To All,
Good Tuesday morning January 17, 2023.
Well the second pump from Mac in the pool stopped the water at less than a half inch from over flowing. Now the cleanup begins. The chickens are not happy. No visitors but with the rain stopped we expect them all.
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
January 17
1863—Union iron-clad gunboat Baron de Kalb, with "tinclad" gunboats Forest Rose and Romeo, along with an Army transport, clear out Confederate strongholds up White River to Des Arc, AR.
1899—Gunboat Bennington, commanded by Cmdr. E. D. Taussig, claims Wake Island for the United States, giving the U.S. a cable route between Honolulu and Manila, a factor that influences territorial demands in the Pacific.
1943—Submarine Whale (SS 239) sinks the Japanese transport Heiyo Maru.
1943—Light aircraft carrier Cowpens (CV 25) is launched. Redesignated CVL 25 six months later, she serves in the Pacific during World War II.
1944—Dauntless SBD scout planes and Avenger TBF torpedo bombers bomb Japanese shipping at Rabaul and sink three ships, damaging a third.
1977 - A freighter collided with a liberty boat carrying Sailors and Marines from USS Guam and Trenton killing 49 men near Barcelona, Spain. In response to this tragedy, the first two US Navy Special Psychiatric Rapid Intervention Teams (SPRINT) were deployed to support Sailors affected by addressing the emotional and psychological wounds following this traumatic event.
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This Day in History
January 17
1601 The Treaty of Lyons ends a short war between France and Savoy.
1746 Charles Edward Stuart, the young pretender, defeats the government forces at the battle of Falkirk in Scotland.
1773 Captain James Cook becomes the first person to cross the Antarctic Circle.
1819 Simon Bolivar the "liberator" proclaims Columbia a republic.
1893 Queen Liliuokalani, the Hawaiian monarch, is overthrown by a group of American sugar planters led by Sanford Ballard Dole.
1852 At the Sand River Convention, the British recognize the independence of the Transvaal Board.
1912 Robert Scott reaches the South Pole only a month after Roald Amundsen.
1939 The Reich issues an order forbidding Jews to practice as dentists, veterinarians and chemists.
1945 The Red army occupies Warsaw.
1963 Soviet leader Khrushchev visits the Berlin Wall.
1985 A jury in New Jersey rules that terminally ill patients have the right to starve themselves.
1950
Boston thieves pull off historic robbery
On this day in 1950, 11 men steal more than $2 million from the Brinks Armored Car depot in Boston, Massachusetts. It was the perfect crime–almost–as the culprits weren't caught until January 1956, just days before the statute of limitations for the theft expired.
The robbery's mastermind was Anthony "Fats" Pino, a career criminal who recruited a group of 10 other men to stake out the depot for 18 months to figure out when it held the most money. Pino's men then managed to steal plans for the depot's alarm system, returning them before anyone noticed they were gone.
Wearing navy blue coats and chauffeur's caps–similar to the Brinks employee uniforms–with rubber Halloween masks, the thieves entered the depot with copied keys, surprising and tying up several employees inside the company's counting room. Filling 14 canvas bags with cash, coins, checks and money orders–for a total weight of more than half a ton–the men were out and in their getaway car in about 30 minutes. Their haul? More than $2.7 million–the largest robbery in U.S. history up until that time.
No one was hurt in the robbery, and the thieves left virtually no clues, aside from the rope used to tie the employees and one of the chauffeur's caps. The gang promised to stay out of trouble and not touch the money for six years in order for the statute of limitations to run out. They might have made it, but for the fact that one man, Joseph "Specs" O'Keefe, left his share with another member in order to serve a prison sentence for another burglary. While in jail, O'Keefe wrote bitterly to his cohorts demanding money and hinting he might talk. The group sent a hit man to kill O'Keefe, but he was caught before completing his task. The wounded O'Keefe made a deal with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to testify against his fellow robbers.
Eight of the Brinks robbers were caught, convicted and given life sentences. Two more died before they could go to trial. Only a small part of the money was ever recovered; the rest is fabled to be hidden in the hills north of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. In 1978, the famous robbery was immortalized on film in The Brinks Job, starring Peter Falk.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Skip… For The List for Tuesday, 17 January 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 17 January 1968… The allocation of scarce resources in time of war: more guns, less butter…
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 https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
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Thanks to Shadow
'THE FASTEST WHITE BOY IN CAROLINA* Puresome...
A change of pace here.. this has nothing to do with flying.. but
everything to do with a future Naval Aviator in the making,- Hope you
guys get a laugh out of this... even if it is at my own expense,
At the beginning of my junior year in high school, my dad was stationed with VW-4, the Hurricane Hunters... in Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, I loved it! It had the best diving, more places to explore and mischief to get into than any other place I'd lived in my young life. There was adventure around every corner... Saw shit..„ did shit that other kids could only dream of, No TV... no English language radio except King George and his Calypso Boys out of St, Thomas on a good day. We were truly left to our own devices.
All good deals come to an end however... and the first week af school... my dad gets orders to NAAS Meridian, Mississippi. From tha edge of the Caribbean... to the bowels of the deep south. The only k'cker was... the new Capehart Housing at Meridian was not finished yet„ so my mom and brothers and I would have to make a detour.- and stay with my maternal grandma on the farm near the little town of Latta, South Carolina.
