TheList 5888

The List 5888     TGB  

 

Good Monday morning October 25

 

I hope that you all had a great weekend.

 

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Today in Naval and Marine Corps History

 

October 25

 

Today in Naval History

 

1812

The frigate United States, commanded by Capt. Stephen Decatur, captures the British frigate Macedonian, commanded by John S. Carden, west of the Canary Islands. During battle, United States broadsides the British frigate and destroys her mizzen top mast, which let her driver gaff fall. This advantage allows United States to riddle the enemy methodically with shot. After surrender, Macedonian is eventually repaired and entered into U.S. naval service.

 

1813

Congress, commanded by Capt. John Smith, captures and burns the British merchant ship Rose in the Atlantic off the coast of Brazil.

 

1944

U.S. and Australian warships maul the advancing enemy with torpedoes and heavy guns during the Battle of Surigao Strait in the midst of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Japanese lose battleships Fuso and Yamashiro, plus three destroyers. The Battle of Surigao Strait marks the end of an era in naval warfare -- it was the last engagement of a battle line.
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1944

During the Battle off Samar in the midst of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, four Japanese battleships, eight cruisers and 11 destroyers surprise U.S. Navy Task Unit 77.4.3 consisting of six escort carriers, three destroyers, and four destroyer escorts. Despite their great inferiority in numbers, speed and fire power, U.S. airmen and surface sailors fight heroically to defend their carriers. 

1944

During the Battle off Cape Engaño, 3rd Fleet carrier aircraft, surface ships and submarines strike the Japanese Northern Force off northeastern Luzon. The Japanese lose aircraft carriers Zuikaku, Zuiho, Chitose and Chiyoda, as well as a light cruiser and two destroyers.

 

1967

A Zuni 5-inch rocket ignites during a routine test in the forward assembly area aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA 43) burning nine sailors, three critically. All nine casualties were flown for treatment to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines.

 

1970

Amphibious assault ship Okinawa (LPH 3), dock landing ship Anchorage (LSD 36), amphibious transport dock Duluth (LPD 6), and Sailors and marines from shore establishments complete four days of assistance to thousands of people following Typhoon Joan, which left 600 people dead and 80,000 without shelter across southern Luzon and Catanduanes Island, Philippines.  

 

1979

Former Navy lieutenant, Edward Hidalgo becomes the 64th Secretary of the Navy and first Hispanic male to hold the position

 

1983

 Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada, West Indies) begins. By Nov. 2, all military objectives are secured. The next day, hostilities are declared to be at an end. Grenadians put their country back in order--schools and businesses reopen for the first time in at least two weeks.

 

1986

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is commissioned at Newport News, Va.

 

1994

Pilot Lt. Kara S. Hultgreen and radar intercept officer Lt. Matthew P. Klemish of VF-213 crash an F-14A Tomcat, BuNo 160390, while attempting to land aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) off San Diego. Hultgreen becomes the first naval female combat pilot to die in an aircraft accident. Klemish ejects and survives with minor injuries.

 

2008

Virginia class submarine USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) is commissioned at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine.

 

2014

Virginia class submarine USS North Dakota (SSN 784) is commissioned at Groton, Conn.

 

 

Today in History
October 25

1415		An English army under Henry V defeats the French at Agincourt, France. The French out number Henry's troops 60,000 to 12,000 but British longbows turn the tide of the battle.
1760		George III of England is crowned.
1854		During the Crimean War, a brigade of British light infantry is destroyed by Russian artillery as they charge down a narrow corridor in full view of the Russians.
1916		German pilot Rudolf von Eschwege shoots down his first enemy plane, a Nieuport 12 of the Royal Naval Air Service over Bulgaria.
1923		The Teapot Dome scandal comes to public attention as Senator Thomas J. Walsh of Montana, subcommittee chairman, reveals the findings of the past 18 months of investigation. His case will result in the conviction of Harry F. Sinclair of Mammoth Oil, and later Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall, the first cabinet member in American history to go to jail. The scandal, named for the Teapot Dome oil reserves in Wyoming, involved Fall secretly leasing naval oil reserve lands to private companies.
1941		German troops capture Kharkov and launch a new drive toward Moscow.
1944		The Japanese are defeated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the world's largest sea engagement. From this point on, the depleted Japanese Navy increasingly resorts to the suicidal attacks of Kamikaze fighters.
1950		Chinese Communist Forces launch their first-phase offensive across the Yalu River into North Korea.
1951		In a general election, England's Labour Party loses to the Conservatives. Winston Churchill becomes prime minister and Anthony Eden becomes foreign secretary.
1954		President Dwight Eisenhower conducts the first televised Cabinet meeting.
1958		The last U.S. troops leave Beirut.
1960		Martin Luther King, Jr., is sentenced to four months in jail for a sit-in.
1962		Adlai Stevenson shows photos to the UN Security Council that prove Soviet missiles have been installed in Cuba.
1962		In South Africa, civil rights activist Nelson Mandela is sentenced to 5 years in prison.
1971		The United Nations expels the Republic of China and seats the People's Republic of China.
1983		1,800 U.S. troops and 300 Caribbean troops land on Grenada. U.S. forces soon turn up evidence of a strong Cuban and Soviet presence–large stores of arms and documents suggesting close links to Cuba.
1991		The last soldiers of the Yugoslav People's Army leave the Republic of Slovenia.
2009		Terrorist bombings in Baghdad kill over 150 and wound over 700.

 

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Thanks to Brett

The Weekly Rundown: An Election in Uzbekistan, ASEAN Meets Without Myanmar

Oct 25, 2021

Members of a local election commission prepare a polling station in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Oct. 21, 2021, ahead of the country's presidential election.

(VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO/AFP via Getty Images)

What We're Tracking

A climate summit in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia will host a summit in Riyadh on Oct. 25 focused on climate change and climate diplomacy. High-profile guests including White House envoy John Kerry and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will be in attendance. Saudi Arabia has designed the summit to feature what Riyadh is calling the Middle East's first climate change pact, but Western leaders are still disappointed with Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries' commitments to climate change initiatives, a discrepancy that will likely also feature in the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oct. 31. 

