Good Tuesday Morning November 9.
I hope that your week has started well.
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Today in Naval and Marine Corps History
November 9
1822 The brig Alligator, commanded by Lt. William H. Allen, recaptures several merchant ships from pirates off Matanzas, Cuba, but Allen dies in battle. Boats from Alligator capture all the pirate vessels except one schooner that manages to escape.
1863 During the Civil War, the side wheel steamer James Adger, commanded by Cmdr. Thomas H. Patterson, captures blockade runner Robert E. Lee off Cape Lookout, Shoals, N.C.
1921 USS Olympia (C 6) arrives at the Washington Navy Yard from France carrying the body of the Unknown Soldier of World War I for internment at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
1944 USS Barbero (SS 317) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks the merchant ship Shimotsu Maru about 250 miles west of Manila while USS Queenfish (SS 393) also attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks the gunboat Chojusan Maru about 50 miles west of Kyushu. Additionally on this date, USS Haddo (SS 255) sinks the Japanese tanker No.2 Hishu Maru in Mindoro Strait.
1950 Task Force 77 makes its first attack on the Yalu River bridges. In the first engagement between MIG-15 and F9F jets, Lt. Cmdr. William T. Amen, commanding officer of VF-111, based on board USS Philippine Sea (CV 47), shoots down a MiG and becomes the first Navy pilot to shoot down a jet aircraft.
1956 Secretary of the Navy Charles S. Thomas proposes the Polaris missile program to Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson.
Thanks to CHINFO
Executive Summary:
•Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro spoke at the San Diego Military Affairs Council.
•Trade press reported on CNO Adm. Mike Gilday's call with First Sea Lord, Royal Navy Admiral Sir Ben Key.
•Breaking Defense reported on the Navy's roadmap for naval power and energy systems.
This Day in World History
November 9
1799 Napoleon Bonaparte participates in a coup and declares himself dictator of France.
1848 The first U.S. Post Office in California opens in San Francisco at Clay and Pike streets. At the time there are only about 15,000 European settlers living in the state.
1900 Russia completes its occupation of Manchuria.
1906 President Theodore Roosevelt leaves Washington, D.C., for a 17-day trip to Panama and Puerto Rico, becoming the first president to make an official visit outside of the United States.
1914 The Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney wrecks the German cruiser Emden, forcing her to beach on a reef on North Keeling Island in the Indian Ocean.
1918 Germany is proclaimed a republic as the kaiser abdicates and flees to the Netherlands.
1935 Japanese troops invade Shanghai, China.
1938 Nazis kill 35 Jews, arrest thousands and destroy Jewish synagogues, homes and stores throughout Germany. The event becomes known as Kristallnacht, the night of the shattered glass.
1965 Roger Allen LaPorte, a 22-year-old former seminarian and a member of the Catholic worker movement, immolates himself at the United Nations in New York City in protest of the Vietnam War.
1965 Nine Northeastern states and parts of Canada go dark in the worst power failure in history, when a switch at a station near Niagara Falls fails.
1967 NASA launches Apollo 4 into orbit with the first successful test of a Saturn V rocket.
1972 Bones discovered by the Leakeys push human origins back 1 million years.
1983 Alfred Heineken, beer brewer from Amsterdam, is kidnapped and held for a ransom of more than $10 million.
1989 The Berlin Wall is opened after dividing the city for 28 years.
1993 Stari Most, a 427-year-old bridge in the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is destroyed, believed to be caused by artillery fire from Bosnian Croat forces.
1994 The chemical element Darmstadtium, a radioactive synthetic element, discovered by scientists in Darmstadt, Germany.
1998 Largest civil settlement in US history: 37 brokerage houses are ordered to pay $1.3 billion to NASDAQ investors to compensate for price fixing.
2007 German Bundestag passes controversial bill mandating storage of citizens' telecommunications traffic date for six months without probable cause.
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Thanks to Shadow for another great note with Veteran's Day on the 11th and the USMC Birthday Shadow's tomorrow the 10th.
Those were the days
Dutch…
When you think about it… I firmly believe we all shared one of the most exciting, fulfilling and incredible lives than the other 99.9999% of the human race. We saw Mother Earth as few ever have… we saw beautiful skies like no others have… we traveled the world over. We were lucky enough to interface with magical machines and learned to master them! We knew the thrill of the catapult, the joy of an "OK Three Trap" and the concentration required to make a night trap at minimums. We saw the moon and stars at their most vivid best, experienced the awesome power of a level Five Boomer and witnessed incredible lightening at night from above it. Exhilarating low levels around mountain peaks, down in incredible canyons and the beautiful and incredible sentinels of Monument Valley as they burst from the desert floor. We saw skiers from above as they came down a mountain on fresh powder snow, leaving beautiful twisting trails behind them. I'll never forget the night I saw my wingman flying into the largest Harvest Moon I'll ever see and the incredible silhouette of his magnificent machine as it appeared to be suspended in space, like he was part of the moonscape itself. We saw the earth as few people have… incredible shorelines, marshes, limestone escarpments, incredible mountain ranges… great canyons around the world and the eerie but beautiful shadows of islands, cast upon the waters from a setting sun… and speaking of the sun… I dare say we have seen the most beautiful sunsets one could ever see from a vantage point that only us very few will ever experience.
