TheList 6564

The List 6564     TGB

To All,

Good Friday morning August 25, 2023

I wrote this one yesterday. Thanks to Cowboy for sending this out. I will catch up when I return from Tailhook on Sunday

Regards,

Skip

Today in Naval and Marine Corps History

1864

CSS Tallahassee, commanded by Cmdr. John Taylor Wood, returns to Wilmington, N.C. to refuel on coal. During her more than two week raid, CSS Tallahassee destroys 26 vessels and captures seven others.

1927

USS Los Angeles (ZR 3) rises to a near-vertical position due to the sudden arrival of a cold air front that lifts the airships tail, causing it to rise before she can swing around the mast parallel to the new wind direction. Los Angeles only suffers minor damage but the affair demonstrates the risks involved with high mooring masts.

1943

Depth charges from USS Patterson (DD 392) sink the Japanese submarine RO-35, 170 miles southeast of San Cristobal Island, Solomon Islands.

1944

USS Picuda (SS 382), in attack on Japanese convoy at the western entrance to the Babuyan Channel, sinks destroyer Yunagi 20 miles north-northeast of Cape Bojeador, Philippines and merchant tanker Kotoku Maru.

1951

23 fighters from USS Essex (CV 9) escort Air Force heavy bombers in an attack on Najin, Korea due to the target being beyond range of land-based fighters.

2017

Hurricane Harvey Strikes the Texas Gulf Coast.  The Navy responds by sending 10 aircraft to provide humanitarian assistance that lasts until Sept. 4.

 

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This Day In World History August 25

0357 Julian Caesar defeats the Alamanni at Strasbourg in Gaul.

1346 Edward III of England defeats Philip VI's army at the Battle of Crecy in France.

1758 The Prussian army defeats the invading Russians at the Battle of Zorndorf.

1765 In protest over the stamp tax, American colonists sack and burn the home of Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson.

1830 The "Tom Thumb" steam locomotive runs its famous race with a horse-drawn car. The horse wins because the engine, which had been ahead, breaks down.

1862 Union and Confederate troops skirmish at Waterloo Bridge, Virginia, during the Second Bull Run Campaign.

1864 Confederate General A.P. Hill pushes back Union General Winfield Scott Hancock from Reams Station where his army has spent several days destroying railroad tracks.

1875 ""Captain" Matthew Webb becomes the first man to swim across the English Channel.

1916 The National Park Service is established as part of the Department of the Interior.

1921 The United States, which never ratified the Versailles Treaty ending World War I, finally signs a peace treaty with Germany.

1925 A. Phillip Randolph organizes the Sleeping Car Porters' Union.

1940 The first parachute wedding ceremony is performed by Rev. Homer Tomlinson at the New York City World's Fair for Arno Rudolphi and Ann Hayward. The minister, bride and groom, best man, maid of honor and four musicians were all suspended from parachutes.

1941 British and Soviet forces enter Iran, opening up a route to supply the Soviet Union.

1943 The Allies complete the occupation of New Georgia.

1944 Paris is liberated from German occupation by Free French Forces under General Jacques LeClerc.

1948 The House Un-American Activities Committee holds first-ever televised congressional hearing.

1950 President Harry Truman orders the U.S. Army to seize control of the nation's railroads to avert a strike.

1980 Zimbabwe joins the United Nations.

1981 Voyager 2 spacecraft makes its closest approach to Saturn.

1989 NASA scientists receive stunning photographs of Neptune and its moons from Voyager 2.

1989 Mayumi Moriyama, formerly head of Japan's Environmental Agency, becomes Japan's first female cabinet secretary

1991 Croatian War of Independence: Battle of Vukovar begins, an 87-day siege of a Croatian city by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), supported by various Serbian paramilitary forces.

1991 Belarus gains independence from the USSR.

1991 The Airbus A340 makes its first flight.

2012 Severe flooding in Myanmar.

 

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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…

Skip… For The List for Friday, 25 August 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻

 

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…

From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 25 August 1968..

LBJ: "I'd rather vote for Nixon than kill my boys."…

 

https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-25-august-1968-a-look-at-an-exasperated-commander-in-chief/

 

 

Thanks to Micro

From Vietnam Air Losses site for Friday, August 25

August 25th:  https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2986

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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Nothing but raw power and torque ... and a lot of money to support it!

 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/GzXVLbs41Ew

 

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From the King's Proclamation to Richie's MiG by  W. Thomas Smith Jr.

08/24

This Week in American Military History:

Aug. 23, 1775:  Less than two months after the Second Continental Congress issues its "Declaration on the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms [against the British]" in which the Congress resolves "to die free men rather than live as slaves," King George III issues his own proclamation declaring the American colonies to be in a state of rebellion. The king adds, "not only all our Officers, civil and military, are obliged to exert their utmost endeavours to suppress such rebellion, and to bring the traitors to justice, but that all our subjects of this Realm, and the dominions thereunto belonging, are bound by law to be aiding and assisting in the suppression of such rebellion, and to disclose and make known all traitorous conspiracies and attempts against us, our crown and dignity."

Aug. 23, 1864:  Union Naval forces under the command of Adm. David Glasgow Farragut – best known for purportedly uttering the command, "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" – take Fort Morgan, effectively ending the near-month-long battle of Mobile Bay.

