To All,
Good Tuesday morning December 3, 2024. The weather continues to be nice with some clouds today and clear the rest of the week reaching 79 by Friday. Good classes last night. It is going to be a busy week testing my school and the San Marcos school. It is always fun to watch students at testing and see how they are getting better at all the things they are learning. As they progress through the ranks to Black Belt.
Regards,
Skip
Make it a GREAT Day
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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
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
December 3
1775—The first American flag is raised aboard a Continental ship when Lt. John Paul Jones hoists the Grand Union Flag during Continental ship Alfred's commissioning at Philadelphia, PA.
1863—The armed steamer Cambridge captures schooner J.C. Roker off the coast of North Carolina and the schooner Emma Tuttle off Cape Fear.
1943—USS Tinosa (SS 283) sinks the Palau-bound Japanese fleet tanker Azuma Maru northwest of Sonsorol.
1956—The first ship converted to support the Fleet Ballistic Missile program, USS Compass Island (EAG 153), is commissioned.
1983—Two F-14s are fired upon off Lebanon. The next day, USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) and USS Independence (CV 62) launch a strike against Syrian anti-aircraft positions. During the strike, two U.S. Navy planes, A-6E and A-7E, are shot down. In the A-6E, Lt. Mark A Lange is killed while Lt. Robert O. Goodman is captured. Goodman is released Jan. 1984.
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Today in World History
December 3
1468 Lorenzo the Magnificent and his brother Giuliano succeed their father, Piero de Medici, as rulers of Florence, Italy.
1762 France cedes to Spain all lands west of the Mississippi--the territory known as Upper Louisiana.
1818 Illinois admitted into the Union as the 21st state.
1800 The French defeat an Austrian army at the Battle of Hohenlinden, near Munich.
1847 Frederick Douglass and Martin R. Delaney establish the North Star, and anti-slavery paper.
1862 Confederate raiders attack a Federal forage train on the Hardin Pike near Nashville, Tenn.
1863 Confederate General James Longstreet moves his army east and north toward Greeneville. This withdrawal marks the end of the Fall Campaign in Tennessee.
1864 Major General William Tecumseh Sherman meets with slight resistance from Confederate troops at Thomas Station on his march to the sea.
1906 The U.S. Supreme Court orders Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) leaders extradited to Idaho for trial in the Steunenberg murder case.
1915 The United States expels German attaches on spy charges.
1916 French commander Joseph Joffre is dismissed after his failure at the Somme. General Robert Nivelle is the new French commander in chief.
1918 The Allied Conference ends in London where they decide that Germany must pay for the war.
1925 The League of Nations orders Greece to pay an indemnity for the October invasion of Bulgaria.
1926 British reports claim that German soldiers are being trained in the Soviet Union.
1950 The Chinese close in on Pyongyang, Korea, and UN forces withdraw southward.
1965 The National Council of Churches asks the United States to halt the massive bombings in North Vietnam.
1977 The State Department proposes the admission of 10,000 more Vietnamese refugees to the United States.
1979 Eleven are dead and eight injured in a mad rush to see a rock band (The Who) at a concert in Cincinnati, Ohio.
1984 Toxic gas leaks from a Union Carbide plant and results in the deaths of thousands in Bhopal, India.
1989 Presidents George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev announce the official end to the Cold War at a meeting in Malta.
1992 A test engineer for Sema Group sends the world's first text message, using a personal computer and the Vodafone network.
1997 Representatives of 121 nations sign the Ottawa Treaty prohibiting the manufacture or deployment of antipersonnel landmines; the People's Republic of China, the US and the USSR do not sign.
2005 First manned rocket aircraft delivery of US Mail takes place in Mojave, Cal.
2009 Suicide bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia, kills 25 people, including three ministries of the Transitional Federal Government.
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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 Tuesday 3 December
December 3: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2781
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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From the net…courtesy of Paul and JC …
Utah State QB Chooses to Forgo His Final Season to Become a Different Kind of Hero
By Chris Queen
November 30, 2023
College football is full of inspiring stories. Twin brothers Chase and Sydney Brown were homeless at age 16 but went on to play football together at the University of Illinois. Zamir White had so many health problems in the womb that doctors tried to convince his teenage mother to abort him. He eventually became a key part of the Georgia Bulldogs' 2021 national championship run. Ray Ruschel lived his dream of playing college football — at the tender age of 49.
And then there's Levi Williams' story. When Williams led the Utah State Aggies to a thrilling victory last weekend to make his team bowl-eligible, it seemed like a different kind of storybook ending to a season.
After the two quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart suffered injuries, it was up to the third-string quarterback to sweep in and save the day. All of it came after Williams was in an accident on Tuesday that totaled his car; Williams walked away without so much as a scratch.
"I was telling my head coach, 'You know what? I think this is a sign God really wants me to play in this game, because if not, it could've been a lot worse,'" he told The Athletic.