We knew the thrill of adventure… and the smugness of taking off at sunrise as the nine to five drones down below were just awakening… bursting through a low cloud cover to be greeted by a magnificent rising sun framed by mountain peaks. I was often reminded of a Jack London quote I first read as a youth; "Tis the easiest thing in the world to live a placid and complacent life… but to do so... is to have never lived at all"! My friends, we didn't have that problem.
We have memories like no others… and in my mind I still reflect and say to myself, one of the greatest gifts I received from it all... was the other incredible human beings that shared the experience that I got to meet along the way! You were special… we were special!
We were blessed!
Shadow
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Thanks to Shadow
Subject: I don't think this is gonna end well
Folks,
Had breakfast with FBI Mike yesterday… and as is the norm we discussed politics and the events of the day. It started with Mike commenting on the Durham Investigation and the latest indictments. He surprised me when he mentioned something I had never considered… he mentioned that he was curious about something; Durham's Grand Jury had handed down an indictment of Russian analyst Igor Danchenko and that Danchenko was arrested by Federal Officers. Mike curiosity was focused on whether those serving the subpoenas and doing the arresting were Agents of the FBI or from some other Federal law enforcement Agency, like the U.S. Marshalls. As a layman… such a distinction would have never crossed my mind. And then I got it! I perceived that his concern was that the Agency he had devoted his professional life to… had become so compromised, so political… that letting them anywhere near the Durham Investigation was a clear and present danger to the investigation itself. Mike had actually done some research about it, but couldn't find any reference as to which agency was involved. I was more than curious in that Mike and so many former Agents who devoted their lives to the institution, no longer had any faith into the integrity and efficacy of the agency as it exists today. THAT… is a sad statement as to the state of affairs as it exists in today's world. Think about that!
He also remarked that he felt that Durham was methodically pealing away the onion of the greatest political scandal in our nations history. And for the first time he felt there would be many more indictments to come. He observed that with just a few indictments… Durham had totally laid waste to the Russian collusion hoax, perpetrated by the Clinton campaign and DNC. He fully expects a lot of folks to go to jail before it's over.
We then discussed the damage the whole Russia/Trump/Putin lie had done not only to our political system… but to the nation as a whole. It totally corrupted the number one law enforcement agency in our nation… who used the Steele dossier to gain FISA Court approvals to secretly spy on innocent private citizens. A lie that was so transparent that any normal field agent would have seen through it immediately… which explains why the whole investigation was run out of FBI Headquarters (where the political appointees lived) instead of a normal investigation run by a U.S. Attorney and normal field agents. For the first time our vaunted FBI sought to disqualify a candidate for the Presidency and when that failed, sought to indict a sitting U.S. President based on a wholly false scandal. Worse than that, they secretly conspired in concert with a political party and failed Presidential candidate to ruin the reputation and cripple an administration of a duly elected President of the United States of America… by leaking false facts to the media about the veracity of the false claims. It was a non stop campaign to destroy Trump and his administration. It involved lying politicians, corrupt political activists and Justice Department lawyers, an equally corrupt media, even members of the State Department and various other government employees… including spies within the Trump Administration. Day after day…. The screams of "Proof" were put forth by all these forces working in concert… tens of millions of dollars were spent on one investigation after another… over $30 million on the phony Mueller investigation… stacked with Democratic Party lawyers. Now Durham had no trouble connecting the dots… why didn't Mueller connect them? He had the same access to the information that Durham had. The obvious answer is the Mueller investigation was a political hit job run by political activists… while Durham is running a real criminal investigation. As the truth has slowly risen to the surface… I look back in sorrow at what this nation has been put through because of these evil politicians and equally evil bureaucrats, liars all. And worse… it has caused the election of the most incompetent, evil and hell bent on destroying this nation administration in our nations history! You could not unintentionally destroy our economy in such a short period of time by accident… every thing they've done has at its' core, been designed to unleash chaos and pestilence on our society. First they destroyed our energy independence… they opened our borders to a flood of illegal immigrants, designed to change the makeup of our population… they have crippled our supply lines, gone all in on the Global Warming, Climate Change, fraud… pitted one race against another… and unleashed rampant inflation… not to mention the Afghanistan debacle. Have sanctioned the fraudulent critical race theory as gospel. We are being tortured on a daily basis! Drip, drip, drip! They are releasing violent criminals and attacking those who disagree with this as not just ill informed…. but a clear and present danger to society at large! We are evil white people (no matter what the color of our skin or heritage). The daily dose of hyperbole is never ending… and is parroted by a complicit MSM unabated. We're in a hell of a mess.
