The List 7408
To All
Good Tuesday Morning January 6, 2026 . The day started out partly cloudy but has already gone mostly cloudy. Temps are supposed to be from 50 to 60 today... The weather guessers are predicting rain on Wednesday.
I hope that you all have a great week. Started classes last night and got the two Christmas trees down and in their boxes and into storage yesterday.
.Regards
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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. 6
1813 During the War of 1812, USS Hornet, commanded by J. Lawrence, captured the merchant schooner, Ellen, off the coast of Brazil.
1942 Japanese capture 11 Navy nurses in Manila, Philippines. They served most of their internment at Los Baños before being liberated in February 1945.
1943 PBY-5A (VP 83) sink German submarine U-164 off Brazil. Before being sunk, U-164 sank three Allied merchant vessels, none from the United States.
1945 USS Walker (DD 723) is attacked by four kamikazes while laying mines. After the third plane struck the ship, burning gasoline envelopes the bridge and Cmdr. George F. Davis, the commanding officer, is horribly burned. Remaining on his feet, he conns the ship, directs damage control efforts and sees to the destruction of the fourth plane. Assured of the ship's survival, Davis is taken down below, where he dies a short time later. For his heroic conduct, Davis is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
1996 USS Hopper (DDG 70) launches. The guided-missile destroyer is named for Rear Adm. Grace Hopper, a pioneer in computing.
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Today in World History: January 6
1066 Harold Godwineson is crowned King Harold II - King of England.
1540 Henry VIII of England marries his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. The marriage will last six months.
1861 The Governor of Maryland, Thomas Hicks, announces his opposition to the state's possible secession from the Union.
1904 Japanese railway authorities in Korea refuse to transport Russian troops.
1910 Union leaders ask President William H. Taft to investigate U.S. Steel's practices.
1912 New Mexico becomes the 47th U.S. state of the Union.
1918 Germany acknowledges Finland's independence.
1919 Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, dies at the age of 60 in his home at Sagamore Hill, New York.
1921 The U.S. Navy orders the sale of 125 flying boats to encourage commercial aviation.
1937 The United States bans the shipment of arms to war-torn Spain.
1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt asks Congress to support the Lend-lease Bill to help supply the Allies.
1945 Boeing B-29 bombers in the Pacific strike new blows on Tokyo and Nanking.
1946 Ho Chi Minh wins in the Vietnamese elections.
1958 Moscow announces a reduction in its armed forces by 300,000.
1967 Over 16,000 U.S. and 14,000 Vietnamese troops start their biggest attack on the Iron Triangle, northwest of Saigon.
1987 Astronomers report sighting a new galaxy 12 billion light years away.
2001 In one of the closest Presidential elections in U.S. history, George W. Bush was finally declared the winner of the bitterly contested 2000 Presidential elections more than five weeks after the election due to the disputed Florida ballots.
2005 Former Ku Klux Klan organizer Edgar Ray Killen is arrested as a suspect in the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers in Mississippi.
2014 US Senate confirms Janet Yellen as the first woman to chair the Federal Reserve Bank in the central bank's 100-year history.
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Some good ones from Al's archives
Based on a true story from Australia...
Recently a routine police patrol car parked outside a local neighborhood pub late in the evening. The officer noticed a man leaving the bar so intoxicated that he could barely walk.
The man stumbled around the car park for a few minutes, with the officer quietly observing. After what seemed an eternity and trying his keys on five vehicles. The man managed to find his car, which he fell into. He was there for a few minutes as a number of other patrons left the bar and drove off. Finally he started the car, switched the wipers on and off (it was a fine dry night). Then flicked the indicators on, then off, tooted the horn and then switched on the lights.
He moved the vehicle forward a few meters, reversed a little and then remained stationary for a few more minutes as some more vehicles left. At last he pulled out of the car park and started to drive slowly down the road. The police officer, having patiently waited all this time, now started up the patrol car, put on the flashing lights, pulled the man over and carried out a breathalyzer test.
To his amazement the breathalyzer indicated no evidence of the man's intoxication.
The police officer said "I'll have to ask you to accompany me to the police station - this breathalyzer equipment must be broken."
"I doubt it," said the man, "tonight I'm the designated decoy."
