To All,
Good Sunday morning December 8, 2024. Last night the bobcat was back but lights and a siren and some yelling from me and my wife drove him away. I carry my tac Staff with a combat shovel on one end when I go out there and it is comforting. The inside of the house looks like a small bomb went off. We had to completely remove all our stuff from the bathroom as our handyman showed up to remove everything up to the walls and replace it with new cabinets and sinks. It is all connected and has flowing water with no leaks but there is still a lot to do to move back in and get mirrors, new floors and a new section between the two cabinets where my wife and sit and do her thing. At least we can move all the stuff stacked up from around the house.
I hope that you all are having a great weekend.
As you might have noticed I messed up the number of the list yesterday. There were two 7027s. Today is correct ---I hope.
Have a great weekend
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 85 H-Grams
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History .
December 8
1941 - After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States declares war on Japan.
On This Day
1846 While commanded by Lt. Raphael Semmes, the brig Somers is chasing a blockade runner off Vera Cruz when she is caught in a sudden storm. Capsized by the heavy winds, she quickly sinks with the loss of more than 30 of her crew. In recent years, her wreck has been discovered and explored by divers.
1941 After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States declares war on Japan.
1941 USS Wake (PR 3), a river gunboat moored at Shanghai, surrenders to the Japanese. During WWII, Wake is the only US Navy vessel to be captured by the enemy intact.
1942 Eight PT boats (PT 36, PT 37, PT 40, PT 43, PT 44, PT 48, PT 59, and PT 109) turn back eight Japanese destroyers attempting to reinforce Japanese forces on Guadalcanal.
1943 USS Sawfish (SS 276) sinks Japanese transport Sansei Maru southeast of Chi Chi Jima. Also on this date, TBFs sinks Rabaul-bound fishing boats No. 3 Yusho Maru, No.7 Fukuri Maru, No.2 Takatori Maru, and No.1 Hoko Maru.
1967 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed legislation to create the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps of the Department of the Navy. The law established active-duty attorneys as a distinct professional group, and it ushered in a new era of legal administration within the Navy.
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This Day in World History
December 8
1660 The first Shakespearian actress to appear on an English stage (she is believed to be a Ms. Norris) makes her debut as Desdemona.
1861 CSS Sumter captures the whaler Eben Dodge in the Atlantic. The American Civil War is now affecting the Northern whaling industry.
1863 Union General William Averell's cavalry destroys railroads in the southwestern part of West Virginia.
1914 The German cruisers Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Nurnberg, and Liepzig are sunk by a British force in the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
1920 President Woodrow Wilson declines to send a representative to the League of Nations in Geneva.
1932 Japan tells the League of Nations that it has no control over her designs in China.
1941 Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita begins his attack against the British army at Singapore.
1943 U.S. carrier-based planes sink two cruisers and down 72 planes in the Marshall Islands.
1944 The United States conducts the longest, most effective air raid on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima.
1948 The United Nations approves the recognition of South Korea.
1967 In the biggest battle yet in the Mekong Delta, 365 Viet Cong are killed.
1968 South Vietnam's Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky arrives in Paris for peace talks.
1980 John Lennon is shot to death outside his Manhattan apartment building.
1982 The Washington, D.C., police shoot and kill a man threatening to blow up the Washington Monument.
1987 The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed.
1987 An Israeli army tank transporter kills 4 Palestinian refugees and injures 7 others during a traffic accident at the Erez Crossing on the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, leading to the First Intifada.
1991 The leaders of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine sign an agreement that dissolves the Soviet Union and establishes the Commonwealth of Independent States.
2004 The Cuzco Declaration signed in Cuzco, Peru, establishing the South American Community of Nations.
2010 The Japanese solar-sail spacecraft IKAROS passes the planet Venus.
2010 SpaceX becomes the first privately held company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft.
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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 Sunday 8 December
December 8: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=924
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 Interesting Facts
Pink lemonade was invented at the circus.
