To All,
Good Wednesday morning February 1, 2023.
I hope that our week is going well.
Regards,
Skip
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
February 1
1800—USS Constellation engages French frigate La Vengeance in a 5-hour battle during the Quasi War.
1902—USS Plunger (SS 2), the lead ship of the Plunger-class submarine, launches. She is commissioned Sept. 19, 1903, at the Holland Company yard at New Suffolk, Long Island, NY. Ensign Chester W. Nimitz is the submarines final commander when Plunger is decommissioned Nov. 6, 1909 at the Charleston Navy Shipyard.
1942—USS Enterprise (CV 6) and USS Yorktown (CV 5) make the first World War II air strike against the Japanese at their outposts in the Marshall Islands to protect the Trans-Pacific supply route to Australia.
1944—Three U.S. Navy submarines, Guardfish (SS 217), Hake (SS 256) and Seahorse (SS 304), attack Japanese convoys, sinking a destroyer, cargo ship and another vessel.
1945—USS Jenkins (DD 447), USS O'Bannon (DD 450), USS Bell (DD 587) and destroyer escort Ulvert M. Moore (DE 442) sink the Japanese submarine RO 115, 125 miles southwest of Manila.
1955—Task Force 43 is established to plan U.S. Navy Antarctic operations called Operation Deep Freeze.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
February 1
World History
1327 Edward III is coronated King of England.
1587 Elizabeth I, Queen of England, signs the Warrant of Execution for Mary Queen of Scots.
1633 The tobacco laws of Virginia are codified, limiting tobacco production to reduce dependence on a single-crop economy.
1793 France declares war on Britain and the Netherlands.
1861 A furious Governor Sam Houston storms out of a legislative session upon learning that Texas has voted 167-7 to secede from the Union.
1902 U.S. Secretary of State John Hay protests Russian privileges in China as a violation of the "open door policy."
1905 Germany contests French rule in Morocco.
1909 U.S. troops leave Cuba after installing Jose Miguel Gomez as president.
1930 A Loening Air Yacht of Air Ferries makes its first passenger run between San Francisco and Oakland, California..
1942 Planes of the U.S. Pacific fleet attack Japanese bases in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands.
1943 American tanks and infantry are battered at German positions at Faid Pass in North Africa.
1944 U.S. Army troops invade two Kwajalein Islands in the Pacific.
1945 U.S. Rangers and Filipino guerrillas rescue 513 American survivors of the Bataan Death March.
1951 Three A-bomb tests are completed in the desert of Nevada.
1960 Four black students stage a sit-in at a segregated Greensboro, N.C. lunch counter.
1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson rejects Charles de Gaulle's plan for a neutral Vietnam.
1965 Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and 770 others are arrested in protest against voter discrimination in Alabama.
1968 U.S. troops drive the North Vietnamese out of Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon.
1968 South Vietnam President Nguyen Van Thieu declares martial law.
1986 Two days of anti-government riots in Port-au-Prince result in 14 dead.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Skip … For The List for Wednesday, 1 February 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 1 February 1968… U.S. losses for first three days of Tet 1968: 232 KIA, 929 WIA…
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
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
- Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Servicemembers Killed in the Vietnam War
The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Servicemembers Killed in the Vietnam War
By: Kipp Hanley
AUGUST 15, 2022
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Jim…This is worth your time to watch
best ww-2 documrntary on.naval.aviation youtube -
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Brett
Stratfor - What to Make of Israel's Latest Likely Attack on Iranon Iran
Jan 31, 2023
A suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian military facility indicates that Israel and Iran's covert war will continue under the former's new government — creating a constant risk of escalation that could threaten Iran's other regional rivals. On Jan. 29, Iran's defense ministry said bomb-carrying drones attacked a military complex in the central city of Isfahan the previous night, causing some damage to the facility. U.S. officials cited by major U.S. outlets have since said Israel conducted the strike in response to national security concerns over Iran's recent military activities. While Israel has not officially confirmed these statements, it remains the most plausible culprit of the Jan. 28 attack given Israel's history of conducting similar attacks against Iran's military capabilities, including the suspected Israeli strike against an Iranian drone base in Kermanshah in February 2022.
• Israel is Iran's primary regional rival and vice versa. The two countries have been engaged in a covert war for several decades.
• The targeted Isfahan facility is a munitions depot that could be connected to Iran's growing missile production — a trend that has left Israeli leaders increasingly on edge.
The attack shows how the new Israeli government's national security priorities remain fixed on Iran under longtime hawk Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the likely case that Israel was behind the Isfahan attack, it would be the first major publicly reported action that Israel has conducted against Iran since Netanyahu's new government took office in December. In his first speech to the Israeli Knesset after being sworn in for another term, Netanyahu (who previously served as prime minister from 2009-2021) made clear that confronting Iran and protecting Israeli interests from Iranian threats were among his government's top priorities. The competing objectives of the far-right and conservative parties that make up Netanyahu's new ruling alliance risk prolonging Israel's recent string of politically fragile governments. Israel and the Palestinian territories have also seen one of the worst upticks in violence in their longstanding conflict in recent weeks, as evidenced by Israeli security forces' Jan. 26 raid in the West Bank that killed seven gunmen and two civilians. But the Isfahan attack underscores that even with these sizable threats to Israel's internal stability, Israeli leaders still view Iran as the most dangerous threat to their country's security — especially as Tehran continues to expand its nuclear and missile programs, and maintains its focus on Israel as its top enemy.
