To All,
Good Thursday Morning April 11, 2024. Another great day here is San Diego. Well the last tree decided to start dumping its leaves and it has a lot of them to come down. It will be a daily pain for the next few weeks trying to keep them out of the pool. Classes tonight and the school is off to a good start for the Spring Quarter.
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 11
1783 Congress declares the cessation of arms against Great Britain, just a few days after British Parliament passed a similar resolution, thus ending hostilities of the American Revolution.
1944 USS Redfin (SS 272) sinks the Japanese destroyer Akigumo in the eastern entrance to Basilan Strait.
1945 The kamikaze attacks during the Okinawa Campaign damage eight Navy ships.
1970 Apollo 13 is launched, commanded by Navy Capt. James A. Lovell. The ship endures an explosion forcing an immediate return to Earth. Recovery is by helicopters from USS Iwo Jima (LPH 2).
1991 The U.N. Security Council declares a formal cease-fire ending the Persian Gulf War.
1992 USS Annapolis (SSN 760) is commissioned at the Electric Boat Division at Groton, Conn. The 10th of her Los Angeles "Improved" class of attack submarines.
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This Day in World History
April 11
1512 The forces of the Holy League are heavily defeated by the French at the Battle of Ravenna.
1713 The Treaty of Utrecht is signed, ending the War of Spanish Succession. France cedes Maritime provinces to Britain.
1783 After receiving a copy of the provisional treaty on 13 March, Congress proclaims a formal end to hostilities with Great Britain.
1814 Napoleon abdicates and is exiled to Elba.
1898 American President William McKinley asks Congress for declaration of war with Spain.
1941 German bombers blitz Coventry, England.
1942 Detachment 101 of the OSS--a guerrilla force--is activated in Burma.
1945 After two frustrating days of being repulsed and absorbing tremendous casualties, the Red Army finally takes the Seelow Heights north of Berlin.
1951 President Truman fires General Douglas MacArthur as head of United Nations forces in Korea.
1961 Israel begins the trial of Adolf Eichman, accused of war crimes during WWII.
1961 Folk singer Bob Dylan performs in New York City for the first time, opening for John Lee Hooker.
1968 President Johnson signs the 1968 Civil Rights Act.
1974 The Judiciary committee subpoenas President Richard Nixon to produce tapes for impeachment inquiry.
1981 President Ronald Reagan returns to the White House from hospital after recovery from an assassination attempt.
1986 Dodge Morgan sails solo nonstop around the world in 150 days.
1991 The United Nations Security Council issues formal ceasefire with Iraq.
1996 Forty-three African nations sign the African Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty.
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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
From Vietnam Air Losses site for "Thursday 11 April
11. https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1695
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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Today is National Pet Day - April 11
We have two dogs, four cats, 15 chickens and two turtles and a number of critters that come calling on a daily basis. We love our pets and they love us back….skip
Celebrating Pets Everywhere, at Home and in Shelters
by Dr. Karen Shaw Becker April 11, 2021
National Pet Day - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpZOUgpuJvs (1:05)
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
Today is National Pet Day, which is celebrated each year on April 11th
National Pet Day was founded by animal welfare advocate Colleen Paige to not only show appreciation for the furry, fuzzy, finned, winged and other pets in our households, but also those waiting in shelters for new homes
Our animal companions offer us so many important gifts, among them connectedness, unconditional love and friendship, relief from stress and forgiveness
It's National Pet Day! April 11th is a special day to celebrate the joy our furry, fuzzy, finned, winged and other types of animal companions bring to us. National Pet Day was founded in 2006 by Colleen Paige, an animal welfare advocate and pet and family lifestyle expert.
National Pet Day is not only a day of celebration, but according to Paige, it's also a day to raise awareness about the needs of pets of all kinds waiting in shelters to find new homes.
While the holiday was launched in the U.S., it soon expanded internationally. Pet lovers now recognize the day in the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Spain, Guam, Scotland, and many more nations.1
9 Gifts Our Pets Give Us Every Day
1. Connection — Our pets stay connected to us no matter how awful we feel or behave. They're right beside us every step of the way, every minute of the day. During those times when we feel ignored or disengaged from the world, our pets offer consistent connectedness.
2. Unconditional love — Our pets offer us the very definition of unconditional love. They accept us just as we are, every minute of the day. They love us when we're away, and when we come home. They love us when we're mean, mad, sad, or impatient. They love us when we're attentive, and when we ignore them. A pet's love is consistent and eternal and serves as an ever-present reminder that we are needed, valued, and worthy.
3. Communication — Close, connected relationships evolve from clear, consistent communication. When communication is untrustworthy or used in harmful ways, the relationship breaks down. Our pets speak to us constantly through their body language and behavior. It's our job to learn the language they speak, and to communicate clearly to them what we expect and appreciate about their behavior.
4. Friendship — It's no surprise the title "Man's best friend" refers to our canine companions. Our dogs (and cats, and hamsters, and birds, and turtles, etc.) are great company. They help us feel less lonely, disconnected, and isolated. We learn to communicate in ways our animal companion understands, and in return, they make great sounding boards when we're confused or upset or just need a pal to talk to.
5. Improved mental and physical health — Our pets can positively influence our health. Studies show pet ownership can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve cardiovascular health, relieve the depression associated with serious illness, and improve survival rates after a heart attack. Pets also give us something to live for and focus on beyond ourselves. It feels good to be needed and being needed motivates us to stay well.
Studies also show that interacting with pets can be more beneficial than interacting with friends. Human friends can be judgmental, but your four-legged buddy accepts you exactly as you are in every moment of your life together.
Part of the reason we connect so deeply with animals may be their emotional depth. Many animals mourn, cry, and demonstrate other emotions. If you share your life with a pet, you know the love he or she feels for you is intense and enduring.
6. Relief from stress — Many of us live very busy, stressful lives, and while there are lots of good ways to reduce stress, coming home to a pet is certainly one of the best. Playing with your furry or feathered companion is a great way to relax and release all that pet-up anxiety. Just the simple act of petting another living creature can reduce cortisol levels and trigger a release of endorphins.
