The List 6097 TGB
Good Sunday Morning May the 15th
I hope that you are all having a great weekend.
Regards,
Skip.
This day in Naval History May 15
1800 The frigate USS Essex, commanded by Capt. Edward Preble, arrives in Batavia, Java, to escort United States merchant ships. During her journey, she is the first U.S. Navy warship to cross the Equator and the first U.S. man-of-war to double the Cape of Good Hope.
1930 The streamlined submarine (V 5) is commissioned, then named Narwhal in Feb. 1931, and receives the hull number (SS 167) that July. During World War II, Narwhal participates in 15 war patrols, serving in the Pacific Theatre, earning 15 battle stars.
1939 A contract is issued to Curtiss-Wright for the XSB2C-1 dive bomber, thereby completing action on a 1938 design competition. Retired from the active Navy in 1947, SB2Cs continues to serve in the reserves until 1950.
1942 The first Naval Air Transport Service flight across the Pacific takes place.
1944 PBY-5 Catalina aircraft from (VP 63) and British escort vessels HMS Kilmarnock and HMS Blackfly sink German submarine U 731 off Tangiers.
1969 The pre-commissioned submarine Guitarro (SSN 665) accidentally sinks while moored at U.S. Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Calif. Due to the damage, her commissioning date is rescheduled to Sept. 1972.
Today in World History May 15
756 Abd-al-Rahman is proclaimed emir of Cordoba, Spain.
1213 King John submits to the Pope, offering to make England and Ireland papal fiefs. Pope Innocent III lifts the interdict of 1208.
1602 English navigator Bartholomew Gosnold discovers Cape Cod.
1614 An aristocratic uprising in France ends with the Treaty of St. Menehould.
1618 Johannes Kepler discovers his harmonics law.
1702 The War of Spanish Succession begins.
1730 Following the resignation of Lord Townshend, Robert Walpole becomes the sole minister in the English cabinet.
1768 By the Treaty of Versailles, France purchases Corsica from Genoa.
1795 Napoleon enters the Lombardian capital of Milan in triumph.
1820 The U.S. Congress designates the slave trade a form of piracy.
1849 Neapolitan troops enter Palermo, Sicily.
1862 The Union ironclad Monitor and the gunboat Galena fire on Confederate troops at the Battle of Drewry's Bluff, Virginia.
1864 At the Battle of New Market, Virginia Military Institute cadets repel a Union attack.
1886 Emily Dickinson dies in Amherst, Mass., where she had lived in seclusion for the previous 24 years.
1916 U.S. Marines land in Santo Domingo to quell civil disorder.
1918 Pfc. Henry Johnson and Pfc. Needham Roberts receive the Croix de Guerre for their services in World War I. They are the first Americans to win France's highest military medal.
1930 Ellen Church becomes the first airline stewardess.
1942 The United States begins rationing gasoline.
1958 Sputnik III is launched by the Soviet Union.
1963 The last Project Mercury space flight, carrying Gordon Cooper, is launched.
1968 U.S. Marines relieve army troops in Nhi Ha, South Vietnam after a fourteen-day battle.
1972 Gov. George Wallace is shot by Arthur Bremer in Laurel, Maryland.
1975 The merchant ship Mayaguez is recaptured from Cambodia's Khmer Rouge.
1988 Soviets forces begin their withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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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 Sunday, 15 May 2022… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 15 May 1967… Stingers strike at dawn… The Bear remembers the dawn at Thanh Hoa 55-years ago today…🤬
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-15-may-1967-phantom-in-the-river/
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 Mike
THE DEPTH OF COMBAT VETERAN
Something we all need to learn or refresh!
Cheers
Nordo
Senators Bob Dole and Daniel Inouye rehabbed together, at the end of World War II at Percy Jones Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan, and were friends for over 50 years.
Inouye, a democrat, was asked to speak against Dole, a republican, when he ran for office in the 1960s. Inouye said he would never do that because they shared something that was greater than party politics.
When Sen. Inouye died in 2012 at age 88, the Progress-Index of Petersburg, VA wrote that Bob Dole was wheeled into the Capitol, but he insisted that he walk - with considerable help - to Inouye's coffin that was lying in state.
