The List 6087 TGB
Good Friday Morning May the 6th
Great Bubba Breakfast this morning
I hope that you all have a great weekend
Regards,
Skip.
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History May 6
1860 The sloop-of-war Portsmouth, commanded by John Calhoun, captures the slaver brig Falmouth off Porto Praya.
1908 The Great White Fleet anchors in San Francisco Bay, Calif. The fleet is delayed from its round-the-world cruise after both Rear Adm. Robley D. Evans and Rear Adm. Charles M. Thomas fall ill. On May 15, Rear Adm. Charles S. Sperry assumed command and completes the cruise ending Feb. 22, 1909.
1916 The first ship-to-shore radio telephone voice conversation was held on board USS New Hampshire (BB 25) off the Virginia Capes.
1944 USS Buckley (DE 51) rams German submarine U 66 while TBMs (VC 55) from USS Block Island (CVE 21) attack U 66 near Cape Verdes.
1945 USS Farquhar (DE 139) sinks the last German submarine, U 881, in the North Atlantic.
1995 USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) is launched at the Avondale Shipyard, Inc. at New Orleans, La. The Henry J. Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler is operated by the Military Sealift Command. The Laramie enters non-commissioned U.S. Navy service May 7, 1996.
This Day in World History May 6
1527 German troops begin sacking Rome. Libraries are destroyed, the Pope is captured and thousands are killed.
1529 Babur defeats the Afghan Chiefs in the Battle of Ghaghra, India.
1682 King Louis XIV moves his court to Versailles, France.
1856 U.S. Army troops from Fort Tejon and Fort Miller prepare to ride out to protect Keyesville, California, from Yokut Indian attack.
1861 Arkansas becomes the ninth state to secede from the Union.
1862 Henry David Thoreau dies of tuberculosis at age 44.
1864 In the second day of the Battle of the Wilderness between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee, Confederate Gen. James Longstreet is wounded by his own men.
1877Chief Crazy Horse surrenders to U.S. troops in Nebraska. Crazy Horse brought General George Custer to his end.
1937 The dirigible Hindenburg explodes in flames at Lakehurst, New Jersey.
1941 Bob Hope gives his first USO show at California's March Field.
1942 General Jonathan Wainwright surrenders Corregidor to the Japanese.
1944 The Red Army besieges and captures Sevastopol in the Crimea.
1945 Axis Sally makes her final propaganda broadcast to Allied troops.
1954 British runner Roger Bannister breaks the four minute mile.
1960 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
1962 The first nuclear warhead is fired from a Polaris submarine.
1994 The Channel Tunnel linking England to France is officially opened.
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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 Friday, 6 May 2022… Bear 🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com for 6 May 1967… Walt Rostow to The President: You have three choices: attack the top of the funnel; attack what's in the funnel, top-to-bottom; or, attack what's in the bottom half of the funnel…
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
Daily Memo: The Fed Hikes Interest Rates
The Fed Hikes Interest Rates By: Geopolitical Futures
By: GPF Staff
May 5, 2022
Interest rates. The U.S. Federal Reserve decided on Wednesday to raise interest rates by 0.5 percent in an attempt to control inflation. The Fed also announced that between June 1 and September, it will release up to $47.5 billion a month in Treasurys and mortgage-backed securities. The move comes as some financial experts are warning of an increased risk of stagflation in North America. Meanwhile, according to the Financial Times, investors are beginning to back away from risky corporate bonds as the value of junk bonds reaches an estimated $27 billion, nearly double the $14 billion registered at the end of 2021. There is concern that further monetary tightening will push more debt to distressed levels.
Spotlight on Moldova. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday visited his Romanian counterpart in Bucharest to discuss the Ukraine war. The talks focused on the situation in Romania's neighbor, Moldova, and its potential path toward EU accession. Also on Wednesday, the European Council president said during a visit to Moldova that the EU member states are considering ways to increase military aid to the country without causing an escalation. Member states are increasingly worried about the ramifications of the war in Ukraine for Moldova.
Turkish inflation. Turkey's annual consumer price index in April rose by nearly 70 percent, a 20-year high, compared to 61 percent in March. The war in Ukraine and rising energy and food prices contributed to the spike. In addition, Turkey's purchasing managers' index for the manufacturing sector fell from 49.4 in March to 49.2 in April. (A reading below 50 indicates a contraction.) Turkey's manufacturing industry has been slowing down for the past five months.
Meeting in London. The prime ministers of Japan and Britain are expected to announce a new defense agreement during a meeting in London on Thursday. The deal would allow British and Japanese forces to jointly conduct training, drills and disaster relief activities. The two leaders will also discuss the war in Ukraine and the West's response. Meanwhile, Japan's defense minister met with his U.S. counterpart in the Pentagon on Wednesday. They agreed to strengthen security strategies and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
Meeting in Paris. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to set up a joint strategic dialogue on space issues during a meeting in Paris on Wednesday. The two leaders also agreed to increase cooperation in the areas of defense, technology and energy.
