To All,
Good Saturday morning April 8 2023.
Regards,
Skip
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History April 8
1823 The barges USS Mosquito, USS Gallinipper, and sloop-of-war Peacock chase the pirate schooner, Pilot, which is driven ashore off Havana, Cuba.
1848 The first U.S. flag is flown over the Sea of Galilee when Lt. William F. Lynch sails in an iron boat up the Jordan River. He later authors a book, Narrative of the United States' Expedition to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea.
1925 Lt. John D. Price, piloting a VF-1 plane, makes a night landing on USS Langley (CV 1), at sea off San Diego, Calif., the first on board a U.S. Navy carrier.
1944 USS Seahorse (SS 304) and USS Trigger (SS 237) successfully attack a Japanese convoy off Guam, damaging a Japanese destroyer and a tanker.
1961 USS Laffey (DD 724) and USS Tanner (AGS-15) assist in rescue work and firefighting after the British passenger liner Dara catches fire in the Persian Gulf.
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This day in world history
April 8
1789 The U.S. House of Representatives holds its first meeting.
1832 Some 300 American troops of the 6th Infantry leave Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, to confront the Sauk Indians in what would become known as the Black Hawk War.
1864 In the Battle of Mansfield, Louisiana, Federals are routed by Confederate Gen. Richard Taylor.
1865 General Robert E. Lee's retreat is cut off near Appomattox Court House.
1898 British General Horatio Kitchener defeats the Khalifa, leader of the dervishes in Sudan, at the Battle of Atbara.
1913 The 17th Amendment is ratified, requiring direct election of senators.
1935 The Works Progress Administration (WPA) is approved by Congress.
1939 Italy invades Albania.
1942 The Soviets open a rail link to the besieged city of Leningrad.
1952 President Truman orders the seizure of U.S. steel mills to prevent a strike.
1962 Bay of Pigs invaders get thirty years imprisonment in Cuba.
1974 Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record.
•1975 Frank Robinson of the Cleveland Indians becomes first black manager of a major league baseball team
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Skip… For The List for Saturday, 8 April 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 8 April 1968… NYT correspondent/columnist Joesph Alsop and Operation Pegasus…
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 another great tidbit from Barrett
From: Barrett Tillman
Subject: Fw: [TheList] 6423 / Joe McGraw at Samar
Mike certainly is justifiably proud of his dad. I knew Joe tolerably well. When he saw his FM-2 on the back of my Wildcat aces book, also with Butch O'Hare's photo, Joe gave me a hearty Tailhook Hug. He lived near Whidbey, died in 2015 at age 87.
Joe's account does not mention that the launch officer angled him down the deck to avoid a hole in the planking. IIRC he was partly downwind
I went to the PI with the Gambier Bay survivors assn in 1977, intending to write The Book that the board tossed to Edwin Palmer Hoyt ferpetesake (who did not know the diff between .50 cal and 50mm)
But the chapter I wrote has been reprinted a coupla few times: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2019/october/gambier-bays-final-hours
The Gambier Bay's Final Hours
25 October 1944 found the escort carrier Gambier Bay in a desperate struggle off Samar.
Incidentally: hardly anybody knows, but long ago I crunched The Numbers and found that the FM-2 "Wilder Wildcat" has by far the best kill-loss ratio of piston fighters: 32-1. Has much to do with the CVE mission.
VC-10 CO Ed Huxtable lived in S Arizona Territory and I was fortunate to fly with him along The Border. Exceptional leader, USNA 33 with Dave McCampbell among others.
Break-break
Speaking of Wildcats, today is the 80th anniversary of 1Lt Jim Swett's first combat; credited with seven Val dive bombers near Guadalcanal. Jim was the last WW II Flying Leatherneck I knew. An O-6 with a JO's attitude despite the Medal of Honor. He said when VMF-221 arrived at Guadal the CO called an AOM announcing that as the only regular in the squadron, he was (and I quote) "too valuable to risk in combat." As Jim said, "That went over like a lead balloon with us lieutenants."
Jim's Dodge camper had a variety of decals including NRA Life Member, I SUPPORT TAILHOOK, and one-shot antelope hunt. California MoH plates. When I saw that vehicle without knowing who owned it I thought, "Wow, I hope he has a daughter!" He got a chuckle out of that. Departed the pattern in 2009.
IIRC both his sons went USMC.
Barrett
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From The Archives
Thanks to Dr. Rich
High Flight
As it states below I used to love listening to the poem and watching a single seat fighter play among the clouds at the end of the TV broadcasting day and in my later life taking the F-8 Crusader among those clouds gave me an intense feeling of Joy. skip
Thanks to John … who is working on formatting emails so you don't have to search for stuff ...
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or ever eagle flew— And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. —John Gillespie Magee Jr.
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Not all poetry is "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways" and "Only God can make a tree." Some verse has been composed about deeper and more meaningful themes, like flying. Perhaps the most famous aviation poem is "High Flight," which almost everyone has heard, at least the first and last lines—"I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth" and "Put out my hand, and touched the face of God."
