The List 7377
To All
Good Saturday Morning December 6, 2025 . It is going to be clear all day again. The temps are supposed to hit 70 around 1. The next week will be clear for the most part. The temps will climb to 81 by Tuesday and then temps in the mid 70s for the next week. More work at the house today and I must go up to my school and move my martial arts equipment to another storage area. There is a lot so it will take me a while.
.Regards
skip
.HAGD
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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 94 H-Grams.
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
December 6
1861—During the Civil War, the side-wheel steam cruiser Augusta, commanded by Cmdr. Enoch G. Parrott, captures British blockade runner Cheshire off South Carolina.
1917—During World War I, German submarine U-53 torpedoes and sinks USS Jacob Jones (DD 61) off England with the loss of 64 lives. U-53's commanding officer, Hans Rose, in a rare gesture, reports the 38 survivors' drift location to the American base in Queenstown, Ireland.
1941—USS Decatur (DD 341), in Task Unit 4.1.4, while on escort duty with convoy ONS 39, carries out a depth charge attack on a suspicious contact in the North Atlantic.
1941—President Franklin D. Roosevelt sends a letter to the Japanese emperor reminding the Japanese leader of their country's long-standing relationship and his concern about developments occurring in the Pacific area.
1943—USS Raven (AM 55) rescues 16 survivors from U.S. tanker Touchet, which was sunk by German submarine U 193 three days earlier. The entire merchant complement of 50 men survived but 10 of the 30-man armed guard are lost with the ship.
1959—Cmdr. Lawrence E. Flint, Jr., piloting a McDonnell F4H-1 Phantom II powered by two GE J-79 engines, betters the existing world altitude record by reaching 98,560 feet above Edwards Air Force Base, CA. The previous record of 94,658 feet was reached in the USSR by a TU-431 jet.
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Today in World History December 6
1492 Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Santo Domingo in search of gold.
1776 Phi Beta Kappa, the first scholastic fraternity, is founded at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg.
1812 The majority of Napoleon Bonaparte's Grand Armeé staggers into Vilna, Lithuania, ending the failed Russian campaign.
1861 Union General George G. Meade leads a foraging expedition to Gunnell's farm near Dranesville, Virginia.
1862 President Abraham Lincoln orders the hanging of 39 of the 303 convicted Indians who participated in the Sioux Uprising in Minnesota. They are to be hanged on December 26.
1863 The monitor Weehawken sinks in Charleston Harbor.
1865 The 13th Amendment is ratified, abolishing slavery.
1876 Jack McCall is convicted for the murder of Wild Bill Hickok and sentenced to hang.
1877 Thomas A. Edison makes the first sound recording when he recites "Mary had a Little Lamb" into his phonograph machine.
1906 Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge flies a powered, man-carrying kite that carries him 168 feet in the air for seven minutes at Baddeck, Nova Scotia.
1917 The Bolsheviks imprison Czar Nicholas II and his family in Tobolsk.
1921 Ireland's 26 southern counties become independent from Britain forming the Irish Free State.
1922 Benito Mussolini threatens Italian newspapers with censorship if they keep reporting "false" information.
1934 American Ambassador Davis says Japan is a grave security threat in the Pacific.
1938 France and Germany sign a treaty of friendship.
1939 Britain agrees to send arms to Finland, which is fighting off a Soviet invasion.
1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt issues a personal appeal to Emperor Hirohito to use his influence to avoid war.
1945 The United States extends a $3 billion loan to Great Britain to help compensate for the termination of the Lend-Lease agreement.
1947 Florida's Everglades National Park is established.
1948 The "Pumpkin Spy Papers" are found on the Maryland farm of Whittaker Chambers. They become evidence that State Department employee Alger Hiss is spying for the Soviet Union.
1957 Vanguard TV3 explodes on the launch pad, thwarting the first US attempt to launch a satellite into Earth's orbit.
1967 Adrian Kantrowitz performs first human heart transplant in the US.
1969 Hells Angels, hired to provide security at a Rolling Stones concert at the Altamont Speedway in California, beat to death concert-goer Meredith Hunter.
1971 Pakistan severs diplomatic relations with India after New Delhi recognizes the state of Bangladesh.
1973 US House of Representatives confirms Gerald Ford as Vice-President of the United States, 387–35.
1975 A Provisional IRA unit takes a couple hostage in Balcombe Street, London, and a 6-day siege begins.
1976 Democrat Tip O'Neill is elected speaker of the House of Representatives. He will serve the longest consecutive term as speaker.
1992 The Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, India, is destroyed during a riot that started as a political protest.
2006 NASA reveals photographs from Mars Global Surveyor that suggest the presence of water on the red planet.
On December 6, 1884, in Washington, D.C., workers place a nine-inch aluminum pyramid inscribed with "Laus Deo," meaning praise (be) to God, atop a tower of white marble, completing the construction of an impressive monument to the city's namesake and the nation's first president, George Washington.
As early as 1783, the infant U.S. Congress decided that a statue of George Washington, the great Revolutionary War general, should be placed near the site of the new Congressional building, wherever it might be. After then-President Washington asked him to lay out a new federal capital on the Potomac River in 1791, architect Pierre L'Enfant left a place for the statue at the western end of the sweeping National Mall (near the monument's present location).