Aug. 24, 1814: British forces under the command of Maj. Gen. Robert Ross close-with and defeat a mixed American force of Continental Army regulars, Marines, sailors, and militia under overall command of U.S. Army Brig. Gen. William Henry Winder in the battle of Bladensburg, Maryland on the road to Washington, D.C. during the war of 1812. The disastrous defeat of the Continentals at Bladensburg will enable the British to march on, sack, and burn the nation's capitol within a few hours. But according to legend, the British are so impressed by the indomitable stand of the American Marines and sailors – who "broke two British regiments" during the fighting – that the commandant's house and the Marine barracks will be spared the torch when Washington is burned.

Aug. 25, 1944:  U.S. and French Army forces liberate Paris. The Germans fall back. The BBC reports: "This evening French, American and Senegalese troops marched triumphantly down the Champs Elysee to ecstatic cheers of Parisians, young and old."

Aug. 28, 1862:  The Second battle of Bull Run (known to many Southerners as Second Manassas) opens between Union Army forces under the command of Maj. Gen. John Pope and Confederate Army forces under Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (Gen. Robert E. Lee in overall command). Within days, Confederate forces will drive Union forces from the field, not unlike what happened at First Bull Run/Manassas on July 21, 1861.

Aug. 28, 1972:  U.S. Air Force Capt. Richard Stephen Richie, flying an F-4 Phantom, shoots down his fifth MiG over North Vietnam, becoming the Air Force's first ace of the war. But to hear Richie tell it, it was just a ride. "My fifth MiG kill was an exact duplicate of a syllabus mission, so I had not only flown that as a student, but had taught it probably a dozen times prior to actually doing it in combat," he says.

 

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Thanks to Interesting Facts

I have been a tea drinker all my life and did not drink coffee until three years ago after the doctors rearranged my insides and I was having a problem starting them up again. T hen my wife had me try coffee with some mocha in it. So now I have one each day but still have my tea….skip

 

Sip On These 7 Facts About Tea

Besides water, no beverage is consumed by more individuals across the globe than tea. For millennia, this beloved drink has been favored by many cultures, from those in China who first cultivated tea to modern customers in quaint cafés. Here are seven refreshing facts about tea for those who want a dash of history and culture with their drink.

 

1 of 7

Tea Bags Were Popularized by Accident

Before individual tea bags came into wide use, it was more common to make an entire pot of tea at once by pouring hot water over tea leaves and then using a strainer. In 1901, Wisconsin inventors Roberta C. Lawson and Mary Molaren filed a patent for a "tea leaf holder," a concept that resembles the tea bags we use today. It wasn't until about seven years later, however, that another individual inadvertently helped popularize the concept of tea bags — at least according to legend. Around 1908, American tea importer Thomas Sullivan reportedly sent samples of tea inside small silken bags to his customers. His clients failed to remove the tea leaves from the bags as Sullivan assumed they would, and soon Sullivan realized that he'd stumbled onto an exciting new concept for tea brewing. He later reimagined the bags using gauze, and eventually paper.

 

Tea bags were booming in popularity throughout the United States by the 1920s, but it took a while for residents of the United Kingdom to adopt the concept. In fact, tea bags wouldn't make their way to the U.K. until 1952, when Lipton patented its "flo-thru" bag, but even then the British weren't keen to change their tea-brewing ways. By 1968, only 3% of tea brewed in the U.K. was done so using tea bags, with that number rising to 12.5% in 1971. By the end of the 20th century, however, 96% of U.K. tea was brewed with bags.

 

2 of 7

The British Have Their Own Official Standard for the Perfect Cup of Tea

The British are serious about tea. So much so that British Standards — a national body that produces technical specifications for products and services — released an edict in 1980 on the official British guidelines for making the perfect cup of tea. Though some may disagree with the standard, the rules include the following: Use a porcelain pot and a ratio of two grams of tea per every 100 ml of water, brew for six minutes, maintain a temperature of 60 to 85 degrees Celsius (140 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit) when serving the tea, and add milk to the mug first if using tea that's already been steeped.

 

3 of 7

Herbal Tea Isn't Actually Tea

This may be a shocking revelation, but herbal "teas" like chamomile and peppermint aren't officially teas at all. In order for a drink to be classified as tea, it must come from the Camellia sinensis plant, from which many white, green, oolong, and black teas do. Herbal teas, however, are known as tisanes, or more plainly infusions that incorporate various leaves, fruits, barks, roots, flowers, and other edible non-tea plants. So while the experience of drinking a minty tea may be indecipherable from drinking a warm cup of green tea, the two beverages fall into completely different categories from a scientific gastronomic perspective.

 

4 of 7

The World's Largest Tea Bag Was 551 Pounds

Saudi Arabia is the site of at least two notable tea records. On September 20, 2014, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the owner of a company called Rabea Tea unveiled a record-setting tea bag weighing 551 pounds and 2.56 ounces, earning it the distinction of being world's largest tea bag. Eight years later, also in Saudi Arabia, a company called Triple Nine Tea set the record for brewing the largest cup of hot tea — 11,604.28 gallons.

When it comes to the largest cup of iced tea, however, the achievement is proudly held in the American South. On June 10, 2016, the residents of Summerville, South Carolina, banded together to create the biggest jug of sweet tea ever made (2,524 gallons), using 210 pounds of loose leaf tea, 1,700 pounds of sugar, and over 300 pounds of ice.

