The List 7411
To All
Good Friday Morning January 9, 2026 . .The three classes went very well last night. I was a bit tired when I got home and had a snack and then went to bed and woke up at 0845. I needed that combat nap. Today is clear, cool and a little windy. It is supposed to stay this way for a few days maybe more. I hope you all are doing fine and have a great weekend.
.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 9
1861—The steamship Star of the West is fired on by Confederate troops from Morris Island and Fort Moultrie as she attempted to enter Charleston Harbor, S.C. These are the first pre-Confederate shots fired at a northern-based vessel.
1918—The Naval Overseas Transportation Service, (now the Military Sealift Command), is established to carry cargo during World War I.
1942—Submarine USS Pollack (SS 180) sinks the Japanese freighter Teian Maru (ex-Yugoslav Tomislav) 40 miles south-southwest of Inubo Saki, Japan.
1945—Amphibious ships from Task Force 7 land the Sixth Army on Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippines. The troops are lightly opposed and the amphibious stage proceeds smoothly, yet the kamikaze presence is felt after sunset.
1959—Non-strategic submarine Halibut (SSGN 587), launches. Redesignated an attack submarine in 1965, she serves until decommissioned in 1986.
1993—Fast Attack Submarine USS Springfield (SSN 761) is commissioned.
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Today in World History January 9
1719 Philip V of Spain declares war on France.
1776 Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense, a scathing attack on King George III's reign over the colonies and a call for complete independence.
1792 The Ottomans sign a treaty with the Russians ending a five year war.
1793 Jean Pierre Blanchard makes the first balloon flight in North America.
1861 Southern shellfire stops the Union supply ship Star of the West from entering Charleston Harbor on her way to Fort Sumter.
1861 Mississippi secedes from the Union.
1908 Count Zeppelin announces plans for his airship to carry 100 passengers.
1909 A Polar exploration team lead by Ernest Shackleton reaches 88 degrees, 23 minutes south longitude, 162 degrees east latitude. They are 97 nautical miles short of the South Pole, but the weather is too severe to continue.
1912 Colonel Theodore Roosevelt announces that he will run for president if asked.
1915 Pancho Villa signs a treaty with the United States, halting border conflicts.
1924 Ford Motor Co. stock is valued at nearly $1 billion.
1943 Soviet planes drop leaflets on the surrounded Germans in Stalingrad requesting their surrender with humane terms. The Germans refuse.
1945 U.S. troops land on Luzon, in the Philippines, 107 miles from Manila.
1947 French General Leclerc breaks off all talks with Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh.
1952 Jackie Robinson becomes the highest paid player in Brooklyn Dodger history.
1964 U.S. forces kill six Panamanian students protesting in the canal zone.
1974 Cambodian Government troops open a drive to avert insurgent attack on Phnom Penh.
1992 The Assembly of the Serb People in Bosnia and Herzegovina proclaims the creation of a new state within Yugoslavia, the Rupublika Srpska.
1996 A raid by Chechen separatists in the city of Kizlyar turns into a hostage crisis involving thousands of civilians.
2005 Mahmoud Abbas wins election to replace Yasser Arafat as President of the Palestinian National Authority.
2005 The Comprehensive Peace Agreement to end the Second Sudanese Civil War is signed by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.
2007 Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, unveils the first iPhone.
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. A bit of history
On January 9, 1493, explorer Christopher Columbus, sailing near what is now the Dominican Republic, sees three "mermaids"—in reality manatees—and describes them as "not half as beautiful as they are painted." Six months earlier, Columbus (1451-1506) set off from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean with the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, hoping to find a western trade route to Asia. Instead, his voyage, the first of four he would make, led him to the Americas, or "New World."
History Lists: Explorers Not Named Columbus
Mermaids, mythical half-female, half-fish creatures, have existed in seafaring lore at least since the time of the ancient Greeks. Typically depicted as having a woman's head and torso, a fishtail instead of legs and holding a mirror and comb, mermaids live in the ocean and, according to some legends, can take on a human shape and marry mortal men. Mermaids are closely linked to sirens, another folkloric figure, part-woman, part-bird, who live on islands and sing seductive songs to lure sailors to their deaths.
Mermaid sightings by sailors, when they weren't made up, were most likely manatees, dugongs or Steller's sea cows (which became extinct by the 1760s due to over-hunting). Manatees are slow-moving aquatic mammals with human-like eyes, bulbous faces and paddle-like tails. It is likely that manatees evolved from an ancestor they share with the elephant. The three species of manatee (West Indian, West African and Amazonian) and one species of dugong belong to the Sirenia order. As adults, they're typically 10 to 12 feet long and weigh 800 to 1,200 pounds. They're plant-eaters, have a slow metabolism and can only survive in warm water.
