To All
Good Saturday Morning July 29 2023.
I hope you all have a great weekend
Regards,
Skip
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History:
July 29
1846 During the Mexican-American War, a detachment of Marines and Sailors, led by Arm. Col. John C. Fremont from the sloop USS Cyane, commanded by Cmdr. Samuel F. DuPont, lands and takes possession of San Diego and raises the U.S. flag.
1898 During the Spanish-American War, the gunboat, USS Helena, commanded by Cmdr. William T. Swinburne, captures the Spanish steamer Manati at Cienfuegos, Cuba.
1920 USS St. Louis (CA 20) is ordered to Turkish waters to protect American nationals and citizens during the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922).
1944 USS Balao (SS 285) shells and sinks Japanese sampan (No.7) Nissho Maru about 100 miles off Palau. USS Drum (SS 228) sinks Asahi Maru with gunfire in the same general area, and takes survivors prisoner. Also on this date, USS Perch (SS 313) sinks Japanese guardboat Kannon Maru I-Go in the Philippine Sea, east of Dinagat Island.
1945 USS Indianapolis is is sunk by a Japanese submarine after delivering parts for the Atomic bomb to Tinian
1967 On the flight deck of USS Forrestal (CVA 59), a Zuni 5 rocket accidentally fires from a (F 4B) Phantom II aircraft into a parked and armed (A 4E) Skyhawk, setting off a series of explosions that kill 134 of her crew and injure 161 crewmembers.
1995 USS Maine (SSBN 741) is commissioned at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine. The Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine is the third Navy vessel to be named after the state.
2017 The guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) is commissioned in a ceremony at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. The ship honors Marine Corps Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for actions during combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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This day in World History 29 July
1588 The Spanish Armada is sighted off the coast of England.
1602 The Duke of Biron is executed in Paris for conspiring with Spain and Savoy against King Henry IV of France.
1603 Bartholomew Gilbert is killed in Virginia by Indians, during a search for the missing Roanoke colonists.
1693 The Army of the Grand Alliance is destroyed by the French at the Battle of Neerwinden.
1830 Liberals led by the Marquis de Lafayette seize Paris in opposition to the king's restrictions on citizens' rights.
1848 A rebellion against British rule is put down in Tipperary, Ireland.
1858 Japan signs a treaty of commerce and friendship with the United States.
1862 Confederates are routed by Union guerrillas at Moore's Mill, Missouri.
1875 Peasants in Bosnia and Herzegovina rebel against the Ottoman army.
1921 Adolf Hitler becomes the president of the Nationalist Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazis).
1945 After delivering parts of the first atomic bomb to the island of Tinian, the U.S.S. Indianapolis is sunk by a Japanese submarine. The survivors are adrift for two days before help arrives.
1981 Prince Charles marries Lady Diana.
1990 The Boston Red Sox hit 12 doubles in a game, setting a major league record.
1996 A US federal court strikes down the child protection portion of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, calling it too broad.
2005 Astronomers announce the discovery of dwarf planet Eris, leading the International Astronomic Union to clarify the definition of a planet.
1958 NASA created
The U.S. Congress passes legislation establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a civilian agency responsible for coordinating America's activities in space, on July 29, 1958. NASA has since sponsored space expeditions, both human and mechanical, that have yielded vital information about the solar system and universe. It has also launched numerous earth-orbiting satellites that have been instrumental in everything from weather forecasting to navigation to global communications.
NASA was created in response to the Soviet Union's October 4, 1957 launch of its first satellite, Sputnik I. The 183-pound, basketball-sized satellite orbited the earth in 98 minutes. The Sputnik launch caught Americans by surprise and sparked fears that the Soviets might also be capable of sending missiles with nuclear weapons from Europe to America. The United States prided itself on being at the forefront of technology, and, embarrassed, immediately began developing a response, signaling the start of the U.S.-Soviet space race.
On November 3, 1957, the Soviets launched Sputnik II, which carried a dog named Laika. In December, America attempted to launch a satellite of its own, called Vanguard, but it exploded shortly after takeoff. On January 31, 1958, things went better with Explorer I, the first U.S. satellite to successfully orbit the earth. In July of that year, Congress passed legislation officially establishing NASA from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and other government agencies, and confirming the country's commitment to winning the space race. In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy declared that America should put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. On July 20, 1969, NASA's Apollo 11 mission achieved that goal and made history when astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon, famously declaring "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
NASA has continued to make great advances in space exploration since the first moonwalk, including playing a major part in the construction of the International Space Station. The agency has also suffered tragic setbacks, however, such as the disasters that killed the crews of the Challenger space shuttle in 1986 and the Columbia space shuttle in 2003.
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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 Saturday, 29 July 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 29 July 1968
Today we remember and honor those who perished on Forrestal 56 years ago this day…
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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53 Cadillac modified by WWI Fighter Pilot
Thanks to Mike
Beautiful Car For A Pilot!
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
6 Amazing Facts About Growing Old
It's a fact of life — people grow old. While modern society tends to obsess about the negatives of aging, studies suggest that we often experience more happiness and contentment in our later years. These six facts investigate the phenomenon of growing old, debunk some persistent myths about aging, and explore the brighter side of those golden years.
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Old Age Isn't a Modern Phenomenon
A common misconception about old age is that it's a relatively modern phenomenon, as our predecessors lived brutish lives cut short by disease and war. While modern medicine has certainly expanded life expectancy, many people in the past lived as long as people live today. For example, some ancient Roman offices sought by politically ambitious men couldn't even be held until someone was 30 — not exactly a great idea if people didn't live many years beyond that. Scientists have analyzed the pelvis joints (a reliable indicator of age) in skeletons from ancient civilizations and found that many people lived long lives. One study analyzing skeletons from Cholula, Mexico, between 900 and 1531 CE found that a majority of specimens lived beyond the age of 50. Low life expectancy in ancient times is impacted more by a high infant mortality rate than by people living unusually short lives. Luckily, modern science has helped more humans survive our vulnerable childhood years and life expectancy averages have risen as a result.
