To All,
Good Wednesday morning January 25, 2023.
A bit of history and some tidbits
Regards,
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
January 25
1941—The keel to USS Wisconsin (BB 64) is laid. Commissioned in April 1944, she serves during the later stages of World War II in the Pacific. She is now a museum battleship stationed in Norfolk, VA.
1943—USS Shad (SS 235) encounters German blockade runners transporting ore in the Bay of Biscay. Shad fires on Nordfels, but the torpedo fails to explode, and Nordfels returns to Bilbao, Spain.
1945—USS McLanahan (DD 615) shells the German command post on the Italian Rivera and silences the shore battery.
1945—USS Silversides (SS 236), despite the presence of auxiliary submarine chasers, sinks the Japanese army cargo ship Malay Maru off Kuro Jima.
1952—High speed transport ship Wantuck (APD 125) under CTF 95 OpControl, lands South Korean troops at night for demolition raid on enemy rail line, tunnels and bridges east coast of Korea.
1963—The 1st Seabee Technical Assistance Team arrives in Vietnam. By the end of 1964, 14 teams are operating or have completed their six month tours.
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This Day in World History
January 25
1533 Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn.
1787 Small farmers in Springfield, Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays, revolt against tax laws. Federal troops break up the protesters of what becomes known as Shay's Rebellion.
1846 The dreaded Corn Laws, which taxed imported oats, wheat and barley, are repealed by the British Parliament.
1904 Two-hundred coal miners are trapped in their Pennsylvania mine after an explosion.
1915 Alexander Graham Bell in New York and Thomas Watson in San Francisco make a record telephone transmission.
1918 Austria and Germany reject U.S. peace proposals.
1919 The League of Nations plan is adopted by the Allies.
1929 Members of the New York Stock Exchange ask for an additional 275 seats.
1930 New York police rout a Communist rally at the Town Hall.
1943 The last German airfield in Stalingrad is captured by the Red Army.
1949 Axis Sally, who broadcasted Nazi propaganda to U.S. troops in Europe, stands trial in the United States for war crimes.
1951 The U.S. Eighth Army in Korea launches Operation Thunderbolt, a counter attack to push the Chinese Army north of the Han River.
1955 Columbia University scientists develop an atomic clock that is accurate to within one second in 300 years.
1956 Khrushchev says that he believes that Eisenhower is sincere in his efforts to abolish war.
1959 American Airlines begins its first coast-to-coast flight service on a Boeing 707.
1972 Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to U.S. Congress, announces candidacy for president.
1972 Nixon airs the eight-point peace plan for Vietnam, asking for POW release in return for withdrawal.
1984 President Reagan endorses the development of the first U.S. permanently-manned space station.
1905
January 25
World's largest diamond found
On January 25, 1905, at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, a 3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine inspection by the mine's superintendent. Weighing 1.33 pounds, and christened the "Cullinan," it was the largest diamond ever found.
Frederick Wells was 18 feet below the earth's surface when he spotted a flash of starlight embedded in the wall just above him. His discovery was presented that same afternoon to Sir Thomas Cullinan, who owned the mine. Cullinan then sold the diamond to the Transvaal provincial government, which presented the stone to Britain's King Edward VII as a birthday gift. Worried that the diamond might be stolen in transit from Africa to London, Edward arranged to send a phony diamond aboard a steamer ship loaded with detectives as a diversionary tactic. While the decoy slowly made its way from Africa on the ship, the Cullinan was sent to England in a plain box.
Edward entrusted the cutting of the Cullinan to Joseph Asscher, head of the Asscher Diamond Company of Amsterdam. Asscher, who had cut the famous Excelsior Diamond, a 971-carat diamond found in 1893, studied the stone for six months before attempting the cut. On his first attempt, the steel blade broke, with no effect on the diamond. On the second attempt, the diamond shattered exactly as planned; Asscher then fainted from nervous exhaustion.
The Cullinan was later cut into nine large stones and about 100 smaller ones, valued at millions of dollars all told. The largest stone is called the "Star of Africa I," or "Cullinan I," and at 530 carats, it is the largest-cut fine-quality colorless diamond in the world. The second largest stone, the "Star of Africa II" or "Cullinan II," is 317 carats. Both of these stones, as well as the "Cullinan III," are on display in the Tower of London with Britain's other crown jewels; the Cullinan I is mounted in the British Sovereign's Royal Scepter, while the Cullinan II sits in the Imperial State Crown.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Skip … … For The List for Wednesday, 25 January 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 25 January 1968… The rescue of CDR Tom Woolcock…
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 Mugs
Another great presentation from Ward Carroll. What a tangled Web we weave!!!
SOME INTERESTING DATA IN THIS.....GOOD PRESENTATION
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More from Mugs and Ward
A few new one's in here. Younger generation terms?
