To All,
Good Friday Morning May 12 2023.
I hope that you all have a great weekend
Regards,
Skip
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History May 12
1780
The city of Charleston, S.C., falls to the British when Continental Gen. Benjamin Lincoln surrenders during the American Revolution. Three Continental Navy frigates (Boston, Providence, and Ranger) are captured; and one American frigate (Queen of France) is sunk to prevent capture.
1938
USS Enterprise (CV 6) is commissioned. Notable service during WWII include the Doolittle Raid, the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal Campaign, Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the Okinawa Campaign, where she was badly damaged by a kamikaze strike.
1942
USS Massachusetts (BB 59) is commissioned. She serves in both the Atlantic and Pacific during World War II, notably participating in Operation Torch, Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the bombing of the Japanese homeland.
1975
SS Mayaguez, a tanker ship, is seized by Khmer Rouge, the Communist party of Kampuchea, and is escorted to Koh Tang Island with her 39 crew. President Gerald Ford sends in Marines who meet heavy resistance, but after crew is found safe, they retreat, although three Marines are inadvertently left behind and killed.
1986
USS David R. Ray (DD 971) deters an Iranian Navy frigates attempt to board SS President McKinley in the Gulf of Oman.
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Today in World History: May 12
0254 St. Stephen I begins his reign as Catholic Pope.
1588 King Henry III flees Paris after Henry of Guise triumphantly enters the city.
1641 The chief advisor to Charles I, Thomas Wentworth, is beheaded in the Tower of London
1780 Charleston, South Carolina falls to British forces.
1851 The Tule River War ends.
1863 With a victory at the Battle of Raymond, Mississippi, Union General Ulysses S. Grant closes in on Vicksburg.
1864 Union General Benjamin Butler attacks Drewry's Bluff on the James River.
1865 The last land battle of the Civil war occurs at Palmito Ranch, Texas. It is a Confederate victory.
1881 Tunisia, in North Africa becomes a French protectorate.
1885 In the Battle of Batoche, French Canadians rebel against the Canadian government.
1926 The Airship Norge becomes the first vessel to fly over the North Pole.
1932 The body of Charles Lindbergh's baby is found.
1935 Alcoholics Anonymous is founded in Akron, Ohio by "Bill W.," a stockbroker, and "Dr. Bob S.," a heart surgeon.
1940 The Nazi conquest of France begins with the crossing Musee River.
1942 The Soviet Army launches its first major offensive of the war, taking Kharkov in the eastern Ukraine.
1943 Axis forces in North Africa surrender.
1949 The Berlin Blockade ends.
1969 Viet Cong sappers try unsuccessfully to overrun Landing Zone Snoopy in Vietnam.
1975 The U.S. merchant ship Mayaguez is seized by Cambodian forces.
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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 Friday, 12 May 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 12 May 1968 It was a time of "distrust and secretiveness"…
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 YP
A little low and slow in close?? Pop out the "Cobra" and safe Ruskie pass for sure!!
Well, that's one way to catch a two wire.
Bet the LSO was in the net with messy knickers.
yp
The things you can do with CGI But no wake, no jet wash, and no wind and no people anywhere. skip
https://youtube.com/shorts/46NfO75pf3w?feature=share
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
https:geopoliticalfutures.com
Daily Memo: Russia and the Nightmare Scenario
Thoughts in and around geopolitics.
By: George Friedman
May 12, 2023
I recently wrote an article that raised the question of whether the Russian government was united or even functional. The basis for the article was that the Russians have been bogged down in the city of Bakhmut for more than six months, have not retreated or regrouped, and have been unable to advance. Russian forces there are so deeply divided between the regular armed forces and the Wagner Group, the private military company that has been carrying much of the load, that the Russian military has refused to provide artillery rounds to Wagner. Withholding ammunition from this force in Bakhmut would not be rational. Some have argued that the military is short of artillery shells, which raises the question of how that was permitted to happen.
On the surface, it seems there is a political battle going on between the regular army and Wagner. Regardless of the cause, the fundamental question is why the civilian government, namely President Vladimir Putin, has not intervened and imposed the necessary steps, such as producing more shells or shifting some of the inventory, to solve the problem. Put differently, a tense struggle is taking place within the Russian army, and the president of the republic has not imposed his power on the forces and commanded solutions.
The question is whether Putin has the will or, more important, the power to do something about this problem. I obviously have no direct knowledge of the inner workings of the Kremlin, but I discern that this is a major obstacle for the government based on the public utterances, the military's performance and the fact that the high command and the political leaders have not acted.
This raises the possibility that Ukraine and its allies could be winning the war against a crippled Russia. That should be all for the good if true, but it also raises a more frightening scenario.
In 1991, when the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union collapsed, the major issue was the status of nuclear weapons. The fear was that elements in the Soviet government who resisted collapse or thought they might reverse events would obtain parts of the Soviet arsenal and threaten the West with it. Others worried that if the Soviet control system had broken down, individuals would gain access and perhaps fire a missile. How to gain control of the Soviet Union's arsenal very rapidly became an overarching concern. Anxieties were eased when an arms control agreement was reached with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
The Soviet Union was unstable but had controls. The degree of control in Moscow today is unclear. That means that the 1991 nightmare could rear its head again. If the military and political leadership are as fragmented and unpredictable as they appear to be to me, the end game might not be paradise but a deep crisis.
This is all vastly hypothetical, but a conventional defeat of a major nuclear power carries with it uncertainties about just how far the defeated might go. Perhaps the Russians will throw in their chips, perhaps they will bluff some action, and perhaps they will try to redress their defeat. The likelihood of the final option may be infinitesimal, but the stakes are too high to ignore the possibility when nuclear weapons are concerned.
Defeating a nuclear power whose command-and-control system broke down – and whose president has already threatened nuclear action – is a very difficult business. The reality of a counterattack has kept nuclear war at bay since 1945. Even so, if the government collapses, the actions of the Russians can't be known.
