The List 6223 TGB
To All,
Good Wednesday Morning September 21
A bit of history and some tidbits
Regards
Skip
Today in Naval and Marine Corps History
September 21
1858 The sloop, USS Niagara, departs Charleston, S. C., for Liberia carrying 200 Africans liberated from the slave brig Echo off the coast of Cuba by USS Dolphin.
1860 The sloop USS Portsmouth captures the American slave ship Emily at Loango, Africa.
1862 During the Civil War, the wooden screw gunboat USS Albatross, commanded by Cmdr. Henry French, captures the schooner Two Sisters off the Rio Grande River. The schooner later serves in the East Gulf Blockading Squadron.
1944 USS Haddo (SS 255) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese survey ship, Katsuriki, off Manila, Philippines.
1956 An F11F Tiger aircraft shoots itself down while conducting firing tests over eastern Long Island, N.Y. The plane runs into 20-mm projectiles, which fires seconds before at a higher altitude.
2017 The Navy awards a $5.1 billion contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat for Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) of the Columbia-class Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN). The IPPD contract award includes design, completion, component and technology development and prototyping work.
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This day in History
21 September
0454 In Italy, Aetius, the supreme army commander, is murdered in Ravenna by Valentinian III, the emperor of the West.
1327 Edward II of England is murdered by order of his wife.
1520 Suleiman (the Magnificent), son of Selim, becomes Ottoman sultan in Constantinople.
1589 The Duke of Mayenne of France is defeated by Henry IV at the Battle of Arques.
1673 James Needham returns to Virginia after exploring the land to the west, which would become Tennessee.
1745 A Scottish Jacobite army commanded by Lord George Murray routs the Royalist army of General Sir John Cope at Prestonpans.
1863 Union troops defeated at Chickamauga seek refuge in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which is then besieged by Confederate troops.
1904 Exiled Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph dies of a "broken heart".
1915 Stonehenge is sold by auction for 6,600 pounds sterling ($11,500) to a Mr. Chubb, who buys it as a present for his wife. He presents it to the British nation three years later.
1929 Fighting between China and the Soviet Union breaks out along the Manchurian border.
1936 The German army holds its largest maneuvers since 1914.
1937 The women's airspeed record is set at 292 mph by American pilot Jacqueline Cochran.
1937 J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Hobbit is published.
1941 The German Army cuts off the Crimean Peninsula from the rest of the Soviet Union.
1942 British forces attack the Japanese in Burma.
1944 U.S. troops of the 7th Army, invading Southern France, cross the Meuse River.
1978 Two Soviet cosmonauts set a space endurance record after 96 days in space.
1981 Belize granted full independence from the United Kingdom.
1989 General Colin Powell is confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
1991 Armenia granted independence from USSR.
1993 The Russian constitutional crisis of 1993 begins when Russian President Boris Yeltsin suspends parliament and invalidates the existing constitution.
1999 Earthquake in Taiwan kills more than 2,400, injures over 11,305, and causes $300 billion New Taiwan dollars ($10 billion in US dollars).
2003 Galileo space mission ends as the probe is sent into Jupiter's atmosphere where it is crushed.
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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, 21 September 2022… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 21 September 1967… A downed warrior's tough choice: fight a last stand or surrender/POW
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
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Servicemembers Killed in the Vietnam War
(This site was sent by a friend last week and I forgot to forward. The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
By: Kipp Hanley
AUGUST 15, 2022
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Thanks to Carl
Unexpectedly, the USAF Finds Itself With a Critical Shortage of Pilots While It Says It Has Too Many White Officers
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
Daily Memo: Washington Makes Headway in Central Asia
The U.S. is reportedly in talks with two countries in the region that could irk the Kremlin.
By: GPF Staff
September 19, 2022
The U.S. in Central Asia. The United States is in talks with the governments of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to allow both countries to keep dozens of U.S. military aircraft flown to the two states by Afghan air force pilots as the government in Kabul was collapsing last year, according to a report by Politico. The aircraft are being held in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and would be exchanged for the countries' cooperation in counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan. Washington hasn't officially commented on the report, but if true, it would likely irritate the Kremlin, which wants to play the role of security guarantor in Central Asia.
Investing in Kazakhstan. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in an investment forum attended by the leaders of major American companies. He touted the expansion of the strategic economic partnership between Kazakhstan and the United States. This is part of the expanding U.S. presence in Central Asia, a traditional buffer zone for Moscow.