Sadly, as both Micro and I predicted after the Virginia setback… they haven't slowed down, just a bump in the road to them… they just double down and continue to march. Folks… if the country doesn't wake up soon… and quit bitching and start to take action through our own protests and action through the voting booth… it will be gone before we know it. We are on a precipice… in four years the Democratic Party of this nation will destroy the greatest country the world has ever known; if not confronted and defeated. A line from one of Ian Fleming's books, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" haunts me… "Welcome to the world of third class powers"…
It is getting that bad.
Shadow
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … For The List for Tuesday, 9 November 2021… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 9 November 1966… LCOL Billy Sparks, USAF (Ret), wrote for all of us in his "Takhle Tales"…
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-9-november-1966-takhle-tales/
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 Carl
Eddie Rickenbacker: American hero and candidate for most interesting man in the world
A self-made aviation pioneer, patriot, war hero, and captain of industry, he embodies the American spirit like few others before or since.
BY JUSTIN BURGESS | PUBLISHED NOV 8, 2021 11:33 AM
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Thanks to Dr, Rich
Great AvGeek video ...those Swiss really know how to hide in those mountains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YexzjxytNdo&t=28s
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Thanks to Jim
America's Navy has sure come a long way
This is the Most Badass Super Hornet Video You'll Ever See
Great video
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This Day in U.S. Military History
November 9
1620 – Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower sight land at Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
1780 – In the Battle of Fishdam Ford a force of British and Loyalist troops fail in a surprise attack against the South Carolina Patriot militia under Brigadier General Thomas Sumter. The Battle of Fishdam Ford was an attempted surprise attack by British forces under the command of Major James Wemyss against an encampment of Patriot militia around 1 am, late in the American Revolutionary War. Wemyss was wounded and captured in the attack, which failed because of heightened security in Sumter's camp and because Wemyss did not wait until dawn to begin the attack.
1861 – Gunboats of Flag Officer Du Pont's force took possession of Beaufort, South Carolina, and, by blocking the mouth of Broad River, cut off this communication link between Charleston and Savannah. Major General Robert E. Lee wrote Confederate Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin regarding the effects of the Union Navy's victory at Port Royal: "The enemy having complete possession of the water and inland navigation, commands all the islands on the coast and threatens both Savannah and Charleston, and can come in his boats, within 4 miles of this place [Lee's headquarters, Coosawhatchie, South Carolina]. His sloops of war and large steamers can come up Broad River to Mackay's Point, the mouth of the Pocotaligo, and his gunboats can ascend some distance up the Coosawhatchie and Tulifinny. We have no guns that can resist their batteries, and have no resources but to prepare to meet them in the field."
1862 – General US Grant issued orders to bar Jews from serving under him. The order was quickly rescinded.
1989 – East German officials today opened the Berlin Wall, allowing travel from East to West Berlin. The following day, celebrating Germans began to tear the wall down. One of the ugliest and most infamous symbols of the Cold War was soon reduced to rubble that was quickly snatched up by souvenir hunters. The East German action followed a decision by Hungarian officials a few weeks earlier to open the border between Hungary and Austria. This effectively ended the purpose of the Berlin Wall, since East German citizens could now circumvent it by going through Hungary, into Austria, and thence into West Germany. The decision to open the wall was also a reflection of the immense political changes taking place in East Germany, where the old communist leadership was rapidly losing power and the populace was demanding free elections and movement toward a free market system. The action also had an impact on President George Bush and his advisors. After watching television coverage of the delirious German crowds demolishing the wall, many in the Bush administration became more convinced than ever that Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's statements about desiring a new relationship with the West must be taken more seriously. Unlike 1956 and
1968, when Soviet forces ruthlessly crushed protests in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, respectively, Gorbachev actually encouraged the East German action. As such, the destruction of the Berlin Wall was one of the most significant actions leading to the end of the Cold War.
2001 – Northern Alliance forces, under the command of Dostum and Ustad Atta Mohammed Noor, overcame resistance crossing the Pul-i-Imam Bukhri bridge, and seized the city of Mazar e Sharif's main military base and airport. U.S. Special Forces Operational Detachment A-595, CIA paramilitary officers and United States Air Force Combat Control Team[137][138][139] on horseback and with close air support, took part in the push into Mazari Sharif. After a bloody 90-minute battle, Taliban forces withdrew after holding the city since 1998, triggering celebrations. The fall of the city was a "body blow" to the Taliban and ultimately proved to be a "major shock",[141] since the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) had originally believed that the city would remain in Taliban hands well into the following year and any potential battle would require "a very slow advance". Following rumors that Mullah Dadullah was headed to recapture the city with as many as 8,000 fighters, a thousand American 10th Mountain Division personnel were airlifted into the city, providing the first solid position from which Kabul and Kandahar could be reached.[144][145] While prior military flights had to be launched from Uzbekistan or aircraft carriers in the Arabian Sea, the Americans now had an airport that allowed them to fly more sorties for resupply missions and humanitarian aid. These missions allowed shipments of humanitarian aid to be immediately shipped to Afghans facing starvation on the northern plain. American-backed forces began immediately broadcasting from Radio Mazar-i-Sharif, the former Taliban Voice of Sharia channel, including an address from former President Rabbani.
