The List 6165
Good Wednesday Morning July 20.
Just back from an early morning blood draw. I hate needles and never look. Fortunately I was the second one in line.
A bit of history and LOTS of tidbits.
Regards,
skip
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History:
July 20
1846 In the effort to negotiate a treaty with Japan, Commodore James Biddle arrives with the ship of the line, USS Columbus, and the sloop of war, USS Vincennes, at Edo (Yedo), Japan. These are the first U.S. warships to visit Japan.
1861 During the Civil War, the wooden screw gunboat, USS Albatross, commanded by Cmdr. G.A. Prentiss, recaptures the civilian schooner, Enchantress, off Hatteras Inlet. She is previously captured by the Confederate privateer, CSS Jefferson Davis, on July 6. Also on this date, the wooden screw steamship, USS Mount Vernon, commanded by Oliver S. Glisson, seizes the sloop, Wild Pigeon, on the Rappahannock River.
1942 Adm. William D. Leahy becomes Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and the Navy, the precursor to the post of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In Dec. 1944, Leahy is promoted to Fleet Admiral. Fleet Adm. Leahy also dies on this date in 1959.
1945 USS Threadfin (SS 410) sinks the Japanese minesweeper (W 39) northwest of Mokpo, Korea.
1960 In the first launch of the Polaris missile, USS George Washington (SSBN 598) successfully fires two operational Polaris missiles while submerged off Florida.
1969 Former Navy pilot Neil Armstrong is the first man to set foot on the moon, saying That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind." Armstrong is Commander of Apollo 11, which during its 8 day mission lands on the Sea of Tranquility. Michael Collins is the Command Module Pilot and Edwin Buzz E. Aldrin Jr., is the Lunar Module Pilot.
This Day in History
July 20
1402 Tamerlane's Mongols defeat the Ottoman Turks at Angora.
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1588 The Spanish Armada sets sail from Corunna.
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1715 The Riot Act goes into effect in England.
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1864 Confederate General John Bell Hood attacks Union forces under General William T. Sherman outside Atlanta.
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1867 Imperial troops in Guizhou, China, kill 20,000 Miao rebels.
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1881 Sioux chief Sitting Bull surrenders to the U.S. Army.
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1917 Alexander Kerensky becomes the premier of Russia.
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1942 The U.S. Army Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) begins its first training class at Fort Des Moines, Iowa.
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1944 Adolf Hitler is wounded in an assassination attempt by German Army officers at Rastenburg.
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1950 The U.S. Army's Task Force Smith is pushed back by superior North Korean forces.
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1951 King Abdullah of Jordan is assassinated.
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1969 Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to walk on the moon.
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1976 The Viking spacecraft lands on Mars and begins taking soil samples
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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 Wednesday, 20 July 2022…Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 20 July 1867… The wild ride of Fred Whittemore, Rampant Raider
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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A reminder from Pnuts
Subject: Tailhook Ready Room Happy Hour
To:
July Happy Hour -
Tailhook Ready Room
Our next Happy Hour will be held on
Friday, July 22, 2022. Time: 1700 to 1900 at the MCAS Miramar Officers' Club. You will need a Military I.D. to attend this event/enter the base.
Per normal, we will be collecting $25 per head for a couple of cold ones and some delicious appetizers! As always, bring the in-laws, out-laws, significant others, homeless fighter pilots, black shoes, rotor-heads, Republicans, Democrats (be fair minded), Intel Weenies, people that think "TOPGUN" was a documentary and that "TOPGUN MAVERICK" is the best movie ever made!!! Really, bring a Shipmate that does not normally attend. Sea stories are like fine wine, they get better with age! Look forward to seeing you all there!
Tailhook Educational Foundation: At each Ready Room event, if you are philanthropically inclined, please consider donating any "spare change". We will have a jar at check in for donations. This money will go to the Educational Foundation donated by you, the San Diego Ready Room. ...thanks!
Best,
Jack "Damien" Schuller
Mike "P-Nuts" Borich
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Thanks to Newell. This is right on point
Fellow Bubbas,
I've been reading in THE BUBBAS' postings your expressed disgust with the apparent WOKE mentality infecting the most senior echelons of our DOD and military services. I too am old school, and heartily concur with you. One of the best rebuttals to the progressives' sensitive, touchy-feely, social-experimental, WOKE campaign for all military personnel was voiced by Trey Gowdy when he served as a U.S. Congressional Representative from South Carolina. His response was made to a questioner from CNN, and, although it preceded the current issues of hyper-liberal thought, it remains as valid today as when first spoken. Rep. Gowdy's position follows.
