To All
Good Wednesday Morning June 21, 2023.
A bit of history and some tidbits
Regards,
skip
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On This Day in Naval and Marine Corps History
June 21
1898 During the Spanish-American War, the cruiser USS Charleston captures the island of Guam without resistance from Spain, because the Spanish Navy had no sufficient ammunition for defense.
1919 The German navy scuttles its own fleet at Scapa Flow. After the Nov. 11 Armistice, the surrendered German ships are divided by Allies. German officers then organize a mass destruction of the fleet that occurs on this day.
1942 PBY aircraft from (VP 24) recovers a two-man torpedo bomber crew from USS Enterprise (CV 6) 360 miles north of Midway after their plane went down June 4. The aviators are the last survivors of the Battle of Midway to be recovered.
1944 USS Newcomb (DD 586) and USS Chandler (DMS 9) sink Japanese submarine (I 185), 90 miles east-northeast of Saipan. Also on this date, USS Bluefish (SS 222) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kanan Maru off southern approaches to Makassar Strait while USS Narwhal (SS 167) sinks Japanese powered sailboat No.2 Shinshu Maru, 12 miles southwest of Culasi.
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Today in World History June 21
1667 The Peace of Breda ends the Second Anglo-Dutch War as the Dutch cede New Amsterdam to the English.
1675 Christopher Wren begins work on rebuilding St. Paul's Cathedral in London after the Great Fire.
1791 The French royal family is arrested in Varennes.
1834 C. H. McCormick patents the first practical reaper.
1862 Union and Confederate forces skirmish at the Chickahominy Creek.
1863 In the second day of fighting, Confederate troops fail to dislodge a Union force at the Battle of LaFourche Crossing.
1887 Britain celebrates the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria.
1900 General Douglas MacArthur offers amnesty to Filipinos rebelling against American rule.
1908 Mulai Hafid again proclaims himself the true sultan of Morocco.
1911 Porforio Diaz, the ex-president of Mexico, exiles himself to Paris.
1915 Germany uses poison gas for the first time in warfare in the Argonne Forest.
1919 Germans scuttle their own fleet at Scapa Flow, Scotland.
1939 Baseball legend Lou Gehrig is forced to quit baseball because of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis--a disease which wastes muscles.
1942 German General Erwin Rommel captures the port city of Tobruk in North Africa.
1945 Japanese forces on Okinawa surrender to American troops. After 92 days
1948 Dr. Peter Goldmark demonstrates his "long-playing" record.
1958 A federal judge allows Little Rock, Arkansas to delay school integration.
1963 France announces it will withdraw from the NATO fleet in the North Atlantic.
1964 Three civil rights workers disappear in Meridian, Mississippi.
1982 John Hinckley Jr. is found not guilty by reason of insanity for attempting to assassinate President Ronald Reagan.
1995 The U.S. Senate votes against the nomination of Dr. Henry W. Foster for Surgeon General.
1788
U.S. Constitution ratified
New Hampshire becomes the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, thereby making the document the law of the land.
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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 Wednesday, 21 June 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 21 June 1968… US KIA this week=324, passing 25,000 total… 33,000 more American troops will die while the diplomats in Paris fumble-on, and on and on…
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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From the Archives
Thanks to 'Brett
An Interesting read....
Most interesting and many surprising statistics. I understood the number of draftees who served in Viet Nam was much higher than the numbers below, same for black KIAs.
Every so often something comes along that is undisputable fact. This is one read that should hit home. Another fact, I know most of you can read. Make those reunion reservations.
I thought this might interest those of you who lived through this as well as those interested in this period of time. Some of you may have seen this before, but in my mind, it begs retelling.
Vietnam Veterans - Only 31.4% of VN vets still alive.
A statistic not included is the number of people who claim to have served in the Republic of Vietnam. That number is 3 or 4 times the 3 Million who did. In case you haven't been paying attention these past few decades after you returned from Vietnam, the clock has been ticking. The following are some statistics that are at once depressing yet in a larger sense should give you a HUGE SENSE OF PRIDE.
Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam, less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veteran's age approximated to be 60 years old. So, if you're alive and reading this, how does it feel to be among the last 1/3rd of all the U.S. Vets who served in Vietnam? I don't know about you guys, but this gives me the chills, considering this is the kind of information I'm used to reading about WWII and Korean War vets.
For the last 14 years we have been dying too fast, only a few will survive by 2025... if any. If true, 390 VN vets die each day. In 2,190 days from today, lucky to be a Vietnam veteran alive... in only 6-10 years.
These statistics were taken from a variety of sources to include: The VFW Magazine, the Public Information Office, and the HQ CP Forward Observer - 1st Recon April 12, 1997.
STATISTICS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN UNIFORM AND IN COUNTRY VIETNAM VETERANS:
* 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the
Vietnam Era (August 5, 1964 - May 7, 1975).
* 8,744,000 GIs were on active duty during the war (Aug 5, 1964-March 28,1973).
* 2,709,918 Americans served in Vietnam. This number represents 9.7% of their generation.
* 3,403,100 (Including 514,300 offshore) personnel served in the broader Southeast Asia Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, flight crews based in Thailand, and sailors in adjacent South China Sea waters).
* 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam (Jan.1, 1965 - March 28, 1973). Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.
* Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack.
* 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam.
* Peak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1968).
*Agent Orange is taking a huge toll on Vietnam Veterans with most deaths somehow related to Agent Orange exposure. No one officially dies of Agent Orange, they die from the exposures which causes Ischemic Heart Disease and failure, Lung Cancer, Kidney failure or COPD related disorders.
CASUALTIES:
The first man to die in Vietnam was James Davis, in 1958. He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. Davis Station in Saigon was named for him.
Hostile deaths: 47,378
Non-hostile deaths: 10,800
Total: 58,202 (Includes men formerly classified as MIA and Mayaguez casualties). Men who have subsequently died of wounds account for the changing total.
8 nurses died - 1 was KIA.
61% of the men killed were 21 or younger.
11,465 of those killed were younger than 20 years old.
Of those killed, 17,539 were married.
Average age of men killed: 23.1 years
Total Deaths: 23.11 years
Enlisted: 50,274; 22.37 years
Officers: 6,598; 28.43 years
Warrants: 1,276; 24.73 years
E1: 525; 20.34 years
11B MOS: 18,465; 22.55 years
Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old.
The oldest man killed was 62 years old.
Highest state death rate: West Virginia - 84.1% (national average 58.9% for every 100,000 males in 1970).
Wounded: 303,704 - 153,329 hospitalized + 150,375 injured requiring no hospital care.
Severely disabled: 75,000, - 23,214: 100% disabled; 5,283 lost limbs; 1,081 sustained multiple amputations.
Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WWII and 70% higher than Korea.
Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in WWII.
Missing in Action: 2,338
POWs: 766 (114 died in captivity)
As of January 15, 2004, there are 1,875 Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
DRAFTEES VS. VOLUNTEERS:
25% (648,500) of total forces in country were draftees. (66% of U.S. armed forces members were drafted during WWII).
Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam.
Reservists killed: 5,977
National Guard: 6,140 served: 101 died.
Total draftees (1965 - 73): 1,728,344.
Actually, served in Vietnam: 38%
Marine Corps Draft: 42,633.
Last man drafted: June 30, 1973.
RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND:
88.4% of the men who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian; 10.6% (275,000) were black; 1% belonged to other races.
86.3% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasian (includes Hispanics); 12.5% (7,241) were black; 1.2% belonged to other races.
170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; 3,070 (5.2% of total) died there.
70% of enlisted men killed were of North-west European descent.
86.8% of the men who were killed as a result of hostile action were Caucasian; 12.1% (5,711) were black; 1.1% belonged to other races.
14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths were among blacks.
34% of blacks who enlisted volunteered for the combat arms.
Overall, blacks suffered 12.5% of the deaths in Vietnam at a time when the percentage of blacks of military age was 13.5% of the total population.
