The List 6152 TGB
Good Wednesday Morning July 6.
A bit of history and some tidbits
Regards,
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History:
July 6
1747
John Paul Jones is born in Arbigland, Scotland. Originally appointed to the Continental Navy in 1775, he is known for his quote, Ive not yet begun to fight! during the battle between Continental frigate, Bonhomme Richard, and HMS Serapis on Sept. 23, 1779.
1898
During the Spanish-American War, the auxiliary-cruiser USS Dixie captures the Spanish vessels, Three Bells, Pilgrim, and Greeman Castle, off Cape Cruz, Cuba.
1943
Following the Allied landing on New Georgia, the Japanese attempt to land reinforcements with 10 destroyers, resulting in the Battle of Kula Gulf. In the battle, USS Helena (CL 50) is hit by three torpedoes, breaks apart, and sinks, with nearly 170 of her crew lost.
1944
USS Paddle (SS 263) attacks a Japanese convoy northwest of Halmahera and sinks destroyer Hokaze off Sangi Island. Also on this date, USS Sealion (SS 315) attacks a Japanese convoy in the East China Sea and sinks merchant passenger cargo ship Setsuzan Maru off Ningpo, China while USS Tang (SS 306) sinks Japanese freighter Dori Maru in Chosen Bay.
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Today in History: July 6
1415 Jan Hus, a Czech who spoke out against Church corruption, is burned at the stake as a heretic.
1519 Charles of Spain is elected Holy Roman emperor in Barcelona.
1535 Sir Thomas More is beheaded in England for refusing to swear allegiance to King Henry VIII as head of the Church.
1536 Jacques Cartier returns to France after discovering the St. Lawrence River in Canada.
1685 James II defeats James, the Duke of Monmouth, at the Battle of Sedgemoor, the last major battle to be fought on English soil.
1770 The entire Ottoman fleet is destroyed by the Russians at the Battle of Chesma.
1788 10,000 troops are called out in Paris as unrest mounts in the poorer districts over poverty and lack of food.
1835 John Marshall, the third chief justice of the Supreme Court, dies at the age of 79. Two days later, while tolling in his honor in Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell cracks.
1836 French General Thomas Bugeaud defeats Abd al-Kader's forces beside the Sikkak River in Algeria.
1854 The Republican Party is officially organized in Jackson, Michigan.
1885 Louis Pasteur gives the first successful anti-rabies inoculation.
1944 Lieutenant Jackie Robinson of the U.S. Army, while riding a civilian bus from Camp Hoo, Texas, refuses to give up his seat to a white man.
1945 B-29 Superfortress bombers attack Honshu, Japan, using new fire-bombing techniques.
1945 Operation Overcast begins in Europe--moving Austrian and German scientists and their equipment to the United States.
1982 President Ronald Reagan agrees to contribute U.S. troops to the peacekeeping unit in Beirut.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post
Skip… For The List for Wednesday, 6 July 2022… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 6 July 1967… "We need more troops to break the stalemate"… Deja vu…
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.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War
. Listed by last name and has other info. I have misfiled it twice so I thought I would add it to the List so I will always have it available.
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Thanks to Brett
ASSESSMENTS
To Secure Its Foothold in Afghanistan, India Reaches Out to the Taliban
Jul 6, 2022
Taliban fighters stand guard on June 26, 2022, as people wait to receive aid in a village in Afghanistan's Khost province after a recent earthquake.
(AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
By improving ties with the Taliban, India is seeking to reduce security risks, counterbalance Pakistan's influence and improve economic opportunities in Afghanistan. But this strategy is likely to achieve only modest results because of Afghanistan's fragile economic and security environment, as well as New Delhi's enduring ideological and cultural differences with the Taliban. Indian officials recently visited Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban took control of the country last year. A delegation led by J.P. Singh — a secretary overseeing India's external affairs with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran — traveled to Kabul on June 6 to discuss the delivery of humanitarian aid with Taliban leaders. With the exception of sending such aid and indirectly contacting Afghanistan through third countries, New Delhi had not established a formal dialogue with Kabul since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. The diplomatic visit reflects India's new policy of engagement with the Taliban government in Afghanistan, given the new geopolitical realities of the region now that the Pakistan-backed Islamist group appears poised to retain control of the strategically important landlocked nation for the foreseeable future.
