To All,
Good Monday Morning July 29. I hope that you are all had a great weekend We are clearing out room for the workers to come and install a new Heater/Air conditioner for our side of the house. Unfortunately it is over our closet…my side so a lot of my stuff is now distributed around the house. Sleeping has not been fun the last few days. This is a Bubba Breakfast Friday here in San Diego. I hope to see many of you there at the old place by the golf course.
Warm 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/. Go here to see the director's corner for all 83 H-Grams
This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History:
July 29
1846 During the Mexican-American War, a detachment of Marines and Sailors, led by Arm. Col. John C. Fremont from the sloop USS Cyane, commanded by Cmdr. Samuel F. DuPont, lands and takes possession of San Diego and raises the U.S. flag.
1898 During the Spanish-American War, the gunboat, USS Helena, commanded by Cmdr. William T. Swinburne, captures the Spanish steamer Manati at Cienfuegos, Cuba.
1920 USS St. Louis (CA 20) is ordered to Turkish waters to protect American nationals and citizens during the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922).
1944 USS Balao (SS 285) shells and sinks Japanese sampan (No.7) Nissho Maru about 100 miles off Palau. USS Drum (SS 228) sinks Asahi Maru with gunfire in the same general area, and takes survivors prisoner. Also on this date, USS Perch (SS 313) sinks Japanese guardboat Kannon Maru I-Go in the Philippine Sea, east of Dinagat Island.
1945 USS Indianapolis is is sunk by a Japanese submarine after delivering parts for the Atomic bomb to Tinian
1967 On the flight deck of USS Forrestal (CVA 59), a Zuni 5 rocket accidentally fires from a (F 4B) Phantom II aircraft into a parked and armed (A 4E) Skyhawk, setting off a series of explosions that kill 134 of her crew and injure 161 crewmembers.
1995 USS Maine (SSBN 741) is commissioned at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine. The Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine is the third Navy vessel to be named after the state.
2017 The guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) is commissioned in a ceremony at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. The ship honors Marine Corps Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for actions during combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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This day in World History 29 July
1588 The Spanish Armada is sighted off the coast of England.
1602 The Duke of Biron is executed in Paris for conspiring with Spain and Savoy against King Henry IV of France.
1603 Bartholomew Gilbert is killed in Virginia by Indians, during a search for the missing Roanoke colonists.
1693 The Army of the Grand Alliance is destroyed by the French at the Battle of Neerwinden.
1830 Liberals led by the Marquis de Lafayette seize Paris in opposition to the king's restrictions on citizens' rights.
1848 A rebellion against British rule is put down in Tipperary, Ireland.
1858 Japan signs a treaty of commerce and friendship with the United States.
1862 Confederates are routed by Union guerrillas at Moore's Mill, Missouri.
1875 Peasants in Bosnia and Herzegovina rebel against the Ottoman army.
1921 Adolf Hitler becomes the president of the Nationalist Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazis).
1945 After delivering parts of the first atomic bomb to the island of Tinian, the U.S.S. Indianapolis is sunk by a Japanese submarine. The survivors are adrift for two days before help arrives.
1981 Prince Charles marries Lady Diana.
1990 The Boston Red Sox hit 12 doubles in a game, setting a major league record.
1996 A US federal court strikes down the child protection portion of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, calling it too broad.
2005 Astronomers announce the discovery of dwarf planet Eris, leading the International Astronomic Union to clarify the definition of a planet.
1958 NASA created
The U.S. Congress passes legislation establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a civilian agency responsible for coordinating America's activities in space, on July 29, 1958. NASA has since sponsored space expeditions, both human and mechanical, that have yielded vital information about the solar system and universe. It has also launched numerous earth-orbiting satellites that have been instrumental in everything from weather forecasting to navigation to global communications.
NASA was created in response to the Soviet Union's October 4, 1957 launch of its first satellite, Sputnik I. The 183-pound, basketball-sized satellite orbited the earth in 98 minutes. The Sputnik launch caught Americans by surprise and sparked fears that the Soviets might also be capable of sending missiles with nuclear weapons from Europe to America. The United States prided itself on being at the forefront of technology, and, embarrassed, immediately began developing a response, signaling the start of the U.S.-Soviet space race.