Frankly, it's not in the interest of the United States or Ukraine to absorb the risk. I am certain that intelligence and the military are playing out the war games that might reveal the truth. But my understanding of the situation leads me to the conclusion that it is not in the interest of the U.S. to defeat Russia, and that even if the Ukrainians can threaten a victory, they should settle for an agreement.
Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq could be treated casually after they ended because they were not nuclear powers. But if Russia loses in Ukraine, what will be its next target? Protecting Ukraine is a strategic necessity in my mind, since the Russian threat increases if Moscow wins in Ukraine. But either way, the Russian appetite will not dissolve. If my concerns about Russia's stability are wrong, we still gain by thinking this through.
We will reach the negotiation stage at some point, and then the great uncertainty will become whether Moscow is in control of its nuclear weapons and whether the government could order their use. As I have said, this is possible though a most unlikely scenario, but it will psychologically haunt peace talks. Defending Ukraine was an imperative not because of the centrality of Ukraine but because of what would come next from Russia if there was no resistance. Russia's next move will not be to invade Poland, but we cannot dismiss the possibility of convincing nuclear gestures.
I do not think the nightmare will be nuclear war. Rather, it will be Russia's use of the threat of nuclear war to shape negotiations. Any threat would have to be taken as credible, and a credible nuclear threat, even if it never transpires, is a nightmare.
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FW: Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left
Thanks to Boris
Might find of interest… both interview and books
Boris sends
From: beakleyje@roadrunner.com <beakleyje@roadrunner.com>
E-mail below sent out to our Friday "once were's" group including Charlie Plumb
Kiland has had great perspective in the past and great interview with Ward
All the best
Boris
From: beakleyje@roadrunner.com <beakleyje@roadrunner.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2023 1:01 PM
To: 'Charles Plumb' <Charlie@charlieplumb.com>;
Charlie, et al,
Yesterday, Ward Carole's interview with author Taylor Kiland popped up on FaceBook:
Why Did POTUS Try to Lie to These POW Wives? (https://youtu.be/pTP98ffYOpA). In my view well worth watching. Also it is lead in to her new book on the events around the POW wives just published this month: Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind
She has two other books out related to multiple aspects of Vietnam POWs. Was fortunate enough to make contact after the first book and shared some e-mails. Does her homework and has different approach than most historians and also the biographies. Former CG officer. Our great friend Carol Hickerson is shown and mentioned. (Lady and the Flag - http://rememberedsky.com/?p=878)
Related books by Taylor Kiland:
Open Doors: Vietnam POWs Thirty Years Later (2005)
Lessons From the Hanoi Hilton: Six Characteristics of High Performing Teams (2013) (Peter Fretwell with DR J PLondon and Dr James B Stockdale II)
Maybe half through but based on past reading, highly recommended
Boris sends
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Thanks to Brett
Stratfor snippets - EU, U.S./Australia, Ecuador, Italy/China, Europe, Hong
EU: New Cybersecurity Regulations Target U.S. Cloud Providers
What Happened: The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity presented a draft proposal that would require foreign cloud service providers, including U.S.-based companies like Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft, to establish joint ventures with local EU companies in order to handle sensitive data, Reuters reported on May 9. Under the proposed rules, foreign companies would only be allowed to hold minority stakes in the joint ventures.
Why It Matters: The new rules will push up European cloud computing costs compared with international rivals, even as the bloc is set to increasingly rely on foreign cloud providers due to likely growth in the industry fueled by generative artificial intelligence (AI). The singling out of U.S. companies could also alienate the United States, especially as U.S. and EU values on generative AI continue to diverge.
Background: The European Union is trying to limit the influence of American technology companies over the bloc as Europe continues to struggle to come up with competitors to U.S. Big Tech. The European Union's cloud market is dominated by American companies, with Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft collectively owning two-thirds of the market share. As of late 2022, EU cloud providers combined accounted for a market share of about 13%, with Deutsche Telekom being the largest European provider at just 2%.
Australia, U.S.: Allkem Strikes Merger With Livent to Create New Lithium Giant
What Happened: Australian lithium producer Allkem and its U.S. rival Livent announced that they had struck a merger agreement to create what will be the world's third-largest lithium producer by 2027, Bloomberg reported on May 10.
Why It Matters: The new combined company will be a dominant player in Australia, Argentina and Canada, giving the West a greater ability to protect access to lithium supply chains as China also tries to maintain its deep role in the lithium industry and lithium battery industry more broadly. The merger also comes as Argentina and Australia look set to maintain their competitive advantage over Chile in lithium mining, as Santiago is pushing forward with a new state-forward lithium policy requiring private players in Chile to partner with Chilean state-owned companies.
Background: After the merger, the Allkem-Livent producer is expected to have a combined production capacity of 250,000 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent, putting it only behind the U.S. Albemarle and Chile's Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (SQM) and ahead of China's Ganfeng Lithium Co. The lithium industry is under pressure to consolidate due to a recent collapse in prices.
Ecuador: National Assembly Approves Impeachment Trial
What Happened: Ecuador's National Assembly approved an impeachment trial against President Guillermo Lasso, with 88 of the 116 present legislators voting in favor, El Universo reported on May 9.
Why It Matters: The impeachment trial against Lasso will likely come down to a few key votes to reach the two-thirds majority needed to impeach the president. If the impeachment trial is successful, Lasso may use special constitutional powers to dissolve the National Assembly and rule by decree until new presidential and legislative elections. The heightened political instability leading up to and after the trial could trigger anti-government protests, especially if Lasso decides to rule by decree.
Background: A legislative commission previously recommended Lasso's impeachment due to his alleged involvement in a scheme to embezzle public companies. Lasso's brother-in-law reportedly was the main culprit in the embezzlement scandal, known locally as the ''Encuentro'' case.
Italy, China: Rome Reportedly Plans Exit From China's Belt and Road Initiative
What Happened: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reassured U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on May 4 that she intends to withdraw Italy's membership from China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by the end of 2023, Bloomberg reported on May 9.
