TheList 7400

The List 7400

To All

Good Monday Morning December 29, 2025 . Today is clear and 72 by noon and no rain again until Wednesday. There is a wind watch in place from 2 – 4 but only 8 mph. Just enough to pull more leaves off the trees and spread them around the yard

As I get ready to hit send on today's List it is a really beautiful Day

.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 29

1798—Secretary of Navy Benjamin Stoddert sends in his first annual report to Congress, requesting naval forces be increased "to make the most powerful nation desire our friendship – the most unprincipled respect our neutrality."

1812—The frigate Constitution, commanded by William Bainbridge, captures HMS Java off Brazil, the second British frigate captured by Constitution in six months, during the War of 1812.

1942—USS Wasmuth (DMS 15) eventually sinks, 35 miles off Scotch Cape, the southwest point of Unimak Island, Aleutians, two days after a pair of her depth charges exploded during a gale. USS Ramapo (AO 12) comes alongside in the heavy seas and heroically rescues Wasmuth's crew.

1943—USS Silversides (SS 236) sinks the Japanese transport Tenposan Maru, the army cargo ship Shichisei Maru, and the freighter Ryuto Maru while also damaging the army cargo ship Bichu Maru off Palau.

1944—USS Fixity (AM 235) is commissioned. Decommissioned after the war, she is later sold for commercial service until she sinks in the Ohio River in the late 1990s. Also on this date, USS Murrelet (AM 372) is launched.

 

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This Day in World History December 29

1170 Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury, is murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights of Henry II.

1607 Indian chief Powhatan spares John Smith's life after the pleas of his daughter Pocahontas.

1778 After attempting a new strategy to defeat the colonials in America, British troops capture Savannah, Georgia.

1808 Andrew Johnson, American vice president who succeeded Lincoln after his assassination on April 15, 1865 is born

1845 Texas (comprised of present-day Texas and part of New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming) is admitted as the 28th state of the Union, with the provision that the area (389,166 square miles) should be divided into no more than five states "of convenient size."

1862 Union General William T. Sherman's troops try to gain the north side of Vicksburg in the Battle of Chickasaw Bluffs.

1890 The last major conflict of the Indian Wars takes place at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota after Colonel James W. Forsyth of the 7th Cavalry tries to disarm Chief Big Foot and his followers.

1914 The production of Belgian newspapers is halted to protest German censorship.

1921 Sears Roebuck president Julius Rosenwald pledges $20 million of his personal fortune to help Sears through hard times.

1926 Germany and Italy sign an arbitration treaty.

1934 Japan formally denounces Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, which curbed the international arms race by limiting naval construction between the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Italy, and Japan.

1940 In a radio interview, President Roosevelt proclaims the United States to be the "arsenal of democracy."

1940 London suffers its most devastating air raid when Germans firebomb the city on the evening of December 29.

1948 Josip "Tito" Broz declares Yugoslavia will follow its own path to communism.

1956 President Dwight Eisenhower asks Congress for the authority to oppose Soviet aggression in the Middle East.

1965 A Christmas truce is observed in Vietnam, while President Johnson tries to get the North Vietnamese to the bargaining table.

1981 President Ronald Reagan curtails Soviet trade in reprisal for its harsh policies on Poland.

 

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Thanks to Al whose Monday Morning Humor always starts our week off well

Monday Morning Thoughts and Stories for the New Year

     A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside.  "Your son is here," she said to the old man.  She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.

     Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

     The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength

     Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.

     Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.

     Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.

     Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her. "Who was that man?" he asked.

     The nurse was startled, "He was your father," she answered.

     "No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."

     "Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"

     "I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed."

     The next time someone needs you...just be there. Stay.

 

 

 

     A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward. The following video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite.  This is only a 1 minute, 44 second video and it is brilliant. Make sure you read as well as listen forward and backward.

     This is a video that was submitted in a contest by a 20-year old. The contest was titled "u @ 50" by AARP. This video won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant. Take a minute and watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

 

 

 

     As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. 

     Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big 'F' at the top of his papers. 

     At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. 

     Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...He is a joy to be around." 

     His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." 

     His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken." 

     Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class." 

     By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents.  Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." 

     After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her 'teacher's pets.' 

     A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. 

     Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy.  He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life. 

     Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life. 

     Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD. 

     The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. 

     They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." 

     Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong.  You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you." 

 

 

 

     A little girl was watching her parents dress for a New Year's Eve party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, "Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit."

     "And why not, darling?"

     "You know that it always gives you a headache next morning."

 

 

 

This true story (per the 1999 book, Echoes of the Maggid) is worth more than all the jokes that I send each week.  It shows that if we open our minds, we can make this year a better place to live here on earth...

     In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to learning disabled children.

     Some children remain in Chush for their entire school career, while others can be main-streamed into conventional schools.

