TheList 7401

The List 7401

To All

Good Tuesday Morning December 30, 2025 . Today is overcast. Cool and windy. It is supposed to reach 75 later.. I hope that you all are enjoying your time off this week and that many of you will join us for Bubba Breakfast on Friday. A great way to start off the new year.

.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 30

1920—USS John D. Ford (DD 228) is commissioned. She serves in both the Atlantic and the Pacific during World War II and receives a Presidential Unit Citation, specifically honoring her "extraordinary heroism in action" during the Java Campaign, Jan. 23 – March 2, 1942 and four battle stars.

1942—USS Greenling (SS 213) attacks a Japanese convoy 180 miles northeast of Manus, Admiralty Islands and sinks Army cargo ship Hiteru Maru and damages cargo ship Ryufuku Maru while USS Thresher (SS 200) sinks the Japanese freighter Haichan Maru west of Mata Siri Island, off the southern tip of Borneo.

1943—USS Bluefish (SS 222) sinks Japanese oiler Ichiyu Maru in the Java Sea.

1944—USS Block Island (CVE 106) is commissioned, serving until decommissioned in 1954. Struck from the Navy list in 1959, ex-Block Island is sold to Kowa Koeki Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Naka, of Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo and scrapped a year later.

1944—USS Razorback (SS 394) attacks a Japanese convoy going from Manila to Takao, about 60 miles southeast of Formosa, and sinks the destroyer Kuretake in the Bashi Channel. The Japanese cargo ships Brazil Maru and Oi Maru are also damaged during this attack.

1959—The first fleet ballistic missile submarine, USS George Washington (SSBN 598), is commissioned. 

 

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Today in World History: December 30

 

1460 The Duke of York is defeated and killed by Lancastrians at the Battle of Wakefield.

1803 The United States takes possession of the Louisiana area from France at New Orleans with a simple ceremony, the simultaneous lowering and raising of the national flags.

1861 Banks in the United States suspend the practice of redeeming paper money for metal currency, a practice that would continue until 1879.

1862 The draft of the Emancipation Proclamation is finished and circulated among President Abraham Lincoln's cabinet for comment.

1905 Governor Frank Steunenberg of Idaho is killed by an assassin's bomb.

1922 Soviet Russia is renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

1932 The Soviet Union bars food handouts for housewives under 36 years of age. They must now work to eat.

1947 Romania's King Michael is forced to abdicate by Soviet-backed Communists. Communists now control all of Eastern Europe.

1965 Ferdinand E. Marcos is sworn in as the Philippine Republic's sixth president.

1972 After two weeks of heavy bombing raids on North Vietnam, President Nixon halts the air offensive and agrees to resume peace negotiations with Hanoi representative Le Duc Tho.

1976 Governor Carey of New York pardons seven inmates, closing the book on the Attica uprising.

2006 Saddam Hussein, former Iraq dictator, is executed by hanging for crimes against his own people during his rule.

 

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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 30

30-Dec:  https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2793

 

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SUBJ:  NAMPOW & WW RR Bill Wilson's Recollections of 29 MARCH 1973

Bill Wilson's remarks bring the Operation Linebacker email series to a fitting close.

This will be one of two messages dealing with the experiences of leaving Hanoi.  This key message will be the first.  It deals with the recollections of Bill Wilson upon his release from captivity in the Hanoi Hilton following his shoot down and capture 22DEC72 in his F-111A during Operation Linebacker II. 

 

As a part of the conclusion of the LB II series of emails I have included the "Dogpatch" phase.