Manatees live an average of 50 to 60 years in the wild and have no natural predators. However, they are an endangered species. In the U.S., the majority of manatees are found in Florida, where scores of them die or are injured each year due to collisions with boats.
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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 9
January 9: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1544
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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 1440
Good morning. It's Friday, Jan. 9, and we're covering a landmark EU trade deal, White House renovation plans, .
Need To Know
EU-Mercosur Trade Vote
European Union member states are set to vote today on the Mercosur trade agreement with South American countries. If it passes, the deal stands to create one of the world's biggest trade zones, covering roughly one-quarter of global gross domestic product.
Twenty-five years in the making, the deal would lift over 90% of the tariffs between the EU and five countries: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. That includes eliminating tariffs on EU spirits and cars, and lowering EU tariffs on beef to 7.5%. European farmers have largely protested the latter, blocking roads into Paris yesterday, with demonstrations also cropping up recently in Germany and Belgium.
Member countries representing 65% of the bloc's population are needed for passage. France and Poland have come out against the agreement. Italy is expected to join Germany to vote in favor. If passed, the deal will be signed Monday, Jan. 12.
Yemeni Separatist Flees
Saudi Arabia yesterday accused the United Arab Emirates of helping Yemeni separatist leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi flee to Abu Dhabi, escalating infighting between Yemen's anti-Houthi factions. The UAE has not commented as of this writing.
While Saudi Arabia and the UAE joined forces in 2015 to combat the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen's civil war, they've since aligned with different anti-Houthi groups. Al-Zubaidi leads the Southern Transitional Council, an Emirati-backed group pushing for an independent nation in southern Yemen. After seizing two southern governorates from Saudi-backed forces last month—including an oil-rich region bordering Saudi Arabia—the STC last week announced a constitution for a new southern nation. Riyadh responded with deadly airstrikes, helping Saudi-backed forces regain some control in recent days.
Yemen's internationally recognized executive body expelled al-Zubaidi Wednesday, charging him with treason for failing to attend crisis talks in Riyadh this week. .
White House Ballroom
The White House outlined updated plans for its East Wing renovation and new 89,000 square foot ballroom at a National Capital Planning Commission meeting yesterday.
The two-story structure will include a 22,000-square-foot banquet hall, offices for the first lady, and a movie theater. Officials said demolishing the wing to build the $400M ballroom would be cheaper than renovating it. The presentation followed a lawsuit accusing the administration of bypassing required federal reviews. A judge let construction continue under supervision, and the administration submitted applications to the NCPC and Commission of Fine Arts in December, the two panels that review construction on federal land. The privately funded project aims to expand space for state functions, enhance security, and replace costly temporary tents.
The White House has undergone several renovations in its over 200 year history, including Harry Truman's postwar rebuild and John F. Kennedy's restoration program. Formal presentations are expected in the coming weeks, with project completion targeted for 2028.
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From the archives
7 Things You Would Find on a City Street 100 Years Ago
If we could travel back 100 years and land on a typical city street, we'd probably be mightily discombobulated. Some things would seem familiar: the buzz of the urban environment, people walking this way and that, and buildings with facades that could well still exist today. But looking around, we'd soon realize that we weren't in Kansas anymore — or if we were, it would be Kansas City in the 1920s. A century ago, America was going through a monumental change. For the first time in U.S. history, more people were living in urban areas than in rural areas. The cities were booming, and for many middle-class Americans, the 1920s were a decade of unprecedented prosperity. People were earning more and spending more, advertising had reached new levels of sophistication, and the automobile was changing the way we live. So, before you step into that time machine, you'd better brace yourself. Here are seven things you'd find in a city street a century ago, back in the dizzying days of the Roaring '20s.
Incandescent Street Lights
Before the development of practical light bulbs, street lights typically used piped coal gas, oil, or kerosene as fuel. The first electric streetlights were installed in Paris in 1878, but these used unwieldy and harsh arc lamps. Then came inventors such as Joseph Swan in the U.K. and Thomas Edison in the U.S., both of whom patented revolutionary incandescent light bulbs in 1880. Incandescent street lamps became the norm in many cities throughout the world, and the 1920s saw a wave of patents filed for innovative new street lighting. These electric lights, however, were often placed where they were needed rather than lining a whole street. So, 100 years ago, a city street at night would not have been as brightly lit as it is today, and pedestrians would often find themselves walking from one pool of yellowish light to the next.
Public Phones
Public phones and phone booths began appearing in the U.S. not long after Alexander Graham Bell patented the first telephone in 1876. By the 1920s, wooden phone booths were a fairly common sight on many city streets, but the wooden construction meant they were hard to maintain, limiting their popularity. In some cities, you'd be more likely to come across a public telephone room, which contained multiple booths. Individual outdoor phone booths became truly commonplace in the 1950s, when glass and aluminum became the booth-building materials of choice. Today, of course, public phones are heading rapidly toward extinction, now that most everyone can carry a phone in their pocket.