Why It Matters: While Rome has yet to make a final decision on the matter, Italy's eventual departure from the BRI would follow the European Union's "derisking" approach toward China and reaffirm Meloni's considerably more anti-China positions compared with those of previous Italian governments. The same would also mark a diplomatic setback for Beijing since Italy was the only country in the Group of Seven to join the BRI, but the economic impact on both countries would be minimal. In fact, Chinese foreign direct investment in Italy was much lower than in other EU countries that are not part of the BRI (such as Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) between 2019 and 2021, highlighting how Italy's membership did not yield any concrete result.
Background: Italy signed a memorandum of understanding about its adherence to the BRI in 2019 under then-Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The MoU will automatically renew in 2024 unless the Italian government actively pulls out of the deal, something Rome has been under Western pressure to do. Italy is unlikely to make a public decision regarding the BRI ahead of the G-7 summit in Japan on May 19.
Europe: Paris Calls on EU to Add Wagner Group to Terrorist List, U.K. Prepares Similar Move
What Happened: France's National Assembly approved a non-binding resolution calling on the European Union to designate the Russian private mercenary organization Wagner Group as a terrorist organization, Politico reported on May 9. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is also preparing to designate the group as a terrorist group, with a decision likely to be enacted within weeks, The Times reported on May 9.
Why It Matters: If the European Union designates Wagner as a terrorist organization, member states could freeze the group's assets and those of its members, as well as bar EU companies and citizens from dealing with it. Additionally, anyone linked to the group could be prosecuted on terrorism charges, which would significantly obstruct Wagner's ability to operate around the globe and possibly complicate the ability of governments hosting Wagner personnel to cooperate effectively with the United Kingdom and the European Union. Such a designation in Europe would also increase pressure on the United States to do the same.
Background: The Wagner Group is already subject to EU sanctions over its involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war. The organization is also accused of human rights abuses in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic, Sudan and Mozambique. In January 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Wagner as a "significant transnational criminal organization" and imposed sanctions on multiple individuals and organizations that are part of a transnational network supporting the group's operations.
EU: Push for Hydrogen Pipeline Will Aid Bloc's Energy Transition
What Happened: The energy ministries of Austria, Germany and Italy signed a joint letter supporting the designation of a hydrogen pipeline called the "SouthH2 Corridor" as a European Union Project of Common Interest, which would enable the project to receive public funds and fast-tracked permits, Reuters reported on May 9. The pipeline would connect North Africa and Europe through Italy.
Why It Matters: The three governments' backing of the pipeline project confirms Europe's intention to bet on North Africa to scale up its production and imports of renewable hydrogen. Increased access to hydrogen would enable the Continent to accelerate its decarbonization of energy-intensive industrial processes, with the SouthH2 alone potentially meeting up to 40% of the European Union's hydrogen import target set for 2030. The designation would also mark a concrete step for Italy toward achieving its goal of playing a key role as an energy hub connecting Africa and Europe in the long run, extending the strategy to renewable energy beyond just shorter-term natural gas supply deals.
Background: The 3,300 kilometer (2,051 mile) SouthH2 Corridor, with a capacity of more than 4 million tons of hydrogen per annum, would enable green hydrogen produced in countries such as Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia to reach European consumers. The project is led by Italy's Snam, Austria's Trans Austria Gas Pipeline and Gas Connect Austria, and Germany's Bayernets.
Hong Kong: Law Gives Chief Executive the Power to Ban Foreign Lawyers
What Happened: Hong Kong's legislature unanimously approved a bill barring foreign lawyers from working on national security cases, Hong Kong Free Press reported on May 10. Chief Executive John Lee may grant exceptions to this ban, but he also heads the territory's national security committee and thus has influence over which trials are deemed national security cases.
Why It Matters: This law gives Lee greater power over the judiciary, which has at times stymied efforts by national security authorities to tackle threats to state power. Should this executive authority result in more National Security Law cases targeting foreign entities, it could accelerate the erosion of Hong Kong's status as a financial hub. It may also impede Beijing's relations with London, given concerns by British lawmakers that China has failed to preserve Hong Kong's democracy.
Background: The law comes amid a contentious national security case against Jimmy Lai, the founder of shuttered newspaper Apple Daily, whom Hong Kong courts permitted to hire a foreign lawyer before Lee pushed back against this ruling.
Senegal: Opposition Leader Calls for Mass Protests May 12 and 19
What Happened: Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko publicly rejected a court ruling that could prevent him from participating in the February 2024 presidential election, calling for mass protests against the government on May 12 and May 19, Reuters reported on May 9.
Why It Matters: Sonko's call for protests elevates the risk of violent unrest in Dakar and other opposition strongholds over the week of May 15, with the potential for further escalation in the future should the court rulings preclude him from running in the upcoming election. Sonko will also face separate charges of rape on May 16, which means Dakar and other Senegalese cities are likely to remain tense over the coming weeks, especially as past court dates have triggered widespread demonstrations.
Background: In addition to the libel case that resulted in a six-month suspended prison sentence on May 9, Sonko is facing a separate trial for allegedly raping and issuing death threats to a beauty salon employee in 2021. The announcement of these rape charges against Sonko triggered riots that killed 12 people.
Georgia, Russia: Russia Lifts Flight Ban, Enacts Visa-Free Regime With Georgia
What Happened: Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted a 2019 flight ban on Georgia and introduced a 90-day visa-free regime with the country, Reuters reported on May 10.
Why It Matters: It is still unclear if and when flights to Georgia will resume, as they will have to be conducted in a way compliant with Western sanctions. But the moves are likely intended to demonstrate to the Georgian government, elite and public the benefits of the current government's Russia-friendly policy, thereby encouraging pro-Russian sentiment in the country. However, pro-Russian sentiment is unlikely to grow much in Georgia, as views toward Russia are increasingly pronounced along generational lines, with younger Georgians being decidedly anti-Russia. Moscow may also hope the cheaper and more frequent direct fights could lure some of the Russians who have fled to Georgia back to Russia; Moscow would seek to publicize such cases for domestic propaganda purposes.
