To All,
.Good Wednesday morning 13 November. Yesterday was busy with next group of the new windows being installed. .Today we get the new toilet and I have to make some repairs to the sprinkler system.
The older dog is doing better this morning and that is a good thing.
.Weather continues to be very nice here and hope you all have the same
I am up early to go out to the VA to get a blood draw for my physical next week. Then go back to the doctor here around mid day for her to work on my wrist again with her needle. Not fun but not as bad as last year when she was driving that needle three times under the nail of each thumb.
Thanks to all of you that have sent contributions to keep the list running. I am trying to contact each of you on the phone to personally thank you. I have the computer I just have to return to the Geek Squad to get it running correctly.
Make it a GREAT Day
Regards,
Skip
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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 84 H-Grams .
Today in Naval and Marine Corps History .
November. 13
1776 The Continental Navy ship Alfred, commanded by John Paul Jones, along with Continental sloop Providence, commanded by Hoysted Hacker, capture the British transport Mellish, carrying winter uniforms later used by Gen. George Washingtons troops. Three days later, Alfred captures the British brig Hetty off the New England coast.
1942 Cmdr. Herbert E. Schonland, Rear Adm. Norman Scott, Boatswains Mate First Class Reinhardt J. Keppler, and Capt. Daniel J. Callaghan courageously fight enemy forces during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Schonland later receives the Medal of Honor for his actions, while Scott, Keppler, and Callaghan posthumously receive the Medal of Honor for their actions.
1942 Gunners Mate Third Class Kenneth J. Spangenberg is killed on board USS San Francisco in the Battle of Savo Island and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
1942 All five Sullivan brothers are lost when the USS Juneau (CL 52) is destroyed during the naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
1944 Aircraft from Carrier Task Groups 38.1, 38.3, and 38.4 attack Japanese shipping and port facilities at Manila and central Luzon.
1952 During the Korean War, USS Toledo (CA 133) carries out Operation "Counter-Punch against Kojo gun emplacements. Three direct hits are reported.
1957 The first firing of a Regulus II bombardment missile takes place at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
1976 The lead ship of the newly created Los Angeles-class submarine, USS Los Angeles (SSN 688), is commissioned.
1980 VFA-125 at NAS Lemoore, CA, is established as the first squadron to train Sailors and Marines to fly and maintain F/A-18 Hornets.
2017 Retired Navy Capt. Thomas J. Hudner Jr., who earned the Medal of Honor during the Korean War, passes away. On Dec. 4, 1950, Hudner crashed his own plane in order to aid downed fellow aviator Ensign Jesse L. Brown, who had been shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire.
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Today in World History November 13
1474 In the Swiss-Burgundian Wars, Swiss infantry shatters the army of Charles the Bold at Hericourt near Belfort, countering his march to Lorraine.
1835 Texans officially proclaim independence from Mexico, and calls itself the Lone Star Republic, after its flag, until its admission to the Union in 1845.
1851 The London-to-Paris telegraph begins operation.
1860 South Carolina's legislature calls a special convention to discuss secession from the Union.
1862 Lewis Carroll writes in his diary, "Began writing the fairy-tale of Alice--I hope to finish it by Christmas."
1878 New Mexico Governor Lew Wallace offers amnesty to many participants of the Lincoln County War, but not to gunfighter Billy the Kid.
1897 The first metal dirigible is flown from Tempelhof Field in Berlin.
1907 Paul Corno achieves the first helicopter flight.
1914 The brassiere, invented by Caresse Crosby, is patented.
1927 New York's Holland Tunnel officially opens for traffic.
1940 U.S. Supreme Court rules in Hansberry v. Lee that African Americans cannot be barred from white neighborhoods.
1941 A German U-boat, the U-81 torpedoes Great Britain's premier aircraft carrier, the HMS Ark Royal. The ship sinks the next day.
1942 Lt. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower flies to Algeria to conclude an agreement with French Admiral Jean Darlan..
1945 Charles de Gaulle is elected president of France.
1952 Harvard's Paul Zoll becomes the first man to use electric shock to treat cardiac arrest.
1956 The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously strikes down two Alabama laws requiring racial segregation on public buses.
1969 Anti-war protesters stage a symbolic "March Against Death" in Washington, DC.
1970 A powerful tropical cyclone strikes the Ganges Delta region of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), causing an estimated half-million deaths in a single night; the Bhola cyclone is regarded as the worst natural disaster of the 20th century.
1982 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedicated in Washington, DC.
1985 Some 23,000 people die when the Nevado del Ruiz erupts, melting a glacier and causing a massive mudslide that buries Armero, Columbia.
1989 Compact of Free Association: the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau—places US troops wrested from Japanese control in WWII—become sovereign nations, associated states of the United States.
1989 Hans-Adam II becomes Prince of Liechtenstein (1989– ) upon the death of his father, Franz Joseph II.
2000 Articles of impeachment passed against Philippine President Joseph Estrada.
2001 US President George W. Bush signs an executive order allowing military tribunals against foreigners suspected of connections to planned or actual terrorist acts against the US.
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Thanks to the Bear. .
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER ….
. rollingthunderremembered.com .
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 get what happened each day to the crew of the aircraft. ……Skip
From Vietnam Air Losses site for Wednesday November 13
November 13: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=331
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
The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature.
https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
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Thanks to Dave /Jade
Here's a little recognized snippet of Marine Corps history, Skip.
Source, Navy Captain (ret) James Bloom,
Semper Fidelis,
From: James Bloom
Subject: Today in Naval History, Marine Corps Mailmen
We take it for granted in modern times that the Armed Forces, especially the Army National Guard, are called out to assist in the face of domestic emergency or turmoil. Historically however, the use of front-line military forces, such as the US Marine Corps, in such situations has been rare (notwithstanding their deployment in the past several decades as vaccinators and forest firemen). Two notable exceptions to this trend occurred during the "roaring" 1920s.