Art Deco Design
The art deco style flourished in the United States during the 1920s, in both the visual arts and architecture, as well as product design. Walking down a city street 100 years ago, art deco would have been everywhere, from the facades of grand buildings such as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, to the window displays of newly emerging department stores such as Macy's and Saks. The style, characterized by bold geometric patterns, vibrant colors, and glamorous details, became synonymous with the opulence and extravagance that defined the Roaring '20s.
Child Vendors
Thankfully, modern child labor laws ensure that we don't see children working in the streets anymore. But 100 years ago, it was a common sight. In 1920, about a million children aged 10 to 15 were working in America, out of a total population of about 12 million children in that age range. The most visible were those working in city streets, in jobs such as flower seller, shoe shine, and courier. Children carried messages — and sometimes money and sales slips — throughout the city, facilitating daily commerce for banks, factories, and offices. Even more notable were the "newsies," young children (some as young as 5) who sold newspapers in the street. But by the end of the decade, a growing preference for home delivery and tougher child labor laws led to the decline of the "newsie" in urban America.
Flappers and Fedoras
If we traveled back 100 years, one of the first things we might notice is the fashion of the day. Men would be walking the streets wearing three-piece suits, thin bow ties, wingtip shoes, and the then-ubiquitous fedora hat. Sportswear was also becoming acceptable menswear, thanks in large part to the growing popularity of golf, which brought longer "plus four" trousers and wide-legged oxford bag pants to the urban milieu. Women's fashion, meanwhile, reflected the newfound freedoms of the day. The dresses of the 1920s were loose, straight, and slender, with shorter hemlines. This was typified by the flapper style of the Jazz Age, with dropped waistlines and calf-revealing dresses — clothing that was stylish but also allowed women to move. New hairstyles completed the look, with bobs and waves becoming the defining cuts of the '20s.
Horses
Today, we don't encounter many horses on our city streets, but go back 100 years and you'd still occasionally see peddlers, milk trucks, coal wagons, and fire wagons using horse-drawn carriages. The heyday of horses, however, was coming to an end. In 1916, for instance, there were 46,662 horse-drawn vehicles in Chicago. By the end of the 1920s, this number had plummeted, and by 1940 there were fewer than 2,000 horse-drawn vehicles in the city. In New York City, meanwhile, the last horse-drawn fire engine was retired in 1922. The rise of the automobile had begun in earnest, bringing about a permanent change in the very nature of city streets.
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Thanks to Brett
Daily Memo: Details of US Plan for Israeli-Syrian Border
Washington reportedly proposed a demilitarized economic zone and joint coordination center.
By: Geopolitical Futures
Israeli-Syrian peace plan. The United States has proposed the creation of a demilitarized economic zone along the Israeli-Syrian border, according to an unnamed U.S. official. Renewable energy, agriculture and tourism infrastructure could be developed in the demilitarized zone, the official added. Washington also reportedly proposed establishing a joint U.S.-Israeli-Syrian coordination group to monitor the security situation in southern Syria and address demilitarization and the possible withdrawal of Israeli troops. The U.S. would act as mediator and guarantor of the agreements. To start, both sides would cease all military activity and dispatch representatives to discuss military and intelligence issues as well as political and trade relations.
Base in Somaliland. Less than two weeks after Israel became the first country to recognize the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland, officials from both sides are discussing security cooperation and the possibility of Somaliland hosting an Israeli military base. The political director of Somaliland's Foreign Ministry said they would cooperate on counterterrorism and maritime stability.
BRICS naval drills. China-led joint naval exercises involving fellow BRICS members Russia, South Africa, Iran, Indonesia and Ethiopia will take place in waters near South Africa from Jan. 9 to Jan. 16. During the drills, forces will practice naval coordination and protecting sea lanes, the South African military said. Official Chinese media portrayed the exercises as a "new model" for security cooperation among BRICS nations, though founding members India and Brazil are notably absent.
Invitation to chat. U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna announced on social media that the State Department authorized four members of the Russian State Duma to visit Washington in January for peace talks with U.S. lawmakers. Meanwhile, responding to the U.S. seizure of a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic, Russia's Foreign Ministry rejected U.S. Vice President JD Vance's assertion that the vessel's Russian affiliation was a ruse to avoid sanctions.
Chip breakthrough. China's first pilot production line for a 2D microprocessor launched in Shanghai, the China Daily reported. The project is set to reach full production by June.
Traffic forecast. Transport volumes along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, which links China and Europe via Kazakhstan and the Caucasus, could double by 2030, according to Rhenus Logistics, a German international logistics company. Traffic along the route, also known as the Middle Corridor, has increased by roughly 40 percent each of the last two years.
