The List 6164 TGB
Good Tuesday Morning July 19.
I hope that your week is off to a good start.
Regards,
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History:
July 19
1812 The frigate, USS Constitution, under the command of Capt. Isaac Hull, escapes the British squadron on a three-day chase off the coast of New Jersey.
1918 During World War I, USS San Diego (Armored Cruiser No. 6) sinks off Fire Island, N.Y., by a mine placed by German submarine (U 156). The cruiser sinks in 28 minutes with the loss of six lives and is the only major warship lost by the U.S. in World War I.
1940 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the second Naval Expansion Act.
1960 USS Ammen (DD 527) and USS Collett (DD 730) collide in the fog off California, killing 11 men and injuring 20 other shipmates.
1997 USS Seawolf (SSN 21) is commissioned at Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton, Conn.
Today in History July 19
1525 The Catholic princes of Germany form the Dessau League to fight against the Reformation.
1545 King Henry VIII of England watches his flagship, Mary Rose, capsize as it leaves to battle the French.
1788 Prices plunge on the Paris stock market.
1799 The Rosetta Stone, a tablet with hieroglyphic translations into Greek, is found in Egypt.
1848 The first Women's Rights Convention convenes in Seneca Falls, N.Y, organized by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
1870 France declares war on Prussia.
1942 German U-boats are withdrawn from positions off the U.S. Atlantic coast due to American anti-submarine countermeasures.
1943 More than 150 B-17 and 112 B-24 bombers attack Rome for the first time.
1975 Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts dock in orbit.
1799
Rosetta Stone found
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Thanks to THE BEAR
… For The List for Tuesday, 19 July 2022… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 19 July 1967… Marv Reynolds and Herb Hunter remembered with admiration…
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 Boysie ... and Dr. Rich
True Story
A fifteen-year-old boy came home with a Porsche and his parents began to yell and scream, "Where did you get that car?"
He calmly told them, "I bought it today."
"With what money!?" demanded his parents. "We know what a Porsche costs."
"Well," said the boy, "this one cost me fifteen dollars."
The parents began to yell even louder. "Who would sell a car like that for fifteen dollars!?" they asked.
"It was the lady up the street," said the boy.
"Don't know her name — they just moved in. She saw me ride past on my bike and asked me if I wanted to buy a Porsche for fifteen dollars."
"Oh my goodness!" moaned the mother, "she must be a child abuser. Who knows what she will do next? John, you go right up there and see what's going on."
So the boy's father walked up the street to the house where the lady lived and found her out in the yard calmly planting flowers. He introduced himself as the father of the boy to whom she has sold a Porsche for fifteen dollars and demanded to know why she did it.
"Well," she said, "I thought my husband was on a business trip, but I learned from a friend he has run off to Hawaii with his secretary and really doesn't intend to come back. This morning I got a phone call from my husband he claimed he was stranded and asked me to sell his new Porsche and send him the money. So I did."..................
Sent from Rich's iPhone - Please pardon any iSpell errors!
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Thanks to Brett
Stratfor - The Weekly Rundown: Sri Lanka Picks a New President, a Russia-Turkey-Iran Summit
What We're Tracking
Italy's political crisis continues. Prime Minister Mario Draghi will address lawmakers in the Italian Parliament on July 20 after his resignation was rejected by President Sergio Mattarella on July 14. During the speech, Draghi he may call for a vote of confidence to see whether he still has a majority. Should Draghi insist on resigning, Italian lawmakers will have to choose between appointing a new prime minister or opening the door to an early general election. Financial markets will be closely watching how the political developments in Rome unfold in the coming days and weeks, as a prolonged crisis could delay crucial reforms to boost Italy's economic growth.
Sri Lankan lawmakers pick a new president. The Sri Lankan parliament will meet on July 20 to vote on a new president after increasingly violent protests forced former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country on July 13 and formally submit his resignation the day after. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as acting president per the country's constitution. The political upheaval comes as Sri Lanka is facing the worst economic crisis in its history. A smooth transition of power in the coming weeks is crucial to facilitate Colombo's ongoing talks with the International Monetary Fund for financial aid, as well as debt restructuring with creditors. If the parliament (where the former president's ruling party retains a majority) selects a president perceived as a Rajapaksa loyalist, it could drive more Sri Lankans to take to the streets, plunging the country deeper into chaos.
