The List 6004 TGB
Good Monday Morning February 14
I hope that you all had a great weekend .
Regards,
Skip
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
February 14
1778—Continental ship, Ranger, commanded by John Paul Jones, receives the first official salute to a U.S. Stars and Stripes flag by a foreign government (the French fleet) at Quiberon, France.
1813—The frigate Essex, commanded by Capt. David Porter, becomes the first U.S. Navy warship to round Cape Horn and enter the Pacific Ocean.
1814—The frigate Constitution, commanded by Capt. Charles Stewart, captures the British Lovely Ann off Guiana, the first of four during a five-day period.
1945—USS Gato (SS 212) sinks Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.9 in the Yellow Sea and USS Hawkbill (SS 366) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 4 and Cha 114 in the Java Sea.
1945—Water Tender Second Class Elmer C. Bigelow heroically fights a blaze after USS Fletcher (DD 445) is hit by enemy shelling. Bigelow dies the next day from his injuries. He is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity." USS Bigelow (DD 942) is named in his honor in 1957.
This Day in History
February 14
Happy Valentine's Day! Today is St. Valentine's Day, the feast day of two Christian martyrs named Valentine: one a priest and physician, the other the Bishop of Terni. Both are purported to have been beheaded on this day. The custom of sending handmade 'valentines' to one's beloved became popular during the 17th century and was first commercialized in the United States in the 1840s.
1349 2,000 Jews are burned at the stake in Strasbourg, Germany.
1400 The deposed Richard II is murdered in Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire.
1549 Maximilian II, brother of the Emperor Charles V, is recognized as the future king of Bohemia.
1779 American Loyalists are defeated by Patriots at Kettle Creek, Ga.
1797 The Spanish fleet is destroyed by the British under Admiral Jervis (with Nelson in support) at the battle of Cape St. Vincent, off Portugal.
1848 James Polk becomes the first U.S. President to be photographed in office by Matthew Brady.
1859 Oregon is admitted as the thirty-third state.
1870 Esther Morris becomes the world's first female justice of the peace.
1876 Rival inventors Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell both apply for patents for the telephone.
1900 General Roberts invades South Africa's Orange Free State with 20,000 British troops.
1904 The "Missouri Kid" is captured in Kansas.
1912 Arizona becomes the 48th state in the Union.
1915 Kaiser Wilhelm II invites the U.S. Ambassador to Berlin in order to confer on the war.
1918 Warsaw demonstrators protest the transfer of Polish territory to the Ukraine.
1920 The League of Women Voters is formed in Chicago in celebration of the imminent ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote.
1924 Thomas Watson founds International Business Machines Corp.
1929 Chicago gang war between Al Capone and George "Bugs" Moran culminates with several Moran confederates being gunned down in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
1939 Germany launches the battleship Bismarck.
1940 Britain announces that all merchant ships will be armed.
1942 Japanese paratroopers attack Sumatra. Aidan MacCarthy's RAF unit flew to Palembang, in eastern Sumatra, where 30 Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed A-28 Hudson bombers were waiting.
1945 800 Allied aircraft firebomb the German city of Dresden. Smaller followup bombing raids last until April with a total death toll of between 35,000 to 130,000 civilians.
1945 The siege of Budapest ends as the Soviets take the city. Only 785 German and Hungarian soldiers managed to escape.
1949 The United States charges the Soviet Union with interning up to 14 million in labor camps.
1955 A Jewish couple loses their fight to adopt Catholic twins as the U.S. Supreme Court refuses to rule on state law.
1957 The Georgia state senate outlaws interracial athletics.
1965 Malcolm X's home is firebombed. No injuries are reported.
1971 Moscow publicizes a new five-year plan geared to expanding consumer production.
1973 The United States and Hanoi set up a group to channel reconstruction aid directly to Hanoi.
1979 Armed guerrillas attack the U.S. embassy in Tehran.
1985 Vietnamese troops surround the main Khmer Rouge base at Phnom Malai.
1989 Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini charges that Salman Rushdie's novel, The Satanic Verses, is blasphemous and issues an edict (fatwa) calling on Muslims to kill Rushdie.
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On this day in history (February 14,):
1876: Inventors Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray applied separately
for patents related to the telephone. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually
ruled Bell the rightful inventor.
1929: The "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" took place in Chicago. Seven
gangsters who were rivals of Al Capone were killed.
1946: ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was unveiled.
The device, built at the University of Pennsylvania, was the world's first
general purpose electronic computer.
And today is:
National Cream Filled Chocolates Day
278 St. Valentine beheaded
. 1973 Release of U.S. POWs begins »
A History of Valentine's Day ( one of many)
The lover's holiday has its beginnings in the 4th century B.C. in Rome. The Romans held an annual lottery wherein young men would draw a young woman's name from a box. The couple would be assigned to each other the entire year for entertainment and pleasure. (Now, I can see where this could be real dangerous!) This celebration, traditionally held on February 15, also included banquets, dancing and foot races run in the nude.