Background: Georgia's figurehead president described the move as an unacceptable provocation, but Georgia's government largely welcomed it, saying the developments would benefit Georgian nationals living in Russia. On March 10, Georgian lawmakers formally rejected a contentious ''foreign agents'' bill pushed by the government after several days of protests.
France: BNP Paribas to Stop Financing New Gas Field Projects
What Happened: BNP Paribas announced it would no longer finance new upstream natural gas fields with direct loans, Financial Times reported May 11. The new commitment does not appear to cover its corporate loan and bond underwriting services, from which most of the bank's support for the oil and gas industry comes.
Why It Matters: BNP Paribas' decision is indicative of a larger trend of banks expanding commitments beyond coal and oil projects to natural gas, which other financial institutions like HSBC have also done. Previously, BNP Paribas had only committed to cutting lending to companies involved in oil and gas exploration and production by 80% and 30% for oil and natural gas, respectively.
Background: BNP is one of the world's top 20 financers for the oil and gas sector, and, according to the Rainforest Action Network, it was the largest financier among European banks.
Turkey: Rival Opposition Candidate Withdraws From Presidential Election, Increasing Kilicdaroglu's Chances
What Happened: Muharram Ince, the founder of Turkey's opposition center-left Homeland Party, announced that he is withdrawing his candidacy for president in the country's May 14 general election, AP reported on May 11.
Why It Matters: Turkish voters who favored Ince will likely vote for main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu, helping unify the opposition vote, and in this tight election, every vote will count. Turkish markets ticked upward following Ince's announcement, likely buoyed by the growing expectation that Kilicdaroglu could beat incumbent candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which would inject some normalcy into the Turkish economy and financial system.
Background: Also on May 11, Konda, a respected polling company, released a poll that put Erdogan's votes in the first round of the presidential election at 43.7%, Kilicdaroglu's at 49.3%, Ince's at 2.2% and fourth presidential candidate Sinan Ogan's at 4.7%. Early expatriate votes that have already been cast in favor of Ince will still go to him, and his picture will remain on the ballot.
Germany: Berlin Pushes G-7 to Back Public Investment in Natural Gas
What Happened: Germany is lobbying other Group of Seven countries to support public investment in natural gas at the Japan-hosted May 19-21 G-7 summit, the Financial Times reported on May 11. However, France and the United Kingdom reject Berlin's position.
Why It Matters: Germany is pushing for more support for natural gas because it is building more infrastructure to increase liquified natural gas and piped natural gas from sources other than Russia in the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a result, the G-7 will likely release a relatively weak commitment to phase out natural gas, similar to the G-7's April meeting when climate and environmental ministers did not commit to a timeline for phasing out coal-fired power due to Japanese opposition.
Background: Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, G-7 countries had committed to end public investment in overseas fossil fuel projects by the end of 2022.
U.S.: EPA Unveils Draft Rule to Slash Power Plants Emissions by 90% by 2035
What Happened: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally unveiled its new draft rule on May 11 that would force existing power plants to capture 90% of their emissions by 2035. The draft rule will go through a sixty-day comment period before the EPA moves forward with amending and finalizing it.
Why It Matters: If finalized and implemented, the new rule would significantly reduce U.S. emissions by the mid-2030s, as the power sector accounts for about 25% of all U.S. greenhouse gasses, making it the second-largest emitting industry after the transportation sector. However, legal, regulatory and political challenges will likely emerge over the rule, as West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (one of the Democrats' most pro-coal members) already warned that he would oppose Biden's EPA nominees in protest of the rule, and Republicans would likely seek to roll back the rule if they gain control of the White House in 2024. Additionally, the economics of the EPA's plan, which relies on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, are relatively unproven, there is only one power plant using CCS at a commercial scale in the world.
Background: According to the draft, coal-fired power plants would need to capture 90% of their emissions by 2030 if their operators plan to keep them in operation in 2040, and natural gas-fired power plants will be able to co-fire with 30% ammonia by 2032 and 96% by 2038. The EPA is also creating a new rule in the transportation sector that it believes will result in two-thirds of all new vehicle sales in 2032 being electric vehicles.
Germany: Berlin Approves Chinese COSCO's Bid for Terminal in Hamburg Port
What Happened: The German government approved Chinese shipping company COSCO's acquisition of a 24.99% stake in a container terminal at Hamburg port, despite opposition from several Cabinet members and the facility's classification as "critical infrastructure," DW News reported on May 11.
Why It Matters: The deal's approval amid security concerns and political infighting highlights Berlin's intention to expand economic cooperation with China despite increased efforts to reduce Chinese access to the country's critical infrastructure. The deal is meant to make the port of Hamburg the preferred European destination for COSCO and a hub for Chinese shipping traffic, a move that will strengthen economic growth and job creation in the region while granting the Chinese company access to one of Europe's most important logistics locations. Meanwhile, the security implications will be minimal for Germany, given how the minority stake purchased by COSCO (in a single container terminal out of four at the port of Hamburg) would still be below the 25% threshold giving the company blocking rights. Still, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's decision to allow the bid will most likely exacerbate divisions within the German government coalition.
Background: A compromise between Germany's coalition partners in October 2022 led the government to allow COSCO to buy a smaller stake than the originally planned 35%, but the government was forced to review the agreement again after Germany's national cyber security agency BSI classified the terminal as critical infrastructure earlier in 2023.
Israel, Palestinian Territories: Fighting Continues With More Rocket Attacks
What Happened: Gaza-based militant organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fired 289 rockets at Israel, many of which fell short of their targets and hit the Gaza Strip, and Israel's air defenses intercepted most of the rest, The Times of Israel reported on May 10. Israeli Defense Forces officials said they will continue to target PIJ officials and are deliberately avoiding the larger Palestinian militant group Hamas, which so far had not joined the fighting.