 

Bill Wilson's Recollection of 29MAR73

 

On the 29th of March, I was on the last bus out of the Zoo to be released.  Our guards on the bus told us not to make any noise.  As we went out the gate there was a fairly large crowd watching our exit and  our bus was hit by a rock or two which surprised me.  I was looking for bomb damage since I knew that the NVN were claiming lots of collateral damage but it didn't see any. We After we crossed the Paul Doumer bridge and heading for Gia Lam airport, I was looking out the left side of the bus.  The road took us right next to the rail road yard that had been the main rail road  yard in Hanoi.  I knew it was a rail road yard because there were multiple big steam locomotives, the kind that pulled freight cross country, completely turned upside down and others laying on their sides.  The area was completely plowed just like a freshly plowed Iowa farm in the spring but not yet harrowed. The area was a real mess.  There wasn't a single rail car recognizable although there was also lots of twisted rails at various angle sticking up the into the air.  On the right side of the road there were a few strings of bomb craters but absolutely nothing compared the to the accuracy on the rail yard on the left.  Amazing bombing from 33,000 feet!   I was surprised that the NVN let us see that  destruction of a true military target.  I was amazed but no one spoke about it on the bus.  I guess no one wanted to push it with the NVN most likely because there was still the uncertainty that we would be released today.  We were supposed to be released yesterday but there was some problem with the release of our guys in the south. I did not breath easily until the pilot announced that we were out of NVN air space and were being escorted by our fighters then I cheered loudly as did the rest of us.

 

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OOOPS

Thanks to Boysie ...and Dr.Rich

 

Who's Your Daddy?

 

A very elderly couple is having an elegant dinner to celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary.

The old man leans forward and says softly to his wife; "Dear, there is something that I must ask you. It has always bothered me that our tenth child never quite looked like the rest of our children. Now I want to assure you that these 75 years have been the most wonderful experience I could have ever hoped for, and your answer cannot take that all that away. But, I must know, did he have a different father?"

The wife drops her head, unable to look her husband in the eye, she paused for a moment and then confessed. "Yes, Yes he did."

The old man is very shaken, the reality of what his wife was admitting hit him harder than he had expected.

With a tear in his eye he asks; "Who? Who was he? Who was the father?"

Again the old woman drops her head, saying nothing at first as she tried to muster the courage to tell the truth to her husband. Then, finally, she says, "You."

 

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From the Archives

I am wading through email and found this one from Barrel

Thanks to Bruddah ....

in War, Good Will toward Men - American Thinker

Date: December 25, 2022 at 8:33:22 AM MST

    It was 21 degrees here at Wacahoota Station this Christmas morning, but we were inside enjoying the warmth. December 1944 in Belgium was historically cold and those soldiers had no inside to get warm.

   This story gives life to "Peace on Earth towards men of good will."

    Merry Christmas from Wacahoota Station 🚂

[Lots of interesting history at the many links in the story]

December 25, 2022

Even in War, Good Will toward Men

By J.B. Shurk

With so much darkness around us today, it is easy to lose hope and faith.  To be sure, those who wish us ill take pleasure from our pain.  However, it is often when we are nearly broken that God lifts us up and provides us peace.  This time of year is filled with those moments.  Call them Christmas miracles or answered prayers, but they are real and worth remembering.

One such story that has always stuck with me is that of Fritz Vincken, who was twelve years old and living with his mother, Elisabeth, in a small hunting cabin in the Ardennes Forest during the worst fighting of the Battle of the Bulge.  His father had hidden them in the secluded mountain hut across the Belgian border after the family's bakery and home were destroyed during allied bombing in Aachen, Germany.  While Fritz's dad baked bread for German soldiers at the front line, Fritz and his mother had little food, except for what they could forage.

On a freezing Christmas Eve night, as they struggled to ignore distant gunfire and prepared a meager meal made from a scrawny rooster and some potatoes, there was a loud knock on the door.  Fritz's heart leapt, believing that it was his father finally returning.  Instead, it was three Americans from the 121st Infantry, 8th Division — all suffering from frostbite and one seriously injured.  "My mother knew the penalty for harboring the enemy," Fritz recalled, "but when she looked into the young Americans' eyes and saw that one was badly hurt, she opened the door and let them in."  They added some potatoes to the stew for their tired, hungry guests and attended to the American's gunshot wound the best they could, and because the soldiers spoke no German and the Vinckens spoke no English, they relied on hand signals and broken French for communication.