Zambia meets with creditors. Zambian Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane announced that the country's creditor committee will meet on July 18 to discuss debt restructuring under the G-20 common framework. The International Monetary Fund approved a debt relief program for Zambia in September 2021, but has delayed disbursement because the country's numerous creditors have not yet agreed on a relief package. One of the major challenges the committee will face is coordination between Western and Chinese creditors, as public and private Chinese debt is estimated to make up 37% of Zambia's external debt payments from 2022 to 2028. Musokotwane has said he hopes for a resolution by the end of the month, but creditors have not yet given indications that a deal is imminent.
A Russia-Turkey-Iran summit in Tehran. On July 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will meet in Tehran for talks primarily focused on stabilizing Syria. Turkey has been mulling an incursion in northern Syria that risks infringing on Iran and Russia's ongoing operations in the war-torn country. In light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the three leaders are also expected to discuss how to ensure the safe passage of Ukrainian and Russian grain exports from the Black Sea in an effort to mitigate global food shortages and rising prices. Following new U.S. intelligence reports detailing Iran's plans to provide drones to Russia, Tehran and Moscow's deepening alliance will likely be on display as well — a development that risks impeding the United States and its Western allies' ability to counter both adversaries' aggressive behavior and global influence.
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From my Al Krause archives. Fitting for today.
Some morning Humor from Al
Today is the anniversary of the USA landing on the moon.
"I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas."—Comment made in 1957
Trivia: What was the first word spoken from the moon, on July 20, 1969?
Neil Armstrong used to tell unfunny jokes about the moon...and follow them up with, "Ah, I guess you had to be there."
Did you ever notice that if you rearrange the letters in ASTRONOMER, you can get MOON STARER.
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
Some test answers on the moon by young scholars on their science test:
"The moon is a planet just like the earth, only it is even deader."
"The tides are a fight between the Earth and moon. All water tends towards the moon, because there is no water in the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight."
Submitted by Kelly Dodson:
Young people of today are our future, but they don't have a clue do they? It's a different world today.
A college student at a recent football game challenged a senior citizen sitting next to him, saying it was impossible for their generation to understand his.
"You grew up in a different world," the student said loud enough for the whole crowd to hear. "Today we have television, jet planes, space travel, man has walked on the moon, our spaceships have visited Mars, we even have nuclear energy, electric and hydrogen cars, computers with light-speed processing, and, ugh ..."
Taking advantage of a pause in the student's litany, the geezer said, "You are right. We didn't have those things when we were young; so we invented them, you little doofus! Now what the heck are you doing for the next generation??"
Submitted by Chuck Kincade:
When NASA was preparing for the Apollo Project, it took the astronauts to a Navajo reservation in Arizona for training. One day, a Navajo elder and his son came across the space crew walking among the rocks. The elder, who spoke only Navajo, asked a question. His son translated for the NASA people: "What are these guys in the big suits doing?"
One of the astronauts said that they were practicing for a trip to the moon. When his son relayed this comment the Navajo elder got all excited and asked if it would be possible to give to the astronauts a sacred message to deliver to the moon.
Recognizing a promotional opportunity when he saw one, a NASA official accompanying the astronauts said, "Why certainly!" and told an underling to get a tape recorder.
The Navajo elder's comments into the microphone were brief.
The NASA official asked the son if he would translate what his father had said.
The son listened to the recording and laughed uproariously. But he refused to translate.
So the NASA people took the tape to a nearby Navajo village and played it for other members of the tribe. They too laughed long and loudly but also refused to translate the elder's sacred message to the moon.
Finally, an official government translator was summoned. After he finally stopped laughing the translator relayed the message: "Watch out for these pale faces. They have come to steal your land."
The night of the moon landing, two blondes in Las Vegas were sitting on a bench talking...and one blonde says to the other, "Which do you think is farther away...Florida or the moon?"
The other blonde turns and says "Hellooooooo, can you see Florida?"
After the Americans went to the moon, the Soviets announced that they would be sending a man to the sun.
The engineers objected. "If you send a man to the sun, he will burn up!"
"What do you think I am, stupid?" he replied. "We'll send him at night!"