The twist on this season-ending miracle is that Williams announced that he will forgo his last year of eligibility. Usually, when a player makes that sort of announcement, it's because he has chosen to declare for the NFL draft. Not Williams — he's leaving college football for something much more inspiring.
The Athletic reports that Williams has chosen to become a Navy SEAL. It's a dream that Williams has harbored ever since he heard a Navy chaplain speak at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event.
"It's always been in my heart my entire life. My mom was Army. My grandparents were Army and Navy," Williams said. "People in the military are always what I want to emulate because they're some of the best people, best teams on the planet."
Williams will graduate with his master's degree in December, and all the while, he has been training with a former SEAL with whom the chaplain connected him. Aggies head coach Blake Anderson says that this unconventional choice is the right one for the quarterback.
"The guy is just unique in every sense. I think his true sense of selflessness and fight for the guy next to him is something that's tangible and real. You can see it," Anderson told The Athletic. "His capacity for work and to do tough things and to fight through things that are hard, difficult, and painful is just something that, in our society today, is hard to see. I think he'll do an amazing job. I can't imagine having anybody better suited for what he's wanting to do. I'm super proud of the path he's chosen."
Williams has a good head on his shoulders and a proper perspective on what he believes he's meant to do. At the end of the day — or at the end of the season, if you will — he knows that football isn't his long-term calling.
"I love football and it's so great. But I knew that, eventually, it was going to come to an end," Williams told a local radio station, as Fox News reported. "I just want to be in a spot where I can protect this great country where we get to play football with the freedom to do that. I think this is the best country in the world. So I'd like to keep it that way and protect it as long as I can."
Williams is leaving the gridiron for a different kind of heroics. For that, he deserves our prayers and admiration. I wish him the best as he serves this country.
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Thanks to Dr. Rich
From a two tour Thud pilot friend.
Powerful, indeed. There are still some good 'uns out there.
YP
(fade to A MAGPIE IN PICARDY)
Powerful.. Joshua Dyer (aged 14) was tasked at school to write a poem for Remembrance Day. An hour later (without any help) he produced this..
ONE THOUSAND MEN ARE WALKING
One thousand men are walking
Walking side by side
Singing songs from home
The spirit as their guide
They walk toward the light milord,
they walk towards the sun
they smoke and laugh and smile together
no foes to outrun.
These men live on forever
in the hearts of those they saved
a nation truly grateful
for the path of peace they paved.
They march as friends and comrades
but they do not march for war
step closer to salvation
a tranquil steady corps
the meadows lit with golden beams
a beacon for the brave
the emerald grass untrampled
a reward for what they gave.
They dream of those they left behind
and know they dream of them
forever in those poppy fields
there walk one thousand men ...
Joshua Dyer 2019 (aged 14)
Lest we forget...
This has to be shared. An incredible poem from 14-year-old Joshua Dyer.
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"From the archives
Thanks to Rhino and DR
: B-1 Bomber for sale
GREAT story! And, indeed...it's no longer possible to have this kind of tongue-in-cheek poke-fun any more...either in the military or otherwise...it's RACIST.
B-1 Bomber for Sale
A B1 bomber was in here ( Billings , MT ) doing practice approaches and touch and go's. On one of the landings the pilot sets his brakes on fire. He taxied in, and the airport parked him on a taxiway and then put cones around him until parts and mechanics can be brought in from Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City SD, the next day.
The next day is a Saturday, which doesn't have much going on, so we get to laughing in the tower that maybe somebody should hang a For Sale sign on the plane. We convinced one of our guys who's well known for doing things like this that it would be a good idea. So he took off for the hardware store to buy a For Sale sign. On the way back he stopped at a car dealer and got one of those "As is/No Warranty" signs that hang in all used cars. On that sign was written something like low miles, new engines, needs brakes and tires. Those signs were taped together, and off went our hero.
He climbd over the barbed fence, leaving some skin on the barbed wire, and made his way the 1000 feet or so to the aircraft. As he did that, we saw a couple of airport vehicles starting to gather with the recently arrived mechanics as well as the plane's crew. Not looking good for our intrepid airplane salesman. He got to the nose wheel and taped the sign to the nose strut. Then he started to make his way back from the plane as the vehicles started to head out from the shop on the way to the bomber. Somehow he made it without being seen.
The vehicles arrived at the plane, and of course noticed the sign right away. The Air Force guys were in stitches, funniest thing they've seen in a long time. Airport guys were not sure what to think. Airport management was livid as they've been tasked with security. Pretty soon a camera appeared and all the Air Force guys were taking pictures of each other by the sign.
Our hero is back in the tower now, and notices the bomber's commander is talking on a cell phone. Our guy got on the radio to the airport truck and asked for that guy's phone number. As soon as he finished that call, our guy called the aircraft commander. When he answerd, our guy said "I'm calling about the plane you have for sale." The aircraft commander about fell over from the laughter. It just so happened that the chief photographer for our local newspaper was a pilot and he may have been called prior to the sign being placed. He was told to get up here with a big lens. Here's one of the pics he got:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3415/3315809933_35fa96d641_o.jpg
An article showed on the front page of the Sunday paper. When that came out, the Colonel running Ellsworth called the airport director and read him the riot act, wondering what kind of dog and pony show he was running up there. We were later informed by the crew that the sign was framed and is now permanently mounted inside the aircraft. Hard to have that kind of fun anymore.