An emergency EU meeting on high energy prices. EU energy ministers will hold an extraordinary Energy Council in Luxembourg on Oct. 26 to discuss rising energy prices in the bloc. The meeting will take place as EU governments are divided over the issue, with countries like France and Spain demanding structural reforms in the bloc's energy market and countries like Germany and the Netherlands claiming that the crisis will be short-lived and that no reforms are needed. Many governments are worried that rising energy prices will slow down Europe's economic recovery and open the door to social unrest and anti-government sentiments during the winter. 

An ASEAN summit without Myanmar. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will host its biannual summit on Oct. 26-28. The bloc recently revoked its invitation to Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, citing the junta's lack of progress on ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus for restoring stability in Myanmar. Thus, the summit may see ASEAN reevaluate its policy tools for encouraging peace and democratic processes in Myanmar, including debates about exceptions to the bloc's longstanding dual commitments to non-interference in member states' affairs and consensus-based decision making. In response to global pressure for ASEAN's lack of progress on changing events in Myanmar, the bloc may also revise or replace its Five-Point Consensus, which was released in April, with a more aggressive initiative to seek results in Myanmar.

Uzbekistan's presidential election. The Oct. 24 election is widely expected to result in a landslide victory for incumbent candidate Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who's projected to win over 90% of the vote. Mirziyoev came to power in 2016 following the death of longtime Soviet autocrat Islam Karimov. While the result of the election is a foregone conclusion, observers are watching for any subtle shifts in Uzbekistan's policy or rhetoric toward the Taliban-run Afghanistan following the election. President Mirziyoyev has maintained that Uzbekistan is ready for dialogue with the Taliban, and the country is continuing electricity exports to Afghanistan despite the country not paying its bills due to the lack of funds, likely to prevent itself from becoming a target for destabilizing acts by the Taliban or ethnic Uzbek radical groups in northern Afghanistan prior to the vote. But after the election, it is possible that Uzbekistan may begin to slowly shift its rhetoric toward the Taliban to be more like that of neighboring Tajikistan, as Uzbekistan faces similar security concerns stemming from the sizable ethnic Uzbek population in Afghanistan and will need to work closely with Tajikistan. 

 

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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, 25 October 2021… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻

 

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…

From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 25 October 1966… The RT 52 Target List hung up on the drawing board in the White House…

 

http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-25-october-huddle-up-heavies/

 

 

 

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 who was a great RIO who joined us at the F-8  reunion last week because he flew in the Two Sader. A two seat F-8 that very few ever flew.

 

Monday Morning Humor--Halloween

 

A History of Halloween in America
     The Irish brought the holiday to the United States in the 1840's. Americans adopted the Jack-o'-lantern, a tradition started in Ireland as a result of folklore. The folk legend goes that Jack, a troublemaking old miser, trapped Satan in a tree and forced him to promise he'd never tempt Jack again. But upon his death, Jack found he couldn't get into heaven because of his earlier sins, or the underworld because of the trick he had played on Satan.
     So Jack was forced to walk the earth for eternity with only a coal in a hollowed-out turnip to light his way. Thus was born "Jack of the lantern," or the jack-o'-lantern.
     Special decorations went up using colors that reflect the ancient origins: orange signifying harvest and black signifying death. Skeletons were added from the Day of the Dead festival celebrated in Mexico. Candy was chosen over soul cakes, costumes became funny as well as scary, The first card made its appearance in 1920.
     In 1950, a group of Sunday school children decided to trick-or-treat for money for needy children rather than candy. They raised and donated $17.00 and started the tradition of trick-or-treating for UNICEF.
     Halloween appears to be here to stay, so let the haunting begin

Top Halloween Headlines:

·        Count Dracula Arraigned Following Police Stakeout

·        Satan Arrested, Charged with Possession

·        Bride of Frankenstein Files for Divorce:  "The Spark Is Gone"

 

 

     A young man was in love with a beautiful girl. Sadly, the woman did not return his feelings. He tried for months to get her attention.

     Finally, out of desperation, he visited a group of witches. He asked them to create a love potion. They refused on ethical grounds. But they did give him a bottle of small white pills. They instructed him to bury one in her yard at midnight for a month.

     The man returned five weeks later, elated and thankful. He and the woman were to marry in two weeks.

     "Ah," said one of the witches. "Nothing says loving like something from the coven. And pills buried say it best."

 

     Three vampires went into a bar and sat down. The barmaid came over to take their orders.  "And what would you, er, gentlemen like tonight?"
     The first vampire said, "I'll have a mug of blood."
     The second vampire said, "I'll have a mug of blood."
     The third vampire shook his head at his companions and said, "I will have a glass of plasma."
     The barmaid wrote down each order, went to the bar and called to the bartender, "Two bloods and a blood light."


Submitted by Rick Hein:
     I was going to be a politician for Halloween, but my head wouldn't fit up my derriere.



Submitted by Craig Lenz:

Ten Signs You Are Too Old for Halloween

• You get winded from knocking on the door.
• You have to have someone chew the candy for you.
• You ask for high fiber candy only.
• When someone drops a candy bar in your bag, you lose your balance and fall over.
• People say, "Great Keith Richards mask!" and you're not wearing a mask.
• When the door opens you yell, "Trick or..." and you can't remember the rest.
• By the end of the night you have a bag full of restraining orders.
• You have to carefully choose a costume that won't dislodge your hair piece.
• You're the only Power Ranger in the neighborhood with a walker.
• You avoid going to houses where your ex-wives live.

 

     A couple was invited to a swanky masked Halloween Party. She got a terrible headache and told her husband to go to the party alone. He being a devoted husband, protested, but she argued and said she was going to take some aspirin and go to bed, and there was no need of his good time being spoiled by not going.
     So he took his costume and away he went. The wife, after sleeping soundly for one hour, awakened without pain and as it was still early, she decided to go the party. In as much as her husband did not know what her costume was, she thought she would have some fun by watching her husband to see how he acted when she was not with him.
     She joined the party and soon spotted her husband cavorting around on the dance floor, dancing with every nice chick he could, and copping a little feel here and a little kiss there. His wife sidled up to him and being a rather seductive babe herself, he left his partner high and dry and devoted his time to the new stuff that had just arrived.
     She let him go as far as he wished, naturally, since he was her husband.  Finally, he whispered a little proposition in her ear and she agreed, so off they went to one of the cars and had a good time. Just before unmasking at midnight, she slipped away and went home and put the costume away and got into bed, wondering what kind of explanation he would make for his behavior.
     She was sitting up reading when he came in and asked what kind of a time he had. He said, "Oh, the same old thing. You know I never have good time when you're not there." Then she asked, "Did you dance much?" He replied, "I'll tell you, I never even danced one dance.
     When I got there, I met Pete, Bill Brown and some other guys, so we went into the den and played poker all evening. But you're not going to believe what happened to the guy I loaned my costume to!"