• The former governments under Netanyahu also conducted occasional covert operations against Iran, including damaging cyberattacks, assassinations of key scientists and engineers, and explosions at nuclear sites.
While it remains unlikely, a direct conflict between Israel and Iran cannot be ruled out as the cycle of escalation continues. The likely Israeli attack against the Isfahan facility is only the latest in a series of similar attacks designed to degrade Iran's military capabilities, which Tehran has repeatedly responded to with a variety of reprisal attacks. In response to this latest strike, Iran will likely again retaliate to demonstrate the risks of attacking Iranian territory to Israel (and any other potential adversary). This could see Iran conduct cyberattacks against Israeli targets in the broader Middle East region, or deploy its vast network of proxy militias to conduct drone or missile attacks against Israeli interests in countries like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Given Israel's historically close security ties with the United States, Iran may also target U.S. military bases, government infrastructure and potentially commercial companies in the Middle East in response to the Isfahan attack. There's a chance Iran could seek to provoke Palestinian attacks against Israel as well by fostering greater political and economic ties with the Gaza Strip's powerful militant groups (namely, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad), which could exacerbate the latest surge in violence in Israel.
• Israel has ramped up its attacks on Iranian targets in recent years, including assassinating a prominent Iranian nuclear scientist in November 2020 and a 2021 attack on the underground Natanz nuclear facility that damaged some advanced nuclear centrifuges. Iran has responded to each of these attacks in various ways and in various regions (including in third-party countries like Iraq). In March 2022, for example, Iran claimed responsibility for a dozen ballistic missile strikes targeting an Israeli intelligence base in the Iraqi Kurdistan capital of Erbil. The missile strikes came a month after the suspected Israeli airstrike against an Iranian drone base in Kermanshah.
• Media reports published on Jan. 30 indicate that Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has invited the head of Hamas' political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, to visit Tehran. The Iranian government could plausibly extend political and economic support to Hamas, though Israel monitors such contact closely and interdicts what it can.
• U.S. officials believe that Iran was behind an October 2021 suicide drone attack on a U.S. military base in Syria, which came shortly after Israel conducted airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in the country. U.S. forces evacuated the base before the drone attack after being tipped off by Israeli intelligence.
U.S. and Israeli military targets will likely be prime targets for Iranian retaliation, but other Iranian rivals in the region could get caught in the crossfire, including the Arab Gulf states. Rising tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan could see Tehran blame the Azerbaijani government for helping enable the Isfahan attack. Iran could also launch another attack on Iraqi Kurdistan, similar to the March 2022 Erbil attack. This threat is especially of concern for the Arab Gulf states that have recently deepened their diplomatic and security ties with Israel (including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain) and thus risk being viewed by Tehran as complicit in helping support Israel's military actions and policy. Maritime attacks on military or commercial targets in the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman or the Red Sea are also possible and would create financial risks for shippers and insurers in the broader area.
• The United Arab Emirates had an uneasy diplomatic and security relationship with its Persian Gulf neighbor Iran even before Abu Dhabi normalized its ties with Israel in 2020. Anwar Gargash, the United Arab Emirates' presidential diplomatic adviser, tweeted on Jan. 29 that the Isfahan explosion was ''not in the region's interests,'' indicating the Emirati government's likely desire to urge peace — potentially in self-preservation.
In addition, Iran will likely further advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which will continue the cycle of escalation with Isreal and further reduce the chances of Tehran and the West reaching a nuclear deal. The Isfahan attack will probably compel Iran to accelerate its nuclear program and, in turn, build up one of its most powerful defensive tools and main sources of negotiating capital. However, any further advancement will prompt Israel to find ways to degrade any of Iran's new capabilities, prolonging the cycle of escalation and risk of tit-for-tat conflict. It would also risk completely derailing the chance of Iran and the West negotiating a nuclear deal, which remains a low likelihood but plausible scenario for the coming year. If Iran makes moves to advance its nuclear capabilities (like stockpiling more highly enriched uranium between 60 and 90%, adding more advanced centrifuges, or denying the International Atomic Energy Agency access to Iranian nuclear sites), the United States and its European allies will find it increasingly difficult to use negotiations as a way to slow the risk of Iranian nuclear proliferation. Iran could also announce advancements to its ballistic missile technology research, including to its hypersonic missile capabilities, which will provoke alarm in Israel and Arab Gulf states and, more broadly, further raise concerns about Iran's missile transfers to Russia for use in Ukraine.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
https://geopoliticalfutures.com
Daily Memo: IMF Revises 2023 Forecast
The institution predicts a slightly healthier global economy than its previous projections.
By: GPF Staff
January 31, 2023
Better outlook. The International Monetary Fund updated its global forecast for this year, projecting a slightly more optimistic outlook for the world economy. It still predicts global growth will decline to 2.9 percent from 3.4 percent in 2022, but that's an improvement from the initial forecast of 2.7 percent growth released last October. The adjustment was due to rising demand in the U.S. and Europe, slower growth in energy costs and the reopening of the Chinese economy. The IMF also predicts Russia's economy will grow by 0.3 percent – a notable gain compared to its previous estimate of a 2.3 percent contraction and a much more optimistic outlook than the estimates of the World Bank and even some Russian institutions.
