The List 6020 TGB
Good Tuesday Morning March 1
I hope that your week is off to a good start
Regards,
Skip
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
March 1,
1865—Side-wheel steamship Harvest Moon, while underway near Georgetown, SC, with Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren on board, hits a Confederate mine (or "torpedo" in contemporary terms) and sinks with the loss of one of her crew.
1942—Naval Reserve pilot Ensign William Tepuni, flying a Lockheed Hudson reconnaissance, light bombing and transport aircraft (PBO) from VP-82 Squadron based at Naval Air Station Argentia, Newfoundland, Canada, attacks and sinks German submarine U 656 southwest of Newfoundland—the first U-boat sunk by U.S. forces in World War II.
1944—USS Bronstein (DE 189) sinks German submarine U 603 in the North Atlantic and then teams with USS Thomas (DE 102) and USS Bostwick (DE 103) to sink German submarine U 709.
1953—During the Korean War, USS Valley Forge (CVA 45) aircraft raid the No.1 power plant at Chosen, Korea, and heavily damage the strongly defended industrial site.
1991—Following USS Missouri's (BB 63) bombardment of Faylaka Island during Operation Desert Storm, hundreds of Iraqi soldiers wave white flags and surrender to the battleship's Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) flying overhead.
2014—USS Somerset (LPD 25) is commissioned in Philadelphia, PA. The ninth of the 12-ship San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock warships, Somerset is named to honor the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 who attacked the 9/11 terrorists after they hijacked the plane, sending it crashing into the ground at Somerset County, PA, rather than their target in Washington, D.C.
This day in world history
March 1
1642 York, Maine becomes the first incorporated American city.
1692 Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne and Tituba are arrested for the supposed practice of witchcraft in Salem, Mass.
1776 French minister Charles Gravier advises his Spanish counterpart to support the American rebels against the English.
1780 Pennsylvania becomes the first U.S. state to abolish slavery.
1803 Ohio becomes the 17th state to join the Union.
1808 In France, Napoleon creates an imperial nobility.
1815 Napoleon lands at Cannes, France, returning from exile on Elba, with a force of 1,500 men and marches on Paris.
1871 German troops enter Paris, France, during the Franco-Prussian War.
1875 Congress passes the Civil Rights Act, which is invalidated by the Supreme Court in 1883.
1912 Albert Berry completes the first in-flight parachute jump, from a Benoist plane over Kinlock Field in St. Louis, Missouri.
1915 The Allies announce their aim to cut off all German supplies and assure the safety of the neutrals.
1919 The Korean coalition proclaims their independence from Japan.
1921 The Allies reject a $7.5 billion reparations offer in London. German delegation decides to quit all talks.
1932 The Lindbergh baby is kidnapped from the Lindbergh home near Princeton, New Jersey.
1935 Germany officially establishes the Luftwaffe.
1941 Bulgaria joins the Axis as the Nazis occupy Sofia.
1942 Japanese troops land on Java in the Pacific.
1943 The British RAF conducts strategic bombing raids on all European railway lines.
1960 1,000 Black students pray and sing the national anthem on the steps of the old Confederate Capitol in Montgomery, Ala.
1968 Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara is replaced by Clark Clifford.
1969 Mickey Mantle announces his retirement from baseball.
1974 A grand jury indicts seven of President Nixon's aides for the conspiracy on Watergate.
1985 The Pentagon accepts the theory that an atomic war would block the sun, causing a "nuclear winter."
1992 Bosnian Serbs begin sniping in Sarajevo, after Croats and Muslims vote for Bosnian independence.
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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 Tuesday, 1 March 2022… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 1 March 1967… Letter to CEO, Medals of America dated 1 March 2017…
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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Pilot Down... The Rescue of Roger Locher
Thanks to Billy ….and Dr. Rich
Thanks Lloyd!
This has been around before. But, it is so darned good it had me spellbound again. Likely, it will swell your chest up, perhaps bring a tear. It is all about things too many American's no longer place the high value on that they should. At least I believe they should...