7. Staying in the moment — Humans tend to spend a lot of time feeling regret for something in their past or feeling anxious about the future. It's not time well spent, but most of us are often inclined to live in the past or the future rather than the present moment.
Our pets, by their example, help us to stay present — to live for today. Our animal companions experience each moment as it arrives with enthusiasm and joy, and so can we if we follow their lead.
8. Forgiveness — Most of us can remember a time when we ignored our pet, or lost patience and spoke too sharply. We also remember that our animal companion forgave us the very next second. Our animal friends don't hold grudges. They don't punish themselves or us by clinging to past insults. They offer instant forgiveness and an open heart.
While we can never repay our pets all the invaluable gifts they bring to our lives, what we CAN do is remember that they are at their best when we provide them with consistency in the form of healthy nourishment, daily exercise, structure to their daily routine, and lots of love. These are the "simple things in life" that are the foundation for a balanced, less stressful, more joyful existence
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Submarine Force's 124th Birthday
Thanks to the Naval History and Heritage Command
Happy Birthday Submariners! The submarine force will celebrate its birthday on April 11. On March 17, 1898, the Navy's first submarine, Holland VI, successfully passed rigorous diving and surfacing testing in the waters off Staten Island, NY. She was the first submarine to have the power to run submerged for any considerable distance. The Navy purchased her on April 11, 1900, for $150,000 and ordered six more submarines of her type. Upon commissioning on Oct. 12, 1900, the Navy renamed her USS Holland (SS-1) after engineer John Philip Holland, who was responsible for her design. To see how far submarines have come, check out the Evolution of the U.S. Navy Submarine infographic at NHHC's website.
WEBPAGE OF THE WEEK
Have you ever wondered why morning coffee is called "cuppa Joe" or why gossip is synonymous with the term "scuttlebutt?" Now you can learn the origins of Navy language courtesy of this week's Webpage of the Week, Speak Like a Sailor, on NHHC's Heritage webpages. Learn nautical terms and phrases with their meaning and origin defined. Immerse yourself in infographics that tell us the meaning of "Side Boys" and "Field Day." Check it out today.
I encourage you to "bookmark" our website www.history.navy.mil and our blog - "The Sextant" - at usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil/.
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The centerpiece of today's List is H-Gram 082 from Admiral Cox and the folks at NHHC. The pictures do not come out in the List but you can go to the site below and go to the Director's corner and get all 82 H-Grams with pictures and other information…..SKIP
"bookmark" our website www.history.navy.mil and our blog - "The Sextant" - at usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil/.
H-Gram 082: USS Asheville's Defiance and the "Dancing Mouse"
3 April 2024
This H-gram primarily covers the heroic actions of Lieutenant Commander Jacob Britt, the commanding officer of USS Asheville (PG-21), and Lieutenant Joshua Nix, the commanding officer of USS Edsall (DD-219), who chose to fight against overwhelming odds, rather than surrender, during the fall of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) in March 1942. They were true to the banner in Memorial Hall of the U.S. Naval Academy—"Don't give up the ship."
I wrote the piece on Asheville and Edsall and sent it to the active flag officers prior to the Navy Flag Officers and Senior Executives Service (NFOSES) Symposium as a motivational piece (or at least an antidote to any griping about how hard things are now). It received good reviews from the CNO, VCNO and others, so I thought I would share with the retired flag community. At the end, I also share another piece I wrote (H-082-1—"Doc" and YMS-365) as an antidote to writing too many flag officers' passing notes lately.
This will be my 17th year participating in NFOSES/Air Force Officer Training School (AFOTS). I offer the following as means to charge your batteries for the challenges ahead.
When I first took the job as Director of the Naval History and Heritage Command over nine years ago, I was visiting the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, which falls within my command. As we were going through the "attic" where art and artifacts are stored, I saw out of the corner of my eye a painting that caught my attention, and I had the curator pull it out for a closer look. It showed what looked to me like a Chinese gunboat, battered, blasted full of holes, boats shattered, and burning fiercely, straddled by shells in a battle against a couple ships that were keeping their distance. But what struck me was that, despite the severe damage, the gunboat was still returning fire, and large battle flags were flying high from both masts. The gunboat obviously had no intent of striking its colors. The painting was titled USS Asheville's Defiance by the great maritime artist Tom Freeman.
Tom Freeman, USS Asheville's Defiance. Courtesy of U.S. Naval Academy Museum.
I was perplexed, because I have been reading naval history since I was in kindergarten, and I did not know of this action. So, I looked in the "gospel" of naval history in World War II, Samuel Eliot Morison's 15-volume History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume III, Rising Sun in the Pacific – and all it said was "and USS Asheville was sunk. After further digging and learning the whole story, I decided I wanted that painting to hang in the most prominent spot in my office, because it told a story that I believed needed to be told.
USS Asheville's Defiance
On 27–28 February 1942, a combined Dutch, U.S., British, and Australian naval force was decisively defeated in the Battle of the Java Sea, in what on paper should have been an even fight with a Japanese force, and the Allied war effort in the Dutch East Indies collapsed in a rout. (The lessons from this battle are why we have Rim of the Pacific [RIMPAC] exercise and NATO.) On 1 March, surviving U.S. forces were ordered to withdraw to Australia.
The patrol gunboat Asheville (PG-21), commissioned in 1920, had been withdrawn from Chinese waters based on intelligence that the onset of hostilities in the Far East were imminent. During the period January–February 1942, Asheville conducted patrols out of a port on the south coast of Java that no one can pronounce (Tjilatjap) that the sailors called "Slapjack." As ordered, on 1 March, Asheville commenced a transit toward Australia. The ship's power plant had always been cantankerous, and Asheville suffered an engineering casualty that reduced its speed well below its normal slow maximum of 12 knots. As a result, Asheville was slowly transiting alone, heading for a rendezvous point that had been compromised by communications security violations, and the Japanese were waiting.