Around A.D. 496, early church fathers sought an end to the pagan practice, but knew better than to upset the citizens by removing the lottery completely. Instead, they had teenagers pull the names of saints from the box. The teen was supposed to spend the year emulating that saint's life as much as possible, which was probably not as much fun as naked marathons. (Right! It's no wonder they fed Christians to the lions!) St. Valentine was chosen as the patron saint of the new event, and young Roman men resorted to courting females by sending handwritten notes delivered on February 14.
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Thanks to Carl
JUST SAY 'NO' TO VALENTINE'S DAY
Celebrating love on February 14th is "un-Islamic."
February 14,
Deborah Weiss
While many of those in the West are celebrating Valentine's Day with the exchange of roses, chocolate, and candlelight dinners, lovers in Muslim countries must go into hiding to express their affections.
Though Valentine's Day has Christian roots, honoring a Christian martyr named St. Valentine, over the years its religious connection has become attenuated and it is now considered a secular holiday, celebrated by all who want to express amore to their special someone on this day. However, in much of the Islamic world, Valentine's Day is not just frowned upon, but is illegal, sometimes coming with dire consequences for those who ignore the "unIslamic" nature of this day of love.
Pakistan, for example, outlawed Valentine's Day in 2017, when Islamabad's High Court ruled that the holiday goes against Islamic teachings. The ruling came in response to a petition by Abdul Waheed, a Pakistani citizen, who believes that any Valentine's Day promotions in the mainstream or social media are un-Islamic. His petition further argued that while Valentine's Day is advocated in the language of love, this is merely pretext for the promotion of nudity, immorality and indecency. He won his case.
Subsequently, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) was ordered to monitor all media and send out advisory notifications warning the media against reporting Valentine's Day celebrations or promoting the holiday. Additionally, Pemra officials declared that "No [Valentine's Day] event shall be held at the official level or at any public space."
Over 60 percent of Pakistan's population is under the age of 30, and many of them commemorated the holiday prior to the ban. Commercial outlets also benefitted by selling flowers, chocolate and Valentine's Day hearts. Now, they do so at their own risk.
In recent years, the more stringent within the religious Islamic ummah have become politically active and denounce the holiday as being immoral. Specifically, the Taliban-linked group Jamiat ulema-e-Islam opposes Valentine's Day. Surprisingly, even the women who belong to this group can be seen in full burkas burning signs that read "Happy Valentine's Day."
In 2012, in Indonesia, the highest Islamic clerical council announced that Valentine's Day is contrary to Islamic teachings. In 2017, nationwide rallies were held to bring awareness to the fact that the holiday is a western concept. Protestors held signs reading "Muslims say no to Happy Valentine's Day." Last year, police gathered and arrested couples that were publicly affectionate. Indonesian fundamentalists believe that Valentine's Day encourages premarital sex, which is a crime in Indonesia.
In Malaysia, Islamic authorities issued a fatwa in 2006 which banned Valentine's Day. In 2011, the JAIS (Islamic morality police) arrested 80 couples for celebrating the holiday. Officers raided hotels in major cities during an anti-Valentine's Day crusade. Then, in 2017, the National Muslim Youth Association issued a statement the day prior to Valentine's Day, advising women not to wear perfume on Valentine's Day and to refrain from using emoticons in their text messages.
In Iran, though the holiday isn't technically illegal, much of the associated activity is banned. The morality police order shops and restaurants to remove hearts, flowers, and decorations, including pictures of couples embracing. They are prohibited from selling heart-shaped balloons, red roses, heart-shaped boxes, or Valentine's Day cards. If they have the audacity to sell Valentine's Day gifts, they are threatened with prosecution. Despite this, numerous restaurants in Tehran defy the law, employing lookouts to give advance notice of inspectors on Valentine's Day patrol.
However, the country where celebrants of Valentine's Day suffer the most, are those in Saudi Arabia. There, open celebration of this holiday can result in harsh criminal penalties. For example, in 2014, five men were caught on Valentine's Day dancing with women who were not their wives. They were arrested and thrown in jail, and sentenced to 4500 lashings split among them.
The Commission on the Promotion of Virtue and Vice, otherwise known as the Religious Police, monitor store shelves to ensure that nothing is displayed in the verboten color of red. Red roses go on the black market, drastically increasing their price due to the risk of sale and their unavailability on the open market. The forbidden items are legal during the rest of the year, when Valentine's Day is not in the fore. This, however, is little consolation for those who want to celebrate on this special day.
Yes, clearly the Islamic religious police are very concerned about the "immorality" that Valentine's Day inspires. Given their concern about morals, what exactly are the religious police doing to stop the gang rape of women without hijabs, forced marriages of little girls, the jailing of those who engage in "blasphemous" speech, or the beheadings sanctioned by their own state? Oh, never mind. These activities aren't western; they are "Islamic" so apparently they are A-OK -- so long as you don't give your girlfriend flowers on February 14th. Islamic morals indeed.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post
… For The List for Monday, 14 February 2022… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 14 February 1967… The Fulbright Hearings and a brilliant move by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr…
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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Thanks to Al
Monday Morning Humor--Valentine's Day
If men ruled the world, Valentine's Day would be moved to February 29th so it would only occur once every four years.
