To All.
Good Wednesday morning April 8, 2026.The weather is heavy fog now but expected to clear by 9 and get to 80 by 2
Some bits and pieces this morning
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Go here to see the director’s corner for all 97 H-Grams
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
April 7
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Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History April 8
1823 The barges USS Mosquito, USS Gallinipper, and sloop-of-war Peacock chase the pirate schooner, Pilot, which is driven ashore off Havana, Cuba.
1848 The first U.S. flag is flown over the Sea of Galilee when Lt. William F. Lynch sails in an iron boat up the Jordan River. He later authors a book, Narrative of the United States' Expedition to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea.
1925 Lt. John D. Price, piloting a VF-1 plane, makes a night landing on USS Langley (CV 1), at sea off San Diego, Calif., the first on board a U.S. Navy carrier.
1944 USS Seahorse (SS 304) and USS Trigger (SS 237) successfully attack a Japanese convoy off Guam, damaging a Japanese destroyer and a tanker.
1961 USS Laffey (DD 724) and USS Tanner (AGS-15) assist in rescue work and firefighting after the British passenger liner Dara catches fire in the Persian Gulf.
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This day in world history
April 8
1789 The U.S. House of Representatives holds its first meeting.
1832 Some 300 American troops of the 6th Infantry leave Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, to confront the Sauk Indians in what would become known as the Black Hawk War.
1864 In the Battle of Mansfield, Louisiana, Federals are routed by Confederate Gen. Richard Taylor.
1865 General Robert E. Lee's retreat is cut off near Appomattox Court House.
1898 British General Horatio Kitchener defeats the Khalifa, leader of the dervishes in Sudan, at the Battle of Atbara.
1913 The 17th Amendment is ratified, requiring direct election of senators.
1935 The Works Progress Administration (WPA) is approved by Congress.
1939 Italy invades Albania.
1942 The Soviets open a rail link to the besieged city of Leningrad.
1952 President Truman orders the seizure of U.S. steel mills to prevent a strike.
1962 Bay of Pigs invaders get thirty years imprisonment in Cuba.
1974 Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record.
•1975 Frank Robinson of the Cleveland Indians becomes first black manager of a major league baseball team
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Thanks to Admiral Cox
H-Gram 096: Medal of Honor for Captain Elmer Royce Williams, USN (Ret.)
27 February 2026
Medal of Honor recipient, retired U.S. Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams attends his Hall of Heroes induction ceremony at the Pentagon, Feb. 25, 2026. (DVIDS)
Lieutenant Royce Williams was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Donald J. Trump during the State of the Union address on 24 February 2026 for an action that occurred during the Korean War on 18 November 1952. In this action then-Lieutenant Williams engaged in one of the most incredible and unique feats of aerial combat in the entire Cold War and in U.S. naval history. This action was the only overwater dogfight of the Korean War, and the only dogfight between jets of any U.S. service and Soviet jets flying from bases in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Flying a F9F-5 Panther straight-wing jet fighter, Williams was for most of the lengthy engagement outnumbered six-to-one by faster, more-maneuverable Soviet MiG-15 swept-wing jet fighters (It was two against seven at the very start.) There is good reason to believe that Williams was responsible for the loss of at least three and probably four of the Soviet fighters. Williams then brought his badly damaged (direct hit by a 37mm cannon round) jet back to an amazing three-wire recovery on his carrier, USS Oriskany (CVA-34). Key details of this engagement remained classified for many years, nor was there conclusive confirmation of the full extent of the Soviet losses until after the collapse of the Soviet Union. As a result, Williams was initially only awarded a Silver Star, which was upgraded to a Navy Cross by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in January 2023.
