TheList 6958

The List 6958     TGB

To All,

Good Monday Morning September 23. 2024. Very heavy fog this morning that should clear in a couple hours. I hope that you all have a great week.

Regards,

skip

Make it a good Day

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

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 

Today in Naval and Marine Corps History

September 23

1779 The frigate, Bonhomme Richard, commanded by John Paul Jones, engages HMS Serapis. During the battle, with his ship nearly destroyed, he refuses to surrender, shouting I have not yet begun to fight. With assistance from the Continental frigate Alliance, John Paul Jones captures Serapis. Two days later, Bonhomme Richard sinks under the sea.

1813 During the War of 1812, the frigate President, commanded by Commodore John Rodgers, captures the British HMS High Flyer off Nantucket Sound.

1861 Rear Adm. Louis M. Goldsborough assumes command of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron including operations in the Chesapeake during the Civil War.

1931 The first landing of an autogiro on board an aircraft carrier is made by Lt. Alfred M. Pride, USN, in a (XOP 1), onboard USS Langley (CV 1) while underway.

1944 USS West Virginia (BB 48) reaches Pearl Harbor and rejoins the Pacific Fleet, marking the end of the salvage and reconstruction of 18 ships damaged Dec. 7, 1941.

1989 USNS Pecos (T-AO 197) is christened and launched at the Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans, La. The Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler provides underway replenishment of fuel, fleet cargo and stores to the Navy through the Military Sealift Command.

1990 During Operation Desert Shield, the two hospital ships, USNS Mercy (T AH 19) and USNS Comfort (T AH 20), steam together for first time in the Persian Gulf.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

This day in World History

September 23

1553 The Sadians defeat the last of their enemies and establish themselves as rulers of Morocco.

1561 Philip II of Spain gives orders to halt colonizing efforts in Florida.

1577 William of Orange makes his triumphant entry into Brussels, Belgium.

1667 Slaves in Virginia are banned from obtaining their freedom by converting to Christianity.

1739 The Austrians sign the Treaty of Belgrade after having lost the city to the Turks.

1779 The American navy under John Paul Jones, commanding from Bonhomme Richard, defeats and captures the British man-of-war Serapis.

1788 Louis XVI of France declares the Parliament restored.

1795 A national plebiscite approves the new French constitution, but so many voters sustain that the results are suspect.

1803 British Major General Sir Arthur Wellesley defeats the Marathas at Assaye, India.

1805 Lieutenant Zebulon Pike pays $2,000 to buy from the Sioux a 9-square-mile tract at the mouth of the Minnesota River that will be used to establish a military post, Fort Snelling.

1806 The Lewis and Clark Expedition arrives back in St. Louis just over three years after its departure.

1864 Confederate and Union forces clash at Mount Jackson, Front Royal and Woodstock in Virginia during the Valley campaign.

1911The Second International Aviation Meet opens in New York.

1912 Mack Sennett's first "Keystone Cop" film debuts, Cohen Collects a Debt.

1945 The first American dies in Vietnam during the fall of Saigon to French forces.

1952 Richard Nixon responds to charges of a secret slush fund during his 'Checkers Speech.'

1954 East German police arrest 400 citizens as U.S. spies.

1967 Soviets sign a pact to send more aid to Hanoi.

1973 Juan Peron is re-elected president of Argentina after being overthrown in 1955.

1983 Gerrie Coetzee (Gerhardus Coetzee), boxer from South Africa; becomes the first boxer from the African continent to win a world heavyweight title (World Boxing Association).

1992 Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonates 3,700-lb. bomb in Belfast, completely destroying the Northern Ireland forensic laboratory, injuring 20 people and damaging 700 houses.

2002 The first public version of Mozilla Firefox browser released; originally called Phoenix 0.1 its name was changed due to trademark issues with Phoenix Technologies.

2004 Hurricane Jeanne causes severe flooding in Haiti; over 1,000 reported dead.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to the Bear

I have provided access to archive entries covering Commando Hunt operations for the period November 1968 through mid-September 1969. These posts are permanently available at the following link.

 

https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/commando-hunt-post-list/

 

(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 23 September  

23-Sep:  https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1959

 

 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

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to Al

Monday Morning Humor

Some seasonal humor in honor of the autumnal equinox…

 

     Did you ever realize that all the seasons are named after coils of metal.  That is, except winter, summer, and autumn.

 

     My eldest daughter is named Summer, as she is my ray of sunshine.

     My youngest daughter is called Spring, as she gives hope of what is to come.

