The List 7432
To All
Good Saturday Morning January 31, 2026. .
.Another beautiful Day here. It is crystal clear and going to hit 84 today with some light winds. The forecast is for more tomorrow. The light winds may be a good time to attack the leaves today.
.The team that provides replacement beepers for cars was back at COSTCO yesterday and I took advantage of it to get a new one for less than half price what you pay at the dealer they are very friendly and efficient and this was the second time I have used them there.
Enjoy a great weekend wherever you are.
.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.
Jan. 31
1944-The Marshall Island Invasion begins with U.S. Marine and Army troops
landing at Kwajalein and Majuro atolls and then on Roi and Namur the
following day. Vice Adm. Raymond A. Spruance, Task Force 50, commands the
overall operation, while the landing force is under the command of Marine
Maj. Gen. Holland M. Smith.
1945-USS Boarfish (SS 327) attacks Japanese HI 88 convoy and sinks freighter
Enki Maru 50 miles southeast of Tourance, French Indochina. She also damages
a cargo ship that runs aground and 14th Air Force aircraft destroys it the
next day.
1961-Lt. Cmdr. Samuel Lee Gravely, Jr. becomes first African-American to
command a combat ship, USS Falgout (DER 324). By 1976, he attains the rank
of vice admiral.
1968-The main phase of the Tet Offensive begins as Communist Vietnamese
troops attack military and civilian command and control centers throughout
South Vietnam, attempting to incite an uprising in the general populace that
will topple the Saigon government.
1981-The era of Enlisted Naval Aviators comes to a close when the last
enlisted pilot, Master Chief Robert K. Jones, retires after 38 years of
naval service.
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This day in world history
January 31
1606 Guy Fawkes is hanged, drawn and quartered for his part in
the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to blow up Parliament.
1620 Virginia colony leaders write to the Virginia Company in
England, asking for more orphaned apprentices for employment.
1788 The Young Pretender, Charles Edward Stuart dies.
1835 A man with two pistols misfires at President Andrew Jackson
at the White House.
1865 House of Representatives approves a constitutional amendment
abolishing slavery.
1911 The German Reichstag exempts royal families from tax
obligations.
1915 Germans use poison gas on the Russians at Bolimov.
1915 German U-boats sink two British steamers in the English
Channel.
1916 President Woodrow Wilson refuses the compromise on Lusitania
reparations.
1917 Germany resumes unlimited sub warfare, warning that all
neutral ships that are in the war zone will be attacked.
1935 The Soviet premier tells Japan to get out of Manchuria.
1943 The Battle of Stalingrad ends as small groups of German
soldiers of the Sixth Army surrender to the victorious Red Army forces.
1944 U.S. troops under Vice Adm. Spruance land on Kwajalien atoll
in the Marshall Islands.
1950 Paris protests the Soviet recognition of Ho Chi Minh's
Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
1966 U.S. planes resume bombing of North Vietnam after a 37-day
pause.
1968 In Vietnam, the Tet Offensive begins as Viet Cong and North
Vietnamese soldiers attack strategic and civilian locations throughout South
Vietnam.
1976 Ernesto Miranda, famous from the Supreme Court ruling on
Miranda vs. Arizona is stabbed to death.
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Thanks to the Bear and Dan Heller. We will always have the url for you to search items in Rolling Thunder
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER …
. rollingthunderremembered.com .
To All
Thanks to the Bear
This is great to watch…skip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQcxP70jNMY
Thanks to Micro
From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..January 31 . .
January 31: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2113
Thanks to the Bear and Dan Heller
rollingthunderremembered.com .
Hello All,
Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear
Links to all content can now be found right on the homepage http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com. If you scroll down from the banner and featured content you will find "Today in Rolling Thunder Remembered History" which highlights events in the Vietnam war that occurred on the date the page is visited. Below that are links to browse or search all content. You may search by keyword(s), date, or date range.
An item of importance is the recent incorporation of Task Force Omega (TFO) MIA summaries. There is a link on the homepage and you can also visit directly via https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/task-force-omega/. There are 60 summaries posted thus far, with about 940 to go (not a typo—TFO has over 1,000 individual case files).
If you have any questions or comments about RTR/TFO, or have a question on my book, you may e-mail me directly at acrossthewing@protonmail.com. Thank you Dan
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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.
.
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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. 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.
.
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 Nice News
. Prehistoric Giant Set to Become the First-Ever State Shark
Warpaintcobra/iStock
Maryland may soon be the first to have a state shark — but you won't see the sea creature swimming in the Chesapeake Bay anytime soon. After dominating oceans for around 20 million years, the megalodon went extinct some 3.6 million years ago. But earlier this month, a Maryland state senator and House delegate introduced legislation to designate it as the official state shark.
Approximately three times the size of a modern great white shark, the megalodon may have reached up to 82 feet and 66,000 pounds, per Popular Science, making it the largest-known shark species in history. Since the predators primarily inhabited shallow waters along the East Coast, their massive serrated teeth, which could grow as large as 7 inches, have been unearthed in multiple Maryland counties, and 1,700 of them are currently housed in the state's Calvert Marine Museum.
