The List 7403
To All
Good Thursday Morning January 1, 2026 . Happy New year to all. Today is overcast and raining and raining and has been that way since last night. Tomorrow is Bubba Breakfast and the weather guessers are saying there will be no rain. I hope to see many of you there to start off the new year.
.Regards
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.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.
January. 1
1819—Smith Thompson takes office as the sixth Secretary of the Navy, serving until Aug. 31, 1823.
1943—USS Nautilus (SS 168) evacuated 29 civilians from Teop Island, Solomons. Also on this date, USS Porpoise (SS 172) attacked a Japanese convoy and sank the freighter Renzan Maru off northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan.
1944—PBY aircraft sink Japanese cargo ship Kanaiyama Maru near Lorengau, Admiralities.
1944—USS Ray (SS 271) sinks a Japanese gunboat at the mouth of Ambon Bay, while USS Puffer (SS 268) attacks a Japanese convoy at the western entrance of the Mindanao Sea, sinking an army cargo ship. On the same day USS Herring (SS 233) attacks a Japanese convoy, sinking an aircraft transport ship 220 miles off Tokyo Bay.
1950 - Mary T. Sproul commissioned as first female doctor in Navy
1959—The U.S. Naval Observatory introduces a system of uniform atomic time using cesium beam atomic oscillators. This measurement is adopted as standard by the International Committee on Weights and Measures.
1962—Navy SEAL teams are established with Teams One and Two formed with personnel from Underwater Demolition Teams.
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This day in World History
January 1
1500 The Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral reaches the coast of Brazil and claims the region for Portugal.
1586 Sir Francis Drake launches a surprise attack on the heavily fortified city of Santo Domingo in Hispanola.
1698 The Abenaki Indians and Massachusetts colonists sign a treaty halting hostilities between the two.
1766 The Old Pretender, son of James III, dies.
1788 The Times, London's oldest running newspaper, publishes its first edition.
1808 A U.S. law banning the import of slaves comes into effect, but is widely ignored.
1824 The Camp Street Theatre opens as the first English-language playhouse in New Orleans.
1830 William Lloyd Garrison publishes the first edition of a journal entitled The Liberator, calling for the complete and immediate emancipation of all slaves in the United States.
1863 Confederate General Braxton Bragg and Union General William Rosecrans readjust their troops as the Battle of Murfreesboro continues.
1863 President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in the Confederacy.
1891 Facilities opened on Ellis Island, New York, to cope with the vast flood of immigrants coming into the United States.
1907 The Pure Food and Drug Act becomes law in the United States.
1915 The German submarine U-24 sinks the British battleship Formidable in the English Channel.
1918 The first gasoline pipeline begins operation. Along the 40 miles and three inches of pipe from Salt Creek to Casper, Wyoming.
1923 Sadi Lecointe sets a new aviation speed record flying an average of 208 mph at Istres.
1937 At a party at the Hormel Mansion in Minnesota, a guest wins $100 for naming a new canned meat--Spam.
1945 In Operation Bodenplatte, German planes attack American forward air bases in Europe. This is the last major offensive of the Luftwaffe.
1959 Fidel Castro seizes power in Cuba as General Fulgencio Batista flees.
1986 As the United States builds its strength in the Mediterranean, Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi threatens to retaliate if attacked.
