Good Tuesday Morning October 26
A BIT LONG BUT READ THE ARTICLE "It came down to 1 Marine"
I hope that your week has started well.
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Today in Naval and Marine Corps History
October 26
1921 - In first successful test, a compressed air, turntable catapult, launches an N-9 seaplane.
1922 - LCDR Godfrey deC. Chevalier makes first landing aboard a carrier (USS Langley) while underway off Cape Henry, Virginia.
1942 - Battle of the Santa Cruz Island. USS Hornet (CV-8) was lost and USS Enterprise (CV-6) was badly damaged during the battle.
1944 - Battle of Leyte Gulf ends with Navy carrier and USAAF aircraft attacks on the retreating Japanese ships. U.S. forces sink many Japanese ships including 4 carriers, 3 battleships, 10 cruisers, and 9 destroyers, for a total of 26 capital ships. Afterwards Japanese fleet ceases to exist as an organized fighting fleet.
1944 - Special Task Air Group One makes last attack in month long demonstration of TDR drone missile against Japanese shipping and islands in the Pacific. Of 46 missiles fired, 29 reached their target areas.
1950 - U.S. Amphibious Force Seventh Fleet lands 1st Marine Division at Wonsan, Korea
1963 - USS Andrew Jackson (SSBN-619) launches first Polaris A-3 missile from a submerged submarine, off Cape Canaveral, Florida.
American Minute for October 26th:
On OCTOBER 26, 1774, the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts reorganized their defenses with one-third of their regiments being "Minutemen," ready to fight at a minute's notice. These citizen soldiers drilled on the parade ground, many times led by a deacon or pastor, then went to church for exhortation and prayer. The Provincial Congress charged:
"You...are placed by Providence in the post of honor, because it is the post of danger...The eyes not only of North America and the whole British Empire, but of all Europe, are upon you. Let us be, therefore, altogether solicitous that no disorderly behavior, nothing unbecoming our character as Americans, as citizens and Christians, be justly chargeable to us." The Provincial Congress issued a Resolution to Massachusetts Bay, 1774:
"Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual...Continue steadfast, and with a proper sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us." Boston patriot Josiah Quincy stated: "Under God, we are determined that wheresoever, whensoever, or howsoever we shall be called to make our exit, we will die free men."
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Thanks to CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• Chinese And Russian Military Ships Sailing Through Tsugaru And Osumi Straits Intimidates Surrounding Countries, Says U.S. Navy Top
(NHK 25 OCT 21)
Regarding Chinese and Russian military ships sailing together through the Tsugaru Strait and Osumi Strait for the first time last week, the Secretary of U.S. Navy Del Toro stated that China and Russia are trying to intimidate surrounding countries with their actions that do not abide by rules. Del Toro emphasized that the U.S. will enhance alliances with countries in the Indo Pacific region including Japan.
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• Strike Group Commander: USS Gerald R. Ford Set For First Deployment in 2022
(USNI NEWS 25 OCT 21) ... Mallory Shelbourne
The Navy is set to deploy USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) for the first time in 2022, four years later than the original maiden deployment date of 2018.
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• Marines Face Separation If Not Fully Vaccinated By End Of November
(USNI NEWS 25 OCT 21) ... Heather Mongilio
All active-duty Marines will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 28 or face separation, according to new guidance from the Marine Corps.
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
https://geopoliticalfutures.com
Daily Memo: Forecasting Time
By George Friedman
October 26, 2021
Around November each year, we at GPF begin our forecasting process for the coming year. In a real sense, we are always forecasting, as our analysis may be about current realities but always with an eye on what these events portend for the future. However, on Nov. 1, each analyst is required to state in a few lines what they believe will happen in the next year.
The brevity is what differentiates our method from others. Most geopolitical forecasts include so many caveats that success is guaranteed. Given that we have already analyzed virtually every notable event this year, on Nov. 1, we move to using declarative sentences and taking risks.
There is always the danger of the banal. History is a continuum, and in many cases the only thing we can say is that next year will be pretty much like last year and the year before. That's also worth discussing. Sometimes we have to speak to ongoing and well-established crises, and see what turn they will take. Other times we must identify a major event in a place that had been stable. That's what we love to do, but believing we see something that really isn't there is the bane of our profession, as is the desire to crouch in safety by saying nothing. It's our profession, and it beats working the loading docks.
You can find our 2021 forecast here. This is where we begin our work; arguing over whether we were correct in 2021 is the necessary preface to developing a forecast for 2022. We are reasonably satisfied with our work for this year, and with some adjustments, we have the foundation with which to build a forecast. The first step was to consider the important questions, in terms of both place and significance to the world, coming out of 2021. These were analyzed last week, and the next step is to consider the questions that need to be answered for 2022. Obviously, our list of questions indicates what we think is important and, by exclusion of certain topics, what is less important.
COVID-19
This is the biggest global topic for 2022 affecting all nations in different ways. The first major socio-economic impact of the pandemic was the effect of the cure on society and business. That has graduated now to major economic dysfunction, including an array of shortages ranging from labor to coal. The origin of each of these shortages is fairly clear. The reason for the confluence of shortages is less clear. Three questions arise: Will the medical constraints imposed in 2020 be suspended in 2022? How long will it take to deal with the shortages? What will be the global and national effects of these questions?