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Thanksnto Mugs
From: Mugs Morgan <mugsm@gvtc.com>
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Subject: Venezuelan Oil
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Trump Isn't "Pirating Ships" — He Must Seize and Sell 300 Venezuelan Oil Tankers to Satisfy an International Court Judgment Owed to U.S. Companies
A lot of people are reacting emotionally to the idea of oil tankers being seized, but most of the outrage comes from not understanding what is actually being discussed.
So let's slow this down and explain it clearly, legally, and step by step.
This is not war.
This is not piracy.
S'sThis is judgment enforcement — the same principle used every day when courts seize bank accounts, property, aircraft, or cargo from someone who lost in court and refuses to pay.
1. What Venezuela did (the part that always gets skipped)
In the 2000s, under Hugo Chávez, Venezuela seized oil projects owned by foreign companies, including major U.S. firms such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips.
This wasn't a policy disagreement.
It was expropriation:
• Contracts were broken
• Assets were taken
• Compensation that had been agreed to was not paid
That is not controversial. It is historical fact.
2. What the courts decided
Those U.S. companies didn't complain on social media.
They went to international arbitration and U.S. courts — the proper legal venues.
They won.
The rulings were:
• Final
• Binding
• Enforceable
Venezuela lost and was ordered to pay tens of billions of dollars in damages.
3. The real problem: Venezuela refused to pay
Here is the key point most critics ignore:
Venezuela refused to comply with the court judgments.
In any legal system — domestic or international — when a party:
• Loses in court
• Owes a judgment
• Refuses to pay
…the law allows creditors to seize commercial assets belonging to the debtor outside its borders to satisfy the judgment.
This is called judgment enforcement.
Countries do not get a free pass simply because they are countries.
4. Why oil tankers even enter the conversation
Venezuela's primary commercial asset is oil.
Oil moves on oil tankers.
Those tankers:
• Carry state-owned Venezuelan oil
• Are commercial property, not military or diplomatic assets
• Can be lawfully seized by court order in cooperating jurisdictions
This is no different in principle from seizing:
• A bank account
• A plane
• A shipment of goods
Calling this "piracy" is legally incorrect.
Piracy is theft without lawful authority.
This is court-ordered seizure to collect a debt already ruled on.
5. The math everyone avoids
Let's use conservative, realistic numbers so no one can claim exaggeration.
• Estimated unpaid court judgments: ~$35 billion
• Oil price used: $62 per barrel
• Typical large oil tanker (VLCC): ~2 million barrels
Value of one full tanker:
• Gross value: ~$124 million
• Net value after realistic court-sale discounts: ~$115 million
Now do the math:
$35,000,000,000 ÷ $115,000,000 ≈ 300 tankers
That's where the number comes from.
Not one tanker.
Not ten.
About three hundred.
One tanker only covers about one-third of one percent of what Venezuela owes.
6. What this means — and what it does NOT mean
This does not mean:
• Tankers are being randomly grabbed
• This is a military action
• The goal is punishment
It does mean:
• Courts already ruled
• A debt legally exists
• Enforcement is the only option left when payment is refused
When Donald Trump talks about seizing oil shipments, he is not inventing a new power.
He is talking about using existing legal authority to enforce judgments Venezuela already lost.
In plain English:
You took property, you lost in court, you refused to pay — so your commercial assets are seized and sold until the debt is satisfied.
That is how the rule of law works.
7. Why you don't see hundreds of tankers seized
Because enforcement is:
• Legally narrow
• Jurisdiction-dependent
• Deliberately targeted
Venezuela also structured its exports to:
• Avoid enforceable ports
• Use intermediaries
• Break shipments into smaller pieces
So tanker seizures are rare, careful, and strategic, not mass roundups.
Tankers are leverage, not a magic wand.
The bottom line
• Venezuela seized U.S. assets
• Venezuela lost in international court
• Venezuela refuses to pay
• The debt is ~$35 billion
• A tanker is worth ~$115 million net
• It would take ~300 Venezuelan oil tankers to make the judgment whole
This is lawful enforcement, not piracy.
This is accounting, not aggression.
This is what happens when court rulings are ignored.
People arguing "this sounds extreme" are missing the most important fact:
The court already decided.
Once that happens, enforcement isn't optional — it's inevitable.
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From the archives
Thanks to Dr. Rich
Drone Warfare School….looks like fun just like shooting Skeet sort of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb5qMvie9sU
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Thanks to History Facts
5 Things You May Not Know About Genghis Khan
GENGHIS KHAN
Of all of history's greatest leaders, few if any have held as much power and influence as the mighty Mongol ruler Genghis Khan. As founder of the Mongol Empire, Genghis laid waste to all who stood in his way en route to controlling a large swath of Asia during the early 13th century. Though Genghis was undeniably ruthless in his conquests, he was also a cunning tactician whose skills made him wildly effective in his imperialist efforts. Genghis Khan lived from 1162 until 1227, rising from the ranks of relative obscurity to unify a once-scattered Steppe region in modern Mongolia and other parts of Central Asia. At the height of his power, no man was more feared or revered than Genghis, whose success as a conqueror led to one of the largest empires in history. Genghis Khan's impact on global history is undeniable, and there's much to be discussed about his life. Here are five facts about the infamous leader of the Mongols.
