TheList 6643

The List 6643     TGB

To All,

Good Saturday morning November 11, 2023

Today is Veteran's Day. I AGAIN want to wish all my fellow Veterans a wonderful day with your loved ones and friends and your brothers in arms. Here is more of a regular list but still has some Veteran's Day posts

Regards,

Skip

 

 

Three Important days that we celebrate and the meaning of each

 

ARMED FOPRCES DAY

The third Saturday in May

The day to appreciate Americans currently serving in uniform

 

VETERANS DAY

November 11

The day to honor Americans who once served in uniform

 

MEMORIAL DAY

Last Monday in May

The day to remember Americans who never got to take the uniform off

 

 

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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)

 

November 11

1861 Thaddeus Lowe conducts an aerial observation of Confederate positions from balloon boat G.W. Parke Custis. This observation paves the way for the Navy's present effective use of the air as an element of sea power.

 

1870 The Navy expedition to explore the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Southern Mexico, commanded by Capt. Robert W. Shufeldt, enters the Coatzacoalcos River to begin a survey for a possible inter-oceanic canal. Support is provided by the gunboat Kansas and the screw tug Mayflower.

 

1918 Fighting ceases on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month when an armistice is signed between Germany and the Allied nations, regarding this day as the end of World War I. In Nov. 1919, President Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.

 

1920 Lenah S. Higbee becomes the first woman to be awarded the Navy Cross for her service as a nurse in World War I. Named in her honor, USS Higbee (DD 806) is commissioned in 1945 and is the first U.S. Navy combat ship to bear the name of a female member of U.S. Navy service.

 

1943 Task Force 38 and Task Group 50.3 attack Japanese shipping at Rabaul, where the Japanese destroyer Suzunami is sunk and damage is inflicted to enemy destroyers Naganami, Urakaze, and Wakatsuki. This raid is the first use of SB2C Curtiss Helldivers i

 

1966 Gemini 12 is launched with former aviator Edwin Buzz Aldrin and Cmdr.

James A. Lovell, Jr., the command pilot. The mission lasts three days, 22 hours, and 34 minutes and includes 59 orbits at an altitude of 162.7 nautical miles. Recovery is done by HS-11 helicopter from USS Wasp (CVS 18).

 

1981 USS Ohio (SSBN 726) is commissioned.

 

2017 The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) strike groups conducted a three-carrier strike force exercise in the Western Pacific. The strike force worked together in international waters in order to demonstrate the U.S. Navy's unique capability to operate multiple carrier strike groups as a single, coordinated combat-ready force.

 

 

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Thanks to Barrett

Fingers Ensch interview

Over 200k views in about 3 weeks!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzdZmWcxRuM&ab_channel=AmericanVeteransCenter

 

Great interview…..I was on the USS Midway with Jack….. Skip

 

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Thanks to Dutch ,Marathon and  Wild Bill!

Dogs enjoying summer …. Skinny Dippin

 

 This is just to cute.  Enjoy!  😁

 

   https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/150/478/790/playable/7a73743bcd9e81b7.mp4

 

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Thanks to Super

Veteran Salute

 

To all who have gone into the JAWS OF THE TIGER IN DEFENSE OF THE USA!  I thank you for your service!  God bless and protect you and yours!

 

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Thanks to Dan

 

11 NOV 43 – The Battle of the Solomon Sea -- 35 v 100+

 

 Two carrier task groups -- TG 50.3 and TG 50.4 -- combine with a total of five carriers to launch the largest carrier-based attack to date.  The targets are Japanese Imperial Navy ships and aircraft defending the Japanese Fortress at Rabaul, Papua New Guinea with over 100,000 troops.  

 

 TG 50.4 with carriers USS Saratoga and Princeton strike first from the northeast.  Due to weather at the target, the strike has limited success. The Japanese defend the first attack with 68 airborne Zero fighters.  TG 50.3 with carriers USS Bunker Hill, Essex, and Independence strike second from the southwest.  The second attack with over 185 aircraft empties the flight decks of the three carriers leaving them and their nine destroyers vulnerable to attack for more than six hours.  During this vulnerability window, four shore-based fighter squadrons – two Navy -- VF-17 with F4U Corsairs and VF-33 with F6F Hellcats and two Marine -- VMF-212 and VMF-212 with F4U Corsairs – protect TG 50.3 from Japanese counter attacks.

 Following the largely successful second attack, the Japanese counter-attack with one of the largest anti-carrier attacks of the war consisting of 27 Val dive bombers 14 Kate torpedo planes, 67 Zero fighters and a number of G4M2 Betty twin-engine bombers.  The ensuing engagement of 35 US Navy fighters v 100+ Japanese aircraft is known as The Battle of the Solomon Sea. 

 

LCDR Tommy (Big Hog) Blackburn was the commanding officer of the Skull and Cross Bone Squadron of Navy Fighting Squadron 17.  Two months earlier logistical -- not operational -- constraints required the VF-17 Corsairs detach from the USS Bunker Hill and begin combat operations ashore on the Solomon Islands of Guadalcanal and then Odonogo, New Georgia. 