Actually I was born there while my dad was in the Pacific... and spent a lot of my summers and falls there with my cousins.- Working the farms, bringing in the craps, By this time... I'd hoed cotton, pull taters, cropped tobacco, stole watermelons and done a thousand other things, kids on the farm do, Had chicken lay eggs in my hand (they're soft for about 30 seconds} and walked through the Ihag pen barefoot.. a sensual experience if there ever was one. My two biggest worries ovi the farm in my youth were sand spurs and red ant hills... we hardly ever wore shoes, It was a good life... part time...
No matter how many times I came to the farm, to my cousins who lived
there full time... I was the City Slicker Cuz... it didn't matter that
l'd never lived in a city in my life... I think it may have had
something to do with the fact that I wore Levi's instead of Dickies...
Besides... according to them, I had a furin {foreign} accent...
Because of a cosmopolitan exposure to folks from all over the world
courtesy of the Navy. I'd never been able to say "yes" as a three
syllable word, At least they didrft think I was a wuss.. but I was the
butt of many practical jokes but I held my own and gave as good as I
got
My first day of school in Latta was a hoot... I was introduced as transfer student from Porto Rica. I already knew a lot of the kids... but none of the teachers knew me. During my first change ot class... a kid comes up to me with a chaw in his mouth... spits on the floor and says... "Mall dont look like no Porto Rican to me... ya'll ever been to Hi-Wayah* ? I knew then this was going to be an experience.
In many ways it was neat... the country girls were coy and flirtatious- but I went slow... had to Ilearn who belonged to who before I made any moves... lest I get my ass kicked by some plow pullin i farm boy. Buddy PascaL.. a friend l id spent time with at Myrtle Beach one summer. drinking "Purple Jesus» from a gallon pickle jar... until wa both saw God.. did his best to get me in trouble by sticking me with a new nicknarne..„ •Wolfie*... "Boys... better watch yo women when the Wolf Man is around".
It was also football season. Not bragging... but was a pretty good
athlete in my youth. Went out for the team on Monday and started on
Friday night at right halfback, Had a good game too. Eddie, my cousin
who was closest to my age had graduated the year before and worked as
a butcher at the local "Piggly Wiggly. Eddie was my running mate and
my ticket to freedom... had a 2 door, 1 960 Che"0' Impala„ Black on
black and the coolest car ever made-
Eddie came to all the ball games and would pick me up when I came out of the locker room and we'd go cruzin* to Mack's Drive In or over to Oillion. And like any small town in America in those days... we had a cast of local characters with names like... W.C., Homer, Lafond and lots of Bubba's and Billy's. Lots of testosterone in that group.- and if you couldn't hack it... you better keep a low profile.
I think it was after the Homecoming Game... Eddie picked me up and we drove over to Mack's... inside was the usual crew... up to no good. We go in and sit down and after a minute. - Eddie says he has to go see a girt in Dillion and will pick me up around midnight. I'm sittin' with the boys when Jimmy Moore walks in... a reprobate if there ever was one... his dad was the Police Chief and Jimmy had a mean streak a mile long... the boy just loved to fight! He sits down with the rest ot us and starts whispering to W.C. and a couple of the other guys. The conversation then gets a little louder and Jimmy says... *Man... we ought to go... we can do the mother and the daughter". WC, then says... "Ya'll sure the old man ain't home"? "No... She told me he was working the late shift at the pulp mill... won't be home till eight in the morning"
Up to now... I was just a curious observer... Jimmy then says... "We'll all go. We'll draw straws ta see who goes first and goes up to the house... just in case". Before I knew it... I'm sitting there with a straw in my hand... and I was a winner along with Jimmy. Now to be honest... I really wanted no part of this... not my style... not my thing. But you'd have to understand the psychology of machismo (a little Spanish lingo)... and the fragility Ota young male ego from that time... to back would lead to days and weeks of ridicule and hazing.- I was caught in a whirl wind of events beyond my control.
In seconds... six of us pile into W.C.'s old ford and we drive out of
town to the old wooden railway trestle... we crossed over it and
drove down a country road until we came to a dirt road in the middle
of picked cotton fields. At this point... Jimmy says, 'Wolfie and I
will get out here and walk up to the house, just 'n case the old man
is home".- he opens the door and we get out and WC, drives off to a
place where you couldn't see the car from the dirt road
Jimmy and I are walking and pass a share croppers house... we called them "Shotgun Houses"... we came to the end of the road where the farm house was and just as we go toward the steps... a dog starts barking. Jimmy seems totally spooked and says... "Let's get the hell out of here... we're at the wrong I catch him after about a hundred yards. We then take up a strident gate back out to the road... W.C. pulls up and says 'What happened"? Jimmy tells him there was a dog... and the woman had told him there was no dog. After a short discussion... it was decided that the "Share Croppers was where they lived... Jimmy and I start back down the dirt road.
About a hundred yards from the housef Jimmy stops and whispers to me.„ "If the old man is home... we better haul ass... I hear he's a mean drunk.. but he's supposed to be workjN. Jimmy then says he'll do all the talkin'. We get to the front of the house and stepped on the stump that served as the step to the porch.