F-4s and Dinosaurs Forever,
Newell "Scorpio" Tarrant
THE MILITARY HAS ONE JOB.
WARFARE.
"Nobody has a "right" to serve in the Military. Nobody. What makes people think the Military is an equal opportunity employer? Very far from it. The Military uses prejudice regularly and consistently to deny citizens from joining for being too old or too young, too fat or too skinny, too tall or too short.
"Citizens are denied for having flat feet, or for missing- or for additional-fingers. Poor eyesight will disqualify you, as well as bad teeth. Malnourished? Drug addiction? Bad back? Criminal history? Low IQ? Anxiety? Phobias? Hearing damage? Six arms? Hear voices in your head?
"Self-identify as a Unicorn? Need a special access ramp for your wheelchair? Can't run the required course in the required time? Can't do the required number of pushups? Not really a "morning person" and refuse to get out of bed before noon?
"All or any of those can be reasons for disqualifying a person for Military service.
"The Military has one job. Warfare. Anything else is a distraction and a liability.
"Did someone just scream, "That isn't Fair!"?
"Warfare is very unfair. There are no exceptions made for someone being special or challenged or socially wonderful. To be accepted, train and serve in the Military, you must change yourself to meet Military standards. Not the other way around.
"I say again: You don't change the Military. You must change yourself. The Military doesn't need to accommodate anyone with special issues. The Military needs to win Wars. If any of your personal issues are a liability that detract from combat readiness or lethality, thank you for applying, and good luck in your future non-military endeavors. Who's next in line?"
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Thanks to Mugs
Pearl Harbor
What Happened To The Bodies At Pearl Harbor? (msn.com)
Interesting article about something most people do not even think about.
What Happened To The Bodies At Pearl Harbor? (msn.com)
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The question of would you be a bit Nervous…No I would be really scared…skip
Thanks to Dr. Rich
Thanks to John H. ...
Would you be a little nervous??
This video of a Southern Right Whale interacting with a woman on a paddleboard in calm waters is growing evidence of the recognition that humans are no longer a death threat to them and can even be the object of a playful interlude. An extraordinary and heartwarming piece of video. Watch the whale slowly roll onto its side and give the paddleboard a gentle push!!
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Thanks to Mike
A good starter for any day
RECENT QUOTES FROM: SEN. JOHN KENNEDY, (R) LOUISIANA
FIRST OF ALL, I'M JOHN KENNEDY, NOT THAT JOHN KENNEDY, I AM THE OTHER JOHN KENNEDY, (R) SENATOR REPRESENTING THE GREAT STATE OF LOUISIANA.
PERMIT ME TO TELL YOU WHAT I BELIEVE.
1. I BELIEVE AMERICA WAS FOUNDED BY GENIUSES BUT IS NOW RUN BY IDIOTS.
2. I BELIEVE YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID, BUT YOU CAN VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE.
3. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD OF ANYONE TRYING TO SNEAK INTO CHINA.
4. AMERICA IS SO GREAT THAT PEOPLE WHO HATE IT, REFUSE TO LEAVE IT.
5. LET ME SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, SO FAR, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SUCKS.
6. I DON'T LIKE TO BRAG ABOUT THE EXPENSIVE PLACES I'VE BEEN TO, BUT THIS MORNING I WENT TO THE GAS STATION.
7. I BELIEVE EXERCISE MAKES YOU LOOK BETTER NAKED. BUT SO DOES ALCOHOL.
8. WELFARE SHOULD BE A BRIDGE, NOT A PARKING LOT.
9. WEAKNESS INVITES THE WOLVES.
10. WE MUST ARM FOR PEACE.
11. WE DON'T HAVE A GUN CONTROL PROBLEM; WE HAVE AN IDIOT CONTROL PROBLEM.
12. FREE ADVICE FRIENDS, IF GOVERNMENT TELLS YOU NOT TO BUY A GUN, BUY TWO.
13. I BELIEVE IF YOU HATE POLICE OFFICERS, THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE IN TROUBLE, CALL A CRACK-HEAD.
14. HERE'S A FREE TIP, COPS WILL LEAVE YOU ALONE IF YOU DON'T DO STUPID THINGS.
15. I BELIEVE WE NEED AN ELECTION DAY, NOT AN ELECTION MONTH.
16. I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE WHEN YOU VOTE.
17. I BELIEVE 400,000 BODIES BURIED AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY IS THE REASON YOU SHOULD STAND FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
18. I BELIEVE THE WATER WON'T CLEAR TILL YOU GET THE PIGS OUT OF THE CREEK.
19. I BELIEVE LOVE IS THE ANSWER, BUT YOU SHOULD OWN A GUN, JUST IN CASE.
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Thanks to Tom and welcome back from vacation
Folks-
BUSY BUSY week…just got back from vacation so I am behind!