Diplomatic roundup. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang held a series of calls with diplomatic counterparts on Monday. He spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and expressed interest in expanding cooperation on trade, energy, infrastructure, investment, finance and high-tech. Qin also spoke with Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra about supply chain issues, an apparent reference to the Netherlands' reported cooperation with U.S. efforts to restrict the export of advanced microchip technology to China. Finally, Qin agreed to work closely on a number of international frameworks in a call with his Argentine counterpart.
Egyptian mediation. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Tuesday, just a day after holding talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Cairo. Lavrov said Shoukry had conveyed to him a message from Blinken, pushing Moscow to end the conflict in Ukraine. Cairo has been somewhat of a mediator between the two adversaries and was meant to host talks, which were postponed, on the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty late last year.
Meeting in Budapest. Azerbaijan and Hungary signed several agreements to enhance their strategic partnership during a meeting between both countries' presidents in Budapest. Among the deals was a memorandum of understanding on natural gas exports to Hungary from Azerbaijan, which increased its supplies to Europe following the decline of Russian energy exports last year.
Scholz's tour. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrapped up a Latin America tour with a stop in Brazil on Monday. The trip, which also took him to Argentina and Chile, aimed in part at securing lithium supplies for electric vehicle batteries for German automakers.
More drills. Russia and Belarus began joint training exercises, Belarus' Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. According to the ministry, the drills are in preparation for the Union Shield exercises, scheduled for September in Russia. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin endorsed a plan to establish joint military training centers with Belarus.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Carl
https://catebeling.com/health/five-really-compelling-reasons-to-give-up-alcohol-beyond-dry-january/
FIVE REALLY COMPELLING REASONS TO GIVE UP ALCOHOL BEYOND 'DRY JANUARY'
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Micro…..Humor without 4 letter words, racial and ethnic slurs was possible then.
Why we miss Rodney Dangerfield
With my old man I got no respect. I asked him, "How can I get my kite in the air?" He told me to run off a cliff.
I went to a massage parlor. It was self-service.
It's tough to stay married. My wife kisses the dog on the lips, yet she won't drink from my glass!
Last night my wife met me at the front door.
She was wearing a sexy negligee. The only trouble was, she was coming home.
A girl phoned me and said, 'Come on over. There's nobody home.' I went over. Nobody was home!
A hooker once told me she had a headache.
I was making love to this girl and she started crying. I said, 'Are you going to hate yourself in the morning?' She said, 'No, I hate myself now.'
My wife is such a bad cook, if we leave dental floss in the kitchen the roaches hang themselves.
I'm so ugly I stuck my head out the window and got arrested for mooning.
The other day I came home early and a guy was jogging, naked. I asked him, 'Why?' He said, 'Because you came home early.'
My wife's such a bad cook, the dog begs for Alka-Seltzer.
I know I'm not sexy. When I put my underwear on I can hear the Fruit-of-the-Loom guys giggling.
My wife is such a bad cook. In my house we pray after the meal.
My wife likes to talk to me during sex; last night she called me from a hotel.
It's been a rough day. I got up this morning and put a shirt on and a button fell off. I picked up my briefcase, and the handle came off. I'm afraid to go to the bathroom.
I was such an ugly kid! When I played in the sandbox, the cat kept covering me up.
I could tell my parents hated me. My bath toys were a toaster and radio.
I was such an ugly baby that my mother never breast fed me. She told me that she only liked me as a friend.
I'm so ugly my father carried around a picture of the kid that came with his wallet
When I was born, the doctor came into the waiting room and said to my father, "I'm sorry. We did everything we could, but he pulled through anyway."
I'm so ugly my mother had morning sickness AFTER I was born
I remember the time that I was kidnapped and they sent a piece of my finger to my father He said he wanted more proof.
Once when I was lost, I saw a policeman, & asked him to help me find my parents. I said to him, "Do you think we'll ever find them?" He said, "I don't know kid. There's so many places they can hide."
My wife made me join a bridge club. I jump off next Tuesday
I'm so ugly, I once worked in a pet shop, and people kept asking how big I'd get.
I went to see my doctor. "Doctor, every morning when I get up and I look in the mirror I feel like throwing up. What's wrong with me?" He said: "Nothing, your eyesight is perfect."
I went to the doctor because I'd swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills. My doctor told me to have a few drinks and get some rest.
One year they wanted to make me a poster boy -- for birth control.
My uncle's dying wish was to have me sitting in his lap; he was in the electric chair.
