Good Wednesday Morning 17 November
A lot of history and A lot of tidbits.
Regards,
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History
November 17
1847 During the Mexican-American War, 17 Marines and 50 Sailors from the sloop-of-war Dale land at Guaymas, Mexico. The Americans are pinned down in a brief fire-fight and their commander is seriously wounded before the defenders dispersed.
1863 The screw sloop Monongahela escorts Army troops and covers their landing on Mustang Island, Texas while her Sailors shell Confederate works until the defenders surrender.
1917 USS Fanning (DD 37) and USS Nicholson (DD 52) sink the first German submarine, U-58, off Milford Haven, Wales, upon entering World War I.
1941 Congress amends the Neutrality Act to allow U.S. merchant ships to be armed.
1944 TBMs (VC-82) from escort carrier USS Anzio (CVE 57) and USS Lawrence C. Taylor (DE 415) sink Japanese submarine I-26 in the Philippine Sea while USS Spadefish (SS 411) sinks escort carrier Shinyo in the Yellow Sea.
1958 USNS Chain (T AGOR 17), the first of the Navy's new oceanographic research ships, is placed in service and serves with the Military Sea Transportation Service.
2008 The Navy announces its "preferred alternative" to homeport a nuclear-powered carrier at NS Mayport, FL.
Thanks to the Early Bird….Click the highlighted to eread the entire story
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Today in History: November 17
0375 Enraged by the insolence of barbarian envoys, Valentinian, the Emperor of the West, dies of apoplexy in Pannonia in Central Europe.
1558 The Church of England is re-established.
1558 Queen Elizabeth ascends to the throne of England.
1636 Henrique Dias, Brazilian general, wins a decisive battle against the Dutch in Brazil.
1796 Napoleon Bonaparte defeats an Italian army near the Alpone River, Italy.
1800 The Sixth Congress (2nd session) convenes for the first time in Washington, D.C.
1842 A grim abolitionist meeting is held in Marlboro Chapel, Boston, after the imprisonment of a mulatto named George Latimer, one of the first fugitive slaves to be apprehended in Massachusetts.
1862 Union General Ambrose Burnside marches north out of Washington, D.C., to begin the Fredericksburg campaign.
1869 The Suez Canal is formally opened.
1877 Russia launches a surprise night attack that overruns Turkish forces at Kars, Armenia.
1885 The Serbian Army, with Russian support, invades Bulgaria.
1903 Vladimir Lenin's efforts to impose his own radical views on the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party splits the party into two factions, the Bolsheviks, who support Lenin, and the Mensheviks.
1913 The first ship sails through the Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
1918 German troops evacuate Brussels.
1918 Influenza deaths reported in the United States have far exceeded World War I casualties.
1931 Charles Lindbergh inaugurates Pan Am service from Cuba to South America in the Sikorsky flying boat American Clipper.
1941 German Luftwaffe general and World War I fighter-ace Ernst Udet commits suicide. The Nazi government tells the public that he died in a flying accident.
1951 Britain reports development of the world's first nuclear-powered heating system.
1965 The NVA ambushes American troops of the 7th Cavalry at Landing Zone Albany in the Ia Drang Valley, almost wiping them out.
1967 The American Surveyor 6 makes a six-second flight on the moon, the first liftoff on the lunar surface.
1970 Soviet unmanned Luna 17 touches down on the moon.
1980 WHHM Television in Washington, D.C., becomes the first African-American public-broadcasting television station.
1986 Renault President Georges Besse is shot to death by leftists of the Direct Action Group in Paris.
1989 Student demonstration in Prague put down by riot police, leading to an uprising (the Velvet Revolution) that will topple the communist government on Dec. 29.
1993 Gen. Sani Abacha leads a military coup in Nigeria that overthrows the government of Ernest Shonekan.
1993 US House of Representatives passes resolution to establish the North American Free Trade Agreement.
2000 Controversial President of Peru Alberto Fujimori removed from office.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … For The List for Wednesday, 17 November 2021… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 17 November 1966… "Depressing lack of tangible results"…
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
A-10 pilot gets Distinguished Flying Cross for Rip-It-fueled gun-run in Afghanistan
He used 37 radio frequencies to coordinate 21 aircraft, during a five hour battle — all while flying his own aircraft and providing close air support.
BY DAVID ROZA | PUBLISHED NOV 16, 2021 8:59 AM
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Thanks to Billy ...
Interesting story about 'The Secret War' in Laos. Butterflies to Ravens…
https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/the-secret-air-campaign-in-laos-during-the-vietnam-war/
Blue Skies & Tailwinds….
