Good Thursday morning October 12, 2023
Good news on the home front. The second leak is fixed and inside is all buttoned up. The roofer called and since he is having problems on another job he wants to start on our roof on Friday.
Regards
Skip
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Today in Naval and Marine Corps History thanks to NHHC
October 12
1800 American frigate Boston captures French frigate Le Berceau, one of the French ships that was plaguing the American coast during the Quasi-War with France. After a bloody engagement, Boston brings her prize back to the United States. Though condemned as a legitimate prize of war and sold to the United States government, Le Berceau is returned to France under the terms of the Treaty of Mortefontaine, concluded about two weeks before her capture.
1914 USS Jupiter (AC 3) is the first U.S. Navy ship to transit the Panama Canal. In March 1920, Jupiter is decommissioned. Following conversion, she is renamed USS Langley (CV 1). Upon commissioning in March 1922, Langley becomes the U.S. Navy's first aircraft carrier.
1940 USS Wasp (CV 7) launches 24 Army Curtiss P-40 Warhawks from the 8th Pursuit Group and North American P-47s from the 3rd Observation Squadron off the Virginia Capes, marking the first launches of Army aircraft from U.S. carrier.
1942 Scout dive bombers from VS-71 sink the Japanese destroyer Natsugumo off Savo Island. Also on this date, torpedo bombers from VT-8, Navy and Marine Corps SBDs from VS-3, VS-71, and VMSB-141 and F4F Wildcats from VMF-121, VMF-212, and VMF-224 damage Japanese destroyer Murakumo off New Georgia as she is helping survivors at the Battle of Cape Esperance. She is later scuttled by Japanese destroyer Shirayuki.
1965 Project SEALAB II concludes. During this project, teams of Navy divers and scientists spent 15 days each in SEALAB II moored 205 ft. below the surface near La Jolla, Calif.
1980 USS Guadalcanal (LPH 7) and other ships of Amphibious Forces, Sixth Fleet bring assistance to earthquake victims in Al Asnam, Algeria.
2000 USS Cole (DDG 67) is attacked by terrorists in a small boat laden with explosives during a brief refueling stop in the harbor of Aden, Yemen. The suicide terrorist attack kills 17 members of the ship's crew, wounds 39 others, and seriously damages the ship.
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This Day in World History
October 12
1492 Christopher Columbus and his crew land in the Bahamas.
1576 Rudolf II, the king of Hungary and Bohemia, succeeds his father, Maximillian II, as Holy Roman Emperor.
1609 The song "Three Blind Mice" is published in London, believed to be the earliest printed secular song.
1702 Admiral Sir George Rooke defeats the French fleet off Vigo.
1722 Shah Sultan Husayn surrenders the Persian capital of Isfahan to Afgan rebels after a seven month siege.
1809 Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, dies under mysterious circumstances in Tennessee.
1899 The Anglo-Boer War begins.
1872 Apache leader Cochise signs a peace treaty with General Howard in Arizona Territory.
1915 Despite international protests, Edith Cavell, an English nurse in Belgium, is executed by Germans for aiding the escape of Allied prisoners.
1933 Alcatraz Island is made a federal maximum security prison.
1943 The U.S. Fifth Army begins an assault crossing of the Volturno River in Italy.
1949 Eugenie Anderson becomes the first woman U.S. ambassador.
1960 Inejiro Asanuma, leaders of the Japan Socialist Party, is assassinated during a live TV broadcast.
1964 1964 USSR launches Voskhod I, first spacecraft with multi-person crew; it is also the first mission in which the crew did not wear space suits.
1970 President Richard Nixon announces the pullout of 40,000 more American troops in Vietnam by Christmas.
1971 The House of Representatives passes the Equal Rights Amendment 354-23.
1984 The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonates at bomb at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, England, in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; 5 others are killed and 31 wounded.
1994 NASA loses contact with the Magellan probe spacecraft in the thick atmosphere of Venus.
1999 Chief of Army Staff Perez Musharraf seizes power in Pakistan through a bloodless military coup.
2000 Suicide bombers at Aden, Yemen, damage USS Cole; 17 crew members killed and over 35 wounded.
2002 Terrorist bombers kill over 200 and wound over 300 more at the Sari Club in Kuta, Bali.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Skip… For The List for Thursday, 12 October 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 12 October 1968… A break in the stalled "Peace Talks" in Paris…
Thanks to Micro
From Vietnam Air Losses site for Thursday October 12
October 12: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=847
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
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Servicemembers Killed in the Vietnam War
The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature.
https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
By: Kipp Hanley
AUGUST 15, 2022
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To All
Heater is also a great photographer and I have a copy of his book "Cutting Edge" which is filled with beautiful pictures of aircraft.
skip
From: rabens@roadrunner.com <rabens@roadrunner.com>
Subject: FW: Heater Heatley
Skip – have you heard this about Heater? F-14 Association will re-broadcast and re-post all over but I would feel better if I knew this was verified. If it is true, I'd appreciate it if you could add to The List
Thanks/Rabies
From: Bill Barto <historian@f-14association.com>
Subject: Heater Heatley
All,
Everyone connected with the F-14 knows who Heater Heatley is. He needs our help. The link below explains his situation and what we can do.