Besides being the oldest Medal of Honor recipient (100), Williams is one of only three Navy fighter pilots awarded a Medal of Honor for air-to-air action. During World War II, 18 Navy fighter pilots shot down five or more aircraft in a single mission (“Ace-in-a-Day”), but only two were awarded a Medal of Honor—the rest received the Navy Cross. Then-Commander David McCampbell was awarded the Medal of Honor for shooting down a U.S. military record of nine aircraft in a single mission on 24 October 1944 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. McCampbell was also the leading U.S. Navy Ace (34 kills), third highest U.S. ace, the only two-time Ace-in-a-Day, and the highest U.S. ace to survive the war. The other Medal of Honor was awarded to then-Lieutenant Edward “Butch” O’Hare for his action on 20 February 1942, during which he single-handedly engaged a flight of nine Japanese bombers and was credited with downing five of them. He thus became the first Navy ace of the war and likely saved USS Lexington (CV-2) from serious damage. Actually he shot down three Japanese bombers and damaged three although one of the damaged planes crashed while attempting a suicide attack on the carrier, and another crashed in a storm returning to base. The point here is that numerous combat awards are historically inaccurate because the drafters did not have the enemy side of the story, such was the case with Williams’s original award of the Silver Star. The other point is that Royce Williams is indeed with rarefied company.
For more on this engagement, please see attachment H075.1.
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Rollingthunderremembered.com .
April 8
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
Thanks to Micro
From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..April 8 . .
April 8: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1079
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 Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
The site works, find anyone you knew in “search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
By: Kipp Hanley
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Thanks to Micro
Tiger arrives in Augusta in style
https://youtube.com/shorts/y53U9iiQoJs?si=Nq2UPMp2q6GPhEub
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Thanks to Randy
CODA
Ejection Seats, Search and Rescue, and Betrayal: The significance of Donald Trump’s Decision.
Given the explosion of interest in the extraction of the remaining downed pilot, a friend (given my history) asked me about ejection seats. I do not know the ACES II Ejection seat used on the F-15 but I remembered almost every detail of the Martin Baker Seat (Used in the F-8’s that I flew over the North) used in F-35’s and F-18’s.
It is amazing how deep the grooves are written when you are young and unimaginably intense.
What did President Trump’s decision to extract this one man mean to me? What did it mean to my generation and the military that came after?
First, The President risked the midterms, risked his Presidency. The number of assets and military committed were enormous for a “Search And Rescue”. Chance, fate, error, miscalculation. There were responsible Military who recommended against the operation.
Donald Trump would have had his “Jimmy Carter Moment”. All of his enemies at home, NATO, Europe, would have eviscerated him if a B1, helicopters, one or more of the many aircraft, were lost or more military were killed or captured.
Carter’s attempt to rescue, yes American hostages, failed in an Iranian desert. So did Carter’s Presidential aspirations.
I think Reagan won that election because of the Iranian hostage crisis culminating with the rescue debacle.
That was the risk that Trump took. A risk that would have been untenable for most Presidents in my lifetime.
Second. For history. To set the record straight. To punctuate for the generations that remember but especially for those who are struggling to see the America as it was once taught to its children.
“We will never leave you behind.”
In seven years roughly 1700 airmen died following orders to strike targets in North Vietnam. At least 700 spent three to seven years in the infamous North Vietnam prison camps. 591 would return. One would return crippled and be Ross Perot’s Vice Presidential running mate. Another, John McCain, crippled, would have a successful political career including running for President.
No one who was not there at that time in history will understand this. I have said elsewhere: “We will never leave you behind” was a phrase we heard, or thought we heard??…from a distant song that had been attenuated by America’s political and cultural drift.
In fact we did leave people behind besides the remains of Northern prisoners and those captured in the South. Several Americans captured in the South were taken into North Vietnam. The records, the intelligence, the corrosion of time and distance. The machinations of the Negotiations between The U.S. and North Vietnam. The Documents involved the subterfuge, the hatred.
All disappeared into history as the country bled internally after the War.
Today, at least for this one veteran the act of this President to risk HIMSELF for this ONE man means everything.
Israel’s Netanyahu. Wounded while rescuing Israeli hostages in 1972. His brother who was killed in the famous Entebbe hostage rescue.
Netanyahu gave a heartfelt congratulations to President Trump for “Never Leaving Anyone” behind.