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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
A lot of these will be different from previous years as Micro sent me a new update right after Christmas…skip
From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..January 1
January 1: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1525
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This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip Vietnam Air Losses Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Servicemembers Killed in the Vietnam War
(This site was sent by a friend last week and I forgot to forward. The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
By: Kipp Hanley
AUGUST 15, 2022
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This is worth your time. What a story
1. Thanks to my Marine friend Ken who was my workout partner at Miramar for many years. I would warmup with the bar and one 45 pound plate on each end and he would add another 45 pound plate on each end and then we would go up from there. Half my workout was pulling his weights off and on as we went up in weight. Me to 200 and him to over 300 It was a lot of fun….skip
2. I received this from him yesterday and was hooked and watched the entire episode
I don't know a thing about Top Gun save from the movie and my time at Miramar. After watching this interview with a Marine TG instructor (Dave Berke) who flew the 18, 16, 22 and 35 as well as served as a FAQ on the ground in support of SEALS in combat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUfPRUYLhaU
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Thanks to Nice News
Inside the Unique Traditions of Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year's Celebration
Jane Barlow—PA Images/Getty Images
Scotland knows how to ring in the new year — and not just because it's where Robert Burns wrote "Auld Lang Syne." The country celebrates through a longstanding custom called Hogmanay, which in modern times typically involves three or four days of fireworks, street parties, and general merrymaking.
Hogmanay festivities likely date back to the 8th or 9th century, thought to have been brought to Scotland by invading Vikings, but were ramped up after the Protestant Reformation in the late 1500s. The origins of the term itself are up for debate: Some believe it comes from the old French word "hoginane," meaning "gala day," while others think it has Gaelic, Anglo-Saxon, or Scandinavian roots.
Hogmanay is associated with several specific traditions, most famously "first footing," which stipulates that a tall, dark-haired man should be the first person to enter one's home on New Year's Day. And that person should come bearing symbolic gifts — specifically coal, black bun, whiskey, and salt.
Other rituals include the "redding of the house," a thorough cleaning to banish the past year's bad luck, as well as settling all of one's debts before the 31st is over. And at midnight, revelers join hands in a circle and sing a rousing rendition of "Auld Lang Syne," of course.
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Thanks Mugs
Ukraine Peace Deal Still Elusive Despite Trump-Zelensky Talks
Recent U.S.-backed diplomacy has pushed negotiations over ending the war in Ukraine closer to an agreement, with Washington, Kyiv and European partners narrowing a proposed peace framework. Yet despite reported progress, unresolved disputes and Russia's unchanged maximalist demands continue to threaten the viability of any deal.
Why It Matters:
Deep disagreements over security guarantees, territorial concessions in the Donbas and control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant risk stalling or collapsing negotiations as diplomacy intensifies in early 2026. Moscow's insistence on full territorial control and limited foreign involvement could prolong the war or force renewed pressure through sanctions or military
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Not a dry eye after reading this one
Thanks to Brett
Hell's Angels and a Little Old Lady.......
A 68-year-old woman shelters 79 Hells Angels from a deadly tornado—40 years later, they return to rebuild her farm in gratitude.
A 68-year-old woman opened her barn to 79 Hells Angels during a deadly tornado. She served them coffee, wrapped them in blankets, and kept them safe through the longest night of their lives. Five days later, 300 bikers returned. But it wasn't just to say thank you. It was to repay a debt that went back 40 years.
The sky turned green at 4:47 p.m. Eleanor Briggs had lived in Hollister, Missouri for 68 years, and she knew what that color meant.
She had seen it twice before in her lifetime. Once when she was twelve, when a tornado took her family's barn and three of their horses. And once when she was forty-one, when another twister killed her husband of nineteen years. She knew that green sky meant death was coming. The emergency sirens had been wailing for twenty minutes.
The radio announcer's voice was shaking as he warned residents to seek immediate shelter. This wasn't a typical spring storm. This was an EF4 tornado packing winds of over 170 mph, carving a path of destruction directly toward Taney County. Eleanor stood on her porch watching the horizon. Her farmhouse was old, built by her grandfather in 1952.
The paint was peeling, the roof leaked in three places, and the electricity had been spotty for months. She couldn't afford repairs. After her husband Thomas died, the medical bills had taken everything. But she had the cellar beneath her barn. Reinforced concrete built by her father after the tornado of 1967.
It had saved her life once. It would save her life again. She was about to head inside when she saw them. Headlights. Dozens of them coming down Route 76, fighting against winds that were already pushing 50 mph.
Motorcycles. Eleanor squinted through the darkening sky. The riders were struggling, their bikes wobbling as gusts threatened to throw them off the road.