• India has sent 20,000 tons of wheat, 13 tons of medicine and 500,000 COVID-19 vaccines since August 2021 as humanitarian aid to Kabul through a land route via Pakistan.
• In the aftermath of the Kabul earthquake on June 21, India was one of the first countries to send aid. According to recent reports, New Delhi also sent a technical team to Kabul to look into reopening the Indian embassy in the city, which was closed in August 2021.
India's attempts to re-establish ties with Afghanistan are connected to its strategic and economic interests. With the Taliban takeover in August 2021, India lost the limited political and diplomatic influence it had in Afghanistan because New Delhi never fostered a formal relationship with the Taliban. However, a foothold in Afghanistan is necessary for India to counter Pakistan's presence and influence in Afghanistan. The close Pakistan-Taliban relationship poses a threat to Indian interests in the region because it gives Pakistan strategic depth and security against India. A continued Indian absence in Afghanistan would allow Pakistan to cement its role at the expense of India in the region. Therefore, India is now interested in increasing its presence in Afghanistan to counterbalance Pakistani influence, which could be a security risk to India in the long term. In addition, India's decision to exit Afghanistan over security concerns in 2021 opened the door for other regional players like China, Russia and Iran (as well as some Arab Gulf nations) to engage with the Taliban, further weakening New Delhi's influence in Afghanistan. The Taliban, for their part, are also interested in improving their ties with India as they seek to establish a stable government with meaningful foreign economic partners in their quest for international recognition.
• India has traditionally played a secondary role in Afghanistan. In the early 2000s, it logistically supported the Northern Alliance against the Taliban without getting directly involved in the conflict. India's presence in Afghanistan under the previous U.S.-backed government mainly took the shape of developmental aid to the country.
• Despite the Taliban's assurances that Indian personnel would not be harmed, India evacuates staff from its embassy in Kabul in August 2021. India's consulates in Afghanistan were shut down even before the Taliban takeover. China and Pakistan, by contrast, never closed their embassies in Kabul and continued diplomatic outreach to the Taliban-led government.
• On June 2, Mullah Yaqub — the Afghan government's acting defense minister and son of the Taliban's founder — hinted at Kabul's willingness to work with India and even send Afghan defense troops to India for training.
India will attempt to gain a foothold in Afghanistan through humanitarian aid and developmental financing. As one of the first steps toward working with the Taliban, India will likely reopen its embassy in Kabul with reduced staff and services. In addition, New Delhi will likely continue to send food and medical aid in the coming months following the Kabul earthquake amid Afghanistan's grim economic situation. In an effort to increase bilateral economic ties, India will likely also authorize imports of Afghani dry fruits, as well as certain agricultural and horticultural products, and resume air transport to and from Afghanistan. To help the Taliban build a sustainable economy, India will likely restart its small infrastructure projects in Afghanistan as well, which include building new roads, healthcare clinics and power distribution networks.
• The Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) pipeline project could also facilitate diplomatic and economic dialogue between Afghanistan and India in the coming years. Upon completion, the TAPI will supply gas from resource-rich Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India through Afghanistan. The implementation of the pipeline, which was initially scheduled to come online by 2019, still faces significant security and logistical constraints. But the TAPI could eventually help India meet its growing energy needs by granting it direct access to Turkmen gas. It could also offer New Delhi a great opportunity to partner with Kabul and deepen its participation in Afghanistan's infrastructure development.
• Improved relations with the Taliban-led Afghan government in Kabul could enable India to source minerals like copper, coal and iron ore from Afghanistan via the new International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) as well. The trade route — which runs from Russia, through Iran, to India — began operation last month with the first shipment. The Zaranj-Delaram highway built by India in Afghanistan forms an important node for the INSTC by connecting Afghanistan's Delaram District to the border of Iran.
• Given Iran's already friendly ties with the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, Tehran and New Delhi can also offer the use of the Indian-developed port of Chabahar in Iran to facilitate Afghani exports in the long term.
Increased economic and diplomatic cooperation with the Taliban could help India mitigate security threats emanating from Afghanistan. Such threats include terrorist groups like al Qaeda, which is based in Afghanistan, as well as Pakistan-supported militant groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lahskar-e-Taiba (LeT), which reportedly also have a presence in Afghanistan. The vast, mountainous and insufficiently controlled border between Afghanistan and Pakistan makes it difficult to monitor the activities of such groups, creating a permanent terrorism threat for India. A working partnership with the Taliban, however, could help New Delhi alleviate some of these concerns by enabling India to leverage diplomatic as well as economic cooperation (such as increased trade, humanitarian aid and infrastructure projects) to pressure the Taliban to rein in militant groups.