On November 3, 1957, the Soviets launched Sputnik II, which carried a dog named Laika. In December, America attempted to launch a satellite of its own, called Vanguard, but it exploded shortly after takeoff. On January 31, 1958, things went better with Explorer I, the first U.S. satellite to successfully orbit the earth. In July of that year, Congress passed legislation officially establishing NASA from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and other government agencies, and confirming the country's commitment to winning the space race. In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy declared that America should put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. On July 20, 1969, NASA's Apollo 11 mission achieved that goal and made history when astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon, famously declaring "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
NASA has continued to make great advances in space exploration since the first moonwalk, including playing a major part in the construction of the International Space Station. The agency has also suffered tragic setbacks, however, such as the disasters that killed the crews of the Challenger space shuttle in 1986 and the Columbia space shuttle in 2003.
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OPERATION COMMANDO HUNT Thanks to the Bear
Skip… For The List for the week beginning Monday, 29 July 2024 and ending on Sunday, 4 August 2024… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION COMMANDO HUNT (1968-1972)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post of 28 July -1969… Includes the details of a relentless effort to find and return the remains of two Navy warriors lost on the battlefield 55-years ago this week. "Leave no man behind," is the goal. In this case, the search goes on. And two families wait, pray and remember…
OPERATION COMMANDO HUNT (1968-1972)
(Please note the eye-watering ongoing revamp of the RTR website by Webmaster/Author Dan Heller, who has inherited the site from originators RADM Bear Taylor, USN, Retired, and Angie Morse, "Mighty Thunder")…
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. .Micro is the one also that goes into the archives and finds these inputs and sends them to me for incorporation in the List. It is a lot of work and our thanks goes out to him for his effort.
From Vietnam Air Losses site for "for 29 July
July 29: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=711
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--Politics
Do all fairy tales begin with "Once upon a time…"?
No, some begin with "If I am elected…"
How come there aren't any circuses around now?
Because all the clowns got into politics.
A noted psychiatrist was a guest speaker at an academic function where Nancy Pelosi happened to appear. Ms. Pelosi took the opportunity to schmooze the good doctor a bit and asked him a question with which he was most at ease.
'Would you mind telling me, Doctor,' she asked, 'how you detect a mental deficiency in somebody who appears completely normal?'
'Nothing is easier,' he replied. 'You ask a simple question which anyone should answer with no trouble. If the person hesitates, that puts you on the track..'
'What sort of question?' asked Pelosi.
Well, you might ask, 'Captain Cook made three trips around the world and died during one of them. Which one?''
Pelosi thought a moment, and then said with a nervous laugh, 'You wouldn't happen to have another example would you? I must confess I don't know much about history.'
• Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
• If you want to know who controls you, look at who you are not allowed to criticize.
• The more often stupidity is repeated, the more it's given the appearance of wisdom.
• The right of free speech is more important than the content of the speech.
• Don't think money does everything, or you are going to end up doing everything for money.
• Many are destined to reason wrongly; others not to reason at all, and others to persecute those who do reason.
• It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.
• It requires ages to destroy a popular opinion.
• You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
• You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
• You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
• You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
• You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
• You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.
• A lie doesn't become truth, wrong doesn't become right, and evil doesn't become good, just because it is accepted by the majority.
• We have come to live in a society based on insults, on lies and on things that just aren't true. It creates an environment where deranged people feel empowered.
6.6% of the American population are millionaires.
Over 50% of those serving in Congress are millionaires.
Canceling student debt is the most absurd thing I've ever heard. Rewarding people who do not honor their financial commitments by taxing the people who do isn't right. Maybe this is just vote buying.
Remember, the "H" in "POLITICS" stands for "HONESTY".
Have a great week,
Al
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Thanks to Boris
Subject: FW: Fight's On: The Aviator Cancer Examination Study (ACES) (8)
Fight's On: The Aviator Cancer Examination Study (ACES) Act – H.R 4886
http://rememberedsky.com/?p=5247
Different kind of "Testimony of Pilot" post just up.