BGEN Steve Ritchie flew over 800 combat hours in the F4 Phantom during 339 missions. He is the only Air Force pilot "Ace" of Vietnam war. He is a captivating speaker and I assure you that the minutes spent watching this video will leave you feeling rewarded.
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Military Milestones from the First Marine Landing to a Billboard Hit Song by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
03/02/2010
This Week in American Military History:
Mar. 2, 1943: Elements of the U.S. Army Air Forces and Royal Australian Air Force intercept and all-but-destroy an entire Japanese troop-transport convoy in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Several enemy ships, scores of enemy aircraft, and thousands of enemy soldiers will be sent to the bottom.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur will remark that Bismarck Sea "cannot fail to go down in history as one of the most complete and annihilating combats of all time." Japanese Navy Capt. Tameichi Hara will refer to the battle as "shocking" and "unbelievable."
Mar. 3, 1776: A force of 250 Continental Marines and sailors under the command of Marine Capt. (future major) Samuel Nicholas land on New Providence in the British-held Bahamas and quickly seize Fort Montague in the first amphibious operation in American military history. The landing – largely unopposed (the British garrison spiking their own guns and fleeing) – nets for the Americans much-needed powder, shot, nearly 50 serviceable cannon, and a few mortars.
An avid foxhunter and the highest-ranking leatherneck in the American Revolution, Nicholas will lead Marines alongside Army forces in the future battles of (second) Trenton and Princeton. He is considered to be the first commandant of the Marine Corps.
Mar. 3, 1815: The U.S. Congress authorizes American Naval action against the pirate state of Algiers.
Mar. 3, 1883: The U.S. Congress approves the creation of the "new Navy"
with an authorization to build three "steel-protected cruisers" and a "steel dispatch boat." The authorization begins a steel-ship renaissance for the U.S. Navy.
Mar. 3, 1931: The U.S. Congress adopts "The Star Spangled Banner" as the official national anthem.
The anthem's lyrics were initially penned as a poem by Washington, D.C.
lawyer Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812. Key wrote his now-famous words on an envelope as he witnessed the British night-bombardment of Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Sept. 13-14, 1814, from the deck of a Royal Navy ship aboard which had been detained.
Portions of the anthem read:
"…Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
…
"Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto:
'In God is our trust.'
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"
Mar. 4, 1944: B-17 Flying Fortresses of the U.S. Army Air Forces participate in the first daylight bombing raid over Berlin. A massive B-17 raid over the German capitol will follow in two days.
Mar. 5, 1770: A contingent of armed British soldiers fire into a crowd of protesting colonists in what will become known as the Boston Massacre. Five colonists are killed. The soldiers, charged with murder, will contend the protestors were threatening them with rocks and clubs. The killings will spark public outrage, demands for the death penalty for the soldiers responsible, and draw America even closer toward revolution. Ironically, patriot and future U.S. President John Adams is the lawyer who will successfully defend the British soldiers. A portion of Adams' argument
reads:
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence: nor is the law less stable than the fact; if an assault was made to endanger their [the soldiers'] lives, the law is clear, they had a right to kill in their own defense."
Mar. 5, 1776: Six years to the day after the Boston Massacre, British Gen. Sir William Howe awakens to find Continental Army Gen. George Washington's artillery well-positioned atop Boston's commanding Dorchester Heights. Howe purportedly says, "The rebels have done more in one night than my whole army would have done in a month."
Washington's men continue to strengthen their gun-batteries and fortifications over the next 10-plus days forcing Howe to deem the American positions "impregnable." The British will begin evacuating Boston on the 17th.
Mar. 5, 1942: The Seabees – the U.S. Navy's celebrated combat-capable Construction Battalions (CBs) – are established.
Mar. 5, 1966: The "Ballad of the Green Berets" composed by U.S. Army Special Forces Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler and author Robin Moore hits the number-one spot on the Billboard Chart where it will remain for five weeks.
A portion of the lyrics read:
"Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret.
"Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret. …"
Mar. 6, 1836: The Alamo – commanded by Lt. Col. William Barret Travis – falls to Mexican forces after the garrison puts up one of the most heroic defenses in American military history (see previous week's military milestones).
