To All,
Good Wednesday morning February 22, 2023.
A b it of history and some tidbits
Regards,
Skip
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History February. 22
1909—The Great White Fleet returns to Hampton Roads, Va., following its 14-month round-the-world cruise.
1943—USS Iowa (BB 61), the lead ship of the last class of American fast battleships, is commissioned.
1944—U.S. Navy Task Group (TG) 39.4, commanded by Capt. Arleigh Burke, bombards Japanese airstrips, pier area, and anchorages at Kavieng, New Ireland Island, while DESRON 12 shells Rabaul.
1945—USS Becuna (SS 319) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Nichiyoku Maru off Cape Padaran Bay despite the presence of two escort vessels.
1974—Lt. j.g. Barbara Ann (Allen) Rainey becomes the first Navy-designated female aviator.
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THIS DAY IN WORLD HISTORY
1349 Jews are expelled from Zurich, Switzerland.
1613 Mikhail Romanov is elected czar of Russia.
1797 The last invasion of Britain takes place when some 1,400 Frenchmen land at Fishguard in Wales.
1819 Spain signs a treaty with the United States ceding eastern Florida.
1825 Russia and Britain establish the Alaska/Canada boundary.
1862 Jefferson Davis is inaugurated president of the Confederacy in Richmond, Va. for the second time.
1864 Nathan Bedford Forrest's brother, Jeffrey, is killed at Okolona, Mississippi.
1865 Federal troops capture Wilmington, N.C.
1879 Frank Winfield Woolworth's 'nothing over five cents' shop opens at Utica, New York. It is the first chain store.
1902 A fistfight breaks out in the Senate. Senator Benjamin Tillman suffers a bloody nose for accusing Senator John McLaurin of bias on the Philippine tariff issue.
1909 The Great White Fleet returns to Norfolk, Virginia, from an around-the-world show of naval power.
1911 Canadian Parliament votes to preserve the union with the British Empire.
1920 The American Relief Administration appeals to the public to pressure Congress to aid starving European cities.
1924 Columbia University declares radio education a success.
1926 Pope Pius rejects Mussolini's offer of aid to the Vatican.
1932 Adolf Hitler is the Nazi Party candidate for the presidential elections in Germany.
1935 All plane flights over the White House are barred because they are disturbing President Roosevelt's sleep.
1942 President Franklin Roosevelt orders Gen. Douglas MacArthur to leave the Philippines.
1951 The Atomic Energy Commission discloses information about the first atom-powered airplane.
1952 French forces evacuate Hoa Binh in Indochina.
1954 U.S. is to install 60 Thor nuclear missiles in Britain.
1962 A Soviet bid for new Geneva arms talks is turned down by the U.S.
1963 Moscow warns the U.S. that an attack on Cuba would mean war.
1967 Operation Junction City becomes the largest U.S. operation in Vietnam.
1984 Britain and the U.S. send warships to the Persian Gulf following an Iranian offensive against Iraq
1980
Can you believe this was 43 years ago
February 22
U.S. hockey team beats the Soviets in the "Miracle on Ice"
In one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympic history, on February 22, 1980, the underdog U.S. hockey team, made up of college players, defeats the four-time defending gold-medal winning Soviet team at the XIII Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York. The Soviet squad, previously regarded as the finest in the world, fell to the youthful American team 4-3 before a frenzied crowd of 10,000 spectators. Two days later, the Americans defeated Finland 4-2 to clinch the hockey gold.
The Soviet team had captured the previous four Olympic hockey golds, going back to 1964, and had not lost an Olympic hockey game since 1968. Three days before the Lake Placid Games began, the Soviets routed the U.S. team 10-3 in an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Americans looked scrappy, but few blamed them for it—their average age, after all, was only 22, and their team captain, Mike Eruzione, was recruited from the obscurity of the Toledo Blades of the International League.