I would like to propose that the Tomcat Association make a donation to help out one of our own.
Squawk 7700 Heater Needs some Help | Givetaxfree.org
Thank you,
Bill Barto
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
8 Facts You Might Not Know About Yellowstone National Park
As America's first national park and one of its most important biosphere reserves, Yellowstone holds a unique place in our national consciousness — more than four million people visit the park each year. However, with its rich history, there are likely many facts you've probably never heard of, even if you consider yourself a park aficionado. Here are eight fascinating Yellowstone National Park facts that will take your knowledge of America's favorite national park to the next level.
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There's Another Grand Canyon at Yellowstone
When most people think of the Grand Canyon, they think of Arizona. But what about the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River? This 20-mile long canyon is said to be an important example of river-type erosion, with a depth of more than 1,000 feet. On the ridge of the canyon lies Artist Point, which offers one of the most beautiful views in the park. From this spot on the trail, you can see a majestic, 300-foot waterfall flowing into the canyon. If you look down, you'll see steep canyon walls in gorgeous hues of pink, orange, yellow, and red.
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Half of the World's Geysers Are in the Park
Yellowstone is home to a whopping 10,000-plus hydrothermal features, including 500 geysers — which scientists estimate is about half of the world's geysers. The most famous is Old Faithful, which erupts around 17 times a day. Other breathtaking features, like the Beehive Geyser and Grotto Geyser, are somewhat less popular but still provide a thrilling show of geothermal action. So, if you're worried about Old Faithful being too crowded at peak times of the year, don't worry — you still have hundreds of other geysers to see.
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Bison in Yellowstone Are the Oldest in America
While many other grassland areas have been over-hunted and bison ha e been driven to extinction, Yellowstone's herd has remained intact. According to the History Channel, Yellowstone's bison population is the only herd that has existed since prehistoric times in the United States. In the 19th century, the herd was hunted down to its last 23 members by avid fur traders exploring the Wild West. Today, however, the park is home to 5,500 bison, making it the biggest bison population in the country.
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Yellowstone County Has Its Own Judicial System
For 30 years, the United States Army kept order at Yellowstone. Until 1916, soldiers patrolled the park to protect the wildlife from unscrupulous poachers. The park spans three states — Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming — all of which have differing laws pertaining to wildlife and preservation. To fix this decades-old issue of disputes in different parts of the park, Yellowstone officially created the Yellowstone County judicial system in 2006. That means if you break the law while you're visiting the park, you'll be put in the official Yellowstone jail. And, your mugshot may just be the only souvenir you get to take home.
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The Park Is One of Only UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the U.S.
Around the world, 878 extraordinary locations have been designated as United Nations Education, Science, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites. The United States only has 20 sites across the entire country, and Yellowstone is one of the most important.
UNESCO's website provides a list of reasons for Yellowstone's coveted honor, including its distinctive manifestation of geothermal forces and vast number of rare species. These ecological features are why Yellowstone stands alongside culturally significant sites like the Great Barrier Reef and Machu Picchu.
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Yellowstone Is Actually a Giant Supervolcano
Hot spots and geysers represent just a fraction of the action beneath the surface at Yellowstone. The whole park is actually a supervolcano, although it's not supposed to erupt anytime soon. But, how do we know this? Despite the warnings, Yellowstone is quite safe: Its supervolcano is made up of two magma chambers. The first chamber contains no more than 15% molten. Meanwhile, the second chamber contains only two percent molten. According to Forbes, it's practically impossible for a supervolcano to erupt unless its magma chambers contain at least 50% molten. So, rest easy — and don't forget to enjoy the view.
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The Bears Aren't as Dangerous as You Think
In the entire history of Yellowstone, only eight people have ever been killed by bears in the park. To put this in perspective, that means only one in 2.7 million visitors will have a fatal bear encounter. Getting injured by a bear is a bit more common, but still happens only about every 20 years. The National Park Service cautions people to look out for falling trees instead, which kill the same number of people (but get a lot less media attention).