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Older People Requiring Less Sleep Is a Myth
Another myth about getting old is that as we age, humans need less and less sleep, somehow magically subsisting on six hours or less when we enter our senior years. The truth is that the amount of sleep a person needs is only altered during childhood and adolescence as our bodies need more energy to do the tough work of growing. Once we're in our 20s, humans require the same amount of sleep per night for the rest of their lives (though the exact amount differs from person to person). In fact, the elderly are more likely to be sleep-deprived because they receive lower-quality sleep caused by sickness, pain, medications, or a trip or two to the bathroom. This can be why napping during the day becomes more common as we grow older.
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Some of Our Bones Never Stop Growing
The common perception of human biology is that our bones put on some serious inches in our youth, and then by the time we're 20 or so, nature pumps the brakes and our skeleton stays static forever. While that's true of a majority of our bones, some don't quite follow this simplistic blueprint. A 2008 study for Duke University determined that the bones in the skull continue to grow, with the forehead moving forward and cheek bones moving backward. Unfortunately, this imperceptible bit of a facial movement exacerbates wrinkles, because as the skull shifts forward, the overlying skin sags.
The pelvis also keeps growing throughout your life. Scientists analyzing the pelvic width of 20-year-olds compared to 79-year-olds found a 1-inch difference in width, which adds an additional 3 inches to your waistband. That means our widening in the middle as we age isn't just about a slower metabolism.
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Pupils Get Smaller As We Age
While our hips get bigger, our pupils get smaller. The human pupil is controlled by the circumferential sphincter and iris dilator muscles, and as we add on the years, those muscles weaken. Because of this loss of muscle function, pupils get smaller as we age, and are also less responsive to light. Smaller pupils make it harder to see at night, so people in their 60s need three times as much light to read comfortably as people in their 20s. Reading a menu in a dimly lit restaurant? Forget about it. Other eye changes include an increased likeliness of presbyopia, or farsightedness (which can often be resolved with readers), and cataracts, or a clouding of the eye's lens. In fact, half of people over the age of 80 will have experienced a cataract of some kind.
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Older People Have a Stronger "Immune Memory"
Although the body experiences some slowing down as we age, growing old isn't all bad news. Researchers from the University of Queensland found that older people had stronger immunities than people in their 20s, as the body keeps a repository of illnesses that can stretch back decades. This extra line of defense begins to drop off in our 70s and 80s, but until then, our bodies generally just get better and better at fighting off disease due to biological experience. Additionally, as we age we experience fewer migraines, the severity of allergies declines, and we produce less sweat. Older people also exhibit higher levels of "crystalized intelligence" (or what some might call "wisdom") than any other age group.
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The Atoms That Make Up All of Us Are Already Billions of Years Old
It's true that age is just a number, and in the cosmic view of the universe, human age is pretty insignificant. The atoms that make up the human body are already billions of years old. For example, hydrogen — one of the key components of our bodies — formed in the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago. Likewise, carbon, the primary component of all known life, formed in the fiery cauldron of stars at least 7 billion years ago. So when someone says we're all made of "star stuff," they're very much telling the truth (we're also made from various supernovae). And while we grow old on Earth, this is only the latest chapter of a story that stretches back to the beginning of everything — and it's a story that'll continue until the universe ends.
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A couple from the archives
This article has a lot to say about the Medal of Honor recipients. Years ago I started putting them in the List each day so they could be remembered for their courage and sacrifice. skip
Thanks to Carl
(Be sure to read the whole article. The story about the Giant Killer is so sad!)
ALEXANDER / JULY 27, 2022
Col. Jack and the Giant Killer
Two courageous giants among men…
"The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave." —Patrick Henry (1775) Some days, we are blessed with events that speak boldly to the goodness of our community and country, especially as it regards those who have served with dignity and distinction: American veterans.
Last weekend, there were two in a row. Allow me to share some of that inspiration amid all the social and economic wreckage being strewn across our nation by the current political "leadership." Although it may at times be obscured, the light of Liberty will never be extinguished.
First up, on Friday night at the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, MoH recipient Jack Jacobs (Col., USA, Ret.) addressed a group of dedicated American Patriots about the critical work the Heritage Center team is doing, particularly through our educational curriculum. The center works side by side with the Medal of Honor Society (the association of recipients) to reach an ever larger number of young students with curriculum focusing on the character traits these humble warriors embody: courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment.
There have been 3,515 recipients since the first awards for the actions of Andrews' Raiders in 1862 near Chattanooga — the birthplace of the Medal of Honor.
When Jack was awarded his medal "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" in Kien Phong Province, South Vietnam, on March 9, 1968, there were hundreds of other living recipients nationwide. Thus, there were many brave warriors able to share their inspirational stories with the next generation. These warriors could tell young Americans how they, and others with whom they served, defied death and overcame the most unimaginable of challenges. Indeed, they were fortunate enough to live to tell about it. Many others were not. But as I noted earlier this month, after four recipients were added to the MoH ranks, just 66 living recipients remain in a nation of some 330 million people.
These men are literally one in five million.
For that reason, Jack emphasized that the Heritage Center's mission to extend the heroic message of past recipients is critical to the future of our nation:
Most recipients are gone now. We are a wasting asset, and if we are going to have any impact, what we did, and what all who served did, needs to be passed on to future generations. If we don't do that, then all the efforts, all the sacrifices of all the people with whom we served, will be in vain. Education young people is the single most important thing we can do to influence our future. It is the only way we can reach into the future. I went to public school in New York at a time when we learned a lot from smart people, and we carried it with us. But education today is not what it used to be, and that is why all of us need to make a much larger effort to ensure that the histories of those who served and sacrificed, and everybody who built our great country, are not lost on future generations. If we don't do that, our children and grandchildren will not like the results of our failure to carry that history forward.
