TheList 7238

The List 7238

Good Tuesday morning July 15.

Still overcast and cool this morning. Same as yesterday.  It is supposed to clear by around 10 and get to 80 around 1.

The big bobcat paid us a visit last night. He is to big to get under the fence but has no problem going over the top. All the lights go on and the ring camera tells  him he is being recorded but he does not seem to care.

I hope you all have a great day

A bit late this morning. Three classes last night was non stop and lots of  demonstrating  to students. I had no trouble getting to sleep but hard getting up this morning

Warm Regards,

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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 91 H-Grams

July 15 

1862  While CSS Arkansas makes her way down the Yazoo River, she encounters the Union gunboats USS Carondelet, USS Tyler, and USS Queen of the West. In the ensuing battle, CSS Arkansas damages the first two vessels and makes her way into the Mississippi River, where she boldly fights through the Federal fleet to find refuge at the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg, Miss.

1896  USS Oregon (BB 3) is commissioned.

1942  USS Grunion (SS 216) sinks the Japanese submarine chasers (25 and 26) off Kiska, Aleutian Islands.

1942  USS Terror (CM 5), the first minelayer built as such, is commissioned. During World War II she participates in Operation Torch, the Battle for Iwo Jima, and the Okinawa Invasion, where she is struck by a kamikaze on May 1, 1945.

1943  TBF aircraft from (VC 29) from USS Santee (CVE 29) sinks German submarine (U 509) south of the Azores.

1943  PBY (VP 92) and British destroyer HMS Rochester and frigates HMS Mignonette and HMS Balsam sink German submarine (U 135) west of the Canary Islands. Previously, (U 135) sank 3 and damaged 1 Allied vessels, none from the United States.

2017  The guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) is commissioned in a ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.  The ship honors Chief Aviation Ordnanceman John Finn, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the first attack by Japanese airplanes at Pearl Harbor.

 

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Today in World History July 15

 

1099 Jerusalem falls to the Crusaders.

1410 Poles and Lithuanians defeat the Teutonic knights at Tannenberg, Prussia.

1685 The Duke of Monmouth is executed in Tower Hill in England.

1789 The electors of Paris set up a "Commune" to live without the authority of the government.

1806 Lieutenant Zebulon Pike begins his western expedition from Fort Belle Fontaine.

1813 Napoleon Bonaparte's representatives meet with the Allies in Prague to discuss peace terms.

1834 Lord Napier of England arrives at Macao, China, as the first chief superintendent of trade.

1863 Confederate raider Bill Anderson and his Bushwhackers attack Huntsville, Missouri, stealing $45,000 from the local bank.

1895 Ex-prime minister of Bulgaria, Stepfan Stambolov, is murdered by Macedonian rebels.

1901 Over 74,000 Pittsburgh steel workers go on strike.

1942 The first supply flight from India to China over the 'Hump' is flown.

1958 President Dwight Eisenhower sends 5,000 Marines to Lebanon to keep the peace.

1960 John F. Kennedy accepts the Democratic nomination for president.

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Rollingthunderremembered.com .

July 15

Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear

 Links to all content can now be found right on the homepage http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com. If you scroll down from the banner and featured content you will find "Today in Rolling Thunder Remembered History" which highlights events in the Vietnam war that occurred on the date the page is visited. Below that are links to browse or search all content. You may search by keyword(s), date, or date range.

     An item of importance is the recent incorporation of Task Force Omega (TFO) MIA summaries. There is a link on the homepage and you can also visit directly via  https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/task-force-omega/. There are 60 summaries posted thus far, with about 940 to go (not a typo—TFO has over 1,000 individual case files).

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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

For Tuesday July  15..

July 15:  https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1244

 

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. Thanks to Interesting Facts

 

You can hear the roar of Africa's Victoria Falls from up to 25 miles away.

 

Sandwiched along the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world (literally). Nearly twice as tall as Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls plunges some 350 feet down into the basin of a vast gorge below. The steady stream of water is so powerful, it's created a rainforestlike microclimate, because its voluminous spray blankets the surrounding area continuously. Although the world largely knows this wonder as Victoria Falls (after Queen Victoria, naturally), locals have traditionally called it Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning "The Smoke that Thunders." The name is arguably a better fit, as the "thunder" of this massive waterfall can be heard from 25 miles away, and its "smoke" (aka water plume) can be seen even farther.

Victoria Falls is actually several waterfalls in one. On the Zimbabwe side, there's Devil's Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Horseshoe Falls, and on the Zambia side lies the Eastern Cataract. If you want to see the waterfall at its most dramatic, visit between February and May when the summer rains, and by extension Victoria Falls itself, are at their highest volume. However, other times of year have plenty to offer, too. Between mid-August and mid-December, daring adventurers can take a dip in Devil's Pool, a swimming hole that brings those unburdened by acrophobia — fear of heights — to the very edge of the Fall's dizzying plunge.

 

 

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. Thanks to History Facts

"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" has a feminist twist.

 

B aseball is known as "America's pastime," a tradition so embedded in U.S. culture that the songwriters who penned "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in 1908 did so even though they had never actually seen a game themselves. The song's familiar chorus about snacking on Cracker Jack and rooting for the home team is often sung during the seventh-inning stretch at baseball games, but the tune's lesser-known verses have a surprisingly feminist twist.

 

The song tells the tale of a baseball-loving woman named Katie Casey, described in the lyrics as "mad" for the sport. Katie saw every game, knew all the players, and was confident enough in her knowledge of the rules to "[tell] the umpire he was wrong." The portrayal of a passionate female sports fan was progressive for its time, but it was not exactly factual. Instead, the lyrics are believed to have been inspired by actress and activist Trixie Friganza, who songwriter Jack Norworth was believed to be having an affair with at the time. Friganza was involved in New York's suffrage movement, and was reportedly a fan of the New York Giants. Her image also appeared on two early editions of sheet music for the song. In 1927, long after his alleged affair with Friganza had ended and seven years after women won the right to vote, Norworth slightly reimagined some of the lyrics to the famous song. He did keep his female protagonist, but inexplicably changed Katie Casey's name to Nelly Kelly.