THAT'S WHY WE MISS
RODNEY DANGERFIELD
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
February 1
This Day in U S Military History
1942 – U.S. Navy conducts Marshalls-Gilberts raids, the first offensive action by the United States against Japanese forces in the Pacific Theater. These were tactical airstrikes and naval artillery attacks by United States Navy aircraft carrier and other warship forces against Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) garrisons in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. The Japanese garrisons were under the overall command of Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue, commander of the 4th Fleet. Japanese aircraft in the islands belonged to the IJN's 24th Air Flotilla under Rear Admiral Eiji Gotō. The U.S. warship forces were under the overall command of Vice Admiral William Halsey, Jr. The raids were carried out by two separate U.S. carrier task forces. Aircraft from Task Force 17 (TF 17), commanded by Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher and centered on the carrier USS Yorktown, attacked Jaluit, Mili, and Makin (Butaritari) islands. The Yorktown aircraft inflicted moderate damage to the Japanese naval installations on the islands and destroyed three aircraft. Seven Yorktown aircraft were lost, as well as a floatplane from one of TF 17's cruisers. Aircraft from TF 8, commanded by Halsey and centered on the carrier USS Enterprise, struck Kwajalein, Wotje, and Taroa. At the same time, cruisers and destroyers bombarded Wotje and Taroa. The strikes inflicted light to moderate damage on the three islands' naval garrisons, sank three small warships and damaged several others, including the light cruiser Katori, and destroyed 15 Japanese aircraft. The heavy cruiser USS Chester was hit and slightly damaged by a Japanese aerial bomb, and six Enterprise aircraft were lost. TFs 8 and 17 retired from the area immediately upon completion of the raids.
1943 – Japanese forces on Guadalcanal Island, defeated by Marines, start to withdraw after the Japanese emperor finally gives them permission. On July 6, 1942, the Japanese landed on Guadalcanal Island, part of the Solomon Islands chain, and began constructing an airfield. In response, the U.S. launched Operation Watchtower, in which American troops landed on five islands within the Solomon chain, including Guadalcanal. The landings on Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, and Tananbogo met with much initial opposition from the Japanese defenders, despite the fact that the landings took the Japanese by surprise because bad weather had grounded their scouting aircraft. "I have never heard or read of this kind of fighting," wrote one American major general on the scene. "These people refuse to surrender." The Americans who landed on Guadalcanal had an easier time of it, at least initially. More than 11,000 Marines landed, but 24 hours passed before the Japanese manning the garrison knew what had happened. The U.S. forces quickly met their main objective of taking the airfield, and the outnumbered Japanese troops temporarily retreated. Japanese reinforcements were landed, though, and fierce hand-to-hand jungle fighting ensued. The Americans were at a particular disadvantage because they were assaulted from both sea and air, but when the U.S. Navy supplied reinforcement troops, the Americans gained the advantage. By February 1943, the Japanese retreated on secret orders of their emperor. In fact, the Japanese retreat was so stealthy that the Americans did not even know it had taken place until they stumbled upon abandoned positions, empty boats, and discarded supplies. In total, the Japanese lost more than 25,000 men compared with a loss of 1,600 by the Americans. Each side lost 24 warships.
1944 – American operations against the Kwajalein Atoll continue. On Roi US forces are mopping up. There is heavy fighting on Namur. US Task Force 52 (Admiral Turner) provides naval support for the landing of the 7th Infantry Division (General Corlett) on Kwajalein. Here, the Americans overrun a third of island, despite heavy Japanese resistance.
1945 – The American advance on all fronts is slowed by fierce Japanese resistance. US 1st Corps is heavily engaged near Rosario and San Jose while US 11th Corps is struggling to make more ground across the neck of the Bataan Peninsula.
1945 – American USAAF B-24 and B-29 bombers raid Iwo Jima in preparation for the landings later in the month. They drop a daily average of 450 tons of bombs over the course of 15 days (6800 tons).
1951 – The 23rd Regimental Combat Team, of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, engaged the Chinese Communist Forces in the Battle of the Twin Tunnels, killing an estimated 1,300 Chinese. U.S. casualties included 45 killed, four missing and 207 wounded in action.
1958 – Elvis Presley records his last single, "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck," before joining the army. Elvis had topped the charts eight times since April 1956, when "Heartbreak Hotel" hit No. 1. Drafted in 1958, Elvis enlisted in the army in March that year and served until 1960. When he joined the army, his monthly salary dropped from $100,000 to $78. Fortunately, his manager had already recorded enough material to keep Elvis singles on the charts during most of The King's army service.
1968 – U.S. troops drove the North Vietnamese out of Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon.
1968 – South Vietnam President Nguyen Van Thieu declared martial law.
1968 – During the Vietnam War, Saigon's police chief Nguyen Ngoc Loan executed a Viet Cong officer with a pistol shot to the head in a scene captured in a famous news photograph.