For you unenlightened... the typical "Shot Gun" house had a front
porch about 10 feet deep… one door, with a window on each side, I
don't think I ever saw one that had been painted... usually they were
just weathered wood. As we stepped on the porch... the boards
creaked... Jimmy stands right in front at the screen door and I stand
between the window on the right and the front door. Jimmy then takes
a deep breath and knocks,-
Now those of you who have never lived or been in the real backwoods
country of America… have no idea how silent and still things are at
night... your senses go into overdrive... you can smell, hear and see
everything in the moonlight of a fall evening, I was at high
heartbeat... my senses going into overload,
There seemed to be about a 10 second delay from the time Jimmy knocked on the door before we heard anything... then we heard bedsprings creaking and I heard t,vo feet hit the Now right then... knew either the old man was home—. or she had Brogans on! Right then in that instant, I knew... I wanted nothing to do with a woman who walked that heavy... or worse yet... the old man was home... I assumed the latter.
The front door creaks open and this deep male voice says... "Who's there... what do you want"? Jimmy then loudly says... "We're trying to find our way back to town... same boys tricked us and set us out on the road"! As I'm thinking that Jimmy was faster in thought than I would have guessed... This booming voice yells out... "You ain't fooling me you son of a bitch... Ya'll are the boys who been messin'with my wife a daughter"!
At that instant... a shotgun blast comes through the screen door! And it looked like Jimmy was blown off the porch!!! I had a jolt of adrenaline go through my body like I've never experienced... shear panic! Jimmy then starts screaming... "Help me, help me... He shot me"!!! Then the screen door flies off it's hinges and this shadow of a man comes running out of the house and blasts Jimmy as he's rolling on the ground! Jimmy instantly goes silent.
At this point I reacted on pure instinct... I dove off the porch and rolled into the cotton field that was less than three yards from the house and started crawling as fast as could... praying he didn't see me or know where I was. I managed to get about 15 yards into the field when I heard him say... "l know you're out there you bastard... I'm gonna kill you too" My heart was trying to beat itself out of my chest... I'm crawling as fast as I can„ but the dry cotton leaves were making all kinds of noise... About that time, the shot gun goes off again and I can hear tha pellets hitt'ng the cotton near me. I knew that if I didn't do something.. it was just a question of time before I would be lying there in th i s cotton field, dead as a door nail. With all the courage I could muster... I gat ta my feet and stared running as fast as I could. The gun goes off again and the pellets rip through the cotton less than ten feet away.
I'm now running •cross row'S... by this time, my jeans and hair and everywhere on my body was covered with "Cur kle Burrs" (l i ke a tat sand spur).,. I then realized unless I could get to the road so I could run faster... he was going to get me.
I cut down a row and made it to the dirt road and never looked back... I could hear this guy screaming at me as he fired two more times! Evidently W.C. had heard the shots and had pulled up to where the dirt and paved roads met... as I'm nearing the car...
hear someone yell from inside... "What happened"? I never slowed down and dove right through the open window behind WC... Out of breath.- I moaned.- "Drive, drive, drive.. he shot Jimmy"!
WC. squeals off and the first thing anyone says is.. "You left him"? I yelled, "l had to... or be dead too... we gotta get the Sheriff!.., We start speeding toward town and my mind is at warp speed... I was trying to get control of myself and assimilate all that had happened… one of my first thoughts.. believe it or not... was how the hell I was going to explain to my mother what I was doing out there... Southem Belle that she was... she'd be shamed in her hometown forever. Then I re-lived seeing jimmy get shot twice right in front of me... and I couldn't believe this has happened to me? As we near town... W.C, says... "Boys... let's stop at Mack's and get our stories straight before we see the cops Then I remembered who Jimmy's father was.. this was the worst night ot my life.
W.C pulls into the gravel parking lot and we sit there for a second and then everyone tries to talk at once... a minute later... Eddie come sliding up in the black Impala... jumps out and says in a laud voice... •What's going on here"! And he had a smile on his face.
As soon as I saw and heard him... I had an electric jolt... I'd been lay'ng back with my head on the back of the seat... exhausted, and in a nano second... I thought with a clarity and focus I didn't know I was capable of... He had no reason to think anything was going on... and the son of a bitch was smiling... I looked over at the Impala and saw a pair of eyes and Jimmy's red hair...
I had been had! I had just been the victim of the best •Gotcha" I have ever heard of in my life... and by my own first cousin to boot! The whole damn thing had been a set up! Eddie was the one in the house and he and Jimmy had planned the whole thing. It would be a long time before the Legend of Wolfie and the shot gun... was forgotten in that small Carolina town.
The next morning, my Uncle Bubba shows up at Nannie's house and comes
in and yells out to my mom... •Sara-. I heard that boy of yours was
the fastest white boy in all Of Carolina last night"' My poor mom…
oblivious to what had happened yells back. "Yeah.__ and ha scored two
touchdowns too"... It was going to be a long day,- month year... and
for them (my the fun was just beginning
Thirty years later… i just happened to be in Latta when they had their annual home coming game, Eddie and cuzin 3uddy took ma to the game. we're standing there by the chain link fence around the football field and this little kid crawls out of the stands and comes over to me… looks at the ground and then summons up all the courage he had and looks up at me and says… "Mister…_ are you really the Wolf Man… were you really the fastest white boy in Carolina"? I look at this kid as Buddy and Eddie start laughing their butts off_.. and notice he's looking nervously toward the bleachers. I said, Who's your daddy boy'? He says... -W.C. Berry" and he points to the bleachers where W.C. and Jimmy were falling all over themselves.