Few had high hopes for the seventh-seeded U.S. team entering the Olympic tournament, but the team soon silenced its detractors, making it through the opening round of play undefeated, with four victories and one tie, thus advancing to the four-team medal round. The Soviets, however, were seeded No. 1 and as expected went undefeated, with five victories in the first round
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Skip… For The List for Wednesday, 22 February 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 22 February 1968… Senator Fulbright blows the whistle on the Gulf of Tonkin Incident…
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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This Day in Aviation History" brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/
Feb. 23, 1912
In Washington, D.C., as the Army became more firmly wedded to airplanes, it issued War Department Bulletin No. 32 to establish new ratings for "military aviator." It stipulates that prospective candidates must reach and hold an altitude of 2,500 feet in a 15 mph wind, and also make a dead-stick landing within 150 feet of designated areas.
Feb. 24, 1955
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Robert B. Carney directed the use of the term "angled" in lieu of "canted," "slanted," and "flamed" to describe the deck of aircraft carriers in which the landing runway was offset at an angle from the line of the keel.
Feb. 25, 1931
The Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics issued a new pilot training syllabus, which added advanced seaplane training courses and reinstated bombing and torpedo courses and observation and gunnery courses that were dropped in November 1929. These changes expanded the regular flight course to 258.75 hours or, for those also taking advanced combat, to 282.75 hours. The new syllabus also expanded the ground school course to 386.5 hours, with a short course in photography among the additions.
Feb. 26, 1974
The A-10A prototype fired its GAU-8/A gun for the first time during an inflight test at Edwards AFB, California.
Feb. 27, 1928
Pilot Cmdr. Theodore G. Ellyson (Naval Aviator No. 1) and crewmembers Lt. Cmdr. Hugo Schmidt and Lt. Roger S. Ransehousen died when their XOL-7 observation amphibian, BuNo A-7335, crashed into the Chesapeake Bay while en route from NAS Hampton Roads, Va., to Annapolis, Md. Portions of the amphibian's tail and wing drifted onto a beach several days later. Ellyson, Daedalian Founder Member #4377, had received the Navy Cross for his service with submarine chasers in World War I, and the destroyer Ellyson (DD 454, later DMS 19) was named in his honor.
Feb. 28, 1994
Two F-16s from Ramstein AB, Germany, shot down 4 Serbian Jastreb-Galeb aircraft over Bosnia, the first aerial combat in NATO history, during Operation DENY FLIGHT.
Feb. 29, 1964
President Lyndon B. Johnson publicly acknowledged the existence of the Lockheed A-12 "Oxcart" Mach 3+ spy plane program.
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Thanks to Felix ... and Dr. Rich
How Vladimir Komarov Died on Soyuz 1
https://medium.com/the-vintage-space/how-vladimir-komarov-died-on-soyuz-1-4c695f77f278
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Thanks to Bill….Just like it was yesterday. It brings back so many memories Seventy years of life as we knew it--in 5 minutes Wasn't this just yesterday!!!!???
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/QoDXTAajEzY?rel=0
Sixty years of life as we knew it--in 5 minutes Another bit of nostalgia about a past. However, you probably will remember much of this being a part of your life. Brings back many memories! Even if you're a bit younger, there will be things that you will remember i.e. records. Enjoy!
After moving all over the country from Kindergarten to 11th grade there is not one thing that I do not remember. It is reallyh a walk down memory lane..I have more than a few of them in my garage.
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
https://geopoliticalfutures.com
Daily Memo: Chinese Diplomats Meet With Friends and Rivals
While a top diplomat was in Moscow, Chinese and Japanese officials held their first security dialogue in four years.
By: GPF Staff
February 22, 2023
Strategic partnership. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, in the Russian capital. In a separate meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Wang said Beijing expected to reach new agreements with Moscow. China is attempting to deepen its partnership with Russia while also presenting itself as a potential peacemaker between Russia and Ukraine.
Agree to disagree. Senior Chinese and Japanese foreign affairs and defense officials on Wednesday began their first security dialogue in four years. Japan's senior deputy foreign minister said Tokyo was concerned about Chinese spy balloons and China's intensifying military activities, including in collaboration with Russia. China's vice foreign minister criticized Japan's pledge to strengthen its alliance with the United States. Despite these disagreements, the two sides said they will continue working to set up a defense hotline.
Oil disruption. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which carries Kazakh oil to a Russian Black Sea port for export, suspended oil flows on Wednesday. In a statement, the CPC said the stoppage was due to oversupply.