Genghis Khan's Birth Name Was Temüjin
Though he's best known as Genghis Khan, that name was actually bestowed on the Mongol leader later in life. At birth, he was known as Temüjin, derived from the Turkic word temür, meaning "iron." The name was an apt descriptor of the boy who would grow up to become a brutal warrior after being forced into a leadership role at a young age. After Temüjin's father was poisoned when Temüjin was around 10 years old, the family was abandoned by their clan, forcing the boy to look after his mother and siblings. He showcased leadership skills from an early age, and spent the ensuing years conquering countless nomadic Steppe tribes. As recognition for his efforts, Mongol nobles gave him the name Chinggis Khan — Genghis Khan in the Western spelling — a title that roughly translates to "Universal Ruler."
He Was Tolerant of Many Different Religions
Genghis Khan was an undeniably vicious ruler with little regard for human life, as he brutally massacred an estimated 40 million people in the name of expanding his empire, often inflicting harsh punishments on any that stood in his way. But Genghis Khan was also an early and unlikely proponent of religious tolerance. Though he himself practiced a type of shamanism focused around sky spirits of local folk legend, Genghis left the Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and other people he conquered to worship in relative peace. Part of the reason for this was to earn the support of each new tribe that he subjugated: Allowing them to maintain their faith lessened the chances that they would fight back or revolt. Genghis even welcomed those with differing beliefs into his family, as his sons married women who followed the Nestorian sect of Christianity. According to some accounts, he also consulted Taoist leader Qiu Chuji later in life, openly debating the topics of morality and philosophy.
His Mongol Empire Is the Largest Contiguous Land Empire in History
The record for the largest contiguous land empire in history goes to the Mongols (though the British Empire was larger if you include overseas territories, reaching its apex in 1919). Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire in 1206, and by the middle of that century it grew to encompass 9.15 million square miles of land — equal to 16% of Earth's total landmass. While this peak was achieved a few decades after Genghis Khan's death in 1227, its expansion wouldn't have been possible without Genghis' imperial efforts during the early part of the 13th century. Under his reign, the Mongol Empire extended through China all the way to the Korean Peninsula in the east, and as far as the Middle East in the west. After Genghis' death, the Mongols pushed even farther westward, conquering land as far as Eastern Europe.
0.5% of Modern-Day Males Are Related to Genghis Khan
While Genghis Khan conquered land far and wide, his scope reached even further across the globe through his genetic lineage. During his lifetime, Genghis fathered children with six wives and an even larger number of concubines, beginning with his first marriage to a woman named Börte. With Börte, Genghis had five daughters and four sons — Jochi, Chagatai, Ögedei, and Tolui — and there were many more children to come. While it's impossible to note just how many children Genghis sired, a 2003 study posited that Genghis Khan's DNA could be found in 8% of Asian men along the Y-chromosome, a number large enough to account for 0.5% of the world's total male population.
Nobody Knows What He Looked Like, How He Died, or Where He's Buried
Though there are many modern-day depictions of Genghis Khan, artists were strictly prohibited from capturing his likeness during his lifetime. This meant no portraits, sculptures, coinage, or anything else could be created with the khan's image, lest the artist risk the ire of their brutal emperor. It wasn't until after Genghis' death that people began to reproduce his likeness, though each culture portrayed the late ruler in a different way. Chinese artists painted Genghis as an elderly man with a wispy beard, Persian artists portrayed him as a sultan atop a throne, and Europeans drew a more menacing Genghis as an uncouth barbarian. The mysteries surrounding Genghis Khan extend to his death and burial as well. The cause of his death remains unclear, as some rumors suggest he died of bubonic plague, whereas others believe it was due to blood loss or a fall. After his death — however it occurred — Genghis Khan was buried in an unmarked grave. In order to ensure this spot remained a mystery, 1,000 soldiers rode horses over the area to remove any trace of the gravesite. This act was so successful that even to this day, archaeological efforts have yet to uncover Genghis Khan's final resting place.
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Thanks to History Facts
Standing in the shadow of Scotland's Edinburgh Castle is a statue of a man and a bear. The placard next to them reveals they are Polish soldiers and World War II heroes — yes, even the bear. Named "Wojtek," the Syrian brown bear spent years in the Polish army before his journey ended in Edinburgh, where his statue's nose now gleams gold from friendly pats. But that journey began thousands of miles away in Iran, in 1942.