 At 0400 on 11 November 1943, twenty-three F4U Corsairs from VF-17 and twelve F6F Hellcats from VF-33 launch from ashore and proceed 150 miles out to sea to rendezvous with TG 50.3.  They provide air cover during and after the 0530 dawn launch.  Shortly before his planned ship-board recovery at 0830, Blackburn scores the first kill when he bags a Tony.  The two Marine fighter squadrons relieve VF-17 and VF-33 and they recover, rearm and refuel aboard the Bunker Hill, Essex and Independence in preparation for the Japanese counter-attack.  Blackburn took great pride that all of his VF-17 pilots recovered uneventfully and without a wave off or incident despite the two months ashore.  

 

 At 1030 VF-17 and VF-33 launch and relieve the two Marine squadrons overhead who return uneventfully to shore.  On the side of Blackburn's "Big Hog" aircraft is another Japanese "meatball" flag signifying the morning's first kill – freshly painted while his aircraft was checked out, refueled and rearmed aboard the Bunker Hill.  While aboard, Blackburn learns that a massive Japanese counter-attack would begin at 1300.  The enemy was only thirteen minutes late. 

 Chaos reigns as thirty-five Corsairs and Hellcats along with ship launched 5-inch proximity fuses and dense 40-mm and 20-mm fires shredded what would have been an overwhelming Japanese air strike earlier in the war of 100+ airplanes.  The Japanese lost all 14 Kates, 17 of 22 Vals, several Betty bombers and dozens of fighters.   No US ships were damaged and only ten sailors were injured aboard the carriers.

 During the battle LCDR Roger Hedrick, Blackburn's XO, bagged a Zeke.  He then chased another Zeke into a cloud.  It suddenly reappeared from the cloud.  Hedrick quickly pumped six rounds into the aircraft before realizing it was not a Zeke but a Corsair AND the one flown by his commanding officer, Blackburn.  Three rounds penetrated the Big Hog aircraft just in front of Blackburn's cockpit and three rounds penetrated just behind Blackburn's cockpit.  Blackburn remembers, "Fortunately Big Hog had been inside the convergence distance of his guns.  Otherwise those six rounds would have gone through me." Once safely ashore Blackburn thanked Hedrick for being such a lousy shot.   

 VF-17's scorecard for 11 November includes 18.5 kills in a single day led by Ensign Ira (Ike) Kepford with 4.5 kills.  Blackburn remembers, "Ike drilled right on through the intense friendly AA fire to burn a Kate just as it seemed ready to launch its fish only 1,000 yards from Bunker Hill." Low on gas Kepford made an unplanned second recovery aboard the Bunker Hill to refuel and rearm before safely returning ashore at Odango after 11 hours flight time.  For his actions, that day, Kepford was awarded his first Navy Cross. 

 From Vice Admiral Jim Stockdale's introduction to The Jolly Rogers: The Story of Tommy Blackburn and Navy Fighting Squadron VF-17:

 VF-17's combat record in the Solomons was unbeatable.  That one squadron, in seventy-six combat days, had a confirmed kill score of 154.5 Japanese airplanes with a kill to loss ratio of over eleven.  Thirteen pilots of VF-17 made ace in this period.  This, by a factor of more than a third, exceeds the scores of the Black Sheep Squadron made famous in the modern television serial…. But inspiration is what I'm writing these few pages about, and that was the legacy Tom left all fighter pilots.  He saw his war in a heroic, go-for-the-jugular, romantic context.

 

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Thanks to Interesting Facts

 

Gas stations make more money from convenience items than from selling gas.

 

In much the same way that movie theaters make higher profits from concessions than they do from tickets, gas stations make more money from convenience items than they do from selling gas. The profit margins on gasoline are extremely (and surprisingly) low, so much so that filling stations barely make any money just from selling fuel. That's even true when gas prices are higher (as they most definitely have been of late), because competition for customers is so fierce that retailers are often loath to be the first one to raise their prices. On average, the net profit margin on gasoline is just 1.4%, whereas the average across all industries is 7.7%. That profit margin is lower than the average one at car dealerships (3.2%) and grocery stores (2.5%), both of which are known for relatively low margins. The reason gas makes so little profit has to do with the supply chain — actually getting the fuel to your local 76 is a tremendously involved process.

 

That all changes once you step inside a gas station's convenience store (about 80% of them have one). Despite only bringing in some 30% of most gas stations' revenue, items like lottery tickets, potato chips, and drinks are responsible for 70% of the profit. So while they might not like higher gas prices any more than you do, gas station owners probably don't mind how much you spend on impulse buys.

 

Long before most of us were driving (or alive, for that matter), gas only set motorists back a few pennies per gallon. When the Revenue Act of 1932 added a federal tax of $0.01 to the sale of gasoline in the midst of the Great Depression, gas stations didn't want to pass along the full price of the tax, fearing lost customers (in some cases, the tax would have added 10% to the total cost at the pump). Instead, they added the 9/10 of a penny fraction we still see today, despite gas now costing dollars rather than cents — and the fact that the tax has gone up. Originally passed as a temporary measure and intended to expire in 1934, the federal gas tax is now 18.4 cents per gallon.