Submitted by Mark Logan:

     This happened in a little town in Mexico, and even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, it's reported to be true!
     This guy was on the side of the road hitch hiking on a very dark night and in the middle of a storm. The night was roiling and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.
     Suddenly, he saw a car coming towards him and stop. The guy, without thinking about it, got in the car and closed the door—and only then realized that there's nobody behind the wheel!
     The car starts very slowly. The guy looks at the road and sees a curve coming his way. Scared, he starts to pray, begging for his life. He hasn't come out of shock when, just before the car hits the curve, a hand appears thru the window and moves the wheel. The guy, paralyzed in terror, watched how the hand appears every time they are approaching a curve.
     The guy, gathering strength, gets out of the car and runs all the way to the nearest town. Wet and in shock he goes into a cantina, asks for two shots of tequila, and starts telling everybody about the horrible experience he just went through. A silence enveloped everybody when they realize the guy was crying and wasn't drunk.
     About half an hour later two guys walked in the same cantina and one said to the other, "Look, Pepe, that's the bum that got in the car while we were pushing it!"


     An old lady is very upset as her husband Albert had just passed away.
     She went to the mortuary to look at her dearly departed & the instant she saw him she starts crying. One of the attendants rushes up to comfort her.
     Through her tears she explains that she was upset because Albert was wearing a black suit and that it was his dying wish to be buried in a blue suit.
     The attendant apologizes and explains that they always put the bodies in a black suit as a matter of course but he'd see what he could do.
     The next day she returns to the mortuary to have one last moment with Albert before his funeral the following day.
     When the attendant pulls back the curtain, she manages to smile through her tears as Albert is now wearing a smart blue suit. She asks the attendant "How did you manage to get hold of that beautiful blue suit?"
     "Well, yesterday afternoon after you left, a man about your husband's size was brought in & he was wearing a blue suit. His wife explained that she was very upset as he had always wanted to be buried in a black suit," the attendant replied. He continued, "After that, it was simply a matter of swapping the heads"

Halloween Groaners

Q: What do you get when you divide the circumference of a jack-o'-lantern by its diameter?
A: Pumpkin Pi.

Q: How do you make a witch stew?
A: Keep her waiting for hours.

Q: How do ghosts begin their letters?
A: "Tomb it may concern..."

Q: What happened to the guy who couldn't keep up payments to his exorcist?
A: He was repossessed.

Q: What do you call a person who puts rat poison in a person's Corn Flakes?
A: A cereal killer

Q: How do you mend a broken Jack-o'-lantern?
A: With a pumpkin patch.

Q: What is a ghost's favorite ride?
A: A roller ghoster.

Q: Why are there fences around cemeteries?
A: Because people are dying to get in. (Groan)

Q: What do you get when you cross Dracula with Sleeping Beauty?
A: Tired blood.

Q: Why was the mummy so tense?
A: He was all wound up.

Q: What kind of street does a ghost like best?
A: A dead end.

Q: How do you know if a ghost is lying?
A: You can see right through him.

Q: How is a werewolf like a computer?
A: They both have megabytes.

Q: Where do vampires live?
A: At the Vampire State Building.

Q: Why don't witches like to ride their brooms when they're angry?
A: They're afraid of flying off the handle.

Q: Where do ghosts go on vacation?
A: Lake Erie.

Q: How can you tell when a window is scared?
A: They get shudders.

Q: Why didn't the skeleton dance at the Halloween party?
A: It had no body to dance with.

Q: What do you say to a ghost with three heads?
A: Hello, hello, hello.

Q: What is a witch's favorite subject in school?
A: Spelling!

Q: When does a skeleton laugh?
A: When something tickles his funny bone.

Q: What tops off a ghost's sundae?
A: Whipped Scream

Q: Why is a ghost such a messy eater?
A: Because he's always a goblin.

Q: What happens when a ghost gets lost in a fog?
A: He's mist.

Q: What sailors like to be chilled to the bone?
A: A skeleton crew.

Q: Where does Count Dracula usually eat his lunch?
A: In the casketeria.

Q: Where did the goblin throw the football?
A: Over the ghoul line.

Q: What do you call a goblin who gets too close to a bonfire?
A: Toasty ghosty.

Q: What do you call a ghost with a broken leg?
A: Hoblin Goblin.

Q: What do you call a wicked witch who lives by the sea?
A: A Sand-witch

Q: What do you get when you cross a werewolf with a drip-dry suit?
A: A wash-and-werewolf.

Q: What did the papa ghost say to the baby ghost?
A: Fasten your sheet belt.

Q: Who does a ghoul fall in love with?
A: His ghoul friend.

Q: What is a vampire's favorite mode of transportation?
A: A blood vessel.

Q: What do you call a dog owned by Dracula?
A: A bloodhound.

Q: What kind of hot dogs do werewolves like best?
A: Hallowieners.

Q: What do you call serious rocks?
A: Grave stones.

Q: How do you picture yourself flying on a broom?
A: By witchful thinking.

Q: Why did the witch's mail rattle?
A: It was a chain letter.

Q: Why did the vampire's lunch give her heartburn?
A: It was a stake sandwich.

Q: What do you call a skeleton who refuses to help around the house?
A: Lazybones

Q: Why did Dracula take cold medicine?
A: To stop his coffin

Q: What do you get when you cross a ghost with Bambi?
A: Bamboo

Q: Why don't witches ride their brooms when they're angry?
A: They don't want to fly off the handle

Q: What do you get if you drop a pumpkin?
A: Squash

Q: Why don't skeletons cross the road?
A: They don't have the guts

Q: What happened to the guy who couldn't pay his exorcist?
A: He was repossessed

Q: Who won the skeleton beauty contest?
A: No body


Have a great week and a happy Halloween,
Al

 

 

 

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This Day in U S Military History

 

1942 – On Guadalcanal, the Japanese army again attempt attacks on the southern perimeter of the American positions. They are thrown back with heavy losses. Meanwhile, the Japanese navy mounts a major operation to support the offensive on Guadalcanal. Four battleships and the carriers Shokaku, Zuikaku, Zuiho and Junyo as well as numerous cruisers and destroyers. The carriers contain aircraft for use at Henderson Field airstrip when the Japanese capture it. A report to that effect has brought the carriers this close to the islands. The Americans have two carriers in the area, Hornet and Enterprise, with an attending battleship USS South Dakota close enough to provide anti-aircraft cover. The Japanese force is split into four for the operation. Numerically the number of planes are close, the Japanese have 212, the Americans have 171. The Americans discover the Japanese force first launching an attack which doesn't find the Japanese ships.