China
China is undergoing a major economic crisis. Solving a crisis such as this has a price, and we have to figure out not so much what the costs will be but what the social and political consequences will be. Other nations at this phase of aggressive development based on exports have had to deal with major, unexpected shifts in how they work. Is China at this stage, and can it absorb economic dysfunction without destabilizing? Our forecast was that China would not launch a war this year. With economic dysfunction, doing so could become either less likely (because the cost of defeat goes up) or more likely (because victory would make up for the economic and social stress). Obviously, China is claiming to have great confidence in everything, but what does it really think, and is it in touch with reality?
Russia
Russia in 2021 continued using soft power (economic, political and covert) rather than military power to regain strategic depth. We saw this in Belarus, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The key for Russia, however, is Ukraine. Given energy shortages, rising energy prices and European disinclination to get involved in this conflict, will Moscow see 2022 as the year when the advantages for it accumulate and it must attack before they dissipate? If not, why not? If so, what methods and countries will it use? Is this the year of Ukraine for Russia?
Europe
The Europeans appear simultaneously committed to the European Union's current structure and unable to deal with fundamental problems. Northern Europe is trying to stabilize its economy by attempting to limit inflation, while Italy is trying to deal with inflation through a loose money strategy. European institutions cannot handle dual strategies with the euro. The EU manages its system by providing economic incentives to poorer member countries. Will the economics shift on this policy for both grantors and recipients? Is this the year when the EU will emerge from the crisis as a very different place? Will its handling of the economic fallout of COVID-19 be a breaking point?
Middle East
The Middle East seems to be a secondary region at the moment. The main question here is: What will the Abraham Accords mean for the region? The amazement over their signing is over, and we need to figure out what the substance is. More important is what Turkey, a major regional power, will do to improve its economy and build regional power. There is an assumption that nothing will happen until President Recep Tayyip Erdogan retires. Assuming that the fate of one man determines the fate of a nation runs counter to geopolitics. Ignoring the personnel issue, what might Turkey do in 2022 to reverse its fortunes?
United States
As with other countries in the world, the United States' primary geopolitical issue is whether and when the range of shortages can be resolved, and how much damage they will do to the American economy and social stability. The U.S. is in a cyclical period of social instability and economic fragility, and the effect of these shortages could generate a major failure in 2022, depending on the damage done and when they can be resolved. Intensified unrest might change or speed up China's or Russia's military activities. Easing shortages of all sorts and doing so as early as possible, therefore, can affect the global balance.
Caribbean
The Caribbean is destabilizing from the northern edge of South America through the islands. The region is normally a secondary issue, but it has the possibility of becoming a primary issue if an outside power decided to challenge U.S. security by creating a foothold there. We have speculated on whether China or Russia would play that role. What is the possibility that one or both of these countries might be turned into an asset for a hostile or less-than-friendly country?
There are other secondary and tertiary issues we will not deal with. And some of the questions asked here will turn out to be the wrong ones. But this is where we begin our process for the 2022 forecast.
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[USS Oriskany]
26 OCTOBER 1966
Alexander, Balisteri, Blakely, Boggs, Brewer, Bullard, Carter, Clements, Copple, Dilks, Donahue, Dyke, Ewoldt, Farris, Ford, Francis, Fryer, Gardner, Garrity, Gray, Hammond, Harris, Hart, Hudis, Hyde, Johnson, Juntilla, Kelly, Kern, Lee, Levy, Liste, McWilliams, Merrick, Miller, Morrisette, Nussbaumer, Shanks, Shifflett, Siebe, Smith, Spitzer, Stone, Strong, Tardio, Thomas, Tunick, Walling, Welch, Welsh.
Fifty officers and men, shipmates united in a deadly battle for the freedom of a desperate people, serving thousands of miles from their homes and families, dedicated to their oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America ... now only names on a wall ... killed while struggling valiantly to save their ship ... written out of the history of the nation they loved by a media not worthy to kiss their feet ...
forgotten by all save their family, friends, and God.
Memories of the 26th of October 1966, the explosion and fire aboard USS Oriskany on Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf, and the men who perished there will soon die with those of us who survived; but they are forever enshrined in the Heavens where most of them once soared so high as to "reach out and touch the face of God."
Very respectfully submitted,
Dick Schaffert
Fighter Squadron 111 Sundowner, 1965-1968
25 October 2012
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thanks to Doctor Rich
Thanks to Tom ...
I knew some of this, but what a debacle. A perfect storm of idiotic policies. Good grief does anyone in government have any sense?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE TRUCK DRIVER SHORTAGE IN CALIFORNIA?
The NEWS says the California port situation is caused by a driver shortage.
NOT SO FAST: It is in part caused by a California Truck Ban which says all trucks must be 2011 or newer and a law called AB 5 which prohibits Owner Operators.
Traditionally the ports have been served by OWNER OPERATORS (non union). California has now BANNED Owner Operators.
Long term, truckers in California are not investing in new trucks because California has a law that makes them illegal in 2035. The requirement is to purchase electric trucks which do not exist.
The Media conveniently leaves out that the problem stems from California Democrat Regulations. The prices keep getting higher for truck drivers to do business in California.
You can thank Governor Gavin Newsom and the idiot liberals that don't know where their food and other essentials come from that keep voting him into office. So when you are in empty grocery stores fighting over rationed essentials and food remember who ran the truck drivers and small truck driving businesses out of California. Please wake up America before it's too late.
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Skip,
More history.
Cheers
Nordo
LEICA AND THE JEWS
The Leica is the pioneer 35mm camera. It is a German product... precise, minimalist, and utterly efficient.
Behind its worldwide acceptance as a creative tool was a family-owned, socially oriented firm that, during the Nazi era, acted with uncommon grace, generosity and modesty. E. Leitz Inc., designer and manufacturer of Germany's most famous photographic product, saved its Jews.