New tactics. The upper house of Belarus' parliament approved a bill that will allow troops to use combat and special hardware to suppress riots and mass violations of public order. The legislation has already been approved by the lower house.
Excess capacity. Russia's Gazprom says it's going to use its excess onshore gas transmission capacity freed up by the defunct Nord Stream 2 pipeline to supply the regions in northwest Russia. The company also warned that if Germany decides to relaunch Nord Stream 2, only one string of the pipeline could be put into operation at 100 percent load, while the second string wouldn't be operational until 2028.
U.S. training. The United States completed a program in Kazakhstan to train Kazakh border guards to use U.S.-provided Raven unmanned aerial vehicles. The drones will be used to monitor Kazakhstan's borders.
Hamas in Moscow. Representatives from Hamas arrived in Moscow to meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.
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Thanks to Mugs
Re: The Left / Dennis Prager / May 3, 2022
The Age of the Absurd
Share these 11 absurdities with friends and relatives, especially with those who actually think they make sense.
The West has gone through many eras — the so-called Dark Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Reason, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Age and the Post-Modern. The present era is the Age of the Absurd.
In terms of the absurdities the cultural elites believe, and have convinced masses of people to believe, there has never been a time like today.
Here is a list of the most ridiculous that immediately come to mind.
No. 1: Men give birth.
Heading the list has to be the radical redefinition — indeed, denial of — sex and gender, leading to such reality-defying statements as "men give birth," "men menstruate," "birthing person" instead of "mother," and to the Disney theme parks no longer greeting visitors as "ladies and gentlemen" or "boys and girls."
No. 2: It is fair to allow biological men to compete in women's sports.
We are supposed to believe that biological men do not have an innate physical advantage in competing against women. This is asserted as truth by every Ivy League university, virtually every other university, most high schools and by virtually all the elite media.
No. 3: Defund police and crime will decrease.
We are supposed to believe that with fewer police we will have less violent crime. Any 10-year-old recognizes the sentiment as absurd.
No. 4: Racial segregation is antiracist. Opposition to racial segregation is racist.
Columbia University and many other universities have all-black dormitories and all-black graduations. They maintain that race-based segregation is not racist. Opposition to it is.
No. 5: "Latinx."
Because human sexuality is "not binary," languages with gendered nouns must be neutered, leading to labeling Latinos "Latinx." That virtually no one from or living in Latin America uses this absurd word does not faze the New York Times or your local university.
No. 6: Your race matters.
One of the least important aspects of human beings is the color of their skin. It is no more important than the color of their shoes.
Its insignificance is easily demonstrated. If you know the color of a person's skin, do you know anything about the person? The answer, of course, is, no. If I know your race, I know nothing else about you. And if I think I can determine anything about you on the basis of your race, I am a racist.
No. 7: Diversity is strength — and the happiest countries in the world are Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.
It is an axiom of the woke, the home of the absurd, that "diversity is our greatest strength." Yet, The New York Times, the leading media voice of the Age of the Absurd, featured an opinion piece about the happiest countries in the world. The second paragraph began, "Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland led the 2018 ranking of the World Happiness Report."
Not once did the Times or the writer note that the four "happiest" countries in the world are not at all diverse. In fact, they are among the least diverse countries in the Western world. They are almost entirely white, almost entirely Protestant Christian (or from a Protestant Christian background) and all their citizens speak the same language. America, on the other hand, is by far the most radical experiment in racial, religious and ethnic diversity.
No. 8: Free speech does not allow for hate speech.
"I'm for free speech, but not for hate speech" is the view of almost half of America's young people and virtually all its elites. So widespread is belief in the absurd that these people do not understand that the statement is self-contradictory. It renders the words "free speech" meaningless. By definition, free speech allows for hate speech. If it doesn't, "free speech" means nothing more than speech with which one agrees.
No. 9: You're not a human being until you're born.
There is no need to believe in God or in any religion to understand the absurdity of this assertion. If we are not human beings until birth, what are we five minutes — or five months — prior to birth, when we have a heartbeat and brain waves? Nonhuman?
No. 10: Capitalism is evil.
Abject poverty has been the norm for nearly all people throughout history. Yet, in the last century alone, billions of people have been lifted out of poverty. And there is only one reason: capitalism.
No. 11: America is systemically racist.
The manifest absurdity of this claim is easily demonstrated. In the past decades, more than three million black people have immigrated to America from Africa and the Caribbean. And probably tens of millions more would like to. Are all these people fools — choosing to move to a systemically racist country? Are they ignorant — unaware that America is systemically racist?
The non-absurd know the answers: all these blacks are neither fools nor ignorant. They know how lucky they are to move to America — because this country is so tolerant and so overwhelmingly non-racist. People don't move to countries that hate them. No Jews moved to Germany in the 1930s.