8 of 8
Hundreds of Unique Flowers Thrive in Yellowstone
An estimated 1,350 different types of flowering plants grow wild at Yellowstone, the vast majority native to the region. One remarkable plant that calls the park home is Yellowstone sand verbena, a flower which normally thrives in warm environments but has managed to grow at a 7,700 foot altitude inside the park. Another unique floral trademark of Yellowstone is Ross's Bentgrass, which grows exclusively in hot, vapor-heavy environments. This plant is a common sight at the park but rare everywhere else in the world.
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Thanks to Carl
(I remember him saying in an interview once that he had a dream of tackling a guy so hard that he ran through him! Surprised he did not have some TBI from his hard hits!)
https://www.drmirkin.com/histories-and-mysteries/dick-butkus-and-heart-disease-in-athletes.html
Dick Butkus and Heart Disease in Athletes
By Dr. Gabe Mirkin
October 8, 2023
Dick Butkus played football for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1973 and was regarded as one of the greatest, fiercest and most intimidating linebackers in professional football history. He played in eight Pro Bowls, was named a first-team All-Pro six times, and twice was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. He was voted NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. One reporter noted that at 6 feet 3 inches, this 245-pound powerhouse "terrorized opposing ball carriers and quarterbacks. His mauling style of tackling was worthy of a grizzly bear." He retired from professional football at age 31 because of recurrent injuries, primarily a damaged knee.
In spite of his amazing physical conditioning, strength and speed, his heart arteries were blocked by plaques and in August 2001, 28 years after he retired from professional football, he had bypass surgery for the five major arteries carrying blood to his heart. Twenty-two years later, on October 5, 2023, he died in his sleep of an unreported cause. I have never seen his medical records or examined him, but the most likely cause of his death would be an irregular heartbeat and/or a clot released from inside his heart to his brain or lungs.
Destined for Greatness
He was born in 1942 in Chicago's Far South Side, the youngest of nine children. At birth, he weighed a massive 13 pounds 6 ounces. His father and all four of his brothers were more than six feet tall and weighed over 200 pounds.
Butkus knew that he was going to be a professional football player by the time he was in fifth grade, because "society said you had to be fierce and I was fierce and tough." He was also gifted with amazing speed and could outrun most tight ends and running backs. He was the star of his Chicago Vocational High School and University of Illinois football teams, and he led his college team to the Big Ten Championship. The team was ranked third in the nation and beat Washington 17-7 in the Rose Bowl. He was a unanimous All-American in 1964 and the University of Illinois retired his number 50 jersey.
As a professional football player, he was known as a vicious tackler who was the greatest linebacker in football. Opponents said that every time he hit you, he tried to put you in the cemetery, not just the hospital. After retiring from football, he acted in more than 20 movies and was a football announcer on radio and TV.
NFL legend Dick Butkus dies at 80 l GMA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZssr_N5zvw
Plaques are Formed from an Unhealthful Diet
While he was training, Butkus ate an unhealthful diet and smoked cigars. After he retired from playing football, he stayed overweight and continued his unhealthful diet and smoking, which put him at very high risk for a heart attack. Following his bypass surgery, he improved his lifestyle and he and his surgeons wrote a book, The OC Cure for Heart Disease, in an effort to teach people how to prevent heart attacks. A diet that is high in the pro-inflammatory foods (sweets, refined grains, sugared drinks, red meat, processed meats, fried foods, alcohol) is associated with increased risk for forming plaques (J Amer Coll Cardiol, July 2017;70(4)). A diet that is high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts will reduce your chances of suffering a heart attack (J Am Coll Cardiol, Nov 10, 2020;76(19):2181-2193).
Exercise Does Not Prevent Plaques
Heart attacks are not caused by arteries narrowed by plaques. A heart attack is usually caused by a sudden immediate complete blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle itself. First a plaque breaks off from the inner lining of an artery leading to the heart. This is followed by bleeding and clotting. Then the clot extends to block all flow of blood through that artery to deprive the heart muscle completely of oxygen, so that part of the heart muscle dies.
Exercise can help to prevent heart attacks by stabilizing plaques so they are less likely to break off, bleed and block completely all blood flow to the heart to cause a heart attack.
An X-ray test called Coronary Artery Calcification Score or Calcium Artery Score (CAC) is used to measure the size of plaques in the arteries leading to the heart. That test can also tell whether the plaques are very stable, or are unstable and more likely to break off to cause a heart attack. A stable plaque is called "hard; " it is not full of fat and has a thick calcium periphery to keep the plaque in place. An unstable plaque is called "soft;" it is full of fat and has irregular calcium borders that may not hold the plaque in place.