     At a Chush fund-raising dinner, the father of a Chush child delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he cried out, "Where is the perfection in my son Shaya? Everything God does is done with perfection. But my child cannot understand things as other children do. My child cannot remember facts and figures as other children do. Where is God's perfection?

     The audience was shocked by the question, pained by the father's anguish and stilled by the piercing query. "I believe," the father answered, "that when God brings a child like this into the world, the perfection that he seeks is in the way people react to this child.  "He then told the following story about his son Shaya:

     One afternoon, Shaya and his father walked past a park where some boys Shaya knew were playing baseball. Shaya asked, "Do you think they will let me play?"

     Shaya's father knew that his son was not at all athletic and that most boys would not want him on their team. But Shaya's father understood that if his son was chosen to play it would give him a comfortable sense of belonging. Shaya's father approached one of the boys in the field and asked if Shaya could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates.

     Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said "We are losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning."

     Shaya's father was ecstatic as Shaya smiled broadly.

     Shaya was told to put on a glove and go out to play short center field. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shaya's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shaya's team scored again and now with two outs and the bases loaded with the potential winning run on base.

     Shaya was scheduled to be up. Would the team actually let Shaya bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game?

     Surprisingly, Shaya was given the bat. Everyone knew that it was all but impossible because Shaya didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, let alone hit with it. However as Shaya stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shaya should at least be able to make contact.

     The first pitch came and Shaya swung clumsily and missed.

     One of Shaya's teammates came up to Shaya and together they held the bat and faced the pitcher waiting for the next pitch. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shaya. As the pitch came in, Shaya and his teammate swung at the ball and together they hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher.

     The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shaya would have been out and that would have ended the game.

     Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman.

     Everyone started yelling, "Shaya, run to first. Run to first."

     Never in his life had Shaya run to first.

     He scampered down the baseline wide-eyed and startled. By the time he reached first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman who would tag out Shaya, who was still running. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions were, so he threw the ball high and far over the Third baseman's head.

     Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second." Shaya ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home.

     As Shaya reached second base, the opposing short stop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base and shouted, "Run to third." As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams ran behind him screaming, "Shaya run home." Shaya ran home, stepped on home plate and all 18 boys lifted him on their shoulders and made him the hero, as he had just hit a "grand slam" and won the game for his team.

     "That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "those 18 boys reached their level of God's perfection."

 

 

 

     This was allegedly written by the CEO of Coca-Cola Brian G. Dyson. It was allegedly used as Georgia Tech's Commencement Address:

     Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - Work - Family - Health - Friends - Spirit, and you're keeping all of these in the air.

     You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls -- family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered.

     They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.  How?

•           Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

•           Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

•           Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

•           Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.

•           Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

•           Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect.  It is this fragile thread that binds us together.

•           Don't be afraid to encounter risks.  It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

•           Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

•           Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.

•           Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

•           Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

•           Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.

 

 

 

 

Instructions for Life

•           Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

•           When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

•           Follow the three Rs:    Respect for self.  Respect for others.  Responsibility for all your actions.

•           Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

•           Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

•           Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

•           When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

•           Spend some time alone every day.

•           Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

•           Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

•           Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

•           A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

•           In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

•           Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

•           Be gentle with the earth.

•           Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

•           Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

•           Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

•           Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

 

 

I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2026,

Al

 

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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 29

29-Dec:  https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1516

 

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FROM:  Joe C.

 

SUBJ:  The Final Night of Operation Linebacker II

 

The last night of air ops was not without a loss of airframes but fortunately no loss of lives.  A Marine "EA-6A crashed during a jamming mission when it suffered a hydraulic system malfunction causing the aircraft to catch fire near Cubi Point.  Both crew ejected and were rescued."  (Hobson, Vietnam Air Losses)

 

Happily, the final night of B-52 missions was conducted without  loss to the attackers.  Forty-two B-52Ds from U-Tapao and B-52Gs from Andersen flew coordinated attacks against SAM storage sites at Phuc Yen and Trai Ca as well as the Lang Dang rail yards yet another time!  Hah! 

Thirty more B-52Gs hit other targets in both North and South Vietnam.  Very few SAMs were launched at the BUFFS and there was only one MiG sighting during the raids. 

As a direct result of Operation Linebacker II the North Vietnamese communists were put into a more favorable frame of mind to get back to negotiating at the peace conference in Paris.  Uh, huh!  President Nixon had been correct against his many detractors to use the B-52s with tactical air support to bring the North Vietnamese to their knees.  On January 27th, 1972 the accords were signed by all parties to end the Vietnam War.  Were it not for President Nixon's courage the POWs may never have been released.  He forced the communists back to the peace conference and ended the war. 

The POWs were repatriated in four equal groups every two weeks beginning on February 12th, 1973 by order of shoot down but with those sick & wounded going home first.  The last group boarded busses bound for Gia Lam airport on March 29th, 1973 for the flight home and FREEDOM!

