To All,
December 20
Good Wednesday morning. I hope that y our week has been going well. The weather guessers have move the rain off until Friday. In case you have not noticed Christmas is only a couple of days away. No pressure.
Warm Regards,
Skip
Thanks to Mud
This explains why friends forward jokes. And other items
A man and his dog were walking along a road . The man was enjoying
the scenery when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.
He remembered dying and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road.
it looked like fine marble.
At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.
He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open. "Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed.
There was no fence.
As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
"Excuse me!" he called the man. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog "There should be a bowl by the pump," said the man.
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.
"This is Heaven," he answered.
"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said.
"The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope.
That's Hell."
"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"
"No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind."
So , sometimes, we wonder why friends keep forwarding stuff to us without writing a word.
Maybe this will explain it.
When you are very busy, but still want to keep in touch, guess what you do? You forward emails .
When you have nothing to say, but still want to keep contact, you forward jokes .
When you have something to say, but don't know what, and don't know how...you forward stuff .
A 'forward' lets you know that
You are still remembered,
You are still important,
You are still cared for.
So, next time you get a 'forward', don't think that you've been sent just another forwarded joke, but that you've been thought of today and your friend on the other end of your computer wanted to send you a smile.
You are welcome at my water bowl anytime ...
So here's to keeping in touch.
Even if sometimes it means only forwarding
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
December 20
1822—Congress authorizes the West Indies Squadron to suppresspiracy in the Caribbean. Under the leadership of Commodores James Biddle, David Porter, and Lewis Warrington, the newly created squadron crushes the pirates.
1941—Adm. Ernest J. King is announced as the designated Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, in charge of all operating naval fleets and coastal frontier forces, reporting directly to the President.
1943—TBF aircraft (VC-19) from escort carrier USS Bogue (CVE 9) attacks German submarine U-850, which responds with anti-aircraft fire. TBFs and FMs (VC-19) reinforce the TBF and sink U-850 as it tries to submerge 530 miles southwest of Fayal, Azores.
1964—USS Richard E. Kraus (DD 849) completes a successful emergency mission in aiding the disabled American merchant ship SS Oceanic Spray in the Red Sea.
1974—Task Force 65 concludes Operation Nimbus Star, the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance in the Suez Canal, as part of a joint effort to reopen this vital artery to international shipping.
1989—Naval Special Warfare Task Force Papa attacks Punta Paitilla Airport during Operation Just Cause to prevent the dictator, Gen.Manuel Noriega, from leaving Panama. Chief Engineman Donald McFaul is mortally wounded while carrying a wounded SEAL to safety.
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Today in world History December 20
69 Vespians's supporters enter Rome and discover Vitellius in
hiding. He is dragged through the streets before being brutally murdered.
1355 Stephen Urosh IV of Serbia dies while marching to attack
Constantinople.
1802 The United States buys the Louisiana territory from France.
1860 South Carolina secedes from the Union.
1861 English transports loaded with 8,000 troops set sail
for Canada so that troops are available if the "Trent Affair" is not settled without war.
1924 Adolf Hitler is released from prison after serving less
than one year of a five year sentence for treason.
1930 Thousands of Spaniards sign a revolutionary manifesto.
1933 The German government announces 400,000
citizens are to be sterilized because of hereditary defects.
1938 First electronic television system is patented.
1941 The Flying Tigers, American pilots in China,
enter combat against the Japanese over Kunming.
1943 Soviet forces halt a German army trying to
relieve the besieged city of Stalingrad.
1946 Viet Minh and French forces fight fiercely in
Annamite section of Hanoi.
1948 U.S. Supreme Court announces that it has no
jurisdiction to hear the appeals of Japanese war criminals sentenced by the International Military Tribunal.
1960 National Liberation Front is formed by
guerrillas fighting the Diem regime in South Vietnam.
1962 In its first free election in 38 years, the
Dominican Republic chooses leftist Juan Bosch Gavino as president.
1963 Four thousand cross the Berlin Wall to visit
relatives under a 17-day Christmas accord.
1989 U.S. troops invade Panama to oust General
Manuel Noriega and replace him with Guillermo Endara.
1995 NATO begins peacekeeping operation in Bosnia.
1996 NeXT merges with Apple Computer, leading to
the development of groundbreaking Mac OS X.
2007 Queen Elizabeth II becomes the oldest monarch
in the history of the UK; previously, that honor belonged to Queen Victoria.
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1957
Elvis Presley is drafted
On this day in 1957, while spending the Christmas holidays at Graceland, his newly purchased Tennessee mansion, rock-and-roll star Elvis Presley receives his draft notice for the United States Army.
With a suggestive style–one writer called him "Elvis the Pelvis"–a hit movie, Love Me Tender, and a string of gold records including "Heartbreak Hotel," "Blue Suede Shoes," "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel," Presley had become a national icon, and the world's first bona fide rock-and-roll star, by the end of 1956. As the Beatles' John Lennon once famously remarked: "Before Elvis, there was nothing." The following year, at the peak of his career, Presley received his draft notice for a two-year stint in the army. Fans sent tens of thousands of letters to the army asking for him to be spared, but Elvis would have none of it. He received one deferment–during which he finished working on his movie King Creole–before being sworn in as an army private in Memphis on March 24, 1958.
After six months of basic training–including an emergency leave to see his beloved mother, Gladys, before she died in August 1958–Presley sailed to Europe on the USS General Randall. For the next 18 months, he served in Company D, 32nd Tank Battalion, 3rd Armor Corps in Friedberg, Germany, where he attained the rank of sergeant. For the rest of his service, he shared an off-base residence with his father, grandmother and some Memphis friends. After working during the day, Presley returned home at night to host frequent parties and impromptu jam sessions. At one of these, an army buddy of Presley's introduced him to 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, whom Elvis would marry some years later. Meanwhile, Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, continued to release singles recorded before his departure, keeping the money rolling in and his most famous client fresh in the public's mind. Widely praised for not seeking to avoid the draft or serve domestically, Presley was seen as a model for all young Americans.