Helping to stand up the Heritage Center has been a good fit and a deeply rewarding experience for me, given that its mission is much like that of The Patriot Post — extending Liberty to the next generation.
On Saturday night, we were guests of our friend Robert Dooley, Dean of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Rollins Business School, for the graduation of those completing his team's National Veterans' Entrepreneurship Program — an initiative launched by Robert 10 years ago. He is tireless in his devotion to our nation's veterans.
Robert and his wife Kim led a group of veterans back to Vietnam a few years ago, among them our friend and former POW Bill Gauntt, (Lt. Col., USAF, Ret.). You may recall a column of mine about the day they found Bill's crash site, where his rear-seat weapons systems officer, 1st Lt. Francis W. Townsend, perished.
The VEP curriculum is designed specifically for vets who've served with honor and distinction. It provides them with valuable instruction and mentorship for launching their own businesses — with the objective of hiring other veterans. The graduates were a very impressive crew, despite the fact that there were no Marines in this class. (OK, I can hear those from the other service branches muttering under their breath, "That's because there were no Marines in this class.") Sharing his time on Saturday as the VEP graduation keynote speaker, Jack Jacobs offered many memorable and encouraging words. And his record, both in military service and business, put him in high standing to address this group. After his retirement from active duty in 1987, having spent his last service years as a West Point instructor, Jack became an investment banker — and a very successful business leader — in his second career.
One key takeaway from Jack's remarks was his assertion that many business leaders say they hire veterans because they feel a sense of obligation. He also noted that businesses should hire veterans because they make outstanding employees.
Jack never leaves a lectern without a reference to his diminutive stature. He tells some great self-effacing stories about his height, including an episode during his job as a military analyst for NBC when the producer convinced him that he needed to stand on a box next to his taller interviewer. That worked fine until the camera panned back and the whole nation could see Jack on a box!
He was 5'4" when graduating from Rutgers, but despite his years in Army ROTC, he did not meet the initial height requirements to become an officer. It was only when those requirements were reduced that he became a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division. He went on to serve two tours in Vietnam as an advisor to infantry units of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. I note that even the work of "advisors" was, and remains, very dangerous, as his Medal of Honor citation makes clear.
His physical stature aside, Jack Jacobs is a courageous giant among men.
In conversation with him, we talked about another Army officer, one who was renowned for his service and diminutive stature: Richard Flaherty.
Richard was only 4'9" and, like Jack, had to wait until recruiting standards for height were lowered in order to become an officer with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam in 1968. He was the shortest Green Beret in the history of the service.
Richard's life came to a tragic end as a homeless vet killed late at night on the streets of Miami. He is the subject of a documentary, "The Giant Killer," based on a book by the same name.
If not for the author, Miami police officer David Yuzuk, who had often provided Richard meals and fellowship, his death would have gone unnoticed. It was only 10 days before his death that Flaherty told Yuzuk about his background. After Flaherty was killed, Yuzuk endeavored to verify the stories the small man who slept underneath the palm trees outside Publix told him. Subsequently, Yuzuk found there was much more to Richard's story, including the fact that he earned the Silver Star, Bronze Star w/V, Bronze Star (3OLC), Purple Heart (1OLC), Air Medal, Gallantry Cross W/Silver Star, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantryman's Badge, 3 Overseas Bars, Sharpshooter Badge W/Rifle Bar, and Parachutist Badge among other awards listed on his DD214 military record.
Yuzuk wrote: "Every man's life eventually comes to an end. It's only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another."
Indeed.
Today, as millions of illegal aliens are allowed to flood across our open southern border at a cost to taxpayers of billions of dollars in housing and medical treatment, thousands of veterans remain on the streets, many like Richard, suffering from PTSD, with no such services.
And that is a national disgrace.
(Please consider a designated gift to support the National Medal of Honor Sustaining Fund, or make a check payable to Liberty Fund [noting MoH Sustaining Fund on the memo line], and mail it to Patriot Foundation Trust, PO Box 407, Chattanooga, TN 37401-0407. If you know of someone who could be a substantial benefactor of the Heritage Center, please email.) Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776
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Thanks to Carl
https://www.military.com/undertheradar/2018/02/22/vietnam-vet-richard-flaherty-was-giant-killer.html
Vietnam Vet Richard Flaherty Was 'The Giant Killer'
22 Feb 2018
Four-foot, nine-inch tall veteran Richard J. Flaherty claimed to be the shortest man ever to serve in the United States military. He was a Special Forces Green Beret Captain and was awarded the Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, and 2 Purple Hearts for his actions in Vietnam. "The Giant Killer" (available to rent now on iTunes, Amazon and other VOD platforms) aims to unravel the truth of his post-service life and mysterious death.
We've got a clip from the movie that details Richard's ruthlessness in combat.
https://players.brightcove.net/77374810001/BkOxbRevb_default/index.html?videoId=5738713992001
Miami police officer David Yuzuk befriended a homeless man and, after 15 years of friendship, Richard J. Flaherty finally revealed who he really was. Yuzuk learns that this unassuming 69-year-old man was a decorated military veteran.
Yuzuk started digging and discovered that Flaherty had worked undercover with the Feds during the '80s. Soon after, Flaherty is killed by a hit-and-run driver. His friend decides to investigate and finds a passport that shows Flaherty was secretly traveling to dangerous locations like Jordan, Iraq, Thailand, Vietnam, and Venezuela while living as a homeless man. He did time in prison for drugs but was that a cover or a real conviction?