• A U.N. report released in May 2022 identified the presence of LeT and JeM training camps inside Afghanistan's Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.
The Taliban's radical Islamist ideology, ties with militant groups and close relations with India's regional rivals will ultimately constrain the effectiveness of New Delhi's rapprochement strategy. The Taliban's historically close relationship with India's neighboring archrival Pakistan, as well as the overall cultural similarities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, will limit the scope of increased Indian-Afghan cooperation. Moreover, the Taliban are likely to tread cautiously in restoring ties with New Delhi, given India's past anti-Taliban stances and support of the former Afghan government that collapsed in August 2021. China, India's other strategic rival in the region, is also influential in Afghanistan — creating another factor that could prevent the Taliban from favoring India, particularly in future economic deals. Additionally, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government and discriminatory policies against Muslims raise the potential for diplomatic rifts with the radical Islamists currently in charge of Afghanistan's Taliban-led government. And finally, increased militant activity and attacks by JeM and/or LeT, which both have ties to the Taliban, can disrupt security in India and strain New Delhi's ties with Kabul as well.
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"This Day in Aviation History" brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/.
July 6, 1950
James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle, Daedalian Founder Member #107, was named "Aviator of the Decade" by the Harmon Aviation Awards Committee.
July 7, 1942
A Lockheed A-29 Vega of the 369th Bombardment Squadron attacked and sank the German submarine U-701 off the coast of Cherry Point, North Carolina, the first such victory by an Army Air Forces aircraft.
July 8, 1978
The Naval Air Test and Evaluation Museum opened its doors to the public at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland; it is now known as the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.
July 9, 1943
Operation Husky: The invasion of Sicily began with the first major Allied airborne assault using gliders and paratroops. Many C-47s were lost due to friendly fire incidents.
July 10, 1942
Test pilot Benjamin Odell Howard took the prototype Douglas XA-26-DE light bomber, serial number 41-19504, for its first flight at the Douglas Aircraft Company El Segundo Division. The XA-26 was a twin-engine mid-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear. Douglas had proposed the design to the U.S. Army Air Corps as a replacement for three different airplanes: The Douglas A-20, the North American Aviation B-25 Mitchell, and the Martin B-26 Marauder. It was to be operated by a pilot, navigator/bombardier and a gunner. The XA-26's maximum speed was 322 knots (370 miles per hour) at 17,000 feet and it had a service ceiling of 31,300 feet. A second prototype, designated XA-26A, was developed as a night fighter. It carried air-intercept radar in the nose and armament in a pod under the fuselage. The third prototype, the XA-26B, was a ground attack aircraft. Like the XA-26A, it had a solid nose, but was armed with a fixed 75-millimeter cannon in the nose, and forward-firing Browning .50-caliber machine guns. When ordered into production, the XA-26 became the A-26C Invader, while the ground attack design was assigned A-26B.
July 11, 1967
Martin Marietta rolled out the X-24A, a manned, flat-iron shaped wingless lifting body for reentry studies, powered by a rocket engine.
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
Daily Memo: Russia and Japan Spar Over Energy
Meanwhile, Germany recorded its first monthly trade deficit in decades.
By: GPF Staff
July 5, 2022
Japan pushes back. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned on Sunday that the price cap for Russian oil, agreed at the latest G-7 summit, would be about half of current prices. The deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council responded on Tuesday that Japan would not get any oil or gas from Russia, nor would it be allowed to participate in the Sakhalin-2 liquefied natural gas project, which Moscow seized control of in a presidential decree signed last week. Japan has asked Russia for clarification on the decree, which will transfer to Moscow ownership of the project's operating firm in which Japanese companies Mitsui and Mitsubishi hold 12.5 percent and 10 percent stakes, respectively.
A German first. Germany registered a trade deficit of nearly 1 billion euros ($1.03 billion) in May, according to its Federal Statistical Office. This is the first time since 1991 that Germany has recorded a monthly trade deficit. The country's exports totaled 125.8 billion euros for the month, while imports reached 126.7 billion euros. The agency noted that the war in Ukraine has had a significant impact on the German economy.
