To All,
Good Friday morning February 17, 2023.
I hope that you all have a great weekend
.Regards,
Skip
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
February 17
1942 - The first Construction Battalion (Seabees) arrives in the Pacific during World War II at Bora Bora, Society Islands.
On This Day in Naval History
1864
While at anchor off Charleston, S.C., the Steam Sloop of War USS Housatonic is attacked by the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley using a spar torpedo. USS Housatonic is recorded as the first warship to be sunk by a submarine.
1942
The first Construction Battalion (Seabees) arrives in the Pacific during World War II at Bora Bora, Society Islands.
1944
USS Nicholas (DD 449) sinks the Japanese submarine I-11 in the Marshall Islands.
1944
During Operation Hailstone, aircraft from the nine aircraft carriers of Task Force 58 attack the Japanese fleet at Truk. During the 2-day strike, 33 Japanese vessels are destroyed and nine more damaged.
1945
While wounded and gravely weakened, Medal of Honor Recipient Lt Rufus G. Herring takes the helm of the Landing Craft Infantry Gunboat (LCI(G)-449), which was heavily hit by Japanese counter-fire, rallies his men, and keeps the ship in action protecting UDT swimmers.
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THIS DAY IN WORLD HISTORY
February 17
1454 At a grand feast, Philip the Good of Burgundy takes the "vow of the pheasant," by which he swears to fight the Turks.
1598 Boris Godunov, the boyar of Tarar origin, is elected czar in succession to his brother-in-law Fydor.
1720 Spain signs the Treaty of the Hague with the Quadruple Alliance ending a war that was begun in 1718.
1801 The House of Representatives breaks an electoral college tie and chooses Thomas Jefferson over Aaron Burr.
1864 The Confederate submarine Hunley sinks the USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.
1865 The South Carolina capital city, Columbia, is destroyed by fire as Major General William Tecumseh Sherman marches through.
1909 Apache chief Geronimo dies of pneumonia at age 80, while still in captivity at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
1919 Germany signs an armistice giving up territory in Poland.
1925 The first issue of Harold Ross' magazine, The New Yorker, hits the stands, selling for 15 cents a copy.
1933 The League of Nations censures Japan in a worldwide broadcast.
1935 Thirty-one prisoners escape an Oklahoma prison after murdering a guard.
1938 The first color television is demonstrated at the Dominion Theatre in London.
1944 U.S forces land on Eniwetok atoll in the South Pacific.
1945 Gen. MacArthur's troops land on Corregidor in the Philippines.
1951 Packard introduces its "250" Chassis Convertible.
1955 Britain announces its ability to make hydrogen bombs.
1959 The United States launches its first weather station in space, Vanguard II.
1960 Martin Luther King Jr. is arrested in the Alabama bus boycott.
1963 Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev visits the Berlin Wall.
1969 Russia and Peru sign their first trade accord.
1973 President Richard Nixon names Patrick Gray director of the FBI.
1975 Art by Cezanne, Gauguin, Renoir, and van Gogh, valued at $5 million, is stolen from the Municipal Museum in Milan.
1979 China begins a "pedagogical" war against Vietnam. It will last until March.
1985 Murray Haydon becomes the third person to receive an artificial heart.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
… For The List for Friday, 17 February 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 17 February 1968… Grad school draft exemptions end…
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 Micro
CLEVER WORDS FOR CLEVER PEOPLE
1. ARBITRAITOR
A cook that leaves Arby's to work at McDonald's.
2. BERNADETTE
The act of torching a mortgage.
3. BURGLARIZE
What a crook sees through.
4. AVOIDABLE
What a bullfighter tries to do.
5. COUNTERFEITER
Workers who put together kitchen cabinets.
6. LEFT BANK
What the bank robbers did when their bag was full of money.
7. HEROES
What a man in a boat does.
8. PARASITES
What you see from the Eiffel Tower.
9. PARADOX
Two physicians.
10. PHARMACIST
A helper on a farm.
11. RELIEF
What trees do in the spring.
12. RUBBERNECK
What you do to relax your wife.
13. SELFISH
What the owner of a seafood store does.
14. SUDAFED
Brought litigation against a government official.