Mar. 7, 1942: The first group of black airmen – including Capt. (future general) Benjamin O. Davis Jr. – graduates from the U.S. Army Air Forces flight school at Tuskegee, Alabama.
Mar. 7, 1945: U.S. Army armored forces race to seize the strategically vital Ludendorff Bridge (also known as the Remagen bridge) before the Germans blow the structure. The Americans are successful, thus enabling the allies to establish a bridgehead on the enemy side of the Rhine River.
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Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
Daily Memo: The Mood in Russia: It's Complicated
The initial anger and misapprehension have turned into something more nuanced.
By: GPF Staff
March 1, 2022
Opinions are fickle. They change depending on circumstance, reaction and incoming information, in disputes and in conversations. They're formed as much by emotion as by reason, which makes them inherently unpredictable. So it is with Russian opinion about the war in Ukraine. Certainly, Russians are not indifferent to the conflict, nor are they unconcerned about the weak ruble, the cancellation of flights, and the real possibility of losing their savings. Which is to say, most Russians are concerned with themselves at the moment, worried and scared about what's to come, and many will surely change their minds in the coming days, not least because the invasion took them, as it did many of us, by surprise.
At first, there was a noticeable wave of anger and misapprehension. Social media platforms were generally filled with anti-war posts, and by the evening of Feb. 24, protests against the invasion of Ukraine were held in various Russian cities. They were generally fairly small, though hundreds of participants were detained in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The usual crowd of artists and celebrities came out against the war, and naturally, real reports began to mix with mis- and disinformation, so in the first couple of days, it became extremely difficult to discern fact from fiction.
But the imposition of sanctions turned most Russians' attention to domestic affairs. Just the knowledge that sanctions were coming caused the ruble exchange rate to fall. (The exchange rates for dollars and euros reached historical highs on Feb. 28, about 113.5 rubles and 127 rubles, respectively.) It's no surprise, then, that many rushed to withdraw their money from the banks. (Ominously, the most popular Google query on Feb. 26 was "What is SWIFT?") Some banks escaped sanctions, of course, and Russia's Mir payment system continues uninterrupted, but estimates nonetheless suggest that an additional 1.4 trillion rubles entered into circulation on Feb. 25. Prices increased for household goods, computers, components, smartphones, tablets and other modern equipment, leading many to purchase more expensive items such as cars as a possible future investment or to simply buy them while they can still afford them.
But now that Russians have had more time to react, opinions are starting to differ wildly. For many, Russian pride is competing with shame. Plenty still oppose the war, but some high-profile people support Russia. Others, even those who were unhappy with Moscow's pandemic performance, who were almost on the verge of unemployment, and who were shocked by the start of the military operation, are now sympathetic to the government. Still others believed that intervention in Ukraine was inevitable, and are upset only that it didn't happen sooner.
Public opinion in a country as large and populous as Russia is impossible to pin down. But from what I can tell, those for the war and those against both hope for a similar outcome: abstention from a long, large-scale war in favor of a negotiated settlement
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This Day in U S Military History
1912 – Albert Berry makes the first parachute jump from an airplane at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Berry jumped from a Benoist pusher biplane from 1,500 feet (457 m) and landed successfully. The pilot was Tony Jannus. The 36 foot (11 m) diameter parachute was contained in a metal canister attached to the underside of the plane – when Berry dropped from the plane his weight pulled the parachute from the canister. Rather than being attached to the parachute by a harness Berry was seated on a trapeze bar. According to Berry he dropped 500 feet (152 m) before the parachute opened.
1942 – The "Flying Tigers" volunteer air force under the command of Claire Chennault, move to an RAF bomber base after their exceptional air defense of Rangoon.
1945 – On Iwo Jima, forces of US 5th Amphibious Corps now hold both the first and second of the island's airfields and have a foothold at the southern end of the third. There is intensive fighting all along the line.
1954 – Ted Williams fractures collarbone in 1st game of spring training after flying 39 combat missions without injury in Korean War.