More than just impressive relics from a long-lost era, the fossils are "a reminder of the important role modern and prehistoric sharks have played in shaping past and present ecosystems," notes the bill, which would go into effect Oct. 1 if enacted. Stephen Godfrey, a curator of paleontology at the museum, told WMAR Baltimore: "To me, this is such an iconic animal. I think it's time for megalodon to take center stage as the first shark designated as a state shark."
Smashing burgers and expectations
Kyle Nelson was mulling over ideas for what to call his new burger joint in Wilmington, North Carolina, when inspiration struck in the form of a fun-loving 6-year-old named Zeke. At 3 months old, he was diagnosed with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. So Nelson, whose best friends are Zeke's parents, dubbed his eatery Zeke Smash — and pledged to donate 5% of its profits to children's cancer charities. "I can make great food that people will enjoy, and I can use this platform to bring awareness and highlight an issue that isn't really talked about a whole lot," Nelson said. "And possibly do some good, too.
Quote of the Day
________________________________________
"Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts."
– CHARLES DICKENS, OUR MUTUAL FRIEND
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. Some bits from 1440
Good morning. It's Saturday, Jan. 31, and in this weekend edition, we're covering the death of a comedy icon, a power shift on the Panama Canal, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.6 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
.
One Big Headline
Catherine O'Hara Dies
Comedy actress Catherine O'Hara, known for her iconic roles in "Beetlejuice" and "Home Alone," passed away in her Los Angeles home yesterday following a brief illness. She was 71.
O'Hara was born in 1954 to an Irish-Catholic family in Toronto. Her first acting role was as the Virgin Mary in a Nativity play, and following high school graduation, she began waitressing at Toronto's Second City theater. O'Hara joined the comedy troupe in 1974, after an unsuccessful first audition. She was a regular on the theater's first TV series, "Second City Television," for which she earned her first Emmy for writing. (Watch a skit here.) She won a second Emmy for acting—and her first Golden Globe—in her 60s for playing a former soap opera star in the sitcom "Schitt's Creek" alongside former "Second City Television" co-star and creative partner, Eugene Levy.
O'Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch—a production designer she met on the "Beetlejuice" set—and their two adult children, Luke and Matthew. .
Quick Hits
Government shuts down as officials await House vote.
Most of the federal government shut down at 12:01 am ET, despite the Senate passing a funding package yesterday. The deal must be approved by the House, which reconvenes Monday. Under the package, most agencies will be funded through September. The Department of Homeland Security will be funded at current levels until Feb. 13, as lawmakers negotiate immigration enforcement reforms.
Journalist Don Lemon arrested in connection with anti-ICE protest.
Federal authorities yesterday announced the former CNN anchor was arrested in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards. He faces charges of conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshippers stemming from his coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, this month. Another journalist and two protesters were also arrested in Minnesota yesterday in connection with the same protest.
President Donald Trump nominates Kevin Warsh as next Federal Reserve chair.
Trump considered Warsh for the role in 2017, before nominating current Chair Jerome Powell. An ex-Morgan Stanley executive, Warsh served on the Fed board from 2006 to 2011, including as a Wall Street liaison during the 2007-08 financial crisis. The Senate must confirm Warsh before he can replace Powell, whose term ends in May. Confirmation is uncertain after two Republicans vowed to oppose any Trump nominee unless the Justice Department drops its criminal probe into Powell.
Department of Justice opens civil rights probe into Alex Pretti's death.
The DOJ's Civil Rights Division will work alongside the FBI and a division of the Department of Homeland Security, which are already reviewing last weekend's fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents. The FBI is also leading an investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Good by federal agents earlier this month; the DOJ has not opened a civil rights probe into the events surrounding her death.
Panama Supreme Court ousts Hong Kong company from Panama Canal.
The court found CK Hutchison's contract to manage both ends of the Panama Canal unconstitutional after a lawsuit alleging the company shortchanged Panama by roughly $1.3B. A Danish shipping firm is expected to temporarily oversee the port while a new operator is selected. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in bringing the canal—handling roughly 5% of global seaborne trade—back under US control. The US ceded the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999 (more on 1440 Topics).
Justice Department releases 3 million pages of Epstein files. (w/ live analysis)
The documents were disclosed alongside over 2,000 videos and 180,000 images under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The DOJ tasked hundreds of lawyers with reviewing records after missing the act's Dec. 19 deadline to release all investigative files tied to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Authorities are allowed to redact information that could harm ongoing investigations or expose victims' identities.
NASA delays first Artemis moon shot due to extreme cold.
The first crewed flight to the moon since 1972 will now occur no earlier than Feb. 8, two days later than planned. The decision came after near-freezing temperatures at Florida's Kennedy Space Center forced NASA to call off a fueling test scheduled for today. The test is now set for Monday, weather permitting. A successful mission will mark the first woman and person of color on a lunar mission.
Australian Open wraps this weekend, with veteran Djokovic eyeing history.
Novak Djokovic, 38, became the oldest men's finalist in Australian Open history after defeating defending champion Jannik Sinner, 24, in yesterday's semifinals. He faces top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, 22, tomorrow for a record 25th Grand Slam. But first, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina meet in today's women's singles finals. Neither women's finalist has dropped a set—a feat unseen at the Australian Open since 2004.