Highlights:
• Webb Telescope First Deep Field image- STUNNING!!!! All the folks gleeful over it, are none of the folks that DID it, or conceived it – they are long forgotten. SAD.
• Spinoffs – wow LASIK surgery – something ALL of us that are aging (and not passing!) will eventually need. Cornea is hardened by UV light – why you NEVER buy cheap sunglasses – the admit the UV to the eye – disaster! Get Blue Blockers!
o More on spinoffs? Go to: www.spinoffs.nasa.gov
• Mars sample return – something that has been talked about from the shuttle flying days. Idea is to drill a sample core, pack it away, send it back to low earth orbit, grab it and enter in a "bullet-proof" lander so that IF, and it may be, IF there are microbes on it, we don't do for real the "War of the Worlds"
o More here on that one!:
o Google Orson Wells, "War of the Worlds"….caused a FULL BLOWN panic!
Interesting sidelights:
Mercury
Solar drag (always get asked – "how does the sun slow down a satellite??")
Enjoy
Tom
AGENCYWIDE MESSAGE TO ALL NASA EMPLOYEES
Points of Contact: Brittany Brown, brittany.a.brown@nasa.gov and Andre Valentine, andre.valentine-1@nasa.gov, Office of Communications, NASA Headquarters
------------------------------------------------------------------------
View the Latest Edition of "This Week @NASA" (published July 15, 2022)
View the latest "This Week @NASA," produced by NASA Television, for features on agency news and activities. Stories in this program include:
• The Webb Space Telescope's New Look at the Cosmos
• NASA Tech for Webb Telescope Mirrors Boosts Eye Surgery Precision
• New Climate Research Launches to Space Station
• Perseverance Scouts Landing Sites for Mars Sample Return
To watch this episode, click on the image below:
Watch the Video
To access this edition of "This Week @NASA," you may also visit:
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Thanks to Carl….This is America????
July 18, 2022
Ridiculous overkill in raid of retired Texas couple outside Capitol on January 6
By Thomas Lifson
An account was published Sunday in the San Marcos Record of a massive late June raid on a couple in rural Hays County, Texas that resulted in no arrest. The scale of forces deployed and the tactics used seem designed to intimidate and punish, especially considering the fact that the couple never entered the US Capitol on June 6, and were guilty only of being Trump supporters who were peacefully demonstrating.
Lora DeWolfe and Darrel Kennemer were startled when FBI agents, during the pre-dawn hours on June 22, broke through their gate leading up to their home which sits on seven acres in rural Hays County. (snip)
Kennemer, concerned, sprung out of bed, grabbed his AR-15 and stepped onto the porch wearing only his briefs.
The couple watched as several other vehicles, estimated between 20-30, poured onto the property, including one armored vehicle with a battering ram.
FBI agents demanded Kennemer "drop his rifle" as they exited the approaching vehicle. Kennemer responded asking if officials had a warrant, and to show him.
Agents instead began tossing a series of flashbang grenades at the 67-year-old after which Kennemer realized a group of targeting lasers on him that forced him to lay down his weapon.
The couple was placed into handcuffs, taken away from their house, and questioned while their home was being searched.
Kennemer said it wasn't only members of the FBI present, but ATF and SWAT, too.
"All present I would say upwards of 100 agents, at an astronomical cost to the taxpayer, were on site," Kennemer said. "The warrant wasn't even a 'no knock' warrant. It could have been served with a simple knock on our door during daylight hours."
During this time, a plane was circling the property as well as drones, according to DeWolfe
Agents attempted to take the couple off the property, Kennemer protested:
"I told them, 'you're not taking me off this property,'" Kennemer said. "They were driving slowly toward the gate, and I kept telling them 'you're taking me off this property without arresting me.' We got closer to the gate, and I said it with a lot more firmness, 'you're not taking me off this property,' and they stopped."
Kennemer said agents got the two away from their house for 5 to 6 hours, allowing them plenty of time to search the premises. When it was over agents had taken their cell phones, which they haven't gotten back, and any Trump memorabilia.
The couple was eventually released without being arrested. Agents later produced a search warrant saying Kennemer was suspected of "assaulting, resisting or impeding" officers and "entering restricted buildings or grounds."
