The List 6154 TGB
Good Friday Morning July 8.
I hope that you all have a great weekend
Regards,
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History:
July 8
1777 British frigate HMS Rainbow and brig HMS Flora chase the Continental frigates Boston and Hancock and the captured prize, British frigate HMS Fox, off Halifax, Nova Scotia. Boston escapes but Hancock is captured and renamed HMS Iris.
1778 The Allied French fleet under Adm. Comte dEstaing arrives in America with reinforcements for the American Revolution and participates in the Battle of Rhode Island and at the Siege of Savannah.
1879 USS Jeannette departs San Francisco to explore the Arctic, but becomes frozen in the ice pack by September. On June 13, 1881, the bark-rigged wooden steamship sinks after she is crushed in an Arctic ice pack during an attempt to reach the North Pole through the Bering Strait. Of the 33 who set off after the ship went down, only 13 of Jeannette's men survive their adventures and return to civilization.
1944 The cruisers and destroyers of Task Group 53.18, commanded by Rear Adm. Charles Turner Joy, begin daily bombardment of Japanese defenses on Guam. Battleships join the bombardment group on July 14.
1960 USS Proteus (AS-19) is recommissioned and serves as a tender for the Polaris Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines.
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Today in History: 8 July
1099 Christian Crusaders march around Jerusalem as Muslims watch from within the city.
1608 The first French settlement at Quebec is established by Samuel de Champlain.
1663 The British crown grants Rhode Island a charter guaranteeing freedom of worship.
1686 The Austrians take Budapest from the Turks and annex Hungary.
1709 Peter the Great defeats Charles XII at Poltava, in the Ukraine, effectively ending the Swedish empire.
1755 Britain breaks off diplomatic relations with France as their disputes in the New World intensify.
1758 The British attack on Fort Carillon at Ticonderoga, New York, is foiled by the French.
1794 French troops capture Brussels, Belgium.
1815 With Napoleon defeated, Louis XVIII returns to Paris.
1822 29-year old poet Percy Bysshe Shelley drowns while sailing in Italy.
1859 The truce at Villafranca Austria cedes Lombardy to France.
1863 Demoralized by the surrender of Vicksburg, Confederates in Port Hudson, Louisiana, surrender to Union forces.
1864 Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston retreats into Atlanta to prevent being flanked by Union General William T. Sherman.
1865 Four of the conspirators in President Abraham Lincoln's assassination are hanged in Washington, D.C.
1879 The first ship to use electric lights departs from San Francisco, California.
1905 The mutinous crew of the battleship Potemkin surrenders to Romanian authorities.
1918 Ernest Hemingway is wounded in Italy while working as an ambulance driver for the American Red Cross.
1941 20 B-17s fly in their first mission with the Royal Air Force over Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
1943 American B-24 bombers strike Japanese-held Wake Island for the first time.
1960 The Soviet Union charges American pilot Francis Gary Powers with espionage.
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This is a great story
Thanks to Billy and Dr. Ruch
Pabst Blue Ribbon Presents: "The Greatest Beer Run Ever" ...
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Thanks to Grant
This will put a little jump in your steps this morning
Here's a good one... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8yGGtVKrD8
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From this List archives
Thanks to Rich via GM ...
Battle of Khasham - little known, but serious conflict ...
I'm betting the "Wagner Group" mercenaries were sheep dipped spetsnaz.
Opinion: Inside The Battle Of Khasham In Syria
Aaron Stein July 05, 2021
A pair of U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles flew over northern Iraq on Sept. 23, 2014, after conducting airstrikes in Syria.
Credit: Senior Airman Matthew Bruch/U.S. Air Force
More than three years after it took place in February 2018, the Battle of Khasham remains one of the most dramatic and mysterious events of the Syrian civil war. U.S. forces obliterated a column of pro-government forces during the battle, reportedly including dozens of members of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military contractor. The toll of air- and ground-launched munition strikes reportedly left hundreds dead on the pro-government side—the U.S. side reported no casualties—but details of the battle, including the role of U.S. and Russian combat aircraft, remain scant and conflicted.
A forthcoming book, The U.S. War Against ISIS: How America and its Allies Defeated the Caliphate, by Aaron Stein, director of the Middle East Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, provides the first definitive account of the battle, including details of U.S. Special Forces' involvement and the role of U.S. fighter pilots in keeping the Russian Air Force from intervening. Stein provided Aviation Week an exclusive excerpt from the book.
In the skies over Deir el-Zour, the U.S. Air Force and the Russian Air Force engaged in some of the most aggressive confrontations of the war.