The circus brought death-defying performers and exotic animals across the American landscape in the 1800s, but it also introduced something a little sweeter: pink lemonade. There are two origin stories for the rose-tinted drink, both involving the big top. One version, revealed in a 1912 obituary, credits the invention to Chicago saloonkeeper, theatrical promoter, gambler, and circus vendor Henry E. Allott. After running off to join the circus at age 15, Allott accidentally dropped some red cinnamon candies into a tub of traditional lemonade, only to find that the new mixture was a hit with concession-stand customers.
The alternate and more colorful version of the drink's dawn comes courtesy of an innovative clown named Pete Conklin circa 1857. Fed up with his wages, Conklin renounced the bells and sequins, and instead followed the circus as a lemonade vendor while his former co-workers wound their way through Texas. During one hot day, Conklin was dismayed to find he had run out of water as his parched customers demanded something to drink. Scouring the lot for replenishment, he dashed into the changing tent of bareback horse rider Fannie Jamieson, who was washing her red tights in a bin of water. Conklin grabbed the bin, its contents colored pink by the garment's aniline dye, and after dumping in the usual sugar and soggy lemon, he unveiled his new "strawberry lemonade" to an appreciative crowd. This story was later confirmed by Conklin's lion-tamer brother George, and while it may be a tall tale regardless, it's the type that goes down well when accompanied by a tall glass of our favorite pink beverage.
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Thanks to Nice News
After Nearly 6 Years, Notre Dame Cathedral Reopens Its Doors to the Public
CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
When a fire broke out at the Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019, people the world over grieved with Parisians as centuries of history and culture went up in smoke alongside the sacred structure. In the nearly six years since, restoration teams have been working tirelessly to resurrect France's iconic church, which was built over 850 years ago — and now it's opening its doors again.
Today commenced "an octave of reopening," an eight-day period of celebration ushered in by a private ceremony and star-studded concert last night. The public was welcomed back inside the cathedral this morning, as the archbishop of Paris held the first Mass since the blaze. Click below to learn more and take a look at the stunning interior.
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Thanks to Mugs
I am so sick of hearing that "Diversity is our strength." No, diversity is not our strength. Unity is our strength, though it is made up of diverse people. At least it used to be, and can be again if Hegseth is confirmed.
Mugs
.Conservative group compiles list of 'woke' senior officers they want Pete Hegseth to fire.
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Military Milestones from Wake's Defenders to Chesty at Chosin by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
By the way Mr.Smith is a former Marine and writer who started this series many years ago. I filed them away in my archives and continue to provide them. I lost contact with him many years ago and have not been able to recontact him to tell him that his history is still being provided to a group of men who appreciate what he did so many years ago. skip
12/08.
This Week in American Military History:
Dec. 6, 1950: American forces – primarily leathernecks of the now-famous 1st Marine Division, a few American soldiers, and a handful of British commandos – begin their epic "fighting withdrawal" from Hagaru-ri to Koto-ri and on to Hamnung, during the breakout from the Chosin Reservoir, Korea.
At Koto-ri, a few officers will express concern that their vastly outnumbered, bloodied, freezing, near-starving columns might not survive the final trek to Hamnung.
The legendary Marine Col. (future Lt. Gen.) Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, will purportedly respond, "There aren't enough Chinese laundrymen in the world to stop a Marine regiment going where it wants to go! Christ in His mercy will see us through." Puller's words – though perhaps not pleasing to racially sensitive ears in
2009 – will prove true in 1950. By Dec. 10, the Marines will pass through the safety of X Corps lines at Chinhung-ni and reach the coast at Hamnung.
According to the United States Marine Corps History Division, Puller, a Virginia native, will become "one of the most decorated Marines in the Corps," and the only Marine to be awarded an unprecedented five Navy Crosses.
Puller's fifth Navy Cross will be awarded for his actions during the breakout from Chosin, a portion of his citation reading: "Fighting continuously in sub-zero weather against a vastly outnumbering hostile force, Colonel Puller drove off repeated and fanatical enemy attacks upon his Regimental defense sector and supply points. …
"During the attack from Koto-ri to Hamnung, he [Puller] expertly utilized his Regiment as the Division rear guard, repelling two fierce enemy assaults which severely threatened the security of the unit, and personally supervised the care and prompt evacuation of all casualties. …"
Dec. 7, 1941: Japanese Naval air forces strike Pearl Harbor (Oahu, Hawaii), the main U.S. Naval base there, the anchored American fleet, and an Army airfield in a tactically successful albeit strategically ruinous "sneak attack" that will fully thrust America into World War II.