 

By the Numbers

 

Earliest known use of the word "feminist"

1852

Amount of the largest free-agent contract in MLB history

$700 million

 

Years the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League existed (1943-1954)

12

Baseball cards in the National Baseball Hall of Fame collection

140,000

 

 DID YOU KNOW?

 

"Happy Birthday" was originally known as "Good Morning to All."

 

Along with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," "Happy Birthday" is one of the most recognizable songs in history, sung in many different languages all around the world. Written in 1893 by Patty Smith Hill, a director at the Louisville Experimental Kindergarten School in Kentucky, and her sister Mildred J. Hill, an educator and musician, the song originally appeared in a book of music titled Song Stories for the Kindergarten — at least, the melody did. The tune was actually titled "Good Morning to All," and it was meant as a cheerful classroom greeting for young children, with the lyrics: "Good morning to you/Good morning to you/Good morning, dear children/Good morning to all." By March 1924, the melody appeared in a songbook with altered lyrics opening the second verse: "Happy birthday to you." It was published with incremental lyrical changes over the years, and by 1933, 40 years after its inception, the song was widely known as "Happy Birthday to You."

 

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. This Week in American Military History

 

July 11, 1864:  Confederate Army forces under the command of Lt. Gen. Jubal Early reach the outskirts of Washington, D.C.

Brief skirmishing follows. Artillery fire is exchanged. But a previous delay at nearby Monocacy Junction, Maryland, caused by a sizeable, but numerically inferior Union Army force under the command of Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace (future author of Ben Hur) buys time for Union defenders to strengthen their positions around the nation's capital.

Early will withdraw the following day, commenting to one of his officers, "Major, we haven't taken Washington, but we scared Abe Lincoln like hell."

The New York Times will refer to Early's drive toward D.C., "the boldest, and probably the most successful of all the rebel raids."

 

July 11, 1955: The first U.S. Air Force Academy class begins with 306 cadets at the Academy's temporary site, Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado. The Academy will be moved to its permanent site at Colorado Springs in 1958.

 

July 11, 1798: The U.S. Marine Corps – born as the Continental Marines Nov.

10, 1775 (the official birthday of the Corps) and disbanded at the conclusion of the American Revolution – is reestablished by an act of Congress.

 

July 12, 1862: The U.S. Army version of the Medal of Honor – the nation's highest award for valor in combat – is signed into law, stipulating that the decoration be awarded "to such noncommissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldierlike qualities, during the present insurrection."

The Navy version (awarded to both sailors and Marines) had become law more than six months earlier, on Dec. 21, 1861.

 

July 14, 1813: Lt. (future Lt. Col.) John M. Gamble becomes the first – and thus far only – U.S. Marine to command a ship in action. Gamble's vessel, the captured British whaler Greenwich, captures the British whaler Seringapatam.

Gamble – a Lieutenant (though several reputable sources say, captain) of Marines aboard USS Essex – had been awarded command of Greenwich by U.S.

Navy Captain (future commodore) David Porter, who was the father of the Civil War's famous Admiral David Dixon Porter.

Gamble's exploits will become legendary, though few know of him outside Marine Corps circles.

 

July 16, 1862: The U.S. Congress establishes the rank of rear admiral for David G. Farragut, who will become best known for purportedly uttering the command, "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!," or the more likely command, "Damn the torpedoes! "Four bells. Captain [Percival] Drayton, go ahead! [Lt. Commander James] Jouett, full speed!" during the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama.

Farragut (destined to become admiral) is the nation's first rear admiral

 

July 17, 1898: Spanish forces under the command of Gen. José Toral surrender Cuba to U.S. forces under Gen. William R. Shafter during the Spanish American War.

 

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Thanks to Interesting Facts

. Pizza And Other Bizarre Things We Have Sent Into Space

 

NASA has strict rules about non-essential items. And yet, over the decades, astronauts have managed to bring along all sorts of odd objects in their Personal Preference Kits. Sure, some may have been marketing stunts—like the time Pizza Hut delivered a meal to the International Space Station—but others were personal caprices, like David Walker's gorilla suit smuggled onboard in 1984. Read on to discover the full list!

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A gorilla suit

Space can get boring. It got a little more entertaining for astronaut Scott Kelly in 2016, when his twin brother, Mark Kelly, sent him a vacuum-sealed gorilla suit all the way to the ISS for his birthday.

 

Kelly's crewmates didn't know about it, so he had fun pranking them by suddenly appearing in the suit aboard the station. One of the prank videos went viral. As Kelly put it: "How can you not like space gorilla?"

 

 

Dirt from Yankee Stadium

Astronaut Garrett Reisman, a lifelong Yankees fan, of course, took a little piece of the Bronx to orbit. In 2008, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-123, he brought a vial of dirt from Yankee Stadium's pitcher's mound—along with other Yankees memorabilia, including items autographed by players.

 

 

Amelia Earhart's watch

In 2010, astronaut Shannon Walker brought Amelia Earhart's watch to the International Space Station. The legendary aviator had worn it during two transatlantic flights, and it traveled to space on the 82nd anniversary of her first historic solo flight across the Atlantic.

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Pizza

Space pizza finally became a reality in 2001, when Pizza Hut paid millions to deliver a vacuum-sealed pizza to the International Space Station.

 

It was, quite literally, a publicity stunt out of this world. The pizza—topped with salami to withstand space conditions—was eaten by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Usachov aboard the ISS.