     And my son is called Autumn, as he is not too sharp and keeps falling out of trees.

 

     A couple goes to an art gallery. They find a picture of a naked women covered only with leaves. The wife doesn't like it and moves on but the husband keeps looking.

    The wife asks, "What are you waiting for?"

    The husband replies, "Autumn."

 

     I got my leaf blower out yesterday for the first time since last autumn, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it had doubled in value over the winter months. Simply by leaving a full tank of fuel in it

 

     I'm a farmer and autumn can be a busy time with all that preparation for sowing new crops. It gets really stressful sometimes. In fact it's usually quite harrowing...

 

     I love taking long walks in the woods in autumn, watching the leaves slowly turn from green to orange. Starting forest fires is fun.

 

     Dog poop under autumn leaves are like trainee IEDs.

 

     My wife says it's annoying how I'm always trying to change our landscaping during autumn. So I've turned over a new leaf.

 

     On the east coast, they have four boring seasons:  winter, spring, summer, and fall. Here in California, we have:  wind, fire, mud, earthquakes.

 

     Autumn is a season for big decisions—like whether or not it's too late to start spring cleaning.

 

     The autumn leaves are a lot like raising kids. First, they turn on you, and then they fly away. And next thing you know, you look out the window and they're back!

 

     I got tired of looking at all those leaves in my yard, so I got up off the couch and went into action. I closed the curtains.

 

     Ah yes, summer's out and autumn's in. From swimming pools to football pools....

 

     I loved the end of summer when I was a kid. It always meant I no longer had to be embarrassed by the coach putting me in right field.

 

     Now, today's lawn and garden tip. If you haven't found the hedge trimmer yet, forget it. It's almost time now to lose the leaf rake.

 

     I could tell there was a hint of autumn in the air when my son's football smashed me in the face.

 

     It's fall, that time when the colors change from green to red to gold—and that's just the gunk in your swimming pool.

 

     Autumn is a great time of the year. Soon those ugly patches of dead grass in your lawn will be covered up with ugly patches of dead leaves.

 

     If money did grow on trees, autumn would be the best season ever!

 

Have a great week,

Al

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to Dr. Rich and today's Eye Candy

I first heard it and had it in the List many years ago. We recently lost John.

John "JC" Davis recalling the history of "The Lady Jessie" story a GREAT documentary!

 

Even if you've seen this outstanding tribute, give it another look, you'll thank me later…Click on the link above...

This is the story of Lady Jessee

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zxeQofazTE

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zxeQofazTE

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to Interesting Facts

Dolphins and whales can only taste salt.

Compared to other members of the animal kingdom, humans are pretty good at tasting things. Our primate biology gives us the ability to detect five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami (or savory). These five basic tastes create the nearly limitless flavor profiles of all the foods we enjoy (or detest) — but not all animals are so lucky. Birds, for example, can't detect spiciness in foods, which is why a pigeon could munch on a Carolina Reaper without a second thought. Taste also varies widely among mammals, and dolphins and whales may be some of the worst off, because they have devolved to only taste salt. That's right — these unfortunate creatures have slowly lost their sense of taste over millions of years.

In 2014, scientists analyzed the genomes of 15 species of baleen and toothed whales, and found a massive loss of taste receptors across the board. Although these receptors were technically still present, they had been irreparably damaged by genetic mutations. Researchers were particularly surprised by the loss of bitter receptors, as many toxins in the sea have a bitter taste. This slow-but-steady loss of taste is likely tied to how whales and dolphins eat, as they tend to swallow prey whole rather than chew like many fellow mammals do. So while slowly losing their sense of taste is certainly a bitter pill to swallow, luckily these cetaceans can't taste it anyway.

Whales and dolphins are mammals, and that means they breathe air into lungs just like we do. So without water-breathing evolutionary advantages like gills, how do whales and dolphins sleep without drowning? One big benefit is that marine mammals are much better at holding their breath underwater than us primates. Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), for example, can go 90 minutes without having to come up for air. But over millions of years, whales and dolphins have also developed a few strategies for catching some z's on the go. Young cetaceans, for example, will swim alongside their mothers and rest within her slipstream. This gives calves time to develop sleeping strategies as well as put on enough blubber to keep them afloat. As adults, whales and dolphins will sleep with half of their brain still operating at a low level of alertness. The other half, along with the opposite eye, is completely asleep. This helps a cetacean keep one eye out for predators, while also periodically breaching the water's surface to take in gulps of air through its blowhole.