On 3 March, Asheville was sighted by a Japanese scout plane, about 300 miles south of Java. She was then intercepted by two Japanese destroyers, backed up by the heavy cruiser Maya. Arashi and Nowaki were among the most modern in the Japanese navy, capable of over 35 knots, and each armed with six 5-inch guns (in three twin turrets) and eight powerful 24-inch "Long Lance" torpedoes (plus reloads). The elderly Asheville was armed with but three antiquated 4-inch guns. The Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Fleet, Admiral Thomas C. Hart, had once described the Asheville as "lacks the speed to run and lacks the guns to fight."
Running was not an option. Surrender was an option, but Asheville's commanding officer, recently promoted Lieutenant Commander Jacob "Jake" Britt (USNA '29) chose to fight. From the Japanese perspective, the battle that followed was a total fiasco. The Japanese assessed Asheville as not worth a torpedo. However, it took the two Japanese destroyers more than 300 rounds to get the hopelessly outclassed Asheville to stop shooting back. Asheville's crew simply would not give up.
As Asheville finally began to sink, sailors from the engineering spaces came on deck to find the bridge and forecastle mostly blown away, and most everyone who was topside already dead. Once in the water, a Japanese destroyer rescued one survivor, Fireman Second Class Fred Brown (later promoted to First Class while missing in action), presumably so they could positively identify the ship they had just sunk. The other survivors were left behind, and all perished along with those who went down with the ship. Brown was treated decently on the destroyer but would ultimately die in a Japanese prison camp from the combined effects of beatings and disease. Brown related his limited view of the battle to a survivor of the heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) that would become the only account of the battle from the U.S. side and would not be known until after the war.
There is no way of knowing what Lieutenant Commander Britt did, other than choosing to fight, or how long he even survived the onslaught of Japanese shellfire. But as an Academy graduate of the interwar years, he was steeped in the tradition of John Paul Jones ("I have not yet begun to fight") as well as the immortal dying words of Captain James Lawrence in the War of 1812 emblazoned on Commodore Matthew Perry's flag in Memorial Hall, "Don't give up the ship!" Jake Britt was true to those words.
The "Dancing Mouse"—USS Edsall (DD-219)
It may be possible to extrapolate Britt's actions by those of another Academy graduate, Lieutenant Joshua Nix (USNA '30) who was in command of the World War I-vintage destroyer USS Edsall (DD-219) in an action against the Japanese south of Java on 1 March 1942. Edsall was believed to be responding to the distress calls of the oiler Pecos (AO-6) sunk by Japanese carrier aircraft. In additional to its own crew, Pecos had on board the survivors of the seaplane tender (and former first U.S. aircraft carrier) USS Langley (AV-3, ex CV-1). The destroyer Whipple (DD-217) managed to rescue 233 survivors before sonar contacts on a Japanese submarine forced curtailment of the rescue, leaving about 500 survivors behind in the vast Indian Ocean, none of whom were ever found, despite a search.
Edsall ran right into the Japanese carrier force; four carriers, two battleships, two heavy cruisers, one light cruiser and six destroyers. Edsall came within 12 miles of the Japanese carriers before being spotted. The incensed Vice Admiral Nagumo (who had commanded that Japanese carrier force during the attack on Pearl Harbor) sent the two battleships (Hiei and Kirishima) and both heavy cruisers (Tone and Chikuma) to dispatch what they misidentified as a light cruiser.
With his speed already impaired by previous damage, Lieutenant Nix had no hope of outrunning the Japanese battleships and cruisers. Yet in the face of such overwhelming odds, just as Lieutenant Commander Britt would two days later, Lieutenant Nix chose to fight rather than give up the ship. And for almost two hours, with use of skillfully laid smoke screens and extraordinary ship handling, Lieutenant Nix caused over 1,400 Japanese 14-inch and 8-inch shells to miss, suffering only one hit—and Edsall nearly hit one of the cruisers with a torpedo. The Japanese likened the unpredictable maneuvers of Edsall to that of a "Japanese Dancing Mouse" (bred for their manic motions to entertain children).
Finally, completely embarrassed by the dismal showing of his surface ships against what they now knew to be an elderly destroyer, and despite the gathering dusk, the apoplectic Admiral Nagumo launched 26 dive-bombers from three carriers. Even so, Lieutenant Nix maneuvered to cause most of the bombs to miss, but there were just too many.
As Edsall began to sink, Nix turned the bow of the ship toward the Japanese in a final gesture of defiance. The survivors of Edsall conducted an orderly abandon ship, calmly supervised by an officer, presumably Lieutenant Nix, that the Japanese observed then proceed to the bridge, and who went down with his ship. The Japanese rescued only seven survivors, a mix of crew and U.S. Army Air Force pilots who had been aboard. Although treated decently aboard the Chikuma, all would later be executed by beheading in a Japanese prison camp. As a result, no one from Edsall survived the war.
The Payback
There is a postscript to the loss of Asheville. Three months later at the decisive Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942, despite having the advantage of surprise, the battle was going badly for the Americans. The air group of Hornet (CV-8) had overshot the Japanese carriers, as had the two dive-bomber squadrons from Enterprise (CV-6). The torpedo-bomber squadrons from the three U.S. carriers had become separated and engaged the Japanese piecemeal. Almost every torpedo-bomber was shot down. At that time, only one dive-bomber squadron from Yorktown (CV-5) was actually heading directly toward the four Japanese carriers.
The leader of the Enterprise air group, Lieutenant Commander Wade McClusky, knew his planes were already past the point of no return regarding fuel and he would have to decide whether to land on Midway Island or turn back and hope the U.S. carriers had closed the distance. At that critical moment, McClusky sighted a lone ship transiting at high speed. He correctly deduced that the ship was trying to return or catch up to the main Japanese force, and he chose to turn in the direction the ship was heading. The result was that the two Enterprise dive-bomber squadrons and the Yorktown squadron arrived over the Japanese carriers at the same time, resulting in mortally wounding three of the four.