"I don't want Danny to see me in a wheelchair," he explained, wiping away tears. Then he saluted with his left arm, his only good arm. His right one was shattered by a German machine gun in Italy in April of 1945.
In that same month, in that same country Inouye lost his right arm after it was mutilated by a German grenade. They met in a military hospital as they recovered from their wounds and formed a lifelong friendship that crossed partisan lines and loyalties.
Perhaps there is a lesson here. Dole and Inouye first served their country as soldiers, not politicians. Their first allegiance was to the nation, not to a party.
They bled and almost died for their fellow infantrymen, not their fellow office~holders. And that indelible experience helped shape their approach to politics.
That generation is almost gone now. Through the horror of war, those men learned to believe in the national interest, and in one another. They trusted one another and loved one another.
As Bob Dole struggled to his feet and saluted his friend, Danny, he reminded us how precious good will is in our national life. And how much we miss.
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Thanks to Bill
Video Pick of the Month
. There's still lots of HOPE and PRIDE in the hearts of these kids from Kentucky and my guess is in many other states around our great country as well.
God Bless these kids; God Bless America!
A feel good moment – turn up your volume!! Cast to your TV if you can. rv
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Thanks To Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
Daily Memo: Ukraine Halts Some Russian Gas to Europe
Ukraine's gas transmission operator cut off about a third of gas flows to Europe.
By: GPF Staff
Payback. Ukraine's gas transmission system operator said it is halting the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe via the Sokhranivka gas distribution station in the southeastern Luhansk region. It said the Russian occupation has made it impossible to continue shipments. The decision will affect up to 32.6 million cubic meters of gas per day, almost a third of supplies sent through Ukraine.
Northern Ireland warnings. U.S. President Joe Biden urged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to scrap the post-Brexit agreement on trade with Northern Ireland. This comes as U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is reportedly preparing legislation to unilaterally allow British businesses to ignore EU rules, de facto overriding the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol. Germany's chancellor and Ireland's prime minister issued similar warnings to Johnson.
Drought conditions. The French government warned of droughts in 15 departments, raising concerns about declining winter grain yields. France is the largest grain producer in the European Union and a key exporter globally. The Agriculture Ministry warned that the drought will especially affect wheat and barley, whose supply chains have already been disrupted by the war in Ukraine.
Sweden and Finland. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is on a one-day visit to Sweden and Finland for talks on the Ukraine war and European security. Stockholm and Helsinki are expected to decide over the next few days whether to apply to join NATO. Johnson is expected to discuss security guarantees during the period between application and accession.
Oman trip. Following a trip to Algeria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Oman for a meeting with the deputy prime minister for the Council of Ministers as well as the foreign minister.
U.S.-Egyptian security ties. U.S. Central Command Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to discuss boosting bilateral security and defense cooperation, particularly in counterterrorism, joint training and border security.
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Thanks to Bill
Funny Read
WARNING: Just try reading this without laughing till you cry!!!
A guy who purchased his lovely wife a pocket Tazer for
their anniversary submitted this:
Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that
sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was
looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came
across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse- sized tazer. The effects of the
tazer were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect
on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety....
WAY TOO COOL!
Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two
AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button.
Nothing!
I was disappointed.
I learned, however, that if I pushed the button and pressed it against a
metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arc of electricity
darting back and forth between the prongs.
AWESOME!!!
Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on
the face of her microwave.
Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it
couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right?
There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting
little soul)while I was reading the directions and thinking that I
really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I
must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second)
and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going
to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did
want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong?
So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading
glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one
hand, and tazer in another.
The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient
your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms
and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would
purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of
water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the
batteries.
All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long,
less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with
two itsy, bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, 'no possible
way!'
What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best...
I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one
side as to say, 'don't do it dipshit,' reasoning that a one second burst
from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided
to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it. I touched the
prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and . .
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD . . WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ... WHAT THE HELL!!!
I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me
up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and
over and over again.
I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears
in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to
be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position,
and tingling in my legs?
The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to
a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to
avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room.
Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a tazer, one
note of caution:
there is no such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself! You
will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a
violent thrashing about on the floor.. A three second burst would be
considered conservative?
IT HURT LIKE HELL!!!
A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at
that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and
surveyed the landscape.
