To All,
Good Thursday Morning May 11 2023.
I hope that your week is going well
Thursdays will never be the same since just about every Thursday I had lunch with Wigs and a couple other men.
Regards,
Skip
To all,
Things are coming together for "Wigs" services on Monday. There is a flag flown
from USS Carl Vinson earlier this month to honor Wigs.
Accompanying the flag is a signed certificate from the ship's CO.
Approved the fly over by what should be a division (2 f-18/2 f-16) from NAWDC on 15 May at Miramar.
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Thanks to Micro
Hymn for a Humble Hero
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgkqWsGGUwY
Born in Ireland. Hurricane fighter Pilot John Paddy Hemingway. Battle of Britain fighter pilot. The Last of The Few. This video is a tribute by his son to him on his 103rd birthday. Hymn for a Humble Hero.
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This Day in Naval and Marine Corps History May 11
. 1862
CSS Virginia is destroyed by Confederates off Craney Island to prevent capture.
1898
During the Spanish-American War, Marines and Sailors from USS Marblehead (C 11) and USS Nashville (PG 7) cut the trans-oceanic cable near Cienfuegos, Cuba, isolating Cuba from Spain. For heroism during this action, 54 Marines and Sailors received the Medal of Honor.
1943
In the Attu Operation, Task Force 16, commanded by Rear Adm. Thomas C. Kinkaid, landed a force of 3,000 US Army troops of the 7th Division in the cold and the mist of the Aleutians.
1945
During the Okinawa Campaign, kamikazes crash into Task Force 58s flagship, USS Bunker Hill (CV 17). As a result, Vice Adm. Marc A. Mitscher transfers his flag to USS English (DD 696), then to USS Enterprise (CV 6) on May 14.
1950
Viking Rocket #4 is launched from USS Norton Sound (AV-11), near the equator, for a successful 106.4 mile vertical flight called Project Reach.
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This Day in World History May 11
1573 Henry of Anjou becomes the first elected king of Poland.
1689 French and English navies battle at Bantry Bay.
1690 In the first major engagement of King William's War, British troops from Massachusetts seize Port Royal in Acadia (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) from the French.
1745 French forces defeat an Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian army at Fontenoy.
1792 The Columbia River is discovered by Captain Robert Gray.
1812 British Prime Minster Spencer Perceval is shot by a bankrupt banker in the lobby of the House of Commons.
1857 Indian mutineers seize Delhi.
1858 Minnesota is admitted as the 32nd U.S. state.
1860 Giuseppe Garibaldi lands at Marsala, Sicily.
1862 Confederates scuttle the CSS Virginia off Norfolk, Virginia.
1864 Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart is mortally wounded at Yellow Tavern.
Military History
U.S. forces begin the assault on Japanese-held Attu, the westernmost island in Alaska's Aleutian Island chain.
Read More
1960 Israeli soldiers capture Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires.
1967 The Siege of Khe Sanh ends with the base is still in American hands.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post
Skip… For The List for Thursday, 11 May 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 11 May 1968… The President was "out of ideas" and had no "exit plan"… (sound familiar?)
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.
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
https:geopoliticalfutures.com
Daily Memo: Balancing Acts and Oil Hunts
Recent events in Kazakhstan typify the difficult positions in which sanctions have put certain countries.
Kazakhstan balances. Russian mining company Polymetal has asked its shareholders to approve the re-registration of the company at the Astana International Financial Center, which will move the main listing of the firm from the United Kingdom to Kazakhstan. Relocating to this new jurisdiction will protect it from international sanctions, the company said. For its part, Kazakhstan wants to remain neutral in the competition between Russia and the West. The government had recently tightened control over the supply of certain electronics to Russia for fear of running afoul of sanctions, so distributors have begun to bypass the country, adding as much as 12 percent to the final cost for Russian importers. Allowing Polymetal to relocate, then, could be seen as a compensatory gesture.
Europe's search for oil. Kazakhstan's national oil transportation company, KazTransOil, reported moving 24 percent more oil through the port of Aktau in April than it did in March. The overall increase is due to higher-than-normal shipments to Baku, Azerbaijan. Europe considers Kazakhstan a viable alternative to Russian oil, but Russia is still an important transit country for Kazakh oil. Meanwhile, after Iraq and Saudi Arabia raised their prices for raw materials, European refineries have been forced to pay huge bumper premiums for oil from the Middle East.
Foreign minister meetup. A meeting took place on Wednesday in Moscow attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. Before the summit, Cavusoglu said he expected to discuss the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland and the fight against terrorism. And they did, in a way: During the meeting, Lavrov accused the United States of supporting representatives of local Arab tribes and other terrorist organizations (meaning, the Kurds) in destabilizing Syria.