Billy@CaptainBillyWalker.com
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Thanks to Sue and Dr. Dich
VIDEO: Orphaned Baby Grizzly Meets Polar Bear Cub Companion After Arriving at Detroit Zoo
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Thanks to Dr. Rich
How and When to Watch the Beaver Moon Lunar Eclipse
It is an early get up this Friday but may be worth it
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ISS crew takes refuge after Russian anti-satellite weapons test sends debris flying | Daily Mail Online
Thanks to Dutch R
Thanks to Tam via Doctor Rich
Putin now plays havoc in space: U.S. accuses Russia of 'dangerous and irresponsible behavior' after seven ISS astronauts were forced to take refuge in 'lifeboat' pods when Kremlin anti-satellite missile test sent 1,500 pieces of debris flying
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Thanks to Mike
A Short History of Slavery
Candice Owens again gets five stars for her truthful and informative discourse on
slavery - you will be surprised to learn about the true history of slavery, including today. In this whole media and political world of lying and deceit; she remains a major voice of truthfulness and good.
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This Day in U S Military History NOVEMBER 17
1859 – Melody utilized in "The Marines' Hymn" premiered in an Offenbach operetta. Following the war with the Barbary Pirates in 1805, when Lieutenant Presely N. O'Bannon and his small force of Marines participated in the capture of Derne and hoisted the American flag for the first time over a fortress of the Old World, the Colors of the Corps was inscribed with the words: "To the Shores of Tripoli." After the Marines participated in the capture and occupation of Mexico City and the Castle of Chapultepec, otherwise known as the "Halls of Montezuma," the words on the Colors were changed to read: "From the Shores of Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma." Following the close of the Mexican War came the first verse of the Marines' Hymn, written, according to tradition, by a Marine on duty in Mexico. For the sake of euphony, the unknown author transposed the phrases in the motto on the Colors so that the first two lines of the Hymn would read: "From the Halls of Montezuma, to the Shores of Tripoli." A serious attempt to trace the tune of the Marines' Hymn to its source is revealed in correspondence between Colonel A.S. McLemore, USMC, and Walter F. Smith, second leader of the Marine Band. Colonel McLemore wrote: "Major Richard Wallach, USMC, says that in 1878, when he was in Paris, France, the aria to which the Marines' Hymn is now sung was a very popular one." The name of the opera and a part of the chorus was secured from Major Wallach and forwarded to Mr. Smith, who replied: "Major Wallach is to be congratulated upon a wonderfully accurate musical memory, for the aria of the Marine Hymn is certainly to be found in the opera, 'Genevieve de Brabant'. . .The melody is not in the exact form of the Marine Hymn, but is undoubtedly the aria from which it was taken. I am informed, however, by one of the members of the band, who has a Spanish wife, that the aria was one familiar to her childhood and it may, therefore, be a Spanish folk song." In a letter to Major Harold F. Wirgman, USMC, John Philip Sousa says: "The melody of the 'Halls of Montezuma' is taken from Offenbach's comic opera, 'Genevieve de Brabant' and is sung by two gendarmes." Most people believe that the aria of the Marines' Hymn was, in fact, taken from "Genevieve de Brabant," an opera-bouffe (a farcical form of opera, generally termed musical comedy) composed by Jacques Offenbach, and presented at the Theatre de Bouffes Parisians, Paris, on 19 November 1859.
1917 – The Marine Corps' Leatherneck Magazine established. In 1917 a couple of enlisted Marines wanted a newspaper for themselves and their fellow Marines stationed at Quantico, Va. They wanted stories and features that chronicled their Corps and contained news of specific interest to Marines. With the assistance of the Army-Navy YMCA, the men, in their off-duty time, published their first newspaper on Nov. 17, 1917, and they called it The Quantico Leatherneck. In 1918 the word Quantico was dropped from the title. The base commander gave the paper his imprimatur. Funding was paid by advertisements from local merchants catering to the base Marines and sailors. The result was a one-fold, four-page, broadsheet newspaper. By 1920 The Quantico Leatherneck was very popular with enlisted men and officers alike. The men who ran the paper were, nonetheless, Marines and subject to transfer. If the paper was to continue, the Marine Corps would have to step in. This happened during the era of Major General John A. Lejeune, who as Commandant of the Marine Corps not only wanted his Marines to have a newspaper but also wanted to raise the level of knowledge and education in the Corps. As a result, he formed the Marine Corps Institute (MCI). It seemed a natural marriage to move the newspaper from Quantico to Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., and put it under the auspices of MCI. In 1925 Leatherneck's format was changed from that of a newspaper to a magazine. It remained a small circulation magazine in a small Corps. Prior to World War II, the Corps was smaller than the New York City Police Department. As such, a circulation of 13,000 to 17,000 Marine readers during the Great Depression was exceptionally good. It was during this time that professional illustrations and photos in Leatherneck became prominent. Japanese Zero aircraft spitting bullets at the Marine Corps Air Station, Ewa, Hawaii, and at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, signaled a tremendous expansion of the Corps and, proportionately, of Leatherneck magazine. The Corps also enlisted its own combat correspondents, many with civilian experience gained from working on the nation's best commercial newspapers and magazines. Many of them were assigned to Leatherneck. The magazine reflected this