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Thanks to Barrel
https://youtube.com/shorts/EssgD1v9u5U?feature=share
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Thanks to Wigs
The Spatula Act
It was rumored that the 'split a raw egg with knife act' could only be seen in the Jinjiang Hotel in old Shanghai, and only one master could do the stunt. Before Nixon visited China in 1972, General Al Haig first came to Shanghai and requested to see the act. At that time, almost no one knew what it was all about. See this video today and realize what an amazing Valentine's Day act it is!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KPnUfYRK2g
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
Daily Memo: Value of Russian Ruble Dips, Naval Drill Off the African Coast
The ruble has been in decline against the dollar since the start of this month.
By: GPF Staff
February 17, 2023
Ruble exchange. The value of the Russian ruble fell on Friday to 75 per U.S. dollar, the lowest rate since last April. The ruble has been in decline against the dollar and the euro since the start of this month due to the introduction of a price ceiling for Russian petroleum products on Feb. 5 and seasonally low exports.
Drills. The Russian, Chinese and South African navies launched exercises on Friday off the coast of South Africa. It's the second time such drills have been carried out in the past four years.
Russia and Uzbekistan. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev about trade, economic cooperation and their strategic partnership. The two countries have been expanding cooperation recently in various fields, including energy.
China and Italy. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Rome. They discussed trade and economic ties, including in the green and digital sectors, as well as the war in Ukraine and other international issues.
Trip to Washington. South Korea's deputy defense minister will lead a delegation to Washington next week. During the visit, the U.S. and South Korea will discuss North Korea's nuclear program, crisis management and military responses. At the same time, a spokesperson for North Korea's Foreign Ministry reiterated that Pyongyang considers the upcoming Freedom Shield exercises preparation for war that will provoke a strong response.
Expanding trade. Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signed an agreement to expand bilateral trade by lifting import duties on many manufactured goods and some restrictions on travel across their shared border.
Commitment. Indonesia's ambassador to Seoul reaffirmed Jakarta's commitment to their fighter jet development program at a celebration of the two countries' 50 years of bilateral relations. The KF-21 multirole fighter project was launched in 2015. Indonesia halted investment in the program in 2019 but recently resumed its funding.
Central Asian security. Russia's 201st military base in Tajikistan conducted exercises, including tactical, reconnaissance and military vehicle training. The members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization are concerned about the possible spread of terrorist groups from Afghanistan into Central Asia and their ability to destabilize the region.
Exercises in Japan. The Indian and Japanese militaries will begin two-week joint military exercises on Friday. The drills will be held in the Japanese province of Shiga.
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Thanks to Dick
Full Length "Launch 'Em"
There's a lot more to the Launch 'Em film.
The original is shown here.
FAMOUS U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER GAG MOVIE LAUNCH 'EM! 81454 - Bing video
It was filmed onboard USS Hancock, during its 1956 WestPac deployment.
Air Group 12 (CAG Tex Conatser) Included VF-121 (CO Dusty Rhodes) with F9F-8's; VF-124 (CO Bud Brown) with F7U-3's and VA-125 (CO Bernie Hackett) with AD-6's.
"Also-included", were VC-3, F2H-3's; VC-11, AD-5W's; VC-35, AD-5H's; and VC-61, F9F-6PD's;
I was an Ensign in VF124. Our Cutlass squadron ended-up shore-based at NAS Atsugi ☹. During our absence, VF-121 filmed the Launch 'Em movie.
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Thanks to Carl and Cowboy for finding the URL
Israeli startup creates new type of engine to help cut gas
Variable fuel hybrid electric engine. Off-grid generator use now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0LplvN4M1s
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Like many of you out there I spent many years on the flight deck of a number of aircraft carriers and saw many small and large accidents. The deck handlers were quite a group and they paid the price of a second of inattention. The F-8 Crusader was a dangerous one on the deck and I almost swallowed my plane captain one day on the USS Hancock. He was giving me my control checks and was in front of the nose and as I saw him start moving from my left to my right I heard something rattle down the intake under my seat and immediately shut off the engine as other flight deck folks started running toward my aircraft. He had been sucked into the intake and managed to get a hand on each side of the intake and held himself out for the fraction of time it took me to shut the engine down. What I heard was his helmet and gear being sucked off him and clatter down the intake. He was ok skip
Thanks to Billy … Including F-35 ops ... via Dr. Rich
One of most hazardous jobs on the planet - the carrier deck hands! — — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N4TUN_WijI
Want a lesson on the hand signals? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As7zQPkkv8c
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Football fans may find this interesting. I can't imagine why the last one was included. 😁
- Mud
Found some Superbowl Trivia Questions
Question: What team has played in four Super Bowls but never held a lead?