Paying in yuan. Pakistan plans to pay for its purchases of Russian oil with Chinese yuan, according to a report by Bloomberg. Payments in the Chinese currency could help prevent Pakistan from incurring Western sanctions and running out of dollars, which are already in short supply, sources said. Pakistan expects that Russian imports will meet up to 35 percent of its oil needs in the future.
China-Germany talks. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, in Berlin on Tuesday. Qin called for more dialogue and cooperation between the two countries, while Baerbock said Berlin was ready to work with Beijing especially on climate change, energy, the environment and youth exchanges. Qin will next travel to France and Norway.
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Thanks to Bill who gave us the extra good news portion of the List Yesterday after Cowboy did his magic on it.
Black and White
(Under age 45? You won't understand.)
You could hardly see for all the snow,
Spread the rabbit ears as far as they go.
'Good Night, David.
Good Night, Chet.'
My Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread Mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning.
My Mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter and I used to eat it raw sometimes, too. Our school sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper in a brown paper bag, not in ice pack coolers, but I can't remember getting e.coli.
No school bus. We walked 6 blocks without mom, without crossing guards, without wwheelyschool bags, without so much as a scratch.
Weekends found us all roller skating down to the corner candy store where for 10cents we shared the latest "Archie & Veronica" comic book. Now we would require adult supervision, knowledge of cell phone emergency capabilities and a lecture "stranger danger" and on using 911 just to get the mail.
Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in the lake instead of a pristine pool (talk about boring), no beach closures then.
The term cell phone would have conjured up a phone in a jail cell, and a pager was the school PA system.
We all took gym, not PE.. And risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked's (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors. I can't recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now.
Flunking gym was not an option.. Even for stupid kids! I guess PE must be much harder than gym.
Speaking of school, we all said prayers and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention.
We must have had horribly damaged psyches. What an archaic health system we had then. Remember school nurses? Ours wore a hat and everything.
I thought that I was supposed to accomplish something before I was allowed to be proud of myself.
I just can't recall how bored we were without computers, Play Station, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable stations.
Oh yeah... And where was the Benadryl and sterilization kit when I got that bee sting? I could have been killed!
How did we all make it through without seatbelts and bike helmets and booster seats? Maybe the 50mph speed limit made that much difference?We played 'king of the hill' on piles of gravel left on vacant construction sites, and when we got hurt, Mom pulled out the 48-cent bottle of Mercurochrome (kids liked it better because it didn't sting like iodine did) and then we got our butt spanked.
Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $99 bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where it was such a threat
We didn't act up at the neighbor's house either; because if we did we got our butt spanked there and then we got our butt spanked again when we got home.
I recall Donny Reynolds from next door coming over and doing his tricks on the front stoop, just before he fell off.
Little did his Mom know that she could have owned our house.
Instead, she picked him up and swatted him for being such a jerk. It was a neighborhood run a muck.
To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that they were from a dysfunctional family.
How could we possibly have known that?
We needed to get into group therapy and anger management classes.
We were obviously so duped by so many societal ills, that we didn't even
Notice that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac!
How did we ever survive?
LOVE TO ALL OF US WHO SHARED THIS ERA; AND TO ALL WHO DIDN'T, SORRY FOR WHAT YOU MISSED. I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING!
Pass this to someone and remember that life's most simple pleasures are very often the best.
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Thanks to eagle
Speaking of meritorious selections, what about this?
May 2, 2023
Who Will be the next Chief of Naval Operations?
By Brent Ramsey
Last September, the Navy promoted and installed a new Vice Chief of Naval Operations Then Vice Admiral Lisa Franchetti got her 4th star and was appointed to the second-highest position in the Navy. Now after a scant seven months, the betting line going around D.C. is that she will likely be the next CNO based on the identity politics track record of President Biden. When President Biden had an opportunity to appoint to the Supreme Court, before assessing anyone's qualifications, he announced that a black woman would get that seat, and he followed up on that promise. Would an identity-based selection for the Navy's top leader be in the best interest of the Navy and the Nation? No, the nation needs and deserves the very best warrior to lead the Navy into our threatened future.