Religion of Dead: Protestant - 64.4%; Catholic - 28.9%; other/none - 6.7%
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS:
Vietnam veterans have a lower unemployment rate than the same non-vet age groups.
Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent.
76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower-middle/working class backgrounds.
Three-fourths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds.
Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial or technical occupations.
79% of the men who served in Vietnam had a high school education or better, when they entered the military service. 63% of Korean War vets and only 45% of WWII vets had completed high school upon separation.
Deaths by region per 100,000 of population: South - 31%, West -29.9%;
Midwest - 28.4%; Northeast - 23.5%.
DRUG USAGE & CRIME:
There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non-Vietnam Veterans of the same age group. (Source: Veterans Administration Study)
Vietnam Veterans are less likely to be in prison - only one-half of one percent of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes.
85% of Vietnam Veterans made successful transitions to civilian life.
WINNING & LOSING:
82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will. Nearly 75% of the public agrees it was a failure of political will, not of arms.
HONORABLE SERVICE:
97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.
91% of actual Vietnam War veterans and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are proud to have served their country.
74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome.
87% of the public now holds Vietnam veterans in high esteem.
ROGER K. MARACH (USMC/VIETNAM 1965-1966)
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Thanks to "Tom
View the Latest Edition of "This Week @NASA" (published June 9, 2023)
Folks-
Keep thinking "better late than never!" – just can't find the time to gather it up and sit down at the keyboard! UGH!
IROSA – novel concept – like a roll of aluminum foil….carried by Space-X Dragon Cargo pod….remember, original solar panels- carried by the shuttle (RIP! )
Psyche – wow, what a NAME! But matches the asteroid it will "mine"…mining in space….give THAT some thought!!
ENJOY!!
Tom
Outside reading:
https://www.space.com/jupiter-ocean-moon-europa-no-fully-formed-core?utm_source=notification
https://www.space.com/tatooine-exoplanet-binary-systeim-twin-suns?utm_source=notification
and…ala "Star Wars": https://www.space.com/tatooine-exoplanet-binary-systeim-twin-suns?utm_source=notification
AGENCYWIDE MESSAGE TO ALL NASA EMPLOYEES
Points of Contact: Rebecca Sirmons, rebecca.h.sirmons@nasa.gov, and Andre Valentine, andre.valentine-1@nasa.gov, Office of Communications, NASA Headquarters
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
View the Latest Edition of "This Week @NASA" (published June 9, 2023)
View the latest "This Week @NASA," produced by NASA Television, for features on agency news and activities. Stories in this program include:
• Another Power-Generating Upgrade for the Space Station
• Resupply Mission Launches to the Space Station
• Post-Flight Employee Event with the Crew-5 Astronauts
• Psyche Mission Progress Outstanding, Launch on Track
To watch this episode, click on the image below:
Watch the Video
To access this edition of "This Week @NASA," you may also visit:
--------------------------------------
This notice is being sent agencywide to all employees by NASA INC in the Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters.
Thomas E. Diegelman
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Chinese Military Sending Troops Right Off Florida Coast
Earlier this week, the Biden regime announced that they would not intervene if China decided to invade Taiwan. Today, it has been reported by The Wall Street Journal that China and Cuba are in talks to establish a joint training facility on the island, which is just 90 miles south of Florida. This would mean that Chinese forces could potentially be stationed very close to the United States.
According to a report from the Journal, the talks between the US and Cuba are ongoing, but there hasn't been a conclusion yet. The Biden administration has only made an attempt to persuade Cuba to consider the potential implications of making a deal with China on their national sovereignty. However, it is unlikely that Cuba would take this seriously, and the US can only hope that China will change its stance.
Earlier this month, The Journal reported that Cuba and China had tentatively agreed on a new location for eavesdropping in Cuba. However, the Biden administration has denied the accuracy of this report.
According to the Journal, here are some of the grave consequences for allowing China to set up shop just south of the continental United States:
Current and former U.S. officials said a new military facility could provide China with a platform to potentially house troops permanently on the island and broaden its intelligence gathering, including electronic eavesdropping, against the U.S.
