To All
Good Tuesday Morning July 18 2023.
Only two items
Regards,
Skip
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History:
July 18
1779 In the largest prize value of the American Revolution, Commodore Abraham Whipples squadron consisting of Continental frigates Providence, Queen of France and sloop Ranger, captures 11 British prizes off the Newfoundland Banks sailing from Jamaica. The cargoes are worth more than $1 million.
1792 Continental Navy Capt. John Paul Jones dies in Paris, France. A legend during the American Revolution, Jones argues for Congress establishing a United States Navy. When it fails to do so, the unemployed captain found work as a rear admiral in the Russian navy for a couple of years, but eventually returns to France, where he dies. More than a century later, his body is discovered, exhumed, brought back to the United States under huge fanfare and reburied in a magnificent sarcophagus at the United States Naval Academy.
1813 During the War of 1812, the frigate, USS President, commanded by John Rodgers, sinks the British brig, HMS Daphne, off the Irish coast. In the next few weeks, she engages three more vessels. USS President captures the ship, HMS Eliza Swan July 24, burns the brig, HMS Alert, on July 29, and captures the bark Lion on Aug. 2.
1921 U.S. Army and U.S. Navy aircraft sink the ex-German cruiser, Frankfurt, in target practice as part of General Billy Mitchell's aerial bombing demonstration.
1943 German submarine (U 134) shoots down (K 47), the first and only U.S. airship lost during WW II, in the Fla. straits. In Aug. 1943, (U 134) is sunk by British aircraft near Vigo, Spain.
1966 Gemini 10 is launched with Lt. Cmdr. John L. Young as command pilot and Michael Collins is the pilot. The mission entails 43 orbits at an altitude of 412.2 nautical miles and lasts two days, 22 hours, and 46 minutes.
1981 USS Dallas (SSN 700) is commissioned at Groton, Conn., her first homeport. The Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine is the first to be built with an all-digital fire control and sonar system.
1992 USS Shiloh (CG 67) is commissioned at Bath, Maine. The 21st Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser is the named after the Civil War Battle of Shiloh.
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Today in World History July 18
1789 Robespierre, a deputy from Arras, France, decides to back the French Revolution.
1812 Great Britain signs the Treaty of Orebro, making peace with Russia and Sweden.
1830 Uruguay adopts a liberal constitution.
1861 Union and Confederate troops skirmish at Blackburn's Ford, Virginia, in a prelude to the Battle of Bull Run.
1877 Inventor Thomas Edison records the human voice for the first time.
1872 The Ballot Act is passed in Great Britain, providing for secret election ballots.
1935 Ethiopian King Haile Selassie urges his countrymen to fight to the last man against the invading Italian army.
1936 General Francisco Franco of Spain revolts against the Republican government, starting the Spanish Civil War.
1942 The German Me-262, the first jet-propelled aircraft to fly in combat, makes its first flight.
1971 New Zealand and Australia announce they will pull their troops out of Vietnam.
1994 In Buenos Aires, a massive car bomb kills 96 people.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Thanks to THE BEAR
Skip… For The List for Tuesday, 18 July 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 18 July 1968…
1968…"When the dream hit the slippery slope."
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip Vietnam Air Losses Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
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Thanks to AL
Punday Morning Humor
Once, long ago, a king summoned his provincial rulers. He was feeling belligerent, and wanted to scare them into paying extra taxes. The rulers conferred on the way, and decided that they should pay the extra. But they decided to first pretend to refuse, so they could bargain the king down.
They arrived at the king's castle, and gathered in the audience chamber. The king made his demands, and as agreed, they started to refuse. Unfortunately, the king got angry, and ordered his guards to kill them on the spot. Half were slain before they even realized what was happening.
The others had to do some quick groveling to survive. After everything had settled down, the survivors explained their plan. The king was filled with remorse.
The moral: Don't hatchet your counts before they chicken
Submitted by Diane Yanke:
• Dad, are we pyromaniacs? Yes, we arson.
• What do you call a pig with laryngitis? Disgruntled.
• A commander walks into a bar and orders everyone around.
• Never buy flowers from a monk. Only you can prevent florist friars.
• How much did the pirate pay to get his ears pierced? A buccaneer.
• I once worked at a cheap pizza shop to get by. I kneaded the dough.
• When I told my contractor I didn't want carpeted steps, he gave me a blank stare.
• Bono and The Edge walk into a Dublin bar and the bartender says, "Oh no, not U2 again."
• Prison is just one word to you, but for some people, it's a whole sentence.
• I'm trying to organize a hide and seek tournament, but good players are really hard to find.
• I got over my addiction to chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts. I won't lie, it was a rocky road.
• What do you say to comfort a friend who's struggling with grammar? There, their, they're.
• I went to the toy store and asked the assistant where the Schwarznegger dolls are and he replied, "Aisle B, back."
• What did the surgeon say to the patient who insisted on closing up her own incision? Suture self.