Sanctions fallout. India's state-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corp. is seeking alternative banking channels because Western sanctions against Russia have complicated the payment process for Russian crude, a company official said. The company is reportedly relying more on UAE dirhams and Russian rubles to pay for Russian crude, rather than risk using U.S. dollars.
African pipeline approved. Tanzania approved construction of a $3.5 billion pipeline to carry crude oil from Uganda's Lake Albert region. The planned pipeline will span 1,443 kilometers (900 miles) from Uganda to Tanzania's coast. The joint project involves China's National Offshore Oil Corp., France's Total Energies and Uganda's National Oil Co. Oil is expected to start flowing in 2025.
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Thanks to Carl
(READ this article about an amazing hero denied his recognition for valor in fierce combat so long ago! Several photos in link!)
How Green Beret Paris Davis' teammates fought the Pentagon for his Medal of Honor
"We could have given up at any time in that nine years and it would have gone nowhere."
BY DAVID ROZA | PUBLISHED FEB 21, 2023 6:27 PM EST
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/special-forces-paris-davis-medal-of-honor/?utm_term=Task&Purpose_Today_02.22.23&utm_campaign=Task & Purpose_TPToday_Actives_Dynamic&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email
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Thanks to Interesting fact
The world's most massive plant is a stand of 47,000 genetically identical aspen trees.
In central Utah, state highway UT-25 cuts through a stand of quaking aspens near the alpine Fish Lake. Many travelers driving south from Salt Lake City looking for a relaxing weekend getaway likely drive by this stretch of forest unaware that they've just seen one of the greatest — and strangest — natural wonders in the world. That's because this particular stand of quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides), known as "Pando," is the world's largest plant, containing some 47,000 trees spread across 107 acres.
At first glance, the aspens look like any other forest, but hidden wonders are locked inside their DNA. Although scientists first recognized Pando's extraordinary qualities in the 1970s, only in 2008 did they confirm that the aspens are all genetically identical. Unlike many other trees that reproduce sexually — using seeds and pollen — these aspens reproduced asexually, by sprouting from Pando's underground root system. That means they're genetic clones of the same original aspen, now long-dead. (While asexual reproduction is far from rare for aspens, a clone of this size is.) Because the trees are genetically identical, and because they all share a root system, they're considered one plant, no matter how separate they may appear aboveground. Pando has been growing for tens of thousands of years to create the "Trembling Giant" that now awes both tourists and scientists today.
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Thanks to Wigs
Super Bowl 17 years ago...AWESOM
AWESOME
It was played in Jacksonville!
Put it on full screen with your speakers on. It's a sad comment-ary on how far we have deteriorat-ed in 17 years. The-re is a definite difference today with the singing of THE STAR SPANGLE-D BANNER. This video was shot 17 years ago. Been quite a change since then, hasn't there
Please Click Here
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Thanks to Brett
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2023/02/james-howard-kunstler/between-that-rock-and-the-hard-place/
Between That Rock and The Hard Place
By James Howard Kunstler
Kunstler.com
February 22, 2023
:…the president has made American support for Ukraine the centerpiece of his argument for a revitalized alliance in Europe, and he had told advisers that he wanted to mark the first anniversary of the invasion as a way of reassuring allies that his administration remains committed…." — The New York Times, Feb 20, 2023
Secret Agent Man "Joe Biden" turned up in Kiev Monday morning after landing in Poland and riding an overnight choo-choo train across the Ukraine frontier to avoid the hazardous pomp of landing Air Force One in a war zone. One might try to guess the message Victoria Nuland sent her errand boy to deliver. My guess is that "JB" was there to tell Wolodymyr Zelensky the USA stands behind him one hundred percent — an obvious whopper — being exactly the opposite of the developing reality that, short of setting off nuclear Armageddon, there is really nothing the USA can do to prevent Russia from concluding our ill-conceived project on its own terms. Who better to deliver an arrant falsehood than the master, "Scranton Joe," he who once battled and vanquished the tyrant Corn-Pop!
Remember, last week Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Mark Milley, speaking out of the aperture between his butt cheeks, announced that Russia had lost "strategically, operationally and tactically" in Ukraine. This was after NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg announced rather clumsily that Ukraine's army was out of ammo, especially artillery shells, and the only remedy for that was for Europe to rebuild an armaments industry — which was a sideways-and-backwards way of saying… fuggeddabowdit.