Coincident to the post-WWI euphoria was a rise in criminal activity, especially robberies. Banks were obvious targets, but equally attractive were large payroll and cash shipments that commonly travelled in the poorly guarded US Mail. In fact, two celebrated mail robberies in 1921 embarrassed President Warren G. Harding's Postmaster General and shook public confidence in our government's ability to secure this essential function. To restore the public's trust, Harding turned to his Secretary of the Navy, Edwin Denby, who on this day called up the US Marines to, "detail as guards for the United States Mails a sufficient number of officers and men...to protect the mails from depredations by robbers and bandits."
Harding, the consummate politician, was buying more than just protection. WWI had seen the US Marine Corps emerge from the doldrums of the 19th century. Their heroic stand at Belleau Wood in 1918 had "saved Paris from the Hun!" Memories of their ferocious fighting at Soissons and St. Mihiel were fresh in the minds of Americans. Having proved their mettle in the trenches of France, the Marines enjoyed an unassailable reputation at home. "Marine Corps" had become a household word by the 1920s, and "Go tell it to the Marines!" became a popular retort referencing their invincibility in the American public's eye. Harding's deployment of the Marines in this high-visibility tasking fulfilled the practical need for guards AND made political hay.
Approximately 53 officers and 2,200 Marines were sent to the country's major mail distribution sites. Operating in small rifle teams of two or three, the Marines rode shotgun on mail trains for the next four months. If challenged, these Marines were authorized to protect by, "shooting or otherwise killing or disabling any person engaged in the theft or robbery, or the attempted theft or robbery of the mails entrusted...", but never once did they use their weapons in anger. Their presence alone halted the robberies immediately. When similar problems recurred in October 1926, the Marines returned briefly as guards. Once again attacks on the US Mail halted completely. Following this latter episode, a permanent means of protection for the mails was established.
Canfield, Bruce N. "Guns of the Mail Guard Marines." Gun and Sword Collector, Vol 41 (1), February 2019, pp. 14-21.
Marine Corps Historical Center. "Marine Mail Guards, 1921 & 1926." Leatherneck.com website, AT: http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?16110-marine-mail-guards, retrieved 11 March 2019.
Metcalf, Clyde H. A History of the United States Marine Corps. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, NY, pp. 528-29, 1939.
Millett, Allan R. Semper Fidelis: The History of the United States Marine Corps. Macmillan Pub Co., New York, NY, p. 317, 1980.
Sweetman, Jack. American Naval History: An Illustrated Chronology of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 1775-Present, 3rd ed. USNI Press, Annapolis, MD, 2002, pp. 131, 135.
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. This week in Naval history from NHHC
Click on the highlighted items for much more information
Click ok a couple times and wait …it will come up
On Nov. 13, 1942, all five Sullivan brothers were lost when USS Juneau was destroyed during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. In commemoration of this tragic event, this week's webpage of the week is The Sullivan Brothers, located in the disasters and phenomena section of NHHC's website. On this page are links to a number of resources, including blogs, transcripts of the brothers' service, U.S. Navy policy regarding family members serving together at sea, Juneau and Battle of Guadalcanal information, digital resources about the battle, and information on ships named in honor of the Sullivans. Check out this page today and learn more about what happened on this day in history.
On Nov. 12, 1942, Lt. Cmdr. Bruce McCandless displayed superb initiative by assuming command of USS San Francisco during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal after all other personnel on the navigating and signal bridges were rendered unconscious, killed, or wounded. McCandless boldly continued to engage the enemy, leading San Francisco to victory. For his "conspicuous gallantry and exceptionally distinguished service," McCandless received the Medal of Honor on Dec. 12, 1942. Soon after the battle, he was promoted to commander.
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Thanks to Barrett
The last hour 1918
. There's lots more online. Also a couple of books (or more) describing allied attacks in the last hour of hostilities. Pershing (a pox on him) told congress he was Only Following Orders from Marshal Foch.
Another army general flat-out said he Followed Orders because he thought he would be promoted...there was a Youtube video long ago.
Two Army Times articles:
One of the books on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Eleventh-Month-Day-Hour-Armistice/dp/0375508252
The Great War survivors I knew were almost entirely airmen. One spoke for all: "We had no idea what we were getting into."
Barrett
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Thanks to Micro
. Your birth song ..
Pass this around to your friends and family - interesting bit of nostalgia when you took your 1st breath way back then…..
This one's a keeper. It plays the song that was Number One on the day you were born. And, if there is a video available with the artist, it will play it for you. Really a fun site. Enjoy.
http://playback.fm/birthday- song
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Thanks to Shadow. I will put one in each list for the next few days
. Unusual one today. Most of you on the List know all about my aviation stories… but very few know about my life as a Grunt in Vietnam. I have frequently pointed out that I have a thousand fond memories of aviation (my first love) but very few of my time as a ground pounder in Vietnam. Last night a dear friend called to wish me Happy Birthday. His name is Dan McMahon, my first company commander in Vietnam. In my mind Dan is a national Hero. It was his leadership that kept two companies together during a fierce ambush by a regiment of North Vietnamese. He and I had already survived hell in a small place, but in his finest hour I was not physically, but in constant contact via radio.