The attack is conducted in two waves: The first wave of 183 enemy aircraft strikes just before 8:00 a.m. The second wave of 170 planes hits a little after 8:30 a.m.
By day's end, 2,718 American sailors, 582 soldiers (including Army Air Forces personnel), 178 Marines, and 103 civilians will be dead, dying or wounded. Scores of American ships will be sunk – including four battleships and two destroyers – or badly damaged, and nearly 200 aircraft will be destroyed.
The attack is not an isolated event, as Japanese forces simultaneously strike American and British military targets with a dizzying series of attacks across the Pacific.
Dec. 8, 1941: U.S. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt, referring to Dec. 7 as "a date which will live in infamy," asks Congress for a declaration of war against the Japanese empire.
Within hours, Congress officially declares war on Japan. Within three days, Adolf Hitler will declare that a state of war exists between Germany and the United States. Hitler's Italian ally, Benito Mussolini, will follow suit. FDR will return to Congress and ask for declarations of war against both Germany and Italy. His requests will be granted.
Dec. 10, 1864: Union Army forces under the command of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman reach the outskirts of Savannah, Georgia, a key Confederate coastal city which Sherman will present as a Christmas gift to Pres. Abraham Lincoln on Dec. 22. Sherman's famous "March [from Atlanta] to the Sea" (infamous to many Southerners, even today) is all but over. In the new year, Sherman's army will begin its fiery march up into South Carolina, the extraordinarily proud but soon-to-be defeated state where the whole thing started.
Dec. 10, 1898: The Spanish-American War ends with the signing of the "Treaty of Paris" (not to be confused with the 1783-1784 "Treaty of Paris"
ending our War of Independence, nor the 1763 "Treaty of Paris" ending the Seven Years War, known here in the colonies as the French and Indian War).
Spain gets the short end of the stick.
We get Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam, etc.
Dec. 11, 1941: Four days after Pearl Harbor, isolated and embattled U.S.
Marines – and a few good sailors, soldiers, and civilian contractors – put up a heroic defense of Wake Island in the Pacific, beating back an attempted Japanese landing with heavy losses to the enemy.
Wake will fall by Christmas. But the heroics exhibited by the American defenders – basically two companies of Marines holding off the Japanese Navy for two weeks – will be compared to the heroic nearly-two-week defense of the Alamo in 1836.
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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. 8, 1912
The flying school established by Glenn H. Curtiss in San Diego, California, officially became the U.S. Army Signal Corps Aviation School. The first personnel to arrive there were all trained on Curtiss aircraft and were known as the "Curtiss Contingent." The aircraft shown in the photo is Signal Corps No. 29. It was the first Curtiss J Tractor, which was delivered to the Signal Corps in 1914.
Dec. 11, 1917
Katherine Stinson flew 606 miles from San Diego to San Francisco, setting a new American non-stop distance record. Stinson was the fourth woman in the U.S. to obtain a pilot's certificate, which she earned on July 24, 1912, at the age of 21. She was the first woman to perform a loop, and was one of the first women authorized to carry airmail for the U.S.
Dec. 12, 1953
On its tenth flight, U.S. Air Force test pilot Maj. Chuck Yeager flew the Bell X-1A rocket plane to Mach 2.44 (1,621 miles per hour/2,609 kilometers per hour) at 74,700 feet (22,769 meters), faster than anyone had flown before. After the rocket engine was shut down, the X-1A tumbled out of control and fell out of the sky. It dropped nearly 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) in 70 seconds. Yeager was exposed to accelerations of +8 to -1.5 g's. The motion was so violent that Yeager cracked the rocketplane's canopy with his flight helmet. Yeager was finally able to recover by 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) and landed safely at Edwards AFB, California. He later remarked that if the X-1A had an ejection seat he would have used it. Bell Aircraft Corporation engineers had warned Yeager not to exceed Mach 2.3.
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This Day in U S Military History
8 December
1776– George Washington's retreating army in the American Revolution crossed the Delaware River from New Jersey to Pennsylvania.