My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. The
recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where it originally
was. My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My
face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip
weighed 88 lbs. I had no control over the drooling.
Apparently I pooped on myself, but was too numb to know for sure and my
sense of smell was gone. I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head which I
believe came from my hair. I'm still looking for my nuts and I'm
offering a significant reward for their safe return!
P.S... My wife, can't stop laughing about my experience, loved the gift,
and now regularly threatens me with it!
If you think education is difficult, try being stupid!!
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A couple from the List archives
Thanks to Mike
A B-17 Pilot Reflects On His Europe Missions
Truly Worth the 30 min to watch it!
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Thanks to Glen
Unusual footage of an aircraft, that I had never seen up close.
Glenn
Very likely the most expensive aircraft crash in history w/ no fatalities.
Ralph
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. Thanks to Tam
What IS Ukraine anyways?
Amalgamation nation-building never ends well.
The modern nation of Ukraine appears to have no national identity with arbitrarily imposed borders.
Tam
It was decided to create a "Ukrainian" nation, declaring the national unity of the Ruthenians and the population of Russian Malorossiya.
The historic lands of northern Bukovina, Transcarpathia, and Eastern Galicia make up the western regions of Ukraine today. For many years prior to becoming part of Ukraine, these territories were part of the Habsburg Monarchy, later transformed into the Austro-Hungarian Empire
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This day in American Military History May 15
Murcuralia; the Festival of Mercury, Patron of the Signal Corps: Mercury, was a Roman messenger god whose attributes were mainly borrowed from the Greek god Hermes although there are myths regarding Mercury that are distinctly Roman. He was also a god of trade, thieves, and travel. The name is closely related to merx, mercari, and merces which respectively mean merchandise, to trade, and wages. For good luck, on the Ides of May (May 15th) which was considered his birthday, the merchants of Rome would use laurel boughs to sprinkle their merchandise, their ships, and their heads with water from a fountain at Porta Capena known as aqua Mercurii. They also offered prayers to Mercury for forgiveness of past and future perjuries, for profit, and the continued ability to cheat customers!
1602 – Bartholomew Gosnold, an English lawyer, explorer, and privateer who was instrumental in founding the Virginia Company of London, and Jamestown in colonial America led the first recorded European expedition to Cape Cod. He is considered by Preservation Virginia (formerly known as the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities) to be the "prime mover of the colonization of Virginia".
1756 – The Seven Years War, a global conflict known in America as the French and Indian War, officially begins when England declares war on France. However, fighting and skirmishes between England and France had been going on in North America for years. In the early 1750s, French expansion into the Ohio River valley repeatedly brought France into armed conflict with the British colonies. In 1756–the first official year of fighting in the Seven Years War–the British suffered a series of defeats against the French and their broad network of Native American alliances. However, in 1757, British Prime Minister William Pitt (the older) recognized the potential of imperial expansion that would come out of victory against the French and borrowed heavily to fund an expanded war effort. Pitt financed Prussia's struggle against France and her allies in Europe and reimbursed the colonies for the raising of armies in North America. By 1760, the French had been expelled from Canada, and by 1763 all of France's allies in Europe had either made a separate peace with Prussia or had been defeated. In addition, Spanish attempts to aid France in the Americas had failed, and France also suffered defeats against British forces in India. The Seven Years War ended with the signing of the treaties of Hubertusburg and Paris in February 1763. In the Treaty of Paris, France lost all claims to Canada and gave Louisiana to Spain, while Britain received Spanish Florida, Upper Canada, and various French holdings overseas. The treaty ensured the colonial and maritime supremacy of Britain and strengthened the 13 American colonies by removing their European rivals to the north and the south. Fifteen years later, French bitterness over the loss of most of their colonial empire contributed to their intervention in the American Revolution on the side of the Patriots.
