To All,
Good Monday Morning April 8, 2024. Another clear blue sky today but rain is on the horizon for Saturday. Right now there have been no night visitors, no new leaves and no weeding done but they keep getting taller and thicker. I hope you all get to see the Eclipse today even if it is on TV.
Regards,
Skip
HAGD
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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/
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History April 8
1823 The barges USS Mosquito, USS Gallinipper, and sloop-of-war Peacock chase the pirate schooner, Pilot, which is driven ashore off Havana, Cuba.
1848 The first U.S. flag is flown over the Sea of Galilee when Lt. William F. Lynch sails in an iron boat up the Jordan River. He later authors a book, Narrative of the United States' Expedition to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea.
1925 Lt. John D. Price, piloting a VF-1 plane, makes a night landing on USS Langley (CV 1), at sea off San Diego, Calif., the first on board a U.S. Navy carrier.
1944 USS Seahorse (SS 304) and USS Trigger (SS 237) successfully attack a Japanese convoy off Guam, damaging a Japanese destroyer and a tanker.
1961 USS Laffey (DD 724) and USS Tanner (AGS-15) assist in rescue work and firefighting after the British passenger liner Dara catches fire in the Persian Gulf.
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This day in world history
April 8
1789 The U.S. House of Representatives holds its first meeting.
1832 Some 300 American troops of the 6th Infantry leave Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, to confront the Sauk Indians in what would become known as the Black Hawk War.
1864 In the Battle of Mansfield, Louisiana, Federals are routed by Confederate Gen. Richard Taylor.
1865 General Robert E. Lee's retreat is cut off near Appomattox Court House.
1898 British General Horatio Kitchener defeats the Khalifa, leader of the dervishes in Sudan, at the Battle of Atbara.
1913 The 17th Amendment is ratified, requiring direct election of senators.
1935 The Works Progress Administration (WPA) is approved by Congress.
1939 Italy invades Albania.
1942 The Soviets open a rail link to the besieged city of Leningrad.
1952 President Truman orders the seizure of U.S. steel mills to prevent a strike.
1962 Bay of Pigs invaders get thirty years imprisonment in Cuba.
1974 Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record.
•1975 Frank Robinson of the Cleveland Indians becomes first black manager of a major league baseball team
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OPERATION COMMANDO HUNT Thanks to the Bear
Skip… For The List for the week beginning Monday, 8 April 2024 through Sunday, 14 April 2024… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION COMMANDO HUNT (1968-1972)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post of 30 June 2019…
B-52 Operation MENU targeting leaked to NVN… No surprises…?…
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
This was an exciting rescue.
From Vietnam Air Losses site for "Monday 8 April
8 https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2183
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members 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
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Thanks to Al
Monday Morning Humor--I Was Thinking...
Submitted by Holly Vanderpool:
• Scientists have yet to explain how 300 people can be working at a Wal-Mart but only four registers will be open.
• I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. I'll let you know.
• The little toe—designed specifically to geo-locate furniture in low light conditions.
• Wouldn't it be ironic if Popeye's Chicken was fried in olive oil?
Submitted by Skip Leonard:
• I'm on two diets. I wasn't getting enough food on just one.
• Apparently RSVPing to a wedding invitation, "Maybe next time", isn't the correct response.
• Don't irritate old people. The older we get the less "life in prison" is a deterrent.
• Have you ever listened to someone for a minute and thought, "Their cornbread ain't done in the middle."
• Aliens probably fly by earth and lock their doors.
• I asked my wife if I was the only one she had been with. She said yes, all the others were nines and tens.
• I really don't mind getting older, but my body is taking it badly.
• It turns out that being an adult is mostly just googling how to do stuff.
• I miss the 90s, when bread was still good for you and no one knew what kale was.
• Do you ever get up in the morning, look in the mirror and think, "That can't be accurate"
• I want to be 14 again and ruin my life differently. I have new ideas.
• As I watch this generation try to rewrite our history, one thing I'm sure of... it will be misspelled and have no punctuation.
• I thought getting old would take longer.
• My wife asked me to take her to one of those restaurants where they make food right in front of you. I took her to Subway.
• Me: Sobbing my heart out, "I can't see you anymore... I'm not going to let you hurt me again" Trainer: "It was one sit-up. You did one sit-up."
• Picked up a hitchhiker. He asked if I wasn't afraid he might be a serial killer? I told him the odds of two serial killers being in the same car were extremely unlikely.
