To All
Good Sunday Morning February 25, 2024. .I hope that your weekend is going well. I did get a lot done yesterday in the leaf and weed patch. I will attack it again today. Cloudy all day today.
Regards and enjoy the rest of your weekend,
skip
HAGD
.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History February. 25
1861—The sloop of war Saratoga of the U.S. African Squadron captures the slaver sloop Express.
1917—Marines and a naval landing force from USS Connecticut (BB 18), USS Michigan (BB 27), and USS South Carolina (BB 26) move into Guantanamo City, Cuba to protect American citizens during the sugar revolt.
1933—USS Ranger (CV 4), the US Navy's first true aircraft carrier, is launched.
1944— USS Hoe (SS 258) attacks a Japanese convoy at the mouth of Davao Gulf, sinking the fleet tanker Nissho Maru and damaging the fleet tanker Kyokuto Maru, while USS Rasher (SS 269) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Ryusei Maru and freighter Tango Maru off the north coast of Bali.
1991—During Operation Desert Storm, USS Wisconsin (BB 64) and USS Missouri (BB 63) provide naval gunfire support and other operations.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Today in World History: February 25.
1570 Pope Pius V issues the bull Regnans in Excelsis which excommunicates Queen Elizabeth of England.
1601 Robert Devereux, the second Earl of Essex and former favorite of Elizabeth I, is beheaded in the Tower of London for high treason.
1642 Dutch settlers slaughter lower Hudson Valley Indians in New Netherland, North America, who sought refuge from Mohawk attackers.
1779 The British surrender the Illinois country to George Rogers Clark at Vincennes.
1781 American General Nathaniel Greene crosses the Dan River on his way to attack Cornwallis.
1791 President George Washington signs a bill creating the Bank of the United States.
1804 Thomas Jefferson is nominated for president at the Democratic-Republican caucus.
1815 Napoleon leaves his exile on the island of Elba, returning to France.
1831 The Polish army halts the Russian advance into their country at the Battle of Grochow.
1836 Samuel Colt patents the first revolving cylinder multi-shot firearm.
1862 Confederate troops abandon Nashville, Tennessee, in the face of Grant's advance. The ironclad Monitor is commissioned at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
1865 General Joseph E. Johnston replaces John Bell Hood as Commander of the Confederate Army of Tennessee.
1904 J.M. Synge's play Riders to the Sea opens in Dublin.
1910 The 13th Dalai Lama flees from the Chinese and takes refuge in India.
1913 The 16th Amendment to the constitution is adopted, setting the legal basis for the income tax.
1919 Oregon introduces the first state tax on gasoline at one cent per gallon, to be used for road construction.
1926 Poland demands a permanent seat on the League of Nations council.
1928 Bell Labs introduces a new device to end the fluttering of the television image.
1943 U.S. troops retake the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia, where they had been defeated five days before.
1944 U.S. forces destroy 135 Japanese planes in Marianas and Guam.
1952 French colonial forces evacuate Hoa Binh in Indochina.
1956 Stalin is secretly disavowed by Khrushchev at a party congress for promoting the "cult of the individual."
1976 The U.S. Supreme Court rules that states may ban the hiring of illegal aliens.
1964
Young Muhammad Ali knocks out Sonny Liston for first world title
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
OPERATION COMMANDO HUNT Thanks to the Bear
Skip… For The List for the week beginning Monday, 19 February 2024 and ending Sunday, 25 February 2024… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION COMMANDO HUNT (1968-1972)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post of 12 May 2019… The final flight of Major Wayne Pearson, USAF, the recovery of his remains and Arlington burial, and the 18 February 1969 speech of LGEN Lewis Walter criticizing media coverage of the war…
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 can read what happened each day to the aircraft and its crew. ……Skip
.
From Vietnam Air Losses site for "Sunday 25 February
25: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2487
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 . 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
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
From the List archives for your perusal
(Forgot he had two MOH! Phyllis Schlafly at the Eagle Forum always referenced and quoted Smedley Butler. Notice the highlighted number of general and admirals today! Several sources say we have more Navy admirals today than ships!)
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2020/02/no_author/where-have-you-gone-smedley-butler/
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Interesting Facts
.My dad had one blue eye and one brown eye…I got two blue…skip
All blue-eyed people likely descended from a single ancestor.
Eyes are said to be the windows to the soul, but they're also a glimpse at humanity's genetic past. Scientists estimate that between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago, the eye color of all Homo sapiens was brown — likely an evolutionary advantage, as the melanin pigment offers some protection from UV radiation. But then, something changed. Sometime during the Neolithic expansion in Europe, an individual was born with a mutation to the OCA2 gene. This gene code controls melanin production in the iris, and the mutation caused this person's eyes to turn blue rather than the usual brown. Because blue eyes can only form as a result of this mutation, scientists theorize that all blue-eyed people — about 10% of the world population — are a relative of this original lone blue-eyed ancestor.
Strangely, this mutation doesn't actually turn your eyes blue — in fact, blue eyes are technically not blue at all. The eye's iris is predominantly made up of two layers: the stroma and the epithelium. Brown eyes have a brown-black melanin pigment in both these layers (though the stroma absorbs the most light), which produces the color brown. Blue eyes, on the other hand, have no melanin pigment in the stroma; in fact, blue eyes have no pigment at all. Instead, they are a reflection of white light in a process called the Tyndall effect. Because blue wavelengths of light are the shortest, they are reflected the most by the fibers in the eyes, which absorb the longer red-orange wavelengths. This bit of complicated optics is similar to how the atmosphere reflects sunlight, turning the sky (and the ocean) a dazzling blue. So while the overall effect is that people have "blue" eyes, from a pigment perspective, the truth is that they really don't have any color at all.
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Humans are less genetically diverse than other primates.
Humans are the least genetically diverse among the great apes. This means that we're a relatively young species, as enough time hasn't passed for mutations to accumulate (200,000 years is a geologic blink of an eye). It also means that Homo sapiens likely sprung from a surprisingly small population — around just 10,000 breeding pairs or so. This is likely because early humans appear to have survived two genetic bottlenecks while exiting Africa, both of which caused the population to plummet. One theory suggests humans almost went extinct 74,000 years ago due to a massive volcanic eruption, but other studies question if that "eruption" was actually an epidemic. Usually, this low diversity can make it tougher for animals to adapt to climatic changes. Fortunately, what humans lack in genetic brawn, we make up for with our incredibly complex brains.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Covid Continued
Thanks to Shadow
First off… Good news! Today is the first day I've come anywhere near normal… still a bit weak, but able to eat and not have a blanket handy. Even went to the grocery store and then Mayport for some fresh shrimp.