with an even higher level of professional news and feature stories, high-quality art, and photos. The Leatherneck staff grew to more than 100 and published an overseas edition (without advertisements) for Marines island-hopping across the Pacific. Circulation reached 225,000. Leatherneck also ensured that Marines in every clime and place received all the news through free distribution of civilian magazines. While the Marine Corps may have its own cadre of public affairs talent, it traditionally has not had a compelling interest in managing the news for Marines and did not want its commanders to be distracted in this area. In 1943 Corps officials decided that Leatherneck magazine should be more autonomous. Thus, the Leatherneck Association was founded. Under the purview of Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, the association was governed by HQMC-based officers. The sole purpose of the association was to manage Leatherneck in the interests of the Marine Corps and to provide a governing body answerable only to the Commandant. After the war's end, Leatherneck's circulation dropped proportionately with the number of Marines who had earned enough overseas points to be shipped home and back to civilian life. Many of the Leatherneck staff went back to the various news media they had left. A great number went on to fame as writers, editors, artists and photographers. Some of the magazine's department positions were converted to civilian billets. In several cases the Marine who occupied a billet when it was converted went to work the next day as a civilian. Even so, Leatherneck was still staffed primarily by active-duty Marines until 1972 when all billets for Marines at Leatherneck were eliminated and moved to more needed positions in the Corps. That same year, the magazine's offices moved back to Quantico. Four years later, in 1976, the Leatherneck Association merged with the Marine Corps Association in a partnership that has proven beneficial to both organizations. Today Leatherneck boasts a circulation of nearly 100,000 readers. And although the look of the magazine has evolved dramatically since its inception, its mission remains the same: to be the magazine of Marines—yesterday, today and tomorrow
1924 – USS Langley, first aircraft carrier, reports for duty. USS Langley, a 11,500-ton aircraft carrier, was converted from the collier USS Jupiter (Collier # 3) beginning in 1920. Commissioned in March 1922, Langley was the U.S. Navy's first aircraft carrier. In October-November 1922, she launched, recovered and catapulted her first aircraft during initial operations in the Atlantic and Caribbean areas. Transferred to the Pacific in 1924, Langley was the platform from which Naval Aviators, guided by Captain Joseph M. Reeves, undertook the development of carrier operating techniques and tactics that were essential to victory in World War II. Though newer, larger and faster aircraft carriers arrived in the fleet in the later 1920s, the old "Covered Wagon" remained an operational carrier until October 1936, when she began conversion to a seaplane tender. Reclassified AV-3 following completion of this work in early 1937, Langley was mainly employed in the Pacific for the rest of her days. She was sent to the Far East in 1939 and was still there when the Pacific War began in December 1941. Through the early months of the conflict, she supported seaplane patrols and provided aircraft transportation services. While carrying Army fighters to the Netherlands East Indies on 27 February 1942, Langley was attacked by Japanese aircraft. Hit by several bombs and disabled, she was scuttled by her escorting destroyers.
1965 – During part of what would become known as the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley, a battalion from the 1st Cavalry Division is ambushed by the 8th Battalion of the North Vietnamese 66th Regiment. The battle started several days earlier when the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry engaged a large North Vietnamese force at Landing Zone X-Ray at the base of the Cheu Pong hills (Central Highlands). As that battle subsided, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, was ordered to move cross-country to Landing Zone Albany, where it was to be picked up by helicopter and moved to a new location. The U.S. unit was moving through the jungle in a long column when the North Vietnamese sprang a massive ambush along the length of the column from all sides. Companies C and D took the brunt of the Communist attack–within minutes, most of the men from the two companies were hit. The North Vietnamese forces had succeeded in engaging the U.S. forces in very tight quarters, where supporting U.S. firepower could not be used without endangering American lives. The cavalrymen returned fire, but the Communistss were fighting from prepared fighting positions and many of the American leaders had been felled in the initial stages of the ambush. As night fell, the cavalrymen waited for the North Vietnamese to attack but illumination flares provided by air force aircraft made the enemy cautious. By morning, they had withdrawn. Senior U.S. military leaders declared the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley an American victory. That had clearly been the case with the fight at Landing Zone X-Ray, where the three-day battle resulted in 834 North Vietnamese soldiers confirmed killed with another 1,000 communist casualties likely. However, the battle at Landing Zone Albany was another story. Although there were over 400 enemy soldiers lying on the battlefield after the fighting was over, the battle had been an extremely costly one for the 1st Cavalry troopers. Of the 500 men in the original column moving to Landing Zone Albany, 150 had been killed and only 84 were able to return to immediate duty. 93 percent of Company C sustained some sort of wound or injury–half of them died. The Battle of the Ia Drang Valley was important because it was the first significant contact between U.S. troops and North Vietnamese forces. The action demonstrated that the North Vietnamese were prepared to stand and fight major battles, and senior American leaders concluded that U.S. forces could wreak significant damage on the communists in such battles. The North Vietnamese also learned a valuable lesson during the battle: they saw that they could negate the effects of superior American firepower by engaging American troops in physically close combat, so that U.S. artillery and air fire could not be used without endangering American lives. This became standard North Vietnamese practice for the rest of the war.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