They were pulling over one by one, seeking any shelter they could find. But there was nothing out here, just empty fields and Eleanor's old farm. The first bike skidded to a stop at the end of her driveway.
The rider was massive, dressed in black leather, his face hidden behind a helmet and bandana. Behind him, more bikes were arriving. 10, 20, 30. Eleanor's heart pounded.
She knew who these men were. The patches on their vests were unmistakable. Hells Angels. The most notorious motorcycle club in America. Every instinct told her to run inside, lock the doors, hide in the cellar, and pray they moved on. But then she saw something that changed everything.
One of the riders was down. His bike had slipped on the wet road, and two others were helping him up. He was limping badly, clutching his arm, and behind them, the sky was getting darker, greener, angrier. These men were going to die out here. Eleanor made a decision that would change her life forever.
She grabbed the heavy iron dinner bell hanging on her porch and rang it with all her might. Clang! Clang! Clang!
She waved her arms frantically, pointing toward the large red barn.
The lead biker, a man named "Bishop," saw the old woman. He saw the barn. And he saw the monster cloud touching down a mile behind them. He didn't hesitate. He signaled the pack.
Engines roared as seventy-nine motorcycles flooded into Eleanor's driveway.
"Get them inside!" Eleanor screamed over the wind, her gray hair whipping across her face. "The cellar door is in the back! Hurry!"
It was chaos. The wind was deafening now, tearing shingles off the roof. The bikers shoved their prized Harleys into the main barn floor, jamming them together. Then, Eleanor led them to the trapdoor.
They filed down into the concrete storm cellar. It was cramped, smelling of damp earth and old potatoes. Seventy-nine large, terrifying men and one elderly woman in a floral apron.
The last man slammed the heavy wooden doors shut and barred them just as the freight train sound of the tornado roared directly overhead.
The ground shook. Dust fell from the ceiling. Above them, wood splintered and metal screeched. For ten minutes, it sounded like the end of the world.
In the dark, cramping silence, Bishop turned on a flashlight. He looked at the old woman sitting on a crate.
"You okay, Ma'am?" he asked, his voice deep and rough.
"I'm fine," Eleanor said, her hands trembling slightly. "There's coffee in that thermos over there. And blankets in the chest. You boys look cold."
Bishop stared at her. "You know who we are?"
"I know," Eleanor said. "But the Good Book says to shelter the stranger. It doesn't say check their patches first."
The bikers chuckled. The tension broke. For the next six hours, while the storm raged and then settled into a heavy, flooding rain, they shared the space. They drank her coffee. They ate the jar of peaches she opened.
Bishop noticed a framed photo tack-welded to the wall of the cellar. It was an old black and white picture of a man working on a 1960s Triumph motorcycle.
Bishop froze. He walked over to the picture, shining his light on it.
"Who is this?" Bishop asked, his voice tight.
"That's my husband, Thomas," Eleanor smiled sadly. "He passed years ago. He was the best mechanic in the county."
Bishop turned to the other men. "Boys, look at this."
He turned back to Eleanor. "Ma'am, did your husband run a shop called 'Tommy's Rebore' back in the late 70s?"
"He did," Eleanor said, surprised. "Closed it down in '85 when he got sick."
Bishop took off his helmet. He looked at Eleanor with a reverence she didn't understand.
"Ma'am," Bishop said. "In 1979, the founders of our charter were riding through here. They had a blowout. Bad wreck. Police wouldn't help 'em. Ambulance wouldn't take 'em because of the patches. A mechanic came out with his truck. He loaded the bikes, fixed 'em up for free, and let the boys sleep in his shop so they wouldn't get arrested for vagrancy. He saved 'Big Al's' leg from gangrene."
Bishop pointed to the photo. "That was Thomas."
Eleanor teared up. "He never told me that. He just helped everyone."
"He helped us when nobody else would," Bishop said. "We've been looking for his family for decades to pay him back. We thought the line ended."