1863– President Lincoln offers his conciliatory plan for reunification of the nation with his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction. By this point in the war, it was clear that Lincoln needed to make some preliminary plans for postwar reconstruction. The Union armies had captured large sections of the South, and some states were ready to have their governments rebuilt. The proclamation addressed three main areas of concern. First, it allowed for a full pardon for and restoration of property to all engaged in the rebellion with the exception of the highest Confederate officials and military leaders. Second, it allowed for a new state government to be formed when 10 percent of the eligible voters had taken an oath of allegiance to the United States. Third, the southern states admitted in this fashion were encouraged to enact plans to deal with the freed slaves so long as their freedom was not compromised. In short, the terms of the plan were easy for most southerners to accept. Though the emancipation of slaves was an impossible pill for some Confederates to swallow, Lincoln's plan was quite charitable, considering the costliness of the war. With the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, Lincoln was seizing the initiative for reconstruction from Congress. Some Radical Republicans thought the plan was far too easy on the South, but others accepted it because of Lincoln's prestige and leadership. Following the assassination of Lincoln in April 1865, the disagreements over the postwar reconstruction policy led to a heated battle between the next president, Andrew Johnson, and Congress.
1941– America's Pacific fleet lay in ruins at Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt requests, and receives, a declaration of war against Japan. Leaning heavily on the arm of his son James, a Marine captain, FDR walked haltingly into the House of Representatives at noon to request a declaration of war from the House and address the nation via radio. "Yesterday," the president proclaimed, "December 7, 1941-a date which will live in infamy-the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory." Roosevelt's 10-minute speech, ending with an oath-"So help us God"-was greeted in the House by thunderous applause and stamping of feet. Within one hour, the president had his declaration of war, with only one dissenting vote, from a pacifist in the House. FDR signed the declaration at 4:10 p.m., wearing a black armband to symbolize mourning for those lost at Pearl Harbor. On both coasts, civilian defense groups were mobilized. In New York, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia ordered the rounding up of Japanese nationals, who were transported to Ellis Island and held in custody indefinitely. In California, antiaircraft batteries were set up on Long Beach and the Hollywood Hills. Reports on supposed spy activity on the part of Japanese Americans began pouring into Washington, even as Japanese Americans paid for space in newspapers to declare unreservedly their loyalty to the United States. War is also declared upon Japan by British, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, the Free French, several South American countries. China declares war upon Germany, Italy and Japan. The latter is a formal declaration only as a de facto state of war has existed between China and Japan for 7 years. Montanan Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress and a dedicated lifelong pacifist, casts the sole Congressional vote against the U.S. declaration of war on Japan.
1941 – Japanese troops occupy the city of Shanghai and capture a small US garrison in the foreign section.
1941– A US tanker was shelled by a Japanese submarine off Cape Mendocino.
1941 – USS Wake (PR-3), a river gunboat moored at Shanghai, is only U.S. vessel to surrender during World War II.
1941– The Japanese attack begins with the capture of Bataan Island and the creation of an airstrip for plane refueling. Japanese invasion troops leave Paulau for the Philippines. The main attack begins with massive air bombardment which reduces the American defenses to 17 B-17's and less than 40 fighters. Most of the planes are destroyed on the ground. American General Douglas MacArthur has under his command 130,000 troops (20,000 Americans). His plan to defend the island becomes nonviable after the destruction of the main portion of the his air force and the losses at Pearl Harbor.1941- Fears of offending American public opinion by violating Thailand's neutrality have prevented the British from preparing defenses in Thailand and difficulties with Thai border guards prevent a quick response to the Japanese landings further north.
1941 – Japanese aircraft attacked Wake Island within hours of the fateful attack on Pearl Harbor. Marines of the 1st Defense Battalion and Marine Fighting Squadron 211 resisted Japanese invasion attempts for over two weeks before finally succumbing to an overwhelming force. A small Japanese landing force leaves Kwajalein escorted by a cruiser and two destroyers.