Gonna go on a tangent to begin with… want to take a few minutes to talk about a group we all know and love (not). The news media. As Black can affirm… I have had more than a little interaction with the media over my lifetime… not by design, just because of events in my life. I had the opportunity to witness how the sausage was made… and it ain't purty. (CNN News once called me a Shadowy Man)... Long story.
My first real exposer to the media was in Central America during the Sandinista/FMLN conflicts in El Salvador and Nicaragua. Through a fluke, I was introduced to the Station Manager for CBS News in the region. Her name was Courtney Hood… we called her Cookie. Nice girl… but no rocket scientist. Anyhow… Cookie eventually invited me up to their headquarters at the Intercontinental Hotel… that was where the sausage was made. Later she invited me to Managua and I had free access to their sausage factory there too.
Over a period of time, Cookie and I exchanged candid thoughts about both wars and regimes… she was honest enough to keep our conversations private and off the record, with one exception. I'll get to that shortly. It was obvious that we came at things with a different perspective. CBS's suite was a gathering place for all kinds of freelancers and CBS Staff. When visiting I tended to stay out of any conversations and just observed what was going on. I have to admit… my first and final impression was this was a gathering of a cabal of would be revolutionaries themselves… that seemed to feed off each other with one harebrained conspiracy idea after another. The FMLN were the good guys; the Government were all fascists. Collectively they reminded me of a bunch of Freshman Psychology Majors in college…. That never grew up or matured. Never let the truth get in the way of a great conspiracy story. Frankly, today things haven't changed much… our national media, with the exception of FOX News (sometimes)… are purveyors of half truths, innuendos, lies and garbage… given with a hard core agenda. They are as left as they come.
Now the on camera "Talking Head" in those days was Jane Wallace. Reputed to be the future Talking Head on the Today Show, until her potty mouth on camera (she thought the camera was off)… got her disqualified. Anyway… one afternoon Cookie said that Jane would like to meet me and wanted to know if I'd have dinner with the two of them. I agreed and at around eight that evening we met in the lobby of the hotel. Both of them wanted to go to the "Zona Rosa"… the local night club area for dinner. I objected in that I thought since it was the gathering place of most Gringos in the country, including the Mil Group and Embassy Staff… sooner or later it was gonna be a target for the FMLN. Instead I suggested a small restaurant down the street from there, that had great food and lots of privacy. They finally agreed.
No sooner than we sat down to eat… Wallace starts in on me… What was I really doing in this war torn country? I explained I was just a business man looking for old airplane parts. She wasn't buying it and finally said the following… "Cookie says you're old school". I said, "What the hell does that mean"? She said… "You don't think much of the media and how we do our job down here". I said, "What I think is… you folks come down here with a preconceived notions of how things are… and you only look at things through that prism. There are two sides to every story"!
She seemed a bit taken aback for a second and then leaned across the table and and said with all the assuredness in the world… "Well… I see nothing wrong with being didactic… you do know what that word means don't you"? I was shocked at her pure arrogance! But she gave this former Marine an opening… for I had run into that word at sometime in college (or Readers Digest) and I'd looked it up. I looked back to her and said, "I think you just proved my point… the last time I looked it up… Didactic means teaching or proselytizing… and dammit, that's exactly what you're doing… you're not reporting even handedly". God as my witness… a bomb went off in the Zona Rosa before she could open her mouth again!
Now the restaurant we were in, was below ground level… both of them started to jump up to go outside. Cookie was heading for the stairs and I yelled , "Don't go out the front"! Simultaneously, I reached across the table and grabbed Jane's bra strap from behind to keep her from getting up to join Cookie. I was fully expecting gun fire to break out at any second. I screamed at the waiter and asked about a way out… he took us though the kitchen and let us out in an alley. As we peeked around the corner… we could see the fire and all the rescue equipment arriving. I said, wait a while and make sure there's no gunfire… too dangerous to go there right now. Jane then turned and with venom in her eyes she said… "YOU KNEW"! I looked at her and said, "Yeah right… think I wouldn't have warned people if I knew… that's bullshit and you know it"!
Such was the mind of the media. Still that way today…
Since I'm ranting about the media… Gotta share this story. When I was in college during a trip to Washington (I won't go into why I was there)… I had the pleasure of having lunch with Dwight Chapin and Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Moynihan was unbelievable and told us stories that were so enlightening and funny, I had tears in my eyes! At one point he started talking about the media… "You can never trust those bastards… they'd sell you and their soul down the river in a heartbeat for a front page story". He then related a story from when he was Ambassador to the U.N. In those days he had a friend who was a reporter for the NYT. Actually, they were drinking Buddies. There was an iron clad mutual agreement that anything said at the bar was "OFF THE RECORD"!
One day, there was a heated exchange between the Indian Ambassador and Moynihan over our country's intention to sell arms to Pakistan. In fact, the Indian Ambassador said if we go through with it… India would install a total embargo on exports to the U.S. That afternoon at the bar, his NYT Buddy asked if he had any concerns over India's threat to embargo their exports to us? Moynihan in typical Irish virus candor turned around looked at his friend and said, "Hell, I'm not worried… what the hell did they ever export outside of a communicable disease anyway"! Little did he know, that quote made the front page of the NYT the next day! He had to find a new drinking Buddy… go figure? True story.
I'm gonna get back to today's stuff either later today… or tomorrow. The point of all this is you can't trust a damn thing you see or hear from the media… They have always been two faced liars. Nothing they say about Russia, Ukraine, Trump... can be taken with more than a grain of salt. 90% of what they say is BS!
Shadow
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
. Gun Shows to Teachers
Thanks to Barrett
My family owned four full-auto weapons; two were mine. I/we mainly had them for historic & research purposes. I enjoyed comparing notes on the Browning M1917 water-cooled with Col. Mitch Paige who received a well-earned MoH with his section overlooking Henderson Field in '42.