 

 

Pieces of the Wright Brothers' first plane

Tucked into Neil Armstrong's spacesuit was a small piece of fabric and a fragment of wood from the Wright Brothers' 1903 Flyer—carried all the way from Kitty Hawk to the Sea of Tranquility. He took them with him as he became the first person to step onto the Moon in 1969.

 

 

A set of instruments to play "Jingle Bells"

Just before Christmas in 1965, astronauts Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford pulled off a surprise serenade in space.

 

They had smuggled a harmonica and a set of sleigh bells aboard their Gemini 6A mission and played "Jingle Bells" for Mission Control—creating the first musical performance ever in space. The instruments are now on display at the Smithsonian Institution.

 

 

Several LEGO pieces

NASA's collaboration with LEGO took a literal leap when, in 2011, sets of LEGO bricks were sent to the International Space Station aboard mission STS-133.

 

Astronauts assembled models—such as the Hubble Space Telescope—in microgravity, engaging students around the world in STEM education.

 

 

A Buzz Lightyear toy

Buzz Lightyear truly went "to infinity and beyond" when a 12-inch action figure flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2008. Spending 15 months on the International Space Station, Buzz was part of NASA's educational outreach efforts.

 

Upon return, he was honored with a parade at Disney World and now resides in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

 

A lightsaber

In a nod to sci-fi fandom, a lightsaber prop used by Mark Hamill in Return of the Jedi journeyed to space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2007.

 

The initiative celebrated the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, symbolizing the intersection of science fiction and real-world space exploration.

 

 

Dinosaur bones

In 1985, during NASA's SpaceLab 2 mission, astronaut Loren Acton brought aboard a fossilized bone and a piece of eggshell from Maiasaura peeblesorum, a dinosaur species known for nurturing its young.

 

These fossils, discovered in Montana, were sent to space to symbolize the connection between Earth's prehistoric life and space exploration.

 

Communion bread and wine

In a very profound gesture, Buzz Aldrin privately took Christian communion aboard Apollo 11. As a Presbyterian elder, he carried a tiny wafer and a small pouch of wine, blessing them while orbiting the Moon shortly after the lunar landing.

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Golf clubs (and golf balls)

During Apollo 14, Alan Shepard secretly packed a makeshift 6-iron—a golf club head duct-taped to a lunar tool—and two golf balls.

 

On live TV, he took a couple of awkward, one-handed swings while wearing his stiff spacesuit. The first ball flopped; the second soared "miles and miles," Shepard joked. It actually traveled about 40 yards, which is quite impressive in lunar terms.

 

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. Thanks to Mike

 

AI171 Preliminary Report Prompts Boeing Fuel Switch Inspections

 

Operators are inspecting flight deck fuel control switches on certain Boeing aircraft following investigators' confirmation that both switches on the Air India 787 that crashed June 12 were cut off for no clear reason.

A preliminary report on Air India Flight 171 (AI171), prepared by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and released early July 12, revealed both of the 787's engine fuel control switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF just after the aircraft rotated. This immediately cut fuel flow to each GEnx-1B engine, creating an unrecoverable scenario.

But the report does not shed light on why the switches moved, or who moved them.

It does, however, note that inspections outlined in a December 2018 FAA safety airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB) on a safety mechanism built into the switches were not done on the accident aircraft, VT-ANB. The SAIB revealed reports of installation problems with some 737 switches and recommended operators inspect them and similarly designed ones on other Boeing models, including 787s.

"As per the information from Air India, the suggested inspections were not carried out, as the SAIB was advisory and not mandatory," the AAIB report said.

Investigators did not recommend inspections, or any other actions based on findings from the first 30 days of the probe. Despite this, some organizations are conducting precautionary checks based on the SAIB reference.

India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on July 14 "advised" operators inspection switches on all Boeing aircraft within a week. The regulator said its move is based on the SAIB and "several" operators' recent decisions to conduct the checks. The DGCA bulletin makes no reference to AI171 or the accident probe.

DGCA's move came after Etihad Airways issued a bulletin to its pilots on switch usage and ordered inspections by July 22. South Korea and Singapore are preparing similar actions, Reuters reported.

The SAIB said some 737s were delivered without switch locking mechanisms in place. When installed correctly, the switch must be lifted before it can change positions. This helps ensure the switches cannot be inadvertently moved.

"If the switch can be moved without lifting it up, the locking feature has been disengaged and the switch should be replaced at the earliest opportunity," the SAIB said. But the agency determined the risk level did not justify mandatory action.

"Based on an assessment utilizing the limited data currently available at this time, the airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant an airworthiness directive," the FAA said.

The AAIB report does not make any direct links between the SAIB and the accident sequence.

VT-ANB's throttle control module, which houses the switches and other controls, was replaced in 2019 and 2023, the report said. "However, the reason for the replacement was not linked to the fuel control switch," it continued.

The report does not explain why the throttle control module was swapped twice in four years.

"There has been no defect reported pertaining to the fuel control switch since 2023 on VT-ANB," investigators added.

Investigators determined that "at this stage" of the probe, they had no "recommended actions" for Boeing, engine supplier GE Aerospace, or regulators based on their findings, the report said.

The FAA, which is assisting AAIB in the investigation, on late July 11 U.S. time issued an update to regulators. The agency's Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) said its 2018 assessment on the risk posed by improperly installed switches has not changed.

"Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant" mandatory inspections or modifications on the 787 or any other Boeing models, the CANIC said.

The CANIC is a clear sign that FAA safety experts—who have Boeing under close watch due to a number of safety and quality-related problems in recent years—do not believe an improper switch installation played a role in the accident sequence.

AAIB's report does not offer many other clues.