And Ernst Leitz II, the steely-eyed Protestant patriarch who headed the closely held firm as the Holocaust loomed across Europe, acted in such a way as to earn the title, "the photography industry's Schindler."
As soon as Adolf Hitler was named chancellor of Germany in 1933, Ernst Leitz II began receiving frantic calls from Jewish associates, asking for his help in getting them and their families out of the country. As Christians, Leitz and his family were immune to Nazi Germany's Nuremberg laws, which restricted the movement of Jews and limited their professional activities.
To help his Jewish workers and colleagues, Leitz quietly established what has become known among historians of the Holocaust as "the Leica Freedom Train," a covert means of allowing Jews to leave Germany in the guise of Leitz employees being assigned overseas.
Employees, retailers, family members, even friends of family members were "assigned" to Leitz sales offices in France, Britain, Hong Kong and the United States, Leitz's activities intensified after the Kristallnacht of November 1938, during which synagogues and Jewish shops were burned across Germany.
Before long, German "employees" were disembarking from the ocean liner Bremen at a New York pier and making their way to the Manhattan office of Leitz Inc., where executives quickly found them jobs in the photographic industry.
Each new arrival had around his or her neck the symbol of freedom... a new Leica camera.
The refugees were paid a stipend until they could find work. Out of this migration came designers, repair technicians, salespeople, marketers and writers for the photographic press.
Keeping the story quiet, The "Leica Freedom Train" was at its height in 1938 and early 1939, delivering groups of refugees to New York every few weeks. Then, with the invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939, Germany closed its borders.
By that time, hundreds of endangered Jews had escaped to America, thanks to the Leitzes' efforts. How did Ernst Leitz II and his staff get away with it?
Leitz, Inc. was an internationally recognized brand that reflected credit on the newly resurgent Reich. The company produced cameras, range-finders and other optical systems for the German military. Also, the Nazi government desperately needed hard currency from abroad, and Leitz's single biggest market for optical goods was the United States.
Even so, members of the Leitz family and firm suffered for their good works. A top executive, Alfred Turk, was jailed for working to help Jews and freed only after the payment of a large bribe.
Leitz's daughter, Elsie Kuhn-Leitz, was imprisoned by the Gestapo after she was caught at the border, helping Jewish women cross into Switzerland . She eventually was freed but endured rough treatment in the course of questioning. She also fell under suspicion when she attempted to improve the living conditions of 700 to 800 Ukrainian slave laborers, all of them women, who had been assigned to work in the plant during the 1940's.
After the war, Kuhn-Leitz received numerous honors for her humanitarian efforts, among them the Officier d'honneur des Palms Academic from France in 1965 and the Aristide Briand Medal from the European Academy in the 1970's.
Why has no one told this story until now? According to the late Norman Lipton, a freelance writer and editor, the Leitz family wanted no publicity for its heroic efforts. Only after the last member of the Leitz family was dead did the "Leica Freedom Train" finally come to light.
It is now the subject of a book, "The Greatest Invention of the Leitz Family: The Leica Freedom Train," by Frank Dabba Smith, a California-born Rabbi currently living in England.
Thank you for reading the above, and if you feel inclined as I did to pass it along to others, please do so. It only takes a few minutes.
Memories of the righteous should live on.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— … For The List for Tuesday, 26 October 2021… (1st of 3 posts)… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 26 October 1966…
(1) The USS Oriskany Fire as reported by The New York Times…
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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This Day in U S Military History
1940 – The P-51 Mustang makes its maiden flight. The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was conceived, designed and built by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a specification issued directly to NAA by the British Purchasing Commission. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed and, with an engine installed, first flew on this date. The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, matching or bettering that of the Luftwaffe's fighters. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 series two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns. From late 1943, P-51Bs (supplemented by P-51Ds from mid-1944) were used by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany, while the RAF's 2 TAF and the USAAF's Ninth Air Force used the Merlin-powered Mustangs as fighter-bombers, roles in which the Mustang helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944. The P-51 was also in service with Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean and Italian theaters, and saw limited service against the Japanese in the Pacific War. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed 4,950 enemy aircraft shot down. At the start of the Korean War, the Mustang was the main fighter of the United Nations until jet fighters such as the F-86 took over this role; the Mustang then became a specialized fighter-bomber. Despite the advent of jet fighters, the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s. After World War II and the Korean War, many Mustangs were converted for civilian use, especially air racing, and increasingly, preserved and flown as historic warbird aircraft at airshows.
1942 – The Battle of Santa Cruz. Both American and Japanese forces launch at dawn. Two hours later the Japanese attack reach and seriously damages the USS Hornet. Both attacks have been launched at the extreme edge of the aircrafts' range and the Japanese have the advantage as their range is longer. When the American planes find part of the Japanese force, there is not enough fuel left for an organized attack, however, the cruiser Chikuma of Admiral Abe's Vanguard Group is damaged. The remainder of the planes attack the carrier Shokaku and damage it heavily. A second wave of Japanese attackers severely damages the USS Enterprise but many of the planes are shot down by the antiaircraft guns of the South Dakota. The third wave of Japanese planes from the Junyo suffer the same fate. Enough though the Enterprise is made partially operational, Admiral Kinkaid decides to withdraw. The battle is considered a Japanese victory. The damaged USS Enterprise is now the only American carrier in the Pacific. However, the victory is costly as again loss of Japanese aircrew is high and the loss of aircraft has removed the effectiveness of the undamaged aircraft carrier Zuikaku. The loss of planes and crew also mean that no attack on Henderson Field airstrip is possible
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
DOWN TO ONE MARINE
On Nov. 15, 2003, an 85-year-old retired Marine Corps colonel died of congestive heart failure at his home in La Quinta, Calif., southeast of Palm Springs.