One might also suppose that, behind all this cognitive dissonance, the US would be engaged in secret talks with Russia to arrive at some face-saving device for getting out of this mess. But really, what is our leverage for that? Can we threaten to put US boots-on-the-Ground in Ukraine? That would be a little like channeling Gen. George Armstrong Custer, don't you think? Apparently, all we're left with is a game of pretend, using the Pretender-in-Chief as the front.
I'd also venture to say that American voters are not so enthused about this Ukraine pageant as they seemed to be last summer when the yellow and blue flags popped up on front porches at every Woked-up clam-bake from Edgartown to Bar Harbor. Our Ukrainian proxies sure seemed to be giving those Ruskies what-for along the front lines in Donbas, payback, you understand, for helping Donald Trump steal the 2016 election from She Whose Turn It Was Supposed to Be… America's Amazonian Caesar-in-a-pants-suit, HRC.
The fall offensive by Ukraine was an illusion, alas, setting up its army for methodical decimation, now nearly complete. So, too, is all the talk of sending tanks in to save the day. And so, too, is the very existence of NATO as anything other than window-dressing on an empty storefront. If blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines, as recently alleged by independent reporter Seymour Hersh, smells like an attack on our supposed ally, Germany, then how was it not an attack on NATO, in which Germany is the centerpiece? And, finally, why would Germany not be engaging in secret talks of its own with Russia, behind America's back?
Intrigue must be rife now throughout Europe, and Americans will not hear anything about it from its Deep State-owned news media. Is there any reason why Europe could not live with a neutralized Ukraine? Of course not. Ukraine is in uproar now simply because geniuses in the US State Department thought it would be a good way to annoy and antagonize Russia. The project was insane from inception. The main result is that Europe will no longer have the natural gas it needs at a rational price to continue being an industrial society.
One must conclude that NATO is looking for a way out of this. But there is no way out except to declare by word or deed, directly or otherwise, that NATO has outlived the reason for its existence. Any sane analysis by Europeans would arrive at the unnerving realization that the USA has become the enemy of NATO, not Russia. If all that is so, then a seismic shift is underway that will leave America hung out to dry on the Ukraine project. Germany will have to make a deal with Russia to rebuild the Nord Streams. What could the US do about that? Impose sanctions on Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the rest of the bunch? Where does that leave Western Civ?
I'll tell you: it leaves Western Civ diminished. It leaves our country to stew in its own rancid economic and financial juices in abject isolation from, basically, the rest of the world. (Fare-thee-well hegemonic dream; hello multi-polarity!) It leaves Ukraine neutralized and no longer a problem… It leaves Russia able to feel secure in its borders and free to get on with being a normal nation… and it leaves Europe the hope that it can resume modern life a while longer with the familiar comforts and conveniences.
The end of the Ukraine conflict also exposes the rotten web of Globalist schemers who planted their operators in every niche of American life and all around Western Civ — George Soros's empire of meddling NGOs, Bill Gates's World Health Org puppet show, the ridiculous World Economic Forum's network of stooges in high places from Justin Trudeau to BlackRock's Larry Fink.
The end of the Ukraine conflict reveals the submission of the Democratic Party to nefarious interests intent on wrecking this country. Even the most benign end to the Ukraine conflict — such as, by default, Europe and Russia settling-up on their own to stop the fighting — will be another humiliation for "Joe Biden" and the crew behind him, as bad as the last days in Kabul. Their other crimes await full disclosure, everything from treasonous bribery to the fraud and genocide around Covid-19. There will have to be a severe political realignment in America. But before that can happen, expect many seasons of terrible disorder.
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This Day in U S Military History
February 22
1909 – The Great White Fleet returned to Norfolk, Va., from an around-the-world show of naval power. 1st US fleet to circle the globe. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with various escorts. Roosevelt sought to demonstrate growing American military power and blue-water navy capability. Hoping to enforce treaties and protect overseas holdings, the U.S. Congress appropriated funds to build American sea power. Beginning with just 90 small ships, over one-third of them wooden, the navy quickly grew to include new modern steel fighting vessels. The hulls of these ships were painted a stark white, giving the armada the nickname "Great White Fleet".
