The List 6013 TGB
Good Wednesday Morning February 23
A bit of history and some tidbits .
Regards,
Skip
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
February. 23
1795—The U.S. Navy Office of Purveyor of Supplies is established.
1919—The first ship named for an enlisted man, USS Osmond Ingram (DD 255), is launched.
1944—In an overnight raid, Task Force 58 planes bomb the Japanese at Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam in the first raid of the Mariana Islands.
1945—Four days after landing on Iwo Jima, an invasion "where uncommon valor was a common virtue," the United States flag is raised on Mt. Suribachi.
But there was still a lot of fighting and dying left to do
1916 Battle of Verdun begins »
This Day in History
February. 23
0303 Emperor Diocletian orders the general persecution of Christians in Rome.
1516 The Hapsburg Charles I succeeds Ferdinand in Spain.
1540 Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado begins his unsuccessful search for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold in the American Southwest.
1574 The 5th War of Religion breaks out in France.
1615 The Estates-General in Paris is dissolved, having been in session since October 1614.
1778 Baron von Steuben joins the Continental Army at Valley Forge.
1821 Poet John Keats dies of tuberculosis at the age of 25.
1836 The Alamo is besieged by Santa Anna.
1846 The Liberty Bell tolls for the last time, to mark George Washington's birthday.
1847 Forces led by Zachary Taylor defeat the Mexicans at the Battle of Buena Vista.
1854 Great Britain officially recognizes the independence of the Orange Free State.
1861 Texas becomes the seventh state to secede from the Union.
1885 John Lee survives three attempts to hang him in Exeter Prison, as the trap fails to open.
1898 Writer Emile Zola is imprisoned in France for his letter J'accuse in which he accuses the French government of anti-semitism and the wrongful imprisonment of army captain Alfred Dreyfus.
1901 Britain and Germany agree on a boundary between German East Africa and Nyasaland.
1904 Japan guarantees Korean sovereignty in exchange for military assistance.
1916 Secretary of State Lansing hints that the U.S. may have to abandon the policy of avoiding "entangling foreign alliances".
1921 An airmail plane sets a record of 33 hours and 20 minutes from San Francisco to New York.
1926 President Calvin Coolidge opposes a large air force, believing it would be a menace to world peace.
1936 In Russia, an unmanned balloon rises to a record height of 25 miles.
1938 Twelve Chinese fighter planes drop bombs on Japan.
1942 A Japanese submarine shells an oil refinery near Santa Barbara, California, the first Axis bombs to hit American soil.
1944 American bombers strike the Marianas Islands bases, only 1,300 miles from Tokyo.
1945 Eisenhower opens a large offensive in the Rhineland.
1945 U.S. Marines plant an American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.
1946 Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita is hanged in Manila, the Philippines, for war crimes.
1947 Several hundred Nazi organizers are arrested in Frankfurt by U.S. and British forces.
1950 New York's Metropolitan Museum exhibits a collection of Hapsburg art. The first showing of this collection in the U.S.
1954 Mass innoculation begins as Salk's polio vaccine is given to children for first time.
1955 Eight nations meet in Bangkok for the first SEATO council.
1960 Whites join Negro students in a sit-in at a Winston-Salem, N.C. Woolworth store.
1964 The U.S. and Britain recognize the new Zanzibar government.
1967 American troops begin the largest offensive of the war, near the Cambodian border.
1972 Black activist Angela Davis is released from jail where she was held for kidnapping , conspiracy and murder.
1991 French forces unofficially start the Persian Gulf ground war by crossing the Saudi-Iraqi border.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post
… For The List for Wednesday, 23 February 2022… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 23 February 1967… The little box below the fold on page 5….
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.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Dick
So worth reading again:
MEN ARE JUST HAPPY PEOPLE
This needs no explanation - and is a fun read, no matter your gender.
Men Are Just Happier People!
What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress - $5,000. Tux rental - $100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Two pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes — one colour for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache. You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.
No wonder men are happier!
NICKNAMES
If Laura, Kate, and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.
If Rich, Dave, and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Goose, Oddball and Bazza.
EATING OUT
When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave, and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
When the girls get their bill, outcome the pocket calculators.
MONEY
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.
BATHROOMS
A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel.
The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.
ARGUMENTS
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.
FUTURE
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
MARRIAGE
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.
DRESSING UP
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.
NATURAL
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.
OFFSPRING
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears, and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
So, send this to the women who have a sense of humor …. and to the men who will enjoy reading it.
Edward Goodwin
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
Daily Memo: The Not Quite Invasion
Little has changed on the ground, but everything has changed politically.
By: George Friedman
February 22, 2022
Russia has officially ordered soldiers into Donetsk and Luhansk, and though this certainly increases the sense of crisis, it must also be put in context. The region has effectively been under Russian control since the aftermath of the 2014 Maidan revolution. It is heavily ethnically Russian and is hostile to Ukraine. Various militias and paramilitary forces here have been fighting for years, with Russia providing support for the separatists. The east is formally part of Ukraine, but it has created its own administrative structures and militaries, which are heavily under the influence of Russia. In other words, Russia invaded an area in which it already had near-total control. In the eyes of international law, it was clearly an invasion. In practice, however, it isn't so cut and dry.