I don't know how many Class III guns are out there now—tens of thousands. After A LOT of research and inquiring, I found two legally owned go-fast guns that were used in crimes. One was a MAC-10 used by a cop to snuff a snitch who set him up. (I'll sign off now because I'm starting to write like Mickey Spillane.)
Barrett
Barrett,
You mentioned gun shows… I'm not a fan of civilians and automatic weapons. Tend to think those things military should remain there… but I understand why some are drawn to them…. That said, tell you about my experience.
Back when I started to get involved with various government agencies… I was encouraged by some of my Fed Bubbas to get a pistol and they took me to a Gun Show. We're walking down one of the aisles, when we came to a guy holding an AK-47. He was an obvious Red Neck… had some missing teeth, a weeks beard… and dirty clothes. I stopped and looked at this guy as he softly stroked the AK, like a lover. I was taken aback as I studied the look on his face and in his eyes.
As I stood there watching… it hit me! I'd seen that look before… it was when Betty Lynn Scott walked by our PE Class in her skin tight gym shorts! The idea that two such disparate events could evoke the same primal reaction in a human being just blew me away!
To each his own I guess… I 'd take Betty any day (and did)… but a guy like that one scares the shit out of me!
Shadow
Thanks to Eagle
I was in love with my 7th grade teacher. Miss Hubbard. Dressed to the nines every day. Tall beautiful blond. Hmmmm. Wonder what ever happened to her. She didnt wait for me to grow up.
EAGLE
YP
Guaran-damn-tee that NOBODY in my educator exposure, from K to 12, looked like that. The femmes mostly were matronly ladies older than my parents. I had one poly-sci prof in college who was semi-cute. The others, not so much.
YP
I am with YP In all the schools that I attended moving around I never had a female teacher that was worth remembering for their looks. But I did have a couple that were some of the nicest people I still remember.
skip
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Brett….There is still a lot going on out there in the world
Stratfor snippets - Turkey, Pakistan, Poland/EU, Turkey, Israel/Gaza, Ecuador, Libya, U.S., Indonesia/Australia, Japan/Cambodia, Israel/Lebanon, EU, Senegal, UAE/Kenya, Israel, Moldova, Egypt/UAE
. Turkey: Indigenous Fighter Jet Makes Maiden Flight
What Happened: Turkey's indigenously developed TAI TF Kaan fighter jet conducted a 10-minute maiden flight around the capital city, Ankara, TRT World reported on Feb. 21.
Why It Matters: Turkey will not use the Kaan militarily until at least the early 2030s, by which point further developments in Russia, the United States, Europe and China could erode its technical value. However, its development will give Turkey a non-Western option for a fifth-generation fighter that will afford Turkey greater operational freedom and export opportunities. The Kaan could eventually work its way into the air forces of countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, which are interested in fighter aircraft that do not come with the same diplomatic and political strings as those made in the United States.
Background: Turkey has been developing the Kaan since 2010 as part of a long-term plan to replace the U.S.-made F-16. The Turks aim to build hundreds of these planes by the 2030s and export the fighter jets abroad. Turkey's TB2 drones have found notable market success despite being less technologically advanced than U.S. drones, in part because Ankara shows little interest in how the drones are utilized once they are sold.
Pakistan: PMLN, PPP Reach Formal Agreement on Coalition Government
What Happened: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, or PML-N, and the Pakistan People's Party, or PPP, reached a consensus on a power-sharing arrangement to establish a coalition government, Geo News reported on Feb. 21. In the agreement, Shahbaz Sharif will be nominated for prime minister, while Asif Ali Zardari will run for the presidency.
Why It Matters: Although a coalition agreement addresses concerns surrounding Pakistan's ongoing political crisis, the stability of this new coalition government may be weak, as potential disagreements could arise between the PML-N and the PPP. This political instability and party fragmentation may complicate Pakistan's efforts to implement the stringent reforms recommended by the International Monetary Fund, which could constrain negotiations for a new bailout program amid the country's significant economic challenges. Political instability may also delay assistance from other multilateral and bilateral partners.
Background: Under the agreement, PML-N members will secure the positions of speaker of the National Assembly and chief minister of Punjab province. PPP members will be the Senate chair and the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, as well as the chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. The PML-N holds 79 seats in Parliament, followed by the PPP with 54 seats. Together with four other smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, they hold a majority of seats.
Poland, EU: Brussels Welcomes Poland's Judicial Reform Plan
What Happened: The European Union welcomed Poland's plan to restore the rule of law in the country, Reuters reported on Feb. 20. EU Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova and EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders pledged to assist Warsaw in the plan's implementation.
Why It Matters: Brussels' showcase of support for Warsaw's judicial reform plans, despite the new Polish government's recent attempts to circumvent institutional constraints, underscores the European Union's accommodative stance toward Poland following eight years of rule by the eurosceptic Law and Justice party, or PiS. This stance will likely persist when the European Union evaluates Poland's progress toward promised reforms, likely by closing the rule-of-law procedure it had opened against the previous administration and releasing the first tranches of frozen EU funds. However, reforms aimed at restoring the independence of the judiciary in Poland will continue to face significant resistance from PiS ally President Andrzej Duda's veto powers, opposition-led demonstrations and legal challenges in courts dominated by PiS-appointed judges. As a result, meaningful progress on institutional reforms in Poland will remain unlikely until the next presidential election in 2025. In the meantime, the government will seek to adopt alternative steps to circumvent presidential vetoes and court rulings, such as executive orders, to show at least some progress toward reinstating the independence of the judiciary.
Background: Successive PiS-led governments between 2015 and 2023 sought to consolidate power in Poland by enacting controversial reforms that increased government control over the country's media and judiciary. The European Union subsequently imposed record-high fines on Poland and withheld billions of euros in post-pandemic recovery and cohesion funds. Against this backdrop, Poland's new centrist, pro-EU government coalition led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk pledged to reduce the previous administration's deeply embedded influence over Polish institutions and media, strengthen the rule of law in the country, and ultimately unlock EU funds.
Turkey: Ankara Expands Influence Via Defense Deals With Somalia, Djibouti
What Happened: Somalia's Cabinet and parliament approved a 10-year defense and economic cooperation agreement with Turkey, Voice of America reported on Feb. 21. This comes after Turkey signed a defense agreement with Djibouti on Feb. 19.