1943 – The USS Campbell, CG, rammed the U-606 in the North Atlantic after the U-boat was forced to surface after being attacked by the Polish destroyer Burza. The U-boat sank before a boarding party could reach the submarine. The Campbell rescued five of the U-606's crew. Due to the collision, Campbell's engine room was flooded and she lost power but was towed to safety, repaired, and returned to service.
1945 – The naval gun and air bombardment (by US Task Forces 52, 54 and 58) continues. Elements of the US 5th Amphibious Corps continue to make slow progress toward Mount Suribachi to the south and the airfield to the north (most of which has now been captured). There are Japanese counterattacks and infiltration attempts during the night.
1994 – CIA operative Aldrich Ames is arrested for selling secrets to the Soviet Union. Ames had access to the names and identities of all U.S. spies in Russia, and by becoming a double agent he was directly responsible for jeopardizing the lives of CIA agents working in the Eastern bloc. At least 10 men were killed after Ames revealed their identities, and more were sent to Russian gulags. Maria del Rosario Casas Ames, Aldrich's wife and an ex-CIA employee herself, was also charged for her role in accepting approximately $2.7 million (the most the Soviets ever paid a foreign spy) for providing the highly confidential information to the KGB. It was the Ames' spending that finally led to their downfall, but for many years no one questioned their ability to buy expensive cars and homes (paid for with cash) on his government salary. Ames picked up the cash at secret drops in the Washington, D.C., area and in unauthorized travels to Colombia and Venezuela. Aldrich Ames was the biggest success of the Soviet Union's reinvigorated espionage program. After the disastrous invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the Russians decided that spying was their best bet for improving their strategic position vis-ý-vis the United States. Dimitri Yakushkin was put in charge of a team called Group North. Yakushkin put more emphasis and money into clandestine operations and was rewarded when they turned Ames into a double agent. Ames, who had worked for the CIA since 1962, and whose main duties had included contacting Soviet sources, was the crown jewel for Group North. His information destroyed almost the whole American intelligence program in Russia. Later, a Senate Intelligence Committee issued a report that harshly criticized the CIA leadership for their negligence in allowing Ames to get away with his subterfuge for so long.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
WILLIAMS, ANTHONY
Rank and organization: Sailmaker's Mate, U.S. Navy. Born: 1822, Plymouth, Mass. Accredited to: Maine. G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865. Citation: Served as sailmaker's mate on board the U.S.S. Pontoosuc during the capture of Fort Fisher and Wilmington, 24 December 1864 to 22 February 1865. Carrying out his duties faithfully throughout this period, Williams was recommended for gallantry and skill and for his cool courage while under the fire of the enemy throughout these various actions.
CHAMBERS, JUSTICE M.
Rank and organization: Colonel. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3rd Assault Battalion Landing Team. 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division. Place and date: On Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. from 19 to 22 February 1945. Entered service at: Washington, D.C. Born: 2 February 1908, Huntington, W. Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the 3d Assault Battalion Landing Team, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 19 to 22 February 1945. Under a furious barrage of enemy machinegun and small-arms fire from the commanding cliffs on the right, Col. Chambers (then Lt. Col.) landed immediately after the initial assault waves of his battalion on D-day to find the momentum of the assault threatened by heavy casualties from withering Japanese artillery, mortar rocket, machinegun, and rifle fire. Exposed to relentless hostile fire, he coolly reorganized his battle-weary men, inspiring them to heroic efforts by his own valor and leading them in an attack on the critical, impregnable high ground from which the enemy was pouring an increasing volume of fire directly onto troops ashore as well as amphibious craft in succeeding waves. Constantly in the front lines encouraging his men to push forward against the enemy's savage resistance, Col. Chambers led the 8-hour battle to carry the flanking ridge top and reduce the enemy's fields of aimed fire, thus protecting the vital foothold gained. In constant defiance of hostile fire while reconnoitering the entire regimental combat team zone of action, he maintained contact with adjacent units and forwarded vital information to the regimental commander. His zealous fighting spirit undiminished despite terrific casualties and the loss of most of his key officers, he again reorganized his troops for renewed attack against the enemy's main line of resistance and was directing the fire of the rocket platoon when he fell, critically wounded. Evacuated under heavy Japanese fire, Col. Chambers, by forceful leadership, courage, and fortitude in the face of staggering odds, was directly instrumental in insuring the success of subsequent operations of the 5th Amphibious Corps on Iwo Jima, thereby sustaining and enhancing the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