1941– Japanese General Yamashita began his attack against the British army at Singapore. General Tomoyuki Yamashita earned the name "Tiger of Malaya" for his masterful capture of Singapore and the whole Malay Peninsula from the British, who had a superior number of troops. Yamashita's forces landed on the northern Malay Peninsula and southern Thailand on December 8, 1941, and moved rapidly southward toward Singapore, which surrendered on February 15, 1942. The peninsula and Singapore remained under Japanese control throughout the war. Later in the war, while defending the Philippines from Gen. MacArthur's return, Yamashita's troops wantonly slaughtered more than 100,000 Filipinos in Manila. He was later tried and executed for war crimes.
1942 – Eight PT boats (PT 36, PT 37, PT 40, PT 43, PT 44, PT 48, PT 59, and PT 109) turn back 8 Japanese destroyers attempting to reinforce Japanese forces on Guadalcanal.
1945 – The Toyota Motor Company received permission from the occupation government to start production of buses and trucks–vehicles necessary to keep Japan running. After World War II ended with Japan's surrender on September 3, 1945, Japan remained under Allied occupation ruled by an occupation government. Its war industries were shut down completely. This was the first rumble of the postwar auto industry in Japan.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
8 December
*FRYAR, ELMER E.
Rank and organization: Private, U .S. Army, Company E, 511th Parachute Infantry, 11th Airborne Division. Place and date: Leyte, Philippine Islands, 8 December 1944. Entered service at: Denver, Colo. Birth: Denver, Colo. G.O. No.: 35, 9 May 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pvt. Fryar's battalion encountered the enemy strongly entrenched in a position supported by mortars and automatic weapons. The battalion attacked, but in spite of repeated efforts was unable to take the position. Pvt. Fryar's company was ordered to cover the battalion's withdrawal to a more suitable point from which to attack, but the enemy launched a strong counterattack which threatened to cut off the company. Seeing an enemy platoon moving to outflank his company, he moved to higher ground and opened heavy and accurate fire. He was hit, and wounded, but continuing his attack he drove the enemy back with a loss of 27 killed. While withdrawing to overtake his squad, he found a seriously wounded comrade, helped him to the rear, and soon overtook his platoon leader, who was assisting another wounded. While these 4 were moving to rejoin their platoon, an enemy sniper appeared and aimed his weapon at the platoon leader. Pvt. Fryar instantly sprang forward, received the full burst of automatic fire in his own body and fell mortally wounded. With his remaining strength he threw a hand grenade and killed the sniper. Pvt. Fryar's indomitable fighting spirit and extraordinary gallantry above and beyond the call of duty contributed outstandingly to the success of the battalion's withdrawal and its subsequent attack and defeat of the enemy. His heroic action in unhesitatingly giving his own life for his comrade in arms exemplifies the highest tradition of the U.S. Armed Forces.
*KELLEY, OVA A.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company A, 382d Infantry, 96th Infantry Division. Place and date: Leyte, Philippine Islands, 8 December 1944. Entered service at: Norwood, Mo. Birth: Norwood, Mo. G.O. No.: 89 19 October 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Before dawn, near the edge of the enemy-held Buri airstrip, the company was immobilized by heavy, accurate rifle and machinegun fire from hostile troops entrenched in bomb craters and a ditch less than 100 yards distant. The company commander ordered a mortar concentration which destroyed 1 machinegun but failed to dislodge the main body of the enemy. At this critical moment Pvt. Kelley, on his own initiative, left his shallow foxhole with an armload of hand grenades and began a 1-man assault on the foe. Throwing his missiles with great accuracy, he moved forward, killed or wounded 5 men, and forced the remainder to flee in a disorganized route. He picked up a M-1 rifle and emptied its clip at the running Japanese, killing 3. Discarding this weapon, he took a carbine and killed 3 more of the enemy. Inspired by his example, his comrades followed him in a charge which destroyed the entire enemy force of 34 enlisted men and 2 officers and captured 2 heavy and 1 light machineguns. Pvt. Kelley continued to press the attack on to an airstrip, where sniper fire wounded him so grievously that he died 2 days later. His outstanding courage, aggressiveness, and initiative in the face of grave danger was an inspiration to his entire company and led to the success of the attack.