2001 – The Battle of Mazar-e Sharif may also mark the last use of hoseback mounted tactics by US troops. US Special Forces operators, blending modern and ancient, rode with Northern Alliance allies while using modern communications to direct air support.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*SIJAN, LANCE P.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Air Force, 4th Allied POW Wing, Pilot of an F-4C aircraft. Place and date: North Vietnam, 9 November 1967. Entered service at: Milwaukee, Wis. Born: 13 April 1942, Milwaukee, Wis. Citation: While on a flight over North Vietnam, Capt. Sijan ejected from his disabled aircraft and successfully evaded capture for more than 6 weeks. During this time, he was seriously injured and suffered from shock and extreme weight loss due to lack of food. After being captured by North Vietnamese soldiers, Capt. Sijan was taken to a holding point for subsequent transfer to a prisoner of war camp. In his emaciated and crippled condition, he overpowered 1 of his guards and crawled into the jungle, only to be recaptured after several hours. He was then transferred to another prison camp where he was kept in solitary confinement and interrogated at length. During interrogation, he was severely tortured; however, he did not divulge any information to his captors. Capt. Sijan lapsed into delirium and was placed in the care of another prisoner. During his intermittent periods of consciousness until his death, he never complained of his physical condition and, on several occasions, spoke of future escape attempts. Capt. Sijan's extraordinary heroism and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at the cost of his life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Armed Forces.
TAYLOR, JAMES ALLEN
Rank and organization: Captain (then 1st Lt.), U.S. Army, Troop B, 1st Cavalry, Americal Division. Place and date: West of Que Son, Republic of Vietnam, 9 November 1967. Entered service at: San Francisco, Calif. Born: 31 December 1937, Arcata, Calif. Citation: Capt. Taylor, Armor, was serving as executive officer of Troop B, 1st Squadron. His troop was engaged in an attack on a fortified position west of Que Son when it came under intense enemy recoilless rifle, mortar, and automatic weapons fire from an enemy strong point located immediately to its front. One armored cavalry assault vehicle was hit immediately by recoilless rifle fire and all 5 crewmembers were wounded. Aware that the stricken vehicle was in grave danger of exploding, Capt. Taylor rushed forward and personally extracted the wounded to safety despite the hail of enemy fire and exploding ammunition. Within minutes a second armored cavalry assault vehicle was hit by multiple recoilless rifle rounds. Despite the continuing intense enemy fire, Capt. Taylor moved forward on foot to rescue the wounded men from the burning vehicle and personally removed all the crewmen to the safety of a nearby dike. Moments later the vehicle exploded. As he was returning to his vehicle, a bursting mortar round painfully wounded Capt. Taylor, yet he valiantly returned to his vehicle to relocate the medical evacuation landing zone to an area closer to the front lines. As he was moving his vehicle, it came under machinegun fire from an enemy position not 50 yards away. Capt. Taylor engaged the position with his machinegun, killing the 3-man crew. Upon arrival at the new evacuation site, still another vehicle was struck. Once again Capt. Taylor rushed forward and pulled the wounded from the vehicle, loaded them aboard his vehicle, and returned them safely to the evacuation site. His actions of unsurpassed valor were a source of inspiration to his entire troop, contributed significantly to the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military profession and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army
YOUNG, GERALD O.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Air Force, 37th ARS Da Nang AFB, Republic of Vietnam. Place and date: Khesanh, 9 November 1967. Entered service at: Colorado Springs, Colo. Born: 9 May 1930, Chicago, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Young distinguished himself while serving as a helicopter rescue crew commander. Capt. Young was flying escort for another helicopter attempting the night rescue of an Army ground reconnaissance team in imminent danger of death or capture. Previous attempts had resulted in the loss of 2 helicopters to hostile ground fire. The endangered team was positioned on the side of a steep slope which required unusual airmanship on the part of Capt. Young to effect pickup. Heavy automatic weapons fire from the surrounding enemy severely damaged 1 rescue helicopter, but it was able to extract 3 of the team. The commander of this aircraft recommended to Capt. Young that further rescue attempts be abandoned because it was not possible to suppress the concentrated fire from enemy automatic weapons. With full knowledge of the danger involved, and the fact that supporting helicopter gunships were low on fuel and ordnance, Capt. Young hovered under intense fire until the remaining survivors were aboard. As he maneuvered the aircraft for takeoff, the enemy appeared at point-blank range and raked the aircraft with automatic weapons fire. The aircraft crashed, inverted, and burst into flames. Capt. Young escaped through a window of the burning aircraft. Disregarding serious burns, Capt. Young aided one of the wounded men and attempted to lead the hostile forces away from his position. Later, despite intense pain from his burns, he declined to accept rescue because he had observed hostile forces setting up automatic weapons positions to entrap any rescue aircraft. For more than 17 hours he evaded the enemy until rescue aircraft could be brought into the area. Through his extraordinary heroism, aggressiveness, and concern for his fellow man, Capt. Young reflected the highest credit upon himself, the U.S. Air Force, and the Armed Forces of his country.