• I've started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It's all about raisin awareness.
Submitted by Skip Leonard:
• I have a few jokes about unemployed people, but none of them work .
• "I have a split personality," said Tom, being Frank.
• I renamed my iPod The Titanic, so when I plug it in, it says "The Titanic is syncing."
• How do you make holy water? You boil the hell out of it
• When life gives you melons, you're dyslexic
• It's hard to explain puns to kleptomaniacs because they always take things literally
• What's the difference between a hippo and a zippo? One is really heavy and the other is a little lighter
• Two windmills are standing in a wind farm. One asks, "What's your favorite kind of music?" The other says, "I'm a big metal fan."
• Hear about the new restaurant called Karma? There's no menu - you get what you deserve
• I went to buy some camouflage trousers yesterday but couldn't find any
• What do you call a bee that can't make up its mind? A maybe
• I tried to sue the airline for losing my luggage. I lost my case
• When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane
• A cross-eyed teacher couldn't control his pupils
• She had a photographic memory but never developed it
• Is it ignorance or apathy that's destroying the world today? I don't know and don't really care
• I wasn't originally going to get a brain transplant, but then I changed my mind
• Which country's capital has the fastest-growing population? Ireland. Every day it's Dublin.
• My ex-wife still misses me. But her aim is starting to improve
• Two fish are in a tank, one says to the other "how do you drive this thing?"
• The guy who invented the door knocker got a no-bell prize
• Need an ark? I Noah guy
• I used to be indecisive; now I'm not so sure
• Sleeping comes so naturally to me, I could do it with my eyes closed
• What did the grape say when it got stepped on? Nothing - but it let out a little whine
• What do you call a super articulate dinosaur? A Thesaurus!
Submitted by Susanne DeHardt:
• When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.
• A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
• When the smog lifts in Los Angeles UCLA.
• The batteries were given out free of charge.
• A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.
• A will is a dead giveaway.
• A boiled egg is hard to beat.
• When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
• Police were summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
• Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off? He's all right now.
• A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.
• When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
• The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.
Submitted by Colleen Grosso:
• Will glass coffins be a success? Remains to be seen.
• What's the difference between a hippo and a zippo? One is really heavy and the other is a little lighter.
• Hear about the new restaurant called Karma? There's no menu - you get what you deserve.
• I went to buy some camouflage trousers yesterday, but couldn't find any.
• What do you call a bee that can't make up its mind? A maybe.
• I tried to sue the airline for losing my luggage. I lost my case.
• Is it ignorance or apathy that's destroying the world today? I don't know and don't really care.
• I wasn't originally going to get a brain transplant, but then I changed my mind.
• Which country's capital has the fastest-growing population? Ireland. Every day it's Dublin.
• I saw an ad for burial plots, and I thought: "That's the last thing I need!"
• Need an ark? I Noah guy.
• You're not completely useless, you can always serve as a bad example.
• I broke my finger last week. On the other hand, I'm okay.
• Did you hear about the guy who got hit in the head with a can of soda? He was lucky it was a soft drink.
• To the mathematician who thought of the idea of zero. Thanks for nothing!
• Son: "Dad, can you tell me what a solar eclipse is?"…Dad: "No sun."
Have a great week,
Al
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
How Juicy Fruit changed the world
The first product scanned with a barcode was Juicy Fruit gum.
The origins of the barcode, meanwhile, date back to January 1949. That's when a young mechanical engineer, N. Joseph Woodland, came up with the idea for the tool while drawing in the Miami Beach sand. Bernard "Bob" Silver — a postgraduate student at Woodland's alma mater, Drexel Institute of Technology — had told Woodland about a supermarket manager who approached the school, desperate for a way to check out shoppers at a faster pace. The duo collaborated on a patent for a bullseye-shaped barcode, which was approved in 1952. Yet they couldn't come up with a practical device for reading the information it held — the laser wasn't invented until 1958, and initial versions of the scanner were huge and cumbersome — so they sold their patent for $15,000. Woodland later moved to IBM, and in 1973, his colleague George Laurer succeeded in perfecting the scannable barcode, in part by finally putting a printer-friendly, rectangular model into production. Today, more than 5 billion barcodes are scanned daily, and some of them are still Juicy Fruit gum.
Selling chewing gum is mostly banned in Singapore.
The lasting influence of the island's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew (in office 1959–1990), led to this quirky law — which has managed to stick for 29 years. Early in his tenure, when Singapore separated from Malaysia to become sovereign, Lee dreamed of making his young city-state a scenic travel locale. Thus he launched his "Keep Singapore Clean" initiative in 1968, which included strict anti-littering regulations. Spitting, feeding pigeons, or neglecting to flush a public toilet can also result in fines, and since 1992, stocking or importing gum can set a business back up to $100,000 and translate to prison time. Visitors to Singapore are allowed to bring small amounts of gum into the country for their personal use, however. And thanks to 2004's U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, pharmacists (and pharmacists alone) are able to sell "medicinal" and "dental" gum products, such as Nicorette (and, somehow, sugar-free gum), to customers who submit their names and ID card numbers. Still, all chewed gum should be tossed in a trash can.