In the end, the raid seems kind of pointless, especially considering that a daytime visit by one or two agents could have accomplished the same thing. It seems that the raid itself was extra-judicial punishment.
Read the whole thing for more details.
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This Day in U S Military History…….July 20
1953 – U.S. Air Force Major Stephen L. Bettinger qualified as the 40th and last ace of the Korean War. Because he was shot down during this engagement and subsequently captured, he was not officially credited with his fifth victory until after his repatriation.
1960 – In first launch of Polaris missile, USS George Washington (SSBN 598) successfully fires 2 operational Polaris missiles while submerged off Florida.
1969 – At 10:56 p.m. EDT, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, 240,000 miles from Earth, speaks these words to more than a billion people listening at home: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." A moment later, he stepped off the lunar landing module Eagle and became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. The American effort to send astronauts to the moon has its origins in a famous appeal President John F. Kennedy made to a special joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961: "I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth." At the time, the United States was still trailing the Soviet Union in space developments, and Cold War-era America welcomed Kennedy's bold proposal. In 1966, after five years of work by an international team of scientists and engineers, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted the first unmanned Apollo mission, testing the structural integrity of the proposed launch vehicle and spacecraft combination. Then, on January 27, 1967, tragedy struck at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, when a fire broke out during a manned launch-pad test of the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn rocket. Three astronauts were killed in the fire. Despite the setback, NASA and its thousands of employees forged ahead, and in October 1968, Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, orbited Earth and successfully tested many of the sophisticated systems needed to conduct a moon journey and landing. In December of the same year, Apollo 8 took three astronauts to the dark side of the moon and back, and in March 1969 Apollo 9 tested the lunar module for the first time while in Earth orbit. Then in May, the three astronauts of Apollo 10 took the first complete Apollo spacecraft around the moon in a dry run for the scheduled July landing mission. At 9:32 a.m. on July 16, with the world watching, Apollo 11 took off from Kennedy Space Center with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin Jr., and Michael Collins aboard. Armstrong, a 38-year-old civilian research pilot, was the commander of the mission. After traveling 240,000 miles in 76 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit on July 19. The next day, at 1:46 p.m., the lunar module Eagle, manned by Armstrong and Aldrin, separated from the command module, where Collins remained. Two hours later, the Eagle began its descent to the lunar surface, and at 4:18 p.m. the craft touched down on the southwestern edge of the Sea of Tranquility. Armstrong immediately radioed to Mission Control in Houston, Texas, a famous message: "The Eagle has landed." At 10:39 p.m., five hours ahead of the original schedule, Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module. As he made his way down the lunar module's ladder, a television camera attached to the craft recorded his progress and beamed the signal back to Earth, where hundreds of millions watched in great anticipation. At 10:56 p.m., Armstrong spoke his famous quote, which he later contended was slightly garbled by his microphone and meant to be "that's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." He then planted his left foot on the gray, powdery surface, took a cautious step forward, and humanity had walked on the moon. "Buzz" Aldrin joined him on the moon's surface at 11:11 p.m., and together they took photographs of the terrain, planted a U.S. flag, ran a few simple scientific tests, and spoke with President Richard M. Nixon via Houston. By 1:11 a.m. on July 21, both astronauts were back in the lunar module and the hatch was closed. The two men slept that night on the surface of the moon, and at 1:54 p.m. the Eagle began its ascent back to the command module. Among the items left on the surface of the moon was a plaque that read: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the moon–July 1969 A.D–We came in peace for all mankind." At 5:35 p.m., Armstrong and Aldrin successfully docked and rejoined Collins, and at 12:56 a.m. on July 22 Apollo 11 began its journey home, safely splashing down in the Pacific Ocean at 12:51 p.m. on July 24. There would be five more successful lunar landing missions, and one unplanned lunar swing-by, Apollo 13. The last men to walk on the moon, astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt of the Apollo 17 mission, left the lunar surface on December 14, 1972. The Apollo program was a costly and labor intensive endeavor, involving an estimated 400,000 engineers, technicians, and scientists, and costing $24 billion (close to $100 billion in today's dollars). The expense was justified by Kennedy's 1961 mandate to beat the Soviets to the moon, and after the feat was accomplished ongoing missions lost their viability.