*COOK, DONALD GILBERT
Rank and organization: Colonel, United States Marine Corps, Prisoner of War by the Viet Cong in the Republic of Vietnam. Place and date: Vietnam, 31 December 1964 to 8 December, 1967. Entered Service at: Brooklyn, New York. Date and place of birth: 9 August 1934, Brooklyn New York. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while interned as a Prisoner of War by the Viet Cong in the Republic of Vietnam during the period 31 December 1964 to 8 December 1967. Despite the fact that by so doing he would bring about harsher treatment for himself, Colonel (then Captain) Cook established himself as the senior prisoner, even though in actuality he was not. Repeatedly assuming more than his share of their health, Colonel Cook willingly and unselfishly put the interests of his comrades before that of his own well-being and, eventually, his life. Giving more needy men his medicine and drug allowance while constantly nursing them, he risked infection from contagious diseases while in a rapidly deteriorating state of health. This unselfish and exemplary conduct, coupled with his refusal to stray even the slightest from the Code of Conduct, earned him the deepest respect from not only his fellow prisoners, but his captors as well. Rather than negotiate for his own release or better treatment, he steadfastly frustrated attempts by the Viet Cong to break his indomitable spirit. and passed this same resolve on to the men whose well-being he so closely associated himself. Knowing his refusals would prevent his release prior to the end of the war, and also knowing his chances for prolonged survival would be small in the event of continued refusal, he chose nevertheless to adhere to a Code of Conduct far above that which could be expected. His personal valor and exceptional spirit of loyalty in the face of almost certain death reflected the highest credit upon Colonel Cook, the Marine Corps, and the United States Naval Service.
*GARCIA, CANDELARIO
Rank and Organization: Sergeant. U.S. Army. Company B, 1st Battalion. 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. Place and Date: December 8, 1968, Lai Khe, Vietnam. Born: February 26, 1944, Corsicana, TX . Departed: Yes (01/10/2013). Entered Service At: . G.O. Number: . Date of Issue: 03/18/2014. Accredited To: . Citation: Garcia distinguished himself on Dec. 8, 1968, as a team leader during a reconnaissance-in-force mission near Lai Khe, Vietnam. Garcia destroyed two enemy machine-gun positions in an attempt to aid casualties that were in the open and under fire. Garcia then rejoined his company in a successful assault on the remaining enemy positions.
*McKlBBEN, RAY
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Troop B, 7th Squadron (Airmobile), 17th Cavalry. place and date: Near Song Mao, Republic of Vietnam, 8 December 1968. Entered service at: Atlanta, Ga. Born: 27 October 1945. Felton, Ga. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, Sgt. McKibben distinguished himself in action while serving as team leader of the point element of a reconnaissance patrol of Troop B, operating in enemy territory. Sgt. McKibben was leading his point element in a movement to contact along a well-traveled trail when the lead element came under heavy automatic weapons fire from a fortified bunker position, forcing the patrol to take cover. Sgt. McKibben, appraising the situation and without regard for his own safety, charged through bamboo and heavy brush to the fortified position, killed the enemy gunner, secured the weapon and directed his patrol element forward. As the patrol moved out, Sgt. McKibben observed enemy movement to the flank of the patrol. Fire support from helicopter gunships was requested and the area was effectively neutralized. The patrol again continued its mission and as the lead element rounded the bend of a river it came under heavy automatic weapons fire from camouflaged bunkers. As Sgt. McKibben was deploying his men to covered positions, he observed one of his men fall wounded. Although bullets were hitting all around the wounded man, Sgt. McKibben, with complete disregard for his safety, sprang to his comrade's side and under heavy enemy fire pulled him to safety behind the cover of a rock emplacement where he administered hasty first aid. Sgt. McKibben, seeing that his comrades were pinned down and were unable to deliver effective fire against the enemy bunkers, again undertook a single-handed assault of the enemy defenses. He charged through the brush and hail of automatic weapons fire closing on the first bunker, killing the enemy with accurate rifle fire and securing the enemy's weapon. He continued his assault against the next bunker, firing his rifle as he charged. As he approached the second bunker his rifle ran out of ammunition; however, he used the captured enemy weapon until it too was empty, at that time he silenced the bunker with well placed hand grenades. He reloaded his weapon and covered the advance of his men as they moved forward. Observing the fire of another bunker impeding the patrol's advance, Sgt. McKibben again single-handedly assaulted the new position. As he neared the bunker he was mortally wounded but was able to fire a final burst from his weapon killing the enemy and enabling the patrol to continue the assault. Sgt. McKibben's indomitable courage, extraordinary heroism, profound concern for the welfare of his fellow soldiers and disregard for his personal safety saved the lives of his comrades and enabled the patrol to accomplish its mission. Sgt. McKibben's gallantry in action at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*TAYLOR, KARL G., SR.