Valentine's Day Scorecard for Guys--How do you rate?
Simple Duties
· You go out to buy her flowers: +5
· But return with beer: -5
· You check out a suspicious noise at night: 0
· You check out a suspicious noise and it's nothing: 0
· You check out a suspicious noise and it's something: +5
· You pummel it with a six iron: +10
· It's her cat: -10
Social Engagements
· You stay by her side the entire party: 0
· You stay by her side for a while, then leave to chat with a drinking buddy: -2
· Named Tiffany: -4
· Tiffany is a dancer: -6
· Tiffany has implants: -8
Saturday Afternoons
· You visit her parents: +1
· You visit her parents and actually make conversation: +3
· You visit her parents and stare vacantly at the television: -3
· And the television is off: -6
· You spend the afternoon watching college football in your underwear: -6
· And you didn't even go to college: -10
· And it's not really your underwear: -15
Valentine's Day
· You take her out to dinner: 0
· You take her out to dinner and it's not a sports bar: +1
· Okay, it is a sports bar: -2
· And it's all-you-can-eat night: -3
· It's a sports bar, it's all-you-can-eat night, and your face is painted the colors of your favorite team: -10
· You give her a gift: 0
· You give her a gift, and it's a small appliance: -10
· You give her a gift, and it's not a small appliance: +1
· You give her a gift, and it isn't chocolate: +2
· You give her a gift that you'll be paying off for months: +30
· You wait until the last minute and buy her a gift that day: -10
· With her credit card: -30
· And whatever you bought is two sizes too big: -40
Thoughtfulness
· You forget to pick her up at the bus station: -25
· Which is in Detroit: -35
· And the pouring rain dissolves her leg cast: -50
A Night Out with Your Pals
· You have a few beers: -9
· For every beer after three, -2 again
· And miss curfew by an hour: -12
· You get home at 3 a.m.: -20
· You get home at 3 a.m. smelling of booze and cheap cigars: -30
· And not wearing any pants: -40
· Is that a tattoo? -200
A Night Out, Just the Two of You
· You go see a comic: +2
· He's crude and sexist: -2
· You laugh: -5
· You laugh too much: -10
· She's not laughing: -15
· You laugh harder: -25
Driving
· You lose the directions on a trip: -4
· You lose the directions and end up getting lost: -10
· You end up getting lost in a bad part of town: -15
· You get lost in a bad part of town and meet the locals: -25
· She finds out you lied about having a black belt: -60
Communication
· When she wants to talk, you listen, displaying a concerned expression:+20
· When she wants to talk, you listen, for over 30 minutes: +5
· You listen for more than 30 minutes, without looking at the television:+10
· She realizes this is because you've fallen asleep: -10
Here's a list of the least appreciated Valentine's Day gifts:
A box of chocolates, clumsily rearranged in an attempt to hide the fact you ate all the caramel ones.
Lingerie that you think will look almost as good on her as on the Victoria's Secret model.
Any clothing item with the words "push-up" or "slim-down" on the label.
Any food item with the words "diet", "light", or "high fiber" on the label.
Any video starring Sylvester Stallone, Jim Carrey, or Pamela Anderson.
Flowers from a hospital's gift shop--or worse, a mortuary's.
Poetry, no matter how heartfelt, that starts out "There was once a girl from..."
Anything you ever gave another woman, including your mother.
Any household appliance, power tool or other item from the harder side of Sears.
A gift certificate.
Cash.
Anything you could have bought at the gas station mini-mart on the way over, even if you didn't.
An apologetic look and the words "That was today?"
He loved her very much. He wanted this Valentine's Day to be special, So he had ordered a bottle of her favorite liquor imported from France and it had arrived in time for the occasion. On his way home, he stopped at the local florist. He had planned to have a bouquet made with her favorite flower, white anemones. But to his dismay, he found that the florist had sold all her flowers and had only a few sterns of feathery ferns left for decoration.
In a moment of inspiration, he had the answer. He asked the florist to make a bouquet using the flask of liquor instead of flowers and what she produced was magnificent well beyond his expectations. He added a card, and proceeded home. When he arrived, his wife was beautiful in her most elegant gown, and it was apparent that she had spent much of the day preparing a romantic candlelight dinner for the two of them. He presented her with his gift, and she opened the card to read, "Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder."
With a tear in her eye, she whispered to him lovingly, "Yes, and with fronds like these, who needs anemones."
I remember one Valentine's Day I had to be away on a business trip. I wired flowers for my lovely wife, but she found the fuse.