 

5 of 7

Besides Boston, Several Other U.S. Cities Held "Tea Parties"

Vintage illustration features the Boston Tea Party.Credit: Keith Lance/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

While most Americans are familiar with the Boston Tea Party — in which colonists dumped chests of British East India Company tea into Boston Harbor as a protest against "taxation without representation" — fewer are aware that many similar events took place along the Eastern Seaboard in the months that followed. Just nine days after the protest in Boston, the Philadelphia Tea Party occurred on December 25, 1773. Although no tea was destroyed as in the Boston protest, a ship carrying a large cargo of tea was refused on its way to Philadelphia, and the captain — under the threat of being tarred and feathered — returned both ship and cargo to England. 

The following year saw even more "tea parties," including the Charleston Tea Party in November 1774, in which the captain of a tea-toting ship feigned ignorance about his cargo but was ultimately forced to dump the ship's contents into the harbor. Additional protests took place in New York; Annapolis, Maryland; Wilmington, North Carolina; Greenwich, New Jersey; and other American cities. Though none went down in history to the degree of the Boston Tea Party, they were all critical acts of rebellion — against taxation and ultimately British rule — that contributed to the start of the American Revolutionary War.

6 of 7

Turkey Consumes the Most Tea per Capita of Any Country

Though no country consumes more tea than China overall – 1.6 billion pounds each year — there are several other nations whose tea-drinking numbers are even more staggering when broken down per capita. At the top of that list is Turkey, as each tea-loving Turk consumes around seven pounds of tea annually, compared to just 1.25 pounds per Chinese citizen (as of 2014).

Turkish individuals are particularly fond of black tea, and they average three to five cups per day, which comes out to a staggering 1,300 cups per year, give or take. Though they've already set the record, tea drinking was also on the rise in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Turks are so proud of tea as a foundation of their culture that in 2020, the country petitioned UNESCO to add Turkish tea to the organization's Intangible Cultural Heritage List. After Turkey, Ireland finishes second on the list of tea-drinking countries per capita, with the United Kingdom coming in third.

 

7 of 7

Cheese-Topped Tea Is Popular in Asia

Though the combination of cheese and tea may sound somewhat incompatible, it's a beloved and delicious beverage that has grown in popularity throughout Asia over the last decade or so. Cheese tea is made as a cold beverage using green or black tea, and is topped with a layer of milk and cheese that's then sprinkled with salt. The drink is a relatively new invention, having originated around 2010 at nighttime drink stalls on the streets of Taiwan, though it's since boomed in popularity throughout Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and China.

 

Asia isn't alone, however, when it comes to incorporating cheese into their caffeinated beverages. Though it's not tea, a Scandinavian coffee drink called Kaffeost features cubes of dried cheese soaking up the liquid inside a mug of hot coffee. And in Colombia, locals add savory globs of melted cheese to a regional hot chocolate known as chocolate santafereño.

 

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Thanks to Brett

Keeping us informed on what is happening in the world

Stratfor snippets - Israel/Saudi Arabia, Russia, U.S./Japan/South Korea, Niger, Guatemala, Ecuador, France, Russia/Africa, Mexico, Iran, Cambodia, New Zealand, Thailand, India

 

Israel, Saudi Arabia: Israel May Drop Objection to Saudi Civilian Nuclear Program

What Happened: Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer said Israel may back the development of a Saudi civilian nuclear program (with oversight from the United States) as part of a broader normalization deal, PBS reported on Aug. 18. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government later downplayed the remarks, a source close to the prime minister said Netanyahu "doesn't rule out" a Saudi civilian nuclear program.

Why It Matters: Pro-normalization proponents like Dermer will increasingly seek to convince the United States and Israel to support a Saudi civilian nuclear program in order to meet Saudi demands for full normalization with Israel. But for Israel and the United States to support such a program, Saudi Arabia would need to abide by safeguards and likely forgo the right to enrich uranium, something Riyadh has not been willing to do. If the three countries do reach a consensus on a Saudi civilian nuclear program, it would help normalization talks move forward, though overt Israeli-Saudi normalization remains distant.

Background: Israel has a decades-long anti-nuclear proliferation policy under the Begin Doctrine. However, Israel has acquiesced to civilian nuclear programs in the United Arab Emirates and Turkey because these programs have safeguards, including a lack of uranium enrichment, that ensure they remain civilian in nature. Saudi Arabia is demanding that the United States support a Saudi civilian nuclear program that includes the right to enrich uranium, which would make it easier for Riyadh to jumpstart a military nuclear program in the future.

 

Russia: Roscosmos Says Luna-25 'Ceased to Exist' After Crashing on the Moon

What Happened: Russia's Luna-25 lunar lander "ceased to exist" after it crashed into the moon, according to Russian space agency Roscosmos, Reuters reported on Aug. 20. The lander had been scheduled to attempt a soft landing near the lunar south pole on Aug. 21, two days ahead of a similar attempt by an Indian lander.

Why It Matters: The lander's failure was not unexpected, as the mission was difficult, Russia's scientific workforce is increasingly limited, the program heavily depends on aging technology and the launch was repeatedly delayed. Russia's invasion of Ukraine — and subsequent sanctions on key technologies for space exploration like semiconductors — has only further challenged the Russian space program.