Hard to live that one down… good thing they didn't know about Olongapo!
True story… 100%.
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Thanks to Brett
STRATFOR
The Weekly Rundown: Germany Discusses Tanks for Ukraine, the Lunar New Year Approaches
Germany discusses sending tanks to Ukraine. On Jan. 20, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group of military equipment donors to Ukraine will meet at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where a breakthrough is expected regarding the supply of German Leopard tanks to Ukraine. At a minimum, Germany is expected to give permission for other countries, such as Poland and Finland, to transfer German Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, while the United Kingdom will confirm its provision of Challenger 2 tanks. The change in Western willingness to supply tanks comes amid concern over anticipated Russian offensives in the coming months grows and as the window for Ukraine to successfully conduct offensives of its own narrows in the face of increasingly entrenched Russian forces.
The Lunar New Year approaches in East Asia. The week preceding the Lunar New Year, which falls Jan. 22, will see significant domestic travel in China, South Korea, Japan and Vietnam. While many businesses (including in the manufacturing sector) will see slowdowns or complete work stoppages while employees travel for the holiday, others (like the services sector, and especially tourism and hospitality) are expected to see significantly increased activity, providing a gauge of overall economic growth in 2023. The higher consumption is during this period, the better off the economy will be in 2023. But with many traveling to rural areas for the holidays, COVID cases are expected to spike during, and shortly after, the holiday. This will strain the health care system in places like China, causing manufacturing slowdowns if employees are unable to return to work.
More EU-U.K. Northern Ireland negotiations. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and chief EU Brexit negotiator Maros Sefcovic will meet again Jan. 16, when their resumed talks are expected to yield a deal. Should — as is anticipated — Unionist and Republican parties in Northern Ireland fail to form a government by Jan. 19, the British government must call regional elections by April 13. Media reports suggest London had intended to postpone the Jan. 19 deadline, but recent consultations with parties in Stormont revealed that the Unionists will not agree to a new government until an EU-U.K. deal on their post-Brexit trading relationship regarding Northern Ireland is struck that the Unionists find satisfactory. This puts the United Kingdom under more pressure to reach a settlement with the European Union in a bid to restore power-sharing in Belfast before the April 10 anniversary of Northern Ireland's peace agreement.
The U.S. Treasury secretary visits sub-Saharan Africa. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Jan. 17-28 will visit Senegal, South Africa and Zambia on a tour intended to strengthen U.S. relationships with regional leaders. She will meet with her African counterparts to discuss energy, food security, debt issues and infrastructure investments, according to Treasury officials. Yellen is the first U.S. official to take an extended trip to Africa since U.S. President Joe Biden announced more than $15 billion in trade and investment deals during the U.S.-Africa Summit in December 2022. The visit is part of the Biden administration's attempt to convince African partners of its renewed commitment to cooperation and African-led development, and its attempt to counter Chinese engagement across the continent.
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This Day in U S Military History 17 January
1972 –President Richard Nixon warns South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu in a private letter that his refusal to sign any negotiated peace agreement would render it impossible for the United States to continue assistance to South Vietnam. Nixon's National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger had been working behind the scenes in secret negotiations with North Vietnamese representatives in Paris to reach a settlement to end the war. However, Thieu stubbornly refused to even discuss any peace proposal that recognized the Viet Cong as a viable participant in the post-war political solution in South Vietnam. As it turned out, the secret negotiations were not close to reaching an agreement because the North Vietnamese launched a massive invasion of South Vietnam in March 1972. With the help of U.S. airpower and advisers on the ground, the South Vietnamese withstood the North Vietnamese attack, and by December, Kissinger and North Vietnamese representatives were back in Paris and close to an agreement. Among Thieu's demands was the request that all North Vietnamese troops had to be withdrawn from South Vietnam before he would agree to any peace settlement. The North Vietnamese walked out of the negotiations in protest. In response, President Nixon initiated Operation Linebacker II, a massive bombing campaign against Hanoi, to force the North Vietnamese back to the negotiating table. After 11 days of intense bombing, Hanoi agreed to return to the talks in Paris. When Kissinger and Le Duc Tho, the main North Vietnamese negotiator, met again in early January, they quickly worked out a settlement. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 23 and a cease-fire went into effect five days later. Again, President Thieu refused to sign the Accords, but Nixon promised to come to the aid of South Vietnam if the communists violated the terms of the peace treaty, and Thieu agreed to sign. Unfortunately for Thieu and the South Vietnamese, Nixon was forced from office by the Watergate scandal in August 1974, and no U.S. aid came when the North Vietnamese launched a general offensive in March 1975. South Vietnam succumbed in 55 days.
1990 – A federal judge in Miami set March 1990 for the trial of ex-Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega on drug trafficking charges. After initial delays, Noriega was tried and convicted of racketeering and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and was sentenced to 40 years in prison, later cut to 30 years.
