The List 7385
To All
Good Sunday Morning December 14 2025 . It is supposed to be cloudy all day but it is clear right now and 48. The weather guessers are still busy changing their guesses Last night when I let the dogs out around 10 it was very pea soup foggy and the visibility was in yards. This morning it is clear and the sun will be up in a bit. The temps are supposed to climb to 68 by 1 or 2.
Counting today we have 11 shopping days left before Christmas.
.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.
December 14
1814 Under the command of Commodore Thomas Catesby Jones, U.S. gunboats, along with Sea Horse and Alligator, engage the British during the Battle of Lake Borgne, La. Though the American flotilla is defeated, the engagement delays the British attack on New Orleans for nine days, buying precious time for Gen. Andrew Jacksons successful defense of New Orleans.
1911 USS California (ACR 6) breaks a red, white, and blue ribbon stretched across a Hawaiian channel to become the first ship to call on Pearl Harbor after it becomes a naval base.
1944 The rank of Fleet Admiral (five-star admiral) of the U.S. Navy is established during World War II due to the rapid build-up of U.S. military forces. The first five-star admirals are: William D. Leahy, Ernest J. King, and Chester W. Nimitz. Adm. William F. Halsey joined the selected group Dec. 11, 1945.
1944 Task Force 38 aircraft begins the attack on Japanese transport Oryoku Maru which, unbeknownst to the Task Force, is carrying approximately 1,600 Allied prisoners of war. The following day, the ship is sunk at Subic Bay.
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This Day In World History 14 December
1799 George Washington dies on his Mount Vernon estate.
1819 Alabama is admitted as the 22nd state, making 11 slave states and 11 free states.
1861 Prince Albert of England, one of the Union's strongest advocates, dies.
1863 Confederate General James Longstreet attacks Union troops at Bean's Station, Tenn.
1900 Max Planck presents the quantum theory at the Physics Society in Berlin.
1906 The first U1 submarine is brought into service in Germany. Italy's MAS torpedo boats.
1908 The first truly representative Turkish Parliament opens.
1909 The Labor Conference in Pittsburgh ends with a "declaration of war" on U.S. Steel.
1911 Roald Amundsen and four others discover the South Pole.
1920 The League of Nations creates a credit system to aid Europe.
1939 The League of Nations drops the Soviet Union from its membership. Joseph Avenol sold out the League of Nations.
1941 German Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel orders the construction of defensive positions along the European coastline. Desperate Hours on Omaha Beach
1946 The United Nations adopt a disarmament resolution prohibiting the A-Bomb.
1949 Bulgarian ex-Premier Traicho Kostov is sentenced to die for treason in Sofia.
1960 A U.S. Boeing B-52 bomber sets a 10,000-mile non-stop record without refueling.
1980 NATO warns the Soviets to stay out of the internal affairs of Poland, saying that intervention would effectively destroy the détente between the East and West.
1981 Israel's Knesset passes the Golan Heights Law, extending Israeli law to the Golan Heights area.
1994 Construction begins on China's Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River.
1995 The Dayton Agreement signed in Paris; establishes a general framework for ending the Bosnian War between Bosnia and Herzegovina.
1999 Tens of thousands die as a result of flash floods caused by torrential rains in Vargas, Venezuela.
2003 Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan, narrowly escapes and assassination attempt.
2004 The Millau Viaduct, the world's tallest bridge, official opens near Millau, France.
2008 Iraqi broadcast journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi throws his shoes at US President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad.
2012 At Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Conn., 20 children and six adults are shot to death by a 20-year-old gunman who then commits suicide.
More Amundsen On December 14, 1911, Norwegian Roald Amundsen becomes the first explorer to reach the South Pole, beating his British rival, Robert Falcon Scott.
Amundsen, born in Borge, near Oslo, in 1872, was one of the great figures in polar exploration. In 1897, he was first mate on a Belgian expedition that was the first ever to winter in the Antarctic. In 1903, he guided the 47-ton sloop Gjöa through the Northwest Passage and around the Canadian coast, the first navigator to accomplish the treacherous journey. Amundsen planned to be the first man to the North Pole, and he was about to embark in 1909 when he learned that the American Robert Peary had achieved the feat.
Amundsen completed his preparations and in June 1910 sailed instead for Antarctica, where the English explorer Robert F. Scott was also headed with the aim of reaching the South Pole. In early 1911, Amundsen sailed his ship into Antarctica's Bay of Whales and set up base camp 60 miles closer to the pole than Scott. In October, both explorers set off—Amundsen using sleigh dogs, and Scott employing Siberian motor sledges, Siberian ponies, and dogs. On December 14, 1911, Amundsen's expedition won the race to the Pole and returned safely to base camp in late January.
Scott's expedition was less fortunate. The motor sleds broke down, the ponies had to be shot, and the dog teams were sent back as Scott and four companions continued on foot. On January 18, 1912, they reached the pole only to find that Amundsen had preceded them by over a month. Weather on the return journey was exceptionally bad—two members perished—and a storm later trapped Scott and the other two survivors in their tent only 11 miles from their base camp. Scott's frozen body was found later that year.