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company 1, 3d Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 8 December 1968. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Born: 14 July 1939, Laurel, Md. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving at night as a company gunnery sergeant during Operation MEADE RIVER. Informed that the commander of the lead platoon had been mortally wounded when his unit was pinned down by a heavy volume of enemy fire, S/Sgt. Taylor along with another marine, crawled forward to the beleaguered unit through a hail of hostile fire, shouted encouragement and instructions to the men, and deployed them to covered positions. With his companion, he then repeatedly maneuvered across an open area to rescue those marines who were too seriously wounded to move by themselves. Upon learning that there were still other seriously wounded men Lying in another open area, in proximity to an enemy machinegun position, S/Sgt. Taylor, accompanied by 4 comrades, led his men forward across the fire-swept terrain in an attempt to rescue the marines. When his group was halted by devastating fire, he directed his companions to return to the company command post; whereupon he took his grenade launcher and in full view of the enemy, charged across the open rice paddy toward the machinegun position, firing his weapon as he ran. Although wounded several times, he succeeded in reaching the machinegun bunker and silencing the fire from that sector, moments before he was mortally wounded. Directly instrumental in saving the lives of several of his fellow marines, S/Sgt. Taylor, by his indomitable courage, inspiring leadership, and selfless dedication, upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service.
BYERS, JR., EDWARD C.
Rank: Chief, Organization: U.S. Navy, Company: , Division: , Born: August 4, 1979, Toledo, Ohio, Departed: No, Entered Service At: Broadview Heights, OH, May 28, 1998, G.O. Number: , Date of Issue: 02/29/2016, Accredited To: Broadway Heights, OH, Place and Date: Qarghah'i District of Laghman, Afghanistan, December 8-9, 2012. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Hostage Rescue Force Team Member in Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM from 8 to 9 December 2012. As the rescue force approached the target building, an enemy sentry detected them and darted inside to alert his fellow captors. The sentry quickly reemerged, and the lead assaulter attempted to neutralize him. Chief Byers with his team sprinted to the door of the target building. As the primary breacher, Chief Byers stood in the doorway fully exposed to enemy fire while ripping down six layers of heavy blankets fastened to the inside ceiling and walls to clear a path for the rescue force. The first assaulter pushed his way through the blankets, and was mortally wounded by enemy small arms fire from within. Chief Byers, completely aware of the imminent threat, fearlessly rushed into the room and engaged an enemy guard aiming an AK- 47 at him. He then tackled another adult male who had darted towards the corner of the room. During the ensuing hand-to-hand struggle, Chief Byers confirmed the man was not the hostage and engaged him. As other rescue team members called out to the hostage, Chief Byers heard a voice respond in English and raced toward it. He jumped atop the American hostage and shielded him from the high volume of fire within the small room. While covering the hostage with his body, Chief Byers immobilized another guard with his bare hands, and restrained the guard until a teammate could eliminate him. His bold and decisive actions under fire saved the lives of the hostage and several of his teammates. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of near certain death, Chief Petty Officer Byers reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for December 8, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
8 December
1903: Charles P. Manly flew the full-scale Langley plane on its second and last trial flight. It crashed upon launch from a houseboat on the Potomac River. (24)
1914: ROBERT J. COLLIER TROPHY. Lawrence B. Sperry showed his gyrostabilizer to the Aero Club of America. For his invention, he received the Collier Trophy. (24)
1941: WORLD WAR II. Congress declared war on Japan. At the time, America had to face certain facts: US surface forces were unable to help the Allies, at Pearl Harbor the Japanese had severely mauled the Navy's Pacific battle fleet, and the Army could not conduct large-scale land operations. As a result, airpower—the Army's air forces and Navy's air arm with their inherent mobility—remained the only force capable of early action against the enemy. Following Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked American bases in the Philippines. Japanese fighters destroyed more than 100 US combat aircraft on the ground, including 17 B-17s and 55 P-40s, while killing 80 airmen and wounding another 150. Five US pilots shot down seven Japanese planes. (21) The few B-17s that survived the raid fly night combat attacks against nearby Japanese forces two days later. One of these B-17s, later nicknamed "The Swoose," is now preserved in the collection of the National Museum of the USAF.