Col. Vince 'Aztec' Alcazar (USAF, Ret), F-15 guy and long time friend and great source for discussion on attack/fighter and AF/USN is the lead for the River Rats Aviation Medical Issues Committee (AMIC). He's been working the aviator-cancer table at multiple levels including Congress since 2019.
Aztec provides a quarterly update in the River Rats magazine Mig Sweep. He provided a brief earlier this year at the 50th anniversary of the Rats at opening of the RRVA museum in Bowling Green Kentucky. Based on attendance by some Naval Aviators, he has been invited to give a 15 minute talk at Tailhook in Aug. as you know various aircraft focused organizations provide "readyrooms" during the Tailhook Convention and leverage "Hook" to conduct their annual business meetings.
Coordination is underway for him to be available for any updates and discussion on informal basis over a cool one in the readyrooms.
Note, some of you may be aware of the past efforts, but evidence strongly points to only meagre naval aviation involvement. Vince is hoping to push on the door. And I offered up rememberedsky.com and its audience to assist in any way.
This post is intended as a backgrounder for rememberedsky readers who are populated by a lot of naval aviators.
Boris
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
I was a long time popcorn addict and used to eat it by the ton. After my hospital vist three years ago where they took about 9 inches of my colon out the doctor told me to lay off popcorn. So I have and I miss it. One kernel at a time while reading was a favorite pastime of mine….Skip
July 29, 2024
Popcorn can pop how high?!
Popcorn can pop up to 3 feet into the air.
Popping an afternoon snack of popcorn in the microwave generally isn't a messy affair, considering most popcorn cooking is contained to a bag. But if it weren't, you might have to watch out for flying kernels, since popcorn can pop as high as 3 feet while it transforms from kernel to puff. However, the tiny grains don't just fly straight skyward as they expand; high-speed recordings of popcorn as it cooks show that the kernels actually flip like a high-flying gymnast, thanks to starches that push off a cooking surface and propel the corn into the air.
The way popcorn transforms from a hard nugget to a soft and springy morsel can seem like magic, except scientists say it's really just a trick caused by heat and pressure. Each kernel has three parts: the germ (seed) found deep within the shell, the endosperm (a starch section used to nourish the germ if planted), and the pericarp (aka the hard exterior). Moisture and starch are also packed into each tiny kernel; when heated, that microscopic amount of water creates pressurized steam. By the time a popcorn kernel reaches 350 degrees, the pressure is too much to contain and the pericarp explodes, causing the starchy endosperm to expand outward. When the process is finished, the resulting popcorn has puffed up to 40 times its original size.
While the popcorn industry strives to get 98% popability from each bag of kernels, there's likely still going to be duds at the bottom of the microwave bag. In those cases, it's likely the pericarp was cracked or the kernel didn't have enough internal moisture, both of which prevent any pressure buildup — which means that no amount of extra microwaving will give you a few more bites.
Popcorn is the official state snack food of Illinois and Indiana.
Numbers Don't Lie
Quarts of popcorn consumed each year by Americans
14 billion
Year General Mills patented the first modern microwave popcorn bag
1981
Pounds of popcorn grown in Nebraska, the most of any U.S. state
350 million
Internal temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit) of a kernel before it explodes into popcorn
430
Popcorn pops into two distinct shapes.
When popcorn is all lumped together in a bowl, it just looks like… popcorn. But an up-close inspection shows that kernels actually pop into one of two shapes, transforming into "butterflies" and "snowflakes" (winged, multifaceted shapes) or "mushrooms" (rounded puffs). Butterflies occur when the popped kernel turns inside out, while mushrooms are created when the kernel's endosperm expands instead of flipping. Generally, mushrooms are sturdier and can withstand the additional cooking process to become caramel or kettle corn. Whether your bowl of popcorn gets more mushrooms or butterflies mostly depends on factors uncontrollable from your kitchen, like the popcorn plant's genetics or how much water the plant received while it was growing in the field.
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53 Cadillac modified by WWI Fighter Pilot
Thanks to Mike
Beautiful Car For A Pilot!