Background: This was Russia's first moon mission in nearly five decades, and Russia has yet to carry out a successful planetary exploration mission by itself since the fall of the Soviet Union. Over the last three decades, Russia's space program has largely relied on legacy Soviet technology, which has made it a somewhat reliable launch provider for low earth orbit. But even in that space, Russia has been unable to keep up with rising competition from private space companies like SpaceX.

 

United States, Japan, South Korea: Camp David Summit Has Short- and Long-Term Implications

What Happened: The United States, Japan and South Korea concluded their inaugural trilateral summit at the U.S. presidential retreat at Camp David, The Asahi Shimbun reported Aug. 19.

Why It Matters: The three countries struck a number of agreements that are both actionable in the immediate term as well as serve to institutionally entrench the relationship for the long haul, the latter of which is important in case future administrations develop contradictory foreign policy priorities. These include a "commitment to consult" each other in the event of crises and the creation of a secure hotline to carry out said consultations. Additional agreements include annualizing trilateral military exercises and the trilateral summit format, as well as deeper cooperation on finance, supply chains and advanced technologies. The three countries also made progress on establishing a real-time intelligence-sharing mechanism to boost joint response capabilities, which they aim to have in place before the end of the year. They also harmonized their views on Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Background: The summit is the latest confidence-building effort in the countries' trilateral relations as well as bilateral Japanese-South Korean rapprochement, which are key pillars of each country's current foreign policies.

 

Niger: Junta Proposed Three-Year Transition Timeline After ECOWAS Visit

What Happened: Nigerien coup leader Abdourahmane Tchiani proposed a three-year transition to a civilian government and warned that any attack on the country would "not be a walk in the park" for those involved, following a meeting with representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Niamey, AP reported on Aug. 19.

Why It Matters: Diplomatic channels between the junta and ECOWAS reopened but appear unlikely to facilitate a resolution in the coming days. Even so, ECOWAS will likely exhaust all other possibilities before militarily intervening. Reports of growing splits within the presidential guard and the larger security establishment in Niger may threaten the junta's power, even without an ECOWAS intervention.

Background: Tchiani spoke on national television and did not give details on the proposed transition, only saying that the principles would be decided within 30 days at a dialogue hosted by the ruling military council.

 

Guatemala: Anti-Corruption Candidate Wins Runoff

What Happened: Anti-corruption candidate Bernardo Arevalo won Guatemala's Aug. 20 presidential runoff election with 58% of the vote versus 37% for former first lady Sandra Torres, Reuters reported Aug. 21.

Why It Matters: Arevalo's opponents could argue that he only won via vote fraud and try to block him from taking office, potentially leading to limited U.S. economic sanctions against certain sectors of Guatemala's economy. Alternatively, elites could decide not to contest his entry into office to avoid accusations of election interference. Even as president, Arevalo would likely face institutional challenges from Guatemalan elites, who control much of the country's judiciary, military and Congress.

Background: Torres has yet to officially accept her loss. In a statement released on Aug. 20, her National Unity of Hope party announced that it would adopt a stance after the election results are made public, emphasizing a commitment to full transparency.

 

Ecuador: Leftist and Pro-Business Candidate to Face off for Presidency

What Happened: The populist left-wing candidate Luisa Gonzalez and businessman Daniel Noboa advanced to Ecuador's Oct. 15 presidential runoff after receiving 33% and 24% of the vote, respectively, Reuters reported on Aug. 21. On the same day, a referendum vote to prohibit drilling in oil blocks within the Yasuni reserve in the Amazon rainforest won 59% approval, with approximately 37% of ballot boxes counted so far.

Why It Matters: Should Gonzalez become president, her proposals to expand social welfare programs and security spending using about $2.5 billion from Ecuador's $6.9 billion foreign currency reserves could reduce the country's ability to meet its foreign currency-denominated debt commitments. Should Noboa win, he might not be able to pass his policies, becoming an ineffective leader facing frequent protest activity. Meanwhile, the result of the referendum on oil extraction could cut Ecuador's total projected oil output by 12%, decreasing fiscal revenues by $600 million and dropping the country's net exports.

Background: Noboa's campaign has centered on job creation, tax incentives for new businesses and prison terms for those guilty of significant tax evasion. Another referendum vote on prohibiting mining activities within the Choco Andino forest near Quito led with 67% support.

 

France: Government Unveils List of First 12 Industrial Sites in Water Reduction Plan

What Happened: The French government unveiled the first 12 industrial sites involved in its plan to reduce water consumption in the country in an Aug. 21 press release. On the same day, the government declared a state of emergency for four southern regions due to hot weather.

Why It Matters: The 12 industrial sites, the first of 50 that Paris will announce by September, stretch across a wide range of sectors and will receive government support to reduce their overall water consumption amid an ever-worsening water situation in the country. Nuclear power plants, another major consumer of water in France, are also set to receive government support to invest in more water-efficient cooling systems. However, the agricultural sector, the single largest water consumer in the country, has so far been spared from restrictions. These water conservation efforts reflect broader trends across central and southern Europe as heatwaves and droughts become more frequent.

Background: The announcement is the first step in the implementation of France's "water plan" that President Emmanuel Macron unveiled in March, which aims to reduce the country's overall water consumption by 10% by 2030. The industrial sector accounts for more than 8% of France's total water usage.

 

Russia, Africa: Prigozhin Posts First Video Since Mutiny, May Be in Africa

What Happened: Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of Russia's paramilitary Wagner Group, posted a video address on his Telegram channel on Aug. 21, his first since the short-lived Wagner mutiny in June, Reuters reported the next day. In the video, Prigozhin said Russia would seek to expand on all continents and make Africa "more free," and some observers on social media suggest the video was filmed in an airport in Mopti, Mali.