In February 2018, Russian private military contractor the Wagner Group tested the ground deconfliction agreement by looking to expand the Russian presence east of the Euphrates River. The United States retained a small garrison near the Conoco Oil plant.
As the Russian buildup began, the United States dispatched Delta Force to the area to augment the Special Forces and Army Rangers already in place and to bolster any potential defense of the U.S. position. "The Delta guys were sent there," a person familiar with the incident explained, "and they were looking at river crossings." As it would turn out, the Russian force crossed at the crossing point that the U.S. had agreed to in the talks over deconfliction. "They launched this operation from that same 1 km by 4 km river crossing that they had carved out in 2017."
The Russians got pretty close, and the U.S. forces were talking to them on the deconfliction line. "The first call," the official continued, "was just explaining to them what we were seeing. We were seeing artillery and a Multiple Launch Rocket System throwing rockets around, and so on the second call we asked again: Is that you? The Russians said it wasn't them. We reiterated that the next call would be to tell them that we are taking action. The Russians again responded it was not them."
The trigger, as it would turn out, was that the Wagner Group began to bracket-fire the American outpost with artillery, which refers to using spotting rounds to calibrate the aim to then walk the shell onto the target. "Once the rounds fell in front and back of the guys, we knew we were being bracketed, and it was clear that this was self-defense. At that point, a radio call went out: 'Cleared hot,' and everything just started to evaporate," said an official familiar with the Wagner incident.
The American response included F-15E Strike Eagles, AC-130 gunships, attack helicopters and armed drones.
"The robots were Winchestered," an Air Force officer quipped, using slang to describe how the armed drones flying overhead ran out of missiles. "The controlling JTAC [Joint Terminal Attack Controller] was out of breath from doing so many 9 lines." A "9 line" refers to the targeting brief that a Joint Terminal Attack Controller sends to a pilot for releasing a precision-guided munition.
During the fracas, "Russian Su-30s launched but were held far away by U.S. pilots who had targeted them but had held fire as the other assets were striking targets on the ground," a U.S. Air Force official said.
The Su-30s were pinned down, an official explained, "because they were spread on azimuth," meaning that each aircraft was flying directly off the wing of the other at a range of 500-3,000 ft., which because of "bleed over" from the radar makes it easier to place under missile lock.
"The Russians didn't have any surface-to-air fires," the official continued, so with the Su-30s pinned down, there was little to stop the American onslaught.
The engagement, an official explained, "was not quick, but it was decisive, and once it was green-lit, there was little left on their side."
I.B. Tauris, the publisher, is scheduled to release Stein's book on Jan. 27, 2022
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Thanks to THE BEAR
ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED… 8 JULY 1967… REWRITING VIETNAM HISTORY?…
THUNDER REMEMBERED… 8 JULY 1967… REWRITING VIETNAM HISTORY?…
RIPPLE SALVO… #490… KEN BURNS, STEVEN SPIELBERG and the director of "RIDE THE THUNDER"… but first…
Good Morning: Day FOUR HUNDRED NINETY of a one and half million word return to the skies of Rolling Thunder and the history and courage of great human beings–America's winged warriors…
8 JULY 1967… HEAD LINES from The New York Times on a Saturday full of clouds in NYC…
Page 1: "Westmoreland Asks McNamara For More Troops–Says U.S Forces Are Slowly Winning War But Must Step Up the Pressure–They Confer In Saigon–No Specifics Figures Given on Manpower Request–Believed to Be 100,000″… "General William Westmoreland, the United States Commander in Vietnam renewed today his appeal to send him more troops…The General told the Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara on his ninth visit to South Vietnam, and now is the time to step-up the pressure by reinforcing our mounting successes. 'The war is not a stalemate. We are winning slowly and steadily. The North Vietnamese are paying a tremendous price with nothing to show for it, said General Westmoreland. …he is known to want between 100,000 and 200,000 more men. About 464,000 American servicemen are now in Vietnam."... Page 1: "150 of Enemy Die in Vietnam Battle"... "…killed by air and artillery when caught in open yesterday near the demilitarized zone. No American losses."