Skip called today and we got to talking and it came to me that perhaps it was OK to share a few Grunt stories, instead of flying. After failing the flight physical for MARCAD while at Parris Island (my own fault)… the die was cast that at least for a time, I would end up with the Grunts. I was a school trained radio man… 2533 MOS. We were qualified on every radio and base station the Marine Corps had. Word was we were so valuable, we'd never be assigned below Wing or Division level. Upon arrival in Vietnam… I found out the "needs" of the Corps were more important that protocol and I found myself assigned to a Grunt Battalion… then a Grunt Company, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, Fourth Marines. I would be acting as a Battalion Radioman, going on patrols with the F.O.'s and FAC Teams. After three months in country I was selected to be the new Battalion Commander's Radio Man for the rest of my tour. Unique position… I was his voice on the radio to the other Company Commanders. It was also a unique position for an enlisted man… in that I attended the various briefings and had a front row seat as to how sausage was made.
Folks, let me tell you… the is nothing glorious or self satisfying about being a Grunt. It is a life of toil and misery, accentuated by hours, days or weeks of chaos and terror. Time in the field was miserable… the heat, the humidity, the terrain… exhausting! Not to mention the bad guys tendency to add to the misery when least expected. As long as I live, I will never forget the sound of NVA mortar rounds leaving the tube in the middle of the night that would wake you instantly from a dead sleep, before they impacted amongst us! One last note… even in victory after a battle… there was no celebration, high fives or fist pumps… just quiet resignation. More often than not it was the fact that we survived it. Instead of celebrating victory; for you knew another challenge was on the way in the near future.
A couple of decades ago, some of my Grunt Bubbas asked me to write about a few events I took part in… I did a couple, then there was requests for more… here's a few samples. If anyone wants more… I'll send more out. BTW… 90% of my time was in Northern I-Corps.
HARTLY
I told Dutch and Skip I would send some stuff on what the ground war was like in
Vietnam… I know this is aviator oriented…but thought you guys who flew over us,
might like to know what it was like on the ground. I'm going to tell a story about a loss
we suffered that really affected a lot of us and how it happened, what led up to it… I
think you'll be able to relate, since ground combat isn't a whole lot different in terms of
plans and tactics… like aviation, usually the first casualty upon contact with the enemy…
is the plan. I first wrote about this about 6 or 7 years ago at the request of some of my
Grunt Buds who had either already rotated back to the states or weren't there when it
happened. They all loved this guy and wanted to know how it happened.
I was a part of the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines… I joined the battalion in Chu Lai, RVN in
February, 1966. I was assigned to Delta Company 1-4 Commanded by 1/Lt. Dan
McMahon. Dan, to this day is a great friend and I believe a national hero. I was assigned
to the F/O, FAC team…Shortly after Operation Texas and Oregon, we moved north to
Phu Bai to take part in operation Golden Fleece. On this Operation I was attached out to
Mike Company 3-4. We set in on a mountain top (Hill 900 something) and observed the
valley below for signs of enemy movement, while the rest of the battalion swept from
south to north. Golden Fleece merged into another Operation and then we finally came
out of the field (after 90 days) and back to Phu Bai… Operation Hastings kicked off
about this time and we shortly after that, moved up to Dong Ha, near the DMZ
You can't talk about Vietnam without referring to the incredible heat and humidity… I've
often compared it to interior Louisiana in the summer time… multiplied by three. Our
jungle utilities were constantly showing the white streaks of salt after any patrol or time
in the field (had the same thing sometimes on my flight suit after an intense hop)… it was
just a natural result of the constant perspiration we experienced, leeching a lot of salt. To
give you an idea how hot it was… when we were in the field, at night we slept on air
mattresses… affectionately called "Rubber Ladies"… if you came in from a patrol and
laid down on your mattress… you'd lay there and just sweat like a stuck pig… if you
stretched your arm out to one side… water would run down the mattress… along your
arm, until dripping on to the ground. As Marines do… we all bitched about the heat… but
I'd often reflect… it was certainly better than the bitter cold our guys in Korea suffered
with.
The country itself was a kaleidoscope of different colors and texture from ground level…
at Chu Lai, even though on the coast, it was like the Sahara… at Phu Bai, it reminded me
of the terrain and chaparral of Southern California… once inland in the mountains and up
north… it was an incredible tropical rain forest; kinda like interior Salvador or Panama.
I'll never forget when on Golden Fleece… from the top of the 3,000 ft or higher O.P. we
were on… we could look down on the coastal plain and see the ancient capitol of Hue…
And much like Southern California, around May or June, they experienced a constant
marine fog… it would roll in every evening and burn off in the morning sun. Hue had
more than a few distinct characteristics… from the ancient Imperial Palace… to the
Perfume River that ran through it… and then the large Catholic Church that sat like a
citadel on the south side of the city. In front of this church was the largest Christ figure
I've ever seen… kinda reminded me of the Sugar Loaf in Rio… anyway… when we'd
wake up in the morning and all you could see was a blanket of white from the base of the
foothills, all the way out into the sea. Once the oppressive sun came up… the fog would
slowly but surely start to dissipate. I believe I saw it first on the second morning on the
mountain… as the fog began to thin… the very first thing we could see of Hue was the
giant Christ figure… arms raised and spread… and jutting up above the white blanket
that was rapidly fading. It was so distinct and surreal… and somehow, comforting. It
became the morning "happening" for most of us… much like watching the sun disappear
on the docks at Key West. Even we Marines could not escape the irony of it.
When we moved up to Dong Ha, I was pulled out of Delta and went to work directly for
the old man… LtCol. Jack (Blackjack) Westerman… the Battalion C.O. Jack and I had
almost a father/son… love/hate relationship. I was never more than 10 steps away, almost
24/7. It was my job. At times I would have walked over hot coals… followed him to hell
and back… at other times it was difficult to hide my contempt… I guess you could say it
was like being married.