Then came more pounding from outside.  When Elisabeth cautiously opened the hut's door, she found four freezing Wehrmacht soldiers looking for shelter.  "I was almost paralyzed with fear," Fritz recounted, "for though I was a child, I knew that harsh law of war: Anyone giving aid and comfort to the enemy would be shot."  Had any other person opened the door on that frigid Christmas Eve night in 1944, the killing fields of the Ardennes would almost certainly have claimed more victims.  Instead, Elisabeth took control of the situation, wishing the young Germans a "Fröhliche Weihnachten" and inviting them in for food and rest upon two conditions: (1) that they leave their weapons outside and (2) respect her Christmas guests.  "She reminded them that it was Christmas Eve and told them sternly there would be no shooting around here."  While Fritz "stood and stared in disbelief," the Wehrmacht soldiers complied.  She then ran back to the Americans; who had grown nervous, spoke gently in a language they could not understand; and grabbed their weapons, too.

At first the tiny cabin was uncomfortably tense.  Then one of the Germans, who had been a medical student, offered to assist the wounded American, noticeably weak from blood loss.  The Americans pulled out some coffee grounds and cigarettes from a tattered pack, and one of the other Germans offered some scraps of bread.  Fritz added what few ingredients they had to the stew, and his "mother read from the Bible and declared that there would be at least one night of peace in this war."

 "Komm, Herr Jesus," she prayed, "and be our guest."  "There were tears in her eyes," Fritz remembered, "and as I looked around the table, I saw that the battle-weary soldiers were filled with emotion."  After dinner the seven soldiers, who had been bitter enemies just hours before, fell into a deep sleep, side by side.  When they woke the next morning, they exchanged Christmas greetings and set to work building a makeshift stretcher from tree branches for the wounded American.  The Germans advised the Americans to avoid a town that had been taken over by Nazi forces and gave them a map and compass that would get them back to their friends.  Elisabeth returned their weapons and prayed, "May God bless and watch over you."  Then the soldiers shook hands and went their separate ways.

For Fritz, his mother had been nothing short of a hero.  "The inner strength of a single woman, who, by her wits and intuition, prevented potential bloodshed, taught me the practical meaning of the words: 'Good Will Toward Mankind.'"

Fritz and his parents survived the war, and because the young boy saw those Americans in his shack as "liberators," he eventually immigrated to the United States, became an American citizen, and opened up a German bakery of his own in Honolulu, Hawaii.  After telling his story to his new countrymen for years, he eventually submitted details of the miraculous Christmas Eve during the Battle of the Bulge to Readers Digest, and a much larger audience learned of the rare peace shared for a few hours amid the cold, bloody landscape of the Ardennes.  In retelling Fritz's experience during a trip to Germany in 1985, President Reagan urged others to do the same, "because none of us can ever hear too much about building peace and reconciliation."

Amazingly, after Unsolved Mysteries produced an episode in the mid-'90s seeking more details about the little known tale, Fritz eventually reunited with two of the American soldiers before they all passed away.  They, too, had always told others of their miraculous Christmas Eve in the middle of battle and wondered what had happened to the boy alone with his mother in the woods.  Sergeant Ralph Blank told Fritz, "Your mother saved my life," and with that comfort, the young boy turned old man said, "Now I can die in peace.  My mother's courage won't be forgotten, and it shows what good will will do."

His mother, Elisabeth, often said over the years until her own passing that "God was at our table" during that freezing night in the forest.  And Fritz said that the event so altered his understanding of life that he never stopped thinking of "those seven young soldiers, who met as enemies and parted as friends, right in the middle of the Battle of the Bulge."

 Whenever I think of Fritz's story, I am struck by a remarkable truth: it is always the smallest of acts that end up creating ripples large enough to produce meaningful change.  At any point on that Christmas Eve in '44 during some of the worst atrocities of the war, any one of those seven soldiers could have acted belligerently out of exhaustion, pain, or haste.  A mother and her young son speaking unfamiliar words to foreign soldiers could have inadvertently provoked tragedy.  A trio of Wehrmacht soldiers, irate at the sight of their enemies taking refuge far from home, could have chosen the same violence and bloodshed that soaked the earth beyond the cabin's door.  Instead, an unarmed woman brought God into her house and invited those who might have done her harm to share the blessings of Jesus's birth.  Through her resolve and faith, she secured peace.  That heroic act not only convinced combatant soldiers to lay down their weapons, but also inspired her son for the rest of his life.  He then told of his mother's courage to countless others who visited his bakery over the next half-century of his life, who, in turn, retold the story and its lesson to countless more.  Even the president of the United States in the middle of the Cold War seized upon its importance and shared it with millions of strangers in a quest to transform former enemies into friends.