The storm finally passed. When they emerged, the devastation was heartbreaking.
The barn roof was gone. Eleanor's farmhouse had lost its porch and half its shingles. The fences were flattened. Eleanor stood in the mud, weeping. She had no insurance. This was the end of her farm.
"We have to go," Bishop said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We have a run to finish. But thank you, Eleanor."
They rode away, leaving her standing in the ruins. Eleanor thought that was it. She thought she would have to sell the land.
Five Days Later
Eleanor was sitting on a bucket in her driveway, staring at the debris, wondering how to start cleaning up.
Then she heard it.
Not the roar of wind. The roar of engines.
She looked up. Coming down Route 76 wasn't just a group. It was an army.
Three hundred Harley Davidsons. The sun glinted off the chrome, creating a river of light. It was the Hells Angels. Bishop was in the lead. But they weren't alone.
Behind the bikes were trucks. Pickup trucks loaded with lumber. A cement mixer. A roofing van. A flatbed with a brand new tractor.
They pulled into her yard, filling every inch of space.
Bishop climbed off his bike. He walked up to Eleanor, who was too stunned to speak.
"We told the rest of the club about Thomas," Bishop said, grinning. "And we told them about you. About the coffee. And the shelter."
Bishop handed her an envelope. It was thick.
"That's for the taxes and the bills," Bishop said. "And the boys?" He pointed to the three hundred men who were already unloading tools, wood, and ladders. "We're not leaving until this farm looks brand new."
Eleanor opened the envelope. There was $50,000 in cash inside—collected from chapters all over the Midwest.
"Why?" Eleanor whispered.
"Because forty years ago, your husband fixed our bikes," Bishop said. "And five days ago, you fixed our spirits. The Angels pay their debts, Eleanor."
For the next two weeks, the farm was a construction site. The bikers fixed the roof, repainted the house, rebuilt the barn better than before, and even fixed the fence.
When they finally left, Eleanor wasn't just a widow on a failing farm. She was the "Grandmother of the Charter." And every Sunday for the rest of her life, she heard the rumble of a few bikes coming down the road, stopping by just to check if she needed any coffee.
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This Day in United States Military History
1 January
1735 – Paul Revere was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He attended North Grammar School. He served for a short time in the French and Indian War. After the war, he married Sarah Orne and entered his father's silversmith business. Paul Revere soon became interested in the issue of American liberty. He received lots of attention from political cartoons he drew. Paul Revere was a member of the "Sons of Liberty." On December 16, 1773, he took part in the Boston Tea Party. On April 18, 1775, Revere and William Dawes were sent to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock of British plans to march from Boston to seize military stores at Concord. A signal was established to warn if the British were coming by land or by sea. From the steeple of the Old North Church in Boston, two lanterns would mean the British were coming by sea, and one would mean by land. One lantern was lit. The British were coming by land. Revere left Boston around 10 PM. Along the road to Lexington, he warned residents that "the British are coming!" He arrived in Lexington around midnight riding a borrowed horse. At 1 AM, Revere, William Dawes, and Dr. Samuel Prescott left for Concord. Revere was captured. Only Prescott got through to Concord. Revere was released without his horse and returned to Lexington. At Lexington he joined Adams and Hancock and fled into safety in Burlington. Revere returned to rescue valuable papers in Hancock's trunk. When the British arrived on April 19, the minutemen were waiting for them. In 1778 and 1779, Revere commanded a garrison at Castle Williams in Boston Harbor. Revere left the service in disrepute. During and after the war, Revere continued his silversmith trade in Boston. He died on May 10, 1818
1945 – In Operation Bodenplatte, The German Luftwaffe makes a series of heavy attacks on Allied airfields in Belgium, Holland and northern France. They have assembled around 800 planes of all types for this effort by deploying every available machine and pilot. Many of the pilots have had so little training that they must fly special formations with an experienced pilot in the lead providing the navigation for the whole force. The Allies are surprised and lose many aircraft on the ground. Among the German aircraft losses for the day are a considerable number of planes shot down by German anti-aircraft fire. Allied losses amount to 300 planes opposed to about 200 German aircraft shot down. Meanwhile, the land battle in the Ardennes continues with the Allied counterattacks gathering force. The most notable gains are by the US 8th Corps. Farther south in Alsace the forces of German Army Group G begins an offensive in the Sarreguemines area (Operation Nordwind) towards Strasbourg. The US 7th Army retires before this attack on orders from Eisenhower.