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Thanks to the Bear for passing this on and to Admiral Cox for an outstanding write up
Subject: Passing of RDML Jimmie W. Taylor, USN (Ret.)
Fellow Flag Officers,
It is with deep regret I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral (lower half) Jimmie Wilkes Taylor, U.S. Navy, Retired, on 11 July 2023 at age 89. Rear Admiral Taylor enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve as a Naval Aviation Cadet in February 1957 and served as a Naval Aviator until his retirement in 1991 as Chief of Naval Air Training. His command tours included Fighter Squadron TWO (VF-2,) Navy Blue Force, AIM/ACE Evaluation, and Training Air Wing TWO (TRAWING 2.) He made six Vietnam War deployments with 188 combat missions (where he was awarded an Air Medal with numeral 7, and commanded the first F-14 Squadron fleet deployment in 1975.
Jimmie Taylor attended the University of Tennessee, but then decided to learn to fly at Middle Tennessee State University, earning private and commercial pilot licenses and a flight instructor certificate. He flew cropdusters in the South, crashing a couple biplane dusters, and also worked as a flight instructor. When his number was coming up for the draft, he decided joining the Navy was a better idea.
On 28 February 1957, Jimmie Taylor enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, immediately reporting for active duty and flight training. He commenced a training track that included pre-flight training at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, followed by flight training at Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Saufley Field, NAAS Whiting Field, NAAS Barin (Alabama,) and NAAS Kingsville (Texas.) He was honorably discharged on 29 September 1958. The next day he was designated a Naval Aviator and commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve on 30 September 1958, with rank to date from 16 March 1958.
In October 1958, Ensign Taylor reported to Fighter Squadron ONE TWO FOUR (VF-124,) the F-8 Crusader Fleet Replacement Squadron located at NAS Moffett Field, California. In July 1959, he was assigned to Fighter Squadron ONE FOUR TWO (VF-142) at NAS Miramar, California, deploying to the Western Pacific embarked on attack carrier USS ORISKANEY (CVA-34) in 1960, serving as Ordnance and Welfare Officer and flying the F-8 Crusader single-seat jet fighter. He was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) in September 1959.
In November 1961, Lieutenant (junior grade) Taylor was reassigned to Fighter Squadron ONE THREE TWO (VF-132) at NAS Cecil Field, Florida, flying the F-8 and serving as Supply Officer. VF-132 was a short-lived squadron that embarked on the shakedown cruise of newly-commissioned attack carrier USS CONSTELLATION (CVA-64,) operating in the Caribbean. He was promoted to lieutenant in April 1962, before attending the Naval Justice School, Naval Base Newport, Rhode Island in June 1962. In August 1962, Lieutenant Taylor reported to Fighter Squadron ONE SEVEN FOUR (VF-174) "Hellrazors," the Atlantic Fleet F-8U Replacement Squadron at NAS Cecil Field, serving as Weapons Training Officer. In August 1965, LT Taylor reported to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron FOUR (VX-4) at Pacific Missile Test Center, Point Mugu, California, where he flew the C-45 Expeditor twin-engine propeller aircraft conducting evaluation of air-launched guided missiles. He augmented from the Naval Reserve into the U.S. Navy in December 1965.
In October 1965, LT Taylor was assigned to USS CONSTELLATION (CVA 64) as Air Launch Missile Officer, deploying twice to Vietnam in April-October 1966 and March-August 1967, where he flew C-1 Greyhound Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) flights to and from South Vietnam and the carrier. He was promoted to lieutenant commander in October 1966.
In September 1967, Lieutenant Commander Taylor reported to Fighter Squadron ONE TWO FOUR (VF-124,) the West Coast F-8 Fleet Replacement Squadron at NAS Miramar, serving as Assistant Operations Officer. In June 1968, he was assigned to Fighter Squadron FIVE ONE (VF-51,) "Screaming Eagles" based at NAS Miramar, serving as Operations Officer. He made three Vietnam War deployments with VF-51 embarked on attack carrier USS BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA-31) in June-October 1968, April-October 1969, and April-August 1970. He flew 187 of his 188 combat missions during these deployments, flying the F-8H/J Crusader and earning eight strike/flight Air Medals over North Vietnam.
In August 1970, LCDR Taylor reported to VF-124 at NAS Miramar, serving as Operations Officer where he transitioned to the new F-14 Tomcat fighter. He was the first Fleet Demonstration Pilot for the F-14, performing at airshows across the U.S. and Europe, including the 1973 Le Bourqet Airshow in Paris, resulting in him being nominated for the Harmon Trophy (an international award for the most outstanding aviator,) kudos on the editorial page of "Aviation Weekly," and the first recipient of the Grumman Topcat Award. He was promoted to commander in September 1972.