We live in the Age of the Absurd. The only question is, why? I think I know the answer and will discuss it in a future column. In the meantime, share these 11 absurdities with friends and relatives, especially with those who actually think they make sense.
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Thanks to Micro. All the bubbas at breakfast this morning have the same thoughts
Author unknown
They won't let me fly jet fighters anymore!
They won't let me fly their jet fighters anymore. The day after I no longer pulled 5-6 Gs (or more) multiple times every day, my middle started expanding. It hasn't stopped. First my toes disappeared, and then the equipment in the Nether Regions disappeared except on outstanding occasions. My feet might as well be in China. My toenails are turning into claws.
The ladies no longer look at my ass as I walk by.
My eyesight has started to fade. I once had the best vision of anyone I ever flew with except Chuck Yeager. He could see another aircraft at 60 miles and I could not see it until 50 miles. And he was older than me. I guess that is why he was an Ace.
The music has faded. Twenty-five years in close proximity of screaming jet engines will do more damage to your hearing than a rock band. The VA gave me some very nice hearing aids but I don't wear the damned things. I don't want to look like an old man. However, it can be a blessing when I piss off my roommate.
My prostate started to enlarge and I have to pee every 5 minutes. Speaking of which: The pressure is too low, the hose is too short, and the nozzle is set on spray. I find it advisable to sit down to pee to avoid getting Wet Foot Syndrome. I know the location of every publicly accessible bathroom within 100 miles.
My gyro tumbled and I have vertigo. I have had it many times while flying in Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) weather but this is different. This is Visual Flight Rules (VFR) weather all the time. I walk like a drunken sailor. My golfing days are over. My back swing would put me flat of my back. A walker may not be far in the future.
If I were to find myself on the ground in the middle of an empty Wal-Mart parking lot, I would not be able to get up onto my feet. The legs are just not there anymore. I would have to crawl to a shopping cart or fence to pull myself up.
My smoking days finally caught up with me and I have emphysema/COPD. I used to cuss while climbing out returning from North Vietnam if I was so high that my Zippo lighter would not light so I could have a smoke to help me come down from an adrenaline high. I have had to go on oxygen in order to have enough to live. It is a real bummer to have to haul a bottle of O2 around with me when I go out of the house. I wear a nose harness at home and drag a plastic tube around and an oxygen concentrator out in the garage runs 24/7. The tube is always snagging on something or someone steps on the damn thing and it almost jerks me ears off. Don't get me wrong. I like oxygen. I used to really like it after a night of serious partying when I had an early morning mission. As soon as I got into the cockpit I went on 100% O2 for startup, taxi, and weapons arming pit. By the time I had wheels up I was ready to fight.
My sex life is 99.9% in my head. But I think that is pretty normal for the male population, which thinks about sex on the average about every 10 seconds. At least that has always been my average.
And they won't let me fly their jet fighters anymore.
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This Day in U S Military History…….May 6
1935 – The first flight of the Curtiss P-36 Hawk. The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design making extensive use of metal in its construction and powered by a powerful radial engine. Perhaps best known as the predecessor of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, the P-36 saw little combat with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was nevertheless the fighter used most extensively and successfully by the French Armee de l'air during the Battle of France. The P-36 was also ordered by the governments of the Netherlands and Norway, but did not arrive in time to see action over either country, before both were occupied by Nazi Germany. The type was also manufactured under license in China, for the Republic of China Air Force, as well as in British India, for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF). Axis and co-belligerent air forces also made significant use of captured P-36s. Following the fall of France and Norway in 1940, several dozen P-36s were seized by Germany and transferred to Finland; these aircraft saw extensive action with the Ilmavoimat (Air Force) against the Soviet Air Forces. The P-36 was also used by Vichy French air forces in several minor conflicts; in one of these, the Franco-Thai War of 1940–41, P-36s were used by both sides. From mid-1940, some P-36s en route for France and the Netherlands were diverted to Allied air forces in other parts of the world. The Hawks ordered by the Netherlands were diverted to the Dutch East Indies and later saw action against Japanese forces. French orders were taken up by British Commonwealth air forces, and saw combat with both the South African Air Force (SAAF) against Italian forces in East Africa, and with the RAF over Burma. Within the Commonwealth, the type was usually referred to as the Curtiss Mohawk. With around 1,000 aircraft built by Curtiss itself, the P-36 was a major commercial success for the company. It also became the basis not only of the P-40, but two other, unsuccessful prototypes: the YP-37 and the XP-42 .