"The Giant Killer" is one of those stranger-than-fiction tales that would never make it as a movie pitch because it's just so unbelievable. Yuzuk is the director and it's his first movie. It's not slick but it is fascinating.
The Giant Killer Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wutsThmKGL8
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Thanks to Barrel….a bit of humor
Stanley
Stanley died in a fire and his body was burned badly. The morgue needed someone to identify the body, so they sent for his two best deer hunting friends, Cooter and Gomer. The three men had always hunted and fished together and were long time members of a hunting camp.
Cooter arrived first, and when the mortician pulled back the sheet, Cooter said, 'Yup, his face is burned up pretty bad. You better roll him over.'
The mortician rolled him over and Cooter said, 'Nope, it ain't Stanley .'
The mortician thought this was rather strange, so he brought Gomer in to confirm the identity of the body. Gomer looked at the body and said, 'Yup, he's pretty well burnt up, Roll him over.'
The mortician rolled him over and Gomer said, 'No, it ain't Stanley '
The mortician asked, 'How can you tell?'
Gomer said, 'Well, Stanley had two assholes.''
''What! He had two assholes?'' asked the mortician.
''Yup, we never seen 'em, but everybody used to say: 'There's goes Stanley with them two assholes.' ''
Cooter and Gomer are both now employed in the Biden administration as planning, development, and strategy consultants.
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This Day in U S Military History…….July 29
1932 – The Great Depression sent poverty-stricken Americans scrambling for any available source of income. Veterans of World War I certainly felt pinched, and cast about for ways to haul in cash, but, unlike Americans who hadn't fought in the war, the veterans seemingly had a solution: in the wake of the war, the government had promised to hand out handsome cash bonuses to all servicemen. The catch was the bonuses were to be paid out in 1945. In dire need of money, veterans called on legislators during the spring and summer of 1932 to speed up payment of the bonuses. In May, a group of veterans from Portland, Oregon, staged the "Bonus March" and headed to Washington, D.C., to plead their case. The March fast became a mini-movement, and by June a "Bonus Army" of 20,000 vets had set up shop in Washington. At first all seemed to go well for the veterans, as the House of Representatives passed the Patman Bonus Bill, which called for the early payment of bonuses. The Senate, however, put the kibosh on the movement and killed the Patman legislation. Though chunks of the Bonus Army fled Washington after the bill's defeat, a hefty handful of veterans stayed on through late July. President Herbert Hoover ordered the ousting of the vets who had decamped in government quarters. When the eviction proceedings turned ugly, and two veterans were killed, Hoover called on the army to disperse the remaining Bonus protesters. General Douglas MacArthur, and his young assistant Dwight Eisenhower, marshaled troops, tanks and tear gas in their war to send the stragglers home. Duly persuaded by this gross show of force, the remaining members of the Bonus Army headed home on July 29, 1932.
1967 – Fire sweeps the U.S. aircraft carrier Forrestal off the coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin. It was the worst U.S. naval disaster in a combat zone since World War II. The accident took the lives of 134 crewmen and injured 62 more. Of the carrier's 80 planes, 21 were destroyed and 42 were damaged.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
HEALEY, GEORGE W.
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 5th lowa Cavalry. Place and date: At Newnan, Ga., 29 July 1864. Entered service at: Dubuque, lowa. Birth: Dubuque, lowa. Date of issue: 13 January 1899. Citation: When nearly surrounded by the enemy, captured a Confederate soldier, and with the aid of a comrade who joined him later, captured 4 other Confederate soldiers, disarmed the 5 prisoners, and brought them all into the Union lines.
MAYFIELD, MELVIN
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company D, 20th Infantry, 6th Infantry Division. Place and date: Cordillera Mountains, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 29 July 1945. Entered service at: Nashport, Ohio. Birth: Salem, W. Va. G.O. No.: 49, 31 May 1946. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while fighting in the Cordillera Mountains of Luzon, Philippine Islands. When 2 Filipino companies were pinned down under a torrent of enemy fire that converged on them from a circular ridge commanding their position, Cpl. Mayfield, in a gallant single-handed effort to aid them, rushed from shell hole to shell hole until he reached 4 enemy caves atop the barren fire-swept hill. With grenades and his carbine, he assaulted each of the caves while enemy fire pounded about him. However, before he annihilated the last hostile redoubt, a machinegun bullet destroyed his weapon and slashed his left hand. Disregarding his wound, he secured more grenades and dauntlessly charged again into the face of pointblank fire to help destroy a hostile observation post. By his gallant determination and heroic leadership, Cpl. Mayfield inspired the men to eliminate all remaining pockets of resistance in the area and to press the advance against the enemy.
SCOTT, ROBERT S.
Rank and organization: Captain (then Lieutenant), U.S. Army, 172d Infantry, 43d Infantry Division. Place and date. Near Munda Air Strip, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, 29 July 1943. Entered service at. Santa Fe, N. Mex. Birth: Washington, D.C. G.O. No.: 81, 14 October 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Munda Airstrip, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, on 29 July 1943. After 27 days of bitter fighting, the enemy held a hilltop salient which commanded the approach to Munda Airstrip. Our troops were exhausted from prolonged battle and heavy casualties, but Lt. Scott advanced with the leading platoon of his company to attack the enemy position, urging his men forward in the face of enemy rifle and enemy machinegun fire. He had pushed forward alone to a point midway across the barren hilltop within 75 yards of the enemy when the enemy launched a desperate counterattack, which f successful would have gained undisputed possession of the hill. Enemy riflemen charged out on the plateau, firing and throwing grenades as they moved to engage our troops. The company withdrew, but Lt. Scott, with only a blasted tree stump for cover, stood his ground against the wild enemy assault. By firing his carbine and throwing the grenades in his possession he momentarily stopped the enemy advance using the brief respite to obtain more grenades. Disregarding small-arms fire and exploding grenades aimed at him, suffering a bullet wound in the left hand and a painful shrapnel wound in the head after his carbine had been shot from his hand, he threw grenade after grenade with devastating accuracy until the beaten enemy withdrew. Our troops, inspired to renewed effort by Lt. Scott's intrepid stand and incomparable courage, swept across the plateau to capture the hill, and from this strategic position 4 days later captured Munda Airstrip.