 

6 Fin-Tastic Dolphin Facts

 

Dolphins are some of the most beloved creatures on the planet. After all, what isn't to like about these seafaring cetaceans? They're highly intelligent. They make adorable noises. They're friendly to humans. They even like to surf. But beyond these crowd-pleasing theatrics, dolphins also boast impressive physiological capabilities and exhibit an array of mind-boggling behaviors. Here are six fascinating facts you may not know about them.

1OF 6

Dolphins Call Each Other by Their Names

 

The meanings behind much of the dolphin repertoire of squeaks, grunts, and clicks remain a mystery to marine biologists, but they do know that certain sounds represent an identifying call. For example, the common bottlenose dolphin develops a unique melodic pattern of whistles that makes it recognizable to others within earshot, even when murky underwater conditions distort the voice of the sender. Furthermore, recent research has shown that dolphins "address" each other by imitating the whistles of close companions and family, suggesting a capability for sophisticated interaction rarely seen outside the human world.

2OF 6

Dolphins Turn Off Half Their Brains to Sleep

As oxygen-dependent mammals that reside in water and voluntarily control their breathing, dolphins simply cannot let themselves slip into a state of complete unconsciousness. As a result, they experience what's known as unihemispheric slow-wave sleep, in which only half the brain sleeps at a time and the other remains awake at a low level of alertness. Dolphins typically float motionless or swim slowly near the water's surface when in this state, with the eye opposite the resting side of the brain remaining closed. And while people and dolphins have very different slumbering habits, dolphins typically get about four hours of slow-wave sleep for each side of the brain in a 24-hour period, which matches up with the doctor-recommended eight hours of shut-eye per night for humans.

3OF 6

Dolphins Teach Each Other to Use Tools

To further prove just how intelligent these creatures are: Bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia, have been observed using marine sponges to protect their snouts when rooting around the seafloor for small fish. Mothers pass on this nifty foraging method to their offspring, though females usually show far more interest in learning than males. Additionally, scientists have observed dolphins in this region engaging in peer-to-peer learning for another technique known as "shelling." The dolphins chase fish into empty giant snail shells, push the shells to the surface, and then tip the waiting prey into their mouths.

4OF 6

Dolphins Have Three Stomachs

While dolphins are cunning hunters, they forgo any semblance of dining manners by wolfing down their food without chewing. Thankfully, they have a three-chambered stomach designed to handle the rapid intake. The easily stretchable forestomach is primarily used to store the food, the main stomach is where the majority of digestion takes place, and the pyloric chamber completes digestion and regulates passage into the small intestine. This streamlined process supports the bottlenose dolphin's average daily intake of 25 to 50 pounds of fish, squid, and crustaceans.

5OF 6

Dolphins Have Remarkable Powers of Recuperation

Dolphins possess something of a superpower when it comes to recovering from major tissue injuries. Dr. Michael Zasloff shed light on this ability in a 2011 letter to the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, in which he described studies of dolphins that had withstood significant flesh loss from shark attacks. These animals not only stemmed the blood loss and sustained no infections on the open wounds, but they also regenerated the torn-out tissue to regain their full-body contour within approximately 30 days. The dolphins displayed no sign of distress throughout the process, suggesting that a naturally triggered form of pain relief accompanies their extraordinary healing capabilities.

6OF 6

The U.S. Military Uses Highly Trained Dolphins

Since 1959, these smart, adaptable deep divers have served Uncle Sam in the Navy's Marine Mammal Program, alongside a cadre of equally patriotic sea lions. Dolphins are typically taught to handle two tasks: They use their inherent sonar capabilities to pinpoint and mark the location of underwater mines, and they help apprehend uninvited swimmers by tagging the trespassers with a buoy that drags them to the surface.

And these dolphins aren't just used for training simulations: Dolphins were deployed in the Vietnam and Iraq wars, and they currently help protect America's large nuclear stockpile at Naval Base Kitsap outside Seattle, Washington.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to Brett

Geopolitical Futures:

Keeping the future in focus

https://geopoliticalfutures.com

Daily Memo: In the Arab-Israeli War, Intentions Matter

By George Friedman

Sep 23, 2024

With the situation in northern Israel now escalating, it's imperative to take stock of the purpose of the Oct. 7 attacks and what it might mean for the future of the conflict. Hamas' intent that day was not only to kill Israelis but to take Israeli hostages. Strategically, the purpose was unclear. Hamas knew the attacks wouldn't force Israel to capitulate to its demands or withdraw from positions that shield Israel proper from direct assault, nor was it surprised that Oct. 7 was answered by a bloody counterattack.