After he got his polio shot from an army doctor on national TV, vaccine rates among the American population shot from 2 percent to 85 percent by the time of his discharge on March 2, 1960
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OPERATION COMMANDO HUNT Thanks to the Bear
Skip… For The List for Monday, 18 December through Sunday, 24 December 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
COMMANDO HUNT I- VII (1968-1972)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post of December 1968… 'Twas the week before Christmas 1968: 222 American warriors killed-in-action…
Thanks to Micro
To remind folks that these are from the Vietnam Air Losses site that Micro put together. You click on the url below and get what happened each day to the crew of the aircraft. ……Skip
From Vietnam Air Losses site for Wednesday 20 December
December 20: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=376
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.
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
(This site was sent by a friend last week and I forgot to forward. 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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thanks to Shadow
On a lighter note... Southern logic
Black and I had an employee that was the purveyor of critical southern thinking and logic. His name was Kenny… and he constantly came up with little sayings and comments that will live forever in our minds. I first noticed it when I was musing on where the hell I was gonna be able to collect all the hellcat parts I was gonna need to build up a corroded F6F-3 for the Museum in Pensacola. Of all the WW II fighters… the Hellcat had fewer survivors and even fewer spare parts available on the open market. I was shaving one morning when all of a sudden I remembered where a ton of Hellcat parts lay out in the open. It was on San Nicolas Island, off the coast of NAS Pt. Mugu. I'd been out there on a project while on active duty and noticed wreck after wreck of Hellcats and Panthers and Cougars laying all over the island as a result of drone landing accidents. Must have been at least a dozen hellcat wrecks. Armed with that knowledge I drove to work and announced to Luke and Kenny, I may have solved the parts problem for the Hellcat restorations (we had three projects). "I was shaving this morning when I had an epiphany". Before I could say another word, Kenny interrupted and said with all seriousness; "Damn Roy, did it hurt"? I almost burst out laughing… but didn't want to embarrass him so I just Said, "No Kenny… it didn't". After he left the office, we both burst out laughing.
Over time he shared some southern logic with us… here's a few.
1.) When trying to explain how difficult it was to read something out of a tech manual… he looked at me and said, "Shit Shadow, that stuffs so hard to understand… it's tougher than Chinese arithmetic"!
2.) One day he was bragging about his love life back in the day and this one girl got him so worked up, he said, "I was so turned on, it got so hard... if a cat would scratch it, sparks would fly"!
3.) One day he commented on a new employee being slow to pick things up… "He'll be alright, but right now, he's about half smart… he thinks too much"!
4.) He came into my office one day and said, "Roy, look out there… that man is installing damage to his own airplane"!
5.) I could go on and on… but my favorite was this one. One day we received some bulk boxes of parts that had some heavy plastic bands around them. I started to tug on one and Kenny said… "You can't break them, you'll need to cut them" and hands me his knife that was always attached to his belt. I looked at the knife and then at him and I said… "Kenny is this sharp enough? I don't want to ruin your knife".
Kenny looked at me and said with all earnestness… "Shit Roy, that knife is so sharp… why it can cut the stink off a floating turd and not put a ripple in the water"!
6.) In talking about an old flame he remarked… "Man she was so hot, she was a three on the Clydesdale scale"! I looked at him and said, "What's that"? He looked back and said… "When I was on that… it was so good… why it'd take three of them big mothers to drag me off before I finished"!
7.) When discussing how to repair a dent one day… use Bondo or repair… Kenny says, ""I'm gonna do it right. Hell, I can flush patch the crack of dawn, you'll never notice it when I'm finished"!
He was a treasure.
Shadow
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Thanks to Denny
US Air Force legend Robert "Bob" Pardo, known for his selfless action known as "Pardo's Push" during the Vietnam War, has died Dec. 5 in College Station, Texas.
He was 89.
On March 10, 1967, Pardo, then a US Air Force captain, and weapons officer 1st Lt. Steve Wayne were deep in enemy territory on a bombing run in Vietnam.
Flying alongside another F-4C Phantom airplane, piloted by Capt. Earl Aman and 1st Lt. Robert Houghton, the pair of jets tasked with eliminating North Vietnam's only steel mill, which was heavily fortified with anti-aircraft guns and artillery.
Both aircraft started taking enemy fire from the ground, damaging both Pardo's and Aman's Phantoms.
"We took at least one hit, maybe two, right in the belly of the airplane," Pardo recounted in a 2015 interview with the Air Force Veterans in Blue program.
Air Force legend and Vietnam War hero Robert Pardo has died at the age of 89.
US Air Force
Captain Robert Pardo and 1st Lieutenant Stephen A. Wayne, after Wayne's 100th combat mission.
Capt. Robert Pardo and 1st Lt. Stephen A. Wayne.
US Air Force
After taking the initial enemy contact, Aman's airplane was hit again and lost too much fuel to get out of enemy territory and return to base safely.
"I knew if I didn't do anything, they would have to eject over North Vietnam into enemy territory, and that would have resulted in their capture for sure," Pardo said. "At that time, if you were captured by civilians, you were probably going to be murdered on the spot."
In a selfless act to save his fellow airmen, Pardo pushed Aman's jet using the nose of his aircraft against Aman's tailhook — a retractable hook on the underside of the plane used to assist with landing.
The maneuver Padro performed put his own jet at risk since his windshield could have broke open.
Due to Padro's action, both aircraft's would safely be able to exit enemy territory.