Humankind
American financier to give $200K to each US Olympic and Paralympic athlete to improve financial security after their athletic careers; unlike in other countries, the US government does not pay Olympians. .
Oklahoma man turns his vintage fire truck into a warming center for people experiencing homelessness during dangerous winter conditions. .
NFL teams up with OneCourt and Ticketmaster to give 10 blind and low-vision fans a one-of-a-kind chance to experience the Super Bowl. .
New York police officer helps a widow experiencing homelessness find an affordable home after finding her sleeping on her late husband's grave. .
Young volunteers, known as DC's Snow Team Heroes, help clear ice sheets from outside senior citizens' homes. .
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.Thanks to Brett
Daily Memo: US-Iran Escalation, Cuba on the Brink
The U.S. and Israel are reportedly discussing possible strikes, while other countries are trying to deescalate.
By: Geopolitical Futures
External input. The Trump administration held meetings with senior Israeli and Saudi officials in Washington this week to discuss possible military strikes against Iran, Axios reported. Israeli officials offered the U.S. intelligence on possible targets for an attack, while Saudi representatives passed on messages to try to avert escalation.
Trilateral talks? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly proposed to U.S. President Donald Trump a trilateral summit with the leader of Iran during a call on Jan. 27, suggesting the meeting could be held via videoconference. Trump apparently responded positively, expressing a willingness to discuss the idea further. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit Turkey on Jan. 30 to discuss the situation with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. On Thursday, Fidan met with U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack in Ankara.
Iran's take. In an interview with CNN, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran was open to "genuine" dialogue with Washington. He insisted, however, that the U.S. president was interested only in talks that would allow him to impose his will on Tehran.
Sanctions. The European Union imposed sanctions on 15 Iranian government officials, prosecutors, police chiefs and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps over the recent crackdown on widespread protests. Six Iranian entities, including some responsible for monitoring online content, were also sanctioned amid an internet blackout across the country. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc would also likely add the IRGC to its list of terrorist organizations.
Cuba on the brink. Cuba's oil reserves would last just 15-20 days at current consumption and domestic production levels, according to data from analytics firm Kpler. Oil deliveries to Cuba since the beginning of the year have fallen dramatically amid U.S. threats to block all oil exports to the island. Supplies from Venezuela were disrupted by the U.S. capture of President Nicolas Maduro, and Mexico reportedly failed to deliver a shipment of crude to Cuba earlier this month.
Limited success. China and the U.K. signed a series of agreements during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to Beijing on Thursday, though they did not include an overarching economic deal. The agreements will allow visa-free travel to China for U.K. citizens for trips under 30 days and include a $15 billion investment by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in China until 2030.
Settlement. Russian oil producer Lukoil has agreed to sell its international assets to U.S. investment company Carlyle. The move was a result of U.S. sanctions announced in October that threatened to deny access to U.S. banks, insurers and transporters for companies that do business with Lukoil. The transaction excludes the company's assets in Kazakhstan, which will remain the property of Lukoil.
Vance in the Caucasus. U.S. Vice President JD Vance will visit Armenia and Azerbaijan in February to launch the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a major transit corridor that was agreed to by both countries as part of a peace deal. There are also reports that he could hold talks on an agreement to have the U.S. build a modular nuclear power plant in Armenia.
Cyber concerns. Only 36 percent of critical infrastructure facilities in Russia achieved the minimum level of cybersecurity during inspections covering 700 organizations. Russia's Federal Service for Technical and Export Control identified more than 1,200 violations of cybersecurity protocol, including systematic removal of information security specialists from business processes and a lack of comprehensive accounting of IT assets.
Greenland. Senior officials from the U.S., Denmark and Greenland held talks on Arctic security in Washington on Wednesday. The Danish Foreign Ministry said the meeting focused on addressing U.S. security concerns while "respecting the red lines of the kingdom."
Border security. Member states of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization will supply Tajikistan with weapons and military equipment to help bolster security along the Afghan border.
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January 31
This Day in U S Military History
1944 - American landings begin on the islands of Kwajalein Atoll. Admiral
Spruance is in overall command and General Holland Smith commands the
various landing forces. Elements of US 4th Marine Division (Smith) land on
Roi, Namur and nearby islets. Task Force 53 (Admiral Connolly) provides
transport and naval support, including battleships and escort carriers. The
landing on Roi makes rapid progress. On Namur there is heavy Japanese
resistance. Meanwhile, there are also landings on Majuro Atoll by the US
27th Infantry Regiment. Admiral Hill's task force provides naval support.
The Majuro Atoll is captured quickly and is immediately prepared to become a
base for American forces. Also, the carriers of Task Force 58 (Admiral
Mitscher) continue attacks on Eniwetok and Maleolap.
1948 - Mrs. Fannie M. Salter, keeper of the Turkey Point Lighthouse in upper
Chesapeake Bay since 1925 and the last woman keeper of a lighthouse in the
United States, retired from active service. The first woman had been hired
as a lighthouse keeper 150 years before. Salter's retirement temporarily
closed the tradition of women serving as keepers at lighthouses.