1976 – On the seventh anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, the Viking 1 lander, an unmanned U.S. planetary probe, becomes the first spacecraft to successfully land on the surface of Mars. Viking 1 was launched on August 20, 1975, and arrived at Mars on June 19, 1976. The first month of its orbit was devoted to imaging the surface to find appropriate landing sites. On July 20, 1976, the Viking 1 lander separated from the orbiter, touched down on the Chryse Planitia region of Mars, and sent back the first close-up photographs of the rust-colored Martian surface. In September 1976, Viking 2–launched only three weeks after Viking 1–entered into orbit around Mars, where it assisted Viking 1 in imaging the surface and also sent down a lander. During the dual Viking missions, the two orbiters imaged the entire surface of Mars at a resolution of 150 to 300 meters, and the two landers sent back more than 1,400 images of the planet's surface.
1999 – After 38 years at the bottom of the Atlantic, astronaut Gus Grissom's "Liberty Bell Seven" Mercury capsule was lifted to the surface.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
CROSIER, WILLIAM H. H.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company G, 149th New York Infantry. Place and date: At Peach Tree Creek, Ga., 20 July 1864. Entered service at: Skaneateles, N.Y. Birth: Skaneateles, N.Y. Date of issue: 12 January 1892. Citation: Severely wounded and ambushed by the enemy, he stripped the colors from the staff and brought them back into the line.
HAPEMAN, DOUGLAS
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, 104th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Peach Tree Creek, Ga., 20 July 1864. Entered service at: Ottawa, Ill. Born: 15 January 1839, Ephratah, Fulton County, N.Y. Date of issue: 5 April 1898. Citation: With conspicuous coolness and bravery rallied his men under a severe attack, re-formed the broken ranks, and repulsed the attack.
SHANES, JOHN
Rank and organization: Private, Company K, 14th West Virginia Infantry. Place and date: At Carters Farm, Va., 20 July 1864. Entered service at:——. Birth: Monomgalis County, W.Va. Date of issue: 31 January 1896. Citation: Charged upon a Confederate fieldpiece in advance of his comrades and by his individual exertions silenced the piece.
PENN, ROBERT
Rank and organization: Fireman First Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 10 October 1872, City Point, Va. Accredited to: Virginia. G.O. No.: 501, 14 December 1898. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Iowa off Santiago de Cuba, 20 July 1898. Performing his duty at the risk of serious scalding at the time of the blowing out of the manhole gasket on board the vessel, Penn hauled the fire while standing on a board thrown across a coal bucket 1 foot above the boiling water which was still blowing from the boiler.
*COLLIER, GILBERT G.
Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Cpl.), U.S. Army, Company F, 223d Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Tutayon, Korea, 19-20 July 1953. Entered service at: Tichnor Ark. Born: 30 December 1930, Hunter, Ark. G.O. No.: 3, 12 January 1955. Citation: Sgt. Collier, a member of Company F, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Sgt. Collier was pointman and assistant leader of a combat patrol committed to make contact with the enemy. As the patrol moved forward through the darkness, he and his commanding officer slipped and fell from a steep, 60-foot cliff and were injured. Incapacitated by a badly sprained ankle which prevented immediate movement, the officer ordered the patrol to return to the safety of friendly lines. Although suffering from a painful back injury, Sgt. Collier elected to remain with his leader, and before daylight they managed to crawl back up and over the mountainous terrain to the opposite valley where they concealed themselves in the brush until nightfall, then edged toward their company positions. Shortly after leaving the daylight retreat they were ambushed and, in the ensuing fire fight, Sgt. Collier killed 2 hostile soldiers, received painful wounds, and was separated from his companion. Then, ammunition expended, he closed in hand-to-hand combat with 4 attacking hostile infantrymen, killing, wounding, and routing the foe with his bayonet. He was mortally wounded during this action, but made a valiant attempt to reach and assist his leader in a desperate effort to save his comrade's life without regard for his own personal safety. Sgt. Collier's unflinching courage, consummate devotion to duty, and gallant self-sacrifice reflect lasting glory upon himself and uphold the noble traditions of the military service.