Changes. Russia's State Duma unanimously adopted a number of amendments to the country's criminal code relating to military service. Under the changes, anyone found guilty of voluntary surrender, looting in wartime or repeated refusal to fulfill a defense duty will be held criminally liable. In addition, more severe punishments will be introduced for unauthorized abandonment of a unit during mobilization or martial law, noncompliance with an order or refusing to participate in the military. The Kremlin needs to change its strategy in Ukraine, and this could be one way of strengthening its forces there.
Cracking down. Kazakhstan's Industry and Infrastructure Development Ministry said on Tuesday that it would require Russian and Belarusian truckers to present necessary paperwork to comply with Western sanctions. The sanctions have banned truckers from both countries from entering the bloc. The requirement was put in place earlier this year but not enforced. According to Russian media, Russian transporters had been warned that Kazakhstan was detaining Russian trucks with goods from Europe.
Meeting in New York. The foreign ministers of India, the United Arab Emirates and France held talks on Monday in New York ahead of a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. They discussed issues related to economic and strategic relations between the three countries. It was the first meeting of its kind between them. The Indian minister also met with representatives from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States to discuss post-pandemic recovery and cooperation in several areas including trade, food and energy security, and agriculture.
South Korea and Japan. Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan also held talks in New York. They discussed a range of issues related to the strained relationship between their countries, including compensation for Korean laborers during Japan's 1910-45 rule of the Korean Peninsula.
Strong bond. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed the strength of his country's relationship with the United States after meeting with major U.S. energy and defense companies in New York. His comments come amid China's push in recent months to build ties with the Philippines by seeking expanded resource and energy cooperation in the South China Sea.
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Thanks to Brett
ON GEOPOLITICS
What Comes Next for Britain's Third Carolean Age
Sep 20, 2022
What did the second Elizabethan Age mean for the United Kingdom, and what will the third Carolean Age hold for the country? For seven decades, Queen Elizabeth II reigned through wars cold and hot, troubles and tribulations, recessions and retrenchments. Her era began in one geopolitical era — the beginning of the Cold War and the end of the age of empire — and finished as another major war returns to Europe. Her legacy is one of preservation — of holding together not just the monarchy but the Commonwealth — amid a great unraveling of traditional British power. Now that the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth fall to Elizabeth's son, King Charles III, can her legacy be secured, or is the loss of her personality too much to maintain the political sinews of the United Kingdom's superpower heritage?
The British monarchy is a unique institution. The monarch serves not as a chief executive but as a symbolic head of state, uniting the United Kingdom's four nations (Northern Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland). Despite being head of the armed forces, the British monarch by constitutional tradition cannot give orders to the military. Despite being head of state, the throne cannot pass laws. And if Parliament chooses to vote to abolish the monarchy, there is no constitutional recourse for the crown. Only the public's goodwill maintains the monarchy, a sentiment born of centuries of tradition, institutional and constitutional inertia, and concern about the unity of the United Kingdom and its Commonwealth. Thus, a monarch in the United Kingdom holds high title and cultural weight but has long been at the mercy of democratically elected governments.
At the same time, the monarchy acts as one of the last links between the United Kingdom and its former empire through the globe-spanning Commonwealth. There, the monarch serves as head of state for 15 countries that compose the Commonwealth Realms, as well as head of the Commonwealth that encompasses 56 total countries. Membership in the Commonwealth is voluntary, and any country may hold referendums to end its status as a realm (as Barbados mostly recently did in 2021 when it became a republic).
The Commonwealth itself is a historically unique development; though countries like France tried similar means to evolve their empires in the late stages of imperialism (and therefore maintain some level of influence in these decolonized spaces), none succeeded like the United Kingdom. Today, the Commonwealth offers the United Kingdom a measure of global soft power, enabling it to partake in debates and conversations about the political developments of its community and maintain cultural and linguistic links between its members.
The last empress
Elizabeth knew these constitutional roles very well and had a seemingly impossible task ahead of her. By the time she ascended to the throne in 1952, the British Empire was already on its way out. India was given independence in 1948, and the talk in Parliament was when — not if — to decolonize. Over her reign hung questions of the value of the monarchy. What good was a head of state with little but symbolic duties? Why have a queen in a democracy? For the rapidly decolonizing British Empire, nationalists and republicans pushed against residual British influence, including the status of the queen. And unlike Elizabeth's father, King George VI, she had no great war around which to rally the nation.