Why It Matters: Although Prigozhin's location in the video remains unverified, his messaging on Wagner's growing involvement in Africa is consistent with other recent developments since the mutiny, such as Prigozhin's meetings with African officials at the Russia-Africa summit in July. Wagner's presence in Africa offers states an alternative to cooperation with France or other Western countries on defense matters, which Mali has used to push out French, European and U.N. forces. The Nigerien junta, which came to power in July, may follow suit if negotiations with the Economic Community of West African States and France fall through.

Background: On July 19, Prigozhin told soldiers and supporters that they would no longer take part in the Russia-Ukraine war for the time being but to prepare for "a new path to Africa." Wagner troops are present in the Central African Republic, Mali, Libya, Sudan and potentially Burkina Faso.

 

Mexico: Opposition Coalition Solidifies Around Single Figure

What Happened: President of the Chamber of Deputies Santiago Creel announced that he is dropping out of the race for the nomination of the opposition coalition's presidential nominee and put his support behind National Action Party Senator Xochitl Galvez Ruiz, La Jornada reported on Aug. 21.

Why It Matters: Galvez Ruiz, a relative political newcomer, could potentially satiate Mexico's strong anti-incumbent sentiment, while having a single strong candidate could also improve the opposition coalition's chance at winning Mexico's presidency. While Galvez Ruiz has voiced support for the government's existing social welfare programs, she has also pushed for an improved healthcare system and better employment opportunities for youth. Her strong pro-business stance will likely lead investors in the energy sector, and more specifically renewables, to look favorably upon her candidacy.

Background: The Broad Front for Mexico opposition coalition narrowed down the opposition candidates to three people on Aug. 15: Galvez Ruiz, who is currently polling at a 38.3% approval rating; the next highest opposition candidate is Beatriz Paredes of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), who has 26% of the vote and finally Santiago Creel with just over 20% of the vote.

 

Iran: New Long-Range Drone Raises Regional and Eurasian Threat

What Happened: Iran's state media published photos of what it claimed is a new drone type, the Mohajer-10, that reportedly can operate for up to 24 hours and has a range of 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometers) while carrying a payload of some 661 pounds (300 kilograms), AP reported on Aug. 22.

Why It Matters: The greater range and payload capabilities of Iranian drones would make future Iranian swarm attacks more damaging, posing a threat to U.S., Israeli and Gulf Arab targets in the region. While the need for ground control stations somewhat limits the range of Mohajer drones for some missions, Iran has drone ground control capabilities in places like Iraq and Syria that would enable it to deploy drones against Israel in a potential escalation. Additionally, deepening Russo-Iranian drone cooperation means Russia could eventually use models like the Mohajer-10 in Ukraine. Upon acquiring the drone, Russia could also use domestic technologies and manufacturing techniques to improve it, which would further increase the threat to Iran's and Russia's rivals.

Background: Russia has used an earlier version of the drone, the Mohajer-6, against Ukrainian cities and military targets. Russia and Iran are scaling up drone production in the Russian republic of Tatarstan, where they aim to produce thousands of drones by 2025, particularly the Shahed-136, to improve Russia's and Iran's drone arsenals.

 

Cambodia: New Prime Minister Will Govern Under His Father's Shadow

What Happened: Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni swore in Hun Manet as the country's new prime minister, along with the rest of Cambodia's 125-seat National Assembly, The Phnom Penh Post reported on Aug. 22. Hun Manet will replace his father, Hun Sen, who held the premiership for 38 years and will remain the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) chief, as well as become National Assembly president in early 2024.

Why It Matters: Hun Manet will likely continue cultivating Cambodia's deepening relationship with China, and despite his Western education, democratic reforms are unlikely under his government, particularly under the watchful eye of his father. While Hun Sen's continued leadership will help protect Hun Manet from dissent within the CCP, Hun Sen's hovering may also push his son to pay off other politicians and officials to consolidate power, thereby increasing corruption in Cambodia's political system.

Background: The new government is the outcome of the July 23 election in which the CPP ran virtually unopposed.

 

New Zealand: Government Flip Could Change National Security Policy, But Not China Ties

What Happened: New Zealand's opposition center-right parties, the National Party and the ACT party, have 37% and 13% of voter support, respectively, while the parties in the ruling center-left coalition, the Labour Party and the Greens, have just 29% and 12%, respectively, according to a 1News Verian poll released late on Aug. 21.

Why It Matters: The polling suggests a center-right coalition government is possible after general elections in October, which may prompt greater focus on national security issues in the Pacific Islands and on the military balance in the Asia-Pacific region in general. However, this would likely be a slow shift, given New Zealand's heavy economic reliance on its top trade partner, China. Domestically, the economy is top of mind for Kiwis, as the country dipped into a technical recession in the first quarter of 2023.

Background: National Party leader Christopher Luxon fended off criticism in early August of his party's proposed $15 billion infrastructure plan that could involve Chinese investment and construction, showing the ongoing importance of economic ties to China, even if the government flips.

 

Thailand: Political Deadlock Ends as Srettha Is Elected Premier

What Happened: Thailand's legislature elected the center-left Pheu Thai Party's (PTP) candidate Srettha Thavisin as prime minister, the Bangkok Post reported on Aug. 22. At the same time, de facto PTP head and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand from self-exile.