Russia has been amassing troops and hardware near the border for some time now, but it couldn't maintain a constant threat of war indefinitely, especially if Washington kept claiming that war was imminent. Moscow also understood that though the military buildup made for a frightening picture, an actual invasion of a country the size of Ukraine was fraught with difficulties – even if it were sure the U.S. wouldn't respond with force. Russia therefore had to make its threat real without triggering a theoretical military response or a much more likely financial response. It needed to gauge American commitment and, in turn, Europe's commitment to its alliance with America. Invading a region that was practically if not nominally part of Russia was a good way to achieve this. It has shown its aggression without taking an aggressive move.
The danger, of course, is that it could be seen as a prelude to a full-scale invasion. Indeed, that is how most are portraying it. But the truth is that this makes Ukraine no less difficult to take by force, makes the justification no less difficult to sell, and completely takes away the element of surprise.
Even so, it has left the United States with a problem. There's no question that Russia wants to take control of Ukraine. But before it tries, it must test Western solidarity. It has forced the U.S. to act, even though it doesn't really want to incur the cost of action. If Washington does nothing – because there is nothing that needs to be done – then that by itself can undermine the Western alliance.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Rich and DR
Date: Tue, Feb 22, 2022 at 4:14 PM
Subject: Today we have a Two-fer
Hi to all -
Twofer
Today is 2-22-2022. Dates like that do not happen very often. In Las Vegas, this is heralded as 'a sign', and they are expecting a lot of weddings today. The most weddings on a single day was 7-07-2007. Triple seven's was considered lucky, and 4500 people agreed. The next day with such a number was 1-11-2011, with 3500 weddings. We will have to wait a bit to see if today beats the record.
BTW the next one will be 3-3-2033 or 3-3-3033
Could Biden have been right?
That is another very rare event. Biden has been claiming that Russia would invade Ukraine. Yesterday, Russia recognized the independence of two small provinces close to their border. These areas speak Russian, and are ethnically Russian. Putin is sending in troops to 'protect' these people. Putin claims Ukraine is 'oppressing Russian speaking populations'. So, they need peacekeepers to protect them (oddly, they have not needed such protection for generations) . Say, isn't that exactly, precisely, what Hitler did in the early days of his expansion? He knows that Biden will not interfere, in spite of minor blustering. After all, Biden made it clear that a 'minor incursion' did not concern him.
Germany, however, actually took some action. They stopped work on the Nord 2 pipeline. This line would bring natural gas directly from Russia to Germany. Big money for Russia, and dependence on Russia for Germany. Currently, the lines pass through Ukraine, which charges fees to allow the gas to flow through their borders (borders? What are borders?) Stopping the Nord 2 pipeline will cost Russia a lot of money, as well as Ukraine. Russia is angry, and threatens to raise the price on gas and oil (which they also ship to Germany, and which Germany is dependent upon) sharply. This is economic warfare, which will lead to shooting warfare.
Truth Social
This is the new social media network set up by Trump and friends. It went online yesterday, and was swamped with people trying to sign up. Things got so busy that they had to set up waiting lists to process all the applications. Kind of like his rallies.
As a side note, there are a lot of democrats in congress who can read the tea leaves, and they are 'retiring', cutting their losses and getting out of Dodge before election time. That leaves at least three dozen seats open for others.
CDC
Well, the math whiz kids are at it again. Seems they have been diddling the figures to create an impression about the pandemic that is, shall we say, less than accurate. Kind of like they have been doing with job numbers, and economic growth. For example, they used outdated population estimates to suggest fewer unvaccinated people than there actually were. Thus, each case made it look like the rates of illness were higher than they actually were.. Clever, but dishonest. They also counted anyone whose status they did not know and could verify as unvaccinated. The reality was that many of those people had been vaccinated, creating the illusion that the vaccines were more effective than they were, and that the unvaccinated were sick at a higher rate than they were. There used to be a book called 'How to Lie with Statistics', teaching such techniques. Or, as others put it, 'there are lies, damned lies, and statistics.'
The Left Media
They have a new talking point. Seems that Fox News, and in particular Tucker Carlson, speak 'treason'. They really, really want to shut this network, and Tucker, down. All that truth coming from this network really angers them.
Denver
A group of five people were found dead in their home. A family. Looks like they got some really great cocaine, and had a party. But, the cocaine was laced with fentanyl. Lots of street drugs are laced with fentanyl these days, and it is very, very dangerous. And, where does fentanyl come from? Manufactured in China, in Wuhan, just a bit down the road from the bat lab. And, it enters the US via our southern border, or what used to be our border. You might be tempted to think that this is part of the plan to overthrow the nation by China and her supporters. Especially supporters among our political class.
In another story, the University of Virginia is now testing Ivermectin and other re-purposed FDA approved and commonly used drugs as therapeutics for treating this virus. They noted that some doctors have had success with this. Well, yeah, like tens of thousands of people treated in multiple countries and very few deaths or even serious illness. Used properly, we could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives, and untold amounts of money, and been done with this mess well over a year ago.