Faith and small acts of courage do change the world.  That is what Christmas reminds us all.

 

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From the archives

10 Common Things With Uncommon Names that you probably did not know unless you remembered them from reading them from here a long time ago.  skip

Published on December 29, 2023

 

Human language gives us the wonderful ability to name stuff. Calling things by their name allows us to communicate with each other and get our daily tasks done, that's why the lexicon is so important when learning a language.

 

However, there are some things we see and use every day that often escape our attention. Do you know what to call the little fleshy portion between your nose and your upper lip? And what about those plastic tips at the ends of your shoelaces? Believe it or not, all these things have a name.

 

Today we're going to tell you about 10 common things with uncommon names .

 

1

Vibrissae

Whether you're a dog person or a cat person, get ready to be charmed by this term. Vibrissae, the lesser-known name for what we dub as whiskers , grace the faces of nearly all mammals.

But these vibrissae aren't just cute; they play crucial roles in an animal's life, serving as tools for locomotion and exploration. Essentially, they're super-sensors that allow your furry friend to perceive and navigate its surroundings.

There are already too many cats named "Whiskers," so if you want to be truly original, here you have a name for your next pet.

 

2

Philtrum

We humans have integrated the function performed by whiskers into our brains, specifically the somatosensory cortex.

Now, imagine if you did have whiskers; do you know the name of that part of your face where they would be? When you make a duck face for a selfie , you're not only pouting your lips, you're also moving the philtrum, that space between your nose and upper lip.

The philtrum is different in each person; it is longer in some people and shorter in others. Additionally, the length of the philtrum is significantly increased with age.

Embrace the distinctive charm of your philtrum. After all, it's one of those remarkable details that makes you uniquely you!

NOTE: It is also a very sensitive area for a strike with a ridge hand or a knuckle if you are in trouble...skip

 

3

Aglets

Mastering the art of tying shoelaces is a childhood milestone that becomes an everyday task as the years go by.

While the act of tying may seem simple, the intricate dance of threading laces through the tiny holes in your new sneakers is a bit more complex. Well, this activity would be a lot more difficult without the aglets, those plastic or metal tips at the end of the laces.

 

4

Lemniscate

Lemniscate is the technical name for what we know as the infinity symbol . We bet that many people are discovering the true name of their tattoo with this word.

The brilliance of the infinity symbol lies in its accuracy, as it allows you to transit its curve endlessly . It's a visual representation of exploration without limits, capturing the essence of boundless possibilities and perpetual journeys along its attractive form.

 

5

Punt

If you are one of those who enjoy a good glass of wine , you'll find this information interesting.

Wine bottles usually have this kind of indent at the base, which is known as a punt in the world of winemakers. While skeptics may argue that the purpose of the punt is to create the illusion of more liquid in the bottle, the truth is that a deeper punt usually indicates a higher-quality wine . So next time you go to the supermarket, you know which part of the bottle to check! It might provide a valuable clue!

 

6

Crapulence

This word may be related to the previous one. Are you familiar with that sick feeling after drinking or eating too much ? If you reached the punt of the bottle yesterday, chances are you're experiencing a touch of crapulence today, which is that unpleasant feeling or discomfort.

Consider it as your body's way of sending you a crystal-clear message: maybe a bit less next time!

 

7

Petrichor

Forget about unpleasant sensations. Now, we move on to the world of pure joy!

Rain is a divisive topic; some people love it, others hate it. Yet, there's a universal delight that most of us enjoy: the smell that comes from the wet soil after a rainy day . Besides smelling it, you can also name it! That scent is called petrichor, and it's produced by bacteria.

 

8

Griffonage

This word is borrowed from French and is rightly defined as " careless handwriting ."