*LIBBY, GEORGE D.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 3d Engineer Combat Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Taejon, Korea, 20 July 1950. Entered service at: Waterbury, Conn. Birth: Bridgton, Maine. G.O. No.: 62, 2 August 1951. Citation: Sgt. Libby distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. While breaking through an enemy encirclement, the vehicle in which he was riding approached an enemy roadblock and encountered devastating fire which disabled the truck, killing or wounding all the passengers except Sgt. Libby. Taking cover in a ditch Sgt. Libby engaged the enemy and despite the heavy fire crossed the road twice to administer aid to his wounded comrades. He then hailed a passing M-5 artillery tractor and helped the wounded aboard. The enemy directed intense small-arms fire at the driver, and Sgt. Libby, realizing that no one else could operate the vehicle, placed himself between the driver and the enemy thereby shielding him while he returned the fire. During this action he received several wounds in the arms and body. Continuing through the town the tractor made frequent stops and Sgt. Libby helped more wounded aboard. Refusing first aid, he continued to shield the driver and return the fire of the enemy when another roadblock was encountered. Sgt. Libby received additional wounds but held his position until he lost consciousness. Sgt. Libby's sustained, heroic actions enabled his comrades to reach friendly lines. His dauntless courage and gallant self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit upon himself and uphold the esteemed traditions of the U.S. Army
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 20, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
20 July
1918: The 148th Aero Squadron began operations with the RAF in the field from Capelle Airdrome, near Dunkirk. (24)
1937: First shoulder sleeve insignia authorized for an independent American air unit, General Headquarters Air Force. (24)
1950: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force F-80s shot down two enemy aircraft for the last aerial victories until November, a sign that UN forces had attained air superiority. (28)
1953: The Martin B-57A first flew at Baltimore. It was our version of the English Electric Canberra twin-jet bomber. (12)
1955: The NB-36H, with an atomic reactor, made its first flight without activating the reactor. The plane carried the reactor aboard for structural and systems feasibility studies. (24)
1956: The Navy commissioned the USS Thetis Bay, the first helicopter assault carrier, at San Francisco. (24)
1960: A 6511th Parachute Test Group C-130 dropped 40,500 pounds of cargo by parachute to set a new world record. The group, which belonged to the ARDC, broke an earlier record of 35,000 pounds. (24) The USS George Washington became the first sub to launch a Lockheed UGM-27 Polaris missile while submerged. It flew from a point 30 miles off Cape Canaveral 1,150 miles away down the Atlantic Missile Range. Two hours later, the sub launched a second missile. (16)
1961: The first Titan I equipped with rocket decoys launched from Cape Canaveral. It released 10 decoys over the Atlantic, which allowed downrange tracking stations to practice in distinguishing between decoys and real reentry vehicles. (6)
1962: The US Weather Bureau transmitted photos made by TIROS V of cloud formations west of Australia to Australia. This effort was the first transmission of TIROS photos for foreign weather analysis. (24)
1963: Operation FARM GATE/MACKAY TROPHY: Under hostile fire, Capt Warren P. Tomsett flew his C-47, the "Extol Pink," of the 1st Air Commando Wing to evacuate wounded soldiers from Loc Ninh, Laos. Tomsett and his crew (Capt John R. Ordemann, Capt Donald R. Mack, TSgt Edsol P. Inlow, and SSgts Jack E. Morgan and Frank C. Barrett) later received the Mackay Trophy for 1963. (21) The Air Force launched its 100th Agena missile. The United Technology Center successfully fired the Titan III-C'd solid fuel rocket motor. (5)
1964: NASA's SERT I (Space Electric Rocket Test) marked the first operation in space of an electric rocket engine.
1966: OPERATION TALLY HO. During early 1966, USAF aircraft flew over 3,000 sorties per month. With lines of communication cut or disrupted, harassed day and night, the enemy concentrated on infiltration through the demilitarized zone. This gave birth to Operation Tally Ho, which scheduled 2,600 sorties a month above the demilitarized zone against the enemy. (17)
1968: Exercise GUARD STRIKE II. The largest joint Army and ANG field training exercise ever staged to this date within the CONUS began. (16)
1969: APOLLO XI/FIRST MAN ON THE MOON. Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr., flew the lunar module Eagle to the Sea of Tranquility, where Armstrong took the first step on the moon. (26) (See 16 July for full details of mission)
1970: Electronics System Division at Hanscom Field turned over the Compass Link photo relay system to the AFCS. Compass Link used three ground stations and two satellites to transmit exposed film from SEA to the Pentagon via electronic signals and laser beams. (26)
1973: Dr. Malcom R. Currie, Director of Defense and Engineering, asked the USAF to develop an ALCM, from the SCAD program. (6)
1974: Alexander Kartevelli, who designed the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, the X-12 Rainbow, the F-84, and F-105, died at age 77. The Thunderbirds made their first public demonstration with T-38 aircraft at the International Air Show in Everett, Washington. (11)
1982: The F-16E/XL made its first flight at Edwards AFB. (16)
1987: General Dynamics delivered the first of eight F-16C/Ds to Turkey from its Fort Worth plant. The next 152 F-16s would be built in Turkey under a special licensing agreement.