Why Athletes May Have Higher Calcium Scores
Competitive older athletes can have more plaques in their arteries than non-exercisers, and intense exercise may increase plaque formation However, athletes are likely to have the type of plaques that are far less likely to break off to cause heart attacks (Circulation, April 27, 2017;136:138-148; May 2, 2017;136:126-137). Plaques form in arteries from an unhealthful diet and faulty genes. Exercise does not prevent plaques from forming, and a pro-inflammatory diet increases plaque formation regardless of exercise. Exercise stabilizes plaques so that they are less likely to break off to cause heart attacks. Since exercise burns lots of extra calories, exercisers may eat more food, and if they choose to add more pro-inflammatory foods, they can expect to build up more plaques.
The Legend of Dick Butkus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEbmNOH7EOw
Having a Big Belly Increases Risk for a Heart Attack
After his bypass surgery, Butkus saw the light and changed many of the lifestyle factors that put him at high risk for a heart attack. However, he was still overweight and had a big belly, a major risk factor for heart attacks. People who have a big belly are at high risk for having excess fat in their liver, which prevents them from responding to insulin. Everyone's blood sugar rises after they eat. To prevent blood sugar from rising too high, the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream to lower blood sugar by driving sugar from the bloodstream into the liver. However a liver full of fat does not accept the sugar and even releases sugar from its cells to drive blood sugar levels even higher. A high rise in blood sugar after meals can cause diabetes, plaques to form in arteries and plaques to break off to cause heart attacks. A high rise in blood sugar after meals can also damage the heart muscle to cause irregular heartbeats. One type of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation causes clots to form and block blood flow through the body.
Lessons from the Story of Dick Butkus
Exercise helps to prevent heart attacks, but you should also do other things to help protect yourself from heart muscle damage, heart attacks, irregular heartbeats and forming clots:
• avoid being overweight
• exercise
• eat plenty of nuts, beans, seeds and vegetables and some fruits
• restrict sugared drinks, sugar-added foods, fried foods, refined carbohydrates and red and processed meat
• do not smoke
• avoid alcohol
• avoid recreational drugs and unnecessary prescription drugs
• get blood levels of hydroxy vitamin D above 30 ng/mL
Dick Butkus
December 9, 1942 – October 5, 2023
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More history thanks to Dutch
1492: According to the Old Style calendar, Christopher Columbus' expedition arrives in the present-day Bahamas.
1810: The German festival Oktoberfest was first held in Munich to celebrate the wedding of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen.
1870: General Robert E. Lee dies in Lexington, Va., at age 63.
1973: President Richard Nixon nominates House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford of Michigan to succeed Spiro T. Agnew as vice president.
1984: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher escapes an attempt on her life when an Irish Republican Army bomb explodes at a hotel in Brighton, England, killing five people.
1984: Actor Jon-Erik Hexum is mortally wounded on the set of his TV show "Cover Up" when he jokingly shoots himself in the head with a prop pistol loaded with a blank cartridge; he would be declared dead six days later.
1997: Singer John Denver is killed in the crash of his privately built aircraft in Monterey Bay, Calif.
2001: NBC announces that an assistant to anchorman Tom Brokaw has contracted the skin form of anthrax after opening a "threatening" letter to her boss containing powder.
2002: Bombs blamed on al-Qaeda-linked militants destroy a nightclub on the Indonesian island of Bali, killing 202 people, including 88 Australians and seven Americans.
2007: Former Vice President Al Gore and the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change win the Nobel Peace Prize for sounding the alarm over global warming.
2014: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms that a health care worker at the Texas hospital where Ebola victim Thomas Eric Duncan was treated before his death tested positive for the illness in the first known case of Ebola being contracted or transmitted in the U.S. (The worker, identified as nurse Nina Pham, would be treated and declared free of Ebola.)
2018: Pope Francis accepts the resignation of the archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl after he becomes entangled in two major sexual abuse and cover-up scandals.
2018: American pastor Andrew Brunson flies out of Turkey after a Turkish court convicts him of terror links but frees him from house arrest; he'd already spent nearly two years in detention.
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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/.
Oct. 11, 1968
Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo spacecraft, was launched aboard a Saturn IB rocket from Launch Complex 34, Cape Kennedy Air Force Station, Cape Kennedy, Florida. The flight crew were Capt. Walter M. "Wally" Schirra, United States Navy, the mission commander, on his third space flight; Maj. Donn F. Eisele, U.S. Air Force, the command module pilot, on his first space flight; and Maj. Walter Cunningham, U.S. Marine Corps, lunar module pilot, also on his first space flight. Retired Colonel Cunningham is a Daedalian Life Member; retired Captain Schirra was one until his death in 2007.