Page 1: "Chichester Sails Up Thames And is Dubbed a Knight by Queen Elizabeth (Picture of dubbing)"… "Sir Francis Chichester, home from the seas, was dubbed a knight today by !Queen Elizabeth, II, in a ceremony witnessed by millions on television. In pale sunshine on the grand quadrangle of the Royal Naval college of Greenwich, Sir Francis, looking tanned and fit, received the accolade of knighthood when gently tapped on the shoulders with a sword that was presented to Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I in 1581." oohrah…. (Humble Host note: For those of us who have encountered swells and heavy rollers that come in above the horizon, drop you into a trough looking into a wall of green water 70-feet high, and keep on coming for a day or two, there is nothing but unbounded admiration for the human who dares to take on Mother Nature and the great waters of the world alone in a ketch … Sir Francis (Chichester)… youdaman!!! … oohrahX2)…
Page 8: "Reagan Tax Bill Gains in Senate"... "The biggest tax bill in California history, reflecting generally the demands of Governor Ronald Reagan was reported to the State Senate today by the Democratic-dominated Finance Committee. Bill is designed to raise $1-billion. The personal income tax raise would be $3 for a family of 4 on an $8,000 income. At $10,000 the increase would be $26/year and at $100,000 the tax would increase by $2,455."… Page 8: "Hecklers Greet Lindsay's Tour of Harlem With Shouts for Jobs"… "Mayor John Lindsay walked through a crowd of 500 hecklers who spoiled his plans for a 'quiet walking tour' of Harlem. Mayor, 'No problem,' as crowd chanted 'we want jobs, we want jobs.' "...Page 9: "Romney is Confident On New Hampshire Primary:... "confident he can win the New Hampshire presidential primary next March."… Page 10: "Restrain Urged In Race Riot News–U.S. Officials Seek Delays Pending Police Action"… "Officials of the Justice Department have been meeting quietly with news media representatives in racially tense cities to urge restraint in reporting racial outbursts…target is local radio and television stations."… Page 6: "Soviet Assures U.S. On Consuls– Said at Glassboro Meeting it Would Ratify Treaty"... "Soviet Union reluctant to take any bilateral steps toward cooperation as long as the Vietnam war."…
8 July 1967… The President's TS Daily CIA Brief… NORTH VIETNAM: Hanoi announced yesterday that Nguyen Chi Thanh–a four star general– and a member of the North Vietnamese Politburo–is dead of a heart attack. Thanh was the Viet Cong commander-in-chief and a noted hardliner in the Hanoi leadership. …CONGO: Mobutu's troops regained control of Bukavu yesterday. The Congolese apparently have also retaken Kisangani (Stanleyville), and at least one plane load of mercenaries from there has reached Rhodesia…. ISRAEL: Prime Minister Eshkol openly criticized Defense Minister Dayan yesterday and this may well lead to Dayan's resignation and a more flexible Israeli position on terms for a settlement. Dayan is unlikely to remain silent in the face of Eshkol's statement that the defense minister's "self-praise is not honorable."… MOROCCO: King Hassan is giving every indication that he intends to preserve his country's pro-western Stance despite mounting criticism of his regime. His choice of new premier on Thursday–a man friendly to the U.S.–is the most recent case in point. All in all, Hassan is clearly stepping up to his responsibilities…
8 JULY 1967… OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER… New York Times (9 July reporting 8 July ops)…Page 3: "MIG Base Attacked"... "American pilots attacked the Kep base near Hanoi and blasted more petroleum dumps near Haiphong yesterday. Air Force Thunderchief pilots from Korat Air Base in Thailand bombed the main runway of the Kep airfield, setting off a large explosion…there were no MIGs sighted on the field or in the air. This was the 10th attack on the Kep MIG base since April 24. The Kep base is 38 miles northeast of Hanoi."… Page 1: "Marine pilots attacked a North Vietnamese surface to air missile site in the DMZ yesterday. It was the first missile site in the zone with more than one launcher. Marine and Air Force pilots attacked a rocket position inside the zone and six artillery positions just north of it. ..Air Force Thunderchief pilots raided the MIG base at Kep for the 11th time and reported all runways and taxiways had been damaged. Other pilots struck petroleum and railroad targets."…
"Vietnam: Air Losses" (Chris Hobson) There was one fixed wing aircraft lost in Southeast Asia on 8 July 1967…
(1) A B-52D of the 22nd BW attached to 4135th BW at Anderson AFB, Guam suffered multiple engine failures on an Arc Light mission and diverted to make an emergency landing at Danang. The aircraft landed long, the drag chute failed, and the aircraft entered the overrun and exploded. Five of the six crew members were killed in the accident, only the tail gunner survived. MAJOR GENE WESLEY BROWN, CAPTAIN JAMES THOMAS DAVIS, CAPTAIN ANTHONY KENT JOHNSON, CAPTAIN WILLIAM HENRY PRITCHARD, and CAPTAIN DONALD J. REYNOLDS perished in the service of our country fifty years ago today… They rest in peace…
RIPPLE SALVO… #490… VIETNAM HISTORY by Ken Burns and Steven Spielberg… coming to your living room and a theater near you… I am trying to keep an open mind… not easy, these guys have track records that indicate they march to a different drummer than me… I watched the Burns trailer for his 18-hour PBS series on the Vietnam war today and join Fred Koster the director of the movie "Ride the Thunder" in his skepticism of what's coming from both the Burns and the Spielberg/Tom Hanks retelling of real history on the silver screen. Humble Host recommends the Ken Burns 25 minute teaser video at:
The Spielberg movie is not due until December… Hope it doesn't spoil the Christmas season for those of us who missed a few Christmas seasons deployed in Southeast Asia making history… I missed the Fred Koster movie,"Ride the Thunder." He advertises four for the price of two DVDs at:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RIDE-THE-THUNDER-A-Vietnam-War-Story-Buy-2-DVDs-Get-2-FREE-only-33-98-/122557387230?