WHITTINGTON, HULON B.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 41st Armored Infantry 2d Armored Division. Place and date: Near Grimesnil, France, 29 July 1944. Entered service at: Bastrop, La. Born: 9 July 1921, Bogalusa, La. G.O. No.: 32, 23 April 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On the night of 29 July 1944, near Grimesnil, France, during an enemy armored attack, Sgt. Whittington, a squad leader, assumed command of his platoon when the platoon leader and platoon sergeant became missing in action. He reorganized the defense and, under fire, courageously crawled between gun positions to check the actions of his men. When the advancing enemy attempted to penetrate a roadblock, Sgt. Whittington, completely disregarding intense enemy action, mounted a tank and by shouting through the turret, directed it into position to fire pointblank at the leading Mark V German tank. The destruction of this vehicle blocked all movement of the remaining enemy column consisting of over 100 vehicles of a Panzer unit. The blocked vehicles were then destroyed by handgrenades, bazooka, tank, and artillery fire and large numbers of enemy personnel were wiped out by a bold and resolute bayonet charge inspired by Sgt. Whittington. When the medical aid man had become a casualty, Sgt. Whittington personally administered first aid to his wounded men. The dynamic leadership, the inspiring example, and the dauntless courage of Sgt. Whittington, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service
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"This Day in Aviation History" brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/
This day in Aviation History
July 28, 1914
Lt. j.g. Victor D. Herbster reported on bombing tests that he and 1st Lt. Bernard L. Smith, USMC, carried out at Indian Head Proving Grounds, Maryland. They dropped both dummy and live bombs over the side of the aircraft from about 1,000 feet against land and water targets. Herbster reported his bombing would have been more accurate "if I had been able to disengage my fingers from the wind-wheel sooner." Herbster was Daedalian Founder Member #4076, and Smith was #1283.
July 29, 1921
Hoping to demonstrate the vulnerability of Atlantic seaboard cities to air attack, Brig. Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell led 19 bombers in a mock raid against New York City. Afterwards, he concluded that his target had been theoretically destroyed. He used this raid to support his argument that the Army and its aviation arm should assume responsibility for defense of the nation's shores. Mitchell was Daedalian Founder Member #12595.
July 30, 1935
Lt. Frank Akers made the first blind landing on board a carrier in an OJ-2 observation biplane with a hooded cockpit. Akers took off from NAS San Diego, Calif., located Langley (CV 1) underway in an unknown position, and landed on board catching the number four arresting wire. Akers subsequently received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
July 31, 1968
The first new, twin-turboprop OV-10A Bronco aircraft arrived at Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, to fly armed forward air controller missions.
Aug. 1, 1955
Test pilot Anthony W. LeVier made the first flight of the Lockheed U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance airplane at Groom Lake, Nevada. LeVier was conducting taxi tests in preparation for the planned first flight a few days away, when at 70 knots the U-2 unexpectedly became airborne. LeVier later said, "I had no intentions whatsoever of flying. I immediately started back toward the ground, but had difficutly determining my height because the lakebed had no markings to judge distance or height. I made contact with the ground in a left bank of approximately 10 degrees." On touching down on the dry lake, the U-2's tires blew out and the brakes caught fire. A landing gear oleostrut was leaking. Damage was minor and the airplane was soon ready to fly. Tony LeVier was again in the cockpit for the first actual test flight on Aug. 4. He was a Daedalian Honorary Member from 1988 until his death in 1998.
Aug. 2, 1909
The U.S. Army Signal Corps purchased a Wright Flyer for $30,000 and it became the first aircraft in the U.S. military inventory, designated Signal Corps Airplane No. 1. The airplane was used to train Signal Corps pilots at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. It was crashed and rebuilt several times. After just 2 years' service, the airplane was retired. The Army donated Airplane No. 1 to the Smithsonian Institution. During test flights that were conducted prior to acceptance by the Army, Orville Wright and passenger Lt. Benjamin D. Foulois (chosen because of his size and ability to read maps) the Flyer achieved a two-way average 42.583 miles per hour, over a 5-mile course. The Signal Corps specification allowed a bonus of $2,500 per full mile per hour above 40 miles per hour. This increased the purchase price of the airplane from $25,000 to $30,000. The Army also required the airplane to be able to remain airborne a minimum of 1 hour. Wright demonstrated its endurance at 1 hour, 12 minutes, 40 seconds. Foulois was Daedalian Founder Member #321.
Aug. 3, 1972
During a 45-minute test flight at Edwards AFB, California, the McDonnell Douglas YF-15A-1-MC Eagle prototype, 71-0280, went supersonic for the first time, reaching Mach 1.5. An air-superiority fighter, the F-15 entered service with the U.S. Air Force in 1975. More than 1,500 fighter, two-seat trainer, and two-seat F-15E Strike Eagle fighter-bombers have been built by McDonnell Douglas and Mitsubishi. It is operated by allied air forces around the world and is expected to remain in front line service until 2025.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 29, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
29 July
1912: Through 1 August, Lt Benjamin D. Foulois conducted several airplane radio-telegraph tests in an Army Wright B at College Park. Messages were received at a distance of 10 miles. (24)
1921: Brig Gen William "Billy" Mitchell led 19 bombers in a mock raid on New York. He concluded that his attack destroyed the target and subsequently argued that the air arm should be allowed to take over the defense of the nation's coastlines. (21)
1931: Through 26 August, Col Charles Lindbergh and his wife flew in a Lockheed Sirius seaplane from Glenn Curtiss Airport, North Beach, N.Y., to Tokyo in one of the earliest transpacific flights. They traveled through Canada, Alaska, and Siberia to reach Japan. (9)
1937: The Lockheed 14 first flew.