Oct. 12, 1976
The Sikorsky S-72 Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA) made its first flight at Stratford, Connecticut. The S-72 was a hybrid aircraft built for the United States Army and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Its purpose was to serve as a flight test vehicle for various helicopter rotor configurations. Learn more about the S-72 HERE.
Oct. 13, 1922
First Lt. Theodore Joseph Koenig, Air Service, United States Army, won the Liberty Engine Builders' Trophy Race, a race for observation-type aircraft powered by the Liberty 12 engine at the National Air Races at Selfridge Field, Michigan. Flying a Packard Lepère L USA C.II, Air Service serial number A.S. 40015, Koenig completed 10 laps of the triangular racecourse in 2:00:01.54, at an average speed of 128.8 miles per hour. In addition to a trophy, cash prizes were awarded to the competitors for first, second and third place finishes. First place received $1,200 (about $16,747 in 2017); second place, $600; third place, $200.
Oct. 14, 1938
The first flight of the Curtiss XP-40 Tomahawk was on this date.
Oct. 15, 1944
More than 1,000 Eighth Air Force heavy bombers attacked marshalling yards and a gas unit plant at Cologne, Germany; they were escorted by less than 12 fighter groups. Another two P-47 groups swooped in low to bomb and strafe targets in Hannover and Muenster-Kassel.
Oct. 16, 1943
Lockheed received a contract to produce the XP-80 Shooting Star, the first true American jet-propelled fighter.
Oct. 17, 1911
Searching for improved powerplants, Navy Capt. Washington I. Chambers of the Bureau of Navigation, in a letter to Glenn H. Curtiss, discussed heavy oil (or diesel) engines and turbine engines similar in principle to those that, some 30 years later, would make jet propulsion practical. Chambers wrote, "In my opinion, this turbine is the surest step of all, and the aeroplane manufacturer who gets in with it first is going to do wonders."
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 12, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
12 October
1916: Tony Jannus died in Russia while demonstrating a Curtiss flying boat. (24)
1918: America's 185th Pursuit Squadron flew the first U. S. night air pursuit operations in France. (21)
1925: Lt Cyrus Bettis, Air Service, set a world speed record of 249 MPH in the National Air Races at Mitchel Field using a Curtiss R3C-1. He was the winner of the 1924 Mitchell Trophy Race and won the 1925 Mackay Trophy. He was also a winner of the Pulitzer Trophy in October 1925, flying a Curtiss R3C-1 racer. In winning the trophy, he set a new airspeed record for a closed-circuit race. The record was broken shortly after by Lieutenant Jimmy Doolittle who was flying the same aircraft with pontoons installed
1937: The Air Corps transferred its last airship to the Navy, which left one airship in the inventory as a motorized training balloon.
1939: Harry B. Chapman used an Aeronca seaplane to set a world distance record for light seaplanes by flying 1,164 miles from Jamaica Bay, N. Y., to New Orleans. (24)
1944: Lt. Charles "Chuck" Yeager scored five confirmed kills over Bremen, Germany, becoming the first "Ace" in one day. As group leader, Lt. Yeager was escorting B-24 bombers over Holland when his squadron spotted 22 Bf-109 aircraft. Lt. Yeager distracted one pilot who collided with another, sending both down in flames, continued to shoot down another at 600 yards, then rolled over behind his pursuer to take him out at less than 50 feet. The last pilot went into a steep dive as Lt. Yeager pursued the aircraft, but it could not recover and crashed.
1950: KOREAN WAR. Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command began to airlift ROK military supplies to Wonsan and 600 tons of bridge sections to Kimpo airfield. (28)
1952: KOREAN WAR. An SA-16 pilot, 3d Air Rescue Squadron, participated in two rescues within thirty minutes and over 100 miles apart. After directing a helicopter pickup of a downed F-86 Sabrejet pilot, the SA-16 pilot landed in the Haeju harbor and, while overhead fighters suppressed ground fire from the shore, picked up from a dinghy a 69th Fighter-Bomber Squadron pilot who had parachuted from his burning F-84. (28) KOREAN WAR. Through 14 October, the 315th Air Division conducted paratroop-drop exercises with the US Army's 187th Regimental Combat Team as part of the Kojo deception. Additionally, on 12-13 October 26 B-29s from all three medium bombardment units struck 9 separate troop concentrations on Haeju Peninsula. (28)
1954: At Wichita, Ks., the Cessna XT-37 flew for the first time. (20)
1963: Joseph A. Walker, NASA's senior X-15 pilot and holder of world altitude and speed records for research aircraft, received the Christopher Columbus International Prize for Communications.