It is what we were raised to understand. That among many things separated The West from history.
Randy
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Thanks to the Flyover
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2026
Good Morning! On this day in 1974, Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record, which had stood since 1935. In 1976, Aaron completed his career with 755 home runs.
Today, we're reporting on the historic Artemis II moon flyby, but the real showstopper is this "Earthset" photo the crew snapped as Earth slipped below the lunar horizon. We have details below.
Today’s sponsor, Noom, takes a smarter approach to weight loss by combining psychology, personalized coaching, and clinical support, including access to doctors and treatment options, to help you build lasting habits and achieve real, sustainable results.
Trump Pauses Iran Strike Deadline
President Trump said Tuesday he would delay planned military escalation against Iran for two weeks, less than 90 minutes before his 8 p.m. deadline, if Tehran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said the pause followed talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir, and described the proposal as a “double-sided ceasefire” tied to a broader peace framework.
The announcement came after a day of sharp escalation, including Trump’s earlier threat that “a whole civilization” could die if Iran did not make a deal, along with reports of fresh U.S. strikes on Iran’s oil hub at Kharg Island and Israeli attacks on bridges and rail lines.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council later said it had accepted a two-week ceasefire, and Trump said Tehran had proposed a “workable” 10-point peace plan.
Medicare Advantage Funding Jumps 2.48%
The Trump administration finalized a 2.48% payment increase for Medicare Advantage plans in 2027, a significantly higher increase than originally proposed, totaling more than $13 billion in additional federal funding for private insurers.
The rate is a reversal from the 0.09% increase proposed in January, which had threatened to force insurers to slash benefits or hike premiums for the 35 million seniors enrolled in the plans.
Shares of major insurers soared in after-hours trading, with Humana jumping roughly 12% while UnitedHealth rose more than 9%.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the update ensures coverage remains affordable and that patients "get real value" from their plans as medical and insurance costs continue to rise.
Artemis II Sends Photos from the Dark Side
The Artemis II crew completed a historic flyby of the moon Monday, becoming the first humans to circle it in more than 50 years, and now heads back to Earth for a splashdown Friday evening.
As the spacecraft passed behind the moon, the astronauts lost contact with Earth for about 40 minutes, flying in complete radio silence on the far side before signals were restored..
The crew captured a stunning “Earthset” image as Earth slipped below the lunar horizon and witnessed a nearly hour-long solar eclipse from deep space.
In a tearful moment, the astronauts named an unnamed crater after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020, calling it a “bright spot” visible from Earth.
Early photos reveal the 600-mile-wide Orientale basin, ancient lava flows, and craters never before seen by human eyes
The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:
➤ Florida’s new law will allow officials to label groups as terrorists, impacting students and campus organizations. (Hear Details)
➤ This simple process will end your battle with weeds between the bricks or pavers on your property. (Hear Episode)
➤ Phone-free bars and restaurants are becoming more popular, offering patrons a more focused and connected experience. (Listen Now)
➤ American journalist Shelly Kittleson has been released a week after she was kidnapped in Baghdad, an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq said Tuesday. (More)
➤ House Democrats are pressing the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to crack down on prediction market war bets, citing suspected insider trading on platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket tied to U.S. military strikes in Iran. (More)
➤ The House Oversight Committee set June 10 to interview Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as the panel continues interviewing high-profile figures connected to the convicted sex offender. (More)
➤ The Trump administration terminated Title IX agreements with five school districts and a college that had required them to prevent discrimination against transgender students, calling the deals unlawful. (More)
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From the archives
. Your guide to the different generations thanks to Nice News
You’ve undoubtedly heard terms like millennial, boomer, and Gen Z used in conversation: Nicknames referring to the various generations have become pervasive in the modern vernacular — but exactly who belongs to which cohort isn’t always clear.
According to the Pew Research Center, categorizing people into various generations provides a means of analyzing changes in perspectives over time. Global events, technological advances, and social shifts can influence how people see the world, particularly when those experiences take place during one’s formative years.