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From the archives
Thanks to Interesting Facts
8 Facts You Might Not Know About Yellowstone National Park
A couple years ago Paul Ringwood and I and our wives went to Yellowstone as part of our trip around the Northwest. So we were there at Old Faithfull and I looked around and saw a familiar face across the crowd and I said Paul we know that guy he flew F-8s with us so we flagged him down and it was Rob Rivers and we had a great old time talking for a few minutes. I talked to Rob earlier in this week because I had seen him on a TV show as an Expert in something or other and we talked about that meeting. What fun.
As America's first national park and one of its most important biosphere reserves, Yellowstone holds a unique place in our national consciousness — more than 4 million people visit the park each year. However, with its rich history, there are likely many facts you've probably never heard of, even if you consider yourself a park aficionado. Here are eight fascinating Yellowstone National Park facts that will take your knowledge of America's favorite national park to the next level.
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There's Another Grand Canyon at Yellowstone
When most people think of the Grand Canyon, they think of Arizona. But what about the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River? This 20-mile long canyon is said to be an important example of river-type erosion, with a depth of more than 1,000 feet. On the ridge of the canyon lies Artist Point, which offers one of the most beautiful views in the park. From this spot on the trail, you can see a majestic, 300-foot waterfall flowing into the canyon. If you look down, you'll see steep canyon walls in gorgeous hues of pink, orange, yellow, and red.
2 of 8
Half of the World's Geysers Are in the Park
Yellowstone is home to a whopping 10,000-plus hydrothermal features, including 500 geysers — which scientists estimate is about half of the world's geysers. The most famous is Old Faithful, which erupts around 17 times a day. Other breathtaking features, like the Beehive Geyser and Grotto Geyser, are somewhat less popular but still provide a thrilling show of geothermal action. So, if you're worried about Old Faithful being too crowded at peak times of the year, don't worry — you still have hundreds of other geysers to see.
3 of 8
Bison in Yellowstone Are the Oldest in America
Bison grazing at Yellowstone National ParkCredit: Andrew Milas/ iStock
While many other grassland areas have been over-hunted and bison have been driven to extinction, Yellowstone's herd has remained intact. According to the History Channel, Yellowstone's bison population is the only herd that has existed since prehistoric times in the United States. In the 19th century, the herd was hunted down to its last 23 members by avid fur traders exploring the Wild West. Today, however, the park is home to 5,500 bison, making it the biggest bison population in the country.
4 of 8
Yellowstone County Has Its Own Judicial System
For 30 years, the United States Army kept order at Yellowstone. Until 1916, soldiers patrolled the park to protect the wildlife from unscrupulous poachers. The park spans three states — Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming — all of which have differing laws pertaining to wildlife and preservation. To fix this decades-old issue of disputes in different parts of the park, Yellowstone officially created the Yellowstone County judicial system in 2006. That means if you break the law while you're visiting the park, you'll be put in the official Yellowstone jail. And your mugshot may just be the only souvenir you get to take home.
5 of 8
The Park Is One of Only UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the U.S.
Around the world, 878 extraordinary locations have been designated as United Nations Education, Science, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites. The United States only has 20 sites across the entire country, and Yellowstone is one of the most important.
UNESCO's website provides a list of reasons for Yellowstone's coveted honor, including its distinctive manifestation of geothermal forces and vast number of rare species. These ecological features are why Yellowstone stands alongside culturally significant sites like the Great Barrier Reef and Machu Picchu.
6 of 8
Yellowstone Is Actually a Giant Supervolcano
Hot spots and geysers represent just a fraction of the action beneath the surface at Yellowstone. The whole park is actually a supervolcano, although it's not supposed to erupt anytime soon. But, how do we know this? Despite the warnings, Yellowstone is quite safe: Its supervolcano is made up of two magma chambers. The first chamber contains no more than 15% molten. Meanwhile, the second chamber contains only two percent molten. According to Forbes, it's practically impossible for a supervolcano to erupt unless its magma chambers contain at least 50% molten. So, rest easy — and don't forget to enjoy the view.
7 of 8
The Bears Aren't as Dangerous as You Think( But when we went hiking we all had our Bells and Bear spray...Skip)
In the entire history of Yellowstone, only eight people have ever been killed by bears in the park. To put this in perspective, that means only one in 2.7 million visitors will have a fatal bear encounter. Getting injured by a bear is a bit more common, but still happens only about every 20 years. The National Park Service cautions people to look out for falling trees instead, which kill the same number of people (but get a lot less media attention).