Things I learned last New Year's night night…
There are difficult words to say when you have been drinking, like…
• Specificity
• Indubitably
• Innovative
• Preliminary
• Proliferation
• Cinnamon
• British Constitution
There are impossible words to say when you are drunk, like
• No, I don't want another drink.
• No kebab for me, thank you.
• Sorry, but you're not good looking enough for me.
• Good evening officer
• I'm not interested in fighting you.
• No one wants to hear me sing.
I think I made too many New Year's resolutions this year. It took me four days to break them all.
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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
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From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..January 6
January 6: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=3098
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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.
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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
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
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Thanks to History Facts
It may be a while before this one hits the top 100
The most surprising cash crop of colonial America
Indigo dye was once so valuable it was known as "blue gold." In colonial South Carolina, the prized dye was even used as a bartering tool for trade and a form of currency to buy goods and services. The rich blue color was in high demand in the royal courts of Europe, particularly in Britain, and in the mid-1700s, indigo exports helped make South Carolina the wealthiest colony in America. Native to West Africa and other warm weather regions, indigo was first used to dye textiles around 6,000 years ago in Peru, and in West Africa it became a cultural cornerstone in the region, representing fertility, wealth, and abundance. The dye is extracted by fermenting the indigo leaves, which eventually creates a blue paste that's formed into cakes and left to dry. The process is delicate, time-consuming, and was considered a valuable skill passed down through generations. As such, enslaved West Africans became integral to indigo production in America.The plant took root in South Carolina in the 1740s, when plantation owners began experimenting with indigofera seeds brought to the colony through the transatlantic slave trade. It thrived in the balmy summer climate, and, due to the forced labor of enslaved people, indigo quickly became the colony's second-largest cash crop, after rice. The indigo trade dominated the South Carolina economy from the 1740s until the 1790s, when the newly independent United States lost its biggest market after breaking with the British Empire. At the crop's peak in 1775, roughly 1.1 million pounds of dye were exported to England, valued at more than $40 million today..
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. Thanks to American Facts
We're Here Today Because Of Them! Meet 10 Americans Who Changed History
The United States is a land of progress and innovation, so it makes sense that many of the world's most important inventors and scientists are Americans. From breakthroughs like the lightning rod and the light bulb to advancements in the world of medicine, biology, and astronomy, there have been many men and women who, from different fields of study, have contributed to the scientific progress of our country and the entire world. Join us as we review these 10 American inventors and scientists who changed history!
Thomas Edison
When it comes to inventors, we can't fail to mention the incredible Thomas Alva Edison.
Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio, and since he was a child, he showed his interest and talent in mechanics and electricity. At the age of 11, he set up his first laboratory in his parents' home, and by the age of 12, he ran his own business: a newspaper he designed, printed, and sold himself.
Creator of the phonograph (the first device capable of recording and reproducing sounds) and a fundamental part in the development and popularization of inventions such as the electric light bulb and the motion picture camera, Edison patented more than 1000 creations during his lifetime. Impressive!
Benjamin Franklin
Born in Boston, Benjamin Franklin was one of our Founding Fathers, the men whose principles, values, and ideas shaped America. But as if that weren't enough, Franklin was also a renowned scientist, inventor, and polymath.
A pioneer in the field of electricity, he's remembered for his famous kite experiment, which demonstrated the electrical nature of lightning and led to the invention of nothing less than the lightning rod. In addition, he's also credited with iconic inventions such as the first efficient wood-burning stove (later known as "the Franklin Stove"), the bifocal glasses, and the glass armonica.
Samuel Morse
Unlike other scientists and inventors on this list, Samuel Morse began his journey in a completely different field: art.
Morse studied at Yale, where he completed his studies in 1810. He then embarked on a trip to Europe to continue his artistic education, but this trip awakened another peculiar interest in him. Frustrated by the communication methods of his time, Morse focused his creativity on finding ways to transmit information over long distances using electrical signals. Thus, the revolutionary telegraph was born, along with its way of communication, the Morse code.
The Wright Brothers
The Wright Brothers were the famous siblings who, in the 20th century, achieved a goal long sought by humanity: flight.
Wilbur and Orville Wright are credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful airplane. As you probably know, on December 17, 1903, they made the first sustained flight in history using the Wright Flyer, their iconic invention.