Elizabeth thus created her own form of politics, one that relied on public relations and political ambiguity. Political and foreign policy debacles came and went, as did prime ministers from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss. But while a prime minister might sink under the weight of poor policy choices, as Anthony Eden did after the Suez crisis in 1956, the queen's careful avoidance of appearing like she had a political opinion kept the stain from spreading to the monarchy itself. This worked: the British public kept its opinions of prime ministers and the queen separate, and British republicanism simmered rather than boiled. Only royal scandals could dent her support, like Charles and Princess Diana's divorce and Diana's subsequent death in 1997. But even during such trying times, the queen kept her public profile carefully controlled, with little insight into her own feelings or opinions — and the public, once the moment of scandal passed, often rallied back to her.
It was this same public relations approach that helped keep the Commonwealth together, as Elizabeth used a personal touch when the moment warranted. For instance, her visit to Ghana in 1961 — and her famous dance with its first president, Kwame Nkrumah — may well have kept Ghana in the Commonwealth and perhaps even away from the Soviet Union. She also utilized royal family members, like when she dispatched then-Prince Charles and the hugely popular Princess Diana to Australia in 1983 to stem a tide of republicanism that threatened her monarchy. And she avoided controversy by keeping her public comment non-existent when great foreign policy challenges — like the Suez crisis, the "Mau-Mau" war and The Troubles in Northern Ireland — broke out. Public anger and foreign backlash thus could focus on democratically elected prime ministers and Parliaments instead of on the queen.
Can the Carolean Age match the Elizabethan Age?
With Elizabeth's passing, all eyes are on Charles to see whether he can accomplish the same feat as his mother amid revived questions about the value of the monarchy. Charles inherits a United Kingdom now exited from the European Union and tilted toward English populism, which is provoking yet more independence talk from Scotland. Northern Ireland's sectarian troubles still rumble, with some Irish wanting to use the excuse of Brexit to unify with the Republic of Ireland in the south. Ordinary Britons question whether the monarchy still serves much of a purpose beyond tourism and media, and they wonder why their tax pounds should support such a venture. Abroad, the Commonwealth and its realms question whether Charles' reign is useful to their citizens.
Like his mother, Charles will have to play politics without playing politics, aiming to maintain the monarchy while helping prevent a break-up of the United Kingdom and a weakening of the Commonwealth. But, like his mother, many factors will remain out of his control. Luck, personality and scandals will define his reign, and his politics will be composed of reactions to events rather than actions that drive them.
He may be given the chance to react well to these challenges. George rose to the occasion of the rise of Nazism to restore confidence in the monarchy after the scandal of King Edward VIII's abdication in 1936. Elizabeth handled the decline of the empire with enough grace that it smoothed the process by which colonies transformed themselves into the Commonwealth. Charles will have a war in Ukraine, a cost of living crisis, political instability in the United States, and threats of war between China and Taiwan to confront as king. If the public sees him doing so with the same kind of royal gravitas as his mother, he might well improve his standing as king and help weaken the arguments of republicans and nationalists who want to weaken the Commonwealth, abolish the monarchy and/or chase independence. If this is the case, the third Carolean Age might be one of restoration, with a monarchy that successfully maintains the status quo despite all the great changes swirling around it.
Or Charles may stumble, be seen as uncharismatic or uncaring, or become involved in yet another royal scandal, and thus undermine confidence in the monarchy and fuel those forces seeking to bring it down. New scandals also may emerge; already there are the royal troubles of Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, both of whom, for different reasons, drag on the monarchy's popularity. Moreover, Charles still must overcome the lingering reputational damage of his divorce from Diana. If King Charles is seen as a failure, this Carolean Age might be remembered as the one that saw the break-up of the United Kingdom, the weakening of the Commonwealth and even the end of the monarchy itself.
In all likelihood, however, it will probably be something of a middle path down which some Commonwealth countries already drifting from the monarchy will continue to go their own way toward becoming republics, while other countries will stick to the royal family out of tradition and comfort. The monarchy may loom as an issue in possible referendums in Scotland and Ireland, but it is more likely that factors controlled by Parliament will decide their trajectories rather than whether Scots and Irish see Charles as a great king. If there is a certain trajectory, it is that Charles will rarely be afforded the opportunity to define his — and the throne's — destiny.