Why It Matters: The PTP had to partner with the military establishment to win the Senate's support and now leads a coalition with the two main military parties. This means the country's lese majeste laws criminalizing criticism of the monarchy will remain in place. From a foreign policy perspective, the PTP-military coalition likely portends continuity, so Thailand will improve relations slightly with the West while also maintaining strong relations with China. Srettha's election also lessens the risk of mass pro-democracy protest, particularly as the Move Forward Party (MFP), the PTP's original coalition partner, calls for restraint. Thaksin's return is likely part of a compromise between the PTP and the military establishment.

Background: Thailand's May 14 elections led to months of government deadlock that prevented the election of the MFP's candidate for prime minister on July 13 and 19. Meanwhile, Thailand's economic growth slowed to 1.8% of gross domestic product in the second quarter of 2023, primarily due to the global slowdown in consumer demand and the government deadlock. Thaksin has been in exile since a 2006 military coup overthrew him. He was convicted in absentia for abuse of power and, absent a pardon, faces eight years in prison.

 

India: Government May Restrict Food Exports Amid High Inflation

What Happened: India's Finance Ministry asserted that the government and the Reserve Bank of India must increase their "vigilance" due to high inflation, global uncertainty and surging food prices, Reuters reports on Aug. 22. Meanwhile, the country is experiencing its driest August on record.

Why It Matters: As part of this increased vigilance, India's government will consider increasing export restrictions on foodstuffs to raise domestic stocks and thereby quell food inflation ahead of upcoming state elections. However, these bans would raise global food prices since India is a major exporter of several staples. The government may also implement food subsidies to improve public sentiment. Regardless, as India continues to face climate-related crises like increased temperatures, sporadic rainfall and flooding, the country's food production will suffer and thus raise domestic food prices even higher.

Background: India recently imposed a 40% export duty on onions, banned exports of non-basmati white rice in July, and is reportedly considering taxing exports of parboiled rice. The government is also in talks with Russia to potentially import wheat at a discount. Weeks earlier, data showed that India's retail inflation in July had risen to its highest rate in 15 months.

 

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This Day in U S Military History

August 25

1883 – The signing of a Treaty of Protectorate formally ends Vietnam's independence. The name 'Vietnam' is officially eliminated, and the French divide Vietnam into northern and southern protectorates (Tonkin and Annam, respectively), both tightly under French control, although Annam retains its imperial Vietnamese administration. Southern Vietnam (Cochin China) has been a French colony since 1867. A general uprising in 1885 fails. In the Red River Valley of the north the French begin a period of twelve years of slaughter known as the 'pacification' of Tonkin.

1901 – Clara Maass (25), army nurse, sacrificed her life to prove that the mosquito carries yellow fever. Clara Louise Maass lost her life during scientific studies to determine the cause of yellow fever. A graduate of Newark German Hospital Training School for Nurses, she worked as an Army nurse in Florida, Cuba, and the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. In 1900, Maass returned to Cuba at the request of Maj. William Gorgas, chief sanitation officer. There she became embroiled in a controversy over the cause of yellow fever. To determine whether the tropical fever was caused by city filth or the bite of a mosquito, seven volunteers, including Maass, were bitten by the mosquitoes. Two men died, but she survived. Several months later she again volunteered to be bitten, this time suffering severe pain and fever. Maass died of yellow fever at the age of 25. In her memory, Newark German Hospital was renamed Clara Maass Memorial Hospital and in 1952, Cuba issued a national postage stamp in her name. In 1976, the U.S. Postal Service honored Clara Louise Maass with a commemorative stamp.

1921 – The Battle of Blair Mountain, one of the largest civil uprisings in United States history and the largest armed rebellion since the American Civil War, begins. For five days in late August and early September 1921, in Logan County, West Virginia, some 10,000 armed coal miners confronted 3,000 lawmen and strikebreakers, called the Logan Defenders, who were backed by coal mine operators during an attempt by the miners to unionize the southwestern West Virginia coalfields. The battle ended after approximately one million rounds were fired, and the United States Army intervened by presidential order.

1944 – "Dammit colonel, I'm looking up at Notre Dame!" became the battle cry of an on-going feud between two former Guard units as each claim the bragging rights as to which American unit was the first to actually enter the city of Paris just as the Germans abandoned it. The statement was made by Captain William Buenzle, a New Jersey Guardsman, commanding Troop A, 38th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron to his commander, Colonel Cyrus Dolph III, commander of New Jersey's 102nd Cavalry Group, the famous "Essex Troop" to which the 38th was assigned. The 38th was organized in 1942 from former Guardsmen of Iowa's 113th Cavalry Regiment. After the 38th was assigned to the 102nd in England it gained some New Jersey Guardsmen (including Buenzle) too. The other half of the 102nd Groups' compliment was it's own 102nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, also from New Jersey. Ever since landing on Omaha Beach on June 8th (D+2 after "D-Day") the Group had been an important part of the scouting 'eyes' of the Allied advance through Normandy. On this date each squadron was scouting ahead for major components of the Allied armies. The 38th was patrolling for the 4th U.S. Infantry Division and the 102nd scouting for the French 2nd Armored Division. Both entered Paris at about the same time by two different routes. While Buenzle's statement gives strength to the 38th's claim, and the veterans of each claim to this day that their squadron was the 'first,' its safe to say that Guardsmen were indeed the "first in Paris.