A university student fell in love, and dropped out of school to marry her young love. She wrote her parents to say that she had put the heart before the course.
If love is blind and marriage is an institution, does that mean that marriage is an institution for the blind?
Infatuation is when you think he's as sexy as Robert Redford, as smart as Henry Kissinger, as noble as Ralph Nader, as funny as Woody Allen, and as athletic as Jimmy Connors.
Love is when you realize that he's as sexy as Woody Allen, as smart as Jimmy Connors, as funny as Ralph Nader, as athletic as Henry Kissinger and nothing like Robert Redford -but you'll take him anyway.
A young woman was taking an afternoon nap. After she woke up, she told her husband, "I just dreamt that you gave me a pearl necklace for Valentine's Day. What do you think it means?"
"You shall know tonight", he said.
That evening, the man came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it. She found a book entitled "The Meaning of Dreams".
Submitted by Skip Leonard:
The Spatula Act
It was rumored that the 'split a raw egg with knife act' could only be seen in the Jinjiang Hotel in old Shanghai, and only one master could do the stunt. Before Nixon visited China in 1972, General Al Haig first came to Shanghai and requested to see the act. At that time, almost no one knew what it was all about. See this video today and realize what an amazing Valentine's Day act it is!!
Remember today is Valentine's Day.
Have a great week,
Al
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This Day in U S Military History
February 14
1945 – 521 American heavy bombers flew daylight raids over Dresden, Germany following the British assault. The firestorm killed an estimated 135,000 people. At least 35,000 died and some people place the toll closer to 70,000. The novel "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut was set in Dresden during the firebombing where he was being held as a prisoner of war. US B-17 bombers dropped 771 more tons on Dresden while P-51 Mustang fighters strafed roads packed with soldiers and civilians fleeing the burning city.
1945 – American USAAF B-24 and B-29 bombers raid Iwo Jima in preparation for the landings later in the month. They drop a daily average of 450 tons of bombs over the course of 15 days (6800 tons).
1945 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt meets with King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia aboard the USS Quincy, officially beginning U.S.-Saudi diplomatic relations.
1949 – The United States charged the USSR with interning up to 14 million in labor camps.
1951 – Operation ROUNDUP officially concluded and the 30-day battle of Wonju began as the 2nd Infantry Division repelled repeated attacks from seven Chinese divisions.
1953 – U.S. Air Force Colonel Royal N. "The King" Baker, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, downed his tenth enemy aircraft and became the third double ace of the war. (An ace has five enemy kills.) His F-86 Sabre was called "Angel Face & the Babes."
2007 – Operation Imposing Law, also known as Operation Law and Order, Operation Fardh al-Qanoon or Baghdad Security Plan(BSP), a joint Coalition-Iraqi security plan conducted throughout Baghdad, begins. Under the Surge plan developed in late 2006, Baghdad was to be divided into nine zones, with Iraqi and American soldiers working side-by-side to clear each sector of Shiite militias and Sunni insurgents and establish Joint Security Stations so that reconstruction programs could begin in safety. The U.S. military commander in Iraq, David Petraeus, went so far as to say Iraq would be "doomed" if this plan failed. Numerous members of Congress stated the plan was a critical period for the U.S. presence in Iraq.
Congressional Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken this Day
ARTHER, MATTHEW
Rank and organization: Signal Quartermaster, U.S. Navy. Born: 1835, Scotland. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. G.O. No.: 17, 10 July 1863. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Carondelet at the reduction of Forts Henry and Donelson, 6 and 14 February 1862 and other actions. Carrying out his duties as signal quartermaster and captain of the rifled bow gun, S/Q.M. Arther was conspicuous for valor and devotion, serving most faithfully, effectively and valiantly.
IRWIN, BERNARD J. D.
Rank and organization: Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Army. Place and date: Apache Pass, Ariz., 13-14 February 1861. Entered service at: New York. Born: 24 June 1830, Ireland. Date of issue: 24 January 1894. Citation: Voluntarily took command of troops and attacked and defeated hostile Indians he met on the way. Surgeon Irwin volunteered to go to the rescue of 2d Lt. George N. Bascom, 7th Infantry, who with 60 men was trapped by Chiricahua Apaches under Cochise. Irwin and 14 men, not having horses began the 100-mile march riding mules. After fighting and capturing Indians, recovering stolen horses and cattle, he reached Bascom's column and help break his siege.
BONNEY, ROBERT EARL
Rank and organization: Chief Watertender, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Hopkins. Place and date: Aboard U.S.S. Hopkins, 14 February 1910. Entered service at: Nashville, Tenn. Birth: Tennessee. Citation: While serving on board the U.S.S. Hopkins, Bonney displayed extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on the occasion of the accident to one of the boilers of that vessel, 14 February 1910.
CLARY, EDWARD ALVIN
Rank and organization: Watertender, U.S. Navy. Born: 6 May 1883, Foxport, Ky. Accredited to: Kentucky. G.O. No.: 59, 23 March 1910. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Hopkins for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on the occasion of the accident to one of the boilers of that vessel, 14 February 1910.