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This Day in U S Military History…….21 September
1776 – NYC burned down in the Great Fire five days after British took over. The fore was devastating, it burned through the night on the west side of what then constituted New York City at the southern end of the island of Manhattan. It broke out in the early days of the military occupation of the city by British forces during the American War for Independence. The fire destroyed 10 to 25 percent of the city and some unburned parts of the city were plundered. Many people believed or assumed that one or more people deliberately started the fire, for a variety of different reasons. British leaders accused revolutionaries acting within the city, and many residents assumed that one side or the other had started it. The fire had long-term effects on the British occupation of the city, which did not end until 1783.
1942 – The U.S. B-29 Superfortress makes its debut flight in Seattle, Washington. It was the largest bomber used in the war by any nation. The B-29 was conceived in 1939 by Gen. Hap Arnold, who was afraid a German victory in Europe would mean the United States would be devoid of bases on the eastern side of the Atlantic from which to counterattack. A plane was needed that would travel faster, farther, and higher than any then available, so Boeing set to creating the four-engine heavy bomber. The plane was extraordinary, able to carry loads almost equal to its own weight at altitudes of 30,000 to 40,000 feet. It contained a pilot console in the rear of the plane, in the event the front pilot was knocked out of commission. It also sported the first radar bombing system of any U.S. bomber. The Superfortress made its test run over the continental United States on September 21, but would not make its bombing-run debut until June 5, 1944, against Bangkok, in preparation for the Allied liberation of Burma from Japanese hands. A little more than a week later, the B-29 made its first run against the Japanese mainland. On June 14, 60 B-29s based in Chengtu, China, bombed an iron and steel works factory on Honshu Island. While the raid was less than successful, it proved to be a morale booster to Americans, who were now on the offensive. Meanwhile, the Marianas Islands in the South Pacific were being recaptured by the United States, primarily to provide air bases for their new B-29s-a perfect position from which to strike the Japanese mainland on a consistent basis. Once the bases were ready, the B-29s were employed in a long series of bombing raids against Tokyo. Although capable of precision bombing at high altitudes, the Superfortresses began dropping incendiary devices from a mere 5,000 feet, firebombing the Japanese capital in an attempt to break the will of the Axis power. One raid, in March 1945, killed more than 80,000 people. But the most famous, or perhaps infamous, use of the B-29 would come in August, as it was the only plane capable of delivering a 10,000-pound bomb–the atomic bomb. The Enola Gay and the Bock's Car took off from the Marianas, on August 6 and 9, respectively, and flew into history.
1953 – North Korean pilot Lieutenant Ro Kim Suk landed his aircraft at Kimpo airfield outside Seoul. The Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, powered by a jet engine superior to those then used in American fighter planes, first saw combat in Korea during November 1950, where its performance shifted the balance of air power to Russian-backed North Korea. On April 26, 1953, two U.S. Air Force B-29s dropped leaflets behind enemy lines, offering a $50,000 reward and political asylum to any pilot delivering an intact MiG-15 to American forces for study. Although Ro denied any knowledge of the bounty, he collected the reward, and American scientists were able to examine the MiG-15.
1961 – Maiden flight of the CH-47 Chinook transportation helicopter. The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its primary roles are troop movement, artillery placement and battlefield resupply. It has a wide loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage and three external-cargo hooks. With a top speed of 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h) the helicopter is faster than contemporary 1960s utility and attack helicopters. The CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name is from the Native American Chinook people. The Chinook was designed and initially produced by Boeing Vertol in the early 1960s; it is now produced by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. It is one of the few aircraft of that era – along with the fixed-wing Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft – that remain in production and frontline service, with over 1,200 built to date. The helicopter has been sold to 16 nations with the U.S. Army and the Royal Air Force (see Boeing Chinook (UK variants)) being its largest users.