Thirty-Two Seconds

Investigators' timeline shows the aircraft lifted off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on its scheduled flight to London Gatwick Airport and reached its maximum recorded airspeed of 180 kt within 3 sec., the report said, citing data from one of the aircraft's two enhanced airborne flight recorders (EAFRs).

That's when both fuel switches were "transitioned" to CUTOFF in rapid succession. The report put the time gap at 1 sec.

"The engine N1 [low-pressure, or fan spool] and N2 [high-pressure, or core spool] began to decrease from their takeoff values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off," the report said.

This indicates the fuel flow interruption was both sudden and linked to the switches moving, casting doubt on an unidentified failure cutting the fuel.

"All applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were complied [with] on the aircraft as well as engines," the report said.

Both fuel control switches "transitioned" back to RUN in succession, starting 10 sec. after the initial switch CUTOFF movements and were found in the RUN position by investigators. But the aircraft did not have enough altitude to complete an automatic engine restart. It drifted down onto a nearby medical school facility, killing 242 of 243 onboard and 20 more on the ground. Elapsed time from liftoff to EAFR cutoff was 32 sec.

While investigators referenced the SAIB, they do not discuss specific scenarios or 787 system characteristics that could explain uncommanded or unintentional switch movement.

Movement of the fuel cutoff switch in flight triggers an indication on the 787's engine indicating and crew alerting system that spotlights possible issues for pilots. The report does not detail or confirm the existence of any flight deck alerts, cautions, or warnings generated during the accident flight, from engine start-up to the last moments recorded on the EAFR.

The report sheds no light on why the switches may have been manually moved. It does, however, cast doubt on whether either pilot moved them.

A cockpit voice recorder (CVR) exchange summarized in the report said one pilot asked the other "why did he cutoff" the fuel. The other pilot answered that he "do not do so," the report said.

The update does identify which pilot said what. No other information from the CVR, such as discussions of a potential technical fault, cockpit confusion or distraction, or anything else that could shed light on the accident sequence, is detailed in the report.

According to the report, Air India personnel onboard totaled 12—two flight crew and 10 cabin crew. The report does not reference anybody else being on the flight deck besides two pilots: the captain acting as pilot monitoring, and the first officer acting as pilot flying.

AAIB is heading up the investigation, with assistance from key stakeholders including the NTSB, FAA, Boeing, and GE Aerospace. As the agency leading the probe, AAIB is entitled to determine when information is released as well as its timing, per internationally agreed upon ICAO standards. Nobody else is permitted to discuss the probe or release details without AAIB's consent.

Apparent gaps in AAIB's preliminary report means that while a key factor in the disaster—cutting of the fuel supply—has been confirmed, not much else has. FAA's insistence that the accident does not change its evaluation of the fuel switch problems counters the only switch-related technical issue discussed in the report.

The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) urged "restraint, empathy, and due process" as the investigation continues, adding that suggestions of an intentional act are "reckless and unfounded" based on information released to date.

"Pilots undergo extensive psychological and professional screening, recurrent training, and operate under the highest standards of safety, responsibility, and mental fitness," ICPA said. "To casually suggest pilot suicide in the absence of verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession."

 

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 Thanks to Brett

Geopolitical Futures

Keeping the future in focus

https://geopoliticalfutures.com

Daily Memo: How Hezbollah Controlled Lebanese Shiites

The group is facing an existential dilemma.

 

By Hilal Khashan

 

Jul 15, 2025

Hezbollah originated in 1982, when Israel invaded Lebanon. Iran had sent a contingent of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps there to fight the Israeli army, but it instead headed to the city of Baalbek, where it formally announced Hezbollah's establishment in 1985. Following Israel's assassination of Hezbollah chief Abbas Musawi in 1992, the party's Consultative Council elected Hassan Nasrallah as his successor. Under Nasrallah's charismatic leadership, Hezbollah became the dominant political movement among Lebanese Shiites. Hezbollah grew phenomenally, literally forming a state within the Lebanese state that came with an armed wing, a substantial bureaucracy and a wide array of public services, including a separate banking sector that operated outside the international banking system.

Hezbollah's reputation was derived primarily from its armed wing, which was seen as an efficient military machine that compared favorably with the militaries of midsized countries. However, after its defeat in the war with Israel in 2024, the group now faces a dilemma: It must disarm to avoid the resumption of war, but disarming would cause it to wither away as a political party. This prospect is precisely why some Hezbollah leaders would rather fight a suicidal war instead of suffering the indignity of losing their military. And this is a sentiment shared by many Shiites – despite the fact that they blame Hezbollah for the destruction that befell them in 2024.

Threats of Another War

A few days ago, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Yazid bin Farhan rushed to Beirut to strongly encourage Lebanese officials to honor their commitment to disarm Hezbollah. He warned them that Israel had a green light from U.S. President Donald Trump to attack Lebanon again if Hezbollah did not abide by its commitments. Following his visit, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack arrived in Beirut. He emphasized that Hezbollah's disarmament is an internal Lebanese issue, hinting that the U.S. would not engage in dialogue with Hezbollah on the matter and that there would be dire consequences for circumventing it. Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who represents Hezbollah in talks with U.S. and Saudi officials, stipulated that Israel must withdraw from the five points it occupied in its recent war against Hezbollah. He also insisted on halting Israel's daily targeting of Hezbollah operatives, as well as all other violations, and demanded strict U.S. guarantees that Israel would not violate Lebanese territory after Hezbollah disarms.