I first heard this poem in the days when TV broadcasting ended at 2 a.m. After a bad B-movie, our local station would sign off with images of military jets flying in formation while the narrator intoned, "…put out my hand, and touched the face of God."
The author of this most famous of all aviation poems, John Gillespie Magee Jr., was born in 1922 to an American father and British mother, both Anglican missionaries in China. At age 7, he attended the American School in Nanking and later moved to England where he attended the celebrated Rugby School. There, he developed a love of poetry and won Rugby's Poetry Prize in 1938. He was an admirer of the poet Rupert Brooke (1887–1915), who had also attended Rugby and died in World War I.
Magee was at school in the United States when World War II broke out in Europe in 1939. Instead of attending university, Magee joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940 and received his wings in 1941. He was sent to the United Kingdom for advanced training on Spitfires at Llandow, Wales. There, on August 18, 1941, he flew a Spitfire to 33,000 feet, higher than he'd previously flown, and it's this "high flight" that is believed to have inspired the poem.
Magee wrote the poem immediately after landing, and it was first read by a fellow pilot later that day in the officer's mess. Magee sent a copy of the poem to his parents, in which he wrote, "I am enclosing a verse I wrote the other day. It started at 30,000 feet, and was finished soon after I landed." His father, then a curate in Washington, D.C., printed the poem in church publications, and that might have been the extent of its renown, if not for a convergence of tragic events.
After training, Magee was assigned to a fighter squadron at RAF Digby in the East Midlands of England and took part in his first operational sorties in November and December 1941. On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States was drawn into World War II. Four days later, December 11, 1941, Magee's Spitfire collided with an Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine training aircraft, and Magee was killed, aged 19. He was buried in the graveyard of Holy Cross Church in the village of Scopwick, close by RAF Digby.
Because Magee was a U.S. citizen, he was among the first American casualties of the war, and his parents were interviewed by Washington newspaper reporters. Magee's father gave the journalists a copy of "High Flight," and it's likely this is how it came to the attention of Archibald MacLeish, the Librarian of Congress. The poem was subsequently included in the 1942 "Poems of Faith and Freedom" exhibition at the Library of Congress. There, it was displayed with two renowned World War I poems, John McCrae's "In Flanders Fields" and Rupert Brooke's "The Soldier."
"High Flight" quickly became one of the best-known poems of the war; British pilots often flew with a copy in their flight suits. The poem was recited by actress Merle Oberon during the "Hollywood Victory Caravan," a war bond tour by Hollywood stars, and Orson Welles read it numerous times on radio programs throughout the war.
From the 1950s onward, the poem was used by many television stations for their end-of-the-broadcast-day "sign off," introducing the poem to generations of younger Americans. Several vintage "sign-offs" that include the poem can be found on YouTube.
The poem was taken into orbit by astronaut Michael Collins on Gemini 10 and to the moon's surface by Apollo 15 moonwalker James Irwin. Numerous musicians have set the poem to music, including pilot and singer John Denver, and the poem has been recited in numerous films.
President Ronald Reagan quoted "High Flight" in his address to the nation on the evening of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. He spoke of the lost crew, "We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of Earth' to 'touch the face of God.'" The text of "High Flight" is inscribed on the Challenger Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Lines of the poem—usually only the first and last—can be found on the gravestones of many aviators, including Magee's. Monuments to fallen pilots around the world often include the poem in its entirety.
"High Flight" has been transcribed so many times that errors have crept into many of the published versions. The most authoritative version comes from the Library of Congress, which holds the original letter from Magee to his parents. Magee had written, "if anyone should want this, please see that it is accurately copied, capitalized and punctuated."
Nearly 80 years after the composition of "High Flight" by a 19-year-old pilot preparing for war, it continues to evoke the joy of flight and inspire people to soar.
Other aviation poems
"Courage," by Amelia Earhart
"The Aeroplane," by Gordon Boshell
"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death," by William Butler Yeats "The Bombers," by Sarah Churchill "Battle of Britain," by Cecil Day-Lewis "Flying Crooked," by Robert Graves "History of the Airplane," by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
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Thanks to George
I had a VA appointment this morning at the foot care clinic for 8:00 AM. I woke up at 8:10 AM. I have not gotten out of bed so quickly in 52 years, and on that occasion there were incoming mortars. Twenty minutes later I arrived at the VA I found I had forgotten my "claymore" face mask. Oh well, I can submit to the indignity of one of theirs. But when I got to the entrance, the guard waved me on through and told me that "as of ten minutes ago masks are now optional"!! And most of the VA personnel and patients had bare faces. I made it to clinic and got my hoofs trimmed, and on the way out I asked the security guard for the back story. Mask requirement has been lifted this morning, effective immediately. And funding for all VA Covid programs expires on May 11, with all programs cancelled. And then he wished me a Happy Good Friday! End the funding, end the crisis.