It wasn't until 1832, however–33 years after Washington's death–that anyone really did anything about the monument. That year, a private Washington National Monument Society was formed. After holding a design competition and choosing an elaborate Greek temple-like design by architect Robert Mills, the society began a fundraising drive to raise money for the statue's construction. These efforts–including appeals to the nation's schoolchildren–raised some $230,000, far short of the $1 million needed. Construction began anyway, on July 4, 1848, as representatives of the society laid the cornerstone of the monument: a 24,500-pound block of pure white marble.
Six years later, with funds running low, construction was halted. Around the time the Civil War began in 1861, author Mark Twain described the unfinished monument as looking like a "hollow, oversized chimney." No further progress was made until 1876–the centennial of American independence–when President Ulysses S. Grant authorized construction to be completed.
Made of some 36,000 blocks of marble and granite stacked 555 feet in the air, the monument was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in December 1884. In the six months following the dedication ceremony, over 10,000 people climbed the nearly 900 steps to the top of the Washington Monument. Today, an elevator makes the trip far easier, and more than 800,000 people visit the monument each year. A city law passed in 1910 restricted the height of new buildings to ensure that the monument will remain the tallest structure in Washington, D.C.—a fitting tribute to the man known as the "Father of His Country."
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Thanks to the Bear. We will always have the url for you to search items in Rolling Thunder
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER …
. rollingthunderremembered.com .
Thanks to Micro
From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..December 6
6-Dec: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=918
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/ )
By: Kipp Hanley
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Thanks to Barrett
"The thing is, helicopters are different from planes. An airplane by its very nature wants to fly and, if not interfered with too strongly by unusual events or by a deliberately incompetent pilot, it will fly. A helicopter does not want to fly. It is maintained in the air by a variety of forces and controls working in opposition to each other and, if there is any disturbance in this delicate balance, the helicopter stops flying; immediately and disastrously. There is no such thing as a gliding helicopter."
"This is why being a helicopter pilot is so different from being an airplane pilot, and why in generality, airplane pilots are open, clear-eyed, buoyant extroverts, and helicopter pilots are brooding introspective anticipators of trouble. They know if something bad has not happened it is about to."
Harry Reasoner
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For you history buffs like me
6 Empires That Changed the World
WORLD HISTORY
Much of human history has been defined by the actions of around 50 to 70 empires that once ruled large swathes of people across vast chunks of the globe. Each of these empires, whether large or small, for ill or for good, has influenced world history. It's hard to say which has had the greatest impact on society — it is, after all, somewhat subjective and hard to measure — but some have undeniably shaped the course of human history, forever and irrevocably. Here are six such empires, from the mighty Persians to the globe-spanning British.
Persian Empire
Around 550 BCE, Cyrus II of Persia — later to be known as Cyrus the Great — conquered a number of neighboring kingdoms, including Media and Babylon, and brought them together under his control. In so doing, he founded the first Persian Empire, also known as the Achaemenid Empire. Centered in modern-day Iran, it became one of the largest empires in history, stretching from Egypt and the Balkans to parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. For more than two centuries, the empire was a global center of culture, religion, science, arts, and technology. But then came the Persian ruler Xerxes, whose failed invasion of Greece in 480 BCE brought about a period of decline. Weakened, the Persian Empire eventually fell in 330 BCE at the hands of the invading armies of Alexander the Great of Macedonia.
Roman Empire
Following a period of unrest and civil wars — including the assassination of Julius Caesar — the Roman Republic came to an end and Augustus Caesar was crowned the first ruler of the new Roman Empire in 27 BCE. At its height in 117 CE, Rome controlled all the land from Western Europe to the Middle East, and was the most powerful political and military entity the world had yet seen. The impact of the Roman Empire on the modern world is hard to overstate. Our art, architecture, laws, technology, and engineering — even the very words we speak — have all been heavily influenced by the ancient Romans. But even an empire as mighty as Rome was destined to fall. A series of Gothic invasions heralded a general decline, and in 476 CE, the Western Roman Empire fell. The Eastern Roman Empire — also known as the Byzantine Empire — remained until 1453, but the glory days of the Roman Empire had reached their end.
Related:
Han Dynasty
Founded in 206 BCE and established by a commoner named Liu Bang, the Han dynasty was the second great imperial dynasty of China. It spanned more than four centuries and is considered a golden age in Chinese history. Despite much political turbulence, the dynasty helped cement Confucianism as the state religion and opened up a world-changing trade route with Europe: the Silk Road. The Han dynasty is also known for its many innovations that shaped the world as we know it today. Developments in everything from record-keeping to agriculture and health care had a global impact, while inventions such as the rudder, the blast furnace, the wheelbarrow, suspension bridges, and paper forever changed the way we live.