Did you hear that in 1999, NASA wanted to study the effects of the moon on an aging individual, so they decided to resend Neil Armstrong.
Unfortunately, they canceled this because they were afraid the first words from the moon in 30 years would be: "Houston? I have fallen, and I can't get up."
If any of these jokes offended you, I Apollo-gize. Have a great week,
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Thanks to Wigs
What Israeli scientists are working on.
The Israelis do not make islands in the shape of palm trees, towering skyscrapers, expensive hotels, nor do their leaders use cars with massive silver bodies (allusion to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates). The pride of Israel is that its technologies will be able to be used by all humanity:
1. Tel Aviv University is developing a nasal vaccine that will protect people from Alzheimer's and stroke.
2. The Technion Institute of Technology (Haifa), has developed a simple blood test capable of detecting different types of cancer.
3. The Ichlov Center (Tel Aviv) isolated a protein that makes colonoscopy unnecessary to detect colon cancer, with a simple blood test. Colon cancer kills about 500,000 people annually.
4. Acne doesn't kill but does cause anxiety in teens. The Curlight Laboratory has created a cure. Emitting UV rays at high intensity, kills the bacteria that cause acne.
5. The Given Imaging Laboratory has developed a tiny camera in the form of swallowed pills and transmits thousands of photos of the digestive tract. These high-quality photos (2 per second for 8 hours) can detect polyps, cancers, and sources of bleeding. The photos are sent to a chip that stores them and sends them to a computer. At the end of the process, the chamber is eliminated via the rectum.
6. The Hebrew University (Jerusalem) developed an electrical neurostimulator (batteries) that is implanted in the chest of Parkinson's patients, similar to the pacemaker. The emissions from this device block the nerve signals that cause tremors.
7. The simple smell of a patient's breath can detect if a patient has lung cancer. The Russell Berrie Institute for Nanotechnology has created sensors capable of sensing and registering 42 biological markers that indicate the presence of lung cancer without the need for a biopsy.
8. Catheterization can be dispensed with in many cases. Endopat is a device placed between the indicator fingers, which can measure the state of the arteries and predict the possibility of a heart attack in the next 7 years.
9. The University of Bar Ilan studies a new drug that fights viruses through the bloodstream. It is called Vecoy Trap, as it tricks a virus into self-destruction. Very useful to combat hepatitis, and in the future Aids and Ebola.
10. Israeli scientists at Hadassah Medical Center (Jerusalem) may have discovered the first cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as Lou Gehring's disease, in an Orthodox rabbi. Stephen Hawking, a famous British scientist, suffered from this disease and used methods invented by Israeli scientists to communicate.
You will never get this from main-stream media! The world shouldn't live on bad news alone …. so spread this as good news.
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This may keep you out of the ocean for a couple months
NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND WEEKLY REPORT
The history of the USS Indianapolis in the URL below is worth the read. Most folks never remembered or knew about it until the bit in the Movie "Jaws" see below
Director Cox and Dr. Hulver joined the survivors and families of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) at the Columbia Club of Indianapolis. Learn what they had to say to the group (https://www.history.navy.mil/news-and-events/news/2018/honoring-the-sacrifice-of-those-who-served.html). The Sinking of USS Indianapolis is also this week's Webpage of the Week (https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/disasters-and-phenomena/indianapolis.html).
Jaws (1975) - The Indianapolis Speech Scene (7/10 ...
Click to view on Bing
4:05
May 28, 2011 · Jaws (1975) - The Indianapolis Speech Scene (7/10) | Movieclips ... Edgar Harrell, USS Indianapolis Survivor - Duration: 13:46. Jeff Shrader 159,310 views.
Author: Movieclips
Views: 2M
The Indianapolis Speech By Robert Shaw In Jaws (1975 ...
https://neilchughes.com/2013/03/10/the-indianapolis-speech-by...
Robert Shaw is probably the main reason for Jaws being one of my favourite films of all time, mainly of course for a scene that is three and half minutes of near-perfection.