Why It Matters: The agreement with Somalia paves the way for more frequent naval deployments by Turkey in Somali waters, which could help curb illegal, unreported and unregulated, or IUU, fishing activity as well as resurging piracy off the country's coast. Taken together, the two agreements strengthen Ankara's presence in the Horn of Africa and could result in Turkey establishing a naval base in either Somalia or Djibouti in the medium term. In the long term, the Turkey-Somalia agreement will likely strengthen Somalia's navy and coast guard, further deterring IUU fishing and piracy. Turkey's push to strengthen its influence in the Horn of Africa is an attempt to secure maritime trading routes to Asia, but this will likely fuel regional competition between Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, especially if bilateral relations between Abu Dhabi and Ankara deteriorate.
Background: Somalia's and Turkey's defense ministers initially signed the deal on Feb. 8. Somalia is looking to deter Ethiopia from implementing its maritime deal with Somaliland by strengthening its partnerships with outside powers.
Israel, Gaza: Israel Seeking Non-Affiliated Palestinians To Govern Parts of Gaza
What Happened: Israel plans to recruit Palestinians who are not affiliated with the Palestinian militant group Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, to possibly govern the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City while Israel provides security, The Jerusalem Post reported on Feb. 22. The Zeitoun pilot would see Palestinians become responsible for the distribution of humanitarian aid in addition to other civil responsibilities in the heavily damaged part of Gaza City.
Why It Matters: Israel will struggle to find enough non-aligned Palestinians who are willing to cooperate with the Israeli government, especially since Hamas and other militants have a long history of executing collaborators with Israel. In the absence of sufficient numbers of Palestinians, the pilot program may be unable to successfully carry out civil responsibilities in Gaza, leaving much of those governing burdens on the Israeli military and eventually Israel's occupation authority, the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories. Additionally, whatever local governing structure emerges will survive only as long as Israeli forces are nearby to prevent militants from attacking it.
Background: An Israeli official said the Palestinian Authority would be blocked from taking part in the program because it had failed to condemn Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. However, the official also said Israel might be open to members of the secular Palestinian party and former guerrilla movement Fatah running parts of Gaza. Israel has long failed to resource its preferred Palestinian factions in its occupations of the West Bank and Gaza; Israel's Lebanese proxy, the Southern Lebanese Army, collapsed immediately after Israel's occupation ended.
Ecuador: Government Requests Security Spending Bump in 2024 Budget
What Happened: The government of Ecuador proposed raising security spending by $214 million in 2024, bringing the total to $3.52 billion from $3.3 billion in 2023, Reuters reported on Feb. 21.
Why It Matters: Most of the money would be allocated to the body that regulates the prison system, particularly for the purpose of building two new prisons in Santa Elena and Pastaza to house the growing number of criminals captured during Ecuador's ongoing "internal armed conflict" against the country's gangs. This increased security spending would likely boost Ecuador's ability to combat the country's various criminal groups by decreasing gang leaders' ability to coordinate operations and drug-trafficking shipments while incarcerated. While opposition lawmakers have challenged some of President Daniel Noboa's reforms, the National Assembly has generally followed his lead when handling security concerns, so the body will likely pass the spending change without issue.
Background: After declaring a state of internal armed conflict on Jan. 9, Ecuador's security forces have arrested at least 6,300 people accused of gang membership, adding to a prison population in a penitentiary system that was already over capacity. Roughly 31,321 people were incarcerated in Ecuador in 2022, outstripping official prison capacity by 14%. The prisons in Ecuador are currently controlled by the military. With a homicide rate of 44.5 murders per 100,000 people — an increase of 75% from 2022 — Ecuador was the most violent country in Central and South America in 2023.
Libya: Interior Minister Announces Armed Groups Will Leave Tripoli
What Happened: Imad Trabelsi, the interior minister of Libya's internationally recognized government, announced that several militia groups would leave the capital by the end of Ramadan on April 9, Al Jazeera reported on Feb. 21. Trabelsi said police officers, investigators and emergency police would replace the security groups in Tripoli, though he said the government may use the departing security groups in special operations.
Why It Matters: The announcement may indicate a short-term decrease in violence during Ramadan and reduce militia-established checkpoints. However, the militia groups are unlikely to actually leave Tripoli, as they are strongly integrated within the state apparatus and several members of the internationally recognized government have militia ties. Furthermore, the militias are largely localized in Tripoli, so calls for them to return to their headquarters would entrench their presence in parts of the city. Additionally, police would likely be unable to fully replace militias in the capital for security due to the government's limited personnel and resources. Despite these constraints, there may be some agreement to push militias away from Tripoli's downtown areas. The announcement likely demonstrates some damage control on the part of the government after a recent spike in violence on Feb. 18 and intermittent violent clashes between militia groups in Tripoli.
Background: Trabelsi said the departing militias include the General Security Force, the Special Deterrence Force, the 444 brigade, the 111 brigade and the Stability Support Authority. The militias formed after the 2011 revolution led to the assassination of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and they largely operate independently, though they receive public funds. Rivalries between groups have led to disruptive clashes that have resulted in the deaths of militia members and increased urban violence. In August 2023, clashes between the Special Deterrence Force and the 444 brigade resulted in 55 deaths and 146 wounded.
U.S.: U.S. Returns to the Moon With Private Lunar Lander
What Happened: U.S. private space company Intuitive Machines' IM-1 lander successfully landed on the lunar surface, CNN reported on Feb. 22.
Why It Matters: The was the first successful U.S. landing on the moon under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which is designed for private companies like Intuitive Machines to deliver payloads to the moon to support NASA's missions. Intuitive Machines' next mission under the program will include an ice drill to sample ice near the lunar south pole and evaluate it for possible use in future manned missions.
Background: This was the first time a U.S. spacecraft landed on the moon since the 1972 Apollo 17 landing, and Intuitive Machines is the first private company to land on the moon. Private U.S. space companies plan to attempt four more lunar landings over 2024.
Indonesia, Australia: Jakarta and Canberra to Sign Defense Pact 'Within Weeks'
What Happened: Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles met in Jakarta to discuss what they anticipate to be a "very significant" defense cooperation pact that they will sign "within weeks," Reuters reported Feb. 23. The two did not divulge details of the agreement, however.