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Thanks to History Facts
From their unparalleled wisdom to their wispy white hair, physicist Albert Einstein and Jedi master Yoda have quite a bit in common — and that's no coincidence. In fact, the real-life scientist helped influence the physical look of the beloved Star Wars character. When Yoda was being developed for 1980's The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars creator George Lucas hired special effects artist Stuart Freeborn to bring the character to life. By chance, a picture of Einstein happened to hang in the studio where Freeborn worked on the early Yoda puppets. The wrinkled look around Einstein's eyes eventually made it into Yoda's final design, coupled with features from Freeborn's own likeness.
While we all recognize Yoda today, the character almost looked entirely different, and nearly Smurf-like. As seen in The Empire Strikes Back Sketchbook, published in 1980, early concept art for Yoda depicted the great Jedi master as a lanky, blue creature with a long white beard and a pointed hat akin to a garden gnome. Another sketch showed the creature with a handlebar mustache, not quite fitting for the Star Wars universe. Other characters also underwent vast transformations from their original sketches; Chewbacca was originally a tall, thin, and hairy lemur-like creature, whereas Ewoks had long legs like an ostrich.
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
The Secret Service Code Names of 10 U.S. Presidents
SECRET SERVICE MEN
Ever since Harry S. Truman's presidential terms, from 1945 until 1953, presidents have been given descriptive code names used by the Secret Service to provide an added layer of anonymity when discussing the movements of the commander in chief. The process of selecting these code names is somewhat shrouded in mystery. Sometimes, the White House Communications Agency (WHCA) comes up with a list of words starting with the same letter, and the president chooses something from the list that resonates with them. Other times, the Secret Service simply assigns one of the WHCA-supplied names to the president.
But how does the WHCA come up with the list to begin with? The agency is tight-lipped about its exact process, but a spokesperson once said the words are usually determined by "sheer whim." While the code names often reflect something unique about the leader — whether it's a nod to their personality, principles, or background — other times, the inspiration isn't entirely clear.Presidential code names started as an added security measure at a time when it was easier to intercept electronic communications. Yet despite modern advancements in technology, the tradition has endured, and these nicknames have become not-so-secret pieces of presidential lore along the way. Here are some of the U.S. presidents' Secret Service code names, and the suspected meaning behind them.
Harry S. Truman: "General"
Harry S. Truman was the first U.S. president with a documented Secret Service code name. "General," though not a military title he ever held, reflects his leadership as a field artillery captain during World War II — as well as his critical, though controversial, decisiveness as president.
Dwight D. Eisenhower: "Providence"
Dwight D. Eisenhower's code name, "Providence," echoed his reputation for being a guiding force of virtue and purpose for many Americans. According to the Eisenhower National Historic Site, he became known as "Scorecard" after he retired, due to his love of golf.
John F. Kennedy: "Lancer"
Lancelot, a legendary knight of King Arthur's court, was the inspiration for the charismatic president's code name, "Lancer." Following John F. Kennedy's assassination, the Kennedy administration's nickname of "Camelot" was popularized by former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, solidifying this romanticized vision of JFK's presidency.
Lyndon B. Johnson: "Volunteer"
In 1941, when Lyndon B. Johnson was serving as a Texas Democrat in the House of Representatives, the U.S. entered World War II. In a move that likely inspired his nickname, Johnson became the first member of Congress to volunteer for active duty. He served as a lieutenant commander in the Navy until members of Congress were recalled to Washington in 1942.
Richard Nixon: "Searchlight"
The code name "Searchlight" took a prophetic turn when an early morning break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters led to the unraveling of the Watergate scandal. But the name's initial link to Richard Nixon may have come from his time as a U.S. representative, when he played a role in — and gained political prominence from — the investigation of a U.S. State Department official who was accused of spying for the Soviet Union.
Jimmy Carter: "Deacon"
Jimmy Carter was a devout Christian before, during, and after his presidency. In the years following his time in the Oval Office, he continued to teach Sunday school, making the name "Deacon," referencing a church official, particularly apt.