Robert Shaw was the Nasty villain who had the great fight scene on the train in the James Bond movie from Russia with Love
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The book "Tinian" was a great read and was acknowledged as the best run invasion of the Island campaign….skip
Battle of Tinian - Wikipedia
The Battle of Tinian was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Tinian in the Mariana Islands from 24 July until 1 August 1944. The 9,000-man Japanese garrison was eliminated, and the island joined Saipan and Guam as a base for the Twentieth Air Force.
Location: Tinian, Mariana Islands
Result: American victory
Date: 24 July – 1 August 1944
Background ·
Battle ·
Aftermath
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This Day in U S Military History…….July 19
1863 – Confederate General John Hunt Morgan's raid on the North is dealt a serious blow when a large part of his force is captured as they try to escape across the Ohio River at Buffington Island, Ohio. Cut off from the south, Morgan fled north with the remnants of his command and was captured a week later at Salineville, Ohio. This was the last and most daring of Morgan's four raids into Union-held territory. The main purpose of the raid was to take pressure off of Chattanooga, Tennessee, by drawing Union troops away from the army of General William Rosecrans. It began on July 2 at Burkesville, Kentucky, and continued into Indiana. Morgan departed with more than 2,400 troopers, but he split his force on two occasions, and suffered many casualties in skirmishes with Federal detachments. Morgan and his forces rode east into Ohio and feigned an advance toward a panicked Cincinnati, but bypassed the city and continued eastward to Pomeroy, Ohio. His men were worn down by the long days in the saddle, and the Yankee pursuit finally caught up at Buffington Island, just outside of Pomeroy. While Morgan made plans to cross the swollen Ohio River, Federal gunboats guarded the fords and Union cavalry attacked the Confederates. In a short time, Morgan lost 800 men, nearly all of who were captured. Morgan escaped with 400 of his men, and fled north in search of a more suitable place to cross the river—which they never found. Morgan surrendered on July 26.
1863 – After seeking to intercept the troops of General Morgan for some 10 days and 500 miles, the gun-boat squadron under Lieutenant Commander Fitch engaged the Confederate raiders as they attempted to effect a crossing of the Ohio River at Buffington Island – U.S.S. Moose and steamer Alleghany Belle repeatedly frustrated the Southerners' attempts to cross. Pressed from the rear by Union troops and subjected to heavy fire from the gunboats, Morgan's soldiers made a scat-tered retreat into the hills, leaving their artillery on the beach. This audacious Southern thrust into the North was broken up. Some 3,000 Confederates were taken prisoner. Major General Ambrose E. Burnside heralded the "efficient services" of Fitch in achieving the "brilliant success of the engagement. "Too much praise," he wrote Rear Admiral Porter, cannot be awarded the naval department at this place for the promptness and energy manifested in this movement. And Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox noted: "The activity and energy with which the squadron was used to prevent the enemy recrossing the Ohio, and to assist in his capture, was worthy of the highest praise."
1886 – Atlanta, the first steel-hulled American cruiser armed with breechloading rifled guns, is commissioned.
1953 – Air Force Captain Ronnie L. Moore and Lieutenant Colonel Vermont Garrison, both of the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, qualified as the ninth and 10th "double aces" of the Korean War, with 10 kills each. Garrison had also achieved ace status during World War II with seven kills in Europe.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
DODDS, EDWARD E.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 21st New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Ashbys Gap, Va., 19 July 1864. Entered service at: Rochester, N.Y. Birth: Canada. Date of issue: 11 June 1896. Citation: At great personal risk rescued his wounded captain and carried him from the field to a place of safety.
BYRNE, BERNARD A.
Rank and organization: Captain, 6th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Bobong, Negros, Philippine Islands, 19 July 1899. Entered service at: Washington, D.C. Birth: Newport Barracks, Va. Date of issue: 15 July 1902. Citation: Most distinguished gallantry in rallying his men on the bridge after the line had been broken and pushed back.
BALCH, JOHN HENRY
Rank and organization: Pharmacist's Mate First Class, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Vierzy, France, and Somme-Py, France, 19 July and 5 October 1918. Entered service at: Kansas City, Mo. Born: 2 January 1896, Edgerton, Kans. Citation: For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, with the 6th Regiment, U.S. Marines, in action at Vierzy, on 19 July 1918. Balch unhesitatingly and fearlessly exposed himself to terrific machinegun and high-explosive fire to succor the wounded as they fell in the attack, leaving his dressing station voluntarily and keeping up the work all day and late into the night unceasingly for 16 hours. Also in the action at Somme-Py on 5 October 1918, he exhibited exceptional bravery in establishing an advanced dressing station under heavy shellfire.