Due to Pardo's action, both aircraft would safely be able to exit enemy territory.
Pardo helped Aman's Phantom decrease altitude by 1,500 feet per minute and guided the plane back into friendly territory.
Both aircrews then safely ejected over the Laotian border and were rescued by friendly forces.
Following the heroic air feat, Pardo recalls being asked frequently, 'How did you have the courage to make the decision, knowing that the windshield could break at any time?'"
"My dad taught me that when your friend needs help, you help," the Vietnam War hero answered.
"I couldn't have come home and told him I didn't even try anything because that's exactly what he would have asked me. He would've said, 'Did you try?'"
Though it would seem his command would be greatly pleased with his selflessness, Lt. Gen. William Wallace 'Spike' Momyer, commander of the 7th Air Force in Vietnam, would reprimand him for sacrificing his multimillion-dollar jet in a rescue.
Facing a court-martial, Pardo was saved from punitive actions by his wing commander, Col. Robin Olds, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Padro retired from the Air Force in 1974 as a lieutenant colonel.
Pardo retired from the Air Force in 1974 as a lieutenant colonel.
Pardo would be awarded the Silver Star, the third highest military award, for his actions twenty years after the aerial rescue.
Aside from his Silver Star, his awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, Air Medal with twelve Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Born in Herne, Texas, in 1934, Pardo began his Air Force career in 1954 when he was 19 years old.
He logged 132 flying missions during the Vietnam War.
Retired Lt. Col. Robert Pardo surveys the surrounding area while in the F-15E Strike Eagle simulator at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Oct. 14, 2014.
Retired Lt. Col. Pardo surveys the surrounding area while in the F-15E Strike Eagle simulator at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Oct. 14, 2014.
Airman 1st Class Ashley J. Thum
Pardo retired from the Air Force in 1974 as a lieutenant colonel.
"He is a legend, but his legacy is the thing he did and you can do things like that, it doesn't have to be pushing somebody's airplane, you can be helping somebody," his son, John Pardo told KBTX on Wednesday.
"His character was one of outstanding individuals, his principles were unparalleled, and his love for his country was utmost in his mind. Helping Earl and Bob Houghton the best we could is the greatest example ever, in the air, of one person trying to save somebody else's life."
"That is the only time that one airplane has actually pushed the other in aviation history."
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This Day in U S Military History
December 20
1803 – U.S. and French governments put the finishing touches on a little land transaction known as the Louisiana Purchase. For the relatively paltry price tag of $15 million, the U.S. acquired an area that effectively doubled the size of the nation. The bargain price reflected French fears that their army, already occupied with the Napoleonic Wars, would not be able to stave off revolutionaries in New Orleans. U.S. officials, meanwhile, coveted New Orleans as a duty-free port for American goods that were about to be shipped. Of course, the resulting deal provided the U.S. with much more than a port; indeed, the nation now owned the land that would become Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, the Dakotas, as well as chunks of Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and of course, Louisiana.
1803 – Without a shot fired, the French hand over New Orleans and Lower Louisiana to the United States. In April 1803, the United States purchased from France the 828,000 square miles that had formerly been French Louisiana. The area was divided into two territories: the northern half was Louisiana Territory, the largely unsettled (though home to many Indians) frontier section that was later explored by Lewis and Clark; and the southern Orleans Territory, which was populated by Europeans. Unlike the sprawling and largely unexplored northern territory (which eventually encompassed a dozen large states), Orleans Territory was a small, densely populated region that was like a little slice of France in the New World. With borders that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Louisiana, Orleans Territory was home to about 50,000 people, a primarily French population that had been living under the direction of a Spanish administration. These former citizens of France knew almost nothing about American laws and institutions, and the challenging task of bringing them into the American fold fell to the newly appointed governor of the region, twenty-eight-year-old William Claiborne.
Historians have found no real evidence that the French of Orleans Territory resented their transfer to American control, though one witness claimed that when the French tri-color was replaced by the Stars and Stripes in New Orleans, the citizens wept. The French did resent that their new governor was appointed rather than elected, and they bridled when the American government tried to make English the official language and discouraged the use of French. It didn't help matters that young Claiborne knew neither French nor Spanish.
Claiborne soon found himself immersed in a complex sea of ethnic tensions and political unrest that he little understood, and in January he wrote to Thomas Jefferson that the population was "uninformed, indolent, luxurious-in a word, ill-fitted to be useful citizens for a Republic." To his dismay, Claiborne found that most of his time was spent not governing, but dealing with an unrelenting procession of crises like riots, robberies, and runaway slaves.
Despite his concerns, Claiborne knew that somehow these people had to be made into American citizens, and over time he gradually made progress in bringing the citizenry into the Union. In December 1804 he was happy to report to Jefferson that "they begin to view their connexion with the United States as permanent and to experience the benefits thereof." Proof of this came eight years later, when the people of Orleans Territory drafted a constitution and successfully petitioned to become the eighteenth state in the Union. Despite Claiborne's doubts about whether the French would ever truly fit into their new nation, the approval of that petition meant that the people of Louisiana were officially Americans.
1941 – The Flying Tigers, American pilots in China, entered combat against the Japanese over Kunming. Aircraft of the 1st and 2nd squadrons intercepted 10 unescorted Kawasaki Ki-48 "Lily" bombers of the 21st Hikōtai attacking Kunming. The bombers jettisoned their loads before reaching Kunming. Three of the Japanese bombers were shot down near Kunming and a fourth was damaged so severely that it crashed before returning to its airfield at Hanoi. Furthermore, the Japanese discontinued their raids on Kunming while the AVG was based there.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
NORRIS, J. W.
Rank and organization: Landsman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1862, England.
Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 326, 18 October 1884. Citation:
Serving on board the U.S.S. Jamestown, New York Navy Yard, 20 December 1883, Norris rescued from drowning A. A. George, who had fallen overboard.
SWEENEY, ROBERT
SECOND AWARD
Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Jamestown, at the Navy Yard New York, 20 December 1883, Sweeney rescued from drowning A. A. George, who had fallen overboard from that vessel.
VOSLER, FORREST T. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Corps. 358th Bomber Squadron, 303d Bomber Group. Place and date. Over Bremen, Germany, 20 December 1943. Entered service at: Rochester, N.Y. Born:
29 July 1923, Lyndonville, N.Y. G.O. No.: 73, 6 September 1944.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a radio operator-air gunner on a heavy bombardment aircraft in a mission over Bremen, Germany, on 20 December 1943. After bombing the target, the aircraft in which T/Sgt. Vosler was serving was severely damaged by antiaircraft fire, forced out of formation, and immediately subjected to repeated vicious attacks by enemy fighters. Early in the engagement a 20-mm. cannon shell exploded in the radio compartment, painfully wounding T/Sgt. Vosler in the legs and thighs. At about the same time a direct hit on the tail of the ship seriously wounded the tail gunner and rendered the tail guns inoperative. Realizing the great need for firepower in protecting the vulnerable tail of the ship, T/Sgt.
Vosler, with grim determination, kept up a steady stream of deadly fire. Shortly thereafter another 20-mm. enemy shell exploded, wounding T/Sgt. Vosler in the chest and about the face. Pieces of metal lodged in both eyes, impairing his vision to such an extent that he could only distinguish blurred shapes. Displaying remarkable tenacity and courage, he kept firing his guns and declined to take first-aid treatment. The radio equipment had been rendered inoperative during the battle, and when the pilot announced that he would have to ditch, although unable to see and working entirely by touch, T/Sgt. Vosler finally got the set operating and sent out distress signals despite several lapses into unconsciousness. When the ship ditched, T/Sgt.
Vosler managed to get out on the wing by himself and hold the wounded tail gunner from slipping off until the other crewmembers could help them into the dinghy. T/Sgt. Vosler's actions on this occasion were an inspiration to all serving with him. The extraordinary courage, coolness, and skill he displayed in the face of great odds, when handicapped by injuries that would have incapacitated the average crewmember, were outstanding.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for December 20, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
20 December
1928: In a British expedition, Sir Hubert Wilkins and Lt Carl B.
Eielson (US Air Service) made the first long flight over the Antarctic. They took 10 hours in the air. (9) (24)
1941: Claire Chennault's American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers, entered combat for the first time over Kunming, China. They flew P-40 Warhawks in the service of Chinese Premier Chiang Kai-shek. (20) (21)
1943: MEDAL OF HONOR. On a mission to Bremen, Germany, radio operator TSgt Forest Vosler showed unusual courage, when his B-17 sustained flak damage and hits from enemy aircraft. He received wounds in his legs, but still fired his gun at the attackers. Then another shell exploded near him, lodging splinters in his chest, head, and both eyes. He refused first aid and, between lapses of consciousness, repaired a damaged radio by touch. When the plane ditched in water, Vosler scrambled out on the wing unaided and held another badly wounded man until others could help them into a dingy. He received the Medal of Honor. (4)
1946: Lt Cmdr M. W. Davenport used a Navy F8F Grumman Bearcat and took off in 115 feet from a standing start and climbed to 10,000 feet within 94 seconds. (24)
1948: The XB-47 Stratojet averaged 500 MPH for a 1,000-mile flight from Moses Lake, Wash., to Albuquerque, N. Mex. (24)
1950: KOREAN WAR/Operation CHRISTMAS KIDLIFT. The 61 TCG airlifted more than 800 endangered South Korean orphans on 12 C-54s to Kimpo to Cheju-do, an island off the South Korean coast. (21) (28)
1958: First attempted Titan I launch from Cape Canaveral failed. (6)
1960: The USAF used a Thor-Agena A to launch Discoverer XIX from Cape Canaveral into a polar orbit, where infrared scanners tested future Midas equipment. The Glenn L. Martin Company delivered its last aircraft, a P5M-2 Marlin seaplane, to the Navy. This ended 48 years of manufacturing that produced more than 12,000 aircraft. The company later became involved in missile and space programs. (8: Dec 90)
1962: When SAC declared the Atlas F missiles of the 556 SMS at Plattsburgh AFB to be operational, the Atlas deployment program ended.(6)
1963: SAC's responsibility for the Thor missile in the UK ended when the RAF phased out the missile. (1) (6)
1968: NASA terminated the X-15 program. The X-15's 200th flight, scheduled for today, was cancelled for bad weather. (3)
1971: The NF-104 rocket-powered aerospace training aircraft completed its last flight. Students at Edwards AFB used the NF-104 for steep zoom climb flights to reach the fringes of space. (3)
1972: The M2-F3 lifting body completed its 27th and final flight after an air launch from a B-52. It reached 1,066 MPH and 17,500 feet.