What had happened was that the U.S. submarine Nautilus (SS-168), with Lieutenant Commander William Brockman (USNA '27) in command—despite being repeatedly strafed, bombed and depth-charged (two bounced off the hull), and a torpedo that ran hot in the tube—kept trying to get in range of the Japanese carriers. Finally, Admiral Nagumo directed a destroyer to stay behind and keep the persistent submarine pinned down. That destroyer was Arashi, one of the two that had sunk Asheville and it was its high-speed transit back to the carriers that was instrumental in changing the course of the battle, and of the war.
The fatal flaw in the Japanese plan for the Midway operation was written right into their operations order, "The enemy lacks the will to fight." Had the writers of the order in Japan paid attention the reports of the actions of Asheville, Edsall, Pecos, Houston, Pope (DD-225), Pillsbury (DD-227) and others in the fall of the Dutch East Indies, they should have reached a far different conclusion. The U.S. Navy was in fact willing to fight, even against the greatest of odds.
So, at every memorial service to sailors lost in battle or to the sea, the Navy makes a promise to them and their families that we will not forget their sacrifice. And if we expect sailors to fight and die for this country, the least we can do as a Navy and a nation is to remember them. In the case of Asheville and Edsall (and Pillsbury) there were no surviving American witnesses. As a result, there are no Medals of Honor, no Navy Crosses, no Presidential Unit Citation or even Navy Unit Commendation, for what by the Japanese accounts were among the most valorous actions in the history of the U.S. Navy. Neither Lieutenant Commander Jacob Britt nor Lieutenant Joshua Nix was ever honored by the name of a ship, but both are at the top of my short list of recommendations to the Secretary of the Navy for future ship names.
The reason the painting of USS Asheville's Defiance is on my wall is because this vessel is representative of a number of ships and submarines from which none of their crews ever came home. There was no one left to tell their story, so as the Director of Naval History, I consider it my duty to tell their story, and to ensure the Navy keeps our promise never to forget. I deeply appreciate your help in keeping that promise. Thank you.
Postscript: This content is taken from my remarks at the dedication of a monument to the 166 crewmen of Patrol Gunboat USS Asheville (PG-21) in Riverside Cemetery, Asheville, North Carolina on 3 March 2024. It includes background on Asheville as well as some of its commanding officers (6 of 16 would make flag, including two four-stars and two three-stars). Elliott Buckmaster would go on to be in command of USS Yorktown at Midway. James O. Richardson would become Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Fleet/Pacific Fleet, and would be fired by President Roosevelt for speaking the truth. A sailor on Asheville in 1937, Richard McKenna, would later write the award-winning novel, The Sand Pebbles, made into the 1966 movie of the same name.
Sources include: Naval History and Heritage Command Dictionary of American Fighting Ships (DANFS) for U.S. ships; combinedfleet.com "Tabular Record of Movement" for Japanese ships; Rising Sun, Falling Skies: The Disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War II by Jeffrey R. Cox, Osprey Publishing, 2014; In the Highest Degree Tragic: The Sacrifice of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet in the East Indies During World War II by Donald M. Kehn, Jr., Potomac Books, 2017; The Fleet the Gods Forgot: The U.S. Asiatic Fleet in World War II by W. G. Winslow, Naval Institute Press, 1982; The Lonely Ships: The Life and Death of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet by Edwin P. Hoyt, Jove Books, 1977.
Published: Wed Apr 03 14:46:07 EDT 2024
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
Gas stations make more money from convenience items than from selling gas.
In much the same way that movie theaters make higher profits from concessions than they do from tickets, gas stations make more money from convenience items than they do from selling gas. The profit margins on gasoline are extremely (and surprisingly) low, so much so that filling stations barely make any money just from selling fuel. That's even true when gas prices are higher, because competition for customers is so fierce that retailers are often loath to be the first one to raise their prices. On average, the net profit margin on gasoline is just 1.4%, whereas the average across all industries is 7.7%. That profit margin is lower than the average one at car dealerships (3.2%) and grocery stores (2.5%), both of which are known for relatively low margins. The reason gas makes so little profit has to do with the supply chain — actually getting the fuel to your local 76 is a tremendously involved process.
That all changes once you step inside a gas station's convenience store (about 80% of them have one). Despite only bringing in some 30% of most gas stations' revenue, items like lottery tickets, potato chips, and drinks are responsible for 70% of the profit. So while they might not like higher gas prices any more than you do, gas station owners probably don't mind how much you spend on impulse buys.
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Thanks to Cowboy and Dr.Rich
A real total Eclipse
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EkVhkTagkiY
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Thanks to Dictionary Scoop
WHEELS OF PROGRESS
10 Stops In The History Of Transportation
Published on April 9, 2024
Credit: Antoine Beauvillain
Devising ways to move beyond our feet is part of what makes us human. Without transportation, we wouldn't have been able to explore and conquer every corner of planet Earth. From horses to supersonic jets, humans are always on the move.
And while we have gone a long way since the invention of the wheel, we still rely on most of these transportation methods to move about our world. Embark on a thrilling journey through time as we trace back the milestones that propelled us forward.
1 Bipedal Walking
Bipedal walking, or walking on two feet, is a defining characteristic of humans that has shaped our evolutionary path . While other primates primarily move on all fours, our ability to walk upright freed our hands for tool use and helped us to cover long distances efficiently. This adaptation allowed early humans to explore new territories, hunt for food, and eventually settle in communities.
2 Horse Riding
Horse riding has been an essential mode of transportation for millennia, dating back to the domestication of horses around 4000 BCE. From the Eurasian steppes to the Arabian deserts, horses enabled humans to cover vast distances , enabling both trade and warfare, and shaping the course of history as we know it. This revolutionary skill not only facilitated transportation but also fostered cultural exchange and communication between civilizations, bringing the ancient world a bit closer together.
3 Boats
Where would we be without boats? Dominating the waterways was crucial to enable exploration and trade between faraway lands. Without boats, there would have been no maritime empires, and no cultural exchange between continents. Although simple rafts and canoes had existed for many thousands of years, the invention of the sail in ancient Mesopotamia around 5000 BCE is what truly revolutionized maritime travel, allowing boats to harness the power of wind for propulsion, reaching further than ever before.