23 Terms Only Fighter Pilots Understand
BY WARD CARROLL - WEARETHEMIGHTY.COM
If you've ever hung out with military aviators (or watched movies like "Top Gun" or "Iron Eagle") you know they tend to use a lot of strange lingo when they talk, even when they're out of the cockpit. Trying to hold a conversation with them can be tough — until now. WATM presents this handy list of fighter speak that will help keep that social interaction going, which is important because fighter guys have a lot of wisdom to put out and it would be a shame if it got lost in translation.
So here's the gouge . . . er, here you go:
1. "Angels"
Altitude in thousand of feet. ("Angels 3" is 3,000 feet.)
2. "Cherubs"
Altitude in hundreds of feet. ("Cherubs 3" is 300 feet.)
3. "Bandit"
A known bad guy.
4. "Bogey"
An unknown radar contact.
5. "Bent"
If a piece of gear is inop it is "bent." ("Giantkiller, be advised my radar is bent.")
6. "Bingo"
Low fuel status or direction to head for the divert field. ("Lobo is bingo fuel," or "Ghostrider, your signal is bingo.")
7. "Blind"
Wingman not in sight.
8. "Delta"
Change to a later time, either minutes or hours depending on the context. ("Delta 10 on your recovery time" means the jet is now scheduled to land 10 minutes later.)
9. "Firewall"
Push the throttles to their forward limit. ("I had that bitch firewalled, and I still couldn't get away from that SAM ring.")
10. "Buster"
Direction to go as fast as possible. ("Diamondback, your signal is buster to mother.")
11. "Bug"
Exit a dogfight rapidly. ("Gucci is on the bug.")
12. "Fragged"
An indication that the airplane is loaded weapons-wise according to the mission order. ("Devil 201 is on station as fragged.")
13. "Grape"
A pilot who's an easy kill in a dogfight.
14. "Naked"
Radar warning gear without indication of a missile threat.
15. "Punch out"
To eject from an airplane.
16. "RTB"
Return to base. ("Big Eye, Eagle 301 is RTB.")
17. "Spiked"
Um, not that "spike." The real "spiked" is an indication of a missile threat on the radar warning receiver. ("Rooster has an SA-6 spike at three o'clock.")
18. "Tally"
Enemy in sight (as opposed to "visual," which means friendly in sight). ("Nuke is tally two bandits, four o'clock low.")
19. "Texaco"
Either a label for the tanker or direction to go to the tanker. ("Gypsy, Texaco is at your one o'clock for three miles, level," or "Gypsy, your signal is Texaco.")
20. "Nose hot/cold"
Usually used around the tanker pattern, an indication that the radar is or isn't transmitting.
21. "Vapes"
The condensation cloud created when an airplane pulls a lot of Gs. ("Man, I came into the break and was vaping like a big dog.")
22. "Visual"
Wingman (or other friendly) in sight (as opposed to "tally," which means enemy in sight). ("Weezer, you got me?" "Roger, Weezer is visual.")
23. "Winchester"
Out of weapons. ("Tomcat 102 is winchester and RTB.")
Bonus 1. "G-LOC"
"G-induced loss of consciousness." (Not good when at the controls of a fighter traveling at high speed at low altitude.)
Bonus 2. "The Funky Chicken"
"The Funky Chicken" is what aviators call the involuntary movements that happen during G-LOC.
Ward is a retired Naval Aviator, novelist, and military commentator. He was the editor of Military.com for nine years before joining We Are The Mighty as editor-in-chief in September of 2014.
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Thanks to Ken. I met Deiter like many of us back in the day…Skip
A Very interesting story about a Naval Aviator (German escaped Eastern Germany)
This Aviator sounds a bit like "FOKKER" as a kid.
Dieter Dengler (May 22, 1938 – February 7, 2001) was a German-born United States Navy aviator during the Vietnam War and, following six months of imprisonment and torture, became the first captured U.S. airman to escape enemy captivity during the war. Of seven prisoners of war who escaped together from a Pathet Lao prison camp in Laos, Dengler was one of two survivors (the other was Thai citizen Phisit Intharathat). Dengler was rescued after 23 days on the run.[3]
Dieter Dingler served in the United States Navy during the war in Vietnam as a Douglas A-1 Skyraider pilot stationed on the aircraft carrier "USS Ranger". He was shot down during during a secret bombing mission into Laos on February 1, 1966, and was captured by Pathet Lao troops. Held as a prisoner until his escape on June 29, 1966, he spent twenty-three days on the run until he was rescued. In 2006 motion director and producer Werner Herzog released the film "Rescue Dawn", which was based on Lieutenant Dengler's story.