Sometimes, reading a doctor's prescription feels like cracking a secret code. But here's the intriguing part: If you show a doctor a prescription written by a colleague, they will probably decipher it perfectly. Perhaps there's a mysterious class on griffonage at medical school.

 

9

Zarf

Your daily coffee ritual, that symphony of flavor and warmth, wouldn't be complete without this humble hero: the zarf. If you're a coffee lover, you know what we're talking about. That seemingly simple piece of paper or cardboard isn't just an accessory; it's your trusty zarf. It has a very important function: to keep you from burning your hands , ensuring each sip is a blissful, burn-free delight.

 

10

Tintinnabulation

This funny word represents very well what it stands for: the ringing of bells . The term has its roots in the Latin verb "tintinnare," an onomatopoeic word. Much like "click," "clap," "whisper," and "tinkle," "tintinnare" is an imitation of the sound it represents . Onomatopoeias bring words to life, giving them the power to evoke sensations, emotions, images, and sounds in the minds of those who listen.

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 From the Archives

Thanks to David W. and Eric J.

Subject: : Marine corps Lore

This is an example of the investment in America that has been made by generations past. Eric

 The great Marine Memorial in Arlington, Virginia depicting the flag raising on Iwo Jima was sculpted by Felix de Weldon. The Marine Memorial was completed and dedicated on 10 November 1954. Every Marine and friend of the Corps knows about the flag raising on Iwo Jima, Joe Rosenthal's famous photograph, and Weldon's iconic Marine Memorial. What is less well known is that only one year after the Marine Memorial in Arlington was dedicated, Felix de Weldon on 18 November 1955 dedicated a different Marine sculpture named, The Marine Memorial.

Most people, even most Marines, have never heard of Felix de Weldon's second Marine Memorial. The reason is the second Marine Memorial is not in the United States.  Felix de Weldon created a black marble monolith with a bronze relief of a fighting Marine. The sculpture has a commemorative plaque with a Marine EGA. Weldon's second Marine Memorial still stands today in France at the site of the battle of Belleau Wood. It is the only sculpture in Europe that only honors U.S. Marines.

The World War I battle of Belleau Wood took place June 1918. The Marines fought and won against a numerically superior German invasion force. U.S. forces bore more than 10,000 casualties. The ferocious valor of the Marines at Belleau has become a part of the lore of the Corps. While some scholars have their doubts, it has been said the Germans called the Marines "Devil Dogs." And Marines wear the name proudly today.

Another part of the lore of Belleau is an incident said to have taken place during a particularly desperate part of the fighting. Three Marines were under fire, a Sgt and two PFC's. One PFC had been patrolling a few yards ahead of the other two, he was suddenly ambushed and badly wounded by small arms fire. Alone and bleeding, the wounded Marine called out to his friend.

The other PFC and the Sgt were laying face down. As soon as his friend called out, the other PFC started to get up, to go to his aid. But the Sgt pulled him back down, "No. Wait. We have to see what's out there."

The forest was silent. No more firing. No more calls from the wounded PFC.

Finally the Sgt said, "I think he bought it."

The PFC jumped up and ran to his friend, picked him up, put him over his shoulder and carried him back under a hail of bullets. The PFC took a round in his leg and they both tumbled to the ground by the Sgt. The Sgt checked both Marines, "Are you crazy? Now you're wounded and he's dead. All for nothing."

The PFC said, "It was worth it."

"Worth it?" How?"

The PFC looked at the Sgt and said, "When I got out there, he was still alive. He saw me and said, 'I knew you would come.''

During this Christmas season, may God bless Devil Dogs everywhere, and also Felix de Weldon for his two Marine Memorials.

 

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Today's Interesting Fact

The Tale of Genji — often considered the world's first novel — ends inconclusively.