8 of 8
Hundreds of Unique Flowers Thrive in Yellowstone
An estimated 1,350 different types of flowering plants grow wild at Yellowstone, the vast majority native to the region. One remarkable plant that calls the park home is Yellowstone sand verbena, a flower which normally thrives in warm environments but has managed to grow at a 7,700 foot altitude inside the park. Another unique floral trademark of Yellowstone is Ross's Bentgrass, which grows exclusively in hot, vapor-heavy environments. This plant is a common sight at the park but rare everywhere else in the world.
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Thanks to DR and Rich
Subject: Black Friday and more
Hi to all -
12-02-2024 Black Friday Sales
Black Friday
Sales in traditional stores - brick and mortar - remained essentially flat. Less than a 1% increase over last year. Online sales however, jumped 14.6%. The marketplace has changed.
More Appointments
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya has been named to head up NIH - Fauci's old stomping grounds. Dr. Jay was co-author of 'The Great Barrington Declaration', which proclaimed that the panic over Covid and all the control measures were manufactured, and ineffective. The machine tried to destroy this man and all the others involved, even removing their medical licenses, kicking them off social media and many other 'sanctions' for daring to question the narrative. I see a big broom sweeping through NIH.
Abortions
Fearing the end of 'abortion on demand' as a method of birth control, five women have elected to be sterilized instead. Sounds like a win-win to me. We don't get the bill, and they don't reproduce.
ActBlue
The democrat money laundering scheme, with all their illegal donations, tried to block the subpoena to force them to open the books and be audited. These are the folks who took (among many other things) large illegal donations and split them up, claiming that over a million small donors made small donations. When questioned, the donors had no knowledge of this, and certainly had no means to make a few dozen donations to the cause in any case. When the case goes to trial, we will learn much more about 'fund-raising'.
White House Christmas Tree
The White House used a tree from North Carolina, in the hurricane zone, for their holiday event. They claimed this was to celebrate the good people who survived this storm. Most thought it was meant as another insult - after denying them help, they took one of the few surviving trees and displayed it.
NYC
They admitted that they are caring for 58,000 illegals who have felony criminal convictions - with your money. ICE admitted that they let 180,000 criminal illegals just walk away into the country, with no idea where they went. Most went into California. Crime there is likely to spike for a long time until the feds clean them out. Even Gavin Newsom is having second thoughts about his defiance. He wants to make California a sanctuary, but not all around him agree, and there is no money. Plus, the real threat of arrest and financial sanctions is finally getting his attention.
Personally, I would like to declare the southern border zone a martial law area, controlled by the military, until the border is secure. Then send other federal law enforcement north of that zone to collect and deport a few million parasites.
Hezbollah
They admitted that they entered into the ceasefire due to the election of Trump, and knowing what he was likely to do to them. Trump brings peace through strength. Biden brings us war through appeasement and stupidly. The ceasefire is getting a bit shaky already. Hezbollah fired a couple of rockets into Israel, and the IDF promised a 'severe reaction'.
Jake Sullivan of the NSA said that Biden told him to prepare for a 'massive surge' in weapons and money to Ukraine. However, even he refused to return the nukes we took from Ukraine as part of that earlier agreement years ago. Zelensky demands that Ukraine be made part of NATO, so he can end 'the hot phase' of this war. That is the one thing that cannot be allowed. This war will end when we stop the money and weapons to Ukraine, and they give up land to Russia, as their own people demanded at the start of this conflict.
Secession
Yes, that talk is back on the table. Some democrats want NY, and some of the New England states to leave the US and become part of Canada. As one wag put it 'Your terms are acceptable.'
England
They just leagalized 'assisted suicide'. State sponsored murder.
In Europe, Jewish kids are being attacked on school buses by rock throwing mobs shouting anti-Jewish slogans. Sounds like a rerun of the 1930's.
Just a few weeks to go. Hope we make it.
Rich
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This Day in Aviation History" brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/
Dec. 1, 1984
After four years of planning and preparation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) intentionally crashed a Boeing 720 airliner to test an experimental fuel additive intended to reduce post-crash fires, and to assess passenger survivability. An anti-misting agent was added to standard commercial JP-5 jet fuel to create AMK, or "Anti-Misting Kerosene." The airliner's fuel tanks were filled with the AMK mixture, totaling 16,060 gallons. Instrumented crash test dummies were placed in the passenger seats. NASA 833, the Boeing 720-027 airliner, FAA registration N833NA, was a remotely piloted aircraft. NASA test pilot Fitzhugh Lee ("Fitz") Fulton Jr., flew NASA 833 from a ground station, the NASA Dryden Remotely Controlled Vehicle Facility. More than 60 flights had been made prior to the actual test. To find out how the test went, go HERE.