The Hamas operation was not intended to damage Israel so much as it was intended to enhance the group's standing. Hamas would lose troops, but it would gain status in the broader Sunni-Shiite conflict, or so the thinking went. But there were rumors of ulterior motives. Early in the conflict, some believed other actors would reinforce Hamas in its offensive. The only real candidate for that job would have been Hezbollah, which is either aligned with Iran or Tehran's puppet, depending on your point of view. Iran supports Hamas, but Hamas is Sunni and, therefore, not generally considered the influencer Hezbollah is. Iran is certainly hostile to Israel, but its bigger goal is the disassembly of Sunni hegemony and replacement of it with a Shiite sphere of influence. There was a rumor suggesting Hamas had known Hezbollah would not join in the attack because doing so would jeopardize its own standing. In other words, the purpose of the Oct. 7 attacks was to draw Israeli troops into a fight against a fixed urban force while weakening the Shiites.

The strategy hurt Israel but did not materially challenge its superiority. Its response, after all, has been emphatic and deadly, designed to free hostages, crush Hamas and thus secure the country. What it did do was open the door for Iran and Hezbollah. The damage done to Hamas meant that the help it sought from Hezbollah early in the conflict was marshaled late, while the impact on Hezbollah and the Iranians opened the door to a far better political position and an emerging military position, particularly in Lebanon.

At first, Hezbollah was in no position to attack, but Israel knew Hezbollah would almost certainly strike at a later date. Israel had absorbed casualties in Gaza that were painful but not crippling. It needed time to ready an assault on Lebanon. Thus came the attack last week in which Israel used small explosives in pagers and other communications devices to target Hezbollah officials, warning Hezbollah and Iran that they face an enemy now capable of having a massive impact. Iran intended a political victory, which it saw as more practical in reach and significance.

And now we are waiting for a response from Iran and Hezbollah to these new types of attacks by the Israelis that may or may not come. So then we must ask the question: How will Israel react if Iran dominates Lebanon?

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to Trending Subject

Ancient Sword

Discovery Could Change History

Ancient Sword From Moses Era Discovered

By Mark Stevens -September 22, 2024

Egyptian archaeologists have made a significant discovery that could offer new insights into the military prowess of Ramesses II, the famed pharaoh believed by many scholars to be the ruler mentioned in the biblical Book of Exodus.

On September 5, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the unearthing of an ancient bronze sword that once belonged to Ramesses II's military forces. This remarkable find was made at the excavation site of Tell Al-Abqain, located in Housh Eissa, within the Beheira Governorate.

The site, which dates back to the New Kingdom era, has yielded an array of artifacts from an ancient military fort, including barracks, storage rooms, and weapons caches. Among these treasures, the most striking discovery was a decayed bronze sword inscribed with the cartouche, or hieroglyphic signature, of Ramesses II.

While the sword itself has deteriorated over time, the symbol of the legendary pharaoh remains clearly visible, a testament to the power and influence Ramesses wielded during his reign from 1303 B.C. to 1213 B.C.

According to the Ministry's press release, the fort at Tell Al-Abqain was not merely a military outpost but also a hub of daily life for soldiers stationed there. Archaeologists uncovered a variety of personal items that shed light on the soldiers' lives, including jewelry, scarabs, and protective amulets, as well as more utilitarian objects like hygiene items and hunting tools. These findings provide a glimpse into the blend of military activity, personal ritual, and daily routine that defined life at the fort.

The strategic importance of the fort was underscored by Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. He explained that the site played a vital role in protecting Egypt from external threats, particularly the Sea Peoples—tribes that frequently attacked Egypt's borders during this period. The architecture of the fort itself reveals the ingenuity of ancient Egyptian engineers, who designed the barracks in two identical groups, divided by a narrow passage to optimize functionality and defense.

Ramesses II, often regarded as one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs, is widely believed by scholars to be the ruler referenced in the Book of Exodus. Though the Bible does not explicitly name the pharaoh who opposed Moses, Ramesses is considered the likely candidate due to the time frame of his reign and his known conflicts with various groups, including the Hebrews. According to biblical tradition, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt under the pharaoh's harsh rule, culminating in the famous Exodus from bondage to freedom.

The discovery of the sword and the associated relics at Tell Al-Abqain adds depth to our understanding of Ramesses' reign and the military structures that supported his vast empire.