1944 – On land, the US 1st Cavalry Division continues advancing on the northeast coast of Leyte. Other elements of US 10th and US 24th Corps, to the south, are inactive because of a lack of supplies. At sea, the Japanese Southern Force (Nishimura) and the 2nd Striking Force (Shima) engage American forces, commanded by Admiral Oldendorf, blocking the Surigao Strait. After suffering losses the Japanese withdraw. The Center Force (Kurita) passes through the San Bernardino Strait and engages US Task Force 77.4.3 (Sprague) which is then reinforced by aircraft from TF77.4.2 as it attempts to retreat. Center Force suffers some losses and Admiral Kurita chooses to withdraw because he believes the aircraft are from US Task Force 38. While Center Force turns back, TF77.4.3 is struck by Kamikaze strikes which sink 4 escort carriers. These are the first significant Kamikaze attacks recorded. At the same time, TF77.4.1 is also attacked by Kamikazes. Meanwhile, the Northern Force (Ozawa) is attacked TF38. Only the carrier-battleships (Ise and Hyuga) survive the day. During the engagement, two groups of TF38 turn back to attack Center Force but fail to arrive in time.

1944 – The USS Tang under Richard O'Kane (the top American submarine captain of World War II) is sunk by the ship's own malfunctioning torpedo.

 

1966 – Operation Sea Dragon logistics interdiction began. North Vietnamese regulars and Viet Cong guerrillas were not exempt from this time-honored adage. They were dependent on the vast quantities of food and munitions smuggled across South Vietnam's shores and waterways. It was because of this waterborne logistic highway that the destroyers Mansfield and Hanson sailed north toward the 17th parallel before dawn on October 25, 1966. At 0500 hours, the ships entered North Vietnamese waters and opened a new phase of the war, attacking WBLC (pronounced "wib-lic" and meaning waterborne logistic craft) and coastal lines of communication targets still in Communist waters. As part of Operation Sea Dragon, Seventh Fleet destroyers, cruisers and eventually one battleship participated in this new mission between October 1966 and November 1968.

 

1983 – 1,800 U.S. Marines and Rangers, assisted by 300 soldiers from six Caribbean nations, invaded Grenada at the order of President Reagan, who said the action was needed to protect U.S. citizens there. Helicopters touched down at Pearls Airport at 5 a.m. on 25 Oct., the PRA–People's Revolutionary Army–greeted the Marines with bursts from small arms and machine guns. In pairs, the Marines scrambled out of the helos and immediately dug in, waiting for the choppers to leave. Three Soviet-made 12.7mm guns on a nearby hill fired at helicopters bringing in the second assault–Marines of Fox Company–to the town of Grenville, just south of Pearls, at 6 a.m. Sea- Cobra attack helicopters were called in to silence the guns and Fox Company landed amid light mortar fire. Echo and Fox companies moved slowly and cautiously after their landings; after a couple of hours, most of the resistance at Pearls and Grenville was beaten down. Army Rangers, arriving at the airfield at Point Salines at dawn the same day in C-130 [Hercules] aircraft, met much stiffer resistance than the Marines were encountering at Pearls. To avoid the anti-aircraft fire, the Rangers jumped from a very low altitude–500 feet. Machine-gun fire blasted at aircraft and Rangers on the ground. But US Air Force AC-130 [Spectre] gunships silenced the hostile fire with devastatingly accurate blasts. The airfield at Point Salines was blocked, a clear sign an assault was expected. There had been reports in the press on Saturday (Oct. 22) that the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States had met. It was probable that someone passed the word to Grenada that the United States and a Caribbean peacekeeping force would invade. Word had been put out on Grenada radio that the invasion would occur on Sunday. On Sunday, however, the United States was still discussing the risks of the operation and trying to ascertain how much resistance the Caribbean peace keeping force would meet. There were three or four dozen Cuban Army regulars in Grenada not organized into a regular military unit, but were primarily advisers and instructors to the Grenadian military as well as a handful of paramilitary Cubans–such as police and secret service types. There were also about 600 Cuban construction workers, all militarily trained, armed and trained. Even before securing Point Salines airfield on the first day, Rangers had moved to evacuate American students at the True Blue campus of St. George's Medical Center. The campus, located at one end of the 10,000-foot runway the Cubans had been building, was reached easily and the students were rescued. A second campus at Grand Anse was farther away, and retreating Cubans and PRA units blocked the Rangers from the students. By afternoon the Point Salines air field was secured from all but sporadic mortar and small arms fire, and Rangers were moving against PRA positions near St. George's, the capital. Other Rangers removed obstacles on the Point Salines runway, and elements of the 82nd Airborne Division flew in to add more people and heavier weapons to the assault. Meanwhile, Fox and Echo companies merged north of St. George's and secured a flat, stadium-like area called the Queen's Racecourse, which the Marines dubbed "LZ Racetrack." The battalion landing team commander set up headquarters there. During the evening, Marines of Golf Company, from the tank landing ships Manitowoc and Barnstable County, landed at Grand Mal beach, just north of St. George's, with 13 amphibious vehicles and five tanks. Throughout the first night, a constant stream of logistics aircraft landed and took off from the partially completed runway at Point Salines. Gunfire roared from ships and aircraft.

 

 

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

 

YOUNG, CAVALRY M.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company L, 3d lowa Cavalry. Place and date: At Osage, Kans., 25 October 1864. Entered service at: Hopeville, Clark County, lowa. Birth: Washington County, Ohio. Date of issue: 4 April 1865. Citation: Gallantry in capturing Gen. Cabell.