Below is a guide to help you differentiate the generational cohorts, including some key characteristics of each. It’s important to note, however, that determining the cutoff point between one generation and the next is not an exact science. If you’re on the cusp of a generational divide, it’s entirely possible you’ll relate just as much or more to the group before or after yours. In some cases, those individuals even find themselves with a creative nickname all their own (think: “zillennial”).
The Greatest Generation (born approximately 1901-1927)
In the U.S., many from this generation weathered the struggles of the Great Depression only to find themselves faced with World War II, but the term “The Greatest Generation” is actually a relatively modern invention. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the moniker took hold following the publication of journalist Tom Brokaw’s 1998 bestselling book of the same name. In the work, Brokaw highlights how the individuals from this era “were participants in and witness to sacrifices of the highest order.”
The Silent Generation (born approximately 1928-1945)
Caution was the order of the day for his generation, who were “born just too late to be World War II heroes and just too early to be New Age firebrands,” per Forbes. In 1951, when those born in this timeframe were still considered youngsters, Time magazine referred to them as “The Silent Generation,” noting their tendency to stay quiet and keep to themselves, both literally and figuratively.
This cohort is also referred to as the “Lucky Few,” due to the economic boom they experienced right out of high school.
Baby Boomers (born approximately 1946-1964)
The “baby boom” phenomenon refers to the explosive and prolonged birth rate following the end of World War II. This generation would be shaped by numerous political, social, and world events, including the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the moon landing, and LGBTQ activism. Check out a timeline here.
The baby boom and the phenomenon of “suburbia,” or suburban life, went hand in hand, according to History.com. Starting in 1944, the GI Bill assisted soldiers returning from WWII by subsidizing low-cost mortgages, so it was typically cheaper to buy a house in the suburbs than rent an apartment in the city.
Generation X (born approximately 1965-1980)
Sociological trends played a big role on Gen Xers during their formative years: The divorce rate in the U.S. more than doubled between 1960 and 1980, resulting in an increase of single parents. Subsequently, this cohort is often referred to as “the latchkey generation” because many of its members’ personal identities were “in part shaped by the independence of being left alone after school,” per JSTOR Daily.
Gen X is often seen as being a bridge between the older generations and the younger, as they fall right around the middle of baby boomers and millennials when it comes to many demographic measures, like diversity, religious affiliation, and technology use.
Millennials (born approximately 1981-1996)
Many millennials grew up during or in the aftermath of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and most have memories of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, all events that played a role in shaping the modern-day climate of political polarization. This generation — the most racially and ethnically diverse until Generation Z came around, according to Pew Research — furthermore witnessed the historical election of the U.S.’s first Black president while still adolescents or young adults.
Additionally, most millennials came of age during the explosive growth of the internet and entered the workforce during a significant economic downturn. Their personal, professional, and financial choices are in many ways shaped by these two societal events.
Generation Z (born approximately 1997-2012)
Gen Z is the first to have no concept of life before the internet, and, according to Stanford News, its members’ key characteristics include the value they place on diversity and forging their own unique identities. Research out of the university’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences found them to be “highly collaborative,” deeply caring about the needs of others, and pragmatic about inherited issues like climate change.
Not surprisingly, the research also determined that the internet’s impact upon the “speed, scale, and scope of human communications” has dramatically influenced how this generation works, plays, shops, finds friends, and learns about other people. And with so much access to information about societies and cultures around the globe, they inherently developed their appreciation for diversity.
This group is alternatively referred to as iGen or postmillennial.
Generation Alpha (born approximately 2010 – 2024)
Author and social researcher Mark McCrindle first coined the nickname Generation Alpha back in 2005, after it became apparent to him that a new cohort was about to emerge and was as of then unnamed.
“In keeping with this scientific nomenclature of using the Greek alphabet in lieu of the Latin, having got to Generation Z, I settled on the next cohort being Generation Alpha ― not a return to the old, but the start of something new,” McCrindle explained to Huffington Post about the decision.