1937 – The airship Hindenburg, the largest dirigible ever built and the pride of Nazi Germany, bursts into flames upon touching its mooring mast in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 passengers and crewmembers. Frenchman Henri Giffard constructed the first successful airship in 1852. His hydrogen-filled blimp carried a three-horsepower steam engine that turned a large propeller and flew at a speed of six miles per hour. The rigid airship, often known as the "zeppelin" after the last name of its innovator, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, was developed by the Germans in the late 19th century. Unlike French airships, the German ships had a light framework of metal girders that protected a gas-filled interior. However, like Giffard's airship, they were lifted by highly flammable hydrogen gas and vulnerable to explosion. Large enough to carry substantial numbers of passengers, one of the most famous rigid airships was the Graf Zeppelin, a dirigible that traveled around the world in 1929. In the 1930s, the Graf Zeppelin pioneered the first transatlantic air service, leading to the construction of the Hindenburg, a larger passenger airship. On May 3, 1937, the Hindenburg left Frankfurt, Germany, for the first of 10 scheduled journey's across the Atlantic to Lakehurst's Navy Air Base. On its maiden voyage, the Hindenburg, stretching 804 feet from stern to bow, carried 36 passengers and crew of 61. While attempting to moor at Lakehurst, the airship suddenly burst into flames, probably after a spark ignited its hydrogen core. Rapidly falling 200 feet to the ground, the hull of the airship incinerated within seconds. Thirteen passengers, 21 crewmen, and 1 civilian member of the ground crew lost their lives, and most of the survivors suffered substantial injuries. Radio announcer Herb Morrison, who came to Lakehurst to record a routine voice-over for an NBC newsreel, immortalized the Hindenberg disaster in a famous on-the-scene description in which he emotionally declared, "Oh, the humanity!" The recording of Morrison's commentary was immediately flown to New York, where it was aired as part of America's first coast-to-coast radio news broadcast. Lighter-than-air passenger travel rapidly fell out of favor after the Hindenberg disaster, and no rigid airships survived World War II.
1941 – Bob Hope (b. May 29, 1903) began broadcasting his first USO radio show from March Field at Riverside, Ca. The United Service Organizations (USO) began operations this year and provided free coffee, donuts, and entertainment to US military forces. The organization is supported entirely by private citizens and corporations.
1941 – The first flight of the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was one of the largest and heaviest fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single piston engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to eight tons, and in the fighter-bomber ground-attack roles could carry five-inch rockets or a significant bomb load of 2,500 pounds; it could carry more than half the payload of the B-17 bomber on long-range missions (although the B-17 had a far greater range). The P-47, based on the powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine—the same engine used by two very successful U.S. Navy fighters, the Grumman F6F Hellcat and Vought F4U Corsair—was to be very effective as a short-to-medium range escort fighter in high-altitude air-to-air combat and, when unleashed as a fighter-bomber, proved especially adept at ground attack in both the World War II European and Pacific Theaters. The P-47 was one of the main United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighters of World War II, and served with other Allied air forces, notably those of France, Britain, and Russia. Mexican and Brazilian squadrons fighting alongside the U.S. were equipped with the P-47. The armored cockpit was roomy inside, comfortable for the pilot, and offered good visibility. A modern-day U.S. ground-attack aircraft, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, takes its name from the P-47
1944 – The first flight of the Mitsubishi A7M fighter (designed to replace the Zero) takes place. Technical problems and Allied bombing raids prevent mass production.
1945 – The US 97th Division, part of US 5th Corps of the US 3rd Army, occupies Pilsen in Czechoslovakia. The US 12th Corps advances toward Prague but the army is ordered to halt the advance and allow Soviets to occupy the rest of the country as has been arranged.
1945 – On Luzon, elements of the US 25th Division, part of US 1st Corps, capture the Kembu plateau. On Mindanao, the US 24th and 31st Divisions overrun Japanese positions north of Davao, where the Japanese 35th Army (General Morozumi) is concentrated.
1945 – On Okinawa, the Japanese offensive loses momentum. Japanese forces have sustain losses of at least 5000 killed. Even while it has been going on, American forces have made gains near Machinto airfield and Maeda Ridge.
1969 – A US helicopter crashes 75 miles north of Saigon killing 34 and injuring 35 in what is believed to be the worst helicopter accident of the war. To this date, 2,595 helicopters have been lost.
1972 – The remnants of South Vietnam's 5th Division at An Loc continue to receive daily artillery battering from the communist forces surrounding the city as reinforcements fight their way from the south up Highway 13. The South Vietnamese had been under heavy attack since the North Vietnamese had launched their Nguyen Hue Offensive on March 30. The communists had mounted a massive invasion of South Vietnam with 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. The main North Vietnamese objectives, in addition to An Loc in the south, were Quang Tri in the north, and Kontum in the Central Highlands. In Binh Long Province, the North Vietnamese forces had crossed into South Vietnam from Cambodia on April 5 to strike first at Loc Ninh. After taking Loc Ninh, the North Vietnamese forces then quickly encircled An Loc, the capital of Binh Long Province, which was only 65 miles from Saigon. The North Vietnamese held An Loc under siege for almost three months while they made repeated attempts to take the city, bombarding it around the clock. The defenders suffered heavy casualties, including 2,300 dead or missing, but with the aid of U.S. advisers and American airpower, they managed to hold out against vastly superior odds until the siege was lifted on June 18. Fighting continued all over South Vietnam into the summer months, but eventually the South Vietnamese forces prevailed against the invaders and they retook Quang Tri in September. With the communist invasion blunted, President Nixon declared that the South Vietnamese victory proved the viability of his Vietnamization program, which he had instituted in 1969 to increase the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces.