Hezbollah seeks to negotiate with Washington, as it did with Germany in 2000. Though the group has rejected the idea that it wants to negotiate with the U.S., it has, in fact, engaged its Lebanese allies to open channels of communication with the Trump administration. Hezbollah believes that dealing with Washington will give it a sense of legitimacy and confirm its role as a regional player. It also believes the U.S. could provide security guarantees – hence the reason Hezbollah linked disarmament through guarantees via direct negotiation. Hezbollah understands that if it surrenders its weapons, it will lose its political power. (Some influential figures in Hezbollah privately claim that they will not negotiate over their weapons under any circumstances.) The U.S. has maintained a policy of not engaging in negotiations with Hezbollah, indirectly or otherwise. The U.S. firmly believes that the Lebanese government should take on this task directly.

Hezbollah's Evasive Tactics

The pressure to disarm Hezbollah has increased dramatically since 2024. War with Israel left the group decimated, and Syrian leader Bashar Assad, a fellow client of Iran, was overthrown. Hezbollah's goal, then, is to become part of a national defense strategy by integrating it into the Lebanese military apparatus, similar to what the Popular Mobilization Forces did in Iraq. Hezbollah says it is willing to discuss the future of its military component with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun if Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon and ceases its strikes, though it has yet to specify the nature of that future.

After Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah expressed willingness to discuss the future of its weapons within the framework of a national defense strategy. However, Lebanese rivals concluded that Hezbollah was simply maneuvering and would not accept disarmament, leading to the suspension of meetings on formulating a national defense strategy. Hezbollah's categorical refusal to disarm led to its occupation of Beirut in 2008 and the elimination of the Sunni militia of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Sources close to Hezbollah say it is considering discussing the transferal of heavy weapons, including drones and anti-tank missiles, north of the Litani River to the Lebanese army. While Washington insists on Hezbollah's complete disarmament by the end of September 2025, its leaders have rejected the idea of discussing a timetable. When Aoun met with a Hezbollah delegation as part of the dialogue to implement the ceasefire terms, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc insisted on a series of demands upon which disarmament would depend. These demands included a complete Israeli withdrawal and a halt to assassinations, the release of all prisoners of war held by Israel, and the creation of a comprehensive program to rebuild areas destroyed by the war. Despite Hezbollah's evasiveness, Aoun insists on dealing with its weapons realistically, without ignoring internal sectarian balances, to avoid risking civil war.

Hezbollah has always felt that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) hindered its activities in the region, and it has long hoped that the U.N. Security Council would discontinue its presence in Lebanon. Therefore, Hezbollah supporters regularly attack UNIFIL units to convince them that they are unwanted. In December 2022, Hezbollah members killed an Irish soldier, but a Lebanese military tribunal bowed to pressure from Hezbollah to release the killer (because he allegedly had cancer). The most serious attack on UNIFIL occurred in 2007, resulting in the deaths of six Spanish soldiers. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but many blamed extremist groups close to Hezbollah. Hezbollah considers UNIFIL a spy agency colluding with Israel, a Western tool used to monitor and limit its capabilities. When Lebanese authorities prevented Iranian aircraft from landing at the airport in Beirut, Hezbollah supporters set fire to a UNIFIL vehicle, assaulted a UNIFIL member and stole his cash.

Disillusion

Most Shiites now realize that Iran used them as pawns in its proxy regional wars. Serving Tehran's failed regional ambitions exacted a heavy toll on them, corrupting their worldview and distorting their perception of reality. Since Hezbollah's crushing defeat, many Shiites have asked how Hezbollah played with their minds and led them to this bitter end.

From its beginnings in the early 1980s, Hezbollah has used its military forces and its propaganda machine to convince Shiites that it is their protector. Hezbollah has used the concept of the Guardianship of the Jurist, which recognizes the religious authority of the supreme guardian of religious and political society (Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei), to legitimize its existence and its subordination to the Iranian regime and to marginalize its Shiite opponents. Hezbollah also dubbed its military activity the Islamic Resistance, bestowing upon it an aura of sanctity and invincibility, which helped it engineer the social and cultural climate in Shiite society through its ideology.

Hezbollah has established organizational structures to consolidate its control over the Shiite community. It has established social, educational, health, cultural and financial institutions that benefit only its members, making it a parallel entity to the state. It also established a police security system as a fundamental pillar of its control over Shiite society. Meanwhile, it has established an unofficial security apparatus, known as al-Ahali (the people), which carries out the secretary-general's instructions and operates at his behest. It acts as a civilian paramilitary force operating on the ground to disperse protests and demonstrations and to deliver strategic or political messages.

Hezbollah's security apparatus has instilled a climate of fear and repression in Shiite society, preventing the growth or expansion of any opposition movement or dissenting opinion. It devised and generalized dualities across Shiite society, such as the resistor (committed to God's war project) versus the traitor (opposed to its project). Since its founding, Hezbollah has established a repressive, authoritarian regime in Shiite society, controlling the minds of its members not only by refusing to accept other opinions but also by using the harshest means of coercion, suppression and elimination.

Stuck with Hezbollah

The disastrous consequences of Hezbollah's Gaza solidarity front have raised questions about the extent to which the Shiites will continue supporting it. Despite the devastation, killing and displacement they have suffered, most Shiites still support Hezbollah, even if they resent its policies. Shiites believe they are in the throes of an existential threat, especially after the events on the Syrian coast following the fall Assad, the massacres that befell the Alawites and their political marginalization.

Despite their criticism of Hezbollah's choices, the Shiites seem determined to support it and trust its ability to recover and rebuild its capabilities and leadership. Shiites, even unreligious ones like secularists, atheists and those who have not gained from its material and social benefits, continue to support Hezbollah. They believe that abandoning it at this critical moment in history will turn other sects against them, as happened to the Alawites in Syria. They therefore see their relationship with Hezbollah as an alliance of necessity, regardless of the results. As the conflict throughout the country continues, Lebanon once again appears at a dangerous crossroads, one in which it will either submit to international pressure regarding Hezbollah's weapons or slide into a military confrontation that could be even bloodier than previous conflicts.