Most worrying for the U.S.: The planned facility is part of China's "Project 141," an initiative by the People's Liberation Army to expand its global military base and logistical support network, one current and one former U.S. official said.
Left unmentioned is that China would have a launch point to potentially invade the United States should a war break out between the two nations. Several reports have in the past have suggested that this is quite possible.
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
Retired General Jack Keane has identified several areas where China reportedly holds a significant military advantage over America in a potential conflict.
China does have a military advantage. They have more ships, more airplanes, more offensive and defensive missiles than the United States has.
When one combines these advantages with a Chinese training facility at America's doorstep that serve as an invasion launch point, one could argue we might soon be speaking Chinese if the Biden regime remains in power for another term.
The only remaining question is will the Biden Crime Family turn another profit after handing America over to our most dangerous foe.
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
https://geopoliticalfutures.com
Daily Memo: Turkey's Economic Changes, Chinese Energy Deals
Beijing secured a major gas deal with a Gulf state.
By: GPF Features
June 20, 2023
Economic moves. Turkey announced that it will increase the monthly minimum wage by 34 percent beginning July 1 amid rising inflation. It'll be the second hike this year, bringing the minimum wage to 11,402 lira ($483) per month. Also on the economic front, Turkey's central bank is reportedly considering doubling interest rates to 17 percent next week. It'll be the first big move for the country's new finance leadership introduced following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's reelection last month.
Energy deal. Qatar on Tuesday signed its second large natural gas deal in a year with a Chinese firm. China National Petroleum Corporation and QatarEnergy reached a 27-year agreement under which Beijing will purchase 4 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas per year from the Gulf Arab state. CNPC will also take an equity stake in the eastern expansion of Qatar's North Field LNG project, QatarEnergy chief Saad al-Kaabi said at the signing.
Major investment. Meanwhile, China signed a $3.5 billion agreement with Pakistan to build a nuclear power plant in Punjab province. Much of the investment is expected to come from Beijing. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the project as a milestone in bilateral ties, which have recently come under increased scrutiny.
Energy sources. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier held talks in Astana on Tuesday. Tokayev called Germany one of Kazakhstan's most important trade, economic and investment partners in the European Union. On the sidelines of their meeting, Kazakhstan's energy minister said his country will increase its oil exports to Germany to 100,000 tons per month via the Druzhba pipeline. The visit comes as Berlin continues to seek new sources of energy. Germany's energy regulator said it will hold in September large-scale emergency drills to test the readiness of systems in case of a natural gas supply shortage.
Realignment. Burkina Faso and Iran stressed their desire to expand ties following a meeting in Tehran between their foreign ministers. It's part of Burkina Faso's push to realign its security focus with countries like Russia and Iran. The government on Monday praised neighboring Mali's decision to evict a U.N. peacekeeping operation that has been active in the country for a decade.
Air defense. South Korea's military has introduced a new policy to counter a drone attacks. Though it didn't release details for security reasons, the plan reportedly gives leaders the authority to send multiple drones into Pyongyang if a single North Korean drone enters South Korean airspace. South Korea's Cabinet also approved a plan to open a drone operations command in September. Both moves are part of the country's broader efforts to improve air defenses.
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Thanks to Denis
When God created Fathers - by Erma Bombeck
When the good Lord was creating fathers, He started with a tall frame.
A female angel nearby said, "What kind of father is that? If you're going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high? He won't be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping."
...And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child-size, who would children have to look up to?"
And when God made a father's hands, they were large and sinewy.
The angel shook her head sadly and said, "Do you know what you're doing? Large hands are clumsy. They can't manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on ponytails or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats."
And God smiled and said, "I know, but they're large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from pockets at the end of a day, yet small enough to cup a child's face."
And then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders.
The angel nearly had a heart attack. "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right." she clucked. "Do you realize you just made a father without a lap? How is he going to pull a child close to him with the kid falling between his legs?"
And God smiled and said, " A mother needs a lap. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus."
God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. "That's not fair. Do you honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?"
And God smiled and said, "They'll work. You'll see. They'll support a small child who wants to ride a horse to Banbury Cross or scare off mice at the summer cabin or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill."