Mongol Empire
At the height of its powers, the Mongol Empire covered around 9 million square miles, making it the largest contiguous land empire the world has ever seen. The empire was founded by Genghis Khan, a former tribal leader, in 1206. Genghis' early victories gave him control of the whole of what is now Mongolia. He and his fearsome armies then engaged in a period of aggressive expansion that conquered most of Eurasia, leaving a trail of ruin in its wake. But the Mongol Empire was far more complex than its notorious hordes would suggest. Under Genghis and his successors, the Mongols reformed his people's laws, created a military-feudal form of government, and enhanced trade (including along the Silk Road) throughout his conquered territories. His armies, meanwhile, were quick to adopt advanced technologies of the time, such as powerful siege weapons and possibly gunpowder, while perfecting their mounted hit-and-run tactics. The Mongols were also innovators who, through their expansion, helped introduce military technology to new lands, including their famed composite bow and stirrups.
Ottoman Empire
From humble beginnings as a provincial principality in Anatolia (part of modern-day Turkey), the Ottoman Empire rose to become one of the most powerful and long-lasting empires in history, spanning an incredible six centuries from the early 1300s to the aftermath of World War I. The Islamic superpower ruled large swathes of the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and North Africa, and reached the height of its powers under the appropriately named Suleiman the Magnificent. Suleiman, who ruled the empire from 1520 to 1566, brought about a golden age of geographic expansion, trade, economic growth, and huge cultural and artistic developments, while forging an empire that embraced ethnic diversity and religious tolerance.
British Empire
The British Empire remains the largest empire the world has ever seen. Beginning with overseas colonies in the Americas in the 16th century, British expansion then accelerated in the 18th century, particularly in Asia. With the aid of the London-based East India Company, the empire established trading posts around the world, which in turn developed into a worldwide system of dependencies, including colonies and protectorates. At its height in the early 20th century, the British Empire covered around 25% of the world's land surface, including large parts of North America, Australia, Africa, and Asia. In 1913, it ruled over some 412 million inhabitants in its entirety — about 23% of the world's population at the time. Such a vast territory was unsustainable, however, and, as more and more nations fought for their independence, the empire began to crumble. But the influence of the British Empire upon the world was massive — and remains a hugely controversial subject. Once a source of pride in Britain, the nation's imperial past is now more often seen as a dark and often brutal period of colonialism. Since the decline of the empire, more than 60 countries have gained their independence from the United Kingdom.
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From the archives
3 December 1945
December 3, 2023Aviation"Winkle" Brown, Air Force Cross, Aircraft Carrier, Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, de Havilland Aircraft Co. Ltd., De Havilland DH.100 Sea Vampire Mk.10, Distinguished Service Cross, HMS Ocean (R68), King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, LZ551/G, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Test PilotBryan Swopes
3 December 1945: The first landing and takeoff aboard an aircraft carrier by a jet-powered aircraft were made by Lieutenant-Commander Eric Melrose Brown, M.B.E., D.S.C., R.N.V.R., Chief Naval Test Pilot at RAE Farnborough, while flying a de Havilland DH.100 Sea Vampire Mk.10, LZ551/G. The ship was the Royal Navy Colossus-class light aircraft carrier, HMS Ocean (R68), under the command of Captain Casper John, R.N.
For his actions in these tests, Lieutenant-Commander Brown was invested an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.), 19 February 1946.
LZ551 was the second of three prototype DH.100 Vampires, which first flew 17 March 1944. The airplane was used for flight testing and then in 1945, was modified for operation for carriers. It was named "Sea Vampire" and reclassified as Mk.10.
The DH.100 was a single-seat, single-engine fighter powered by a turbojet engine. The twin tail boom configuration of the airplane was intended to allow a short exhaust tract for the engine, reducing power loss in the early jet engines available at the time.
LZ551/G was originally powered by a Halford H.1 turbojet which produced 2,300 pounds of thrust (10.231 kilonewtons) at 9,300 r.p.m. This engine was produced by de Havilland and named Goblin.
The Vampire entered service with the Royal Air Force in 1945 and remained a front-line fighter until 1953. 3,268 DH.100s were built. There were two prototype Sea Vampires (including LZ551) followed by 18 production Sea Vampire FB.5 fighter bombers and 73 Sea Vampire T.22 two-place trainers.
Captain Eric ("Winkle") Brown, RNAS, aboard HMS Ocean, 3 December 1945. (Daily Mail)
Lieutenant-Commander Eric ("Winkle") Brown, MBE, DSC, RNVR, with the second prototype de Havilland DH.100, LZ551, aboard HMS Ocean, 3 December 1945. (Daily Mail)
HMS Ocean was built at the Alexander Stephen and Sons yard on the Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland. The ship was launched in 1944 and commissioned 8 August 1945. Classed as a light fleet carrier, HMS Ocean was 630 feet (192 meters) long at the water line, with a beam of 80 feet, 1 inch (24.41 meters) and standard draft of 18 feet, 6 inches (5.64 meters) at 13,190 tons displacement; 23 feet, 3 inches (7.09 meters), at full load displacement (18,000 tons). The aircraft carrier's flight deck was 695 feet, 6 inches (212.0 meters) long. Ocean was driven by four Parsons geared steam turbines producing 40,000 shaft horsepower, and had a maximum speed of 25 knots (28.8 miles per hour/46.3 kilometers per hour). HMS Ocean had a crew of 1,050 sailors, and could carry 52 aircraft.
HMS Ocean served for twelve years before being placed in reserve. Five years later, she was scrapped at Faslane, Scotland.