Dec. 2, 1992
Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-53) lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying a classified Satellite Data System-2 military communications satellite, USA-89. This satellite also included the Heritage (Radiant Agate) infrared early warning system for detection of ballistic missile launches. Several other satellites and scientific experiments were also carried. This was Discovery's 15th flight. The mission commander was Capt. David M. Walker, U.S. Navy, on his third space flight, with shuttle pilot Col. Robert D. Cabana, U. S. Marine Corps, on his second. Three mission specialists were aboard: Col. Guion S. Bluford, U.S. Air Force, on his fourth and final space flight; Lt. Col. Michael R. Clifford, U.S. Army, first flight; and Col. James S. Voss, U.S. Army, second flight. Discovery landed at Edwards AFB in the high desert of southern California on Dec. 9, 1992. The duration of the mission was 7 days, 7 hours, 19 minutes, 17 seconds.
Dec. 3, 1915
Navy Lt. j.g. Richard C. Saufley set a U.S. altitude record for hydroaeroplanes in AH-14 at 11,975 feet over Pensacola, Florida, surpassing the pilot's own record of 11,056 feet, which he had set only three days before. The Aero Club of America awarded Saufley its Medal of Merit for "twice breaking the American Hydroaeroplane altitude record in one year." Saufley was Daedalian Founder Member #13307.
Dec. 4, 1942
Ninth Air Force sends 24 B-24s to attack ships at the Naples docks in the first U.S. Army Air Forces air strike against mainland Italy in World War II.
Dec. 5, 1963
On Flight 97 of the X-15 Program, Maj. Robert A. Rushworth flew the number one aircraft, Air Force serial number 56-6670, to an altitude of 101,000 feet and reached Mach 6.06 (4,018 mph). The rocketplane was dropped from the Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress "mother ship" 52-008, Balls 8, flying at 450 knots at 45,000 feet over Delamar Dry Lake, Nevada. Rushworth ignited the Reaction Motors XLR-99-RM-1 rocket engine, which burned for 81.2 seconds before shutting down. The flight plan had called for an altitude of 104,000 feet, a 78-second burn and a maximum speed of Mach 5.70. With the difficulties of flying such a powerful rocketplane, Rushworth's flight was actually fairly close to plan. During the flight the right inner windshield cracked. Rushworth landed the X-15 on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards AFB, California, after a flight of 9 minutes, 34.0 seconds. Mach 6.06 was the highest Mach number reached for an unmodified X-15. 56-6670 flew 81 of the 199 flights of the X-15 Program. It is in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum. From 1960 to 1966, Rushworth made 34 flights in the three X-15s, more than any other pilot. He retired as a major general on June 1, 1981, and died March 18, 1993. Learn more about him HERE.
Dec. 6, 1959
Navy Cmdr. Lawrence Earl Flint Jr. set a Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Record for Altitude with McDonnell YF4H-1 Phantom II, Bu. No. 142260, at Edwards AFB, California. At 47,000 feet, Flint accelerated in level flight with afterburner to Mach 2.5, then pulled up into a 45° climb and continued to 90,000 feet. He had to shut down the Phantom's two General Electric J79 jet engines to prevent them from overheating in the thin atmosphere. He continued on a ballistic trajectory to 98,556 feet. This was just short of the arbitrary 100,000 feet that delineated the beginning of space at the time. Diving back through 70,000 feet, Flint restarted the engines and flew back to Edwards. This was the first of three FAI World Records set by 142260.
Dec. 7, 1941
Japanese planes attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, killing more than 2,300 Americans. The U.S.S. Arizona was completely destroyed and the U.S.S. Oklahoma capsized. A total of 12 ships sank or were beached in the attack and nine additional vessels were damaged. More than 160 aircraft were destroyed and more than 150 others damaged. A hurried dispatch from the ranking U.S. naval officer in Pearl Harbor, Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, Commander in Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet, provided the first official word of the attack at the ill-prepared Pearl Harbor base. It said simply: AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NOT DRILL.
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This Day in US Military History
December 3
1942 – Admiral Tanaka leads 10 destroyers in a supply operation to bring food to the desperate Japanese soldiers on Guadalcanal. To avoid air attacks, the cargo is dropped not landed. Only about 300 of the 1500 containers reach the Japanese forces.
1943 – Elements of US 5th Army reach the summit of Monte Camino and capture Monte Maggiore. The British 8th Army takes San Vito. However, around Orsogna, a counterattack by the German 26th Panzer Division forces the New Zealand 2nd Division to retreat.
1944 – Elements of US 13th Corps (part of US 9th Army) reach the Roer River. Elements of the US 20th Corps (part of US 3rd Army) cross the Saar River near Patchen, in assault boats. They secure the main bridge of the Saar.