1950 - U.S. President Harry S. Truman publicly announces his decision to
support the development of the hydrogen bomb, a weapon theorized to be
hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Japan
during World War II. Five months earlier, the United States had lost its
nuclear supremacy when the Soviet Union successfully detonated an atomic
bomb at their test site in Kazakhstan. Then, several weeks after that,
British and U.S. intelligence came to the staggering conclusion that
German-born Klaus Fuchs, a top-ranking scientist in the U.S. nuclear
program, was a spy for the Soviet Union. These two events, and the fact that
the Soviets now knew everything that the Americans did about how to build a
hydrogen bomb, led Truman to approve massive funding for the superpower race
to complete the world's first "superbomb," as he described it in his public
announcement on January 31. On November 1, 1952, the United States
successfully detonated "Mike," the world's first hydrogen bomb, on the
Elugelab Atoll in the Pacific Marshall Islands. The 10.4-megaton
thermonuclear device, built upon the Teller-Ulam principles of staged
radiation implosion, instantly vaporized an entire island and left behind a
crater more than a mile wide. The incredible explosive force of Mike was
also apparent from the sheer magnitude of its mushroom cloud-within 90
seconds the mushroom cloud climbed to 57,000 feet and entered the
stratosphere. One minute later, it reached 108,000 feet, eventually
stabilizing at a ceiling of 120,000 feet. Half an hour after the test, the
mushroom stretched 60 miles across, with the base of the head joining the
stem at 45,000 feet. Three years later, on November 22, 1955, the Soviet
Union detonated its first hydrogen bomb on the same principle of radiation
implosion. Both superpowers were now in possession of the "hell bomb," as it
was known by many Americans, and the world lived under the threat of
thermonuclear war for the first time in history.
1955 - A document thus dated stated that Yuri Rastvorov, a Soviet defector,
told Eisenhower administration officials in a private Jan 28 meeting that US
and other UN POWs were held in Siberia during the 1950-1953 Korean War.
1958 - Explorer 1, the first successful US satellite, was launched by a
Jupiter-C rocket and the United States entered the Space Age. It discovered
the "Van Allen radiation belts" around Earth named after James Van Allen.
Radio signals from the transmitter aboard the 30.8 pound satellite were
picked up in California within a few minutes after the launch. Two months
earlier, the first attempt to launch a satellite had failed.
1968 - As part of the Tet Offensive, Viet Cong soldiers attack the U.S.
Embassy in Saigon. A 19-man suicide squad seized the U.S. Embassy and held
it for six hours until an assault force of U.S. paratroopers landed by
helicopter on the building's roof and routed them. The offensive was
launched on January 30, when communist forces attacked Saigon, Hue, five of
six autonomous cities, 36 of 44 provincial capitals, and 64 of 245 district
capitals. The timing and magnitude of the attacks caught the South
Vietnamese and American forces off guard, but eventually the Allied forces
turned the tide. Militarily, the Tet Offensive was a disaster for the
communists. By the end of March 1968, they had not achieved any of their
objectives and had lost 32,000 soldiers and had 5,800 captured. U.S. forces
suffered 3,895 dead; South Vietnamese losses were 4,954; non-U.S. allies
lost 214. More than 14,300 South Vietnamese civilians died. While the
offensive was a crushing military defeat for the Viet Cong and the North
Vietnamese, the early reporting of a smashing communist victory went largely
uncorrected in the media and this led to a great psychological victory for
the communists. The heavy U.S. casualties incurred during the offensive
coupled with the disillusionment over the earlier overly optimistic reports
of progress in the war accelerated the growing disenchantment with President
Johnson's conduct of the war. Johnson, frustrated with his inability to
reach a solution in Vietnam announced on March 31, 1968, that he would
neither seek nor accept the nomination of his party for re-election.
1990 - The Soviet Union's first McDonald's fast food restaurant opens in
Moscow. Throngs of people line up to pay the equivalent of several days'
wages for Big Macs, shakes, and french fries. The appearance of this
notorious symbol of capitalism and the enthusiastic reception it received
from the Russian people were signs that times were changing in the Soviet
Union. An American journalist on the scene reported the customers seemed
most amazed at the "simple sight of polite shop workers.in this nation of
commercial boorishness." A Soviet journalist had a more practical opinion,
stating that the restaurant was "the expression of America's rationalism and
pragmatism toward food." He also noted that the "contrast with our own
unrealized pretensions is both sad and challenging." For the average Russian
customer, however, visiting the restaurant was less a political statement
than an opportunity to enjoy a small pleasure in a country still reeling
from disastrous economic problems and internal political turmoil. The
arrival of McDonald's in Moscow was a small but certain sign that change was
on the horizon. In fact, less than two years later, the Soviet Union ceased
to exist as a nation, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as leader of the country,
and various Soviet republics proclaimed their independence. As the American
newsman reported, the first Russian McDonald's customers "had seen the
future, and it works, at least as far as their digestive tract."