1948: President Truman approved the construction of a flush-deck 65,000-ton aircraft carrier, later named the USS United States. (24)
1951: KOREAN WAR. UN jet fighter-bombers and reconnaissance aircraft operating near Pyongyang encountered MiGs much further south than usual. Evading the attacking MiGs, the UN aircraft returned safely to base. (28) 1952: MACKAY TROPHY. Maj Louis H. Carrington, Maj Frederick W. Shook, and Capt Wallace. Yancey flew a 91 SRW RB-45C on the first nonstop transpacific flight from Elmendorf AFB to Yokota AB with two refuelings from KB-29s to earn the 1952 award. (1) (24)
1955: The US announced its plans to launch a basketball-sized earth satellite during the International Geophysical Year (July 1957-December 1958). (16) (24)
1961: At Fairchild AFB, SAC accepted its first Atlas E complex. It belonged to the 567 SMS. (6)
1966: The DoD announced that the Army's OV-1 Mohawk surveillance aircraft had claimed five new world records: (1) time-to- climb for 3,000 meters (9,842 feet), 3 minutes 46 seconds; (2) time-to-climb for 6,000 meters (19,685 feet), 9 minutes 9 seconds; (3) sustained horizontal altitude, 32,000 feet; (4) nonstop straight-line distance, 2,422 miles at 255 MPH; and (5) average speed over a 100-kilometer (63 miles) closed- circuit course at 5,000 feet in altitude, 292 MPH. This flight also led to a new FAI category for land-based turboprop aircraft weighing between 13,227 and 17,636 pounds.
1969: The Air Force Missile Development Center at Holloman AFB directed the first SRAM launch. A B-52H flying over the White Sands Missile Range launched the missile. (6) (12)
1970: Col Vere Short, a C-141 pilot, attained 25,000 accident-free flying hours, the most military flying time by anyone on active duty. (16)
1971: McDonnell-Douglas delivered the first two DC-10 jet transports to American Airlines and United Airlines at Long Beach. The X-24A lifting body completed its flight test program. It was then converted to a different shape with the X-24B designation. (16) (26)
1974: SECDEF James R. Schlesinger directed the consolidation of all military airlift under one manager. As a result, the USAF became the single manager for all armed services. (16) (26)
1980: Through 1 August, the 146 TAW and 433 TAW provided three C-130s to drop fire retardant chemicals on seven brush fires in the San Bernardino National Forest near Palm Springs, Calif. This assistance allowed the firefighters to control the fire in three days. (16) (26)
1985: In the Challenger's next-to-last mission, the Space Shuttle carried Spacelab-2 to conduct a series of experiments. The craft returned to earth after seven days.
1995: The 11th Reconnaissance Squadron activated at Nellis AFB to operate unmanned drones, the Predator. It was the first such unit in the Air Force. (16)
1996: At Cannon AFB, the 27 FW retired the remaining F-111F Aardvarks from the USAF inventory with a ceremony marking the last four-ship flight to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB. (AFNEWS Article 960493, July 1996)
2005: Uzbekistan evicted the US from Karshi-Khanabad AB, or "K2." The base, located 125 miles north of Afghanistan near Uzbekistan's border with Tajikistan, had served as the hub for USAF combat and humanitarian missions to Afghanistan after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack on America. Uzbekistan provided no reason for its action and gave the US 180 days to remove its aircraft, personnel, and equipment from K2. (22)
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What is happening in the world
Thanks to Brett and STRATFOR
THE WEEK AHEAD
ECOWAS Considers Its Response to Niger's Coup. The Economic Community of West African States is expected to discuss the 26 July coup in Niger next week, with French officials saying an extraordinary summit could occur 30 July. With France threatening to sanction the coup leaders, the coup threatens to dismantle France's counterterrorism operations in the Western Sahel and the G5-Sahel force. ECOWAS may also impose sanctions on Niger to try to force a return to civilian rule, just as it has done with three other regional ECOWAS members that have had a coup in the last three years. ECOWAS and French sanctions could force Niger's new junta to reach out to Russia and consider consolidating domestic support around an anti-French narrative. This could culminate in French troops leaving Niger, just as they have done so in Burkina Faso and Mali, though that would likely be a lengthy process.
Chinese Export Restrictions on High-Tech Inputs Start. China's export licensing process for exports of gallium and germanium, two minerals critical to semiconductor and solar panel production, enters effect 1 August. The process will require exporters of these metals to apply for a license and inform Chinese regulators about the identity and nationality of the buyer(s). Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands buy a combined 86% of China's gallium compound exports. These countries have also all imposed or threatened to impose trade restrictions on China's semiconductor sector in the last year. How China implements this new export licensing process will be a key indicator of the degree to which Beijing intends to retaliate against growing foreign economic restrictions on China, and the extent to which that retaliation will impact high-tech supply chains.
A Guerrilla Cease-Fire Enters Force in Colombia. A six-month cease-fire between the Colombian guerrilla group the National Liberation Army (better known by its Spanish abbreviation, ELN) and the government will take effect 3 August. The cease-fire represents a crucial step in negotiations toward a peace agreement with Bogota, allowing the two to begin talks over matters such as rural reform, prison sentences and employment opportunities for former guerrilla fighters. The government of President Gustavo Petro has staked its political capital on the success of peace negotiations with the country's armed groups, so the cease-fire bodes well for the Petro administration.