Deadly demonstrations. Protests erupted in the Uzbek region of Karakalpakstan over draft constitutional amendments that would remove the region's right to secede. According to observers, 20,000-25,000 people took part in the demonstrations. At least 18 people were killed and 243 were injured in clashes with police. Following the unrest, the Uzbek parliament voted to make changes to the draft to preserve Karakalpakstan's autonomous status.
Saudi social support. Saudi Arabia will spend $2.8 billion on social security payouts and basic income payments and $2.2 billion on shoring up its strategic reserves of basic goods in an effort to manage rising prices. The money will come from its first-quarter trade surplus, which totaled $15 billion.
Frank talks. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had a "pragmatic and frank" discussion about financial developments in both countries, the global economic outlook and food security challenges. The talks, the pair's first since October, could signify a step toward easing Trump-era U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.
Raids. Indian authorities reportedly carried out raids at 44 locations across the country targeting top Chinese mobile manufacturer Vivo and several firms linked to it. This comes as the government cracks down on Chinese businesses operating in India suspected of financial irregularities.
Changing course. South Korea will pursue a "new structure" in its talks with North Korea to try to open direct negotiations with Pyongyang on the denuclearization issue, which has been managed largely by Washington until now, according to Seoul's unification minister.
Kazakhstan and the EU. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and European Council President Charles Michel spoke by phone on Monday. Tokayev said in the meeting that Kazakhstan was willing to act as a buffer between Eastern and Western markets and to use its hydrocarbon resources to stabilize energy markets.
Trip to Hanoi. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will arrive in Hanoi on Tuesday for a two-day visit before heading to a G-20 meeting later this week in Indonesia.
Partnership. Somalia and Turkey are in talks over a partnership on hydrocarbon exploration in Somalia, the Somali president said during a visit to Ankara over the weekend.
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This Day in US Military History
JULY 6
1779 – The Battle of Grenada took place during the American War of Independence in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy, just off the coast of Grenada. The British fleet of Admiral John Byron, the grandfather of Lord Byron, had sailed in an attempt to relieve Grenada, which the French forces of the Comte D'Estaing had just captured. Incorrectly believing he had numerical superiority, Byron ordered a general chase to attack the French as they left their anchorage at Grenada. Because of the disorganized attack and the French superiority, the British fleet was badly mauled in the encounter, although no ships were lost. Naval historian Alfred Thayer Mahan described the British loss as "the most disastrous … that the British Navy had encountered since Beachy Head, in
1690." Despite the French victory, d'Estaing did not follow up with further attacks, squandering any tactical advantage the battle gave him.
1945 – Some 600 US B-29 Superfortress bombers struck Osaka, Kofu, Chiba, Shimizu (near Tokyo), Shimotsu and Akashi, all on Honshu. Nearly 4000 tons of bombs are dropped.
1945 – Operation Overcast began in Europe–moving Austrian and German scientists and their equipment to the United States.
1964 – At Nam Dong in the northern highlands of South Vietnam, an estimated 500-man Viet Cong battalion attacks an American Special Forces outpost. During a bitter battle, Capt. Roger C. Donlon, commander of the Special Forces A-Team, rallied his troops, treated the wounded, and directed defenses although he himself was wounded several times. After five hours of fighting, the Viet Cong withdrew. The battle resulted in an estimated 40 Viet Cong killed; two Americans, 1 Australian military adviser, and 57 South Vietnamese defenders also lost their lives. At a White House ceremony in December 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented Captain Donlon with the first Medal of Honor of the Vietnam War.
1976 – In Annapolis, Maryland, the United States Naval Academy admits women for the first time in its history with the induction of 81 female midshipmen. In May
1980, Elizabeth Anne Rowe became the first woman member of the class to graduate. Four years later, Kristine Holderied became the first female midshipman to graduate at the top of her class. The U.S. Naval Academy opened in Annapolis in October 1845, with 50 midshipmen students and seven professors. Known as the Naval School until 1850, the curriculum included mathematics, navigation, gunnery, steam, chemistry, English, natural philosophy, and French. The Naval School officially became the U.S. Naval Academy in 1850, and a new curriculum went into effect requiring midshipmen to study at the Academy for four years and to train aboard ships each summer–the basic format that remains at the academy to this day.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
See the note at the end of this one on the four that were awarded yesterday. Now we have to get Royce Williams the one he so richly deserves.