 

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This Day in U S Military History

 

Feast Day of St. Martin of Tours, Patron Saint of Chaplains and Logisticians: When Sulpicius Severus first met Martin of Tours he was stunned. Not only did the bishop offer him hospitality at his residence — a monk's cell in the wilderness instead of a palace — but Martin washed Sulpicius' hands before dinner and his feet in the evening. But Sulpicius was just the kind of person Martin showed the greatest honor to — a humble man without any rank or privilege. People of nobility and position were turned away from his abbey by chalk cliffs, out of fear of the temptation to pride. From that visit, Sulpicius became Martin's disciple, friend, and biographer. Little is known of many of the saints who died in the early years of Christianity but thanks to Sulpicius, who wrote his first biography of Martin before the saint died and who talked to most of the people involved in his life, we have a priceless record of Martin's life.

 

1620 – The Mayflower Compact is signed in what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod. The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the Separatists, sometimes referred to as the "Saints", fleeing from religious persecution by King James of England. They traveled aboard the Mayflower in 1620 along with adventurers, tradesmen, and servants, most of whom were referred to, by the Separatists as "Strangers". The Mayflower Compact was signed aboard ship by most adult men. The Pilgrims used the Julian Calendar, also known as Old Style dates, which, at that time, was ten days behind the Gregorian Calendar. Signing the covenant were 41 of the ship's 101 passengers, while the Mayflower was anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor within the hook at the northern tip of Cape Cod.

 

1865 – Dr. Mary Edward Walker, 1st Army female surgeon, was awarded Medal of Honor by Pres. Andrew Johnson for her work as a field doctor for outstanding service at the Battle of Bull Run, at the Battle of Chickamauga, as a Confederate prisoner of war in Richmond, Va., and at the Battle of Atlanta.

 

1885 – George Smith Patton, one of the great American generals of World War II, is born in San Gabriel, California. Patton came from a family with a long history of military service. After studying at West Point, he served as a tank officer in World War I, and his experience in that conflict, along with his extensive military study, led him to become an advocate of the crucial importance of the tank in future warfare. After the American entrance into World War II, Patton was placed in command of an important U.S. tank division and played a key role in the Allied invasion of French North Africa in 1942. In 1943, Patton led the U.S. Seventh Army in its assault on Sicily and won fame for out-commanding Montgomery during the so-called Race to Messina. Although Patton was one of the ablest American commanders in World War II, he was also one of the most controversial. He presented himself as a modern-day cavalryman, designed his own uniform, and was known to make eccentric claims that he was a direct descent from great military leaders of the past through reincarnation. During the Sicilian campaign, Patton generated considerable controversy when he accused a hospitalized U.S. soldier suffering from battle fatigue of cowardice and then personally struck him across the face. The famously profane general was forced to issue a public apology and was reprimanded by General Dwight Eisenhower. However, when it was time for the invasion of Western Europe, Eisenhower could find no general as formidable as Patton, and the general was again granted an important military post. In 1944, Patton commanded the U.S. Third Army in the invasion of France, and in December of that year his expertise in military movement and tank warfare helped crush the German counteroffensive in the Ardennes. During one of his many successful campaigns, General Patton was said to have declared, "Compared to war, all other forms of human endeavor shrink to insignificance." On December 21, 1945, he died in a hospital in Germany from injuries sustained in an automobile accident near Mannheim.

 

1918 – At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany, bereft of manpower and supplies and faced with imminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiýgne, France. The First World War left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, with Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, and Great Britain each losing nearly a million or more lives. In addition, at least five million civilians died from disease, starvation, or exposure. On June 28, 1914, in an event that is widely regarded as sparking the outbreak of World War I, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire, was shot to death with his wife by Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Ferdinand had been inspecting his uncle's imperial armed forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite the threat of Serbian nationalists who wanted these Austro-Hungarian possessions to join newly independent Serbia. Austria-Hungary blamed the Serbian government for the attack and hoped to use the incident as justification for settling the problem of Slavic nationalism once and for all. However, as Russia supported Serbia, an Austro-Hungarian declaration of war was delayed until its leaders received assurances from German leader Kaiser Wilhelm II that Germany would support their cause in the event of a Russian intervention. On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and the tenuous peace between Europe's great powers collapsed. On July 29, Austro-Hungarian forces began to shell the Serbian capital, Belgrade, and Russia, Serbia's ally, ordered a troop mobilization against Austria-Hungary. France, allied with Russia, began to mobilize on August 1. France and Germany declared war against each other on August 3. After crossing through neutral Luxembourg, the German army invaded Belgium on the night of August 3-4, prompting Great Britain, Belgium's ally, to declare war against Germany. For the most part, the people of Europe greeted the outbreak of war with jubilation. Most patriotically assumed that their country would be victorious within months. Of the initial belligerents, Germany was most prepared for the outbreak of hostilities, and its military leaders had formatted a sophisticated military strategy known as the "Schlieffen Plan," which envisioned the conquest of France through a great arcing offensive through Belgium and into northern France. Russia, slow to mobilize, was to be kept occupied by Austro-Hungarian forces while Germany attacked France. The Schlieffen Plan was nearly successful, but in early September the French rallied and halted the German advance at the bloody Battle of the Marne near Paris. By the end of 1914, well over a million soldiers of various nationalities had been killed on the battlefields of Europe, and neither for the Allies nor the Central Powers was a final victory in sight. On the western front–the battle line that stretched across northern France and Belgium–the combatants settled down in the trenches for a terrible war of attrition. In 1915, the Allies attempted to break the stalemate with an amphibious invasion of Turkey, which had joined the Central Powers in October 1914, but after heavy bloodshed the Allies were forced to retreat in early 1916. The year 1916 saw great offensives by Germany and Britain along the western front, but neither side accomplished a decisive victory. In the east, Germany was more successful, and the disorganized Russian army suffered terrible losses, spurring the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in 1917. By the end of 1917, the Bolsheviks had seized power in Russia and immediately set about negotiating peace with Germany. In 1918, the infusion of American troops and resources into the western front finally tipped the scale in the Allies' favor. Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allies on November 11, 1918. World War I was known as the "war to end all wars" because of the great slaughter and destruction it caused. Unfortunately, the peace treaty that officially ended the conflict–the Treaty of Versailles of 1919–forced punitive terms on Germany that destabilized Europe and laid the groundwork for World War II.