The various government counterparts to the CDC are noticing 'diminishing returns' with the vaccines. That, of course, is normal. All products, no matter how magical they may seem, lose effectiveness over time.
Kyle Rittenhouse
He went back on Tucker last night, and announced the formation of The Media Accountability Project, to go after all those propaganda outlets posing as news providers, to publish false information (or, what they describe as mis - dis - and malinformation). He named a number of folks he is personally suing, including Whoopie Goldberg, for personal attacks on him, and false information. Poor old Whoopie, looks like her whole world is falling apart. I think she will soon be off the stage.
Democrat State Legislator
lady named Nicole Klein Knight was discussing things with constituents, and used the 'N-word' repeatedly. Had she been a republican, this would be front page news for weeks. But, alas, she is only a democrat, so it is no big deal. Just to CYA, she was given a 'letter of caution' about using that word. There, it is all better now.
Biden
He just declared a 'National Emergency' over the truck convoy heading to Washington. Looks like a repeat of Canada, doesn't it?
Remember, if you give up your guns, first you will be enslaved, and then you will be slaughtered.
Canada
Watch how this goes from here on out. Besides the vindictive attacks on protesters, there are other troubling signs. It appears that those UN planes were indeed carrying international troops. Some reports saya that they were dressed up like local police, often without name badges or other ID patches, then used as thugs to beat down protesters. I have seen a number of such videos, and they often appear to be senseless attacks, against non-resisting people, just for the effect that beatdowns create. How long before these thugs begin shooting down people in the street?
The financial attacks, like shutting down bank accounts and freezing assets, is very scary. People like Glenn Beck have been warning for months that US banks plan to do that here, to seize political control.
If Canada is using international troops to subdue its people, who are lawfully protesting as allowed by Canadian Law, the all bets are off. This is not about health and safety. It is about a coup to overthrow the rule of law, and establish a dictatorship. It is war, and treason. If this proves to be true, then the people of Canada have no other option but to use force to secure their government and enforce their own law. As some have put it - 'Arrest or be Arrested'.
Have you noticed that not one single western leader has condemned Trudeau and his actions? They are watching to see if he gets away with this, and if it looks as if he will, they will do the same things in Europe and the US, at least in those places where this has not already happened. And, it will get far, far worse. Canada already has a series of 'Covid Camps' or rather, concentration camps for protesters. In the US, both Washington State and NY have tried to set up similar camps, to inter anyone who might be infected, or could become infected, with a contagious disease. They failed, so far, but they will try again. They always do.
And, it might be wise to get your money out of major banks, and into some form where you can access it in spite of the government. It is not IF but WHEN they try to cripple you by taking your money.
Rich
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This Day in U S Military History
February 23
1847 – U.S. troops under Gen. Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican Gen. Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista in Mexico. The United States and Mexico had been at war over territorial disputes since May 1846. The Battle of Buena Vista, also known as the Battle of Angostura, saw the United States (U.S.) Army use artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican–American War. Buena Vista, a village of the state of Coahuila, is seven miles (12 km) south of Saltillo, in northern Mexico.
1893 – Rudolf Diesel received a German patent for the diesel engine on this day. The diesel engine burns fuel oil rather than gasoline and differs from the gasoline engine in that it uses compressed air in the cylinder rather than a spark to ignite the fuel. Diesel engines were used widely in Europe for their efficiency and power, and are still used today in most heavy industrial machinery. In 1977, General Motors (GM) became the first American car company to introduce diesel-powered automobiles. The diesel-powered Olds 88 and 98 models were 40 percent more fuel-efficient than their gas-powered counterparts. The idling and reduced power efficiency of the diesel engine is much greater than that of the spark engine. Diesel cars never caught on in the U.S., partly because the diesel engine's greater efficiency is counter-balanced by its higher emissions of soot, odor, and air pollutants. Today, the argument over which engine is more environmentally friendly is still alive; some environmentalists argue that in spite of the diesel engine's exhaust pollution, its fuel efficiency may make it more environmentally sound than the gasoline engine in the long run.
1896 – Tootsie Roll was introduced by Leo Hirschfield. Tootsie rolls are still found in some of today's MREs
1900 – In the Philippines, Marine Captain Draper arranged with the gunboat USS Nashville, when it next came by on patrol, to shell the village of Benictican in retaliation for a raid on a marine water party 6 days before that had killed two Marines. After the bombardment, he entered the town with a force of 100 men and, finding it abandoned, destroyed it completely.
1903 – Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States "in perpetuity". Guantanamo Bay Naval Base (also called GTMO and pronounced gitmo by the US Military personnel stationed there) is located on 45 square miles (120 km2) of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which the United States leased for use as a coaling and naval station in the Cuban–American Treaty of 1903 (for $2,000 until 1934, for $4,085 since 1938 until now). The base is on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas U.S. Naval Base, and the only U.S. military installation in a country with whom the United States has no diplomatic relations. Since 1959 the Cuban government has consistently protested against the US presence on Cuban soil. Since
1940 – Woody Guthrie dated his song "this Land Is Your Land" to this day. His original title was "God Bless America."