Hezbollah is in a state of unprecedented exhaustion. The technological gap between it and Israel has widened, and its security infrastructure has suffered severe blows with the assassination of first- and second-tier leaders. Iran has substantially reduced its financial support, leaving it unable to pay salaries and compensation to those affected by the recent war. Despite this decline, Hezbollah still maintains an organizational structure and security influence within the state, thanks to the absence of any serious Shiite political alternative that could fill the void left by Hezbollah's decline.

Lebanon faces the challenge of implementing a plan to establish a state monopoly on arms possession by the end of September or risk a large-scale military escalation. The country's future is now a regional and international concern. Hezbollah refuses to back down, the government is unable to impose its authority, and the U.S. and Israel are losing patience. Amid all this, the Lebanese people, especially the Shiites, are the biggest victims. Hezbollah has succeeded only in destroying the political and social foundations of its sectarian base of support, just as authoritarian Arab regimes did to their peoples. Lebanese Shiites will need several years to recover.

 

 

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Thanks to 1440

 

. Grand Canyon Wildfires

 

Firefighters in Arizona are battling a pair of fast-moving wildfires (w/map) in and near the Grand Canyon. As of this writing, the Dragon Bravo Fire and the White Sage Fire have burned more than 55,000 acres of land together—roughly the size of Washington, DC.

 

The Dragon Bravo Fire, started by lightning on July 4, has destroyed up to 80 structures, including a historic lodge and a wastewater treatment plant, which caused a chlorine gas leak. The blaze also forced the closure of the Grand Canyon's North Rim (a less popular area that draws in fewer than 10% of tourists) for the rest of the year. It has burned around 5,700 acres. The White Sage Fire, also caused by lightning, began July 9 about 35 miles north of the Dragon Bravo Fire and has burned around 50,000 acres. Both fires are 0% contained as of this writing.

 

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) has called for an independent investigation into federal wildfire management after reports that the Dragon Bravo Fire was initially treated as a "controlled burn" amid extremely dry, windy conditions.

 

 

Crypto Week Kickoff

The US House of Representatives will begin considering three cryptocurrency-related bills today. The legislative push, dubbed "Crypto Week," is expected to yield the country's first major crypto legislation. Bitcoin hit an all-time high yesterday, at one point trading above $123K amid promises of clearer regulations.

 

The first of the three bills—the GENIUS Act—passed the Senate last month and is expected to clear the House before President Donald Trump signs it. The bill aims to regulate stablecoins, which are easy and cheap to transfer but differ from bitcoins in that they are dollar-pegged. A second bill regulates the broader digital currency market, dividing oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. A third bill limits the Federal Reserve's ability to create a central bank digital currency.

 

Trump has positioned himself as a crypto-friendly president; his crypto investments are estimated to make up roughly 10% of his net worth. Learn more about cryptocurrency from 1440 Topics here.

 

 

 

Tesla Autopilot Trial

The first federal jury trial against Tesla began in a Miami court yesterday involving its Autopilot driver-assistance system, designed to perform basic maneuvers and alert drivers to upcoming obstacles. Most previous lawsuits against Tesla were either dismissed or settled out of court.

 

The case centers on a 2019 crash in which a man was driving his Tesla Model S with Autopilot engaged (see how it works). As he bent to retrieve a dropped phone, the Tesla hit a parked SUV, killing 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon and severely injuring her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo. Benavides' family and Angulo are pursuing punitive damages against Tesla, alleging Autopilot malfunctioned and Tesla overpromised drivers about the technology's capabilities. Tesla's lawyers are expected to argue the driver was responsible for supervising the system and present data showing his foot was on the accelerator before the crash.

 

The trial comes as Tesla aims to expand its self-driving taxi service nationwide and faces a second year of declining sales, with last quarter's deliveries falling 13.5% year over year.

 

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This Day in U S Military History…….July 15

1941 – Master spy Juan Pujol Garcia, nicknamed "Garbo," sends his first communique to Germany from Britain. The question was: Who was he spying for? Juan Garcia, a Spaniard, ran an elaborate multiethnic spy network that included a Dutch airline steward, a British censor for the Ministry of Information, a Cabinet office clerk, a U.S. soldier in England, and a Welshman sympathetic to fascism. All were engaged in gathering secret information on the British-Allied war effort, which was then transmitted back to Berlin. Garcia was in the pay of the Nazis. The Germans knew him as "Arabel," whereas the English knew him as Garbo. The English knew a lot more about him, in fact, than the Germans, as Garcia was a British double agent. None of Garcia's spies were real, and the disinformation he transmitted to Germany was fabricated-phony military "secrets" that the British wanted planted with the Germans to divert them from genuine military preparations and plans. Among the most effective of Garcia's deceptions took place in June 1944, when he managed to convince Hitler that the D-Day invasion of Normandy was just a "diversionary maneuver designed to draw off enemy reserves in order to make a decisive attack in another place"-playing right into the mindset of German intelligence, which had already suspected that this might be the case. (Of course, it wasn't.) Among the "agents" that Garcia employed in gathering this "intelligence" was Donny, leader of the World Aryan Order; Dick, an "Indian fanatic"; and Dorick, a civilian who lived at a North Sea port. All these men were inventions of Garcia's imagination, but they leant authenticity to his reports back to Berlin–so much so that Hitler, while visiting occupied France, awarded Garcia the Iron Cross for his service to the fatherland. That same year, 1944, Garcia received his true reward, the title of MBE-Member of the British Empire–for his service to the England and the Allied cause. This ingenious Spaniard had proved to be one of the Allies' most successful counterintelligence tools.

 

1942 – The first supply flight from India to China over the 'Hump' was flown to help China's war effort.