Answer: Minnesota Vikings
Question: What teams have won the most Super Bowls?
Answer: Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots (6 each)
Question: What teams haven't appeared in a single Super Bowl?
Answer: Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars
Question: Which Super Bowl Halftime Show preceded a stadium blackout?
Answer: Beyoncé in 2013
Question: What team has participated in the most Super Bowl games?
Answer: New England Patriots (11)
Question: How much does the Lombardi Trophy weigh?
Answer: Seven pounds
Question: What famous jeweler makes the Lombardi Trophy?
Answer: Tiffany
Question: What two cities have hosted the most Super Bowl games?
Answer: Miami and New Orleans
Question: Who won the Super Bowl the year of the infamous "wardrobe malfunction?"
Answer: New England Patriots
Question: Which player has the most Super Bowl rings in history?
Answer: Tom Brady (7)
Question: What NFL QB legend never got a Super Bowl ring?
Answer: Dan Marino
Question: What teams have only ever won one Super Bowl?
Answer: Jets, Bears, Saints, Seahawks and Eagles
Question: What city hosted the coldest Super Bowl ever?
Answer: New Orleans
Question: What was the first wildcard team to win the Super Bowl?
Answer: Oakland Raiders
Question: Who holds the record for most passing yards in a Super Bowl?
Answer: Tom Brady
Question: Who was the first left-handed quarterback to get a Super Bowl ring?
Answer: Ken Stabler
Question: Which two starting quarterbacks won Super Bowls with two different teams?
Answer: Peyton Manning (Colts and Broncos) and Tom Brady (Patriots and Buccaneers)
Question: Who was the first singer to perform at a Super Bowl Halftime Show?
Answer: Carol Channing (1970)
Question: What solo singer first performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl?
Answer: Charley Pride (1974)
Question: How many chicken wings are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday?
Answer: 1.3 billion
Question: How much do Americans spend on beer for Super Bowl Sunday?
Answer: $1.3 billion
Question: What player holds the record for most career rushing yards in Super Bowl games?
Answer: Franco Harris (354 total yards, Steelers in Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, and XIV)
Question: What two teams are tied for most Super Bowl losses?
Answer: New England Patriots and Denver Broncos (5 losses each)
Question: What artist had the most-watched Super Bowl Halftime Show to date?
Answer: Katy Perry (2015)
Question: How much did a ticket to the very first Super Bowl cost?
Answer: $12
Question: Who was the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl?
Answer: Doug Williams
Question: What was the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history?
Answer: Super Bowl LIII saw the New England Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams, 13-3.
Question: The most expensive Super Bowl ad ever was for what item?
Answer: Amazon Echo
Question: Super Bowl XLIV beat out what to become the most-watched television program in history?
Answer: M*A*S*H series finale
Question: What is the highest score ever by one team in a Super Bowl game?
Answer: 55 points by the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV
Questions: Where was the first Super Bowl?
Answer: Los Angeles
Question: What current teams have never made it to the Super Bowl?
Answer:The Browns, Lions, Jaguars, and Texans
Question: Who was the MVP of the first Super Bowl?
Answer: Bart Starr
Question: Who scored the first touchdown in the first Super Bowl?
Answer: Packers receiver Max McGee
Question: Which players have the most career fumbles in a Super Bowl?
Answer: Roger Staubach and Tom Brady
Tom Brady Is Retiring, and He May Decide to Return to the Patriots to Do So
Tom Brady's legendary NFL career has come to an end, but some fans want him to retire as a Patriot, the team
Question: Who is the youngest coach to win the Super Bowl?