Ronald Reagan: "Rawhide"
The name "Rawhide" drew not only from Ronald Reagan's role in Hollywood Westerns, but also from the fact that he was a real-life rancher, with a small ranch outside Santa Barbara, California.
Bill Clinton: "Eagle"
Although Bill Clinton's code name, like most, was never explained, it has been speculated that it has to do with his connection to the Boy Scouts of America. Although he did not achieve Eagle Scout rank (Gerald Ford is the only president to do so), he served as a Cub Scout in his youth, and he spoke at the 1997 National Scout Jamboree.
George H.W. Bush: "Timberwolf"
The reason for George H.W. Bush's code name, "Timberwolf," isn't known, but the 41st U.S. president was an avid outdoorsman who championed environmental protection.
Barack Obama: "Renegade"
Per tradition, Barack Obama reportedly chose his code name, "Renegade," from a list of "R" words. While the former president's intentions weren't stated, the word certainly encapsulated his impact on American politics.
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Thanks to History Facts
Chocolate chips were invented after chocolate chip cookies.
C hocolate chip cookies are going on 100 years old. The classic treat was popularized in the 1930s by Massachusetts chef Ruth Wakefield, who served the sweet snack as an accompaniment to ice cream at her popular restaurant, the Toll House Inn. Originally called a "Toll House cookie" or "chocolate crunch cookie," her creation became a sensation. After she published the recipe in a late-1930s edition of her cookbook Ruth Wakefield's Tried and True Recipes, it was syndicated in newspapers and earned her a spot on a popular Betty Crocker radio program.
When the recipe first started making its way into American kitchens, you couldn't buy a bag of chocolate chips like you can at a grocery store today. Instead, bakers had to chip morsels off a large block of baking chocolate — Wakefield used an ice pick for the inaugural batch — which is how the treat got its current name, chocolate "chip" cookies. That all changed in 1939, when Nestle got Wakefield's permission to use her recipe to promote its chocolate, and started including the recipe in advertisements. (Nestle reportedly only paid Wakefield $1 for the rights to the recipe, though it did provide her with free chocolate for life and hired her as a consultant.) Soon, Nestle started creating products to go with the popular recipe. In 1939, the company came out with a semisweet chocolate bar scored into 160 pieces to make breaking up the chocolate a little easier — no ice pick required. The next year, Nestle started selling the small Toll House Semi-Sweet Morsels that most people know as chocolate chips today.
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This Day in U S Military History…….July 29
1932 – The Great Depression sent poverty-stricken Americans scrambling for any available source of income. Veterans of World War I certainly felt pinched, and cast about for ways to haul in cash, but, unlike Americans who hadn't fought in the war, the veterans seemingly had a solution: in the wake of the war, the government had promised to hand out handsome cash bonuses to all servicemen. The catch was the bonuses were to be paid out in 1945. In dire need of money, veterans called on legislators during the spring and summer of 1932 to speed up payment of the bonuses. In May, a group of veterans from Portland, Oregon, staged the "Bonus March" and headed to Washington, D.C., to plead their case. The March fast became a mini-movement, and by June a "Bonus Army" of 20,000 vets had set up shop in Washington. At first all seemed to go well for the veterans, as the House of Representatives passed the Patman Bonus Bill, which called for the early payment of bonuses. The Senate, however, put the kibosh on the movement and killed the Patman legislation. Though chunks of the Bonus Army fled Washington after the bill's defeat, a hefty handful of veterans stayed on through late July. President Herbert Hoover ordered the ousting of the vets who had decamped in government quarters. When the eviction proceedings turned ugly, and two veterans were killed, Hoover called on the army to disperse the remaining Bonus protesters. General Douglas MacArthur, and his young assistant Dwight Eisenhower, marshaled troops, tanks and tear gas in their war to send the stragglers home. Duly persuaded by this gross show of force, the remaining members of the Bonus Army headed home on July 29, 1932.
1967 – Fire sweeps the U.S. aircraft carrier Forrestal off the coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin. It was the worst U.S. naval disaster in a combat zone since World War II. The accident took the lives of 134 crewmen and injured 62 more. Of the carrier's 80 planes, 21 were destroyed and 42 were damaged.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
HEALEY, GEORGE W.