1999 – The Morse code SOS was officially retired and replaced by the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
2003 – Space shuttle Columbia broke apart in flames over Texas, killing all 7 astronauts just 16 minutes before they were supposed to glide to ground in Florida. The astronauts included Michael P. Anderson (b.1959), David M. Brown (b.1956), Laurel Clark (b.1962), Kalpana Chawla (b.1962), Rick Husband (b.1957), William C. McCool (b.1961) and Ilan Ramon (b.1954). An explosion in the wheel well under the left wing was later suspected as the cause.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*ANDERSON, RICHARD BEATTY
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 26 June 1921, Tacoma, Wash. Accredited to: Washington. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 4th Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces on Roi Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 February 1944. Entering a shell crater occupied by 3 other marines, Pfc. Anderson was preparing to throw a grenade at an enemy position when it slipped from his hands and rolled toward the men at the bottom of the hole. With insufficient time to retrieve the armed weapon and throw it, Pfc. Anderson fearlessly chose to sacrifice himself and save his companions by hurling his body upon the grenade and taking the full impact of the explosion. His personal valor and exceptional spirit of loyalty in the face of almost certain death were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
KNAPPENBERGER, ALTON W.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, 1 February 1944. Entered service at: Spring Mount, Pa. Birth: Cooperstown, Pa. G.O. No.: 41, 26 May 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action involving actual conflict with the enemy, on 1 February 1944 near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy. When a heavy German counterattack was launched against his battalion, Pfc. Knappenberger crawled to an exposed knoll and went into position with his automatic rifle. An enemy machinegun 85 yards away opened fire, and bullets struck within 6 inches of him. Rising to a kneeling position, Pfc. Knappenberger opened fire on the hostile crew, knocked out the gun, killed 2 members of the crew, and wounded the third. While he fired at this hostile position, 2 Germans crawled to a point within 20 yards of the knoll and threw potato-masher grenades at him, but Pfc. Knappenberger killed them both with 1 burst from his automatic rifle. Later, a second machinegun opened fire upon his exposed position from a distance of 100 yards, and this weapon also was silenced by his well-aimed shots. Shortly thereafter, an enemy 20mm. antiaircraft gun directed fire at him, and again Pfc. Knappenberger returned fire to wound 1 member of the hostile crew. Under tank and artillery shellfire, with shells bursting within 15 yards of him, he held his precarious position and fired at all enemy infantrymen armed with machine pistols and machineguns which he could locate. When his ammunition supply became exhausted, he crawled 15 yards forward through steady machinegun fire, removed rifle clips from the belt of a casualty, returned to his position and resumed firing to repel an assaulting German platoon armed with automatic weapons. Finally, his ammunition supply being completely exhausted, he rejoined his company. Pfc. Knappenberger's intrepid action disrupted the enemy attack for over 2 hours.
*POWER, JOHN VINCENT
Rank and organization. First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 20 November 1918, Worcester, Mass. Appointed from: Massachusetts. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as platoon leader, attached to the 4th Marine Division, during the landing and battle of Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 February 1944. Severely wounded in the stomach while setting a demolition charge on a Japanese pillbox, 1st Lt. Power was steadfast in his determination to remain in action. Protecting his wound with his left hand and firing with his right, he courageously advanced as another hostile position was taken under attack, fiercely charging the opening made by the explosion and emptying his carbine into the pillbox. While attempting to reload and continue the attack, 1st Lt. Power was shot again in the stomach and head and collapsed in the doorway. His exceptional valor, fortitude and indomitable fighting spirit in the face of withering enemy fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
DIX, DREW DENNIS
Rank and Organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, U.S. Senior Advisor Group, IV Corps, Military Assistance Command. Place and date: Chau Doc Province, Republic of Vietnam, 31 January and 1 February 1968. Entered service at: Denver, Colo. Born: 14 December 1944, West Point, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Dix distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while serving as a unit adviser. Two heavily armed Viet Cong battalions attacked the Province capital city of Chau Phu resulting in the complete breakdown and fragmentation of the defenses of the city. S/Sgt. Dix, with a patrol of Vietnamese soldiers, was recalled to assist in the defense of Chau Phu. Learning that a nurse was trapped in a house near the center of the city, S/Sgt. Dix organized a relief force, successfully rescued the nurse, and returned her to the safety of the Tactical Operations Center. Being informed of other trapped civilians within the city, S/Sgt. Dix voluntarily led another force to rescue 8 civilian employees located in a building which was under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. S/Sgt. Dix then returned to the center of the city. Upon approaching a building, he was subjected to intense automatic rifle and machine gun fire from an unknown number of Viet Cong. He personally assaulted the building, killing 6 Viet Cong, and rescuing 2 Filipinos. The following day S/Sgt. Dix, still on his own volition, assembled a 20-man force and though under intense enemy fire cleared the Viet Cong out of the hotel, theater, and other adjacent buildings within the city. During this portion of the attack, Army Republic of Vietnam soldiers inspired by the heroism and success of S/Sgt. Dix, rallied and commenced firing upon the Viet Cong. S/Sgt. Dix captured 20 prisoners, including a high ranking Viet Cong official. He then attacked enemy troops who had entered the residence of the Deputy Province Chief and was successful in rescuing the official's wife and children. S/Sgt. Dix's personal heroic actions resulted in 14 confirmed Viet Cong killed in action and possibly 25 more, the capture of 20 prisoners, 15 weapons, and the rescue of the 14 United States and free world civilians. The heroism of S/Sgt. Dix was in the highest tradition and reflects great credit upon the U.S. Army.