• I went line dancing last night. OK, it was a roadside sobriety test... same thing...
Submitted by Mark Logan:
• I don't need anger management. I need people to stop making me mad.
• My people skills are just fine. It's my tolerance of idiots that needs work.
• The biggest lie I tell myself is, "I don't need to write that down. I'll remember it."
• I talk to myself because, sometimes, I need expert advice.
• Sometimes I roll my eyes out loud.
• When I was a child, I thought nap time was punishment. Now, it's like a mini vacation.
• The day the world runs out of wine is just too terrible to think about.
• I like my middle finger best because it always sticks up for me!
• Even duct tape can't fix stupid, but it can muffle the sound!
• Wouldn't it be great if we could put ourselves in the dryer for ten minutes and then come out wrinkle-free and three sizes smaller?
• If God wanted me to touch my toes, he would've put them on my knees.
• When the kids text me "plz" which is shorter than the word "please", I text back "no" which is shorter than "yes".
• At my age, "getting lucky" means walking into a room and remembering what I came in there for.
• Chocolate comes from cocoa which is a tree, which makes it a plant, which means it's salad, almost.
• It's not whether you win or lose, but how you place the blame.
• We have enough "youth." How about a fountain of "smart"
• The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson.
• A fool and his money can throw one heck of a party
• When blondes have more fun, do they know it?
• Five days a week my body is a temple. The other two it's an amusement park.
• Learn from your parents' mistakes, use birth control.
• Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.
• Don't drink and drive. You might hit a bump and spill something.
• If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you
• Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a lack of alcohol.
• We are born naked, wet and hungry…then things get worse.
• Red meat is not bad for you. Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.
• Ninety-nine percent of all lawyers give the rest a bad name.
• Xerox and Wurlitzer will merge to produce reproductive organs.
• The reason politicians try so hard to get re-elected is that they would 'hate' to have to make a living under the laws they've passed.
• Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
• The latest survey shows that three out of four people make up 75% of the population.
• You know why a banana is like a politician? He comes in and first he is green, then he turns yellow and then he's rotten.
• I think Congressmen should wear uniforms, you know, like NASCAR drivers, so we could identify their corporate sponsors.
Just thinking…
• Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard when he lives in the jungle without a razor?
• Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat?
• Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough?
• Why did Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
• Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
• What is the speed of darkness?
• Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up every two hours?
• If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?
• Do married people live longer than single ones or does it only seem longer?
• How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
• Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
• Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these pink dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?'
• Who was the first person to say, 'See that chicken there... I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta it's bum.'
• Why do toasters always have a setting so high that could burn the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
• Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?
• Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their bum when they ask where the bathroom is?
• Why does your gynecologist leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?
• Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!
• If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?
• If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
• If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
• Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?
• Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?
• Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
• Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?
Have a great week,
Al
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Thanks to Barrett
After I read this article on the loss of Gambier Bay yesterday I called him and he may have some more of these comments to send for the List . This is the only article of this type I have ever seen about the loos of one of the JEEP carriers of Taffy 3
Skip, I was acquainted with Joe McGraw and am glad to see Quick Draw's comment. Here's my Naval History article about Gambier Bay, featuring Joe's launch under cruiser gunfire.
https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2019/october/gambier-bays-final-hour
The rear cover of my Wildcat Aces book showed Butch O'Hare and Joe's FM-2, both in color. Joe happened to visit the Champlin Fighter Museum 1995 when I was secretary of the aces assn. I showed him the new release from Osprey and he gave me a big hug though I had to say I did not choose the artwork!
https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Aces-World-War-Aircraft/dp/1855324865
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Thanks to Nice News
It's total solar eclipse day! For months we've been inundated with news and information about today's celestial event — and for good reason: On average, a total solar eclipse can be seen from any given point on the planet only once every 375 years. And the path of totality for this one is crossing through quite a few U.S. states. If you're one of the lucky ones in that path (or you're traveling to it) check out a guide to capturing photos of the eclipse with your cellphone. If you're not, consider tuning in to NASA's livestream or listening to a real-time "sonification" from San Francisco's Exploratorium museum. Either way, we hope you get to soak in the communal excitement of the spectacle.
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
Hawaii has a reverse waterfall.