Why It Matters: Unless Hamas joins the war, PIJ can likely only fight for a few more days before its rocket arsenal is exhausted, and Hamas may take advantage of this weakened PIJ to establish greater influence over the Gaza Strip after the fighting ceases. Meanwhile, the fighting is creating some sense of unity in Israel, which may benefit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu politically, especially as the country remains deeply divided over the government's ongoing attempts to pass controversial judicial reforms. Additionally, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has rejoined the government, which he and his far-right Otzma Yehudit party boycotted following an initial "weak" governmental response to PIJ rocket attacks, and his party's participation is enabling the Knesset to pass essential legislation like the national budget.
Background: Israel began Operation Shield and Arrow in Gaza on May 9 in retaliation for a large salvo of rocket attacks the week prior. Israel has made it clear that it is seeking to target only PIJ officials as it tries to keep Hamas out of the war, especially since Hamas now has cells on its northern border in Lebanon. Egypt has been attempting, so far unsuccessfully, to mediate a truce between the two sides.
Ukraine, U.K.: London Confirms Provision of Storm Shadow Missiles to Ukraine
What Happened: British Defense Minister Ben Wallace confirmed that his country has started supplying Ukraine with Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, Reuters reported on May 11. Wallace said the United Kingdom was supplying the weapons for Ukraine to use within its sovereign territory, implying he has received assurances that Ukraine will not use the missiles on targets inside Russia.
Why It Matters: Ukraine will use the missiles in conjunction with its MiG-29 fighter jets and other aircraft to increase the strike range of its forces, which will place Russian military infrastructure in southern Ukraine under threat, thereby bolstering Kyiv's expected counteroffensive against Russian forces. However, the Ukrainians still need Western aircraft with more modern radars (such as the U.S. F-16) to establish greater control over their skies and make full use of the air-launched ground attack missiles. There is still no sign that Washington will soon provide its own long-range missile systems to Ukraine, although London likely made its own decision in conjunction with the United States.
Background: On May 2, the United Kingdom's Defense Ministry asked for "expressions of interest" from other countries in providing missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) to Ukraine. The Storm Shadow has a listed range of 250 kilometers (155 miles), compared with the 185 kilometer (114 mile) range of the similarly air-launched AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles that Ukraine is already receiving.
Pakistan: Supreme Court Deems Khan's Arrest Unlawful, Orders His Release
What Happened: Pakistan's Supreme Court deemed "[t]he manner of execution" of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's arrest warrant "invalid and unlawful" and ordered his release, Dawn reported on May 11. The Supreme Court further "directed" Khan to appear before the Islamabad High Court the morning of May 12 to seek bail and said Khan would "be subject to any order that is passed by the high court."
Why It Matters: The Supreme Court's decision is a victory for Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, and it will likely strengthen Khan's determination to return to power. Reports indicate the decision has temporarily eased unrest in the country, but disruptive activity could resume in the coming days if the Islamabad High Court rules against Khan and/or other PTI leaders remain in authorities' custody. The PTI could also restart demonstrations in the likely event that PTI demands for Punjab's provincial elections to be held on May 14 are unfulfilled. More broadly, the Supreme Court's decision to release Khan will deepen ongoing tensions between the court and the federal government.
Background: Khan's May 9 arrest has prompted protests, unrest and travel disruptions in multiple cities across Pakistan, with some protesters notably targeting government and military buildings; these include the Pakistan army's headquarters in Rawalpindi and the residence of regional commander Lt. Gen. Salman Fayyaz Ghani in Lahore. Troops have been deployed in at least Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces to help quell disruptive activity, and the ensuing crackdown has reportedly prompted more than a thousand arrests.
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This Day in U S Military History…….May 12
1865 – The last land action of the Civil War was fought at Palmito Ranch in Texas. The Battle of Palmito Ranch is generally reckoned as the final battle of the American Civil War, being the last engagement of any significance, involving casualties. The battle was fought on the banks of the Rio Grande, east of Brownsville, Texas, and a few miles from the seaport of Los Brazos de Santiago (now known as Matamoros). Union and Confederate forces in Southern Texas had been observing an unofficial truce, when Union Colonel Theodore H. Barrett ordered an attack on an enemy camp near Fort Brown, for reasons unknown. (Some claimed that Barrett was eager for his first chance of action before the war ended.) Although they took some prisoners, the attack was repulsed the next day by Confederate Col. John Salmon Ford near Palmito Ranch, and the battle is claimed as a Confederate victory. Estimates of casualties are not dependable, but Union Private John J. Williams of the 34th Indiana is believed to have been the last combat death of the war. The engagement is also known as the Battle of Palmito Hill or the Battle of Palmetto Ranch.
1917 – General John Pershing is appointed commander of the American Expeditionary Force, which is being formed to fight on the Western Front. It will take time to increase the strength of the US Army, but Pershing expects the number to reach one million by May 1918 and is planning a force of three million if the war continues. Pershing also intends to make sure his units will fight as a separate force and not be split into small units and placed under French or British command.
1944 – About 800 bombers of the US 8th Air Force, with a substantial fighter escort, attack synthetic oil plants at Leuna-Merseburg, Bohlen, Zeitz, Lutzkendorf and Brux (northwest of Prague). The Americans claim to shoot down 150 German fighters and report losses of 46 bombers and 10 fighters.
1945 – On Okinawa, Japanese forces repulse an attack by elements of US 3rd Amphibious Corps at Sugar Loaf Hill, southeast of Amike. The position is an important point in the Japanese held Shuri Line. The US 1st Marine Division suffers heavy losses but captures most of Dakeshi Ridge. The US 77th Division advances slowly toward Shuri. The Japanese held Conical Hill position is fought over by US 96th Division. At sea, a Kamikaze plane strikes the USS New Mexico, causing considerable damage.