1994 – The last HH-3F Pelican helicopter in Coast Guard service was retired. This ended the Coast Guard's "amphibious era," as no aviation asset left in service was capable of making water landings.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
MACLAY, WILLIAM P.
Rank and organization: Private, Company A, 43d Infantry, U.S. Volunteers. Place and date: At Hilongas, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 6 May 1900. Entered service at: Altoona, Pa. Birth: Spruce Creek, Pa. Date of issue: 11 March 1902. Citation: Charged an occupied bastion, saving the life of an officer in a hand-to-hand combat and destroying the enemy.
THORDSEN, WILLIAM GEORGE
Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Born: 2 April 1879, Fredericstadt, Germany. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 6, 15 August 1900. Citation. For heroism and gallantry under fire of the enemy at Hilongas, Philippine Islands, 6 May 1900.
*HOWE, JAMES D.
Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company I, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 6 May 1970. Entered service at: Fort Jackson, S.C. Born: 17 December 1948, Six Mile, Pickens, S.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with Company I, during operations against enemy forces. In the early morning hours L/Cpl. Howe and 2 other marines were occupying a defensive position in a sandy beach area fronted by bamboo thickets. Enemy sappers suddenly launched a grenade attack against the position, utilizing the cover of darkness to carry out their assault. Following the initial explosions of the grenades, L/Cpl. Howe and his 2 comrades moved to a more advantageous position in order to return suppressive fire. When an enemy grenade landed in their midst, L/Cpl. Howe immediately shouted a warning and then threw himself upon the deadly missile, thereby protecting the lives of the fellow marines. His heroic and selfless action was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service. He valiantly gave his life in the service of his country.
PATTERSON, ROBERT MARTIN
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Troop B, 2d Squadron. 17th Cavalry. Place and date: Near La Chu, Republic of Vietnam, 6 May 1968. Entered service at: Raleigh, N.C. Born: 16 April 1948, Durham, N.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Patterson (then Sp4c.) distinguished himself while serving as a fire team leader of the 3d Platoon, Troop B, during an assault against a North Vietnamese Army battalion which was entrenched in a heavily fortified position. When the leading squad of the 3d Platoon was pinned down by heavy interlocking automatic weapon and rocket propelled grenade fire from 2 enemy bunkers, Sgt. Patterson and the 2 other members of his assault team moved forward under a hail of enemy fire to destroy the bunkers with grenade and machinegun fire. Observing that his comrades were being fired on from a third enemy bunker covered by enemy gunners in l-man spider holes, Sgt. Patterson, with complete disregard for his safety and ignoring the warning of his comrades that he was moving into a bunker complex, assaulted and destroyed the position. Although exposed to intensive small arm and grenade fire from the bunkers and their mutually supporting emplacements. Sgt. Patterson continued his assault upon the bunkers which were impeding the advance of his unit. Sgt. Patterson single-handedly destroyed by rifle and grenade fire 5 enemy bunkers, killed 8 enemy soldiers and captured 7 weapons. His dauntless courage and heroism inspired his platoon to resume the attack and to penetrate the enemy defensive position. Sgt. Patterson's action at the risk of his life has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for May 6, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
6 May
1908: Through 14 May, the Wrights resumed flights at Kitty Hawk, N.C., with reporters as witnesses. This ended all doubts about the Wright's ability to fly. (24)
1912: Three Army planes from College Park flew the first group cross-country flight to Chevy Chase Club, Md. (4) (11)
1914: While observing Mexican positions from a Curtiss AH-3 hydroairplane at Vera Cruz, Lt (JG) Patrick N. L. Bellinger, the pilot, and Lt Richard C. Saufley, the observer, were struck by rifle
fire. This was the first Navy and first American plane to come under hostile fire. (21) (24)
1918: The Navy commissioned NAS Coco Solo to maintain patrols over the seaward approaches to the Panama Canal. (24)
1937: The German dirigible Hindenberg burned while moored at Lakehurst, N.J. Thirty-five people died in the fire. (21)
1941: Company test pilot Lowery Brabham flew the XP-47B Thunderbolt on its first flight in a trip from the Republic plant to Mitchel Field. (12)
1949: At Cleveland, the Sikorsky S-52-1 helicopter set an international record of 122.75 MPH for a 100-kilometer course (see 27 April 1949).