Wojtek arrived at the 22nd Artillery Supply Company of the Polish II Corps by happenstance, when a young Iranian shepard traded the orphaned bear for a Swiss army knife, some chocolate, and canned beef. The Polish soldiers received a tiny cub in a burlap sack, who was placed under the care of a soldier named Peter Prendys. To everyone's delight, the animal quickly assimilated, and in 1944 he became Private Wojtek, meaning "joyful warrior" in Polish. He was fed double rations, often washing it down with a beer.
Wojtek's antics provided much-needed entertainment, but he was more than just a pet. The bear proved his worth on the battlefield when his company was reassigned to Italy. Eyewitness reports from May 1944, during the Battle of Monte Cassino, purport that Wojtek bravely carried artillery shells and ammo crates across the battlefield. After the battle, the company changed its insignia to a bear holding an artillery shell, and Wojtek was promoted to corporal. When the war ended, Wojtek said goodbye to his compeers and retired to the Edinburgh Zoo, where he lived from 1947 until his death in 1963, and where a statue now honors his extraordinary life of adventure and achievement.
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This Day in U S Military History
9 January
1863 – U.S.S. Baron De Kalb, Louisville, Cincinnati, Lexington, Rattler, and Black Hawk, under Rear Admiral Porter in tug Ivy, engaged and, with the troops of Major General W. T. Sherman, forced the surrender of Fort Hindman at Arkansas Post. Ascending the Arkansas River, Porter's squadron covered the landing of the troops and shelled Confederates from their rifle pits, enabling McClernand's troops on 9 January to take command of the woods below the fort and approach unseen. Though the Army was not in a position to press the attack on 10 January, the squadron moved to within 60 yards of the staunchly defended fort to soften the works for the next day's assault. A blistering engagement ensued, the fort's 11 guns pouring a withering fire into the gunboats. U.S.S. Rattler, Lieutenant Commander Watson Smith, attempted to run past the fort to provide enfilade support, but was caught on a snag placed in the river by the Confederates, received a heavy raking fire, and was forced to return downstream. Porter's gunboats renewed the engagement the next morning, 11 January, when the Army launched its assault, and "after a well directed fire of about two and one-half hours every gun in the fort was dismounted or disabled and the fort knocked all to pieces. . ." Ram Monarch and U.S.S. Rattler and Glide, under Lieutenant Commander W. Smith, knifed upriver to cut off any attempted escape. Brigadier General Thomas J. Churchill, CSA, surrendered the fort-including some 36 defending Confederate naval officers and men after a gallant resistance to the fearful pounding from the gunboats. Porter wrote Secretary of the Navy Welles: "No fort ever received a worse battering, and the highest compliment I can pay those engaged is to repeat what the rebels said: 'You can't expect men to stand up against the fire of those gunboats.' " After the loss of Fort Hindman, Confederates evacuated other positions on the White and St. Charles Rivers before falling waters forced the gunboats to retire downstream. Porter wrote: 'The fight at Fort Hindman was one of the prettiest little affairs of the war, not so little either, for a very important post fell into our hands with 6,500 prisoners, and the destruction of a powerful ram at Little Rock [C.S.S. Pontchartrain], which could have caused the Federal Navy in the West a great deal of trouble, was ensured. . . . Certain it is, the success at Arkansas Post had a most exhilarating effect on the troops, and they were a different set of men when they arrived at Milliken's Bend than they were when they left the Yazoo River." A memorandum in the Secretary's office added: "The importance of this victory can not be estimated. It happened at a moment when the Union arms were unsuccessful on three or four battlefields. . . "
1918 – The Battle of Bear Valley was a small engagement fought in 1918 between a band of Yaquis and a detachment of United States Army soldiers. Elements of the American 10th Cavalry Regiment detected about thirty armed Yaquis in Bear Valley, Arizona, a large area that was commonly used as a passage across the international border with Mexico. A short firefight ensued, which resulted in the death of the Yaqui commander and the capture of nine others. Though the conflict was merely a skirmish, it was the last time the United States Army engaged hostile native Americans in combat and thus has been seen as one of the final battles of the American Indian Wars