Admiral Franchetti is a journalism graduate of Northwestern University NROTC, a non-STEM degree which itself is unusual, as the Navy strongly favors STEM degrees for officers. She has a Master's Degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix, an online university. Her biography does not mention any war college credential. In contrast, her predecessor Admiral William Lescher had multiple commands in combat zones, was a test pilot, had multiple advanced degrees in naval technical fields and his commands won multiple combat zone merit awards. To naval professionals, for someone to have been promoted to the Navy's highest rank and second highest position based on a NROTC commissioning source with a liberal arts degree, an online masters, no war college or combat zone credentials, would be considered inconceivable. Perhaps her success is based on a particularly spectacular service record?
Admiral Franchetti's career path reveals sea tours on a tender, oiler, and three destroyers including command of the USS Ross (DDG-71) and command of a destroyer squadron. Her biography does not mention any of her commands received awards while she was in command.
Ashore her assignments were CO of a Reserve Center, being an aide, a protocol officer, an Executive Assistant, and a stint at the Naval Academy in charge of a battalion of midshipmen.
As a flag officer, her assignments were to the Joint Staff as the J5 (Strategy, Plans and Policy), Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Korea; Commander, Carrier Strike Groups 9 and 15, both training strike groups; Commander, 6thFleet and Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO. All are important assignments for sure, but not front-line experience in any of the real hot spots. The rest of her flag assignments were staff positions.
One must ask the question if Admiral Franchetti's educational background and duty assignments have adequately prepared her for the rigors of being CNO? Has Admiral Franchetti had the type of assignments that test one's mettle for the highest position in the Navy? Has Admiral Franchetti been tested in the crucible of combat or had command in a combat zone? Perhaps she has. We have only her public record to rely on which is surprisingly limited. Traditionally, CNOs have all been Naval Academy graduates with only two exceptions dating back to the CNO position being established more than 100 years ago.
The CNO is responsible for delivering lethal naval forces and personnel to the warfighters. Naval forces consist of warriors in ships, aircraft and submarines that are capable of engaging and defeating the enemy anywhere in the world. The CNO is not a ceremonial, managerial, or political position although it has elements of all of those things. The preeminent requirement of the CNO is to be the advocate and architect of creating deadly naval forces and people who can quickly and effectively destroy and defeat our nation's enemies. Many of our other three- and four-star admirals are scattered around the world in combatant commands facing our adversaries. They are forward deployed potentially in harm's way, standing the watch. They know the dangers, the capabilities of our enemies in real time. These senior leaders know best what is needed to fight and win wars both in manpower and weapons including combatant ships and aircraft. Traditionally and historically, the CNO appointees have come from these ranks.
Admiral Franchetti has obviously performed well in all her assignments and for that she certainly should be commended. But, at a time when China is threatening to attack Taiwan, and North Korea is threatening South Korea and the U.S., with the expanding war in Ukraine, the Navy's top leader must be fully prepared to deliver the ships, carriers, submarines, aircraft, and personnel for complex combat operations to deter and fight our enemies. The question should be asked by the Congress and the nation, is she up to the task?
Her nomination and approval as the VCNO was typical of the administration's prevailing mantra: "Diversity is a strategic imperative." There is zero evidence that statement is true. On the contrary, the most senior positions must be occupied by individuals who inspire confidence based on their experience and abilities, not their appearance. With war with the People's Republic of China potentially on the near horizon, a war which will mostly likely be primarily a maritime conflict, we must hope and pray that whoever is selected to be the next CNO is someone of extraordinary education, skills, experience, leadership, courage, and tenacity to ensure our victory. Patriots should unite and urge President Biden to pick the very best qualified officer to lead the Navy into the future regardless of that person's gender, race, or other non-merit factor. Americans of good will and good sense must unite behind merit being the basis for top leadership in our military, not identify politics. Lives and the future of our nation are at stake.
Brent Ramsey is a retired Navy CAPT. He was a military advisor to Congressman Mark Meadows 2016-2020. He is the author of dozens of published articles on national defense.
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This Day in American Military History May 11
1942 – The Air Medal was authorized by President Roosevelt by Executive Order 9158 and established the award for "any person who, while serving in any capacity in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States subsequent to September 8, 1939, distinguishes, or has distinguished, himself by meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight." Executive Order 9242-A, dated 11 September 1942 amended the previous Executive Order to read "in any capacity in or with the Army". The Air Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Armed Forces of the United States, shall have distinguished himself/herself by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit or heroism, or for meritorious service. Award of the Air Medal is primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crew member or non-crew member flying status which requires them to participate in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties. However, it may also be awarded to certain other individuals whose combat duties require regular and frequent flying in other than a passenger status, or individuals who perform a particularly noteworthy act while performing the function of a crew member but who are not on flying status. These individuals must make a discernible contribution to the operational land combat mission or to the mission of the aircraft in flight. Examples of personnel whose combat duties require them to fly include those in the attack elements of units involved in air-land assaults against an armed enemy and those directly involved in airborne command and control of combat operations. Involvement in such activities, normally at the brigade/group level and below, serves only to establish eligibility for award of the Air Medal; the degree of heroism, meritorious achievement or exemplary service determines who should receive the award. Awards will not be made to individuals who use air transportation solely for the purpose of moving from point to point in a combat zone.