Kenny Moore
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From Sons of Liberty to Devils in Baggy Pants by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
01/18/2011
This Week in American Military History:
Jan. 17, 1781: Continental Army forces -- including infantry, cavalry, dragoons (horse-mounted infantry), and militia – under the command of Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan, clash with a better-equipped, more-experienced force of British Army regulars and Loyalists under the command of Lt. Col. Banastre "Bloody Ban" Tarleton in a sprawling pastureland known as Hannah's Cowpens in the South Carolina upcountry. Celebrated today as the Battle of Cowpens, the engagement ends in a decisive victory for Morgan – who defeats Tarleton in a classic double-envelopment – and a near-irrevocable loss of men, equipment, and reputation for the infamous Tarleton and his "British Legion." Tarleton's boss, Gen. Sir Charles Cornwallis, will abandon South Carolina and in less than two months chalk up a pyrrhic victory at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse (N.C.). Meanwhile, word of Morgan's victory will spread like wildfire throughout the Carolinas and up into Virginia where – at Yorktown – Cornwallis' entire army (including Tarleton and his feared green-jacketed horsemen) will surrender to the combined American-French forces of Generals George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau on October 19, almost nine months to the day after Cowpens.
Jan. 17, 1991: Two-hundred-ten years to the day after the Battle of Cowpens; American, British, and French forces – this time all three on the same team – kick off what Iraqi Pres. Saddam Hussein predicted would be "the Mother of all Battles" with a series of blistering air attacks aimed at destroying the Iraqi Air Force, Iraq's air-defense forces and overall command and control. It is day one of Operation Desert Storm.
Jan. 18, 1911: Flying over San Francisco Bay in his Curtiss Pusher Model "D" aircraft, pioneer aviator Eugene B. Ely approaches the anchored cruiser USS Pennsylvania and manages to land onto a special platform fitted with a makeshift tailhook system aboard the ship. Upon landing, he purportedly says, "It was easy enough. I think the trick could be successfully turned nine times out of ten." Ely's landing is the first-ever airplane landing aboard a ship. Ely already had become the first man to take off from a ship in November. In July, he will be commissioned a second lieutenant in the California National Guard. In October, he will be killed in a crash during an aerobatic demonstration in Macon, Georgia.
Jan. 19-20, 1770: The little-known but historically significant Battle of Golden Hill erupts in New York City between a group of angry Manhattan patriots and a contingent of British soldiers. The clash begins when members of the patriot organization "Sons of Liberty" snatch a few of the King's men, who are cutting down wooden "liberty poles" (symbols of resistance against British rule) which had been erected by the "Sons." The redcoats also were reportedly posting bills condemning the Sons of Liberty as "the real enemies of society." A struggle ensues. Redcoats from the nearby barracks respond, and a bayonet charge is ordered. Several are wounded on both sides, and one civilian is killed. Less than seven weeks before the Boston Massacre, the Battle of Golden Hill is considered by some historians as the first armed clash of the American Revolution.
Jan. 20, 1914: Nearly three years to the day after Eugene Ely lands his airplane on USS Pennsylvania, "the cradle of Naval aviation" is born at Pensacola, Florida. According to the American Naval Historical Center: "The aviation unit from Annapolis [Maryland], consisting of nine officers, 23 men, seven aircraft, portable hangars, and other gear, under Lieutenant J. H. Towers" arrives at Pensacola aboard the battleship USS Mississippi and the bulk-cargo ship USS Orion "to set up a flying school."
Jan. 21, 1903: The Militia Act of 1903 – also known as the "Dick Act" (Congressman and Maj. Gen. Charles Dick authored much of the legislation) – is passed, establishing federal standards and greater federal control over state militias, essentially creating the modern National Guard.
Jan. 21, 1954: First Lady Mamie Eisenhower breaks a bottle of champagne across the bow of USS Nautilus in Groton, Connecticut, launching the world's first nuclear-powered submarine. The following year, Nautilus gets underway, begins breaking numerous sea-travel records, and becomes the first "ship" to cross the North Pole. Nautilus is the U.S. Navy's sixth vessel bearing the name. The first Nautilus, a schooner built in 1799, saw action against the Barbary pirates and in the War of 1812.
Jan. 22, 1944: Allied forces, including the U.S. VI Corps under the command of Maj. Gen. John P. Lucas (of Lt. Gen. Mark Clark's Fifth Army), begin a series of landings along a stretch of western Italian coastline in the Anzio-Nettuno area. Codenamed Operation Shingle, the Allies achieve complete surprise against – and encounter little initial resistance from – the Germans. But the landings kick off what will become one of the most grueling campaigns of World War II. It is during the subsequent fighting (which continues for several months) that a dead German officer's diary is found, a portion of which reads: "American parachutists – devils in baggy pants – are less than 100 meters from my outpost line. I can't sleep at night; they pop up from nowhere and we never know when or how they will strike next. Seems like the black-hearted devils are everywhere."