1973 – Pioneer 10 passed Jupiter (1st fly-by of an outer planet). This mission was the first to be sent to the outer solar system and the first to investigate the planet Jupiter, after which it followed an escape trajectory from the solar system. The spacecraft achieved its closest approach to Jupiter on this day, when it reached approximately 2.8 Jovian radii (about 200,000 km). As of Jan. 1, 1997 Pioneer 10 was at about 67 AU from the Sun near the ecliptic plane and heading outward from the Sun at 2.6 AU/year and downstream through the heliomagnetosphere towards the tail region and interstellar space. This solar system escape direction is unique because the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft (and the now terminated Pioneer 11 spacecraft mission) are heading in the opposite direction towards the nose of the heliosphere in the upstream direction relative to the inflowing interstellar gas. The spacecraft is heading generally towards the red star Aldebaran, which forms the eye of Taurus (The Bull). The journey over a distance of 68 light years to Aldebaran will require about two million years to complete. Routine tracking and project data processing operatations were terminated on March 31, 1997 for budget reasons. Occasional tracking continued later under support of the Lunar Prospector project at NASA Ames Research Center with retrieval of energetic particle and radio science data. The last successful data acquisitions through NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) occurred on March 3, 2002, the 30th anniversary of Pioneer 10's launch date, and on April 27, 2002. The spacecraft signal was last detected on Jan. 23, 2003 after an uplink was transmitted to turn off the last operational experiment, the Geiger Tube Telescope (GTT), but lock-on to the sub-carrier signal for data downlink was not achieved. No signal at all was detected during a final attempt on Feb. 6-7, 2003. Pioneer Project staff at NASA Ames then concluded that the spacecraft power level had fallen below that needed to power the onboard transmitter, so no further attempts would be made.
1975 – Laos fell to communist forces. The Lao People's Democratic Rep. was proclaimed.1977 – The State Department proposed the admission of 10,000 more Vietnamese refugees to the United States.
2000 – Space shuttle Endeavour's astronauts attached the world's largest, most powerful set of solar panels to the international space station.
2001 – A test US anti-missile launched from Kwajalein atoll in the Marshall Islands successfully hit a dummy warhead from Vandenberg Air Base in California, 4,800 miles away.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*CANO, PEDRO
Rank and Organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company C, 4th U.S. Infantry. Place / Date: December 2-3, 1944, Schevenhutte, Germany. Born: June 19, 1920, La Morita, Mexico. Departed: Yes (06/24/1952). Entered Service At: Texas. G.O. Number: . Date of Issue: 03/18/2014. Accredited To: . Citation: Cano is being recognized for his valorous actions in the months-long battle of Hurtgen Forest. He was advancing with his company near Schevenhutte, Germany, in December 1944, when the unit met heavy enemy resistance. During a two-day period, Cano eliminated nearly 30 enemy troops. Sometime later, while on patrol, Cano and his platoon were surprised by German soldiers that caused numerous casualties within their platoon. Cano lay motionless on the ground until the assailants closed in, then tossed a grenade into their midst, wounding or killing all of them. It was in this engagement, or shortly thereafter, that Cano sustained serious injuries. He was returned to the States and placed in a Veterans hospital in Waco, Texas. After which, he returned home to his wife and daughter in Edinburg. Cano would pass away six years later. Posthumously, Cano received the Texas Legislature Medal of Honor. A school in Edinburg, Texas is named after Cano.
*HENRY, ROBERT T.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Luchem, Germany, 3 December 1944. Entered service at: Greenville, Miss. Birth: Greenville, Miss. G.O. No.: 45, 12 June 1945. Citation: Near Luchem, Germany, he volunteered to attempt the destruction of a nest of 5 enemy machineguns located in a bunker 150 yards to the flank which had stopped the advance of his platoon. Stripping off his pack, overshoes, helmet, and overcoat, he sprinted alone with his rifle and hand grenades across the open terrain toward the enemy emplacement. Before he had gone half the distance he was hit by a burst of machinegun fire. Dropping his rifle, he continued to stagger forward until he fell mortally wounded only 10 yards from the enemy emplacement. His single-handed attack forced the enemy to leave the machineguns. During this break in hostile fire the platoon moved forward and overran the position. Pvt. Henry, by his gallantry and intrepidity and utter disregard for his own life, enabled his company to reach its objective, capturing this key defense and 70 German prisoners.
*WEICHT, ELLIS R.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company F, 142d Infantry, 36th Infantry Division. Place and date St. Hippolyte, France, 3 December 1944. Entered service at: Bedford, Pa. Birth: Clearville, Pa. G.O. No.: 58, 19 July 1945. Citation: For commanding an assault squad in Company F's attack against the strategically important Alsatian town of St. Hippolyte on 3 December 1944. He aggressively led his men down a winding street, clearing the houses of opposition as he advanced. Upon rounding a bend, the group was suddenly brought under the fire of 2 machineguns emplaced in the door and window of a house 100 yards distant. While his squad members took cover, Sgt. Weicht moved rapidly forward to a high rock wall and, fearlessly exposing himself to the enemy action, fired 2 clips of ammunition from his rifle. His fire proving ineffective, he entered a house opposite the enemy gun position, and, firing from a window, killed the 2 hostile gunners. Continuing the attack, the advance was again halted when two 20-mm. guns opened fire on the company. An artillery observer ordered friendly troops to evacuate the area and then directed artillery fire upon the gun positions. Sgt. Weicht remained in the shelled area and continued to fire on the hostile weapons. When the barrage lifted and the enemy soldiers attempted to remove their gun, he killed 2 crewmembers and forced the others to flee. Sgt. Weicht continued to lead his squad forward until he spotted a road block approximate 125 yards away. Moving to the second floor of a nearby house and firing from a window, he killed 3 and wounded several of the enemy. Instantly becoming a target for heavy and direct fire, he disregarded personal safety to continue his fire, with unusual effectiveness, until he was killed by a direct hit from an antitank gun.