Answer: Sean McVay at 36 years old
Question: What city has hosted the most Super Bowls?
Answer: Miami
Question: Which Dallas Cowboy had his helmet stolen at the 1994 Super Bowl?
Answer: Emmitt Smith
I seem to remember that Tom Brady had a jersey stolen and they actually caught the guy. There was a story on TV about it….skip
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This Day in U S Military History….17 February
1900 – In response to an ambush that has killed two Philippine based Marines the day before, the gunboat USS Manileno was present and willing to help but broken down, so Captain Draper, the local commander, prevailed upon the master of a native steamer to tow the gunboat with himself and a force of 107 men aboard to the village of Moron a little after midnight on the morning of 17 February. Surprising the defenders, he took the town without much resistance, destroyed a store of ammunition, and burned the blockhouse. On the afternoon of the same day he ordered the inhabitants of Benictican and Baton to move into Olongapo, where the Marines were based, within three days or be declared outlaws. All obeyed his order except six families, who, according to his information, moved to another town.
1909 – Apache chief Geronimo dies of pneumonia at age 80, while still in captivity at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The slaughter of Geronimo's family when he was a young man turned him from a peaceful Indian into a bold warrior. Originally Goyathlay ("One Who Yawns") joined a fierce band of Apaches known as Chiricahuas and with them took part in raids in northern Mexico and across the border into U.S. territory which are now known as the states of New Mexico and Arizona. Geronimo was the last Apache fighting force. He became the most famous Apache of all for standing against the U.S. government and for holding out the longest. He was a great Apache medicine man, a great spiritual leader. Geronimo was highly sought by Apache chiefs for his wisdom. He is said to have had magical powers. He could see into the future and walk without creating footprints. He could even prevent dawn from rising to protect his people. In 1876, Federal authorities captured and forced Geronimo and his band onto a U.S. reservation at San Carlos, Arizona. It was described as "Hell's Forty Acres." He soon escaped and fled to Mexico to resume the life that he loved. Geronimo roamed Arizona and New Mexico and was persued relentlessly by more than five-thousand U.S. troops. Exhausted and hopelessly out numbered, Geronimo surrendered in 1886. His band consisted of a handful of warriors, women, and children. Geronimo, along with a few hundred of his fellow Apaches, were shipped by box-car to Florida for imprisonment. Geronimo was relocated to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and, as a prisoner of war, unable to return to his much loved homeland, died of pneumonia. He is buried in the Apache cemetery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
1944 – Operation Catchpole is launched as American troops devastate the Japanese defenders of Eniwetok and take control of the atoll in the northwestern part of the Marshall Islands. The U.S. Central Pacific Campaign was formulated during the August 1943 Quebec Conference. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill agreed on, among other things, a new blueprint for fighting in the Pacific: an island-hopping strategy; the establishment of bases from which to launch B-29s for a final assault on Japan; and a new Southeast Asia command for British Adm. Louis Mountbatten. The success of the island-hopping strategy brought Guadalcanal and New Guinea under Allied control. Though those areas were important, the Allies also still needed to capture the Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, and the Gilbert Islands, which had comprised an inner defensive perimeter for the Japanese. Each was a group of atolls, with between 20 to 50 islets, islands, and coral reefs surrounding a lagoon. The Allies planned an amphibious landing on the islands–all the more difficult because of this unusual terrain. On February 17, a combined U.S. Marine and Army force under Adm. Richmond Kelly Turner made its move against Eniwetok. Air strikes, artillery and naval gunfire, and battleship fire 1,500 yards from the beach gave cover to the troops moving ashore and did serious damage to the Japanese defenses. Six days after the American landing, the atoll was secured. The loss for the Japanese was significant: only 64 of the 2,677 defenders who met the Marine and Army force survived the fighting. The Americans lost only 195. The position on Eniwetok gave U.S. forces a base of operations to finally capture the entirety of the Marianas. Eniwetok was also useful to the United States after the war–in 1952 it became the testing ground for the first hydrogen bomb.