1945 – On Okinawa, American forces conduct a coordinated attack on the Japanese held Shuri Line. The forces deployed include the US 3rd Amphibious Corps on the right of the line and the US 24th Corps on the left. Only minor gains are achieved. At sea, Kiyoshi Ogawa, Japanese pilot, crashed his plane into the US carrier Bunker Hill near Okinawa. 496 Americans died with him and the ship was knocked out of the war. Two destroyers are also damaged by kamikaze attacks.
1945 – Four days after Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, the Coast Guard-manned destroyer escorts USS Vance and USS Durant, underway off the Azores escorting their last convoy to the Mediterranean, sighted a light ahead of the convoy. They closed to investigate. The Durant illuminated the target, which was the surfaced German submarine U-873, which had been at sea for 50 days. Vance, while screened by Durant, hailed the "erstwhile enemy" over her public address system, established her identity, and then ordered her to heave to. On board were seven officers and 52 enlisted men. Vance placed a 21-man prize crew on board the captured U-boat and delivered their prize at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on 16 May 1945.
1945 – On Luzon, elements of US 1st Corps make contact on Kapintalan Ridge. The US 25th Division advances on Santa Fe. On Mindanao, elements of US 40th Division advance to hills overlooking Del Monte airfield. Units of Filipino guerrillas liberate Cagayan. The US 24th Division mops up the area northeast of the Talomo river, near Mintal. On Samar, a small American contingent is landed to spot Japanese artillery sites firing on Davao on Mindanao. Fighting continues in the western mountains on Negros.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day These men were amazing in courage and determination,
McKlNNEY, JOHN R.
Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Private), U.S. Army, Company A, 123d Infantry, 33d Infantry Division. Place and date: Tayabas Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 11 May 1945. Entered service at: Woodcliff, Ga. Birth: Woodcliff, Ga. G.O. No.: 14, 4 February 1946. Citation: He fought with extreme gallantry to defend the outpost which had been established near Dingalan Bay. Just before daybreak approximately 100 Japanese stealthily attacked the perimeter defense, concentrating on a light machinegun position manned by 3 Americans. Having completed a long tour of duty at this gun, Pvt. McKinney was resting a few paces away when an enemy soldier dealt him a glancing blow on the head with a saber. Although dazed by the stroke, he seized his rifle, bludgeoned his attacker, and then shot another assailant who was charging him. Meanwhile, 1 of his comrades at the machinegun had been wounded and his other companion withdrew carrying the injured man to safety. Alone, Pvt. McKinney was confronted by 10 infantrymen who had captured the machinegun with the evident intent of reversing it to fire into the perimeter. Leaping into the emplacement, he shot 7 of them at pointblank range and killed 3 more with his rifle butt. In the melee the machinegun was rendered inoperative, leaving him only his rifle with which to meet the advancing Japanese, who hurled grenades and directed knee mortar shells into the perimeter. He warily changed position, secured more ammunition, and reloading repeatedly, cut down waves of the fanatical enemy with devastating fire or clubbed them to death in hand-to-hand combat. When assistance arrived, he had thwarted the assault and was in complete control of the area. Thirty-eight dead Japanese around the machinegun and 2 more at the side of a mortar 45 yards distant was the amazing toll he had exacted single-handedly. By his indomitable spirit, extraordinary fighting ability, and unwavering courage in the face of tremendous odds, Pvt. McKinley saved his company from possible annihilation and set an example of unsurpassed intrepidity.