 

Summing up LB II: (Hobson, "Vietnam Air Losses")

 

15,287 Tons of bombs dropped

729 sorties flown

1,600 military or industrial building destroyed or badly damaged

Northeast railway interdicted bringing train movement to a halt

Three million gallons of fuel destroyed

Between 884 and 1225 SAMs fired at B-52s

24 SA-2s scored hits for a 1.7% success rate

(Would have been much less if SAC HQ had not been in charge of tactics the first three days)

Fifteen (15) B-52s lost

Of the 92 crewmembers involved 59 survived 33 of those as POWs

Thirty three B-52 crew members lost their lives.

Hear, hear!

 

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Thanks to Micro

Subject: RE: [TheList]

 

To add more detail to Joe Crecca's account of the B-52 raid included on the 27th, here is a link to that event on 28 December 1972 that I did not include in my random list of links I sent you for December:  https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=3090. I didn't set out to characterize Linebacker II or any other specific Operation, so my links bounce around from year to year as I look for something that highlights a specific type of loss that might not have been commonplace or demonstrated great courage or the lack of information that families are still dealing with.

 

It appears that Joe's account and ours are often one day apart. We've seen that kind of thing frequently, most often due to the time zone calculation. We use only local time in Vietnam, although most reporting was done on Zulu time. We've found that Washington often either used Zulu or local Washington time to determine what day/date something occurred on. On many of our losses, particularly where the Navy is involved, we've been able to use the ship's logs, when appropriate. Many of those came from the assistance of NavSource's hard workers, Fabio and Bob (they send me about one a day on average). Those are always transcribed in local time. A few have come from folks contacting us and telling us what their Flight Log book said. It's quite interesting trying to piece together accurate information 50 years later, with official records often disagreeing and personal memories not infallible, either.

 

Micro

 

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Thanks to Mike

1910 Ford

This has only been 112- years ago...Amazing!!!

Show this to your friends, children and/or grandchildren!

The year is 1910, over one hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes!

Here are some statistics for the Year 1910:

(applies to the USA)

***********************************

The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower !

The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.

The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,

A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year,

And a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.

Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools,

Many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.'

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

There was no such thing as under arm deodorant or tooth paste.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

The five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza

2, Tuberculosis

3. Diarrhea

4. Heart disease

5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas Nevada was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !

I am now going to forward this to someone else without typing it myself.

From there, it will be sent to others all over the WORLD...all in a matter of seconds!

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years

 

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One of Shadow's round table discussions with some of the most remarkable warriors I have ever read about…skip

It all goes into shadow's file on my computer for his book he is going to write……….

Wow! What fabulous recollections of most remarkable men! I don't have much color to add other than this tidbit. On one of our yearly (it seems) deployments to Yuma from Hawaii in the 70's I distinctly remember the honor of meeting Jimmy Doolittle and his annual dove hunting crowd. We were at the bar (where else?) when Pally tells this rather impressive large guy standing next to him, "You know, with the exception of a big mustache you're the spitting image of Robin Olds!"

     The guy shot back with a glare, "I AM Robin Olds!"

     I think McAnnally knew that and didn't get the good humored response he thought he might have! Or not. We'll never know, will we? Now there was an ace in the making who just needed the opportunity Shadow talked about.

    Oddly enough, it seems the likelihood of a Marine getting a MiG kill in modern times was predicated on him being assigned to the USAF. Think Stick Richard in Vietnam and Capt. MacGill in the preliminary Gulf War. They'd never allow a Marine to get five however! They'd've saved those vectors for their favored sons.

    OBTW, the only planes I ever came close to bringing down were our own!

    Thanks for your riveting memories!

SF

Bruddah

 

On Dec 27, 2023, at 2:51 PM, Barrett Tillman <btillman63@hotmail.com> wrote:

 

Taking a cue from Shadow's insights...

Bud Anderson.  Wow, what a marvelous example.  He took time out running an F-105 wing in combat to correspond with a teenaged 40-hr Cherokee driver.  That began a continuing friendship with Bud, Ellie, and their son Jim (O-2s, F-4s, F-5s) who's my web master. Bud is 102 next month...

Tom Blackburn: see the attached.  I use it on internet Corsair discussions.  A lot. Somewhat of an exaggeration but it makes the requisite point.

 

 Blackburn.jpg

 

I remember Jim Stockdale saying that Tom was the best small-craft handler he ever saw.

Oddly, I met Jack Broughton via Tom at an 80-something Tailhook.  Got better acquainted with JB when we spoke at a warbird gathering in Tucson.  Another example of the quiet ones changing brain chemistry in the cockpit.

Robin: I've posted on my relationship with him a time or three.  Yup, he defined Command Presence.  Maybe one incident I didn't mention: during an aces board meeting, Doug hosted the members at his home.  I arrived late and walked past the hallway where my peripheral vision saw something that caused me to alter my pace.