1944 – American forces attack the Japanese base at Truk and nearby shipping. Three groups of Task Force 58 (Admiral Mitscher) and one group of Task Forces 50 (Admiral Spruance) engage. The operation is under the command of Spruance. In total 9 carriers and 6 battleships as well as cruisers, destroyers and submarines are involved.
1968 – American officials in Saigon report an all-time high weekly rate of U.S. casualties–543 killed in action and 2,547 wounded in the previous seven days. These losses were a result of the heavy fighting during the communist Tet Offensive.1972 – President Nixon departed on his historic 10-day trip to China.
1974 – Private First Class Robert K. Preston, US Army, a helicopter pilot who had washed out of training, crept across the tarmac at Fort Meade, Maryland, and boarded a UH-1 Iroquois helicopter. The aircraft was unarmed and, as was usual, was kept fueled on the flight line. With the practiced hand of his training, he quickly went through the start up sequence. Without clearance, he pushed in the power, pulled up on the controls and took off into the night. For a time, he orbited the base at night, enjoying the view and hovering over base housing. Finally, bored with this, he set out for a new destination — the White House. When PFC Preston arrived in Washington, he took a flight down the Anacostia River, turned north at the Capitol Street Bridge and then flew directly to the White House. It was about 1:00 am. At first the Secret Service was somewhat miffed. He buzzed the White House itself and then hovered overhead for six long minutes. At the time, policy was that they would not fire on a helicopter or other aerial intruder if it might endanger innocent bystanders, and so they waited. Finally, he flew down the South Lawn and landed about 100 yards toward the south fence. The Washington Monument towered in the background and he remained there on the ground for a minute. Two Maryland Police helicopters that had flown down from around Baltimore hovered nearby. Suddenly, PFC Preston took back off into the night skies and the police gave close pursuit. An extended tail chase ensued at low level. In fact, it turned out that PFC Preston was indeed quite an expert pilot after all, as he managed to not only outmaneuver the two helicopters at every turn but even managed to drive one down in the process. The second helicopter broke off but stayed nearby after what officials called, "a modern day dogfight". PFC Preston returned to the White House once more. It was nearly 2:00 am and he had led the officials on a prolonged chase — certainly, his fuel was running low. This time he flew up to the Washington Monument, hovering at seven feet of altitude along the base for a bit before flying back straight north onto the White House's South Lawn. There too he hovered just a few feet over the grass and it seemed to officials that this time he might be preparing to make a dash to crash into the building. The second Maryland Police helicopter set down quickly between him and the White House as Secret Service agents moved toward the helicopter. Then, without warning, they opened fire with handguns and shotguns hoping to cripple the helicopter. They also fired and hit PFC Preston with a shotgun blast, injuring slightly. He landed the damaged helicopter at once — though it seemed also that the damage from the gunfire had knocked the aircraft out of the sky, leaving the Secret Service to conclude that it had downed the helicopter. Once on the ground, the Secret Service and Maryland Police rushed in. PFC Preston jumped clear and fought them hand to hand, though he was badly outnumbered. It wasn't long before he was subdued, however. Handcuffed, he was taken into the White House for questioning before being transferred to Walter Reed hospital for treatment for his light injuries — mainly shotgun pellets. The following day, when being escorted into a police car, he was smiling. When asked why he had flown back to the White House a second time, he said that he knew it was wrong to fly over the White House so he had flown back "to turn himself in". The Secret Service ordered psychological testing. Ultimately, all civil charges were dropped and he was left to the military court system. In the end, PFC Preston had proven two things — first, he was a pretty darn good helicopter pilot after all; and second, that he was certainly not up to the moral and ethical standards of the US Army. He was sentenced to a year in prison.
