out its first C-130J (Tail No. 5408).
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This Day in U S Military History
1775 – The Burning of Falmouth (now Portland, Maine) prompts the Continental Congress to establish the Continental Navy. The Burning of Falmouth was an attack by a fleet of Royal Navy vessels on the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts (site of the modern city of Portland, Maine, and not to be confused with the modern towns of Falmouth, Massachusetts or Falmouth, Maine). The fleet was commanded by Captain Henry Mowat. The attack began with a naval bombardment which included incendiary shot, followed by a landing party meant to complete the town's destruction. The attack was the only major event in what was supposed to be a campaign of retaliation against ports that supported Patriot activities in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. Among the colonies, news of the attack led to rejection of British authority and the establishment of independent governments. It also led the Second Continental Congress to contest British Naval dominance by forming a Continental Navy. Both Mowat and his superior, Vice-Admiral Samuel Graves, who had ordered Mowat's expedition, suffered professionally as a consequence of the act.
1776 – At the Battle of Pelham Col. John Glover and the Marblehead regiment collided with British Forces in the Bronx. Sir William Howe, Commander-in-Chief of the British army, landed 4,000 English and Hessian troops near the stables on Pelham Parkway in an action which became the first permanent invasion of the American mainland in the American Revolution. Howe's objective was to outflank the American army by marching west across today's Bronx along the Boston Post Road. This would also cut off Washington's vital supply route from New England and enable the British to surround Washington and quickly end the rebellion. However, 600 seamen from the Boston area, led by Colonel John Glover, and fighting from behind Pelham Manor's stone walls put an end to Howe's plan and saved Washington's army. The main significance of the Battle of Pelham lay in the fact that it bought time for Washington to remove the American army from an extremely perilous position and to retreat to White Plains. It is for this reason that the Battle of Pelham has been called the battle that saved the American Revolution.
1812 – U.S. sloop of war Wasp captures HM brig Frolic. Folic had been separated from a convoy by a storm. While repairing damage, the Wasp came into view and was at first taken for a part of the convoy. On October 18th the "Wasp" moved toward the British ship. The "Frolic" hoisted Spanish colors, this keep the strange ship from pursuing the convoy. At 11:30 a.m. the two ships were sailing no more than 60 yards apart. The "Wasp" fired her port guns, and the "Frolic" fired her starboard guns. The British ship fired rapidly, delivering three broadsides to the American's two. Both crews cheered wildly as the battle became heated. The "Wasp" was landing more shot than the British ship. The ocean was very rough, the crew of the "Frolic" fired their cannon when they were on the crest of the waves. The Americans fired their guns on the lower part of the waves. But in spite of the weather both ships fire was well directed. At 11:36 a.m. the "Wasp's" maintop-mast was shot away and fell with it's yard. At 11:46 a.m. her mizzentop -gallant mast came down and by 11:52 every brace and most of her rigging had been shot away. The British ship however, had been severely damaged in her hull and lower masts. The "Wasp" gradually moved ahead and raked the "Frolic" with a devastating effect. The American ship fired again, this caused many casualties on the "Frolic". The ships came together, and after one failed attempt because of rough seas the Americans boarded the British ship. Not one Englishman was there to stop the crew of the "Wasp" from boarding. The man at the wheel was dazed but still at his post. Captain Whinyates and Lieutenant Wintle were wounded so severely that they could not stand without support. The crew of the "Frolic" could not fight any longer and Lieutenant Biddle lowered the flag at 12:15 just 43 minutes after the battle had started. The American ship had been damaged severely in her rigging but only two or three shots struck her hull. The American's had 5 killed and 5 wounded. The British had 30 killed and 60 wounded. The American ship "Wasp" had a crew of 135 and carried 9 guns. The British ship "Frolic" had a crew of 110 and carried 10 guns.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
THOMPSON, MAX
