To All,
Good Thursday morning February 16, 2023.
Some bits about two famous folks today that have one thing in common. They both were Marine fighter pilots in WWII and Korea and both were buried as Marines. Ted Williams and Ed McMahon.
.Regards,
Skip
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
February 16
Some bits about two famous folks today that have one thing in common. They both were Marine fighter pilots in WWII and Korea and both were buried as Marines. Ted Williams and Ed McMahon.
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Skip
February. 16
1804—Lt. Stephen Decatur, with volunteers from frigate Constitution and schooner Enterprise, enters Tripoli harbor by night in the ketch Intrepid to burn the captured frigate Philadelphia.
1815—The frigate Constitution captures British ship Susannah, despite the War of 1812 being over six weeks earlier.
1944—USS Skate (SS 305) sinks the Japanese light cruiser Agano as she deploys from Truk, Caroline Islands.
1945—PB4Y-1 Liberators from (VPB 117) sink Japanese army cargo ship Ida Maru at Cape St. Jacques, French Indochina.
1952—USS Gregory (DD 802), USS Twining (DD 540), and USS Rowan (DD 782) greet the first anniversary of the siege of Wonsan, Korea, with destructive interdiction fire.
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This Day in World History
1760 Cherokee Indians held hostage at Fort St. George are killed in revenge for Indian attacks on frontier settlements.
1804 US Navy lieutenant Steven Decatur leads a small group of sailors into Tripoli harbor and burns the USS Philadelphia, captured earlier by Barbary pirates.
1862 Fort Donelson, Tennessee, falls to Grant's Federal forces, but not before Nathan Bedford Forrest escapes.
1865 Columbia, South Carolina, surrenders to Federal troops.
1923 Bessie Smith makes her first recording "Down Hearted Blues."
1934 Thousands of Socialists battle Communists at a rally in New York's Madison Square Garden.
1937 Dupont patents a new thread, nylon, which will replace silk in a number of products and reduce costs.
1940 The British destroyer HMS Cossack rescues British seamen from a German prison ship, the Altmark, in a Norwegian fjord.
1942 Tojo outlines Japan's war aims to the Diet, referring to "new order of coexistence" in East Asia.
1945 American paratroopers land on Corregidor, in a campaign to liberate the Philippines.
1951 Stalin contends the U.N. is becoming the weapon of aggressive war.
1952 The FBI arrests 10 members of the Ku Klux Klan in North Carolina.
1957 A U.S. flag flies over an outpost in Wilkes Land, Antarctica.
1959 Fidel Castro takes the oath as Cuban premier in Havana.
1965 Four persons are held in a plot to blow up the Statue of Liberty, Liberty Bell and the Washington Monument.
1966 The World Council of Churches being held in Geneva, urges immediate peace in Vietnam.
1978 China and Japan sign a $20 billion trade pact, which is the most important move since the 1972 resumption of diplomatic ties.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
… For The List for Thursday, 16 February 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 16 February 1968… About as bad a day as LBJ ever had…
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 Carl
Commander Frank Weisser, the real Top Gun Maverick, to be honored guest at Touchdown Club banquet
By Bill Wagner
Capital Gazette
•Feb 16, 2023
Frank Weisser in the cockpit of F-18 fighter jet that bears the name of Pete Mitchell "Maverick, the Tom Cruise character. (Frank Weisser)
Actor Tom Cruise is famous for insisting on performing all of his action scenes. There is no stunt double when Cruise jumps out of an airplane during the Mission Impossible franchise or runs away from a fiery explosion in the movie "Edge of Tomorrow."
However, not even Cruise is allowed to pilot a $70 million fighter jet owned by the U.S. government.
In "Top Gun: Maverick," the sequel to the 1986 classic "Top Gun," Cruise reprises his starring role as Naval aviator Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. For the movie, the highest-grossing domestic release of 2022, Cruise was forced to enlist the expertise of U.S. military professionals to film the flight scenes. The results were spectacular with some of the most realistic aerial acrobatics ever recorded on film.