WHITE, KYLE J.
Rank and Organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade. Place and Date: November 9, 2007, Aranas, Afghanistan. Born: March 27, 1987. Departed: No. Entered Service At: Seattle, Washington. G.O. Number: . Date of Issue: 05/13/2014. Accredited To: Washington. Citation: Specialist Kyle J. White distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a radio telephone operator with Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on November 9, 2007. On that day, Specialist White and his comrades were returning to Bella Outpost from a shura with Aranas Village elders. As the soldiers traversed a narrow path surrounded by mountainous, rocky terrain, they were ambushed by enemy forces from elevated positions. Pinned against a steep mountain face, Specialist White and his fellow soldiers were completely exposed to enemy fire. Specialist White returned fire and was briefly knocked unconscious when a rocket-propelled grenade impacted near him. When he regained consciousness, another round impacted near him, embedding small pieces of shrapnel in his face. Shaking off his wounds, Specialist White noticed one of his comrades lying wounded nearby. Without hesitation, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire in order to reach the soldier and provide medical aid. After applying a tourniquet, Specialist White moved to an injured Marine, similarly providing aid and comfort until the Marine succumbed to his wounds. Specialist White then returned to the soldier and discovered that he had been wounded again. Applying his own belt as an additional tourniquet, Specialist White was able to stem the flow of blood and save the soldier's life. Noticing that his and the other soldier's radios were inoperative, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire yet again in order to secure a radio from a deceased comrade. He then provided information and updates to friendly forces, allowing precision airstrikes to stifle the enemy's attack and ultimately permitting medical evacuation aircraft to rescue him, his fellow soldiers, Marines and Afghan Army soldiers. Specialist Kyle J. White'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 C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade and the United States Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for November 9, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
9 November
1918: The 155th Night BMS became the last American unit assigned to the armies before the end of World War I. (24)
1930: Capt Roy W. Ammel of Chicago, flying a Lockheed Sirius, the "Blue Flash," powered by a Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine, began the first solo nonstop flight from New York to the Panama Canal Zone. On the flight, Ammel flew 2,700 miles in 24 hours 35 minutes. (21)
1935: The US Navy flew the first mass seaplane flight from Honolulu to French Frigate Shoal, flying 759 miles nonstop in 6 hours 10 minutes. (24)
1944: MEDAL OF HONOR. 1Lt Donald J. Gott and 2Lt William E. Metzger's B-17 received several bad flak hits while flying in a group formation. With only one engine operable, the pilots jettisoned the bombs and made for Allied territory. The rest of the crew parachuted, leaving the pilots and the radio operator, who was too injured to jump, to try a crash landing. As Gott banked into a final landing approach at about 100 feet, the fire from three engines reached the fuel tank and the bomber exploded and crashed, killing all three occupants. Gott and Metzger received Medals of Honor for their action. (4)
1950: KOREAN WAR. In the Navy's first encounter with MiGs in the Korean War, Lt Cmdr W. T. Amen became the first Navy pilot in history to shoot down a jet aircraft. [After the breakup of the Soviet Union, historians found evidence that this event may also be the first jet-to-jet aerial victory. See 8 November 1950.] (16) (24) A 91 SRS gunner, Sgt Harry J. Levene, scored the first B-29 jet victory in the war by destroying an attacking MiG-15. The RB-29 limped back to Japan, where five crewmen died in the crash landing. (28)
1951: KOREAN WAR. A C-47 landed on the beach of Paengnyong-do Island off the southwest coast of North Korea and rescued 11 crewmen of a downed B-29. The 19 BG attacked marshalling yards at Hwang-ju, Kowon, and Yangdok; the Saamcham Airfield; and a barracks area. In other night attacks, 98 BW B-29s bombed Taechon Airfield, flew five close support sorties and a leaflet sortie, and struck Hungnam. (28)
1956: SUEZ CRISIS: Through December, C-121s, C-124s, and other aircraft moved over 1,500 members of the UN peacekeeping force and some 170 tons of cargo to the Middle East. (18)
1959: The USAF awarded Dyna Soar development contracts to Boeing and Martin. (12)
1960: The US Post Office demonstrated a new use for the ECHO I satellite. It sent a "speed mail" letter from Washington DC to Newark by bouncing a microwave beam off the satellite. (24)
1961: Maj Robert M. White attained 4,093 MPH (Mach 6.04) in the X-15A-2 while flying at full throttle at 101,600 feet in altitude above Edwards AFB. (3) (9)
1962: At NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, in the first full-duration, full-thrust, static firing test of a Saturn C-1 stage I, the booster produced 1.5 million pounds of thrust. (24)
1964: Vandenberg AFB launched the last Minuteman I (Model A) operational test missile. (6)
1966: A F-111A fighter-bomber achieved a first for American aircraft by flying faster than the speed of sound for 15 minutes at a constant ground clearance of less than 1,000 feet. (16)