On that December morning, the brothers flipped a coin, letting fate decide who would be the first to test the aircraft. Although Wilbur won, that first attempt failed. So it was Orville who flew for 12 seconds, traveling 120 feet over Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver was born in the 1860s in Diamond, Missouri. In the 1890s, his intelligence and hard work enabled him to enter Iowa State College (now Iowa State University), where he earned a master's degree in agricultural sciences. In 1896, he became the head of the agriculture department at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where his career as a professor and a researcher took off.
Thanks to his investigations and tests, George Washington Carver made major contributions to agriculture, including his innovative techniques for crop rotation. In addition, he developed many and varied peanut products, such as oil, flour, soap, and ink, helping to make this crop one of the key products of the country's economy.
Carl Sagan
The stars and the mysteries of the universe captivated the famous Carl Sagan from an early age. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1934, Sagan studied at the University of Chicago, where he earned degrees in physics, astronomy, and astrophysics, eventually working and collaborating with NASA.
His contributions to the field of astronomy earned him a position in projects such as the Mariner, Viking, Voyager, and Galileo missions, thanks to which we have learned a lot about Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. The famous high temperatures of Venus, for example, were confirmed thanks to his work.
Additionally, his book and series Cosmos attracted the public's interest in astronomy, inspiring many others to follow in his footsteps.
Grace Hopper...I met Admiral Hopper twice she was a very gracious lady...skip
While computer programming may seem like a modern issue, the pioneers of this field were already working as early as the 1940s.
Grace Hopper graduated in mathematics and physics in 1928 and obtained a master's degree and a Ph.D in mathematics from Yale University in 1934. Famous as a pioneer in the world of programming, Hopper's work began during World War II when she joined the US Naval Reserve. There, she worked on the earliest electromechanical computers and developed extensive and complex manuals to operate them.
Her greatest contribution came from her work with mathematical codes, which she translated and adapted into innovative machine-readable language. That innovation led to the creation of the first high-level programming languages.
Jonas Salk
Jonas Salk is none other than the mind behind a medical milestone: the polio vaccine.
In the 1940s, Salk was beginning his career in medical research. While working at the University of Michigan, his work was crucial in developing the first successful influenza vaccine for the military during WWII. This event marked his later study of the poliovirus.
Polio was devastating during the first decades of the 20th century, but that changed dramatically thanks to Salk's work. The scientist led a team that succeeded in developing the first safe and effective injectable inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) in 1955, and the rest is history.
Barbara McClintock
Although her name may not be as instantly recognizable as some others on this list, her work definitely is. Barbara McClintock has undoubtedly made one of the most significant contributions to medicine and genetics.
In the 1940s and 1950s, she worked with chromosomes, investigating their role in inheritance, which led to discoveries that forever changed our understanding of genes.
Before her, genes were believed to be fixed and immutable. But McClintock came to change that idea with her most famous contribution: the discovery of transposable elements, aka "jumping genes." She demonstrated that jumping genes are present in multiple organisms, including humans, and play an essential role in genetic evolution.
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell became interested in sound and communication at a young age, something that led to his greatest and most remembered contribution: the telephone.
Although born in 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland, Alexander Graham Bell settled in the United States in 1871 and became an American citizen years later. It was here that he developed most of his experiments and research.
After years of experimenting with methods to transmit sound through electrical currents, Bell finally spoke into his invention on March 10, 1876, saying to his assistant, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you." That was the first successful telephone call in history.
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Thanks to Brett
. January 5, 2026
The Venezuelan Move as Preface to Cuba
By: George Friedman
In recent weeks, I have focused on two points. First, the United States is reducing its involvement in the Eastern Hemisphere and increasing its involvement in the Western Hemisphere. I based this on the new geopolitical reality, and it was confirmed by the new U.S. National Security Strategy. Second, I argued that the massive U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean was more than was necessary for dealing with Venezuela and is ultimately intended to address Cuba, all this being the first phase of the new U.S. strategy.
The deployments to the Caribbean were the first step. The second step occurred early Saturday morning with the U.S. attack on Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. In a subsequent press conference, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would run Venezuela for an unspecified period, reorganize the Venezuelan economy, particularly the oil industry, and make Venezuela a wealthy country – which, I would add, it was to some extent before Hugo Chavez, a leftist who took power in 1999. More precisely, it was far wealthier than it is today.