1864 – Students from the Virginia Military Institute take part in the Battle of New Market, part of the multipronged Union offensive in the spring of 1864 designed to take Virginia out of the war. Central to this campaign was Ulysses S. Grant's epic struggle with Robert E. Lee around Richmond. Union General Franz Sigel had been sent to apply pressure on a key agricultural region, the Shenandoah Valley. He marched south out of Winchester in early May to neutralize the valley, which was always a threat to the North. The Shenandoah was not only a breadbasket that supplied Southern armies, it also led to the Potomac north of Washington. The Confederates had used the valley very effectively in 1862, when Stonewall Jackson kept three Federal armies occupied while keeping pressure off of Richmond. But the Confederates were hard pressed to offer any opposition to Sigel's 6,500 troops. Lee was struggling against Grant and was badly outnumbered. He instructed John Breckinridge to drive Sigel from the valley but could offer him little in the way of troops to do the job. Breckinridge mustered a force of regular troops and militia units and pulled together 5,300 men. They included 247 cadets from the nearby Virginia Military Institute, some of the boys just 15 years old. On May 15, Breckinridge attacked Sigel's troops at New Market. Sigel fell back a half mile, reformed his lines, and began to shell the Confederate center. It was at this juncture that Breckinridge reluctantly sent the VMI cadets into battle. The young students were part of an attack that captured two Yankee guns. Ten of the cadets were killed and 48 were wounded, but Sigel suffered a humiliating defeat and began to withdraw from the valley. The courage of the VMI cadets at the Battle of New Market became legendary, and the pressure was temporarily off of the Rebels in the Shenandoah Valley. Breckinridge was able to send part of his force east to reinforce Lee.
1918 – The U.S. Post Office and the U.S. Army began regularly scheduled airmail service between Washington and New York through Philadelphia. Lieutenant George L. Boyle, an inexperienced young army pilot, was chosen to make the first flight from Washington. Even with a route map stitched to his breeches, Boyle lost his way and flew south rather than north. The second leg of the Washington–Philadelphia–New York flight, however, took off and arrived in New York on schedule–without the Washington mail. The distance of the route was 218 miles, and one round trip per day was made six days a week. Army Air Service pilots flew the route until August 10, 1918, when the Post Office Department took over the entire operation with its own planes and pilots.
1945 – On Okinawa, American troops secure Chocolate Drop Hill after fighting in the interconnecting tunnels. Elements of the 1st Marine Division, part of US 3rd Amphibious Corps, capture Wana Ridge. Elements of the US 6th Marine Division, part of the same corps, begin mopping up operations in the Japanese held caves of the Horseshoe and Half Moon positions. They use flame-throwers and hollow-charge weapons and seal off some Japanese troops. Japanese forces counterattack on the Horseshoe position suffering an estimated 200 killed. To the east, the US 7th and 96th Divisions, of US 24th Corps, continue to be engaged in the capture of Yonabaru.
1945 – On Mindanao, the US 31st Division, part of US 10th Corps, advances northward and occupies positions near the town of Malaybalay and encounter Japanese artillery fire. Other units advance north of Davao and resist nighttime counterattacks.
1951 – After the quick rout of two South Korean divisions by an attack of some 120,000 Communist Chinese troops, the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, supported by intense and accurate 105mm howitzer fire from Wyoming's 300th Armored Field Artillery Battalion stemmed the enemy assault long enough for American positions to stabilize. For its determined resistance in the Battle of Soyang the 300th was awarded a Distinguished (now known as a Presidential) Unit Citation.
1952 – Air Force First Lieutenant James H. Kasler, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, became the war's 15th ace after downing two MiGs for a total of five kills.
1963 – Gordon Cooper is launched into space aboard Faith 7 on the longest American space mission to that date. Faith 7 was the capstone of Project Mercury, the NASA program that put the first American into space in 1961 and the first astronaut into orbit in 1962. Cooper completed 22 orbits of the earth and spent 34 hours in space. He was the first American astronaut to spend more than a day in space. On the afternoon of May 16, Faith 7 landed safely in the Pacific Ocean, four miles from the recovery ship Kearsarge. Cooper was honored by parades in Hawaii and Washington, D.C., where he addressed a joint session of Congress, and in New York City, where he was greeted by a massive ticker-tape crowd. Later Shawnee, Oklahoma–Cooper's hometown–celebrated the return of the sixth Mercury astronaut from space.