In January 1974, Commander Taylor assumed duty as Executive Officer of Fighter Squadron TWO (VF-2) "Bounty Hunters" at NAS Miramar, flying the F-14. In April 1975, he became Commanding Officer of VF-2 during nuclear attack carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CVA(N)-65's) deployment to the South China Sea, the first fleet deployment of the F-14. He flew the first F-14 combat mission, providing cover to the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, during the fall of South Vietnam in April 1975 (Operation Frequent Wind.)
In September 1976, CDR Taylor was assigned as Officer-in-Charge of the VX-4 Detachment at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. In this capacity he served as commanding officer of the Navy Blue Force during the series of tests in 1977 known as AIMVAL-ACEVAL (Air Intercept Evaluation and Air Combat Evaluation) involving large-scale air-to-air engagements between "Red" F-5s and "Blue" F-15s and F-14s. The tests were considered "rigged" by some, to justify a USAF requirement for the F-16. In December 1977, he was assigned to Naval Administrative Command, Naval Training Center, San Diego. (The service transcript states "duty under instruction"…since he was awarded a Bachelor's Degree in Geography from San Diego State in 1979, presumably he was attending class to earn his long-delayed Bachelor's Degree.) In June 1978, he was assigned to Alameda-based carrier USS CORAL SEA (CV 43) as Operations Officer, deploying to the Arabian Sea, arriving off the coast of Iran ("Gonzo Station") in February 1980 in reaction to the Iranian hostage crisis, supporting the failed hostage rescue attempt in April 1980 and involving 102 consecutive days at sea. He was promoted to captain in September 1979
In May 1981, Captain Taylor reported to Commander Fighter/Airborne Early Warning Wing, Pacific at NAS Miramar, serving as Chief of Staff. In June 1982, he assumed command of Training Wing TWO (TRAWING 2) at NAS Kingsville, Texas. In August 1984, CAPT Taylor reported to Washington DC in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Head Aviation Plans and Programs Division (OP-508) where among his duties was reviewing and providing recommended improvements to the script of the movie "Topgun," which he initially evaluated as "too hokey" but ultimately recommended Navy approval to support.
On 19 December 1985, CAPT Taylor was designated a rear admiral (lower half) for duty in a billet commensurate with that rank and was assigned as the Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training that same month. He was promoted to rear admiral (lower-half) on 1 July 1987. In June 1988, RDML Taylor was assigned as Chief of Naval Air Training. He retired on 1 August 1991.
RDML Taylor's awards include the Legion of Merit (at least two awards,) Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with numeral 7, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation (three awards,) Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal (two awards,) Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (five campaign stars,) Humanitarian Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Following retirement from active duty, RDML Taylor served as a Board Member of the Pensacola-area Chamber of Commerce as Vice Chairman of Armed Services, overseeing "interface between the civilian and military communities with the Staff Vice President of Armed Services, maintaining consistent and proper communication with area military commands, Navy, Department of Defense and congressional delegations, and maintaining ongoing interface with local, Washington and national military active and retired leadership regarding Department of Defense and Navy programs and initiatives. He was enshrined Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2018, Middle Tennessee chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of fame presented him with the Fred Russell Distinguished American Award.
He was more recently active in community service on various boards and committees of the Smyrna (Tennessee) Rotary club, Meals on wheels, Middle Tennessee Emergency Medical Center's Customer Care Board, Habitat for Humanity, and the TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center.
Funeral Services have already been held.
Golden Eagle Rear Admiral Jimmie Taylor was an extraordinary fighter pilot and leader. With 4,988 flight hours (4,500 in jets,) and 997 carrier traps, he clearly did everything he could to stay in the cockpit and out of the office. He so wanted to fly that he dropped out of college to get a pilot's license; he didn't even get a Bachelor's Degree until he made captain, suggesting that although education is important, great leadership is what matters most. His accomplishments as a pilot were legendary, but perhaps even more important was the impact he had on the training of thousands of other Naval Aviators – his career is chock full of tours focused on the training of others, and imparting his extraordinary skills to others. He was one of our dwindling number of Vietnam War heroes (six deployments – 188 combat missions (187 in the Crusader and one in the F-14 – the first for an F-14.)) He considered Chief of Naval Air Training to be the best job in the entire Navy, and he achieved his dream. In typical Naval Aviator fashion, his path to flag rank entailed prodigious time in the air and at the sea, no doubt at the cost of considerable personal and family time, for which the Navy and nation should be grateful. His impact on the training of generations of Naval Aviators was truly profound and carries forth even to this day. And although he thought the script to the original "Topgun" was "too hokey," his recommendation to approve Navy support was a recruiting bonanza for Naval Aviation.