1983 – The ARPANET officially changes to using the Internet Protocol, creating the Internet.
1985 – The Internet's Domain Name System (DNS) is created. DNS is a hierarchical distributed naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities. Most prominently, it translates easily memorized domain names to the numerical IP addresses needed for the purpose of locating computer services and devices worldwide. The Domain Name System is an essential component of the functionality of the Internet.
2000 – The arrival of 2000 saw no terrorist attacks, Y2K meltdowns or mass suicides among doomsday cults, but instead saw seven continents stepping joyously and peacefully into the New Year.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
KERR, JOHN B.
Rank and organization: Captain, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At White River, S. Dak., 1 January 1891. Entered service at: Hutchison Station, Ky. Birth: Fayette County, Ky. Date of issue: 25 April 1891. Citation: For distinguished bravery while in command of his troop in action against hostile Sioux Indians on the north bank of the White River, near the mouth of Little Grass Creek, S. Dak., where he defeated a force of 300 Brule Sioux warriors, and turned the Sioux tribe, which was endeavoring to enter the Bad Lands, back into the Pine Ridge Agency.
KNIGHT, JOSEPH F.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Troop F, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At White River, S. Dak., 1 January 1891. Entered service at: – – – . Birth: Danville, 111. Date of issue: 1 May 1891. Citation: Led the advance in a spirited movement to the assistance of Troop K, 6th U.S. Cavalry.
MYERS, FRED
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company K, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At White River, S. Dak., 1 January 1891. Entered service at: Washington, D.C. Birth: Germany. Date of issue: 4 February 1891. Citation: With 5 men repelled a superior force of the enemy and held his position against their repeated efforts to recapture it.
SMITH, CORNELIUS C.
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company K, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: Near White River, S. Dak., 1 January 1891. Entered service at: Helena, Mont. Birth: Tucson, Ariz. Date of issue: 4 February 1891. Citation: With 4 men of his troop drove off a superior force of the enemy and held his position against their repeated efforts to recapture it, and subsequently pursued them a great distance.
MacGlLLlVARY, CHARLES A.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company I, 71st Infantry, 44th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Woelfling, France, 1 January 1945. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. Birth: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. G.O. No.: 77, 10 September 1945. Citation: He led a squad when his unit moved forward in darkness to meet the threat of a breakthrough by elements of the 17th German Panzer Grenadier Division. Assigned to protect the left flank, he discovered hostile troops digging in. As he reported this information, several German machineguns opened fire, stopping the American advance. Knowing the position of the enemy, Sgt. MacGillivary volunteered to knock out 1 of the guns while another company closed in from the right to assault the remaining strong points. He circled from the left through woods and snow, carefully worked his way to the emplacement and shot the 2 camouflaged gunners at a range of 3 feet as other enemy forces withdrew. Early in the afternoon of the same day, Sgt. MacGillivary was dispatched on reconnaissance and found that Company I was being opposed by about 6 machineguns reinforcing a company of fanatically fighting Germans. His unit began an attack but was pinned down by furious automatic and small arms fire. With a clear idea of where the enemy guns were placed, he voluntarily embarked on a lone combat patrol. Skillfully taking advantage of all available cover, he stalked the enemy, reached a hostile machinegun and blasted its crew with a grenade. He picked up a submachine gun from the battlefield and pressed on to within 10 yards of another machinegun, where the enemy crew discovered him and feverishly tried to swing their weapon into line to cut him down. He charged ahead, jumped into the midst of the Germans and killed them with several bursts. Without hesitation, he moved on to still another machinegun, creeping, crawling, and rushing from tree to tree, until close enough to toss a grenade into the emplacement and close with its defenders. He dispatched this crew also, but was himself seriously wounded. Through his indomitable fighting spirit, great initiative, and utter disregard for personal safety in the face of powerful enemy resistance, Sgt. MacGillivary destroyed four hostile machineguns and immeasurably helped his company to continue on its mission with minimum casualties.