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 5th lowa Cavalry. Place and date: At Newnan, Ga., 29 July 1864. Entered service at: Dubuque, lowa. Birth: Dubuque, lowa. Date of issue: 13 January 1899. Citation: When nearly surrounded by the enemy, captured a Confederate soldier, and with the aid of a comrade who joined him later, captured 4 other Confederate soldiers, disarmed the 5 prisoners, and brought them all into the Union lines.
MAYFIELD, MELVIN
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company D, 20th Infantry, 6th Infantry Division. Place and date: Cordillera Mountains, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 29 July 1945. Entered service at: Nashport, Ohio. Birth: Salem, W. Va. G.O. No.: 49, 31 May 1946. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while fighting in the Cordillera Mountains of Luzon, Philippine Islands. When 2 Filipino companies were pinned down under a torrent of enemy fire that converged on them from a circular ridge commanding their position, Cpl. Mayfield, in a gallant single-handed effort to aid them, rushed from shell hole to shell hole until he reached 4 enemy caves atop the barren fire-swept hill. With grenades and his carbine, he assaulted each of the caves while enemy fire pounded about him. However, before he annihilated the last hostile redoubt, a machinegun bullet destroyed his weapon and slashed his left hand. Disregarding his wound, he secured more grenades and dauntlessly charged again into the face of pointblank fire to help destroy a hostile observation post. By his gallant determination and heroic leadership, Cpl. Mayfield inspired the men to eliminate all remaining pockets of resistance in the area and to press the advance against the enemy.
SCOTT, ROBERT S.
Rank and organization: Captain (then Lieutenant), U.S. Army, 172d Infantry, 43d Infantry Division. Place and date. Near Munda Air Strip, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, 29 July 1943. Entered service at. Santa Fe, N. Mex. Birth: Washington, D.C. G.O. No.: 81, 14 October 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Munda Airstrip, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, on 29 July 1943. After 27 days of bitter fighting, the enemy held a hilltop salient which commanded the approach to Munda Airstrip. Our troops were exhausted from prolonged battle and heavy casualties, but Lt. Scott advanced with the leading platoon of his company to attack the enemy position, urging his men forward in the face of enemy rifle and enemy machinegun fire. He had pushed forward alone to a point midway across the barren hilltop within 75 yards of the enemy when the enemy launched a desperate counterattack, which f successful would have gained undisputed possession of the hill. Enemy riflemen charged out on the plateau, firing and throwing grenades as they moved to engage our troops. The company withdrew, but Lt. Scott, with only a blasted tree stump for cover, stood his ground against the wild enemy assault. By firing his carbine and throwing the grenades in his possession he momentarily stopped the enemy advance using the brief respite to obtain more grenades. Disregarding small-arms fire and exploding grenades aimed at him, suffering a bullet wound in the left hand and a painful shrapnel wound in the head after his carbine had been shot from his hand, he threw grenade after grenade with devastating accuracy until the beaten enemy withdrew. Our troops, inspired to renewed effort by Lt. Scott's intrepid stand and incomparable courage, swept across the plateau to capture the hill, and from this strategic position 4 days later captured Munda Airstrip.
WHITTINGTON, HULON B.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 41st Armored Infantry 2d Armored Division. Place and date: Near Grimesnil, France, 29 July 1944. Entered service at: Bastrop, La. Born: 9 July 1921, Bogalusa, La. G.O. No.: 32, 23 April 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On the night of 29 July 1944, near Grimesnil, France, during an enemy armored attack, Sgt. Whittington, a squad leader, assumed command of his platoon when the platoon leader and platoon sergeant became missing in action. He reorganized the defense and, under fire, courageously crawled between gun positions to check the actions of his men. When the advancing enemy attempted to penetrate a roadblock, Sgt. Whittington, completely disregarding intense enemy action, mounted a tank and by shouting through the turret, directed it into position to fire pointblank at the leading Mark V German tank. The destruction of this vehicle blocked all movement of the remaining enemy column consisting of over 100 vehicles of a Panzer unit. The blocked vehicles were then destroyed by handgrenades, bazooka, tank, and artillery fire and large numbers of enemy personnel were wiped out by a bold and resolute bayonet charge inspired by Sgt. Whittington. When the medical aid man had become a casualty, Sgt. Whittington personally administered first aid to his wounded men. The dynamic leadership, the inspiring example, and the dauntless courage of Sgt. Whittington, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service
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"This Day in Aviation History" brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/
This day in Aviation History
July 28, 1914
Lt. j.g. Victor D. Herbster reported on bombing tests that he and 1st Lt. Bernard L. Smith, USMC, carried out at Indian Head Proving Grounds, Maryland. They dropped both dummy and live bombs over the side of the aircraft from about 1,000 feet against land and water targets. Herbster reported his bombing would have been more accurate "if I had been able to disengage my fingers from the wind-wheel sooner." Herbster was Daedalian Founder Member #4076, and Smith was #1283.