Why It Matters: Subianto, the likely incoming president following his unofficial election win, offers Australia reliable continuity as the incoming pact likely foreshadows the trajectory of his presidency. The development further highlights both countries' evolving security doctrines, as well as indicating that the two countries have moved past previous tensions in their bilateral relationship and over East Timor. For Indonesia, it hints at a further evolution of its defense posture in line with the past five years under Subianto's defense ministry, which implies a more active leadership role with regard to geopolitical challenges, particularly by playing the part of the main pole in Southeast Asian regional security dynamics. For Australia, it is important to work with Indonesia to develop a maritime strategy that extends its space north of the Indonesian archipelago as it competes with China for influence around its maritime periphery. Likewise, each side faces uncertainty and worries of abandonment in their relations with the United States in the context of the November presidential election, which means there is an impetus for regional countries to tighten defense ties with one another outside of considerations vis-a-vis Washington.
Background: According to unofficial tallies, Subianto won the Feb. 14 Indonesian presidential election. Indonesia upgraded defense ties with the United States in November 2023.
Japan, Cambodia: Japanese Destroyers Make Port Call in Sihanoukville
What Happened: Two of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers made a port call in Cambodia's city of Sihanoukville on Feb. 22, the Mainichi Shimbun reported the next day. Separately, Chinese investors are walking away from Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI, projects in Cambodia, particularly airports, Nikkei Asia reported on Feb. 23.
Why It Matters: The port call in Cambodia highlights Tokyo's intention to assume a more active security role in Southeast Asia. Additionally, as Chinese funders pull out of three Cambodian airport projects, Japan will gain influence at Beijing's expense by targeting key strategic spaces where it perceives it can outcompete China. China's BRI slowdown is a downstream implication of China's sagging economy, affecting locales like Cambodia and driving them to search out additional partners.
Background: Japan and Cambodia signed a defense cooperation pact in August 2023, with Tokyo sending annual port calls to the Chinese-funded Ream Naval Base as a provision. The port call was the first such visit under the agreement.
Israel, Lebanon: In Response to Deadly Israeli Strikes, Hezbollah Expands Its Attacks
What Happened: In the past few days, cross-border attacks between Israel and the Lebanese militant and political group Hezbollah progressively escalated with expanded Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah retaliatory rocket fire, The Jerusalem Post reported on Feb. 22. Hezbollah claimed at least twenty-four attacks against Israeli targets in the past forty-eight hours, including rocket barrages on an Israeli military base in the Golan Heights, claiming that some of these attacks are in response to increasing Israeli targeting of civilians and cities deep inside Lebanese territory.
Why It Matters: The deadliness of Israeli strikes and the intensification of Hezbollah's rocket launches could spiral out of control and provoke an expansion of the limited cross-border skirmishes to an Israeli offensive into southern Lebanon. Additionally, diplomatic efforts to contain the clashes and achieve a cease-fire have yet to succeed, with both sides hardening their stances as Israel continues to threaten Lebanon and Hezbollah with war. Against this backdrop, Israel has conducted what it claimed is an "extensive" naval drill in preparation for a potential conflict in the north on Feb. 23.
Background: The intensification of cross-border clashes comes a week after Hezbollah's General Secretary Hassan Nasrallah vowed to escalate the group's attacks against Israel to continue supporting the militant group Hamas in Gaza and to respond to deadly Israeli airstrikes. The Israelis expanded their airstrikes deep into Lebanese territory on Feb. 19, striking two alleged Hezbollah warehouses in Ghaziyeh. The Israeli Defense Forces claimed that these attacks were carried out in response to a suicide drone that crashed and exploded earlier in the day near Tiberias, presumably launched by Hezbollah. The drone incident would be Hezbollah's deepest attack into Israel since the almost daily cross-border exchanges started on Oct. 8, 2023.
EU: European Natural Gas Prices Fall to Pre-Crisis Levels
What Happened: European natural gas prices fell to pre-crisis levels, with Dutch Title Transfer Facility natural gas futures (Europe's benchmark price) falling to 22.53 euros ($24.39) per megawatt hour on Feb. 23, its lowest since May 2021, the Financial Times reported the same day. Still, Germany's chemical giant BASF announced on Feb. 23 an additional 1 billion euros of cost-cutting at its Ludwigshafen site, increasing an already planned downsizing of its German operations due to weak demand and elevated energy costs.
Why It Matters: Imports of liquefied natural gas, two consecutive warmer-than-average winters and ongoing demand reduction have enabled Europe to withstand reduced natural gas supplies in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, store record-high levels in underground facilities and bring down prices. However, BASF's decision to continue downsizing operations in Europe and increase production in China — and similar moves by other companies in energy-intensive industries — underscores how Europe's competitiveness continues to struggle vis-a-vis global competitors in Asia and North America, where companies can benefit from comparatively lower energy prices and/or more generous state support. Moreover, low energy prices do not necessarily mean Europe is out of the crisis just yet. In fact, lower prices will likely lead to stronger demand in Asia, with LNG buyers in China, India and Thailand likely to intensify purchases. As the global LNG market is set to remain tight until significant new supply comes online in 2026, prices will remain volatile and vulnerable to supply and demand swings.
Background: Europe's energy crisis began in 2021 after a particularly cold winter left gas stores on the Continent depleted and as Russia began decreasing gas exports, potentially to hasten the approval of the disputed Nord Stream 2 pipeline or to prepare the ground for the upcoming invasion of Ukraine. The energy shock then spiked in the summer of 2022, with prices hitting over 300 euros per megawatt hour amid Russia's supply cut-offs. It has taken almost three years for prices to lower to pre-crisis levels. As of Feb. 22, EU gas storage facilities were at 64% of capacity, according to figures from Gas Infrastructure Europe, a record high for this time of the year.
Senegal: Sall Plans To Leave Office When His Term Expires, No New Election Date Yet
What Happened: Senegalese President Macky Sall said he will step down when his term expires on April 2, but he did not give a new date for the presidential election previously scheduled for Feb. 25, AP reported on Feb. 22. Sall also said he would hold talks with political leaders the week of Feb. 26 to determine an election timeline.