1945 – Gen. Douglas MacArthur and the American 6th Army land on the Lingayen Gulf of Luzon, another step in the capture of the Philippine Islands from the Japanese. The Japanese controlled the Philippines from May 1942, when the defeat of American forces led to General MacArthur's departure and Gen. Jonathan Wainwright's capture. But in October 1944, more than 100,000 American soldiers landed on Leyte Island to launch one of one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific war-and herald the beginning of the end for Japan. Newsreels captured the event as MacArthur waded ashore at Leyte on October 20, returning to the Philippines as he had famously promised he would after the original defeat of American forces there. What the newsreels didn't capture were the 67 days it took to subdue the island, with the loss of more than 55,000 Japanese soldiers during the two months of battle and approximately 25,000 more soldiers killed in smaller-scale engagements necessary to fully clear the area of enemy troops. The U.S. forces lost about 3,500. The sea battle of Leyte Gulf was the same story. The loss of ships and sailors was horrendous for both sides. That battle also saw the introduction of the Japanese kamikaze suicide bombers. More than 5,000 kamikaze pilots died in this gulf battle, taking down 34 ships. But the Japanese were not able to prevent the loss of their biggest and best warships, which meant the virtual end of the Japanese Imperial Fleet. These American victories on land and sea at Leyte opened the door for the landing of more than 60,000 American troops on Luzon on January 9. Once again, cameras recorded MacArthur walking ashore, this time to greet cheering Filipinos. Although the American troops met little opposition when they landed, American warships were in for a new surprise: kamikaze boats. Japanese boats loaded with explosives and piloted by kamikaze personnel rammed the light cruiser Columbia and the battleship Mississippi, killing a total of 49 American crewmen. The initial ease of the American fighters' first week on land was explained when they discovered the intricate defensive network of caves and tunnels that the Japanese created on Luzon. The intention of the caves and tunnels was to draw the Americans inland, while allowing the Japanese to avoid the initial devastating bombardment of an invasion force. Once Americans reached them, the Japanese fought vigorously, convinced they were directing American strength away from the Japanese homeland. Despite their best efforts, the Japanese lost the battle for Luzon and eventually, the battle for control over all of the Philippines.
1945 – The fleet carriers of Task Force 38 attack targets on Okinawa and Formosa in conjunction with US Army Air Force B-29 Superfortress bombers from bases in China. This is intended to give cover to the landings on Luzon. One Japanese destroyer is sunk along with seven other ships.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
HANDRAN, JOHN
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1852, Massachusetts. Accredited to: Massachusetts. G.O. No.: 206, 15 February 1876. Citation: For gallant conduct while serving on board the U.S.S. Franklin at Lisbon, Portugal, 9 January 1876. Jumping overboard, Handran rescued from drowning one of the crew of that vessel.
MADDIN, EDWARD
Rank and organization: Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1852, Newfoundland. Accredited to: Massachusetts. G.O. No.: 206, 15 February 1876. Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Franklin at Lisbon, Portugal, 9 January 1876. Displaying gallant conduct, Maddin jumped overboard and rescued one of the crew of that vessel from drowning.
*CAREY, CHARLES F., JR.
Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, 397th Infantry, 100th Infantry Division. Place and date: Rimling, France, 8-9 January 1945. Entered service at: Cheyenne, Wyo. Birth: Canadian, Okla. G.O. No.: 53, July 1945. Citation: He was in command of an antitank platoon when about 200 enemy infantrymen and 12 tanks attacked his battalion, overrunning part of its position. After losing his guns, T/Sgt. Carey, acting entirely on his own initiative, organized a patrol and rescued 2 of his squads from a threatened sector, evacuating those who had been wounded. He organized a second patrol and advanced against an enemy-held house from which vicious fire issued, preventing the free movement of our troops. Covered by fire from his patrol, he approached the house, killed 2 snipers with his rifle, and threw a grenade in the door. He entered alone and a few minutes later emerged with 16 prisoners. Acting on information he furnished, the American forces were able to capture an additional 41 Germans in adjacent houses. He assembled another patrol, and, under covering fire, moved to within a few yards of an enemy tank and damaged it with a rocket. As the crew attempted to leave their burning vehicle, he calmly shot them with his rifle, killing 3 and wounding a fourth. Early in the morning of 9 January, German infantry moved into the western part of the town and encircled a house in which T/Sgt. Carey had previously posted a squad. Four of the group escaped to the attic. By maneuvering an old staircase against the building, T/Sgt. Carey was able to rescue these men. Later that day, when attempting to reach an outpost, he was struck down by sniper fire. The fearless and aggressive leadership of T/Sgt. Carey, his courage in the face of heavy fire from superior enemy forces, provided an inspiring example for his comrades and materially helped his battalion to withstand the German onslaught.