He was a combat veteran of World War II. Reason enough to honor him.
But this Marine was a little different. This Marine was Mitchell Paige.
It's hard today to envision -- or, for the dwindling few, to remember
-- what the world looked like on 26 Oct 1942.
The U.S. Navy was not the most powerful fighting force in the Pacific.
Not by a long shot. So the Navy basically dumped a few thousand lonely American Marines on the beach at Guadalcanal and high-tailed it out of there.
Nimitz, Fletcher and Halsey had to ration what few ships they had.
I've written separately about the way Bull Halsey rolled the dice on the night of Nov. 13, 1942, violating the stern War College edict against committing capital ships in restricted waters and instead dispatching into the Slot his last two remaining fast battleships, the South Dakota and the Washington, escorted by the only four destroyers with enough fuel in their bunkers to get them there and back.
Those American destroyer captains need not have worried about carrying enough fuel to get home. By 11 p.m., outnumbered better than three- to-one by a massive Japanese task force driving down from the northwest, every one of those four American destroyers had been shot up, sunk, or set aflame. And while the South Dakota -- known throughout the fleet as a jinx ship -- had damaged some lesser Japanese vessels, she continued to be plagued with electrical and fire control problems.
"Washington was now the only intact ship left in the force," writes naval historian David Lippman. "In fact, at that moment Washington was the entire U.S. Pacific Fleet. She was the only barrier between Admiral Kondo's ships and Guadalcanal. If this one ship did not stop
14 Japanese ships right then and there, America might lose the Pacific war. .."
On Washington's bridge, Lieutenant Ray Hunter had the conn. He had just seen the destroyers Walker and Preston blown sky high. Dead ahead lay their burning wreckage. Hundreds of men were swimming in the water and the Japanese ships racing in.
Hunter had to do something. The course he took now could decide the war, Lippman writes. ''Come left, he said. ...
Washington's rudder change put the
burning destroyers between Washington and the enemy, thus preventing her from being silhouetted by their fires.
The move made the Japanese momentarily cease fire. Lacking radar, they could not spot Washington behind the fires. ... Washington raced through burning seas. Dozens of destroyer men were in the water clinging to floating wreckage. Get after them, Washington! one shouted
Sacrificing their ships by maneuvering into the path of torpedoes intended for the Washington, the captains of the American destroyers had given [ADM] China" Lee one final chance.
Blinded by the smoke and flames, the Japanese battleship Kirishima turned on her searchlights, illuminating the helpless South Dakota, and opened fire.
Finally, as her own muzzle blasts illuminated her in the darkness, Admiral Lee and Captain Glenn Davis could positively identify an enemy target.
The Washington's main batteries opened fire at 12 midnight precisely.
Her radar fire control system functioned perfectly. During the first seven minutes of 14 Nov 1942, the "last ship in the U.S.
Pacific Fleet" fired 75
of her 16-inch shells at the battleship Kirishima. Aboard Kirishima, it rained steel. At 3:25 a.m., her burning hulk officially became the first enemy sunk by an American battleship since the Spanish-American War. Stunned the Japanese withdrew. Within days, Japanese commander Istook Yamamoto recommended the unthinkable to the Emperor -- withdrawal from Guadalcanal.
But that was still weeks in the future. We are still with Mitchell Paige back on the malaria jungle island of Guadalcanal, placed like a speed bump at the end of the long blue-water slot between New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago ... the very route the Japanese Navy would have to take to reach Australia.
On Guadalcanal the Marines struggled to complete an airfield. Yamamoto knew what that meant. No effort would be spared to dislodge these upstart Yanks from a position that could endanger his ships. Before long, relentless Japanese counterattacks had driven supporting U.S Navy from inshore waters.
The Marines were on their own.
As Platoon Sgt. Mitchell Paige and his 33 riflemen set about carefully emplacing their four water-cooled .30-caliber Brownings, manning their section of the thin khaki line which was expected to defend Henderson Field against the assault of the night of 25 Oct 1942, it's unlikely anyone thought they were about to provide the definitive answer to that most desperate of questions: How many able-bodied U.S. Marines does it take to hold a hill against 2,000 desperate and motivated Japanese attackers?
Nor did the commanders of the mighty Japanese Army, who had swept all before them for decades, expect their advance to be halted on some jungle ridge manned by one thin line of Yanks in khaki in October of
1942
But by the time the night was over, The Japanese 29th Infantry Regiment had lost 553 killed or missing and 479 wounded among its
2,554 men, historian Lippman reports. The Japanese 16th Regiment's losses are uncounted, but the [US] 164th's burial parties handled 975 Japanese bodies. ... The American estimate of 2,200 Japanese dead is probably too low.
You've already figured out where the Japanese focused their attack, haven't you? Among the 90 American dead and seriously wounded that night were all the men in Mitchell Paige's platoon; every one. As the night of endless attacks wore on, Paige moved up and down his line, pulling his dead and wounded comrades back into their foxholes and firing a few bursts from each of the four Brownings in turn, convincing the Japanese forces down the hill that the positions were still manned.
The citation for Paige's Congressional Medal of Honor picks up the
tale:
When the enemy broke through the line directly in front of his position, P/Sgt. Paige, commanding a machinegun section with fearless determination, continued to direct the fire of his gunners until all his men were either killed or wounded. Alone, against the deadly hail of Japanese shells, he fought with his gun and when it was destroyed, took over another, moving from gun to gun, never ceasing his withering fire."