*YANO, RODNEY J. T.
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Place and date: Near Bien Hao, Republic of Vietnam, 1 January 1969. Entered service at: Honolulu, Hawaii. Born: 13 December 1943, Kealakekua Kona, Hawaii. Citation: Sfc. Yano distinguished himself while serving with the Air Cavalry Troop. Sfc. Yano was performing the duties of crew chief aboard the troop's command and control helicopter during action against enemy forces entrenched in dense jungle. From an exposed position in the face of intense small arms and antiaircraft fire he delivered suppressive fire upon the enemy forces and marked their positions with smoke and white phosphorous grenades, thus enabling his troop commander to direct accurate and effective artillery fire against the hostile emplacements. A grenade, exploding prematurely, covered him with burning phosphorous, and left him severely wounded. Flaming fragments within the helicopter caused supplies and ammunition to detonate. Dense white smoke filled the aircraft, obscuring the pilot's vision and causing him to lose control. Although having the use of only 1 arm and being partially blinded by the initial explosion, Sfc. Yano completely disregarded his welfare and began hurling blazing ammunition from the helicopter. In so doing he inflicted additional wounds upon himself, yet he persisted until the danger was past. Sfc. Yano's indomitable courage and profound concern for his comrades averted loss of life and additional injury to the rest of the crew. By his conspicuous gallantry at the cost of his life, in the highest traditions of the military service, Sfc. Yano has reflected great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for 1 January, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
1 January
1914: Tony Jannus, flying a Benoist Flying Boat, started America's first regularly scheduled airline service with a flight between Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla. This service lasted three months with two round trips a day. (5) (21)
1929: KEY EVENT--THE QUESTION MARK. Through 7 January, to test inflight refueling and crew and aircraft endurance, Maj Carl A. Spaatz flew the Question Mark, a modified Fokker C2-3 with a Wright 220 HP engine, to a world duration record of 150 hours and 40 minutes. The Question Mark-named for its unknown capacity to remain airborne-was an US Army Air Corps high-wing, trimotor monoplane with a large capacity fuel tank in the cabin, a large hopper in the cabin for receiving fuel, and lines and hand-operated pumps to transfer fuel to the wing tanks. The two modified Douglas C1 biplane tankers each had two 150-gallon cabin tanks and a 40-foot fueling hose. Flying between Santa Monica and San Diego in California, the tankers refueled the Question Mark 43 times, which allowed it to remain aloft until engine problems forced a landing. During the refueling, the tankers also passed 5,700 gallons of fuel plus oil, food, water, and other items (roughly 40 tons) to the Question Mark. All officers on the mission--Carl Spaatz, Ira Eaker, Harry Halverson, and Pete Quesada--became generals, as did two officers on the refueling aircraft: Ross G. Hoyt and Joseph G. Hopkins. MSgt Roy Hooe, the fifth crewman on the Question Mark, earned a reputation as the best crew chief in the Air Corps. The crewmembers of the Question Mark were each awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for the mission, while the refuelers received letters of commendation. (18)
1943: Ground Controlled Approach (GCA) equipment used in an emergency for the first time, when a snowstorm closed down Naval Air Station (NAS) Quonset Point Airfield, R. I., 30 minutes before a flight of PBY's were to arrive. The GCA crew used search radar and the control tower as a relay to talk one PBY into position for a contact landing. Nine days earlier, the GCA had completed its first experimental demonstration. (5)
1944: Project ORDCIT. Cal Tech's Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory began work on long range missiles. This project later produced the Army's Private A and Corporal missiles. (6)