Weapons, tools, and even personal adornments found at the site highlight the multifaceted roles of soldiers stationed at the fort. More than just warriors, they engaged in hunting, maintained religious practices, and likely participated in a broader societal network tied to Egypt's military and political power.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to Mugs

Israeli exploding pager and walkie-talkie attack

From a good friend who is VERY knowledgeable about military matters!

Mugs

MANY, IF NOT MOST OF MY FRIENDS, WILL LOOK AT THE EXPLODING PAGER/WALKIE-TALKIE EVENTS AS  SUCCESSFUL, WARTIME EVENTS THAT KILLED OR WOUNDED QUITE A FEW OF ISRAEL'S HAMAS ENEMIES. THERE IS SOME DEFINITE TRUTH TO THAT THOUGHT..... BUT THAT IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG WHEN MEASURING THE TRUE VALUE OF THE ATTACK. THE OVERWHELMING TACTICAL AND STRATEGIC BENEFIT OF THE EXPLODING DEVICES IS IN THE FUTURE KNOWLEDGE AND TARGETING OF INDIVIDUAL TERRORISTS AND THEIR DAILY LIVES. MANY TERRORISTS HAVE NOW BEEN UNMASKED, THEIR ROUTINES AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS EXPOSED, AND TRACKING THEM IN THE FUTURE WILL BE MUCH EASIER. IT IS TRULY A TREASURE TROVE OF INFORMATION FOR FUTURE OPERATIONS. THIS IS TRULY AN OUTSTANDING EMAIL WRITTEN BY MY SEAL BUDDY AND IT WILL GIVE YOU SOME APPRECIATION TO THE MILITARY COVERT OPERATIONS MINDSET OF A TRUE STREET FIGHTER. PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ IT AS THIS EVENT WILL BE REMEMBER AS HAVING AN HISTORIC IMPACT ON THE MIDDLE EAST AND IRANIAN TERRORISM  FOR YEARS TO COME. TRULY WORTH YOUR TIME.

B

Off the top:

By now I'm sure you've all read/heard about Israel's use of exploding pagers and exploding walkie-talkies in their war against terror.

A Hezbollah document prepared by the head of military intelligence reveals:

879 terrorists were eliminated outright in the pager and Walkie-Talkie device explosions which includes 131 Iranians and 79 Yemenis.  291 were senior officials. Additionally, 602 were mortally wounded, which means that the number of those killed will reach at least 1,000. Reportedly, 509 were blinded, and another 1,735 had their reproductive organs damaged, 905 irreversibly. Of course, the Israeli-hating media is focused on the numbers and doesn't see the forest from the trees.

This operation is likely one of the most successful covert operations in the history of the warfare - certainly at, or surpassing, the level of the fabled Trojan horse.

 But what does this really get Israel?

Israel will now be mapping out injuries, hospital admissions, social media posts, electronic communications, news footage, and medical records, linking them all to people who had these exploding pagers and cellphones.

 

If you look beyond the obvious injuries and deaths Israel inflected upon its enemies there's much more:

Through this surprise attack, Israel created a massive and growing trove of intelligence information about both known and previously unknown Hezbollah militants, as well as their supporters, partners, friends, family members, colleagues, workplaces, vehicles, and home locations. From this information Israeli intelligence can create (and exploit) an incredibly dense and up-to-date social graph of an entire terrorist network, across Lebanon as well as neighboring countries. This achievement is incredible.

Thought you might be interested in a different point of view.

Best, XXXXXX

 

PS: air travel will likely never be the same again if you're carrying an electronic device.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Another thanks to Mugs

The point is, we're on the edge of nuclear war - and a good portion of the American populace is not even aware of it. Where is a free press when you really need them??!

 

Mugs

 

Subject:                Putin's words on deep strikes into Russia.

Date:     Sun, 22 Sep 2024 13:44:33 -0500

These are Putin's carefully selected words to a reporter when asked

about Ukraine using western missiles to strike deep inside of Russian

Territory. It really makes you wonder just what Western Politicians

are thinking about? If these deep missile strikes are allowed, it

demonstrates Western countries are directly at war with Russia. What

do you think Russia will do? Just sit there and take it? Once upon a

time there was a written peace agreement on the table, just waiting

for signatures. The English screwed the deal, with our backing of

course. This is becoming a worse and worse scenario for the USA.

Electing Harris will only make matters in this war worse.

 

Here are his words.