1945 – Captain John Birch of the US Army is shot dead in a scuffle with Chinese Communist soldiers. The liberation of China is becoming a race between the rival Nationalist and Communist forces. Troops of the Kuomintang, commanded by Generalisimo Chiang Kai-shek, enter Shanghai and Nanking, the prewar capital. The Japanese surrender at Nanking was accepted with Communist troops only 3 miles from the city. Communist forces are reported to be marching towards both cities. In Shanghai, the Communists claim workers are occupying factories and preparing to welcome the Communist forces. In the south, Communist forces are reported to be advancing in Canton and nearing Hong Kong. In the north they are closing in on Tientsin. In the 1950s, Robert Welch would create a right-wing, anticommunist organization called the John Birch Society. For Welch, Birch was "the first casualty in the Third World War between Communists and the ever-shrinking Free World."

2005 – Hurricane Katrina made landfall between Hallandale Beach and Aventura, Florida, as a Category 1 hurricane. Four days later it came ashore again near Empire, Buras and Boothville, Louisiana. The rescue and response effort was one of the largest in Coast Guard history, with 24,135 lives saved and 9,409 evacuations.

2012 – Voyager 1 spacecraft enters interstellar space becoming the first man-made object to do so.

 

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

GARMAN, HAROLD A.

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company B, 5th Medical Battalion, 5th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Montereau, France, 25 August 1944. Entered service at: Albion, Ill. Born: 26 February 1918, Fairfield, Ill. G.O. No.: 20, 29 March 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On 25 August 1944, in the vicinity of Montereau, France, the enemy was sharply contesting any enlargement of the bridgehead which our forces had established on the northern bank of the Seine River in this sector. Casualties were being evacuated to the southern shore in assault boats paddled by litter bearers from a medical battalion. Pvt. Garman, also a litter bearer in this battalion, was working on the friendly shore carrying the wounded from the boats to waiting ambulances. As 1 boatload of wounded reached midstream, a German machinegun suddenly opened fire upon it from a commanding position on the northern bank 100 yards away. All of the men in the boat immediately took to the water except 1 man who was so badly wounded he could not rise from his litter. Two other patients who were unable to swim because of their wounds clung to the sides of the boat. Seeing the extreme danger of these patients, Pvt. Garman without a moment's hesitation plunged into the Seine. Swimming directly into a hail of machinegun bullets, he rapidly reached the assault boat and then while still under accurately aimed fire towed the boat with great effort to the southern shore. This soldier's moving heroism not only saved the lives of the three patients but so inspired his comrades that additional assault boats were immediately procured and the evacuation of the wounded resumed. Pvt. Garman's great courage and his heroic devotion to the highest tenets of the Medical Corps may be written with great pride in the annals of the corps.

*SEAY, WILLIAM W.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 62d Transportation Company (Medium Truck), 7th Transportation Battalion, 48th Transportation Group. Place and date: Near Ap Nhi, Republic of Vietnam 25 August 1968. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 24 October 1948, Brewton, Ala. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Seay distinguished himself while serving as a driver with the 62d Transportation Company, on a resupply mission. The convoy with which he was traveling, carrying critically needed ammunition and supplies from Long Binh to Tay Ninh, was ambushed by a reinforced battalion of the North Vietnamese Army. As the main elements of the convoy entered the ambush killing zone, they were struck by intense rocket, machinegun and automatic weapon fire from the well concealed and entrenched enemy force. When his convoy was forced to stop, Sgt. Seay immediately dismounted and took a defensive position behind the wheels of a vehicle loaded with high-explosive ammunition. As the violent North Vietnamese assault approached to within 10 meters of the road, Sgt. Seay opened fire, killing 2 of the enemy. He then spotted a sniper in a tree approximately 75 meters to his front and killed him. When an enemy grenade was thrown under an ammunition trailer near his position, without regard for his own safety he left his protective cover, exposing himself to intense enemy fire, picked up the grenade, and threw it back to the North Vietnamese position, killing 4 more of the enemy and saving the lives of the men around him. Another enemy grenade landed approximately 3 meters from Sgt. Seay's position. Again Sgt. Seay left his covered position and threw the armed grenade back upon the assaulting enemy. After returning to his position he was painfully wounded in the right wrist; however, Sgt. Seay continued to give encouragement and direction to his fellow soldiers. After moving to the relative cover of a shallow ditch, he detected 3 enemy soldiers who had penetrated the position and were preparing to fire on his comrades. Although weak from loss of blood and with his right hand immobilized, Sgt. Seay stood up and fired his rifle with his left hand, killing all 3 and saving the lives of the other men in his location. As a result of his heroic action, Sgt. Seay was mortally wounded by a sniper's bullet. Sgt. Seay, by his gallantry in action at the cost of his life, has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for 25 August, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

25 August

1909: Louis Paulhan used a Voisin Airplane at Bethany, France, to set a 83-mile FAI distance record that lasted one day. (9) The Army leased Land for its first flying field at College Park. Pilot instructions began on 8 October 1909 (18) (21)

1914: Stephan Banic, a coal miner from Greenville, Pa., received a patent for the first workable parachute design. (20)

1916: Victor Carlstrom won the Curtiss Marine Trophy for flying a distance of 661.44 miles. (24)