Rest in Peace Admiral Taylor,
Very respectfully,
Sam
Samuel J. Cox (SES)
RADM, USN (Ret)
Director of Naval History
Curator for the Navy
Director Naval History and Heritage Command
202-433-2210 (work) 571-213-9392 (govt cell)
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Thanks to Dr.Rich
An hour well spent …
If you ever swam, fished, surfed, sailed, scuba dived, snorkeled, etc. take the time to watch this ...........
This is a link to a Patagonia film which I really enjoyed! I hope you will too.
Get wet!!
AirPlay it from your phone -> AppleTV to your HDTV… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vejz78dhfZk
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These are great. I have four granddaughters and the two oldest live with us.
Thanks to Boysie ... and Dr. Rich
Grandparent Jokes
How grandchildren perceive their grandparents
1. I was in the bathroom, putting on my makeup, under the watchful eyes of my young granddaughter, as I'd done many times before. After I applied my lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Grandma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" I will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye....
2. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, 72. My grandson was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"
3. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"
4. A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like. "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"
5. My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo and I said, "No, how are we alike?'' "You're both old," he replied.
6. A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story.
"What's it about?" he asked.
"I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."
7. I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying, "Grandma, I really think you should try to figure out some of these colors yourself!"
8. When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."
9. When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised "Mine says I'm 4 to 6." (WOW! I really like this one -- it says I'm only '38'!)
10. A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting." she said. "How do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."
11. Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. 'It means carrying a child."
12. A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.
"They use him to keep crowds back," said one child.
"No," said another. "He's just for good luck."
A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."
13. A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. "Oh," he said, "she lives at the airport, and whenever we want her, we just go get her. Then, when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport."
14. Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things, but I don't get to see him enough to get as smart as him!
15. My Grandparents are funny, when they bend over, you hear gas leaks and they blame their dog.
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This Day in U S Military History…….July 18
1792 – American naval hero John Paul Jones died in Paris at age 45. His body was preserved in rum in case the American government wished him back. In 1905 his body was transported to the US and placed in a crypt in Annapolis.
1863 – Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and 272 of his troops are killed in an assault on Fort Wagner, near Charleston, South Carolina. Shaw was commander of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, perhaps the most famous regiment of African-American troops during the war. Fort Wagner stood on Morris Island, guarding the approach to Charleston harbor. It was a massive earthwork, 600 feet wide and made from sand piled 30 feet high. The only approach to the fort was across a narrow stretch of beach bounded by the Atlantic on one side and a swampy marshland on the other. Union General Quincy Gillmore headed an operation in July 1863 to take the island and seal the approach to Charleston. Shaw and his 54th Massachusetts were chosen to lead the attack of July 18. Shaw was the scion of an abolitionist family and a veteran of the 1862 Shenandoah Valley and Antietam campaigns. The regiment included two sons of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the grandson of author and poet Sojourner Truth. Union artillery battered Fort Wagner all day on July 18, but the barrage did little damage to the fort and its garrison. At 7:45 p.m., the attack commenced. Yankee troops had to march 1,200 yards down the beach to the stronghold, facing a hail of bullets from the Confederates. Shaw's troops and other Union regiments penetrated the walls at two points but did not have sufficient numbers to take the fort. Over 1,500 Union troops fell or were captured to the Confederates' 222. Despite the failure, the battle proved that African-American forces could not only hold their own but also excel in battle.
1942 – The German Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe, the first jet-propelled aircraft to fly in combat, made its first flight. Walter Nowotny was a rising young star in the Luftwaffe, chosen by Hitler to be the point man to lead the new jet fighter under the tutelage of General of Fighters Adolf Galland who was assigned to prove the airplane in battle. The Axis hopes were dashed when Nowotny was attacked by American pilots during landing and crashed. Col. Edward R. "Buddy" Haydon was one of those American pilots.
1943 – German submarine shoots down K-47, the first and only U.S. airship lost during WW II.
1943 – An aircraft carrying the Commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Admiral Yamamoto, is shot down by P-38 Lighting fighters over Bougainville. Yamamoto is killed. This action is the result the interception of a coded Japanese message announcing a visit by Yamamoto. The Japanese fail to deduce that their codes are insecure.