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Thanks to Brett
Stratfor snippets - UAE/Israel, Iraq, Israel, South Africa, France/China, Canada/Australia, Afghanistan, Iran/Saudi Arabia,
UAE, Israel: Leaders Maintain Strategic Ties Despite Underlying Tensions
What Happened: Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call, and the Israelis said the leaders pledged to hold a "personal meeting in the near future," Reuters reported on April 4. Emirati media made no mention of this future meeting but said the country would work to "avoid regional escalation" with the Israelis.
Why It Matters: Although the United Arab Emirates will continue to criticize Israel's policies toward the Palestinians and might even downgrade diplomatic relations if there is sustained Israeli-Palestinian violence, it remains likely that economic and defense ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates will remain strong. Therefore, Israel's right-leaning and far-right politicians are likely to conclude that they can continue their policies without incurring significant international repercussions.
Background: In March, the United Arab Emirates' Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and British oil and gas company BP bought a 50% stake in Israel's NewMed Energy, and in May 2022, Israel and the United Arab Emirates implemented a free trade agreement. Mohammed bin Zayed also recently hosted former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who became the first Israeli prime minister to visit the United Arab Emirates in 2021.
Iraq: $27 Billion Mega Energy Project to Move Forward
What Happened: Iraq said it reached an agreement on a long-stalled $27 billion energy project with French energy company TotalEnergies and Qatari state-owned petroleum company QatarEnergy that should pave the way for the initial $10 billion phase of the project to move forward, Reuters reported on April 4.
Why It Matters: The entire $27 billion project, which is planned to last 25 years, intends to boost production at the Ratawi oil field from about 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 210,000 bpd, as well as implement a 600,000 cubic feet per day gas capture scheme, a 5 million bpd water injection scheme and a 1 gigawatt solar power project. The gas capture — or, more importantly, the lower amount of gas flaring — and solar components of the project will be tangible steps toward Iraq's decarbonization plans, despite the country's high dependence on and investment in oil and gas production.
Background: The companies initially agreed to the project in 2021, but negotiations had been volatile for months due to Baghdad's push for a 40% stake; Baghdad eventually settled for a 30% stake, with TotalEnergies owning a 45% stake and QatarEnergy owning a 25% stake.
Israel: Clashes at Holy Site Trigger Rocket Attacks From Gaza, Israeli Retaliation
What Happened: Clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian worshippers at the Noble Sanctuary/Temple Mount holy site in Jerusalem triggered 16 rocket attacks by Gaza-based militants toward Israel, one of which caused damage but no casualties, The Times of Israel reported on April 5. Following the rocket attacks, Israeli aircraft conducted retaliatory strikes on a weapons factory and a weapons storage depot in Gaza, but there were no reports of casualties.
Why It Matters: Further clashes at the holy site, which could occur toward the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (March 23-April 21), may trigger similar rocket attacks and/or more Palestinian militant attacks targeting Israeli civilians and military personnel. Such Palestinian attacks (especially if they cause Israeli casualties) could trigger Israeli retaliation that causes Palestinian casualties, further escalating the conflict.
Background: During the clashes, Israeli security forces entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque and deployed rubber bullets and stun grenades against Palestinian worshippers, who had barricaded themselves inside the mosque. Israeli authorities arrested 350 Palestinians during the clashes. The clashes come amid heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions, as Palestinians mark Ramadan and Israelis mark the Jewish weeklong commemoration of Passover (April 5-13).
South Africa: Government Revokes State of Disaster Over Electricity Crisis
What Happened: The South African government revoked the state of disaster imposed to address the ongoing electricity crisis in response to civil rights lawsuits challenging its legality, Bloomberg reported on April 5.
Why It Matters: The revocation of the state of disaster is not an indication that the government has successfully allayed the electricity crisis, as load shedding is likely to worsen again in the coming winter months given that promised improvements to electricity infrastructure will still likely take years to fully materialize.
Background: The government imposed the state of disaster on Feb. 9 in order to bypass regulatory barriers to repair old power plants.
France, China: Macron Welcomes China's Role in Ukraine, Warns Against Decoupling
What Happened: French President Emmanuel Macron said China can play a major role in mediating the Russia-Ukraine war and that Europe should maintain trade and diplomatic ties with Beijing, Reuters reported on April 5. These comments came shortly after Macron arrived in China with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (and a large business delegation) for a three-day state visit during which the pair will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Why It Matters: Macron's traveling companions highlight his balancing act between preserving business ties with China and embracing the need for a common, more assertive European stance vis a vis Beijing. On one hand, Macron is expected to oversee the signing of a series of cooperation agreements with China in areas such as aerospace, civil nuclear energy and supply chains, in a sign that Paris is willing to take a more moderate stance than Washington on Beijing. On other hand, both Macron and von der Leyen are expected to stress how any Chinese military support for Russia in Ukraine would undermine relations with Europe.
Background: Macron spoke via phone with U.S. President Joe Biden right before leaving for Beijing, with the two reportedly agreeing on the need to engage with Beijing on Ukraine even if Washington remains skeptical about Xi's 12-point peace plan. Days before her trip to Beijing, von der Leyen said the European Union must "de-risk" its relationship with China, including by limiting China's access to strategic technology and its presence in Europe's critical supply chains.