After his historic Antarctic journey, Amundsen established a successful shipping business. He later made attempts to become the first explorer to fly over the North Pole. In 1925, in an airplane, he flew within 150 miles of the goal. In 1926, he passed over the North Pole in a dirigible just three days after American explorer Richard E. Byrd had apparently done so in an aircraft. In 1996, a diary that Byrd had kept on the flight was found that seemed to suggest that the he had turned back 150 miles short of its goal because of an oil leak, making Amundsen's dirigible expedition the first flight over the North Pole.
In 1928, Amundsen lost his life while trying to rescue a fellow explorer whose dirigible had crashed at sea near Spitsbergen, Norway.
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. Thanks to Shadow from the Archives
Crusader vs Skyray
The other event was even more memorable and didn't involved the Navy at all, other than being curious observers. That year, two fighter squadrons showed up… one was flying the rather long in tooth F4D Skyray… the other, the relatively new at the time, F8U Crusader. One plane at the end of its' service life and the other at the beginning of theirs. As I mentioned, the pilots were staying at the new BOQ on the hill… and in the evenings there'd be lots of mutual squadron camaraderie and insults going back and forth between the two squadrons. As with all masculine interactions… often things said or done in jest… sometimes gets out of hand. During a Friday afternoon Happy Hour in the BOQ Bar… insults went from funny... to a bridge too far. It culminated when an F-8 Driver claimed the F4D guys were flying a dinosaur... that should have been put out to pasture a decade or more before. The F-8 could fly circles around it any day of the week. It escalated until the F4D Skipper stood up… and issued a challenge. "If you guys think your Crusader is so shit hot… I'm willing to bet a case of beer from every pilot and Staff NCO in my squadron, versus a case of beer from your pilots and Staff NCO's… that our "Ford" can beat your MACH II wonder, to 15 to 20,000 feet from a standing start any day of the week. The F-8 C.O. immediately accepted the challenge! Evidently he had never flown an F4D or knew much about them. They set the contest for the following weekend… beer bust to follow!
Now word got around the base and it attracted it a lot of curiosity from the locals as well as among the Marines. Each Skipper would be flying and more than a little planning was involved. Each decided to take on minimum fuel for the climb and each aircraft would be towed to the end of the runway with start carts. There was a starter assigned who had one of those checkerboard flags off a "Follow Me" truck… it would be his job to start the race after the two aircraft were started. There were also two airplanes launched ahead of time to observe and to insure no cheating. They would confirm the winner. We heard the two squadrons were even exploring a weight reduction program (not verified).
The day of the great "Great Reach For The Sky" race, finally arrived… each squadron lined up on opposite sides of the runway as the planes were pulled in the start position. Myself and about 75 other locals were up on the ridge line of South Delicious Hill… part of a series of hillsides that paralleled the runway. It was the best view in the house as we were looking down on the scene below… Once positioned… the aircraft were started and the Flag man moved in between both airplanes just forward of their noses. Once both pilots gave him a thumbs up… he took a few steps back and twirled his fingers of his right hand as a signal for both aircraft to come up on the power to 100%… once stabilized, he raises the flag up with both hands and then turns down the runway and swings the flag down as a signal that the race was on! SHOW TIME! Both planes went into full After Burner… and we could hear the retorts of the hard light burners up on the hill. The Race was on! To my surprise, the little F4D leaped out in front of the Crusader. We were all amazed that after what appeared to be a very short run, the Ford rotated to about 45 degrees nose up and got airborne before the Crusader even came close to flying speed; as he rocketed past the already airborne Ford, still on the ground. What was incredible... was the Ford's nose never dropped or lowered... and it actually seemed to accelerate in its' nose high attitude. He climbed like a home sick angel! It was astounding! They had settled on 15K for the race… by the time the Crusader reached. Flying speed… the little F4D was already past about 5K. Honestly… it was no contest. The Ford beat the Crusader to 15K by a huge margin! As he topped out and the two observers in the air confirmed he was past 15K as the Crusader was still reaching… the Ford Driver rolled off on one wing and dived down toward the runway to an almost perfect short pattern to final heading to the runway and executed a perfect landing in front of the troops and coasted all the way to their parking area off the runway to the cheers of his troops! What a display! We could hear the troops yelling and hats on one side of the runway were flying in the air! About two or three minutes later… the Crusader finally enters the pattern and lands… as he came to the turn off from the runway… he coasted to a stop. We're all wondering what he was up to… when we see a tug leave their flight line with a tow bar. The pilot raised his canopy and just sat there. The tug pulled up and two guys jumped off… attached the tow bar to the nose gear, then the tug and began towing it back to their ramp. It then became clear… the Crusader had flamed out on the runway! Outta gas! Man, that was cutting it close! They had put the absolute minimum of fuel onboard for the time to climb race. In less than 10 minutes from takeoff to landing, he was out of fuel!
It was one of the highlights of my time at Roosey Roads… but... here were so many more! Awesome!