2000 – A Belgrade court found Pres. Clinton and other world leaders guilty of war crimes for the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. 14 leaders were sentenced in absentia to 20 years in prison. The 120-page indictment charged the leaders for the deaths of 546 Yugoslav army soldiers, 138 Serbian police officers and 504 civilians, including 88 children.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*TOWLE, JOHN R.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company C, 504th Parachute Infantry, 82d Airborne Division. Place and date: Near Oosterhout, Holland, 21 September 1944. Entered service at: Cleveland, Ohio. Birth: Cleveland, Ohio. G.O. No.: 18, 15 March 1945. Citation. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 21 September 1944, near Oosterhout, Holland. The rifle company in which Pvt. Towle served as rocket launcher gunner was occupying a defensive position in the west sector of the recently established Nijmegen bridgehead when a strong enemy force of approximately 100 infantry supported by 2 tanks and a half-track formed for a counterattack. With full knowledge of the disastrous consequences resulting not only to his company but to the entire bridgehead by an enemy breakthrough, Pvt. Towle immediately and without orders left his foxhole and moved 200 yards in the face of Intense small-arms fire to a position on an exposed dike roadbed. From this precarious position Pvt. Towle fired his rocket launcher at and hit both tanks to his immediate front. Armored skirting on both tanks prevented penetration by the projectiles, but both vehicles withdrew slightly damaged. Still under intense fire and fully exposed to the enemy, Pvt. Towle then engaged a nearby house which 9 Germans had entered and were using as a strongpoint and with 1 round killed all 9. Hurriedly replenishing his supply of ammunition, Pvt. Towle, motivated only by his high conception of duty which called for the destruction of the enemy at any cost, then rushed approximately 125 yards through grazing enemy fire to an exposed position from which he could engage the enemy half-track with his rocket launcher. While in a kneeling position preparatory to firing on the enemy vehicle, Pvt. Towle was mortally wounded by a mortar shell. By his heroic tenacity, at the price of his life, Pvt. Towle saved the lives of many of his comrades and was directly instrumental in breaking up the enemy counterattack.
*DAVENPORT, JACK A.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company G, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Vicinity of Songnae-Dong, Korea, 21 September 1951. Entered service at: Mission, Kans. Born: 7 September 1931, Kansas City, Mo. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a squad leader in Company G, in action against enemy aggressor forces, early in the morning. While expertly directing the defense of his position during a probing attack by hostile forces attempting to infiltrate the area, Cpl. Davenport, acting quickly when an enemy grenade fell into the foxhole which he was occupying with another marine, skillfully located the deadly projectile in the dark and, undeterred by the personal risk involved, heroically threw himself over the live missile, thereby saving his companion from serious injury or possible death. His cool and resourceful leadership were contributing factors in the successful repulse of the enemy attack and his superb courage and admirable spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death enhance and sustain the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. Cpl. Davenport gallantly gave his life for his country.
VERA, MIGUEL A.
Rank and Organization: Private. U.S. Army. Company F, 2d Battalion. 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Place and Date: September 21, 1952, Chorwon, Korea. Born: May 3, 1932, Puerto Rico . Departed: Yes (09/21/1952). Entered Service At: . G.O. Number: . Date of Issue: 03/18/2014. Accredited To: . Citation: Vera is being recognized for his heroic actions at Chorwon, Korea, Sept. 21, 1952. While Vera's unit attempted to retake the right sector of "Old Baldy", they came under heavy fire at close range and were forced back. Vera selflessly chose to stay behind and cover the troop's withdrawal, and lost his life during this action.
*BARKER, JEDH COLBY
Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company F, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Near Con Thein, Republic of Vietnam, 21 September 1967. Entered service at: Park Ridge, N.J. Born: 20 June 1945, Franklin, N.H. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner with Company F. During a reconnaissance operation L/Cpl. Barker's squad was suddenly hit by enemy sniper fire. The squad immediately deployed to a combat formation and advanced to a strongly fortified enemy position, when it was again struck by small arms and automatic weapons fire, sustaining numerous casualties. Although wounded by the initial burst of fire, L/Cpl. Barker boldly remained in the open, delivering a devastating volume of accurate fire on the numerically superior force. The enemy was intent upon annihilating the small marine force and, realizing that L/Cpl. Barker was a threat to their position, directed the preponderance of their fire on his position. He was again wounded, this time in the right hand, which prevented him from operating his vitally needed machine gun. Suddenly and without warning, an enemy grenade landed in the midst of the few surviving marines. Unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his personal safety, L/Cpl. Barker threw himself upon the deadly grenade, absorbing with his body the full and tremendous force of the explosion. In a final act of bravery, he crawled to the side of a wounded comrade and administered first aid before succumbing to his grievous wounds. His bold initiative, intrepid fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of almost certain death undoubtedly saved his comrades from further injury or possible death and reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps, and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