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
DEBLANC, JEFFERSON JOSEPH
Note I have watched him tell this story on TV a couple of times. Amazing skp
Rank and Organization: Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Fighting
Squadron 112. Place and date: Off Kolombangara Island in the Solomons group,
31 January 1943. Entered service at: Louisiana. Born: 15 February 1921,
Lockport, La. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the
risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leader of a section of
6 fighter planes in Marine Fighting Squadron 112, during aerial operations
against enemy Japanese forces off Kolombangara Island in the Solomons group,
31 January 1943. Taking off with his section as escort for a strike force of
dive bombers and torpedo planes ordered to attack Japanese surface vessels,
1st Lt. DeBlanc led his flight directly to the target area where, at 14,000
feet, our strike force encountered a large number of Japanese Zeros
protecting the enemy's surface craft. In company with the other fighters,
1st Lt. DeBlanc instantly engaged the hostile planes and aggressively
countered their repeated attempts to drive off our bombers, persevering in
his efforts to protect the diving planes and waging fierce combat until,
picking up a call for assistance from the dive bombers, under attack by
enemy float planes at 1,000 feet, he broke off his engagement with the
Zeros, plunged into the formation of float planes and disrupted the savage
attack, enabling our dive bombers and torpedo planes to complete their runs
on the Japanese surface disposition and withdraw without further incident.
Although his escort mission was fulfilled upon the safe retirement of the
bombers, 1st Lt. DeBlanc courageously remained on the scene despite a
rapidly diminishing fuel supply and, boldly challenging the enemy's superior
number of float planes, fought a valiant battle against terrific odds,
seizing the tactical advantage and striking repeatedly to destroy 3 of the
hostile aircraft and to disperse the remainder. Prepared to maneuver his
damaged plane back to base, he had climbed aloft and set his course when he
discovered 2 Zeros closing in behind. Undaunted, he opened fire and blasted
both Zeros from the sky in a short, bitterly fought action which resulted in
such hopeless damage to his own plane that he was forced to bail out at a
perilously low altitude atop the trees on enemy-held Kolombangara. A gallant
officer, a superb airman, and an indomitable fighter, 1st Lt. DeBlanc had
rendered decisive assistance during a critical stage of operations, and his
unwavering fortitude in the face of overwhelming opposition reflects the
highest credit upon himself and adds new luster to the traditions of the
U.S. Naval Service.
*KELLEY, JONAH E.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 311th Infantry, 78th
Infantry Division. Place and date: Kesternich, Germany, 30-31 January 1945.
Entered service at: Keyser, W. Va. Birth: Roda, W. Va. G.O. No.: 77, 10
September 1945. Citation: In charge of the leading squad of Company E, he
heroically spearheaded the attack in furious house-to-house fighting. Early
on 30 January, he led his men through intense mortar and small arms fire in
repeated assaults on barricaded houses. Although twice wounded, once when
struck in the back, the second time when a mortar shell fragment passed
through his left hand and rendered it practically useless, he refused to
withdraw and continued to lead his squad after hasty dressings had been
applied. His serious wounds forced him to fire his rifle with 1 hand,
resting it on rubble or over his left forearm. To blast his way forward with
hand grenades, he set aside his rifle to pull the pins with his teeth while
grasping the missiles with his good hand. Despite these handicaps, he
created tremendous havoc in the enemy ranks. He rushed l house, killing 3 of
the enemy and clearing the way for his squad to advance. On approaching the
next house, he was fired upon from an upstairs window. He killed the sniper
with a single shot and similarly accounted for another enemy soldier who ran
from the cellar of the house. As darkness came, he assigned his men to
defensive positions, never leaving them to seek medical attention. At dawn
the next day, the squad resumed the attack, advancing to a point where heavy
automatic and small arms fire stalled them. Despite his wounds, S/Sgt.
Kelley moved out alone, located an enemy gunner dug in under a haystack and
killed him with rifle fire. He returned to his men and found that a German
machinegun, from a well-protected position in a neighboring house, still
held up the advance. Ordering the squad to remain in comparatively safe
positions, he valiantly dashed into the open and attacked the position
single-handedly through a hail of bullets. He was hit several times and fell
to his knees when within 25 yards of his objective; but he summoned his
waning strength and emptied his rifle into the machinegun nest, silencing
the weapon before he died. The superb courage, aggressiveness, and utter
disregard for his own safety displayed by S/Sgt. Kelley inspired the men he
led and enabled them to penetrate the last line of defense held by the enemy
in the village of Kesternich .
*OLSON, TRUMAN O.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company B, 7th Infantry, 3d
Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, 30-31
January 1944. Entered service at: Cambridge, Wis. Birth: Christiana, Wis.
G.O. No.: 6, 24 January 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Olson, a light machine
gunner, elected to sacrifice his life to save his company from annihilation.
On the night of 30 January 1944, after a 16-hour assault on entrenched enemy
positions in the course of which over one-third of Company B became
casualties, the survivors dug in behind a horseshoe elevation, placing Sgt.
Olson and his crew, with the 1 available machinegun, forward of their lines
and in an exposed position to bear the brunt of the expected German
counterattack. Although he had been fighting without respite, Sgt. Olson
stuck grimly to his post all night while his guncrew was cut down, 1 by 1,
by accurate and overwhelming enemy fire. Weary from over 24 hours of
continuous battle and suffering from an arm wound, received during the night
engagement, Sgt. Olson manned his gun alone, meeting the full force of an
all-out enemy assault by approximately 200 men supported by mortar and
machinegun fire which the Germans launched at daybreak on the morning of 31
January. After 30 minutes of fighting, Sgt. Olson was mortally wounded, yet,
knowing that only his weapons stood between his company and complete
destruction, he refused evacuation. For an hour and a half after receiving
his second and fatal wound he continued to fire his machinegun, killing at
least 20 of the enemy, wounding many more, and forcing the assaulting German
elements to withdraw.