BEARSS, HIRAM IDDINGS
Rank and organization: Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 13 April 1875, Peru, Ind. Appointed from: Indiana. Other Navy award: Distinguished Service Medal. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and eminent and conspicuous conduct in battle at the junction of the Cadacan and Sohoton Rivers, Samar, Philippine Islands, 17 November 1901. Col. Bearss (then Capt.), second in command of the columns upon their uniting ashore in the Sohoton River region, made a surprise attack on the fortified cliffs and completely routed the enemy, killing 30 and capturing and destroying the powder magazine, 40 lantacas (guns), rice, food and cuartels. Due to his courage, intelligence, discrimination and zeal, he successfully led his men up the cliffs by means of bamboo ladders to a height of 200 feet. The cliffs were of soft stone of volcanic origin, in the nature of pumice, and were honeycombed with caves. Tons of rocks were suspended in platforms held in position by vine cables (known as bejuco) in readiness to be precipitated upon people below. After driving the insurgents from their position which was almost impregnable, being covered with numerous trails lined with poison spears, pits, etc., he led his men across the river, scaled the cliffs on the opposite side, and destroyed the camps there. Col. Bearss and the men under his command overcame incredible difficulties and dangers in destroying positions which, according to reports from old prisoners, had taken 3 years to perfect, were held as a final rallying point, and were never before penetrated by white troops. Col. Bearss also rendered distinguished public service in the presence of the enemy at Quinapundan River, Samar, Philippine Islands, on 19 January 1902.
PORTER, DAVID DIXON
Rank and organization: Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 29 April 1877, Washington, D.C. Appointed from: District of Columbia. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and eminent and conspicuous conduct in battle at the junction of the Cadacan and Sohoton Rivers, Samar, Philippine Islands, 17 November 1901. In command of the columns upon their uniting ashore in the Sohoton Region, Col. Porter (then Capt. ) made a surprise attack on the fortified cliffs and completely routed the enemy, killing 30 and capturing and destroying the powder magazine, 40 lantacas (guns), rice, food and cuartels. Due to his courage, intelligence, discrimination and zeal, he successfully led his men up the cliffs by means of bamboo ladders to a height of 200 feet. The cliffs were of soft stone of volcanic origin, in the nature of pumice and were honeycombed with caves. Tons of rocks were suspended in platforms held in position by vines and cables (known as bejuco) in readiness to be precipitated upon people below. After driving the insurgents from their position which was almost impregnable, being covered with numerous trails lined with poisoned spears, pits, etc., Col. Porter led his men across the river, scaled the cliffs on the opposite side, and destroyed the camps there. He and the men under his command overcame incredible difficulties and dangers in destroying positions which, according to reports from old prisoners, had taken 3 years to perfect, were held as a final rallying post, and were never before penetrated by white troops. Col. Porter also rendered distinguished public service in the presence of the enemy at Quinapundan River, Samar, Philippine Islands, on 26 October 1901.
BUTLER, SMEDLEY DARLINGTON (Second Award)
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 30 July 1881, West Chester, Pa. Appointed from: Pennsylvania. Other Navy awards: Second Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Medal. Citation: As Commanding Officer of detachments from the 5th, 13th, 23d Companies and the marine and sailor detachment from the U.S.S. Connecticut, Maj. Butler led the attack on Fort Riviere, Haiti, 17 November 1915. Following a concentrated drive, several different detachments of marines gradually closed in on the old French bastion fort in an effort to cut off all avenues of retreat for the Caco bandits. Reaching the fort on the southern side where there was a small opening in the wall, Maj. Butler gave the signal to attack and marines from the 15th Company poured through the breach, engaged the Cacos in hand-to-hand combat, took the bastion and crushed the Caco resistance. Throughout this perilous action, Maj. Butler was conspicuous for his bravery and forceful leadership.
GROSS, SAMUEL
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps, 23d Co. (Real name is Marguiles, Samuel.) Born: 9 May 1891, Philadelphia, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania. Citation: In company with members of the 5th, 13th, 23d Companies and the marine and sailor detachment from the U.S.S. Connecticut, Gross participated in the attack on Fort Riviere, Haiti, 17 November 1915. Following a concentrated drive, several different detachments of marines gradually closed in on the old French bastion fort in an effort to cut off all avenues of retreat for the Caco bandits. Approaching a breach in the wall which was the only entrance to the fort, Gross was the second man to pass through the breach in the face of constant fire from the Cacos and, thereafter, for a 10-minute period, engaged the enemy in desperate hand-to-hand combat until the bastion was captured and Caco resistance neutralized.