Next time you feel like defying gravity, consider a trip to Hawaii — specifically the island of Oahu, which is home to a reverse waterfall. Also known as the Upside Down Waterfall, Waipuhia Falls sprays up Mount Konahuanui and can be seen from Route 61 (also known as the Pali Highway). The striking effect, visible only during the wet season between November and March, is a result of the island's strong trade winds. They blow in a northeasterly direction, and catch the water before it can reach the bottom, making it look as though the waterfall flows in reverse.
Though rare, reverse waterfalls do occur elsewhere. Perhaps the most famous is Naneghat, a waterfall in Maharashtra, India, some three hours from Mumbai. It's at its strongest during monsoon season, from June to September. Similar phenomena have also been observed in places as varied as Utah and Sydney, though most of these are one-off events caused by extreme conditions — not that that makes them any less fascinating to watch.
No building on Kauai can be taller than a coconut tree.
Numbers Don't Lie
Main islands in Hawaii
8
Total islands in Hawaii
137
Year Kamehameha became Hawaii's first king
1810
The native language of Hawaii has only 13 letters.
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, the Indigenous language of Hawaii, includes 13 letters — five vowel sounds and eight consonants. Today, it is an official language of Hawaii, along with English. However, the language was once banned — first in 1896, three years after Americans overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy in a coup. That ban was eventually reversed, but ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi is still considered an endangered language. Today, however, it is experiencing something of a resurgence, in part thanks to the creation of Hawaiian language immersion schools in the 1980s.
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Your guide to the different generations thanks to Nice News
You've undoubtedly heard terms like millennial, boomer, and Gen Z used in conversation: Nicknames referring to the various generations have become pervasive in the modern vernacular — but exactly who belongs to which cohort isn't always clear.
According to the Pew Research Center, categorizing people into various generations provides a means of analyzing changes in perspectives over time. Global events, technological advances, and social shifts can influence how people see the world, particularly when those experiences take place during one's formative years.
Below is a guide to help you differentiate the generational cohorts, including some key characteristics of each. It's important to note, however, that determining the cutoff point between one generation and the next is not an exact science. If you're on the cusp of a generational divide, it's entirely possible you'll relate just as much or more to the group before or after yours. In some cases, those individuals even find themselves with a creative nickname all their own (think: "zillennial").
The Greatest Generation (born approximately 1901-1927)
In the U.S., many from this generation weathered the struggles of the Great Depression only to find themselves faced with World War II, but the term "The Greatest Generation" is actually a relatively modern invention. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the moniker took hold following the publication of journalist Tom Brokaw's 1998 bestselling book of the same name. In the work, Brokaw highlights how the individuals from this era "were participants in and witness to sacrifices of the highest order."
The Silent Generation (born approximately 1928-1945)
Caution was the order of the day for his generation, who were "born just too late to be World War II heroes and just too early to be New Age firebrands," per Forbes. In 1951, when those born in this timeframe were still considered youngsters, Time magazine referred to them as "The Silent Generation," noting their tendency to stay quiet and keep to themselves, both literally and figuratively.
This cohort is also referred to as the "Lucky Few," due to the economic boom they experienced right out of high school.
Baby Boomers (born approximately 1946-1964)
The "baby boom" phenomenon refers to the explosive and prolonged birth rate following the end of World War II. This generation would be shaped by numerous political, social, and world events, including the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the moon landing, and LGBTQ activism. Check out a timeline here.
The baby boom and the phenomenon of "suburbia," or suburban life, went hand in hand, according to History.com. Starting in 1944, the GI Bill assisted soldiers returning from WWII by subsidizing low-cost mortgages, so it was typically cheaper to buy a house in the suburbs than rent an apartment in the city.
Generation X (born approximately 1965-1980)
Sociological trends played a big role on Gen Xers during their formative years: The divorce rate in the U.S. more than doubled between 1960 and 1980, resulting in an increase of single parents. Subsequently, this cohort is often referred to as "the latchkey generation" because many of its members' personal identities were "in part shaped by the independence of being left alone after school," per JSTOR Daily.
Gen X is often seen as being a bridge between the older generations and the younger, as they fall right around the middle of baby boomers and millennials when it comes to many demographic measures, like diversity, religious affiliation, and technology use.
Millennials (born approximately 1981-1996)
Many millennials grew up during or in the aftermath of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and most have memories of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, all events that played a role in shaping the modern-day climate of political polarization. This generation — the most racially and ethnically diverse until Generation Z came around, according to Pew Research — furthermore witnessed the historical election of the U.S.'s first Black president while still adolescents or young adults.