1944 – Two Guard divisions, the 29th (DC, MD, VA) and the 35th (KS, MO, NE) both claim credit for the final capture of the vital crossroads city of St. Lo from the Nazis. According to the D-Day plan, St. Lo was supposed to be secured ten days after D-Day. But due to stubborn German resistance using each Norman hedgerow as a defensive fighting position, it took 42 days to take the city. During the 35th Division's approach, Nebraska Guardsman First Lieutenant Francis Greenlief, of Company L, 134th Infantry (NE), was awarded the Silver Star for capturing an enemy machine gun nest single-handedly. In 1971 Major General Greenlief was appointed by President Richard Nixon as the Chief, National Guard Bureau. Another Guard soldier was to gain fame on the approach to St. Lo, but in a different way. Virginian Major Thomas Howie, the popular commander of the 2nd Battalion, 116th Infantry (VA), told his officers in a meeting on the edge of the city "I'll see you in St. Lo!" and then was killed by a mortar fragment. When the division commander heard the story he instructed that Howie's body be transported with the lead elements when they moved into the city. His body was placed on a stretcher and draped with an American flag and placed on the ruins of the Ste. Croix Church in the center of the city. A passing New York Times reporter heard the story and wrote a moving tribute entitled "The Major of St. Lo" but could not identify Howie by name due to security. The story was picked up by newspapers across the nation and the "Major" came to represent all the men killed in the Normandy campaign to liberate France. To honor these men today, Nebraska has the "Major General Francis Greenlief Training Site" in Hastings and the "Major Thomas Howie Memorial Armory" is in his hometown of Staunton, VA.
1945 – Captured German mines explode accidentally, destroying an American Red Cross club in Italy and killing 36 people.
1945 – Aircraft from the American carrier Wasp attack Japanese positions on Wake Island.
1945 – The battleship Nagato, which has been reduced to service as a floating antiaircraft battery, is damaged by American planes at Yokosuka. Allied air and naval forces strike numerous other targets in the Tokyo area and encounter almost no opposition.
1947 – President Truman signed the Presidential Succession Act, which placed the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tempore next in the line of succession after the vice president.
1966 – Launch of Gemini 10 with LCDR John W. Young, USN as Command Pilot. Mission involved 43 orbits at an altitude of 412.2 nautical miles and lasted 2 days, 22 hours, and 46 minutes. Recovery was by HS-3 helicopter from USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7).
1973 – Task Force 78, Mine Countermeasures Force, departs waters of North Vietnam after completing their minesweeping operations of 1,992 tow hours for the cost of $20,394,000.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
CARNEY, WILLIAM H.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry. Place and date: At Fort Wagner, S.C., 18 July 1863. Entered service at: New Bedford, Mass. Birth: Norfolk, Va. Date of issue: 23 May 1900. Citation: When the color sergeant was shot down, this soldier grasped the flag, led the way to the parapet, and planted the colors thereon. When the troops fell back he brought off the flag, under a fierce fire in which he was twice severely wounded.
CROSS, JAMES E.
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company K, 12th New York Infantry. Place and date: At Blackburns Ford, Va., 18 July 1861. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Darien, N.Y. Date of issue: 5 April 1898. Citation: With a companion, refused to retreat when the part of the regiment to which he was attached was driven back in disorder, but remained upon the skirmish line for some time thereafter, firing upon the enemy.
HIBSON, JOSEPH C.
Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 48th New York Infantry. Place and date: Near Fort Wagner, S.C., 13 July 1863, Near Fort Wagner, S.C., 14 July 1863; Near Fort Wagner, S.C., 18 July 1863. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth: England. Date of issue: 23 October 1897. Citation: While voluntarily performing picket duty under fire on 13 July 1863, was attacked and his surrender demanded, but he killed his assailant. The day following responded to a call for a volunteer to reconnoiter the enemy's position, and went within the enemy's lines under fire and was exposed to great danger. On 18 July voluntarily exposed himself with great gallantry during an assault, and received 3 wounds that permanently disabled him for active service.
RAND, CHARLES F.
Rank and organization: Private, Company K, 12th New York Infantry. Place and date: At Blackburns Ford, Va., 18 July 1861. Entered service at: Batavia, N.Y. Birth: Batavia, N.Y. Date of issue: 23 October 1897. Citation: Remained in action when a part of his regiment broke in disorder, joined another company, and fought with it through the remainder of the engagement.
CUKELA, LOUIS (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th Regiment. Place and date: Near Villers-Cotterets, France, 18 July 1918. Entered service at: Minneapolis, Minn. Born: 1 May 1888, Sebenes, Austria. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. (Also received Navy Medal of Honor.) Citation: When his company, advancing through a wood, met with strong resistance from an enemy strong point, Sgt. Cukela crawled out from the flank and made his way toward the German lines in the face of heavy fire, disregarding the warnings of his comrades. He succeeded in getting behind the enemy position and rushed a machinegun emplacement, killing or driving off the crew with his bayonet. With German handgrenades he then bombed out the remaining portion of the strong point, capturing 4 men and 2 damaged machineguns.
CUKELA, LOUIS (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th Regiment. Born: 1 May 1888, Sebenes, Austria. Accredited to: Minnesota. (Also received Army Medal of Honor.) Citation: For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment, during action in the Forest de Retz, near Viller-Cottertes, France, 18 July 1918. Sgt. Cukela advanced alone against an enemy strong point that was holding up his line. Disregarding the warnings of his comrades, he crawled out from the flank in the face of heavy fire and worked his way to the rear of the enemy position. Rushing a machinegun emplacement, he killed or drove off the crew with his bayonet, bombed out the remaining part of the strong point with German handgrenades and captured 2 machineguns and 4 men.