MONTGOMERY, JACK C.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 45th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near, Padiglione, Italy, 22 February 1944. Entered service at: Sallisaw, Okla. Birth: Long, Okla. G.O. No.: 5, 15 January 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 22 February 1944, near Padiglione, Italy. Two hours before daybreak a strong force of enemy infantry established themselves in 3 echelons at 50 yards, 100 yards, and 300 yards, respectively, in front of the rifle platoons commanded by 1st Lt. Montgomery. The closest position, consisting of 4 machineguns and 1 mortar, threatened the immediate security of the platoon position. Seizing an Ml rifle and several hand grenades, 1st Lt. Montgomery crawled up a ditch to within hand grenade range of the enemy. Then climbing boldly onto a little mound, he fired his rifle and threw his grenades so accurately that he killed 8 of the enemy and captured the remaining 4. Returning to his platoon, he called for artillery fire on a house, in and around which he suspected that the majority of the enemy had entrenched themselves. Arming himself with a carbine, he proceeded along the shallow ditch, as withering fire from the riflemen and machinegunners in the second position was concentrated on him. He attacked this position with such fury that 7 of the enemy surrendered to him, and both machineguns were silenced. Three German dead were found in the vicinity later that morning. 1st Lt. Montgomery continued boldly toward the house, 300 yards from his platoon position. It was now daylight, and the enemy observation was excellent across the flat open terrain which led to 1st Lt. Montgomery's objective. When the artillery barrage had lifted, 1st Lt. Montgomery ran fearlessly toward the strongly defended position. As the enemy started streaming out of the house, 1st Lt. Montgomery, unafraid of treacherous snipers, exposed himself daringly to assemble the surrendering enemy and send them to the rear. His fearless, aggressive, and intrepid actions that morning, accounted for a total of 11 enemy dead, 32 prisoners, and an unknown number of wounded. That night, while aiding an adjacent unit to repulse a counterattack, he was struck by mortar fragments and seriously wounded. The selflessness and courage exhibited by 1st Lt. Montgomery in alone attacking 3 strong enemy positions inspired his men to a degree beyond estimation.
FOX, WESLEY L.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 22 February 1969. Entered service at: Leesburg, Va. Born: 30 September 1931, Herndon, Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as commanding officer of Company A, in action against the enemy in the northern A Shau Valley. Capt. (then 1st Lt.) Fox's company came under intense fire from a large well concealed enemy force. Capt. Fox maneuvered to a position from which he could assess the situation and confer with his platoon leaders. As they departed to execute the plan he had devised, the enemy attacked and Capt. Fox was wounded along with all of the other members of the command group, except the executive officer. Capt. Fox continued to direct the activity of his company. Advancing through heavy enemy fire, he personally neutralized 1 enemy position and calmly ordered an assault against the hostile emplacements. He then moved through the hazardous area coordinating aircraft support with the activities of his men. When his executive officer was mortally wounded, Capt. Fox reorganized the company and directed the fire of his men as they hurled grenades against the enemy and drove the hostile forces into retreat. Wounded again in the final assault, Capt. Fox refused medical attention, established a defensive posture, and supervised the preparation of casualties for medical evacuation. His indomitable courage, inspiring initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger inspired his marines to such aggressive action that they overcame all enemy resistance and destroyed a large bunker complex. Capt. Fox's heroic actions reflect great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps, and uphold the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