*TERRY, SEYMOUR W.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company B, 382d Infantry, 96th Infantry Division. Place and date: Zebra Hill, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 11 May 1945. Entered service at: Little Rock, Ark. Birth: Little Rock, Ark. G.O. No.: 23, 6 March 1946. Citation: 1st Lt. Terry was leading an attack against heavily defended Zebra Hill when devastating fire from 5 pillboxes halted the advance. He braved the hail of bullets to secure satchel charges and white phosphorus grenades, and then ran 30 yards directly at the enemy with an ignited charge to the first stronghold, demolished it, and moved on to the other pillboxes, bombarding them with his grenades and calmly cutting down their defenders with rifle fire as they attempted to escape. When he had finished this job by sealing the 4 pillboxes with explosives, he had killed 20 Japanese and destroyed 3 machineguns. The advance was again held up by an intense grenade barrage which inflicted several casualties. Locating the source of enemy fire in trenches on the reverse slope of the hill, 1st Lt. Terry, burdened by 6 satchel charges launched a l-man assault. He wrecked the enemy's defenses by throwing explosives into their positions and himself accounted for 10 of the 20 hostile troops killed when his men overran the area. Pressing forward again toward a nearby ridge, his 2 assault platoons were stopped by slashing machinegun and mortar fire. He fearlessly ran across 100 yards of fire-swept terrain to join the support platoon and urge it on in a flanking maneuver. This thrust, too, was halted by stubborn resistance. 1st Lt. Terry began another 1 -man drive, hurling grenades upon the strongly entrenched defenders until they fled in confusion, leaving 5 dead behind them. Inspired by this bold action, the support platoon charged the retreating enemy and annihilated them. Soon afterward, while organizing his company to repulse a possible counterattack, the gallant company commander was mortally wounded by the burst of an enemy mortar shell. By his indomitable fighting spirit, brilliant leadership, and unwavering courage in the face of tremendous odds, 1st Lt. Terry made possible the accomplishment of his unit's mission and set an example of heroism in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
*WAUGH, ROBERT T.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 339th Infantry, 85th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Tremensucli, Italy, 11-14 May 1944. Entered service at: Augusta, Maine. Birth: Ashton, R.I. G.O. No.: 79, 4 October 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. In the course of an attack upon an enemy-held hill on 11 May, 1st Lt. Waugh personally reconnoitered a heavily mined area before entering it with his platoon. Directing his men to deliver fire on 6 bunkers guarding this hill, 1st Lt. Waugh advanced alone against them, reached the first bunker, threw phosphorus grenades into it and as the defenders emerged, killed them with a burst from his tommygun. He repeated this process on the 5 remaining bunkers, killing or capturing the occupants. On the morning of 14 May, 1st Lt. Waugh ordered his platoon to lay a base of fire on 2 enemy pillboxes located on a knoll which commanded the only trail up the hill. He then ran to the first pillbox, threw several grenades into it, drove the defenders into the open, and killed them. The second pillbox was next taken by this intrepid officer by similar methods. The fearless actions of 1st Lt. Waugh broke the Gustav Line at that point, neutralizing 6 bunkers and 2 pillboxes and he was personally responsible for the death of 30 of the enemy and the capture of 25 others. He was later killed in action in Itri, Italy, while leading his platoon in an attack.
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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/
May 11, 1929
Lt. Alford J. Williams received the Distinguished Flying Cross from Secretary of the Navy Charles F. Adams for extraordinary achievement in aerial flight. Williams had studied the action of aircraft in violent maneuvers and inverted flight, and developed and applied principles of operation, which contributed directly to flight safety and aircraft performance test accuracy.
May 11, 1918
The American Expeditionary Forces in France received a DH-4 De Havilland, its first American-made airplane.
May 12, 1938
Over the Atlantic, the Army Air Corps dispatched three B-17 bombers that intercepted the Italian liner Rex 700 miles at sea. The Navy, suitably alarmed, demanded that Army aircraft be limited to only 100 miles from the coast. The lead navigator in this stunt was Capt. Curtis LeMay.
May 13, 1952
Fifth 5th Air Force F-86s destroyed five MiG-15s in aerial combat. In the morning 12 F-86s attacked targets in Sinuiju, Sinuiju Airfield and Uiju Airfield in NW Korea. In the early afternoon, Sabres hit the marshaling yards at Kunu-ri, and, in the late afternoon, bombed Sinuiju. Col. Walker M. "Bud" Mahurin, the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group commander who led all three missions, was shot down and captured. Mahurin, who retired as a colonel, passed away May 11, 2010, at his home in Newport Beach, California, one of the last surviving World War II aces. He was 91. In his career, he earned the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal, and many more.
May 14, 1923
The new Curtiss PW-8 pursuit (fighter) aircraft was accepted into Army service for flight trials. This was the first in the long series of "Hawk" fighters; the "W" signified a water-cooled engine.
May 15, 1948
Air Materiel Command asked Boeing to develop an American aerial fueling system, the flying boom, to overcome problems with the British hose system used on B-29s. Among the deficiencies noted were slow rate of fuel flow, time-consuming contact procedures, excessive weight and space requirements, and relatively slow flying speeds during refueling.