1991 – The Persian Gulf War began as Coalition planes struck targets in Iraq and Kuwait. The first Iraqi Scud missile attacks on Israel were launched. There were reports of death and injury, and possibly even chemical weapons being used. For a few tense hours, it looked as though Israel would retaliate against Iraq, causing the allied coalition to break up. Six months of preparation and diplomacy might be undone by a few poorly aimed, 1950s-vintage ballistic missiles. Later that evening, U.S. Patriot surface-to-air missiles were launched against the incoming Scuds, and for the first time in history, a ballistic missile was shot down by another missile. The use of Patriot missiles in Israel's defense helped to keep that country out of the Gulf War, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the American-European-Arab coalition. Jeffrey Zahn became the 1st US pilot shot down. Lt. Cmdr. Michael Scott Speicher (33) was shot down over western Iraq. The ruins of his plane were found in 1993.
1993 – The United States, accusing Iraq of a series of military provocations, unleashed Tomahawk missiles against a military complex eight miles from downtown Baghdad.
1996 – Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman and nine followers were handed long prison sentences for plotting to blow up New York-area landmarks.
1996 – Iraq agrees to talks concerning a U.N. plan to allow for the Iraqi sale of $1 billion of oil for 90 days for a 180-day trial period. Under U.N. Security Council Resolution 986, proceeds from the sale would be used for humanitarian purposes. In the past, Iraq has opposed clauses 6 and 8b contained in Resolution 986. Clause 6 stipulates that oil exports under this plan must pass through the 1.6-million b/d Iraq-Turkey pipeline, which currently is unusable because of sludge build-ups and pumping station damage. By most estimates, the line would take a minimum of three months to repair. Clause 8b states that part of the proceeds from the sales would be disbursed under U.N. supervision to Kurdish provinces in northern Iraq. Negotiations between Iraq and the U.N. are scheduled to begin February 6, 1996.
1997 – A $40 million navigation satellite for the US Air Force blew up on takeoff at Cape Canaveral.
1998 – US military began to clear away over 50,000 land mines around Guantanamo Naval base.
1998 – In Iraq Sadam Hussein threatened to expel all UN arms inspectors in 6 months if the country is not cleared of suspicions about weapons programs and if sanctions are not lifted.
1999 – US talks with North Korea over inspection of an underground nuclear site were adjourned. North Korea demanded $300 million in compensation to inspect the Kumchangni site.
2001 – U.S. President Bill Clinton posthumously promotes William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, from Lieutenant to Captain.
2002 – US Sec. of State Powell visited Afghanistan and pledged that the US would not abandon the country
2002 – In Arizona 2 A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets collided and 1 pilot was killed.
2003 – Tom Ridge sailed through Senate confirmation hearings on his way to becoming the nation's first Homeland Security Department chief.
2003 – On the 12th anniversary of the Gulf War, a defiant Saddam Hussein called on his people to rise up and defend the nation against a new U.S.-led attack.
2003 – Iraq awards a contract to Russian company Stroitransgaz for a small oil field in western Iraq and sets aside two others for Russian companies. Some analysts interpret these awards as an attempt at rapprochement between Iraq and Russia after Iraq canceled a giant contract with Russia's Lukoil in December 2002.
2007 – United States President George W. Bush announces that the NSA has ended its practice of warrantless wiretapping for domestic surveillance, and will go to the courts for warrants in the future.
2009 – North Korea claims to have "weaponized" 30.8 kilograms of plutonium, enough for four to five nuclear warheads.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
GREEN, JOHN
Rank and organization: Major, 1st U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At the Lava Beds, Calif., 17 January 1873. Entered service at: Ohio. Birth: Germany. Date of issue: 18 November 1897. Citation: In order to reassure his command, this officer, in the most fearless manner and exposed to very great danger, walked in front of the line; the command, thus encouraged, advanced over the lava upon the Indians who were concealed among the rocks.
SKINNER, JOHN O.
Rank and organization: Contract Surgeon, U.S. Army. Place and date: At Lava Beds, Oreg., 17 January 1873. Entered service at: Maryland. Birth: Maryland. Date of issue: Unknown. Citation: Rescued a wounded soldier who lay under a close and heavy fire during the assault on the Modoc stronghold after 2 soldiers had unsuccessfully attempted to make the rescue and both had been wounded in doing so.
*SLOAT, DONALD P.