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Haaren, Germany, 18 October 1944. Entered service at: Prescott, Ariz. Birth: Bethel, N.C. G.O. No.: 47, 18 June 1945. Citation: On 18 October 1944, Company K, 18th Infantry, occupying a position on a hill near Haaren, Germany, was attacked by an enemy infantry battalion supported by tanks. The assault was preceded by an artillery concentration, lasting an hour, which inflicted heavy casualties on the company. While engaged in moving wounded men to cover, Sgt. Thompson observed that the enemy had overrun the positions of the 3d Platoon. He immediately attempted to stem the enemy's advance single-handedly. He manned an abandoned machinegun and fired on the enemy until a direct hit from a hostile tank destroyed the gun. Shaken and dazed, Sgt. Thompson picked up an automatic rifle and although alone against the enemy force which was pouring into the gap in our lines, he fired burst after burst, halting the leading elements of the attack and dispersing those following. Throwing aside his automatic rifle, which had jammed, he took up a rocket gun, fired on a light tank, setting it on fire. By evening the enemy had been driven from the greater part of the captured position but still held 3 pillboxes. Sgt. Thompson's squad was assigned the task of dislodging the enemy from these emplacements. Darkness having fallen and finding that fire of his squad was ineffective from a distance, Sgt. Thompson crawled forward alone to within 20 yards of 1 of the pillboxes and fired grenades into it. The Germans holding the emplacement concentrated their fire upon him. Though wounded, he held his position fearlessly, continued his grenade fire, and finally forced the enemy to abandon the blockhouse. Sgt. Thompson's courageous leadership inspired his men and materially contributed to the clearing of the enemy from his last remaining hold on this important hill position.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 18, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
18 October
1911: Capt George W. McKay, Michigan National Guard, was the first National Guardsman to qualify as a pilot. He received FAI pilot certificate number 67. (5) (21)
1918: Maj Charles Biddle, the 13th Pursuit Squadron's Commander, downed his eighth German fighter in a fierce dogfight over Verdun. (4)
1922: Brig Gen William "Billy" Mitchell used Lt Russell L. Maughan's Curtiss R-6 racing biplane, powered by a D-12 Curtiss Conqueror engine, to set a world speed record of 222.97 MPH over a one-kilometer course near Mount Clemens. (9)
1950: KOREAN WAR. An RB-29 crew spotted more than 75 fighters at Antung Airfield, China, just across the Yalu River from N. Korea. That intelligence suggested that Communist China might intervene in the war. (28)
1961: NASA fired a Scout rocket to an altitude of 4,261 miles in a study of the ionosphere. (24) The USAF announced that its H-43B Huskie rescue helicopter had ascended to 32,840 feet to set a world altitude record for light (Class E-1d) helicopters. (24)
1962: NASA launched Ranger V, a lunar probe, from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas-Agena B booster. A failure of the spacecraft's power system, however, made the planned television transmission of moon pictures impossible. The probe vehicle passed within 450 miles of the moon and entered a solar orbit. (24) CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS. The Air Force Reserves mobilized eight troop carrier wings and six aerial port squadrons for the Cuban Missile Crisis. (21)
1965: The 107 TFG, New York ANG, became the first tactical ANG unit to deploy to the Pacific for a joint-service exercise in peacetime. (16) (26)
1967: OSO IV, the 3,000th man-made sent into space, returned data on solar effects on communications.
1977: A Program Management Directive redesignated the F-15A and F-15B as the F-15C and F-15D, respectively. (30)
1984: First B-1B flight completed at Palmdale. (12) Through 20 October, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center arranged search and rescue missions for 47 people during heavy snows, high winds, and low temperatures in Colorado and New Mexico. (16) (26)
1985: First flight of an F-111 aircraft with the Mission Adaptive Wing took place at Edwards AFB. The wing had no flaps, slats, ailerons, or spoilers, but used internal hydraulic actuators to change its camber in flight. The wing also had a flexible composite covering to maintain a smooth surface. According to the Boeing Military Airplane Company, the wing produced a 25 to 30 percent increase in range and maneuverability to give the F-111 tighter sustained maneuvers for evasive action and survivability, increased fatigue life, better handling, and a more stable weapons platform.
1995: Lockheed rolled out its first C-130J (Tail No. 5408).
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Black Knight WESTPAC Cruise 2021 .
thanks to Doctor Rich
Thanks to Felix ...
Grab a beer … full screen … volume UP .. and spend a few days of flying and carrier life w. VFA 154 on CVN-71 Theodore Roosevelt - the "Black Knights"
Better yet … if you use a Mac then AirPlay the video to your AppleTV and big screen TV!!