In all of the F/A-18 Super Hornet scenes, the pilot of the plane bearing Maverick's name is actually a highly decorated pilot named Frank Weisser, a 2000 graduate of the Naval Academy.
Weisser, 44, who served two separate stints as a pilot with the Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron, will be in Annapolis Thursday night as the honored guest for the Touchdown Club of Annapolis' 68th annual football awards banquet.
Weisser, who retired from the Navy in September 2021, will discuss the filming of "Top Gun: Maverick" and his role as a stand-in pilot. He will have an audio-visual presentation showing some of the hair-raising scenes in which he is flying the fighter jet with Cruise as his wingman.
The movie centers on a dangerous mission in which a strike force of fighter jets must destroy an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant located in an underground bunker before it becomes operational.
Maverick is tasked with training an elite group of Top Gun graduates to destroy the plant.
It is a harrowing run through a twisting canyon with the jets flying uncomfortably close to rocky cliffs and the ground at lightning speeds. To execute the mission, the strike force had to fly extremely low to avoid detection by enemy radar.
In reality, Weisser was at the helm of the Super Hornet during one of the most memorable scenes in the movie, filmed in a canyon that is part of the Toiyabe Mountain Range in Nevada with the jets taking off from Fallon Navy Base.
"I would say that a portion of that flight had a very small margin of error," Weisser told The Capital this week. "What was most challenging was that we had to do it multiple times until the director was happy with the final footage."
Weisser was impressed with Cruise's ability to withstand significant gravitational force equivalent, commonly known as g-force, and avoid suffering motion sickness. It helps that Cruise has been a licensed pilot since 1994 and was allowed by the Navy to fly a P-51 propeller-driven fighter plane in the movie.
"Many of those scenes were very, very challenging for an actor," he said. "Tom has solid skills as a pilot and took a very professional approach every time we were in the jet."
Naturally, Weisser spent considerable downtime with Cruise on the various sets and described him as down-to-earth.
Weisser, who grew up in Atlanta, initially attended the Naval Academy with the hope of becoming a special warfare officer. He wound up getting Navy pilot as a service assignment and was sent to Naval Air Station Pensacola for training.
"I loved flying right away. From the very first flight, I could not believe what I was doing," he said. "I was not a naturally gifted pilot, but I really enjoyed it and worked harder than anyone to develop."
After earning his wings, Weisser flew the single-seat F-18 out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach for three years. He was then sent to Pensacola for his initial stint with the Blue Angels from 2007 to 2011.
Weisser rejoined the Blue Angels for a second time in 2018, replacing a pilot who was killed in an accident during an air show. On the verge of retirement, Weisser's final assignment was as test pilot for the newly commissioned Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. He handled testing in the flight simulator and the actual aircraft.
When "Top Gun: Maverick" began filming in the fall of 2018, none of the other Blue Angels pilots had been certified to fly the cutting-edge Super Hornet. Weisser was and that made him the obvious candidate to fly the fighter jet for filming of the movie scenes.
"I had a lot of experience with how this new airplane flew," he said.
Top Gun instructors did a lot of flying in other fighter jets, such as the legacy aircraft the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. Most of the dogfighting scenes featured Top Gun instructors.
Frank Weisser is the pilot of this F-18 Super Hornet that was made to look like an aircraft called Darkstar in the movie. (Frank Weisser)
The movie begins with Maverick taking off in the so-called "Darkstar" hypersonic scramjet. That is Weisser performing the unusually low takeoff that causes a guard shack to disintegrate.
In another scene in which there is a Blue Angels flyover for the funeral of Maverick's former nemesis — Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, Weisser flew an older version F-18 for that taping.
One of Weisser's favorite scenes is when Maverick is flying his fighter jet inverted over another. Weisser is flying the inverted jet, while former Top Gun commanding officer Chris "Pops" Papaioanu is below him.
"Without a doubt, the footage is remarkable. It's very rare to film a movie of that nature without using any computer graphics," Weisser said. "It was a great experience getting to see behind the curtains of the making of the movie."
Weisser, who has amassed more than 5,000 flight hours and more than 500 carrier-arrested landings, said he was "privileged to be part of a platform that promotes Naval aviation."