1942: A VIII Bomber Command study of attacks on German submarine pens reveals that weaponry is not capable of penetrating the structure of the facilities from any safe bombing altitude. Programs such as APHRODITE, unmanned aerial bombs, are developed to penetrate such defenses. This B-17 carried two weapons known as the GB-1 thru GB-8.
1945: Flying a Douglas XB-42, Lt Col H. F. Warden and Capt Glenn W. Edwards set a Federation Aeronautique Internationale record of 5 hours 17 minutes 55 seconds for a transcontinental flight between Los Angeles, Calif., and Washington DC. They averaged 433.6 MPH in the flight. (9)
1948: A B-36 completed a 9,400-mile nonstop, round-trip between Fort Worth, Tex., and Hawaii without refueling. (9)
1958: Hiller unveiled its X-18 Propelloplane, a 16 1/2-ton tilt-wing aircraft capable of conventional and vertical takeoffs and landings, at Moffett Field, Calif. (24)
1962: A silo at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., received the first Titan II. (6)
1964: A United Air Lines Caravelle jet landed at Dulles International Airport in DC for the first time by a computer alone. The Air Force accepted the first of 54 HC-130Hs the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service.
1965: Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara announced that all B-58, B-52C, D, E, and F-models would be phased out of the USAF inventory by late 1971. (1) The Air Force distributed F-X study proposals to prospective bidders. (30)
1967: Air Force Major, Robert H. Lawrence, Jr., the first African American chosen by NASA to be an astronaut, dies in an F-104 crash at Edwards AFB before he has a chance to travel into space.
1976: The full-scale development version of the F-16A Fighting Falcon made its maiden flight at Fort Worth, Tex. (16) (26)
1978: USAFE began actively supporting the withdrawal of Americans from Iran. The Military Airlift Command airlifted 900 passengers from Tehran to bases in the US and Germany in 11 C-141 and C-5 missions. Another 5,700 American and third country nationals left Iran on the command' regularly scheduled missions until February 1979, when Iran's revolutionary government closed the airport. (2) (4) (21)
1987: The US and Soviet Union signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty to remove all intermediate range nuclear missiles (620 to 3,415 miles) from Europe. Following the agreement, the USAF inactivated six Ground Launched Cruise Missile wings. (21)
1993: The USAF destroyed the first of 450 Minuteman II silos scheduled for demolition under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). (16) (26)
1995: Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. The first C-17 to land in Bosnia flew into Sarajevo with 154,000 pounds of heaters and pressed wood. The C-17 from Rhein-Main AB, Germany, took only 32 minutes to unload its cargo. (18)
2000: The National Air and Space Administration's Dryden Flight Research Center conducted the X-40A's first captive-carry flight above Edwards AFB, Calif. A CH-47 Chinook helicopter carried the 22-foot-long unmanned vehicle to nearly 15,000 feet in a rehearsal for an upcoming free flight. The X-40A, originally developed for the USAF's Space Maneuver Vehicle program, was an 85 percent-scale version of Boeing's X-37. (3)
2003: A safety review board cleared the Airborne Laser to begin initial laser testing activities. That decision allowed the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., to examine laser hardware and software for installation into a modified Boeing 747 for aerial tests. (3)
2005: Lockheed Martin received a $149-million contract to build a prototype unmanned near-space vehicle that would hover at 60,000 feet in altitude. The High-Altitude Airship would be about 17 times bigger than a Goodyear blimp, be untethered, be able to remain in place for a month, and be able to carry 500 pounds of sensors to detect enemy ballistic missiles. (AIMPOINTS, "Lockheed in US Airship Deal," 9 December 2005)
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