1999: During a two-hour flight, Col Clyde D. Moore II flew F-22 No. 1 over Mach 1.5 without afterburners for a sustained period to meet a "super cruise" test milestone. (3)
2001: During his "Mission X" flight, Maj Arthur Tomassetti (USMC) took off from Edwards AFB in the X-35B at 100 knots in STOVL mode, converted to conventional flight at about 180 knots, accelerated to Mach 1.05 at 25,000 feet. He then returned to Edwards and converted to the STOVL mode to complete a vertical landing. This marked the first time that either of the JSF demonstrators had achieved both extremes of speed during a single flight. (3)
2002: Through 2 August, five C-5s flew 23 combat missions from a forward operating location to Kandahar to redeploy more than 780 troops and 1,350 short tons of equipment from Canada's Princess Patricia's Light Infantry Regiment. The five C-5 aircraft, with three crews each from Travis AFB and Dover AFB and a C-5 leadership package with a seventh aircrew and 44 maintenance personnel, operated from the same forward operating location as the 782d Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. A 31-person Tanker Airlift Control Element from the 615th Air Mobility Operations Group supported the C-5s at Kandahar. This redeployment demonstrated that the USAF's largest jet transport aircraft could successfully operate at a remote, austere airfield. (22)
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World News for 20 July thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Air Force Grants Sikh Cadet Religious Accommodations Air Force News Service | 07/20/2022 The U.S. Air Force has granted religious accommodations for the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program's first Sikh cadet, reports the Air Force News Service. The accommodations permit Cadet Gursharan Virk, a sophomore information assurance major at Detachment 255 at the University of Iowa, to wear Sikhism ceremonial accessories and abide by religious grooming standards. These include permission to wear a turban in place of military headwear, a necklace, bracelet and have an uncut beard. Virk submitted an official request for religious accommodation to Air Education and Training Command's Manpower, Personnel and Services office, which approved the request in December. The cadet said his father, a retired Indian army colonel, inspired his desire to serve in the military. He is considered a leader in Detachment 255 and has been selected to go to AFROTC Field Training at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., this summer, a critical step to commissioning as an officer, the Air Force said. Col. Corey Ramsby, the commander of AFROTC Headquarters, said that Virk was an example of a cultural shift that has allowed the service to expand its ability to discover and develop talent.
USA—Northrop Grumman Partners With Boom Supersonic For Supersonic Special Mission Aircraft Breaking Defense | 07/20/2022 Northrop Grumman and Boom Supersonic, Denver, Colo., have partnered to develop a military variant of Boom's supersonic aircraft design, reports Breaking Defense. Boom Supersonic is seeking to bring supersonic flight back to commercial aviation for the first time since the collapse of the Concorde jet program through its Overture design. The company says the aircraft will be able to transport 65 to 80 passengers to destinations in about half the time of current commercial planes. It is expected to fly at speeds of Mach 1.7 over water and Mach 0.94 over land, Boom Supersonic officials said. Potential missions for a military variant include cargo and troop transport; just-in-time supply of critical materials; rapid response; and reconnaissance and surveillance, said the officials. There are few details of the agreement, and it is unclear what, if anything, might result from the partnership, analysts said. Boom officials said the teaming agreement would allow the two companies to explore opportunities and that Northrop Grumman had not invested in the startup as part of the deal.
Canada—Crowdfunding Campaign Seeks To Buy Bayraktar TB2 Drone For Ukraine Anadolu News Agency | 07/20/2022 A Canadian nonprofit organization has launched a crowdfunding campaign to purchase a Turkish combat drone for Ukraine, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). The UHelpUkraine organization hopes to raise Can$7 million (US$5.4 million) to acquire a Bayraktar TB2 uncrewed aerial vehicle by Ukrainian Independence Day on Aug. 24. The Canadian Bayraktar Crowdfund has raised US$9,600 so far, according to the campaign website. Norway has launched a similar campaign, seeking to crowdfund US$5.5 million for an aid fund at the Ukrainian embassy, reported the Daily Sabah (Istanbul). Lithuania and Poland similarly crowdfunded Bayraktar drones, collecting sufficient funds within days. Baykar, the manufacturer, said it would provide those drones to Ukraine for free and asked the funds to go to help the Ukrainian people. The company also said that it would donate three more drones to Ukraine after a crowdfunding campaign there raised enough funds to buy "several" systems. Ukraine previously purchased 20 Bayraktar TB2s and ordered another 16 on Jan. 27. Those systems were delivered in early March.