Mostly the children of millennials, this generation’s members are still being born, so it’s difficult to say what world events will most influence them. But McCrindle had this to say in terms of predictions: “This generation of children will be shaped in households that move more frequently, change careers more often, and increasingly live in urban, not just suburban, environments.”
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This Day in U S Military History…….April 8
1945 – On Okinawa, the forces of US 3rd Amphibious Corps, attacking northward on the island, have cut the neck of the Motobu Peninsula and US 6th Marine Division begins operations to clear it of Japanese forces. At sea, there are less intense Kamikaze attacks.
1972 – North Vietnamese 2nd Division troops drive out of Laos and Cambodia to open a third front of their offensive in the Central Highlands, attacking at Kontum and Pleiku in attempt to cut South Vietnam in two. If successful, this would give North Vietnam control of the northern half of South Vietnam. The three-front attack was part of the North Vietnamese Nguyen Hue Offensive (later known as the “Easter Offensive”), which had been launched on March 30. The offensive was a massive invasion by North Vietnamese forces designed to strike the knockout blow that would win the war for the communists. The attacking force included 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, with more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. North Vietnam had a number of objectives in launching the offensive: impressing the communist world and its own people with its determination; capitalizing on U.S. antiwar sentiment and possibly hurting President Richard Nixon’s chances for re-election; proving that “Vietnamization” was a failure; damaging the South Vietnamese forces and government stability; gaining as much territory as possible before a possible truce; and accelerating negotiations on their own terms. Initially, the South Vietnamese defenders in each case were almost overwhelmed, particularly in the northernmost provinces, where they abandoned their positions in Quang Tri and fled south in the face of the enemy onslaught. At Kontum and An Loc, the South Vietnamese were more successful in defending against the North Vietnamese attacks. Although the defenders suffered heavy casualties, they managed to hold out with the aid of U.S. advisors and American airpower. Fighting continued all over South Vietnam into the summer months, but eventually the South Vietnamese forces prevailed against the invaders, even retaking Quang Tri in September. With the communist invasion blunted, President Nixon declared that the South Vietnamese victory proved the viability of his Vietnamization program, instituted in 1969 to increase the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces.
1975 – After a weeklong mission to South Vietnam, Gen. Frederick Weyand, U.S. Army Chief of Staff and former Vietnam commander, reports to Congress that South Vietnam cannot survive without additional military aid. Questioned again later by reporters who asked if South Vietnam could survive with additional aid, Weyand replied there was “a chance.” Weyand had been sent to Saigon by President Gerald Ford to assess the South Vietnamese forces and their chances for survival against the attacking North Vietnamese. The South Vietnamese were on the verge of collapse. The most recent assaults had begun in December 1974 when the North Vietnamese launched a major attack against the lightly defended province of Phuoc Long–located north of Saigon along the Cambodian border–and overran the provincial capital at Phuoc Binh on January 6, 1975. Despite previous presidential promises to aid South Vietnam in such a situation, the United States did nothing. By this time, Nixon had resigned from office and his successor, Gerald Ford, was unable to convince a hostile Congress to make good on Nixon’s earlier promises to Saigon. The situation emboldened the North Vietnamese, who launched a new campaign in March 1975, in which the South Vietnamese forces fell back in total disarray. Once again, the United States did nothing. The South Vietnamese abandoned Pleiku and Kontum in the Highlands with very little fighting. Then Quang Tri, Hue, and Da Nang fell to the communist onslaught. The North Vietnamese continued to attack south along the coast toward Saigon, defeating the South Vietnamese forces at each encounter. As Weyand reported to Congress, the South Vietnamese were battling three North Vietnamese divisions at Xuan Loc, the last defense line before Saigon. Indeed, it became the last battle in the defense of the Republic of South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese forces managed to hold out against the attackers until they ran out of tactical air support and weapons, finally abandoning Xuan Loc to the communists on April 21. Saigon fell to the communists on April 30.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
SHIELDS, BERNARD
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 2d West Virginia Cavalry. Place and date: At Appomattox, Va., 8 April 1865. Entered service at: Ironton, Ohio. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of the Washington Artillery (C.S.A.).