4 The Wheel
Around 3500 BCE, the invention of the wheel revolutionized transportation. Initially a device used only for pottery-making, the wheel soon found its way onto carts and chariots, significantly improving the efficiency of land travel. This innovation laid the groundwork for all future advancements in wheeled transportation, like horse-drawn chariots, bicycles, and eventually cars.
5 Paved Roads
The earliest paved roads date back to ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, where stone-paved streets connected cities like Babylon and Ur. In ancient Rome, the construction of a vast network of roads , the famous Roman roads, facilitated the rapid expansion of the empire and enabled efficient military conquests. During the 19th century, advancements in road construction techniques, such as macadam and asphalt, revolutionized transportation, leading to the development of modern highways and urban infrastructure. Today, paved roads are the backbone of modern civilization, connecting cities and crisscrossing entire continents.
6 Steam Locomotive
The advent of the steam locomotive in the early 19th century completely transformed land transportation. Steam-powered trains enabled faster and more efficient travel , facilitating the movement of goods and people on a scale previously unimaginable, and fueling the advance of the industrial revolution. In the United States only, the construction of the transcontinental railroad connected the vast territories of the West to the East Coast, allowing more settlers to move into these lands, and revolutionizing the entire country's economy in the process.
7 Bicycles
The humble bicycle is more than deserving of a place in the history of human transportation. After its invention in the early 19th century, it soon revolutionized personal transportation, offering an affordable and efficient means of travel for millions worldwide. The introduction of the safety bicycle with equal-sized wheels and pneumatic tires in the late 19th century further popularized cycling, making it accessible to people of all ages and genders.
8 The Automobile
Although the concept existed since at least a century earlier, 1886 is considered the year modern cars were invented, when German engineer Carl Benz patented his Benz Patent-Motorwagen - a practical vehicle that completely transformed personal transportation. With the mass production of cars and the expansion of roads, individuals gained unprecedented freedom to travel , leading to the reshaping of cities and paving the way for suburbanization.
9 Airplanes
The Wright brothers' first successful powered flight in 1903 marked the dawn of aviation. Airplanes changed long-distance travel forever, effectively shrinking the world and connecting distant continents in record times. Modern phenomena such as globalization and global tourism would not be possible without airplanes, and it is still one of the fastest and most popular modes of transportation.
10 Supersonic Flight
In 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first pilot to break the sound barrier in the experimental Bell X-1 aircraft, ushering in a new era of high-speed aviation. The development of supersonic passenger jets like the Concorde in the 1960s promised faster-than-sound travel for commercial passengers, drastically reducing transatlantic flight times. While the Concorde was retired in 2003, supersonic flight technologies continue to evolve, with many companies working on next-generation supersonic aircraft.
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This Day in U S Military History…….April 11
1943 – 73 Zero fighters and 27 D3A carrier dive bombers attacked Oro Bay near Dobodura, Australian Papua, sinking 1 US cargo ship, sinking 1 US destroyer, damaging 1 transport, and damaging 1 Australian minesweeper.
1945 – American Third Army liberates the Buchenwald concentration camp, near Weimar, Germany, a camp that will be judged second only to Auschwitz in the horrors it imposed on its prisoners. As American forces closed in on the Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald, Gestapo headquarters at Weimar telephoned the camp administration to announce that it was sending explosives to blow up any evidence of the camp–including its inmates. What the Gestapo did not know was that the camp administrators had already fled in fear of the Allies. A prisoner answered the phone and informed headquarters that explosives would not be needed, as the camp had already been blown up, which, of course, was not true. The camp held thousands of prisoners, mostly slave laborers. There were no gas chambers, but hundreds, sometimes thousands, died monthly from disease, malnutrition, beatings, and executions. Doctors performed medical experiments on inmates, testing the effects of viral infections and vaccines. Among the camp's most gruesome characters was Ilse Koch, wife of the camp commandant, who was infamous for her sadism. She often beat prisoners with a riding crop, and collected lampshades, book covers, and gloves made from the skin of camp victims. Among those saved by the Americans was Elie Wiesel, who would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.
1951 – In perhaps the most famous civilian-military confrontation in the history of the United States, President Harry S. Truman relieves General Douglas MacArthur of command of the U.S. forces in Korea. The firing of MacArthur set off a brief uproar among the American public, but Truman remained committed to keeping the conflict in Korea a "limited war." Problems with the flamboyant and egotistical General MacArthur had been brewing for months. In the early days of the war in Korea (which began in June 1950), the general had devised some brilliant strategies and military maneuvers that helped save South Korea from falling to the invading forces of communist North Korea. As U.S. and United Nations forces turned the tide of battle in Korea, MacArthur argued for a policy of pushing into North Korea to completely defeat the communist forces. Truman went along with this plan, but worried that the communist government of the People's Republic of China might take the invasion as a hostile act and intervene in the conflict. In October 1950, MacArthur met with Truman and assured him that the chances of a Chinese intervention were slim. Then, in November and December 1950, hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops crossed into North Korea and flung themselves against the American lines, driving the U.S. troops back into South Korea. MacArthur then asked for permission to bomb communist China and use Nationalist Chinese forces from Taiwan against the People's Republic of China. Truman flatly refused these requests and a very public argument began to develop between the two men. In April 1951, President Truman fired MacArthur and replaced him with Gen. Matthew Ridgeway. On April 11, Truman addressed the nation and explained his actions. He began by defending his overall policy in Korea, declaring, "It is right for us to be in Korea." He excoriated the "communists in the Kremlin [who] are engaged in a monstrous conspiracy to stamp out freedom all over the world." Nevertheless, he explained, it "would be wrong-tragically wrong-for us to take the initiative in extending the war. …Our aim is to avoid the spread of the conflict." The president continued, "I believe that we must try to limit the war to Korea for these vital reasons: To make sure that the precious lives of our fighting men are not wasted; to see that the security of our country and the free world is not needlessly jeopardized; and to prevent a third world war." General MacArthur had been fired "so that there would be no doubt or confusion as to the real purpose and aim of our policy." MacArthur returned to the United States to a hero's welcome. Parades were held in his honor, and he was asked to speak before Congress (where he gave his famous "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away" speech). Public opinion was strongly against Truman's actions, but the president stuck to his decision without regret or apology. Eventually, MacArthur did "just fade away," and the American people began to understand that his policies and recommendations might have led to a massively expanded war in Asia. Though the concept of a "limited war," as opposed to the traditional American policy of unconditional victory, was new and initially unsettling to many Americans, the idea came to define the U.S. Cold War military strategy.