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This Day in U S Military History
1915 – The inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, inaugurated transcontinental telephone service in the United States. Bell placed the first ceremonial cross-continental call from New York to his old colleague Thomas Watson in San Francisco.
1940– The ocean station program was formally established on 25 January 1940 under order from President Franklin Roosevelt. The Coast Guard, in cooperation with the U. S. Weather Service, were given responsibility for its establishment and operation. The program was first known as the Atlantic Weather Observation Service and later became known (and "beloved') by thousands of Coast Guardsmen who served after World War II as the "Ocean Station" program. Cutters were dispatched for 30-day patrols to transmit weather observations and serve as a SAR standby for transoceanic aircraft. The program ended in the 1970s.
1945 – Iwo Jima is bombarded by the battleship Indiana and a force of cruisers and destroyers. There are also air attacks by B-24 and B-29 bombers. This is the first step in the preparation for the US landings in February.
1949 – Axis Sally, who broadcast Nazi propaganda to U.S. troops in Europe, stands trial in the United States for war crimes. Out of the 12 Americans indicted for treason following World War II, all but five were radio broadcasters. One of the most notorious to be convicted was Mildred Gillars, or "Axis Sally" as she was known to the GI's who heard her Radio Berlin broadcasts. A graduate of Hunter College in New York, Gillars went to France to study music in 1929 after failing as an actress. By 1934 she was in Germany, where she fell for former Hunter professor Max Otto Koischewitz. Koischewitz became Radio Berlin's Program Director, and GIllars became his star propaganda broadcaster. Typically, she did a DJ program — breaking up the music with anti-semetic raps. "Damn Roosevelt! Damn Churchill!" went one of her tirades. "Damn all Jews who made this war possible. I love America, but I do not love Roosevelt and all his kike boyfriends." "Axis Sally" also liked to air messages from American POWs. Telling the POWs she visited that she was a Red Cross representative, she enticed them to send happy messages to suggest that living under the Nazis, even in POW camps, was a good thing. Once on the air, she would intercut POWs messages with propaganda, despite having promised the prisoners not to do so. Despite all her other antics, "Axis Sally" was convicted on the basis of just one broadcast, a radio drama called "Vision of Invasion" that – on the eve of D-Day – sought to scare GI's out of invading occupied Europe. In the play, the mother of an Ohio soldier sees her son in a dream. He tells her that he's already dead, his ship having been destroyed mid-invasion by Germans. GI's can be heard sobbing and shrieking in the background, and the effect of the broadcast is said to have been chilling. Gillars tried several tactics in court, but ultimately claimed, unsuccessfully, that her love for Koischewitz had motivated her. Her lawyers argued that Koischewitz had a Svengali-like grip over her; she was his puppet.
1952 – During the third largest aerial victory of the Korean War, F-86s shot down 10 MiG-15s and damaged three others without suffering any losses.
1995 – Russia's early-warning defense radar detects an unexpected missile launch near Norway, and Russian military command estimates the missile to be only minutes from impact on Moscow. Moments later, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, his defense minister, and his chief of staff were informed of the missile launch. The nuclear command systems switched to combat mode, and the nuclear suitcases carried by Yeltsin and his top commander were activated for the first time in the history of the Soviet-made weapons system. Five minutes after the launch detection, Russian command determined that the missile's impact point would be outside Russia's borders. Three more minutes passed, and Yeltsin was informed that the launching was likely not part of a surprise nuclear strike by Western nuclear submarines. These conclusions came minutes before Yeltsin and his commanders should have ordered a nuclear response based on standard launch on warning protocols. Later, it was revealed that the missile, launched from Spitzbergen, Norway, was actually carrying instruments for scientific measurements. Nine days before, Norway had notified 35 countries, including Russia, of the exact details of the planned launch. The Russian Defense Ministry had received Norway's announcement but had neglected to inform the on-duty personnel at the early-warning center of the imminent launch. The event raised serious concerns about the quality of the former Soviet Union's nuclear systems.
2012 – Two U.S. Navy Seal teams raided a compound 12 miles north of Adow, Somalia, freeing two hostages while killing nine pirates and capturing five others.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
BEHNE, FREDERICK
Rank and organization: Fireman First Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 3 October 1873, Lodi, N.J. Accredited to: New Jersey. G.O. No.: 182, 20 March 1905. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Iowa, 25 January 1905. Following the blowing out of the manhole plate of boiler D of that vessel, Behne displayed extraordinary heroism in the resulting action.
BEHNKE, HEINRICH
Rank and organization: Seaman First Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 10 April 1882, Germany. Accredited to: Washington, D.C. G.O. No.: 182, 20 March 1905. Citation: While serving aboard the U.S.S. Iowa, Behnke displayed extraordinary heroism at the time of the blowing out of the manhole plate of boiler D on board that vessel, 25 January 1905.