In the end, Sgt. Paige picked up the last of the 40-pound, belt-fed Brownings -- the same design which John Moses Browning famously fired for a continuous 25 minutes until it ran out of ammunition, glowing cherry red, at its first U.S. Army trial -- and did something for which the weapon was never designed. Sgt. Paige walked down the hill toward the place where he could hear the last Japanese survivors rallying to move around his flank, the belt-fed gun cradled under his arm, firing as he went.
And the weapon did not fail.
Coming up at dawn, battalion executive officer Major Odell M. Conoley was first to discover the answer to our question: How many able-bodied Marines does it take to hold a hill against two regiments of motivated, combat-hardened infantrymen who have never known defeat?
On a hill where the bodies were piled like cordwood, Mitchell Paige alone sat upright behind his 30-caliber Browning, waiting to see what the dawn would bring.
One hill: one Marine.
But "In the early morning light, the enemy could be seen a few yards off, and vapor from the barrels of their machine guns was clearly visible,"
reports historian Lippman. "It was decided to try to rush the position."
For the task, Major Conoley gathered together "three enlisted communication personnel, several riflemen, a few company runners who were at the point, together with a cook and a few mess men who had brought food to the position the evening before."
Joined by Paige, this ad hoc force of 17 Marines counterattacked at
5:40 a.m , discovering that this extremely short range allowed the optimum use of grenades. They cleared the ridge.
And that's where the unstoppable wave of Japanese conquest finally crested, broke, and began to recede. On an unnamed jungle ridge on an insignificant island no one had ever heard of, called Guadalcanal.
But who remembers, today, how close-run a thing it was -- the ridge held by a single Marine, in the autumn of 1942?
When the Hasbro Toy Co. telephoned some years back, asking permission to put the retired Colonel's face on some kid's doll, Mitchell Paige thought they must be joking.
But they weren't. That's his face on the little Marine they call "G.I.
Joe."
And you probably thought that was an ARMY Doll....!!!
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PAIGE, MITCHELL
Rank and organization: Platoon Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Place and date: Solomon Islands, 26 October 1942. Entered service at: Pennsylvania. Born: 31 August 1918, Charleroi, Pa. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action above and beyond the call of duty while serving with a company of marines in combat against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands on 26 October 1942. When the enemy broke through the line directly in front of his position, P/Sgt. Paige, commanding a machinegun section with fearless determination, continued to direct the fire of his gunners until all his men were either killed or wounded. Alone, against the deadly hail of Japanese shells, he fought with his gun and when it was destroyed, took over another, moving from gun to gun, never ceasing his withering fire against the advancing hordes until reinforcements finally arrived. Then, forming a new line, he dauntlessly and aggressively led a bayonet charge, driving the enemy back and preventing a breakthrough in our lines. His great personal valor and unyielding devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
*SKINNER, SHERROD E., JR.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Battery F, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Korea, 26 October 1952. Entered service at: East Lansing, Mich. Born: 29 October 1929, Hartford, Conn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as an artillery forward observer of Battery F, in action against enemy aggressor forces on the night of 26 October 1952. When his observation post in an extremely critical and vital sector of the main line of resistance was subjected to a sudden and fanatical attack by hostile forces, supported by a devastating barrage of artillery and mortar fire which completely severed communication lines connecting the outpost with friendly firing batteries, 2d Lt. Skinner, in a determined effort to hold his position, immediately organized and directed the surviving personnel in the defense of the outpost, continuing to call down fire on the enemy by means of radio alone until his equipment became damaged beyond repair. Undaunted by the intense hostile barrage and the rapidly-closing attackers, he twice left the protection of his bunker in order to direct accurate machine gun fire and to replenish the depleted supply of ammunition and grenades. Although painfully wounded on each occasion, he steadfastly refused medical aid until the rest of the men received treatment. As the ground attack reached its climax, he gallantly directed the final defense until the meager supply of ammunition was exhausted and the position overrun. During the 3 hours that the outpost was occupied by the enemy, several grenades were thrown into the bunker which served as protection for 2d Lt. Skinner and his remaining comrades. Realizing that there was no chance for other than passive resistance, he directed his men to feign death even though the hostile troops entered the bunker and searched their persons. Later, when an enemy grenade was thrown between him and 2 other survivors, he immediately threw himself on the deadly missile in an effort to protect the others, absorbing the full force of the explosion and sacrificing his life for his comrades. By his indomitable fighting spirit, superb leadership, and great personal valor in the face of tremendous odds, 2d Lt. Skinner served to inspire his fellow marines in their heroic stand against the enemy and upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
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This Day in Aviation History" brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/.
Oct. 25, 1979
The 5,057th and very last Phantom II—an F-4E-67-MC, U.S. Air Force serial number 78-0744—was rolled out at the McDonnell Douglas Corporation plant, in St. Louis, Missouri, and the production line was closed.
Oct. 26, 1921
A compressed air, turntable catapult launched an N-9 seaplane piloted by Naval Constructor Cmdr. Holden C. Richardson during the first successful test of the device from a pier at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Richardson was Daedalian Founder Member #13115.
Oct. 27, 1918
First Lt. Russell Maughan, Daedalian Founder Member #547, received the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with the 138th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service, American Expeditionary Forces, near Sommerance, France. The DSC citation read, in part: "Accompanied by two other planes, Lieutenant Maughan was patrolling our lines, when he saw slightly below him an enemy plane (Fokker type). When he started an attack upon it he was attacked from behind by four more of the enemy. By several well-directed shots he sent one of his opponents to the earth, and, although the forces of the enemy were again increased by seven planes, he so skillfully maneuvered that he was able to escape toward his lines. While returning he attacked and brought down an enemy plane which was diving on our trenches." Read more about him HERE. https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/27-october-1918-2/.