IAMS, ROSS LINDSEY
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 5th Co. Born: 5 May 1879, Graysville, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania. Citation: In company with members of the 5th, 13th, 23d Companies and marine and sailor detachment from the U.S.S. Connecticut, Sgt. Iams participated in the attack on Fort Riviere, Haiti, 17 November 1915. Following a concentrated drive, several different detachments of marines gradually closed in on the old French bastion fort in an effort to cut off all avenues of retreat for the Caco bandits. Approaching a breach in the wall which was the only entrance to the fort, Sgt. Iams unhesitatingly jumped through the breach despite constant fire from the Cacos and engaged the enemy in a desperate hand-to-hand combat until the bastion was captured and Caco resistance neutralized.
*RAY, BERNARD J.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company F, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. Place and date: Hurtgen Forest near Schevenhutte, Germany, 17 November 1944. Entered service at: Baldwin, N.Y. Birth: Brooklyn, N.Y. G.O. No.: 115, 8 December 1945. Citation: He was platoon leader with Company F, 8th Infantry, on 17 November 1944, during the drive through the Hurtgen Forest near Schevenhutte, Germany. The American forces attacked in wet, bitterly cold weather over rough, wooded terrain, meeting brutal resistance from positions spaced throughout the forest behind minefields and wire obstacles. Small arms, machinegun, mortar, and artillery fire caused heavy casualties in the ranks when Company F was halted by a concertina-type wire barrier. Under heavy fire, 1st Lt. Ray reorganized his men and prepared to blow a path through the entanglement, a task which appeared impossible of accomplishment and from which others tried to dissuade him. With implacable determination to clear the way, he placed explosive caps in his pockets, obtained several bangalore torpedoes, and then wrapped a length of highly explosive primer cord about his body. He dashed forward under direct fire, reached the barbed wire and prepared his demolition charge as mortar shells, which were being aimed at him alone, came steadily nearer his completely exposed position. He had placed a torpedo under the wire and was connecting it to a charge he carried when he was severely wounded by a bursting mortar shell. Apparently realizing that he would fail in his self-imposed mission unless he completed it in a few moments he made a supremely gallant decision. With the primer cord still wound about his body and the explosive caps in his pocket, he completed a hasty wiring system and unhesitatingly thrust down on the handle of the charger, destroying himself with the wire barricade in the resulting blast. By the deliberate sacrifice of his life, 1st Lt. Ray enabled his company to continue its attack, resumption of which was of positive significance in gaining the approaches to the Cologne Plain.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for November 17, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
17 November
1934: Capt Fred C. Nelson, Air Corps, won the Mitchell Trophy Race with an average speed of 216.832 MPH at Selfridge Field. (24)
1941: The USS Archer was the first escort carrier transferred from the US to the UK in World War II. (24)
1944: Land-based US fighters flew over Manila, Bataan, and Corregidor for the first time since early 1942. (24)
1948: Boeing received a contract to build two prototype B-52 bombers. (12)
1949: TYPHOON ALLYN. Typhoon winds of 110 knots caused considerable damage at Harmon Field, Guam, particularly to the larger hangars, warehouses, and the airfreight terminal. There was also widespread damage to the power and telephone cable system. (17)
1952: KOREAN WAR. USAF fighter-bombers attacked hydroelectric facilities at Kongosan. Additionally, Col Royal N. Baker, Commander of the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, flying in MiG Alley with the 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, scored his fifth MiG kill to become an ace. (28)
1954: Through 19 November, a B-47 Stratojet broke all jet endurance records by flying nonstop between England and North Africa for 47 hours 35 minutes, or 21,163 miles. In the flight, Col David A. Burchinal, 43 BMW Commander, left Sidi Slimane, French Morocco, for RAF Fairford, but bad weather prevented his landing. He returned to Sidi Slimane, where bad weather again forced a return to RAF Fairford. Nine inflight refuelings made the flight possible. (1) (24)
1957: OPERATION LONG LEGS. On 16-17 November, Brig Gen William K. Martin led six B-52s on a 10,425-mile nonstop flight from Homestead AFB to Argentina and back to Plattsburg AFB in Phase II of this operation. (1) (24)
1961: The USAF launched the first Minuteman missile from an underground silo at Cape Canaveral on a 3,000-mile flight down the Atlantic Missile Range. (6) SECDEF Robert S. McNamara approved USAF plans to name SAC as the single manager for KC-135 air refueling operations. (18)
1964: MACKAY TROPHY/DRAGON ROUGE RESCUE MISSION. C-130s from the 464 TCW on rotation to France flew the famous DRAGON ROUGE rescue mission to free hostages in the Congo. In that mission, the C-130 crews airlifted Belgian paratroopers to Africa from Belgium, then airdropped and airlanded them on the Sabenas Airport at Stanleyville on 24 November 1964. Two days later, on Thanksgiving Day, the DRAGON NOIR operation freed hostages held in the town of Paulis. For their part in the mission, the Pope crews received the Mackay Trophy for the most meritorious flight of the year by USAF aircraft. (18) (21)
1967: Operation EAGLE THRUST. Through 29 December, MAC used 413 C-141 and C-130 sorties to complete the longest distance airlift of combat troops from the US to a war zone to date. The planes moved 10,356 men of the 101st Airborne Division and nearly 5,118 tons of equipment, including 32 helicopters, between Fort Campbell and Bien Hoa, Vietnam. (2)
1968: The USAF deployed its new F-4E with an internal gun to SEA. The 40 TFS sent 20 F-4Es to Korat RTAFB, where the squadron became the 469 TFS. The 40 TFS designator returned to the US. (17)
1970: A Lockheed L-1011 trijet flew 297 MPH at 20,000 feet during its 2-hour, 25-minute first flight at at Palmdale.