*LAUFFER, BILLY LANE
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division. place and date: Near Bon Son in Binh Dinh province, Republic of Vietnam, 21 September 1966. Entered service at: phoenix, Ariz. Born: 20 October 1945, Murray, Ky. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Lauffer's squad, a part of Company C, was suddenly struck at close range by an intense machine gun crossfire from 2 concealed bunkers astride the squad's route. Pfc. Lauffer, the second man in the column, saw the lead man fall and noted that the remainder of the squad was unable to move. Two comrades, previously wounded and being carried on litters, were Lying helpless in the beaten zone of the enemy fire. Reacting instinctively, Pfc. Lauffer quickly engaged both bunkers with fire from his rifle, but when the other squad members attempted to maneuver under his covering fire, the enemy fusillade increased in volume and thwarted every attempt to move. Seeing this and his wounded comrades helpless in the open, Pfc. Lauffer rose to his feet and charged the enemy machine gun positions, firing his weapon and drawing the enemy's attention. Keeping the enemy confused and off balance, his 1-man assault provided the crucial moments for the wounded point man to crawl to a covered position, the squad to move the exposed litter patients to safety, and his comrades to gain more advantageous positions. Pfc. Lauffer was fatally wounded during his selfless act of courage and devotion to his fellow soldiers. His gallantry at the cost of his life served as an inspiration to his comrades and saved the lives of an untold number of his companions. His actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for 21 September, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
21 September
1932: Aircrews from the 11 BMS at March Field, Calif., flew a Condor bomber to test the intensity of cosmic rays at various altitudes. (24)
1937: Jacqueline Cochran set a world and US speed record of 292.271 MPH for women at Detroit.
1938: Maj Gen Oscar Westover, the Chief of the Army Air Corps, died in an airplane crash at Lockheed Airport, Burbank. (24)
1939: The Lockheed L.18 Lodestar first flew.
1942: The Boeing B-29 Superfortress made its first flight. (12)
1950: KOREAN WAR. USAF forward air controllers in T-6 Mosquitoes spotted about 30 enemy tanks near the advancing 24th Infantry Division. They called in USAF aircraft and USA ground artillery, which destroyed 14 enemy tanks and forced the rest to flee. FEAF Combat Cargo Command C-54s began airlifting supplies, rations, and ammunition to Suwon Airfield south of Seoul. C-119s initiated airdrops of food and ammunition to front-line UN troops. (28)
1952: KOREAN WAR. F-86 Sabre pilot, Capt Robinson Risner, 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, destroyed two MiG-15s to become an ace when the enemy responded to an attack on the Pukchong munitions plant by 41 F-84s. (28)
1956: Grumman test pilot Tom Attridge flew a Navy F11F-1 Tiger on a gun-check mission. When he fired his 20-millimeter cannons, Attridge ran into the bullets and successfully shot himself down. (16) (24)
1960: TAC formally accepted its first all-weather Republic F-105D at Nellis AFB; however, the aircraft did not officially enter service until Republic delivered the jet to Seymour Johnson AFB, N. C. It was the first fighter aircraft able to carry a nuclear weapon internally. (21)
1964: SECAF Eugene M. Zuckert presented the General Thomas D. White Space Trophy to astronaut Gordon L. Cooper for orbiting the earth in the Mercury spacecraft. (5) (16) North American Aviation test pilot Alvin S. White and Col Joseph F. Cotton flew the XB-70A Valkyrie for the first time in a flight from Palmdale to Edwards AFB. (3) (26)
1969: The first Boeing 747 jet transport arrived at Edwards AFB for FAA certification testing. (3)
1978: Through 30 September, following Israel's invasion of Lebanon, MAC aircrews supported UN peacekeeping forces by transporting 2,462 passengers and 3,280 tons of equipment and supplies. They also delivered 85 tons of relief supplies to Lebanon. (18)
1981: Through 22 September, ARRS helicopters based at Clark AB helped US Navy and Philippine authorities rescue 18 of 97 crewmen from the grounded Philippine destroyer, the Datu Kalantiaw. The event gave the ARRS its 20,000th save. (16) (18)
1982: A B-52G from the 416 BMW at Griffiss AFB conducted the first ALCM operational test launch. (6)
1985: Through 30 September, MAC dispatched 4 C-5s, 1 C-141, and 5 C-130 missions to deliver 375 tons of cargo to Mexico City following massive earthquakes there. First Lady Nancy Reagan flew on an 89 MAW aircraft to Mexico City to deliver a $1 million check for aid and to express America's concern for the victims. (16) (18) (21)