Canada, Australia: Western Countries Announce Investigation, Possible Lawsuit Against ChatGPT
What Happened: The Canadian federal privacy commissioner announced that it would be opening an investigation into OpenAI, the U.S. company that developed popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT, citing a complaint it had received that the company was collecting, using and disclosing personal information without consent, CBC News reported on April 4. Separately, an Australian regional mayor is reportedly considering suing OpenAI if it does not correct ChatGPT's false claims that he had served time in prison for bribery, potentially paving the way for the first defamation lawsuit against an AI chatbot service.
Why It Matters: Canada's announced investigation and Australia's potential lawsuit highlight growing concerns about ChatGPT and other chatbots in Western countries surrounding data privacy rights. The ambiguity surrounding how this technology collects and processes peoples' information will likely drive further investigative efforts by governments in the coming months. Additionally, the Australian mayor's expressed intention to pursue legal action against ChatGPT also highlights concerns around AI chatbots' information legitimacy, due to the fact that chatbots can be prone to "hallucinations" or tendencies to produce inaccurate answers to users' questions. Efforts by governments to pause AI development will likely pose economic challenges for countries like the United States, which are seeking to rapidly capitalize on these AI services amid international AI competition.
Background: AI chatbots first rose to prominence following OpenAI's release of ChatGPT in November 2022, which set off an AI race by major companies like Microsoft, Google and Baidu to release their own chatbot services. On March 31, the Italian Data Protection Authority (DPA) ordered a temporary ban on ChatGPT, claiming it would open an investigation into OpenAI on its data collection and processing practices. Nonprofit organization the Future of Life Institute has also called for bans on AI chatbots.
Afghanistan: Taliban Banned Female U.N. Employees From Work
What Happened: U.N. officials said Afghanistan's ruling Taliban banned the organization's female employees from working nationwide after the Taliban stopped female U.N. employees in the eastern province of Nangarhar from coming to work, AP reported on April 4. Reportedly, the United Nations is in discussions with the Taliban to clarify the restrictions and to negotiate a reversal, but in the meantime, the United Nations has instructed its Afghan staff to work from home at least through April 6.
Why It Matters: The ban will likely force the United Nations to substantially decrease its aid operations in Afghanistan, although it may resume some programs if the Taliban allows some female U.N. employees to return to work (as it did for nongovernmental organizations following a similar ban in December 2022). U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric also implied that the United Nations maintains a contingency plan, which he said "is almost too tragic to contemplate." Regardless, decreased aid will exacerbate the country's deteriorating humanitarian conditions, which may lead more pragmatic Taliban leaders to increase pressure on Taliban hardliners (who are reportedly responsible for such edicts) to compromise. Worsening conditions may also increasingly push Afghans to protest or engage in armed resistance.
Background: The ban is the latest in a series of hardline social restrictions issued by the Taliban over the past year, and it comes after authorities barred female nongovernmental employees from working on Dec. 24, 2022. Multiple aid organizations suspended their operations after the Dec. 24 ban amid operational constraints and reputational risks. However, some organizations later resumed a portion of their prior operations following mid-January assurances by the Taliban that female NGO employees in health and office support roles would be allowed to continue working.
Iran, Saudi Arabia: Foreign Minister Meeting Continues Rapprochement Trajectory
What Happened: The Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers met in Beijing, China, for the first time in seven years, and they agreed on the need for regional stability and discussed how to deepen economic cooperation, AP reported on April 6.
Why It Matters: The meeting shows that Iran and Saudi Arabia are following through on their diplomatic timeline announced on March 10 to restore bilateral relations and reopen embassies in the other country by around May. Iran and Saudi Arabia will likely exchange security- and economic-focused delegations next. Additionally, the meeting's setting in Beijing underscores China's growing diplomatic prominence in the Middle East, especially since China brokered the initial March agreement.
Background: Saudi Arabia and Iran are the Persian Gulf region's biggest rivals, and they cut ties after protesters stormed Saudi consular buildings in Tehran, Iran, following the Saudi execution of a Shiite cleric in 2016.
Germany: Berlin Proposes Common Rules for Debt Reduction for EU Countries
What Happened: The German government wants the European Union's new fiscal rules to include explicit and strict debt reduction rules for highly-indebted governments, according to a policy paper seen by the Financial Times on April 6. According to the paper, Berlin wants countries whose debt surpasses 60% of gross domestic product to commit to reducing their debt-to-GDP ratios by 1% per year, while countries with lower debt levels should aim to reduce their debt-to-GDP ratios by 0.5% per year.