*STEINDAM, RUSSELL A.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Troop B, 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry, Division. Place and date: Tay Ninh Province, Republic of Vietnam, 1 February 1970. Entered service at: Austin, Tex. Born: 27 August 1946, Austin, Tex. Citation: for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Steindam, Troop B, while serving as a platoon leader, led members of his platoon on a night ambush operation. On the way to the ambush site, suspected enemy movement was detected on 1 flank and the platoon's temporary position was subjected to intense small arms and automatic weapons fire as well as a fusillade of hand and rocket-propelled grenades. After the initial barrage, 1st Lt. Steindam ordered fire placed on the enemy position and the wounded men to be moved to a shallow bomb crater. As he directed the return fire against the enemy from his exposed position, a fragmentation grenade was thrown into the site occupied by his command group. Instantly realizing the extreme gravity of the situation, 1st Lt. Steindam shouted a warning to alert his fellow soldiers in the immediate vicinity. Then, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his safety, 1st Lt. Steindam deliberately threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the full and fatal force of the explosion as it detonated. By his gallant action and self-sacrifice, he was able to save the lives of the nearby members of his command group. The extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by 1st Lt. Steindam were an inspiration to his comrades and are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 1, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
1 February
1911: The Wright Company certified Burgess and Curtiss in Marblehead, Mass., as the first licensed aircraft manufacturers in the US. (12) (24)
1928: A joint Army-Navy nomenclature for aircraft engines became effective. In this system, engines received standard type names based on cubic inches of piston displacement. For example, a V-type Curtiss D-12 engine became the Curtiss V-1150 and the air-cooled radial J-5 Whirlwind became the Wright R-790. (5)
1942: Task Force 8 and 17 with the USS Enterprise and Yorktown began the first carrier offensive on enemy bases in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. (24)
1943: Navy PBY's rescued Brig Gen Nathan F. Twining, the Thirteenth Air Force Commander, and 14 others near New Hebrides Islands. They ditched their plane on the way from Guadalcanal to Espiritu Santo and spent six days in life rafts. (24)
1945: Boeing received a contract for a straight wing XB-47; it was changed later in September to a swept wing design. (12)
1950: Continental Air Command (CONAC) directed to set up a civil air raid warning system. (24)
1956: McDonnell Douglas selected as the prime contractor for the GAM-72A Quail missile. (6)
1957: The Boeing Airplane Company announced the delivery of the world's first jet tanker, the KC-135, to the USAF. (See 28 June 1957) (24)
1958: SAC activated the 4320 SMW (later the 706 SMW), its first Atlas wing, at Francis E. Warren AFB. (6) The US and UK agreed to deploy four squadrons of Thor missiles in Great Britain, with operational capability to be achieved by December 1958. (6)
1959: The USAF transferred the operational control of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line to the Royal Canadian Air Force. (16) (24)
1960: SAC activated its first Titan I squadron, the 848 SMS, at Lowry AFB, Colo. (6) (12)
1961: The Ballistic Missile Early Warning System site at Thule, Greenland, became operational. (1) From Cape Canaveral, the USAF's first launch of a solid-propellant Minuteman I was a success. The missile, under full guidance, flew 4,600 miles to the target area. (6) (12) A 4135 SW squadron at Eglin AFB became SAC's first B-52 unit to be declared operationally ready with GAM-72A Quail missiles. (6)
1964: The acquisition phase of the Atlas program ended. (5)
1965: The USAF assumed responsibility for ICBM and space vehicle support functions on the Pacific Missile Range Test from the USN. It assigned this responsibility to the Air Force Western Test Range, National Range Division, AFSC. (5) First Minuteman II squadron, the 447 SMS, activated at Grand Forks AFB. (6) (12) Travis AFB received the first C-141 modified for Minuteman missile airlift. These C–141s recycled missiles between SAC depots and missile bases. (18)
1966: The Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards AFB began training six USAF and two Navy pilots for the Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) program. (3)
1969: AFRES tactical airlift units paradropped a record of 6,182 troops during training operations at Fort Benning, Ga. (16)
1972: The Boeing Company facility in Renton rolled out the first avionics testbed aircraft for the Air Force AWACS. A 30-foot rotodome topped the modified Boeing 707-320. (5) At St. Paul, Minn., Matt A. Wiederkehr used a Raven S50A hot air balloon to set an 8-hour, 48- minute FAI record for duration in subclass AX-6 (1,200 to 1,600 cubic meters capacity) balloons. (9)
1983: The 868th Tactical Missile Training Squadron started training specialists at Davis-Monthan AFB to operate the Ground Launched Cruise Missiles (GLCM) to be deployed in Europe. (26)
1995: Operation SAFE PASSAGE. Through 20 February, after Cuban refugees rioted, C-5s, C-141s, and C-130s airlifted some 7,300 Cuban from their camps in Panama to Guantanamo Bay NAS, Cuba, in this operation. (16)
1997: Two 509 BW B-2 pilots emerged from perhaps the longest simulator flight in Air Force history at Whiteman AFB. The 44.4-hour simulator flight, called Vigilant Spirit II, ended on 1 February for Maj Steve Moulton and Capt Jeff Long. The test tried to determine how fatigue impacted pilot abilities to perform a long mission safely. It used sleep, dietary strategies and seat exercises to reduce fatigue. (AFNEWS Article 970175, 18 Feb 97) Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical's BQM-145A Peregrine, a composite Medium Range Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MR UAV), made its first flight from Mojave Airport, Calif., on a programmed flight path toward the Precision Impact Range Area at Edwards. An unplanned engine shutdown caused it to make an early soft landing via its parachute recovery system. (3)
2001: Operation JOINT FORGE. Lt Col Mark Stephens, the 179th Airlift Wing's Vice Commander (Ohio ANG), became the first Air Guardsmen to assume command of both active duty and ANG forces in this operation to resupply multinational peacekeepers in Bosnia. He was based at Ramstein AB, Germany. He served as the Director of Operations until 5 March 2001, when the 179th returned to Ohio.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
World News for 1 February thanks to Military Periscope
Hungary
Austria
Austrian, Hungarian Defense Ministers Reject Weapons For Ukraine
The Austrian and Hungarian defense ministers have announced that their countries will not send weapons aid to Ukraine, reports Euractiv. The ministers met in Budapest on Monday, saying the decision was intended to prevent further escalation nearly a year after Russia launched its unprovoked invasion. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner stressed that Austria was on the side of peace and that her greatest concern was that the war could spread to Europe, resulting in increased violence and ...