"What we are seeing is an attempt to substitute notions. Because this

is not a question of whether the Kiev regime is allowed or not allowed

to strike targets on Russian territory. It is already carrying out

strikes using unmanned aerial vehicles and other means. But using

Western-made long-range precision weapons is a completely different

story.

"The fact is that — I have mentioned this, and any expert, both in our

country and in the West, will confirm this — the Ukrainian army is not

capable of using cutting-edge, high-precision, long-range systems

supplied by the West. They cannot do that. These weapons are

impossible to employ without intelligence data from satellites, which

Ukraine does not have. This can only be done using the European

Union's satellites, or U.S. satellites — in general, NATO satellites.

This is the first point.

 

"The second point — perhaps the most important, the key point even —

is that only NATO military personnel can assign flight missions to

these missile systems. Ukrainian servicemen cannot do this. Therefore,

it is not a question of allowing the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia

with these weapons or not. It is about deciding whether NATO countries

become directly involved in the military conflict or not.

 

"If this decision is made, it will mean nothing short of direct

involvement — it will mean that NATO countries, the United States and

European countries are parties to the war in Ukraine. This will mean

their direct involvement in the conflict, and it will clearly change

the very essence, the very nature of the conflict dramatically.

"This will mean that NATO countries — the United States and European

countries — are at war with Russia. And if this is the case, then,

bearing in mind the change in the essence of the conflict, we will

make appropriate decisions in response to the threats that will be

posed to us."

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to 1440

 

Three Mile Island to Restart

A Pennsylvania power plant home to the worst nuclear accident in US history will be restarted by early 2028, according to reports. The lone undamaged reactor at Three Mile Island plant will fuel the rapidly growing AI efforts by Microsoft, which signed a 20-year power-purchasing agreement with Constellation Energy.

 

In 1979, the plant's second reactor suffered a partial nuclear meltdown after a coolant loop failed, causing the reactor core to overheat (see overview). No injuries or deaths were caused by the incident, though a small amount of radioactive gas and iodine was released into the atmosphere. No public health effects were identified, and the first reactor—the one to be restarted—continued to operate until 2019 before being shut down due to cost.

 

Energy-intensive generative AI applications are expected to consume 1.5% of global electricity generation by 2029.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

Thanks to Dr.Rich

Devil's Tower: A Stunning Journey through Google Earth!

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/w4EPDl1WN3M?si=BiX9mvKqupvQ7hJd

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

This Day in Military History

September 23

1779 – During the American Revolution, the U.S. ship Bonhomme Richard, commanded by John Paul Jones, wins a hard-fought engagement against the British ships of war Serapis and Countess of Scarborough off the east coast of England. Scottish-born John Paul Jones first sailed to America as a cabin boy and lived for a time in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where his brother had a business. He later served on slave and merchant ships and proved an able seaman. After he killed a sailor while suppressing a mutiny, he went to the American colonies to escape possible British prosecution. With the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War in 1775, he traveled to Philadelphia and was commissioned a senior lieutenant in the new Continental Navy. He soon distinguished himself in actions against British ships in the Bahamas, the Atlantic, and the English Channel. In August 1779, Jones took command of the Bonhomme Richard and sailed around the British Isles. On September 23, the Bonhomme Richard engaged the Serapis and the smaller Countess of Scarborough, which were escorting the Baltic merchant fleet. After inflicting considerable damage to the Bonhomme Richard, Richard Pearson, the captain of the Serapis, asked Jones if he had struck his colors, the naval sign indicating surrender. From his disabled ship, Jones replied, "I have not yet begun to fight," and after three more hours of furious fighting the Serapis and Countess of Scarborough surrendered to him. After the victory, the Americans transferred to the Serapis from the Bonhomme Richard, which sunk the following day. Jones was hailed as a great hero in France, but recognition in the United States was somewhat belated. He continued to serve the United States until 1787 and then served briefly in the Russian navy before moving to France, where he died in 1792 at the age of 45, amid the chaos of the French Revolution. He was buried in an unmarked grave. In 1905, his remains were located under the direction of the U.S. ambassador to France and then escorted back to America by U.S. warships. His body was later enshrined in a crypt at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

 

1780 – British spy John Andre was captured along with papers revealing Benedict Arnold's plot to surrender West Point to the British.tHI

 