Operation Hastings was a brutal Operation… 2-4 and 3-4 of the Fourth Marines bore the
brunt of it. There's a great book called "Bonnie Sue" (call sign of a CH-46 squadron)…
that tells the story far better than I could. Legend has it that the second wave of helo's
were told that the LZ was marked by a burning "46"… only to find three more burning
by the time they got there. When the Operation wound down, we were thrown into the
breach. First we went on a sweep west toward the infamous "Rockpile" and then turned
north into the canopy and back east again toward Cam Lo… a 105 firebase outside a
small village some five to seven miles west of Dong Ha. Upon arrival at Cam Lo… we
dropped off Alpha Company to guard the 105's and the rest of the battalion went back to
Dong Ha.
A few days later, the Regimental Headquarters for the 4th Marines moved up to join us.
Jack and I and a few others were called to a briefing about a patrol they wanted to send
out… it was to be an almost Company size sweep to the DMZ… about 4 or 5 five miles
north of Cam Lo. Alpha Company got the nod and the "plan" was set out… it was to be a
"reconnaissance by fire". A platoon of tanks was to be attached to the patrol and it would
cross the Cam Lo River and move north all the way to the DMZ… report back on what
they saw and then return to Cam Lo.
As soon as the word tank was mentioned, the hair went up on the back of my neck and I
had a bad feeling. To be frank, tanks in Vietnam were a pain in the ass. In that terrain and
environment… they were far more trouble than they were worth and became for all
intents and purposes… lead magnets. Right away, I felt bad juju.
The patrol was to be led by Bill Hartly, Alpha's young 1/Lt. C.O. Bill was a great guy…
former enlisted; a leader and was loved and respected by all… and along with McMahon,
they were the best we or anyone else had to offer. If anyone could pull it off… it would
be Hartly.
Sometime between the briefing and late afternoon… Blackjack decided he would go on
the patrol himself (if he was going, then I was going), usurping Hartly's command. I've
often thought Jack's decision was more political than tactical… this would be the farthest
north any mainline Marine unit had ever gone, up to at that time in the war… I truly
believe Jack wanted to be the first Marine Battalion Commander to set foot in the DMZ.
This change set back the departure time somewhat in that he and I and the others in our
Command Unit, had to get out to Cam Lo from Dong Ha the following morning. Jack…
myself, the SgtMaj. and Jack's body guard, a young Corporal. We actually drove to Cam
Lo by jeep, with no escort because of the fog. All in Indian Territory… it was a hell of a
ride.
Once there, everyone was waiting and we mounted up and crossed the river… we weren't
300 yards across the river when we started seeing many signs of enemy activity. Spider
holes, machine gun nests, signs of bivouac… etc. But no live NVA. Our flank, on foot,
was having a hell of a time trying to keep up in the brush… at some point Jack decided to
have them mount up on the tanks in order to be able to complete the patrol before dark.
And away we went. We swept north toward the abandoned village of Con Thein (later in
the war a major O.P. and a bull's-eye for NVA artillery)… as we approached the village
we encountered a small stream and here is where the tanks began to be a problem.
Now all you guys seeing the PR films of tanks running full speed through bogs and small
streams… Forget it… unless the stream has shallow banks and a hidden concrete
bottom… it just doesn't happen that way in real life. The whole patrol came to a complete
halt while we looked for a suitable place to ford the stream… it was slow going. We
finally found a place and one at a time, each tank slowly crossed. Right on the other side
of the stream was the village of Con Thien… it was totally abandoned… the flats area to
the north of it was covered with old rice paddies… immediately, the tank platoon
commander warned that they may sink into the soft soil if they tried to traverse it… strike
two.
Unfortunately… there was a perfect dirt road heading out of the village toward the DMZ.
Our choice was to use it or take the more difficult route through the head high chaparral
just east of the village… Jack chose the road. If I recall, we had five tanks, we (the
command unit) took up the number two position in the line… Hartly was on the lead
tank. We set out in single file slowly moving north on the road. Jack was sitting inside the
turret of the tank next to the machine gun, exposed from the waist up… I was sitting
outside on the turret just behind him and just forward of the metal "basket" welded to the
back of the turret. I'd put the radio in the basket and had the handset in my hand.
Periodically, I would call Regiment and give position reports and sit-reps as we
progressed. Behind and below me on the rear of the tank was our SgtMaj. along with the
young Cpl. and a fire team from Alpha… the other tanks had at least a dozen Marines or
more on each of them. Not 200 yards out of the village, I lost radio contact with Dong
Ha. We had a couple of Huey's overhead… but it was difficult relaying messages through
them… we coped the best we could.
It seemed like in no time, we actually reached the DMZ… ironically, it was well
marked… there was a barbed wire fence right there across the road and a few trees with
limbs over the road… this was where the lead tank stopped and Jack told me to call
Regiment and tell them we had made it to the DMZ and ask what they wanted us to do
from there. I told him I was no longer in contact directly with Dong Ha… that I'd have to
relay through the helo's but if we moved up a little knoll to our right… I might be able to
re-establish direct contact. That's what we decided to do… the tank backed up about
twenty yards and then pivoted and backed up the knoll. As soon as we stopped, I got
Dong Ha on the radio; loud and clear. I gave them a sit-rep and asked for orders… we
discussed the number of sightings of fortifications and such, but no sightings of live
humans. They decided because of the time of day… we should RTB immediately (I
whole heartedly agreed). I passed the word to our tank commander and he drove back
down the hill until we intersected the road… because of the noise of the tanks, we used
hand signals to tell the Marines on the other tanks and on the ground we were departing. I
looked over to my right at the lead tank and saw Bill Hartly and his radioman along with
a dozen or so others on it… at almost that same instant… I caught a quick movement to
my right… followed by a flash and a horrendous explosion!