FLY NAVY (AND MARINES FOR FELIX!!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO8QSTmdwCc
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From the archives
Thanks to Clint
Subject: This is not the 10 commandments.....
Be kind to yourself and others.
Wear a mask. – Carol
Dedicated to those who really must watch their diets. I think you will way Amen.
This is not the 10 commandments.....
And God sighed.... This is NOT the 10 commandments
I think this is hilarious! I NEVER HEARD CREATION EXPLAINED THIS WAY
1. In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.
2. Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.
3. And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.
4. So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side . And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.
5. God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them. And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.
6. God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake" and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food."
7 . G od then brought forth running shoes so that his children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.
8 . Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds .
9 . God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super-size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest.
10 . God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.
. Then Satan created the Health Care System. Amen.
If you don't send this to five old friends right away there will be five fewer people laughing in the world
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This Day in U S Military History
1775 – The Burning of Falmouth (now Portland, Maine) prompts the Continental Congress to establish the Continental Navy. The Burning of Falmouth was an attack by a fleet of Royal Navy vessels on the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts (site of the modern city of Portland, Maine, and not to be confused with the modern towns of Falmouth, Massachusetts or Falmouth, Maine). The fleet was commanded by Captain Henry Mowat. The attack began with a naval bombardment which included incendiary shot, followed by a landing party meant to complete the town's destruction. The attack was the only major event in what was supposed to be a campaign of retaliation against ports that supported Patriot activities in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. Among the colonies, news of the attack led to rejection of British authority and the establishment of independent governments. It also led the Second Continental Congress to contest British Naval dominance by forming a Continental Navy. Both Mowat and his superior, Vice-Admiral Samuel Graves, who had ordered Mowat's expedition, suffered professionally as a consequence of the act.
1776 – At the Battle of Pelham Col. John Glover and the Marblehead regiment collided with British Forces in the Bronx. Sir William Howe, Commander-in-Chief of the British army, landed 4,000 English and Hessian troops near the stables on Pelham Parkway in an action which became the first permanent invasion of the American mainland in the American Revolution. Howe's objective was to outflank the American army by marching west across today's Bronx along the Boston Post Road. This would also cut off Washington's vital supply route from New England and enable the British to surround Washington and quickly end the rebellion. However, 600 seamen from the Boston area, led by Colonel John Glover, and fighting from behind Pelham Manor's stone walls put an end to Howe's plan and saved Washington's army. The main significance of the Battle of Pelham lay in the fact that it bought time for Washington to remove the American army from an extremely perilous position and to retreat to White Plains. It is for this reason that the Battle of Pelham has been called the battle that saved the American Revolution.
1812 – U.S. sloop of war Wasp captures HM brig Frolic. Folic had been separated from a convoy by a storm. While repairing damage, the Wasp came into view and was at first taken for a part of the convoy. On October 18th the "Wasp" moved toward the British ship. The "Frolic" hoisted Spanish colors, this keep the strange ship from pursuing the convoy. At 11:30 a.m. the two ships were sailing no more than 60 yards apart. The "Wasp" fired her port guns, and the "Frolic" fired her starboard guns. The British ship fired rapidly, delivering three broadsides to the American's two. Both crews cheered wildly as the battle became heated. The "Wasp" was landing more shot than the British ship. The ocean was very rough, the crew of the "Frolic" fired their cannon when they were on the crest of the waves. The Americans fired their guns on the lower part of the waves. But in spite of the weather both ships fire was well directed. At 11:36 a.m. the "Wasp's" maintop-mast was shot away and fell with it's yard. At 11:46 a.m. her mizzentop -gallant mast came