1806 – Amid much public excitement, American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark return to St. Louis, Missouri, from the first recorded overland journey from the Mississippi River to the Pacific coast and back. The Lewis and Clark Expedition had set off more than two years before to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase. Even before the U.S. government concluded purchase negotiations with France, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned his private secretary Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, an army captain, to lead an expedition into what is now the U.S. Northwest. On May 14, the "Corps of Discovery," featuring 28 men and one woman–a Native American named Sacagawea–left St. Louis for the American interior. The expedition traveled up the Missouri River in six canoes and two longboats and wintered in Dakota before crossing into Montana, where they first saw the Rocky Mountains. On the other side of the Continental Divide, they were met by Sacagawea's tribe, the Shoshone Indians, who sold them horses for their journey down through the Bitterroot Mountains. After passing through the dangerous rapids of the Clearwater and Snake rivers in canoes, the explorers reached the calm of the Columbia River, which led them to the sea. On November 8, 1805, the expedition arrived at the Pacific Ocean, the first European explorers to do so by an overland route from the east. After pausing there for winter, the explorers began their long journey back to St. Louis. After two and a half years, the expedition returned to the city, bringing back a wealth of information about the largely unexplored region, as well as valuable U.S. claims to Oregon Territory.

 

1942 – World War II: The Matanikau action on Guadalcanal begins U.S. Marines attack Japanese units along the Matanikau River. Sometimes referred to as the Second and Third Battles of the Matanikau—were two separate but related engagements, which took place in the months of September and October 1942, among a series of engagements between the United States and Imperial Japanese naval and ground forces around the Matanikau River on Guadalcanal during the Guadalcanal campaign. The first took place between 23 and 27 September. The Matanikau River area on Guadalcanal included a peninsula called Point Cruz, the village of Kokumbona, and a series of ridges and ravines stretching inland from the coast. Japanese forces used the area to regroup from attacks against U.S. forces on the island, to launch further attacks on the U.S. defenses that guarded the Allied airfield (called Henderson Field) located at Lunga Point on Guadalcanal, as a base to defend against Allied attacks directed at Japanese troop and supply encampments between Point Cruz and Cape Esperance on western Guadalcanal, and as a location for watching and reporting on Allied activity around Henderson Field. In this first action, elements of three U.S. Marine battalions under the command of U.S. Marine Major General Alexander Vandegrift attacked Japanese troop concentrations at several points around the Matanikau River. The Marine attacks were intended to "mop-up" Japanese stragglers retreating towards the Matanikau from the recent Battle of Edson's Ridge, to disrupt Japanese attempts to use the Matanikau area as a base for attacks on the Marine Lunga defenses, and to destroy any Japanese forces in the area. The Japanese—under the overall command of Major General Kiyotake Kawaguchi—repulsed the Marine attacks. During the action, three U.S. Marine companies were surrounded by Japanese forces, took heavy losses, and barely escaped with assistance from a U.S. Navy destroyer and landing craft manned by U.S. Coast Guard personnel.

 

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken this Day

 

SLATON, JAMES D.

Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, 157th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Oliveto, Italy, 23 September 1943. Entered service at: Gulfport, Miss. Born: 2 April 1912, Laurel, Miss G.O. No.: 44, 30 May 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy in the vicinity of Oliveto, Italy, on 23 September 1943. Cpl. Slaton was lead scout of an infantry squad which had been committed to a flank to knock out enemy resistance which had succeeded in pinning 2 attacking platoons to the ground. Working ahead of his squad, Cpl. Slaton crept upon an enemy machinegun nest and, assaulting it with his bayonet, succeeded in killing the gunner. When his bayonet stuck, he detached it from the rifle and killed another gunner with rifle fire. At that time he was fired upon by a machinegun to his immediate left. Cpl. Slaton then moved over open ground under constant fire to within throwing distance, and on his second try scored a direct hit on the second enemy machinegun nest, killing 2 enemy gunners. At that time a third machinegun fired on him 100 yards to his front, and Cpl. Slaton killed both of these enemy gunners with rifle fire. As a result of Cpl. Slaton's heroic action in immobilizing 3 enemy machinegun nests with bayonet, grenade, and rifle fire, the 2 rifle platoons which were receiving heavy casualties from enemy fire were enabled to withdraw to covered positions and again take the initiative. Cpl. Slaton withdrew under mortar fire on order of his platoon leader at dusk that evening. The heroic actions of Cpl. Slaton were far above and beyond the call of duty and are worthy of emulation.