*BIGELOW, ELMER CHARLES
Rank and organization: Watertender First Class, U.S. Naval Reserve. Born: 12 July 1920, Hebron, 111. Accredited to. Illinois. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving on board the U.S.S. Fletcher during action against enemy Japanese forces off Corregidor Island in the Philippines, 14 February 1945. Standing topside when an enemy shell struck the Fletcher, Bigelow, acting instantly as the deadly projectile exploded into fragments which penetrated the No. 1 gun magazine and set fire to several powder cases, picked up a pair of fire extinguishers and rushed below in a resolute attempt to quell the raging flames. Refusing to waste the precious time required to don rescue-breathing apparatus, he plunged through the blinding smoke billowing out of the magazine hatch and dropped into the blazing compartment. Despite the acrid, burning powder smoke which seared his lungs with every agonizing breath, he worked rapidly and with instinctive sureness and succeeded in quickly extinguishing the fires and in cooling the cases and bulkheads, thereby preventing further damage to the stricken ship. Although he succumbed to his injuries on the following day, Bigelow, by his dauntless valor, unfaltering skill and prompt action in the critical emergency, had averted a magazine explosion which undoubtedly would have left his ship wallowing at the mercy of the furiously pounding Japanese guns on Corregidor, and his heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
*SITMAN, WILLIAM S.
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company M, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Chipyong-ni, Korea, 14 February 1951. Entered service at: Bellwood, Pa. Birth: Bellwood, Pa. G.O. No.: 20, 1 February 1952. Citation: Sfc. Sitman distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations. Sfc. Sitman, a machine gun section leader of Company M, was attached to Company I, under attack by a numerically superior hostile force. During the encounter when an enemy grenade knocked out his machine gun, a squad from Company I, immediately emplaced a light machine gun and Sfc. Sitman and his men remained to provide security for the crew. In the ensuing action, the enemy lobbed a grenade into the position and Sfc. Sitman, fully aware of the odds against him, selflessly threw himself on it, absorbing the full force of the explosion with his body. Although mortally wounded in this fearless display of valor, his intrepid act saved 5 men from death or serious injury, and enabled them to continue inflicting withering fire on the ruthless foe throughout the attack. Sfc. Sitman's noble self-sacrifice and consummate devotion to duty reflect lasting glory on himself and uphold the honored traditions of the military service.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 14, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
14 February
1914: Lt Townsend F. Dodd and Sgt Herbert Marcus set an official nonstop American duration and distance record for pilot and passenger when they flew a Burgess H tractor 244.18 kilometers in 4 hours 43 minutes. (5)
1931: Congress created the Air Mail Flyers Medal of Honor, retroactive to 15 May 1918. (24)
1932: WOMEN'S EVENT. Using a Lockheed Vega, Ruth Nichols set a new world altitude record of 19,928 feet for diesel-powered aircraft at Floyd Bennett Field, N.Y. (24)
1939: In Boeing's XB-15, Major Caleb V. Haynes flew from Langley Field, Va., to Chile in 29 hours 53 minutes flying time with 3,250 pounds of medical supplies for earthquake victims. (24)
1945: 450 B-17s staged a follow-up raid on Dresden, Germany. (4)
1951: The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak with a Wright J-65 Sapphire engine made its first flight at Edwards AFB. (5)
1955: The Killian Report from the Technological Capabilities Panel of the Science Advisory Committee, Office of Defense Management, recommended assigning the highest national priority to the ballistic missile program. It also urged the simultaneous development of intermediate-range ballistic missiles. (6)
1983: Operation EARLY CALL. In Egypt, the Strategic Air Command's KC-10 demonstrated its dual importance as a tanker and a cargo carrier in operational activities through 24 February,. Three 3 KC-10s at Cairo West Airport refueled the E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft that monitored Libyan air traffic and Libyan preparations for a possible attack on Sudan. In the 10-day deployment, the KC-10s flew 21 sorties to refuel American and Egyptian aircraft and transported 832 passengers and 1,340 tons of cargo. (18)
1989: In its first launch, the McDonnell-Douglas Delta II space booster lifted the first operational NAVSTAR Block II GPS satellite into orbit. (20)
1991: An unusual air-to-air victory occurred, when Capts Tim Bennett and Dan Bakke of the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing from Seymour-Johnson AFB, N. C., shot down an Iraqi helicopter with a GBU-10 laser-guided bomb dropped from their F-15E. (20)
1996: Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR. A Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System E-8A flew its 50th mission in support of Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR, surpassing the E-8s record of 49 missions in Operation DESERT STORM. (26)
2003: Global Hawk (AV-7), a first production-representative sample, landed at the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., after its maiden flight from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif. It was the last advanced concept technology platform, but the first vehicle that incorporated all of the improvements made in the platform to date. (3)
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Daily News thanks to Military Periscope for 14 February
USA—Blinken Hosts Japanese, S. Korean Counterparts To Discuss N. Korea Wall Street Journal | 02/14/2022 Top America, Japanese and South Korean officials have agreed to strengthen joint efforts to deter North Korea after a series of provocative missile tests, reports the Wall Street Journal. On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui Yong and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi met in Hawaii. Chung said that the allies had reached a consensus regarding North Korean missile tests, the scope of the threat and diplomatic steps forward. Specific measures were discussed but would not be disclosed, he said. The South Korean minister said that disagreements between Seoul and Tokyo should not affect trilateral policy toward North Korea. The allies also discussed policy toward Russia amid increasing tensions around Ukraine, reported the Voice of America News.