1984: Two C-130 Hercules aircraft moved 23.8 tons of emergency rescue equipment and vehicles to help in the unsuccessful rescue of 27 miners trapped over a mile below the earth's surface near Huntington, Utah.(16)
1989: Operation JUST CAUSE. US forces restored democracy in Panama. MAC played a significant role in the operation as 24 active and 9 reserve units completed 84 airdrops, and 22 C-130s, 77 C-141s, and 12 C-5s flew employment missions. Another 40 C-141 and 13 C-5s airlifted follow-on security forces. Meanwhile, SAC KC-135s and KC-10s flew more than 160 missions to deliver 10 million pounds of fuel. From TAC, the F-117A Stealth Fighter made its combat debut by dropping 2,000 pound bombs to "disorient, stun, and confuse" Panamanian Defense Force troops near Rio Hato. The Army's AH-64 Apache helicopter from the 82d Airborne Division's Aviation Brigade saw action for the first time, launching AGM-114 Hellfire missiles against enemy targets. In aeromedical evacuations from 20 December 1989 to 5 January
1990, 8 C-141s and 1 C-130 flew 257 wounded soldiers from Panama to the US. During the 27 December 1989 to 3 January
1990 humanitarian airlift, airlifters carried 3 tons of medical supplies, 10,000 blankets, sheets, and food to Panama. For the 1 January through 14 February redeployment, nearly 18,000 troops returned to the US. From 17 December 1989 to 4 January 1990, over 100 KC-10s and KC-135s delivered more than 12 million pounds of fuel to airlifters and other aircraft in 256 sorties. (18) (26) MACKAY TROPHY.
A 16th Special Operations Squadron AC-130 crew, under the command of Captain Greg McMillian, received the 1990 Mackay Trophy for leading the attack on the Panamanian Commandancia in JUST CAUSE. (18) (26) AFRES crews contributed to the success of JUST CAUSE. Reserve airlifters carried more than 5,900 passengers and 3,700 tons of cargo, while refuelers supports active and reserve aircraft. Reserve gunships flew 29 sorties and expended over 7,000 rounds of ammunition. (26) ANG fighter, special operations, and airlift units participated in JUST CAUSE too. Participants included the 114 TFG, 180 TFG, 193d Special Operations Group, and the 105, 136, 139, 146, 166, and 172 TAGs. (26)
1997: A C-141A towed a modified QF-106 Delta Dart into the air for the first Eclipse Project flight. Dryden Research Center pilot Mark Stucky flew the Eclipse experimental Demonstrator-1 (EXD-01) to 10,000 feet above Edwards AFB. Eclipse was a joint USAF/NASA/Kelly Space & Technology Inc. concept demonstrator for a future reusable space vehicle. (3)
1999: Torrential rains in mid-December caused massive landslides down Mount Avila near Caracas, Venezuela. The landslides destroyed most shantytowns around Caracas and killed as many as 30,000 people, while leaving another 400,000 homeless. A 105 AW C-5 from the New York ANG arrived at Roosevelt Roads NAS in Puerto Rico on 23 December with water purification equipment. From Roosevelt Roads, C-130 aircrews from the Puerto Rico ANG airlifted the C-5's cargo to Simon Bolivar IAP near Caracas. Through 28 December, the USAF dispatched 6 C-130s, 1 C-5, and 2 MH-60 helicopters to Caracus, Venezuela, to provide humanitarian relief. (21) (22)
2004: The USAF inactivated its last operational F-4 Phantom II squadron at Holloman AFB. The 20th Fighter Squadron's inactivation also ended a 33-year German-American joint fighter training program in F-4E and F aircraft. The last F-4s from Holloman were transferred to the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB by 7 January 2005. (AFNEWS Article, "Silver Lobos Fly into Retirement," 22 December 2004)
2006: Operation DEEP FREEZE. Airmen from McChord AFB flew the first C-17 Globemaster III (tail no. 02-1106) airdrop mission to the South Pole by dropping 70,000 pounds of supplies to the National Science Foundation team at Antarctica's South Pole Station. The airdrop showed that one C-17 could deliver up to four times the tonnage of a ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules, when bad weather interfered with the resupply mission. The LC-130s belonged to the 109 AW at Stratton ANGB in Scotia, N. Y. (22)
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Thanks to Brett
Stratfor snippets - Israel/Gaza, UK, Netherlands/Bulgaria, Brazil, Japan/ASEAN, Chile, North Korea, India, Egypt, Iran, South Africa, Kuwait, Turkey/Canada, EU, Cyberspace, U.S./Japan/South Korea,
Israel, Gaza: Israeli Killing of Hostages Renews Public Calls for Temporary Truce
What Happened: Israel's Mossad head David Barnea headed to Warsaw, Poland, to meet with U.S. CIA Director Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to try to negotiate the release of more hostages from Gaza amid calls from the Israeli public for a temporary truce following the Dec. 15 accidental killing of three Israeli hostages by Israeli troops, The Times of Israel reported on Dec. 18. Also on Dec. 18, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin traveled to Israel to press the government to shift its military tactics from a mass invasion to targeted operations.
Why It Matters: Another temporary Israel-Hamas truce is possible in the coming days, potentially aligning with the Dec. 25 Christmas holiday, as Israel's government faces public outrage over the hostages' deaths and increasing pressure from the United States. Israel is also more likely to reduce its aggressive tactics to decrease risks to the remaining hostages. Another truce would not end the war, but with a substantial part of the strip now under Israeli control, the renewal of fighting might be comparatively more limited as Israel shifts to focused operations against Hamas holdouts.
Background: Israeli troops are still fighting in Gaza's southern city of Khan Younis and parts of the northern Gaza Strip against entrenched Hamas fighters, continuing to use expansive air strikes to degrade and demoralize Hamas' remaining forces. Hamas is still able to carry out some long-range attacks, including a Dec. 15 rocket barrage at Jerusalem. Israel is also coming up against the electoral calendar of the United States, as the White House is eager to turn the page on the war as the first primaries begin in January 2024.
UK: London to Introduce Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in 2027
What Happened: The United Kingdom will introduce a carbon border adjustment mechanism, or CBAM, in 2027 that will impose a carbon-based levy on imports of emissions-intensive goods such as iron, steel, aluminum, fertilizers, hydrogen, ceramics, glass and cement from countries with weaker climate legislation, according to a Dec. 18 statement from the Treasury.