 

1943 – General Griswold replaces General Hester in command of operation in New Georgia. There is an air battle over Rendova in which the Americans lose 3 aircraft and claim to shoot down more than 40 Japanese planes.

 

1945 – American naval vessels bombard Muroran, the second biggest steel center in Japan, lying in Volcano Bay on the east side of the island of Hokkaido. Three battleships bombarded the Muroran and some 1000 carrier planes bombed the cities of Hakodati, Otaru, Abashiri, Kushiro, Asahigawa and Obihiro, all on Hokkaido.

 

1945 – American B-29 Superfortress bombers, based in the Marianna Islands, raided an oil refinery at Kudamatsu on Honshu Island while fighters and bombers from Okinawa attacked objectives on Kyushu and southern Honshu.

 

1950 – F-80s accounted for 85 percent of the enemy's losses to air attack. Far East Air Forces Commander, Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer, stated that he wouldn't trade the F-80 for all the F-47s and F-51s he could get. "It does a wonderful job in ground support and can take care of the top-side job if enemy jets appear."

 

1953 – U.S. Air Force Captain James Jabara, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, qualified as the second and last "triple ace" of the war — 15 kills. He also was the second ranking jet ace of the war.

 

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

 

MORRISON, JOHN G.

Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Lansingburg, N.Y. Born: 3 November 1842, Ireland G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865. Citation: Serving as coxswain on board the U.S.S. Carondelet, Morrison was commended for meritorious conduct in general and especially for his heroic conduct and his inspiring example to the crew in the engagement with the rebel ram Arkansas, Yazoo River, 15 July 1862. When the Carondelet was badly cut up, several of her crew killed, many wounded and others almost suffocated from the effects of escaped steam, Morrison was the leader when boarders were called on deck, and the first to return to the guns and give the ram a broadside as she passed. His presence of mind in time of battle or trial is reported as always conspicuous and encouraging.

 

ROBINSON, THOMAS

Rank and organizarion: Captain of the Afterguard, U.S. Navy. Born: 17 May 1837, Norway. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 77, 1 August 1866. Citation: For heroic efforts to save from drowning Wellington Brocar, landsman, of the Tallapoosa, off New Orleans, 15 July 1866.

 

BUCHANAN, DAVID M.

Rank and organization: Apprentice, U.S. Navy. Born: 1862, Philadelphia, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 246, 22 July 1879. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Saratoga off Battery, New York Harbor, 15 July 1879. On the morning of this date, Robert Lee Robey, apprentice, fell overboard from the after part of the ship into the tide which was running strong ebb at the time and, not being an expert swimmer, was in danger of drowning. Instantly springing over the rail after him, Buchanan never hesitated for an instant to remove even a portion of his clothing. Both men were picked up by the ship's boat following this act of heroism.

 

HAYDEN, JOHN

Rank and organization: Apprentice, U.S. Navy. Born: 1863, Washington, D.C. Accredited to: Washington, D.C. G.O. No.: 246, 22 July 1879. Citation: On board the U.S. Training Ship Saratoga. On the morning of 15 July 1879, while the Saratoga was anchored off the Battery, in New York Harbor, R. L. Robey, apprentice, fell overboard. As the tide was running strong ebb, the man, not being an expert swimmer, was in danger of drowning. David M. Buchanan, apprentice, instantly, without removing any of his clothing, jumped after him. Stripping himself, Hayden stood coolly watching the 2 in the water, and when he thought his services were required, made a dive from the rail and came up alongside them and rendered assistance until all 3 were picked up by a boat from the ship.

 

HAYS, GEORGE PRICE

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army 10th Field Artillery, 3d Division. Place and date: Near Greves Farm, France, 14-15 July 1918. Entered service at: Okarche, Oklahoma. Born: 27 September 1892, China. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. Citation: At the very outset of the unprecedented artillery bombardment by the enemy, his line of communication was destroyed beyond repair. Despite the hazard attached to the mission of runner, he immediately set out to establish contact with the neighboring post of command and further establish liaison with 2 French batteries, visiting their position so frequently that he was mainly responsible for the accurate fire therefrom. While thus engaged, 7 horses were shot under him and he was severely wounded. His activity under most severe fire was an important factor in checking the advance of the enemy.

 

Another Nise

*OTANI, KAZUO

Staff Sergeant Kazuo Otani distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 15 July 1944, near Pieve Di S. Luce, Italy. Advancing to attack a hill objective, Staff Sergeant Otani's platoon became pinned down in a wheat field by concentrated fire from enemy machine gun and sniper positions. Realizing the danger confronting his platoon, Staff Sergeant Otani left his cover and shot and killed a sniper who was firing with deadly effect upon the platoon. Followed by a steady stream of machine gun bullets, Staff Sergeant Otani then dashed across the open wheat field toward the foot of a cliff, and directed his men to crawl to the cover of the cliff. When the movement of the platoon drew heavy enemy fire, he dashed along the cliff toward the left flank, exposing himself to enemy fire. By attracting the attention of the enemy, he enabled the men closest to the cliff to reach cover. Organizing these men to guard against possible enemy counterattack, Staff Sergeant Otani again made his way across the open field, shouting instructions to the stranded men while continuing to draw enemy fire. Reaching the rear of the platoon position, he took partial cover in a shallow ditch and directed covering fire for the men who had begun to move forward. At this point, one of his men became seriously wounded. Ordering his men to remain under cover, Staff Sergeant Otani crawled to the wounded soldier who was lying on open ground in full view of the enemy. Dragging the wounded soldier to a shallow ditch, Staff Sergeant Otani proceeded to render first aid treatment, but was mortally wounded by machine gun fire. Staff Sergeant Otani's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 15, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

 

15 July

 