1957: The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW) at Shaw AFB received TAC's first RF-101 supersonic reconnaissance aircraft. (11)
1959: Launched from Cape Canaveral, the 16th Jupiter missile struck a target area 1,500 miles down range near Antigua Island. Afterwards, the USAF declared the missile operational. (6)
1960: At Edwards AFB, the Minuteman made its first public flight from an underground launch
pad--not a silo. (24)
1962: Operation DOMINIC. The submerged USS Ethan Allen launched a Polaris missile on a flight test from the Pacific. This may have been the first US missile launch with a live nuclear warhead.
1967: SAC flew its 10,000th B-52 mission in SEA. By this time, the B-52s had dropped over 190,000 tons of bombs in combat operations. (1)
1970: COLLIER TROPHY. Neil A. Armstrong and Cols Edwin E. Aldrin and Michael Collins from Apollo XI received the trophy for putting the first man on the moon. (5) (16)
1972: Operation CONSTANT GUARD III: After a North Vietnamese offensive, MAC helped the 49 TFW move 3,195 airmen and 1,600 tons of cargo from Holloman AFB, to Takhli, Thailand, through 15 May. As this offensive continued, MAC's C-5s airlifted 26 tanks, weighing 1.6 million pounds, on 10 flights to Da Nang, where they joined the battle in a matter of hours. (2)
1973: A C-5A returned to Edwards AFB after a 15,000-mile flight that included a low-altitude cargo drop by parachute and an inflight refueling. (3)
1987: At Sembach AB, Germany, the 43d Electronics Combat Squadron, 66th Electronic Combat
Wing, received its first EC-130H Compass Call aircraft. (16)
1994: 1Lt Leslie DeAnn Crosby became the first female pilot in the AFRES to graduate from the
ANG's F-16 fighter training course at Tucson, Ariz. (16)
2006: The last operational C-141 Starlifter (Tail No. 66-0177) from the 445th Airlift Wing (AFRC) at Wright-Patterson AFB landed at Wright Field, Ohio, for donation to the National Museum of the USAF. The landing ended 42 years of Starlifter operations in the active-duty USAF, the Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve Command. The C-141, named the "Hanoi Taxi," flew the first Vietnam prisoners of war from Hanoi to freedom on 12 February 1973. (22)
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World News for 6 May thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Army Revamps Role Of Futures Command Army Times | 05/06/2022 The U.S. Army is modifying its modernization enterprise, reports the Army Times. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth has issued a new directive that reduces the role of Army Futures Command and reasserts the importance of the service's acquisition office. The directive rescinds language of the 2018 and 2020 orders that established Army Futures Command as "leading the modernization enterprise." It also says the service's science and technology branch will fall under the assistance secretary of the Army (acquisition, logistics and technology) (ASAALT) rather than Futures Command. An Army spokeswoman said the initial policy directives were intended to accelerate the development of Army Futures Command, but unintentionally created "ambiguity in long-established acquisition authorities." The latest administrative change creates clearly defined roles consistent with statute and will improve collaboration in the service's modernization and equipping enterprise, she said. Critics have previously argued that Army Futures Command has too much control over modernization, including significant control over acquisition.
USA—Intel Helped Sink Russian Cruiser, U.S. Officials Say Nbc News | 05/06/2022 U.S. intelligence helped Ukraine target and sink a Russian cruiser in the Black Sea, according to U.S. officials quoted by NBC News. Ukrainian forces asked the U.S. to confirm information about a ship in the Black Sea, the officials said. The U.S. identified it as the cruiser Moskva and helped confirm its location, after which Ukraine launched a pair of Neptune anti-ship missiles at it. The missiles hit the ship, causing significant damage. It later sank while being towed back to port in Sevastopol in Crimea. The unnamed officials said Washington did not know in advance how Ukraine would use the information and was not involved in the decision to attack. The Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, is the largest warship sunk in combat since the Argentinean cruiser General Belgrano during the Falkland Islands War in 1982.
USA—Lockheed Completes 1st AN/TPY-4 Air Defense Radar Lockheed Martin | 05/06/2022 Lockheed Martin has announced the completion of the first example of its new air defense radar. The AN/TPY-4 was selected by the U.S. Air Force for its Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DELRR) rapid prototyping program in March. The 3DELRR contract includes options for 35 systems, sufficient for an initial operational capability, Lockheed said in a Wednesday release. The TPY-4 is a multimission transportable or static radar system that can track existing and future threats and integrate with existing air defense systems. It is fully digital at every transmit/receive element with an advanced software-defined sensor architecture. This provides flexibility to quickly change performance for new missions and environments while simplifying adaptation for future advanced threats, the company said.