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. Thanks to Dutch and Pat
Night B 4 Aviation Christmas
Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp, Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.
The aircraft were fastened to tiedowns with care, In hopes that come morning, they all would be there.
The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots, With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots.
I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up, And settled down comfortably, resting my butt.
When the radio lit up with noise and with chatter, I turned up the scanner to see what was the matter.
A voice clearly heard over static and snow, Called for clearance to land at the airport below.
He barked his transmission so lively and quick, I'd have sworn that the call sign he used was "St. Nick".
I ran to the panel to turn up the lights, The better to welcome this magical flight.
He called his position, no room for denial, "St. Nicholas One, turnin' left onto final."
And what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a Rutan-built sleigh, with eight Rotax Reindeer!
With vectors to final, down the glideslope he came, As he passed all fixes, he called them by name:
"Now Ringo! Now Tolga! Now Trini and Bacun! On Comet! On Cupid!" What pills was he takin'?
While controllers were sittin', & scratchin' their head, They phoned to my office, & I heard it with dread,
The message they left was both urgent and dour: "When Santa pulls in, have him please call the tower."
He landed like silk, with the sled runners sparking, Then I heard "Left at Charlie," and "Taxi to parking."
He slowed to a taxi, turned off of three-oh And stopped on the ramp with a "Ho, ho-ho-ho..."
He stepped out of the sleigh, but before he could talk, I ran out to meet him with my best set of chocks.
His red helmet & goggles were covered with frost And his beard was all black from Reindeer exhaust.
His breath smelled like peppermint, gone slightly stale, And he puffed on a pipe, but he didn't inhale.
His cheeks were all rosy and jiggled like jelly, His boots were as black as a cropduster's belly.
He was chubby and plump, in his suit of bright red, And he asked me to "fill it, with hundred low-lead."
He came dashing in from the snow-covered pump, I knew he was anxious for drainin' the sump.
I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work, And I filled up the sleigh, but I spilled like a jerk.
He came out of the restroom, and sighed in relief, Then he picked up a phone for a Flight Service brief.
And I thought as he silently scribed in his log, These reindeer could land in an eighth-mile fog.
He completed his pre-flight, from the front to the rear, He put on his headset, & I heard him yell, "Clear!"
And laying a finger on his push-to-talk, He called up the tower for clearance and squawk.
"Take taxiway Charlie, the southbound direction, Turn right three-two-zero at pilot's discretion"
He sped down the runway, the best of the best, "Your traffic's a Grumman, inbound from the west."
Then I heard him proclaim, as he climbed through the night, "Merry Christmas to all! I have traffic in
sight." Author unknown
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
Since the sport's first professional game was played in 1869, the history of baseball has been filled with memorable moments both triumphant and tragic. Often, these moments reflect the history and spirit of America itself: Lou Gehrig's heartfelt retirement speech has become a symbol of grace and humility in the face of tragedy, while Jackie Robinson's courageous breaking of baseball's color barrier presaged the national fight against racial segregation. Though baseball has gone through many incarnations over the years, one thing that has remained constant is the game's capacity to generate great stories. From the rigging of the World Series to Willie Mays' unforgettable catch, here are seven major moments in the history of baseball.
The Chicago "Black Sox" Throw the World Series
Even before the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Chicago White Sox in the 1919 World Series, rumors had been circulating that the losing team was planning to deliberately underperform in order to throw the World Series and allow the Reds to win. A grand jury convened in 1920 discovered that eight White Sox players had been involved in a gambling conspiracy to corrupt the series in the Reds' favor, and three players admitted to the grand jury that they had accepted money from gamblers. The plot to throw the 1919 World Series became known as the "Black Sox scandal," and it remains one of the most significant controversies in the history of baseball. Eight players, including the legendary outfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, were permanently banned from Major League Baseball, and in order to prevent future corruption, the role of commissioner was established and strict laws against gambling were instituted that remain in place today.
Babe Ruth Calls His Shot
One of the most famous home runs in baseball history occurred in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees. At the top of the fifth inning, Yankees slugger Babe Ruth, often considered the greatest baseball player of all time, faced off against Cubs pitcher Charlie Root with two balls and two strikes. Just before the pitch, Ruth pointed toward the outfield, and when the pitch came, he hit a towering home run to center field. In the newspapers the next day, ecstatic reporters announced that Ruth had "called his shot," and that his gesture toward the bleachers was a prediction of the home run he would hit on the next pitch. Thus was born one of the greatest legends in baseball history. Although the exact details of where exactly Ruth was pointing and why are disputed, the home run that became known as the "called shot" has nevertheless become an immortal part of the Great Bambino's legacy.
Lou Gehrig Gives a Retirement Speech for the Ages
When Yankees slugger Lou Gehrig announced his retirement in 1939, it shocked the baseball world. During his career, Gehrig's seemingly endless endurance had allowed him to play in 2,130 consecutive games (a record that stood for nearly 60 years), earning him the nickname "the Iron Horse." However, in 1939, when Gehrig was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease ALS (which became commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease), the Iron Horse was finally forced to end his baseball career. In the retirement speech he delivered at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, Gehrig told the crowd that despite his "bad break," he considered himself "the luckiest man on the face of the Earth." This iconic phrase, emblematic of Gehrig's grace and humility, remains famous today, and his speech is often recognized as one of the greatest in sports history.