 

1921 – Exactly three years after the end of World War I, the Tomb of the Unknowns is dedicated at Arlington Cemetery in Virginia during an Armistice Day ceremony presided over by President Warren G. Harding. Two days before, an unknown American soldier, who had fallen somewhere on a World War I battlefield, arrived at the nation's capital from a military cemetery in France. On Armistice Day, in the presence of President Harding and other government, military, and international dignitaries, the unknown soldier was buried with highest honors beside the Memorial Amphitheater. As the soldier was lowered to his final resting place, a two-inch layer of soil brought from France was placed below his coffin so that he might rest forever atop the earth on which he died. The Tomb of the Unknowns is considered the most hallowed grave at Arlington Cemetery, America's most sacred military cemetery. The tombstone itself, designed by sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, was not completed until 1932, when it was unveiled bearing the description "Here Rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier Known but to God." The World War I unknown was later joined by the unidentified remains of soldiers from America's other major 20th century wars and the tomb was put under permanent guard by special military sentinels. In 1998, a Vietnam War unknown, who was buried at the tomb for 14 years, was disinterred from the Tomb after DNA testing indicated his identity. Air Force Lieutenant Michael Blassie was returned to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, and was buried with military honors, including an F-15 jet "missing man" flyover and a lone bugler sounding taps.

 

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

 

*LINDSTROM, FLOYD K.

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Mignano, Italy, 11 November 1943. Entered service at: Colorado Springs, Colo. Birth: Holdredge, Nebr. G.O. No.: 32, 20 April 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 11 November 1943, this soldier's platoon was furnishing machinegun support for a rifle company attacking a hill near Mignano, Italy, when the enemy counterattacked, forcing the riflemen and half the machinegun platoon to retire to a defensive position. Pfc. Lindstrom saw that his small section was alone and outnumbered 5 to 1, yet he immediately deployed the few remaining men into position and opened fire with his single gun. The enemy centered fire on him with machinegun, machine pistols, and grenades. Unable to knock out the enemy nest from his original position, Pfc. Lindstrom picked up his own heavy machinegun and staggered 15 yards up the barren, rocky hillside to a new position, completely ignoring enemy small arms fire which was striking all around him. From this new site, only 10 yards from the enemy machinegun, he engaged it in an intense duel. Realizing that he could not hit the hostile gunners because they were behind a large rock, he charged uphill under a steady stream of fire, killed both gunners with his pistol and dragged their gun down to his own men, directing them to employ it against the enemy. Disregarding heavy rifle fire, he returned to the enemy machinegun nest for 2 boxes of ammunition, came back and resumed withering fire from his own gun. His spectacular performance completely broke up the German counterattack. Pfc. Lindstrom demonstrated aggressive spirit and complete fearlessness in the face of almost certain death.

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for November 11, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

11 November

 

1918: Armistice ending World War I declared. During the conflict, the Army Air Service dropped 138 tons of bombs and had verified credits for 765 aircraft and 76 balloons. Marine Corps aviation also grew to 36 aircraft by this time. (10) (12)

 

1935: Capts Albert W. Stevens and Orville A. Anderson flew a 3.7-million-cubic-foot helium balloon, Explorer II, from Rapid City to a record of 72,395 feet, where they gathered scientific data on the upper atmosphere. They also earned the National Geographic Society's Hubbard Gold Medal. (9) (24)

 

1943: The Fifth and Thirteenth Air Forces made their first joint attack on Rabaul along with Navy carrier planes. (24)

 

1956: Convair's B-58 Hustler, the first supersonic bomber and delta-winged aircraft capable of 1,000 MPH speeds, completed its first flight at Fort Worth. (3) (12)

 

1957: Operation LONG LEGS. For Argentina's Aeronautics Week, Gen Curtis E. LeMay, the Vice Chief of Staff (VCSAF), flew a KC-135 6,350 miles from Westover AFB to Buenos Aires in 13 hours 3 minutes to set a FAI record for nonstop, unrefueled jet flight. In a 13 November return flight, he averaged 471.451 MPH to set a record of 11 hours 3 minutes 58 seconds for the 6,322 miles between Buenos Aires and Washington DC. (See 17 November 1957) (1) (9)

 

1966: Gemini XII (the last Gemini mission): Cmdr James A. Lovell (USN) and Maj Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., completed 94 hours 34 minutes in space. This made Lovell the individual with the most spacetime: 425 hours and 11 minutes. (12) Through 12 November, MAC aircraft moved nearly 205 tons of emergency supplies and 93 Dutch Army troops from Ypenberg, Netherlands, to Pisa, Italy to provide flood relief. (18)

 

1982: Vance Brand, Robert Overmyer, Joe Allen, and William Lenoir launched in the Space Shuttle Columbia. This was the first time four astronauts were aloft at the same time.