 

BASILONE, JOHN
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 4 November 1916, Buffalo, N.Y. Accredited to: New Jersey. Other Navy award: Navy Cross. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machineguns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

 

 

CHOATE, CLYDE L.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion. Place and date: Near Bruyeres, France, 25 October 1944. Entered service at: Anna, 111. Born: 28 June 1920, West Frankfurt, 111. G.O. No.: 75, 5 September 1945. Citation: He commanded a tank destroyer near Bruyeres, France, on 25 October 1944. Our infantry occupied a position on a wooded hill when, at dusk, an enemy Mark IV tank and a company of infantry attacked, threatening to overrun the American position and capture a command post 400 yards to the rear. S/Sgt. Choate's tank destroyer, the only weapon available to oppose the German armor, was set afire by 2 hits. Ordering his men to abandon the destroyer, S/Sgt. Choate reached comparative safety. He returned to the burning destroyer to search for comrades possibly trapped in the vehicle risking instant death in an explosion which was imminent and braving enemy fire which ripped his jacket and tore the helmet from his head. Completing the search and seeing the tank and its supporting infantry overrunning our infantry in their shallow foxholes, he secured a bazooka and ran after the tank, dodging from tree to tree and passing through the enemy's loose skirmish line. He fired a rocket from a distance of 20 yards, immobilizing the tank but leaving it able to spray the area with cannon and machinegun fire. Running back to our infantry through vicious fire, he secured another rocket, and, advancing against a hail of machinegun and small-arms fire reached a position 10 yards from the tank. His second shot shattered the turret. With his pistol he killed 2 of the crew as they emerged from the tank; and then running to the crippled Mark IV while enemy infantry sniped at him, he dropped a grenade inside the tank and completed its destruction. With their armor gone, the enemy infantry became disorganized and was driven back. S/Sgt. Choate's great daring in assaulting an enemy tank single-handed, his determination to follow the vehicle after it had passed his position, and his skill and crushing thoroughness in the attack prevented the enemy from capturing a battalion command post and turned a probable defeat into a tactical success.

 

*EVANS, ERNEST EDWIN
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy. Born: 13 August 1908, Pawnee, Okla. Accredited to: Oklahoma. Other Navy awards: Navy Cross, Bronze Star Medal. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Johnston in action against major units of the enemy Japanese fleet during the battle off Samar on 25 October 1944. The first to lay a smokescreen and to open fire as an enemy task force, vastly superior in number, firepower and armor, rapidly approached. Comdr. Evans gallantly diverted the powerful blasts of hostile guns from the lightly armed and armored carriers under his protection, launching the first torpedo attack when the Johnston came under straddling Japanese shellfire. Undaunted by damage sustained under the terrific volume of fire, he unhesitatingly joined others of his group to provide fire support during subsequent torpedo attacks against the Japanese and, outshooting and outmaneuvering the enemy as he consistently interposed his vessel between the hostile fleet units and our carriers despite the crippling loss of engine power and communications with steering aft, shifted command to the fantail, shouted steering orders through an open hatch to men turning the rudder by hand and battled furiously until the Johnston, burning and shuddering from a mortal blow, lay dead in the water after 3 hours of fierce combat. Seriously wounded early in the engagement, Comdr. Evans, by his indomitable courage and brilliant professional skill, aided materially in turning back the enemy during a critical phase of the action. His valiant fighting spirit throughout this historic battle will venture as an inspiration to all who served with him.

 

GIUNTA, SALVATORE A.
Rank: Staff Sergeant, Organization: U.S. Army, Company: Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, Division: Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, Born: 21 January 1985, Clinton, Iowa, Departed: No, Entered Service At: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, G.O. Number: , Date of Issue: 11/16/2010, Accredited To: Iowa, Place / Date: Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, 25 October

2007. Citation: Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, on October 25, 2007. While conducting a patrol as team leader with Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, Specialist Giunta and his team were navigating through harsh terrain when they were ambushed by a well-armed and well-coordinated insurgent force. While under heavy enemy fire, Specialist Giunta immediately sprinted towards cover and engaged the enemy. Seeing that his squad leader had fallen and believing that he had been injured, Specialist Giunta exposed himself to withering enemy fire and raced towards his squad leader, helped him to cover, and administered medical aid. While administering first aid, enemy fire struck Specialist Giunta's body armor and his secondary weapon. Without regard to the ongoing fire, Specialist Giunta engaged the enemy before prepping and throwing grenades, using the explosions for cover in order to conceal his position. Attempting to reach additional wounded fellow soldiers who were separated from the squad, Specialist Giunta and his team encountered a barrage of enemy fire that forced them to the ground. The team continued forward and upon reaching the wounded soldiers, Specialist Giunta realized that another soldier was still separated from the element. Specialist Giunta then advanced forward on his own initiative. As he crested the top of a hill, he observed two insurgents carrying away an American soldier. He immediately engaged the enemy, killing one and wounding the other. Upon reaching the wounded soldier, he began to provide medical aid, as his squad caught up and provided security. Specialist Giunta's unwavering courage, selflessness, and decisive leadership while under extreme enemy fire were integral to his platoon's ability to defeat an enemy ambush and recover a fellow American soldier from the enemy. Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, and the United States Army.

 

 

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 25, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

 

 

25 October

 

1911: Lts Theodore G. Ellyson and John H. Towers (USN) set an unofficial nonstop seaplane record of 138.2 miles from Annapolis to Buckroe Beach, Va., in 2 hours 27 minutes. (24)

 

1923: Lt Harold R. Harris and crew flew a Barling Bomber to several records: weight of 3,000 kilograms (6,600 pounds) in 1 hour 19 minutes 11.8 seconds, and altitude of 5,344 feet. (24) In the first aerial-refueled flight between two points, Lts. L. H. Smith and J. P. Richter flew an Army Air Service DH-4B flew nonstop from Camas, Wash., to Tijuana, Mexico. Tankers positioned at Eugene, Oregon, and Sacramento, Calif., provided the three air-to-air refuelings required during the 1,280-mile mission. (18)

 

1924: Navy fliers at Bayshore Park, Md., set 17 world records for Class C seaplanes. (24)

 

1925: The court-martial of Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell for insubordination began. He was found guilty on 17 December and sentenced to five years' suspension from active duty without pay or allowances. After reviewing the sentence, President Coolidge made it five years' suspension at half pay. On 1 February 1926, Mitchell resigned his commission. During the trial Mitchell succeeded in championing the cause of air power as a separate entity. (18)