"The original Top Gun was a boon for the Navy and Air Force as it motivated a generation of young people to want to become military pilots," said Weisser, who has received multiple Meritorious Service medals and Strike Flight Air medals. "I think the Top Gun sequel will wind up being just as valuable of a recruiting tool."
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This one always brings back great memories…skip
Thanks to Newell and Cowboy for finding the URL
Once Upon a Long Time Ago
Tom Bushar, a long time ago friend from my youth when growing up in Erie, PA, sent me the attached video this morning. It's a light hearted glimpse into the rear view mirror of an earlier, more innocent, gentler and kinder America. So, I'm sharing it with my entire mailing list, because it is a happy glance into our heritage. And I'm a sucker for rosy-hued memories of what once was....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSC7SXQpInM
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Thanks to Buzz ... and Dr. Rich
The Intersection between truth and humor …
Don't be worried about your smartphone or TV spying on you. Your vacuum cleaner has been collecting dirt on you for years.
If you can't think of a word, say, I forgot the English word for it. That way people will think you're bilingual instead of an idiot
I'm at a place in my life where errands are starting to count as going out.
I'm getting tired of being part of a major historical event.
I don't always go the extra mile, but when I do, it's because I missed my exit.
My goal for 2021 was to lose 10 pounds. When the year ended, I only had 14 to go.
Ate salad for dinner. Mostly croutons and tomatoes. Really just one big round crouton covered with tomato sauce and cheese FINE, it was a pizza.... OK, I ate a pizza! Are you happy now?
I just did a week's worth of cardio after walking into a spider web.
I don't mean to brag, but I finished my 14-day diet food supply in 3 hours and 20 minutes.
A recent study has found women who carry a little extra weight live longer than men who mention it.
Kids today don't know how easy they have it. When I was young, I had to walk 9 feet through shag carpet to change the TV channel.
Senility has been a smooth transition for me.
Remember back when we were kids and every time it was below freezing outside they closed school? Yeah, me neither.
I may not be that funny or athletic or good looking or smart or talented. I forgot where I was going with this.
I love being 80, I learn something new every day and forget 5 other things.
A thief broke into my house last night. He started searching for money so I got up and searched with him.
I think I'll just put an "Out of Order" sticker on my forehead and call it a day.
Just remember, once you're over the hill, you begin to pick up speed.
Having plans sounds like a good idea until you have to put on clothes and leave the house.
It's weird being the same age as old people.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older . . this is not what I expected.
Life is like a helicopter. I don't know how to operate a helicopter.
It's probably my age that tricks people into thinking I'm an adult.
Marriage Counselor: Your wife says you never buy her flowers. Is that true? Me: To be honest, I never knew she sold flowers.
Never sing in the shower! Singing leads to dancing, dancing leads to slipping, and slipping leads to paramedics seeing you naked. So remember. . . . Don't sing!
If 2021 was a math word-problem: If you're going down a river at 2 MPH and your canoe loses a wheel, how much pancake mix would you need to re-shingle your roof?
I see people about my age mountain climbing; I feel good getting my leg through my underwear without losing my balance.
So if a cow doesn't produce milk, is it a milk dud or an udder failure?
Corona-coaster: noun; the ups and downs of a pandemic. One day you're loving your bubble, doing workouts, baking banana bread and going for long walks and the next you're crying, drinking gin for breakfast and missing people you don't even like.
I'm at that age where my mind still thinks I'm 29, my humor suggests I'm 12, while my body mostly keeps asking if I'm sure I'm not dead yet.
You don't realize how old you are until you sit on the floor and then try to get back up.
We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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Thanks to Dr. Rich. Ed was truly one of the good guys and always a gentleman and of course always a Marine..skip
Ed McMahon
Thanks to Drano … who took Ed on his Harrier ride ...
Doc....
Just a short follow up on your note to me......