1967 – U.S. forces just south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) come under heavy fire as Marine positions between Dong Ha and Con Thien are pounded by North Vietnamese artillery. At the same time, more than 100 Americans were killed or wounded during heavy fighting along the DMZ. On May 17 and 18, the Con Thien base was shelled heavily. Dong Ha, Gio Linh, Cam Lo, and Camp Carroll were also bombarded. On May 18, a force of 5,500 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops invaded the southeastern section of the DMZ to smash a communist build up in the area and to deny the use of the zone as an infiltration route into South Vietnam. On May 19, the U.S. State Department said the offensive in the DMZ was "purely a defensive measure" against a "considerable buildup of North Vietnam troops." The North Vietnamese government on May 21 called the invasion of the zone "a brazen provocation" that "abolished the buffer character of the DMZ as provided by the Geneva agreements."
1975 – Merchant ship U.S. Mayaguez was recaptured from Cambodia's Khmer Rouge. Some 200 Marines stormed the island of Koh Tang to rescue the crew of the Mayaguez, but the crew had been moved. The Marines fought all day against the Khmer Rouge and escaped by helicopter in the evening. Three comrades were left behind and later died under the Khmer Rouge. The crew was freed about the same time that the Marine assault began.
Medal of Honor Citation for Actions Taken This Day
LEONARD, PATRICK
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 2d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Little Blue, Nebr., 15 May 1870. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 22 June 1870. Second award. Citation: Gallantry in action.
THOMPSON, GEORGE W.
Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 2d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Little Blue, Nebr., 15 May 1870. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Victory, N.Y. Date of issue: 22 June 1870. Citation: Gallantry in action.
JOHNSON, HENRY AKA WILLIAM HENRY JOHNSON
Rank and Organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company: Company C, 369th Infantry Regiment Division: 93d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, Born: 1897, Alexandria, Virginia, Departed: Yes (07/05/1929), Entered Service At: Albany, New York, G.O. Number: , Date of Issue: 06/02/2015, Accredited To: ,Place and Date: Northwest of Saint Menehoul, France, 15 May 1918. Citation: Private Henry Johnson distinguished himself by extraordinary acts of heroism at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a member of Company C, 369th Infantry Regiment, 93d Infantry Division, American Expeditionary Forces on May 15, 1918, during combat operations against the enemy on the front lines of the Western Front in France. In the early morning hours, Private Johnson and another soldier were on sentry duty at a forward outpost when they received a surprise attack from a German raiding party consisting of at least 12 soldiers. While under intense enemy fire and despite receiving significant wounds, Private Johnson mounted a brave retaliation, resulting in several enemy casualties. When his fellow soldier was badly wounded and being carried away by the enemy, Private Johnson exposed himself to grave danger by advancing from his position to engage the two enemy captors in hand-to-hand combat. Wielding only a knife and gravely wounded himself, Private Johnson continued fighting, defeating the two captors and rescuing the wounded soldier. Displaying great courage, he continued to hold back the larger enemy force until the defeated enemy retreated leaving behind a large cache of weapons and equipment and providing valuable intelligence. Without Private Johnson's quick actions and continued fighting, even in the face of almost certain death, the enemy might have succeeded in capturing prisoners and the outpost, without abandoning valuable intelligence. Private Johnson's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company C, 369th Infantry Regiment, 93d Infantry Division and the United States Army.
*COURTNEY, HENRY ALEXIUS, JR.
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 6 January 1916, Duluth, Minn. Appointed from: Minnesota. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Executive Officer of the 2d Battalion, 22d Marines, 6th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Islands, 14 and 15 May 1945. Ordered to hold for the night in static defense behind Sugar Loaf Hill after leading the forward elements of his command in a prolonged fire fight, Maj. Courtney weighed the effect of a hostile night counterattack against the tactical value of an immediate marine assault, resolved to initiate the assault, and promptly obtained permission to advance and seize the forward slope of the hill. Quickly explaining the situation to his small remaining force, he declared his personal intention of moving forward and then proceeded on his way, boldly blasting nearby cave positions and neutralizing enemy guns as he went. Inspired by his courage, every man followed without hesitation, and together the intrepid marines braved a terrific concentration of Japanese gunfire to skirt the hill on the right and reach the reverse slope. Temporarily halting, Maj. Courtney sent guides to the rear for more ammunition and possible replacements. Subsequently reinforced by 26 men and an LVT load of grenades, he determined to storm the crest of the hill and crush any planned counterattack before it could gain sufficient momentum to effect a breakthrough. Leading his men by example rather than by command, he pushed ahead with unrelenting aggressiveness, hurling grenades into cave openings on the slope with devastating effect. Upon reaching the crest and observing large numbers of Japanese forming for action less than 100 yards away, he instantly attacked, waged a furious battle and succeeded in killing many of the enemy and in forcing the remainder to take cover in the caves. Determined to hold, he ordered his men to dig in and, coolly disregarding the continuous hail of flying enemy shrapnel to rally his weary troops, tirelessly aided casualties and assigned his men to more advantageous positions. Although instantly killed by a hostile mortar burst while moving among his men, Maj. Courtney, by his astute military acumen, indomitable leadership and decisive action in the face of overwhelming odds, had contributed essentially to the success of the Okinawa campaign. His great personal valor throughout sustained and enhanced the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
KETTLES, CHARLES S.