DODD, CARL H.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant (then 2d Lt.), U.S. Army, Company E,
5th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Subuk,
Korea, 30 and 31 January 1951. Entered service at: Kenvir, Ky. Born: 21
April 1925, Evarts, Ky. G.O. No.: 37, 4 June 1951. Citation: 1st Lt. Dodd,
Company E, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. First Lt.
Dodd, given the responsibility of spearheading an attack to capture Hill
256, a key terrain feature defended by a well-armed, crafty foe who had
withstood several previous assaults, led his platoon forward over hazardous
terrain under hostile small-arms, mortar, and artillery fire from
well-camouflaged enemy emplacements which reached such intensity that his
men faltered. With utter disregard for his safety, 1st Lt. Dodd moved among
his men, reorganized and encouraged them, and then single-handedly charged
the first hostile machine gun nest, killing or wounding all its occupants.
Inspired by his incredible courage, his platoon responded magnificently and,
fixing bayonets and throwing grenades, closed on the enemy and wiped out
every hostile position as it moved relentlessly onward to its initial
objective. Securing the first series of enemy positions, 1st Lt. Dodd again
reorganized his platoon and led them across a narrow ridge and onto Hill
256. Firing his rifle and throwing grenades, he advanced at the head of his
platoon despite the intense concentrated hostile fire which was brought to
bear on their narrow avenue of approach. When his platoon was still 200
yards from the objective he moved ahead and with his last grenade destroyed
an enemy mortar killing the crew. Darkness then halted the advance but at
daybreak 1st Lt. Dodd, again boldly advancing ahead of his unit, led the
platoon through a dense fog against the remaining hostile positions. With
bayonet and grenades he continued to set pace without regard for the danger
to his life, until he and his troops had eliminated the last of the
defenders and had secured the final objective. First Lt. Dodd's superb
leadership and extraordinary heroism inspired his men to overcome this
strong enemy defense reflecting the highest credit upon himself and
upholding the esteemed traditions of the military service.
CLAUSEN, RAYMOND M.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Medium
Helicopter Squadron 263, Marine Aircraft Croup 16, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 31 January 1970. Entered service at:
New Orleans, La. Born: 14 October 1947, New Orleans, La. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty while serving with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron
263 during operations against enemy forces. Participating in a helicopter
rescue mission to extract elements of a platoon which had inadvertently
entered a minefield while attacking enemy positions, Pfc. Clausen skillfully
guided the helicopter pilot to a landing in an area cleared by 1 of several
mine explosions. With 11 marines wounded, 1 dead, and the remaining 8
marines holding their positions for fear of detonating other mines, Pfc.
Clausen quickly leaped from the helicopter and, in the face of enemy fire,
moved across the extremely hazardous mine laden area to assist in carrying
casualties to the waiting helicopter and in placing them aboard. Despite the
ever-present threat of further mine explosions, he continued his valiant
efforts, leaving the comparatively safe area of the helicopter on 6 separate
occasions to carry out his rescue efforts. On 1 occasion while he was
carrying 1 of the wounded, another mine detonated, killing a corpsman and
wounding 3 other men. Only when he was certain that all marines were safely
aboard did he signal the pilot to lift the helicopter. By the courageous,
determined and inspiring efforts in the face of the utmost danger, Pfc.
Clausen upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S.
Naval Service.
DIX, DREW DENNIS
Rank and Organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, U.S. Senior Advisor Group,
IV Corps, Military Assistance Command. Place and date: Chau Doc Province,
Republic of Vietnam, 31 January and 1 February 1968. Entered service at:
Denver, Colo. Born: 14 December 1944, West Point, N.Y. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Dix distinguished himself by
exceptional heroism while serving as a unit adviser. Two heavily armed Viet
Cong battalions attacked the Province capital city of Chau Phu resulting in
the complete breakdown and fragmentation of the defenses of the city. S/Sgt.
Dix, with a patrol of Vietnamese soldiers, was recalled to assist in the
defense of Chau Phu. Learning that a nurse was trapped in a house near the
center of the city, S/Sgt. Dix organized a relief force, successfully
rescued the nurse, and returned her to the safety of the Tactical Operations
Center. Being informed of other trapped civilians within the city, S/Sgt.
Dix voluntarily led another force to rescue 8 civilian employees located in
a building which was under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. S/Sgt. Dix then
returned to the center of the city. Upon approaching a building, he was
subjected to intense automatic rifle and machine gun fire from an unknown
number of Viet Cong. He personally assaulted the building, killing 6 Viet
Cong, and rescuing 2 Filipinos. The following day S/Sgt. Dix, still on his
own volition, assembled a 20-man force and though under intense enemy fire
cleared the Viet Cong out of the hotel, theater, and other adjacent
buildings within the city. During this portion of the attack, Army Republic
of Vietnam soldiers inspired by the heroism and success of S/Sgt. Dix,
rallied and commenced firing upon the Viet Cong. S/Sgt. Dix captured 20
prisoners, including a high ranking Viet Cong official. He then attacked
enemy troops who had entered the residence of the Deputy Province Chief and
was successful in rescuing the official's wife and children. S/Sgt. Dix's
personal heroic actions resulted in 14 confirmed Viet Cong killed in action
and possibly 25 more, the capture of 20 prisoners, 15 weapons, and the
rescue of the 14 United States and free world civilians. The heroism of
S/Sgt. Dix was in the highest tradition and reflects great credit upon the
U.S. Army.