HEYL, CHARLES H.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, 23d U.S. Infantry. Place and date: Near Fort Hartsuff, Nebr., 28 April 1876. Entered service at: Camden, N.J. Birth: Philadelphia, Pa. Date of issue: 26 October 1897. Citation: Voluntarily, and with most conspicuous gallantry, charged with 3 men upon 6 Indians who were entrenched upon a hillside.
CREWS, JOHN R.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company F, 253d Infantry, 63d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Lobenbacherhof, Germany, 8 April 1945. Entered service at: Bowlegs, Okla. Birth: Golden, Okla. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 8 April 1945 near Lobenbacherhof, Germany. As his company was advancing toward the village under heavy fire, an enemy machinegun and automatic rifle with rifle support opened upon it from a hill on the right flank. Seeing that his platoon leader had been wounded by their fire, S/Sgt. Crews, acting on his own initiative, rushed the strongpoint with 2 men of his platoon. Despite the fact that 1 of these men was killed and the other was badly wounded, he continued his advance up the hill in the face of terrific enemy fire. Storming the well-dug-in position single-handedly, he killed 2 of the crew of the machinegun at pointblank range with his M 1 rifle and wrested the gun from the hands of the German whom he had already wounded. He then with his rifle charged the strongly emplaced automatic rifle. Although badly wounded in the thigh by crossfire from the remaining enemy, he kept on and silenced the entire position with his accurate and deadly rifle fire. His actions so unnerved the remaining enemy soldiers that 7 of them surrendered and the others fled. His heroism caused the enemy to concentrate on him and permitted the company to move forward into the village.
LITTRELL, GARY LEE
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Advisory Team 21, 11 Corps Advisory Group. place and date: Kontum province, Republic of Vietnam, 4-8 April 1970. Entered service at: Los Angeles, Calif. Born: 26 October 1944, Henderson, Ky. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sfc. Littrell, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Advisory Team 21, distinguished himself while serving as a Light Weapons Infantry Advisor with the 23d Battalion, 2d Ranger Group, Republic of Vietnam Army, near Dak Seang. After establishing a defensive perimeter on a hill on April 4, the battalion was subjected to an intense enemy mortar attack which killed the Vietnamese commander, 1 advisor, and seriously wounded all the advisors except Sfc. Littrell. During the ensuing 4 days, Sfc Littrell exhibited near superhuman endurance as he single-handedly bolstered the besieged battalion. Repeatedly abandoning positions of relative safety, he directed artillery and air support by day and marked the unit’s location by night, despite the heavy, concentrated enemy fire. His dauntless will instilled in the men of the 23d Battalion a deep desire to resist. Assault after assault was repulsed as the battalion responded to the extraordinary leadership and personal example exhibited by Sfc. Littrell as he continuously moved to those points most seriously threatened by the enemy, redistributed ammunition, strengthened faltering defenses, cared for the wounded and shouted encouragement to the Vietnamese in their own language. When the beleaguered battalion was finally ordered to withdraw, numerous ambushes were encountered. Sfc. Littrell repeatedly prevented widespread disorder by directing air strikes to within 50 meters of their position. Through his indomitable courage and complete disregard for his safety, he averted excessive loss of life and injury to the members of the battalion. The sustained extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by Sfc. Littrell over an extended period of time were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him and the U.S. Army.