*PETERSEN, DANNY J.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 4th Battalion, 23d Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Tay Ninh Province, Republic of Vietnam, 9 January 1970. Entered service at: Kansas City, Mo. Born: 11 March 1949, Horton, Kans. Citation: Sp4c. Petersen distinguished himself while serving as an armored personnel carrier commander with Company B during a combat operation against a North Vietnamese Army Force estimated to be of battalion size. During the initial contact with the enemy, an armored personnel carrier was disabled and the crewmen were pinned down by the heavy onslaught of enemy small arms, automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Sp4c. Petersen immediately maneuvered his armored personnel carrier to a position between the disabled vehicle and the enemy. He placed suppressive fire on the enemy's well-fortified position, thereby enabling the crewmembers of the disabled personnel carrier to repair their vehicle. He then maneuvered his vehicle, while still under heavy hostile fire to within 10 feet of the enemy's defensive emplacement. After a period of intense fighting, his vehicle received a direct hit and the driver was wounded. With extraordinary courage and selfless disregard for his own safety, Sp4c. Petersen carried his wounded comrade 45 meters across the bullet-swept field to a secure area. He then voluntarily returned to his disabled armored personnel carrier to provide covering fire for both the other vehicles and the dismounted personnel of his platoon as they withdrew. Despite heavy fire from 3 sides, he remained with his disabled vehicle, alone and completely exposed. Sp4c. Petersen was standing on top of his vehicle, firing his weapon, when he was mortally wounded. His heroic and selfless actions prevented further loss of life in his platoon. Sp4c. Petersen's conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary heroism are in the highest traditions of the service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for January 9, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
9 January
1793: Jean Pierre Blanchard made the first manned balloon flight in America with a 46-minute trip between the Wall Street Prison in Philadelphia, Pa., to Debtford Township, N.J. He carried landing clearance orders signed by President George Washington and a small black dog as a passenger. (7)
1917: The Army ordered Capt Henry H. Arnold from Aviation School duty at San Diego, Calif., to Panama to organize and command the 7th Aero Squadron and ordered Capt John F. Curry to Fort Kamehameha, Hawaii, to command the 6th Aero Squadron. (24)
1918: The 1st Marine Aviation Company, under Capt Francis T. Evans, left the Philadelphia Navy Yard for the Azores. There, the Marine pilots used Curtiss R-6 airplanes to conduct antisubmarine patrols against Germany. (10)
1929: Through the 16th, Maj Paul Bock flew a C-2 Army transport 3,130 miles from Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, to France Field, Panama. This was the first airplane to be ferried by the Army Air Corps to a foreign station. (24)
1943: Lockheed's C-69 transport, a military version of the Model 49 Constellation, flew its first flight at Burbank, Calif. (5) The Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation first flew. (5)
1945: U. S. Army Air Forces participated in the opening of Luzon, Philippine Campaign. (24)
1946: Northrop Aircraft Incorporated submitted a proposal to the US Army Air Forces (U. S. Army Air Forces) to study a subsonic surface-to-surface air-breathing missile with six turbojet engines and a range of 3,000 miles. (6)
1956: 1Lt E. A. Schmid, 63rd Troop Carrier Wing, became the first airman in the USAF to fly over the South Pole and first member to fly over the North and South poles. (11)
1962: A B-52G crew from the 4126th Strategic Wing at Beale AFB, Calif., launched a Hound Dog missile on its first combat evaluation launch. The missile flew 607 nautical miles down Atlantic Missile Range and hit the target area. (6)
1967: The Tactical Air Command initiated Combat Lady, a test of classified weapons, at Eglin AFB, Fla. (11)
1973: Secretary of the Air Force Robert C. Seamans, Jr., picked Fairchild's A-10 and General Electric's TF-34 engine as the winners of the A-X competition. (3) At Holloman AFB, N. Mex., B-52s began operational testing on the Short Range Attack Missile. (6)
1976: The first operational Hybrid Explicit flight test occurred with the launch of production verification missile (PVM-12) from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. (5) The 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, Va., received the first operational F-15A Eagle (Tail No. 74-0083). The base received a two-seat training model earlier on 18 December 1975. (19)
1990: Through 20 January, in mission STS-32 the Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center to deliver a Navy Synchronus Communications System Ultra High Frequency (UHF) satellite into orbit. Additionally, two mission specialists, Dr. Bonnie Dunbar and Marsha Irvins, retrieved the Long Duration Exposure Facility from its deteriorating orbit. The shuttle landed at night at Edwards AFB, Calif., after being delayed a day by high winds, on the base's concrete runway rather than Rogers Dry Lake. It also landed with a weight of 115 tons, nearly 5 tons more than the previous record set in 1983 in the STS-9 mission. [8: Mar 90]
1996: Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. This operation officially ended (See 3 July 1992). It was the longest air supply effort in history to date. C-130s, C-141s, and C-17s from Air Mobility Command and C-130s from United States Air Forces in Europe flew more than 4,500 sorties to deliver 62,802 metric tons of cargo. Altogether, aircraft from 21 nations participating in the United Nations humanitarian airlift flew nearly 13,000 sorties to deliver some 160,000 metric tons of supplies to Sarajevo. (18) (21)
1999: The Miniature Air-Launched Decoy made its first successful flight above Edwards AFB, Calif. The tiny vehicle separated cleanly from an F-16 at 460 knots and flew autonomously at Mach 0.75 at 20,000 feet before it suffered an engine shutdown. It was recovered safely. (3)
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