 

1989: The Navy commissioned the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in ceremonies at Norfolk, Va. It was the fifth Nimitz-class carrier and will be based in San Francisco. (8: Feb 90)

 

1996: Two 509 BW pilots, Captains Scott Vander Hamm and Scott Hughes, flew the second B-2A long-endurance simulator flight. The test at Whiteman AFB, which lasted 38 hours, broke the previous 34-hour record of 7 October 1996. (AFNEWS Article 970175, 18 Feb 97)

 

2004: AFFTC's Speckled Trout C-135C interrupted its mission to bring an Airman on emergency leave back to the US. At the time, the aircraft was at Incirlik AB to carry SECAF Dr. James Roche and CSAF Gen John Jumper back to the US from Iraq. (3)

 

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Thanks to Mike Hudner

 

I noted that yesterday's List, #6272, started off with the death of Lt. William Howard Allen, Commander of the Sloop ALLIGATOR in 1822, during an engagement with pirates off Cuba. Lt. Allen was a veteran of the War of !812 when he served as 2nd Lt. on the 16-gun brig, ARGUS. After taking 20 prizes in the Irish Sea, they fought and subsequently surrendered to HMS PELICAN, after the death of his Captain, William Henry Allen (no relation). William Howard Allen survived the war, and served under Stephan Decatur, before he received command of the ALLIGATOR. There is a monument to him in Hudson, N.Y. His sister, Harriet Allen,  was my great-great grandmother.

 

On another topic, I wanted to give a "heads" up to all List readers about the upcoming movie DEVOTION which will be opening in theatres on November 23rd. You may have seen the trailer. It is a true and inspiring story of inclusion that takes place during the early of the Korean War. It is about the bond between two naval aviators, Tom Hudner and Jesse Brown. Jesse was the first black naval aviator. Hudner and Brown flew missions together off CVS LEYTE. In December,1950, Tom Hudner attempted to save Jesse, after he was shot down, by crash landing his own plane next to his. His action was normally a court-martial offense, but instead the Navy decided  to award Hudner the Medal of Honor. His citation may show up on your MOH list next month.. An Arleigh Burke Class DD is named the THOMAS HUDNER.

 

The movie uses the same technology as TOP GUN – MAVERICK. I know the Hudner family and think it will be a must-see movie about the Korean War.

 Sincerely,

 Richard

Richard R. Vietor

 

Read the book If you have not.  Skip

 

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Thanks to Carl the Seebee

 

An aviator pal just sent these to me ......

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/27604/confessions-of-an-a-6-intruder-pilot

 

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/9599/a-tomcat-pilots-early-struggles-to-tame-the-mighty-f-14

 

 

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Thanks to Brett

 

Stratfor snippets - U.S./Iran, Turkey, Germany, Japan/U.K., Senegal, Mexico, Irael/Gaza, Kenya, EU/Hungary, China, Portugal, Egypt, Peru

 

U.S., Iran: U.S. Strikes Iran-Linked Sites in Syria as Houthis Down Drone in Yemen

What Happened: Two U.S. F-15 fighter jets bombed a weapons storage facility associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in eastern Syria in response to Iranian-linked attacks on U.S. forces in the region over U.S. support for Israel in the Israel-Hamas war, CNN reported on Nov. 9. Meanwhile, the United States confirmed that the Iran-aligned Houthi movement had shot down an unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen on Nov. 8.

Why It Matters: The bombings are unlikely to halt Iran-linked attacks on U.S. and Israeli interests, but Washington is unlikely to escalate beyond limited strikes in Syria and possibly Iraq unless there are significant U.S. casualties. However, in the case of major civilian casualties in Gaza or major military casualties caused by either side, the United States and Iran may still climb the escalation ladder. In Yemen, the Houthis' targeting of a U.S. drone may push Washington to retaliate there, which would destabilize the cease-fire process.

Background: The U.S. bombings are the second such strikes on Iranian-aligned forces since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7. Another Iranian-linked strike on U.S. troops occurred in Syria on Nov. 8, and the Pentagon said U.S. troops have been attacked at least 41 times in the region since Oct. 17. While Iran and its proxies largely seek to avoid direct war with the United States, they have strong political incentivizes to show support for Hamas and Palestinians by attacking U.S. and Israeli targets.

 

Turkey: High Court Clash Will Likely Hinder Foreign Investment

What Happened: Turkey's top appeals court filed criminal complaints against Constitutional Court judges after they issued a ruling in October calling for the release of Can Atalay, an opposition figure who was elected to the National Assembly in May, from prison on grounds of parliamentary immunity, Reuters reported on Nov. 8.  

Why It Matters: This clash between Turkey's top courts may cause a judicial crisis and a lack of standardized interpretations of regulations. Without uniform regulations, foreign capital is unlikely to increase, despite Ankara's efforts to increase foreign investment to boost its economy amid economic turmoil.