1999: A KC-10 from the 60 AMW at Travis AFB refueled a F-22 Raptor for the first time. Operating from Edwards AFB over a four-day period, the KC-10 flew four sorties, each lasting nearly three hours. During the test, the KC-10 made more than 250 boom connections with the F-22 and offloaded 35,000 pounds of fuel. (22)
2003: A Global Hawk sortie flown from Edwards AFB verified a German intelligence sensor's ability to detect radar emissions at China Lake NAWC and transmit them to a German Ground Support Station. This project facilitated development of a German-owned and operated Global Hawk derivative called the EuroHawk. (3)
2006: The second Lockheed-Martin C-5M test aircraft made its first flight at Dobbins ARB. (USAF Aimpoints, "Second C-5M Takes Flight," 21 Nov 2006) The 45th Space Wing successfully launched a Delta II booster from Cape Canveral to place the third modernized NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellite in orbit. It will eventually become part of a 24-satellite system that will provide continuous and precise navigation and timing information to military and civilian users worldwide. (AFNEWS Article, "Air Force Launches Delta II/GPS Mission," 17 Nov 2006) An Air Force Operational and Test Evaluation Center detachment at Edwards AFB completed a 15-month Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) of the RQ-4A Block 10 Global Hawk. That phase began in August 2005 to prepare for the first production aircraft's deployment in April 2006. The OT&E involved testing of the launch, recovery, and mission control elements as well as the air vehicles themselves, in the Global War on Terror. (3)
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World News for 17 November thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Battlefield Intelligence Being Considered For Ukraine SpyTalk | 11/17/2021 The U.S. is considering providing battlefield intelligence on the Russian military buildup near Ukraine to the government in Kyiv, reports the SpyTalk website. Russia has massed 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine, creating significant concerns in Washington, said Ivo Daalder, the former ambassador to NATO under President Obama. Certain activities, including the conduct of night exercises and Russian claims of Ukrainian provocations, resemble Russian activities prior to the 2014 illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, administration officials said. The U.S. is considering sharing battlefield intelligence, providing surveillance and reconnaissance and flying uncrewed aerial vehicles near the buildup to determine what Russia is doing, Daalder said. The intelligence would include images and analysis of the Russian buildup to provide the Ukrainians with a clear picture of the Russian forces near the border and their posture, said experts.
USA—Biden Taps NSA Watchdog For Pentagon IG Post Military.Com | 11/17/2021 The Biden administration has announced its nomination for Pentagon inspector general, reports Military.com. On Monday, the White House announced that Robert Storch would be nominated for the post, which has been empty since the end of the Obama administration. Storch has served as the National Security Agency/Central Security Service inspector general since January 2018. He is the first presidentially appointed, Senate-approved inspector general of the NSA. The Pentagon has lacked a Senate-confirmed inspector general since January 2016. During most of the Trump administration, the post was held on an acting basis by Glenn Fine. However, Fine was demoted by Trump in April 2020 after he was selected by fellow inspector generals across the government to lead a committee to oversee the distribution of funds to respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Fine resigned from the inspector general's office in June 2020. The move was part of a broader assault by Trump on inspectors general performing oversight of his administration. Fine was replaced as the acting inspector general by Sean O'Donnell, who is also serving as the inspector general at the Environmental Protection Agency. Jason Abend was nominated by the Trump administration for the post, but his confirmation was derailed over concerns that he lacked experience to oversee an organization as large as the Dept. of Defense.
USA—Biden, Xi Agree To Consider Strategic Stability Talks Reuters | 11/17/2021 President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have agreed to look at holding arms control talks, reports Reuters. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday during a Brookings Institution webinar that the leaders had agreed in principle to talks on "strategic stability" during a three-hour video call on Monday evening. Sullivan said that bilateral engagement would increase at multiple levels to establish guardrails so that competition does not veer into conflict. He did not indicate what form the arms control talks might take. Washington has previously called for China to join it and Russia in a new arms control system. Beijing has rejected the proposal, citing its much smaller nuclear stockpile compared to those of Russia and the U.S.