Why It Matters: Sall's remarks likely indicate that Senegal will avoid a "worst-case scenario" in which the country erupts into sustained, violent unrest in response to an attempt by the president to remain in office beyond his tenure. However, limited unrest will still take place over the weekend of Feb. 23-25 and likely flare in the coming weeks, especially as opposition leaders accuse Sall of dragging his feet on a new election date in order to consolidate the ruling party behind his chosen successor, Amadou Ba.
Background: The Constitutional Council ruled the week of Feb. 12 that the ruling party must set a new election date "as soon as possible" and that Sall's attempt to delay the election until Dec. 15 was unconstitutional. Sixteen of 19 presidential candidates have refused to participate in Sall's national dialogue, and the citizen collective Aar Sunu Election denounced "an attempt at diversion through the invitation to inappropriate dialogue."
UAE, Kenya: Countries Seal Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
What Happened: Kenya and the United Arab Emirates established a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, Reuters reported on Feb. 23. The agreement will facilitate bilateral investments and increase both countries' access to the other's domestic market.
Why It Matters: The agreement will support Kenya's economic growth and could pave the way for stronger bilateral defense cooperation as well as UAE investments into Kenyan ports. More broadly, the agreement highlights the United Arab Emirates' ambition to continue strengthening ties with countries in the Horn of Africa. However, this ambition will likely fuel economic competition between the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern powers such as Saudi Arabia or Turkey, which could prompt the latter to further strengthen their economic ties with countries in the region, including Kenya.
Background: Talks between Kenya and the United Arab Emirates to establish a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement began in 2022. The conclusion of talks comes as Turkey signed defense and economic cooperation agreements with Somalia and Djibouti. Kenyan President William Ruto opposed investments by Emirati port operator DP World into Kenyan ports in 2022, but the firm's October 2023 deal to upgrade Tanzania's neighboring port of Dar es Salaam is raising pressure on Kenya to attract further investments to modernize its ports.
Israel: Netanyahu Produces First Official 'Day After' Plan
What Happened: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a plan for Gaza that would allow Israel to maintain security control over Gaza and the West Bank and outline the demilitarization and deradicalization of the strip, Reuters reported on Feb. 23. The plan would also create a civilian-led government in Gaza, reject unilateral recognition of an independent Palestinian state, and replace the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East with other international aid organizations
Why It Matters: The plan is a response to domestic Israeli pressure to end the war and will likely help the Netanyahu government negotiate with foreign nations over how to govern post-war Gaza. The plan would achieve a significant number of Israel's goals for demilitarization and governance in the Gaza Strip, but it would be difficult to implement due to requirements that members of the civilian-led government be unaffiliated with the militant group Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank. A civilian-led government will likely be ineffective and prone to corruption since Gazan collaborators with Israel will likely plan to eventually leave the strip and/or distribute reconstruction aid to family and friends. If a Gazan civilian-led government fails, Israel's occupation authority, the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, will likely assume control of the strip. Also under the plan, Israel would gradually approve foreign financing for rebuilding Gaza, but strict requirements would likely slow this process to a pace the international community deems unacceptable. As a result, Israel would likely provide some interim reconstruction aid to Gaza in the form of infrastructure like roads and electricity.
Background: The Israel Defense Force previously announced a pilot program for governance in Zeitoun on Feb. 22 that would replace Hamas with non-affiliated locals. The plan comes as Israel's military operations in Gaza are decreasing and while Western countries have mulled conditional Palestinian statehood recognition as part of the peace process.
Moldova: Transdniestria Prepares Congress and Potential New Appeal To Join Russia
What Happened: The leader of the unrecognized Moldovan breakaway region of Transdniestria called for the region to convene a Congress of Deputies of all levels due to "pressure from the Republic of Moldova" on Feb. 28, Ukrainskaya Pravda reported on Feb. 22. At Transdniestria's last such congress in 2006, it decided to hold a referendum in which authorities later claimed nearly 97% of residents supported Transdniestria's annexation by Russia.
Why It Matters: By citing pressure from Moldova, Transdniestrian authorities are likely attempting to draw attention to a new customs code that entered into force on Jan. 1 whereby Moldovan authorities are compulsorily collecting duties on goods imported to the region. Transdniestria likely hopes this attention will deter further such action by Moldovan authorities. At the congress, the breakaway region's authorities could adopt a new petition calling for Transdniestria's annexation by Russia or recognizing its independence from Moldova. This development would cause Kyiv to worry about Russia seizing a corridor to the region through southern Ukraine in the years ahead. However, it is very doubtful that Russia would annex the region because it could not protect Transdniestria from a subsequent Moldovan and Ukrainian blockade. In any case, Moscow will continue to support destabilizing relations between Moldovan and Transdieistrian authorities in hopes of hurting the reelection chances of Moldova's pro-European government and slowing its European integration prospects.
Background: Ukraine's military intelligence suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin would not announce the annexation of Transdniestria at his Feb. 29 address to Russia's Federal Assembly. Meanwhile, Moldovan authorities downplayed the reports of Transdniestria convening of a Congress of Deputies, with Moldova's Bureau of Integration saying, "Based on the information we have, there are no grounds to believe that the situation in the region could deteriorate." Moscow has repeatedly denied annexation to Transdieistria, even as it recognizes the region's independence.
Egypt, UAE: Cairo Signs $35B Investment Deal With Emirati Sovereign Fund
What Happened: Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that Cairo reached a $35 billion investment deal with an Emirati sovereign fund to develop the Ras al-Hekma peninsula along the Mediterranean Sea, Reuters reported on Feb. 23. The deal could attract up to $150 billion in investments.
Why It Matters: The deal will bring in much-needed foreign exchange reserves amid Egypt's economic crisis and is part of Egypt's larger plan to grow its tourism sector through 2028. The announcement also shows that while Gulf states have become more wary of investing in Egypt due to its lack of reforms and economic turmoil, Gulf sovereign funds are seeking large stakes in some of Egypt's state assets. In this case, the Emirati sovereign fund will have a majority stake in the project, while Egypt will retain a 35% stake.