2002 – Operation Anaconda begins in which the United States military and CIA Paramilitary Officers, working with allied Afghan military forces, and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and non-NATO forces attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. The operation took place in the Shahi-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains southeast of Zormat. This operation was the first large-scale battle in the United States War in Afghanistan since the Battle of Tora Bora in December 2001. This was the first operation in the Afghanistan theater to involve a large number of U.S. conventional (i.e. non-Special Operations Forces) forces participating in direct combat activities. From this date to March 16, 2002 1,700 airlifted U.S. troops and 1,000 pro-government Afghan militia battled between 300 to 1,000 al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters to obtain control of the valley. The Taliban and al-Qaida forces fired mortars and heavy machine guns from entrenched positions in the caves and ridges of the mountainous terrain at U.S. forces attempting to secure the area. Afghan Taliban commander Maulavi Saifur Rehman Mansoor later led Taliban reinforcements to join the battle. U.S. forces had estimated the strength of the rebels in the Shahi-Kot Valley at 150 to 200, but later information suggested the actual strength was of 500 to 1,000 fighters.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*BRUCE, DANIEL D.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Headquarters and Service Company, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Fire Support Base Tomahawk, Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 1 March 1969. Entered service at: Chicago, 111. Born: 18 May 1950, Michigan City, Ind. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a mortar man with Headquarters and Service Company 3d Battalion, against the enemy. Early in the morning Pfc. Bruce was on watch in his night defensive position at fire support base tomahawk when he heard movements ahead of him. An enemy explosive charge was thrown toward his position and he reacted instantly, catching the device and shouting to alert his companions. Realizing the danger to the adjacent position with its 2 occupants, Pfc. Bruce held the device to his body and attempted to carry it from the vicinity of the entrenched marines. As he moved away, the charge detonated and he absorbed the full force of the explosion. Pfc. Bruce's indomitable courage, inspiring valor and selfless devotion to duty saved the lives of 3 of his fellow marines and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for March 1 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
1 March
1912: Albert Berry made the first (attached-type) parachute jump from a heavier-than-air aircraft, a Benoist pusher, while flying 1,500 feet above Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, Mo. (21) (24)
1918: The US Navy bought its first dirigible, the AT-1, from France. On 3 March, this craft made its first American-controlled flight in France. (24)
1923: The largest American nonrigid airship, the TC1, delivered. (5)
1928: Through 9 March, Lt Burnie R. Dallas and Beckwith Havens flew the first transcontinental flight in a Loening Amphibian airplane. They used 32 hours 45 minutes of flight time for the trip. (8)
1937: The 2 BG at Langley Field received the first YB-17A Flying Fortress. (11)
1939: Maj Gen Delos C. Emmons became the GHQ Commander at Langley Field. (5)
1942: Ensign William Tepuni, USN Reserve, flying a Lockheed Hudson, sank a German submarine near Newfoundland. It was the first German sub sunk by American forces in World War II. (24)
1946: A Pan American Airways Constellation Clipper set a commercial record for the New York to Lisbon flight by covering the 3,425 miles in 9 hours 58 minutes. (5)
1947: Maj Gen Charles F. Born, Fifteenth Air Force Commander, led six B-29s on a goodwill trip from Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas, to Uruguay to honor the new President, Tomas Beretta. (1)
1950: Boeing Airplane Company turned over the first production B-47A Stratojet bomber to the Air Force Inspection Board. (5)
1953: The Air Guard's 138 FIS Syracuse, N. Y., and 194th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (FBS) at Hayward, Calif., began augmenting Air Defense Command's runway alert program. This event began the USAF's total force approach to reserve component use and training. (21)
1954: The US exploded its first hydrogen bomb in the Marshall Islands. (8) 1960: The prototype GAM-72A Quail completed its first powered flight at Holloman AFB. (6)
1962: A Polaris missile, launched from Cape Canaveral, hit its target area 1,500 miles away. (24)
1963: The USAF achieved its first Advanced Ballistic Missile Reentry System (ABRES) launch from Cape Canaveral. (26)
1965: Project LONG LIFE. The first Minuteman I (model B) to be launched left an ICBM silo at Newell, S. Dak. With this shot, the 44 SMW at Ellsworth AFB demonstrated that a Minuteman could be launched from an operational site. (1) (6)
1966: Venera 3 became the first spacecraft to reach Venus. (5)
1968: A Minuteman II at the 341 SMW, Malmstrom AFB, received the first Minuteman Mark I penetration aid. (6)
1972: First production SRAM delivered to SAC. (6) (12)
1973: Fairchild-Republic received a contract for the A-10. (12) McDonnell-Douglas received production approval for the first 30 operational F-15s. (30)
1977: The first three F-111Fs arrived in Europe for assignment to the 48 TFW at RAF Lakenhealth, UK. (16) (26)
1979: TEAM SPIRIT. Through 17 March, aircraft flew 9,952 sorties in the fourth annual joint/combined exercise in Korea. (16)
1986: To 5 March, the first humanitarian flights to airlift Afghan patients and aid Afghan refugees in Pakistan began. By November 1991, the DoD had evacuated over 1,200 Afghans for medical care in Europe and the U.S and delivered more than $50 million in excess DoD property. The operation continued through May 1993. (18)
1989: General Dynamics delivered the first F-16A to the ANG's 114th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (TFTS) at Kingsley Field, Or.