Joe DiMaggio Sets an "Unbreakable" Record
On May 15, 1941, Yankees outfielder Joe DiMaggio hit a modest single that marked the start of one of the most legendary records in baseball history: the 56-game hitting streak. For two months, the baseball world watched in awe as DiMaggio got at least one hit in game after game. By the time DiMaggio's streak ended two months and 55 games later, he had set a record that many baseball experts consider to be unbreakable. So far, they have yet to be proved wrong. While DiMaggio himself said that he believed that someone would one day surpass his 56-game hitting streak, in the 80 years since he set the record, nobody has even come close. The longest hitting streak since, achieved by Hall of Famer Paul Molitor in 1987, was just 39 games long, a full two weeks shy of Joltin' Joe's seemingly immortal record.
Jackie Robinson Breaks Baseball's Color Barrier
Before Jackie Robinson made his major league debut on April 15, 1947, professional baseball was a racially segregated sport in the United States. Robinson's historic debut at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field broke the so-called "color barrier" that had kept Black and white players in separate leagues. Robinson faced great challenges during his MLB career, but his courage and talent opened the door for future generations of baseball legends. His abilities on the field earned him a spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and in recognition of his trailblazing career, his number, 42, was retired league-wide in 1997. He remains the only player to ever receive such an honor.
Willie Mays Makes "the Catch"
Willie Mays is one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the sport, and one of the most enduring parts of his legacy is the stunning play he made in the 1954 World Series — known to history simply as "the Catch." Mays made the play in the eighth inning of Game 1, with the score tied 2-2 between Mays' New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians. Cleveland slugger Vic Wertz hit a long fly ball toward Mays in center field. Mays turned and sprinted backward, making a miraculous over-the-shoulder catch 425 feet from home plate. As if that wasn't a stunning-enough achievement, Mays completed the play by spinning around and making an incredible throw from the outfield to prevent Cleveland's baserunners from getting home. The play saved the game for the Giants, who went on to sweep Cleveland in four games to become World Series champions.
Hank Aaron Breaks Babe Ruth's Career Home Run Record
For nearly four decades after his retirement, Babe Ruth was hailed as the undisputed home run king. His 714 career home runs stood as a monument to his unrivaled power at the plate. Then Hank Aaron arrived. Since his MLB debut in 1954, Aaron had been an extremely consistent slugger, and he led the league in home runs four separate times. The years of steady power hitting paid off on April 8, 1974, when Aaron hit his 715th career home run and surpassed Ruth to inherit one of baseball's most hallowed records. Aaron's historic career continued for another three seasons, during which time he added 40 homers to his career total, retiring with a staggering 755 home runs. This record was eventually surpassed by Barry Bonds in 2007, but to this day Aaron remains celebrated as the first player to surpass the Sultan of Swat as the home run champion
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Some bits from 1440
Good morning! It's Sunday, Dec. 14, and we're honoring the start of Hanukkah today with a look at its origins and contemporary significance. We're also highlighting the Wright brothers to mark the anniversary of their first flight Wednesday and revisiting the fading art of the once-trendy nonfungible token.
— 1440 Topics Team
Festival of Lights
Hanukkah, explained
The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is an ancient tradition commemorating the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 164 BCE. Its central symbol—the candlelit menorah—represents a miracle in which the short supply of oil in the lamp of the newly dedicated temple burned for eight nights instead of just one.
The event is timed according to the lunar-based Hebrew calendar, usually falling sometime between late November and late December, and it lasts for eight days. The nightly ritual of lighting the menorah—the nine-armed candelabra representing the miracle of the oil—is the most important component of celebrating Hanukkah.
Each night, a blessing is recited, and an additional candle is lit. While giving children a few coins, or gelt, has long been a part of Hanukkah, the tradition for many American Jews has evolved to be more similar to Christmas celebrations. Now, many children receive small gifts each night, with a larger present on the final evening.
... Read what else we learned about Hanukkah here. (Next Sunday, we'll cover Christmas.)
Also, check out ...
Hanukkah wasn't traditionally a major Jewish holiday, but American Jews helped evolve it.
Different countries have their own unique Hanukkah celebrations.
Cheese, the lesser-known Hanukkah culinary tradition.
First in (Controlled) Flight
What's the significance of the Wright brothers?
Brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright are credited with creating and flying the world's first sustained, controlled, heavier-than-air aircraft. One-time bicycle mechanics with only some public high school education, the two made history in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on Dec. 17, 1903, when they successfully flew a 600-pound, 40-foot-wide plane over 120 feet in 12 seconds under its own power.
Building on the work of gliding pioneers, the pair invented the three-axis system—a standard in aircraft today—to control the plane's flight at every stage, allowing pilots to direct movement from nose to tail (pitch), wing to wing (roll), and top to bottom (yaw) (watch breakdown). Their scientific, documented approach to aviation pioneered the use of wind tunnels, aluminum crankcases in engines, and more, laying the foundation for the industry.