Additionally, most millennials came of age during the explosive growth of the internet and entered the workforce during a significant economic downturn. Their personal, professional, and financial choices are in many ways shaped by these two societal events.
Generation Z (born approximately 1997-2012)
Gen Z is the first to have no concept of life before the internet, and, according to Stanford News, its members' key characteristics include the value they place on diversity and forging their own unique identities. Research out of the university's Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences found them to be "highly collaborative," deeply caring about the needs of others, and pragmatic about inherited issues like climate change.
Not surprisingly, the research also determined that the internet's impact upon the "speed, scale, and scope of human communications" has dramatically influenced how this generation works, plays, shops, finds friends, and learns about other people. And with so much access to information about societies and cultures around the globe, they inherently developed their appreciation for diversity.
This group is alternatively referred to as iGen or postmillennial.
Generation Alpha (born approximately 2010 – 2024)
Author and social researcher Mark McCrindle first coined the nickname Generation Alpha back in 2005, after it became apparent to him that a new cohort was about to emerge and was as of then unnamed.
"In keeping with this scientific nomenclature of using the Greek alphabet in lieu of the Latin, having got to Generation Z, I settled on the next cohort being Generation Alpha ― not a return to the old, but the start of something new," McCrindle explained to Huffington Post about the decision.
Mostly the children of millennials, this generation's members are still being born, so it's difficult to say what world events will most influence them. But McCrindle had this to say in terms of predictions: "This generation of children will be shaped in households that move more frequently, change careers more often, and increasingly live in urban, not just suburban, environments."
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This Day in U S Military History…….April 8
1945 – On Okinawa, the forces of US 3rd Amphibious Corps, attacking northward on the island, have cut the neck of the Motobu Peninsula and US 6th Marine Division begins operations to clear it of Japanese forces. At sea, there are less intense Kamikaze attacks.
1972 – North Vietnamese 2nd Division troops drive out of Laos and Cambodia to open a third front of their offensive in the Central Highlands, attacking at Kontum and Pleiku in attempt to cut South Vietnam in two. If successful, this would give North Vietnam control of the northern half of South Vietnam. The three-front attack was part of the North Vietnamese Nguyen Hue Offensive (later known as the "Easter Offensive"), which had been launched on March 30. The offensive was a massive invasion by North Vietnamese forces designed to strike the knockout blow that would win the war for the communists. The attacking force included 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, with more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. North Vietnam had a number of objectives in launching the offensive: impressing the communist world and its own people with its determination; capitalizing on U.S. antiwar sentiment and possibly hurting President Richard Nixon's chances for re-election; proving that "Vietnamization" was a failure; damaging the South Vietnamese forces and government stability; gaining as much territory as possible before a possible truce; and accelerating negotiations on their own terms. Initially, the South Vietnamese defenders in each case were almost overwhelmed, particularly in the northernmost provinces, where they abandoned their positions in Quang Tri and fled south in the face of the enemy onslaught. At Kontum and An Loc, the South Vietnamese were more successful in defending against the North Vietnamese attacks. Although the defenders suffered heavy casualties, they managed to hold out with the aid of U.S. advisors and American airpower. Fighting continued all over South Vietnam into the summer months, but eventually the South Vietnamese forces prevailed against the invaders, even retaking Quang Tri in September. With the communist invasion blunted, President Nixon declared that the South Vietnamese victory proved the viability of his Vietnamization program, instituted in 1969 to increase the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces.
1975 – After a weeklong mission to South Vietnam, Gen. Frederick Weyand, U.S. Army Chief of Staff and former Vietnam commander, reports to Congress that South Vietnam cannot survive without additional military aid. Questioned again later by reporters who asked if South Vietnam could survive with additional aid, Weyand replied there was "a chance." Weyand had been sent to Saigon by President Gerald Ford to assess the South Vietnamese forces and their chances for survival against the attacking North Vietnamese. The South Vietnamese were on the verge of collapse. The most recent assaults had begun in December 1974 when the North Vietnamese launched a major attack against the lightly defended province of Phuoc Long–located north of Saigon along the Cambodian border–and overran the provincial capital at Phuoc Binh on January 6, 1975. Despite previous presidential promises to aid South Vietnam in such a situation, the United States did nothing. By this time, Nixon had resigned from office and his successor, Gerald Ford, was unable to convince a hostile Congress to make good on Nixon's earlier promises to Saigon. The situation emboldened the North Vietnamese, who launched a new campaign in March 1975, in which the South Vietnamese forces fell back in total disarray. Once again, the United States did nothing. The South Vietnamese abandoned Pleiku and Kontum in the Highlands with very little fighting. Then Quang Tri, Hue, and Da Nang fell to the communist onslaught. The North Vietnamese continued to attack south along the coast toward Saigon, defeating the South Vietnamese forces at each encounter. As Weyand reported to Congress, the South Vietnamese were battling three North Vietnamese divisions at Xuan Loc, the last defense line before Saigon. Indeed, it became the last battle in the defense of the Republic of South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese forces managed to hold out against the attackers until they ran out of tactical air support and weapons, finally abandoning Xuan Loc to the communists on April 21. Saigon fell to the communists on April 30.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
SHIELDS, BERNARD
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 2d West Virginia Cavalry. Place and date: At Appomattox, Va., 8 April 1865. Entered service at: Ironton, Ohio. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of the Washington Artillery (C.S.A.).