USA—Biden Orders Division Of Frozen Afghan Funds Washington Post | 02/14/2022 President Joe Biden has signed an executive order for the division of Afghan reserve funds held in the U.S., reports the Washington Post. On Friday, Biden signed the executive order dividing in half the roughly US$7 billion in Afghan central bank funds held in the U.S. when the Taliban overran Kabul in August. The money has been frozen since. The proposal calls for $3.5 billion to be used for humanitarian and other assistance in Afghanistan and the other half to be reserved for families of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks with legal claims against the Taliban. After a court order, the funds could be moved to separate accounts, allowing survivors and family members of the attacks to make claims against the funds, reported CBS News. A spokesman for the Taliban condemned the move, arguing that the money rightly belonged to the Afghan people and should be transferred to banks under its control. Afghanistan has faced a humanitarian crisis following the Taliban takeover, as countries canceled aid amounting to about 75 percent of the Afghan budget and froze funds in banks under their control. Another US$2 billion in Afghan funds remain frozen in other countries.
USA—Space Force Seeks To Support Debris-Removal Projects Space News | 02/14/2022 The U.S. Space Force wants to work with private industry to support space debris-removal efforts, reports Space News. During an AFCEA event last week, Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David Thompson said that the service was not looking to be directly involved in cleaning up space debris but wanted to partner with innovative firms to develop ideas and technology to advance the industry. Thompson touted the Orbital Prime project of the service's SpaceWERX technology arm, which seeks to invest in debris-removal and in-space servicing technologies. Bidding for those contracts is scheduled to close on Feb. 17. The first round of Orbital Prime is set to award $250,000 study contracts for technologies in the areas of satellite life extension, refueling, on-orbit inspection, orbit transfer, active debris removal and the reuse and recycling of materials in space. The winners of that phase will then compete for a second round of $1.5 million contracts to develop technology prototypes. Space Force is also considering how to reduce the amount of debris it produces in space.
USA—Contractor Mirage F1 Goes Down At Luke AFB Luke Air Force Base | 02/14/2022 A contractor-operated fighter jet has crashed near Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., reports the base. On Feb. 10, the Mirage F1 was on a routine training mission when it went down in an unpopulated area about 15 miles (24 km) northwest of the airbase. The pilot ejected safely, suffering only minor injuries, base officials said. The Airborne Tactical Advantage Co. (ATAC) confirmed that one of its Mirage F1s had crashed, reported the War Zone website.
USA—Space Force Seeks To Support Debris-Removal Projects Space News | 02/14/2022 The U.S. Space Force wants to work with private industry to support space debris-removal efforts, reports Space News. During an AFCEA event last week, Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David Thompson said that the service was not looking to be directly involved in cleaning up space debris but wanted to partner with innovative firms to develop ideas and technology to advance the industry. Thompson touted the Orbital Prime project of the service's SpaceWERX technology arm, which seeks to invest in debris-removal and in-space servicing technologies. Bidding for those contracts is scheduled to close on Feb. 17. The first round of Orbital Prime is set to award $250,000 study contracts for technologies in the areas of satellite life extension, refueling, on-orbit inspection, orbit transfer, active debris removal and the reuse and recycling of materials in space. The winners of that phase will then compete for a second round of $1.5 million contracts to develop technology prototypes. Space Force is also considering how to reduce the amount of debris it produces in space.
USA—B-52s Arrive At Fairford For Bomber Task Force Mission U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa | 02/14/2022 U.S. strategic bombers have arrived in the U.K. for a planned training rotation, reports U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa. Four B-52s from the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., deployed to RAF Fairford, England, on Feb. 10. The deployment was expected to last three weeks, reported Air Force magazine. During the flight to the U.K., the B-52s were intercepted by British Eurofighter Typhoon and Portuguese F-16 fighters assigned to the NATO air-policing mission in Iceland. The bombers also conducted bilateral close air support training with British joint terminal attack controllers. During the deployment, the B-52s will train with various European partners and allies while flying from RAF Fairford. The mission was "long-planned" and not linked to the crisis with Russia over Ukraine, officials said.