Spread across 54 chapters and some 1,300 pages (in English), Murasaki Shikibu's Genji Monogatari, or "The Tale of Genji," explores the tumultuous love life of its aristocratic titular hero during Heian period Japan (794–1185 CE). Written around the beginning of the 11th century, Genji is an incredibly ambitious work featuring some 400+ named characters and a 70-year-long narrative that spans generations. Because of its realistic setting, psychological depth, and the detailed development of its heroes — Prince Genji and his son Kaoru — many consider Genji to be the world's first novel, and thus Shikibu, who served as a lady-in-waiting at Japan's imperial court, the world's first novelist. An instant success, the book is still hugely influential in Japan today.

But one detail about the story has perplexed readers and scholars for a millennium: The ending isn't much of an ending. One of Kaoru's love interests becomes a Buddhist nun, and Kaoru is foiled in an attempt to make contact with her — hardly a satisfying conclusion after 1,000+ pages of Heian-era court romance. Translators have debated whether this abrupt and unsatisfying ending was the author's intention or if the story remains incomplete, perhaps because Murasaki died before she could finish it. Others argue that she might not have had a concept of a traditional narrative ending, and anyway was not writing for publication — instead, Genji's many chapters (never originally numbered) were originally passed among the women of court in handwritten notebooks. Scholars will likely never know the definitive answers behind the ending, but the abruptness gives Genji a modern feel and reinforces the novel's pervading Buddhistic sense of "mono no aware," a phrase associated with the "beautiful yet tragic fleetingness of life." Like a blossom falling from a cherry tree, The Tale of Genji serves as an example of the beautiful ephemerality inherent in all existence.

 

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Thanks to Nice News

 Best Seat in the House: A Canada Goose Nested in the Bleachers at Wrigley Field

 

 

You never know what you might see at a baseball game — a proposal, a grand slam, or a gaggle of "geesekeepers" protecting a bird nesting in the stands. If you can believe it, the latter went down at Wrigley Field in April. During the Chicago Cubs' game against the San Diego Padres, a Canada goose was spotted nestled in greenery boxes around the stadium's outfield bleachers (as you can see in this photo).

 

The team stepped up to the plate to keep the goose safe, blocking off dozens of bleacher seats, adding signs, and designating staff to keep guard of the new fan. "At the Friendly Confines, we truly mean it when we say everyone's welcome, including the goose and her nest who took up residence in the bleachers," Cubs Senior Director of Communications Jennifer Martinez said in a statement to the Associated Press. She added: "Protecting our fans, and our feathered guest, is our top priority."

 

The goose flew off a few days later, but not before fans had a chance to name her — some went with Suzuki, in honor of designated hitter Seiya Suzuki, while others dubbed the bird Pete Goose-Armstrong (PGA for short), as a reference to outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. Though there's no word on where she is now, the Cubs community knows there's a good luck charm flying around out there — and who knows, maybe she'll make her way back to the ballpark next season.

 

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Thanks to 1440

China's War Games

China's military deployed air, navy, and missile units yesterday in its largest-ever drills around Taiwan. Beijing said the operation—dubbed "Justice Mission 2025"—aims to deter Taipei's push for formal independence and discourage foreign involvement. The exercise follows a record US arms sale to Taiwan and remarks from Japanese leaders about potential defense commitments to the island.

Taiwan reported roughly 89 Chinese military aircraft and 28 naval and coast guard vessels were present, with live-fire drills simulating blockades and coordinated strikes. Taiwan mobilized rapid-response troops and said flights were canceled or diverted for more than 100,000 travelers. Taiwan condemned the exercise, saying it threatens regional stability. Drills continue today.

China and Taiwan have had strained relations since 1949; China views Taiwan as part of the mainland, while Taiwan maintains it is a sovereign nation. Taiwan sits on key trade routes in the Western Pacific and produces about 90% of the world's most advanced semiconductor chips).

 

 

When Life Gives You Lululemon

Lululemon Athletica founder Chip Wilson is launching a proxy fight with the company, revealing yesterday that he nominated three directors to the company's board. The decision comes weeks after the board announced CEO Calvin McDonald's exit without a successor.