 

1930: Transcontinental Air and Western Air, Inc., opened the first cross-country through air service simultaneously from New York City and Los Angeles. (24)

 

1942: American bombers raided Hong Kong and damaged the Kowloon Docks in the first raid on the former British colony since the Japanese occupation. (24)

 

1950: Mr. Kaufman Keller, President of Chrysler Corp., became the first Director of Guided Missiles for the US Armed Forces. (24)

 

1950: KOREAN WAR. Due to the lack of B-29 targets in Korea, FEAF Bomber Command temporarily ended combat missions. FEAF removed restrictions on close air support missions near the Yalu River, which allowed fighter operations all the way to the Chinese border. FEAF's Combat Cargo Command set a new daily record by airlifting 1,767 tons of equipment within Korea. (28)

 

1951: KOREAN WAR. In an effective close air support strike, F-51 Mustangs inflicted nearly 200 casualties on enemy troops in the I Corps sector. Enemy small arms fire hit an H-5 rescue helicopter picking up a downed UN pilot. The H-5 made a forced landing in enemy territory. The next day, two other H-5s hoisted all four men to safety from the mountainside where they had hidden from communist troops during the night. (28)

 

1952: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force B-26s and fighter-bombers attacked the Kumgang Political School, starting fires and almost completely destroying the installation. (28)

 

1961: William Wesson (Class 62-B) was the last aviation cadet pilot to graduate from a program that began in World War II.

 

1969: C-5A No.2 set a record by landing at Edwards AFB with a gross weight of 712,000 pounds.

 

1973: For the first time since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, the DoD imposed DEFCON 3 worldwide in response to Soviet reactions to the Mideast war between Israel and Egypt. On 27 October, the DoD resumed DEFCON 4, the peacetime condition. (17)

 

1983: Operation URGENT FURY. Through 2 November, MAC airlifted 15,374 tons of cargo and 35,911 passengers on 52 C-5, 653 C-141, and 286 C-130 missions to support an effort to rescue Americans in Grenada. MAC flew 709 civilians from Grenada to the US on 16 C-141s, 1 C-5, and 2 C-130s, and 164 wounded soldiers to US hospitals on 17 C-130s, 5 C-141s, and 5 C-9s. Several KC-135s and KC-10s provided refueling support throughout the operation. During the redeployment phase from 4 November into December, 292 airlift missions transported 12,098 passengers and 4,859 tons of cargo. (2) (18) MACKAY TROPHY. In Urgent Fury, while flying a 1st Special Operations Wing MC-130, Lt Col James L. Hobson, Jr., conducted the first drop of combat paratroopers from an altitude of 500 feet over Point Salines, Grenada. Flying through a hail of anti-aircraft fire, Hobson then dove his aircraft to 100 feet above ground level to leave the area. For that event, he earned the 1984 Mackay Trophy. (18)

 

1984: F-4E Phantoms assigned to the 86 TFW took part in USAFE's first joint live fire missile exercise with the US Navy at the Salto Di Quirra Range, off the east coast of Sardinia. (16)

 

1985: The USAF accepted its 80th and last C-21A from Gates Learjet Corporation at Scott AFB. This delivery completed the transition to the C-12F and C-21A for operational support airlift. (18)

 

1988: The 31 ARRS used two HH-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopters to rescue 27 residents of Marikina, Republic of Philippines, following a flood caused by Typhoon Ruby. The four-flight mssion took 8 hours to accomplish. (26)

 

1992: A C-141 evacuated Americans and other foreign nationals from Tajikistan after civil disturbances erupted in the former Soviet republic. (16) (26)

 

2003: Through 26 October, an AFFTC B-1B set official world records in 50 categories during an Open House at Edwards AFB. The bomber flew speed dashes over 100-kilometer, 500- kilometer, and 1,000-kilometer closed-circuit courses, and a 15-kilometer speed dash in eight cargo categories per speed record. Altogether, the B-1 set 45 new FAI world records and broke five previously-existing records. (3)

 

2004: AFFTC dropped chaff and flares in CV-22 countermeasures safe separation test flights over Edwards AFB. The tests cleared the CV-22s for operational use by the AF Special Operations Command. (3)

 

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World News for 25 October thanks to Military Periscope

 

USA—Joint Operation Forces REvil Hacking Group Offline Reuters | 10/25/2021 The U.S. has successfully taken offline a Russian-led hacking group linked to the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, reports Reuters. The REvil ransomware group and its partners developed the DarkSide encryption software used in the Colonial Pipeline attack that led to gas shortages on the U.S. East Coast in May. The meatpacker JBS was also the victim of an REvil ransomware attack. In July, REvil's websites went offline and the group's main spokesman, "Unknown," vanished from the internet as the result of a cyber operation by law enforcement and intelligence cyber specialists hacking REvil's computer network infrastructure and gaining control over some of their servers, said unnamed sources. In September, the websites were restored from a backup by gang member "0 neday" and others. Some of those backups were compromised during the prior hack and the websites were taken down again on Oct. 18. These operations were carried out by the FBI in conjunction with U.S. Cyber Command, the Secret Service and partner nations, said a cybercrime adviser to the Secret Service. 

 

USA—Booster Rocket Failure Ends Hypersonic Test In Alaska The War Zone | 10/25/2021 A test of a hypersonic long-range weapon system last week failed after the booster rocket experienced an issue, reports the War Zone website. The hypersonic flight test at the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Kodiak, Alaska, on Oct. 21 was unsuccessful after the booster rocket failed shortly after taking off, reported Defense News.  The test was reportedly dubbed Hypersonic Flight Test 3 (FT-3). It is not clear what program may have been involved. The booster stack being tested was not part of the hypersonic program and was not related to the Common Hypersonic Glide Body, a Navy spokesperson said. 

 

USA—Faulty Power Supply Caused KC-135 Control Malfunctions Air Force Times | 10/25/2021 The Air Force has traced the cause of a malfunction that caused a pair of KC-135s to suddenly nosedive earlier this year to a problem with a power unit, reports the Air Force Times. The Air Force announced in May that it was restricting the use of the autopilot on KC-135 Stratotanker Block 45 aircraft flying under 10,000 feet (3,050 m) after two aircraft went into uncommanded nosedives. Issues with the power supply, a subcomponent of the autopilot, resulted in a malfunction that caused the aerial refuelers to suddenly tilt toward the ground. The subcomponent was replaced, and the system performed as designed, said an Air Mobility Command spokesman last week. The Block 45 upgrade, which includes autopilot improvements, has been installed on around 200 Stratotankers, with a total of 399 C-135 airframes set receive the modernization. The investigation determined that the autopilot was not turned on when the nosedives occurred and had not commanded the pitch down maneuver. The autopilot flight restrictions on the KC-135 was lifted on Oct. 15 after the service determined there were no issues with the system. 