BRESNAHAN, PATRICK FRANCIS
Rank and organization: Watertender, U.S. Navy. Born: 1 May 1872, Peabody, Mass. Accredited to: Vermont. G.O. No.: 182, 20 March 1905. Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Iowa for extraordinary heroism at the time of the blowing out of the manhole plate of boiler D on board that vessel, 25 January 1905.
CORAHORGI, DEMETRI
Rank and organization: Fireman First Class, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Aboard U.S.S. Iowa, 25 January 1905. Entered service at: New York. Born: 3 January 1880, Trieste, Austria. G.O. No.: 182, 20 March 1905. Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Iowa for extraordinary heroism at the time of the blowing out of the manhole plate of boiler D on board that vessel, 25 January 1905.
FLOYD, EDWARD
Rank and organization: Boilermaker, U.S. Navy. Born: 21 February 1850, Ireland. Accredited to: South Carolina. G.O. No.: 182, 20 March 1905. Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Iowa, for extraordinary heroism at the time of the blowing out of the manhole plate of boiler D on board that vessel, 25 January 1905.
JOHANNESSEN, JOHANNES J.
Rank and organization: Chief Watertender, U.S. Navy. Born: 13 May 1872, Bodo, Norway. Enlisted at: Yokohama, Japan. G.O. No.: 182, 20 March 1905. Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Iowa, for extraordinary heroism at the time of the blowing out of the manhole plate of boiler D on board that vessel, 25 January 1905.
KLEIN, ROBERT
Rank and organization: Chief Carpenter's Mate, U.S. Navy. Born: 11 November 1884, Gerdonen, Germany. Enlisted at: Marseilles, France. G.O. No.: 173, 6 October 1904. Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Raleigh, for heroism in rescuing shipmates overcome in double bottoms by fumes of turpentine, 25 January 1904.
*VALDEZ, JOSE F.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Rosenkrantz, France, 25 January 1945. Entered service at: Pleasant Grove, Utah. Birth: Governador, N. Mex. G. O. No.: 16, 8 February 1946. Citation: He was on outpost duty with 5 others when the enemy counterattacked with overwhelming strength. From his position near some woods 500 yards beyond the American lines he observed a hostile tank about 75 yards away, and raked it with automatic rifle fire until it withdrew. Soon afterward he saw 3 Germans stealthily approaching through the woods. Scorning cover as the enemy soldiers opened up with heavy automatic weapons fire from a range of 30 yards, he engaged in a fire fight with the attackers until he had killed all 3. The enemy quickly launched an attack with 2 full companies of infantrymen, blasting the patrol with murderous concentrations of automatic and rifle fire and beginning an encircling movement which forced the patrol leader to order a withdrawal. Despite the terrible odds, Pfc. Valdez immediately volunteered to cover the maneuver, and as the patrol 1 by 1 plunged through a hail of bullets toward the American lines, he fired burst after burst into the swarming enemy. Three of his companions were wounded in their dash for safety and he was struck by a bullet that entered his stomach and, passing through his body, emerged from his back. Overcoming agonizing pain, he regained control of himself and resumed his firing position, delivering a protective screen of bullets until all others of the patrol were safe. By field telephone he called for artillery and mortar fire on the Germans and corrected the range until he had shells falling within 50 yards of his position. For 15 minutes he refused to be dislodged by more than 200 of the enemy; then, seeing that the barrage had broken the counter attack, he dragged himself back to his own lines. He died later as a result of his wounds. Through his valiant, intrepid stand and at the cost of his own life, Pfc. Valdez made it possible for his comrades to escape, and was directly responsible for repulsing an attack by vastly superior enemy forces.
*MILLER, ROBERT J.