*VAN VOORHIS, BRUCE AVERY
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy. Born: 29 January 1908, Aberdeen, Wash. Appointed from: Nevada. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Squadron Commander of Bombing Squadron 102 and as Plane Commander of a PB4Y-I Patrol Bomber operating against the enemy on Japanese-held Greenwich Island during the battle of the Solomon Islands, 6 July 1943. Fully aware of the limited chance of surviving an urgent mission, voluntarily undertaken to prevent a surprise Japanese attack against our forces, Lt. Comdr. Van Voorhis took off in total darkness on a perilous 700-mile flight without escort or support. Successful in reaching his objective despite treacherous and varying winds, low visibility and difficult terrain, he fought a lone but relentless battle under fierce antiaircraft fire and overwhelming aerial opposition. Forced lower and lower by pursuing planes, he coolly persisted in his mission of destruction. Abandoning all chance of a safe return he executed 6 bold ground-level attacks to demolish the enemy's vital radio station, installations, antiaircraft guns and crews with bombs and machinegun fire, and to destroy 1 fighter plane in the air and 3 on the water. Caught in his own bomb blast, Lt. Comdr. Van Voorhis crashed into the lagoon off the beach, sacrificing himself in a single-handed fight against almost insuperable odds, to make a distinctive contribution to our continued offensive in driving the Japanese from the Solomons and, by his superb daring, courage and resoluteness of purpose, enhanced the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
DONLON, ROGER HUGH C.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army. Place and date: Near Nam Dong, Republic of Vietnam, 6 July 1964. Entered service at: Fort Chaffee, Ark. Born: 30 January 1934, Saugerties, N.Y. G.O. No.: 41, 17 December 1964. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while defending a U.S. military installation against a fierce attack by hostile forces. Capt. Donlon was serving as the commanding officer of the U.S. Army Special Forces Detachment A-726 at Camp Nam Dong when a reinforced Viet Cong battalion suddenly launched a full-scale, predawn attack on the camp. During the violent battle that ensued, lasting 5 hours and resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, Capt. Donlon directed the defense operations in the midst of an enemy barrage of mortar shells, falling grenades, and extremely heavy gunfire. Upon the initial onslaught, he swiftly marshaled his forces and ordered the removal of the needed ammunition from a blazing building. He then dashed through a hail of small arms and exploding hand grenades to abort a breach of the main gate. En route to this position he detected an enemy demolition team of 3 in the proximity of the main gate and quickly annihilated them. Although exposed to the intense grenade attack, he then succeeded in reaching a 60mm mortar position despite sustaining a severe stomach wound as he was within 5 yards of the gun pit. When he discovered that most of the men in this gunpit were also wounded, he completely disregarded his own injury, directed their withdrawal to a location 30 meters away, and again risked his life by remaining behind and covering the movement with the utmost effectiveness. Noticing that his team sergeant was unable to evacuate the gun pit he crawled toward him and, while dragging the fallen soldier out of the gunpit, an enemy mortar exploded and inflicted a wound in Capt. Donlon's left shoulder. Although suffering from multiple wounds, he carried the abandoned 60mm mortar weapon to a new location 30 meters away where he found 3 wounded defenders. After administering first aid and encouragement to these men, he left the weapon with them, headed toward another position, and retrieved a 57mm recoilless rifle. Then with great courage and coolness under fire, he returned to the abandoned gun pit, evacuated ammunition for the 2 weapons, and while crawling and dragging the urgently needed ammunition, received a third wound on his leg by an enemy hand grenade. Despite his critical physical condition, he again crawled 175 meters to an 81mm mortar position and directed firing operations which protected the seriously threatened east sector of the camp. He then moved to an eastern 60mm mortar position and upon determining that the vicious enemy assault had weakened, crawled back to the gun pit with the 60mm mortar, set it up for defensive operations, and turned it over to 2 defenders with minor wounds. Without hesitation, he left this sheltered position, and moved from position to position around the beleaguered perimeter while hurling hand grenades at the enemy and inspiring his men to superhuman effort. As he bravely continued to move around the perimeter, a mortar shell exploded, wounding him in the face and body. As the long awaited daylight brought defeat to the enemy forces and their retreat back to the jungle leaving behind 54 of their dead, many weapons, and grenades, Capt. Donlon immediately reorganized his defenses and administered first aid to the wounded. His dynamic leadership, fortitude, and valiant efforts inspired not only the American personnel but the friendly Vietnamese defenders as well and resulted in the successful defense of the camp. Capt. Donlon's extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
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Biden awards Medal of Honor to 4 soldiers for Vietnam War heroism
By Darlene Superville, The Associated Press
Jul 5, 09:56 AM
President Joe Biden speaks during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, July 5, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday bestowed the nation's highest military honor to four Army soldiers for heroism during the Vietnam War, bravery that he said had not diminished even with the passage of time.