1970 – Apollo 13, the third lunar landing mission, is successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying astronauts James A. Lovell, John L. Swigert, and Fred W. Haise. The spacecraft's destination was the Fra Mauro highlands of the moon, where the astronauts were to explore the Imbrium Basin and conduct geological experiments. After an oxygen tank exploded on the evening of April 13, however, the new mission objective became to get the Apollo 13 crew home alive. At 9:00 p.m. EST on April 13, Apollo 13 was just over 200,000 miles from Earth. The crew had just completed a television broadcast and was inspecting Aquarius, the Landing Module (LM). The next day, Apollo 13 was to enter the moon's orbit, and soon after, Lovell and Haise would become the fifth and sixth men to walk on the moon. At 9:08 p.m., these plans were shattered when an explosion rocked the spacecraft. Oxygen tank No. 2 had blown up, disabling the normal supply of oxygen, electricity, light, and water. Lovell reported to mission control: "Houston, we've had a problem here," and the crew scrambled to find out what had happened. Several minutes later, Lovell looked out of the left-hand window and saw that the spacecraft was venting a gas, which turned out to be the Command Module's (CM) oxygen. The landing mission was aborted. As the CM lost pressure, its fuel cells also died, and one hour after the explosion mission control instructed the crew to move to the LM, which had sufficient oxygen, and use it as a lifeboat. The CM was shut down but would have to be brought back on-line for Earth reentry. The LM was designed to ferry astronauts from the orbiting CM to the moon's surface and back again; its power supply was meant to support two people for 45 hours. If the crew of Apollo 13 were to make it back to Earth alive, the LM would have to support three men for at least 90 hours and successfully navigate more than 200,000 miles of space. The crew and mission control faced a formidable task. To complete its long journey, the LM needed energy and cooling water. Both were to be conserved at the cost of the crew, who went on one-fifth water rations and would later endure cabin temperatures that hovered a few degrees above freezing. Removal of carbon dioxide was also a problem, because the square lithium hydroxide canisters from the CM were not compatible with the round openings in the LM environmental system. Mission control built an impromptu adapter out of materials known to be onboard, and the crew successfully copied their model. Navigation was also a major problem. The LM lacked a sophisticated navigational system, and the astronauts and mission control had to work out by hand the changes in propulsion and direction needed to take the spacecraft home. On April 14, Apollo 13 swung around the moon. Swigert and Haise took pictures, and Lovell talked with mission control about the most difficult maneuver, a five-minute engine burn that would give the LM enough speed to return home before its energy ran out. Two hours after rounding the far side of the moon, the crew, using the sun as an alignment point, fired the LM's small descent engine. The procedure was a success; Apollo 13 was on its way home. For the next three days, Lovell, Haise, and Swigert huddled in the freezing lunar module. Haise developed a case of the flu. Mission control spent this time frantically trying to develop a procedure that would allow the astronauts to restart the CM for reentry. On April 17, a last-minute navigational correction was made, this time using Earth as an alignment guide. Then the repressurized CM was successfully powered up after its long, cold sleep. The heavily damaged service module was shed, and one hour before re-entry the LM was disengaged from the CM. Just before 1 p.m., the spacecraft reentered Earth's atmosphere. Mission control feared that the CM's heat shields were damaged in the accident, but after four minutes of radio silence Apollo 13's parachutes were spotted, and the astronauts splashed down safely into the Pacific Ocean.
1972 – B-52 strikes against communist forces attacking South Vietnamese positions in the Central Highlands near Kontum remove any immediate threat to that city. Air strikes against North Vietnam continued, but were hampered by poor weather. Also on this day, the Pentagon ordered two more squadrons of B-52s to Thailand. These actions were part of the U.S. response to the ongoing North Vietnamese Nguyen Hue Offensive, which had begun on March 30. This offensive, later more commonly known as the "Easter Offensive," was a massive invasion by North Vietnamese forces designed to strike the 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. The main North Vietnamese objectives, in addition to Quang Tri in the north, were Kontum in the Central Highlands, and An Loc farther to the south. The fighting, which continued into the fall, was some of the most desperate of the war. The South Vietnamese prevailed against the invaders with the help of U.S. advisors and massive American airpower.
2001 – Ending a tense 11-day standoff, China released the 24 US spy plane crew members detained since April 1. US text was released with the words "sincerely regret" and translated to "chengzhi yihan." In China the text was translated to "shenbiao qianyi" meaning "deeply sorry." Beijing kept the spy plane pending an investigation and more talks.
2003 – In the 24th day of Operation Iraqi Freedom the northern city of Mosul fell into US and Kurdish hands after an entire corps of the Iraqi army surrendered. The Pentagon said no major military forces remain in the country. Defense Sec. Rumsfeld called Iraqi looting and chaos a natural "untidiness" that accompanies the transition from tyranny to freedom. The US military issued a most-wanted list in the form of a deck of 55 cards.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
DORLEY, AUGUST
Rank and organization: Private, Company B, 1st Louisiana Cavalry. Place and date: At Mount Pleasant, Ala., 11 April 1865. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Germany. Date of issue: Unknown. Citation: Capture of flag.