down and by 11:52 every brace and most of her rigging had been shot away. The British ship however, had been severely damaged in her hull and lower masts. The "Wasp" gradually moved ahead and raked the "Frolic" with a devastating effect. The American ship fired again, this caused many casualties on the "Frolic". The ships came together, and after one failed attempt because of rough seas the Americans boarded the British ship. Not one Englishman was there to stop the crew of the "Wasp" from boarding. The man at the wheel was dazed but still at his post. Captain Whinyates and Lieutenant Wintle were wounded so severely that they could not stand without support. The crew of the "Frolic" could not fight any longer and Lieutenant Biddle lowered the flag at 12:15 just 43 minutes after the battle had started. The American ship had been damaged severely in her rigging but only two or three shots struck her hull. The American's had 5 killed and 5 wounded. The British had 30 killed and 60 wounded. The American ship "Wasp" had a crew of 135 and carried 9 guns. The British ship "Frolic" had a crew of 110 and carried 10 guns.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
THOMPSON, MAX
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Haaren, Germany, 18 October 1944. Entered service at: Prescott, Ariz. Birth: Bethel, N.C. G.O. No.: 47, 18 June 1945. Citation: On 18 October 1944, Company K, 18th Infantry, occupying a position on a hill near Haaren, Germany, was attacked by an enemy infantry battalion supported by tanks. The assault was preceded by an artillery concentration, lasting an hour, which inflicted heavy casualties on the company. While engaged in moving wounded men to cover, Sgt. Thompson observed that the enemy had overrun the positions of the 3d Platoon. He immediately attempted to stem the enemy's advance single-handedly. He manned an abandoned machinegun and fired on the enemy until a direct hit from a hostile tank destroyed the gun. Shaken and dazed, Sgt. Thompson picked up an automatic rifle and although alone against the enemy force which was pouring into the gap in our lines, he fired burst after burst, halting the leading elements of the attack and dispersing those following. Throwing aside his automatic rifle, which had jammed, he took up a rocket gun, fired on a light tank, setting it on fire. By evening the enemy had been driven from the greater part of the captured position but still held 3 pillboxes. Sgt. Thompson's squad was assigned the task of dislodging the enemy from these emplacements. Darkness having fallen and finding that fire of his squad was ineffective from a distance, Sgt. Thompson crawled forward alone to within 20 yards of 1 of the pillboxes and fired grenades into it. The Germans holding the emplacement concentrated their fire upon him. Though wounded, he held his position fearlessly, continued his grenade fire, and finally forced the enemy to abandon the blockhouse. Sgt. Thompson's courageous leadership inspired his men and materially contributed to the clearing of the enemy from his last remaining hold on this important hill position.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 18, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
18 October
1911: Capt George W. McKay, Michigan National Guard, was the first National Guardsman to qualify as a pilot. He received FAI pilot certificate number 67. (5) (21)
1918: Maj Charles Biddle, the 13th Pursuit Squadron's Commander, downed his eighth German fighter in a fierce dogfight over Verdun. (4)
1922: Brig Gen William "Billy" Mitchell used Lt Russell L. Maughan's Curtiss R-6 racing biplane, powered by a D-12 Curtiss Conqueror engine, to set a world speed record of 222.97 MPH over a one-kilometer course near Mount Clemens. (9)
1950: KOREAN WAR. An RB-29 crew spotted more than 75 fighters at Antung Airfield, China, just across the Yalu River from N. Korea. That intelligence suggested that Communist China might intervene in the war. (28)
1961: NASA fired a Scout rocket to an altitude of 4,261 miles in a study of the ionosphere. (24) The USAF announced that its H-43B Huskie rescue helicopter had ascended to 32,840 feet to set a world altitude record for light (Class E-1d) helicopters. (24)
1962: NASA launched Ranger V, a lunar probe, from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas-Agena B booster. A failure of the spacecraft's power system, however, made the planned television transmission of moon pictures impossible. The probe vehicle passed within 450 miles of the moon and entered a solar orbit. (24) CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS. The Air Force Reserves mobilized eight troop carrier wings and six aerial port squadrons for the Cuban Missile Crisis. (21)
1965: The 107 TFG, New York ANG, became the first tactical ANG unit to deploy to the Pacific for a joint-service exercise in peacetime. (16) (26)
1967: OSO IV, the 3,000th man-made sent into space, returned data on solar effects on communications.