God worked throughout the night, giving the father few words but a firm, authoritative voice and eyes that saw everything but remained calm and tolerant.
Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears. Then He turned to the angel and said,
"Now, are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother?"
The angel shutteth up.
Author: Erma Bombeck
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This Day in U S Military History…….June 21
1900 – After the Empress declared war on all foreign powers, the Boxers began a two-month assault on the legations in Beijing. An international force of Japanese, Russian, German, American, British, Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops put down the uprising by August 14. The Boxer Rebellion was a violent, anti-foreign uprising that broke out in reaction to years of foreign interference with Chinese affairs. Led by a Chinese secret society called Yi He Tuan–"the Righteous, Harmonious Fists"–the Boxers were aided by the Empress Dowager Ci Xi and pillaged the countryside, murdering foreigners and Chinese Christians.
1916 – The controversial U.S. military expedition against Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa brings the United States and Mexico closer to war when Mexican government troops attack U.S. Brigadier General John J. Pershing's force at Carrizal, Mexico. The Americans suffered 22 casualties, and more than 30 Mexicans were killed. Against the protests of Venustiano Carranza's government, Pershing had been penetrating deep into Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa. After routing the small Mexican force at Carrizal, the U.S. expedition continued on its southern course. In 1914, following the resignation of Mexican leader Victoriano Huerta, Pancho Villa and his former revolutionary ally Venustiano Carranza battled each other in a struggle for succession. By the end of 1915, Villa had been driven north into the mountains, and the U.S. government recognized General Carranza as the president of Mexico. In January 1916, to protest President Woodrow Wilson's support for Carranza, Villa executed 16 U.S. citizens at Santa Isabel in northern Mexico. Then, on March 9, he ordered a raid on the border town of Columbus, New Mexico, in which 17 Americans were killed and the center of town was burned. Cavalry from the nearby Camp Furlong U.S. Army outpost pursued the Mexicans, killing several dozen rebels on U.S. soil and in Mexico before turning back. On March 15, under orders from President Wilson, U.S. Brigadier General John J. Pershing launched a punitive expedition into Mexico to capture or kill Villa and disperse his rebels. The expedition eventually involved some 10,000 U.S. troops and personnel. It was the first U.S. military operation to employ mechanized vehicles, including automobiles and airplanes. For 11 months, Pershing failed to capture the elusive revolutionary, who was aided by his intimate knowledge of the terrain of northern Mexico and his popular support from the people there. Meanwhile, resentment over the U.S. intrusion into Mexican territory led to a diplomatic crisis with the government in Mexico City. On June 21, the crisis escalated into violence when Mexican government troops attacked a detachment of the 10th Cavalry at Carrizal. If not for the critical situation in Europe, war might have been declared. In January 1917, having failed in their mission to capture Villa, and under continued pressure from the Mexican government, the Americans were ordered home. Pancho Villa continued his guerrilla activities in northern Mexico until Adolfo de la Huerta took over the government and drafted a reformist constitution. Villa entered into an amicable agreement with Huerta and agreed to retire from politics. In 1920, the government pardoned Villa, but three years later he was assassinated at his ranch in Parral.
1966 – U.S. planes strike North Vietnamese petroleum-storage facilities in a series of devastating raids. These missions were part of Operation Rolling Thunder, which had been launched in March 1965 after President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered a sustained bombing campaign of North Vietnam. The operation was designed to interdict North Vietnamese transportation routes in the southern part of North Vietnam and to slow infiltration of personnel and supplies into South Vietnam. During the early months of this campaign, there were restrictions against striking targets in or near Hanoi and Haiphong. In 1966, however, Rolling Thunder was expanded to include the bombing of North Vietnamese ammunition dumps and oil storage facilities. In the spring of 1967, it was further expanded to include power plants, factories, and airfields in the Hanoi and Haiphong area. The White House closely controlled operation Rolling Thunder and at times President Johnson personally selected targets. From 1965 to 1968, about 643,000 tons of bombs were dropped on North Vietnam. The operation continued, with occasional suspensions, until President Johnson halted in on October 31, 1968, under increasing domestic political pressure.