1945 – On Luzon, elements of the US 43rd Division, part of US 11th Corps, converge on Ipo, capturing several hills occupied by the Japanese. On Mindanao, Del Monte airfield is reached by elements of the US 40th Division. Other elements advance southwest of Tankulan. The US 123th Infantry Regiment eliminates the Japanese strongpoint in the Colgan woods after a lengthy air and artillery bombardment. American aircraft and artillery strike at suspected Japanese gun emplacements on Samar Island.
1949 – An early crisis of the Cold War comes to an end when the Soviet Union lifts its 11-month blockade against West Berlin. The blockade had been broken by a massive U.S.-British airlift of vital supplies to West Berlin's two million citizens. At the end of World War II, Germany was divided into four sectors administered by the four major Allied powers: the USSR, the United States, Britain, and France. Berlin, the German capital, was likewise divided into four sectors, even though it was located deep within the Soviet sector of eastern Germany. The future of Germany and Berlin was a major sticking point in postwar treaty talks, especially after the United States, Britain, and France sought to unite their occupation zones into a single economic zone. In March 1948, the Soviet Union quit the Allied Control Council governing occupied Germany over this issue. In May, the three Western powers agreed to the imminent formation of West Germany, a nation that would exist entirely independent of Soviet-occupied eastern Germany. The three western sectors of Berlin were united as West Berlin, which was to be under the administration of West Germany. On June 20, as a major step toward the establishment of a West German government, the Western powers introduced a new Deutsche mark in West Germany and West Berlin. The Soviets condemned this move as an attack on the East German currency and on June 24 began a blockade of all rail, road, and water communications between Berlin and the West. The four-power administration of Berlin had ceased with the unification of West Berlin, the Soviets said, and the Western powers no longer had a right to be there. With West Berlin's food, fuel, and other necessities cut off, the Soviets reasoned, it would soon have to submit to Communist control. Britain and the United States responded by initiating the largest airlift in history, flying 278,288 relief missions to the city during the next 14 months, resulting in the delivery of 2,326,406 tons of supplies. As the Soviets had cut off power to West Berlin, coal accounted for over two-thirds of the material delivered. In the opposite direction, return flights transported West Berlin's industrial exports to the West. Flights were made around the clock, and at the height of the Berlin airlift, in April 1949, planes were landing in the city every minute. Tensions were high during the airlift, and three groups of U.S. strategic bombers were sent as reinforcements to Britain while the Soviet army presence in eastern Germany increased dramatically. The Soviets made no major effort to disrupt the airlift. As a countermeasure against the Soviet blockade, the Western powers also launched a trade embargo against eastern Germany and other Soviet bloc countries. On May 12, 1949, the Soviets abandoned the blockade, and the first British and American convoys drove though 110 miles of Soviet Germany to reach West Berlin. On May 23, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was formally established. On October 7, the German Democratic Republic, a Communist state, was proclaimed in East Germany. The Berlin airlift continued until September 30, in an effort to build up a year's supply of essential goods for West Berlin in the event of another Soviet blockade. Another blockade did not occur, but Cold War tensions over Berlin remained high, culminating in the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.
1975 – The American freighter Mayaguez is captured by communist government forces in Cambodia, setting off an international incident. The U.S. response to the affair indicated that the wounds of the Vietnam War still ran deep. On May 12, 1975, the U.S. freighter Mayaguez and its 39-man crew was captured by gunboats of the Cambodian navy. Cambodia had fallen to communist insurgents, the Khmer Rouge, in April 1973. The Cambodian authorities imprisoned the American crew, pending an investigation of the ship and why it had sailed into waters claimed by Cambodia. The response of the United States government was quick. President Gerald Ford called the Cambodian seizure of the Mayaguez an "act of piracy" and promised swift action to rescue the captured Americans. In part, Ford's aggressive attitude to the incident was a by-product of the American failure in Vietnam. In January 1973, U.S. forces had withdrawn from South Vietnam, ending years of a bloody and inconclusive attempt to forestall communist rule of that nation. In the time since the U.S. withdrawal, a number of conservative politicians and intellectuals in the United States had begun to question America's "credibility" in the international field, suggesting that the country's loss of will in Vietnam now encouraged enemies around the world to challenge America with seeming impunity. The Cambodian seizure of the Mayaguez appeared to be just such a challenge. On May 14, President Ford ordered the bombing of the Cambodian port where the gunboats had come from and sent Marines to attack the island of Koh Tang, where the prisoners were being held. Unfortunately, the military action was probably unnecessary. The Cambodian government was already in the process of releasing the crew of the Mayaguez and the ship. Forty-one Americans died, most of them in an accidental explosion during the attack. Most Americans, however, cheered the action as evidence that the United States was once again willing to use
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
.TRACY, CHARLES H.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company A, 37th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and date: At Spotsylvania, Va., 12 May 1864; At Petersburg, Va., 2 April 1865. Entered service at: Springfield, Mass. Birth: Jewett City, Conn. Date of issue: 19 November 1897. Citation: At the risk of his own life, at Spotsylvania, 12 May 1864, assisted in carrying to a place of safety a wounded and helpless officer. On 2 April 1865, advanced with the pioneers, and, under heavy fire, assisted in removing 2 lines of chevaux_de_frise; was twice wounded but advanced to the third line, where he was again severely wounded, losing a leg.
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WISNER, LEWIS S.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, Company K. 124th New York Infantry. Place and date: At Spotsylvania, Va., 12 May 1864. Entered service at: Wallkill, Orange County, N.Y. Birth: Wallkill, Orange County, N.Y. Date of issue: 2 January 1895. Citation: While serving as an engineer officer voluntarily exposed himself to the enemy's fire.
LOHNES, FRANCIS W.
Rank and organization: Private, Company H, 1st Nebraska Veteran Cavalry. Place and date: At Gilmans Ranch, Nebr., 12 May 1865. Entered service at:——. Birth: Oneida County, N.Y. Date of issue: 24 July 1865. Citation: Gallantry in defending Government property against Indians.