• Key Developments - Analysis • Other Stories We're Tracking - Curated Content
KEY DEVELOPMENTS - ANALYSIS
Spain's Conservatives Win General Election, but Will Probably Fail to Form a Government
What Happened: Spain's 23 July general election resulted in a fragmented parliament, in which the center-right People's Party will control 133 of the 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies, followed by acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's center-left Socialist Party (PSOE) with 122 seats, the far-right Vox party with 33 seats, and the far-left Sumar coalition with 31 seats. Smaller regional parties (mostly from Catalonia and the Basque Country) will control the remaining 28 seats.
Why It Matters: While the PP and Vox only need 10 additional seats to appoint PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo as prime minister, they will struggle to find that support because Catalan and Basque regional parties are unlikely to contribute to the appointment of a right-wing government that would have tense relations with Catalan and Basque nationalists; this means that the PSOE and Sumar stand a better chance of winning the extra support they need to reappoint Sanchez as prime minister. The main party to convince will be Together for Catalonia (JxC), a pro-independence party led by former Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont that will likely demand an independence referendum in exchange for its support for Sanchez. Against this backdrop, the negotiations to appoint a new government will consume significant time and energy for Sanchez's caretaker administration, which is likely to result in a severe slowdown or even a paralysis in policy — especially as another general election before the end of the year remains possible.
Source: RANE Worldview
Israel's Knesset Passes Controversial 'Reasonableness' Judicial Reform Bill
What Happened: In a 64-0 vote boycotted by the opposition, Israel's Knesset passed the first "reasonableness" bill 24 July, ending months of negotiations and protests that tried to stymie the judicial reform. A last-ditch effort by the opposition and government to find a compromise collapsed the same day when the government rejected an attempt by the opposition to implement a yearlong freeze on the reforms. Meanwhile, protests swelled outside the Knesset, amid threats of strikes by more than 10,000 Israel Defense Forces reservists and up to 250,000 civilians across the country in a new show of opposition strength.
Why It Matters: Opposition to the bill will likely manifest in strikes in the IDF that may expand to the civilian sector and interrupt business relations between the IDF and arms contractors abroad. The bill may also generate increased relocation of workers and companies abroad and more capital flight from Israeli banks. The shekel is likely to be impacted, though the currency is more influenced by deeper macroeconomic conditions that for now will remain unaffected by the bill's passage. Meanwhile, mass strikes across the country will paralyze transport, including at Ben-Gurion International Airport, while the opposition organizes to attempt to stop the government from implementing its likely next judicial reform target: changing the country's election committee for judges.
Source: RANE Worldview
Putin Offers Free Grain Shipments to Six African Nations After Collapse of Black Sea Deal
What Happened: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia will be able to provide free deliveries of 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain to Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Mali, Somalia, and Zimbabwe, The Guardian reported 27 July. Speaking on the first day of a Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, Putin dismissed direct calls by several African leaders at the summit to return to the deal, repeating Moscow's arguments for why it left the deal and saying it could not return until its demands were met.
Why It Matters: While the deliveries could have a highly localized downward impact on food prices in the six countries, the 300,000 tons of free grain is less than expected, as it is just a fraction of the 1 million tons Africa had received from Ukraine under the U.N. food program and the approximately 4 million the entire continent had been receiving from Ukraine under the deal. Instead, the chosen countries to receive the shipments appear to be part of an effort by the Russian government to pressure African governments to offer more vocal and concrete support for Russia on the global stage in exchange for such grain deliveries. The amount is relatively inconsequential for Russia, which exports up to 60 million tons of grain each year, including grain seized from parts of Ukraine it occupies.
Source: RANE Worldview
OTHER STORIES WE'RE TRACKING - CURATED CONTENT
ASIA
How China's Military Is Slowly Squeezing Taiwan
On 24 June, eight Chinese fighters flew across the Taiwan Strait. This time, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft flew closer than they have before: right up to Taiwan's contiguous zone, a buffer area just 12 nautical miles outside its sovereign airspace. Since then, Chinese military aircraft have come as close at least once more. The flights are part of a gradually tightening squeeze the PLA is putting on Taiwan. The Chinese military is waging a grey zone campaign: it is increasing its presence closer to Taiwan one step at a time, yet all the while remaining below the threshold of what could be considered an act of war.
Source: Financial Times
India's Growing Defense Diplomacy in Southeast Asia
New Delhi views Southeast Asia not only as a focal point for its Indo-Pacific Vision, but also as an important part of its ambition to become a net defense exporter. Lying at the heart of these defense ties is China's aggressive behavior in both the Himalayas and the South China Sea. With rising material capabilities and economic stakes in the South China Sea, India seems to be gearing up to create a substantive defense footprint in the region.
Source: The Diplomat
How Will Cambodia's Incoming Leader Affect the Country's Foreign Relations?
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen announced that he was stepping down as Cambodia's leader after 38 years, and will make way for his son Hun Manet. The announcement follows an election in which the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won a crushing victory. The handover of power has been set for 22 August, when a new cabinet will be sworn into office. Despite the fact that Cambodia and Western governments may well view the advent of the 45-year-old Manet as a chance to initiate a diplomatic reset, there is unlikely to be a significant shift in the country's foreign orientation.