MICHAEL, EDWARD S. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 364th Bomber Squadron, 305th Bomber Group. Place and date: Over Germany, 11 April 1944. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 2 May 1918, Chicago, Ill. G.O. No.: 5, 15 January 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as pilot of a B17 aircraft on a heavy-bombardment mission to Germany, 11 April 1944. The group in which 1st Lt. Michael was flying was attacked by a swarm of fighters. His plane was singled out and the fighters pressed their attacks home recklessly, completely disregarding the Allied fighter escort and their own intense flak. His plane was riddled from nose to tail with exploding cannon shells and knocked out of formation, with a large number of fighters following it down, blasting it with cannon fire as it descended. A cannon shell exploded in the cockpit, wounded the copilot, wrecked the instruments, and blew out the side window. 1st Lt. Michael was seriously and painfully wounded in the right thigh. Hydraulic fluid filmed over the windshield making visibility impossible, and smoke filled the cockpit. The controls failed to respond and 3,000 feet were lost before he succeeded in leveling off. The radio operator informed him that the whole bomb bay was in flames as a result of the explosion of 3 cannon shells, which had ignited the incendiaries. With a full load of incendiaries in the bomb bay and a considerable gas load in the tanks, the danger of fire enveloping the plane and the tanks exploding seemed imminent. When the emergency release lever failed to function, 1st Lt. Michael at once gave the order to bail out and 7 of the crew left the plane. Seeing the bombardier firing the navigator's gun at the enemy planes, 1st Lt. Michael ordered him to bail out as the plane was liable to explode any minute. When the bombardier looked for his parachute he found that it had been riddled with 20mm. fragments and was useless. 1st Lt. Michael, seeing the ruined parachute, realized that if the plane was abandoned the bombardier would perish and decided that the only chance would be a crash landing. Completely disregarding his own painful and profusely bleeding wounds, but thinking only of the safety of the remaining crewmembers, he gallantly evaded the enemy, using violent evasive action despite the battered condition of his plane. After the plane had been under sustained enemy attack for fully 45 minutes, 1st Lt. Michael finally lost the persistent fighters in a cloud bank. Upon emerging, an accurate barrage of flak caused him to come down to treetop level where flak towers poured a continuous rain of fire on the plane. He continued into France, realizing that at any moment a crash landing might have to be attempted, but trying to get as far as possible to increase the escape possibilities if a safe landing could be achieved. 1st Lt. Michael flew the plane until he became exhausted from the loss of blood, which had formed on the floor in pools, and he lost consciousness. The copilot succeeded in reaching England and sighted an RAF field near the coast. 1st Lt. Michael finally regained consciousness and insisted upon taking over the controls to land the plane. The undercarriage was useless; the bomb bay doors were jammed open; the hydraulic system and altimeter were shot out. In addition, there was no airspeed indicator, the ball turret was jammed with the guns pointing downward, and the flaps would not respond. Despite these apparently insurmountable obstacles, he landed the plane without mishap.
*DE LA GARZA, EMILIO A., JR.
Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Near Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam, 11 April 1970. Entered service at: Chicago, 111. Born: 23 June 1949, East Chicago, Ind. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner with Company E. Returning with his squad from a night ambush operation, L/Cpl. De La Garza joined his platoon commander and another marine in searching for 2 enemy soldiers who had been observed fleeing for cover toward a small pond. Moments later, he located 1 of the enemy soldiers hiding among the reeds and brush. As the 3 marines attempted to remove the resisting soldier from the pond, L/Cpl. De La Garza observed him pull the pin on a grenade. Shouting a warning, L/Cpl. De La Garza placed himself between the other 2 marines and the ensuing blast from the grenade, thereby saving the lives of his comrades at the sacrifice of his life. By his prompt and decisive action, and his great personal valor in the face of almost certain death, L/Cpl. De La Garza upheld and further enhanced the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.
*PITSENBARGER WILLIAM H.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Airman First Class Pitsenbarger distinguished himself by extreme valor on 11 April 1966 near Cam My, Republic of Vietnam, while assigned as a Pararescue Crew Member, Detachment 6, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. On that date, Airman Pitsenbarger was aboard a rescue helicopter responding to a call for evacuation of casualties incurred in an ongoing firefight between elements of the United States Army's 1st Infantry Division and a sizeable enemy force approximately 35 miles east of Saigon. With complete disregard for personal safety, Airman Pitsenbarger volunteered to ride a hoist more than one hundred feet through the jungle, to the ground. On the ground, he organized and coordinated rescue efforts, cared for the wounded, prepared casualties for evacuation, and insured that the recovery operation continued in a smooth and orderly fashion. Through his personal efforts, the evacuation of the wounded was greatly expedited. As each of the nine casualties evacuated that day was recovered, Airman Pitsenbarger refused evacuation in order to get more wounded soldiers to safety. After several pick-ups, one of the two rescue helicopters involved in the evacuation was struck by heavy enemy ground fire and was forced to leave the scene for an emergency landing. Airman Pitsenbarger stayed behind on the ground to perform medical duties. Shortly thereafter, the area came under sniper and mortar fire. During a subsequent attempt to evacuate the site, American forces came under heavy assault by a large Viet Cong force. When the enemy launched the assault, the evacuation was called off and Airman Pitsenbarger took up arms with the besieged infantrymen. He courageously resisted the enemy, braving intense gunfire to gather and distribute vital ammunition to American defenders. As the battle raged on, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to care for the wounded, pull them out of the line of fire, and return fire whenever he could, during which time he was wounded three times. Despite his wounds, he valiantly fought on, simultaneously treating as many wounded as possible. In the vicious fighting that followed, the American forces suffered 80 percent casualties as their perimeter was breached, and Airman Pitsenbarger was fatally wounded. Airman Pitsenbarger exposed himself to almost certain death by staying on the ground, and perished while saving the lives of wounded infantrymen. His bravery and determination exemplify the highest professional standards and traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Air Force.