USA—Pentagon Falls Short Again In Latest Audit Breaking Defense | 11/17/2021 The Defense Dept. has mostly completed its fourth annual audit, reporting only incremental improvements over previous years, reports Breaking Defense. According to the audit released on Monday night, the Pentagon again received an overall failing grade. Only eight of 24 agencies received a passing grade: the Military Retirement Fund; Army Corps of Engineers-Civil Works; Defense Health Agency-Contract Resource Management; Defense Commissary Agency; Defense Finance and Accounting Service Working Capital Fund; and the Defense Contract Audit Agency. This is the same number that passed last year's audit. The DISA Working Capital Fund and DoD office of Inspector General are also expected to receive unmodified opinions but had not yet fully completed their audits. The DoD remedied more than 450 of the 3,482 issues identified in the 2020 audit, or about 13 percent. That figure is expected to increase to 19 percent once the audit is fully finished. Handling IT issues remained a primary challenge for the department, said Pentagon Comptroller Mike McCord. Forty-nine of the 108 IT issues identified in the 2020 audit were addressed, he said. McCord said that while progress had been made, he was unwilling to commit to the 2027 date for the department to achieve a clean audit, which had been made last year by Thomas Harker, the acting comptroller.
USA—Washington Emphasizes Commitment To F-35 Sale To U.A.E. Reuters | 11/17/2021 The U.S. says it plans to move forward with the sale of F-35 fighter jets to the U.A.E., reports Reuters. On Tuesday, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Regional Security in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Mira Resnick told reporters that consultations with the Emirati government were ongoing. Talks on the sale have slowed while the U.S. seeks to ensure that the U.A.E. understands its "obligations and actions before, during and after delivery," said Resnick. She did not provide any information on what those obligations might be. The sale of 50 F-35s has been hindered by U.S. concerns over significant Chinese involvement in Emirati communications networks, presence at U.A.E. naval facilities and offer of sensitive military technologies.
France—Thales Unveils Improved Ground Master 400 Alpha Radar Thales | 11/17/2021 Thales has launched a new member of its Ground Master family of air surveillance radars. The Ground Master 400 Alpha 3D long-range surveillance radar offers five times more processing power than its predecessor, enabling a 10-percent range increase to 320 miles (515 km), Thales said in a press release on Monday. The increased range results in an increased coverage surface of 20 percent compared to the baseline GM400, the company said. The system will also incorporate advanced artificial intelligence algorithms and enhanced cybersecurity features. Employing digital stacked-beam technology, the Ground Master 400 Alpha can detect and track targets from fighter jets, cruise missiles, hovering helicopters and low-flying uncrewed aircraft. Tactical drones flying close to the ground and high-altitude aircraft can be detected and tracked simultaneously, said Thales.
Switzerland—Lawmakers To Probe Choice Of F-35 As New Fighter Agence France-Presse | 11/17/2021 Lawmakers say they will look into the Swiss government's decision to acquire the F-35 fighter jet to replace the air force's aging F/A-18 Hornet fleet, reports Agence France-Presse. On Tuesday, the management scrutiny committee of the National Council said it would investigate the legality and advisability of the decision. The subcommittee would begin work in February, with the results to be made public "in due course." It will focus on the methods used to assess the competing planes, the room for political maneuver with the U.S. and respect for the principles of public procurement rights. Lawmakers will also investigate allegations that military procurement agency, Armasuisse, destroyed documents relating to the selection among other issues, reported Reuters. In June, Switzerland announced that it had decided to acquire 36 F-35As for about US$5.5 billion, saying that it offered a significant technological advantage over other competitors and that the costs were about US$2.1 billion lower than the next best offer. The procurement decision has already come under public scrutiny, with left-wing and anti-military activists keen to hold a referendum.
Azerbaijan—Forces Seize Armenian Positions In Latest Clash British Broadcasting Corp. | 11/17/2021 Azerbaijani forces have captured Armenian positions in the latest border clash, reports BBC News. Fighting broke out on Tuesday, with both sides claiming that the other had launched an attack, reported Al Jazeera (Qatar). The Armenian Defense Ministry said that it had lost two military positions, and 15 of its soldiers had been killed and 12 captured, reported Reuters. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed that Armenian forces had conducted a "large-scale provocation," attacking Azerbaijani positions in the Belbajar and Lachin districts. Two Azerbaijani soldiers were wounded, the ministry said. Following the incident, Armenia asked Russia to help defend it against Azerbaijan. Moscow subsequently called on both sides to pull back and cease all hostilities. Russia brokered the peace deal that ended last year's conflict in the majority Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh region and maintains a force of 2,000 peacekeepers in the region as part of the accord.
Japan—Counter-Piracy Mission Off West Africa Extended NHK | 11/17/2021 The Japanese government has extended its counter-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia, reports Japanese broadcaster NHK. On Tuesday, the Cabinet decided to extend the mission's mandate for another year. The mandate had been scheduled to expire on Friday. Officials said that Somalia still suffered from problems that contribute to piracy, including poverty, and noted that commercial ships continue to ask for escorts from the Japan Self-Defense Force. During the Cabinet meeting, the government also agreed to increase the number of personnel assigned to assist in coordinating entries and exits between Djibouti and their operating areas. The counter-piracy task force is based in Djibouti. Separately, the Cabinet approved a year-long extension for Japan Self-Defense Force personnel to participate in the multinational peacekeeping mission in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. That mandate was scheduled to expire at the end of the month.