1964: The XB-70A achieved supersonic flight for the first time above Edwards AFB. (3)
1967: The FAA certified the all-weather landing system for the C-141 Starlifter.
1973: Pilot Einar K. Enevoldson guided the first flight of a new remotely piloted research vehicle from a ground cockpit and TV screen. After the 3/8ths scale-model F-15 dropped from a B-52, he led it to a safe landing.
1977: The USAF's first class of five women navigators graduated. Three of the five women were assigned to MAC aircrews. (18)
1980: Two earthquakes struck El Asnam, Algeria, only hours apart on 10 October, killing at least 6,000 people and leaving about 200,000 homeless. From 12-26 October, 1 C-130, 2 C-5, and 14 C-141 missions airlifted some 400 tons of relief supplies to Algeria. The aircraft came from the 436, 437, and 438 MAWs, and the 435 TAW. (18) (26)
1997: The SECDEF deployed US military assets to support of fire-fighting efforts in Indonesia as part of a technical assistance package to the most seriously affected countries in that region. Military support included 60 crew and support personnel for three C-130 aircraft, two equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, and one flying in support. The crew and aircraft came from the 153 AW, Wyoming ANG. PACAF directed the operation to drop 685,000 gallons of water and fire retardant in Java and Sumatra. The operation ended in December after 215 sorties and 316.5 flying hours. (21) (32)
1998: The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, 403rd Wing (AFRC), at Keesler AFB received the USAF's first WC-130J Hercules aircraft. The WC-130J, outfitted as a special weather reconnaissance version of Lockheed-Martin's C-130J cargo plane, had a mission to fly into the eye of hurricanes to retrieve critical information about active storms. (AFNEWS Article 991900, 14 Oct 99)
2006: The 14 FTW at Columbus AFB received its first T-6 Texan. The two-seat, single-engine aircraft would replace the T-37 Tweet in the pilot primary training mission. (AFNEWS Article, "14th FTW Welcomes New Training Aircraft," 13 Oct 2006)
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Military Milestones from the Navy's Birthday to Black Thursday by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
10/16/2009
This Week in American Military History:
Oct. 12, 1862: Confederate cavalry commander Gen. James Ewell Brown "J.E.B." Stuart completes his "second ride" around Union Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac.
Oct. 13, 1775: Happy Birthday, U.S. Navy!
According to the Naval History and Heritage Command:
"…meeting in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress voted to fit out two sailing vessels, armed with ten carriage guns, as well as swivel guns, and manned by crews of eighty, and to send them out on a cruise of three months to intercept transports carrying munitions and stores to the British army in America.
"This was the original legislation out of which the Continental Navy grew and as such constitutes the birth certificate of the navy."
Oct. 14, 1943: In what will become known as "Black Thursday," U.S. Army Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses -- elements of the famed 8th Air Force -- attack the ball-bearing plants (critical to Germany's aviation industry) at the heavily defended Bavarian city of Schweinfurt. Though the raid is successful, scores of bombers -- and more than 600 airmen -- are lost.
According to Bruce Crawford writing for Aviation History magazine: "There is not much there to commemorate the carnage that took place overhead so many years ago, and that is too bad, because Schweinfurt should rank with Pickett's Charge, Bataan, Chosin and other battlefields as an epic of American heroism. As it is, we can only look at grainy wartime pictures of the bombers going down in flames, and try to imagine what it was like for the men trapped inside."
Oct. 16, 1859: Abolitionist John Brown and his raiders seize several buildings in Harper's Ferry, Virginia (see next week).
Oct. 17, 1777: After having been decisively defeated by Continental Army Gen. Horatio Gates at Second Saratoga (see Oct. 7), British Gen. John "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne surrenders his entire army, between 5,000 and 7,000 men
Oct. 17, 1922: Lt. Commander Virgil C. Griffin, piloting a Vought VE-7SF bi-winged fighter, makes the first-ever "official" takeoff from a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, USS Langley -- a coaling ship which had been converted into America's first aircraft carrier -- in York River, Va.
Though Griffin is indeed the first man to takeoff from a "carrier", he is not the first to takeoff from a warship. That distinction belongs to Eugene B. Ely who took-off from a platform affixed to a cruiser in 1910.
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Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
12 October
DOUGHERTY, MICHAEL
Rank and organization: Private, Company B, 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry. Place and date: At Jefferson, Va., 12 October 1863. Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa. Born: 10 May 1844, Ireland. Date of issue: 23 January 1897. Citation: At the head of a detachment of his company dashed across an open field, exposed to a deadly fire from the enemy, and succeeded in dislodging them from an unoccupied house, which he and his comrades defended for several hours against repeated attacks, thus preventing the enemy from flanking the position of the Union forces.