May 16, 1929
The World War I aerial drama, "Wings," received the first Oscar for best picture in Hollywood, California. The film was shot with many real and reconstructed World War I fighter aircraft and highlighted the nation's continuing interest in aviation. "Wings" was shot and completed on a $2 million budget at Kelly Field in San Antonio between Sept. 7, 1926, and April 7, 1927.
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This Day in American Military History May 11
1942 – The Air Medal was authorized by President Roosevelt by Executive Order 9158 and established the award for "any person who, while serving in any capacity in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States subsequent to September 8, 1939, distinguishes, or has distinguished, himself by meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight." Executive Order 9242-A, dated 11 September 1942 amended the previous Executive Order to read "in any capacity in or with the Army". The Air Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Armed Forces of the United States, shall have distinguished himself/herself by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit or heroism, or for meritorious service. Award of the Air Medal is primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crew member or non-crew member flying status which requires them to participate in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties. However, it may also be awarded to certain other individuals whose combat duties require regular and frequent flying in other than a passenger status, or individuals who perform a particularly noteworthy act while performing the function of a crew member but who are not on flying status. These individuals must make a discernible contribution to the operational land combat mission or to the mission of the aircraft in flight. Examples of personnel whose combat duties require them to fly include those in the attack elements of units involved in air-land assaults against an armed enemy and those directly involved in airborne command and control of combat operations. Involvement in such activities, normally at the brigade/group level and below, serves only to establish eligibility for award of the Air Medal; the degree of heroism, meritorious achievement or exemplary service determines who should receive the award. Awards will not be made to individuals who use air transportation solely for the purpose of moving from point to point in a combat zone.
1945 – On Okinawa, American forces conduct a coordinated attack on the Japanese held Shuri Line. The forces deployed include the US 3rd Amphibious Corps on the right of the line and the US 24th Corps on the left. Only minor gains are achieved. At sea, Kiyoshi Ogawa, Japanese pilot, crashed his plane into the US carrier Bunker Hill near Okinawa. 496 Americans died with him and the ship was knocked out of the war. Two destroyers are also damaged by kamikaze attacks.
1945 – Four days after Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, the Coast Guard-manned destroyer escorts USS Vance and USS Durant, underway off the Azores escorting their last convoy to the Mediterranean, sighted a light ahead of the convoy. They closed to investigate. The Durant illuminated the target, which was the surfaced German submarine U-873, which had been at sea for 50 days. Vance, while screened by Durant, hailed the "erstwhile enemy" over her public address system, established her identity, and then ordered her to heave to. On board were seven officers and 52 enlisted men. Vance placed a 21-man prize crew on board the captured U-boat and delivered their prize at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on 16 May 1945.
1945 – On Luzon, elements of US 1st Corps make contact on Kapintalan Ridge. The US 25th Division advances on Santa Fe. On Mindanao, elements of US 40th Division advance to hills overlooking Del Monte airfield. Units of Filipino guerrillas liberate Cagayan. The US 24th Division mops up the area northeast of the Talomo river, near Mintal. On Samar, a small American contingent is landed to spot Japanese artillery sites firing on Davao on Mindanao. Fighting continues in the western mountains on Negros.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day These men were amazing in courage and determination,
McKlNNEY, JOHN R.
Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Private), U.S. Army, Company A, 123d Infantry, 33d Infantry Division. Place and date: Tayabas Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 11 May 1945. Entered service at: Woodcliff, Ga. Birth: Woodcliff, Ga. G.O. No.: 14, 4 February 1946. Citation: He fought with extreme gallantry to defend the outpost which had been established near Dingalan Bay. Just before daybreak approximately 100 Japanese stealthily attacked the perimeter defense, concentrating on a light machinegun position manned by 3 Americans. Having completed a long tour of duty at this gun, Pvt. McKinney was resting a few paces away when an enemy soldier dealt him a glancing blow on the head with a saber. Although dazed by the stroke, he seized his rifle, bludgeoned his attacker, and then shot another assailant who was charging him. Meanwhile, 1 of his comrades at the machinegun had been wounded and his other companion withdrew carrying the injured man to safety. Alone, Pvt. McKinney was confronted by 10 infantrymen who had captured the machinegun with the evident intent of reversing it to fire into the perimeter. Leaping into the emplacement, he shot 7 of them at pointblank range and killed 3 more with his rifle butt. In the melee the machinegun was rendered inoperative, leaving him only his rifle with which to meet the advancing Japanese, who hurled grenades and directed knee mortar shells into the perimeter. He warily changed position, secured more ammunition, and reloading repeatedly, cut down waves of the fanatical enemy with devastating fire or clubbed them to death in hand-to-hand combat. When assistance arrived, he had thwarted the assault and was in complete control of the area. Thirty-eight dead Japanese around the machinegun and 2 more at the side of a mortar 45 yards distant was the amazing toll he had exacted single-handedly. By his indomitable spirit, extraordinary fighting ability, and unwavering courage in the face of tremendous odds, Pvt. McKinley saved his company from possible annihilation and set an example of unsurpassed intrepidity.