Organization: U.S. Army, Company: Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3312, Division: Special Operations Task Force 33, Born: 14 October 1983, Departed: Yes, Entered Service At: Oviedo, Florida, G.O. Number: , Date of Issue: 10/06/2010, Accredited To: Florida, Place / Date: Konar Province, Afghanistan, 25 January 2008. Citation: Robert J. Miller distinguished himself by extraordinary acts of heroism while serving as the Weapons Sergeant in Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3312, Special Operations Task Force-33, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan during combat operations against an armed enemy in Konar Province, Afghanistan on January 25, 2008. While conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol through the Gowardesh Valley, Staff Sergeant Miller and his small element of U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers engaged a force of 15 to 20 insurgents occupying prepared fighting positions. Staff Sergeant Miller initiated the assault by engaging the enemy positions with his vehicle's turret-mounted Mark-19 40 millimeter automatic grenade launcher while simultaneously providing detailed descriptions of the enemy positions to his command, enabling effective, accurate close air support. Following the engagement, Staff Sergeant Miller led a small squad forward to conduct a battle damage assessment. As the group neared the small, steep, narrow valley that the enemy had inhabited, a large, well-coordinated insurgent force initiated a near ambush, assaulting from elevated positions with ample cover. Exposed and with little available cover, the patrol was totally vulnerable to enemy rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapon fire. As point man, Staff Sergeant Miller was at the front of the patrol, cut off from supporting elements, and less than 20 meters from enemy forces. Nonetheless, with total disregard for his own safety, he called for his men to quickly move back to covered positions as he charged the enemy over exposed ground and under overwhelming enemy fire in order to provide protective fire for his team. While maneuvering to engage the enemy, Staff Sergeant Miller was shot in his upper torso. Ignoring the wound, he continued to push the fight, moving to draw fire from over one hundred enemy fighters upon himself. He then again charged forward through an open area in order to allow his teammates to safely reach cover. After killing at least 10 insurgents, wounding dozens more, and repeatedly exposing himself to withering enemy fire while moving from position to position, Staff Sergeant Miller was mortally wounded by enemy fire. His extraordinary valor ultimately saved the lives of seven members of his own team and 15 Afghanistan National Army soldiers. Staff Sergeant Miller's heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty, and at the cost of his own life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for January 25, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
25 January
1912: Lt Henry H. Arnold flew a Wright plane to an altitude record of 4,764 feet in a 59-minute flight over the Army Aviation School at Augusta, Ga. (24)
1949: Air Force "slate" blue uniforms are mandated for the service for the first time. These replace the Army "olive buff" uniforms previously worn. An interesting result of this uniform change was the nickname "brown-shoe Air Force." The old Army uniform had brown shoes, while the new Air Force blue uniform had black shoes. So, "brown-shoe Air Force" referred to the old U.S. Army Air Forces or to a person who had served in the USAAF. (Courtesy NMUSAF) I remember watching my dad put all the ribbons and other stuff on his first blue uniform. He and my mom were both not fond of it. The old USAF tans were a very neat uniform. He was working to get the new hat put together.….skip
1951: KOREAN WAR. Far East Air Forces replaced its Combat Cargo Command with the 315th Air Division (AD) (Combat Cargo). The division received its administrative and logistical support directly from Far East Air Forces. By this date, Combat Cargo had flown 32,362 sorties to deliver 130,170 tons of supplies, deliver 155,294 passengers, and evacuate 72,960 casualties. (28)
1952: KOREAN WAR. A helicopter rescued a downed airman, near the coastline of the Yellow Sea, while F-84s strafed enemy troops in the area. Escorting F-86s destroyed three MiG-15s during the pick-up. In other air-to-air combat, UN jets destroyed six and damaged four communist aircraft. (28)
1957: A B-47 set an unofficial cross-country speed record, flying 2,700 miles from Riverside, Calif., to Boston, Mass., in 3 hours 47 minutes. (24) The Douglas Aircraft Company successfully launched its Thor Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile for the first time. (12) The Lockheed YC121F, a special Superconstellation, set a transcontinental speed record for propeller-driven aircraft by flying from Long Beach, Calif., to Andrews AFB, Md., in 4 hours 43 minutes. (24)
1959: American Airlines used Boeing 707s to inaugurate a regular jet passenger service across the U. S. The 4-hour, 3-minute flight from Los Angeles, Calif., to New York, N. Y. also represented a record time for passenger service. (5)
1960: An Army MIM-23 Hawk missile shot down a MGR-1 Honest John surface-to-surface missile in the first known kill of a ballistic missile by an anti-aircraft missile. (16) (24)
1964: Echo II, a balloon-type passive communications satellite, launched as the first cooperative space experiment between the U. S. and the Soviet Union. (5)
1988: Through 28 January, two C-5 Galaxies flew 102 tons of medical supplies from a private donor to Manila in response to a request from the Philippine government. (16)
1990: In a ceremony at Beale AFB, Calif., the Strategic Air Command retired Lockheed's SR-71 Blackbird from active service. The SR-71 aircrews flew more than 65 million miles at speeds above Mach 2 (more than half above Mach 3) on high altitude reconnaissance missions. (16)
1994: A Titan II booster launched Clementine I, a space probe, to the moon. This mission was the first American lunar effort since Apollo 17 in 1972. (16) (26)
2000: The Air Combat Command Commander, Gen Ralph E. Eberhart, dedicated the first Block D upgraded B-1s at Dyess AFB, Tex. (AFNEWS Article 000140, 2 Feb 00)
2002: After cancelling the X-33 orbital launcher program, the National Air and Space Administration ferried the unfinished X-33 vehicle from Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., to the X-33 launch facility near Haystack Butte at Edwards AFB, Calif., for indefinite storage. (3)
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World News for 25January thanks to Military Periscope
Doomsday Clock Moves Forward Over Nuclear, Biological Security Concerns
Source: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
January 24 2023
USA
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has advanced its "Doomsday Clock."