FERGUSON, FREDERICK EDGAR
Rank and organization: Chief Warrant Officer, U.S. Army, Company C, 227th
Aviation Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Place and date: Hue,
Republic of Vietnam, 31 January 1968. Entered service at: Phoenix, Ariz.
Born: 18 August 1939, Pilot Point, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry
and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call
of duty. CWO Ferguson, U.S. Army distinguished himself while serving with
Company C. CWO Ferguson, commander of a resupply helicopter monitoring an
emergency call from wounded passengers and crewmen of a downed helicopter
under heavy attack within the enemy controlled city of Hue, unhesitatingly
volunteered to attempt evacuation. Despite warnings from all aircraft to
stay clear of the area due to heavy antiaircraft fire, CWO Ferguson began a
low-level night at maximum airspeed along the Perfume River toward the tiny,
isolated South Vietnamese Army compound in which the crash survivors had
taken refuge. Coolly and skillfully maintaining his course in the face of
intense, short range fire from enemy occupied buildings and boats, he
displayed superior flying skill and tenacity of purpose by landing his
aircraft in an extremely confined area in a blinding dust cloud under heavy
mortar and small-arms fire. Although the helicopter was severely damaged by
mortar fragments during the loading of the wounded, CWO Ferguson disregarded
the damage and, taking off through the continuing hail of mortar fire, he
flew his crippled aircraft on the return route through the rain of fire that
he had experienced earlier and safely returned his wounded passengers to
friendly control. CWO Ferguson's extraordinary determination saved the lives
of 5 of his comrades. His actions are in the highest traditions of the
military service and reflect great credit on himself and the U.S. Army .
PENRY, RICHARD A.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 4th Battalion, 12th
Infantry, 199th Infantry Brigade. Place and date: Binh Tuy Province,
Republic of Vietnam, 31 January 1970. Entered service at: Oakland, Calif.
Born: 18 November 1948, Petaluma. Calif. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry
and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call
of duty. Sgt. Penry, Company C, distinguished himself while serving as a
rifleman during a night ambush mission. As the platoon was preparing the
ambush position, it suddenly came under an intense enemy attack from mortar,
rocket, and automatic weapons fire which seriously wounded the company
commander and most of the platoon members, leaving small isolated groups of
wounded men throughout the area. Sgt. Penry, seeing the extreme seriousness
of the situation, worked his way through the deadly enemy fire to the
company command post where he administered first aid to the wounded company
commander and other personnel. He then moved the command post to a position
which provided greater protection and visual communication and control of
other platoon elements. Realizing the company radio was damaged and
recognizing the urgent necessity to reestablish communications with the
battalion headquarters, he ran outside the defensive perimeter through a
fusillade of hostile fire to retrieve a radio. Finding it inoperable, Sgt.
Penry returned through heavy fire to retrieve 2 more radios. Turning his
attention to the defense of the area, he crawled to the edge of the
perimeter, retrieved needed ammunition and weapons and resupplied the
wounded men. During a determined assault by over 30 enemy soldiers, Sgt.