*HERIOT, JAMES D.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company I, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date: At Vaux-Andigny, France, 12 October 1918. Entered service at: Providence, S.C. Birth: Providence, S.C. G.O. No.: 13, W.D., 1919. Citation: Cpl. Heriot, with 4 other soldiers, organized a combat group and attacked an enemy machine-gun nest which had been inflicting heavy casualties on his company. In the advance 2 of his men were killed, and because of the heavy fire from all sides the remaining 2 sought shelter. Unmindful of the hazard attached to his mission, Cpl. Heriot, with fixed bayonet, alone charged the machinegun, making his way through the fire for a distance of 30 yards and forcing the enemy to surrender. During this exploit he received several wounds in the arm, and later in the same day, while charging another nest, he was killed.
WOODFILL, SAMUEL
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 60th Infantry, 5th Division. Place and date: At Cunel, France, 12 October 1918. Entered service at: Bryantsburg, Ind. Birth: Jefferson County, Ind. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: While he was leading his company against the enemy, his line came under heavy machinegun fire, which threatened to hold up the advance. Followed by 2 soldiers at 25 yards, this officer went out ahead of his first line toward a machinegun nest and worked his way around its flank, leaving the 2 soldiers in front. When he got within 10 yards of the gun it ceased firing, and 4 of the enemy appeared, 3 of whom were shot by 1st Lt. Woodfill. The fourth, an officer, rushed at 1st Lt. Woodfill, who attempted to club the officer with his rifle. After a hand-to-hand struggle, 1st Lt. Woodfill killed the officer with his pistol. His company thereupon continued to advance, until shortly afterwards another machinegun nest was encountered. Calling on his men to follow, 1st Lt. Woodfill rushed ahead of his line in the face of heavy fire from the nest, and when several of the enemy appeared above the nest he shot them, capturing 3 other members of the crew and silencing the gun. A few minutes later this officer for the third time demonstrated conspicuous daring by charging another machinegun position, killing 5 men in one machinegun pit with his rifle. He then drew his revolver and started to jump into the pit, when 2 other gunners only a few yards away turned their gun on him. Failing to kill them with his revolver, he grabbed a pick lying nearby and killed both of them. Inspired by the exceptional courage displayed by this officer, his men pressed on to their objective under severe shell and machinegun fire.
*PENDLETON, JACK J.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company I, 120th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division. Place and date: Bardenberg, Germany, 12 October 1944. Entered service at: Yakima, Wash. Birth: Sentinel Butte, N. Dak. G.O. No.: 24, 6 April 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 12 October 1944. When Company I was advancing on the town of Bardenberg, Germany, they reached a point approximately two-thirds of the distance through the town when they were pinned down by fire from a nest of enemy machineguns. This enemy strong point was protected by a lone machinegun strategically placed at an intersection and firing down a street which offered little or no cover or concealment for the advancing troops. The elimination of this protecting machinegun was imperative in order that the stronger position it protected could be neutralized. After repeated and unsuccessful attempts had been made to knock out this position, S/Sgt. Pendleton volunteered to lead his squad in an attempt to neutralize this strongpoint. S/Sgt. Pendleton started his squad slowly forward, crawling about 10 yards in front of his men in the advance toward the enemy gun. After advancing approximately 130 yards under the withering fire, S/Sgt. Pendleton was seriously wounded in the leg by a burst from the gun he was assaulting. Disregarding his grievous wound, he ordered his men to remain where they were, and with a supply of handgrenades he slowly and painfully worked his way forward alone. With no hope of surviving the veritable hail of machinegun fire which he deliberately drew onto himself, he succeeded in advancing to within 10 yards of the enemy position when he was instantly killed by a burst from the enemy gun. By deliberately diverting the attention of the enemy machine gunners upon himself, a second squad was able to advance, undetected, and with the help of S/Sgt. Pendleton's squad, neutralized the lone machinegun, while another platoon of his company advanced up the intersecting street and knocked out the machinegun nest which the first gun had been covering. S/Sgt. Pendleton's sacrifice enabled the entire company to continue the advance and complete their mission at a critical phase of the action.