Why It Matters: The levy is designed to impose a carbon price on imported emissions-intensive goods comparable to that faced by domestically produced goods to address carbon leakage concerns and shield domestic producers from uneven competition with companies in countries with looser climate legislation. The move would also enable the United Kingdom to limit its exposure to the European Union's recently introduced CBAM that will enter into force in 2026. However, the United Kingdom's carbon price is significantly lower than the European Union's, which reduces incentives for investments in decarbonization, so the impact of EU carbon tariffs on trade with the United Kingdom could remain high. Moreover, the one-year lag between the United Kingdom's and the European Union's CBAMs means the United Kingdom would face a higher risk of countries such as China dumping high-carbon steel in its domestic market between 2026 and 2027.
Background: The design of the CBAM will be subject to further consultation in 2024, including the precise list of covered products. In parallel, the government is also working on designing a new supply adjustment mechanism to gradually reduce the number of free carbon allowances on the market each year as the carbon border levy is phased in. The price of British carbon permits has fallen by 54% in 2023, near an all-time low of 34 pounds ($43) per ton. Meanwhile, the price for EU carbon permits is 66.90 euros ($73) per ton.
Netherlands, Bulgaria: Outgoing Dutch Government Lifts Veto on Bulgaria's Schengen Membership
What Happened: The outgoing Dutch government agreed to drop its veto against Bulgaria joining Europe's passport-free Schengen zone, Reuters reported on Dec. 15, citing a letter to parliament from State Secretary for Justice and Security Eric van der Burg.
Why It Matters: The announcement marks a departure from the Netherlands' long-standing veto on Bulgaria joining the Schengen zone, leaving Austria as the only country now opposing the country's membership. Austria also recently opened to some concessions concerning air travel under certain conditions, but the country is unlikely to fully lift its veto against Bulgaria's accession ahead of legislative elections expected for September 2024 given Austrian voters' broad support for a veto. Meanwhile, a possible far-right-led government in the Netherlands could overrule the outgoing Dutch government's decision following recent elections.
Background: The Netherlands and Austria have opposed Bulgaria's bid to join the Schengen passport-free area due to rule of law and illegal migration concerns, despite the European Commission, the European Parliament and several EU member states such as Germany and Spain arguing in favor of Bulgaria's membership. In the Netherlands, the far-right Party for Freedom is leading negotiations to form a new government after coming first in the Nov. 22 general election.
Brazil: Byzantine Tax System Gets Long-Awaited Overhaul
What Happened: Brazil's lower house of Congress overwhelmingly voted to approve a major tax overhaul reform that will be gradually phased in starting in 2026, Reuters reported on Dec. 15. The constitutional reforms will transition the current tax collection framework from five consumption taxes to a value-added tax system, collected at the federal level and the municipal level, as well as seek to levy charges at the point of consumption rather than production.
Why It Matters: A Brazilian government think tank, the Institute for Applied Economic Research, forecast that the reforms may add as much as 2.39% to Brazil's gross domestic product over the next decade. Once the reform goes into effect, the tax overhaul should reduce costs and time associated with tax compliance and provide legal certainty surrounding investments. Similarly, the transition to consumption levies over the current production tax framework should aid domestic manufacturers. However, the government must still decide on the standard VAT rate and modifications to the law, especially regarding which products receive exemptions, which may complicate the law's eight-year phase-in period. Additionally, updates to the reform through complementary laws will likely complicate efforts for small businesses to remain up-to-date with an evolving tax system.
Background: While some lawmakers have complained about the high number of exemptions, such as health services and public transportation, the new system is expected to reduce the standard VAT rate to around 27.5%, compared with the current consumption tax-based system charging roughly 34.4%. However, the Federation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism of the state of Sao Paulo released a statement saying that, even with the reforms, Brazil will have one of the highest VAT rates globally.
Japan, ASEAN: Summit Modestly Deepens Economic, Defense Ties
What Happened: Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations concluded a summit celebrating 50 years of ties where the two sides agreed to enhance investment and maritime security, The Asahi Shimbun reported on Dec. 17.
Why It Matters: The joint vision statement pledges the two sides to uphold maritime security per the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, build supply chain resilience — particularly in automobiles — and promote sustainable energy practices. However, the more substantive agreements were bilateral rather than bloc-wide, such as Japan's pledge to provide Indonesia with a $63 million coast guard patrol vessel. Japan also upgraded ties with Malaysia to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and Malaysia will receive rescue boats, supplies and warning and surveillance equipment, as well as financial grants. Additionally, Japan and the Philippines made progress on negotiating a Reciprocal Access Agreement, which could be soon forthcoming. Japan will continue modestly and gradually deepening defense ties with maritime Southeast Asian countries, particularly through its Official Security Assistance program, to counter China's rising assertiveness in the region.
Background: Japan launched its Official Security Assistance program in April to complement its Official Development Assistance program, which invests in Southeast Asian countries' infrastructure projects and competes with China's Belt and Road Initiative.
Chile: Chileans Reject New Constitution Again
What Happened: Roughly 56% of Chilean voters rejected a newly proposed constitution, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 17.
Why It Matters: The rejection of the socially conservative constitution means Chile's current pro-market constitution will remain in place, which will benefit businesses operating in Chile that will no longer need to worry, at least in the short-term, of policy shocks emanating from the constitutional rewrite process. Chile's failure to decide on a new constitution over the last two years represents a setback for President Gabriel Boric's government, and the partisanship of the constitutional conventions and rewrite process highlights growing political polarization in Chile that will likely deepen as regional elections in October 2024 approach. The risk of social unrest and right-wing protests resulting from the failed vote remains low, as right-wing groups do not place as much emphasis on demonstrations as left-wing groups in Chile.