Penry occupied the most vulnerable forward position placing heavy, accurate
fire on the attacking enemy and exposing himself several times to throw hand
grenades into the advancing enemy troops. He succeeded virtually
single-handedly in stopping the attack. Learning that none of the radios
were operable, Sgt. Penry again crawled outside the defensive perimeter,
retrieved a fourth radio and established communications with higher
headquarters. Sgt. Penry then continued to administer first aid to the
wounded and repositioned them to better repel further enemy attacks. Despite
continuous and deadly sniper fire, he again left the defensive perimeter,
moved to within a few feet of enemy positions, located 5 isolated wounded
soldiers, and led them to safety. When evacuation helicopters approached,
Sgt. Penry voluntarily left the perimeter, set up a guiding beacon,
established the priorities for evacuation and successively carried 18
wounded men to the extraction site. After all wounded personnel had been
evacuated, Sgt. Penry joined another platoon and assisted in the pursuit of
the enemy. Sgt. Penry's extraordinary heroism at the risk of his own life
are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and
reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for January 31 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND
SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN
AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
31 January
1909: The New York World announced a $10,000 prize for a flight from Greater
New York City to within 10 miles of Albany, the capital, during the
Hudson-Fulton celebration in the fall. Glenn Curtiss won the prize in May
1910. (24)
1949: A Martin AM-1 Mauler, a carrier attack bomber, took off with a
9,000-pound payload and gross weight of more than 25,000 pounds. This was
perhaps the heaviest load flown by a single-- engine plane to date. (5)
1951: Charles F. Blair, Jr. flew a "civilianized" P-51 from New York, N. Y.,
to London, England, in 7 hours 48 minutes to set a Federation Aeronautique
Internationale record for that route. (9) (24)
1952: KOREAN WAR. Far East Air Forces flew several cargo, search and rescue,
reconnaissance, and leaflet operations. The 315th Air Division airlifted
84,234 troops, 6,805 tons of cargo, and 2,041 medical evacuees, while search
and rescue units flew 516 sorties. Helicopters evacuated 293 patients from
forward areas and rescued one pilot from behind enemy lines. C-47 and B-29
aircraft dropped psychological warfare leaflets in enemy territory. (28)
1956: The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group at Shaw AFB, S.C., received the
Tactical Air Command's first RB-66C aircraft. (5)
1958: KEY EVENT--FIRST US SATELLITE. The Army launched Explorer I, the first
US satellite in orbit, on a Jupiter-C from Cape Canaveral, Fla., into an
orbit that circled the globe every 103.9 minutes. It discovered the Van
Allen radiation belt. The satellite reentered the atmosphere over the South
Pacific on 31 March 1970 after more than 58,000 revolutions of earth. (6)
(12)
1961: A Redstone launched a Mercury capsule with Ham, a chimpanzee, from
Cape Canaveral, Fla., on an 18-minute, 155-mile high, 420-mile suborbital
flight. Ham returned to earth and suffered no ill effects from flight
stresses. (24)
1968: LUNAR ORBITER PROGRAM ENDS. Lunar Orbiter V, launched on 1 August
1967, crashed on lunar surface near the western limb of the equator after
1,200 orbits. Lunar Orbiters I, II, and III crashed on 29 October 1966, 11
October 1967, and 9 October 1967, respectively. Communications were lost
with Orbiter IV because it apparently crashed too. The first Orbiter launch
occurred on 10 August 1966. (5)
1972: Air Training Command accepted its last T-38 Talon (Tail No. 70-1956)
at Palmdale, Calif. (16) (26)
1975: The Space and Missile Systems Organization awarded $4.5 million
contract to Fairchild Space and Electronics Company to develop the upper
stage of the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System. (5)
1977: Operation SNO GO. Through 12 February, after heavy snow crippled
Buffalo, N.Y., the Military Airlift Command dispatched 9 C-5s, 11 C-141s,
and 28 C-130s to move 995 tons of snow equipment and 495 people from
Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, and New York into Niagara Falls,
N.Y., for the cleanup. The Military Airlift Command then returned 752 tons
of cargo and 383 passengers to Pope AFB, N. C., in 40 missions. (2) (18)
(21)
1979: Air Training Command accepted responsibility for the rotary wing
qualification course at Fort Rucker, Ala. (16)
1983: Secretary of the Air Force Verne Orr announced that Dyess AFB, Tex.,
would receive the B-1B squadron and the combat crew training school. (1)
1984: The AGM-81A Firebolt set world speed and altitude records on its
seventh developmental test flight by reaching Mach 4.1 at 103,000 feet. (16)
(26)
1990: Operation CORONET COVE. The Air National Guard's deployments to the
Panama Canal ended after more than 11 years of duty defending the canal. The
Guard flew more than 13,000 sorties and nearly 17,000 flying hours
supporting the operation since early 1979. (16)
1992: The USAF cancelled the Midgetman Small Intercontinental Ballistic
Missile program. (16) The Navy received its last Grumman A-6 Intruder attack
aircraft, which ended 31-year history of production. (20)
1996: The Air Mobility Command completed a year of coordinating 161 airlift
missions for nearly 27,000 Cuban migrants from Guantanamo Bay to Homestead
AFB, Fla.,where the Immigration and Naturalization Service processed their
legal entry into the U. S. (18)
1997: An Air Force Flight Test Center crew from Edwards AFB, Calif.,
conducted the first live launch of an AGM-142 Raptor missile from a B-52 at
the White Sands Missile Range, N. Mex. (3)
2001: Lockheed Martin's X-35C Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstrator
completed flight testing at Edwards AFB, Calif. The 20 sorties at Edwards
tested carrier landings, expanded the flight envelope, and provided an
initial tanker-qualification. (AFNEWS Article 0128, 31 Jan 2001) At Edwards
AFB, Calif., Lockheed Martin's X-35C Joint Strike Fighter concept
demonstrator broke the sound barrier, reaching Mach 1.05, and completed
tanker tests with air-to-air refuelings from a KC-10A Extender using naval
probe-and-drogue refueling techniques. (3) Through 3 February, two C-5s and
four C-17s flew 115 short tons of humanitarian cargo to Ahmedabad, India,
after a 7.7 earthquake devastated western India on 26 January. Each C-5
Galaxy flew nonstop from Travis AFB, Calif., to Andersen AFB, Guam. Hawaii
Air National Guard KC-135s refueled each C-5 en route to Guam. At Andersen,
workers transferred the C-5 cargo onto four 62nd Airlift Wing C-17s from
McChord AFB, Wash., because Ahmedabad's airfield was too small for the C-5s.
KC-135Rs from the 18th Wing at Kadena AB, Japan, refueled the C-17s on their
13-hour flight between Guam and India. (22)
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