I was stunned! Like in the cockpit… your mind starts working at warp speed… you're
trying to assimilate all the inputs at the same time and figure out what had just
happened… in a nano-second, all hell breaks loose… firing, explosions, total
pandemonium. What had happened was an NVA soldier had popped up out of a spider
hole and fired at the lead tank with an RPG. Fortunately for the tank, but not so for the
Marines sitting on it… the RPG round hit a fence post about five feet from the tank and
exploded… showering everyone with shrapnel…
I saw Bill stand up, grab a red bandanna from his pocket and spread one arm out in a
motion to indicate that everyone should clear the tank… then he crumbled like he was
Jello. I didn't know it at the time… but he was mortally wounded. The ensuing fire and
explosions were all generated by Alpha's Marines… suppressing fire… after about a
minute… the firing stopped… and immediately we called in the Huey's for a medevac…
we backed the other three tanks up and we fell in line and had Bill's tank follow us…
once in the open, we rushed Bill and the other wounded into an open area for pick up. It
was then that I got my first good look at him… he had already taken on that grey pallor
we'd all become too familiar with… the death mask… and I knew he was gone.
For the life of me, I will never understand why the NVA didn't press the attack right then
and there… I don't think I would be sitting here writing this if they had… we were totally
vulnerable, confused and at risk… but they did nothing. No more RPG's, no gun fire,
nothing.
We had more wounded than the helo's could take… so we put Bill and the other gravely
wounded on board and put the rest of them on the middle tank. Jack ordered a hasty
retreat to Con Thien; right back down the road we'd come in on. Halfway there, the
middle tank hits a mine right in front of us… blowing off the right tread and sending the
already wounded flying into the air… half of them falling to the ground. I braced for
what I knew was coming… but it didn't come… nothing… I still don't understand it.
Our situation was now in the extreme… we were totally in the open and out of radio
contact… our radio relay, the helo's… had taken off for Dong Ha with the wounded… if
we could just get to the village, we could at least find some cover, set up a defense until
we could sort things out. It was tough decision time. Jack ordered a fire team to remain
with the broken tank (the tank commander said it'd take about 45 minutes to repair the
tread)… while the rest of us beat feet for the village. As we pulled around the wounded
tank, I'll never forget the faces of the crew. We made it to the village in a short time and
set up a hasty perimeter. We then had a quick conference about how to proceed… I was
able to re-contact Dong Ha and was informed we had more helo's en-route, along with a
gunship. Normally I kept my mouth shut… but Jack and the tank commander were hell
bent on traversing the stream in the same place we had originally… I spoke up and said I
was against that, in that we'd come back down the same road and hit a mine… if we
crossed in the same place, we'd be sitting ducks. They agreed and we sent out a team to
find a different place to cross… not three minutes later they found one. Then the
wounded tank came flying into the village… they'd taken 15 minutes to do a 45 minute
job (fear is a great motivator). We ordered everyone to mount up and we took the lead in
crossing the stream. Both banks were fairly steep and it was slow going… as we came up
out of the stream bed… we found a semi-open area, with low shrubs and a tree line to the
west… we moved on up about 150 to 200 yards from the bank and stopped, waiting for
the rest of the tanks to cross. One by one they came up the bank… as the last tank
surfaced… the wrath of God came down on our heads.
Multiple explosions, automatic weapons fire… they hit us with everything. I yelled at the
folks below to clear the tank… Jack dropped straight down in the turret, like he'd stepped
into a man hole… it was about this time the tank driver lurched the tank backward and
stopped… throwing me to the lower deck… the fact I'd held onto the radio handset was
the only thing that kept me on the tank. As I reached the basket to pull myself up… I look
up and see these lazy arching objects coming toward us… they looked like the rifle
grenades we'd fired in training… later we figured they must have been 60 MM mortar
rounds. Just as I reached the basket, one hit the front of the tank… in reflex, the driver
lurched again and once again I went down. This time I was like a monkey in the trees… I
literally scaled the basket and turret in about a half a second. I looked down and the
SgtMaj. was waiving me off the tank… at the same time Jack was yelling at me to tell
him what was going on… and I'm on the radio telling Regiment that we were being
ambushed again… it was a real cluster fuck. There was a cacophony of explosions, gun
fire and confusion. I tried to pull the radio out of the basket and another explosion rocked
the tank and it lurched again… frustrated, I crawled up on top and yelled to Blackjack…
that I was either coming in the turret with him or getting off the fuckin' tank… that the
radio was lodged and I couldn't move it. He looked up at me wide eyed and said come on
in… just as I started in… it stopped… just like that, it was over.
I sat up and looked around… there was smoke and dust everywhere… the smell of
cordite was in the air and you could hear folks yelling for a Corpsman from about a half
dozen places.
Almost immediately Marines started standing up… and some wounded came out of the
brush… luckily, more helo's arrived on station and I called them down to pick up the new
and old wounded… Jack ordered a head count and to move out as soon as it was done…
in the mean time, not another shot was fired… it was like before… Hell, then nothing.
The bridge was now about a mile away and I figured once we got there… we'd either be
hit again or be home free… it was the real… longest mile. Once we got to the bridge and
crossed, we flew into the 105 Battery's perimeter… like cavalry ridding into the fort with
Indians on their heels. Once safely inside… we tried to make sense of what happened…
so we could fill Regiment in on all that had occurred. They wanted answers
immediately… and we didn't want to say anything until we had our shit together… I said
a lot of "hold… wait" on the radio to their interrogatives.