I had the privilege of taking Ed McMahon for a Harrier ride when I commanded VMAT-203 in Cherry Point NC. Doubt the offer still exists but at the time, there was a way for politicians, senior civilian DoD, and various VIPs to get a ride as a "Commandant's Guest." In similar fashion, I flew various Service Secretaries, senior congressional staffers, Neal Armstrong, F. Lee Bailey, Bob Lutz, couple movie stars, and etc. Since VMAT 203 had the only two seat Harriers, we got them all.
Ed McMahon was one of the most memorable and most gracious guests we had. He showed up dressed like he was going to some promotional golf benefit with a very attractive lady on his arm. The guy was bigger than life with his booming voice, his banter and his laughter. All he wanted to do was talk to the troops (which was VERY much UNLIKE all the other guests) and tell stories of his time in the Corps. We actually had to talk him into taking a flight. He told me confidentially that he wanted to go fly but was scared he would get sick and did not want some young Marine to have to clean up after him.
I promised him that if he felt OK before the flight, he would not get sick during the flight. We would do no "yanking and banking" and that if it took all of Carteret and Craven County NC to turn around, that is what we would do to keep him comfortable. He could tell the story of his flight anyway he wanted to but I would keep it short and assemble the troops for him to talk to when we returned. He would love it, the troops would love it, and he would be doing us all a great honor. It all worked out very well.
His flight with us did not make the top 20 events in his list but it sure did for us while I was commander of that squadron. He was a natural showman and we all loved having him with us.
Thx
Drano
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This Day in U S Military History
16 February
1852 – Henry and Clement Studebaker founded H & C Studebaker, a blacksmith and wagon building business, in South Bend, Indiana. The brothers made their fortune manufacturing during the Civil War, as The Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company became the world's largest manufacturer of horse-drawn carriages. With the advent of the automobile, Studebaker converted its business to car manufacturing, becoming one of the larger independent automobile manufacturers. During World War II, Studebaker manufactured airplanes for the war effort and emphasized its patriotic role by releasing cars called "The President," "The Champion," and "The Commander." Like many of the independents, Studebaker fared well during the war by producing affordable family cars. After the war, the Big Three, bolstered by their new government-subsidized production facilities, were too much for many of the independents. Studebaker was no exception. Post World War II competition drove Studebaker to its limits, and the company merged with the Packard Corporation in 1954. Financial hardship continued however as they continued to lose money over the next several years. Studebaker rebounded in 1959 with the introduction of the compact Lark but it was shortlived. The 1956 Cruiser marked the end of the Studebaker after 114 years.
1945 – Two American battalions, one sea borne and one dropped by parachute, land on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay. The attacking troops land successfully but encounter heavy Japanese resistance among the tunnels and gun emplacements of the island. The US troops are quickly reinforced. Since the battle for Luzon began, about 3200 tons of bombs have been dropped on Corregidor.
1945 – US Task Force 58, part of US 5th Fleet (Spruance), with 12 fleet carriers and 4 light carriers, conducts air raids on Tokyo. The aircraft carriers are escorted by 8 battleships, 15 cruisers and 83 destroyers as well as numerous support ships.
1945 – US Task Force 54 (Admiral Rodgers), with 5 cruisers and 16 destroyers, as well as the 10 escort carriers of TF52 begin the preliminary bombardment of Iwo Jima. Poor weather limits the effectiveness of the activity.
1953 – Air Force Captain Joseph C. McConnell, Jr., 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, flying his F-86 "Beauteous Butch" shot down his fifth MiG. The delayed confirmation of the kill resulted in him being recognized as the 27th ace of the war rather than the 26th.
1953 – Marine Corps Captain Ted Williams, future baseball hall of famer, had his F9F Panther jet fighter badly crippled by anti-aircraft fire. Rather than ditch the aircraft, Captain Williams opted to return to base, an action that required exceptional skill and daring. He received the Air Medal for his actions. Williams walked away from the wheels-up landing.