Captain Eric Melrose Brown, C.B.E., D.S.C., A.F.C., KCVSA, Ph.D., Hon. F.R.Ae.S., R.N., is one of aviation's greatest test pilots. He was born at Leith, Scotland, 21 January 1918, the son of Robert John Brown and Euphemia Melrose Brown. His father, a Royal Air Force officer, took him for his first flight at the age of 8. He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh, Scotland; Fettes College; and at the University of Edinburgh. He received a Master of Arts degree from the university in 1947.
Eric Brown volunteered for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, 4 December 1939. Having previously learned to fly at the University Air Squadron, Brown was sent to a Flying Refresher Course at RNAS Sydenham, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Brown received a commission as a temporary Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, 26 November 1940. He briefly served with No. 801 Squadron before being transferred to No. 802 Squadron. He flew the Grumman G-36A Martlet Mk.I (the export version of the U.S. Navy F4F-3 Wildcat fighter) from the escort carrier HMS Audacity (D10) on Gibraltar convoys.
Having shot down several enemy aircraft, including two Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor four-engine patrol bombers, Brown was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. HMS Audacity was sunk by enemy submarines in the Atlantic, 21 December 1941. Brown was one of only 24 to escape from the sinking ship, but only he and one other survived long enough in the frigid water to be rescued.
Brown was promoted to lieutenant, 1 April 1943. After a number of operational assignments, Lieutenant Brown was assigned to the Naval Test Squadron at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down, in December 1943. The following month Brown was named Chief Naval Test Pilot at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough. He held that post until 1949.
In July 1945, Eric Brown was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-commander (temporary), and then, following the war, he was transferred from the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve to the Royal Navy, and appointed a lieutenant with date of rank to 1 April 1943.
Lieutenant Brown was awarded the King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in the New Year's Honours List, 1949. Brown returned to No. 802 Squadron during the Korean War, flying from the aircraft carriers HMS Vengeance (R71) and HMS Indomitable (92). He was promoted to lieutenant-commander, 1 April 1951. In September 1951, Brown resumed flight testing as an exchange officer at the U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland.
In 1953, Lieutenant-Commander Brown was a ship's officer aboard HMS Rocket (H92), an anti-submarine frigate. He was promoted to commander, 31 December 1953. After a helicopter refresher course, Brown commanded a Search-and-Rescue (SAR) helicopter flight aboard HMS Illustrious. He next commanded No. 804 Squadron based at RNAS Lossiemouth, then went on to command RNAS Brawdy at Pembrokeshire, Wales.
From 1958 to 1960, Commander Brown was the head of the British Naval Air Mission to Germany. He then held several senior positions in air defense within the Ministry of Defence. He was promoted to captain 31 December 1960.
From 1964 to 1967, Brown was the Naval Attache at Bonn, Germany. He next commanded RNAS Lossiemouth, 1967–1970.
Captain Brown's final military assignment was as Aide-de-camp to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
Eric M. Brown was invested a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.), 3 July 1945, for landings of a de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito aboard HMS Indefatigable, 2 May 1944. On 1 January 1970, Captain Brown was named a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.) in the Queen's New Years Honours List.
Captain Eric Melrose Brown, C.B.E., D.S.C., A.F.C., K.C.V.S.A., Ph.D. Hon. F.R.Ae.S., R.N., retired from active duty 12 March 1970.
At that time, he had accumulated more than 18,000 flight hours, with over 8,000 hours as a test pilot. Captain Brown had flown 487 different aircraft types (not variants), a record which is unlikely to ever be broken. Brown made more landings on aircraft carriers than any other pilot, with 2407 landings, fixed wing, and 212 landings, helicopter. He made 2,721 catapult launches, both at sea and on land.
In 1982 and 1983, Captain Brown served as president of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Eric "Winkle" Brown died at Redhill, Surrey, England, 21 February 2016, at the age of 97 years.
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I have been using one for many years. I had been in denial for a longtime until a new VA doctor at the VA told me to get a sleep study done. I did not do it. You have not lived until you have been chewed out over the phone by a 90 pound Chinese doctor. So I went down and picked up all the stuff and hooked myself up and went to sleep that night. It was a typical night where I woke up many times but got back to sleep. The next morning I went back down to the VA and turned the stuff in back in and figured that was the end of that. I got a call over the weekend she told me I had an appointment at 0730 at the VA and not to miss it. It took a while to find the place because the VA was in the middle of a major overhaul. I found the place and there were about 10 people there. A nice lady checked me in and showed me where to sit and there was a small machine there. I asked her what it was and she told me. I told her that I did not need anything like that and she just smiled and pulled out my record and told me the I had almost broke the record for stopping breathing during the test 39 times.. So I started listening to her. Tomorrow I will tell you about the first night trying to use it….skip
Early Sleep Apnea Intervention May Significantly Reduce Parkinson's Risk
AndreyPopov/ iStock
Those with untreated obstructive sleep apnea may be more at risk for developing Parkinson's disease, according to research published last week. But the study revealed some good news, too: Subjects who began using a CPAP machine within two years of their sleep apnea diagnosis were around 30% less likely to develop the disease.