And then things then got worse… in the hasty head count… we'd thought one of the
wounded was taken out by helo with the others… but when we got the casualty count
from Dong Ha… we realized one man was missing… we had left a Marine behind. I
can't tell you what agony this was… the Sgt. responsible offered to lead a patrol back
across the river in the dark to try to find him… but that would have been suicide… we
knew we'd have to wait until dawn. I spent the next half hour spreading a lot of bad news
to both ends of the radio net… I had to inform Alpha that Hartly was gone… along with
three others… and I had to tell Regiment we had a missing man. It was a crushing end to
a crushing day.
I'm talking on the radio and the SgtMaj. comes over with a corpsman and says he was
going to tend to my wounds… I looked up and said, "What wounds? I'm not wounded".
"To hell you're not… I saw you get hit… take off you flak jacket and lay down on your
stomach". He reached over to help me take it off and reversed it so I could see the back…
it was totally shredded… most of the green nylon was gone and you could see dozens of
shiny metal flakes imbedded into cream colored armor plates. Immediately it occurred to
me that… shit… maybe I was hit? What with all the adrenaline flowing… maybe I just
hadn't felt it… he and the Doc went over my back and backside and they couldn't believe
it… not a friggin' scratch! How the dynamics of it worked, I'll never know.
He told me that when the tank had lurched the second time… that a mortar round had hit
the back of the tank just as I was scrambling up the basket and on the turret… he thought
I'd been blown over the top of it as fast as I went up. I was so scared I didn't even notice
it. Even the radio had hits all over it… I'd never noticed it until then.
The next morning, we sent a patrol out to try to find our missing man… unfortunately the
NVA got to him first, but we brought his body home and it added to the hurt.
Two nights later… Alpha got hit by a Regimental sized force at Cam Lo… hardcore
NVA… the battle raged all through the night and when it was over, 87 NVA lay dead…
inside the wire of Alpha's perimeter… they only suffered five wounded… and and 3
dead… 2 men from the 105 battery were killed when an NVA sapper dropped a satchel
charge in their fox hole.
That was the longest night of Don Cuneo's life… and all I could do was talk to him on
the radio while it was going on… You just felt so damn helpless at times like that… you
knew you could help if you could get there… but you couldn't. Spooky… the gunship…
saved the night… I'll tell you about it some time.
The God's of war are fickle… It'll drive you mad if you dwell on why you made it and
better men didn't… and to be honest, the flying game wasn't much different… we lost a
lot of good/better men there as well… maybe some day, the Big Guy will tell us why? I
don't know.
Shadow.
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This Day in U S Military History November 13
1775– U.S. forces under Gen. Richard Montgomery captured Montreal. This was a two-pronged attack on Canada, with the goal of capturing Quebec entrusted to Benedict Arnold, who was leading a force through a hurricane ravaged Maine wilderness.
1776 – Captain John Paul Jones in Alfred with brig Providence captures British transport Mellish, carrying winter uniforms later used by Washington's troops.
1942 – Off the coast of Guadalcanal, a Japanese convoy of 11 transports carrying 11,000 men and equipment escorted by Admiral Tanaka's "Tokyo Express" approaches the island. Admiral Abe command two battleships, two cruisers and 14 destroyers to give cover and to bombard Henderson Field airstrip to prevent American attacks. To the north, two further Japanese carriers are within striking range. American Admiral Callaghan, commanding a force of five cruisers and eight destroyers plots an interception course. In the early morning hours, Admiral Callaghan's force comes upon the Japanese force led by Admiral Abe. In an action lasting about half an hour, two Japanese cruisers are sunk and almost all other vessels suffer damage. The Americans lose two cruisers and four destroyers. The Japanese transport convoy turns back. Later in the day, the battleship Hiei, already badly damaged, is torpedoed by American aircraft and scuttled. After the battle, criticism concerning the effective use of the American radar is leveled. Problems are blamed on mismatched equipment and poor communication between the ships.
1942 – Loss of USS Juneau (CL-52) during Battle of Guadalcanal results in loss of Five Sullivan Brothers. In the aftermath of Juneau's loss, the Navy notified Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Sullivan of Waterloo, Iowa, that all five of their sons were missing in action. Two of the brothers had served previous four-year enlistments in the Navy and so, when all five brothers enlisted together on 3 January 1942, the Navy was the obvious choice. They had also insisted on serving together on the same ship. Although the accepted Navy policy was to separate family members, the brothers had persisted and their request was approved. It was later learned, through survivors' accounts, that four of the brothers died in the initial explosion. The fifth, George Thomas, despite being wounded the night before, made it onto a raft where he survived for five days before succumbing either to wounds and exhaustion or a shark attack. The brothers received the Purple Heart Medal posthumously and were entitled to the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four engagement stars and the World War II Victory Medal. They had also earned the Good Conduct Medal. They were survived by their parents, Mr. Thomas F. Sullivan and Mrs. Alleta Sullivan, a sister, Genevieve Sullivan, and by Albert Leo Sullivan's wife, Katherine Mary Sullivan. Their son, James Thomas, was twenty-two months old at the time of his father's death. The service record transcripts for the five Sullivan brothers, as written on 16 January 1943 by the Bureau of Naval Personnel follow: Albert Leo Sullivan, Francis Henry Sullivan, George Thomas Sullivan, Joseph Eugene Sullivan, Madison Abel Sullivan.