Adoption and large-scale production of their airplanes took time, in part because many observers doubted their claims and the practicality of powered flight. In 1908, a series of public demonstration flights in the US and France finally convinced skeptics and brought the Wright brothers international fame, spurring a wave of competitors, imitators, and lawsuits.
... Read our full explainer on the duo here.
Also, check out ...
> Peruse the Wrights' personal collection of more than 300 photos. (Look)
> Inspiring takeaways from famed historian David McCullough's popular 2015 "Wright Brothers" book. (Listen)
> There's debate about who really was "first in flight." (Read)
> A piece of the Wright Flyer flew on the first powered flight on Mars. (Read)
Digitized Collectibles
NFTs, explained
Nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, are unique digital assets stored on a blockchain that represent ownership of images, GIFs, songs, videos, virtual plots of land, and more.
Best of the Week
We added 213 resources this week to our knowledge collective—here are some of our favorites.
The Christmas tree market is valued at more than $6B.
A history of the mall Santa.
Check out this smooth, scrollable timeline of every "SNL" cast and member.
The Chicagoans bonding over rat taxidermy. (More animal content here.)
Listen to a collection of found cassette tapes featuring music and voice memos.
An interactive map of Kurt Cobain's life in Grays Harbor County. (Rock 'n' roll 101.)
The ins and outs of an annual pigeon race featuring more than 1,000 birds.
An endearing look at (and interpretation of) what we search for on Google.
Is ice slippery due to amorphization—a chaos of molecules caused by sliding?
Medieval people used the moon as a versatile religious metaphor. (What else we've learned about the moon.)
How Microsoft Excel won the hearts of corporate nerds everywhere.
Cancer treatment gains would likely change the plot of hit show "Breaking Bad."
The 2006 dystopia "Idiocracy" clad dullards in Crocs before the shoes were a hit.
An absurdly long list of one guy's hundreds of fortune cookie fortunes.
Motocross is the deadliest organized sport for US kids.
Historybook: President George Washington dies (1799); Horror and mystery author Shirley Jackson born (1916); Actress Patty Duke born (1946); Eugene Cernan is last person to walk on the moon (1972); 20 children and six staff members murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School (2012).
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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 14
14-Dec: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=932
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 Brett
Donald Trump Just Told Americans What It Takes To Live Here And Democrats Are Furious
Dec 12, 2025
Vitezslav Vylicil via Shutterstock
President Trump has been on the attack against America's immigration crisis since Day One.
Democrats can't stand his blunt messaging about who belongs in this country.
And Donald Trump just told Americans what it takes to live here and Democrats are furious.
Trump lays down the law on American values at Pennsylvania rally
President Donald Trump turned his Pennsylvania rally Tuesday night into more than just an economic victory lap.
The Mount Pocono crowd got a clear message about what Trump expects from anyone wanting to call America home.
"If you don't share our values, contribute to our economy, and assimilate into our society, then we don't want you in our country," Trump told the packed Mount Airy Casino Resort.¹
Trump just drew a line in the sand Democrats have spent 50 years trying to erase—America still has standards for who gets to be an American.
The President didn't dance around the issue of who's been allowed into America for the past several decades.
Trump pointed directly at Somali immigration into Minnesota as an example of what happens when the government imports people with no intention of becoming Americans.
He specifically called out Democrat Representative Ilhan Omar, who fled Somalia as a child but has spent her entire congressional career attacking the country that gave her refuge.
"I always watch her," Trump said, describing Omar as someone who "hates everybody. And I think she's an incompetent person. She's a real terrible person."²
The President's base roared their approval as Trump laid out a vision for immigration that puts American citizens first—something completely foreign to the Democrat Party.
The billion-dollar fraud scheme Democrats tried to hide
Trump's attack on Minnesota's immigration disaster wasn't random—it came as details emerged about the biggest welfare fraud scandal in American history.
The Feeding Our Future scheme alone stole nearly $250 million in federal funds meant to feed low-income children during COVID.³
That's just the beginning.
Federal prosecutors have now charged 87 people in connection with the massive fraud—79 of them are of Somali descent.⁴
The nonprofit claimed to serve 91 million meals to hungry children.
They served almost none.
Federal investigators found one site claiming to serve 6,000 meals per day actually averaged around 40 visitors.⁵
Instead, the money went to luxury cars, real estate, and kickbacks throughout Minnesota's Somali community while kids went hungry.³
But the fraud goes far beyond Feeding Our Future.
Minnesota's Housing Stabilization Services program—meant to help homeless people and those with disabilities—got bilked for millions more.
Fraudsters would get names of eligible people from addiction treatment centers, then submit fake claims to Medicaid.
The program was supposed to cost $2.6 million per year.