HEYL, CHARLES H.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, 23d U.S. Infantry. Place and date: Near Fort Hartsuff, Nebr., 28 April 1876. Entered service at: Camden, N.J. Birth: Philadelphia, Pa. Date of issue: 26 October 1897. Citation: Voluntarily, and with most conspicuous gallantry, charged with 3 men upon 6 Indians who were entrenched upon a hillside.
CREWS, JOHN R.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company F, 253d Infantry, 63d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Lobenbacherhof, Germany, 8 April 1945. Entered service at: Bowlegs, Okla. Birth: Golden, Okla. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 8 April 1945 near Lobenbacherhof, Germany. As his company was advancing toward the village under heavy fire, an enemy machinegun and automatic rifle with rifle support opened upon it from a hill on the right flank. Seeing that his platoon leader had been wounded by their fire, S/Sgt. Crews, acting on his own initiative, rushed the strongpoint with 2 men of his platoon. Despite the fact that 1 of these men was killed and the other was badly wounded, he continued his advance up the hill in the face of terrific enemy fire. Storming the well-dug-in position single-handedly, he killed 2 of the crew of the machinegun at pointblank range with his M 1 rifle and wrested the gun from the hands of the German whom he had already wounded. He then with his rifle charged the strongly emplaced automatic rifle. Although badly wounded in the thigh by crossfire from the remaining enemy, he kept on and silenced the entire position with his accurate and deadly rifle fire. His actions so unnerved the remaining enemy soldiers that 7 of them surrendered and the others fled. His heroism caused the enemy to concentrate on him and permitted the company to move forward into the village.
LITTRELL, GARY LEE
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Advisory Team 21, 11 Corps Advisory Group. place and date: Kontum province, Republic of Vietnam, 4-8 April 1970. Entered service at: Los Angeles, Calif. Born: 26 October 1944, Henderson, Ky. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sfc. Littrell, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Advisory Team 21, distinguished himself while serving as a Light Weapons Infantry Advisor with the 23d Battalion, 2d Ranger Group, Republic of Vietnam Army, near Dak Seang. After establishing a defensive perimeter on a hill on April 4, the battalion was subjected to an intense enemy mortar attack which killed the Vietnamese commander, 1 advisor, and seriously wounded all the advisors except Sfc. Littrell. During the ensuing 4 days, Sfc Littrell exhibited near superhuman endurance as he single-handedly bolstered the besieged battalion. Repeatedly abandoning positions of relative safety, he directed artillery and air support by day and marked the unit's location by night, despite the heavy, concentrated enemy fire. His dauntless will instilled in the men of the 23d Battalion a deep desire to resist. Assault after assault was repulsed as the battalion responded to the extraordinary leadership and personal example exhibited by Sfc. Littrell as he continuously moved to those points most seriously threatened by the enemy, redistributed ammunition, strengthened faltering defenses, cared for the wounded and shouted encouragement to the Vietnamese in their own language. When the beleaguered battalion was finally ordered to withdraw, numerous ambushes were encountered. Sfc. Littrell repeatedly prevented widespread disorder by directing air strikes to within 50 meters of their position. Through his indomitable courage and complete disregard for his safety, he averted excessive loss of life and injury to the members of the battalion. The sustained extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by Sfc. Littrell over an extended period of time were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him and the U.S. Army.