July 29, 1921
Hoping to demonstrate the vulnerability of Atlantic seaboard cities to air attack, Brig. Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell led 19 bombers in a mock raid against New York City. Afterwards, he concluded that his target had been theoretically destroyed. He used this raid to support his argument that the Army and its aviation arm should assume responsibility for defense of the nation's shores. Mitchell was Daedalian Founder Member #12595.
July 30, 1935
Lt. Frank Akers made the first blind landing on board a carrier in an OJ-2 observation biplane with a hooded cockpit. Akers took off from NAS San Diego, Calif., located Langley (CV 1) underway in an unknown position, and landed on board catching the number four arresting wire. Akers subsequently received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
July 31, 1968
The first new, twin-turboprop OV-10A Bronco aircraft arrived at Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, to fly armed forward air controller missions.
Aug. 1, 1955
Test pilot Anthony W. LeVier made the first flight of the Lockheed U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance airplane at Groom Lake, Nevada. LeVier was conducting taxi tests in preparation for the planned first flight a few days away, when at 70 knots the U-2 unexpectedly became airborne. LeVier later said, "I had no intentions whatsoever of flying. I immediately started back toward the ground, but had difficutly determining my height because the lakebed had no markings to judge distance or height. I made contact with the ground in a left bank of approximately 10 degrees." On touching down on the dry lake, the U-2's tires blew out and the brakes caught fire. A landing gear oleostrut was leaking. Damage was minor and the airplane was soon ready to fly. Tony LeVier was again in the cockpit for the first actual test flight on Aug. 4. He was a Daedalian Honorary Member from 1988 until his death in 1998.
Aug. 2, 1909
The U.S. Army Signal Corps purchased a Wright Flyer for $30,000 and it became the first aircraft in the U.S. military inventory, designated Signal Corps Airplane No. 1. The airplane was used to train Signal Corps pilots at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. It was crashed and rebuilt several times. After just 2 years' service, the airplane was retired. The Army donated Airplane No. 1 to the Smithsonian Institution. During test flights that were conducted prior to acceptance by the Army, Orville Wright and passenger Lt. Benjamin D. Foulois (chosen because of his size and ability to read maps) the Flyer achieved a two-way average 42.583 miles per hour, over a 5-mile course. The Signal Corps specification allowed a bonus of $2,500 per full mile per hour above 40 miles per hour. This increased the purchase price of the airplane from $25,000 to $30,000. The Army also required the airplane to be able to remain airborne a minimum of 1 hour. Wright demonstrated its endurance at 1 hour, 12 minutes, 40 seconds. Foulois was Daedalian Founder Member #321.