In 2021 alone, it paid out $21 million to crooks working the scam.⁶
Add in the autism services fraud scheme targeting Somali families, and you're looking at over $1 billion stolen from American taxpayers.⁷
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced this week he's investigating whether some of that stolen money ended up funding Al-Shabaab—the Al-Qaeda affiliate terrorist group in Somalia.⁸
That's not paranoia.
Federal counterterrorism sources told investigators the stolen welfare dollars were being sent back to Somalia through informal money networks, where Al-Shabaab takes a cut from every transfer.⁹
One confidential source put it bluntly: "The largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer."⁹
Democrats built an immigration system that rewards non-assimilation
The radical Left spent decades constructing an immigration apparatus designed to import voters rather than Americans.
Their entire ideology depends on maintaining communities of recent immigrants who stay dependent on government programs and vote Democrat to keep the benefits flowing.
Here's what Trump exposed that Democrats never want discussed—Minnesota officials knew about the fraud and did nothing.
The state's Democrat establishment was "reluctant to act" and guilty of "tolerating, if not tacitly allowing, the fraud" because they feared "political backlash among the Somali community" and accusations of racism.¹⁰
State whistleblowers tried to sound the alarm.
They got ignored—or worse, retaliated against—by Tim Walz's administration.¹⁰
Every single prosecution came from federal authorities, not Minnesota's Democrat-controlled government.
That's the Democrat playbook in action—import communities that can't be criticized, let them loot the treasury, and call anyone who complains a racist.
During a Cabinet meeting earlier this month, Trump called Omar and her Somali community "garbage" who "contribute nothing."¹¹
"These aren't people that work. These aren't people that say, 'Let's go, come on. Let's make this place great.' These are people that do nothing but complain," Trump said.¹¹
The media lost their minds, but Trump was speaking a truth millions of Americans already know.
The President asked the question Democrats refuse to answer: "Why is it we only take people from s–thole countries? Why can't we have some people from Norway, Sweden, just a few?"¹²
That question exposes the entire Democrat strategy on immigration.
They don't want skilled workers from developed nations who will quickly assimilate and might vote Republican.
Democrats want dependent populations from failed states who will vote to maintain the welfare system keeping them afloat.
Trump's demand for assimilation threatens to blow up this entire scheme.
Immigration policy grounded in common sense returns to Washington
Trump's Pennsylvania message signals a complete reversal from the Biden disaster.
Where Biden welcomed anyone who could make it across the border, Trump is demanding immigrants prove they deserve to be here.
The President touted stunning statistics showing his immigration crackdown is already working.
"Before I took office, 100% of all net new jobs were going to migrants and illegals," Trump declared. "Since I took office, 100% of ALL net job creation is going to AMERICAN CITIZENS."¹³
For the first time in 50 years, Trump announced, America is experiencing "reverse migration"—meaning more people are leaving than coming in.¹⁴
That's exactly what should happen when a President makes it clear America won't be a dumping ground for every failed state's unwanted population.
Trump supporters in Monroe County—which flipped from Biden in 2020 to Trump in 2024—showed up in the bitter cold and waited four hours outside to hear the President's message.¹⁵
They know what's at stake.
From the 1790 Naturalization Act through the 1924 Immigration Act, America always demanded assimilation.
New immigrants were expected to learn English, adopt American customs, and embrace constitutional values.
That ended in 1965 when Ted Kennedy pushed through immigration "reform" that opened the floodgates and eliminated national origin quotas.
Kennedy promised the bill "will not flood our cities with immigrants" and "will not cause American workers to lose their jobs."
Every word was a lie.
Since 1965, America has imported over 59 million immigrants—most from countries with no tradition of individual liberty, limited government, or free markets.
The result? Entire communities that never integrate, don't speak English, and view America as nothing more than a welfare ATM.
Trump is the first President in 60 years willing to say what used to be common sense—if you don't like America, don't come here.
Democrats built their immigration system on the premise that America has no unique culture worth preserving.
They treat demands for assimilation as racist and push policies designed to balkanize the country into competing ethnic groups all fighting for government handouts.
Trump's Pennsylvania rally speech exposed that entire worldview as fundamentally anti-American.
The President understands what Democrats refuse to admit—a country without a common culture and shared values isn't a country at all.
It's just a random collection of people living in the same territory while hating each other.
That's the Democrat vision for America's future, and Trump is determined to stop it before it's too late.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for December 14, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
December 14
This Day in U S Military History
1863 – General Beauregard ordered Lieutenant Dixon, CSA, to proceed with submarine H. L. Hunley to the mouth of Charleston harbor and "sink and destroy any vessel of the enemy with which he can come in conflict." The General directed that "such assistance- as may he practicable" he rendered to Lieutenant Dixon.
1903 – The Wright brothers make their first attempt to fly with the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. With the help of men from the nearby government life-saving station (today's Coast Guard), the Wrights moved the Flyer and its launching rail to the incline of a nearby sand dune, Big Kill Devil Hill, intending to make a gravity-assisted takeoff. The brothers tossed a coin to decide who would get the first chance at piloting, and Wilbur won. The airplane left the rail, but Wilbur pulled up too sharply, stalled, and came down in about three seconds with minor damage. Repairs after the abortive first flight took three days.