BOONE, JOEL THOMPSON
Rank and organization: Lieutenant (Medical Corps), U.S. Navy. Place and date: Vicinity Vierzy, France, 19 July 1918. Entered service at: St. Clair, Pa. Born: 2 August 1889, St. Clair, Pa. Citation: For extraordinary heroism, conspicuous gallantry, and intrepidity while serving with the 6th Regiment, U.S. Marines, in actual conflict with the enemy. With absolute disregard for personal safety, ever conscious and mindful of the suffering fallen, Surg. Boone, leaving the shelter of a ravine, went forward onto the open field where there was no protection and despite the extreme enemy fire of all calibers, through a heavy mist of gas, applied dressings and first aid to wounded marines. This occurred southeast of Vierzy, near the cemetery, and on the road south from that town. When the dressings and supplies had been exhausted, he went through a heavy barrage of large-caliber shells, both high explosive and gas, to replenish these supplies, returning quickly with a sidecar load, and administered them in saving the lives of the wounded. A second trip, under the same conditions and for the same purpose, was made by Surg. Boone later that day.
PARKER, SAMUEL I.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company K, 28th Infantry, 1st Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18-19 July 1918. Entered service at: Monroe, N.C. Birth: Monroe, N.C. G.O. No.: 1, W.D. 1937. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. During the attack the 2d and 3d Battalions of the 28th Infantry were merged, and after several hours of severe fighting, successfully established a frontline position. In so doing, a gap was left between the right flank of the French 153d Division on their left and the left flank of the 28th Infantry, exposing the left flank to a terrific enfilade fire from several enemy machineguns located in a rock quarry on high ground. 2d Lt. Parker, observing this serious situation, ordered his depleted platoon to follow him in an attack upon the strong point. Meeting a disorganized group of French Colonials wandering leaderlessly about, he persuaded them to join his platoon. This consolidated group followed 2d Lt. Parker through direct enemy rifle and machinegun fire to the crest of the hill, and rushing forward, took the quarry by storm, capturing 6 machineguns and about 40 prisoners. The next day when the assault was continued, 2d Lt. Parker in command of the merged 2d and 3d Battalions was in support of the 1st Battalion. Although painfully wounded in the foot, he refused to be evacuated and continued to lead his command until the objective was reached. Seeing that the assault battalion was subjected to heavy enfilade fire due to a gap between it and the French on its left, 2d Lt. Parker led his battalion through this heavy fire up on the line to the left of the 1st Battalion and thereby closed the gap, remaining in command of his battalion until the newly established lines of the 28th Infantry were thoroughly consolidated. In supervising the consolidation of the new position, 2d Lt. Parker was compelled to crawl about on his hands and knees on account of his painful wound. His conspicuous gallantry and spirit of self-sacrifice were a source of great inspiration to the members of the entire command.
*CHRISTENSEN, DALE ELDON
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Troop E, 112th Cavalry Regiment. Place and date: Driniumor River, New Guinea, 16-19 July 1944. Entered service at: Gray, lowa. Birth: Cameron Township, lowa. G.O. No.: 36, 10 May 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty along the Driniumor River, New Guinea, from 16-19 July 1944. 2d Lt. Christensen repeatedly distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in the continuous heavy fighting which occurred in this area from 16-19 July. On 16 July, his platoon engaged in a savage fire fight in which much damage was caused by 1 enemy machinegun effectively placed. 2d Lt. Christensen ordered his men to remain under cover, crept forward under fire, and at a range of 15 yards put the gun out of action with hand grenades. Again, on 19 July, while attacking an enemy position strong in mortars and machineguns, his platoon was pinned to the ground by intense fire. Ordering his men to remain under cover, he crept forward alone to locate definitely the enemy automatic weapons and the best direction from which to attack. Although his rifle was struck by enemy fire and knocked from his hands he continued his reconnaissance, located 5 enemy machineguns, destroyed 1 with hand grenades, and rejoined his platoon. He then led his men to the point selected for launching the attack and, calling encouragement, led the charge. This assault was successful and the enemy was driven from the positions with a loss of 4 mortars and 10 machineguns and leaving many dead on the field. On 4 August 1944, near Afua, Dutch New Guinea, 2d Lt. Christensen was killed in action about 2 yards from his objective while leading his platoon in an attack on an enemy machinegun position. 2d Lt. Christensen's leadership, intrepidity, and repeatedly demonstrated gallantry in action at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, exemplify the highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces.