1998: HURRICANE GEORGES. After the storm devastated Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Virgin Islands, and made landfall on the Gulf Coast AMC, AFRC, and ANG units provided extensive relief support. Through 12 October, AMC flew more than 190 missions to move medical teams, generators, refrigerator units, construction equipment, and similar cargo to the disaster areas, along with 450 passengers and 8,500 short tons of cargo from numerous onload places in the US. Members of the 156 AW (Puerto Rico ANG) flew tons of food, water, equipment and supplies to remote parts of the storm-stricken island. (21) (22) (32)
1999. MACKAY TROPHY. Gen Michael D. Ryan, the CSAF, presented five members of the 210th Rescue Squadron (Alaska ANG) with the 1999 MacKay Trophy for a daring 27 May 1998 mountaintop rescue of six people trapped in a crashed Cessna 207. Using their Pavehawk helicopter, the 210th took nearly seven hours to complete the rescue due to strong winds and thick swirling clouds at the 10,500-foot crash site on Mount Torbert, 70 miles east of Anchorage. The crew included Maj John Jacobs, pilot; lLt Thaddeus Stolar, copilot; MSgt Scott Hamilton, flight engineer; and MSgt Steve Daigle and TSgt Greg Hopkins, pararescuers. (32)
2001: AFMC accelerated the Global Hawk Dual Operations Test at Edwards AFB to gain the ability to direct two Global Hawk missions simultaneously for the RQ-4A Replace-On-Station (ROS) mission scenario. (3) The F-22 task force at Edwards AFB achieved a major program milestone when an F-22 launched an AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile that destroyed an unmanned BQM-74 target aircraft over the Pacific Missile Test Range. (3)
2005: HURRICANE RITA. With 165-mph winds and destructive power equal to Hurricane Katrina, Rita went through the Gulf of Mexico towards the Texas and Louisiana coasts. On 23 September, Air National Guard transports flew 27 sorties airlifting 257 passengers and 90 tons of cargo in relief operations. (32)
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World News for 21 September thanks to Military Periscope
USA— Air Force Selects 5 Companies To Oversee ABMS Digital Infrastructure Project
Breaking Defense | 09/21/2022
The Air Force has chosen five companies to aid in the development of digital infrastructure for its Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), reports Breaking Defense.
L3Harris, Leidos, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and SAIC will each take part in the ABMS Digital Infrastructure Consortium led by the Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office.
The consortium is intended to help the service accelerate the modernization of command-and-control systems and further contribute to the Pentagon's Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) system to better link sensors and "shooters" and manage the growing amount of information on the battlefield.
The Air Force's planned digital backbone would accelerate kill chains, kill webs and manage, secure and deliver data across multiple domains, according to a Raytheon press release.
Northrop Grumman said that the consortium would focus on secure processing, connectivity resilience, data management and creating an open architecture.
USA—General Dynamics To Supply Tethered Drone System To Navy
General Dynamics | 09/21/2022
General Dynamics Mission Systems (Fairfax, Va.) says it has received a Navy contract for tethered drone systems to extend ship-to-ship communications.
Under the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, General Dynamics will design, fabricate, test, and deliver Containerized Tethered Elevated Mast (C-TEM) prototypes, the company said in a release on Monday..
The company will work with Dragonfly Pictures (Essington, Pa.), a small uncrewed aerial vehicle firm, to supply the system to extend sensor, network and communications for future crewed and uncrewed naval vessels, General Dynamics officials said.
The initial contract is worth $10.1 million, with work scheduled to be completed by December 2023. If all options are exercised, the deal has a maximum value of $39.4 million, with work continuing through June 2027.
Russia—Putin Declares Partial Mobilization
The Moscow Times | 09/21/2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a partial mobilization in response to recent battlefield setbacks in Ukraine, reports the Moscow Times (Russia).
In a televised announcement on Wednesday, Putin announced an immediate "partial mobilization."
The mobilization would only call up current reservists, with a focus on those who have served in the armed forces, the president said.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that 300,000 reservists would be called up as part of the mobilization.
A decree on the mobilization subsequently published on the Kremlin website indicated that the contracts of those called up would not expire "until the end of the partial mobilization."
Those sent to fight in Ukraine would receive extra training and the same salaries and bonuses as those who sign a contract to serve in the armed forces.
The decree is sufficiently vague that it gives the defense ministry the option to call up more than the initial 300,000 announced by Shoigu, according to Russian human-rights activists.