1982– Near the end of a weeklong national salute to Americans who served in the Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated in Washington after a march to its site by thousands of veterans of the conflict. The long-awaited memorial was a simple V-shaped black-granite wall inscribed with the names of the 57,939 Americans who died in the conflict, arranged in order of death, not rank, as was common in other memorials. The designer of the memorial was Maya Lin, a Yale University architecture student who entered a nationwide competition to create a design for the monument. Lin, born in Ohio in 1959, was the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Many veterans' groups were opposed to Lin's winning design, which lacked a standard memorial's heroic statues and stirring words. However, a remarkable shift in public opinion occurred in the months after the memorial's dedication. Veterans and families of the dead walked the black reflective wall, seeking the names of their loved ones killed in the conflict. Once the name was located, visitors often made an etching or left a private offering, from notes and flowers to dog tags and cans of beer. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial soon became one of the most visited memorials in the nation's capital. A Smithsonian Institution director called it "a community of feelings, almost a sacred precinct," and a veteran declared that "it's the parade we never got." "The Wall" drew together both those who fought and those who marched against the war and served to promote national healing a decade after the divisive conflict's end.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*CALLAGHAN, DANIEL JUDSON
Rank and organization: Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy. Born: 26 July 1892, San Francisco, Calif. Appointed from: California. Entered service at: Oakland, Calif. Other Navy award: Distinguished Service Medal. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty during action against enemy Japanese forces off Savo Island on the night of 12-13 November 1942. Although out-balanced in strength and numbers by a desperate and determined enemy, Rear Adm. Callaghan, with ingenious tactical skill and superb coordination of the units under his command, led his forces into battle against tremendous odds, thereby contributing decisively to the rout of a powerful invasion fleet, and to the consequent frustration of a formidable Japanese offensive. While faithfully directing close-range operations in the face of furious bombardment by superior enemy fire power, he was killed on the bridge of his flagship. His courageous initiative, inspiring leadership, and judicious foresight in a crisis of grave responsibility were in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the defense of his country.
*KEPPLER, REINHARDT JOHN
Rank and organization: Boatswain's Mate First Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 22 January 1918, Ralston, Wash. Accredited to: Washington. Other Navy award: Navy Cross. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and distinguished courage above and beyond the call of duty while serving aboard the U.S.S. San Francisco during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands, 1213 November 1942. When a hostile torpedo plane, during a daylight air raid, crashed on the after machine-gun platform, Keppler promptly assisted in removal of the dead and, by his capable supervision of the wounded, undoubtedly helped save the lives of several shipmates who otherwise might have perished. That night, when the ship's hangar was set afire during the great battle off Savo Island, he bravely led a hose into the starboard side of the stricken area and there, without assistance and despite frequent hits from terrific enemy bombardment, eventually brought the fire under control. Later, although mortally wounded, he labored valiantly in the midst of bursting shells, persistently directing fire-fighting operations and administering to wounded personnel until he finally collapsed from loss of blood. His great personal valor, maintained with utter disregard of personal safety, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
McCANDLESS, BRUCE
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. San Francisco. Place and date: Battle off Savo Island, 1213 November 1942. Entered service at: Colorado. Born: 12 August 1911, Washington, D.C. Other Navy award: Silver Star. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and exceptionally distinguished service above and beyond the call of duty as communication officer of the U.S.S. San Francisco in combat with enemy Japanese forces in the battle off Savo Island, 1213 November 1942. In the midst of a violent night engagement, the fire of a determined and desperate enemy seriously wounded Lt. Comdr. McCandless and rendered him unconscious, killed or wounded the admiral in command, his staff, the captain of the ship, the navigator, and all other personnel on the navigating and signal bridges. Faced with the lack of superior command upon his recovery, and displaying superb initiative, he promptly assumed command of the ship and ordered her course and gunfire against an overwhelmingly powerful force. With his superiors in other vessels unaware of the loss of their admiral, and challenged by his great responsibility, Lt. Comdr. McCandless boldly continued to engage the enemy and to lead our column of following vessels to a great victory. Largely through his brilliant seamanship and great courage, the San Francisco was brought back to port, saved to fight again in the service of her country.
SCHONLAND, HERBERT EMERY
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. San Francisco Place and date: Savo Island, 12-13 November 1943. Entered service at. Maine. Born: 7 September 1900, Portland, Maine. Citation: For extreme heroism and courage above and beyond the call of duty as damage control officer of the U.S.S. San Francisco in action against greatly superior enemy forces in the battle off Savo Island, 12-13 November 1942. In the same violent night engagement in which all of his superior officers were killed or wounded, Lt. Comdr. Schonland was fighting valiantly to free the San Francisco of large quantities of water flooding the second deck compartments through numerous shell holes caused by enemy fire. Upon being informed that he was commanding officer, he ascertained that the conning of the ship was being efficiently handled, then directed the officer who had taken over that task to continue while he himself resumed the vitally important work of maintaining the stability of the ship. In water waist deep, he carried on his efforts in darkness illuminated only by hand lanterns until water in flooded compartments had been drained or pumped off and watertight integrity had again been restored to the San Francisco. His great personal valor and gallant devotion to duty at great peril to his own life were instrumental in bringing his ship back to port under her own power, saved to fight again in the service of her country.