1942 – A Japanese submarine shelled an oil refinery at Ellwood, near Santa Barbara, Calif., the first Axis bombs to hit American soil.
1945 – During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment, 5th Division take the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island's highest peak and most strategic position, and raise the U.S. flag. Marine photographer Louis Lowery was with them and recorded the event. American soldiers fighting for control of Suribachi's slopes cheered the raising of the flag, and several hours later more Marines headed up to the crest with a larger flag. Joe Rosenthal, a photographer with the Associated Press, met them along the way and recorded the raising of the second flag along with a motion-picture cameraman. Rosenthal took three photographs atop Suribachi. The first, which showed five Marines and one Navy corpsman struggling to hoist the heavy flag pole, became the most reproduced photograph in history and won for him a Pulitzer Prize. The accompanying motion-picture footage attests to the fact that the picture was not posed. Of the other two photos, the second was similar to the first but less affecting, and the third was a group picture of 18 soldiers smiling and waving for the camera. Many of these men, including three of the six soldiers seen raising the flag in the famous Rosenthal photo, were killed before the conclusion of the Battle for Iwo Jima in late March. In early 1945, U.S. military command sought to gain control of the island of Iwo Jima in advance of the projected aerial campaign against the Japanese home islands. Iwo Jima, a tiny volcanic island located in the Pacific about 700 miles southeast of Japan, was to be a base for fighter aircraft and an emergency-landing site for bombers. On February 19, 1945, after three days of heavy naval and aerial bombardment, the first wave of U.S. Marines stormed onto Iwo Jima's inhospitable shores. The Japanese garrison on the island numbered 22,000 heavily entrenched men. Their commander, General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, had been expecting an Allied invasion for months and used the time wisely to construct an intricate and deadly system of underground tunnels, fortifications, and artillery that withstood the initial Allied bombardment. By the evening of the first day, despite incessant mortar fire, 30,000 U.S. Marines commanded by General Holland Smith managed to establish a solid beachhead. During the next few days, the Marines advanced inch by inch under heavy fire from Japanese artillery and suffered suicidal charges from the Japanese infantry. Many of the Japanese defenders were never seen and remained underground manning artillery until they were blown apart by a grenade or rocket, or incinerated by a flame thrower. While Japanese kamikaze flyers slammed into the Allied naval fleet around Iwo Jima, the Marines on the island continued their bloody advance across the island, responding to Kuribayashi's lethal defenses with remarkable endurance. On February 23, the crest of 550-foot Mount Suribachi was taken, and the next day the slopes of the extinct volcano were secured. By March 3, U.S. forces controlled all three airfields on the island, and on March 26 the last Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima were wiped out. Only 200 of the original 22,000 Japanese defenders were captured alive. More than 6,000 Americans died taking Iwo Jima, and some 17,000 were wounded.
1952 – Air Force Major William T. Whisner, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, flying his F-86 Sabre "Elenore E," destroyed his fifth MiG-15 to become the war's seventh ace and his wing's first.
1954 – The first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh. Jonas Salk created the Salk vaccine against polio. It used a killed virus to induce immunization. Poliomyelitis is a viral attack of the central nervous system and can cause paralysis and death by asphyxiation.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*GRABIARZ, WILLIAM J.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army. Troop E, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 23 February 1945. Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Birth: Buffalo, N.Y. G.O. No.: 115, 8 December 1945. Citation: He was a scout when the unit advanced with tanks along a street in Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Without warning, enemy machinegun and rifle fire from concealed positions in the Customs building swept the street, striking down the troop commander and driving his men to cover. As the officer lay in the open road, unable to move and completely exposed to the pointblank enemy fire, Pfc. Grabiarz voluntarily ran from behind a tank to carry him to safety, but was himself wounded in the shoulder. Ignoring both the pain in his injured useless arm and his comrades' shouts to seek the cover which was only a few yards distant, the valiant rescuer continued his efforts to drag his commander out of range. Finding this impossible, he rejected the opportunity to save himself and deliberately covered the officer with his own body to form a human shield, calling as he did so for a tank to maneuver into position between him and the hostile emplacement. The enemy riddled him with concentrated fire before the tank could interpose itself. Our troops found that he had been successful in preventing bullets from striking his leader, who survived. Through his magnificent sacrifice in gallantly giving his life to save that of his commander, Pfc. Grabiarz provided an outstanding and lasting inspiration to his fellow soldiers.