*ROBINSON, JAMES W., JR.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 11 April 1966. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 30 August 1940, Hinsdale, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Company C was engaged in fierce combat with a Viet Cong battalion. Despite the heavy fire, Sgt. Robinson moved among the men of his fire team, instructing and inspiring them, and placing them in advantageous positions. Enemy snipers located in nearby trees were inflicting heavy casualties on forward elements of Sgt. Robinson's unit. Upon locating the enemy sniper whose fire was taking the heaviest toll, he took a grenade launcher and eliminated the sniper. Seeing a medic hit while administering aid to a wounded sergeant in front of his position and aware that now the 2 wounded men were at the mercy of the enemy, he charged through a withering hail of fire and dragged his comrades to safety, where he rendered first aid and saved their lives. As the battle continued and casualties mounted, Sgt. Robinson moved about under intense fire to collect from the wounded their weapons and ammunition and redistribute them to able-bodied soldiers. Adding his fire to that of his men, he assisted in eliminating a major enemy threat. Seeing another wounded comrade in front of his position, Sgt. Robinson again defied the enemy's fire to effect a rescue. In so doing he was himself wounded in the shoulder and leg. Despite his painful wounds, he dragged the soldier to shelter and saved his life by administering first aid. While patching his own wounds, he spotted an enemy machinegun which had inflicted a number of casualties on the American force. His rifle ammunition expended, he seized 2 grenades and, in an act of unsurpassed heroism, charged toward the entrenched enemy weapon. Hit again in the leg, this time with a tracer round which set fire to his clothing, Sgt. Robinson ripped the burning clothing from his body and staggered indomitably through the enemy fire, now concentrated solely on him, to within grenade range of the enemy machinegun position. Sustaining 2 additional chest wounds, he marshaled his fleeting physical strength and hurled the 2 grenades, thus destroying the enemy gun position, as he fell dead upon the battlefield. His magnificent display of leadership and bravery saved several lives and inspired his soldiers to defeat the numerically superior enemy force. Sgt. Robinson's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, at the cost of his life, are in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon the 1st Infantry Division and the U.S. Armed Forces.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for April 11, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
11 April
1911: The Army inaugurated its first permanent flying school at College Park with a request to build four hangars. (24) (18)
1918: The 1st Aero Squadron, I Corps Observation Group, equipped with bi-place Spads, made the first US observation patrol over enemy lines in World War I. (5)
1934: The Secretary of War convened the Baker Board to study the Army Air Corps, flying equipment, and training in peace and war.
1942: The Curtiss-Wright Company unveiled its first production C-46 Commando. After deliveries began two months later, the C-46 eventually became the largest and heaviest twin-engined aircraft used by the US AAF. Due to its load capacity and high-altitude performance, the US AAF primarily used it in the Pacific region and it became an important factor in the success of the "Hump" airlift over the Himalayas. (18)
1944: MEDAL OF HONOR. Lt Edward Michael received his medal after cannon shells riddled his B-17 Flying Fortress, wounding himself, the copilot, and most crewmen. As the crew left the plane, he noticed that the bombardier's parachute was badly damaged. Thus, he decided to try a crash landing. For 45 minutes, he evaded German fighters before taking the crippled plane down to 100 feet above the ground over France. Amazingly, the B-17 flew across the English Channel to a RAF base. With the wheels and flaps inoperable, and the bomb bay doors jammed open, the seriously wounded Michael still had enough strength left to skillfully bring the bomber in on its belly. (4)
1957: The Ryan X-13 Vertijet showed its ability to takeoff vertically, transition to conventional flight, and return to hovering for the first time. (3) (16) 1963: The X-15, with an Army KC-1 aerial survey camera, completed its first test in aerial mapping. A 6595th Aerospace Test Wing crew launched the first Minuteman I from Vandenberg AFB. (6)
1966: The Air Force defined the Minuteman III weapon system in a system management directive. (6) MEDAL OF HONOR/AIR FORCE CROSS. Near Cam My, South Vietnam, A1C William H. Pitsenbarger, a pararescueman, hoisted nine soldiers to safety aboard a HH-43 Huskie and then remained behind to treat the wounded amid heavy mortar and sniper fire. In the ensuing battle, he was mortally wounded. He became the first airman to receive the Air Force Cross posthumously. The Air Force later upgraded his award to the Medal of Honor. (18)
1969: A SAC missile crew, with help from AFSC technicians, launched the first Minuteman III missile from Vandenberg AFB. (12)
1970: APOLLO XIII. James A. Lovell, Fred W. Haise, Jr., and John L. Swigert were launched into space on this unlucky mission. First, Thomas Mattingly came down with German measles two days before the flight. Second, the Saturn V's five first stage engines shut down early after launch. Third, after 56 hours in space a service module oxygen tank ruptured and forced an early return to the earth. Nevertheless, the men returned safely in the Odyssey and splashed down in mid-Pacific southeast of American Samoa on 17 April. (8) (26) TAC gained its first ANG tactical airlift unit with the reorganization of the 146 TAW in the California ANG. (16) (26) USAF Southern Command personnel and aircraft began operations to assist thousands of flood victims in Costa Rica and Panama. (16) (26)
1973: CAMBODIAN RICE LIFT – Project SCOOT (Support Cambodia Out of Thailand). Through October, USAF C-130s flew 1,290 sorties from U-Tapao AB to deliver 3,314 tons of rice to Phnom Penh, and 7,055 tons of ammunition to Cambodian forces. They also airdropped another 39.7 tons of rice. (17)
1990: Vandenberg AFB launched the 19th consecutive Atlas booster. It carried an Air Force/Navy payload, called the Stacksat, with three small satellites and four atmospheric and geodetic experiments. A C-5 moved the first European-based GLCM scheduled for destruction under the IntermediateRange Nuclear Forces Treaty. (16) (26)
2005: In the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, a 175th Wing (Maryland ANG) aircrew made the first short-field, dirt airstrip landing with a C-130J at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan. The crew loaded a 25,000-pound fire truck and delivered it to an undisclosed location. They took off from a 4,000-foot strip at a high elevation weighing 137,000 pounds. (32)
2005: USA-165 or XSS-11(Experimental Satellite System-11) is a small, washing-machine-sized, low-cost spacecraft developed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate to test technology for proximity operations. XSS-11 was launched from Vandenberg AFB on a Minotaur launch vehicle. XSS-11 would go on to complete a 1½ year space mission executing more than 100 approaches, formation flying and circumnavigations building the experience and lessons learned to support future military RPOs. In particular, the satellite would approach, investigate, and photograph other spacecraft in Earth orbit
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