On Tuesday, the publication said it had advanced the clock 10 "seconds" closer to the apocalypse in part by Russia's unprovoked war in Ukraine as well as deteriorating global security related to climate change, China's growing nuclear arsenal and biological threats such as COVID-19.
"Russia's thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons remind the world that escalation of the conflict … is a terrible risk. … Russia has also brought its war to the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor sites, violating international protocols and risking widespread release of radioactive materials," said the Bulletin's Science and Security Board.
The Doomsday Clock was launched in 1947 to symbolize the proximity of a nuclear exchange between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Doomsday Clock was set at 100 seconds to midnight in 2020 but has now moved to 90 seconds to midnight, said the publication.
Raytheon To Merge Missiles And Defense, Intel And Space Divisions
Source: Defense One
January 24 2023
USA
In a bid to cut costs, Raytheon Technologies will merge its Missiles and Defense division with Intelligence and Space to make a single business unit, reports Defense One.
The merger will be overseen by Chief Operating Officer Christopher Calio, who will officially become the president of the new business on March 1.
Calio will replace Roy Azevedo, who will advise him during the transition.
Raytheon Missiles and Defense President Wes Kremer was not mentioned in the reorganization announcement.
The reorganization will leave Raytheon Technologies with three divisions: Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon.
Admiral Gorshkov Frigate Simulates Hypersonic Missile Strikes
Source: Tass
January 24 2023
Russia
A Russian frigate has conducted mock hypersonic missile strikes while en route to exercises in South Africa, reports Russia's state-owned Tass news agency.
On Wednesday, the Admiral Gorshkov simulated launches of Tsirkon hypersonic missiles, successfully striking a target at a range of more than 560 miles (900 km), the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The Admiral Gorshkov is on its way to South Africa with the tanker ship Kama for joint exercises with the Chinese and South African navies.
French, Italian Air Defense Systems Headed To Ukraine
Source: AeroTime News
January 25 2023
Ukraine
Italy
France
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has announced that France and Italy is sending new anti-air defense systems to Ukraine, reports the AeroTime News.
In an interview with the Corriere della Sera (Milan) newspaper, Tajani confirmed that France and Italy were finalizing the delivery of the SAMP/T surface-to-air missile system to Ukraine.
Developed by France and Italy, the SAMP/T is said to be one of the few systems capable at intercepting Russian Kh-22 cruise missiles.
Rome and Paris agreed to supply the system to Ukraine in December 2022. Ukrainian personnel began operator training earlier this month.
The system consists of a command post, Arabel radar and up to six launch vehicles, each with up to eight Aster 30 missiles.
The SAMP/T is the only European system designed to counter ballistic missiles. The Aster 30 missiles can intercept aircraft at ranges up to 75 miles (120 km), and ballistic missiles at 18 miles (30 km).
New Fighter Chosen, Pilots To Be Trained In U.S., Air Force Says
Source: War Zone
January 24 2023
Ukraine
USA
A Ukrainian air force spokesman says that Kyiv has already selected a new fighter jet to be provided by the U.S., reports the War Zone website.
Ukrainian pilots have traveled to the U.S. and funding has been allocated for their training, the spokesman told ArmyInform, a news service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the news site said on Tuesday.
The spokesman did not identify the type of aircraft or number that might be acquired.
An unnamed source in Kyiv said that Ukraine was looking for a multirole aircraft, which could mean a variant of the F-16 fighter.
The spokesman previously told Air Force Magazine that two squadrons of 12 F-16s each would be sufficient to help defeat Russian airpower.
A Pentagon spokesman told the War Zone that he had no information on any Ukrainian pilots training in the U.S. nor anything to announce with regard to the supply of aircraft.
Scholz Agrees To Send Tanks To Ukraine
Source: Washington Post
January 24 2023
Germany
Ukraine
USA
The German government has announced that it will send modern main battle tanks to Ukraine along with other allies, reports the Washington Post.
On Tuesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany will initially send 14 Leopard 2A6 tanks to Kyiv. He outlined plans to establish two Ukrainian tank battalions, totaling around 80 tanks that would be provided by Germany and other European Leopard 2 operators.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials have indicated that plans are being finalized to send 30 M1 Abrams tanks and a small number of recovery vehicles to Ukraine, reported CNN.
The timing of the delivery is unclear, since it typically takes several months to train tank crewmembers and maintainers. Deliveries could take place as soon as this fall, a source told the Post.
U.S. Threatens New Wave Of U.N. Sanctions
Source: Reuters
January 24 2023
Haiti
United Nations
USA
The U.S. is threatening further U.N. sanctions against threats to stability in Haiti, reports Reuters.