Anybody recommend I buy a few for the grandkids?…
RTR QUOTE for 8 July: Patrick J. Sloyan ("The Politics of Deception"): "Kennedy's order to get rid of Diem was the real beginning of the American war in Vietnam." Humble Host notes that this conclusion is unlikely to be part of the Ken Burn's version of the Vietnam war….we'll see…
Lest we forget… Bear
COMMENT:
EDWARD J. HAERTER July 8, 2017 @ 6:32 am
The tail gunner of the B-52 at DaNang survived because one of the firemen ran to the burning plane, which was in the middle of a minefield and pulled him out. When he was asked why he did it, he replied that he just ran in the track the plane had made after the gear came off. Quite a kid, 19 as I remember.
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
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Thanks to Micro and Cowboy
Subject: Ron!
If you feel nowadays that common sense has gone out the window, that people no longer understand what America stands for, and that the world has gone insane, watch the attached video to get your feet back on the ground and remember what leadership looked like and sounded like.
Below is the full version of "President Ronald Reagan's Farewell Address to the Nation. January 11, 1989"
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The Navy Has a Forest!!
Thanks to John H. and Dr. Rich
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This Day in U S Military History…….July 8
1760 – The Battle of Restigouche, a naval battle fought during the French and Indian War on the Restigouche River between the British Royal Navy and the small flotilla of vessels of the French Navy, Acadian militia and Mi'kmaq militias. The French vessels had been sent to relieve New France after the fall of Quebec. Supplies were extraordinarily important because France ran their colonies such that the colonies were wholly dependent on products and manufacturing of the motherland. The loss of the Battle of Restigouche and the consequent inability to supply the troops, marked the end of any serious attempt by France to keep hold of their colonies in North America, and it severely curtailed any hopes for a lengthy resistance to the British by the French forces that remained. The battle was the last major engagement of the Mi'kmaq and Acadian militias before the Burying of the Hatchet Ceremony between the Mi'kmaq and the British.
1775 – The Olive Branch Petition, adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 5, 1775, was signed by members of the Continental Congress. The petition was a final attempt to avoid a full-blown war between the Thirteen Colonies that the Congress represented, and Great Britain. The petition affirmed American loyalty to Great Britain and entreated the king to prevent further conflict. In August 1775 the colonies were formally declared to be in rebellion by the Proclamation of Rebellion, and the petition was rejected in fact, although not having been received by the king before declaring the Congress-supporting colonists traitors.
1776 – In Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell rings out from the tower of the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall), summoning citizens to the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, by Colonel John Nixon. On July 4, the historic document was adopted by delegates to the Continental Congress meeting in the State House. However, the Liberty Bell, which bore the apt biblical quotation, "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof," was not rung until the Declaration of Independence returned from the printer on July 8. In 1751, to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of Pennsylvania's original constitution, the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly ordered the 2,000-pound copper and tin bell constructed. After being cracked during a test, and then recast twice, the bell was hung from the State House steeple in June 1753. Rung to call the Pennsylvania Assembly together and to summon people for special announcements and events, it was also rung on important occasions, such as when King George III ascended to the throne in 1761 and to call the people together to discuss Parliament's controversial Stamp Act of 1765. With the outbreak of the American Revolution in April 1775, the bell was rung to announce the battles of Lexington and Concord. Its most famous tolling was on July 8, 1776, when it summoned Philadelphia citizens for the first reading of the Declaration of Independence. As the British advanced toward Philadelphia in the fall of 1777, the bell was removed from the city and hidden in Allentown to save it from being melted down by the British and used for cannons. After the British defeat in 1781, the bell was returned to Philadelphia, which was the nation's capital from 1790 to 1800. In addition to marking important events, the bell tolled annually to celebrate George Washington's birthday on February 22, and Independence Day on July 4. In 1839, the name "Liberty Bell" was first coined in a poem in an abolitionist pamphlet. The question of when the Liberty Bell acquired its famous fracture has been the subject of a good deal of historical dispute. In the most commonly accepted account, the bell suffered a major break while tolling for the funeral of the chief justice of the United States, John Marshall, in 1835, and in 1846 the crack expanded to its present size while in use to mark Washington's birthday. After that date, it was regarded as unsuitable for ringing, but it was still ceremoniously tapped on occasion to commemorate important events. On June 6, 1944, when Allied forces invaded France, the sound of the bell's dulled ring was broadcast by radio across the United States. In 1976, the Liberty Bell was moved to a new pavilion about 100 yards from Independence Hall in preparation for America's bicentennial celebrations.