"I do not see what I'm seeing. I do not WANT to see what I'm seeing!"

A good-looking blonde (wife of a staffer) was leaning over, feeling Robin's port thigh. I was just resuming my I-Do-Not-Belong-Here gait when Robin looked up.  "Hey, Tillman!  C'mere!  Come feel my thigh!"

At that point I didn't know him well enough to call him Robin so I said something like, "Well, sir...I, um..."

A wave of a beefy hand.  "C'mere dammit and feel my thigh!"

So I did.  It was h-a-r-d.  really hard.

"That's what I got from all the skiing I'm doing!"

Then I guess he went looking for other thigh feelers to impress...

Among the most charismatic aces I knew was Bob Scott, who also was a more talented writer than people realize.  He used a dictaphone to write "Co-Pilot" during three days in a NY hotel room, transcribed by "a Yankee secretary with a tin ear." 

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Bob Scott was Robert Scott who Wrote God is my Co-Pilot . I read every one of his books and he is probably the one who set me on the path to become a fighter pilot…..skip

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He had an exceptional memory.  Seemed to recall the elevation of almost every field he'd ever landed, and the list was long.  Knew some runway lengths as well.  An admitted time hog who rubbed many people the wrong way but he was certainly good to me well into adulthood, and to every youngster who ever met him.

He drove from Phoenix to NE Oregon to deliver my high school graduation speech—and asked "to borrow your mama's kitchen" to bake a key lime pie.  And he had some real interesting gadgets in the trunk of his El Dorado...

And for context, I'm delighted to number Roy and the CCs among my memorable and valued associates.

Warm regards to all,

Barrett

Subject: Response to Barrett and Bruddah on their latest...

While I haven't met as many "Aces" as Barrett, him  being connected with the "Aces Association"… but growing up as a Navy Brat in the 50's and 60's, I've met more than my share. To be honest, I found them no different than the guys I served with. One was even honest enough to admit that "opportunity" had as much to do with it as anything else. One thing for sure… the WW II guys had a hell of a lot more opportunity… than any conflict since. Based on that… I can only assume that guys I served with like Lancer, Black, Gazelle, Denny, Eagle, Bruddah and others would have easily earned that title as well… if the opportunity presented itself. I'll also add that the personalities of "Aces" I've met, also ranged across the normal spectrum of human behavior. In fact… many were as calm as any of us could hope to be. Never forget the day that one Navy "Double Ace" visited the hangar and we arranged for him to sit in a Hellcat we had just finished restoring. We had to get a stool for him to be able to get up on the wing; him being long in tooth and gray of beard was almost frail. He finally made in into the cockpit (first time since the war)… and as he sat there in the cockpit we could see him touching things, moving the stick… I could only guess what was going through his mind Then Jim Lucas leans over next to me and quietly said, "Shadow, look up there… that's some kids great Grandpa… but in his time, he was a stone cold killer"! And then before our eyes, he stands up, puts one hand on the canopy bow, the other on the amour plate behind the headrest and vaults out of the cockpit like a 20 year old and walks back and jumps off the wing to the deck. I swear he seemed fifty years younger than he did before getting up onto the wing and sitting in the cockpit. Fond memory.

Three of the more memorable Aces I met were Tommy Blackburn, Robin Olds and Bud Anderson. Tommy was a real "character"… and would have fit in with the "Hair on Fire"… Miramar/El Toro crowd back in the 60's and 70's... in a heart beat! Irreverent, full of piss and vinegar. Never forget the day he invited me over to his house to watch him being interviewed for a video being done on the VF-17, "Jolly Rogers". The squadron he commanded in WW II. At one point the interviewer asked him what it was like when he shot down his first Zero… what were your emotions? Tommy paused, got a twinkle in his eye and then said… "Well, about the only thing I could compare it to… was getting my first piece of ass"! That was followed by screams of "CUT! CUT!"... from the producer! His poor wife said, "Oh Tommy"! The crew starts laughing and I almost spit out my coffee! That was Tommy in a nutshell.

Robin was larger than life… he'd stay with us when in the local area and we'd play golf and spend the evenings, having nice meals, sharing the grape and tell stories. If ever there was a man who just reeked of "Command Presence", it was Robin Olds! A Man's man; a woman's dream! A little story on my wife. It was her nature that when a Bubba was over and we started talking about flying, etc. She'd usually find something to do or just disappear while we shared thoughts and stories. NOT WHEN ROBIN WAS THERE! She would sit there and listen to everything word he said and only got up when we did… often till 0200 in the morning. Robin Olds had more stories than any human being I've ever met… and damn… he was so good at it! He was a stud!

Bud Anderson was totally opposite to those two… the word "Gentleman" perfectly fits. Never heard Bud brag or embellish… just a rock solid human being. If you had no idea of his history… you'd never guess what he was.