Aug. 3, 1972
During a 45-minute test flight at Edwards AFB, California, the McDonnell Douglas YF-15A-1-MC Eagle prototype, 71-0280, went supersonic for the first time, reaching Mach 1.5. An air-superiority fighter, the F-15 entered service with the U.S. Air Force in 1975. More than 1,500 fighter, two-seat trainer, and two-seat F-15E Strike Eagle fighter-bombers have been built by McDonnell Douglas and Mitsubishi. It is operated by allied air forces around the world and is expected to remain in front line service until 2025.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 29, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
29 July
1912: Through 1 August, Lt Benjamin D. Foulois conducted several airplane radio-telegraph tests in an Army Wright B at College Park. Messages were received at a distance of 10 miles. (24)
1921: Brig Gen William "Billy" Mitchell led 19 bombers in a mock raid on New York. He concluded that his attack destroyed the target and subsequently argued that the air arm should be allowed to take over the defense of the nation's coastlines. (21)
1931: Through 26 August, Col Charles Lindbergh and his wife flew in a Lockheed Sirius seaplane from Glenn Curtiss Airport, North Beach, N.Y., to Tokyo in one of the earliest transpacific flights. They traveled through Canada, Alaska, and Siberia to reach Japan. (9)
1937: The Lockheed 14 first flew.
1948: President Truman approved the construction of a flush-deck 65,000-ton aircraft carrier, later named the USS United States. (24)
1951: KOREAN WAR. UN jet fighter-bombers and reconnaissance aircraft operating near Pyongyang encountered MiGs much further south than usual. Evading the attacking MiGs, the UN aircraft returned safely to base. (28)
1952: Maj Louis Carrington, Maj Frederick Shook, and Capt Wallace Yancey flew a 91 SRW RB-45C on the first nonstop transpacific flight from Elmendorf AFB to Yokota AB, a distance of 3,460 nautical miles in 9 hours, 50 minutes, with two refuelings from KB-29s to earn the 1952 award.
1955: The US announced its plans to launch a basketball-sized earth satellite during the International Geophysical Year (July 1957-December 1958). (16) (24)
1961: At Fairchild AFB, SAC accepted its first Atlas E complex. It belonged to the 567 SMS. (6)
1966: The DoD announced that the Army's OV-1 Mohawk surveillance aircraft had claimed five new world records: (1) time-to- climb for 3,000 meters (9,842 feet), 3 minutes 46 seconds; (2) time-to-climb for 6,000 meters (19,685 feet), 9 minutes 9 seconds; (3) sustained horizontal altitude, 32,000 feet; (4) nonstop straight-line distance, 2,422 miles at 255 MPH; and (5) average speed over a 100-kilometer (63 miles) closed- circuit course at 5,000 feet in altitude, 292 MPH. This flight also led to a new FAI category for land-based turboprop aircraft weighing between 13,227 and 17,636 pounds.
1969: The Air Force Missile Development Center at Holloman AFB directed the first SRAM launch. A B-52H flying over the White Sands Missile Range launched the missile. (6) (12)
1970: Col Vere Short, a C-141 pilot, attained 25,000 accident-free flying hours, the most military flying time by anyone on active duty. (16)
1971: McDonnell-Douglas delivered the first two DC-10 jet transports to American Airlines and United Airlines at Long Beach. The X-24A lifting body completed its flight test program. It was then converted to a different shape with the X-24B designation. (16) (26)
1974: SECDEF James R. Schlesinger directed the consolidation of all military airlift under one manager. As a result, the USAF became the single manager for all armed services. (16) (26)
1980: Through 1 August, the 146 TAW and 433 TAW provided three C-130s to drop fire retardant chemicals on seven brush fires in the San Bernardino National Forest near Palm Springs, Calif. This assistance allowed the firefighters to control the fire in three days. (16) (26)
1985: In the Challenger's next-to-last mission, the Space Shuttle carried Spacelab-2 to conduct a series of experiments. The craft returned to earth after seven days.
1995: The 11th Reconnaissance Squadron activated at Nellis AFB to operate unmanned drones, the Predator. It was the first such unit in the Air Force. (16)
1996: At Cannon AFB, the 27 FW retired the remaining F-111F Aardvarks from the USAF inventory with a ceremony marking the last four-ship flight to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB. (AFNEWS Article 960493, July 1996)
2005: Uzbekistan evicted the US from Karshi-Khanabad AB, or "K2." The base, located 125 miles north of Afghanistan near Uzbekistan's border with Tajikistan, had served as the hub for USAF combat and humanitarian missions to Afghanistan after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack on America. Uzbekistan provided no reason for its action and gave the US 180 days to remove its aircraft, personnel, and equipment from K2. (22)
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