China—Beijing Protests Latest U.S. FONOP In Taiwan Strait South China Morning Post | 07/20/2022 The Chinese government has protested the latest freedom of navigation operation by a U.S. Navy warship in the Taiwan Strait, reports the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong). On Tuesday, the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold sailed through international waters in the Taiwan Strait, the U.S. 7th Fleet said on Wednesday. This was the third time in a week that the warship had passed through waters claimed by Beijing. The Benfold also sailed near the disputed Spratly and Paracel islands in the South China Sea. The Chinese military criticized the operations as "provocations." Tensions are high after it was reported that Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi planned to visit Taiwan. She would be the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan since the normalization of relations with China in 1979. Meanwhile, European Parliament Vice President Nicola Beer arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday, reports Taiwan's official Central News Agency. She was scheduled to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, several other officials and representatives of Taiwanese civil society.
European Union—Plans Made To Reduce Gas Consumption In Response To Potential Russian Supply Cuts Bloomberg News | 07/20/2022 The European Commission is working on a proposal for European Union member states to voluntarily cut natural gas consumption by 15 percent amid concerns that Russia could halt supplies, reports Bloomberg News. The goal is part of a regulation embedded in a demand-reduction plan that the commission is scheduled to unveil on Wednesday. It includes a mandatory trigger should the situation worsen, and voluntary reductions are insufficient, said three diplomats familiar with the proposal. The "Save Gas for a Safe Winter" plan calls for heating and cooling reductions and market-based measures to reduce consumption. Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that gas deliveries would restart soon via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, but that they would remain contingent on the delivery of certain sanctioned parts. The commission is operating under the assumption Russia will not resume full-scale deliveries through the pipeline. The new measure will need approval by the member states. It could be put to energy ministers at an emergency meeting next week.
Greece—Wildfires Force Evacuations North Of Athens Reuters | 07/20/2022 A wildfire in the mountains north of Athens has forced hundreds of people to evacuate, reports Reuters. On Wednesday, up to 500 firefighters, 120 fire engines and 15 water-carrying aircraft battled the blaze, fueled by gale-force winds on Mount Penteli, about 16 miles (27 km) north of the Greek capital. The fire broke out on Tuesday and continued to burn on several fronts. France, Italy, Portugal and Spain are also experiencing major forest fires amid record-breaking temperatures. Firefighters in France's southern Gironde region continue to fight fires that have been burning since July 12. Wildfires also took off in the northern region of Brittany as well as the French Mediterranean island of Corsica. A wildfire in Italy's central Tuscany region destroyed 2.15 square miles (560 hectares) of forest and blew up several liquefied natural gas tanks. A fire in northern Portugal has burned 38 to 46 square miles (10,000 to 20,000 hectares) since July 17. The regional officials said rising temperatures and strong winds would make it harder to fight the blaze. Spain's AEMET weather service predicted ever higher temperatures, as five regions battled local wildfires. Meanwhile, the U.K. experienced its hottest day on record, with temperatures hitting 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). London firefighters worked through the night on Tuesday to tamp down fires in the region's green spaces. Chief of Science and Technology of the Met Office Stephen Belcher said that such heatwaves would reoccur every three years unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut.
South Korea—Domestically Developed KF-21 Jet Makes Maiden Flight Korea Times | 07/20/2022 Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has conducted the first flight of its advanced supersonic fighter jet, reports the Korea Times. On Tuesday, the KF-21 Boramae took off from the South Korean air force's 3rd Flying Training Wing in Sacheon, about 190 miles (300 km) south of Seoul and where KAI is headquartered, reported the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The flight lasted more than 30 minutes, reaching a maximum speed of 215 knots (400 kph), according to the Defense Acquisition program Administration. The KF-21 was equipped with four Meteor air-to-air missiles but did not carry other important equipment, such as an infrared search-and-track system, during the initial flight, the agency said. There are currently six prototype jets, which are scheduled to complete around 2,000 combined sorties before undertaking a year of combat suitability trials. The goal is to reach final combat suitability in 2026. South Korea plans to buy 120 KF-21s by 2032 to replace its aging F-4 and F-5 fighters. Indonesia is also a partner in the project.
Sri Lanka—Parliament Elects Wickremesinghe President Straits Times | 07/20/2022 The Sri Lankan Parliament has chosen Ranil Wickremesinghe to replace President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who resigned last week amid nationwide protests, reports the Straits Times (Singapore). Wickremesinghe had been appointed caretaker prime minister by Rajapaksa after his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned in May. He was then named acting president after Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country. Sri Lanka has experienced widespread protests amid an economic crisis, including shortages of food, fuel and medicines and a government default on debt. Analysts have questioned Wickremesinghe's ability to form an effective interim government amid ongoing protests and large-scale discontent about those linked to the Rajapaksa clan, which had held power for much of the last two decades.
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