Canada—Special Ops Troops Under Investigation For Participation In Right-Wing Protests Reuters | 02/14/2022 Three Canadian special operations personnel are under investigation for their alleged support for recent protests against COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa, reports Reuters. Maj. Gen. Steve Boivin, the head of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), announced on Sunday that investigations into three personnel had begun earlier in the month. The command does not condone political activity jeopardizes the apolitical nature of the force, the general said. The personnel were already in the process separating from the armed forces, noted CTV News (Toronto). The members were under investigation for their participation in the "Freedom Convoy" against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, which entered its 17th day on Sunday.
Finland—Initial Agreements Signed For F-35 Purchase Finnish Ministry Of Defense | 02/14/2022 Finland has signed the first agreements for its purchase of new fighter jets from the U.S., reports the Finnish Ministry of Defense. On Feb. 11, Maj. Gen. Kari Renko, the chief of the Defense Forces Logistics Command, signed the letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for the F-35A aircraft and associated maintenance services during a ceremony in Tampere, the ministry said in a release. The LOA represent the procurement agreement under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process. The agreement covers procurement contracts for the delivery of 64 F-35A Block 4 fighters between 2025 and 2030 as well as aircraft engines, maintenance equipment, spare parts, replacement equipment, training equipment and servicing needed for use and maintenance. It also includes F-35 type training for Finnish Defense Force flying and technical personnel. Additional LOA documents are planned to be signed later this year for the procurement of AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, with a subsequent LOA covering air-to-ground munitions. Separately on Feb. 11, during a ceremony in Helsinki, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon Technologies covering Finnish domestic industrial participation. The industrial participation agreement aims to develop and maintain production, technology and expertise in the defense and security industries. In April 2018, the ministry announced that industrial cooperation should be worth at least 30 percent of the contract price.
Finland—Patria Inks Deal With Senop For Driver's Night-Vision Systems Patria Industries | 02/14/2022 Patria has signed a framework agreement with Finnish firm Senop for driver's night-vision systems for new 6 x 6 armored personnel carriers being acquired by the Finnish and Latvian armed forces, reports the Finnish defense company. Under the accord, Senop will supply driver's night-vision systems for the Common Armored Vehicle System (CAVS) 6 x 6 armored vehicles, Patria said on Feb. 11. The framework agreement includes a purchase order securing ongoing deliveries of the Senop systems for all Latvian CAVS and Finnish preproduction vehicles. The pact also supports the provision of the night-vision systems to future participants in the program. Late last year, Sweden announced its intent to join the CAVS program. The Senop driver's night-vision system provides optimum vision and awareness for drivers in demanding and variable conditions, the company said.
Ukraine—U.S. Orders Embassy Staff Out Amid Growing Concerns Of Russian Invasion Cable News Network | 02/14/2022 The U.S. has ordered most of its embassy staff in Ukraine to evacuate due to the growing threat of Russian military action, reports CNN. On Saturday, the U.S. ordered most of its embassy staff in Kyiv to leave in response to intelligence that Russia could attack Ukraine as soon as this week. A small diplomatic presence is being retained in in Lviv, about 50 miles (80 km) from the border with Poland to deal with emergencies. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also ordered 160 members of the Florida National Guard training Ukrainian troops to relocate elsewhere in Europe. Austin has also ordered an additional 3,000 personnel from the 82nd Airborne Division to join the 1,700 troops from the unit already in Poland to be available to assist any American citizens who may try to leave Ukraine. British military trainers have also been ordered to leave Ukraine, reported the Guardian (U.K.). Israel has ordered family members of diplomatic personnel to return home, reported the Times of Israel. Meanwhile, the White House said that a phone call on Saturday between President Biden and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, failed to yield any breakthroughs, reported the Washington Post. U.S. officials have warned that a further invasion of Ukraine by Russia is imminent and likely to be triggered by a Russian false flag operation.
Singapore—Deputy Defense Secretary Tapped As Next Army Chief Singapore Ministry Of Defense | 02/14/2022 Singapore has named its next army chief, reports the Singapore Ministry of Defense. Brig. Gen. David Neo will succeed Maj. Gen. Goh Si Hou on March 10, the ministry said on Feb. 11. Neo has served in the army since 1996 and is a commando officer by training. He is currently the deputy defense secretary for technology. He previously commanded First Battalion, Singapore Guards; 2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade; and 3rd Singapore Division. Neo has also served as head of the Joint Plans and Transformation Dept. and director of joint operations. Goh is stepping down after four years as the top army officer. During his tenure, he oversaw key operational milestones for the 3rd Generation Army reform program designed to meet emerging security challenges and future personnel resource challenges. He also oversaw the reorganization of the Island Defense Task Force and Special Operations Task Force to strengthen security and counterterrorism capabilities The army chief laid the foundation for its future fighting force with the motorization of the maneuver force and integration of intelligence and strike capabilities under the Headquarters Sense and Strike project. Goh also oversaw the development of local and overseas training areas to meet future training demands.