1941 – U.S. Marines made a stand in battle for Wake Island. Wake Island defenders were left with one aircraft surviving Japanese attacks.
1942 – Japanese reinforcement land about 30 miles west of Gona and begin marching toward the Australian flank. In Buna, the American's take the village, but the Japanese still hold the well fortified Government Station.
1944 – Congress established the rank of General of Army, the 5-star General.
1944 – Rank of Fleet Admiral, U.S. Navy (five star admiral) is established. It is interesting to note that each of these officers followed a differently patterned naval career. Only eight years of seniority separated them. They served as younger officers when the Navy was making its expansion in aviation and submarine development. One of these officers was essentially a destroyer officer and aviator with only one short tour ashore in Washington. One was a submariner with European training in diesel propulsion, a big ship sailor with shore cruises in Washington including Chief of Naval Personnel. One had almost all his sea duty in big ships and with the exception of one tour, all shore duty in Washington, including being chief of two bureaus. Only one had a seagoing career in the surface, submarine and aviation branches of the service with shore tours including the head of the Postgraduate School and the Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics. Three served as Chiefs of Naval Operations. The Navy's Fleet Admirals were: William Daniel Leahy, Ernest Joseph King, Chester William Nimitz, and William Frederick Halsey, Jr.
1944 – The former NYK liner Oryoku Maru left Manila with 1619 American POWs packed in the holds. U.S. Navy planes from the "Hornet" attacked, causing the Hell Ship to sink the following day. Only 200 of the men survived.
1944 – US 3rd Army continues advancing east of Sarreguemines while US 9st Army reaches the Roer River bank.
1944 – US Task Force 38 (Admiral McCain) launches air strikes on airfields throughout Luzon. TF38 includes 13 carriers, 8 battleships and numerous cruisers and destroyers. The attacks are in support of the American landing on Mindoro.
1945 – Captain Sue S. Dauser receives the first Distinguished Service Medal awarded to a nurse.
1986 – The experimental aircraft Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, took off from Edwards Air Force Base in California on the first non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world. The trip took nine days.
1999 – In Panama former US Pres. Jimmy Carter symbolically turned over the Panama Canal. The official ownership transfer date was Dec 31.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
BROGAN, JAMES
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company G, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Simon Valley, Ariz., 14 December 1877. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 9 January 1880. Citation: Engaged singlehanded 2 renegade Indians until his horse was shot under him and then pursued them so long as he was able.
NEPPEL, RALPH G.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company M, 329th Infantry, 83d Infantry Division. Place and date: Birgel, Germany, 14 December 1944. Entered service at: Glidden, lowa. Birth: Willey, lowa. G.O. No.: 77, 10 September 1945. Citation: He was leader of a machinegun squad defending an approach to the village of Birgel, Germany, on 14 December 1944, when an enemy tank, supported by 20 infantrymen, counterattacked. He held his fire until the Germans were within 100 yards and then raked the foot soldiers beside the tank killing several of them. The enemy armor continued to press forward and, at the pointblank range of 30 yards, fired a high-velocity shell into the American emplacement, wounding the entire squad. Sgt. Neppel, blown 10 yards from his gun, had 1 leg severed below the knee and suffered other wounds. Despite his injuries and the danger from the onrushing tank and infantry, he dragged himself back to his position on his elbows, remounted his gun and killed the remaining enemy riflemen. Stripped of its infantry protection, the tank was forced to withdraw. By his superb courage and indomitable fighting spirit, Sgt. Neppel inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and broke a determined counterattack.
NETT, ROBERT B.
Rank and organization: Captain (then Lieutenant), U.S. Army, Company E, 305th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Cognon, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 14 December 1944. Entered service at: New Haven, Conn. Birth: New Haven, Conn. G.O. No.: 16, 8 February 1946. Citation: He commanded Company E in an attack against a reinforced enemy battalion which had held up the American advance for 2 days from its entrenched positions around a 3-story concrete building. With another infantry company and armored vehicles, Company E advanced against heavy machinegun and other automatic weapons fire with Lt. Nett spearheading the assault against the strongpoint. During the fierce hand-to-hand encounter which ensued, he killed 7 deeply entrenched Japanese with his rifle and bayonet and, although seriously wounded, gallantly continued to lead his men forward, refusing to relinquish his command. Again he was severely wounded, but, still unwilling to retire, pressed ahead with his troops to assure the capture of the objective. Wounded once more in the final assault, he calmly made all arrangements for the resumption of the advance, turned over his command to another officer, and then walked unaided to the rear for medical treatment. By his remarkable courage in continuing forward through sheer determination despite successive wounds, Lt. Nett provided an inspiring example for his men and was instrumental in the capture of a vital strongpoint.
*THOMAS, CHARLES L.