USA—Security Assurances Pledged To Finland, Sweden As They Seek NATO Membership Bloomberg News | 05/06/2022 The U.S. has promised to provide security assurances to Finland and Sweden should they be threatened in the interim between applying for and obtaining NATO membership, reports Bloomberg News. The Nordic countries have expressed concern that Russia may seek to take advantage of the "gray period" between applying to the alliance and joining and receiving Article 5 collective security guarantees. Moscow has repeatedly threatened both countries with potential consequences if they join NATO. On Wednesday, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said that Washington was "ready to provide various forms of security assurances" to both countries following talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. These assurances are not security guarantees but would mean that "it would be clear to Russia that if they conduct any negative activities toward Sweden, which they have threatened, the U.S. would not let that pass unnoticed, without doing anything," Linde said. Meanwhile, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told reporters in Finland that "it's inconceivable that Britain would not come to the support of Finland or Sweden if it was ever attacked," regardless of what stage in the NATO accession process they were in. Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that the "best security guarantee" would be to "keep the ratification process as short as possible." Other measures could include joint exercises with NATO troops on the ground in both countries and enhanced information-sharing.
Ukraine—Offensive Launched In NE New York Times | 05/06/2022 Ukrainian forces have begun an offensive in the northeastern part of the country, seeking to repel Russian forces from the key cities of Kharkiv and Izium, according to senior Ukrainian military officers quoted by the New York Times. "There are fierce battles going on, as well as the transition from defensive operations to offensive actions in the Kharkiv and Izium areas," Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, told Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Thursday. Kharkiv is Ukraine's second-largest city. Ukraine says the arrival of new equipment from the West, including long-range artillery, is enabling it to increase offensive actions. Meanwhile, Russia has stepped up its efforts to defeat Ukrainian forces in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk and the towns of Lyman and Barvinkove. It has been speculated that Moscow may be seeking a victory that President Vladimir Putin can showcase during the annual Victory Day parade on Monday marking the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russian forces are also seeking to eliminate the last of the Ukrainian defenders in the southern port city of Mariupol, with Ukrainian forces reporting fierce close quarter fighting in the tunnels of the Azovstal steel plant.
Russia—Another Recruitment Office Hit In Molotov Cocktail Attack The Moscow Times | 05/06/2022 Unknown assailants have attacked a Russian military recruitment office in western Siberia with Molotov cocktails, reports the Moscow Times. In a video published by the Baza news outlet on Wednesday, two men are seen throwing at least seven Molotov cocktails through the window of a recruiting office in Nizhnevartovsk. Fire can be seen inside the building and its lobby. No injuries have been reported in the attack. The fire was soon extinguished by police, reported Mediazona. A criminal case was also opened against the suspects, who remain on the run. Five other military recruitment offices around Russia have been subject to similar attacks since Moscow launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February.
Russia—Nuclear Ballistic Missile Strikes Simulated During Kaliningrad Drills The Moscow Times | 05/06/2022 Russia says it has conducted mock nuclear missile attacks during an exercise in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, reports the Moscow Times. On Wednesday, Russia performed "electronic launches" of nuclear-capable Iskander short-range ballistic missiles in Kaliningrad, which borders Lithuania and Poland, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The drills included single and multiple strikes against mock missile systems, airfields, defended infrastructure, military equipment and command posts, the ministry said. The units also simulated operations in nuclear and chemical warfare environments. The training comes as there has been growing discussion of using nuclear weapons as the Russian military remains bogged down in Ukraine.
Australia—Navy Picks Anduril For XL-AUV Program Anduril Industries | 05/06/2022 The Australian military has selected Anduril Industries for a joint design, development and manufacturing program for extra-large autonomous underwater vehicles (XL-AUVs), reports the Irvine, Calif.-based defense technology firm. The sides have begun commercial negotiations for the US$100 million program, which will be jointly funded. The XL-AUV is intended to be an affordable, autonomous, long-endurance, multimission system. The modular system will be able to accommodate a variety of payloads for military and non-military missions, including advanced intelligence, infrastructure inspection, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting. The ambitious three-year development program will take advantage of Anduril's agile capability development systems and result in the production of three prototypes, the company said. The XL-AUVs will be designed, developed and manufactured in Australia.
Burkina Faso—11 Killed In Militant Ambushes In North Agence France-Presse | 05/06/2022 At least 11 military and paramilitary personnel have been killed in militant attacks in northern Burkina Faso, reports Agence France-Presse. On Thursday, two soldiers and four civilian volunteers supporting the army were killed in an attack in Solle. Another five paramilitary troops were killed in an ambush in Ouanobe, the army said. At least nine people were injured in the fighting. The army said that the bodies of 20 attackers were discovered following the clashes. Weapons, ammunition, transport and communication equipment were also recovered. Northern Burkina Faso has seen growing attacks by militant groups affiliating with Al-Qaida and the Islamic State.