1945: Operation HERMANN. 700-800 German fighters surprised Ninth Air Force and 2d Tactical Air Force (RAF) airfields in Belgium and northern France. They destroyed 30 American and 120 RAF planes, but lost 200 planes in the attack. (4) BOMBING IWO JIMA. Through 19 February, Seventh Air Force bombers continued its attacks on Iwo Jima in preparation for amphibious landings. The aircraft destroyed buildings and planes and blasted holes in the runways of the island's airfields, but did not affect the 22,000 deeply entrenched troops of Maj Gen Tadamichi Kuribayashi. (17)
1951: KOREAN WAR. When nearly 500,000 Chinese Communist and N. Korean troops launched a new ground offensive, Fifth Air Force responded with an air raid on enemy columns. (28)
1954: At Jacksonville, Fla., the U. S. Navy set up the Air Weapon Systems School. (24)
1958: The USAF moved the 1st Missile Division and the 704th Strategic Missile Wing to Cooke AFB (Vandenberg), Calif. The 704th was the Strategic Air Command's first ballistic missile wing. The 672d Strategic Missile Squadron also activated there with Thor intermediate range ballistic missiles. (6) I lived there with my family and were there the day they changed the name to Vandenberg. In my timer there I saw Thor, Atlas and Titan missiles launched and more than a few of them were spectacular failures both day and Night.
1962: First Titan II units, the 390th Strategic Missile Wing and 570th Strategic Missile Squadron, were activated at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. (6) (12) The Strategic Air Command activated the first model "B" Minuteman I wing, the 44th Strategic Missile Wing, at Ellsworth AFB, S. Dak. (6)
1965: Operation of Synchronus Communications Satellite (SYNCOM) II and SYNCOM III transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to the Department of Defense. The Department of Defense furnished the communications ground stations used to relay transmissions via the two SYNCOMS for the past two years. SYNCOM III later proved useful in providing communications for Vietnam. (5) The USAF activated the 4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, Calif., to fly the SR-71. (16) (26)
1966: Air National Guard airlift units started flying about 75 cargo flights a month to Southeast Asia. Additionally, the guard flew about 100-plus flights a month to augment the Military Airlift Command's global airlift mission. (16) (26) At Tullahoma, Tenn., the Arnold Engineering Development Center established a large rocket facility to operate high-altitude test cells. (16) (26)
1967: The USAF received 140 CV-2 Caribou aircraft from the US Army. This event marked the first time that an entire inventory of an aircraft transferred from one service to another. The aircraft went to Seventh Air Force, which gave the NAF operational control over all fixed wing cargo aircraft in Vietnam. (5) (16) (17)
1969: The 71st Special Operations Squadron, Air Force Reserves, flew the first AC-119 gunship combat mission in Vietnam. (16)
1973: At Pease AFB, N. H., the 509th Bombardment Wing became the first FB-111 unit to use operational Short-Range Attack Missiles. (6)
1983: The US Mission Control Center, International Search and Rescue Satellite System, collocated with the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Scott AFB, Ill., began 24-hour test operations. Thereafter, mission control recorded worldwide satellite data from emergency electronic transmissions. (2)
1984: The Military Airlift Command assigned its 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing to the Twenty-Third Air Force along with the aeromedical evacuation mission, C-9 aircraft, and the operation of Scott AFB, Ill. (2) Space Command assumed resource management responsibilities for the Global Positioning System. (26)
1988: The Strategic Air Command its crew assignment policy to permit mixed male/female crews in Minuteman and Peacekeeper launch facilities. The male and females were segregated before. (16) (26)
1995: The Air Force Reserve activated its first KC-135 Stratotanker unit, the 931st Air Refueling Group. (16)
1997: After a seven-year retirement from active service, the SR-71 Blackbird returned to mission ready status. The aircraft and its personnel operated from Edwards AFB, Calif., as a detachment of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing from Beale AFB. (3)
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