*GERTSCH, JOHN G.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S.. Army, Company E, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Place and date: A Shau Valley, Republic of Vietnam, 15 to 19 July 1969. Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Born: 29 September 1944, Jersey City, N.J.: Citation: S/Sgt. Gertsch distinguished himself while serving as a platoon sergeant and platoon leader during combat operations in the A Shau Valley. During the initial phase of an operation to seize a strongly defended enemy position, S/Sgt. Gertsch's platoon leader was seriously wounded and lay exposed to intense enemy fire. Forsaking his own safety, without hesitation S/Sgt. Gertsch rushed to aid his fallen leader and dragged him to a sheltered position. He then assumed command of the heavily engaged platoon and led his men in a fierce counterattack that forced the enemy to withdraw. Later, a small element of S/Sgt. Gertsch's unit was reconnoitering when attacked again by the enemy. S/Sgt. Gertsch moved forward to his besieged element and immediately charged, firing as he advanced. His determined assault forced the enemy troops to withdraw in confusion and made possible the recovery of 2 wounded men who had been exposed to heavy enemy fire. Sometime later his platoon came under attack by an enemy force employing automatic weapons, grenade, and rocket fire. S/Sgt. Gertsch was severely wounded during the onslaught but continued to command his platoon despite his painful wound. While moving under fire and encouraging his men he sighted an aidman treating a wounded officer from an adjacent unit. Realizing that both men were in imminent danger of being killed, he rushed forward and positioned himself between them and the enemy nearby. While the wounded officer was being moved to safety S/Sgt. Gertsch was mortally wounded by enemy fire. Without S/Sgt. Gertsch's courage, ability to inspire others, and profound concern for the welfare of his men, the loss of life among his fellow soldiers would have been significantly greater. His conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the cost of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit on him and the Armed Forces of his country.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 19, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
19 July
1911: Orville Wright delivered the first Wright airplane, a Wright B, to the Navy at Annapolis. It was converted to a seaplane by adding twin floats. (21) 1913: The Bryant brothers initiated skywriting as an advertising form, when Milton J. (Johnny) Bryant wrote "SP" in fire over Seattle on the last night of the Seattle Potlatch celebration. (20) (24)
1931: In a Navy balloon, Lt Thomas G. W. Settle and Lt (JG) W. Bushnell won the Litchfield Trophy and National Elimination Balloon Race at Akron, Ohio, with a distance of 195 miles to Marilla, NY
. 1934: MACKAY TROPHY/DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS. Through 20 August, Lt Col Henry H. Arnold commanded 10 Martin B-10s from Bolling Field to Fairbanks and back. They covered 7,360 miles in 51 hours 30 minutes, or 25 hours 30 minutes going north and 26 hours going south. For this flight, Arnold received the Mackay Trophy and DFC. (21) (24)
1941: Capt Benjamin O. Davis reported to the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama with 12 black aviation cadets to begin flight training. (21)
1943: In the first raid on Rome, 700 B-17s and B-24s dropped 800 tons of bombs. (4)
1947: John Robinson set a US glider distance record of 330 miles in a flight from Wichita Falls to Barstow in Tex. (24)
1948: SAC activated the USAF's first two air refueling squadrons, the 43d and 509th, at DavisMonthan AFB and Roswell AFB, N. Mex., respectively. (1) 1950: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force F-80s shot down three enemy Yaks near Taejon, while seven F-80s from the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group destroyed 15 enemy airplanes on the ground near Pyongyang. (28)
1952: The USAF announced the first successful flying of balloons at controlled constant altitudes in the stratosphere for periods of more than 3 days. (16) (24)
1957: An F-89J fired the Air Force's first air-to-air nuclear defense rocket, the Douglas-built MB-1 Genie, over Yucca Flat. (16) (24)
1961: An Air Force H-43B Huskie rescue helicopter claimed two time-to-climb records: 3,000 meters in 2 minutes 44.5 seconds and 6,000 meters in 6 minutes 42.3 seconds. (24) Donald L. Piccard flew his Golden Bear 600-cubic-meter balloon to 34,462 feet at Faribault, Minn. As such, he set FAI records that spanned subclasses A-5 through A-8 (600 to 3,000 cubic meters). (9)
1962: A Nike-Zeus anti-missile missile fired from Kwajalein Island made the first known interception of an ICBM, when it hit an Atlas nose cone above the Pacific. A 565 SMS crew from Francis E. Warren AFB launched the Atlas from Vandenberg AFB. (6) Maj Robert M. White received astronaut wings for flying the X-15, a winged aircraft, into space (see 17 Jul 62). (9)
1963: Joseph A. Walker flew X-15 No. 3 to records of 347,800 feet (66.3 miles) and 3,710 MPH. (9)
1968: The USN awarded contracts to develop an F-111B replacement, the VFX-1 with vertical swept wings and the same jet engine.