Why It Matters: Germany's policy paper is pushing for common rules for debt reduction, which reflects Berlin's fear that the European Commission's current proposal (involving ad hoc negotiations with individual member states to produce custom-made debt reduction programs) could result in a process that is too politicized and flexible. Still, Berlin's proposal to reduce debt-to-GDP levels by 1% per year is more lenient than the original rules that the bloc suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (which called for a 5% per year reduction of the debt burden) that are widely seen as unrealistic. The policy paper also establishes that spending programs financed through cheap EU loans should be excluded from debt calculations. Berlin's and Brussels' positions suggest that a compromise with countries in southern Europe that want softer debt reduction rules is possible, but negotiations are likely to take weeks or months, as southern countries support the commission's proposal for more ad hoc debt reduction plans.
Background: Brussels wants to introduce a reformed version of its original rules on fiscal deficits and sovereign debt levels by the end of 2023, which is leading to a growing debate between member states about what to reform. While the European Commission is currently working on a proposal, Brussels has indicated that it prefers the updated rules to be more flexible and adaptable to the realities of individual countries as opposed to the homogeneous and strict rules that currently apply.
France, China: Macron and Xi Stick to Their Guns During Joint Press Conference
What Happened: During a joint press conference between French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Macron asked Xi to help "bring Russia to its senses" and "bring everyone back to the negotiating table" to end the war in Ukraine, Politico reported on April 6. Xi said, "peace talks should be resumed as soon as possible, taking into account the reasonable security concerns of all sides."
Why It Matters: While no significant political breakthroughs took place during Macron's meeting with Xi, France and China signed a series of economic and cultural deals, including the sale of Airbus aircraft to China. This highlights Europe's duality regarding China, as EU countries are critical of China's support for Russia (and have threatened to impose sanctions if Beijing supplies Moscow with weapons) but are also interested in keeping close trade and investment ties with China.
Background: Macron is on a multi-day visit to China, alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met with Xi in China in March, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met Xi in China in November 2022.
Switzerland: Zurich Insurance Exits Net-Zero Insurance Alliance
What Happened: Switzerland's Zurich Insurance Group said on April 5 that it was leaving the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA), which is part of the broader Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), Reuters reported the next day.
Why It Matters: Although Zurich Insurance did not announce why it was leaving the NZIA, growing antitrust concerns may have been a factor. These issues are likely to intensify in the United States as Republicans increasingly oppose environmental, social and corporate governance-investment strategies, and this trend will only accelerate if Republicans win the 2024 presidential election. Zurich Insurance may also have been concerned about the commitments that GFANZ is pushing its members to make and the potential compliance challenges that could result, particularly as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's climate disclosure rule comes into effect.
Background: Zurich Insurance is the second founding member to quit the alliance after Germany's Munich Re announced on March 31 it was leaving over antitrust concerns.
Sudan: Transition to Civilian Rule Delayed Again
What Happened: The Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), a civilian political coalition, announced the postponement of a deal with the military to transition to civilian rule, AP reported April 5. The civilian bloc, the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group were supposed to sign the agreement on April 6, but the RSF and the military are still reportedly negotiating over security sector reform and the RSF's integration into the military.
Why It Matters: The delays are unsurprising, as security sector reform and integration of the RSF into the military have been long-standing points of contention among the FFC, RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces. Furthermore, regardless of whether or when a deal is signed, pro-democracy civilian resistance committees that reject negotiations with the military outright and have led anti-military protests since the October 2021 coup will likely continue to lead demonstrations in the coming months.
Background: This is the second time the signing has been postponed in one week. The military took power in an October 2021 coup that overthrew a transitional civilian government following the 2019 revolution that ended the multi-decade rule of former president Omar al-Bashir.
Global: G-7 Considers Backing More Investment in Upstream Natural Gas
What Happened: The Group of Seven's climate representatives are considering adopting a text arguing that new investments into upstream natural gas and liquified natural gas are "necessary," Reuters reported on April 6, citing a draft document it had seen.
Why It Matters: The change would be yet another way that the G-7 has weakened some of its commitments regarding fossil fuel financing in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and it would be a win for Japan, which has been pushing for a relaxation of some of the G-7's gas-related commitments. However, the G-7 will still debate the final text, which could result in significant modifications before it is approved.
Background: Japan is slated to host the 2023 G-7 summit in May, and climate change and energy ministers will meet on April 15-16 in Sapporo, Japan, ahead of the summit. In the June 2022 G-7 summit, the bloc weakened some of its pledges to halt fossil fuel investment, saying investment in natural gas "can be appropriate as a temporary response."
Germany: Munich Re, Allianz Will Not Extend Nord Stream 1 Insurance Coverage
What Happened: German insurers Allianz and Munich Re said they will not extend coverage for the Nord Stream 1 natural gas pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany and has been inoperable since a sabotage operation in September 2022, when it expires later in 2023, Reuters reported on April 6. The statements came after Reuters reported on April 4 that the companies had renewed coverage for the pipeline.
Why It Matters: Allianz's and Munich Re's renewal of coverage — plus the subsequent announcements of their intention to not proactively extend insurance coverage beyond 2023 — suggests that the companies are trying to facilitate pipeline repairs. However, Western officials from the shareholders of the company that operates Nord Stream 1 have said there is no plan currently to repair the system.