Rank and Organization: Specialist Fourth Class. U.S. Army, 3rd Platoon, Delta Company, 1st Infantry Regiment, 196th Brigade. Place and Date: Hawk Hill Fire Base, Quang Tin, Republic of Vietnam. 17 January 1970. Entered Service At: March 19, 1959. Born: 2 February 1949. Departed: Yes (01/17/1970). G.O. Number:. Date of Issue: 09/15/2014. Accredited To:. Citation: On the morning of Jan. 17, 1970, Sloat's squad was conducting a patrol, serving as a blocking element in support of tanks and armored personnel carriers from F Troop in the Que Son valley. As the squad moved through dense terrain up a small hill in file formation, the lead Soldier tripped a wire attached to a hand grenade booby-trap, set up by enemy forces. When the grenade rolled down the hill toward Sloat, he had a choice. He could hit the ground and seek cover, or pick up the grenade and throw it away from his fellow Soldiers. After initially attempting to throw the grenade, Sloat realized that detonation was imminent, and that two or three men near him would be killed or seriously injured if he couldn't shield them from the blast. In an instant, Sloat chose to draw the grenade to his body, shielding his squad members from the blast, and saving their lives. Sloat's actions define the ultimate sacrifice of laying down his own life in order to save the lives of his comrades. Specialist Four Donald P. Sloat's extraordinary heroism and selflessness are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service, and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for January 17, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
17 January
1932: MACKAY TROPHY. After a severe snowstorm, 7 aircraft from the 11th Bomb Squadron flew missions for 4 days to deliver supplies to Navajo Indians near Winslow, Ariz. Lieutenant Charles H. Howard received the trophy for this effort. (5)
1936: Contract let to produce the B-17 bomber. (5) 1943: On Guadalcanal, B-17s from Henderson Field dropped water, ammunition, and rations to troops near Mount Austen. (24)
1945: Ninety-one B-29s flew the last Superfortress mission from Chengtu, China, against the enemy airfield at Shinchiku, Formosa. (24)
1951: Convair's RB-36D reconnaissance plane made a 51-hour, 20-minute trip without refueling. (24)
1951: KOREAN WAR. A 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group detachment began operating from Taegu Air Base, S. Korea, to restore F-86 operations in Korea. The Sabre Jets flew in their air-to-ground role as fighter-bombers, conducting armed reconnaissance and close air support missions. Far East Air Forces temporarily suspended Tarzon bombing missions because of a shortage of the radio-guided bombs. (21) (28) Through 18 January, Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command flew 109 C-119 sorties to drop more than 550 tons of supplies to front-line troops in Korea. (28)
1956: The Department of Defense disclosed the Semi-automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) air defense system to the public. (24)
1962: When Commander George Tolley (U.S. Navy) landed an F8U Crusader on the USS Enterprise, he made the first aircraft landing on a nuclear-powered carrier. (24) B-52Gs from the 4038th Strategic Wing at Dow AFB, Maine, carried Hound Dog missiles on their first airborne alert. (6)
1963: National Air and Space Administration test pilot Joseph Walker earned astronaut status by flying the X-15 to 271,000 feet, which made him the eleventh man to pass 50 miles in altitude. At the time, astronaut wings were only available to military pilots. The organization subsequently awarded civilian astronaut wings on 23 August 2005 to William H. Dana, and family members of deceased pilots Joe Walker and Jack McKay. (http://www.nasa.gov/missions/research/X15_wings.html) The US decided to withdraw the Jupiter units from Italy. (6)
1967: A C-141 from the 44th Military Airlift Squadron at Travis AFB, Calif., claimed a trans-Pacific speed record from Japan to the U. S. on a run of 8 hours and 17 minutes, covering a total of 5,400 miles, with speeds averaging 630 miles per hour. (18)
1970: HURRICANE CAMILLE: Air Force Reserve aircrews airlifted carpenters and painters to New Orleans to repair damage from the storm. (16) (26) NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR. Through 10 February, C-141s flew 21 missions from Charleston AFB, S. C., to Lagos, Nigeria. They carried 436.5 tons of supplies, including 63 trucks, 70 generators, 10,000 blankets, and a 200-bed portable hospital for Biafran civil war refugees. (18)
1977: A Deputy Secretary of Defense approved the General Purpose Satellite Communications System Program and the Strategic Satellite System Program. (5)
1991: Operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM. The Gulf War began. In the first 14 hours of operations, coalition aircraft flew 1,200 combat sorties, while 106 cruise missiles hit targets in Iraq and Kuwait. F-117A Stealth Fighters attacked more than 31 percent of Iraq's strategic targets on the first night. (16) (20) Operation DESERT STORM: Through 17 February 16 C-130 Hercules aircraft belonging to the AFRES in the 1650th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional) flew more than 3,200 combat sorties. The Air Force Reserve's 706th Tactical Fighter Squadron flew its A-10 Thunderbolt IIs on more than 1,000 combat sorties against enemy targets. The Reserves had no combat losses. (16)
1992: The Air Force accepted its first production-model T-1A Jayhawk trainer. (16) (26)
1993: Operation PROVIDE COMFORT. An F-16 Fighting Falcon shot down an Iraqi MiG over northern Iraq. (16) (26)
1994: A major earthquake hit Los Angles. Through 25 January, 6 C-5 Galaxies and C-141 Starlifters flew 270 disaster specialists and 340,000 pounds of cargo to Southern California. (26)
1995: The first C-17 Globemaster III unit, the 17th Airlift Squadron, achieved its initial operating capability at Charleston AFB, S. C., with the 437th Airlift Wing. The 317th Airlift Squadron, 315th Airlift Wing (Air Force Reserves) at Charleston also began flying missions. (18)
2000: Successful testing on a C-5 equipped with the new Traffic and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) allowed Lockheed Martin to retrofit the remaining 126 C-5s in Air Mobility Command, Air Force Reserve Command, and the Air National Guard underan Avionics Modernization Program. The C-5 fleet would be equipped with the new upgrades by late fiscal year 2002. (22)
2007: COLD WEATHER TESTING OF NEW FUEL. A B-52 Stratofortess, powered by a mix of synthetic fuel, arrived at Minot AFB, N. Dak., for cold-weather testing, the last step in a certification process to reduce Air Force's dependence on imported fuel. The 5th Bomb Wing B-52 started its ground testing on 22 January to determine how well the synthetic fuel, made from a 50-50 blend of traditional crude oil-based fuel and a Fischer-Tropsch fuel derived from natural gas, performed in extreme weather conditions. The first B-52 flight using the Fischer-Tropsch fuel occurred 19 September 2006 at Edwards AFB, Calif. (AFNEWS, "B-52 Undergoes Synthetic Fuel Cold Weather Testing," 22 Jan 2007.)