1969 – Approximately 600 communist soldiers storm a U.S. base near Tay Ninh, 50 miles northwest of Saigon and 12 miles from the Cambodian border. The North Vietnamese had been shelling the base for two days, followed by six attacks on the city itself and the surrounding villages. About 1,000 civilians fled their homes as Allied and communist troops fought in the city streets. The Americans eventually prevailed and it was reported that 146 communist soldiers were killed in the bitter street fighting. Ten Americans were killed and 32 were wounded. Total communist losses around Tay Ninh during the two-day battle were put at 194 killed.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*MCWETHY, EDGAR LEE, JR.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fifth Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Rank and organization: Binh Dinh province, Republic of Vietnam, 21 June 1967. Entered service at: Denver, Colo. Born: 22 November 1944, Leadville, Colo. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Serving as a medical aidman with Company B, Sp5c. McWethy accompanied his platoon to the site of a downed helicopter. Shortly after the platoon established a defensive perimeter around the aircraft, a large enemy force attacked the position from 3 sides with a heavy volume of automatic weapons fire and grenades. The platoon leader and his radio operator were wounded almost immediately, and Sp5c. McWethy rushed across the fire-swept area to their assistance. Although he could not help the mortally wounded radio operator, Sp5c. McWethy's timely first aid enabled the platoon leader to retain command during this critical period. Hearing a call for aid, Sp5c. McWethy started across the open toward the injured men, but was wounded in the head and knocked to the ground. He regained his feet and continued on but was hit again, this time in the leg. Struggling onward despite his wounds, he gained the side of his comrades and treated their injuries. Observing another fallen rifleman Lying in an exposed position raked by enemy fire, Sp5c. McWethy moved toward him without hesitation. Although the enemy fire wounded him a third time, Sp5c. McWethy reached his fallen companion. Though weakened and in extreme pain, Sp5c. McWethy gave the wounded man artificial respiration but suffered a fourth and fatal wound. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his safety, and demonstrated concern for his fellow soldiers, Sp5c. McWethy inspired the members of his platoon and contributed in great measure to their successful defense of the position and the ultimate rout of the enemy force. Sp5c. McWethy's profound sense of duty, bravery, and his willingness to accept extraordinary risks in order to help the men of his unit are characteristic of the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
MONTI, JARED C.*
United States Army
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3d Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3d Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. Place and date: Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, on June 21, 2006. Citation: Staff Sergeant Jared C. Monti distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a team leader with , in connection with combat operations against an armed enemy in While Staff Sergeant Monti was leading a mission aimed at gathering intelligence and directing fire against the enemy, his 16-man patrol was attacked by as many as 50 enemy fighters. On the verge of being overrun, Staff Sergeant Monti quickly directed his men to set up a defensive position behind a rock formation. He then called for indirect fire support, accurately targeting the rounds upon the enemy who had closed to within 50 meters of his position. While still directing fire, Staff Sergeant Monti personally engaged the enemy with his rifle and a grenade, successfully disrupting an attempt to flank his patrol. Staff Sergeant Monti then realized that one of his Soldiers was lying wounded in the open ground between the advancing enemy and the patrol's position. With complete disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Monti twice attempted to move from behind the cover of the rocks into the face of relentless enemy fire to rescue his fallen comrade. Determined not to leave his Soldier, Staff Sergeant Monti made a third attempt to cross open terrain through intense enemy fire. On this final attempt, he was mortally wounded, sacrificing his own life in an effort to save his fellow Soldier. Staff Sergeant Monti's selfless acts of heroism inspired his patrol to fight off the larger enemy force. Staff Sergeant Monti's immeasurable courage and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and the United States Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for June 21
FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR June 21
THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
21 June
1908: Glenn H. Curtiss, designer, flew the June Bug. It was the third Aerial Experiment Association plane. (24)
1913: FIRST AMERICAN FEMALE PARACHUTIST: 18-year-old Georgia "Tiny" Broadwick jumped from Glenn L. Martin's plane at 1,000 feet near Los Angeles. (20)
1921: First peacetime Army Air Service in-plant inspection office formed at Boeing Airplane Company in Seattle. (12)
1944: Operation FRANTIC. Nearly 1,000 bombers with over 900 fighter escorts attacked targets in the Berlin area. Of those, 144 heavy bombers and 51 P-51s continued on in shuttle-raid fashion to land at Poltava, Mirgorod, and Piryatin in Russia to reload and restrike targets in Germany on their return to England. (4)
1954: Maj Gen Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., 15th Air Force Commander, led three 22 BMW B-47s on a 6700-mile nonstop flight from March AFB to Yokota AB in less than 15 hours with two KC-97 refuelings. This longest point-to-point B-47 flight to date marked its first appearance in the Far East. (1) The USAF directed the ARDC to create a Western Development Division under Brig Gen Bernard A. Schriever to accelerate the Atlas ICBM program. (21)
1957: An USAF precision team of six F-100C Super Sabres flew from Kindley AFB, Bermuda, to Bedford. They covered the 683 nautical miles in a record of 1 hour 13 minutes. (24)
1960: AIRCRAFT PHASEOUTS. The last operational flight of a B-29 ended on 21 June when an 6023d Radar Evaluation Squadron RB-29 landed at Naha AB after a routine electronic countermeasure training mission. On 30 June, the unit's last four aircraft were salvaged. In addition, PACAF's last C-119 Flying Boxcars were transferred to India under the Military Assistance Program. (17)
1964: The New York Times reported that B-52s were equipped with terrain-avoidance radar to operate at extremely low levels.
1965: Two Athena missiles were successfully launched in less than three hours from the Green River, Utah, test complex under the Advanced Ballistic Reentry Systems (ABRES) program. (16)
1968: The first group of US Marine Corps pilots to be trained by the USAF received their pilot wings at Laredo AFB. (16)
1972: The McDonnell Douglas DC10-30 first flew.
1982: Operation DEEP FREEZE. SAC's tanker operations accomplished another milestone when a KC-10A transferred a record 67,400 pounds of fuel to a MAC C-141 some 750 miles north of the South Pole. (16)
1984: A KC-10A from the 22 AREFW at March AFB, flying the first time from Christchurch IAP, New Zealand, refueled a C-141B three times on its way to resupply the US Antarctic bases at the South Pole and McMurdo Sound. (1) (26)
1985: Through 25 July, three C-123K Providers with aerial spray capabilities responded to an infestation of grasshoppers in southern Idaho. The aircraft treated over 735,000 acres in 73 sorties to end the agricultural threat to private croplands. (16)
1996: Cmdr David Cheslak became the first Navy flight officer to command an Air Force squadron when he assumed command of the 562d Flying Training Squadron at Randolph AFB. The unit provided joint navigation training to Air Force and Navy personnel. (26)
1999: Operation ALLIED FORCE. The 104th Expeditionary Operations Group (ANG) at Trapani AB, Sicily, flew its final A-10 airborne close air support alert sorties for this operation. (32)
2004: SpaceshipOne became the first private venture craft to successfully attempt to leave earth's atmosphere into space (62 miles up) and return to earth. Burt Rutan and his Scaled Composites Company designed the rocket-powered SpaceShipOne and its carrier aircraft, the twin-jet White Knight, for this attempted flight from Mojave, Calif., near Edwards AFB. Michael Melvill, a veteran test pilot, flew in Spaceship One under the White Knight to 47,000 feet, where he dropped off for a 10-second glide. The ignition of the rocket motor eventually carried SpaceshipOne to 328,491 feet before it reentered the atmosphere and returned to earth. (http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/AirShows/SpaceShipOne2004)
2007: The 11th Reconnaissance Squadron flew an MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle past the 250,000 flying hour mark, and celebrated the historic event with a ceremony at Creech AFB, Nev. Major Robert Forino flew the Predator for this milestone. (AFNEWS, "Predator Reaches Quarter Million Flight Hours," 26 Jun 2007.)
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