Background: After widespread protests in 2019 that became known as the "social explosion," the government promised to rewrite the country's constitution, which was written under the military dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet in 1980. In September 2022, 62% of voters rejected a progressive charter that was written by a constitutional convention dominated by left-wing representatives. The most recent constitutional council was overwhelmingly composed of right-wing forces, who drafted a constitution that limited abortion rights, reduced labor and environmental protections, and would have allowed the government to more quickly expel migrants.
North Korea: ICBM Launch Raises Risk of Border Spat
What Happened: North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) into the East Sea on Dec. 18 following a short-range missile launch from North Korea late on Dec. 17 that flew 570 kilometers into the East Sea, Yonhap News Agency reported on Dec. 18. In response, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered an "immediate, overwhelming response" to North Korean provocations.
Why It Matters: Seoul is pursuing a more hardline approach toward North Korea and is seeking greater deterrence from the United States, while Pyongyang is accelerating its missile launches and border activity. This dynamic will raise risks of a border clash with artillery or at sea in lowly populated areas, which will heighten fears of business disruptions, unlikely as they are. It will also impede U.S.-China efforts to ease tensions, as Beijing's foreign minister did not condemn the launch but reiterated Chinese support and trust for Pyongyang on Dec. 18.
Background: This is North Korea's fifth ICBM test in 2023 after launches in February, March, April and July. It follows the second meeting of the U.S.-South Korea Nuclear Consultative Group on Dec. 15.
India: Main Opposition Party Launches Public Funding Drive
What Happened: India's opposition Indian National Congress party, or Congress, initiated a public funding campaign to combat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 18. Congress asked its followers to donate online, and the party plans to commence a door-to-door fundraising campaign initiative starting on Dec. 28.
Why It Matters: Given the wide funding gap between the BJP and opposition parties, the donation appeal indicates that Congress is grappling with financial hurdles, potentially limiting the party's campaign efforts and ability to challenge the BJP. Additionally, Congress' plea for donations might undermine the party's reputation by emphasizing its resource constraints. This is especially significant given recent reputational setbacks following tax raids targeting a Congress politician, a development that the BJP may exploit by criticizing the party for corruption.
Background: In its previous election campaign, Congress encountered a financial crisis that challenged the party's ability to maintain operational offices. The Association for Democratic Reforms, an autonomous election watchdog, reported that the BJP accumulated a total of 101 billion rupees ($1.2 billion) in donations over six years until March 2022, while Congress only received 15.4 billion rupees during the same period.
Egypt: Al-Sisi's Electoral Win Grants Him a Third Presidential Term
What Happened: The head of Egypt's National Election Authority announced that incumbent President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi won a third term with 89.6% of the vote, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 18. This win will extend al-Sisi's presidency to 2030.
Why It Matters: Al-Sisi's reelection will enable him to make unpopular economic reforms that align with the International Monetary Fund's recommendations to unlock additional tranches from the $3 billion loan granted in 2022. To this end, in 2024 al-Sisi will likely work to decrease inflation amid Egypt's cost-of-living crisis and devalue the Egyptian pound for the fourth time since 2022. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war will also be a challenge for al-Sisi's third term, as tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza are putting pressure on the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza. As long as Palestinian refugees do not migrate into the peninsula en masse, al-Sisi will work to maintain a pragmatic relationship with Israel for joint economic and security cooperation.
Background: Egypt called its presidential election earlier than expected amid an ongoing economic crisis. Two of the major concerns for Egyptian voters were the economic crisis, which has increased inflation, and the Israel-Hamas war, which has increased domestic pro-Palestinian sentiment.
Iran: Pro-Israeli 'Hacktivist' Group Predatory Sparrow Disrupts Petrol Stations
What Happened: Pro-Israeli self-claimed hacktivist group Predatory Sparrow took responsibility for a cyberattack that disrupted nearly 70% of Iran's petrol stations across the country, AP reported on Dec. 18. The cyberattack has reportedly forced petrol stations to operate their pumps manually, delaying operations and causing significant wait times for Iranian citizens.
Why It Matters: Predatory Sparrow's campaign suggests Israeli- and Iranian-linked threat activity is likely to escalate in the short term, heightening disruptive cyber risks in the region and for organizations with links to the two countries. Though the majority of this threat activity will likely stay relatively contained to Israel's and Iran's cyberspace, the increasingly active role of state-sponsored groups may heighten the likelihood that disruptive campaigns have reverberating effects across the broader Middle East. Additionally, as Israel and Iran ramp up their tit-for-tat behavior in cyberspace, Israeli allies like the United States are also likely to become bigger targets for Iranian-linked threat activity, heightening risks to Western organizations, especially those using Israeli products.
Background: Iranian- and Israeli-linked cyber groups have been engaged in a "shadow war" for years, conducting back-and-forth cyberattacks. Predatory Sparrow previously conducted a range of cyberattacks against Iran including deploying data wiper malware attacks against Iranian railway systems and hacking Iran's fuel smart card payment system. Similarly, Iranian-linked hackers have targeted Israeli critical infrastructure, including a thwarted campaign that targeted Israel's water and sewage infrastructure and sought to raise the chlorine to unsafe levels in April 2020.
South Africa: Zuma Will Not Vote for ANC in 2024
What Happened: Former South African President Jacob Zuma will not vote or campaign for the ruling African National Congress party in the 2024 general elections, but will support Umkhonto we Sizwe, or Spear of the Nation, a new party named after the armed wing of the ANC, Daily Maverick reported on Dec. 17. Zuma called on members of the ANC to join him, but said that although he has withdrawn support for the ANC, he will remain a member.