McDonald ran the Vancouver-based company for over seven years, taking its stock to a height of over $500 per share in 2023. The company's stock has since fallen, dropping 45% this year amid tariffs, reduced consumer spending, and increased competition. Wilson, Lululemon's second-largest shareholder, has criticized the board's lack of a succession plan. Now, he's nominating former executives from ESPN and Activision, as well as a former CEO from rival company On Running. The bid is separate from activist investor Elliott Investment Management's public campaign to see Lululemon hire former Ralph Lauren executive Jane Nielsen.

Wilson founded Lululemon in 1998 and led the company until 2005.

 

 

New Year's Countdown

More than 360 million glasses of sparkling wine are expected to be consumed in the US tomorrow, as over half of Americans gather with friends and family to ring in the new year. See more fast facts.

Roughly 1 million people historically pack into New York City's Times Square to watch a crystal ball drop from One Times Square as midnight approaches—a tradition that began on New Year's Eve 1907. This year marks the debut of the ninth and largest ball, adorned with 5,280 crystals and weighing about 12,350 pounds. For the first time, the ball will be relit and dropped again at approximately 12:04 am ET in anticipation of the US' 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026.

Elsewhere in the US, communities have put their own spins on the tradition, from a jumbo shrimp drop in Florida to a potato drop in Idaho. Celebrations vary widely around the world, too, with wave-jumping in Brazil and onion calendars in Romania.

 

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This Day in U S Military History

December 30

1776 – After American success at Trenton on Christmas, General George Washington returned to Trenton, near Assunpink Creek. The victory had changed much of the General's fortunes but he still had a problem. Many of his troops were free to leave at the end of the year. Washington decided to make a personal appeal to his men.

He offered a bounty to any man who would stay another 6 months. After this first appeal, none stepped forward. But one soldier remembered what Washington said next: "My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected, but your country is at stake, your wives, your houses, and all that you hold dear. You have worn yourselves out with fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay one month longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty, and to your country, which you probably never can do under any other circumstance." Men began to step forward. Not everyone stayed, but many did. Only a few stepped out at first, then others. Finally only those to injured fight had not stepped out and new men also joined.

1862 – The U.S.S. Monitor sinks in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Just nine months earlier, the ship had been part of a revolution in naval warfare when the ironclad dueled to a standstill with the C.S.S. Virginia (Merrimack) off Hampton Roads, Virginia, in one of the most famous naval battles in history–the first time two ironclads faced each other in a naval engagement. After the famous duel, the Monitor provided gun support on the James River for George B. McClellan's Peninsular Campaign. By December 1862, it was clear the Monitor was no longer needed in Virginia, so she was sent to Beaufort, North Carolina, to join a fleet being assembled for an attack on Charleston. The Monitor served well in the sheltered waters of Chesapeake Bay, but the heavy, low-slung ship was a poor craft for the open sea. The U.S.S. Rhode Island towed the ironclad around the rough waters of Cape Hatteras. Since December is a treacherous time for any ship off North Carolina, the decision to move the Monitor seems highly questionable. As the Monitor pitched and swayed in the rough seas, the caulking around the gun turret loosened and water began to leak into the hull. More leaks developed as the journey continued. High seas tossed the craft, causing the ship's flat armor bottom to slap the water. Each roll opened more seams, and by nightfall on December 30, the Monitor was in dire straits. At 8:00 p.m., the Monitor's commander, J.P. Bankhead, signaled the Rhode Island that he wished to abandon ship. The wooden side-wheeler pulled as close as safety allowed to the stricken ironclad, and two lifeboats were lowered to retrieve the crew. Many of the sailors were rescued, but some men were terrified to venture onto the deck in such rough seas. The ironclad's pumps stopped working and the ship sank before 16 crew members could be rescued. Although the Monitor's service was brief, it signaled a new era in naval combat. The Virginia's arrival off Hampton Road terrified the U.S. Navy, but the Monitor leveled the playing field. Both sides had ironclads, and the advantage would go to the side that could build more of them. Northern industry would win that battle for the Union.

1944 – The US 8th Corps (part of US 3rd Army) launches attacks northward, against the German 5th Panzer Army, from a line between Bastogne and St. Hubert with Houffalize as the objective. Meanwhile, elements of German 5th Panzer Army launch another unsuccessful attempt at cutting the American corridor into Bastogne and capture the town.

Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

HOWARD, ROBERT L.

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 30 December 1968. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 11 July 1939, Opelika, Ala. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Howard (then Sfc .), distinguished himself while serving as platoon sergeant of an American-Vietnamese platoon which was on a mission to rescue a missing American soldier in enemy controlled territory in the Republic of Vietnam. The platoon had left its helicopter landing zone and was moving out on its mission when it was attacked by an estimated 2-company force. During the initial engagement, 1st Lt. Howard was wounded and his weapon destroyed by a grenade explosion. 1st Lt. Howard saw his platoon leader had been wounded seriously and was exposed to fire. Although unable to walk, and weaponless, 1st Lt. Howard unhesitatingly crawled through a hail of fire to retrieve his wounded leader. As 1st Lt. Howard was administering first aid and removing the officer's equipment, an enemy bullet struck 1 of the ammunition pouches on the lieutenant's belt, detonating several magazines of ammunition. 1st Lt. Howard momentarily sought cover and then realizing that he must rejoin the platoon, which had been disorganized by the enemy attack, he again began dragging the seriously wounded officer toward the platoon area. Through his outstanding example of indomitable courage and bravery, 1st Lt. Howard was able to rally the platoon into an organized defense force. With complete disregard for his safety, 1st Lt. Howard crawled from position to position, administering first aid to the wounded, giving encouragement to the defenders and directing their fire on the encircling enemy. For 3 1/2 hours 1st Lt. Howard's small force and supporting aircraft successfully repulsed enemy attacks and finally were in sufficient control to permit the landing of rescue helicopters. 1st Lt. Howard personally supervised the loading of his men and did not leave the bullet-swept landing zone until all were aboard safely. 1st Lt. Howard's gallantry in action, his complete devotion to the welfare of his men at the risk of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for December 30, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

30 December

1914: The Signal Corps accepted the first Burgess-Dunne inherently stable armored airplane (No. 36). (24)

1918: Lt T. C. Rodman, piloting an H-16 flying boat at Pensacola, scored the Navy's first win in the Curtiss Marine Trophy Race, an annual competition set up by Glenn H. Curtiss in 1915 to encourage seaplane development. (24)

1945: Republic Aviation revealed its four-engine XF-12 Rainbow. This flying photo laboratory could carry five crewmen at 425 miles per hour. The Air Technical Service Command later cancelled its order for six aircraft. (24)

1950: William F. Ivans, Jr., set a world altitude record for gliders by reaching 42,100 feet.

1952: KOREAN WAR/Project SPOTLIGHT. After an RB-26 located five locomotives in one marshaling yard, two B-26 light bombers destroyed four and damaged the fifth. To 31 December, the 19th Bombardment Group bombed the Choak-tong ore processing plant near the Yalu. Aided by a full moon and a signaling aircraft, enemy interceptors downed one B-29 and damaged two others so badly that they were forced to land at Suwon AB. (28)

1959: First fleet ballistic missile submarine, the nuclear-powered USS George Washington, commissioned at Groton, Conn. It was launched on 9 June 1959. (16) (24)

1964: The USAF accepted the last of 732 KC-135 aircraft produced at Boeing in Seattle, Wash.

1972: Operation LINEBACKER II. President Nixon halted the bombing of North Vietnam north of the 20th parallel. Peace talks resumed in Paris, France, on 8 January 1973. (16) (17)

1981: Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger ordered the Air Force to deploy 40 M-X (Peacekeeper) missiles in existing Minuteman silos by 1986 and to study other basing modes. (6)

1994: The Air Force's fifth B-2 (#8-0331), the Spirit of South Carolina, joined the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman, Mo. (15)

1997: Crews from five Air National Guard C-130s airdropped 50,000 pounds of hay to cattle stranded by blizzards in southeastern New Mexico. The 137th Airlift Wing from Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the 136th Airlift Wing from Naval Air Station Dallas, Texas, and the 153rd Airlift Wing from Cheyenne Municipal Airport/Air Guard Station, Wyoming, provided the aircraft. (22) (32)

 

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