1990: Rockwell rolled out the X-31A Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability (EFM) Demonstrator at Palmdale, Calif. The X-31A developed out of a cooperative venture between Rockwell International and Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm that made it the first multinational experimental aircraft. (8: May 90)
1991: Through 30 June, 42 C-5 Galaxies and 3 C-141 Starlifters from the 60 MAW and 436 MAW moved more than 1,000 tons of fire-fighting equipment and 100 fireman to Kuwait City. There, the firemen battled more than 500 burning oil wells set afire by retreating Iraqi forces. (16) Through 31 December, C-5s moved 150 tons of relief supplies to Bucharest, Romania, to help the government overcome a critical economic situation. The capital city faced violent street protests in an effort to attain a democratic government. (16) (26)
1992: Operation DESERT SORTIE. Although the redeployment of DESERT STORM forces to the US from the Middle East officially started on 10 March, redeployment activities actually began earlier. From 6 March through 31 May, KC-10s and KC-135s flew 4,925 sorties to deliver 34 million gallons of fuel as well as 2,894 airlift sorties. From 1 March 1991 through 14 April 1992, C-5s, C-141s, C-130s, KC-10s, and commercial aircraft flew 5,892 missions to move 473,472 passengers and 173,648 tons of cargo. (18)
1993: Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. Seven Guard and Reserve C-130s deployed to Rhein-Main AB to join the airlift to Bosnia-Herzegovina. (18)
2000: Operation ATLAS RESPONSE. After flooding in Mozambique left about one million people homeless, a C-17 from the 315 AW (AFRC) at Charleston AFB, augmented by crewmembers from the 446 AW (AFRC) at McChord AFB, flew the first planeload of emergency relief supplies to flood-ravaged Mozambique to initiate this operation. The crew was at Ramstein AB, Germany, when the Tanker Airlift Control Center tasked it to fly the mission. The crew picked up bottled water, food, and rolls of plastic sheeting for emergency shelters from Pisa, Italy, and then delivered the supplies to Maputo and Beira in Mozambique. There, C-130s, along with MH-53 and HH-60 helicopters, distributed the food, water, tents, and medicine. By the end of the operation on 16 April, the Air Mobility Command system had flown 29 strategic airlift missions with C-5s and C-17s to transport 720 passengers and 910 short tons of cargo. (21) (22)
2002: Operation ENDURING FREEDOM/ANACONDA. The US and its coalition partners launched Operation ANACONDA in eastern Afghanistan. Using B-52s, B-1s, AC-130s, A-10s, and F-15s for air support, the coalition ground operation tried to surround and kill Taliban and al Qaeda forces regrouping south of Gardez. (21)
2005: At Langley AFB, Va., Lt Gen William Fraser III, the Air Combat Command Vice Commander, declared an initial operating capability for the MQ-1 Predator, even though it had already seen extensive operational service in Afghanistan and Iraq. The MQ-1 version had advanced sensors and carried AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. (3)
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World News for I March thanks to Military Periscope
USA—No Plans For No-Fly Zone, Says White House Al Jazeera | 03/01/2022 The U.S. has rejected a Ukrainian request for a no-fly zone over its territory, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western nations to establish a no-fly zone over his country, saying Russia had conducted 56 rocket and 113 cruise missile strikes since launching its unprovoked war on Feb. 24. Washington rejected such a step, saying that it would be a step toward direct conflict between the U.S. and Russia. A White House spokeswoman said that President Biden "has been very clear that he is not intending to send U.S. troops to fight a war with Russia." U.K. Foreign Minister Dominic Raab rejected the proposal on similar grounds in an interview with Sky News (U.K.).