The researchers analyzed health records from over 11 million men and women, all U.S. veterans, from between 1999 and 2002. They found that those diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea — a condition that can block your body from getting enough oxygen during sleep — who did not use a CPAP device were nearly twice as likely to have Parkinson's disease up to six years later compared to those who did. "If your brain is not getting the right amount of oxygen night in and night out, that could be kind of one hit along the pathway to developing Parkinson's," lead author Lee Neilson told ABC News.
The CPAP machine, which helps open airways to improve oxygen flow, may "build in some resilience against neurodegenerative conditions" like Parkinson's, Neilson said in a news release. Co-author Gregory Scott added that many of the veterans he treats love using their machines, and he hopes the new research will encourage more widespread use: "They feel better, they're less tired. Perhaps if others know about this reduction in risk of Parkinson's disease, it will further convince people with sleep apnea to give CPAP a try."
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Thanks to 1440
One Big Headline
Netflix Wins Warner Bros.
Netflix yesterday announced an agreement to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's studios and streaming services—including DC Studios and HBO Max—in a cash-and-stock deal valuing the enterprise at $82.7B. The transaction is expected to close next year, after Warner completes a previously planned separation of its studio and streaming assets (Warner Bros.) from its cable division (Discovery Global).
The purchase marks a milestone in Netflix's evolution from a DVD-by-mail rental service in 1998 to an on-demand content platform and production studio behind hits from "Stranger Things" to "Squid Game." Under the deal, Netflix has agreed to honor Warner Bros.' existing contracts for film releases. Netflix will also assume ownership of Warner Bros.' century-old content library, spanning from the 1939 "The Wizard of Oz" to the DC Universe and the "Harry Potter" franchise.
Paramount Skydance, which also bid for Warner's assets, is questioning the fairness of the sale process and raising potential antitrust concerns about Netflix's merger.
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This Day in U S Military History
December 6
1917 – At 9:05 a.m., in the harbor of Halifax in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, the most devastating manmade explosion in the pre-atomic age occurs when the Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship, explodes 20 minutes after colliding with another vessel. As World War I raged in Europe, the port city of Halifax bustled with ships carrying troops, relief supplies, and munitions across the Atlantic Ocean. On the morning of December 6, the Norwegian vessel Imo left its mooring in Halifax harbor for New York City. At the same time, the French freighter Mont Blanc, its cargo hold packed with highly explosive munitions–2,300 tons of picric acid, 200 tons of TNT, 35 tons of high-octane gasoline, and 10 tons of gun cotton–was forging through the harbor's narrows to join a military convoy that would escort it across the Atlantic. At approximately 8:45 a.m., the two ships collided, setting the picric acid ablaze. The Mont Blanc was propelled toward the shore by its collision with the Imo, and the crew rapidly abandoned the ship, attempting without success to alert the harbor of the peril of the burning ship. Spectators gathered along the waterfront to witness the spectacle of the blazing ship, and minutes later it brushed by a harbor pier, setting it ablaze. The Halifax Fire Department responded quickly and was positioning its engine next to the nearest hydrant when the Mont Blanc exploded at 9:05 a.m. in a blinding white flash. The massive explosion killed more than 1,800 people, injured another 9,000–including blinding 200–and destroyed almost the entire north end of the city of Halifax, including more than 1,600 homes. The resulting shock wave shattered windows 50 miles away, and the sound of the explosion could be heard hundreds of miles away. Coast Guardsmen from the CGC Morrill were landed to provide assistance. This disaster led to the creation of captains of the ports for the major U.S. ports. The Coast Guard was tasked with the new duty.
1941 – President Roosevelt-convinced on the basis of intelligence reports that the Japanese fleet is headed for Thailand, not the United States-telegrams Emperor Hirohito with the request that "for the sake of humanity," the emperor intervene "to prevent further death and destruction in the world." The Royal Australian Air Force had sighted Japanese escorts, cruisers, and destroyers on patrol near the Malayan coast, south of Cape Cambodia. An Aussie pilot managed to radio that it looked as if the Japanese warships were headed for Thailand-just before he was shot down by the Japanese. Back in England, Prime Minister Churchill called a meeting of his chiefs of staff to discuss the crisis. While reports were coming in describing Thailand as the Japanese destination, they began to question whether it could have been a diversion. British intelligence had intercepted the Japanese code "Raffles," a warning to the Japanese fleet to be on alert-but for what? Britain was already preparing Operation Matador, the launching of their 11th Indian Division into Thailand to meet the presumed Japanese invasion force. But at the last minute, Air Marshall Brooke-Popham received word not to cross the Thai border for fear that it would provoke a Japanese attack if, in fact, the warship movement was merely a bluff. Meanwhile, 600 miles northwest of Hawaii, Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese fleet, announced to his men: "The rise or fall of the empire depends upon this battle. Everyone will do his duty with utmost efforts." Thailand was, in fact, a bluff. Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii was confirmed for Yamamoto as the Japanese target, after the Japanese consul in Hawaii had reported to Tokyo that a significant portion of the U.S. Pacific fleet would be anchored in the harbor-sitting ducks. The following morning, Sunday, December 7, was a good day to begin a raid. "The son of man has just sent his final message to the son of God," FDR joked to Eleanor after sending off his telegram to Hirohito, who in the Shinto tradition of Japan was deemed a god. As he enjoyed his stamp collection and chatted with Harry Hopkins, his personal adviser, news reached him of Japan's formal rejection of America's 10-point proposals for peace and an end to economic sanctions and the oil embargo placed on the Axis power. "This means war," the president declared. Hopkins recommended an American first strike. "No, we can't do that," Roosevelt countered. "We are a democracy and a peaceful people."