*MICHAEL, DON LESLIE
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 4th Battalion, 503d Infantry, 1 73d Airborne Brigade. place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 8 April 1967. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 31 July 1947, Florence, Ala. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Michael, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while serving with Company C. Sp4c. Michael was part of a platoon which was moving through an area of suspected enemy activity. While the rest of the platoon stopped to provide security, the squad to which Sp4c. Michael was assigned moved forward to investigate signs of recent enemy activity. After moving approximately 125 meters, the squad encountered a single Viet Cong soldier. When he was fired upon by the squad's machine gunner, other Viet Cong opened fire with automatic weapons from a well-concealed bunker to the squad's right front. The volume of enemy fire was so withering as to pin down the entire squad and halt all forward movement. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Sp4c. Michael exposed himself to throw 2 grenades, but failed to eliminate the enemy position. From his position on the left flank, Sp4c. Michael maneuvered forward with 2 more grenades until he was within 20 meters of the enemy bunkers, when he again exposed himself to throw 2 grenades, which failed to detonate. Undaunted, Sp4c. Michael made his way back to the friendly positions to obtain more grenades. With 2 grenades in hand, he again started his perilous move towards the enemy bunker, which by this time was under intense artillery fire from friendly positions. As he neared the bunker, an enemy soldier attacked him from a concealed position. Sp4c. Michael killed him with his rifle and, in spite of the enemy fire and the exploding artillery rounds, was successful in destroying the enemy positions. Sp4c. Michael took up pursuit of the remnants of the retreating enemy. When his comrades reached Sp4c. Michael, he had been mortally wounded. His inspiring display of determination and courage saved the lives of many of his comrades and successfully eliminated a destructive enemy force. Sp4c. Michael's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect the utmost credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for April 8, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
8 April
1918: The 1st Aero Squadron, I Corps, was the first American squadron assigned to the front in World War I. (1)
1925: FIRST NIGHT CARRIER LANDINGS. Lt John D. Price, flying a plane of VF-1, made a night landing on the USS Langley, off San Diego. Later, Lts D. L. Conley, A. W. Gorton, and R. D. Lyon followed him on board. Except for an accidental night landing on 5 February, when Lt H. J. Brow stalled while practicing approaches, these were the first night landings on a US carrier.
1931: Amelia Earhart flew an Autogiro to an altitude of 19,000 feet at the Pitcairn Aviation Field near Philadelphia. (24) 1940: A B-18 made the first nonstop flight from Denver to Miami. (24)
1942: Using aircraft acquired from Pan American Airlines, the Army began the largest airlift in World War II. Two DC-3s airlifted gasoline and lubricating oil over the Himalaya Mountains from Dinjan in eastern India to Yunnan-yi in southern China to begin the "Hump Airlift." A total of eight airplanes carried enough fuel and oil to refuel and service the B-25 bombers from the later "Doolittle Raid." From December 1942, when the airlift became the ATC's responsibility, through the close of the operation in November 1945, the airlift delivered nearly 740,000 tons of cargo. Over half of this total was transported during the last eight months of the war. (18) (21)
1943: A P-47 Thunderbolt flew its first combat sortie over Western Europe. (4)
1944: By sending 163 B-26s and 105 P-47s against enemy facilities at Hasselt, Belgium, Ninth Air Force conducted one of the largest tactical raids of World War II. (21)
1947: American Overseas Airlines received rights for commercial service to Finland, the first US route into Russia's sphere of influence. (24)
1959: Col E. H. Taylor set a world record of 700.05 MPH in an RF-101C over a 1,000-kilometer closed-circuit course.
1964: NASA orbited the first unmanned Gemini capsule on a Titan II. (26) (16)
1967: Exercise CLOVE HITCH III. The Atlantic Command initiated this joint exercise in Puerto Rico for 21,000 Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard personnel. The exercise featured C-141s making their first airdrop of paratroopers. (16) (26)
1970: The USAF launched two Vela nuclear-detection satellites from the Eastern Test Range on a Titan III-C booster. Each 700-pound satellite carried optical sensors to detect electromagnetic impulses, or brief radio signals generated by atomic explosions anywhere in the atmosphere. Sensors could also detect atomic weapons tests up to 100 million miles in space and distinguish between weapons tests and exploding stars. A USAF Thor booster launched its 400th payload, a Nimbus weather satellite for NASA. (16)
1995: Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. Small arms fire hit a C-130 Hercules 12 times on takeoff from Sarajevo, Bosnia, on a flight to Italy. The aircraft had carried flour to Bosnia. (16) (26)
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