Biden presented the Medal of Honor to Staff Sgt. Edward N. Kaneshiro, Spc. Five Dwight W. Birdwell, Spc. Five Dennis M. Fujii, and retired Maj. John J. Duffy. Speaking at a ceremony in the White House East Room, Biden praised their heroism, noting that many like them don't receive "the full recognition they deserve."
"Today, we're setting the record straight. We're upgrading the awards of four soldiers who performed acts of incredible heroism during the Vietnam conflict," Biden said.
"It's just astounding when you hear what each of them have done," he said. "They went far above and beyond the call of duty. It's a phrase always used but ... it takes on life when you see these men."
President Joe Biden awards the Medal of Honor to Spc. Dwight Birdwell for his actions on Jan. 31, 1968, during the Vietnam War, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, July 5, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Addressing the three living soldiers and relatives of Kaneshiro, who is deceased, the president said, "I'm proud to finally award our highest military recognition, the Medal of Honor, to each of you."
Biden noted that more than 50 years had passed "since the jungles of Vietnam where, as young men, these soldiers first proved their mettle. But time has not diminished their astonishing bravery, their selflessness in putting the lives of others ahead of their own and the gratitude that we as a nation owe them."
Four soldiers to receive Medals of Honor for actions in Vietnam
The men will be recognized in a White House ceremony on July 5.
By Leo Shane III
Kaneshiro, killed in action by hostile gunfire in Vietnam in 1967, received his honor posthumously for a Dec. 1, 1966 raid where his unit came under fire by North Vietnamese troops. His actions were credited with helping his unit withdraw from the village where they were fighting. Kaneshiro was born and raised in Hawaii, a son of Japanese immigrants.
President Joe Biden awards the Medal of Honor to retired Maj. John Duffy for his actions on April 14-15 1972, during the Vietnam War, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, July 5, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Birdwell was honored for actions helping to head off an assault and evacuate wounded at Tan Son Nhut Airbase near Saigon on Jan. 31, 1968, despite injuries to his torso and face, during an opening salvo in what is known as the Tet Offensive, an especially bloody period of the war.
Birdwell, a member of the Cherokee Nation and a lawyer in Oklahoma City, had received a Silver Star for his actions. Biden said it took Birdwell's commanding officer decades to realize that Birdwell had not received the proper recognition and took steps, even in retirement, to "make this day possible."
"At long last, long last, your story is being honored as it should have been always," Biden told Birdwell.
President Joe Biden presents the Medal of Honor to Staff Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro for his actions on Dec. 1, 1966, during the Vietnam War, as his son John Kaneshiro accepts the posthumous recognition during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, July 5, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Fujii received a Medal of Honor for actions over four days in February 1971 treating wounded and directing air strikes against enemy positions after his air ambulance was forced to crash land.
Duffy was recognized for leading troops who came under ambush after their commander was killed in action, repelling attackers and evacuating wounded, despite his own injuries. Duffy went on to become an author and once was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for poetry.
"He is the definition of a warrior poet," Biden said.
The list of Duffy's awards is most impressive. I will try to find it again. Four tours in Vietnam. 19 major awards and 8 purple hearts. There were so many awards on his chest that he may have affected any wet compass near him.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 6, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
6 July
1908: The Signal Corps appointed the Aeronautical Board to conduct tests on dirigibles, balloons, and airplanes being built under contract. (12) (24)
1915: Capt V. E. Clark, the first air officer to graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Doctor of Engineering, reported to North Island. (24)
1924: Maj Henry H. Arnold set a new speed record by flying 500 miles between Rockwell Field and San Francisco in 4 hours 25 minutes.