LANG, GEORGE C.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. place and date: Kien Hoa province, Republic of Vietnam, 22 February 1969. Entered service at: Brooklyn, N.Y. Born: 20 April 1947, Flushing, N.Y . Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Lang, Company A, was serving as a squad leader when his unit, on a reconnaissance-in-force mission, encountered intense fire from a well fortified enemy bunker complex. Sp4c. Lang observed an emplacement from which heavy fire was coming. Unhesitatingly, he assaulted the position and destroyed it with hand grenades and rifle fire. Observing another emplacement approximately 15 meters to his front, Sp4c. Lang jumped across a canal, moved through heavy enemy fire to within a few feet of the position, and eliminated it, again using hand grenades and rifle fire. Nearby, he discovered a large cache of enemy ammunition. As he maneuvered his squad forward to secure the cache, they came under fire from yet a third bunker. Sp4c. Lang immediately reacted, assaulted his position, and destroyed it with the remainder of his grenades. After returning to the area of the arms cache, his squad again came under heavy enemy rocket and automatic weapons fire from 3 sides and suffered 6 casualties. Sp4c. Lang was 1 of those seriously wounded. Although immobilized and in great pain, he continued to direct his men until his evacuation was ordered over his protests. The sustained extraordinary courage and selflessness exhibited by this soldier over an extended period of time were an inspiration to his comrades and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
*LAW, ROBERT D.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company 1 (Ranger), 75th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. place and date: Tinh Phuoc Thanh province, Republic of Vietnam, 22 February 1969. Entered service at: Dallas, Tex. Born: 15 September 1944, Fort Worth, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Law distinguished himself while serving with Company 1. While on a long-range reconnaissance patrol in Tinh Phuoc Thanh province, Sp4c. Law and 5 comrades made contact with a small enemy patrol. As the opposing elements exchanged intense fire, he maneuvered to a perilously exposed position flanking his comrades and began placing suppressive fire on the hostile troops. Although his team was hindered by a low supply of ammunition and suffered from an unidentified irritating gas in the air, Sp4c. Law's spirited defense and challenging counterassault rallied his fellow soldiers against the well-equipped hostile troops. When an enemy grenade landed in his team's position, Sp4c. Law, instead of diving into the safety of a stream behind him, threw himself on the grenade to save the lives of his comrades. Sp4c. Law's extraordinary courage and profound concern for his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 22 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
22 February
1921: Jack Knight, Ernest M. Allison, and five others flew the first transcontinental airmail flight from San Francisco, Calif., to New York, N. Y., in 33 hours 30 minutes, using US-built De Havilland DH-4s. Knight also flew at night from North Platte, Nebr., to Chicago, Ill. (9) (21)
1945: Operation CLARION. Aircraft from Eighth, Ninth, and Fifteenth Air Forces began an all-out assault on German communications and other transportation targets. (24)
1962: EXERCISE BANYAN TREE. USAF and USA elements from the Strike Command began this exercise in Panama's Rio Hato training area. (24)
1967: Operation JUNCTION CITY. 23 USAF C-130s carried 700 troops from the 173d Airborne Brigade on the first parachute personnel drop in the Vietnam War. Heavy drops of equipment and supplies followed the personnel drop. (16) (17)
1968: The first AC-130A gunship deployed to Southeast Asia in 1967 and returned later in December to the US for refurbishment. On 22 February 1967, the aircraft redeployed to Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, while seven more C-130s were being modified as gunships for deployment in Southeast Asia by year's end. The USAF also activated the 16th Special Operations Squadron on 30 October 1968 as a gunship unit for the AC-130As. (17)
1973: CEASE FIRE IN LAOS. After signing the cease-fire for S. Vietnam on 27 January, the U. S. redirected most of its air operations against N. Vietnamese forces in Laos. In addition to the 4,482 attack sorties flown by the Royal Lao Air Force, the USAF flew 50 B-52 Arc Light sorties and 4,000 tactical sorties in January. After the 22 February cease-fire, the Laotian government requested three B-52 strikes on 23 February to answer N. Vietnamese violations. B-52s also flew 41 more sorties on 15, 16, and 17 April. These were the final B-52 strikes against targets in Laos. (17)
1977: The Carter Administration ended Minuteman III production. (6)
1978: From Vandenberg AFB, Calif., an Atlas F booster placed the first Navigation System Timing and Ranging (NAVSTAR 1), a Global Positioning Satellite, into orbit. On 31 March, the satellite became operational. (26)
1998: Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen asked for a Presidential Selective Reserve Call-Up to support operations against Iraq in Southwest Asia. (32)
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