*DILBOY, GEORGE
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company H, 103d Infantry, 26th Division. Place and date: Near Belleau, France, 18 July 1918. Entered service at: Keene, N.H. Birth: Greece. G.O. No.: 13, W.D., 1919. Citation: After his platoon had gained its objective along a railroad embankment, Pfc. Dilboy, accompanying his platoon leader to reconnoiter the ground beyond, was suddenly fired upon by an enemy machinegun from 100 yards. From a standing position on the railroad track, fully exposed to view, he opened fire at once, but failing to silence the gun, rushed forward with his bayonet fixed, through a wheat field toward the gun emplacement, falling within 25 yards of the gun with his right leg nearly severed above the knee and with several bullet holes in his body. With undaunted courage he continued to fire into the emplacement from a prone position, killing 2 of the enemy and dispersing the rest of the crew.
EDWARDS, DANIEL R.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 3d Machine Gun Battalion, 1st Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. Entered service at: Bruceville, Tex. Born: 9 April 1897, Moorville, Tex. G.O. No.: 14, W.D., 1923. Citation: Reporting for duty from hospital where he had been for several weeks under treatment for numerous and serious wounds and although suffering intense pain from a shattered arm, he crawled alone into an enemy trench for the purpose of capturing or killing enemy soldiers known to be concealed therein. He killed 4 of the men and took the remaining 4 men prisoners; while conducting them to the rear one of the enemy was killed by a high explosive enemy shell which also completely shattered 1 of Pfc. Edwards' legs, causing him to be immediately evacuated to the hospital. The bravery of Pfc. Edwards, now a tradition in his battalion because of his previous gallant acts, again caused the morale of his comrades to be raised to high pitch.
*KOCAK, MATEJ (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Born: 31 December 1882, Gbely (Slovakia), Austria. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. (Also received Navy Medal of Honor.) Citation: When the advance of his battalion was checked by a hidden machinegun nest, he went forward alone, unprotected by covering fire from his own men, and worked in between the German positions in the face of fire from enemy covering detachments. Locating the machinegun nest, he rushed it and with his bayonet drove off the crew. Shortly after this he organized 25 French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in attacking another machinegun nest, which was also put out of action.
*KOCAK, MATEJ (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 31 December 1882, Gbely (Slovakia), Austria. Accredited to: New York. ( Also received Army Medal of Honor. ) Citation: For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When a hidden machinegun nest halted the advance of his battalion, Sgt. Kocak went forward alone unprotected by covering fire and worked his way in between the German positions in the face of heavy enemy fire. Rushing the enemy position with his bayonet, he drove off the crew. Later the same day, Sgt. Kocak organized French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in an attack on another machinegun nest which was also put out of action.
*EVANS, RODNEY J.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Tay Ninh Province, Republic of Vietnam, 18 July 1969. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 17 July 1948, Chelsea, Mass. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Evans distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism while serving as a squad leader in a reconnaissance sweep through heavy vegetation to reconnoiter a strong enemy position. As the force approached a well-defined trail, the platoon scout warned that the trail was booby-trapped. Sgt. Evans led his squad on a route parallel to the trail. The force had started to move forward when a nearby squad was hit by the blast of a concealed mine. Looking to his right Sgt. Evans saw a second enemy device. With complete disregard for his safety he shouted a warning to his men, dived to the ground and crawled toward the mine. Just as he reached it an enemy soldier detonated the explosive and Sgt. Evans absorbed the full impact with his body. His gallant and selfless action saved his comrades from probable death or injury and served as an inspiration to his entire unit. Sgt. Evans' gallantry in action at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
McGINTY, JOHN J. III
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant (then S/Sgt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company K, 3d Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force. place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 18 July 1966. Entered service at: Laurel Bay, S.C. Born: 2 1 January 1940, Boston, Mass. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 2d Lt. McGinty's platoon, which was providing rear security to protect the withdrawal of the battalion from a position which had been under attack for 3 days, came under heavy small arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire from an estimated enemy regiment. With each successive human wave which assaulted his 32-man platoon during the 4-hour battle, 2d Lt. McGinty rallied his men to beat off the enemy. In 1 bitter assault, 2 of the squads became separated from the remainder of the platoon. With complete disregard for his safety, 2d Lt. McGinty charged through intense automatic weapons and mortar fire to their position. Finding 20 men wounded and the medical corpsman killed, he quickly reloaded ammunition magazines and weapons for the wounded men and directed their fire upon the enemy. Although he was painfully wounded as he moved to care for the disabled men, he continued to shout encouragement to his troops and to direct their fire so effectively that the attacking hordes were beaten off. When the enemy tried to out-flank his position, he killed 5 of them at point-blank range with his pistol. When they again seemed on the verge of overrunning the small force, he skillfully adjusted artillery and air strikes within 50 yards of his position. This destructive firepower routed the enemy, who left an estimated 500 bodies on the battlefield. 2d Lt. McGinty's personal heroism, indomitable leadership, selfless devotion to duty, and bold fighting spirit inspired his men to resist the repeated attacks by a fanatical enemy, reflected great credit upon himself, and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.