*TERRY, SEYMOUR W.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company B, 382d Infantry, 96th Infantry Division. Place and date: Zebra Hill, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 11 May 1945. Entered service at: Little Rock, Ark. Birth: Little Rock, Ark. G.O. No.: 23, 6 March 1946. Citation: 1st Lt. Terry was leading an attack against heavily defended Zebra Hill when devastating fire from 5 pillboxes halted the advance. He braved the hail of bullets to secure satchel charges and white phosphorus grenades, and then ran 30 yards directly at the enemy with an ignited charge to the first stronghold, demolished it, and moved on to the other pillboxes, bombarding them with his grenades and calmly cutting down their defenders with rifle fire as they attempted to escape. When he had finished this job by sealing the 4 pillboxes with explosives, he had killed 20 Japanese and destroyed 3 machineguns. The advance was again held up by an intense grenade barrage which inflicted several casualties. Locating the source of enemy fire in trenches on the reverse slope of the hill, 1st Lt. Terry, burdened by 6 satchel charges launched a l-man assault. He wrecked the enemy's defenses by throwing explosives into their positions and himself accounted for 10 of the 20 hostile troops killed when his men overran the area. Pressing forward again toward a nearby ridge, his 2 assault platoons were stopped by slashing machinegun and mortar fire. He fearlessly ran across 100 yards of fire-swept terrain to join the support platoon and urge it on in a flanking maneuver. This thrust, too, was halted by stubborn resistance. 1st Lt. Terry began another 1 -man drive, hurling grenades upon the strongly entrenched defenders until they fled in confusion, leaving 5 dead behind them. Inspired by this bold action, the support platoon charged the retreating enemy and annihilated them. Soon afterward, while organizing his company to repulse a possible counterattack, the gallant company commander was mortally wounded by the burst of an enemy mortar shell. By his indomitable fighting spirit, brilliant leadership, and unwavering courage in the face of tremendous odds, 1st Lt. Terry made possible the accomplishment of his unit's mission and set an example of heroism in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
*WAUGH, ROBERT T.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 339th Infantry, 85th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Tremensucli, Italy, 11-14 May 1944. Entered service at: Augusta, Maine. Birth: Ashton, R.I. G.O. No.: 79, 4 October 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. In the course of an attack upon an enemy-held hill on 11 May, 1st Lt. Waugh personally reconnoitered a heavily mined area before entering it with his platoon. Directing his men to deliver fire on 6 bunkers guarding this hill, 1st Lt. Waugh advanced alone against them, reached the first bunker, threw phosphorus grenades into it and as the defenders emerged, killed them with a burst from his tommygun. He repeated this process on the 5 remaining bunkers, killing or capturing the occupants. On the morning of 14 May, 1st Lt. Waugh ordered his platoon to lay a base of fire on 2 enemy pillboxes located on a knoll which commanded the only trail up the hill. He then ran to the first pillbox, threw several grenades into it, drove the defenders into the open, and killed them. The second pillbox was next taken by this intrepid officer by similar methods. The fearless actions of 1st Lt. Waugh broke the Gustav Line at that point, neutralizing 6 bunkers and 2 pillboxes and he was personally responsible for the death of 30 of the enemy and the capture of 25 others. He was later killed in action in Itri, Italy, while leading his platoon in an attack.
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May 11, 1929
Lt. Alford J. Williams received the Distinguished Flying Cross from Secretary of the Navy Charles F. Adams for extraordinary achievement in aerial flight. Williams had studied the action of aircraft in violent maneuvers and inverted flight, and developed and applied principles of operation, which contributed directly to flight safety and aircraft performance test accuracy.
May 11, 1918
The American Expeditionary Forces in France received a DH-4 De Havilland, its first American-made airplane.
May 12, 1938
Over the Atlantic, the Army Air Corps dispatched three B-17 bombers that intercepted the Italian liner Rex 700 miles at sea. The Navy, suitably alarmed, demanded that Army aircraft be limited to only 100 miles from the coast. The lead navigator in this stunt was Capt. Curtis LeMay.