1968 – U.S. officials report that, in addition to the 800,000 people listed as refugees prior to January 30, the fighting during the Tet Offensive has created 350,000 new refugees. The communist attack known as the Tet Offensive had begun at dawn on January 31, the first day of the Tet holiday truce. Viet Cong forces, supported by large numbers of North Vietnamese troops, launched the largest and best-coordinated offensive of the war, driving into the centers of South Vietnam's seven largest cities and attacking 30 provincial capitals ranging from the Delta to the DMZ. Among the cities taken during the first four days of the offensive were Hue, Dalat, Kontum, and Quang Tri; in the north, all five provincial capitals were overrun. At the same time, enemy forces shelled numerous Allied airfields and bases. In Saigon, a 19-man Viet Cong suicide squad seized the U.S. Embassy and held it for six hours until an assault force of U.S. paratroopers landed by helicopter on the building's roof and routed them. Nearly 1,000 Viet Cong were believed to have infiltrated Saigon and it required a week of intense fighting by an estimated 11,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops to dislodge them. By February 10, the offensive was largely crushed, but with a cost of heavy casualties on both sides. Militarily, Tet was decidedly an Allied victory, but psychologically and politically, it was a disaster. The offensive was a crushing military defeat for the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese, but the size and scope of the communist attacks had caught the American and South Vietnamese allies completely by surprise. The early reporting of a smashing communist victory went largely uncorrected in the media and led to a psychological victory for the communists. The heavy U.S. and South Vietnamese casualties incurred during the offensive–and the disillusionment over the early, overly optimistic reports of progress in the war–accelerated the growing disenchantment with President Lyndon B. Johnson's conduct of the war.
2006 – The last Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) is decommissioned by the United States Army. The Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) refers to a United States Army medical unit serving as a fully functional hospital in a combat area of operations. The units were first established in August 1945, and were deployed during the Korean War and later conflicts. The successor to the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital is the Combat Support Hospital.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
HARVEY, HARRY
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 4 June 1873, New York, N.Y. Accredited to: New Jersey. G.O. No.: 55, 19 July 1901. Citation: Served in battle against the enemy at Benictican, 16 February 1900. Throughout this action and in the presence of the enemy, Harvey distinguished himself by meritorious conduct.
McCARTER, LLOYD G.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment. Place and date: Corregidor, Philippine Islands, 16 19 February 1945. Entered service at: Tacoma, Wash. Born: 11 May 1917, St. Maries, Idaho. G.O. No.: 77, 10 September 1945. Citation: He was a scout with the regiment which seized the fortress of Corregidor, Philippine Islands. Shortly after the initial parachute assault on 16 February 1945, he crossed 30 yards of open ground under intense enemy fire, and at pointblank range silenced a machinegun with hand grenades. On the afternoon of 18 February he killed 6 snipers. That evening, when a large force attempted to bypass his company, he voluntarily moved to an exposed area and opened fire. The enemy attacked his position repeatedly throughout the night and was each time repulsed. By 2 o'clock in the morning, all the men about him had been wounded; but shouting encouragement to his comrades and defiance at the enemy, he continued to bear the brunt of the attack, fearlessly exposing himself to locate enemy soldiers and then pouring heavy fire on them. He repeatedly crawled back to the American line to secure more ammunition. When his submachine gun would no longer operate, he seized an automatic rifle and continued to inflict heavy casualties. This weapon, in turn, became too hot to use and, discarding it, he continued with an M-l rifle. At dawn the enemy attacked with renewed intensity. Completely exposing himself to hostile fire, he stood erect to locate the most dangerous enemy positions. He was seriously wounded; but, though he had already killed more than 30 of the enemy, he refused to evacuate until he had pointed out immediate objectives for attack. Through his sustained and outstanding heroism in the face of grave and obvious danger, Pvt. McCarter made outstanding contributions to the success of his company and to the recapture of Corregidor.