1948 – The "Pumpkin spy papers" were found on the Maryland farm of Whittaker Chambers. They became evidence that State Department employee Alger Hiss was spying for the Soviet Union.
1950 – Fifth Air Force jets and Australian F-51 Mustangs were credited with killing 2,500 enemy troops in an attack near Pyongyang. This did not, however, prevent the Chinese communists from occupying the North Korean capitol.
1972 – Fighting in South Vietnam intensifies as the secret Paris peace talks resume after a 24-hour break. The renewed combat was a result of both sides trying to achieve a positional advantage in the countryside in preparation for the possibility that a cease-fire might be worked out in Paris. Tan Son Nhut, one of two major airports near Saigon, is hit by the heaviest communist rocket attack in four years. One U.S. rescue helicopter was destroyed and a fuel dump was set ablaze. In response, U.S. planes bombed suspected Viet Cong positions within 10 miles of the airport. These strikes were followed by South Vietnamese troop attacks against the area from which the rockets were fired. Elsewhere in South Vietnam, fighting continued around Quang Tri, south of the Demilitarized Zone. Quang Tri fell to the North Vietnamese during their spring offensive earlier in the year. South Vietnamese forces reclaimed the city from the communists in September, but fighting continued in the areas around the city.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
DITZENBACK, JOHN
Rank and organization: Quartermaster, U.S. Navy. Born: 1828, New York, N.Y. Accredited to: Indiana. G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865. Citation: Served on board the U.S. Monitor Neosho during the engagement with enemy batteries at Bells Mills, Cumberland River, near Nashville, Tenn., 6 December 1864. Carrying out his duties courageously during the engagement, Ditzenback gallantly left the pilot house after the flag and signal staffs of that vessel had been shot away and, taking the flag which was drooping over the wheelhouse, made it fast to the stump of the highest mast remaining, although the ship was still under a heavy fire from the enemy.
FERRELL, JOHN H.
Rank and organization: Pilot, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Illinois. Born: 15 April 1823, Tennessee. G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865. Citation: Served on board the U.S. Monitor Neosho during the engagement with enemy batteries at Bells Mills, Cumberland River, near Nashville, Tenn., 6 December 1864. Carrying out his duties courageously during the engagement, Ferrell gallantly left the pilothouse after the flag and signal staffs of that vessel had been shot away and, taking the flag which was drooping over the wheelhouse, make it fast to the stump of the highest mast remaining although the ship was still under a heavy fire from the enemy.
LITEKY, ANGELO J.
Rank and organization: Chaplain (Capt.), U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 199th Infantry Brigade. place and date: Near Phuoc-Lac, Bien Hoa province, Republic of Vietnam, 6 December 1967 . Entered service at: Fort Hamilton, N.Y. Born: 14 February 1931, Washington, D.C. Citation: Chaplain Liteky distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while serving with Company A, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade. He was participating in a search and destroy operation when Company A came under intense fire from a battalion size enemy force. Momentarily stunned from the immediate encounter that ensued, the men hugged the ground for cover. Observing 2 wounded men, Chaplain Liteky moved to within 15 meters of an enemy machine gun position to reach them, placing himself between the enemy and the wounded men. When there was a brief respite in the fighting, he managed to drag them to the relative safety of the landing zone. Inspired by his courageous actions, the company rallied and began placing a heavy volume of fire upon the enemy's positions. In a magnificent display of courage and leadership, Chaplain Liteky began moving upright through the enemy fire, administering last rites to the dying and evacuating the wounded. Noticing another trapped and seriously wounded man, Chaplain Liteky crawled to his aid. Realizing that the wounded man was too heavy to carry, he rolled on his back, placed the man on his chest and through sheer determination and fortitude crawled back to the landing zone using his elbows and heels to push himself along. pausing for breath momentarily, he returned to the action and came upon a man entangled in the dense, thorny underbrush. Once more intense enemy fire was directed at him, but Chaplain Liteky stood his ground and calmly broke the vines and carried the man to the landing zone for evacuation. On several occasions when the landing zone was under small arms and rocket fire, Chaplain Liteky stood up in the face of hostile fire and personally directed the medivac helicopters into and out of the area. With the wounded safely evacuated, Chaplain Liteky returned to the perimeter, constantly encouraging and inspiring the men. Upon the unit's relief on the morning of 7 December 1967, it was discovered that despite painful wounds in the neck and foot, Chaplain Liteky had personally carried over 20 men to the landing zone for evacuation during the savage fighting. Through his indomitable inspiration and heroic actions, Chaplain Liteky saved the lives of a number of his comrades and enabled the company to repulse the enemy. Chaplain Liteky's actions reflect great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for December 6, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
6 December
1907: Lt Thomas E. Selfridge flew Alexander Graham Bell's kite, Cygnet I. It was towed by a motorboat tug and stayed aloft for 7 minutes over Bras d'Or Lake, Nova Scotia. (24)
1944: In New York, Roy W. Howard, President of Scripps-Howard Newspapers, received the Frank M. Hawks Memorial Award from the American Legion's Air Service Post 501 for outstanding aid and cooperation in developing aviation. (24)
1950: KOREAN WAR. The 27 FEW, a SAC unit from Bergstrom AFB, launched the first F-84E Thunderjet mission in the war from Taegu airfield. (1) (28)
1954: The Curtiss-Wright Corporation revealed the existence of what was believed to be the first rocket engine with throttle control. This control made extended flight range in supersonic airplanes possible. (24)
1957: The Vanguard vehicle failed in its attempt to launch the first US satellite. It exploded on its launch platform. (21)
1959: At Edwards AFB, Cmdr Lawrence E. Flint (USN) flew McDonnell's F4H Phantom II to 98,560 feet to set a FAI record. (9) (24) Capt Walter J. Hodgson flew an H-43B helicopter at Bloomfield, Ct., to a 29,846-foot altitude record for Class E1D helicopters. (3) First Martin Titan II, a large two-stage ICBM, launched. (12)
1961: In a joint Navy-Air Force ceremony, new wings were pinned on American astronauts, Cmdr Alan B. Shepard (USN) and Capt Virgil I Grissom. The new design displayed a shooting star superimposed on the traditional aviator wings of the respective services.