Oct. 28, 1925
The court-martial of Brig. Gen. William L. "Billy" Mitchell for insubordination began on this date. He was found guilty on Dec. 17 and sentenced to five years' suspension from active duty without pay or allowances. President Coolidge reduced it to five years' suspension at half pay. On Feb. 1, Mitchell resigned his commission. He was Daedalian Founder Member #12595.
Oct. 29, 2004
NASA's modified KC-135A aerospace vehicle trainer, the "Vomit Comet," flew its final sortie. NASA used the "Comet" at Edwards AFB, California, to provide zero gravity training to students at the Aerospace Vehicle Test Course. The KC-135A performed its famed roller-coaster maneuver some 35,000 times.
Oct. 30, 1918
Known as the "Ace of Aces," Capt. Edward V. "Eddie" Rickenbacker shot down his 26th and final enemy aircraft of World War I; he was Daedalian Founder Member #169.
Oct. 31, 1956
The U.S. Navy R4D-5 Skytrain – "Que Sera Sera" – commanded by Rear Adm. George Dufek, became the first airplane to make a landing at the South Pole. The aircraft is on display at the Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, Florida.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 26, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
26 October
1909: At College Park, Lt Frederick E. Humphreys became the first Army officer to solo the Army's first aircraft. Minutes later, Lt Frank P. Lahm became the second. They soloed after three hours of instruction by Wilbur Wright. (4)
1922: Lt Cmdr G. Chevalier used an Aeromarine aircraft to make the first landing on the carrier USS Langley, while underway off Cape Henry. (24)
1925: Lt James H. Doolittle won the Schneider Cup Race at Baltimore in a Curtiss R3C-2 floatplane racer. He averaged 232.6 MPH. (8: Oct 90)
1940: North American pilot Vance Breese flew the NA-73 (P-51 Mustang prototype) for the first time at Mines Field near Los Angeles. Following British specifications, the company designed and built the prototype in 117 days. (8: Oct 90)
1945: The Curtiss-Wright Research Laboratory announced that supersonic flying devices built for the government had reached 1,400 MPH. The new devices did not depend on propellers or atomic energy for power. (24) (Note: May have been Tiny Tim rockets)
1949: A Pan Am airplane, a Boeing Stratocruiser, claimed a 9-hour, 41-minute commercial speed record for a flight from New York to London. (24)
1950: KOREAN WAR. FEAF Combat Cargo Command C-119s delivered 28.5 tons of ammunition, fuel, and oil to friendly ground troops near Unsan, some 50 miles south of Chosan. (28)
1953: The Convair XF-102, a delta-wing supersonic interceptor made its first test flight from Edwards AFB.
1956: A TAC C-124 Globemaster became the first USAF aircraft to fly over the South Pole, when it flew a support mission for Operation Deep Freeze at Antarctica. During the flight, Maj Gen Chester E. McCarty, the pilot, radioed a report to Gen Otto P. Weyland, Commander of Eighteenth Air Force. (11) The Air Force received its first Thor missile from the Douglas Aircraft Company. (6) Bell pilot Floyd Carlson flew the XH-40 helicopter for the first time at Fort Worth. Later, the XH-40 became the UH-1 Iroquois, or Huey, one of the most useful helicopters in the Vietnam war. (21)
1962: SAC received its last B-52H Stratofortress (no. 61-040) and last three B-58 Hustlers (61-2078, 61-2079, and 61-2080) from the production lines. (1)
1963: A North American Aviation Sabreliner set a speed record of 4 hours 45 minutes 59.4 seconds for the 2,388-mile flight from St.John's, Newfoundland, to Lisbon, Portugal.
1966: The US Communications Satellite Corporation launched the Lani Bird satellite to handle communications between the Pacific region and the US.
1974: Rockwell rolled out the first B-1 at Palmdale. (12)
1976: Vandenberg AFB launched the 500th Minuteman missile. (12)
1979: McDonnell Douglas terminated the F/RF-4 Phantom production line. (16) (26)
1987: The USAF launched a Titan 34-D from Vandenberg AFB after an 18-month hiatus. A launch failure in April 1985 and in April 1986 caused this lapse in the US space program.
2001: The DoD announced its decision to go ahead with $19 Billion contract to produce LockheedMartin's Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35, for the USAF, Navy, and Marines. The announcement officially ended the concept demonstration phase for the new Joint Strike Fighter. (3) (21)
2004: AFFTC and Navy evaluators measured the ability of a Navy N-1, a RQ-4A Global Hawk, to detect and track small aircraft in flight under a congressionally-mandated Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration. Navy contractor operators flew the 12.3-hour sortie from Edwards AFB over the Navy Pacific Ocean test range. (3)
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World News for 26 October thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Agreement Close With Pakistan On Access To Afghanistan Cable News Network | 10/26/2021 The U.S. is nearing an agreement with Pakistan to use its airspace for operations in Afghanistan, reports CNN. In a classified briefing on Friday, the White House told lawmakers that a formal agreement is close, three sources said. The accord would allow the U.S. to use Pakistani airspace to reach Afghanistan for conduct military and intelligence operations against ISIS-K and other adversaries. Pakistan has expressed interest in a memorandum of understanding to assist with its counterterrorism operations and help in managing relations with India, said one source. Another source emphasized that the negotiations are ongoing and that no agreement has been finalized. Pakistan currently allows the U.S. aircraft to fly through its airspace on the way to Afghanistan, but there is no formal agreement to ensure that the U.S. can continue to use it.