Rank: Major, Organization: U.S. Army, Company: 176th Assault Helicopter Company, Division: 14th Combat Aviation Battalion, Task Force Oregon, Born: January 9, 1930, Ypsitanti, Michigan, Departed: No, Entered Service At: , G.O. Number: , Date of Issue: 07/18/2016, Accredited To: , Place and Date: Near Duc Pho, Republic of Vietnam, May 15, 1967. Citation: On 15 May 1967, Major Kettles, upon learning that an airborne infantry unit had suffered casualties during an intense firefight with the enemy, immediately volunteered to lead a flight of six UH-1D helicopters to carry reinforcements to the embattled force and to evacuate wounded personnel. Enemy small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire raked the landing zone, inflicting heavy damage to the helicopters; however, Major Kettles refused to depart until all helicopters were loaded to capacity. He then returned to the battlefield, with full knowledge of the intense enemy fire awaiting his arrival, to bring more reinforcements, landing in the midst of enemy mortar and automatic weapons fire that seriously wounded his gunner and severely damaged his aircraft. Upon departing, Major Kettles was advised by another helicopter crew that he had fuel streaming out of his aircraft. Despite the risk posed by the leaking fuel, he nursed the damaged aircraft back to base. Later that day, the Infantry Battalion Commander requested immediate, emergency extraction of the remaining 40 troops, including four members of Major Kettles' unit who were stranded when their helicopter was destroyed by enemy fire. With only one flyable UH-1 helicopter remaining, Major Kettles volunteered to return to the deadly landing zone for a third time, leading a flight of six evacuation helicopters, five of which were from the 161st Aviation Company. During the extraction, Major Kettles was informed by the last helicopter that all personnel were onboard, and departed the landing zone accordingly. Army gunships supporting the evacuation also departed the area. Once airborne, Major Kettles was advised that eight troops had been unable to reach the evacuation helicopters due to the intense enemy fire. With complete disregard for his own safety, Major Kettles passed the lead to another helicopter and returned to the landing zone to rescue the remaining troops. Without gunship, artillery, or tactical aircraft support, the enemy concentrated all firepower on his lone aircraft, which was immediately damaged by a mortar round that shattered both front windshields and the chin bubble and was further raked by small arms and machine gun fire. Despite the intense enemy fire, Major Kettles maintained control of the aircraft and situation, allowing time for the remaining eight soldiers to board the aircraft. In spite of the severe damage to his helicopter, Major Kettles once more skillfully guided his heavily damaged aircraft to safety. Without his courageous actions and superior flying skills, the last group of soldiers and his crew would never have made it off the battlefield. Major Kettles' selfless acts of repeated valor and determination are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS
FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR MAY 15
THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
1918: Pilots in the Army Aviation Section (Signal Corps) started the government's first permanent airmail route from Washington to New York. (See 12 August 1918) (5) (18)
1930: Ellen Church, who was a registered nurse, became the first airline stewardess. She served sandwiches on a Boeing Air Transport flight between San Francisco and Cheyenne, Wyo., and rode in the jumpseat of a Boeing Model 80A. (8: May 90)
1938: Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes refused to export inert helium gas to Germany for use in Zeppelin airships, because the gas could be used for military purposes. (8)
1942: Interceptor and pursuit organizations of US AAF redesignated "fighter."