SHEA, CHARLES W.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company F, 350th Infantry. 88th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Mount Damiano, Italy, 12 May 1944. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth: New York, NY. G.O. No.: 4, 12 January 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, on 12 May 1944, near Mount Damiano, Italy. As 2d Lt. Shea and his company were advancing toward a hill occupied by the enemy, 3 enemy machineguns suddenly opened fire, inflicting heavy casualties upon the company and halting its advance. 2d Lt. Shea immediately moved forward to eliminate these machinegun nests in order to enable his company to continue its attack. The deadly hail of machinegun fire at first pinned him down, but, boldly continuing his advance, 2d Lt. Shea crept up to the first nest. Throwing several hand grenades, he forced the 4 enemy soldiers manning this position to surrender, and disarming them, he sent them to the rear. He then crawled to the second machinegun position, and after a short fire fight forced 2 more German soldiers to surrender. At this time, the third machinegun fired at him, and while deadly small arms fire pitted the earth around him, 2d Lt. Shea crawled toward the nest. Suddenly he stood up and rushed the emplacement and with well-directed fire from his rifle, he killed all 3 of the enemy machine gunners. 2d Lt. Shea's display of personal valor was an inspiration to the officers and men of his company.
JACKSON, JOE M.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force, 311th Air Commando Squadron, Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam. Place and date: Kham Duc, Republic of Vietnam, 12 May 1968. Entered service at: Newman, Ga. Born: 14 March 1923, Newman, Ga. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Lt. Col. Jackson distinguished himself as pilot of a C-123 aircraft. Lt. Col. Jackson volunteered to attempt the rescue of a 3-man USAF Combat Control Team from the special forces camp at Kham Duc. Hostile forces had overrun the forward outpost and established gun positions on the airstrip. They were raking the camp with small arms, mortars, light and heavy automatic weapons, and recoilless rifle fire. The camp was engulfed in flames and ammunition dumps were continuously exploding and littering the runway with debris. In addition, 8 aircraft had been destroyed by the intense enemy fire and 1 aircraft remained on the runway reducing its usable length to only 2,200 feet. To further complicate the landing, the weather was deteriorating rapidly, thereby permitting only 1 air strike prior to his landing. Although fully aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, Lt. Col. Jackson elected to land his aircraft and attempt to rescue. Displaying superb airmanship and extraordinary heroism, he landed his aircraft near the point where the combat control team was reported to be hiding. While on the ground, his aircraft was the target of intense hostile fire. A rocket landed in front of the nose of the aircraft but failed to explode. Once the combat control team was aboard, Lt. Col. Jackson succeeded in getting airborne despite the hostile fire directed across the runway in front of his aircraft. Lt. Col. Jackson's profound concern for his fellowmen, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself, and the Armed Forces of his country.
COPAS, ARDIE R.
Rank and Organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army. Place and Date: May 12, 1970, Ph Romeas Hek, Cambodia. Born: August, 29, 1950, Fort Pierce, FL. Departed: Yes (05/12/1970). Entered Service At: Fort Pierce, FL. G.O. Number: . Date of Issue: 03/18/2014. Accredited To: . Citation: Then-Spc. 4 Ardie R. Copas distinguished himself on May 12, 1970, while serving as a machine-gunner near Ph Romeas Hek, Cambodia. When his convoy was ambushed, Copas repelled the enemy under heavy fire, holding his post while his wounded comrades were evacuated. Copas was killed in action.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS
FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR MAY 12 THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
May 12
1909: Dr. R. M. Randall in Greylock won the second contest for the Forbes Trophy in a point-to-point balloon race from North Adams to Leeds, Mass. (24)
1917: Capt W. A. Robertson set a new American altitude record of 17,230 feet over the North Island Flying School, San Diego. (24)
1926: Explorer Lincoln Ellsworth flew from Spitsbergen across the North Pole to Teller, Alaska, in the dirigible Norge, commanded by Roald Amundsen. (9)
1928: Lts R. W. Douglas and J. E. Parker made a record flight for single-seat planes from France Field, Canal Zone, to Bolling Field in two Boeing PW-9 planes. A Curtiss D-12 engine with 440 HP powered the two Boeing PW-9s. (24) After 65 hours in the air over a two-month period, Lt Julian S. Dexter, Air Corps Reserve, completed a 3,000-square-mile aerial survey of Florida's Everglades. (8)
On 12 May 1938, the Air Corps staged the most extensive maneuvers in its history up to then. Maj. Gen. Frank M. Andrews, commander of General Headquarters Air Force, oversaw the exercise. He established his headquarters at Mitchel Field on Long Island. For the wargames, he had pulled together 187 combat airplanes and thousands of airmen from all three wings of GHQ Air Force. The aircraft were deployed to 19 airports in the northeastern United States.
Taking part were twin-engine B-18 bombers, P-36 fighters (still called "pursuits" in 1938), and A-17 attack aircraft, but the star of the show was the B-17 Flying Fortress. The Air Corps had only 13 of these new Boeing-made four-engine bombers, and Col. Robert Olds, commander of the 2nd Bomb Group at Langley Field, Va., had brought nine of them to the maneuvers.
Andrews had borrowed Lt. Col. Ira C. Eaker, who was chief of the Air Staff's Information Division. Eaker served as G-2 (intelligence) for the maneuvers and to handle the press. Eaker brought with him Reserve 2nd Lt Harris Hull, a reporter for the Washington Post who had been called to active duty for the exercise. Hull learned that the Italian cruise liner Rex was about 1,000 miles offshore, inbound to New York. He suggested an "intercept" of Rex to Eaker, who proposed it to Andrews, who was all for it. It was a splendid opportunity to bring the range and capability of the B-17 to public attention.
Italian officials readily agreed to the plan, which would bring free publicity to their steamship line. The War Department approved as well. Ostensibly, the intercept would exercise GHQ Air Force in its coastal defense role. In reality, it would demonstrate the capabilities of long-range airpower—and of the new B-17 even though it was not an official assigned mission of the Air Corps at the time.