Background: Atalay was convicted in 2022 for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government for his role in the 2013 protests. Members of the People's Alliance, which includes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party and the Nationalist Movement Party, previously accused the Constitutional Court of making unconstitutional decisions, with some calling for the reform or abolition of the court itself.

 

Germany: Coalition Government Agrees to Reduce Electricity Prices for Industry

What Happened: Germany's coalition government agreed to ease electricity prices for industrial consumers over the coming five years and will send the proposals to parliament for approval, Der Spiegel reported on Nov. 9. The package of measures will lower the electricity tax until at least 2025 and expand and extend existing subsidy schemes for energy-intensive manufacturers.

Why It Matters: The deal ends a months-long dispute within the fractious ruling coalition, effectively shelving Economy Minister Robert Habeck's proposal for a capped electricity price for industries that would have likely led to a dispute with Brussels and other EU member states over incompatibility with current EU state aid rules. Industry groups in Germany welcomed the package, arguing it will help the country's energy-intensive industrial sector cope with much higher power prices compared with competitors outside of Europe and strengthen Germany's competitiveness as a manufacturing location vis-a-vis Asia and North America. Still, electricity prices in Germany will remain higher than international standards and, in the long term, these measures alone are unlikely to keep the country's particularly energy-intensive sectors competitive internationally. The package should not breach EU state aid rules, which are set to be reinstated in 2024 after a two-year suspension to allow governments to deal with the energy crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine, as it will modify existing policy tools that will not require Brussels' approval.

Background: Although electricity prices in Germany have dropped significantly from the record highs seen at the height of the energy crisis, they remain much higher for many energy-intensive manufacturers compared with those faced by their international competitors. Habeck had proposed to heavily subsidize electricity prices for energy-intensive sectors, an idea his coalition partners and other EU member states resisted, as this plan would have risked distorting the level playing field inside the EU single market.

 

Japan, U.K.: Countries Continue Deepening Defense Ties

What Happened: Japan and the United Kingdom agreed to further deepen defense ties following talks in Tokyo between the two countries' foreign and defense ministers, The Japan Times reported on Nov. 8. Military drills under the new arrangements will begin on Nov. 15.

Why It Matters: Areas of enhanced cooperation will include defense industry, cyberspace, outer space and weapons interoperability, suggesting much of the cooperation will be on sophisticated defense technology. Other Western powers will likely follow suit by strengthening defense ties with Japan, as the country enables Western powers to enter, maintain or expand their presence in the region to counter China and North Korea. Canada is the most logical next country to deepen defense ties with Japan given its existing presence in the region and tendency to accompany U.S. forces transiting the Taiwan Strait. NATO may soon do the same, as there is talk that the alliance may open a liaison office in Tokyo. Regardless, the Nov. 8 talks demonstrate that Japan is looking to secure additional security partners beyond the United States, as the 2024 presidential election will create significant uncertainty about the future of U.S. foreign policy.

Background: This is the latest step in recent efforts to consolidate the United Kingdom and Japan's bilateral defense relationship, a priority for the British Conservative Party following the country's exit from the European Union in 2020. The two countries signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement on Oct. 15 after signing the Hiroshima Accord in May. Japan also signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Australia earlier in 2023 and is in negotiations to sign the same with the Philippines.

 

Japan, U.K.: Countries Continue Deepening Defense Ties

What Happened: Japan and the United Kingdom agreed to further deepen defense ties following talks in Tokyo between the two countries' foreign and defense ministers, The Japan Times reported on Nov. 8. Military drills under the new arrangements will begin on Nov. 15.

Why It Matters: Areas of enhanced cooperation will include defense industry, cyberspace, outer space and weapons interoperability, suggesting much of the cooperation will be on sophisticated defense technology. Other Western powers will likely follow suit by strengthening defense ties with Japan, as the country enables Western powers to enter, maintain or expand their presence in the region to counter China and North Korea. Canada is the most logical next country to deepen defense ties with Japan given its existing presence in the region and tendency to accompany U.S. forces transiting the Taiwan Strait. NATO may soon do the same, as there is talk that the alliance may open a liaison office in Tokyo. Regardless, the Nov. 8 talks demonstrate that Japan is looking to secure additional security partners beyond the United States, as the 2024 presidential election will create significant uncertainty about the future of U.S. foreign policy.

Background: This is the latest step in recent efforts to consolidate the United Kingdom and Japan's bilateral defense relationship, a priority for the British Conservative Party following the country's exit from the European Union in 2020. The two countries signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement on Oct. 15 after signing the Hiroshima Accord in May. Japan also signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Australia earlier in 2023 and is in negotiations to sign the same with the Philippines.

 

Senegal: Macky Sall Calls for Emergency Measures to Stem Migration Flows to Canary Islands

What Happened: Senegalese President Macky Sall called on the government on Nov. 8 to take emergency security, economic, financial and social measures to "neutralize the departure of emigrants from the national territory," Africanews reported the next day.

Why It Matters: It is unclear what emergency measures Senegal will take, but barring a highly unlikely influx of employment opportunities and widespread poverty reduction, migration north will persist, posing grave humanitarian risks. African leaders will likely use this northward migration to extract concession from their European counterparts.