1967: Saturn V completed its first test by launching Apollo IV. The 36-story high rocket performed without a flaw. MEDAL OF HONOR. An ARRS member, Capt Gerald O. Young, earned the Medal of Honor as an HH-3 pilot in a combat rescue mission near Khe Sanh, Vietnam. Despite intense ground fire that damaged one HH-3, Captain Young and his crew (Capt Ralph Bower, SSgt Eugene L Clay, and Sgt Larry W. Maysey) tried to rescue the remaining reconnaissance team. Wounded with second and third degree burns over one-fourth of his body, Young prevented the capture of the survivors. Some 17 hours after the crash and six miles from the crash site, Young finally escaped the North Vietnamese and signaled for a pick up. Clay and Maysey received an Air Force Cross posthumously, while Young received the Medal of Honor. (18) (21) MEDAL OF HONOR. Ejecting from his F-4C Phantom over North Vietnam, Capt Lance P. Sijan successfully evaded capture for more than six weeks. Enemy forces captured him, but the severely weakened and injured Sijan managed to escape. After his recapture and torture, he contracted pneumonia and died. He received the Medal of Honor posthumously. (21)
1988: A 709 MAS C-5 flew a mobile dental clinic and two ambulances to Niamey, Niger, on a humanitarian mission. (26)
1989: Over Edwards AFB, the NB-52D carried Pegasus, an air-launched space booster, on its first captive-carry flight. The flight examined the vehicle's guidance, navigation, control, and tele-metry systems. (8: Jan 90)
2006: SECEF Michael W. Wynne announced the selection of Boeing to provide 141 HH-47 helicopters as the new Combat Search and Rescue Replacement Vehicle (CSAR-X). The Air Force planned to replace HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters with the HH-47s. (Pentagon Press Release, "Air Force Selects Developer for Combat Search and Rescue Replacement Vehicle," 9 Nov 2006) The Air Force activated the first MQ-9 Reaper unit, the 42d Attack Squadron, at Creech AFB. The single-engine, propeller-driven Reaper (formerly the Predator B) could carry 3,000 pounds of bombs and missiles, while remaining airborne for 24 hours. The smaller MQ-1 Predator carried 500 pounds of weaponry. (USAF Aimpoints, "First Reaper Squadron Stands Up," 9 Nov 2006)
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World News for 9 November thanks to Military Periscope
USA—2 Charged In Ransomware Attacks Dept. Of Justice | 11/09/2021 The U.S. Justice Dept. says it has charged two foreign nationals in connection with ransomware attacks on U.S. and international firms by hacking collective Sodinokibi/REvil.
On Monday, the department announced indictments against Ukrainian national Yaroslav Vasinskyi, 22, and Russian national Yevgeniy Polyanin, 28.
Vasinskyi was detained in Poland on Oct. 8 and has been charged with the July 2021 attack against multinational firm Kaseya, reported Agence France-Presse. Proceedings are underway for his extradition to the U.S. Polyanin was charged with multiple attacks, including a July 2019 ransomware operation against businesses and government entities in Texas. Authorities also seized US$6.1 million of Polyanin's assets believed to be traceable to ransomware attacks and money laundering committed through the Sodinokibi/Revil ransomware.The Sodinokibi/REvil hacking collective has been blamed for tens of thousands of attacks resulting in financial losses of up to US$230 million.
USA—Airborne Recovery Successfully Demonstrated With Gremlins Drone Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency | 11/09/2021 The Defense Advanced Researched Projects Agency (DARPA) says it has successfully recovered a drone in flight for the first time. Last month at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, DARPA completed four flight tests that validated all autonomous formation flying positions and safety features of the X-61 Gremlin, reported Flight Global. The trials covered aircraft performance, aerodynamic interactions between the recovery bullet and the UAV, and the dynamics of making contact with the UAV during retrieval, the agency said. Two drones were used during the testing, one of which was lost after suffering an electrical failure. As part of the final demonstration, DARPA recovered a Gremlin air vehicle aboard a C-130 cargo aircraft, refurbished it and conducted a second flight within "24 working hours," the agency said. The refurbished drone was recovered on the ground. After the successful demonstration, DARPA is discussing the next steps for the Gremlin program.
USA—Commerce Dept. Restricts Commercial Satellite Imagery Revisit Rates Breaking Defense | 11/09/2021 The U.S. is imposing new limitations on the ability of commercial satellite imagery firms to photograph sensitive locations, reports Breaking Defense. Under the new rules, mid- and high-resolution commercial remote sensing satellites will be prohibited from imaging a list of areas containing sensitive national security operations. Companies will only be permitted to photograph such areas if they fulfill a set of conditions, including notifying the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which manages the U.S. commercial remote sensing licensing process, in advance. Additionally, the regulations limit the "revisit rate," or ability to take repeat images of the same location over time, of satellite constellations that can image the same location more often than foreign competitors. The details of the revisit rate restrictions have not been made public. The restrictions come in response to concerns that rapid revisits with high-resolution imagery of the same location could allow adversaries to monitor changes at secret U.S. facilities, including troop movements. A New Rapid Revisit Imaging Systems licensing category has been created by NOAA's Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs (CRSRA) Office to regulate systems with such capabilities. Such systems will be considered in the third tier of the CRSRA's three-tier licensing scheme, which is used for novel capabilities not currently on the market. The commercial remote sensing industry has expressed concerns over the restrictions, arguing that they undo reforms put in place during the Trump administration and hurt their ability to compete in the rapid revisit market.