Source: The Diplomat
EUROPE
Irish Prime Minister Does Not Expect Northern Ireland Breakthrough in September
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he does not expect a breakthrough in talks to restore Northern Ireland's devolved government by September and urged the British government to work much more closely with Dublin to end the impasse. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) collapsed the devolved executive 17 months ago in protest at Britain's first post-Brexit agreement with the EU and then rejected a fresh deal struck in February to end many of the new trade checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
Source: Reuters
Macron Urges North Caledonia to Build 'New Project' After Vote to Remain in France
President Emmanuel Macron urged his "compatriots" in New Caledonia to forge a common future during a visit, more than a year after the overseas territory's disputed vote to remain part of France. "It is not a full stop, it is a semi-colon," Macron said on 26 July referring to a string of three referendums over the past five years, all of which rejected independence from France. Macron faces a significant challenge charting an acceptable path for both French loyalists and the pro-independence, indigenous Kanaks who widely boycotted the December 2021 referendum and rejected its result.
Source: Le Monde
Why Belgium May Be About to Break Up
Sooner rather than later, Belgium may cease to exist. Belgium has long had a dysfunctional national political life. Now, the strains between Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north and French-speaking Wallonia in the south of the country threaten a far bigger crisis. Elections are due to be held in June 2024. According to POLITICO's Poll of Polls, the far-right Vlaams Belang party — which wants to turn Flanders into a fully independent, breakaway state — is now the biggest political force in the country.
Source: Politico
MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
Civil Unrest, Legal Appeals and Military Disobedience: What Israel May Face After Supreme Court Law Change
Israel's parliament on Monday passed a controversial law stripping the Supreme Court of its power to declare government decisions unreasonable, the first bill in a wide-ranging judicial overhaul that analysts say is likely to deepen the crisis the country is facing. Like the British system of government, Israel doesn't have a written constitution, which leaves the Supreme Court as the only check on the executive and legislative branches of government, a power that Monday's vote has curtailed. Experts expect the court to likely strike down the amendment, which could lead to a showdown between the government and the judiciary. From escalated protests and possible military disobedience, to attempts by the court to rule the new law as invalid, coming days and weeks will test Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition's readiness to defy public opinion.
Source: CNN
Israel-Lebanon Border Dispute: Warmer but Not Hot
In a turbulent year for both Israel and Lebanon, Tel Aviv and Beirut are opting to escalate their long-running border dispute, raising concerns regarding a major conflict like the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah War. Yet, while neither side can realistically afford renewed fighting of such a magnitude, this round likely represents an attempted show of strength on the part of actors in both countries — one that centralizes so-called "deterrence through resilience" on the border while managing and minimizing potentially escalatory actions.
Source: The National Interest
GERD Conflict: Ethiopia & Egypt Try Compromise
The controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) remains a significant source of regional tension. Ethiopia's decision to continue the dam's fourth filling, coupled with the Sudanese conflict, further complicates an already delicate dispute. Egypt and Sudan cite concerns about their water rights, highlighting the urgent need for negotiation and cooperation. Recent talks between the Egyptian president and Ethiopian prime minister concluded with an agreement to resolve the dispute in the next four months. Egypt and Sudan view the GERD as a potential threat to their Nile water access.
Source: Geopolitical Monitor
AMERICAS
Canada's Trudeau Unveils Major Cabinet Shuffle as Poll Numbers Sag
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled much of his cabinet on 26 July with the aim of increasing focus on economic issues like a housing shortage and the rising cost of living that have hurt his standing with voters. It could be the last shakeup before an election, which is not due until the second half of 2025 but could come earlier.
Source: Reuters
Rising Authoritarianism in Latin America: a Threat to Democracy
Democracy in Latin America has experienced a decline in support over the past decade, while backing for authoritarianism has grown, particularly among the youth, revealed the latest Latinobarómetro survey conducted with 19,205 people in 17 countries across the region. The study shows that only 48% of Latin Americans currently support democracy as a political system, marking a 15-percentage-point decrease from 63% in 2010. Meanwhile, support for authoritarianism rose, with 17% of Latin Americans endorsing the statement "an authoritarian government can be preferable," compared to the 15% from 13 years ago.
Source: Tico Times
Argentina Demands That Bolivia Explain Its New Defense Agreement With Iran
The Argentine government and members of Bolivia's opposition demanded answers on 24 July following the sealing of an opaque defense agreement between Iran and Bolivia that raised concerns in South America's Southern Cone it could be a way for Tehran to boost its influence in the region. The deal reached last week has particularly raised concerns in Argentina, where prosecutors have long alleged that Iranian officials were behind the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people.
Source: AP News
GLOBAL
Russia's Africa Summit and Moscow's Continued Quest to Project Influence in the Global South
Russia is hosting its second summit with African nations this week, with several important items on the agenda, including grain supplies and the future of the Wagner group on the continent. Forty-nine African nations are reportedly expected to send delegations. African nations are expected to reinvigorate a proposed peace plan to end the war in Ukraine, although few believe it is likely to gain much traction. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa suggested that African leaders would push "for an end to the destabilizing Ukraine-Russia war," referencing the impact it has had on Africa's economic interests and growing food insecurity.
Source: The Soufan Center
China Helps Russia Evade Sanctions and Likely Supplies Tech Used in Ukraine, US Report Says
China is providing crucial support for Russia's war effort in Ukraine by helping the Kremlin evade Western sanctions and is likely supplying Moscow with key technology, according to a new US intelligence report. China has dramatically expanded its purchase of Russian oil, gas, and other energy exports since Moscow invaded Ukraine and used its financial system to allow Russia "to conduct transactions unfettered of Western interdiction," said the assessment released Thursday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Source: NBC News
How Japan Can Power America's China Strategy
The America-Japan alliance is the cornerstone of the current geopolitical order in the Pacific, and it is time for both nations to work toward strengthening bilateral ties to maintain that status. In December, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled Japan's National Security Statement, which, in short, highlights that the country aims to become an increasingly active player in Asia and that increased cooperation with the US is key to maintaining prosperity for both countries. Tokyo's willingness to increase spending and cooperation in defense should be seen as a great boon to America's defense strategy.
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