Citation: For extraordinary heroism in action on 14 December 1944, near Climbach, France. While riding in the lead vehicle of a task force organized to storm and capture the village of Climbach, France, then First Lieutenant Thomas's armored scout car was subjected to intense enemy artillery, self-propelled gun, and small arms fire. Although wounded by the initial burst of hostile fire, Lieutenant Thomas signaled the remainder of the column to halt and, despite the severity of his wounds, assisted the crew of the wrecked car in dismounting. Upon leaving the scant protection which the vehicle afforded, Lieutenant Thomas was again subjected to a hail of enemy fire which inflicted multiple gunshot wounds in his chest, legs, and left arm. Despite the intense pain caused by these wounds, Lieutenant Thomas ordered and directed the dispersion and emplacement of two antitank guns which in a few moments were promptly and effectively returning the enemy fire. Realizing that he could no longer remain in command of the platoon, he signaled to the platoon commander to join him. Lieutenant Thomas then thoroughly oriented him on enemy gun dispositions and the general situation. Only after he was certain that his junior officer was in full control of the situation did he permit himself to be evacuated. First Lieutenant Thomas' outstanding heroism were an inspiration to his men and exemplify the highest traditions of the Armed Forces.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for December 14, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
14 December
1903: Wilbur Wright made a first powered airplane flight at Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk. Although he flew 105 feet in 3.5 seconds, the plane crashed; therefore, this effort was not recognized as the first sustained or controlled flight. (20)
1924: At Bremerton, Wash., the battleship USS Mississippi launched a Martin MO-1 plane from its forward turret by powder catapult. (24)
1925: The Lampert Committee, set up on 24 March 1924 by the House to examine US Air Service operations, made its report. The committee wanted a DoD, more aviation representation in higher military councils, and more money for aviators. (24) 1927: The USN commissioned the USS Lexington aircraft carrier. (24)
1944: Through 16 December, aircraft from six escort carriers in USN Task Unit 77.12.1 flew cover for landings at Mindoro in the Philippines. (24)
1950: KOREAN WAR. Due to advancing Chinese troops, through 17 December the Combat Cargo Command moved 228 patients, 3,891 passengers, and 20,088 tons of cargo from Yonpo Airfield. The airlift support helped to evacuate the Army's X Corps from the Hamhung-Hungnam area in Northeastern Korea. A FEAF airplane dropped the first six-ton Tarzon on a tunnel near Huichon with limited effectiveness. (21) (26) (28)
1951: KOREAN WAR. In the night, 19th Bombardment Group B-29s inflicted severe damage on marshalling yards at Maengjung-Dong.
1959: Capt Joe B. Jordan set a FAI altitude record of 103,395.9 feet at Edwards AFB in a Lockheed F-104C Starfighter. (3) (9)
1960: In a nonstop, nonrefueled flight, Lt Col T. R. Grissom and crew flew their B-52G over a record 10,079-mile closed course. They flew from Edwards AFB over Texas, Washington DC, Newfoundland, Alaska, Montana, and back to Edwards. They had fuel for 1,000 more miles after the 19-hour, 44-minute flight. (1) (24)
1961: The Army's Nike-Zeus intercepted a Nike-Hercules missile in flight. The interception was a first for Nike-Zeus.
1962: Mariner II, launched on 27 August 1962, scanned the atmosphere and surface of Venus with instruments for 42 minutes as it passed 21,600 miles above the surface. This probe then began a 345.9-day solar orbit. (16) (24)
1964: Donald Segner flew Lockheed's XH-51A, a helicopter with wings and rotor blades, at 242 MPH. The Army called this "the fastest known speed for any rotor craft in the world." FIRST BARREL ROLL MISSION. The first armed reconnaissance mission flown in Laos. Code-named Barrel Roll, this mission initiated tactical fighter operations in Southeast Asia on a continuous basis. (17)
1965: The USAF accepted the final Minuteman flight in Wing VI.
1966: MACKAY TROPHY. Col Albert R. Howarth demonstrated exemplary courage and airmanship under the most hazardous conditions of darkness and intense enemy fire while participating in a SEA combat mission. He received the Mackay Trophy for his flight. (26)
1970: Byran Graham set a 3-kilometer helicopter speed record by flying a Sikorsky S-67 to 216.839 MPH. The final Minuteman III research and development, and the last ICBM launch, from Cape Kennedy succeeded. (6)
1972: Robert Sparks used a Semco Challenger balloon at Lafayette, Ind., to set a duration record of 11 hours 14 minutes for subclasses AX-7 (1,600 to 2,200 cubic meters) through AX-10 (over 4,000 cubic meters) balloons. (9)
1984: Grumman pilot Chuck Sewell flew the X-29 forward-swept wing aircraft on its first flight at Edwards AFB. (16)
1986: Chuck Yeager left Edwards AFB on a record-setting flight to Kitty Hawk. Through 23 December, Richard Rutan and Jeana Yeager completed the first nonstop, unrefueled flight around the world in the experimental aircraft, the Voyager. The flight started and stopped 24,986.7 miles later at Mojave, Calif. (20) (21)
1988: W. Stuart Symington, the first SECAF, died at his home in New Canaan, Conn.
1989: MAC allowed female aircrew members to serve on C-130 and C-141 airdrop missions for the first time. (16) (26)
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