BTW… one of my high school Buds from Roosey Roads father was an Ace… he shot down five but always would say he was a "Double Ace"… He shot down five Zeros, but lost five Hellcats in the process… either to ground fire or a Japanese pilot. He'd laugh and say… I liked to keep things even.

One day Jim and I had Bud Anderson, John Verdi (the ultimate warrior)… Corky Meyer, Big Jim Robinson (Marine Corsair pilot), Bob Combs (Navy Double Ace), Tom Mann (Cactus Air Force Ace) and I think Joe Engle was there too. They all sat there in our office for hours telling stories. It was awesome! At the end of the day as they were leaving, Jim looked at me and said… "We need our asses kicked… we should have recorded that… it'd be worth a million dollars"! Sad truth was, we could have done it… but that's another story. Memories.

Now I'll get to Bruddah's comments about the "Blue Max"… His comments about about the guy looking up from the trenches and watching the planes and thinking that seems a better deal than sitting in this miserable trench. Boy could I relate to that! Often when asked what it was like in my Grunt Days… I often tell them… "I have a thousand and one great and fond  memories from flying in the Corps… none from being a Grunt in combat. It was a miserable existence! Humping a pack, weapon and a radio in 100 degree heat, up and down hills and mountains… in elephant grass head high, that blocked any air. Then into the canopy where we went from bright sunlight to twilight in just a few steps… and the whole time waiting to get ambushed or shot at… the nights weren't much better, when the bad guys would lob in mortars and later artillery. That really sucked… nothing you could do but sit there and gut it out… couldn't stop it, couldn't shoot back… just hoping like hell the one with your name on it wasn't there. We took over 500 rounds of incoming artillery up at Gio Linh on the DMZ one night… longest night of my life. It seemed to go on forever. I was at the bottom of a fox hole, there were two guys on top of me and I was the only one who got hit! My left arm was stuck up when they jumped on me and was hanging out in the breeze… and I get a small piece of shrapnel near my elbow. In the chaos I yelled out, "Shit, I just got hit"… one of the others said, You can't be, you're on the bottom"! I said, "When you two jumped in on me, it trapped my left arm up in the air". They then said, "Is it bad"? I yelled back, "How the hell would I know, you're on top of me, I can't see it, but I can feel the blood running down my arm". Their last comment was… "Well if this shit ever stops we'll check it out". No way in hell any of us was gonna get out of that hole until it stopped. Grunt life sucked!

And there was a distinct attitude difference between the Grunts and Aviators. It was brought home to me one day sitting on a hilltop just north of the Rockpile on an OP… Myself, my C.O. and a fire team were helo lifted to this observation point while two of our companies were being ambushed by the NVA. It was hot as hell and once in a while the bad guys would drop in a mortar round or a sniper shot. Nothing accurate, I think they were just guessing where we were. After a while they quit trying. We're sitting in elephant grass, its gotta be 100 degrees, humidity was off the page and everyone was miserable… the heat just sapped the life out of you. My Skipper well knew my intention to going back to school so I could go to flight training. All of a sudden he speaks up and says… "Sergeant Jones… what would you rather have right now, a piece of ass or an ice cold beer"? Jones yells back… "I'd give anything for a beer Sir"! Skipper then sez… "How about you Stafford"? I replied, "I'll take sex over a beer any day. Besides if we live through this shit I'll get a beer when we get back to the rear". My Boss then says… "Gents, there's a lesson for you… if Stafford has to come back to this war on another tour; he'll be in an air-conditioned cockpit and your asses will still be sitting in this fucking heat in another miserable place! He's going to flight training"!

So, I can relate to Bruddah's observations… flying beat the shit out of walking! As a note… I still have contact with dozens of my fellow aviators… I can count on one hand those I served with in the Grunts. Some memories you love to remember and share… others you just want to forget.

 

Shadow

 

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Thanks to Ed ... and Dr.Rich

The Secret Invention That Changed World War 2

 

Fascinating history … During the bombing of Britain it took 1,800 shells (or more!) to bring down one German plane … how America helped solve that problem …

WWII technology -- how we beat Japan and Germany...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtocpvv88gQ

 

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Thanks to Dr. Rich

When all the shit hits the fan on Air India flight 101 - 777 ...