Background: In March, one of the shareholders said they were discussing how to seal and empty the pipeline system in order to halt seawater seeping into the pipes following the September 2022 blasts. Sealing and emptying the pipeline would be necessary for any repair.
Georgia: U.S. Sanctions Georgian Judges for Corruption
What Happened: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the imposition of sanctions on four judges serving on Georgia's High Council of Justice for "significant corruption" that "undermined the rule of law and the public's faith in Georgia's judicial system," Civil Georgia reported on April 6.
Why It Matters: This is the first time the United States has sanctioned members of Georgia's judiciary, and Washington likely hopes the sanctions will pressure the Georgian government into following through with reforms needed to continue the country's Euro-Atlantic integration. The timing of the sanctions is likely at least partially related to the recent failure of the Georgian government's push for a "foreign agents" bill, which may embolden pro-reform factions in the government and public while the ruling Georgian Dream party recovers. The sanctions will damage U.S. relations with the Georgian government, but they are unlikely to trigger significant retaliation by Georgian authorities or a larger deterioration of bilateral relations.
Background: In a recorded statement explaining the State Department's decision, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said the United States has been urging the Georgian government to make meaningful reforms to its judiciary for years and that the sanctions are "necessary to achieve a prosperous Euro-Atlantic future." On March 10, Georgian lawmakers formally rejected the contentious foreign agents bill they had passed in a first reading on March 7.
Taiwan: As Tsai Meets McCarthy, Taiwan Strait Norms Shift Toward Confrontation
What Happened: Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and 17 other U.S. lawmakers in California, United States, The Guardian reported on April 5. In response, China's Fujian Maritime Safety Administration announced it would conduct "on-site inspections" of commercial ships during patrols in the Taiwan Strait, and China's Shandong aircraft carrier sailed 200 miles (322 kilometers) east of Taiwan.
Why It Matters: China's increasing disregard for the unofficial boundary of the Taiwan Strait median line risks clashes at sea between Taiwanese and Chinese coast guards. Meanwhile, McCarthy's meeting with Tsai represents a continued elevation of Taiwan-U.S. diplomatic ties, which will impede U.S.-China efforts to "put guardrails" on strategic competition. China's actions show Beijing intends to maintain high military coercive pressure against Taiwan, even if restraint is prudent at present, given the ongoing visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to China and Beijing's desire not to boost support for Tsai's pro-democracy ruling party ahead of Taiwan's January 2024 elections.
Background: McCarthy reiterated the need to deliver arms sales to Taiwan on a "very timely basis," and both sides highlighted the importance of democracy and cooperation.
Russia, Belarus: Putin and Lukashenko Hold Defense and Economic Integration Talks
What Happened: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko concluded two days of talks by holding a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State, where they discussed the fulfillment of Union State integration programs under their 2021-2023 agreement, The Washington Post reported on April 6.
Why It Matters: The most notable announcements from the talks were that the security councils of Belarus and Russia have been instructed to develop a unified Union State security concept, building on the unified Military Doctrine of the Union State they announced earlier in 2023, as well as announcements that work on a unified electricity market is now underway. The talks are indicative of the slow but steady pace of Belarus' integration into Russia and suggest that they will likely negotiate an updated agreement and timeline for further economic, political and military integration beyond 2023 later in the year.
Background: On March 26, Putin said Russia plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and that the construction of storage units in Belarus for the weapons would be completed on July 1.
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This Day in U S Military History…….April 8
1945 – On Okinawa, the forces of US 3rd Amphibious Corps, attacking northward on the island, have cut the neck of the Motobu Peninsula and US 6th Marine Division begins operations to clear it of Japanese forces. At sea, there are less intense Kamikaze attacks.
1972 – North Vietnamese 2nd Division troops drive out of Laos and Cambodia to open a third front of their offensive in the Central Highlands, attacking at Kontum and Pleiku in attempt to cut South Vietnam in two. If successful, this would give North Vietnam control of the northern half of South Vietnam. The three-front attack was part of the North Vietnamese Nguyen Hue Offensive (later known as the "Easter Offensive"), which had been launched on March 30. The offensive was a massive invasion by North Vietnamese forces designed to strike the knockout blow that would win the war for the communists. The attacking force included 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, with more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. North Vietnam had a number of objectives in launching the offensive: impressing the communist world and its own people with its determination; capitalizing on U.S. antiwar sentiment and possibly hurting President Richard Nixon's chances for re-election; proving that "Vietnamization" was a failure; damaging the South Vietnamese forces and government stability; gaining as much territory as possible before a possible truce; and accelerating negotiations on their own terms. Initially, the South Vietnamese defenders in each case were almost overwhelmed, particularly in the northernmost provinces, where they abandoned their positions in Quang Tri and fled south in the face of the enemy onslaught. At Kontum and An Loc, the South Vietnamese were more successful in defending against the North Vietnamese attacks. Although the defenders suffered heavy casualties, they managed to hold out with the aid of U.S. advisors and American airpower. Fighting continued all over South Vietnam into the summer months, but eventually the South Vietnamese forces prevailed against the invaders, even retaking Quang Tri in September. With the communist invasion blunted, President Nixon declared that the South Vietnamese victory proved the viability of his Vietnamization program, instituted in 1969 to increase the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces.