In addition, in response to a reporter's question on Cuba, Trump said: "I think Cuba is going to be something we'll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation right now, very badly failing nation. … It's very similar [to the Venezuelan case] in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba, but we want to also help the people that were forced out of Cuba and living in this country." Secretary of State Marco Rubio added, "If I lived in Havana and were in the government, I'd be concerned at least a little bit." Later, he said the Cuban government is "a huge problem" and "in a lot of trouble."
An American focus on the Western Hemisphere would inevitably involve Cuba as a priority. In the late 19th century, with its preeminence in North America secure and its power increasing rapidly, the U.S. was in a position to scan the horizon for potential threats. Partly to end Spanish colonial rule in the Caribbean and the Pacific, it went to war with Spain in 1898. The conflict featured Teddy Roosevelt's famous charge with his Rough Riders up San Juan Hill. The hill was in Cuba.
Cuba reappeared on Washington's radar on Jan. 1, 1959, when Fidel Castro took power on the island. Castro's communist regime allied itself with the Soviet Union, which aided Cuban operations in support of Marxist insurgencies in Central and South America. But Castro's Cuba, by virtue of its proximity to the U.S., also challenged Washington directly. At the height of the U.S.-Soviet rivalry, what discouraged nuclear war was the concept of mutually assured destruction: A missile launched from one territory toward the other would be detected with enough time before impact to enable a retaliatory launch. However, when the Soviets moved nuclear weapons into Cuba, they gained the theoretical ability (with enough missiles) to destroy the U.S. before it could retaliate, undermining MAD. This was as close as the world ever came to nuclear war.
Washington's nightmare, therefore, was a Cuban regime allied with a major U.S. adversary. The collapse of the Soviet Union seemed to end that nightmare, but it was resurrected to a degree when Russia invaded Ukraine and, in 2025, renewed its military agreement with Cuba. With U.S. arms supporting Ukraine's defense, a reasonable Russian counter would be to supply Cuba with new, more dangerous (albeit non-nuclear) weapons.
In this sense, Cuba and Ukraine are to some degree geographical equivalents due to their proximity to the U.S. and Russia, respectively. Just as a Western-armed Ukraine is a threat to Russia, a Russian-armed Cuba is a threat to the U.S. – not in terms of nuclear war, but because it could block essential trade routes from the U.S. Gulf Coast to the Atlantic, and to some extent the Pacific, with conventional weapons. The tension over Cuba has not even approached what it was during the Cold War, but it is still a significant issue, depending on how aggressive Russia becomes.
Currently, neither Russia nor any other major U.S. adversary controls Cuba. The renewed U.S. focus on the Western Hemisphere is intended to keep it that way. During Saturday's press briefing on Venezuela, Trump and Rubio both referenced American interest and concern in Cuba. The U.S. president also explicitly mentioned the Monroe Doctrine, which declared U.S. preeminence in the Western Hemisphere. Given this emphasis, the move to depose a hostile leader in Venezuela makes sense and could be a useful preface to dealing with Cuba. The anxieties motivating Trump and Rubio are neither new nor unreasonable.
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To all
I have missed his outstanding articles and hope that he is able to return to work soon.
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. Daily Signal senior contributor Victor Davis Hanson is recovering after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, according to an update shared by Condoleezza Rice, Hoover Institution director and senior fellow, and former U.S. secretary of state.
"Please find an update from my dear friend and colleague, Hoover Institution Senior Fellow Victor Davis Hanson. He remains in our prayers," Rice wrote on X.
In his statement, Hanson shared details of his recovery.
The Daily Signal depends on the support of readers like you. Donate now
"I wanted to share a brief health update. I recently underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and am now recovering. I'm doing well and hopeful as I move forward," Hanson said. "Thank you for the many messages of support and prayers—they truly mean more than I can say. As I focus on recovery, I may not be able to respond to everyone, but please know how grateful I am."
Hanson, the Martin and Illie Anderson senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and the Wayne and Marcia Buske distinguished fellow in history at Hillsdale College, announced recently that he would undergo a major medical operation.
"I don't want to talk about my own problems, but I've had people call me and say, 'You don't look well, you're hoarse, or you're coughing.' But it's been a nine-month odyssey because the problem I had for a nonsmoker and nondrinker was a rare type and very hard to diagnose, so it's no one's fault other than my own perhaps for not realizing why I was not getting well," Hanson said.