1853 – Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, representing the U.S. government, sails into Tokyo Bay, Japan, with a squadron of four vessels. For a time, Japanese officials refused to speak with Perry, but under threat of attack by the superior American ships they accepted letters from President Millard Fillmore, making the United States the first Western nation to establish relations with Japan since it had been declared closed to foreigners two centuries before. Only the Dutch and the Chinese were allowed to continue trade with Japan after 1639, but this trade was restricted and confined to the island of Dejima at Nagasaki. After giving Japan time to consider the establishment of external relations, Commodore Perry returned to Tokyo with nine ships in March 1854. On March 31, he signed the Treaty of Kanagawa with the Japanese government, opening the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate to American trade and permitting the establishment of a U.S. consulate in Japan. In April 1860, the first Japanese diplomats to visit a foreign power in over 200 years reached Washington, D.C., and remained in the U.S. capital for several weeks, discussing expansion of trade with the United States. Treaties with other Western powers followed soon after, contributing to the collapse of the shogunate and ultimately the modernization of Japan.
1947 – In New Mexico the Roswell Daily Record reported the military's capture of a flying saucer. It became known as the Roswell Incident. Officials later called the debris a "harmless, high-altitude weather balloon. In 1994 the Air Force released a report saying the wreckage was part of a device used to spy on the Soviets.
1959 – Maj. Dale R. Ruis and Master Sgt. Chester M. Ovnand become the first Americans killed in the American phase of the Vietnam War when guerrillas strike a Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) compound in Bien Hoa, 20 miles northeast of Saigon. The group had arrived in South Vietnam on November 1, 1955, to provide military assistance. The organization consisted of U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps personnel who provided advice and assistance to the Ministry of Defense, Joint General Staff, corps and division commanders, training centers, and province and district headquarters.
1960 – The Soviet Union charged Francis Gary Powers, whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the country, with espionage.
2010 – An article tilted, "The Runaway General", appeared in Rolling Stone magazine, in which General Stanley McChrystal and his staff mocked civilian government officials, including Joe Biden, National Security Advisor James L. Jones, US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry, and Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke. McChrystal was not quoted as being directly critical of the president or the president's policies, but several comments from his aides in the article reflected their perception of McChrystal's disappointment with Obama on the first two occasions of their meeting. This leads to McChrystal's resignation and replacement as Commander of US forces in Afghanistan by General David Petraeus.
2011 – Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched in the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
CARNEY, WILLIAM H.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry. Place and date: At Fort Wagner, S.C., 18 July 1863. Entered service at: New Bedford, Mass. Birth: Norfolk, Va. Date of issue: 23 May 1900. Citation: When the color sergeant was shot down, this soldier grasped the flag, led the way to the parapet, and planted the colors thereon. When the troops fell back he brought off the flag, under a fierce fire in which he was twice severely wounded.
CO-RUX-TE-CHOD-ISH (Mad Bear)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Pawnee Scouts, U.S. Army. Place and date: At Republican River, Kans., 8 July 1869. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Nebraska. Date of issue: 24 August 1869. Citation: Ran out from the command in pursuit of a dismounted Indian; was shot down and badly wounded by a bullet from his own command.
KYLE, JOHN
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company M, 5th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: Near Republican River, Kans., 8 July 1869. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Cincinnati, Ohio. Date of issue: 24 August 1869. Citation: This soldier and 2 others were attacked by 8 Indians, but beat them off and badly wounded 2 of them.