Euractiv
1 February 2023
New $2 Billion Ukraine Package In The Works
Source: Reuters
February 01 2023
Ukraine
USA
The U.S is currently preparing a new military aid package to Ukraine worth more than $2 billion, reports Reuters.
The new aid is believed to include longer-range rockets for the first time as well as support for Patriot air defense systems, guided munitions and Javelin anti-tank missiles.
New weapons such as the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) will also be included in the package, according to government sources.
Funding would also cover component purchases for HAWK air defense systems, Puma drones, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, air surveillance radars, counter-drone systems and communication systems.
Formal announcement of the package is anticipated later this week.
Rheinmetall, GM Team Up For Army Tactical Truck Program
Source: Rheinmetall
February 01 2023
USA
The U.S. Army has selected American Rheinmetall Vehicles, Sterling Heights, Mich., for the first phase of its Common Tactical Truck (CTT) program, reports the German defense firm.
The multi-phase CTT program seeks to replace the Army's family of heavy tactical trucks. The program could total $14 billion for up to 40,000 vehicles.
Rheinmetall teamed with GM Defense to offer the HX3 Common Tactical Truck (HX3-CTT) for the program. The HX3 is the latest version of Rheinmetall's HX family of trucks.
The HX3-CTT offers improved mobility, integrated survivability and an open digital architecture supporting advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and enabled for autonomous operation, the company said.
Strategic Technological Partnership Launched With India
Source: White House
February 01 2023
USA
India
The U.S. and India have launched a new strategic partnership on technology and defense, reports the White House.
On Tuesday, the two countries announced several bilateral initiatives to deepen cooperation between government and industry.
The agreement enhance defense cooperation including the joint production of General Electric jet engines in India, strengthened research cooperation on jet engines, munitions and other systems and an "Innovation Bridge" to connect defense startups in both countries.
The sides also signed agreements to cooperate on commercial and defense space projects and provide advanced training for an Indian Space Research Organization astronaut at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas.
The partnership will also focus on improving semiconductor production in India and the resilience of semiconductor supply chains between the countries.
Viper Shield EW System Passes Critical Design Review
Source: L3Harris Technologies
February 01 2023
USA
L3Harris Technologies has announced that its Viper Shield electronic warfare (EW) system completed a critical design review milestone.
The AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield is designed to provide offensive and defensive EW capabilities for F-16 Block 70/72 Foreign Military Sales aircraft through a multiple digital radio, memory-based jamming system.
Late last year, the Viper Shield demonstrated interoperability with the APG-83 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar during testing at the Lockheed Martin Systems Integration Lab, L3Harris said in a Monday release.
The system is internally mounted and fully integrated with an open systems architecture to simplify future upgrades and minimize lifecycle costs, said the company.
The Viper Shield is expected to meet its next program milestone in the second quarter of 2023 at the Lockheed Martin Systems Integration Lab, where it will demonstrate the integration of its newest hardware and software with the F-16 Block 70/72.
Airbus Launches R&D Projects Under European Defense Fund
Source: Airbus
February 01 2023
European Union
Airbus has announced two new defense research and development projects intended to strengthen the resiliency of military operations.
Airbus Defense and Space is coordinating the European Defense Operational Collaborative Cloud (EDOCC) project, while Airbus Helicopters is overseeing the E.U. Next-Generation Rotorcraft Technologies (ENGRT) program.
The projects are among 61 chosen to receive a portion of the 1.2 billion euros (US$1.3 billion) allocated to the 2021 European Defense Fund.
The EDOCC will develop an initial version of a services catalog, while ENGRT is focused on analyzing and understanding European rotorcraft requirements beyond 2030.
The contracts for both projects were signed in December.
Naval Strike Missile Upgrade For Navy Frigates Underway
Source: Naval News
February 01 2023
United Kingdom
The British Royal Navy has begun installing new cruise missiles on its Norfolk-class frigates, reports Naval News.
On Monday, the official Twitter account of HMS Somerset published images showing the removal of equipment for its aging Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The Harpoon is scheduled to be retired from British service this year.
The frigate will be the first in the class to receive the Naval Strike Missile (NSM).
In November, Kongsberg announced that it had signed a contract with the Royal Navy to upgrade its Norfolk-class frigates and Daring-class destroyers.
The NSM is scheduled to be operational on the Somerset in about a year.
New Sanctions Target Fuel For Burmese Air Force
Source: British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
February 01 2023
United Kingdom
Burma
The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has announced new sanctions on companies supplying aviation fuel to the Burmese air force.
Two companies and two individuals associated with the Asia Sun group have been sanctioned for delivering fuel to the Burmese air force "enabling its barbaric air raiding campaign" that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands, the office said.
Zaw Min Tun, director and sole shareholder of Asia Sun Trading, and Win Kyaw Kyaw Aung, former director and shareholder of Asia Sun Trading were sanctioned along with Asia Sun Trading Co. and Cargo Link Co.
The sanctions coincide with the second anniversary of the military coup that overthrew Burma's democratically elected government.