*PAGE, JOHN U. D.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, X Corps Artillery, while attached to the 52d Transportation Truck Battalion. Place and date: Near Chosin Reservoir, Korea, 29 November to 10 December 1950. Entered service at: St. Paul, Minn. Born: 8 February 1904, Malahi Island, Luzon, Philippine Islands. G.O. No.: 21, 25 April 1957. Citation: Lt. Col. Page, a member of X Corps Artillery, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty in a series of exploits. On 29 November, Lt. Col. Page left X Corps Headquarters at Hamhung with the mission of establishing traffic control on the main supply route to 1st Marine Division positions and those of some Army elements on the Chosin Reservoir plateau. Having completed his mission Lt. Col. Page was free to return to the safety of Hamhung but chose to remain on the plateau to aid an isolated signal station, thus being cut off with elements of the marine division. After rescuing his jeep driver by breaking up an ambush near a destroyed bridge Lt. Col. Page reached the lines of a surrounded marine garrison at Koto-ri. He then voluntarily developed and trained a reserve force of assorted army troops trapped with the marines. By exemplary leadership and tireless devotion he made an effective tactical unit available. In order that casualties might be evacuated, an airstrip was improvised on frozen ground partly outside of the Koto-ri defense perimeter which was continually under enemy attack. During 2 such attacks, Lt. Col. Page exposed himself on the airstrip to direct fire on the enemy, and twice mounted the rear deck of a tank, manning the machine gun on the turret to drive the enemy back into a no man's land. On 3 December while being flown low over enemy lines in a light observation plane, Lt. Col. Page dropped handgrenades on Chinese positions and sprayed foxholes with automatic fire from his carbine. After 10 days of constant fighting the marine and army units in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir had succeeded in gathering at the edge of the plateau and Lt. Col. Page was flown to Hamhung to arrange for artillery support of the beleaguered troops attempting to break out. Again Lt. Col. Page refused an opportunity to remain in safety and returned to give every assistance to his comrades. As the column slowly moved south Lt. Col. Page joined the rear guard. When it neared the entrance to a narrow pass it came under frequent attacks on both flanks. Mounting an abandoned tank Lt. Col. Page manned the machine gun, braved heavy return fire, and covered the passing vehicles until the danger diminished. Later when another attack threatened his section of the convoy, then in the middle of the pass, Lt. Col. Page took a machine gun to the hillside and delivered effective counterfire, remaining exposed while men and vehicles passed through the ambuscade. On the night of 10 December the convoy reached the bottom of the pass but was halted by a strong enemy force at the front and on both flanks. Deadly small-arms fire poured into the column. Realizing the danger to the column as it lay motionless, Lt. Col. Page fought his way to the head of the column and plunged forward into the heart of the hostile position. His intrepid action so surprised the enemy that their ranks became disordered and suffered heavy casualties. Heedless of his safety, as he had been throughout the preceding 10 days, Lt. Col. Page remained forward, fiercely engaging the enemy single-handed until mortally wounded. By his valiant and aggressive spirit Lt. Col. Page enabled friendly forces to stand off the enemy. His outstanding courage, unswerving devotion to duty, and supreme self-sacrifice reflect great credit upon Lt. Col. Page and are in the highest tradition of the military service.
*HOLCOMB, JOHN NOBLE
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Near Quan Loi, Republic of Vietnam, 3 December 1968. Entered service at: Corvallis, Oreg. Born: 11 June 1946, Baker, Oreg. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Holcomb distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader in Company D during a combat assault mission. Sgt. Holcomb's company assault had landed by helicopter and deployed into a hasty defensive position to organize for a reconnaissance-in-force mission when it was attacked from 3 sides by an estimated battalion-size enemy force. Sgt. Holcomb's squad was directly in the path of the main enemy attack. With complete disregard for the heavy fire, Sgt. Holcomb moved among his men giving encouragement and directing fire on the assaulting enemy. When his machine gunner was knocked out, Sgt. Holcomb seized the weapon, ran to a forward edge of the position, and placed withering fire on the enemy. His gallant actions caused the enemy to withdraw. Sgt. Holcomb treated and carried his wounded to a position of safety and reorganized his defensive sector despite a raging grass fire ignited by the incoming enemy mortar and rocket rounds. When the enemy assaulted the position a second time, Sgt. Holcomb again manned the forward machine gun, devastating the enemy attack and forcing the enemy to again break contact and withdraw. During the enemy withdrawal an enemy rocket hit Sgt. Holcomb's position, destroying his machine gun and severely wounding him. Despite his painful wounds, Sgt. Holcomb crawled through the grass fire and exploding mortar and rocket rounds to move the members of his squad, everyone of whom had been wounded, to more secure positions. Although grievously wounded and sustained solely by his indomitable will and courage, Sgt. Holcomb as the last surviving leader of his platoon organized his men to repel the enemy, crawled to the platoon radio and reported the third enemy assault on his position. His report brought friendly supporting fires on the charging enemy and broke the enemy attack. Sgt. Holcomb's inspiring leadership, fighting spirit, in action at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for 3 December, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
3 December
1915: Lt Richard C. Saufley reached 11,975 feet over Pensacola, Fla., in a Curtiss AH-14 to set an American altitude record for hydro-airplanes. (24)
1937: Maj Alexander P. de Seversky flew from New York, N. Y., to Havana, Cuba, and set a new record of 5 hours 3 minutes 5 seconds. (24) Jacqueline Cochran flew from New York, N. Y., to Miami, Fla., in 4 hours 12 minutes to set another record.