1977: A Program Management Directive redesignated the F-15A and F-15B as the F-15C and F-15D, respectively. (30)
1984: First B-1B flight completed at Palmdale. (12) Through 20 October, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center arranged search and rescue missions for 47 people during heavy snows, high winds, and low temperatures in Colorado and New Mexico. (16) (26)
1985: First flight of an F-111 aircraft with the Mission Adaptive Wing took place at Edwards AFB. The wing had no flaps, slats, ailerons, or spoilers, but used internal hydraulic actuators to change its camber in flight. The wing also had a flexible composite covering to maintain a smooth surface. According to the Boeing Military Airplane Company, the wing produced a 25 to 30 percent increase in range and maneuverability to give the F-111 tighter sustained maneuvers for evasive action and survivability, increased fatigue life, better handling, and a more stable weapons platform.
1995: Lockheed rolled out its first C-130J (Tail No. 5408).
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USA—Army Plans Company-Size Test Of Robotic Vehicles Defense One | 10/18/2021 The Army plans to hold its largest experiment involving uncrewed ground vehicles next year, reports Defense One. During the experiment at Fort Hood, Texas, the Army will test a company-sized formation of robotic combat vehicles in a simulated battle, Gen. Ross Coffman, director of Army Future's Command Next Generation Combat Cross-Functional Team, said last week at the Association of the U.S. Army exhibition in Washington, D.C. The test will build on last year's experiment at Fort Carson, Colo., involving a platoon-sized formation of uncrewed M113 armored personnel carriers. That event tested a variety of technologies, some of which were deemed successful, such as the human-machine interface. The lessons from the company-level test are expected to be applied to how a brigade and division might fight with such vehicles in the future. The Army has contracted with Point Blank Enterprises, Oshkosh Defense, BAE Systems Land and Armaments, General Dynamics Land Systems and American Rheinmetall Vehicles to design prototype uncrewed combat vehicles that incorporate an open system architecture for third-party software and sensors. The open architecture will enable the Army to integrate autonomous and artificial intelligence capabilities as they are developed.
USA—Precision Strike Missile Demonstrates Maximum Range In Test Lockheed Martin | 10/18/2021 Lockheed Martin has just demonstrated the extended-range capabilities of its new surface-to-surface missile. On Oct. 13, the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was fired from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) launcher at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., over the Pacific Ocean, Lockheed said in a release. The distance the missile traveled during the test was not made public. Lockheed said it was the longest flight to date and exceeded the 310-mile (499-km) limit set under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The PrSM was previously expected to have a maximum range of 310 miles, but the U.S. withdrawal from the INF treaty in 2019 freed the Army to pursue a greater range, reported Defense News. An upcoming test at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., during the Project Convergence Campaign, will demonstrate a side-by-side shot of two PrSMs from the same pod. Lockheed received a US$62 million contract for early operational capability production on Sept. 30, as well as approval for the start of the engineering and manufacturing development phase. The Army expects to begin fielding the PrSM in 2023.
Canada—Incoming Army Commander Under Investigation For Sexual Misconduct Ottawa Citizen | 10/18/2021 The general tapped to serve as the next head of the Canadian army is under investigation on allegations of sexual misconduct, reports the Ottawa Citizen. Lt. Gen. Trevor Cadieu is being investigated by police after allegations of potential sexual misconduct were raised. Military police confirmed the investigation on Oct. 13, reported the Guardian (U.K.). A woman who formerly served in the military has given a statement to the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service concerning the allegations, the details of which have not been revealed. Cadieu has denied wrongdoing. He was recently promoted to lieutenant general and was scheduled to take command of the army during a ceremony in September. That ceremony was canceled after Gen. Wayne Eyre, the acting defense chief, was informed of the investigation.
United Kingdom—Murder Of MP Declared A Terrorist Act British Broadcasting Corp. | 10/18/2021 Police say the killing of a British lawmaker was an act of terrorism, reports BBC News. On Friday, Conservative member of Parliament David Amess was fatally stabbed while meeting with constituents in Essex, said police. The suspect, a 25-year-old male British national of Somali heritage, was initially held on suspicion of murder and was later detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act. Preliminary evidence pointed to an Islamist motive, reported the Wall Street Journal. The initial investigation indicated that the suspect worked on his own. The U.K. is considering several safety measures to protect members of Parliament following the attack, reported the Washington Post. Home Secretary Priti Patel told Sky News that the government is considering potential steps that include meeting constituents by appointment, reported Sky News (U.K.).