1926: A pilot of a JN training aircraft, which carried an attached and stored parachute, opened the parachute at 2,500 feet above NAS San Diego. The parachute landed the plane with some minor damage. (24)

1932: Flying from Los Angeles to Newark, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to complete a nonstop transcontinental flight. (20) 1

943: Twelfth Air Force sent 140 P-38s from the 1 FG and 82 FG on the first mass, low-level, long-range strafing raid in World War II. Flying from airfields in Sicily, the P-38s flew tree-top level to attack airfields at Foggia, where they claimed 143 planes destroyed or damaged. (4)

1947: Maj Marion E. Carl (USMC) flew the jet-powered Douglas D-588-1 Skystreak to a new FAI speed record of 650.92 MPH. He broke the Skystreak's earlier record of 640.74 MPH. (9) (24)

1950: KOREAN WAR. FEAF directed Fifth Air Force to fly constant armed surveillance over enemy airfields to prevent the build-up of enemy air strength before the Inchon invasion. (28)

1951: KOREAN WAR. In FEAF Bomber Command's largest operation of the month, 35 B-29s, escorted by U. S. Navy fighters, dropped 300 tons of bombs on marshaling yards at Rashin in far northeastern Korea. Previously excluded from target lists because of its proximity of less than 20 miles to the Soviet border, Rashin was a major supply depot. (28)

1952: Operation HAJJI BABA. Through 29 August, 13 C-54s airlifted 3,763 Muslim pilgrims stranded in Beirut, Lebanon, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The operation helped to restore America's standing in the Middle East. (18)

1953: The USAF announced that the B-36 had become a "flying aircraft carrier." It could launch and recover F-84s Thunderjets in flight. (16) A number of B-36 bombers landed in Japan after a pioneering nonstop mass flight from the US. (24)

1958: SAC's 556th Guided Missile Squadron launched a Snark on a 6,000-mile course. (16) (24)

1959: Test pilot Frank E. Cole flew the C-130 Hercules 4,618 miles from Hickam AFB to Dobbins AFB in the longest nonstop flight for that plane to date. (3)

1961: Explorer XIII, the 50th US satellite, launched from Wallops Island to gather data on micrometeorites. Beale AFB received the first Hound Dog missile for B-52s. (6)

1965: President Johnson approved the development of a MOL to determine "what [military] man is able to do in space" for the defense of America. (12)

1966: The first class of German Air Force student pilots entered training at Sheppard AFB, Texas. (26) Tracy L. Barnes set a FAI altitude record of 28,585 feet for subclass AX-8 through AX-10 balloons (2,200 to over 4,000 cubic meters) in a Barnes Balloon at Pittsburgh. (9)

1968: The North American OV-10 Bronco, a forward air controller aircraft, began a 90-day combat evaluation in South Vietnam. (16) (26)

1969: MAC aircrews completed the first C-5 aerial refueling. (16) (26)

1983: Weapons separation testing for the B-1B began with the release of a dummy SRAM. (3)

1987: When Col (Dr.) Thomas J. Tredici retired from the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks AFB, he became the last remaining B-17 pilot from World War II to leave active duty.

1988: A civil war in Somalia produced a large-scale requirement to medically treat people fleeing to Mogadishu. The Somali government asked for medical aid and hospital beds. To provide that relief, a 41 MAS C-141 carried a 200-bed emergency hospital weighing 22 tons to Mogadishu. (26)

1992: HURRICANE ANDREW. The storm smashed Florida with sustained 140-MPH winds. Through 28 October, 724 airlift missions moved 13,500 relief workers and 21,000 tons of supplies to the area. The hurricane destroyed Homestead AFB, forcing its temporary closure. The 482 FW returned from its post-Andrew exile to MacDill AFB on 5 March 1994 to its new role as the predominant unit at the "new" Homestead ARB, while the former active duty 31 TFW moved to Aviano AB, Italy. (24)

1993: Through 27 August, continued violence against UN forces prompted the US to send 400 Army Rangers to Somalia. AMC flew them and their equipment there on 1 KC-10 and 5 C-5 missions. (18)

1994: OPEN SKIES. Through 31 August, the US and Ukraine conducted a joint trial flight. (16)

1995: A 2d Bomb Wing B-52H crew from Barksdale AFB set six speed records over a 10,000- kilometer close-circuit course, unrefueled and with a payload. Captains Russell Mathers, Dan Manuel, Hank Jenkins, Ralph Delatour and Allen Patton, of the 96th Bomb Squadron, made the record flight, nicknamed "Long Rifle." The B-52 took-off from Edwards AFB, flew to Adak NAS, Alaska, and returned in a record time of 11 hours 23 minutes, at an average speed of 556 miles per hour. The crew later earned the 1995 Gen Curtis E. LeMay award (AFNEWS, 1996) Through 29 August, 11 C-17 Globemaster IIIs from the 315 AW and 437 AW participated in their first exercise. The aircraft moved nearly 300 tons of cargo and personnel to Kuwait. (16)

1999: At Edwards AFB, the No. 2 F-22 successfully flew at 60 degrees angle-of-attack and demonstrated post-stall flight with thrust vectoring. (3)

2002: An F-22 Raptor from the AFFTC at Edwards AFB launched an AIM-9 Sidewinder, a supersonic heat-seeking air-to-air missile. This marked the F-22 program's first supersonic missile separation. (3)

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