1975 – After a weeklong mission to South Vietnam, Gen. Frederick Weyand, U.S. Army Chief of Staff and former Vietnam commander, reports to Congress that South Vietnam cannot survive without additional military aid. Questioned again later by reporters who asked if South Vietnam could survive with additional aid, Weyand replied there was "a chance." Weyand had been sent to Saigon by President Gerald Ford to assess the South Vietnamese forces and their chances for survival against the attacking North Vietnamese. The South Vietnamese were on the verge of collapse. The most recent assaults had begun in December 1974 when the North Vietnamese launched a major attack against the lightly defended province of Phuoc Long–located north of Saigon along the Cambodian border–and overran the provincial capital at Phuoc Binh on January 6, 1975. Despite previous presidential promises to aid South Vietnam in such a situation, the United States did nothing. By this time, Nixon had resigned from office and his successor, Gerald Ford, was unable to convince a hostile Congress to make good on Nixon's earlier promises to Saigon. The situation emboldened the North Vietnamese, who launched a new campaign in March 1975, in which the South Vietnamese forces fell back in total disarray. Once again, the United States did nothing. The South Vietnamese abandoned Pleiku and Kontum in the Highlands with very little fighting. Then Quang Tri, Hue, and Da Nang fell to the communist onslaught. The North Vietnamese continued to attack south along the coast toward Saigon, defeating the South Vietnamese forces at each encounter. As Weyand reported to Congress, the South Vietnamese were battling three North Vietnamese divisions at Xuan Loc, the last defense line before Saigon. Indeed, it became the last battle in the defense of the Republic of South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese forces managed to hold out against the attackers until they ran out of tactical air support and weapons, finally abandoning Xuan Loc to the communists on April 21. Saigon fell to the communists on April 30.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
SHIELDS, BERNARD
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 2d West Virginia Cavalry. Place and date: At Appomattox, Va., 8 April 1865. Entered service at: Ironton, Ohio. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of the Washington Artillery (C.S.A.).
HEYL, CHARLES H.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, 23d U.S. Infantry. Place and date: Near Fort Hartsuff, Nebr., 28 April 1876. Entered service at: Camden, N.J. Birth: Philadelphia, Pa. Date of issue: 26 October 1897. Citation: Voluntarily, and with most conspicuous gallantry, charged with 3 men upon 6 Indians who were entrenched upon a hillside.
CREWS, JOHN R.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company F, 253d Infantry, 63d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Lobenbacherhof, Germany, 8 April 1945. Entered service at: Bowlegs, Okla. Birth: Golden, Okla. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 8 April 1945 near Lobenbacherhof, Germany. As his company was advancing toward the village under heavy fire, an enemy machinegun and automatic rifle with rifle support opened upon it from a hill on the right flank. Seeing that his platoon leader had been wounded by their fire, S/Sgt. Crews, acting on his own initiative, rushed the strongpoint with 2 men of his platoon. Despite the fact that 1 of these men was killed and the other was badly wounded, he continued his advance up the hill in the face of terrific enemy fire. Storming the well-dug-in position single-handedly, he killed 2 of the crew of the machinegun at pointblank range with his M 1 rifle and wrested the gun from the hands of the German whom he had already wounded. He then with his rifle charged the strongly emplaced automatic rifle. Although badly wounded in the thigh by crossfire from the remaining enemy, he kept on and silenced the entire position with his accurate and deadly rifle fire. His actions so unnerved the remaining enemy soldiers that 7 of them surrendered and the others fled. His heroism caused the enemy to concentrate on him and permitted the company to move forward into the village.
LITTRELL, GARY LEE
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Advisory Team 21, 11 Corps Advisory Group. place and date: Kontum province, Republic of Vietnam, 4-8 April 1970. Entered service at: Los Angeles, Calif. Born: 26 October 1944, Henderson, Ky. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sfc. Littrell, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Advisory Team 21, distinguished himself while serving as a Light Weapons Infantry Advisor with the 23d Battalion, 2d Ranger Group, Republic of Vietnam Army, near Dak Seang. After establishing a defensive perimeter on a hill on April 4, the battalion was subjected to an intense enemy mortar attack which killed the Vietnamese commander, 1 advisor, and seriously wounded all the advisors except Sfc. Littrell. During the ensuing 4 days, Sfc Littrell exhibited near superhuman endurance as he single-handedly bolstered the besieged battalion. Repeatedly abandoning positions of relative safety, he directed artillery and air support by day and marked the unit's location by night, despite the heavy, concentrated enemy fire. His dauntless will instilled in the men of the 23d Battalion a deep desire to resist. Assault after assault was repulsed as the battalion responded to the extraordinary leadership and personal example exhibited by Sfc. Littrell as he continuously moved to those points most seriously threatened by the enemy, redistributed ammunition, strengthened faltering defenses, cared for the wounded and shouted encouragement to the Vietnamese in their own language. When the beleaguered battalion was finally ordered to withdraw, numerous ambushes were encountered. Sfc. Littrell repeatedly prevented widespread disorder by directing air strikes to within 50 meters of their position. Through his indomitable courage and complete disregard for his safety, he averted excessive loss of life and injury to the members of the battalion. The sustained extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by Sfc. Littrell over an extended period of time were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him and the U.S. Army.