1969: USAF Southern Command aircraft airlifted emergency supplies in a seven-nation effort to mediate a cease-fire in aconflict between Honduras and San Salvador. (16) (26)
1973: NASA's X-24B lifting body completed the first captive flight on a B-52 at the Edwards AFB.
1984: TAC took possession of its first E-3B Sentry at Tinker AFB. (16) 1986: Operation SOUTHERN HAYLIFT. Through 28 July, 24 C-141 Starlifters and 8 C-130 Hercules aircraft flew 32 missions to supply 535.9 tons of donated hay to drought-stricken farmers in 7 southeastern states. (16) (26)
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World News for 19 July thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Blue Angels Choose 1st Female Fighter Pilot Pensacola News Journal | 07/19/2022 For the first time, a woman will fly a fighter jet with the Navy's Blue Angels jet demonstration team, reports the Pensacola News Journal. On Monday, the team announced six new members who will join the team for the 2022-2023 demonstration season, including Navy Lt. Amanda "Stalin" Lee. Lee will be the first woman to fly a fighter jet with the team. She currently serves as an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet demonstration pilot with Strike Fighter Squadron 106's (VFA-106's) Rhino Demo Team and a Super Hornet instructor, reported the War Zone website. She is not the first woman to fly with the Blue Angels, however. Marine Maj. Katie Higgins flew the team's C-130 Fat Albert transport aircraft from 2014 to 2016. Lee enlisted in the Navy in 2007, serving as an aviation electronics technician before being selected for the Seaman-to-Admiral Commissioning Program. She received her commission in 2013 and was designated a naval aviator in 2016. New team members are scheduled to report to the unit in September for a two-month turnover period. Once the current flying schedule ends in November, the Blue Angels will begin five months of training at NAS Pensacola, Fla., and Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif.
USA—Northop Grumman Completes Preliminary Design Review For Scalable, High-Energy Laser Northrop Grumman | 07/19/2022 Northrop Grumman says it has completed a preliminary design review for a prototype 300-kW-class high-energy laser. Last week, the company announced it had completed the review for a prototype high-energy laser with an architecture that is scalable to more than a megawatt for the Dept. of Defense. In March 2021, Northrop Grumman received a $72 million Pentagon contract for the High-Energy Scaling Initiative (HELSI) to demonstrate a laser prototype employing the company's coherent beam-combining technology. Further testing this year will involve increasingly higher power to prove the design, Northrop Grumman said.
USA—Senate Set To Vote On Semiconductor Bill Bloomberg News | 07/19/2022 The U.S. Senate is set to vote on legislation to bolster domestic semiconductor manufacturing in response to a global shortage and supply chain disruptions that have affected numerous industries, reports Bloomberg News. Majority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.-N.Y.) set a procedural vote for Tuesday. The bill is a scaled-down version of a larger package intended to improve U.S. competitiveness with China in technology and advanced manufacturing that has stalled. The legislation includes a 25 percent investment tax credit for semiconductor manufacturers and their equipment suppliers; $500 million for an international secure communications program; $200 million for training programs; and $1.5 billion for public wireless supply-chain innovation. The Pentagon has been pushing lawmakers to support the bill, calling it a matter of national security, reported the Hill (Washington, D.C.). Semiconductors are a vital technology for modern weapon systems.