*MICHAEL, DON LESLIE
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 4th Battalion, 503d Infantry, 1 73d Airborne Brigade. place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 8 April 1967. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 31 July 1947, Florence, Ala. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Michael, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while serving with Company C. Sp4c. Michael was part of a platoon which was moving through an area of suspected enemy activity. While the rest of the platoon stopped to provide security, the squad to which Sp4c. Michael was assigned moved forward to investigate signs of recent enemy activity. After moving approximately 125 meters, the squad encountered a single Viet Cong soldier. When he was fired upon by the squad’s machine gunner, other Viet Cong opened fire with automatic weapons from a well-concealed bunker to the squad’s right front. The volume of enemy fire was so withering as to pin down the entire squad and halt all forward movement. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Sp4c. Michael exposed himself to throw 2 grenades, but failed to eliminate the enemy position. From his position on the left flank, Sp4c. Michael maneuvered forward with 2 more grenades until he was within 20 meters of the enemy bunkers, when he again exposed himself to throw 2 grenades, which failed to detonate. Undaunted, Sp4c. Michael made his way back to the friendly positions to obtain more grenades. With 2 grenades in hand, he again started his perilous move towards the enemy bunker, which by this time was under intense artillery fire from friendly positions. As he neared the bunker, an enemy soldier attacked him from a concealed position. Sp4c. Michael killed him with his rifle and, in spite of the enemy fire and the exploding artillery rounds, was successful in destroying the enemy positions. Sp4c. Michael took up pursuit of the remnants of the retreating enemy. When his comrades reached Sp4c. Michael, he had been mortally wounded. His inspiring display of determination and courage saved the lives of many of his comrades and successfully eliminated a destructive enemy force. Sp4c. Michael’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect the utmost credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for April 8, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD “PHIL” MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
8 April
1918: The 1st Aero Squadron, I Corps, was the first American squadron assigned to the front in World War I. (1)
1925: FIRST NIGHT CARRIER LANDINGS. Lt John D. Price, flying a plane of VF-1, made a night landing on the USS Langley, off San Diego. Later, Lts D. L. Conley, A. W. Gorton, and R. D. Lyon followed him on board. Except for an accidental night landing on 5 February, when Lt H. J. Brow stalled while practicing approaches, these were the first night landings on a US carrier.
1931: Amelia Earhart flew an Autogiro to an altitude of 19,000 feet at the Pitcairn Aviation Field near Philadelphia. (24) 1940: A B-18 made the first nonstop flight from Denver to Miami. (24)
1942: Using aircraft acquired from Pan American Airlines, the Army began the largest airlift in World War II. Two DC-3s airlifted gasoline and lubricating oil over the Himalaya Mountains from Dinjan in eastern India to Yunnan-yi in southern China to begin the “Hump Airlift.” A total of eight airplanes carried enough fuel and oil to refuel and service the B-25 bombers from the later “Doolittle Raid.” From December 1942, when the airlift became the ATC’s responsibility, through the close of the operation in November 1945, the airlift delivered nearly 740,000 tons of cargo. Over half of this total was transported during the last eight months of the war. (18) (21)
1943: A P-47 Thunderbolt flew its first combat sortie over Western Europe. (4)
1944: By sending 163 B-26s and 105 P-47s against enemy facilities at Hasselt, Belgium, Ninth Air Force conducted one of the largest tactical raids of World War II. (21)
1947: American Overseas Airlines received rights for commercial service to Finland, the first US route into Russia’s sphere of influence. (24)
1959: Col E. H. Taylor set a world record of 700.05 MPH in an RF-101C over a 1,000-kilometer closed-circuit course.
1964: NASA orbited the first unmanned Gemini capsule on a Titan II. (26) (16)
1967: Exercise CLOVE HITCH III. The Atlantic Command initiated this joint exercise in Puerto Rico for 21,000 Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard personnel. The exercise featured C-141s making their first airdrop of paratroopers. (16) (26)
1970: The USAF launched two Vela nuclear-detection satellites from the Eastern Test Range on a Titan III-C booster. Each 700-pound satellite carried optical sensors to detect electromagnetic impulses, or brief radio signals generated by atomic explosions anywhere in the atmosphere. Sensors could also detect atomic weapons tests up to 100 million miles in space and distinguish between weapons tests and exploding stars. A USAF Thor booster launched its 400th payload, a Nimbus weather satellite for NASA. (16)
1995: Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. Small arms fire hit a C-130 Hercules 12 times on takeoff from Sarajevo, Bosnia, on a flight to Italy. The aircraft had carried flour to Bosnia. (16) (26)
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