Background: As migration routes from Tunisia and Libya across the Mediterranean have become more policed, migrants are increasingly seeking to reach Europe by taking boats from Dakar to Spain's Canary Islands and traveling onward to France, Italy or mainland Spain. Spanish authorities have sought enhanced cooperation with Senegal and other West African governments in 2023 to account for an influx of migrants. Over 50% of arrivals to the Canary Islands in 2023 are from Senegal or Gambia, while others come from as far as Central Africa.

 

Mexico: President Calls on Freight Operators to Offer Passenger Train Lines

What Happened: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced that he would propose a decree later in November to reestablish passenger trains in Mexico, calling on current freight operators to offer passenger services on their tracks, AP reported on Nov. 8. Lopez Obrador declared that the government would manage passenger services if private companies that hold freight concessions do not.

Why It Matters: Passenger train lines could reduce travel costs and long commute times, as well as expand tourism opportunities, to the country's underdeveloped southern region if Lopez Obrador's plan comes to fruition. However, freight operators would likely face operational challenges, including increased costs and potential delays in freight shipments, as they would have to balance scheduling container freight with human transport. Operators would similarly face additional maintenance costs across existing lines to accommodate expanded services and could be susceptible to increased security risks, including from cartels that target passengers or migrants using the service to travel to Mexico's northern border.

Background: Since Mexico privatized rail transport in 1995, freight shipments by train have increased steadily from 8.7% to 12.9% of total tonnage as passenger travel dropped significantly over the same period. One of Lopez Obrador's foundational promises in his 2019-24 national development plan has been the development of Tren Maya to connect common tourist destinations with cultural heritage sites throughout the Yucatan Peninsula. In September, Mexican railroad company Ferromex halted rail traffic after multiple migrants died or were injured attempting to ride atop freight trains northward, resulting in supply chain disruptions.

 

Israel, Gaza: Israel Agrees to Expand Humanitarian Corridors and Pauses in Gaza

What Happened: Israeli officials confirmed that Israel will expand its humanitarian corridors and pauses in northern Gaza, The Times of Israel reported on Nov. 9. The announcement came just after the United States announced that Israel would allow daily four-hour pauses in fighting to allow civilians to exit combat zones and humanitarian supplies to reach civilians.

Why It Matters: These pauses are the first direct effects of U.S. pressure on Israel to alter its military strategy in the Gaza Strip. The United States hopes these pauses will reduce international outrage, protests and diplomatic disruptions over the deaths of Palestinian civilians. However, the United States and Israel remain opposed to a full-scale cease-fire, saying it would play into the Gaza-based Palestinian group Hamas' strategy.

Background: The Israeli military said it was closing in on Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Nov. 9, where it claimed Hamas' primary headquarters for the strip lies. Intense gun battles and airstrikes have damaged much of Gaza City, which Israel has declared a mandatory evacuation zone for civilians as it seeks to uproot Hamas after the mass Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel. At least 1,400 Israelis and up to 10,000 Palestinians have been reported killed in the war so far.

 

Kenya: Government to Pay Back Part of Eurobond in December

What Happened: The Kenyan government will make an early $300 million payment in December against the country's $2 billion eurobond that matures in June 2024, Reuters reported on Nov. 9. An advisor to the president said on Nov. 7 that the International Monetary Fund will provide Kenya will an additional $650 million in funding.

Why It Matters: While the planned buyback signals Kenya's intention to get ahead of its June eurobond payment, the manner in which it makes the payment and the fact that $1.7 billion will still be due in June means Kenya retains significant economic risks that could lead to default. Additionally, Fitch Ratings said on Nov. 7 that it may downgrade Kenya's credit rating if the government uses a significant amount of its foreign exchange reserves to settle the eurobond payments.

Background: Yields on benchmark Kenyan government bonds fell immediately after the news broke, before edging back up. Kenya's foreign exchange reserves currently stand at about $6.84 billion.

 

EU, Hungary, Ukraine: Budapest Confirms Opposition to New EU Funding to Ukraine

What Happened: Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he is opposed to a new EU package of financial aid for Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 10. The European Union is negotiating a plan to increase funding to Ukraine by 50 billion euros ($53.4 billion) before the end of 2023.

Why It Matters: Brussels will seek to convince Orban to drop his veto against the new EU funding package for Ukraine by unfreezing billions of EU funds for Hungary that are held up due to concerns about rule of law violations. But should Orban maintain his stance, the European Union would be able to work around Budapest's veto by having all other EU member states approve bilateral aid packages for Ukraine that, together, would amount to the same 50 billion euro figure currently earmarked for Kyiv in the EU budget. However, circumventing Hungary's veto through bilateral agreements would create a precedent for other EU member states to follow in the future and may further undermine EU unity behind Ukraine. The bloc will likely make its decision on aid for Ukraine and funds for Hungary by a Dec. 14-15 European Council meeting.

Background: The approval of the funding package would require an amendment of the European Union's long-term budget, which needs unanimous backing from member states. At the end of 2022, the European Union reached a compromise to approve an 18 billion euro aid package for Ukraine after Budapest lifted its veto in exchange for the unfreezing of part of its EU pandemic recovery funds.