1963: Maj Robert W. Smith piloted the NF-104A Aerospace Trainer, with its ballistic controls (attitude control nozzles on the wing tips, nose, and tail) and a 6,000-pound thrust rocket engine, to 120,800 feet above Edwards AFB. (3)
1966: The first of five Applications Technology Satellites (ATS-1), carrying 15 communications, technology, and scientific experiments, launched at Cape Kennedy. On 9 December, ATS-1 took the world's first high-quality photos of the earth from synchronous orbit altitudes.
1983: The United States and Germany signed the cooperative Patriot/Roland air defense agreement. (4) The National Transonic Tunnel, a wind tunnel to test ultra-fast aircraft, dedicated at Langley AFB. (26)
1985: The Air Force accepted the 18th and last C-23A Sherpa. On 7 December, the C-23 joined the 10 MAS at Zweibruken AB, Germany, with a mission to deliver engines and spares throughout the theater. (8: Dec 90) At Barksdale AFB, La., SAC's KC-10 Extender squadron, the 32 AREFS, reached full operational capability. (16) (26)
1989: Boeing rolled the prototype MH-47E helicopter at Ridley Township, Pa. It had oversized composite fuel pods, an air-to-air refueling system, an internal cargo handling system, and a rescue hoist and Fastrope rappelling system among its new features. The Army expected the first of 50 such helicopters to be delivered in 1992. (8: Feb 90)
1991: Following Cyclone Zelda, the 834th Airlift Division sent six C-130 Hercules with supplies to provide relief to people at Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. (16) (26)
1992: Through 20 December, six C-5 missions moved 415 tons of engineering vehicles and equipment to Islamabad, Pakistan, to help with flood damage. (16)
1995: Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR. USAF airlifters started moving troops and equipment to Bosnia to support this NATO operation to implement peace between Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia. (16) (26)
2002: The AFFTC at Edwards AFB had the X-45A UCAV and a Global Hawk airborne on test missions at the same time. This marked the first time that two unmanned aircraft from two different programs were airborne simultaneously. (3)
2005: During a ten-second ground test at Edwards AFB, the Airborne Laser's megawatt-class chemical laser released enough energy to destroy a ballistic missile in its boost phase. The test met a major program milestone. (3)
2001: Operation NOBLE EAGLE. The 125th Fighter Wing (Florida Air National Guard) sent its F-15s to patrol the skies over the Kennedy Space Center for the Space Shuttle Endeavour launch. It was the first shuttle launch since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S.
One of the many locations covered by Operation Noble Eagle was the space shuttle launch facility at the Kennedy Space Center. Protecting the space shuttle Endeavour, this Florida Air National Guard F-15 from the 125th Fighter Wing in Jacksonville is just one of the hundreds of military aircraft protecting the nation's assets daily. The Endeavour, the last space shuttle built for NASA and the last to be retired, flew 25 missions during its 20 years of service. All of the space shuttles that occupied the launch pad from September 2001 to the end of the space shuttle era were protected under Operation Noble Eagle.
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Thanks to Brett
Kazakhstan's Strategic Breakout: The Abraham Accords as a Route to the High Seas
For Astana, joining the framework is about solving its own landlocked condition.
By: Kamran Bokhari
Kazakhstan's decision last month to join the Abraham Accords carries strategic implications that extend far beyond efforts to wind down the eight-decade conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbors. For Astana, the move is part of a strategy to overcome its constraints as a landlocked country and dilute the structural dominance that Russia and China wield over Central Asia. The Middle East is Central Asia's most direct corridor to the high seas, and Kazakh leaders recognize that securing access to this region is best achieved by cooperating with the U.S.-led geostrategic architecture shaping the contemporary Middle East.