United Kingdom—Government To Propose Ending Prosecutions Relating To Conflict In N. Ireland Nbc News | 11/09/2021 The British government is looking to end further investigations into alleged unlawful killings by security and paramilitary forces during the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland, reports NBC News. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and members of the ruling Conservative Party are considering an end to existing and future probes into alleged unlawful killings by military and police personnel as well as killings by paramilitary groups. The proposal has met resistance in Northern Ireland, where politicians and citizens from across the political spectrum have expressed concerns over the ramifications. It has also raised questions among observers for its potential impact on military justice efforts elsewhere. Analysts say it is part of a move toward greater impunity for soldiers. Supporters of ending investigations note that many of those charged are now in their 70s and 80s. Experts say that the plans are unlikely to be compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights, which requires governments to investigate unlawful killings and torture. More than 3,500 people were killed in the Troubles, which lasted from 1968 to 1998, though the U.K. government maintains that 90 percent of killings were conducted by nonstate actors. The British government plans to formally propose the new measures in early 2022.
Poland—Additional Troops Deployed Amid Reports Of Another Wave Of Migrants Politico Europe | 11/09/2021 Poland has sent additional troops to its border with Belarus following reports that hundreds of migrants were headed to the frontier, reports Politico Europe (Brussels). On Monday, an initial effort by migrants to cross at the Kuznica-Bruzgi border was repulsed, according to the Polish Interior Ministry. Normal truck traffic through the crossing was also halted, the ministry said. Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said that more than 12,000 troops had been sent to the border, up from 10,000 previously reported. Belarusian authorities have been helping migrants from the Middle East fly to Belarus and then travel to the borders with the European Union. The bloc's efforts to prevent such flights have seen limited success. Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have called the move part of a hybrid warfare strategy to retaliate against E.U. sanctions on Belarus.
North Korea—Satellite Photos Show Uranium Plant Still Active Beyond Parallel | 11/09/2021 A new analysis of satellite imagery shows that North Korea is continuing to produce uranium concentrate, a key component for fissile material for nuclear weapons, at a plant in Pyongsan county in North Hwanghae province, reports Beyond Parallel, a project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. Commercial satellite imagery from April through October 2021 shows sustained activity at the Pyongsan Uranium Concentrate Plant that is "consistent with the continued production of uranium concentrate and ongoing maintenance efforts," says the new report. The facility is the only verified producer of uranium concentrate in North Korea and thus represents the foundation for the production of fissile material for its nuclear weapons, analysts said. The observed level of activity and Pyongyang's statements emphasizing the importance of ongoing development of nuclear weapons indicate that the plant will remain operational for the foreseeable future, says the study.
Taiwan—New Report Warns Of China's Ability To Blockade Air, Sea Routes Reuters | 11/09/2021 In the latest biennial report on the Chinese threat to Taiwan, the defense ministry says that the People's Liberation Army would be able to blockade key air and sea infrastructure on the island in a conflict, reports Reuters.
In the report released on Tuesday, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said that the Chinese military had begun a "gray zone" campaign against Taiwan, citing more than 554 aerial intrusions into its air defense identification zone in the year ending on Sept. 1. Experts said these tactics are designed to subdue Taiwan through exhaustion. The report says that China is modernizing its military with the goal of being able to obtain superiority in a conflict with Taiwan by 2035. The PLA is currently capable of enforcing a blockade of Taiwan's vital harbors, airports and flight routes to cut the island's air and sea lines of communication and impede the flow of logistics supplies, the document says.
Bangladesh—Agreement Reached To Purchase Warships From U.K. Daily Star | 11/09/2021 The Bangladeshi government has finalized an agreement in principle to buy new warships from the U.K., reports the Daily Star (Dhaka). The deal for five ships was discussed by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her British counterpart, Boris Johnson, at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 3. Foreign Minister Abul Kalam Abdul Momen announced the proposed procurement on Sunday. The vessels, being acquired as part of the government's Forces Goal 2030, would help monitor and secure Bangladesh's large maritime territory, he said. Details of the sale are still being discussed, said Abdul Momen. Three of the ships would be built in the U.K., and two at the shipyard in Chattogram, he said.