After recently having a biopsy, Hanson decided to proceed with an operation that will interrupt his work—but hopefully not for long, he said.
"I'll be fine. At least I'll do my best for everybody," Hanson said. "I think I have an obligation to all of our readers and listeners from whom I get wonderful letters expressing support and good wishes; our listeners and viewers are extraordinarily kind people."
His popular podcast, "Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words," is currently running prerecorded episodes from December with co-host Jack Fowler, who will continue to anchor the show during Hanson's recovery.
In addition to his podcast and syndicated column, Hanson writes exclusive content for his website, Blade of Perseus, at victorhanson.com.
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.Thanks to 1440
Good morning. It's Tuesday, Jan. 6, and we're covering an overhaul of the US childhood vaccine schedule, the trial of a police officer in a 2022 school shooting, and much more. ..
Maduro in Court
Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty yesterday to US drug- and terrorism-related charges in their first New York court appearance after being captured in a weekend operation.
The US has charged Maduro and Flores with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine trafficking, and weapons offenses. Maduro's lawyers are expected to challenge the legality of his military capture and argue he is immune as head of state. Former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega unsuccessfully tried the same defense after the US captured him for drug trafficking and other charges in 1990. The US doesn't recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader after evidence that he lost by a wide margin in the 2024 reelection. Maduro and Flores maintain their innocence.
Meanwhile, Maduro ally and Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president, and the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting over the military operation.
Later this week, the US energy secretary is expected to talk with oil executives about reviving Venezuela's energy sector. Venezuela is home to the world's largest oil reserves (see graphics), though much of it is costly and difficult to extract and refine.
Childhood Vaccine Policy
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention overhauled its childhood vaccine schedule yesterday, reducing the number of recommended vaccines from 17 to 11. The changes were made without review from the CDC's vaccine advisory panel, and bring the US more in line with Denmark and 19 other developed countries.
The latest guidance removes recommendations for vaccines against flu, COVID-19, meningococcal disease, rotavirus, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B, instead suggesting parents decide on those vaccines in partnership with clinicians. Going forward, some of these vaccines—and others, including for respiratory syncytial virus and dengue—will be recommended for high-risk populations only. States mandate vaccine schedules and have historically deferred to federal guidelines. All recommended vaccines will be covered by insurance.
Separately, most women ages 30 to 65 will be able to self-administer HPV tests next year for routine cervical cancer screening, per new guidance. The approach marks a shift from the nearly 100-year-old Pap smear as a first line of screening for that age group.
Uvalde Shooting Trial
Opening statements are scheduled to begin today in the trial of a former school police officer charged with 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment for his response to the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Adrian Gonzales was among the first officers at Robb Elementary, where a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers. Gonzales allegedly failed to confront the gunman despite knowing his location, allowing roughly 77 minutes to pass before a tactical team led by federal agents killed the shooter. A guilty verdict for Gonzales would mark the first time a police officer is held criminally accountable for their response to a mass shooting. Each count carries up to two years in prison.
Former Uvalde schools police chief Pete Arredondo is the only other officer facing criminal charges for their response; his trial has not been scheduled. Both Gonzales' attorneys and some victims' family members have questioned why only two of the nearly 400 responding officers were charged.
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Corporation for Public Broadcasting to dissolve months after losing over $1B in federal funding; the private nonprofit funded NPR, PBS, and thousands of local news outlets nationwide since 1967 .
> Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, and Cleveland Browns fire coaches, bringing NFL head coach vacancies to six (More)
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Science & Technology
> Nvidia announces plans to launch robotaxi service with an unspecified partner as soon as 2027, joining the growing industry dominated by Alphabet's Waymo (More)
> Lego unveils Smart Play, a technology that infuses toy bricks with responsive sensors, sounds, and lights (More)
> Biological anthropologists find changes in the gut microbiome facilitate brain development, helping humans evolve the largest brains relative to body size of any primate (More)
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January 5
This Day in U S Military History
6 January
1838 – Alfred Vail demonstrates a telegraph system using dots and dashes (this is the forerunner of Morse code). Vail was central, with Samuel F. B. Morse, in developing and commercializing the telegraph between 1837 and 1844. Vail and Morse were the first two telegraph operators on Morse's first experimental line between Washington, DC, and Baltimore, and Vail took charge of building and managing several early telegraph lines between 1845 and 1848. He was also responsible for several technical innovations of Morse's system, particularly the sending key and improved recording registers and relay magnets. Vail left the telegraph industry in 1848 because he believed that the managers of Morse's lines did not fully value his contributions. His last assignment, superintendent of the Washington and New Orleans Telegraph Company, paid him only $900 a year, leading Vail to write to Morse, "I have made up my mind to leave the Telegraph to take care of itself, since it cannot take care of me. I shall, in a few months, leave Washington for New Jersey, … and bid adieu to the subject of the Telegraph for some more profitable business."
1919 – Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, dies at Sagamore Hill, his estate overlooking New York's Long Island Sound. A dynamic and energetic politician, Theodore Roosevelt is credited with creating the modern presidency. As a young Republican, Roosevelt held a number of political posts in New York in the 1880s and '90s and was a leader of reform Republicans in the state. In 1898, as assistant secretary to the U.S. Navy, Roosevelt vehemently advocated war with Spain. When the Spanish-American War began, he formed the "Rough Riders," a volunteer cavalry that became famous for its contribution to the United States victory at the Battle of San Juan Hill in Cuba. The publicity-minded Roosevelt rode his military fame to the New York governor's seat in 1898 and to the vice presidency in 1900. In 1901, President William McKinley was assassinated, and Roosevelt, 43 years old, became the youngest president ever to assume the office. He stamped the presidency with a vitality that delighted most Americans and was elected to a second term in 1904. As an American expansionist, Roosevelt asserted his executive powers to defend U.S. interests throughout the Americas as he sought to balance the interests of farmers, workers, and the business class at home. He insisted on a strong navy, encouraged the independence of Panama and the construction of the Panama Canal, promoted the regulation of trusts and monopolies, and set aside land for America's first national parks and monuments. In 1906, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his mediation in the negotiations to end the Russo-Japanese War. In 1912, three years after finishing his second term, Roosevelt ran for president again as the new Progressive Party candidate. Challenging his former vice president, President William Howard Taft, he campaigned on his "Square Deal" platform of social reform. In November, the divided Republican Party was defeated by Democrat Woodrow Wilson. In the last few years of his life, Roosevelt became a vocal advocate of the U.S. entrance into World War I and even sought to win a commission to lead a U.S. Army division in Europe. President Wilson declined, and after the war Roosevelt was a vocal opponent of his League of Nations. In 1919, Roosevelt died at his home in New York. The tropical diseases he had contracted during his travels likely caught up with him, and he died at the age of 60.
1930 – The first diesel-engined automobile trip is completed, from Indianapolis, Indiana, to New York, New York. Cummins Engine Company owner Clessie Cummins mounted a diesel engine in a used Packard Touring Car and set out for the National Automobile Show. The 800-mile trip from Indianapolis to New York City used 30 gallons of fuel, which cost $1.38, and showed that diesel was a viable alternative to the internal combustion engine.
1944 – A joint RAF-USAAF statement discloses the hitherto secret development of jet aircraft in Britain and the USA. Full details of the Whittle turbojet given to General Arnold (USAAF) in July 1941 are revealed.