*TIMMERMAN, GRANT FREDERICK
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 14 February 1919, Americus, Kans. Accredited to: Kansas. Other Navy award: Bronze Star Medal. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as tank commander serving with the 2d Battalion, 6th Marines, 2d Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan, Marianas Islands, on 8 July 1944. Advancing with his tank a few yards ahead of the infantry in support of a vigorous attack on hostile positions, Sgt. Timmerman maintained steady fire from his antiaircraft sky mount machinegun until progress was impeded by a series of enemy trenches and pillboxes. Observing a target of opportunity, he immediately ordered the tank stopped and, mindful of the danger from the muzzle blast as he prepared to open fire with the 75mm., fearlessly stood up in the exposed turret and ordered the infantry to hit the deck. Quick to act as a grenade, hurled by the Japanese, was about to drop into the open turret hatch, Sgt. Timmerman unhesitatingly blocked the opening with his body holding the grenade against his chest and taking the brunt of the explosion. His exception valor and loyalty in saving his men at the cost of his own life reflect the highest credit upon Sgt. Timmerman and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
*SHEA, RICHARD T., JR.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company A 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Sokkogae, Korea, 6 to 8 July 1953. Entered service at: Portsmouth, Va. Born: 3 January 1927, Portsmouth, Va. G.O. No.: 38, 8 June 1955. Citation: 1st Lt. Shea, executive officer, Company A, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. On the night of 6 July, he was supervising the reinforcement of defensive positions when the enemy attacked with great numerical superiority. Voluntarily proceeding to the area most threatened, he organized and led a counterattack and, in the bitter fighting which ensued, closed with and killed 2 hostile soldiers with his trench knife. Calmly moving among the men, checking positions, steadying and urging the troops to hold firm, he fought side by side with them throughout the night. Despite heavy losses, the hostile force pressed the assault with determination, and at dawn made an all-out attempt to overrun friendly elements. Charging forward to meet the challenge, 1st Lt. Shea and his gallant men drove back the hostile troops. Elements of Company G joined the defense on the afternoon of 7 July, having lost key personnel through casualties. Immediately integrating these troops into his unit, 1st Lt. Shea rallied a group of 20 men and again charged the enemy. Although wounded in this action, he refused evacuation and continued to lead the counterattack. When the assaulting element was pinned down by heavy machine gun fire, he personally rushed the emplacement and, firing his carbine and lobbing grenades with deadly accuracy, neutralized the weapon and killed 3 of the enemy. With forceful leadership and by his heroic example, 1st Lt. Shea coordinated and directed a holding action throughout the night and the following morning. On 8 July, the enemy attacked again. Despite additional wounds, he launched a determined counterattack and was last seen in close hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. 1st Lt. Shea's inspirational leadership and unflinching courage set an illustrious example of valor to the men of his regiment, reflecting lasting glory upon himself and upholding the noble traditions of the military service.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 8, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
8 July
1913: Beckwith Havens made the first long-distance flight in a Curtiss Flying Boat, flying 885 miles on the Great Lakes. (24)
1940: Boeing's 307B Stratoliner, with a pressurized cabin, made its first commercial flight from Burbank, Calif., to Long Island, N. Y. (21) (24)
1941: The RAF used B-17s for the first time in a daylight raid on Wilhelmshaven, Germany. (21)
1943: Col Malcolm G. Grow, an Eighth Air Force surgeon, received a Legion of Merit for designing the flak vest and steel helmet to deflect low velocity missiles from American airmen. (4) (24)
1944: Lt Col Clifford Heflin flew his C-47 on the first mission into France to rescue airmen who had parachuted behind enemy lines. (21)
1950: KOREAN WAR. From radio-equipped jeeps, Lts Oliver Duerksen and Frank Chermak provided the first forward air control to direct air-to-ground attacks. (28)
1955: At Hurricane, Utah, a rocket sled made the first run on the 12,000-foot Supersonic Military Air Research Track (SMART). (24)
1960: Operation NEW TAPE. The Congo's independence from Beligum led to civil war. To help the Africans, the UN started airlift operations. Through January
1964, MATS flew 2,128 missions to move 63,798 people and 18,593 tons to cargo. On 15 July, USAFE also began helping with the airlift operations. (2) (4)
1961: Using three RB-50s and one C-54, a 138-man team from the 1370th Photo Mapping Wing surveyed the Hawaiian archipelago to establish a geodetic position for the Midway and Johnston Islands in relation to the Hawaiian Islands.