*KYLE, DARWIN K.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company K, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Kamil-ni, Korea, 16 February 1951. Entered service at: Racine, W. Va. Born: 1 June 1918, Jenkins, Ky. G.O. No.: 17, 1 February 1952. Citation: 2d Lt. Kyle, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. When his platoon had been pinned down by intense fire, he completely exposed himself to move among and encourage his men to continue the advance against enemy forces strongly entrenched on Hill 185. Inspired by his courageous leadership, the platoon resumed the advance but was again pinned down when an enemy machine gun opened fire, wounding 6 of the men. 2d Lt. Kyle immediately charged the hostile emplacement alone, engaged the crew in hand-to-hand combat, killing all 3. Continuing on toward the objective, his platoon suddenly received an intense automatic-weapons fire from a well-concealed hostile position on its right flank. Again leading his men in a daring bayonet charge against this position, firing his carbine and throwing grenades, 2d Lt. Kyle personally destroyed 4 of the enemy before he was killed by a burst from an enemy submachinegun. The extraordinary heroism and outstanding leadership of 2d Lt. Kyle, and his gallant self-sacrifice, reflect the highest credit upon himself and are in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the military service.
*GRAVES, TERRENCE COLLINSON
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, 3d Force Reconnaissance Company, 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, 3d Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 16 February 1968. Entered service at: New York Born: 6 July 1945, Corpus Christi, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a platoon commander with the 3d Force Reconnaissance Company. While on a long-range reconnaissance mission, 2d Lt. Graves' 8-man patrol observed 7 enemy soldiers approaching their position. Reacting instantly, he deployed his men and directed their fire on the approaching enemy. After the fire had ceased, he and 2 patrol members commenced a search of the area, and suddenly came under a heavy volume of hostile small arms and automatic weapons fire from a numerically superior enemy force. When 1 of his men was hit by the enemy fire, 2d Lt. Graves moved through the fire-swept area to his radio and, while directing suppressive fire from his men, requested air support and adjusted a heavy volume of artillery and helicopter gunship fire upon the enemy. After attending the wounded, 2d Lt. Graves, accompanied by another marine, moved from his relatively safe position to confirm the results of the earlier engagement. Observing that several of the enemy were still alive, he launched a determined assault, eliminating the remaining enemy troops. He then began moving the patrol to a landing zone for extraction, when the unit again came under intense fire which wounded 2 more marines and 2d Lt. Graves. Refusing medical attention, he once more adjusted air strikes and artillery fire upon the enemy while directing the fire of his men. He led his men to a new landing site into which he skillfully guided the incoming aircraft and boarded his men while remaining exposed to the hostile fire. Realizing that 1 of the wounded had not em barked, he directed the aircraft to depart and, along with another marine, moved to the side of the casualty. Confronted with a shortage of ammunition, 2d Lt. Graves utilized supporting arms and directed fire until a second helicopter arrived. At this point, the volume of enemy fire intensified, hitting the helicopter and causing it to crash shortly after liftoff. All aboard were killed. 2d Lt. Graves' outstanding courage, superb leadership and indomitable fighting spirit throughout the day were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country .
*MILLER, GARY L.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. place and date: Binh Duong province, Republic of Vietnam, 16 February 1969. Entered service at: Roanoke, Va. Born: 19 March 1947, Covington, Va. Citation: For conspicuous intrepidity and gallantry in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. First Lt. Miller, Infantry, Company A, was serving as a platoon leader at night when his company ambushed a hostile force infiltrating from Cambodian sanctuaries. After contact with the enemy was broken, 1st Lt. Miller led a reconnaissance patrol from their prepared positions through the early evening darkness and dense tropical growth to search the area for enemy casualties. As the group advanced they were suddenly attacked. First Lt. Miller was seriously wounded. However, the group fought back with telling effect on the hostile force. An enemy grenade was thrown into the midst of the friendly patrol group and all took cover except 1st Lt. Miller. who in the dim light located the grenade and threw himself on it, absorbing the force of the explosion with his body. His action saved nearby members of his patrol from almost certain serious injury. The extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by this officer were an inspiration to his comrades and are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
*MONROE, JAMES H.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Place and date: Bong Son, Hoai Nhon Province, Republic of Vietnam, 16 February 1967. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 17 October 1944, Aurora, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. His platoon was deployed in a night ambush when the position was suddenly subjected to an intense and accurate grenade attack, and 1 foxhole was hit immediately. Responding without hesitation to the calls for help from the wounded men Pfc. Monroe moved forward through heavy small-arms fire to the foxhole but found that all of the men had expired. He turned immediately and crawled back through the deadly hail of fire toward other calls for aid. He moved to the platoon sergeant's position where he found the radio operator bleeding profusely from fragmentation and bullet wounds. Ignoring the continuing enemy attack, Pfc. Monroe began treating the wounded man when he saw a live grenade fall directly in front of the position. He shouted a warning to all those nearby, pushed the wounded radio operator and the platoon sergeant to one side, and lunged forward to smother the grenade's blast with his body. Through his valorous actions, performed in a flash of inspired selflessness, Pfc. Monroe saved the lives of 2 of his comrades and prevented the probable injury of several others. His gallantry and intrepidity were in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army, and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
*SMITH, ELMELINDO R.