1920: KEY EVENT. Capt St. Clair Street led a flight of four DH-4s from Mitchel Field, New York, to Nome, Alaska, and back to Mitchel Field, covering 8,690 miles in 110 flying hours. (U.S. Air Service, "To Nome and Back," Clifford A. Tinker, Vol 3, No. 5) 1925: Dr. A. Hamilton Rice's Expedition, with Lt Walter Hinton piloting the Curtiss Seagull plane, returned from the Amazon after discovering the headwaters of the Amazon River. Rice's expedition was the first to use a plane for exploring. (24)

 

1933: Through 22 July, Wiley Post completed the first solo global flight in a Lockheed Vega, the "Winnie Mae." He flew the 15,596 miles in 7 days 18 hours 49 minutes at an average speed of 134.5 MPH. (9) (20)

 

1950: KOREAN WAR. The 51 FS (Provisional) at Taegu flew the first F-51 Mustang combat missions in Korea. Fifth Air Force assigned the "Mosquito" call signs to airborne controllers in T-6 aircraft. This name later became the aircraft's identifier. (28)

 

1952: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force fighter-bombers flew approximately 175 sorties against the Sungho-ri cement plant and a nearby locomotive repair facility. (28)

 

1954: The first jet-powered transport built in the US, the Boeing 707, the prototype for the KC-135 Stratotanker and the commercial Stratoliner, underwent flight testing near Seattle. (16) (24)

 

1958: Operation BLUE BAT. After the Iraqi government fell, tensions increased in Lebanon. This strain led Lebanon's President to seek US security assistance. TAC dispatched its Composite Air Strike Force BRAVO to the Middle East in 12 hours. By the 8 September end of the crisis, MATS aircraft had moved 5,500 passengers and 5,500 tons of cargo in 314 missions to support the strike force. (2) (24) 1961: The 341 SMW activated at Malmstrom AFB as SAC's first silo-based Minuteman wing. (1) (6)

 

1965: The Air Force awarded the first Minuteman III R&D contract to Boeing. (6)

 

1968: Commercial air service between the US and USSR began when an Ilyushin-62 aircraft of the Soviet flag carrier Aeroflot left Moscow. The aircraft landed at Kennedy IAP on 16 July after a 13-hour, 17-minute flight via Montreal. Pan American World Airways, the US flag carrier, flew two Boeing 707s from New York on 16 July to Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport via Copenhagen.

 

1970: Deputy SECDEF David Packard approved the Subsonic Cruise Aircraft Decoy (SCAD) for development. (6)

 

1973: LAST SEA COMBAT MISSION/VIETNAM SUMMARY. All US bombing in Cambodia ended after eight years of conventional operations in SEA. An A-7D from 354 TFW flew the last combat mission in SEA. Altogether, the USAF flew 5.25 million sorties over South Vietnam, North Vietnam, northern and southern Laos, and Cambodia. The USAF lost 2,251 planes—1,737 to hostile action and 514 for operational reasons—at a cost of $3,129,948,000. During the Vietnam War, tactical or intratheater airlift carried 7 million tons of passengers and cargo between 1962-1973. The Air Force Reserve made valuable contributions to strategic airlift operation. By October 1972, reserve aircrews had made 1,294 trips to Vietnam, delivering 30,434 tons of cargo and 3,600 personnel. Between 1964 and mid-August 1973, air rescue operations in Southeast Asia saved 3,883 lives. And from 9 June 1964 through 15 August 1973, KC-135s flew 194,687 sorties to supply 8,964 million pounds of fuel during 813,878 refuelings. They also routinely airlifted people, equipment, and aircraft parts between the US, forward bases, and bases in the Far East and Southeast Asia. (16) (26)

 

1975: Apollo XVIII. Astronauts Thomas Stafford, Vance Brand, and Donald "Deke" Slayton launched from Cape Canaveral to meet up with the Soyuz 19 cosmonauts. Mr. Slayton, at 51, became the oldest man to fly in space. He was also one of the original seven astronauts. This Apollo mission, when it ended on 24 July, was the last US manned space mission until the first space shuttle launch in 1981. (8: Jul 90)

 

1976: Mather AFB started interservice navigator training for Navy and Marine personnel. (16) (26)

 

1981: The first TR-1, a high-altitude tactical reconnaissance aircraft rolled out at Lockheed's plant in Palmdale. (12)

 

1982: SAC launched its 1,500 missile from Vandenberg AFB. (16) (26)

 

1985: Exercise READEX 85-2. Two B-52s from the 42 BMW simulated Harpoon launches as part of this US Atlantic Command exercise. The event marked the first Full Operational Test and Evaluation (FOT&E) of the Harpoon anti-ship missile. (16) (26)

 

1998: Raytheon Aircraft Company's first T-6A Texan II aircraft, or the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS), successfully completed its initial flight at Wichita, Kan. To meet Air Force and Navy primary aircraft training needs, the DoD decided to buy 740 T-6A aircraft, along with the accompanying JPATS Ground Based Training System. (AFNEWS Article 981039, 17 Jul 98)

 

2000: Whiteman AFB received the final B-2A from Northrop Grumman. It was the first test vehicle (AV-1 or Tail No. 82-1066), named Fatal Beauty. With its assignment to the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, the aircraft received a new name, Spirit of America. (21)

 

2002: The first production C-17 (P-86), fitted with the Block 13 software upgrade, arrived at McChord AFB. The Block 13 upgrade included a state-of-the-art Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS) and improved Station Keeping Equipment (SKE). The TAWS featured a terrain map to help aircrews detect and avoid terrain, while the upgraded SKE had a multi-functional display that enabled 18 aircraft to fly in formation within 10 nautical miles and up to 100 aircraft to fly in formation within 100 nautical miles. The new SKEs also allowed C-17 aircrews to perform formation airdrops in nearly all types of weather. (22)

 

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