United Arab Emirates—U.S. Raptor Fighters Arrive In Al Dhafra U.S. Air Forces Central | 02/14/2022 The U.S. has deployed advanced fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates following a series of missile and drone attacks, reports U.S. Air Forces Central. On Saturday, the F-22 Raptors from the 27th Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., arrived at Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi. The deployment was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in coordination with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The deployment follows a series of ballistic missile and drone attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen, one of which killed three foreign workers.
Yemen—5 U.N. Employees Abducted In Abyan Arab News | 02/14/2022 Gunmen have abducted five U.N. employees in southern Yemen, reports the Arab News (Riyadh). Armed tribesmen stopped three vehicles on Friday in Al-Suaida in Abyan province, seizing five U.N. employees and their guards and taking them to an unknown location, said a local security official. The staff were returning to Aden, the temporary capital, after a field mission, a U.N. official told the New Arab (London). The security personnel and their vehicles were released on Sunday. The U.N. personnel, including four Yemenis and a foreigner, were still held as bargaining chips. It is not immediately clear what the tribesmen wanted. Abyan Gov. Abdu Baker Hussein Salem and security officials met on Sunday to discuss the situation. Local media reports suggested that the victims may have already been located. Local tribal leaders are working to mediate the dispute. Officials denied that the attackers were linked to Al-Qaida, which is active in the region.
Israel—Panther Helo Crash Traced To Broken Motor Blade Times of Israel | 02/14/2022 An investigation into the deadly crash of an Israeli air force maritime helicopter last month has identified corrosion in one of its engines as the cause, reports the Times of Israel. The AS 565 Panther, known as the Atalef in Israeli service, went down on Jan. 3 off the coast of Haifa. The two pilots were killed while a third officer was able to escape with minor injuries. On Feb. 9, the military investigation's interim findings were presented to Israeli air force chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin. A broken blade in the helicopter's left engine sparked a fire, leading to the crash, a senior Israeli air force officer said on Feb. 11. An internal component corroded, causing the internal turbine blade to crack from stress and break off in the turbine. Because the component is internal, it is not checked during routine maintenance. Such parts are typically inspected during scheduled maintenance every 1,650 flight hours. The helicopter that crashed had last undergone deep maintenance in 2017. It was about 250 flight hours from its next scheduled maintenance period, officials said. Airbus Helicopters, the manufacturer, indicated that this was the first time such a malfunction has occurred in a Panther helicopter anywhere in the world. The air force grounded its Panthers following the crash. All helicopters are slated to complete inspections before returning to service.
Burkina Faso—French Airstrikes Kill 40 Following Militant Attacks In Benin Agence France-Presse | 02/14/2022 French airstrikes have killed dozens of suspected militants in Burkina Faso, reports Agence France-Presse. On Saturday, French aircraft conducted an intelligence and a strike mission against militants involved in deadly attacks in Benin last week, said French military officials. The attack killed an estimated 40 militants, said the French-led Barkhane force. The operation followed a pair of attacks in Benin last week that killed nine people, including a French citizen, in the W National Park, which borders Burkina Faso and Niger. The Frenchman was a top law enforcement instructor at the park, according to the African Parks nongovernmental organization, which oversees the reserve.
Mali—2 Soldiers Killed In Militant Attack Agence France-Presse | 02/14/2022 Two Malian soldiers have been killed in a militant assault in the northern Timbuktu region, reports Agence France-Presse. On Sunday, militants attacked the Niafunke outpost, located in a political subdivision of the same name, killing two soldiers, the Malian military said. Five of the attackers were killed, the armysaid. Officials blamed the attack on an "armed terrorist group." Both ISIS- and Al-Qaida-aligned groups are active in the area.
Uruguay—Navy In Line For Trio Of U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Boats U.S. Coast Guard | 02/14/2022 The U.S. Coast Guard has kicked off the process of transferring three decommissioned patrol boats to Uruguay, reports the service. On Feb. 10, Vice Adm. Paul Thomas, deputy commandant for mission support, and Uruguayan Ambassador to the U.S. Andres Duran Hareau signed the documents transferring the title of the Marine Protector-class patrol boats to the Uruguayan navy. The ceremony took place at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Uruguay signed a US$5 million letter of offer and acceptance on Dec. 15, for the retired cutters Albacore, Cochito and Gannet. The cutters are being transferred through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program of the Coast Guard's Office of International Acquisition. The transfer will help Uruguay swiftly enhance its maritime security, Thomas said. The patrol boats will receive maintenance, upgrades and outfitting at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore before sailing to Uruguay. Uruguayan navy personnel will also be trained in their operation and maintenance. The vessels are expected to arrive in Uruguay in July 2022. This is the first time that the Coast Guard has transferred Marine Protector-class cutters through the EDA program to a foreign partner. The cutters will replace two Colonia-class patrol boats that were transferred to Uruguay in 1990 under the predecessor to the EDA program. Several other Marine Protector-class cutters are awaiting transfer to Lebanon.
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