WILLIAMS, HERSHEL WOODROW
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 23 February 1945. Entered service at: West Virginia. Born: 2 October 1923, Quiet Dell, W. Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as demolition sergeant serving with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 23 February 1945. Quick to volunteer his services when our tanks were maneuvering vainly to open a lane for the infantry through the network of reinforced concrete pillboxes, buried mines, and black volcanic sands, Cpl. Williams daringly went forward alone to attempt the reduction of devastating machinegun fire from the unyielding positions. Covered only by 4 riflemen, he fought desperately for 4 hours under terrific enemy small-arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flamethrowers, struggling back, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out 1 position after another. On 1 occasion, he daringly mounted a pillbox to insert the nozzle of his flamethrower through the air vent, killing the occupants and silencing the gun; on another he grimly charged enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets and destroyed them with a burst of flame from his weapon. His unyielding determination and extraordinary heroism in the face of ruthless enemy resistance were directly instrumental in neutralizing one of the most fanatically defended Japanese strong points encountered by his regiment and aided vitally in enabling his company to reach its objective. Cpl. Williams' aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
*AUSTIN, OSCAR P.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, (Rein), FMF. Place and date: West of Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969. Entered service at: Phoenix, Ariz. Born: 15 January 1948, Nacogdoches, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an assistant machine gunner with Company E, in connection with operations against enemy forces. During the early morning hours Pfc. Austin's observation post was subjected to a fierce ground attack by a large North Vietnamese Army force supported by a heavy volume of hand grenades, satchel charges, and small arms fire. Observing that 1 of his wounded companions had fallen unconscious in a position dangerously exposed to the hostile fire, Pfc. Austin unhesitatingly left the relative security of his fighting hole and, with complete disregard for his safety, raced across the fire-swept terrain to assist the marine to a covered location. As he neared the casualty, he observed an enemy grenade land nearby and, reacting instantly, leaped between the injured marine and the lethal object, absorbing the effects of its detonation. As he ignored his painful injuries and turned to examine the wounded man, he saw a North Vietnamese Army soldier aiming a weapon at his unconscious companion. With full knowledge of the probable consequences and thinking only to protect the marine, Pfc. Austin resolutely threw himself between the casualty and the hostile soldier, and, in doing, was mortally wounded. Pfc. Austin's indomitable courage, inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
*DAHL, LARRY G.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, 359th Transportation Company, 27th Transportation Battalion, U.S. Army Support Command. Place and date: An Khe, Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1971. Entered service at: Portland, Oreg. Born: 6 October 1949, Oregon City, Oreg. Citation: Sp4c. Dahl distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a machine gunner on a gun truck near An Khe, Binh Dinh Province. The gun truck in which Sp4c. Dahl was riding was sent with 2 other gun trucks to assist in the defense of a convoy that had been ambushed by an enemy force. The gun trucks entered the battle zone and engaged the attacking enemy troops with a heavy volume of machine gun fire, causing a large number of casualties. After a brief period of intense fighting the attack subsided. As the gun trucks were preparing to return to their normal escort duties, an enemy hand grenade was thrown into the truck in which Sp4c. Dahl was riding. Instantly realizing the great danger, Sp4c. Dahl called a warning to his companions and threw himself directly onto the grenade. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his safety, and profound concern for his fellow soldiers, Sp4c. Dahl saved the lives of the other members of the truck crew while sacrificing his own. Sp4c. Dahl's conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the cost of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit and the U.S. Army.
*HARTSOCK, ROBERT W.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 44th Infantry Platoon, 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Hau Nghia, Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969. Entered service at: Fairmont, W. Va. Born: 24 January 1945, Cumberland, Md. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Hartsock, distinguished himself in action while serving as section leader with the 44th Infantry Platoon. When the Dau Tieng Base Camp came under a heavy enemy rocket and mortar attack, S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon commander spotted an enemy sapper squad which had infiltrated the camp undetected. Realizing the enemy squad was heading for the brigade tactical operations center and nearby prisoner compound, they concealed themselves and, although heavily outnumbered, awaited the approach of the hostile soldiers. When the enemy was almost upon them, S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon commander opened fire on the squad. As a wounded enemy soldier fell, he managed to detonate a satchel charge he was carrying. S/Sgt. Hartsock, with complete disregard for his life, threw himself on the charge and was gravely wounded. In spite of his wounds, S/Sgt. Hartsock crawled about 5 meters to a ditch and provided heavy suppressive fire, completely pinning down the enemy and allowing his commander to seek shelter. S/Sgt. Hartsock continued his deadly stream of fire until he succumbed to his wounds. S/Sgt. Hartsock's extraordinary heroism and profound concern for the lives of his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*WEBER, LESTER W.
Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company M, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 30 July 1948, Aurora, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machinegun squad leader with Company M, in action against the enemy. The 2d Platoon of Company M was dispatched to the Bo Ban area of Hieu Duc District to assist a squad from another platoon which had become heavily engaged with a well entrenched enemy battalion. While moving through a rice paddy covered with tall grass L/Cpl. Weber's platoon came under heavy attack from concealed hostile soldiers. He reacted by plunging into the tall grass, successfully attacking 1 enemy and forcing 11 others to break contact. Upon encountering a second North Vietnamese Army soldier he overwhelmed him in fierce hand-to-hand combat. Observing 2 other soldiers firing upon his comrades from behind a dike, L/Cpl. Weber ignored the frenzied firing of the enemy and racing across the hazardous area, dived into their position. He neutralized the position by wrestling weapons from the hands of the 2 soldiers and overcoming them. Although by now the target for concentrated fire from hostile riflemen, L/Cpl. Weber remained in a dangerously exposed position to shout words of encouragement to his emboldened companions. As he moved forward to attack a fifth enemy soldier, he was mortally wounded. L/Cpl. Weber's indomitable courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 23, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
23 February
1909: John A. "Douglas" McCurdy made the first plane flight in Canada by flying the Aerial Experiment Association's plane, the Silver Dart, over Baddeck Bay, Nova Scotia. (24)
1911: Glenn Curtiss made his first amphibian demonstration at North Island near San Diego, Calif., by taking off and alighting on land and water. (24)
1912: War Department Bulletin No. 2 established a "Military Aviator" rating. (4)
1914: Charles Broadwick demonstrated an automatic attached backpack-type parachute. (5)
1942: The Materiel Division recommended the British looped-hose refueling system for American military inflight fuel transfers. Using this method, the receiver aircraft trailed a 300-foot line, with an attached three-pronged grapple, and positioned itself near the tanker, which trailed a 100-foot weighted line. (18)
1952: By shooting down a MiG-15, Maj William T. Whisner, Jr., 25th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, achieved ace status. (28)
1955: The Army selected Bell Hellicopter from 20 competing companies to build the first turbinepowered helicopter. Bell's design, the XH-40, later became the HU-1 Iroquois (later still UH-1), the famous "Huey" from Vietnam. (8: Feb 90)
1956: Secretary of the Air Force Donald A. Quarles sped up the Navaho missile program, using a high national priority second only to the ICBM and IRBM programs. (6)
1961: In an experiment at Eglin AFB, Fla., the direct measurement of atmospheric densities between the altitudes of 70 miles and 130 miles was accomplished for the first time. (24)
1965: PROJECT ASSET. The 1,175-pound reentry glider, last in a series of six, launched from Cape Kennedy, Fla., by a Thor-Delta booster into a 13,300-mile suborbital flight. This flight incorporated test materials for future lifting body reentry designs. (5)
1976: Through 26 February, a joint DoD/NASA team studied expendable launch vehicles during the transition to the Space Shuttle. They suggested using an Interial Upper Stage, being developed for the Space Shuttle, with the Titan III in this period. (5)
1984: The Tactical Air Command received its first F-15C Eagle as a replacement for the F-4 Phantom in the air superiority role. (16) (26)
1990: PIONEER 11. This vehicle became the fourth spacecraft to leave our solar system. It launched n 1973 and joined Pioneer 10, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 in an attempt to find the heliopause, the point where solar winds are no longer effective. [8: May 90] Through 6 March, the 435th Tactical Airlift Wing flew 11 tons of medical equipment and relief supplies to Senegal to treat diseases and provide shots against disease. (16) (26)
1998: Air Combat Command deployed the B-2 overseas the first time from Whiteman AFB, Mo., to Andersen AFB, Guam. (21)
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
World News for 23 February thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Biden Announces Sanctions On Russia Washington Post | 02/23/2022 President Biden has introduced new sanctions against the Russian financial sector following its military activities in Ukraine, reports the Washington Post. On Tuesday, Biden announced initial measures against two financial institutions, Russian sovereign debt and Russian elites and their family members. Corporation Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs Vnesheconombank (VEB) and Promsvyazbank (PSB), along with 42 subsidiaries, reported the Dept. of the Treasury. The VEB is a "a glorified piggy bank for the Kremlin that holds more than $50 billion in assets," said Daleep Singh, deputy national security adviser for international economics. The measures include "full blocking" sanctions for the first time, freezing the assets of the two banks and cutting off all transactions with them. Europe has matched the sanctions, meaning the banks can no longer make any transactions in the U.S. and Europe, said Singh. The president indicated that further measures would be implemented if Russia escalates its aggression against Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba questioned the apparent strategy of imposing sanctions in waves, suggesting that massive sanctions might better serve U.S. and Ukrainian interests. Canada, the European Union, Germany and the U.K. have all leveled new economic sanctions against Russia, reported Reuters.
USA—4 Killed In Hawaii Helicopter Crash KHON2 | 02/23/2022 Four people have been killed in a contractor helicopter crash in Hawaii, reports KHON2 News (Honolulu). On Tuesday, the S-61N helicopter operated by Croman Corp. went down at Barking Sands on Kauai, said the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF). The helicopter was supporting a training operation at the time, the range said. Croman Corp. provides range support services to the PMRF. Witnesses said the S-61N was delivering a load when it suddenly spun to the right and accelerated nose down into the ground. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
USA—XVIII Airborne Commander Cleared To Lead CENTCOM Military Times | 02/23/2022 The U.S. Senate has approved the Biden administration's nominee to lead Central Command (CENTCOM), reports the Military Times. On Feb. 17, the Senate approved Army Lt. Gen. Michael Kurilla for the post without objection. He is scheduled to be sworn in as head of CENTCOM in the coming days. Kurilla will be promoted to a four-star general before taking on the new job. During his confirmation hearing, Kurilla called for investing in additional intelligence capabilities in the Middle East, particularly in Afghanistan, to maintain counterterrorism efforts. Kurilla is currently the head of XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C. He returned to Germany as part of Task Force Dragoon, the corps' mission to support deterrence against Russia in Europe, immediately after his confirmation hearing.