Boeing 777 Gets Trapped above the Clouds with no Fuel Left

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mz9Vkb7w74

 

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Thanks to Barrel

Got this from Stormin

Thanks, Stormin' — this meshes with other pieces I've seen re this massive SNAFU…

Dash 2 FA-18

 

Here's the 'rest of the story' from the guy in marshal behind the unlucky tanker and who about got the short straw as well:

"Launched on a DCA for a strike. One ways all over the place. Lead shoots one down. We RTB for fuel because they were far and didnt wanna get SAMbushed. Land on the ship and launch again. End up flying for a few hours. I shot one of them. 0230 now and we are the last ones to be called back from CAP to the ship. It's us, 143 wingman, and Fig in the tanker. We sequence ourselves in 5 mile spacing and check in on 16. Fig in front, then me, then 143 wingman. Vectors for recovery. At 20 miles from Mom I see the Gettysburg (who is 10 miles aft of final bearing) shoot an SM-2. Holy shit, they're shooting at drones. After a few seconds I'm like holy fuck, it's pulling lead on FIG. I hear ELTs going off. 3 seconds later I see an explosion 5 miles off my nose. I scream over ICS that they just shot down fig. We scream a mayday call over voice alpha. 5 seconds later I see another SM-2 launch from the Gettysburg. I am now freaking out. We dive for the deck, accelerate, and try to beam the missile. I'm now trying to figure out how to defend to an SM-2. Try to put out items. No items, I fenced out. Great. Missile is lighting up the sky like it's daytime. It starts to apex. I start screaming over ICS dude it's time for us to fucking go. We gotta pull. The missile apexes and the rocket motor burns out. In my mind I'm like wtf happened are we ok now??? I hesitate and 3 seconds later it passes within 100 feet of our jet and shakes the jet. It explodes off our left on the surface of the water. CAG paddles called up to the captain of HST who got on the red phone and told all destroyers to abort their missiles."

What a way to get welcomed to the theater...inchopped all of a week+ and dealing with this buffoonery.

 

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From the archives

I had a good talk with Micro yesterday afternoon catching up. There is some good news on the Vietnam Air losses front as they are getting more inputs to fold into the database.  That means the daily will continue for quite a long while with a new one each day for the next maybe 12 months. If you are not reading them they are worth your couple minutes to pause and hit the url to see what really happened. Even better if you have an update send it in. Micro said they get quite a few inputs a week that provide first hand accounts to update them or add a new one…..skip

He provided this story that he told me at my request.:

A friend of mine (submariner and black shoe; USNA '59; star fullback at Navy), who died about four years ago, told me this story about a dark spot in his career. He had lots of great stories of good things, as well.

When he was a Captain, he was assigned to the Congressional Liaison office in the Pentagon. One day they got a question from Barbara Boxer (not sure of the timing, but I suspect it was when she was in Congress as a member of the Armed Services Committee). She wanted to know why the Navy referred to ships as "she." Obviously, she was looking for trouble, but my friend was sent to the to testify to the Committee. Under oath.

He went through a flowery statement that sought to convince the members that sailors have always, since the days of sail, looked upon the ships like they would look upon a mother. It was a safe place where they felt nurtured. He went into some detail under the scowl of Boxer; however, the male members of the Committee were delighted since they, too, had thought that the question was BS. Of course, the trouble she was looking for didn't surface, and the men looked down on her even more (she is 4'11"). When the hearing was over, some of the male members congratulated my friend for his tactful and proper testimony, but Boxer came up to him and said, "I'll have the last word" and left.

Sure enough, when his name appeared on the Flag list, she had it removed.

That is what is known as a very small person, in more ways than one. Of course, he had served in Vietnam (on a clandestine mission) just before the Tonkin Gulf Incident, and Boxer (from Marin County, CA, perhaps the most liberal bastion in the world) actually started a protest group in Marin County against the Vietnam War. Of course, people like her do not distinguish between U.S. policy and the military personnel that carry out that policy. She's simply not smart enough nor does that distinction help her agenda. Such people should be ineligible to serve on the Armed Services Committee, of course.

 

And, as you well know, Skip, you now have Shifty Schiff to represent you in the Senate. Good luck and God help us all

 

Then he provided me with the February  Vietnam air losses to go with the January list…skip

 

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This Day in U S Military History

December 29

1812 – USS Constitution (Captain William Bainbridge) captures HMS Java off Brazil after a three hour battle. Shortly, after Christmas, 1812, Constitution was sailing in the Atlantic just off the coast of Brazil. In the morning sails were sighted on the horizon, and Constitution's new captain, William Bainbridge, altered course to investigate. The ship proved to be HMS Java, a frigate similar to Guerriere. Both frigates stood for each other and cleared their decks for action. The defeat of Java, the second frigate lost to Constitution in six months, motivated a change in the tactics of the Royal Navy. No longer would their frigates be allowed to engage American frigates like Constitution alone. Only British ships-of-the-line or squadrons were permitted to come close enough to these ships to attack.