1945: The North American XP-82 Twin Mustang first flew. (12)
1950: KOREAN WAR/FIRST STRATEGIC ATTACK. Nine B-29s conducted the first strategic air attacks of the Korean War by bombing the Rising Sun oil refinery at Wonsan and a chemical plant at Hungman in North Korea. (21) (28) The Harmon International Aviation Awards Committee named James H. Doolittle the Aviator of the Decade, Jacqueline Cochran the Outstanding Aviatrix, and Vice Admiral Charles E. Rosendahl the top aeronaut (lighter-than-air). (16) (24)
1951: KOREAN WAR. A 43 AREFS aircrew flew a KB-29M in the first combat air refueling operation. It refueled four RF-80s flying reconnaissance missions over North Korea. (1) (26) (28)
1953: Operation KINDERLIFT. USAFE began an airlift of children from Berlin to West Germany for a summer vacation in German and American homes. (4)
1954: The Lockheed XF-104 made its first flight. 1961: An Atlas-E, launched from Cape Canaveral, set a US record by flying 9,050 miles and dropping a 1.5-ton payload on target, 1,000 miles southeast of Capetown, South Africa. (24)
1967: The Chaparral monorail sled set a record, when it reached 6,834.2 feet per second (4,750 MPH). The two-stage sled was 21 feet long, 12 inches high, and weighed about 780 pounds. An Atlas D booster successfully launched an Advanced Ballistic Reentry Vehicle System (ABRES) vehicle from Vandenberg AFB. (16)
1982: A MAC C-130 left Rhein-Main AB for Kano, Nigeria, with two crews, maintenance personnel, an airlift control element, parts, rations, satellite communications, and water. After setting up an operating base, the aircraft flew to N'Djamena, Chad, where the crews began alternating flights to Abe'che' and Faya-Largeau. In a week, the C-130 carried 113 tons of food supplies to Chadian civil war refugees. (2)
1989: Under the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, the US destroyed its last MGM-31 Pershing 1A missile, the 169th, at the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant, Karnack, Tex. (20) President George Bush presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award to Gen James H. Doolittle (retired) at the White House. (26)
2005: The 305 AMW at McGuire AFB received the 13th and last C-17 (tail number 04-4137), when Lt Gen Walter Buchanan III, the Ninth Air Force and US Central Command Air Forces commander at Shaw AFB delivered the C-17 from the Boeing in Long Beach, Calif. The first C-17 had been delivered to the 305th on 24 September 2004. (22)
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WORLD NEWS FOR JULY 6 THANKS TO MILITARY PERISCOPE
USA—NAVCENT Announces Counterterror Reward Program U.S. Naval Forces Central Command | 07/06/2022 For the first time, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) is offering rewards for information that results in the detection of illegal maritime activity in the Middle East, reports the command. Individuals who provide information that meets specific criteria under the Dept. of Defense Rewards Program will be eligible for rewards worth up to US$100,000 or items such as boats, vehicles, food or equipment. The information or nonlethal assistance must support counterterrorism operations or lead American naval forces to successfully seize illicit cargo such as weapons or drugs, NAVCENT said on Tuesday. U.S. citizens are not eligible for such rewards, the command noted. The move comes after illicit cargo seizures increased significantly last year in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. The U.S.-led Combined Maritime Force seized US$500 million in illegal drugs, while U.S. Fifth Fleet captured more than 9,000 illegal weapons, a threefold increase over 2020, according to NAVCENT.
Angola—President Seeks To Mediate Between DRC, Rwanda Over M23 Militants Africa News Online | 07/06/2022 Angolan President Joao Lourenco hosted his Congolese and Rwandan counterparts this week to try and reduce tensions as the M23 militant group has stepped up attacks, reports Africa News. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, were scheduled to meet on Wednesday in Luanda, the Angolan capital. Tensions between the neighbors increased this year after the M23 rebel group stepped up attacks in the eastern North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tshisekedi has accused the Rwandan government of supporting the group and sending special operations troops to fight with the militants. Rwanda has denied the accusations.