On Nov. 6, Kazakhstan announced that it would join the Abraham Accords, a move that received far less attention than its strategic significance warrants. The announcement came during a meeting between Kazakh President Kassym Jomart Tokayev and U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the first-ever U.S.-Central Asia leaders' summit in Washington, which underscored the United States' heightened engagement with the region. During the Trump Tokayev meeting, the two leaders held a joint call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A day later, Astana's Foreign Ministry formally confirmed the accession, framing it as a decision "solely in the interests of Kazakhstan" and reflective of its signature multivector foreign policy paradigm.
Bordering both Russia and China, Kazakhstan's rise as a middle power makes it a strategic partner for the United States. Its ascent aligns with the Trump administration's strategy to leverage its partnerships with allied states to maintain regional security and global stability. In assuming this role, Astana is trying to offset the disproportionate influence Moscow and Beijing have long had in Central Asia, the one region historically least influenced by Washington. By extending its reach into the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a bridge linking U.S. objectives across Eurasia, reinforcing its geostrategic relevance.
Central Asia and the Middle East have a long history of layered connectivity, rooted in the movement of peoples, trade and empires. The Arab conquest of Persia in the 7th century not only reshaped the Iranian plateau but also served as a springboard for sustained contact with the Turkic peoples of Central Asia, facilitating the exchange of culture, religion and military influence. Over subsequent centuries, Turkic forces, from the Seljuks to the Ottomans, migrated and expanded southward and westward, eventually dominating large portions of the Middle East. This historical interplay underscores the enduring geostrategic logic of linking Central Asia with the Middle East, a connectivity Kazakhstan now seeks to exploit.
The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan all joined the Abraham Accords in 2020, establishing formal relations with Israel. Kazakhstan, however, is unique among the list of signatories in that it has had formal diplomatic ties with Israel since 1992. The move places Kazakhstan in a delicate position, particularly given the devastating two-year war in Gaza, which has left influential actors like Saudi Arabia reluctant to normalize relations with Israel. Close Kazakh ally Turkey, despite having diplomatic ties with Israel since 1948, remains adversarial toward Israel, adding another layer of regional complexity. So, the question is: Why would Kazakhstan engage in such a risky endeavor at this time?
Kazakhstan is trapped by geography, hemmed in by Russia to the north, China to the east and several unstable states – Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan – to the south of Central Asia. Across the Caspian, the South Caucasus has seen progress in terms of the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (also known as the Middle Corridor), recently enhanced by the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. The shortest and most strategic outlet, however, lies to the southwest, toward the Middle East and the high seas. However, the Middle East has long been mired in numerous conflicts.
The two years since Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks in Israel have profoundly reshaped the Middle East, weakening Iran's regional influence and creating openings for new power alignments. The United States has leveraged this shift to construct a new architecture aimed at balancing the interests of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Kazakhstan views this evolving framework as a strategic opportunity to extend its influence beyond Central Asia and secure access to critical southwestern corridors. By aligning with the Trump administration's signature foreign policy initiative, the Abraham Accords, Tokayev's government is positioning itself as a player in the Middle East.
Kazakhstan has observed how Azerbaijan has leveraged its close ties with both Turkey and Israel to advance its own regional influence through diplomatic and energy initiatives in Syria. Baku's experience demonstrates the strategic benefits of anchoring to established Middle Eastern networks. Situated east of the Caspian and north of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan is geographically more distant than Azerbaijan from the Middle East and lacks direct avenues for influence. This gap underpins Astana's decision to sign on to the Abraham Accords, providing a U.S.-backed conduit to enhance its influence in a critical region.
Key to the Middle East strategies of both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan is Iran. Whereas Azerbaijan has historical and cultural ties to Iran that complicate its relationship with the government in Tehran, Kazakhstan has no such obstacles. Indeed, for Astana, the shortest and most strategically valuable route to the high seas passes through Iranian territory, making stability in Tehran essential to meeting its connectivity and trade objectives. Astana therefore has a clear interest in seeing the U.S. and Iran reach a durable understanding, which could help open transit corridors and regional commerce.
Kazakhstan is closely watching Iran's political evolution, particularly the weakening of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the search for a successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recognizing that these dynamics will directly shape its geostrategic options. Kazakhstan will face a delicate balancing act: maintaining close ties with fellow Turkic nations Turkey and Azerbaijan while enhancing economic engagement with Iran. Deep cultural and historical affinities with Turkey and Azerbaijan reinforce Astana's regional influence but also impose political sensitivities, particularly given Tehran's wary stance toward pan-Turkic initiatives. After all, Turkey and Iran have long been competitors for influence in the Middle East.
Kazakhstan is thus facing a series of obstacles in its quest for sea access and regional clout. Its signing of the Abraham Accords provides a framework to navigate a complex regional landscape, enabling it to influence dynamics in ways that serve its broader geostrategic objectives. Access to the Gulf region through Iran and the Middle East also opens avenues to deepen its growing relations with major Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in areas such as trade, investment and energy.
By leveraging these multifaceted relationships, Kazakhstan seeks to overcome its landlocked status, integrating Central Asia more effectively into global geoeconomic networks. How these developments unfold will directly shape Kazakhstan's ability to project influence, secure connectivity and move beyond its geographic limitations, including its shared borders with Russia and China – key drivers in Astana's pursuit of alignment with the U.S. framework for the Middle East.
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