Rank and organization: Platoon Sergeant (then S/Sgt.), U.S. Army, 1st Platoon, Company C, 2d Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 16 February 1967. Entered service at: Honolulu, Hawaii. Born: 27 July 1935, Honolulu, Hawaii. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. During a reconnaissance patrol. his platoon was suddenly engaged by intense machinegun fire hemming in the platoon on 3 sides. A defensive perimeter was hastily established, but the enemy added mortar and rocket fire to the deadly fusillade and assaulted the position from several directions. With complete disregard for his safety, P/Sgt. Smith moved through the deadly fire along the defensive line, positioning soldiers, distributing ammunition and encouraging his men to repeal the enemy attack. Struck to the ground by enemy fire which caused a severe shoulder wound, he regained his feet, killed the enemy soldier and continued to move about the perimeter. He was again wounded in the shoulder and stomach but continued moving on his knees to assist in the defense. Noting the enemy massing at a weakened point on the perimeter, he crawled into the open and poured deadly fire into the enemy ranks. As he crawled on, he was struck by a rocket. Moments later, he regained consciousness, and drawing on his fast dwindling strength, continued to crawl from man to man. When he could move no farther, he chose to remain in the open where he could alert the perimeter to the approaching enemy. P/Sgt. Smith perished, never relenting in his determined effort against the enemy. The valorous acts and heroic leadership of this outstanding soldier inspired those remaining members of his platoon to beat back the enemy assaults. P/Sgt. Smith's gallant actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and they reflect great credit upon him and the Armed Forces of his country
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Thanks to Brett
A couple of the urls did not work
On This Day in Air Force History, February 16th
"Know the Past…Shape the Future"
The U.S. Army Medal of Honor vs. The U.S. Air Force Medal of Honor
On 12 July 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating the Army's Medal of Honor. On 25 March 1863, Sec. of War Edwin Stanton presents the first ever Medal of Honor to Private Jacob Parrott. In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an Executive Order that required the Medal of Honor be presented in a formal ceremony. Prior to that, Medals were delivered informally—even through the U.S. Mail. It was not until 10 August 1956 that the U.S. Air Force obtained Congressional approval to design its own Medal of Honor, nearly ten years after becoming an independent military service. The Air Force Medal of Honor was created on April 14, 1965. This medal was first presented by President Lyndon Johnson on 19 January 1967, to Maj. Bernard F. Fisher for action in South Vietnam in March 1966.
To view the evolution of the Medal, click below.
https://www.cmohs.org/medal/design#
The following airmen have received the Medal of Honor:
1st Lt Edward V. Rickenbacker
2nd Lt Frank Luke Jr.
1st Lt. Harold E. Goettler
2nd Lt. Erwin R. Bleckley
BG James H. Doolittle
Capt. Harl Pease Jr.
Lt. Col. Pierpont M. Hamilton
Col. Demas T. Craw
BG Kenneth N. Walker
1st Lt. Jack W. Mathis
Sgt. Maynard H. Smith
2nd Lt. Joseph R. Sarnoski
Maj. Jay Zeamer Jr.
2nd Lt. John C. Morgan
2nd Lt. Lloyd H. Hughes
Lt. Col. Addison E. Baker
Maj. John L. Jerstad
Col. Leon W. Johnson
Col. John R. Kane
Maj. Ralph Cheli
Col. Neel E. Kearby
Maj. Raymond H. Wilkins
Tech. Sgt. Forrest L. Vosler
Lt. Col. James H. Howard
Sgt. Archibald Mathies
2nd Lt. Walter E. Truemper
1st Lt. William R. Lawley Jr.