 

Israel—Air Force Seeks Latest Bunker-Busting Precision Guided Munition From U.S. Breaking Defense | 10/25/2021 Israel wants to buy new bunker-busting bombs from the U.S., reports Breaking Defense. The Israeli air force plans to request to buy the new GBU-72 precision-guided bunker-busting bomb once it enters service with the U.S. Air Force. The service could seek to buy as many as 5,000 of the munitions. Israel supported the development of the GBU-72 by sharing data on its use of the GBU-28 bunker buster. This included special GBU-28 attack profiles used to strike the Hamas tunnel network in dense urban areas in Gaza. The U.S. Air Force expected to use the data to develop operational profiles for the GBU-72. Israel hopes that this assistance will support its request to buy the new bombs. An operational test series of the GBU-72, including a test release from an F-15 fighter, was completed earlier this month.  The GBU-72 is designed to defeat hardened, deeply buried targets, a growing requirement for Israel, which wants the bombs for use against Hamas tunnel networks and potential attacks against Iran's underground nuclear infrastructure.

 

Turkey—Erdogan Orders Expulsion Of 10 Western Ambassadors Cable News Network | 10/25/2021 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered the foreign ministry to expel 10 ambassadors after they released a joint statement in support of a jailed activist in Turkey, reports CNN. On Saturday, Erdogan ordered the expulsion of the ambassadors from the U.S., France, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, reported the Washington Post. Seven of the countries are fellow NATO allies. The order came five days after the ambassadors issued a statement criticizing Turkey for the years-long detention of Osman Kavala, a philanthropist, businessman and civil society activist. The statement was released on the fourth anniversary of his detention. Human-rights groups have decried the charges against Kavala as farcical.  Last year he was acquitted on charges related to the 2013 Gezi Park protest but a court overturned that verdict. He is now facing new charges alleging involvement in the 2016 attempted coup. The expulsion of the ambassadors may disrupt efforts by Ankara to help the Turkish economy and stabilize the currency, the lira, which has been plummeting in value, analysts said. That strategy had included attempts to improve relations with the U.S. and Europe. Opposition figures slammed the expulsion as an attempt to distract from the failing economic conditions in Turkey. David Sassoli, the president of the European Parliament, called the expulsions a "sign of the authoritarian drift" of the Turkish government. 

 

Sudan—Military Takes Control Of Government Washington Post | 10/25/2021 The Sudanese military has retaken control of the government and arrested the civilian members of the transitional government, reports the Washington Post. On Monday, the military detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, his wife and various civilian ministers, dissolved the government and declared a state of emergency. Internet services have been disrupted, roads and bridges into Khartoum, the capital, blocked and flights at the city airport suspended. Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the military and official head of state under the transitional government, announced the coup during an address on state television on Monday. The military would install a new technocratic government to lead the country until democratic elections are held in July 2023, said Burhan, as cited by Deutsche Welle. The European Union, African Union, U.S. and U.N. subsequently called for the restoration of the transition process. Tensions between the military and civilian components of the transitional government had been growing in recent weeks after Prime Minister Hamdok set a deadline for a full transition to civilian governance by Nov. 17. Following the coup, pro-democracy protests broke out in Khartoum. 

 

Uganda—ISIS Claims Bombing At Kampala Bar British Broadcasting Corp. | 10/25/2021 The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an explosion at a bar in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, reports BBC News. On Saturday night, the bomb went off in a bar in a suburb on the northern outskirts of Kampala, reported Reuters. The bombers went into the bar and ordered food and drinks before placing a plastic bag with a bomb under their table. The improvised explosive device detonated shortly after they left. One person was killed and three were injured, two critically, in the blast. The bomb was packed with nails and shrapnel, police said on Sunday. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni called the incident as a terrorist act in a social media post. 

 

Italy—Annual NATO Deterrence Exercise Wraps Up The Aviationist | 10/25/2021 NATO has been holding an annual nuclear strike exercise in Italy, reports the Aviationist blog. The weeklong Steadfast Noon deterrence exercise kicked off on Oct. 18 from Aviano Air Base and Ghedi Air Base in Italy. Steadfast Noon rotates among NATO states, typically involving air bases that host U.S. B61 nuclear gravity bombs. Fourteen NATO countries participated in the exercise. The U.S., Belgium, Germany, Italy, Turkey and the Netherlands contributed dual-capable fighter aircraft capable of employing nuclear munitions, including F-16, F-15E and Tornado IDS fighters. Other nonnuclear aircraft are participating under the support of nuclear operations with conventional air tactics (SNOWCAT) program, where military assets can support the nuclear mission without formally being part of it. At this year's drill, five Czech air force Gripen and three Polish air force F-16 fighters, a NATO E-3A airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft and an Italian air force G550 conformal airborne early warning (CAEW) jet took part. A Cross Servicing, or "X-Servicing," exercise took place alongside Steadfast Noon. This exercise tests the ability of NATO partners to service aircraft belonging to other member states at a NATO airfield on their territory. 

 

Germany—Police Break Up Vigilante Groups On Polish Border Deutsche Welle | 10/25/2021 German police have stopped dozens of far-right vigilantes who were attempting to stop migrants from crossing into Germany from Poland, reports Deutsche Welle. More than 50 vigilantes were found patrolling the Polish border and stopped, German authorities said on Sunday. The largest group of around 30 people was found near the village of Gross Gastrose in the eastern Brandenburg state. The vigilantes were armed with pepper spray batons and other weapons, including a machete and bayonet. Police seized the weapons and banned the individuals from going near the border. The vigilantes were responding to a call from the far-right The Third Way (Der Dritte Weg) party to stop migrants, largely from Iraqi and Syria, from crossing into Germany. The Third Way is a splinter group of the neo-Nazi NPD. Germany has deployed an extra 800 police officers to the border with Poland to control the flow of migrants. 