*SCOTT, NORMAN
Rank and organization: Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy. Born: 10 August 1889, Indianapolis, Ind. Appointed from: Indiana. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty during action against enemy Japanese forces off Savo Island on the night of 11-12 October and again on the night of 12-13 November 1942. In the earlier action, intercepting a Japanese Task Force intent upon storming our island positions and landing reinforcements at Guadalcanal, Rear Adm. Scott, with courageous skill and superb coordination of the units under his command, destroyed 8 hostile vessels and put the others to flight. Again challenged, a month later, by the return of a stubborn and persistent foe, he led his force into a desperate battle against tremendous odds, directing close-range operations against the invading enemy until he himself was killed in the furious bombardment by their superior firepower. On each of these occasions his dauntless initiative, inspiring leadership and judicious foresight in a crisis of grave responsibility contributed decisively to the rout of a powerful invasion fleet and to the consequent frustration of a formidable Japanese offensive. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
SPURRIER, JUNIOR J.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company G, 134th Infantry, 35th Infantry Division. Place and dare: Achain, France, 13 November 1944. Entered service at: Riggs, Ky. Birth: Russell County, Ky. G.O. No.: 18, 15 March 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy at Achain, France, on 13 November 1944. At 2 p.m., Company G attacked the village of Achain from the east. S/Sgt. Spurrier armed with a BAR passed around the village and advanced alone. Attacking from the west, he immediately killed 3 Germans. From this time until dark, S/Sgt. Spurrier, using at different times his BAR and Ml rifle, American and German rocket launchers, a German automatic pistol, and handgrenades, continued his solitary attack against the enemy regardless of all types of small-arms and automatic-weapons fire. As a result of his heroic actions he killed an officer and 24 enlisted men and captured 2 officers and 2 enlisted men. His valor has shed fresh honor on the U.S. Armed Forces.
*GRANT, JOSEPH XAVIER
Rank and organization: Captain (then 1st Lt.), U.S. Army, Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 13 November 1966. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. Born: 28 March 1940, Cambridge, Mass. G.O. No.: 4, 29 January 1968. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Company A was participating in a search and destroy operation when the leading platoon made contact with the enemy and a fierce fire-fight ensued. Capt. Grant was ordered to disengage the 2 remaining platoons and to maneuver them to envelop and destroy the enemy. After beginning their movement, the platoons encountered intense enemy automatic weapons and mortar fire from the front and flank. Capt. Grant was ordered to deploy the platoons in a defensive position. As this action was underway, the enemy attacked, using "human wave" assaults, in an attempt to literally overwhelm Capt. Grant's force. In a magnificent display of courage and leadership, Capt. Grant moved under intense fire along the hastily formed defensive line repositioning soldiers to fill gaps created by the mounting casualties and inspiring and directing the efforts of his men to successfully repel the determined enemy onslaught. Seeing a platoon leader wounded, Capt. Grant hastened to his aid, in the face of the mass of fire of the entire enemy force, and moved him to a more secure position. During this action, Capt. Grant was wounded in the shoulder. Refusing medical treatment, he returned to the forward part of the perimeter, where he continued to lead and to inspire his men by his own indomitable example. While attempting to evacuate a wounded soldier, he was pinned down by fire from an enemy machine gun. With a supply of hand grenades, he crawled forward under a withering hail of fire and knocked out the machine gun, killing the crew, after which he moved the wounded man to safety. Learning that several other wounded men were pinned down by enemy fire forward of his position, Capt. Grant disregarded his painful wound and led 5 men across the fire-swept open ground to effect a rescue. Following return of the wounded men to the perimeter, a concentration of mortar fire landed in their midst and Capt. Grant was killed instantly. His heroic actions saved the lives of a number of his comrades and enabled the task force to repulse the vicious assaults and defeat the enemy. Capt. Grant's actions reflect great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Army.
*RABEL, LASZLO
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 74th Infantry Detachment (Long Range Patrol), 173d Airborne Brigade. Place and date: Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam, 13 November 1968. Entered service at: Minneapolis, Minn. Born: 21 September 1939, Budapest, Hungary. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Rabel distinguished himself while serving as leader of Team Delta, 74th Infantry Detachment. At 1000 hours on this date, Team Delta was in a defensive perimeter conducting reconnaissance of enemy trail networks when a member of the team detected enemy movement to the front. As S/Sgt. Rabel and a comrade prepared to clear the area, he heard an incoming grenade as it landed in the midst of the team's perimeter. With complete disregard for his life, S/Sgt. Rabel threw himself on the grenade and, covering it with his body, received the complete impact of the immediate explosion. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his safety and profound concern for his fellow soldiers, S/Sgt. Rabel averted the loss of life and injury to the other members of Team Delta. By his gallantry at the cost of his life in the highest traditions of the military service, S/Sgt. Rabel has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for November 13, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
13 November
1908: Wilbur Wright set an FAI altitude record of 82 feet in a Wright Biplane at Auvours, France. (9)
1943: Allied planes carried out the heaviest raid against New Guinea when 57 B-24s and 62 B-25s bombed Alexishafen and Madang airdromes. (21)
1946: Vincent Joseph Schaefer, General Electric Corp., produced the first artificial snow from a natural cloud. He dropped dry-ice pellets from a plane into a cloud over Greylock Mountain, Mass. (24)
1952: KOREAN WAR. Through 14 November, five B-29s from the 307th Bombardment Wing in an experimental attack used incendiary clusters against the Sopo supply area but obtained poor results. (28) The US Atomic Energy Commission exploded the first hydrogen bomb in the Pacific. (4)
1961: At Malmstrom AFB, a Site Activation Task Force accepted the first Minuteman I (Model A) operational silo. (6)
1964: The solid propellant rocket for Titan II Space Booster's first stage fired at the United Technology Center in Sunnyvale, Calif. It had more than a million pounds of thrust.
1968: NASA test pilot John A. Manke flew the HL-10 Lifting Body on its first powered flight at Edwards AFB. (3)
1971: Mariner IX, launched on 30 May 1971, went into an elliptical orbit around Mars, and its first photographs were broadcast live by national television.
1989: The Navy's fourth test of the McDonnell-Douglas AGM-84E Standoff Land-Attack Missile (SLAM)--a variation of the Harpoon antiship missile--was successful. In this test, an A-6 crew launched the missile, but an A-7 pilot guided it to the target. (8: Feb 90)
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