1960 – National Airlines Flight 2511, a domestic passenger flight from New York City, New York to Miami, Florida, exploded in midair. The National Airlines Douglas DC-6 was carrying five crew and 29 passengers, all of whom perished. The Civil Aeronautics Board investigation concluded that the plane was brought down by a dynamite bomb. No criminal charges were ever filed, nor was the blame for the bombing ever determined. The investigation remains open today. One of the victims was retired US Navy Vice Admiral Edward Orrick McDonnell, a Medal of Honor recipient and veteran of both World Wars.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*DAVIS, GEORGE FLEMING
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy. Born: 23 March 1911, Manila, Philippine Islands. Accredited to: Philippine Islands. Other Navy awards: Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Walke engaged in a detached mission in support of minesweeping operations to clear the waters for entry of our heavy surface and amphibious forces preparatory to the invasion of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 6 January 1945. Operating without gun support of other surface ships when 4 Japanese suicide planes were detected flying low overland to attack simultaneously, Comdr. Davis boldly took his position in the exposed wings of the bridge and directed control to pick up the leading plane and open fire. Alert and fearless as the Walke's deadly fire sent the first target crashing into the water and caught the second as it passed close over the bridge to plunge into the sea of portside, he remained steadfast in the path of the third plane plunging swiftly to crash the after end of the bridge structure. Seriously wounded when the craft struck, drenched with gasoline and immediately enveloped in flames, he conned the Walke in the midst of the wreckage; he rallied his command to heroic efforts; he exhorted his officers and men to save the ship and, still on his feet, saw the barrage from his guns destroy the fourth suicide bomber. With the fires under control and the safety of the ship assured, he consented to be carried below. Succumbing several hours later, Comdr. Davis by his example of valor and his unhesitating self-sacrifice, steeled the fighting spirit of his command into unyielding purpose in completing a vital mission. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
BRADY, PATRICK HENRY
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army, Medical Service Corps, 54th Medical Detachment, 67th Medical Group, 44th Medical Brigade. Place and date: Near Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam, 6 January 1968. Entered service at: Seattle, Wash. Born: 1 October 1936, Philip, S. Dak. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, Maj. Brady distinguished himself while serving in the Republic of Vietnam commanding a UH-1H ambulance helicopter, volunteered to rescue wounded men from a site in enemy held territory which was reported to be heavily defended and to be blanketed by fog. To reach the site he descended through heavy fog and smoke and hovered slowly along a valley trail, turning his ship sideward to blow away the fog with the backwash from his rotor blades. Despite the unchallenged, close-range enemy fire, he found the dangerously small site, where he successfully landed and evacuated 2 badly wounded South Vietnamese soldiers. He was then called to another area completely covered by dense fog where American casualties lay only 50 meters from the enemy. Two aircraft had previously been shot down and others had made unsuccessful attempts to reach this site earlier in the day. With unmatched skill and extraordinary courage, Maj. Brady made 4 flights to this embattled landing zone and successfully rescued all the wounded. On his third mission of the day Maj. Brady once again landed at a site surrounded by the enemy. The friendly ground force, pinned down by enemy fire, had been unable to reach and secure the landing zone. Although his aircraft had been badly damaged and his controls partially shot away during his initial entry into this area, he returned minutes later and rescued the remaining injured. Shortly thereafter, obtaining a replacement aircraft, Maj. Brady was requested to land in an enemy minefield where a platoon of American soldiers was trapped. A mine detonated near his helicopter, wounding 2 crewmembers and damaging his ship. In spite of this, he managed to fly 6 severely injured patients to medical aid. Throughout that day Maj. Brady utilized 3 helicopters to evacuate a total of 51 seriously wounded men, many of whom would have perished without prompt medical treatment. Maj. Brady's bravery was in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
JENKINS, DON J.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company A, 2d Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: Kien Phong Province, Republic of Vietnam, 6 January 1969. Entered service at: Nashville, Tenn. Born: 18 April 1948, Quality, Ky. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Jenkins (then Pfc.), Company A, distinguished himself while serving as a machine gunner on a reconnaissance mission. When his company came under heavy crossfire from an enemy complex, S/Sgt. Jenkins unhesitatingly maneuvered forward to a perilously exposed position and began placing suppressive fire on the enemy. When his own machine gun jammed, he immediately obtained a rifle and continued to fire into the enemy bunkers until his machine gun was made operative by his assistant. He exposed himself to extremely heavy fire when he repeatedly both ran and crawled across open terrain to obtain resupplies of ammunition until he had exhausted all that was available for his machine gun. Displaying tremendous presence of mind, he then armed himself with 2 antitank weapons and, by himself, maneuvered through the hostile fusillade to within 20 meters of an enemy bunker to destroy that position. After moving back to the friendly defensive perimeter