Germany—Rheinmetall Shows Off Skyranger 30 Air Defense Laser Capabilities Rheinmetall Defence | 07/06/2022 Rheinmetall touted its new air defense turret with high-energy laser capability at last month's ILA Berlin exhibition. The Skyranger 30 air defense turret was displayed on the Boxer 8 x 8 wheeled armored vehicle at the show, including a 30-mm cannon and an integrated surface-to-air missile launcher, the company said in a release. The turret is also available in a high-energy laser (HEL) variant with a laser source and laser guidance system integrated with the vehicle and a laser weapon station built into the turret that also serves as a platform for electro-optical sensors. This version can autonomously monitor airspace and then select the best effector (cannon, missile or laser) to defeat a threat, Rheinmetall said. The company said it has demonstrated laser output of 20 kW in testing to date, with plans to increase this to 100 kW. An initial Skyranger HEL variant would be equipped with a 20-kW to 50-kW laser.
Israel—Elbit Wins Self-Protection Systems Deal With Asia-Pacific Country Elbit Systems | 07/06/2022 Elbit Systems says it has won a contract to supply aircraft self-protection systems to an unnamed Asia-Pacific country. On Tuesday, the Israeli firm said it had received a US$80 million contract to supply its C-MUSIC direct infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) and Infrared Passive Airborne Warning Systems (IR-PAWS) products to an undisclosed customer. The systems will be integrated with several, unnamed aircraft types, Elbit said. More than 25 types of aircraft have been equipped with the C-MUSIC and IR-PAWS to date, according to the company.
Mali—2 U.N. Peacekeepers Die In IED Blast United Nations | 07/06/2022 At least two U.N. peacekeepers have been killed in a roadside bombing in northeastern Mali, reports the United Nations. On Tuesday, a U.N. armored vehicle traveling with a logistics convoy hit a mine on the road between Tessalit and Gao, killing two and injuring five, said the spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general. The peacekeepers who were killed were from Egypt, according to the Irish Mission to the U.N.
Niue—New Zealand Sends Medical Team To Assist With COVID-19 Outbreak New Zealand Herald | 07/06/2022 Within days of opening its borders to quarantine-free travel, the small Pacific Island country of Niue experienced an outbreak of COVID-19, reports the New Zealand Herald. The first flight arrived on June 27 and positive cases were reported the next day. A total of 20 cases have been reported since. On Tuesday, New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Defence Minister Peeni Henare announced that a medical assistance team would depart the next day on an air force C-130 cargo aircraft to support the Niuean health system. New Zealand is also supplying personal protective equipment and rapid antigen tests. Another five-person team is being sent to provide medical planning and logistics expertise to help with the Niuean government's response. Niue has a 99-percent double-vaccination rate, which would help provide a strong defense, New Zealand officials said.
Sudan—Military Leader Clears Path For Civilian Government Agence France-Presse | 07/06/2022 Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the military junta in Sudan, says the military-led government will step down to enable the formation of a civilian government, reports Agence France-Presse. On Monday, Burhan, who seized power in a coup in October 2021, said the military would withdraw from national talks led by the U.N. and regional blocs and allow "political and revolutionary forces and other national factions" to form a civilian government. The move comes after security forces killed nine demonstrators during regular protests against the junta on June 30. Burhan subsequently dissolved the Sovereign Council that had led the Sudanese government following the formation of a national unity government, reported the Sudan Tribune (Paris). The move was expected to be formally announced on Wednesday. A supreme council of armed forces, consisting of the military and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, would replace the council but would only oversee defense and security issues, Burhan said.
Tunisia—Contract Awarded For T-6C Trainer Program Dept. Of Defense | 07/06/2022 Textron Aviation Defense has received a contract modification from the U.S. Air Force for new basic trainers for Tunisia, reports the Dept. of Defense. The US$90.7 million modification, awarded on June 30, covers eight T-6C Texan II trainers; spare parts; spare engines; support equipment; and training systems. Work under the contract is scheduled to be completed by Sept. 30, 2026. The State Dept. initially approved a sale of up to 12 T-6 aircraft to Tunisia worth up to US$234 million in October 2019, noted Defence Web (South Africa). In June 2021, Textron received an initial US$12 million deal for long lead-time items and an in-country basing survey for Tunisian T-6Cs. The new trainers will fill a gap in pilot training aircraft in the Tunisian air force, analysts said. Tunisia is the second African country to procure the T-6, joining Morocco, which ordered 24 of the trainers in 2009.
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