1988 – Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins, an American officer, and veteran of Vietnam, serving with a United Nations truce monitoring group, was kidnapped in southern Lebanon by pro-Iranian terrorists. He was later slain by his captors. His remains were recovers and interred at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1999, the Navy named an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer for him.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*HAMMERBERG, OWEN FRANCIS PATRICK
Rank and organization: Boatswain's Mate Second Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 31 May 1920, Daggett, Mich. Accredited to: Michigan. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a diver engaged in rescue operations at West Loch, Pearl Harbor, 17 February 1945. Aware of the danger when 2 fellow divers were hopelessly trapped in a cave-in of steel wreckage while tunneling with jet nozzles under an LST sunk in 40 feet of water and 20 feet of mud. Hammerberg unhesitatingly went overboard in a valiant attempt to effect their rescue despite the certain hazard of additional cave-ins and the risk of fouling his lifeline on jagged pieces of steel imbedded in the shifting mud. Washing a passage through the original excavation, he reached the first of the trapped men, freed him from the wreckage and, working desperately in pitch-black darkness, finally effected his release from fouled lines, thereby enabling him to reach the surface. Wearied but undaunted after several hours of arduous labor, Hammerberg resolved to continue his struggle to wash through the oozing submarine, subterranean mud in a determined effort to save the second diver. Venturing still farther under the buried hulk, he held tenaciously to his purpose, reaching a place immediately above the other man just as another cave-in occurred and a heavy piece of steel pinned him crosswise over his shipmate in a position which protected the man beneath from further injury while placing the full brunt of terrific pressure on himself. Although he succumbed in agony 18 hours after he had gone to the aid of his fellow divers, Hammerberg, by his cool judgment, unfaltering professional skill and consistent disregard of all personal danger in the face of tremendous odds, had contributed effectively to the saving of his 2 comrades. His heroic spirit of self-sacrifice throughout enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
HERRING, RUFUS G.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Naval Reserve, LCI (G) 449. Place and date: Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945. Entered service at: North Carolina. Born: 11 June 1921, Roseboro, N.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of LCI (G) 449 operating as a unit of LCI (G) Group 8, during the preinvasion attack on Iwo Jima on 17 February 1945. Boldly closing the strongly fortified shores under the devastating fire of Japanese coastal defense guns, Lt. (then Lt. (j.g.)) Herring directed shattering barrages of 40mm. and 20mm. gunfire against hostile beaches until struck down by the enemy's savage counterfire which blasted the 449's heavy guns and whipped her decks into sheets of flame. Regaining consciousness despite profuse bleeding he was again critically wounded when a Japanese mortar crashed the conning station, instantly killing or fatally wounding most of the officers and leaving the ship wallowing without navigational control. Upon recovering the second time, Lt. Herring resolutely climbed down to the pilothouse and, fighting against his rapidly waning strength, took over the helm, established communication with the engineroom, and carried on valiantly until relief could be obtained. When no longer able to stand, he propped himself against empty shell cases and rallied his men to the aid of the wounded; he maintained position in the firing line with his 20mm. guns in action in the face of sustained enemy fire, and conned his crippled ship to safety. His unwavering fortitude, aggressive perseverance, and indomitable spirit against terrific odds reflect the highest credit upon Lt. Herring and uphold the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
JOHNSTON, WILLIAM J.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company G, 180th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Padiglione, Italy, 1719 February 1944. Entered service at: Colchester, Conn. Birth: Trenton, N.J. G.O. No.: 73, 6 September 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. On 17 February 1944, near Padiglione, Italy, he observed and fired upon an attacking force of approximately 80 Germans, causing at least 25 casualties and forcing withdrawal of the remainder. All that day he manned his gun without relief, subject to mortar, artillery, and sniper fire. Two Germans individually worked so close to his position that his machinegun was ineffective, whereupon he killed 1 with his pistol, the second with a rifle taken from another soldier. When a rifleman protecting his gun position was killed by a sniper, he immediately moved the body and relocated the machinegun in that spot in order to obtain a better field of fire. He volunteered to cover the platoon's withdrawal and was the last man to leave that night. In his new position he maintained an all-night vigil, the next day causing 7 German casualties. On the afternoon of the 18th, the organization