1st Lt. Edward S. Michael
Lt. Col. Leon R. Vance Jr.
2nd Lt. David R. Kingsley
1st Lt. Donald D. Pucket
Capt. Darrell R. Lindsey
Maj. Richard I. Bong
Maj. Horace S. Carswell Jr.
2nd Lt. Robert E. Femoyer
1st Lt. Donald J. Gott
2nd Lt. William E. Metzger Jr.
BG Frederick W. Castle
Maj. Thomas B. McGuire
Maj. William A. Shomo
Staff Sgt. Henry E. Erwin
1st Lt. Raymond L. Knight
Maj. Louis J. Sebille
Capt. John S. Walmsley Jr.
Maj. George A. Davis Jr.
Maj. Charles J. Loring Jr.
**Maj. Bernard F. Fisher
Capt. Hilliard A. Wilbanks
Maj. Merlyn H. Dethlefsen
Lt. Col. Leo K. Thorsness
Capt. Gerald O. Young
Lt. Col. Joe M. Jackson
Lt. Col. William A. Jones III
Capt. James P. Fleming
Sgt. John L. Levitow
Capt. Steven L. Bennett
Col. George E. Day
Capt. Lance P. Sijan
Airman 1st Class William H. Pitsenbarger
Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etcherger
Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman
In addition to those Air Force service members who have received the Medal of Honor for exceptional bravery in aerial combat, four others have received similar noncombatant recognition.
Capt. Charles A. Lindbergh
Brig. Gen. William Mitchell
Brig. Gen. Charles E. Yeager
Lt. Gen. Ira C. Eaker
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 16, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
16 February
1914: Lt (Junior Grade) J. McC. Murray, Naval Aviator No. 10, flying a Burgess D-1 flying boat, crashed in the water and drowned. (24) Lts Joseph E. Carberry and Walter R. Taliaferro set an Army altitude record of 8,700 feet for two people in a Curtiss plane (Signal Corps No. 23) at San Diego. (24) The Department of Commerce classified seaplanes and flying boats as vessels. (24)
1918: Plant A-1 began operations to assemble American-made planes at Romorantin, France. (24)
1943: B-17s and B-24s attacked St. Nazaire France. Eight aircraft were lost and 30 damaged. (4)
1945: Through mid-March, the Navy destroyed 648 aircraft in raids on the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, and Tokyo. (24) On the Japanese-held island of Corregidor in Manila Bay, C-47s dropped 2,065 paratroopers to support an American amphibious landing trying to capture the harbor of Manila. (21)
1951: KOREAN WAR. The Army started using L-19 Bird Dogs for the Forward Airborne Control mission and artillery spotting along the frontlines. (21)
1961: The National Air and Space Administration launched its first satellite from Wallops Station, Va., when a four-stage Scout booster lifted Explorer IX into orbit. This 12-foot diameter round "polka dot" balloon was the first satellite to be launched by the US aboard a solid-fueled rocket. (24)
1966: General John P. McConnell, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, presented astronaut wings to Col L. Gordon Cooper, Col Frank Borman, and Lt Col Thomas P. Stafford. (16)
1968: Since 1964, the USAF maintained Itazuke AB, Japan, as a dispersed operating base with no active flying units. The arrival of 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron's RF-4Cs and 16th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron's EB-66s from Korea as part of Combat Fox brought the base back to life. (17)
1975: Brig Gen Eugene D. Scott became the first navigator in USAF history to command an operational flying unit, the 47th Air Division at Fairchild AFB, Wash. (See 18 December 1974) (1) (26)
1989: Northrop completed the last, and 3,806th, aircraft from the F-5E Tiger II/T-38 Talon and closed the production line. (16) (20)
2007: The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron used the Joint Precision Airdrop System mission planning software for the first time over Iraq to deliver six 1,200- pound Improved Container Delivery System bundles. (AFNEWS, "First JPADS Improved System Airdrop Over Iraq a Success," 19 Feb 2007.)
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