Background: Egypt faces a balance of payments crisis, a high cost of living and significant inflation. Cairo is in ongoing discussions with the International Monetary Fund to expand its December 2022 loan due to economic spillover effects from the Israel-Hamas war. Foreign exchange revenues from the Suez Canal, one of Egypt's main sources of foreign currency, have decreased by 40%-50% due to Houthi maritime attacks diverting ships from their normal sea routes.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to GBox
This is pretty profound. Ron
The celebrated, oft-cited Iwo Jima sermon that was almost never preached The fight for Iwo Jima in 1945 was one of the bloodiest of World War II. A tiny island in the Pacific dominated by a volcanic mountain and pockmarked with caves, Iwo Jima was the setting for a five-week, non-stop battle between 70,000 American Marines and an unknown number of deeply entrenched Japanese defenders.
The courage and gallantry of the American forces, climaxed by the dramatic raising of the American flag over Mt. Suribachi, is memorialized in the Marine Corps monument in Washington, DC.
Less remembered, however, is that the battle occasioned an eloquent eulogy by a Marine Corps rabbi that has become an American classic.
Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn (1910-1995), assigned to the Fifth Marine Division, was the first Jewish chaplain the Marine Corps ever appointed. The American invading force at Iwo Jima included approximately 1,500 Jewish Marines.
Rabbi Gittelsohn was in the thick of the fray, ministering to Marines of all faiths in the combat zone. He shared the fear, horror and despair of the fighting men, each of whom knew that each day might be his last.
Roland Gittelsohn's tireless efforts to comfort the wounded and encourage the fearful won him three service ribbons.
When the fighting was over, Division Chaplain Warren Cuthriell, a Protestant minister, asked Rabbi Gittelsohn to deliver the memorial sermon at a combined religious service dedicating the Marine Cemetery. Cuthriell wanted all the fallen Marines — black and white, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish — honored in a single, nondenominational ceremony. Unfortunately, racial and religious prejudice was strong in the Marine Corps, as it was then throughout America.
According to Rabbi Gittelsohn, the majority of Christian chaplains objected to having a rabbi preach over predominantly Christian graves. The Catholic chaplains, in keeping with church doctrine, opposed any form of joint religious service.
To his credit, Cuthriell refused to alter his plans. Gittelsohn, on the other hand, wanted to save his friend Cuthriell further embarrassment and so decided it was best not to deliver his sermon.
Instead, three separate religious services were held.
At the Jewish service, to a congregation of 70 or so who attended, Rabbi Gittelsohn delivered the powerful eulogy he originally wrote for the combined service:
Here lie men who loved America because their ancestors generations ago helped in her founding, and other men who loved her with equal passion because they themselves or their own fathers escaped from oppression to her blessed shores. Here lie officers and men, Negroes and whites, rich men and poor . . . together. Here are Protestants, Catholics and Jews together. Here no man prefers another because of his faith or despises him because of his color. Here there are no quotas of how many from each group are admitted or allowed. Among these men, there is no discrimination. No prejudices. No hatred. Theirs is the highest and purest democracy . . .
Whosoever of us lifts his hand in hate against a brother, or who thinks himself superior to those who happen to be in the minority, makes of this ceremony and the bloody sacrifice it commemorates, an empty, hollow mockery. To this, then, as our solemn duty, sacred duty do we the living now dedicate ourselves: to the right of Protestants, Catholics, and Jews, of white men and Negroes alike, to enjoy the democracy for which all of them have here paid the price . . .
We here solemnly swear that this shall not be in vain. Out of this and from the suffering and sorrow of those who mourn this will come, we promise, the birth of a new freedom for the sons of men everywhere.
Among Gittelsohn's listeners were three Protestant chaplains so incensed by the prejudice voiced by their colleagues that they boycotted their own service to attend Gittelsohn's.
One of them borrowed the manuscript and, unknown to Gittelsohn, circulated several thousand copies to his regiment. Some Marines enclosed the copies in letters to their families. An avalanche of coverage resulted.
Time magazine published excerpts, which wire services spread even further. The entire sermon was inserted into the Congressional Record, the Army released the eulogy for short-wave broadcast to American troops throughout the world and radio commentator Robert St. John read it on his program and on many succeeding Memorial Days.
In 1995, in his last major public appearance before his death, Gittelsohn re-read a portion of the eulogy at the fiftieth commemoration ceremony at the Iwo Jima statue in Washington, D.C.
In his autobiography, Gittelsohn reflected, "I have often wondered whether anyone would ever have heard of my Iwo Jima sermon had it not been for the bigoted attempt to ban it."
[Michael Feldberg, Ph.D. is executive director of the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom. From 1991 to 2004, he served as executive director of the American Jewish Historical Society, the nation's oldest ethnic historical organization, and from 2004 to 2008 was its director of research.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This Day in U S Military History
1933 – The USS Ranger becomes the US' first aircraft carrier, built to be a carrier. The sixth Ranger (CV 4), the first ship of the Navy to be designed and built from the keel up as an aircraft carrier was laid down 26 September 1931 by Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Newport News, Va.; launched 25 February 1933, sponsored by Mrs. Herbert Hoover; and commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard 4 June 1934, Capt. Arthur L. Bristol in command.
1944 – In the climax of the "Big Week" bombing campaign, aircraft of the US 8th Air Force (830 bombers) and the US 15th Air Force (150 bombers), with fighter escorts, conduct a daylight raid of the Messerschmitt works at Regensburg and Augsburg. Losses are reported at 30 and 35 bombers, of the 8th and 15th Air Forces respectively, as well as 8 escort fighters. The Americans claim to shoot down 142 German fighters as well as destroying 1000 German fighters on the assembly lines and 1000 more lost to the disruption of production. During the night, RAF Bomber Command attacks Augsburg in a two waves.
1945 – On Iwo Jima, the advance of US 5th Amphibious Corps continues but there are heavy losses in the area around the second airfield. The US 3rd Marine Division is committed to the battle.