1939 – First flight of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber. The B-24 was used in World War II by several Allied air forces and navies, and by every branch of the American armed forces during the war, attaining a distinguished war record with its operations in the Western European, Pacific, Mediterranean, and China-Burma-India Theaters. Often compared with the better-known Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 was a more modern design with a higher top speed, greater range, and a heavier bomb load; it was also more difficult to fly, with heavy control forces and poor formation-flying characteristics. Popular opinion among aircrews and general staffs tended to favor the B-17's rugged qualities above all other considerations in the European Theater. The placement of the B-24's fuel tanks throughout the upper fuselage and its lightweight construction, designed to increase range and optimize assembly line production, made the aircraft vulnerable to battle damage. The B-24 was notorious among American aircrews for its tendency to catch fire. Its high fuselage-mounted "Davis wing" also meant it was dangerous to ditch or belly land, since the fuselage tended to break apart. Nevertheless, the B-24 provided excellent service in a variety of roles thanks to its large payload and long range and was the only bomber to operationally deploy the United States' first forerunner to precision-guided munitions during the war, the 1,000 lb. Azon guided bomb. The B-24's most costly mission was the low-level strike against the Ploești oil fields, in Romania on 1 August 1943, which turned into a disaster because the defense was underestimated and fully alerted while the attackers were disorganized. The B-24 ended World War II as the most produced heavy bomber in history. At over 18,400 units, half by Ford Motor Company, it still holds the distinction as the most-produced American military aircraft, with one B-24A and one B-24J restored to airworthiness as of 2014.

1940 – In one of his famous "fireside chat" broadcasts President Roosevelt describes how he wishes the United States to become the "arsenal of democracy" and to give full aid to Britain regardless of threats from other countries.'

1943 – USS Silversides (SS-236) sinks three Japanese ships and damages a fourth off Palau.

1944 – There is a lull in the fighting in the Ardennes as Allied forces buildup their forces for further counterattacks.

2004 – Insurgents tried to ram a truck with half a ton of explosives into a U.S. military post in the northern city of Mosul then ambushed reinforcements in a huge gun battle in which 25 rebels and one American soldier were killed.

2006 – The United Kingdom pays off the last of its debts from World War II by paying the last $100 million to the United States and Canada. The country still has debts outstanding from the Napoleonic Wars, which are cheaper to pay interest on than to redeem.

 

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

RUSSELL, MILTON

Rank and organization: Captain, Company A, 51st Indiana Infantry. Place and date: At Stone River, Tenn., 29 December 1862. Entered service at: North Salem, Ind. Birth: Hendricks County, Ind. Date of issue: 28 September 1897. Citation: Was the first man to cross Stone River and, in the face of a galling fire from the concealed skirmishers of the enemy, led his men up the hillside, driving the opposing skirmishers before them.

WILLIAMSON, JAMES A.

Rank and organization: Colonel, 4th lowa Infantry. Place and date: At Chickasaw Bayou, Miss., 29 December 1862. Entered service at: Des Moines, lowa. Born: 8 February 1829, Columbia, Adair County, Ky. Date of issue: 17 January 1895. Citation: Led his regiment against a superior force, strongly entrenched, and held his ground when all support had been withdrawn.

WARD, JAMES

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company B, 7th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Wounded Knee Creek, S. Dak., 29 December 1890. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. Birth: Quincy, Mass. Date of issue: 16 April 1891. Citation: Continued to fight after being severely wounded.

WEINERT, PAUL H.

Rank and organization: Corporal, Company E, 1st U.S. Artillery. Place and date: At Wounded Knee Creek, S. Dak., 29 December 1890. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Birth: Germany. Date of issue: 24 March 1891. Citation: Taking the place of his commanding officer who had fallen severely wounded, he gallantly served his piece, after each fire advancing it to a better position.

*NASH, DAVID P.

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 2d Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: Giao Duc District, Dinh Tuong Province, Republic of Vietnam, 29 December 1968. Entered service at: Louisville, Ky. Born: 3 November 1947, Whitesville, Ky. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Nash distinguished himself while serving as a grenadier with Company B, in Giao Duc District. When an ambush patrol of which he was a member suddenly came under intense attack before reaching its destination, he was the first to return the enemy fire. Taking an exposed location, Pfc. Nash suppressed the hostile fusillade with a rapid series of rounds from his grenade launcher, enabling artillery fire to be adjusted on the enemy. After the foe had been routed, his small element continued to the ambush site where he established a position with 3 fellow soldiers on a narrow dike. Shortly past midnight, while Pfc. Nash and a comrade kept watch and the 2 other men took their turn sleeping, an enemy grenade wounded 2 soldiers in the adjacent position. Seconds later, Pfc. Nash saw another grenade land only a few feet from his own position. Although he could have escaped harm by rolling down the other side of the dike, he shouted a warning to his comrades and leaped upon the lethal explosive. Absorbing the blast with his body, he saved the lives of the 3 men in the area at the sacrifice of his life. By his gallantry at the cost of his life are in the highest traditions of the military service, Pfc. Nash has reflected great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

 

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This Day in Aviation History" brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/.