1948: Air Materiel Command asked Boeing to develop an American aerial fueling system, the flying boom to overcome problems with the British hose system used on B-29s. Among the deficiencies noted were slow rate of fuel flow, time-consuming contact procedures, excessive weight and space requirements, and relatively slow flying speeds during refueling. (18)
1951: KOREAN WAR. Through 16 May, communist forces launched the second phase of their spring offensive against Republic of Korea Corps in the east in a last attempt to drive UN forces from the Korean peninsula. FEAF day-time aerial attacks limited the enemy's tactical assaults to night. (28) The first personnel of the ANG's 136 FBW left the US for Japan. (History, 136th FBW, 1 Apr30 Jun 51, p. 2)
1952: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force fighter-bombers flew 265 sorties against a vehicle repair factory at Tang-dong, north of Pyongyang, destroying at least 39 buildings and a power plant. 1Lt James H. Kasler, 335 FIS, destroyed two MiGs to become an ace. (28)
1956: The 309th Troop Carrier Group (TCG), with C-123 aircraft, deployed to Freux, France. This was the first time this plane appeared in Europe.
1959: MATS began using computer flight plans produced by the Joint Numerical Weather Prediction Unit at Suitland, Md. This test program became operational in the Air Weather Service on 14 December 1959. (2) The Air Force Ballistic Missile Division revised its plan to develop an operational rail mobile Minuteman system. (6)
1961: NASA Deputy Administrator Hugh L. Dryden revealed that the Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., had simulated free flight speeds of almost 30,000 MPH. (24)
1963: LAST MERCURY FLIGHT. After 22-orbits around the earth, Maj L. Gordon Cooper ended a 34-hour, 20-minute flight in Mercury capsule Faith 7 before landing in the Pacific, 80 miles southeast of Midway Island. He was the first American to orbit for more than one day and the last pilot in the Mercury series. (8)
1964: Air Force Western Test Range activated and assigned to the National Range Division, and the Atlantic Missile Range became the Eastern Test Range. 1966: Nimbus II, the largest weather satellite yet, launched from Vandenberg AFB.
1968: US airmail service celebrated its 50th year at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.
1973: Operation AUTHENTIC ASSISTANCE. A humanitarian action to Africa's drought-stricken Sahelian region began. In the next six months, the USAF airlifted 9,250 tons of food, seed, grain, medical supplies, and vehicles to Mauritania, Chad and Mali. (5) (21)
1975: MAYAGUEZ INCIDENT: Cambodian Communists seized the USS Mayaguez on 12 May in the Gulf of Siam near Koh Tang Island. Afterwards, MAC used 16 C-141s on 30 sorties to airlift 1,165 Marines and 121 tons of cargo from the Philippines and Okinawa to Utapao AB, Thailand. The ARRS sent HH-53 helicopters to fly the Marines to Koh Tang Island and to the USS Holt, and later picked them up. In the operation, hostile fire damaged six helicopters and wounded two airmen. MAC then supported the later redeployment with 14 C-141 and 1 C-5 mission. (2) (18) MACKAY TROPHY. During efforts to rescue the crew of the USS Mayaquez, Maj Robert W. Undorf received the trophy for conspicuous gallantry, initiative, and resourcefulness. This was the last major operation in Southeast Asia. (21)
1977: SECDEF Brown directed the Air Force to develop the extended range ALCM-B rather than the ALCM-A due to a significant cost savings.
1983: The comparative flyoff between the F-16XL and F-15 in a dual-fighter role ended at Edwards AFB. (3)
1993: The 178 FG, Ohio ANG, was the last unit in the U.S. armed forces to fly the A-7. The unit honored the Corsair II during a "SLUF [i.e., Short, Little Ugly Flyer] Salute" at Springfield, Ohio. (2Lt Carol Thompson, "The Buckeye Guard Gives A Grand SLUF Salute," National Guard, August 1993, pp 20-22.)
1996: The eleventh operational B-2 Spirit bomber arrived at Whiteman AFB for duty with the 509 BW to mark another important milestone in the B-2 program. It was the first Block 20 series aircraft to arrive at Whiteman. The aircraft featured improvements in avionics, GPS-aided munitions, and terrain following software. The earlier Block 10 aircraft were retrofitted with those upgrades later. (AFNEWS Article 960484, May 96)
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