long enough to secure yet another weapon, a grenade launcher, S/Sgt. Jenkins moved forward to a position providing no protection and resumed placing accurate fire on the enemy until his ammunition was again exhausted. During this time he was seriously wounded by shrapnel. Undaunted and displaying great courage, he moved forward 100 meters to aid a friendly element that was pinned down only a few meters from the enemy. This he did with complete disregard for his own wound and despite having been advised that several previous rescue attempts had failed at the cost of the life of 1 and the wounding of others. Ignoring the continuing intense fire and his painful wounds, and hindered by darkness, he made 3 trips to the beleaguered unit, each time pulling a wounded comrade back to safety. S/Sgt. Jenkins' extraordinary valor, dedication, and indomitable spirit inspired his fellow soldiers to repulse the determined enemy attack and ultimately to defeat the larger force. S/Sgt. Jenkins risk of his life reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*WICKAM, JERRY WAYNE
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Troop F, 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Place and date: Near Loc Ninh, Republic of Vietnam, 6 January 1968. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 19 January 1942, Rockford, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Cpl. Wickam, distinguished himself while serving with Troop F. Troop F was conducting a reconnaissance in force mission southwest of Loc Ninh when the lead element of the friendly force was subjected to a heavy barrage of rocket, automatic weapons, and small arms fire from a well concealed enemy bunker complex. Disregarding the intense fire, Cpl. Wickam leaped from his armored vehicle and assaulted one of the enemy bunkers and threw a grenade into it, killing 2 enemy soldiers. He moved into the bunker, and with the aid of another soldier, began to remove the body of one Viet Cong when he detected the sound of an enemy grenade being charged. Cpl. Wickam warned his comrade and physically pushed him away from the grenade thus protecting him from the force of the blast. When a second Viet Cong bunker was discovered, he ran through a hail of enemy fire to deliver deadly fire into the bunker, killing one enemy soldier. He also captured 1 Viet Cong who later provided valuable information on enemy activity in the Loc Ninh area. After the patrol withdrew and an air strike was conducted, Cpl. Wickam led his men back to evaluate the success of the strike. They were immediately attacked again by enemy fire. Without hesitation, he charged the bunker from which the fire was being directed, enabling the remainder of his men to seek cover. He threw a grenade inside of the enemy's position killing 2 Viet Cong and destroying the bunker. Moments later he was mortally wounded by enemy fire. Cpl. Wickam's extraordinary heroism at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for January 6, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
6 January
1945: Taking off from Chengtu, China, 45 B-29s bombed the Omura aircraft plant, enemy installations, and targets of opportunity in occupied China. (24)
1951: KOREAN WAR. As the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division defended the U. N. line across S. Korea, Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command dispatched C-47s from the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron with 115 tons of cargo to Wonju, and C-119s from the 314th Troop Carrier Group to drop 460 tons of supplies to the division. (28)
1964: The Supersonic Transport (SST) Evaluation Group, under the Federal Aviation Authority, convened in Washington DC to evaluate airframe and engine design proposals for the SST. (5)
1965: The General Dynamics F-111A demonstrated the ability to fly with its wings swept back in its first flight. (5)
1977: The Department of Defense placed the Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) program into full scale development and set up a joint cruise missile project office. (12)
1978: Vandenberg AFB, Calif., launched a Minuteman III, carrying three Mark 12A reentry vehicles, to study an experimental nose tip and heat shield materials. (5)
1979: The 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB, Utah, accepted the Tactical Air Command's first F-16. (12)
On This Day in Air Force History, 5 Jan:
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In 1954, Willard Wesley Millikan established a new West to East speed record of four hours and six minutes flying a combat-equipped F-86F Sabre from Los Angeles International Airport to Floyd Bennett Field in New York, with one refueling stop at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. He was a command pilot with more than 5,200 hours of fighter time, 1,500 of these in the F-100 Super Sabre.
Millikan retired as a USAF Maj Gen and a flying ace. During World War II, Millikan flew more than 200 combat missions and was credited with the destruction of 13 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 2 destroyed on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. While serving with the 4th FG, he flew P-47C . and P-51B bearing the name "Missouri Mauler."
He joined the District of Columbia Air National Guard as a captain in October 1946. Upgraded once more to the grade of major, he was appointed commander of the 121st Fighter Squadron in May 1948. Promoted to lieutenant colonel, he commanded the 121st when this unit was activated in February 1951 for Korean War service. In June 1951, he became commander of the 33rd Fighter Interceptor Group at Otis Air Force Base in Massachusetts. He later became Deputy for Operations of the 33rd Fighter Wing at Otis before his release from active duty in October 1952. He assumed command of the 113th Fighter Interceptor Wing (Air Guard image) at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, on November 1, 1952.
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