Canada—Air Force Shifts SAR Planes To Address Capability Gap Canadian Press | 05/06/2022 The Royal Canadian Air Force has been forced to relocate aircraft from Manitoba to British Columbia to fill a gap in search-and-rescue coverage due to delays in the procurement of new planes, reports the Canadian Press. The service plans to shift two CC-130 Hercules aircraft based in Winnipeg to CFB Comox on Vancouver Island because new CC-295 Kingfisher search-and-rescue aircraft will not be available for another three years. This delay, coupled with the retirement of the air force's last six CC-115 Buffalo SAR aircraft in January, has left the service without enough aircraft to cover the West Coast. The redeployment will help address the gap until the Kingfishers are ready, but it will affect the squadron's other tasks, such as refueling fighter jets assigned to North American defense missions and transporting troops and equipment, said Lt. Gen. Al Meinzinger, the air force chief. Defense Dept. officials said the latest delay in the Kingfisher program was due to ongoing operational testing.
Ethiopia—Tigrayan General Dies In Prison Radio France Internationale | 05/06/2022 A Tigrayan general who was apprehended shortly after the federal government in Ethiopia launched its war against the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in late 2020 has died in prison, reports Radio France Internationale. Gen Gebremedhin Fikadu, alias "Wedi Necho," was an important figure in the Ethiopian army, including stints leading the Federal Troops Communications Dept., the Ethiopian peacekeeping contingent in Liberia, a sector of the African Union mission in Somalia and forces on the Badme front during the war with Eritrea. He was arrested in November 2020 while head of the communications dept. along with 16 other senior officers who were accused of sabotaging communications between the federal command and the northern commander. Fikadu was further charged with attempting to send explosives to the Tigrayan rebels. He is the third Tigrayan general to die in Ethiopian custody under "suspicious" circumstances, according to the External Affairs Office of the Tigrayan authorities.
Japan—Foreign Minister Heads To Fiji, Palau To Shore Up Support South China Morning Post | 05/06/2022 Japan is stepping up engagement with Pacific island countries after the Solomon Islands signed a security pact with China, reports the South China Morning Post. On Friday, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi began a three-day visit to Fiji and Palau. Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Uesugi Kentaro traveled to the Solomon Islands last week. Japan is concerned about the security deal between China and the Solomon Islands, which could permit Beijing to deploy naval vessels and security forces there, experts said. Analysts have called for Tokyo to step up financial and capacity-building support for South Pacific nations to limit Chinese influence in the region.
Kyrgyzstan—3 Killed In Clash On Uzbek Border Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | 05/06/2022 Kyrgyz authorities say three people have been killed when Uzbek border guards opened fire along the mutual border, reports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The Kyrgyz border service said the shooting occurred on Thursday in the western Jalal-Abad region near the Ferghana Valley. The victims died after being brought to a nearby hospital. The Kyrgyz National Security Committee did not indicate if the fatalities were border troops or civilians in a statement on Friday, reported Al Jazeera (Qatar). Local Kyrgyz and Uzbek leaders reportedly met to discuss the incident. The border services from both countries also agreed to investigate. This is the most serious incident on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border in years, though clashes are common, frequently sparked by disputes over access to water or transport routes or the location of the border.
Sri Lanka—Millions Strike To Protest Economic Mismanagement Deutsche Welle | 05/06/2022 Millions of workers in Sri Lanka joined in a nationwide strike to protest President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's handling of an ongoing financial crisis, reports Deutsche Welle. The general strike on Friday, called by trade unions and civil organizations, follows nearly a month of large-scale protests, including calls for Rajapaksa to resign. On Thursday, students tried to storm the national parliament but were driven back by police who used tear gas. Government mismanagement and the Russian war in Ukraine has depleted fuel, food and drug supplies, increasing the costs of those supplies that are available. Fuel shortages have led to rolling blackouts across the island. Last month, the Sri Lankan government announced it would default on its US$51 billion foreign debt after running out of U.S. dollar reserves. Rajapaksa has refused to step down and has called for a unity government. Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said he would introduce a no-confidence vote in Parliament next week.
United Kingdom—Reciprocal Military Access Deal Agreed With Japan Jiji Press | 05/06/2022 The prime ministers of Japan and the U.K. have agreed to finalize a reciprocal access agreement to provide the legal basis for joint operations between their armed forces, reports the Jiji Press (Tokyo). On Thursday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosted his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, in London. The reciprocal access agreement formalizes criminal and other procedures for troops from each country when they visit the other. It is intended to ensure the smooth conduct of joint exercises and disaster relief work. The U.K. will be the first European country to have such an agreement with Japan, noted the British Prime Minister's Office.
Yemen—Saudi-Led Coalition Releases Scores Of Houthi Prisoners Al Arabiya | 05/06/2022 The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen is releasing scores of Houthi prisoners in what it calls a humanitarian initiative, reports Al Arabiya (Dubai). An initial group of 40 Houthis arrived in Aden on Friday, where they would be turned over to their embassy, the coalition said. The initiative calls for a total of 108 Houthi prisoners to be returned to Yemen by the end of Friday. The move is intended to strengthen the U.N.-brokered truce that began on April 2, a coalition spokesman said.
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