USA—Air Force Pilots Face Increased Cancer Risk, Report Says Defense One | 10/26/2021 Air Force fighter pilots and crewmembers are more likely than their fellow airmen to be diagnosed with certain forms of cancer, according to a new service study cited by Defense One. The Cancer Incidence and Mortality Among Fighter Aviators report, conducted by the Air Force Research Laboratory's 711th Human Performance Wing, reviewed pilots and weapon systems officers with more than 100 flight hours in Air Force fighter aircraft from 1970 to 2004. A total of 34,679 fighter pilots and weapons systems officers were identified. Compared to 411,998 Air Force officers who did not fly fighter jets, the aviators were 29 percent more likely to be diagnosed with testicular cancer; 24 percent more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma; and 23 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. When compared to the broader U.S. population, the sample group was 13 percent more likely to be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma; 25 percent more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma; and 19 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. The study also found similar rates of brain cancer compared to other officers and lower rates of renal, thyroid, and urinary cancer compared to the general population. A larger, congressionally directed cancer review by the Defense Health Agency is also underway.
USA—N.H. Guard Partners With Cape Verde New Hampshire National Guard | 10/26/2021 The New Hampshire National Guard says it has been chosen as the new state partner for Cape Verde off the northwestern coast of Africa. The state guard won a months-long competition under the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program (SPP), which links state National Guards with countries around the world. The New Hampshire National Guard has been partnered with El Salvador since 2000 under the SPP, noted Air Force magazine. "This new relationship will provide N.H. guardsmen with valuable experience working with our Cabo Verdean partners to combat transnational organized crime networks and provide unique opportunities to employ the 157th Air Refueling Wing's new KC-46 tankers," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). She is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
USA—Time Running Out To Save Iran Nuclear Deal, Envoy Says Jerusalem Post | 10/26/2021 The top U.S. negotiator working to revive the Iranian nuclear deal says talks are at a "critical phase," reports the Jerusalem Post. In a briefing with journalists on Monday, Special Envoy for Iran Rob Malley suggested that time was running out to return to the 2015 agreement. "The JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] cannot survive forever," he said. Malley told reporters that time was not on the side of the U.S. and that the status quo could not continue, particularly because Iran continues to expand its nuclear efforts. That work is "in contradiction or inconsistent with what they claim to be their desire" to restore the agreement, he said, as quoted by the Times of Israel. He also reiterated the Washington's categorical rejection of a nuclear-armed Iran and said that unnamed tools could be used to prevent such a scenario. The U.S. is stepping up cooperation with partners and allies, who have expressed impatience with Iran's refusal so far to commit to a seventh round of talks in Vienna, said Malley.
France—Syracuse 4A Military Communications Satellite Launched Space.Com | 10/26/2021 France has successfully launched a military communications satellite into orbit, reports Space.com. On Saturday, an Ariane 5 rocket took off from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying a commercial communications satellite and the French military Syracuse 4A spacecraft. Built by Thales Alenia Space, the Syracuse 4A satellite will provide a communications link between all of France's armed forces. The satellite is protected against electromagnetic pulses resulting from a nuclear explosion, reported Agence France-Presse. France plans to put at least two more military communications satellites into orbit as part of a constellation linking French aircraft, armored vehicles and naval vessels.
Germany—ISIS Bride Gets 10 Years In Death Of Yazidi Girl In Iraq Politico Europe | 10/26/2021 A German woman who joined the Islamic State terrorist group has received a jail sentence for her culpability in the murder of an enslaved Yazidi girl, reports Politico Europe (Brussels). On Monday, the Munich Higher Regional Court sentenced Jennifer Wenisch to 10 years in prison, reported Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Wenisch stood by while her husband, an ISIS fighter in Iraq, tied up the five-year-old Yazidi girl and left her to die of thirst in the heat. She was found guilty of two counts of crimes against humanity in the form of enslavement and aiding and abetting the girl's killing by failing to offer help. The mother of the deceased girl was kept as a house slave by Wenisch and her husband, Taha Al-Jumailly. The Yazidi minority was a target for ISIS terrorists, who killed thousands of them and seized the women and children as slaves. While in Iraq, Wenisch also participated in terrorist activity as a member of the group's morality police, patrolling the streets of Fallujah and Mosul, reported Reuters. Al-Jumailly, is facing charges in a separate trial in Frankfurt, reported Agence France-Presse. A verdict in that trial is expected in November.
Russia—FSB Imposes Restrictions On Space Reporting Voice Of America News | 10/26/2021 The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has unveiled new restrictions on reporting about Roscosmos, the national space agency, reports the Voice of America News. On Oct. 11, the FSB order entered effect. It restricts the publication of information about Roscomos that could threaten national security if obtained by foreign countries. The restrictions cover 60 types of information, including financial details, project timelines, some space programs, space agency restructuring efforts and details of new technology and materials. The order does not explicitly bar broad reporting on Roscosmos. Critics expressed concern that the restrictions would affect the ability of journalists to cover space issues. The measure is a provision of Russia's foreign agent law, which has been used to crack down on independent reporting.