*MICHAEL, DON LESLIE
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 4th Battalion, 503d Infantry, 1 73d Airborne Brigade. place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 8 April 1967. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 31 July 1947, Florence, Ala. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Michael, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while serving with Company C. Sp4c. Michael was part of a platoon which was moving through an area of suspected enemy activity. While the rest of the platoon stopped to provide security, the squad to which Sp4c. Michael was assigned moved forward to investigate signs of recent enemy activity. After moving approximately 125 meters, the squad encountered a single Viet Cong soldier. When he was fired upon by the squad's machine gunner, other Viet Cong opened fire with automatic weapons from a well-concealed bunker to the squad's right front. The volume of enemy fire was so withering as to pin down the entire squad and halt all forward movement. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Sp4c. Michael exposed himself to throw 2 grenades, but failed to eliminate the enemy position. From his position on the left flank, Sp4c. Michael maneuvered forward with 2 more grenades until he was within 20 meters of the enemy bunkers, when he again exposed himself to throw 2 grenades, which failed to detonate. Undaunted, Sp4c. Michael made his way back to the friendly positions to obtain more grenades. With 2 grenades in hand, he again started his perilous move towards the enemy bunker, which by this time was under intense artillery fire from friendly positions. As he neared the bunker, an enemy soldier attacked him from a concealed position. Sp4c. Michael killed him with his rifle and, in spite of the enemy fire and the exploding artillery rounds, was successful in destroying the enemy positions. Sp4c. Michael took up pursuit of the remnants of the retreating enemy. When his comrades reached Sp4c. Michael, he had been mortally wounded. His inspiring display of determination and courage saved the lives of many of his comrades and successfully eliminated a destructive enemy force. Sp4c. Michael's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect the utmost credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for April 8, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
8 April
1918: The 1st Aero Squadron, I Corps, was the first American squadron assigned to the front in World War I. (1)
1925: FIRST NIGHT CARRIER LANDINGS. Lt John D. Price, flying a plane of VF-1, made a night landing on the USS Langley, off San Diego. Later, Lts D. L. Conley, A. W. Gorton, and R. D. Lyon followed him on board. Except for an accidental night landing on 5 February, when Lt H. J. Brow stalled while practicing approaches, these were the first night landings on a US carrier.
1931: Amelia Earhart flew an Autogiro to an altitude of 19,000 feet at the Pitcairn Aviation Field near Philadelphia. (24) 1940: A B-18 made the first nonstop flight from Denver to Miami. (24)
1942: Using aircraft acquired from Pan American Airlines, the Army began the largest airlift in World War II. Two DC-3s airlifted gasoline and lubricating oil over the Himalaya Mountains from Dinjan in eastern India to Yunnan-yi in southern China to begin the "Hump Airlift." A total of eight airplanes carried enough fuel and oil to refuel and service the B-25 bombers from the later "Doolittle Raid." From December 1942, when the airlift became the ATC's responsibility, through the close of the operation in November 1945, the airlift delivered nearly 740,000 tons of cargo. Over half of this total was transported during the last eight months of the war. (18) (21)
1943: A P-47 Thunderbolt flew its first combat sortie over Western Europe. (4)
1944: By sending 163 B-26s and 105 P-47s against enemy facilities at Hasselt, Belgium, Ninth Air Force conducted one of the largest tactical raids of World War II. (21)
1947: American Overseas Airlines received rights for commercial service to Finland, the first US route into Russia's sphere of influence. (24)
1959: Col E. H. Taylor set a world record of 700.05 MPH in an RF-101C over a 1,000-kilometer closed-circuit course.
1964: NASA orbited the first unmanned Gemini capsule on a Titan II. (26) (16)
1967: Exercise CLOVE HITCH III. The Atlantic Command initiated this joint exercise in Puerto Rico for 21,000 Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard personnel. The exercise featured C-141s making their first airdrop of paratroopers. (16) (26)
1970: The USAF launched two Vela nuclear-detection satellites from the Eastern Test Range on a Titan III-C booster. Each 700-pound satellite carried optical sensors to detect electromagnetic impulses, or brief radio signals generated by atomic explosions anywhere in the atmosphere. Sensors could also detect atomic weapons tests up to 100 million miles in space and distinguish between weapons tests and exploding stars. A USAF Thor booster launched its 400th payload, a Nimbus weather satellite for NASA. (16)
1995: Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. Small arms fire hit a C-130 Hercules 12 times on takeoff from Sarajevo, Bosnia, on a flight to Italy. The aircraft had carried flour to Bosnia. (16) (26)
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