Japan—New Space Unit To Defend Satellites From EM Threats Kyodo News Agency | 11/17/2021 The Japanese Defense Ministry says a second space defense unit will be established in the southern Yamaguchi prefecture, reports the Kyodo news agency. On Sunday, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi announced the second space operations squadron would be stationed at Hofu Kita Air Base. The squadron is scheduled to stand up during Japan's 2022 fiscal year, which starts on April 1, noted Space News. The new squadron will monitor electromagnetic threats to Japanese space assets, officials said. A new space surveillance radar is being built in Yamaguchi and is expected to be ready for operations in fiscal 2023. Japan's first space operations squadron, established in May 2020, monitors space debris, asteroids and other threats to satellites.
Taiwan—Keel Laid For Indigenous Sub Prototype Central News Agency | 11/17/2021 China Shipbuilding Corp. has laid the keel for the first submarine being built domestically by Taiwan, reports the Central News Agency (Taiwan). The keel-laying ceremony for the first Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) took place on Tuesday at the CSBC shipyard in Kaohsiung, reported Naval News. The milestone typically marks the formal start of construction of a ship. Submarines do not have keels, so it typically means the sail has been connected to the main hull and passed the necessary pressure tests, said a military source. The vessel was reportedly given the factory number 1168, close to the number 168 that is considered lucky in Taiwan. The Taiwanese navy awarded CSBC a construction contract for the prototype submarine in May 2019. The design of the prototype is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with construction slated to conclude in 2024. Delivery is anticipated in 2025. The boats are believed to feature lithium-ion batteries and will be armed with Mk 48 Mod 6 heavyweight torpedoes and UGM-84L Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The IDS subs will replace Taiwan's aging fleet of Hai Shih- and Hai Lung-class boats.
Malaysia—Pilot Killed When Hawk Trainer Goes Down In Penang The Star | 11/17/2021 A Malaysian air force pilot has been killed in a crash during a training flight in the western Penang state, reports the Star (Malaysia). The Hawk 108 went down on Tuesday during a night-flying exercise at Butterworth air force base, killing one crewmember and injuring another, said the Malaysian Defense Ministry. A witness said that she heard two loud explosions before seeing flames shoot up at the end of the runway at the air base, reported the Malay Mail. The incident is under investigation. It is too soon to determine if the rest of the Hawk fleet will be grounded, defense officials said.
Burma—Junta Charges 16 With Electoral Fraud Irrawaddy | 11/17/2021 A new election commission appointed by the military government in Burma has charged 16 people with fraud in last year's election, reports the Irrawaddy (Burma). On Monday, charges were announced against State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and 14 other people associated with the National League for Democracy, reported the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar. The charges include fraud, intimidation and other irregularities. Among those charged are electoral officials who oversaw the elections in November 2020 that saw a major victory for the NLD. These are the first charges announced against electoral officials since the coup in February, when more than 100 were detained. Most were later released. The chairman of the election commission and 20 other officials remain in custody. The military seized power on Feb. 1 claiming that the November elections were fraudulent. Analysts say the charges were manufactured to justify the coup.
India—Families Deny Men Killed In Security Op Had Terrorist Links Press Trust Of India | 11/17/2021 Four people have been killed in a security operation against a suspected terrorist hideout in India-administered Kashmir, reports the Press Trust of India. On Monday, police conducted the operation in Hyderpora, Srinagar, that killed at least two local businessmen. Police said one of the businessmen was killed in crossfire between officers and the militants. Police said that the men supported militant groups in the area. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti cast doubt on the accusation and called for an investigation into the deaths. The operation also killed two suspected militants, including one Pakistani national. The father of the accused Indian terrorist denied that his son was an extremist.
Syria—Strikes Hit Warehouse South Of Damascus Times of Israel | 11/17/2021 Suspected Israeli strikes have hit targets outside of Damascus, reports the Times of Israel. On Wednesday, two surface-to-surface missiles hit an empty warehouse south of the city, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency. The missiles were launched by Israel from the Golan Heights, reported Syrian media. Local media said that there were no casualties and claimed that Syrian air defenses intercepted one of the missiles. Syrian media often claims that air defenses shoot down incoming missiles following Israeli strikes. Such claims are largely regarded as empty boasts by experts.
Uganda—ISIS Claims Responsibility For Kampala Attack Cable News Network | 11/17/2021 The Islamic State says it was behind a series of suicide attacks in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, reports CNN. Three people were killed and 36 injured in the coordinated bombings on Tuesday. In a statement via its Amaq news agency, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials previously blamed the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Since at least 2019, ISIS has claimed attacks conducted by the ADF in central Africa.
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