To date, 18 individuals and 30 entities have been subjected to British sanctions for their involvement in propagating the military regime in Burmese.
15 Soldiers Injured In Daraa Blast
Source: Tasnim News Agency
February 01 2023
Syria
At least 15 Syrian soldiers have been injured in a roadside bombing in the Daraa governorate in southwestern Syria, reports Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The soldiers were returning from a mission along the Daraa-Damascus when their bus hit an improvised explosive device (IED), the news agency said on Tuesday.
Seven of the injured were reported to be severely injured.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Such bombings are on the rise, officials said, particularly in the Damascus countryside.
Rockets Hit Turkish Base In North
Source: Al Jazeera
February 01 2023
Iraq
A series of rockets targeted a Turkish military base in northern Iraq, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar).
The Kurdistan Regional Government reported that at least eight rockets were fired at the Turkish base in Nineveh province, with two striking the base.
An Iranian-backed militia, the Islamic Resistance Ahrar al-Iraq Brigade took responsibility for the attack on Wednesday.
Turkish officials say the attack caused no damage or injuries at the base.
Turkish forces have had a permanent present in Iraq fighting Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants since 2018.
Austrian, Hungarian Defense Ministers Reject Weapons For Ukraine
Source: Euractiv
February 01 2023
Hungary
Austria
The Austrian and Hungarian defense ministers have announced that their countries will not send weapons aid to Ukraine, reports Euractiv.
The ministers met in Budapest on Monday, saying the decision was intended to prevent further escalation nearly a year after Russia launched its unprovoked invasion.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner stressed that Austria was on the side of peace and that her greatest concern was that the war could spread to Europe, resulting in increased violence and migration.
Commission Announces New Date To Commemorate Peace In Africa
Source: African Union Commission
February 01 2023
African Union
The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union have designated a new day to commemorate the African Day of Peace and Reconciliation, reports the African Union Commission.
The Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chair of the commission, announced that Jan. 31 would be the date to celebrate African peace.
The decision was made by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union at the 16th Extraordinary A.U. Summit of May 2022.
The decision was inspired partially by the "successful conclusion" of the A.U.-facilitated Peace Agreement for Northern Ethiopia in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022.
F-35s Arrive For NATO Air-Policing Mission
Source: NATO Allied Air Command
February 01 2023
Netherlands
Poland
Dutch F-35 fighter jets have landed in Poland to join the NATO air-policing mission, reports NATO Allied Air Command.
Eight F-35s and 150 personnel have deployed to the Polish 22nd Tactical Air Base at Malbork, southeast of Gdansk, in preparation to take command of the air-policing mission.
Six F-35s took off from Malbork for their first training mission on Monday.
The fighters will conduct air-policing operations in the Baltic Sea region and take part in allied training during the deployment.
The aircraft will be performing Air Policing missions in the Baltic Sea region and be used for training with allies.
Junta Extends State Of Emergency
Source: Nikkei Asia
February 01 2023
Burma
The military junta in Burma has announced that it will extend the state of emergency for another six months, reports the Nikkei Asia (Tokyo).
This decision will likely delay elections that had been scheduled for August.
Government media blamed pro-democracy and anti-military groups fighting the junta for the move.
The state of emergency has existed since the junta ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.
Military Cooperation With Benin To Be Expanded
Source: Morocco World News
February 01 2023
Benin
Morocco
Morocco and Benin have announced plans to expand military cooperation, reports Morocco World News.
At a meeting in Rabat, Inspector General of the Moroccan military Belkhir el Farouk and Beninese Chief of the General Staff Fructueux Gbaguidi expressed their satisfaction with the good relations between the two armed forces and their desire for deeper ties.
The officials resolved to improve cooperation on educating Beninese military personnel in Moroccan schools and facilities. This would include initial training for new soldiers and higher military education.
Benin supported Morocco during its operation against Polisario Front militants in Guerguerat in 2020.
U.N.-Appointed Experts Call For Investigation Into Wagner Atrocities
Source: UN News
February 01 2023
United Nations
Mali
A U.N.-appointed panel of experts has called for an investigation into crimes committed in Mali by the Russian-backed Wagner Group mercenary outfit, reports the UN News.
Wagner Group operators have been accused of torture, pillaging, arbitrary detentions and executions and sexual violence in the West African country.
The panel highlighted a several-day incident in March 2022 where the group, accompanied by members of the Malian military, executed several hundred captive locals in the town of Moura.
The Malian military junta has allowed the mercenary group "complete impunity" and enabled them to cultivate a "climate of fear," according to the experts.
The junta has increasingly relied on Wagner Group fighters to combat insurgents in northern Mali with little regard for civilians.
U.S. Seeks Expanded Access To Philippine Bases
Source: CNN
February 01 2023
Philippines
USA
The U.S. is looking to expand access to bases in the Philippines, reports CNN, citing U.S. defense officials.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to make an announcement on the changes in the next week.
Vice President Kamala Harris apparently discussed the issue during a visit to Manila in November.
The move comes amid increased aggressive activity by China in the region.
Under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the U.S operates one army and four air bases in the Philippines.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SkipsList" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to skipslist+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skipslist/CACTjsm3q3jWpo%3Dw%3DVpTbTHB0xLf%3DE8Yo_UhDJDgCazfo3aXOew%40mail.gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.