Greece—Defense Cooperation Pact With U.S. Extended Greek Reporter | 10/18/2021 Greece and the U.S. have signed an extension for their existing defense cooperation pact, reports the Greek Reporter. On Oct. 14, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed the renewal of the U.S.-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., reported Reuters. The MDCA has permitted U.S. forces to train and operate in Greece since 1990. The last extension was signed in 2019. The latest renewal extends the MDCA for five year and includes a clause stating it would remain in place indefinitely unless the U.S. or Greece chooses to withdraw. It also permits U.S. forces to operate from additional bases in Greece. The renewal will allow the U.S. to advance security in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond, Blinken said.
Turkey—Erdogan Says U.S. Offered F-16s In Compensation For F-35 Payments Bloomberg News | 10/18/2021 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that the U.S. has offered to sell fighter jets to Turkey to compensate Ankara for its investment in the F-35 program, reports Bloomberg News. On Sunday, Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul that Washington had offered the F-16 fighters as compensation for Ankara's US$1.4 billion investment in the F-35 stealth jet program. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in July 2019 after acquiring Russian S-400 air defense systems. In September, Turkey requested to buy 40 F-16 Block 70 aircraft from the U.S., as well as upgrade kits for 80 F-16s currently in service. The Turkish air force has a fleet of about 200 F-16s, which are expected to be withdrawn from service by 2035.
Poland—Parliament Passes Law Allowing Expulsion Of Migrants Politico Europe | 10/18/2021 The Polish legislature has passed a law enabling border guards to expel migrants crossing from Belarus, reports Politico Europe (Brussels). The bill, passed on Thursday, gives border guards the power to reject any application and ban individuals from re-entering Poland for six months to three years. The legislation must still be signed by President Andrzej Duda to become law. The powers extend to refusing applications for international asylum, noted BBC News. Humanitarian groups say the law violates migrant rights, because anyone seeking international protection must be guaranteed an asylum process. Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have seen a recent surge in migrants from the Middle East that their governments have blamed on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The move is a response to European Union sanctions on Lukashenko's regime that were instituted following its crackdown on opposition politicians and activists.
Belarus—French Ambassador Expelled France 24 | 10/18/2021 Belarus has expelled the French ambassador, reports France 24. The foreign ministry demanded that Amb. Nicolas de Lacoste leave Belarus by the Oct. 18, reported Agence France-Presse on Sunday. De Lacoste never met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to deliver his credentials, reported Belarusian media. France, like many other European Union member states, has not recognized Lukashenko's claim that he won a sixth presidential term in elections in August 2020. A spokeswoman at the French Embassy in Minsk confirmed that the ambassador had left Belarus on Sunday. The E.U. has imposed sanctions on Belarus over the 2020 elections, widely seen as rigged, and a subsequent crackdown on protests against Lukashenko. Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have also accused Belarus of bringing in migrants from the Middle East and sending them across their border in an effort to destabilize those countries.
North Korea—Sea Route Reopened To Receive Humanitarian Supplies Yonhap | 10/18/2021 North Korea has reopened a maritime shipping route on its west coast, allowing humanitarian supplies to be delivered, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The opened route links the Chinese port of Dalian with Nampo. The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) has begun using the route to ship medical supplies and plans to deliver more items via the route, UNICEF officials said on Friday. North Korea tightened its border controls due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including closing sea and land routes used by the U.N. and other agencies to send humanitarian goods and medical supplies. North
Korea—Long-Range Missile Tests May Be In The Works, Says DIA Defense Intelligence Agency | 10/18/2021 North Korea may be preparing to resume long-range missile trials in the next year, reports the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. On Friday, the DIA published the unclassified North Korea Military Power report, which lays out the agency's analysis of Pyongyang's largest weapons programs. The document assesses that North Korea may resume long-range missile testing in the next year. This testing could focus on training and improving its missile forces or enhancing its solid-propellant ballistic missiles, it said. Pyongyang views "nuclear arms as critical to regime survival," said the report, noting the increasingly important role that nuclear arms play in North Korea's strategic calculations. The North has not conducted any nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile tests since September 2017, noted the Korea Herald. After talks with the U.S. failed to yield substantial results, Pyongyang announced in 2019 that it was prepared to resume nuclear and long-range missile testing and warned of "new strategic weapons."