In the 1938 wargames, the Rex intercept turned out to be the central event. Olds moved three of his B-17s—No. 80, No. 81, and No. 82—from Harrisburg to Mitchel Field on May 11, the day before the main event. Maj Vincent Meloy commanded a three-ship formation of B-17s. Capt Cornelius Cousland piloted No. 81, and Capt A. Y. Smith piloted No. 82. The lead aircraft, however, No. 80, was piloted by Maj Caleb Haynes and the lead navigator was 1st Lt Curtis E. LeMay. LeMay was known to be the best navigator in the force.
To document the flight, Eaker had called in the top photo officer in the Air Corps, Maj. George W. Goddard, who came to the exercise from Dayton with his large-format Graflex camera. He flew in the copilot's seat on No. 81. Also aboard No. 81 was Eaker's resourceful Reserve assistant, Lieutenant Hull.
The B-17s had begun to taxi out through the blowing rain when, at 8:30 a.m., they received an update message from Rex. "Immediately I saw that the Rex wasn't nearly as close in as we had expected her to be," LeMay said. "There wasn't much margin remaining." Rex was 725 miles from New York. The three airplanes plowed eastward through squalls, rain, hail, and downdrafts. "Most of the time, we couldn't even see the water, and turbulence was heaving us all over the sky," LeMay said. At about 11 a.m., a break in the weather let LeMay get a check on speed and drift.
At 12:23, the airplanes broke out of the last squall and into bright sunshine, flying low and line abreast, 610 miles east of Sandy Hook. Rex was dead ahead. Cousland was first to see it and radioed to the other airplanes: "There it is! There it is!" Two minutes later, the three B-17s passed Rex. Hundreds of passengers were on deck, wrapped in raincoats and scarves, and waving. Meloy exchanged radio greetings with Rex's captain. On the next pass, photographer Goddard got his best shot—two B-17s sweeping past Rex at smokestack level. NBC reported the intercept live, on a coast-to-coast hookup. Mission Accomplished.
Goddard's photo appeared the next day on the front pages of hundreds of newspapers. Magazines picked it up as well. Hanson Baldwin described the mission in detail in the New York Times. He said it was "one from which valuable lessons about the aerial defense of the United States will be drawn" and that it furnished "a striking example of the mobility and range of modern aviation."
The Navy and the War Department could fume all they wanted about the intercept, but GHQ Air Force had made its point. Heavy bombers were long-range instruments of power and capable of actions a long way from home. The issue had moved beyond the question of coastal defense.
Some months after the Rex intercept, Secretary of War Harry H. Woodring canceled a planned purchase of more B-17s in 1939. His action was superseded by a call by President Roosevelt for an Air Force of 20,000 airplanes. By 1941, B-17s were coming off the production line in significant numbers.
(By the late John T. Correll, in Air and Space Forces Magazine, 2008)
1949: BERLIN AIRLIFT ENDS. The Soviet Union ended the Berlin blockade; however, the airlift continued until September to build up stockpiles. From 12 June 1948 to 12 May 1949, USAFE primarily used C-54 cargo aircraft (C-47s also flew from June until 30 September 1948) to airlift some 1,783,000 tons of food, clothing, fuel, medical supplies, and coal to the beleaguered city. The Combined Airlift Task Force (both the British and U.S. efforts) flew 277,569 missions to deliver a total of 2,325,510 tons of cargo into Berlin with coal accounting for 60 percent of the total tonnage. (2) (4)
1950: Capt Chuck Yeager flew the number one Bell X-1 research aircraft on its last flight above Edwards AFB. Film clips of the flight were used in the movie "Jet Pilot." (8: May 90)
1954: Langley AFB received TAC's first F-84F Thunderstreak, a fighter equipped for boom refueling. (11) 1960: At El Centro, a C-130 Hercules dropped 35,000 pounds of heavy equipment in one bundle by parachute. The USAF claimed this feat as a world weight record for airdrops. (24)
1964: Miss Joan Merriam became the second woman pilot to fly around the world alone when she landed at Oakland. She flew her Piper Apache 27,750 miles in 56 days over Amelia Earhart's intended route from 1937. (9)
1968: SAC renamed Bunker Hill AFB, near Peru, Ind., Grissom AFB to honor Astronaut Virgil Grissom, who died in the 27 January 1967 Apollo capsule fire. (16) EVACUATION OF KHAM DUC. Under extremely hostile conditions, C-130s assisted in the evacuation of Kham Duc, a training site and special operations base for Allied reconnaissance teams near Laos. Air Force transports carried over 500 of the 1,800 military and civilians from Kham Duc before it fell into enemy hands. The enemy killed 259 people and destroyed several aircraft. (17) (18) MACKAY TROPHY
1968. Lt Col Daryl D. Cole, 374 TAW flew a C-130 into the besieged camp at Kham Duc. After an aborted takeoff and with fuel pouring out of his wings from hostile fire, Colonel Cole managed to takeoff and flew his C-130 and a three-member Air Force combat control team to safety. (18) MEDAL OF HONOR. Lt Col Joe M. Jackson volunteered to rescue a three-man Air Force combat control team at Kham Duc. Before the rescue, enemy forces set the camp afire, overran the forward outpost, and established gun positions on the airstrip. They had destroyed eight aircraft, and one aircraft remained on the littered runway. Despite the odds, Jackson and his crew (Maj Jesse Campbell, TSgt Edward M. Trejo, and SSgt Manson L. Grubbs) landed their C-123 under intense hostile fire, but were forced to take off. Making a second attempt, under hostile conditions again, Jackson landed his C-123, extracted the combat controllers, and returned to safety. For his valiant effort, he received the Medal of Honor, the only airlifter so honored in the Vietnam Conflict. Major Campbell received the Air Force Cross, while Sergeants Trejo and Grubbs earned Silver Stars. (18) \
1972: C-130s flew 5,000 pounds of civilian-donated medical equipment from Stuttgart, Germany, to a new hospital at Sile, Turkey. (16)
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