USA—Lockheed, Northrop, York Selected To Build Tranche 1 Transport Layer Satellites Space Development Agency | 03/01/2022 The Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded three contracts for the production of satellites for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer element of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA). The other transaction authority (OTA) contracts with a combined value of $1.8 billion were awarded to York Space Systems, Denver, Colo. ($382 million); Lockheed Martin Space, Littleton, Colo. ($700 million); and Northrop Grumman Strategic Space Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif. ($692 million) to build a 126 satellites, the SDA said in a press release on Monday. Each company will build 42 satellites, 21 for each of two near-polar low Earth orbit planes for a total of six Tranche 1 Transport Layer planes. The first plane of the Tranche 1 Transport Layer constellation is expected to be launched by September 2024 with follow-on launches occurring at one-month intervals. Tranche 1 of the Transport Layer is expected to provide the initial combat capability of the NDSA. Each satellite will be equipped with optical communication terminals (OCTs) enabling a minimum of four simultaneous optical communication links; a Link 16 mission communications payload; Ka-band radio-frequency mission communication payload; and a battle management, command, control and communication (BMC3) module enabling on-orbit data processing storage and fusion. Lockheed Martin and York were chosen in 2020 to build 10 satellites each for Tranche 0 of the Transport Layer, noted Space News. Those satellites are expected to be launched later this year.
USA—Embassy In Minsk Closed U.S. State Dept. | 03/01/2022 The U.S. is suspending operations at its embassy in Belarus and allowing the departure of some non-essential staff from Moscow, reports the State Dept. On Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the State Dept. had suspended operations of the embassy in Minsk and authorized the voluntary departure of non-emergency employees and family members from the embassy in Moscow. The moves are in response to security and safety issues linked to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Blinken said.
USA—Navy To Court-Martial Sailor Accused Of Setting Fire On Bonhomme Richard Amphib USNI News | 03/01/2022 The Navy says it will court martial a sailor suspected of starting a fire that destroyed one of its amphibious assault ships in 2020, reports USNI News. On Feb. 23, Vice Adm. Stephen Koehler, commander 3rd Fleet, formally referred charges of arson and hazarding of a vehicle against Seaman Recruit Ryan Mays, a Navy spokesman said on Feb. 25. In July 2020, a major fire broke out aboard USS Bonhomme Richard as she approached the end of a major refit in San Diego. The subsequent investigation indicated that the fire had been deliberately set. Several sailors told investigators that they had seen Mays in the area shortly before the blaze. Vice Adm. Scott Conn, Koehler's predecessor, did not file charges against Mays. Koehler elected to prefer charges against Mays a month after taking over the post in June 2021. Following an Article 32 preliminary hearing in December 2020, the hearing officer reportedly recommended that the case not proceed to court martial due to weakness in the evidence, according to May's attorney.
Italy—Air Contingent In Romania Doubled The Aviationist | 03/01/2022 Italy has doubled its contingent in Romania to help defend NATO airspace in response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, reports the Aviationist blog. On Saturday, Italian Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini announced that Italy would double the number of Eurofighter Typhoons assigned to the NATO air-policing mission in Romania. Italy took command of the NATO Enhanced Air-Policing Area South (eAPA-S) mission with four Typhoons on Dec. 15. Four more Typhoons have now joined the original contingent at Mihail Kogalniceanu air base. Rome is also working on a measure to approve shipments of military equipment to Ukraine, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons as well as machine guns. Deliveries of nonlethal aid to Ukraine at no cost have already been approved. These included helmets, bulletproof vests, counter-improvised explosive device technology and demining systems with a combined value of 12 million euros (US$13.5 million).