USA—Wife Pleads Guilty In Attempted Sale Of Sub Secrets USNI News | 02/23/2022 The wife of a U.S. Navy nuclear engineer has pled guilty to helping him try and sell secrets to a foreign country, reports USNI News. On Friday, Diana Toebbe pled guilty in the District Court of Northern West Virginia to conspiracy to communicate restricted data. Diana Toebbe also agreed to help the government find all classified information, including allowing access to all electronic devices and accounts, as well as assisting in the recovery of $100,000 the FBI gave the Toebbes in a dead drop during the investigation. As part of the plea deal, the government agreed to a maximum prison sentence of three years. Toebbe's plea came a day after her husband, Jonathan Toebbe, pled guilty to the same charge. He faces a sentence of 12.5 to 17.5 years. The couple attempted to sell classified information about the Virginia-class submarines to an unnamed foreign country. They were arrested in October 2021 after a year-long investigation by the FBI.
United Kingdom—JEF To Demonstrate Freedom Of Movement In Baltic U.K. Ministry Of Defense | 02/23/2022 The British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has announced naval exercises in the Baltic Sea amid Russia's military buildup and aggression in Ukraine, reports U.K. Ministry of Defense. On Tuesday, the JEF announced that it would soon hold an exercise to demonstrate their freedom of movement in the Baltic Sea. The members of the JEF are Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the U.K. In a statement, the JEF condemned Russian aggression in Ukraine and the weaponization of migrants by Belarus toward Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
Germany—Scholz Halts Nord Stream 2 Pipeline After Russian Forces Enter Ukraine Politico Europe | 02/23/2022 Germany is halting the certification of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine, reports Politico Europe (Brussels). On Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Berlin was re-evaluating the situation regarding Nord Stream 2. The pipeline runs from Russia directly to northern Germany under the Baltic Sea. Scholz said he had asked the economy ministry to withdraw a binding opinion issued in October certifying that the pipeline did not pose a security of supply threat. The technical move was a necessary administrative step to halt the certification of the pipeline and prevent Nord Stream 2 from starting operations. Scholz made his announcement on Monday after Russia recognized the independence of the Russian-backed separatist-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine and sent additional troops into the region. Ukraine has warned for years that the pipeline represents a threat to its security. Russian natural gas exports that currently pass through Ukraine could have been shifted to the pipeline once it was operational, eliminating billions of dollars in annual transit fee revenue for Kyiv.
Ukraine—Government Seeks Parliamentary Approval For State Of Emergency Nbc News | 02/23/2022 The Ukrainian government has asked lawmakers to implement a state of emergency in response to Russia's military aggression in the eastern part of the country, reports NBC News. On Wednesday, the National Security and Defense Council asked Parliament to impose a state of emergency for an initial 30 days. The measure would allow for greater security checks within Ukraine, reported Agence France-Presse. Kyiv has called on all nationals to leave Russia, where an estimated 1.9 million to 3 million Ukrainians live. The Ukrainian military has begun calling up reservists aged 18 to 60, for up to a year of service, reported Reuters. Parliament has also approved a bill allowing citizens to carry firearms in self-defense. On Monday, Russia recognized the independence of the Moscow-backed separatist-held parts of the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine and ordered troops into the area. President Biden called the move "the beginning of a Russian invasion."
China—Government Announces Sanctions On Lockheed, Raytheon United Press International | 02/23/2022 China is sanctioning two major U.S. defense contractors over arms sales to Taiwan, reports United Press International. On Monday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that Beijing was sanctioning Lockheed Martin and Raytheon over a proposed $100 million arms sale to Taiwan. On Feb. 7, the U.S. approved the sale of equipment and services to Taiwan for the maintenance and enhancement of its missile defense systems. "The U.S. arms sales to the Taiwan region of China seriously violate the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques," the spokesperson told reporters on Monday. The measures could include refusing visas, banning entry to China and seizing property.
South Korea—Defect To Sideline Trio Of Subs For Months Naval News | 02/23/2022 Three of the South Korean navy's most advanced submarines will be sidelined for repairs after a major issue was found in their propulsion systems, reports Naval News. The South Korean navy discovered issues in the cables of the inverter module of the propulsion systems on three Sohn Won-Il-class submarines, the Sohn Won-Il, Yoon Bong-Gil Ham and Yu Gwan-Sun. These are the first, fifth and sixth boats in the class. Each sub will have to complete a complex overhaul to fix the defects, which will take at least four months for each boat. The work is complicated by technology transfer and intellectual property barriers preventing the parts from being repaired in South Korea. The parts must be shipped to Germany for repairs by their original manufacturer, Siemens. The round trip shipping time is expected to be at least two months. Accordingly, the subs are likely to be out of service for a total of six months. The repairs on the Sohn Won Il began in January while work will start on the Yun Bong-Gil Ham in August and Yu Gwan-Sun in February 2023. Siemens has been awarded a US$6 million contract for the repair work.