China—PLA Simulates Attacks On Hostile Ports Global Times | 10/26/2021 The Chinese People's Liberation Army recently completed a series of tests simulating attacks on port infrastructure, reports the state-run Global Times (Beijing). The test included an underwater demolition of a hostile high-piled wharf, the newspaper reported on Monday. The trials evaluated damage to a mock port from weapons detonated at various ranges. Experts said that data gathered from the test could be used to help plan an attack on an enemy port in a future conflict. These were the first Chinese underwater tests simulating an attack on a port. Chinese officials noted that naval bases and ports are key logistics hubs. By attacking them Beijing could limit the combat potential of adversaries like the U.S.
South Korea—KAI Shows Off Black Kite Electric Trainer Aircraft Defense News | 10/26/2021 Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has unveiled an electrically powered basic trainer aircraft, reports Defense News. A concept model of the Black Kite was displayed at last week's Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition. The basic trainer features an electric propulsion system driving four wing-mounted propellers, said KAI. The system is expected to produce a total of 1,600 hp. Plans call for a digital cockpit and pressurization system as well as augmented and virtual reality systems to enhance training. The Black Kite is expected to replace the KT-1 basic trainer in service with the South Korean air force in the mid-2030s.
Philippines—Defense Agreement With Brunei Updated Philippine News Agency | 10/26/2021 The Philippines has signed updated guidelines for defense cooperation with Brunei, reports the official Philippine News Agency. On Monday, Philippine army chief Lt. Gen. Andres Centino and Brunei ground forces commander, Brig. Gen. Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan, met virtually to sign the amended terms of reference to guide the implementation of the memorandum of understanding on bilateral defense cooperation. Centino said that a joint army working group had developed 12 bilateral military cooperation projects and interactions for 2022. The Philippines and Brunei signed their first agreement on defense cooperation in 2001, reported the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The terms of reference were initially signed in 2019.
Yemen—Coalition Says 260 Houthis Killed In Airstrikes Asharq Al-Awsat | 10/26/2021 The Saudi-led coalition says its airstrikes have killed more than 260 rebels in central Yemen, reports Asharq Al-Awsat (London). Three days of air operations against Houthi rebels in the central Marib region killed 264 fighters and destroyed 36 military vehicles, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. The strikes targeted Houthi positions in Al Jawba, 30 miles (50 km) south of the contested city of Marib, and Al Kassara, 19 miles (30 km) northwest of the city. An estimated 1,600 Houthis have been killed in fighting over the past two weeks, according to the coalition. Last week, the U.N. Security Council called for a de-escalation in Yemen and urged the Houthis to cease their offensive around Marib.
Syria—Top Al-Qaida Leader Killed In U.S. Airstrike U.S. Central Command | 10/26/2021 The U.S. says it has killed a senior Al-Qaida leader in northwestern Syria, reports U.S. Central Command. A U.S. MQ-9 Reaper uncrewed aerial vehicle conducted the airstrike that killed Abdul Hamid Al Matar, the command said. There were no immediate reports of civilian casualties. Al Matar was responsible for planning, funding and approving trans-regional Al-Qaida attacks, reported Agence France-Presse. Neutralizing Al Matar would "disrupt the terrorist organization's ability to further plot and carry out global attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners and innocent civilians," said CENTCOM.
Egypt—President Ends State Of Emergency After Nearly 5 Years Daily News Egypt | 10/26/2021 President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has lifted state of emergency in Egypt, reports the Daily News Egypt. On Monday, Sisi announced the end of the emergency measures, which were first implemented in April 2017 following a pair of terrorist bombings on churches that killed dozens. The move gave the military and police extended powers to crack down on suspected terrorists. It was extended several times in part due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Sudan—7 Killed In Protests Against Coup Al Jazeera | 10/26/2021 At least seven people have been killed in demonstrations in Sudan after the military seized power, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). Anti-coup protesters returned to the streets of Khartoum on Tuesday despite a state of emergency declared by army Gen. Abdel Fattah Al Burhan the previous day. The state of emergency was announced after Al Burhan and the military dissolved the transitional government and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other civilian ministers. Some demonstrators blocked roads in the capital and elsewhere and shut down many businesses, reported Reuters. Health sources said that at least seven people were killed on Monday. Internet access and major thoroughfares were cut off and telecommunications disrupted, reported Al Hadath (Dubai). On Monday, the U.S. State Dept. announced that it was suspending US $700 million in emergency economic support funds to Sudan.
Uganda—2 Dead In Bus Blast Outside Kampala Daily Monitor | 10/26/2021 Two people have been killed in an explosion in the Mpigi district outside Kampala, the Ugandan capital, reports the Daily Monitor (Kampala). On Monday, a bomb detonated on a bus traveling on the Kampala-Masaka highway. One of the fatalities was a 23-year-old male that police said was the bomber. He was accompanied by another suspect who disembarked prior to the blast, authorities said. A police spokesman said that investigators had identified what they believed to be ball bearings and a detonator used in the blast. It was not clear if the bomb went off accidentally or was deliberately detonated, investigators said. President Yoweri Museveni said the perpetrators were part of the Pader group of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
Nigeria—Nearly 400 Inmates Still Free After Jailbreak in Southwest News Agency Of Nigeria | 10/26/2021 Gunmen have attacked a jail in southwestern Nigeria freeing hundreds of inmates, reports the News Agency of Nigeria. On Friday night, unknown gunmen attacked the Abolongo Correctional Center in Oyo Town After fierce fighting with guards, the attackers gained access to the yard and used dynamite to blast through the wall. The attackers freed all 837 inmates awaiting trial. Cells housing convicted prisoners were not affected, officials said. Several high-profile suspects were believed to be among the escapees, including an ethnic Fulani warlord and a serial killer, reported the Cable (Lagos). By Saturday, 446 escaped inmates had been recaptured, with 392 still at large. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack.
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