 

China: Economic Recovery Continues to Stall Amid Falling Prices

What Happened: China's consumer price index fell 0.2% year on year in October, which is worse than projected, the Financial Times reported on Nov. 10.

Why It Matters: This data shows that China's economy is continuing to struggle due to low consumer confidence, weak domestic demand and falling exports. However, the CPI decline was in large part driven by a sharp fall in pork prices, which are particularly volatile, which means the headline inflation figure should be taken with a grain of salt. Still, it is unclear whether China will hit its 5% growth target for 2023, even though this is China's lowest target in decades. Regardless, a chief challenge for Chinese policymakers in 2024 will be to forestall disinflationary forces amid weak consumer demand, suggesting China could adopt more expansionary fiscal and monetary policies, such as stimulus measures. If core inflation remains too low after several months, China will risk entering deflation.

Background: Consumer prices declined for the 13th consecutive month, falling 2.6% year on year; exports dropped by 6.4% in dollar terms in October, the sixth straight month of declines.

 

Portugal: Snap Elections Set for March 10, 2024, Following Prime Minister's Resignation

What Happened: Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that a snap parliamentary election will take place on March 10 following the recent resignation of Prime Minister Antonio Costa amid an ongoing corruption investigation, Reuters reported on Nov. 9.

Why It Matters: By scheduling elections for March 2024, the president is ensuring that the current majority in parliament will be able to approve the 2024 budget bill on Nov. 29. Since many of the measures in the budget are necessary for Portugal to continue receiving EU recovery funds that are key to supporting economic growth, the budget's approval will help maintain fiscal and economic stability in the debt-laden country during the political transition to a new government. Following the 2024 elections, it is unlikely that the new government will make major changes to the country's fiscal and economic policies due to significant financial constraints that will compel any new administration to observe fiscal discipline and maintain fiscal consolidation efforts.

Background: Costa resigned on Nov. 7 after police raided his residence, as well as the ministries of environment and infrastructure, and arrested his chief of staff as part of a corruption investigation. Despite a series of government scandals related to alleged mismanagement and corruption in recent years, Costa has enjoyed an absolute majority in parliament, an anomaly in a country where coalition governments are the norm, that made it easy for his administration to pass legislation and implement measures needed to guarantee economic growth and financial stability.

 

Egypt: Government Will Sell State Assets, Expand Trade to Curb Economic Crisis

What Happened: The head of the Sovereign Fund of Egypt announced that the state would sell seven hotels in Egypt by the end of 2023, Reuters reported on Nov. 9. Additionally, the Egyptian minister of finance announced plans for a free trade agreement with Turkey that is expected to expand the volume of bilateral trade to $15 billion in the next five years.

Why It Matters: The sale of state assets will provide some short-term relief for Egypt's economic crisis and align Egypt's policies with the International Monetary Fund's recommendations for privatization, supporting Egypt's pending IMF review to gain access to additional funds. However, long-term economic growth will hinge on the expansion of key sectors. To this end, Egypt will double its tourism sector through incentives by 2028 and increase its trade portfolio with regional partners, as seen in the recent deal with Turkey, to increase foreign currency flows into the country.

Background: The IMF has made the privatization of Egypt's state assets part of its reform plan to reduce the country's debt-to-gross domestic product ratio, which is expected to reach 93% in 2023. In order for Egypt to access more money from the IMF's $3 billion loan, Egypt must successfully undergo a review that has been delayed. Egypt has been raising hard currency through sales of minority stakes in the oil, petrochemical and steel sectors. Egypt also finalized a key deal in July that sold a $700 million stake in the hotel sector to a consortium that included Egyptian company Talaat Moustafa Group Holding Co.

 

Peru: Government Announces 25-Point Economic Plan With Hope of Catalyzing Growth

What Happened: The Peruvian Ministry of Economy and Finance announced its 25-point "United" plan to spur economic activity, Reuters reported on Nov. 9. The plan primarily focuses on promoting agricultural exports through insurance schemes and financing mechanisms, as well as cutting red tape that stalled the development of large-scale construction and mining projects in the country. 

Why It Matters: The Boluarte government's economic plan seeks to simplify environmental permitting procedures and may reduce the regulatory burden on the mining sector, which has faced disruptions following deadly large-scale protests that occurred earlier in 2023. The plan also would provide funds to the agricultural sector to limit the impacts of the El Nino climate event, which has harmed small farmers and reduced agricultural exports. However, a lack of clarity on the specifics of the plan and external circumstances, such as the continued environmental implications of El Nino and elevated global fuel and fertilizer prices, may limit the positive economic impacts of the plan. Furthermore, while these reforms may streamline the approval process for stalled mining projects, they may also trigger additional social unrest and protests against the mining sector, particularly if environmental standards are not maintained.

Background: Intense social protests earlier in 2023 disrupted commerce, and the negative agriculture and fishing impacts of a strong El Nino event have caused Peru's economy to shrink for two successive quarters, officially bringing the country into a recession. "Governability challenges" of the Boluarte government led Fitch Ratings to maintain a negative BBB outlook for Peru's long-term foreign currency issuer default rating in October. Much of the economic proposal is geared toward the extraction industry, particularly mining, which accounts for roughly 10% of gross domestic product and represents 60% of Peruvian exports.

 

 

 

 

 

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