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for September 23, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

 

23 September

1911: Earle L. Ovington, flying a Queen Monoplane, became the first airmail carrier to fly a set route from a US Post Office in a flight to Mineola from Nassau Boulevard, N.Y. The Postmaster General, Frank H. Hitchcock, then named Ovington Airmail Pilot No. 1. (21) (24)

1921: Day and night bombing tests began, resulting in the sinking of the battleship USS Alabama in the Chesapeake Bay by a 2,000-pound bomb. (24)

1944: Twenty-four B-25s from the 340 BG, Twelfth Air Force, bombed and sank the light cruiser Taranto in La Spezia Harbor, Italy. (4)

1949: Through air samples, an Air Weather Service RB-29 confirmed the first Soviet A-bomb explosion. (2)

1950: KOREAN WAR. In the first recorded special operations mission of the war, SB-17 aircraft of the 3 ARS made a classified flight in Korea. (28)

1951: KOREAN WAR. Using the Shoran bombing technique, 8 B-29s from the 19 BG knocked out the center span of the Sunchon rail bridge despite 9/10ths cloud cover. (28) The 27 FEW at Bergstrom AFB received the first F-84G Thunderjet. It could be refueled inflight. (1)

1952: A USN radar defense picket ship began 24-hour operations off the east coast as part of the US air defense system. (24)

1959: The DoD reorganized its space and missile programs to give the USAF responsibility over space transportation and ultimately all space booster rockets. (12)

1961: A Titan I completed its first attempted silo-lift launch at Vandenberg AFB. (6)

Note from Skip

This was in the Spring of 1961

So I have to tell you all about the launch before this one. I lived on Vandenberg AFB during my junior and senior years in High School. The first time in all my years of school I ever got two full years of school in the same place. So this particular night I was out walking the dog just across the street from our house and looked across the valley and noticed the Titan was up out of the silo and you could see the vapors coming off the nose which indicated it was being fueled. The word on the base was it was Going to be launched soon. I kept watching while the dog was sniffing around and happened to look up and saw the missile going back down into the Silo and just then all hell broke loose. A tremendous explosion erupted and the missile came up out of the flames and was arching across the sky and there were a couple more explosions as it started down and impacted the ground. It was like someone turned out a light switch and all went quiet. For about 3 seconds and then the Horns and sirens started going off all over the base. I met my dad at the front door as he was running to the car and quickly told him what I had seen. Dad was responsible for all that went on the top of the missiles whether it went click Click or Boom. We did not see him for almost two days until they located the parts of the nose cone. As an aside I played golf the next afternoon and the golf course had a lot of parts strewn all over the place so I picked up a few souvenirs. When he got home that night he saw them asked me where I got them. He said they were trying to put the entire missile back together and left with my parts.

Turns out a piece of some kind that was supposed to retract as the Missile came down did not and pierced the part of the missile that had hypergolic fuel and when those two got together it blew up.

The only humor that came out of it was the security guard had a station not far from site and they only found his badge, hat and gun and I QUIT on a piece of paper

Also turned out that the last hatch into the silo had just been closed or there would have been many casualties

1963: A SAC crew launched its first Titan II from Vandenberg. (1)

1965: After 13 months in operation, the second-generation weather satellite Nimbus I, quit transmitting data. The Columbus Association of Genoa, Italy, selected Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr. (USN) and L. Gordon Cooper, Jr. to receive the 1965 Columbus Prize.

1977:  The Air Force announced that women would be recruited for Titan II combat crew duty. Classified as combat duty, Titan II crew duty was only open to men when the system became operational in 1963. First Lieutenant Patricia M. Fornes was the first woman to pull a Titan II alert on September 16, 1978.

1987: A Gruman F-14 Tomcat fired the AIM-120A Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile for the first time at the Pacific Missile Test Center at Point Mugu.

1991: Through 30 September, MAC's 1467th Facility Checking Squadron transferred its C-29As and flight-checking mission to the FAA at Oklahoma City, Okla. (18)

1994: The Spirit of California B-2 (#8-0330) delivered two inert 2,000-pound bombs at the Utah Test and Training Range. This was the B-2 first operational drop of weapons. (15)

2002: The AFFTC conducted a short-notice accelerated test of the Army's FIMN-92 Stinger surfaceto-air missile against a Predator UAV. (3)

2004: Operation PROVIDE HOPE. A C-17 from McChord AFB delivered medicines and medical supplies worth $15 million to Kishkek IAP in the Kyrgyz Republic. It was the largest humanitarian shipment to the republic since it became an independent state in 1991. (22)

 

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SkipsList" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to skipslist+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skipslist/CACTjsm2Bf3A%3D8yBDS0qq8mesT0RVPWWCA1Yp5dawVyndgsX%3Dqw%40mail.gmail.com.