Australia—Collins-Class Boats Could See Another 30 Years Of Service Australian Broadcasting Corporation | 10/18/2021 Australia's existing diesel-electric submarines could remain in service for three more decades following a decision to acquire nuclear-powered boats, reports the Australian Broadcasting Corp. The decision to cancel a deal with France for 12 new diesel boats in favor of procuring nuclear-powered submarines through cooperation with the U.K. and U.S. will require the current Collins-class subs to undergo a major refit to extend their service lives another 10 years. Last week, navy chief Vice Adm. Mike Noonan told a senate committee that the boats, in service since the 1990s, could potentially remain in service until 2040 or 2050. This could require a second life-extension program, analysts said. Noonan also said that American or British nuclear-powered submarines could be based in Australia in the coming years to help the defense department to gain knowledge of the technology.
India—New Army Aviation Brigade In Service In Assam Indian Express | 10/18/2021 The Indian army has increased its aviation capabilities in the northeastern Assam state, reports the Indian Express. In March, the army stood up a new aviation brigade in Missamari, near Tezpur and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, sources said. The unit is intended to bolster intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the region. It can also provide other support for army missions as required. The brigade has three squadrons equipped with Dhruv advanced light helicopters, including in the armed configuration; Cheetah helicopters; and Heron drones, said the sources. The Indian army has assumed control of all Heron I uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Eastern Sector, noted the Hindu (Chennai).
Pakistan—Airline Halts Flights To Kabul, Citing Taliban Interference British Broadcasting Corp. | 10/18/2021 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has suspended flights to Kabul over Taliban intimidation, reports BBC News. On Thursday, the airline announced that it would suspend flights to Afghanistan due to unworkable conditions imposed by the Taliban, reported CNN. The airline and its staff were "dealt with very heavy-handedly" by Taliban commanders, the company said. In one case, the airline's representative was held at gunpoint for hours after leaving the Pakistani Embassy and accused of aiding and abetting people fleeing Afghanistan. PIA was also dealing with last minute changes in regulations and flight permissions that were based on the whims of the Taliban and not international standards, officials said. This included an instance where the Afghan Aviation Ministry randomly cut in half the number of passengers allowed to board a flight last week as they were checking in, forcing 176 people to be sent home and imposing US$50 million in losses on the airline through higher insurance costs. The Taliban had also ordered PIA to return ticket prices to levels seen before the fall of the U.S.-backed government in August, reported Reuters. Insurance premiums were so high, due to insurers considering Afghanistan a war zone, that it was impossible to operate scheduled flights, a PIA spokesman said. PIA said it would reevaluate the halt if the situation on the ground improved.
Yemen—Houthis Make Gains In Marib, Shabwa Provinces Reuters | 10/18/2021 Rebels in Yemen say they say they have seized additional territory from government forces in the central Marib and southern Shabwa provinces, reports Reuters. On Sunday, a spokesman for the Houthi movement said that the group had seized three districts in Shabwa in and two in Marib. Local officials said that these included the Assilan, Bayhan and Ain districts in Shabwa and Al Abdiyah and Harib districts in Marib. Fighting was ongoing in the Al Jubah and Jabal Murad districts in Marib, the officials said. This leaves government forces in control of Marib city and one other district in the province, which is home to Yemen's largest oilfields. The Houthi spokesman said that the militants would continue their operations in Marib. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Saudi coalition fighting the rebels said that at least 165 Houthis were killed and at least 100 Houthi vehicles destroyed in fighting around Abdiya, reported the Arab News (Riyadh).
Israel—Hezbollah Could Fire 2,000 Rockets Into Israel Daily In Conflict, Military Says Agence France-Presse | 10/18/2021 The Israeli military says that it expects that Hezbollah in Lebanon would fire thousands of rockets into Israel every day in the event of a conflict, reports Agence France-Presse. Home Front Command chief Uri Gordin told the news service that Hezbollah could fire between 1,500 and 2,500 rockets at Israel on a daily basis should fighting erupt. For comparison, Israel faced about 400 rockets per day during fighting with Palestinian groups in May, the highest such figures it has measured, he said. The Iron Dome defense system intercepted around 90 percent of the rockets that were headed toward populated areas, said Gordin.
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