May 13, 1952
Fifth 5th Air Force F-86s destroyed five MiG-15s in aerial combat. In the morning 12 F-86s attacked targets in Sinuiju, Sinuiju Airfield and Uiju Airfield in NW Korea. In the early afternoon, Sabres hit the marshaling yards at Kunu-ri, and, in the late afternoon, bombed Sinuiju. Col. Walker M. "Bud" Mahurin, the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group commander who led all three missions, was shot down and captured. Mahurin, who retired as a colonel, passed away May 11, 2010, at his home in Newport Beach, California, one of the last surviving World War II aces. He was 91. In his career, he earned the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal, and many more.
May 14, 1923
The new Curtiss PW-8 pursuit (fighter) aircraft was accepted into Army service for flight trials. This was the first in the long series of "Hawk" fighters; the "W" signified a water-cooled engine.
May 15, 1948
Air Materiel Command asked Boeing to develop an American aerial fueling system, the flying boom, to overcome problems with the British hose system used on B-29s. Among the deficiencies noted were slow rate of fuel flow, time-consuming contact procedures, excessive weight and space requirements, and relatively slow flying speeds during refueling.
May 16, 1929
The World War I aerial drama, "Wings," received the first Oscar for best picture in Hollywood, California. The film was shot with many real and reconstructed World War I fighter aircraft and highlighted the nation's continuing interest in aviation. "Wings" was shot and completed on a $2 million budget at Kelly Field in San Antonio between Sept. 7, 1926, and April 7, 1927.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS
FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR MAY 11 THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
May 11
1918: Air Service, American Expeditionary Forces, received its first American-made DH-4, with a Liberty engine. It made its first flight six days later. (11) (24)
1942: First contingent of US AAF arrived in England to join Eighth Air Force. (4) The President ordered an Air Medal established to award any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard after 8 September 1939, distinguished or had distinguished himself by meritorious achievement in an aerial flight.
1949: President Truman signed a bill to provide a 5,000-mile guided missile test range to the USAF. The USAF established this range at Cape Canaveral. It was designated the Atlantic Missile Range on 1 May 1958. (6)
1953: North American's F-86H Sabre made its first flight at Edwards AFB. 1958: Lt Cmdr Jack Neiman (USN) completed a 44-hour stay in a pressure chamber under conditions existing between 80,000 and 100,000 feet.
1960: An Army Signal Corps' balloon ascended to a record night-time altitude of 144,000 feet before bursting. (24)
1964: The North American XB-70 Valkyrie went on public display for the first time at Palmdale. This 275-ton aircraft measured 185 feet in length and had a 105-foot wing span. It was designed to fly three times the speed of sound at altitudes above 70,000 feet. (3) (12) Jackie Cochran became the first woman to fly more than Mach 2, when she flew an F-104G at 1,429 MPH at Edwards AFB.
1966: At Holloman AFB, a Surveyor spacecraft made the first softlanding under its own power to demonstrate its ability to softland on the moon. Lockheed unveiled a full-scale mockup of the C-5A Galaxy at its plant in Marietta. (12)
1972: A C-5A Galaxy set a nonstop distance record from Kadena AB to Charleston AFB. The8,019-mile flight lasted 16 hours 5 minutes.
1989: Operation NIMROD DANCER. To 18 May, MAC moved a brigade-size security augmentation force to Panama in 34 C-5, 39 C-141, and 2 commercial L-1011 missions. In all, MAC airlifted 2,679 soldiers and 2,950 tons of cargo. (18)
1990: Lockheed Missiles and Space Company received a $971 million contract to build advanced solid rocket motors (ASRMs) for the Space Shuttle. These new motors increased the shuttle"s payload by 12,000 pounds to 65,000 pounds. (8: Jul 90) Hughes won a competition with Raytheon for the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile. The $194 million contract called for 3,006 missiles, 75 F-model captive-carry training missiles, and 61 G-model guided training missiles. (8: Jul 90)
1991: Operation SEA ANGEL. Through 13 June, in response to flooding along the Bangladesh coastline from Cyclone Marion, with its 150-MPH winds and 20-foot tidal waves, MAC dispatched 10 C-5, 14 C-141, and 5 C-130 missions to deliver 738 passengers and 832 tons of food, equipment, and supplies. A C-130 intratheater airlift delivered food from in-country depots. (18)
1994: Operation PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. Through 17 May, 13 C-141 missions moved 239 tons of relief supplies from Incirlik AB to Mwanza, Tanzania, in a joint operation to help over 100,000 Rwandan victims of tribal warfare. Four C-141s from the 438 AW at McGuire AFB flew most of the missions. (16) 2001: The T-6A Texan II primary trainer completed wet runway testing at Edwards AFB. (
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