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World News for 17n JanuaryThanks to Military Periscope
Jolly Green II SAR Helo Makes First Operational Rescue
Source: Air and Space Forces Magazine
January 17 2023
USA
The U.S. Air Force announced the first operational deployment of its new combat rescue helicopter, reports Air and Space Forces magazine.
The HH-60W Jolly Green II was deployed in the Horn of Africa region when it conducted the mission. Further details are being kept confidential due to operational sensitivity, officials said.
The aircraft was first deployed in September 2022, shortly after achieving initial operational capability.
New Path For Afghan Refugees To Reunite With Families
Source: Khaama Press
January 17 2023
USA
Afghanistan
The U.S. Dept. of State has launched a new program to help Afghan parolees reunite with family members in the U.S., reports the Khaama Press (Kabul).
Form DS 4317 allows Afghan parolees to apply for U.S. government-facilitated relocation support for family members. Eligible family members include lawful spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age.
Parolees will need to have certain documents to complete the forms, including a marriage certificate, birth certificate for their family members and Employment Authorization Document or Citizenship and Immigration Services documents.
Presidential Adviser Steps Down After Error In War Report
Source: BBC News
January 17 2023
Ukraine
An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted his resignation after spreading of false information about a Russian missile, reports BBC News.
On Jan. 14, during a regular update on the war, Oleksiy Arestovych suggested that a Russian Kh-22 missile had been shot down by Ukrainian air defenses before hitting a residential building in Dnipro, killing at least 44.
This contradicted Ukrainian reports that stated the building was hit by a Russian Kh-22 missile. Ukrainian officials say that its military does not have the ability to shoot down such cruise missiles.
Arestovych's remark caused anger in Ukraine, with some accusing the adviser of contributing to Russian propaganda.
Russian officials used the comment to blame Ukraine for the incident. A Kremlin spokesperson claimed that Russian attacks "do not strike residential buildings," blaming it on Ukrainian air defenses.
Arestovych later retracted his comments, citing fatigue and noted his "fundamental error" in his resignation letter.
Defense Minister Resigns; Chancellor Names Replacement
Source: CNBC News
January 17 2023
Germany
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has submitted her resignation following criticism of Germany's response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, reports CNBC News.
Lambrecht submitted her resignation on Monday as Berlin faces a decision on whether to increase military support to Ukraine.
Since taking over the defense portfolio in December 2021, Lambrecht has faced questions over her ability to lead the German armed forces.
On Tuesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the Boris Pistorius, the interior minister of Lower Saxony state, would succeed Lambrecht as defense minister, reported Deutsche Welle.
Pistorius has held the interior ministry post in Lower Saxony for nine years and has developed a reputation for getting policies implemented.
Allied Forces Withdrew From Shire In Tigray As Part Of Peace Deal
Source: Voice of America
January 17 2023
Ethiopia
The Ethiopian army claims allied forces have pulled back from a strategic city in the northern Tigray region as part of a peace deal with rebels, reports the Voice of America News.
Forces from the Amhara region are believed to have withdrawn from Shire in northern Tigray to make good on a November 2022 peace deal.
Tigrayan authorities have not commented the withdrawal and independent sources have been unable to verify the army's claim.
If confirmed, the withdrawal would be the first step in fulfilling the African Union-brokered peace deal and restoring basic services and humanitarian aid to the region.
It was also reported that the Tigray People's Liberation Front began handing over heavy weapons to the federal government on Jan. 11, the day before the army announced its withdrawal.
Former Justice Minister Under House Arrest Pending Coup Investigation
Source: CNN
January 17 2023
Brazil
Police have found compromising documents at the home of former President Jair Bolsonaro's justice minister, reports CNN.
Documents found at the home of Anderson Torres detailed a proposed plan to overturn the results of the October presidential election.
A justice ministry spokeswoman said the document proposed implementing a "state of defense'" in the Superior Electoral Court while Bolsonaro was still president, in order to overturn the victory of his rival, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The draft was not signed by Bolsonaro, and Torres denied writing the document, suggesting it had been deliberately leaked to the media.
The Brazilian Supreme Court issued Torres with a preventative detention order under an arrest warrant on Jan. 11.
Conscription Changes Under Consideration
Source: The Baltic Times
January 17 2023
Lithuania
President Gitanas Nauseda says that Lithuania needs to move towards universal defense practices, reports the Baltic Times.
Under the current regional situation Lithuania needs to increase the size of its trained reserves, Nauseda told reporters last week.
Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas proposed shortening the duration of the basic compulsory service to six months, offering more service alternatives and increasing the annual number of draftees from 3,800 to 5,000, starting in 2027.
Under the new model, higher education graduates would also be able to be called up for three months.
The reform would be phased in gradually from 2024 to 2027.
Large Autonomous Research Vessel Enters Service
Source: South China Morning Post
January 17 2023
China
China has fielded its first large uncrewed, AI-controlled research drone, reports the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong).
The Zhuhaiyun officially entered service on Jan. 12 after the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory conducted sea trials and evaluated the vessel's autonomous navigation capabilities.
The ship can navigate autonomously in open water or operate under remote control, reported the state-run China Central Television (CCTV). It can carry dozens of uncrewed aerial, surface and underwater vehicles.