Pakistan—One-Month Cease-Fire Agreed With Pakistani Taliban Express Tribune | 11/09/2021 The Pakistani government has reached a one-month cease-fire with militants based in northwestern Pakistan, reports the Express Tribune (Karachi). The truce takes effect on Tuesday, with the possibility of an extension if both sides agree, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) said in a statement. Both parties agreed to a pause amid ongoing negotiations, said Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain. If the disarmament talks are successful, the TTP militants would be pardoned and rejoin society as normal citizens. The Taliban government in Afghanistan reportedly facilitated the talks, which took place in Afghanistan, officials said. The Taliban also apparently indicated that it would take action against groups that were not willing to reach an accord with Islamabad.
Syria—Israeli Strikes Target Iranian Weapon Caches Times of Israel | 11/09/2021 The Syrian government has blamed Israel for another round of airstrikes in the western part of the country, reports the Times of Israel. The attacks on Monday hit a target at the Shayrat Airport near Homs, as well as targets around Tartus on the Mediterranean coast, reported the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency. Two soldiers were wounded in the strikes. Media reported material damage, as well. The attacks, which were blamed on Israel, targeted weapons caches used by Iran-backed groups in Syria, reported the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (U.K.). The Israeli jets launched their weapons while flying north of Beirut, said Syrian media, which claimed that most of the missiles were intercepted. This was the third suspected Israeli attack in two weeks.
Syria—SDF Busts Cell Planning Jailbreak Voice Of America News | 11/09/2021 U.S.-backed forces in northeastern Syria say they have foiled a planned prison break, reports the Voice of America News. An ISIS cell planned to attack the Sina'a prison in Hasaka, Deir Ezzor province, which holds ISIS fighters, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Monday. After learning of the plot, anti-terrorism units and international partners launched an operation against the cell. During the raid, one militant was killed, another wounded and four arrested. Dozens of firearms, rockets and improvised explosive devices were seized, said the SDF.
Libya—Haftar's Son Travels To Israel For Secret Meeting Times of Israel | 11/09/2021 The son of Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar has made a brief visit to Israel for talks, reports the Times of Israel. On Nov. 1, Saddam Haftar made a brief stop at Ben Gurion Airport during a flight from Dubai to Libya, reported the Haaretz (Jerusalem) newspaper. During the stop, he met with unspecified Israeli officials and offered to establish diplomatic relations between Libya and Israel in exchange for Israeli support. This included a message from Khalifa Haftar requesting military and diplomatic ties in exchange for an Abraham Accords-type agreement to establish relations. Before the meeting, Saddam had reportedly been in contact with the Mossad's Teval department, which deals with countries that lack official relations with Israel. Saddam is reportedly considering running in presidential elections planned for Dec. 24 and is the right-hand man to his father. Israel has not openly taken sides in the Libyan conflict but is generally seen as aligned with Egypt and the Gulf States that back Haftar.
Libya—Presidential Council, Transitional Government Clash Over Status Of Foreign Minister British Broadcasting Corp. | 11/09/2021 The Presidential Council in Libya has attempted to suspend the foreign minister, reports BBC News. On Saturday, the Presidential Council announced that it had suspended Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush for 14 days and banned her from traveling, reported Deutsche Welle. The council said that Mangoush had failed to coordinate foreign policy. The Presidential Council also opened an inquiry into the allegations, a spokeswoman said. She had recently suggested in an interview with the BBC that Libya was ready to work with the U.S. to extradite suspects in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. On Sunday, the office of Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah said that the Presidential Council lacked the authority to suspend foreign ministers and ordered Mangoush to continue her duties. The political clash comes ahead of an international conference on Libya on Friday in Paris and planned nationwide elections in December.
Ethiopia—State Dept. Orders Non-Essential Personnel Out Of Ethiopia U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia | 11/09/2021 The U.S. State Dept. has ordered non-emergency personnel to leave Ethiopia and urged all American citizens to leave the country, reports the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia. On Nov. 5, the department ordered non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their families out of Ethiopia following recent rebel advances toward Addis Ababa, the capital, the embassy said in a release. The order was triggered by "armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages." The embassy also called on U.S. citizens to leave the country using commercial options, since it would be unlikely to help if such options became unavailable. The Ethiopian government declared a state of emergency on Nov. 2, noted the embassy. Denmark and Italy have also asked their citizens in Ethiopia to leave using commercial options, reported Reuters. On Saturday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced that it was evacuating the families of diplomats stationed in Ethiopia.
Democratic Republic of the Congo—Gunmen Seize Villages Near Ugandan Border Xinhua | 11/09/2021 An armed group has seized control of several villages in North Kivu province in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, reports Xinhua, China's state-run news agency. Late Sunday night, gunmen seized the villages of Tshanzu and Yunyoni, near the borders with Uganda and Rwanda, said local officials cited by Reuters. Hundreds of residents to fled into Uganda amid concerns about a militant advance. Local security forces blamed the attack on the M23 rebel group, which controlled large amounts of territory in the region in 2012 and 2013 before being driven out by Congolese and U.N. forces. Tshanzu and Yunyoni were the group's last redoubts in the D.R.C. North Kivu security forces deployed to the nearby city of Rutshuru to monitor the situation, The U.S. has warned of a potential attack on Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, around 30 miles (50 km) southwest of the seized villages.
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