1945: The 412th Fighter Group became US Army Air Force's first jet fighter unit when it received the first operational P-80 at March Field, Calif. This aircraft, however, was the group's second jet as the Lockheed delivered the XP-80 on 14 November 1944. (4)
1951: KOREAN WAR. Enemy jets made their first air-ground attack of the war, bombing and strafing United Nations ground positions near Chorwon, almost sixty miles northeast of Seoul. (28) First B-36's to visit North Africa arrived at Sidi Slimane, Morocco. The six bombers from the 11th Bombardment Wing at Carswell AFB, Tex., made the flight nonstop. (1)
1952: The USAF accepted its first two Republic F-84F Thunderstreaks. (12)
1956: The U. S. Navy commissioned the USS Gyatt, the world's first known guided-missile-launching destroyer, in Boston, Mass., with Terrier missiles as its principal weapon. (24)
1957: Col Archie Blood led 16 F-100D Super Sabres on a 3,850-mile flight from Tokyo, Japan, to Honolulu, Hawaii, in 6 hours 21 minutes to set an unofficial record. (24)
1959: PROJECTs BOOMTOWN and SLIDE RULE. To enhance the reconnaissance abilities of the Nationalist Chinese Air Force, Pacific Air Forces delivered four RF-101A Voodoo aircraft to them under the auspices of BOOMTOWN. Under SLIDE RULE, the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron conducted and completed the training of the pilots and maintenance personnel by 11December. (17)
1960: The 567th Strategic Missile Squadron at Fairchild AFB, Wash., received the first Atlas E missile. (6)
1963: President Lyndon B. Johnson designated National Air and Space Administration and other facilities at Cape Canaveral as the John F. Kennedy Space Center.
1965: Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara directed the Air Force and General Dynamics to develop a F-111 for reconnaissance, the RF-111A. (5) (16)
1968: Maj William J. Knight received the 1968 Harmon International Aviator's Trophy for flights in the X-15A-2. (16)
1973: Pioneer 10 became the first space vehicle to fly near Jupiter. (21)
1987: The last three remaining O-2As in the Air Force inventory made their last flight from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Kelly AFB, Tex., for retirement.
1988: After a one-year trial program, the Air Force decided to continue its policy of assigning mixed male/female crews to 24-hour missile duty. (NY Times, 5 Dec 88, p B8).
1989: The Solar Maximum Mission Spacecraft reentered the atmosphere over Sri Lanka. Astronauts of the April 1984 Challenger Space Shuttle mission had captured, repaired, and relaunched this satellite. (8: Feb 90) 1998: The Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., completed the final flight test sortie for the B-1B Offensive Radar System program. (3)
1999: The 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, Calif., decided to end a mission that used three EC-18B Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft (ARIA). (3)
2001: Lockheed Martin delivered the USAF's first C-130J-30 to the 143d Airlift Wing (Air National Guard) at Quonset State Airport, R. I. The C-130s with the "J-30" suffix had a longer fuselage than the standard "J" model. It could carry 128 combat troops and 8 standard 463L pallets rather than 92 troops and 6 pallets. (22) Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. The EC-135C Big Crow and deployed support personnel returned to Edwards AFB, Calif. The aircraft flew 15 electronic combat missions from Thumrait, Oman, to disrupt Taliban/al Qaeda communications and perform psychological operations. (3)
2004: After a two-year hiatus to install the laser weapon's beam control system, the YAL-1A Airborne Laser aircraft made its first flight above Edwards AFB, Calif., as part of a series to recertify the jet's airworthiness. A cabin pressure leak terminated the sortie ahead of schedule. (3)
2005: Dick Rutan, an XCOR Aerospace test pilot, completed the world's first point-to-point flight by a rocket-powered aircraft. The 10-mile flight, from Mojave to California City Airport, was flown in the company's EZRocket, a kit-built LongEZ sport aircraft powered by two of its 400 pound thrust reusable liquid rocket engines that can be shut down and reignited in flight. The unique aircraft also carried a load of regular US Postal Service mail. (3)
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