In October, measures were implemented against Haiti's most powerful gangster amid ongoing violence.
The U.S. move appears to have Chinese backing. Russian Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy has also appeared to endorse the proposal.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a "rapid action force" to establish rule-of-law in Haiti.
New Kalvari Class Sub Commissioned
Source: The Hindu
January 25 2023
India
The Indian navy has commissioned its newest attack submarine, reports the Hindu (Chennai).
On Monday, the Vagir, the fifth Kalvari-class conventional submarine formally entered service during a ceremony at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.
The Vagir completed trials within 11 months, the Indian navy said. The boat was launched on Nov. 12, 2020, and began sea trials on Feb. 1, 2022.
Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders is building six Kalvari-class submarines based on the French Scorpene class under a US$3.75 billion deal signed in October 2005.
WHO Doctor Kidnapped In East
Source: U.N. News
January 24 2023
Mali
A World Health Organization doctor has been kidnapped in eastern Mali, reports the U.N. News.
On Monday, Dr. Mahamadou Diawara was abducted while traveling in his car in the town of Menaka. His driver was not taken in the attack.
The motives of the kidnappers remain unknown.
Chinese-Funded Sea Port Opens In Lagos
Source: Vanguard
January 25 2023
Nigeria
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has officially inaugurated the Chinese-built Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, reports the Vanguard (Lagos).
On Monday, the US$1.5 billion port, one of the largest in West Africa, was launched in a ceremony.
The three-terminal facility is 75 percent owned by China Harbour Engineering Co. and Singapore's Tolaram Group.
Most of Nigeria's existing ports, inherited from the British colonial era, are in varying states of decay, noted Al Jazeera (Qatar).
Former Wagner Group Commander Detained
Source: BBC News
January 25 2023
Norway
Russia
Norwegian authorities have detained a former commander of the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group paramilitary who claimed asylum earlier this month, reports BBC News.
Andrey Medvedev, 26, served as an officer in the mercenary group and made headlines two weeks ago as the first fighter from the outfit to defect to the West.
He is currently being held in a detention center in the Oslo area, both as a witness and for enhanced safety.
Medvedev claims to have witnessed firsthand numerous war crimes and atrocities committed by the group and said his life would be at risk if he returned to Russia.
Air Defense Forces Shoot At Congolese Jet Near Goma
Source: Africa News
January 24 2023
Rwanda
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Rwandan forces shot at a Congolese strike aircraft near their shared border, damaging the aircraft, reports Africa News.
Kigali claims that the Congolese Su-25 was shot at because it violated Rwandan airspace.
Kinshasa claims that the fighter jet was simply approaching nearby Goma airport for a landing.
The Congolese jet landed in Goma, "without major material damage." according to the Congolese government.
Both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda decried each other's behavior as acts of aggression.
Russian White Supremacist Group Used As Proxy For Mail Bombings
Source: Moscow Times
January 25 2023
Russia
Spain
Russian military intelligence is suspected of being behind a slew of mail bombs sent to high-profile government, military and diplomatic targets in Spain, reports the Moscow Times.
Six mail bombs, sent in late November and early December were traced to members of the Russian Imperial Movement, a Russian nationalist white supremacist group.
Known for its operation of military-style training facilities in Russia, the U.S. has been flagging members of the group on updated terrorist watch lists.
American sources told the New York Times that the group had been directed by the Moscow-based 161st Special Purpose Specialist Training Center of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (GRU), Russia's primary military intelligence agency.
The extent of the Kremlin's involvement in the campaign is not clear.
Bill Being Finalized To Open Defense Industry To Private Companies
Source: Radio Free Asia
January 25 2023
Vietnam
The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense has instructed "relevant organizations" to finalize a proposal that would allow private companies to invest in the defense industry, reports Radio Free Asia.
Under current regulations, only military-owned domestic companies can invest in Vietnamese defense industry.
The bill will be passed onto the government for consideration and approval. If enacted, it would open Vietnam to private military-industrial investment and foreign arms firms.
If approved by the National Assembly, the legislation could be signed into law as early as May 2024.
9 Die In Abyan Clash
Source: Arab News
January 25 2023
Yemen
At least nine people have been killed in fighting between Yemeni security forces and local fighters in the southern province of Abyan, reports the Arab News (Riyadh).
A standoff took place on Monday when Security Belt soldiers demanded local tribesmen hand over 15 suspected Al-Qaida militants, who had conducted a fatal improvised explosive device attack on pro-independence forces nearby.
Locals refused the soldiers' demands, accusing them of breaking into their homes and detaining residents. This led to a firefight in which at least five tribesmen and four soldiers were killed.
Abyan's Omaran valley has become a hotbed of fighting between Yemeni security forces and Al-Qaida militants.
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