1962: Operation DOMINIC. From Johnston Island, a Thor IRBM carried a megaton-plus hydrogen bomb above 200 miles in altitude. The detonation marked the highest thermonuclear blast by a US bomb, and perhaps, the highest of any nation. It also provided the U.S. public with the first display of the major EMP affects of a high-alt nuclear burst. (16) (24)
1965: SYNCOM II and III communications satellites transferred from NASA to the Defense Communications Agency. The USAF also gained control over three telemetry and command stations at the Seychelles Islands, Hawaii, and Guam. These stations maintained control and positioning of the satellites. (21) Hollywood stunt pilot Paul Mantz died in a crash at Buttercup Valley, Ariz., while filming the Flight of the Phoenix. (8: Jul 90)
1966: From Cape Kennedy, a Minuteman II launched, carrying the first Mark 12 Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicle. (6)
1969: The first of 25,000 troops to be withdrawn from SEA under President Nixon's new policy were airlifted by C-141s from Vietnam to McChord AFB. (16) (26)
1977: SECDEF Harold Brown decided to end production of the Minuteman III. (12)
1979: Exercise GLOBAL SHIELD I. Through 16 July, SAC exercised every phase of its Single Integrated Operations Plan (SIOP), short of nuclear war. The Global Shield exercise featured full involvement by SAC's active forces and AFRES units as most bombers, tankers, and missiles were placed on alert. Some aircraft also dispersed to preselected bases, while others flew sorties over radar bomb-scoring sites. (1)
1993: At its plant in York, England, Slingsby Aviation rolled out the first T-3A Enhanced Flight Screener for the USAF. (20)
1998: An upgraded T-38C Talon advanced trainer aircraft flew for the first time over Mesa, Ariz. The T-38 received improved avionics under the Avionics Upgrade Program (AUP) and the Pacer Classic initiative. The T-38C took off from the Williams Gateway Airport Runway for a 1 hour 20 minute flight with Boeing test pilot Ed Wilson sitting in the front seat and USAF test pilot, Capt John Deems, in the rear seat. (AFNEWS Article 981017, 14 Jul 98) Exercise BALTIC CHALLENGE '98. Through 9 July, a 445 AW (AFRC) C-141 aircrew from Wright-Patterson AFB airlifted five dolphins, their handlers, and veterinarians from NAS North Island to Palanga IAP, Lithuania, to participate in this joint military land and sea exercise. The dolphins found and marked mines on the Baltic Sea floor and searched for live ordnance from World War II. On 20 July, another 445 AW aircrew returned the dolphins to California. (22)
2001: Boeing's X-32 Joint Strike Fighter successfully completed its flight-test pogram with a series of short takeoffs at NAS Patuxent River. (AFNEWS Article 0942, 12 Jul 2001)
2006: In a ceremony within a Wyoming ANG hangar at Cheyenne, Lt Col Steve Hopkins (USAF) took command of the USAF's new 30th Airlift Squadron. The 30th would be under the operational control of the Wyoming Air Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing and share the latter's C-130 transports, but it would be administratively attached to the 463rd Airlift Group at Little Rock AFB, Ark. The 30th was the first unit of its kind associated with the ANG. (32)
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World News for 8 July thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Re-Entry Vehicle Test Fails As Rocket Explodes After Launch Air Force Times | 07/08/2022 A U.S. Air Force test of a new re-entry vehicle for nuclear warheads went awry when the carrier rocket exploded shortly after launch, reports the Air Force Times. Late Wednesday night, the Minotaur II+ rocket carrying a Mk 21A re-entry vehicle exploded about 10 seconds after taking off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. There were no injuries, and the debris was contained to the area around the launch pad, said the base. Lockheed Martin has been contracted to redesign the Mk 21A to carry the W87-1 nuclear warhead, which is intended to replace the aging W78 warhead. The modernized re-entry vehicle is also expected to carry future warhead designs on new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missiles.
USA—Biden Set To Rescind Ally Status For Afghanistan CNN | 07/08/2022 President Joe Biden says he will revoke major non-NATO ally status for Afghanistan, reports CNN. Biden provided notice of his intent to Congress on Wednesday. The U.S. made Afghanistan a major non-NATO ally in 2012. Designated countries are eligible to receive loans for materiel and supplies; host U.S.-owned war reserve stockpiles; bid for certain U.S. military contracts; and receive military training and assistance. Biden's decision comes nearly a year after the U.S. and its allies withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban seized power. Since taking power, the Taliban has reneged on its pledges to the international community to protect the rights of women and girls and has been accused of other human-rights abuses.
USA—Work Continues To Integrate Upgraded B61 Nuclear Bombs On B-2 Bombers The Aviationist | 07/08/2022 The U.S. Air Force continues work to integrate the upgraded variant of its nuclear gravity bomb on stealth bombers, reports the Aviationist blog. Recently published photos show a B61-12 Joint Test Assembly non-nuclear mockup bomb being prepared for test-loading in the bomb bay of a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. It was not clear if the testing shown involved integration with the aircraft or with a new weapon rack in the bomb bay designed for the B61-12. The B61-12 is the latest version of the B61 nuclear gravity bomb being developed to replace the B61-3, -4, -7 and -11 variants. It will also replace the B83 to become the only nuclear gravity bomb in U.S. service. The bomb is armed with a low-yield nuclear warhead with four yield options: 0.3 kilotons; 1.5 kilotons; 10 kilotons; or 50 kilotons.