South Korea—U.S. Forces Korea Upgrades With New Apaches Yonhap | 02/23/2022 The U.S. Army has deployed some of its newest attack helicopters to South Korea, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The process to deploy the AH-64E Version 6 (AH-64E V6) Apache helicopters to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, was completed on Feb. 16, the U.S. 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade said in a social media post. In January, the service announced that 24 AH-64E V6s would be sent to South Korea. U.S. Forces Korea is the first overseas command to receive the latest Apache variant. In the global defense posture review released by the U.S. Dept. of Defense in November, the Pentagon said it would permanently station an Apache unit in South Korea. Apaches were previously deployed to South Korea on a rotational basis.
Australia—PM Calls Laser Incident 'Act Of Intimidation' Australian Broadcasting Corporation | 02/23/2022 A Chinese warship sailing through Australia's exclusive economic zone directed a laser at an Australian maritime patrol aircraft last week, reports the Australian Broadcasting Corp. On Feb. 17, a Luyang-class guided-missile destroyer and Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock were passing through the Arafura Sea between Australia and New Guinea and within the Australian exclusive economic zone (EEZ), reported the Aviationist blog. The Luyang-class destroyer used a military-grade laser to illuminate an Australian air force P-8A Poseidon. The type of laser has not been confirmed. Chinese sources cited by the official Global Times said it was a laser rangefinder. Laser rangefinders can pose a danger to the human eye. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was an "unprovoked" "act of intimidation" that should not have happened. On Monday, Morrison called for the Chinese government to explain the incident, emphasizing that it was a dangerous and reckless act, reported CNN. Chinese authorities accused the Australian government of "maliciously spreading disinformation," denying that its warship pointed a laser at the Australian aircraft.
Burma—China, Russia, Serbia Supplying Weapons To Junta, U.N. Watchdog Says Agence France-Presse | 02/23/2022 China, Russia and Serbia have continued to supply weapons to the Burmese military since it overthrew the civilian government last year, reports Agence France-Presse. On Tuesday, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the rights situation in Burma Tom Andrews released a report detailing the types of weapons the countries have supplied to Burma since 2018. China and Russia have delivered fighter jets, armored vehicles, ballistic missile systems and mobile defense systems "with the full knowledge they would likely be used in attacks against civilians," says the report, as cited by the Voice of America News. Meanwhile, Serbia has authorized the export of rockets and artillery to the Burmese junta. Russia has promised to supply additional materiel, said Andrews. The report also says that countries including Belarus, Ukraine, Pakistan, South Korea and Israel have provided weapons to Burma since 2018, when it launched a crackdown on its Rohingya Muslim minority in the western Rakhine state. The weapon sales come amid widely documented abuses of civilians by the military. Andrews urged the Security Council to ban such transfers.
Kuwait—U.S. Support Sought To Build A New Defense Ministry Complex U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency | 02/23/2022 The U.S. State Dept. has approved a possible deal to construct a new headquarters for the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense, reports the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The potential US$1 billion deal covers the design, construction and procurement of materials for the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense headquarters complex, including all physical building and infrastructure construction costs. The project covers more than 20 facilities, including primary headquarters for civilian and military leadership. Under the proposed deal, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would provide lifecycle design, construction, project management, engineering services, technical support, facility and infrastructure assessments, surveys, planning, programming, design, acquisition, contract administration, construction management and other technical services.
Syria—Israeli Missiles Hit Quneitra Times of Israel | 02/23/2022 Syrian state media says that Israel has fired missiles at targets in Quneitrah in the Syrian-administered Golan Heights, reports the Times of Israel. On Wednesday, Israel fired several surface-to-surface missiles at targets in Quneitra causing some material losses, reported the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). Local journalists said the strikes targeted an observation post in Rwihinah, next to the border fence, and a finance ministry building in Baath. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Israel—Naval Iron Dome System Passes Live-Fire Testing Rafael Advanced Defense Systems | 02/23/2022 Rafael and the Israeli military have successfully completed live trials of a new naval missile defense system, reports the Israel defense firm. The C-Dome, a naval variant of the Iron Dome rocket defense system, successfully completed a series of live-fire tests against several advanced threats, Rafael said in a Tuesday release. The trials took place from the Magen, the first Sa'ar VI corvette to enter Israeli navy service. The testing scenarios covered several advanced threats, including rockets, cruise missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles.
South Africa—More Troops Being Sent To Mozambique Voice Of America News | 02/23/2022 South Africa is sending additional troops to a multinational mission fighting insurgents in northern Mozambique, reports the Voice of America News. The new contingent will consist of mechanized infantry, paratroopers and special operations forces, joining special operations units that have already been deployed, experts said. The military said the troops would be deployed as soon as transport to northern Mozambique was finalized. More than 3,000 Rwandan and South African troops have deployed to northern Mozambique. South African troops are part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), while Rwanda heads its own mission.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.