on the left flank having been forced to withdraw, he again covered the withdrawal of his own organization. Shortly thereafter, he was seriously wounded over the heart, and a passing soldier saw him trying to crawl up the embankment. The soldier aided him to resume his position behind the machinegun which was soon heard in action for about 10 minutes. Though reported killed, Pfc. Johnston was seen returning to the American lines on the morning of 19 February slowly and painfully working his way back from his overrun position through enemy lines. He gave valuable information of new enemy dispositions. His heroic determination to destroy the enemy and his disregard of his own safety aided immeasurably in halting a strong enemy attack, caused an enormous amount of enemy casualties, and so inspired his fellow soldiers that they fought for and held a vitally important position against greatly superior forces.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 17 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
17 February
1911: In a Navy first, Glenn H. Curtiss flew a Curtiss seaplane from North Island to land alongside the armored cruiser, the USS Pennsylvania (ACR-4), in the harbor at San Diego, Calif. The ship then hoisted the aircraft aboard by a launch crane. Later Curtiss took off from the water and flew back to North Island. (24)
1912: The Army published its first pilot physical exam requirements. (4) SECOND CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. Robert G. Fowler flew the second cross county trip in a Wright biplane, flying 2,520 miles from Los Angeles to Pasadena, Yuma, Tucson, Douglas, El Paso, Sweetwater, Fort Worth, Houston, Orange, New Iberia, New Orleans, Biloxi, Flomstom, Evergreen, Troy, Bainbridge, Quitman, and Pablo Beach. (9)
1913: The Army tested Lawrence Sperry's Gyrostabilizer, or automatic pilot, for the first time. (21)
1938: Through 27 February, Lt Col Robert D. Olds completed a round-trip goodwill flight with six B-17s between Langley Field, Va., and Buenos Aires, Argentina. The trip to Buenos Aires took 33 hours 30 minutes, while the return flight took 33 hours 35 minutes for the longest nonstop flight in Air Corps history to date. (24)
1944: The USS Enterprise launched 12 TBF-1Cs to attack Truk, in the first night bombing attack in carrier aviation history. (24)
1952: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force flew 695 sorties, cratering rail tracks in over 50 locations, damaging a train and 15 rail cars near Huichon, strafing a convoy of trucks near Sinanju, and destroying supply buildings and dumps between Kumsong and Sibyon-ni. (28)
1956: Lockheed's first production F-104 Starfighter made its first flight at Edwards AFB, Calif. (12)
1958: From a DB-47, a 445th Bombardment Squadron crew from Pinecastle AFB, Fla., launched the prototype Rascal missile over the Atlantic Missile Range for the first time. (The DB-47 was a drone director.) (6)
1959: The US Navy launched its Vanguard II weather-reporting satellite into an earth orbit. (16) A one-third scale Minuteman missile fired for the first time at Edwards AFB, Calif. (3)
1965: The last operational KB-50 retired from the Tactical Air Command to the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB. (5) The largest balloon ever constructed by the Air Force, 450 feet in height, completed a 26-hour flight with a 450-pound payload of instruments to a record 142,000 feet. At that height, the balloon's dimensions were 270 feet high and 330 feet in diameter. (5)
1972: Air Force One, a VC-137 aircraft assigned to the 89th Military Airlift Wing at Andrews AFB, Md., carried President Nixon on his historic trip to China to meet Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai. (2)
1978: The 64th Flying Training Wing, Reese AFB, Tex., became the first Air Training Command command pilot training base with a fully operational instrument flight simulator program. That capability allowed training for both the T-37 and T-38. (16)
1999: Lockheed's first C-130J transport arrived at Keesler AFB, Miss., for assignment with the 403d Wing. (21) With the expiration of US treaty rights in the Canal Zone, the Air National Guard held closing ceremonies for Operation Coronet Oak at Howard AFB, Panama. The Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve had conducted the Coronet Oak (originally Operation Volant Oak) C-130 airlift operation in Panama since October 1977. Operations transferred to Puerto Rico. (32) Air National Guard KC-135s began air refueling support for fighter movements to Europe and air cargo missions to position people and supplies for a possible war with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia over the latter's actions in Kosovo. (32)
2007: The 45th Space Wing supported the launch of a Delta II booster from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., carrying five National Air and Space Administration 'THEMIS" probes to study auroral substorms, an avalanche of solar wind powered magnetic energy that intensifies the northern and southern lights. This was the largest number of National Air and Space Administration scientific satellites launched on a single booster. THEMIS stands for Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions in Substorms. (AFNEWS, "Air Force Supports NASA Mission to Study Auroras," 18 Feb 2007.)
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