MODRZEJEWSKI, ROBERT J.
Rank and organization: Major (then Capt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company K, 3d Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division, FMF. place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 15 to 18 July 1966. Entered service at: Milwaukee, Wis. Born: 3 July 1934, Milwaukee, Wis. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On 15 July, during Operation HASTINGS, Company K was landed in an enemy-infested jungle area to establish a blocking position at a major enemy trail network. Shortly after landing, the company encountered a reinforced enemy platoon in a well-organized, defensive position. Maj. Modrzejewski led his men in the successful seizure of the enemy redoubt, which contained large quantities of ammunition and supplies. That evening, a numerically superior enemy force counterattacked in an effort to retake the vital supply area, thus setting the pattern of activity for the next 2 1/2 days. In the first series of attacks, the enemy assaulted repeatedly in overwhelming numbers but each time was repulsed by the gallant marines. The second night, the enemy struck in battalion strength, and Maj. Modrzejewski was wounded in this intensive action which was fought at close quarters. Although exposed to enemy fire, and despite his painful wounds, he crawled 200 meters to provide critically needed ammunition to an exposed element of his command and was constantly present wherever the fighting was heaviest, despite numerous casualties, a dwindling supply of ammunition and the knowledge that they were surrounded, he skillfully directed artillery fire to within a few meter* of his position and courageously inspired the efforts of his company in repelling the aggressive enemy attack. On 18 July, Company K was attacked by a regimental-size enemy force. Although his unit was vastly outnumbered and weakened by the previous fighting, Maj. Modrzejewski reorganized his men and calmly moved among them to encourage and direct their efforts to heroic limits as they fought to overcome the vicious enemy onslaught. Again he called in air and artillery strikes at close range with devastating effect on the enemy, which together with the bold and determined fighting of the men of Company K, repulsed the fanatical attack of the larger North Vietnamese force. His unparalleled personal heroism and indomitable leadership inspired his men to a significant victory over the enemy force and reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps, and the U.S. Naval Service.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 18, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
18 July
1909: American Louis Paulhan set an FAI altitude record of 492 feet in a Voisin airplane at Dounais, France. (9)
1916: The Secretary of the Navy created allowances for flight clothes. (24)
1943: A German sub shot down the Navy's K-74 Airship off the coast of Florida. It was the only airship lost to enemy action in the war. (24)
1946: Formal jet transition training course established at Williams Field with P-80 Shooting Stars.
1950: KOREAN WAR. The 19 BG began modifying a few B-29s to use radio-guided (Razon) bombs to bomb bridges accurately. (28)
1958: The USAF awarded a contract to North American's Autonetics Division to develop an allinertial guidance system for the Minuteman. (6)
1961: The largest polyethylene balloon manufactured to date, holding 13.5 million cubic feet of helium at peak altitude, launched from Bemidji, Minn.
1962: NASA achieved a record for man-made objects in space when it launched "Big Shot." This rigidized Echo-type balloon left Cape Canaveral aboard a Thor missile. When it inflated at 922 miles in altitude, the balloon stood 13-stories tall. (16) (24)
1966: The Air Force's Cambridge Research Laboratory sent up a balloon twice as large as any previously launched from Holloman AFB. The 456-foot-diameter, 26-million-cubic-foot balloon lifted 1,700 pounds to 130,000 feet to test its equipment in rarified air similar to that of Mars for the Voyager program. (5) (16) GEMINI X: Through 21 July, a Titan booster sent Astronauts Cmdr John W. Young (USN) and Maj Michael Collins (USAF) into space to practice docking with targets. In the first hookup, the astronauts achieved the longest docking yet, while in the second they retrieved an object from a passive satellite. Young and Collins splashed down 594 miles east of Cape Kennedy after 70 hours 47 minutes in space and 43 orbits. They also set an FAI altitude record of 476 miles. (9) (26)
1967: For the first time, an HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopter was refueled during a rescue mission. The helicopter was refueled by an HC–130 Hercules. (18)
1969: NASA and the Air Force decided to conduct a cooperative YF-12 flight research program. (3)
2002: At McConnell AFB, the Airborne Laser (ABL), a highly-modified Boeing 747-400F, made its first flight. The world's first directed-energy combat aircraft had a rotating nose turret with a 5- foot diameter telescope to focus and direct a laser to destroy ballistic missiles in flight. (3)
2006: The eighth and final C-17 (tail no. 05-5153), named the Spirit of Kamehameha-Imua in honor of Kamehameha the Great, arrived at Hickam AFB to complete the 15 AW's conversion to an operational strategic airlift wing. (22)
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