Zhuhaiyun is scheduled to conduct several surveying tasks this year, including marine mapping and observation, sea patrols and survey sampling.
The vessel has a length of 290 feet (88.5 m), width of 46 feet (14 m) and weight of 2,100 tons. Its average cruise speed is 14 mph (13 knots), with a top speed of 20 mph (18 knots).
Police Foil Suicide Bombings Around The Country
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
January 17 2023
Turkey
Turkish authorities say they have broken up a terrorist plot to conduct suicide attacks around the country, reports the Hurriyet Daily News (Istanbul).
Members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were captured while planning simultaneous suicide attacks in several Turkish provinces, officials said.
Seven suspects were captured in the provinces of Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Afyonkarahisar, Ankara, Bursa and Adana. Judicial proceedings are underway at the provincial gendarmerie commands.
Six foreign national suspects who were operating in Iraq as part of ISIS were also caught in a police operation in Sakarya. Five were arrested and one freed by a judicial control decision.
Army Receives Initial Piranha III Vehicles From Germany
Source: Army Recognition
January 17 2023
Moldova
Moldova has received an initial batch of armored personnel carriers being supplied by Germany, reports the Moldovan Ministry of Defense.
On Jan. 12, the first three of 19 Piranha III H vehicles were handed over during a ceremony at Military Camp 142 in Moldova, the ministry said.
All 19 vehicles will be assigned to the 22nd "Blue Helmets" peacekeeping battalion for training and to increase interoperability, said Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii.
The remainder of the vehicles as well as other technical equipment is scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2023.
Defense Ministry Announces Military Reform
Source: Reuters
January 17 2023
Russia
The Russian Defense Ministry has announced plans to make significant changes to the armed forces over the next three years, reports Reuters.
On Tuesday, the ministry said that it would implement administrative reforms from 2023 to 2026 to strengthen the naval, aerospace and strategic missile forces.
The changes are necessary to guarantee the military security of the state and protect critical facilities of the Russian Federation, the ministry said.
The defense ministry has faced domestic criticism for the failures of Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Wagner Group Defector Seeks Asylum In The West
Source: BBC News
January 17 2023
Norway
Russia
A man claiming to be a former commander in the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group is seeking asylum in Norway, reports BBC News.
Andrey Medvedev was detained by border guards near the Russian-Norwegian border. He is currently being held in the Oslo area, where he faces charges of illegal entry to Norway.
The Russian human-rights group, Gulagu.net, who helped Medvedev leave Russia, confirmed his identity.
According to Gulagu.net's founder, he joined the Wagner Group in July 2022 on a four-month contract, but deserted after witnessing a host of human-rights abuses and war crimes.
Medvedev's escape is believed to be the first known instance of a Wagner Group soldier defecting to the West.
Medvedev's lawyers said their client was in possession of evidence of war crimes and intends to share it with investigators.
The founder of Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, denied the allegations and mocked Medvedev's testimony.
12 Die In ISIS Church Bombing
Source: Radio France Internationale
January 17 2023
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a church in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reports Radio France Internationale.
On Sunday, at least 12 people were killed and 50 injured when an explosive device detonated during a service at a Pentacostal church in Kasindi in North Kivu province, reported CNN.
The attackers used an improvised explosive device (IED) to carry out the attack, said a spokesperson for the Uganda military operation in the DRC. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militant group is believed to have helped ISIS carry out the attack, the spokesperson said.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on Jan. 15, stating that "nearly 20" people had been killed.
A Kenyan suspect was arrested after the attack.
State Of Emergency Extended As Protests Continue
Source: CBC News
January 17 2023
Peru
The Peruvian government has extended a state of emergency order as mass protests demanding government reform continue, reports CBC News.
Over the weekend, the crisis measure was extended by one month in the regions of Lima, Puno and Cusco, officials said.
Peru first announced a month-long state of emergency in December, after former President Pedro Castillo was ousted after attempting to dissolve Congress and rule by decree. Since then, polls have shown that 71 percent of Peruvians disapprove of the current President Dina Boluarte.
Protesters are demanding that Boluarte step down from office and that Castillo be released from prison.
Over 40 people have died in clashes between protesters and security forces.
The state of emergency grants police special powers and limits freedoms, including the right to assembly.
A curfew has been imposed in Puno from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. and is scheduled to be lifted on Jan. 24.
Army Recaptures Key Coastal Town From Al-Shabaab
Source: Shabelle Media Network
January 17 2023
Somalia
Somali forces have recaptured a coastal town from Al-Shabaab militants, reports the Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu).
On Monday morning, Somali National Army (SNA) forces and local militias entered the town of Harerdhere in the north-central Mudug region without resistance.
Al-Shabaab forces withdrew from the town, which it used as a financial and staging hub, prior to military's arrival, officials said.
Somali troops also recaptured the town of Gal'ad near Harerdhere on Monday.
IDF Gets New Chief
Source: Times of Israel
January 17 2023
Israel
The Israel Defense Forces has a new chief of staff, reports The Times of Israel.
On Monday, Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi was sworn in as the IDF's 23rd commander during a ceremony at the prime minister's office.
Halevi, who previously served as deputy chief of staff, succeeds Aviv Kochavi who held the top IDF post for four years.
He was promoted to lieutenant general before assuming the chief of staff role.
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