1991 – In the most decisive actions of the Gulf War, VII Corps, moving directly east with three heavy divisions abreast, attacked the elite Iraqi Republican Guard units. Late in the afternoon on the twenty-sixth, the VII Corps hit elements of the Tawakalna Division in the battle of 73 Easting. In quick succession, the 2d ACR, 1st and 3d Armored Divisions, and the 1st Infantry Division smashed through the Tawakalna Division. Overwhelming the enemy with accurate tank fire and assisted by deadly Apache helicopter gunships, the VII Corps hit the Medina Division in the early afternoon of the twenty-seventh. At Medina Ridge, an attempted Iraqi ambush of the 1st Armored Division ended with the destruction of over 300 enemy tanks.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*CONNOR, PETER S.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company F, 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Quang Nag Province, Republic of Vietnam, 25 February 1966. Entered service at: South Orange, NJ. Born: 4 September 1932, Orange, N.J. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against enemy Viet Cong forces at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Leading his platoon on a search and destroy operation in an area made particularly hazardous by extensive cave and tunnel complexes, S/Sgt. Connor maneuvered his unit aggressively forward under intermittent enemy small-arms fire. Exhibiting particular alertness and keen observation, he spotted an enemy spider hole emplacement approximately 15 meters to his front. He pulled the pin from a fragmentation grenade intending to charge the hole boldly and drop the missile into its depths. Upon pulling the pin he realized that the firing mechanism was faulty, and that even as he held the safety device firmly in place, the fuse charge was already activated. With only precious seconds to decide, he further realized that he could not cover the distance to the small opening of the spider hole in sufficient time, and that to hurl the deadly bomb in any direction would result in death or injury to some of his comrades tactically deployed near him. Manifesting extraordinary gallantry and with utter disregard for his personal safety, he chose to hold the grenade against his body in order to absorb the terrific explosion and spare his comrades. His act of extreme valor and selflessness in the face of virtually certain death, although leaving him mortally wounded, spared many of his fellow marines from death or injury. His gallant action in giving his life in the cause of freedom reflects the highest credit upon the Marine Corps and the Armed Forces of the United States.
*MORGAN, WILLIAM D.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps. Company H, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 25 February 1969. Entered service at: Pittsburgh, Pa. Born: 17 September 1947, Pittsburgh, Pa. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a squad leader with Company H, in operations against the enemy. While participating in Operation DEWEY CANYON southeast of Vandergrift Combat Base, 1 of the squads of Cpl. Morgan's platoon was temporarily pinned down and sustained several casualties while attacking a North Vietnamese Army force occupying a heavily fortified bunker complex. Observing that 2 of the wounded marines had fallen in a position dangerously exposed to the enemy fire and that all attempts to evacuate them were halted by a heavy volume of automatic weapons fire and rocket-propelled grenades. Cpl. Morgan unhesitatingly maneuvered through the dense jungle undergrowth to a road that passed in front of a hostile emplacement which was the principal source of enemy fire. Fully aware of the possible consequences of his valiant action, but thinking only of the welfare of his injured companions, Cpl. Morgan shouted words of encouragement to them as he initiated an aggressive assault against the hostile bunker. While charging across the open road, he was clearly visible to the hostile soldiers who turned their fire in his direction and mortally wounded him, but his diversionary tactic enabled the remainder of his squad to retrieve their casualties and overrun the North Vietnamese Army position. His heroic and determined actions saved the lives of 2 fellow marines and were instrumental in the subsequent defeat of the enemy. Cpl. Morgan's indomitable courage, inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Services. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 25, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
25 February
1914: Theodore C. Macaulay flew a Curtiss pusher with an OX engine to a new American altitude record of 12,139.8 feet at San Diego. (24)
1944: Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces bombed German aircraft factories in southern Germany. The Fifteenth launched 400 bombers, including 176 to Regensberg, to end "Big Week." (4)
1945: 334 B-29s dropped 1,667 tons of fire bombs and destroyed 15 square miles of Tokyo to begin a campaign of night incendiary raids. (20)
1949: The Caroline Mars, a JRM-2 flying boat, broke the world record for passenger lift by transporting 202 men in California from Alameda to San Diego, and broke it again the same day on the return flight with a load of 218 men. These loads were in addition to a four-man crew. (5)
1954: Convair R3Y seaplane, America's first water-based turbo-prop transport, made its first flight at San Diego. (5)
1955: A SAC B-47 Stratojet flew from March AFB to Hunter AFB, Ga., in 3 hours 19 minutes 35 seconds by averaging 641 MPH. (24)
1959: The free world's longest test track (35,000 feet) dedicated at Holloman AFB. (5) The Goodyear N-4-A Mayflower blimp first flew. (5)
1960: The Army's first test flight of the Pershing I missile proved successful. (24)
1961: Paul F. Bikle, Director of NASA's Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB, flew a Schwiezer 1-23-E Sailplane to a world altitude record of 46,267 feet. (24)
1964: The first two Minuteman I (Model B) operational test missiles were fired from Vandenberg successfully. (6)
1965: The DC-9, a 90-passenger, short-haul commercial aircraft capable of landing on 98 percent of the nation's airstrips, made its maiden flight from Long Beach to Edwards AFB. (5)
1966: An F-111A completed a low-level flight from Edwards AFB to the General Dynamics plant in Fort Worth, Tex. It flew 1,045 nautical miles in three hours at 1,000 feet above terrain varying from 500 to 10,000 feet above sea level. This flight evaluated the aircraft's navigational equipment. (3)
1975: Brig Gen Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to exceed the speed of sound, flew his last Air Force sortie in an F-4 at Edwards AFB. (3)
1978: A MAC C-141 Starlifter flew 12 burn specialists from Newark, N. J., to Waverly, Tenn., following the explosion of a railway tank car filled with propane. (26)
1980: Through 28 February, F-15s from Clark AB intercepted two Soviet Bear D and two Bear F bombers after they penetrated the Philippine Air Defense Intercpetor Zone. (16) (26)
1987: Following a massive political protest in the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos and his entourage flew into exile. On 25 February, the 31 ARRS used five H-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopters to evacuate President Marcos and 51 other people from the Presidential Palace in Manila to Clark AB. A C-9 Nightingale then flew Marcos and his family to Guam. On 26 February, two C-141s and a C-9 carried Marcos and his entire entourage to Hickam AFB. (16) (18)
1991: DESERT STORM. After Iraqi forces surrounded an Army nine-man special forces team, F-16 Fighting Falcons attacked. Their action allowed Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to make a rescue. (16) (26)
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SkipsList" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to skipslist+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skipslist/CACTjsm0oUthJ0RruuFai58%2BrPMb56pqPW0Y1iDX4q2G-2ig3vw%40mail.gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.