Turkey—Bosphorus Closed To Warships Daily Sabah | 03/01/2022 Turkey has closed the Bosphorus Strait to all foreign warships, reports the Daily Sabah (Istanbul). On Monday, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that the Turkish Cabinet had decided to take the step as provided for under the Montreux Convention, which regulates maritime traffic into the Black Sea. All countries, whether they border the Black Sea or not, have been informed of the decision, said the minister. Articles 19 and 21 of the Montreux Convention grant Turkey control over the straits during a war to which Ankara is not a belligerent. On Sunday, Ankara formally declared Russian aggression in Ukraine to be war, allowing it invoke articles under the agreement that could limit the passage of some Russian ships.
Turkey—Anadolu Amphib Starts Sea Trials Naval News | 03/01/2022 The Turkish navy's future flagship has begun initial sea trials, reports Naval News. The amphibious assault ship Anadolu left the Sedef Shipyard on Feb. 27 and was observed sailing in the Sea of Marmara between the Aegean Sea and Black Sea. Sedef Shipyard officials confirmed that the Anadolu had left its dock for initial testing. The Anadolu was originally expected to be commissioned in 2021, but this has been postponed to 2022 at the soonest.
Ukraine—Belarusian Forces Enter Chernihiv Province, Parliament Says Politico Europe | 03/01/2022 Ukrainian officials say Belarusian troops have joined the unprovoked Russian invasion, reports Politico Europe (Brussels). On Tuesday, the Ukrainian Parliament said that a Belarusian unit of 33 vehicles had entered the northern Chernihiv province, citing the spokesman for the North Territorial Defense Forces. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told the state-run Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BELTA) on Tuesday that his country did not intend to join the Russian war, reported the Washington Post. Lukashenko said that more forces were being sent to the border with Ukraine to prevent any military action against Belarus, reported iNews (U.K.).
Taiwan—ASW Helicopter Order Hits Roadblock Naval News | 03/01/2022 Plans to purchase anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters from the U.S. may be stalled, reports the Naval News. The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense submitted a budget request for the purchase of 12 MH-60R helicopters in August 2021 that was later approved by Parliament. The proposal included AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and air-launched Mk 54 lightweight torpedoes for the helicopters. The MH-60Rs are intended to replace the navy's MD 500 ASW helicopters that have been in service for more than four decades. However, in November 2021, the U.S. expressed opposition to the purchase, saying that such a procurement goes against the asymmetric warfare capabilities that would be needed in a conflict with China, reported the Chinese-language Liberty Times. That position is shared by some on the Taiwanese National Security Council and defense ministry who are reportedly preventing the navy from issuing a letter of request to start the purchase process.
Malaysia—Army Takes Delivery Of MD 530G Helos New Straits Times | 03/01/2022 The Malaysian military has taken delivery of new light scout/attack helicopters, reports the New Straits Times (Kuala Lumpur). On Monday, six MD 530G helicopters were officially delivered, said army chief Gen. Tan Sri Zamrose Mohd Zain. The aircraft must complete inspections and final acceptance testing before entering service, said Zamrose. These are expected to be completed by April. The helicopters arrived at Port Klang on Feb. 21 after a 31-day voyage from Oakland, Calif. Three of the aircraft will be assigned to the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), with the remainder to be stationed at Mahkota camp in Kluang in the southern Johor state.
Burma—Cease-Fire With Ethnic Armed Groups Extended Until End Of 2022 Asian News International | 03/01/2022 The Burmese military government has extended a cease-fire with some ethnic armed groups through the end of the year, reports the Asian News International (New Delhi). Local media reported on Tuesday that the current truce with ethnic armed groups had been extended through the end of 2022. The Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services said that the decision was part of efforts to improve the existing peace process and help the fight against COVID-19. The truce was first implemented in October 2015, noted Xinhua, China's state-run news agency. It has since been extended 20 times. The cease-fire does not extend to all armed groups, including those that arose in opposition to the February 2021 coup and certain armed groups that have resisted peace talks with the government.