Why It Matters: While the Umkhonto we Sizwe party lacks the infrastructure or organization to win many legislative seats during the 2024 election, it could still hurt the ANC's electoral outlook by triggering defections and drawing votes. Zuma is a highly polarizing figure who maintains a following, and while his allegations against President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC ignore the widespread corruption that occurred under his own administration, the new party could appeal to some former ANC supporters who are fed up with the ruling party's poor governance.
Background: Zuma made the announcement on Dec. 16, the 62nd anniversary of the ANC's Umkhonto we Sizwe. Zuma said he could not support the ANC in good conscience, as Ramaphosa is "an agent of white monopoly capital."
Kuwait: Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah Dies
What Happened: Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, Kuwait's emir since 2020, died, the Guardian reported on Dec. 16. Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who has been the de facto emir of Kuwait since 2021 due to Sheikh Nawaf's deteriorating health, has become the new emir.
Why It Matters: The official transition of power between Sheikh Nawaf and Sheikh Meshal is unlikely to have any substantial political outcomes since Sheikh Meshal has been Kuwait's de facto emir since 2021. However, Sheikh Meshal will need to designate a crown prince and a premier, which may cause the al-Sabah family's factionalism in the National Assembly to worsen. This splintering may hinder cooperation between the government and the National Assembly.
Background: The Kuwaiti government has been frequently deadlocked between the former crown prince and the National Assembly, which has impeded fiscal reforms. Sheikh Meshal most recently dissolved the National Assembly as crown prince in May and called for new elections in June.
Turkey, Canada: Erdogan Links Canadian Arms Embargo to Sweden's NATO Accession
What Happened: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Canada's government must drop its arms embargo on Turkey before Turkey's National Assembly approves Sweden's accession to NATO, ABC News reported on Dec. 19. He also reiterated the demand that the U.S. Congress approve a sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey before the National Assembly votes yes for Sweden.
Why It Matters: It is unclear whether Canada's arms embargo would be enough to sink a vote on Sweden in Turkey's National Assembly, though Canada could lift its arms embargo in the coming weeks. Erdogan could drag out more demands to force Western-Turkey normalization until the United States approves the F-16 deal, which is Turkey's most significant demand.
Background: Turkey has been holding up the vote for Sweden's entry into NATO for more than a year as Ankara tries to force Western allies to change policies. Finland and Sweden both dropped their arms embargoes against Turkey as part of this process, while Sweden has increased scrutiny of domestic dissidents that Turkey claims are linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party. Skeptics of Erdogan in the U.S. Congress remain concerned that Turkey would use F-16s against U.S. allies in Syria or would not convince Turkey to distance itself from Russia.
EU: Bloc to Miss Most of its 2030 Climate Goals
What Happened: The European Union is "unlikely" or "very unlikely" to meet most of its 2030 green objectives, according to the latest report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) published Dec. 18.
Why It Matters: The EEA's analysis shows progress toward meeting the European Union's environmental and climate ambitions by 2030 is insufficient and that most goals — particularly on land use, energy efficiency, recycling and farming — will most likely be missed. This will increase calls from within the European Union to strengthen climate action, but a growing 'green fatigue' across the bloc will likely continue to slow down progress, particularly on sustainability policies, as national governments will continue to prioritize growth and their relationships with influential industry and farming groups over the coming years. In fact, while investment in renewables, public transport and electrification will continue to increase, the bloc will continue to struggle to implement measures to reduce land use for agriculture, farming and logging, as well as cutting energy consumption or changing its citizens' consumption patterns.
Background: The agency ranks EU hopes of achieving eight overarching targets under the European Commission's "8th Environment Action Program" adopted in 2022 from "very likely" down to "very unlikely" based on current progress and projections of present policy actions. The only main targets the bloc is on track to meet, according to the report, are reducing emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels and reducing deaths from air pollution by 55% compared to 2005 levels.
Cyberspace: FBI Seizes ALPHV Ransomware Gang Leak Site
What Happened: The FBI posted a takedown notice on the dark web leak site of the ALPHV ransomware gang, also known as BlackCat, announcing that the site had been seized, The Record reported on Dec. 19.
Why It Matters: Though the group has returned with a new leak site, as many ransomware gangs tend to do following government takedowns, its credibility regarding extortion threats is significantly weakened, as the new site does not contain any victims or data before Dec. 13. Confirmation of law enforcement interference with the group's operations will also cause the group to lose many of its affiliates that use its ransomware for fear of legal consequences, lessening the proliferation of ALPHV ransomware threats to organizations.
Background: ALPHV is considered the second-largest ransomware threat to organizations behind Lockbit. On Dec. 7, ALPHV's site was unavailable for five days, leading many to suspect law enforcement action. The group claimed that the outage was due to hardware failure. When the site returned on Dec. 13, its list of hundreds of victims and their data had been removed.
US, Japan, South Korea: Countries Launch Trilateral Intelligence Sharing Mechanism
What Happened: The United States, Japan and South Korea launched a trilateral real-time intelligence sharing mechanism to track and monitor North Korean missile launches, Yonhap News Agency reported on Dec. 19. The mechanism will be in effect for two years.
Why It Matters: The mechanism will enable the three countries to comprehensively monitor North Korean missile launches in real time and marks a milestone in trilateral security cooperation. However, the remit for the intelligence sharing mechanism covers only active launches, excluding all other considerations, among them North Korean preparations for missile launches. The mechanism's remit is unlikely to widen within its two-year timeframe to include missile launch preparation, possibly out of concern that one of the countries would launch unilateral preemptive attacks based on such intelligence.
Background: The United States, Japan and South Korea held a trilateral Camp David summit in August, where they agreed to implement the mechanism before the end of 2023, and they also held a trilateral defense chiefs meeting in November. North Korea launched its latest intercontinental ballistic missile on Dec. 18, its fifth of 2023.
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