Dec. 27, 1935

When an eruption of Mauna Loa, a volcano on the Island of Hawaii, threatened the town of Hilo on the island's northeastern coast, a decision was made to try to divert the flow of lava by aerial bombing. (The population of Hilo in 1935 was 15,633; it was 41,615 in 2019.) The U.S. Army Air Corps' 23d Bombardment Squadron, 5th Composite Group, based at Luke Field on Ford Island, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, sent three Keystone B-3A and two Keystone B-6A bombers. The five airplanes dropped twenty 600-pound Mark I demolition bombs, each containing 355 pounds of TNT, with 0.1-second delay fuses. The effort was deemed a success. The bombing operation was planned by then Lt. Col. George S. Patton.

Dec. 28, 1948

Twelve U.S. Air Force pilots were rescued from a Greenland icecap by a C-47 Skytrain using rocket boosters. Every branch of the U.S. military and all the major allied powers flew this versatile aircraft. The U.S. Navy version was the R4D. The British and the Australians designated it the Dakota. The aircraft operated from every continent in the world and participated in every major battle. By the end of World War II, more than 10,000 had been built. For all of its official and unofficial names, it came to be known universally as the "Gooney Bird;" Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, termed it one of the most vital pieces of military equipment used in winning the war.

Dec. 29, 1939

The first flight of the Consolidated XB-24 Liberator heavy bomber took place at San Diego, California. During the next 5½ years, over 18,100 B-24 Liberators were produced, making it the largest military production run in U.S. history.

Dec. 30, 1916

The Army established a new aviation school north of Hampton, Virginia, on Dec. 30, 1916. It later became known as Langley AFB, and is now Joint Base Langley-Eustis. It is the Air Force's oldest active base.

Dec. 31, 1908

Wilbur Wright flew a 1907 Wright Flyer a distance of 124.7 kilometers over a triangular course in 2 hours, 20 minutes, 23 seconds, at Camp d'Auvours, France, setting a record for duration and distance. He won the first Michelin Trophy and a ₣20,000 prize.

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for December 29, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

29 December

1913: MACKAY TROPHY. At San Diego, Calif., Lts Joseph E. Carberry and Fred Seydel won the second trophy for reconnaissance. As in 1912, only one aircraft competed effectively following an accident involving Lts Walter R. Taliaferro and H. LeR. Muller. (24)

1921: Edward Stinson and Lloyd Bertaud set a new world endurance record of 26 hours 18 minutes 35 seconds at Roosevelt Field, N. Y., in a Larsen Junker-BMW 185. (24)

1939: Consolidated's XB-24 Liberator made its first flight, a 17-minute trip from Lindbergh Field, San Diego, Calif., with Consolidated pilot Bill Wheatley at the controls. (12) (20)

1942: COLLIER TROPHY. The US Army Air Forces and America's private airlines jointly received this award. (24)

1948: Secretary of Defense Forrestal announced work on an "Earth satellite vehicle program" to study the operation of guided rockets beyond the earth's pull of gravity. (16)

1949: Jacqueline Cochran set a 436.995 mile per hour international speed record for 500 kilometers (310.685 miles) in an F-51 without payload at the Mount Wilson Course in California. (24)

1950: KOREAN WAR. From Taegu, RF-51 aircraft began flying tactical reconnaissance missions in Korea for the first time. They had longer ranges than their RF-80 predecessors. (28)

1952: KOREAN WAR. Eleven B-29s of the 307th Bombardment Wing attacked the Teagam-ni headquarters area destroying 146 buildings. (28)

1966: The National Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio, inducted (all deceased): aircraft designers Glenn L. Martin and William F. Boeing; Adm John H. Towers (first attempt for a trans-atlantic flight); Lincoln Beachey, famous stunt flyer; Brig Gen William "Billy" Mitchell, advocate of bombing; and Robert H. Goddard, the world's first rocket scientist. The USAF selected Cessna Aircraft Company to produce the O-2 for forward air controller, liaison, and observation functions. (16)

1967: The last B-47 aircraft, an RB-47H, left the active inventory for storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. (1)

1970: The 741st Strategic Missile Squadron at Minot AFB, N. Dak., achieved operational status as the Strategic Air Command's first unit equipped with Minuteman III ICBMs. (6)

1988: The Air Force received its first operational McDonnell-Douglas F-15E dual role (air superiority and deep interdiction) fighter. (20)

1989: Through 31 December, the 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 435th Tactical Airlift Wing, sent two C-130 Hercules with 31 tons of medical supplies to Bucharest, Rumania, to treat civilians wounded in a violent anti-communist revolution that executed President Nicolas Ceaucescu. (16) (26)

1990: Operation DESERT SHIELD. The 169th Fighter Group was the first Air National Guard unit to deploy to the Persian Gulf region. (Swamp Foxes in Operation Desert Storm, Air National Guard Art, 1992)

1994: Two 56th Rescue Squadron helicopter crews from Keflavik AB saved eight Dutch mariners from a sinking vessel near the coast of Iceland. (16)

 

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