Afghanistan—Taliban Launches Major Search Operation Voice Of America News | 03/01/2022 The Taliban is conducting widespread search operations in Kabul and the surrounding area, reports the Voice of America News. On Friday, the Taliban began conducting house-to-house searches in Kabul and cities in the surrounding provinces, said a Taliban spokesman cited by Agence France-Presse. The operation began in northern Kabul but by Saturday had spread to the city center, reported the Washington Post. The Taliban ministries of the interior, defense and the national intelligence agency were participating in the operation. The operation is intended to uncover weapons and criminals linked to a recent spate of robberies and kidnappings, according to the Taliban. The spokesman claimed that the Taliban had arrested six Islamic State members, nine kidnappers and 53 "professional thieves." Taliban forces also recovered light and heavy weapons; explosives; radio equipment; uncrewed aerial vehicles; and vehicles belonging to the military or government, he said. Individuals linked to the U.S.-backed government have expressed concern that the operation is an excuse to target anyone affiliated with the previous Western-backed administration.
Iraq—Air Force Strikes Kill 3 Suspected Terrorists In Anbar Province New Arab | 03/01/2022 The Iraqi Defense Ministry says it has killed three suspected terrorists in airstrikes in the western Anbar province, reports the New Arab (London). Air force F-16s attacked the suspected ISIS cell in the Shuaib Al Daye area of Anbar, the ministry said on Tuesday. The operation was based on intelligence received from the Iraqi National Intelligence Service. Iraq conducts these and other operations to eliminate terrorists and deny them safe havens, said the ministry.
Yemen—Government Forces Advance On Taiz New Arab | 03/01/2022 Yemeni government forces are making gains against Houthi fighters holding Taiz city, south of Sanaa, the capital, reports the New Arab (London). On Friday, government forces assaulted Taiz, gaining ground after heavy clashes, according to the Taiz media center run by the Yemeni military. The fighting extended into urban areas surrounding Taiz, the military said. Government forces claimed to have destroyed a Houthi tank, armored vehicle and drone as well as killed or wounded 30 fighters. Local activists reported at least 12 government soldiers died in the fighting. Houthi forces allegedly launched heavy artillery fire into civilian areas in an effort to retake the areas they had lost. Separately, Houthi fighters in the northwestern Hajjah province reportedly made gains, breaking through government defenses around the city of Harad, according to an unnamed military source.
Burkina Faso—Junta Approves Plan To Return To Democracy In 3 Years Bloomberg News | 03/01/2022 Burkina Faso's ruling junta says it will relinquish power within three years, reports Bloomberg News. On Tuesday, interim President Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba adopted a charter outlining the return to civilian rule following a coup in January. A technical commission had proposed a transition period of 30 months, which was the time estimated to be needed to combat militants and organize elections, noted Agence France-Presse. During the transition period, the government will be led by a civilian prime minister and 24-member Cabinet. Damiba, the prime minister, speaker of Parliament and 23 other members of the temporary government would be barred from competing in elections at the end of the transition period.
South Sudan—Hundreds Of Civilians Killed In Factional Fighting Last Year Agence France-Presse | 03/01/2022 At least 440 civilians were killed in fighting between factions in South Sudan last year, reports Agence France-Presse. Between June 2021 and September 2021, the U.N. documented 440 civilian fatalities, 18 injuries, 74 abductions and 56 disappearances, according to a U.N. Human Rights Office (UNHRO) report released on Tuesday. Another 64 people were subjected to conflict-related sexual violence. The fighting in Tambura County, Western Equatoria state, pitted members of armed groups loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with his rival, Vice President Riek Machar. The area has long been home to conflict between the rival Azande and Balanda ethnic groups, who were implicated in the violence. About 80,000 people were forced from their homes during the fighting. The main factions in South Sudan signed a peace deal in 2018 and formed a unity government in 2020. The sides remain at odds, with regular outbreaks of violence.
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