USA—Agreement Reached For New Multiyear F-35 Procurement Lockheed Martin | 07/19/2022 Lockheed Martin says it has reached a handshake agreement with the Dept. of Defense for a three-year block buy of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. The deal covers 375 aircraft in production lots 15 to 17 as well as the latest hardware to support Block 4 capabilities for the jets, the company said. The handshake agreement is the starting point for negotiations over contract price ahead of contract award, reported Reuters. The deal could be worth around $30 billion, although the final value will depend on congressional appropriations for the fiscal 2023 defense budget and orders made by international partners, the Pentagon said. A contract is expected to be finalized in the next few months, Lockheed said.
European Union—Accession Talks Begin With Albania, N. Macedonia Politico Europe | 07/19/2022 The European Union has officially opened joint accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia after North Macedonian lawmakers approved a deal to address Bulgarian concerns that were holding up membership negotiations, reports Politico Europe. On July 16, the North Macedonian Parliament approved a compromise agreement with Bulgaria, including constitutional changes to recognize a Bulgarian minority and measures to protect minority rights and eliminate hate speech. Such changes require two-thirds support of Parliament, but the opposition has vowed to torpedo the deal. The Bulgarian veto of North Macedonian accession has stalled Albania's efforts to join the E.U. because Brussels is treating the accession of both countries as a package. This is just the start of what is expected to be a lengthy accession process, analysts said.
Liberia—Nigerian Air Force Pledges To Help Establish Air Wing New Dawn | 07/19/2022 Nigerian air force officials have expressed their readiness to help Liberia establish an air wing, reports the New Dawn (Monrovia, Liberia). Liberia seeks to set up an air wing or air reconnaissance unit as outlined in the Liberian National Defense Act, Maj. Gen. Prince Charles Johnson III, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, said during a visit to the Nigerian air force's headquarters in Abuja, the Nigerian capital. During the visit, Johnson sought assistance from the Nigerian air force to establish the air wing. Nigerian Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, the chief of Air Staff, pledged to assist Liberia and emphasized that his service would provide recurrency training for the two Liberian pilots previously trained in Nigeria. He also said the Nigerian training schools would be available when Liberia had additional pilot candidates. The Nigerian air force is also prepared to provide technical and engineering support for the activation of a Liberian air wing, the air marshal said. The service also offered non-pilot courses for Liberian air-traffic controllers and ground crewmembers. Amao said that Nigeria would provide airlift support for the Liberian contingent assigned to the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA) in Mali once the deployment was approved.
Somalia—2 Al-Shabaab Fighters Killed In U.S. Airstrike Africa Command | 07/19/2022 Two Al-Shabaab militants were killed in a U.S. airstrike in Somalia's southern Lower Juba region, reports U.S. Africa Command. On Sunday, AFRICOM forces launched the strike in coordination with the Somali government after the militants attacked Somali forces in a remote location near Libiku, the command said. An initial assessment indicated that two Al-Shabaab fighters were killed and there were no civilian casualties due to the remote locale. This was the first significant U.S. operation since Washington redeployed special operations forces to Somalia in May, reported the Hiiraan Online (Ottawa, Ontario).
Taiwan—U.S. Approves Sale Of Support For Combat Vehicles Taipei Times | 07/19/2022 The U.S. government has approved a fourth arms deal for Taiwan this year, reports the Taipei Times. The proposed US$108 million sale covers contractor technical assistance and support, including unclassified spare and repair parts and assembly for tanks and combat vehicles; logistical technical assistance; and technical and logistical support by the U.S. government and contractors, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on July 15. The potential deal would contribute to the sustainment of Taiwanese vehicles, small arms, combat weapon systems and logistical support items, strengthening its ability to meet current and future threats, the agency said. This would be the fifth U.S. arms sale to Taiwan since Biden took office and the fourth this year. It is scheduled to take effect one month after congressional notification, said the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense. The ministry said the sale would help it maintain sufficient equipment and stocks of spare parts and support combat readiness training amid growing military threats from China.
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