*SCOTT, NORMAN
Rank and organization: Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy. Born: 10 August 1889, Indianapolis, Ind. Appointed from: Indiana. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty during action against enemy Japanese forces off Savo Island on the night of 11-12 October and again on the night of 12-13 November 1942. In the earlier action, intercepting a Japanese Task Force intent upon storming our island positions and landing reinforcements at Guadalcanal, Rear Adm. Scott, with courageous skill and superb coordination of the units under his command, destroyed 8 hostile vessels and put the others to flight. Again challenged, a month later, by the return of a stubborn and persistent foe, he led his force into a desperate battle against tremendous odds, directing close-range operations against the invading enemy until he himself was killed in the furious bombardment by their superior firepower. On each of these occasions his dauntless initiative, inspiring leadership and judicious foresight in a crisis of grave responsibility contributed decisively to the rout of a powerful invasion fleet and to the consequent frustration of a formidable Japanese offensive. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
*COURSEN, SAMUEL S.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company C 5th Cavalry Regiment. Place and date: Near Kaesong, Korea, 12 October 1950. Entered service at: Madison, N.J. Born: 4 August 1926 Madison, N.J. G.O. No.: 57, 2 August 1951. Citation: 1st Lt. Coursen distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. While Company C was attacking Hill 174 under heavy enemy small-arms fire, his platoon received enemy fire from close range. The platoon returned the fire and continued to advance. During this phase 1 his men moved into a well-camouflaged emplacement, which was thought to be unoccupied, and was wounded by the enemy who were hidden within the emplacement. Seeing the soldier in difficulty he rushed to the man's aid and, without regard for his personal safety, engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat in an effort to protect his wounded comrade until he himself was killed. When his body was recovered after the battle 7 enemy dead were found in the emplacement. As the result of 1st Lt. Coursen's violent struggle several of the enemies' heads had been crushed with his rifle. His aggressive and intrepid actions saved the life of the wounded man, eliminated the main position of the enemy roadblock, and greatly inspired the men in his command. 1st Lt. Coursen's extraordinary heroism and intrepidity reflect the highest credit on himself and are in keeping with the honored traditions of the military service.
WEST, ERNEST E.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company L, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Sataeri, Korea, 12 October 1952. Entered service at: Wurtland Ky. Born: 2 September 1931, Russell, Ky. G.O. No.: 7, 29 January i954. Citation: Pfc. West distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. He voluntarily accompanied a contingent to locate and destroy a reported enemy outpost. Nearing the objective, the patrol was ambushed and suffered numerous casualties. Observing his wounded leader lying in an exposed position, Pfc. West ordered the troops to withdraw, then braved intense fire to reach and assist him. While attempting evacuation, he was attacked by 3 hostile soldiers employing grenades and small-arms fire. Quickly shifting his body to shelter the officer, he killed the assailants with his rifle, then carried the helpless man to safety. He was critically wounded and lost an eye in this action. but courageously returned through withering fire and bursting shells to assist the wounded. While evacuating 2 comrades, he closed with and killed 3 more of the foe. Pfc. West's indomitable spirit, consummate valor, and intrepid actions inspired all who observed him, reflect the highest credit on himself, and uphold the honored traditions of the military service.
*PERKINS, WILLIAM THOMAS, JR.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 12 October 1967. Entered service at: San Francisco, Calif. Born: 10 August 1947, Rochester, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a combat photographer attached to Company C. During Operation MEDINA, a major reconnaissance in force southwest of Quang Tri, Company C made heavy combat contact with a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force estimated at from 2 to 3 companies. The focal point of the intense fighting was a helicopter landing zone which was also serving as the Command Post of Company C. In the course of a strong hostile attack, an enemy grenade landed in the immediate area occupied by Cpl. Perkins and 3 other marines. Realizing the inherent danger, he shouted the warning, "Incoming Grenade" to his fellow marines, and in a valiant act of heroism, hurled himself upon the grenade absorbing the impact of the explosion with his body, thereby saving the lives of his comrades at the cost of his life. Through his exceptional courage and inspiring valor in the face of certain death, Cpl. Perkins reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
ITALY
* * * By virtue of a joint resolution of Congress, approved 12 October 1921, the Medal of Honor, emblem of highest ideals and virtues, is bestowed in the name of the Congress of the United States upon the unknown, unidentified Italian soldier to be buried in the National Monument to Victor Emanuel 11, in Rome.
Whereas the Congress has authorized the bestowal of the Congressional Medal of Honor upon unknown, unidentified British and French soldiers buried in Westminster Abbey, London, England, and the Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France, respectively, who fought beside our soldiers in the recent war, and
Whereas, animated by the same spirit of friendship toward the soldiers of Italy who also fought as comrades of the American soldiers during the World War, we desire to add whatever we can to the imperishable glory won by their deeds and to participate in paying tribute to their unknown dead: Now, therefore. be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to bestow, with appropriate ceremonies, military and civil, the Congressional Medal of Honor upon the unknown, unidentified Italian soldier to be buried in the National Monument to Victor Emanuel 11, in Rome, Italy (A.G. 220.523) (War Department General Orders, No. 52, I Dec. 1922, Sec. II)
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