Finland—Lawmakers Take Steps To Strengthen Border With Russia Agence France-Presse | 07/08/2022 The Finnish Parliament has passed a bill to improve barriers along its border with Russia, reports Agence France-Presse. Amid concerns that Moscow could use migration to exert political pressure following Helsinki's decision to seek NATO membership, lawmakers amended the Border Guard Act to support the construction of stronger fences along Finland's 800-mile (1,300-km) border with Russia. The goal is to "improve the operational capacity of the border guard in responding to the hybrid threats," said Anne Ihanus, a senior interior ministry adviser. The border is currently secured with light wooden fences primarily designed to prevent livestock from crossing. New barriers will likely be focused on the most important areas rather than running the length of the frontier, border guard officials. The new law also makes it possible for the border guards to close crossings and concentrate asylum seekers at specific points, should a large-scale crossing be attempted.
Japan—Former PM Assassinated In Nara Asahi Shimbun | 07/08/2022 Japan's longest-serving postwar prime minister was shot and killed while campaigning in Nara in southern Japan, reports the Asahi Shimbun. On Friday, Shinzo Abe was giving a speech in support of a candidate for the elections for Japan's upper house of Parliament on July 10 when he was shot from behind. Witnesses said they saw a man approach the former prime minister, heard two loud bangs and then watched Abe collapse. Medical officials said he had two gunshot wounds in the neck. Police arrested Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, of Nara on suspicion of attempted murder and seized the weapon believed to have been used in the assassination, sources said. The gun appeared to be handmade. Yamagami reportedly told investigators that the attack was not politically motivated.
Latvia—Defense Ministry Proposes New Draft Guidelines Latvian News Agency | 07/08/2022 The Latvian Ministry of Defense has unveiled a new plan for mandatory military service for citizens, reports the Latvian News Agency. Under the proposal, Latvian citizens living abroad would be required to perform national service in the military or other state agencies. Should sufficient funding be provided, women would also be subject to a service requirement, the ministry said. Women will continue to be able to volunteer for military service. Plans call for implementing State Defense Service (VAD) gradually over the next five years. Men from the ages of 18 to 27 would choose from military, national guard, commander course or alternative service. The latter would involve working with the interior, health or welfare ministries. The proposal calls for a new social agreement between the state and society, requiring every citizen to be involved in the defense of the country, said a defense ministry spokesman. Latvia will use Finland as a case study to finalize the structure of national service, including appropriate punishments for those who try to avoid service and the conscription process.
Taiwan—Indigenous Amphib Begins Sea Trials Naval News | 07/08/2022 China Shipbuilding Corp. (CSBC) in Taiwan has begun sea trials of its new amphibious warship for the Taiwanese navy, reports Naval News. The Yu Shan, named after the tallest mountain in Taiwan, was launched in April 2021 and will be the first domestically designed landing platform dock (LPD) in Taiwanese service. She measures 502 feet (153 m) long, with a beam of 76 feet (23 m), draft of 20 feet (6 m) and a full load displacement of 10,600 tons. The Yu Shan, the first of four LPDs being built by CSBC, is designed for amphibious warfare, recovery, maritime medical and disaster relief missions. The amphibious ship can carry AAV7 amphibious assault vehicles; landing craft; Humvees; and 673 soldiers. She can also accommodate six or seven mobile artillery pieces; Square Array Rapid Artillery; two Sea Sword (Hai Chien) surface-to-air missile systems; TC-2N medium-range air defense system; 76-mm gun; and two Phalanx close-in weapon systems. The Yu Shan will replace the navy's only amphibious transport dock, the Hsu Hai, which has been in Taiwanese service for more than 50 years.
United Kingdom—Warship Seizes Iranian Missiles From Smugglers, Navy Says British Broadcasting Corp. | 07/08/2022 The British Royal Navy says one of its warships seized missiles and other weapons being smuggled out of Iran earlier this year, reports the BBC News. On Thursday, the service said that the frigate HMS Montrose and its contingent of Royal Marines had captured cruise missile engines and surface-to-air missiles in operations on Jan. 28 and Feb. 25 in international waters south of Iran, reported Reuters. A Wildcat helicopter assigned to the Montrose spotted small vessels moving rapidly away from the Iranian coast. The boats were subsequently stopped, and Royal Marines found "dozens of packages containing advanced weaponry" onboard. The British Defense Ministry said the shipments contained engines for the Iranian 351 cruise missile as well as a batch of 358 surface-to-air missiles. The intended destination for the weapons was not disclosed. The 351 cruise missile has been widely used by Houthi militants in Yemen to strike targets in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Royal Navy.
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