The mobilization would involve the defense ministry drawing up quotas for each region, with the regional governors responsible for filling them, activists said.
Shoigu also said that 5,937 Russian soldiers had been killed in Ukraine in the first official figures released since late March. Evidence from the battlefield and other publicly available information suggests the real number is much higher, analysts said.
Iran—At Least 7 Dead As Protests Enter 5th Day
Iran International | 09/21/2022
Protests following the death of a woman in the custody of Iran's morality police have spread beyond Tehran, reports Iran International.
Mahsa Amini, 22, died last week after being arrested by morality police in Tehran, sparking protests in the capital and her home region of Kurdistan.
The demonstrations have now spread to the provincial capitals of Mashhad, Tabriz, Rasht, Qom, Ilam, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Zanjan and Shiraz, the news service said.
On Wednesday, Iranian authorities said that three people had been killed in the unrest, including a member of the security forces, reported Reuters. Rights group reported that at least one more person had been killed on Tuesday, which would bring the total to at least seven.
Malaysia—Deal Near For Slovak Howitzers
Institute for Central Europe | 09/21/2022
Malaysia is will soon finalize a deal with Slovakia for self-propelled howitzers, reports the Institute for Central Europe (Bratislava, Slovakia).
The details of the sale have not been finalized, but it is expected to involve 16 to 18 155-mm Eva howitzers.
The gun is mounted on a Tatra 6 x 6 all-terrain chassis, although it can be installed on an 8 x 8 chassis as an option, reported Army Recognition.
The howitzer has a range of 25 miles (41 km), while the vehicle has an operational range of 435 miles (700 km). The Eva has a top speed of 56 mph (90 kph) on roads and 19 mph (30 kph) off-road.
An autoloader is fitted, reducing crew requirements to three and enabling a rate of fire of up to five rounds per minute.
Syria—Kurdish Security Forces Foil ISIS Attack On Al-Hawl Refugee Camp
Kurdistan 24 | 09/21/2022
Kurdish-led security forces in northern Syria say they have prevented a terrorist attack on the Al-Hawl refugee camp, reports Kurdistan 24 (Iraq).
On Tuesday evening, the Kurdish Internal Security Forces (Asayish) said that they had prevented an attack on the camp.
The next day, a spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) confirmed that SDF-linked forces had thwarted an attack by ISIS sleeper cells.
The subsequent clashes resulted in the deaths of several ISIS militants and the capture of others, the spokesman said without providing specifics.
The announcement comes after the Asayish and SDF wrapped up a 24-day joint operation in the Al-Hawl camp on Sept. 17 that resulted in the arrest of 226 suspected militants.
Turkey—26 Kurdish Militants 'Neutralized,' Say Authorities
Anadolu News Agency | 09/21/2022
Turkish officials say that more than two dozen Kurdish militants have been "neutralized" in various operations, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara).
Turkey uses the term "neutralized" to identify terrorists that have been killed, wounded or surrendered.
On Sunday, unnamed sources said that a pair of Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria killed five suspected Kurdish militants, including Mehmet Gurbuz, a senior fighter wanted by Ankara.
Two other alleged militants were neutralized in an operation in Turkey's southeastern Hakkari province, according to the interior ministry, while the defense ministry claimed that seven Kurdish fighters were neutralized in northern Iraq.
A counterterror operation in Turkey's southern Sanliurfa and Suruc regions resulted in the neutralization of another 12 militants, the defense ministry said.
Ankara said the suspects were members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) or the Syrian People's Defense Units, which Turkey accuses of being linked to the PKK.
United Arab Emirates—20 Bayraktar TB2 UAVs Delivered
Reuters | 09/21/2022
The United Arab Emirates has taken delivery of advanced uncrewed aircraft systems from Turkey, reports Reuters.
Turkish firm Baykar has delivered 20 Bayraktar TB2 combat drones to the U.A.E. this month, said an unnamed Turkish source. Abu Dhabi has also indicated a desire to procure more of the systems, which have gained fame for their roles in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and in Ukraine.
Turkish-backed forces in Libya also used the Bayraktar TB2 to help repel Emirati-backed forces, noted the wire service.
Saudi Arabia is also negotiating to buy the systems and wants to establish a domestic Bayraktar TB2 factory. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi see it as a valuable platform to combat Iran-backed proxy groups, including Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Baykar can currently build 20 Bayraktar TB2 drones per month and its order book for them and other drones is full for the next three years, according to company officials.
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