 

South Korea—Kwanggaeto-Daewang Destroyer Returns To Service After Refit Yonhap | 10/25/2021 The South Korean navy has received a Kwanggaeto-Daewang-class destroyer following a yearlong modernization, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The Kwanggaeto-Daewang was handed over to the navy on Oct. 21. Her refit began in April 2020 with the goal of strengthening anti-submarine warfare and other capabilities. The work included the installation of a new towed-array sonar and a new combat system incorporating domestically developed technologies expected to reduce maintenance requirements. The Kwanggaeto-Daewang is the second destroyer in the class to receive the upgrades. The Yang Manchun completed her refit and returned to service in September 2020, reported Jane's. The third destroyer in the class, Ulchimundok, is undergoing upgrading and expected to return to service in December. 

 

China—Amnesty International Shuts Offices In Hong Kong Amnesty International | 10/25/2021 New national security laws implemented by the Chinese government in Hong Kong is forcing Amnesty International to close its offices there, reports the nongovernmental organization (NGO). The local office is scheduled to cease operations by Oct. 31 while the regional office will close by the end of the year, Amnesty International said in a Monday release. The local office focused on human-rights education in the city while the regional office conducts research, advocacy and campaigning work throughout East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The regional office work will be relocated to other offices in the Asia-Pacific. The conditions imposed by the national security law make it effectively impossible for human-rights organizations to work freely and without fear of governmental reprisal in the city, said Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, the chair of the NGO's international board,. The national security legislation implemented in June 2020 bans acts of secession, subversion of state power, terrorist activities and collusion with foreign or external forces to endanger national security. These terms have been vaguely defined, a tactic by authorities to use the law to restrict human rights including freedom of expression; peaceful assembly and association; and the expression of dissent and political opposition, said Amnesty. At least 35 groups have been disbanded since the law was implemented including large unions and activist groups. 

 

China—New Border Law Passed South China Morning Post | 10/25/2021 The Chinese government has passed a new law enhancing its authorities to enforce security along its borders, reports the South China Morning Post. The Land Borders Law was passed on Saturday and will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, reported Reuters. This is the first time Beijing has passed legislation explicitly defining its border security authorities. The law grants authorities to the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police to guard the border against invasion, encroachment, infiltration and provocation. The security forces are permitted to use police apparatus and weapons against people crossing the border illegally. It also establishes the right to close the border in the event of a war or other armed conflict that threatens border security. The legislation is not expected to significantly change China's border enforcement. It was passed in response to recent border disputes with India, concerns about the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and illegal border crossings from Burma and Vietnam that contributed to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in southern China. 

 

Burma—110 Protesters Rearrested After Being Released Irrawaddy | 10/25/2021 Human-rights groups say the Burmese government rearrested 110 people that it had released from prison under an amnesty program, reports the Irrawaddy (Burma). The military regime announced on Oct. 18 that it would free more than 5,600 prisoners who had been jailed for anti-government activities on the condition that they sign a pledge not to commit any acts of violence against Burma, reported CNN. As of Oct. 21, at least 110 people who had been released under the program had been rearrested. In one case, prominent rock musician Ko Win Htut Thawdar, also known as Ito, was arrested on Oct. 20 and taken to the Insein prison in Yangon after being released the day before. Another detainee was reportedly rearrested within minutes of his release while others were apprehended as they walked out the prison gates. Additional rearrests are expected, since some who were released have gone into hiding or have fallen out of contact, said the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). 

 

Azerbaijan—Customs Agency Releases Detained Iranian Truck Drivers  Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | 10/25/2021 A pair of Iranian truck drivers who were detained by Azerbaijan for allegedly entering the country illegally have been released, reports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The truck drivers were arrested on Sept. 12.  The detention came shortly after Iran threatened Azerbaijan over the alleged presence of Israeli forces there. Baku, which has purchased Israeli weapons, denied the accusations. The neighbors are also at odds over Iranian support for Armenia during the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh in November 2020.  During the fighting, Azerbaijani forces seized a section of territory in the Lachin region that includes the road used by Iranian drivers to transport goods to Armenia. The government in Baku alleged that the Iranian drivers bypassed border controls implementing customs duties on cargo on its way to Armenia. Last week, the Iranian Ministry of Roads and Transport ordered transport companies to avoid using the Lachin territory and Nagorno-Karabakh to move goods. On Friday, Azerbaijan handed the drivers to the Iranian Embassy in Baku. The decision followed a meeting between the foreign ministers of neighbors, in which they agreed to reduce heated rhetoric and discuss ways to defuse the situation. 

 

Uzbekistan—No Need To Rejoin CSTO, Foreign Minister Says Tass | 10/25/2021 Uzbekistan's top diplomat says there is no need to rejoin the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), reports Russia's Tass news agency. Uzbekistan does not see a conventional military threat against its territory or Central Asia that would require it to resume membership in the post-Soviet security bloc, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov said on Friday. Tashkent's relationship with the CSTO could change depending on the situation, he said. Uzbekistan is currently focused on the potential threat of terrorism, including militants operating from Afghanistan, said Kamilov. Uzbekistan was a founding member of the CSTO in 1992. Tashkent, along with Georgia and Azerbaijan, declined to sign a protocol renewing the treaty and left the security bloc. It later rejoined in 2006 before leaving again in 2012. 

 

Colombia—Top Drug Lord Arrested In Jungle Raid Colombia Reports | 10/25/2021 Security forces have arrested Colombia's most wanted drug lord and paramilitary leader and are preparing to extradite him to the U.S., reports Colombia Reports. On Saturday, Colombian authorities launched an operation involving 500 police and 22 helicopters in the Caribbean coast municipality of Necocli in the western Antioquia department, reported Deutsche Welle. During the operation, authorities captured Dairo Antonio Usuga, also known as Otoniel, the leader of the violent Clan Del Golfo cartel. One police officer was killed in the operation, reported Reuters. The cartel controls many of the cocaine-smuggling routes through Colombia's northern jungles. Otoniel, who was formerly a left-wing guerilla and paramilitary fighter, took over the Gulf Cartel in 2012 following the death of his brother in a police operation. Colombian authorities have begun the process to extradite him to the U.S., where he has been indicted in federal courts in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Florida on charges of cocaine distribution, conspiracy to murder other drug-traffickers and drug-related firearms offenses.  

 

 

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