7599
Good Sunday morning July 19 2026 .The Heat wave is still here and heating up 86 by 1 and staying into the 80s until 6 or so.
Sorry for the late arrival.
This morning we received a phone call from our son who was injured in the attacks the night before in Jordon. He is one of the four men the news talks about that were sent north to receive needed care not available locally. Not sharing any details of any of the effects of the strikes.
All he had on was shorts a T shirt. And flip flops. He is in good spirits and we talked for over an hour getting caught up what was going on. He will be sent back to his base soon. They have to get him some clothing, boots and other things as he only has the clothes he has on after the two hits. He was very lucky to not get hit like a few others did. He sounded strong for the most part.
Regards,
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Now I know how my parents felt when the news said an RF-8 was shot down during Vietnam and there were only 4 of us each time and no way to communicate like we have today
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This Day in Navy and Marine Corps History July 19
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 100 H-Grams
July 19
1812 The frigate, USS Constitution, under the command of Capt. Isaac Hull, escapes the British squadron on a three-day chase off the coast of New Jersey.
1918 During World War I, USS San Diego (Armored Cruiser No. 6) sinks off Fire Island, N.Y., by a mine placed by German submarine (U 156). The cruiser sinks in 28 minutes with the loss of six lives and is the only major warship lost by the U.S. in World War I.
1940 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the second Naval Expansion Act.
1960 USS Ammen (DD 527) and USS Collett (DD 730) collide in the fog off California, killing 11 men and injuring 20 other shipmates.
1997 USS Seawolf (SSN 21) is commissioned at Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton, Conn.
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Today in World History July 19
1525 The Catholic princes of Germany form the Dessau League to fight against the Reformation.
1545 King Henry VIII of England watches his flagship, Mary Rose, capsize as it leaves to battle the French.
1788 Prices plunge on the Paris stock market.
1799 The Rosetta Stone, a tablet with hieroglyphic translations into Greek, is found in Egypt.
1848 The first Women's Rights Convention convenes in Seneca Falls, N.Y, organized by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
1870 France declares war on Prussia.
1942 German U-boats are withdrawn from positions off the U.S. Atlantic coast due to American anti-submarine countermeasures.
1943 More than 150 B-17 and 112 B-24 bombers attack Rome for the first time.
1975 Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts dock in orbit.
1799 Rosetta Stone found
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Rollingthunderremembered.com .
July 19
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).
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Thanks to Micro
To remind folks that these are from the Vietnam Air Losses site that Micro put together. You click on the url below and get what happened each day to the crew of the aircraft. ……Skip
For Sunday July 19
From last year
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From the archives
Thanks to Wigs
What Israeli scientists are working on.
The Israelis do not make islands in the shape of palm trees, towering skyscrapers, expensive hotels, nor do their leaders use cars with massive silver bodies (allusion to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates). The pride of Israel is that its technologies will be able to be used by all humanity:
1. Tel Aviv University is developing a nasal vaccine that will protect people from Alzheimer's and stroke.
2. The Technion Institute of Technology (Haifa), has developed a simple blood test capable of detecting different types of cancer.
3. The Ichlov Center (Tel Aviv) isolated a protein that makes colonoscopy unnecessary to detect colon cancer, with a simple blood test. Colon cancer kills about 500,000 people annually.
4. Acne doesn't kill but does cause anxiety in teens. The Curlight Laboratory has created a cure. Emitting UV rays at high intensity, kills the bacteria that cause acne.
5. The Given Imaging Laboratory has developed a tiny camera in the form of swallowed pills and transmits thousands of photos of the digestive tract. These high-quality photos (2 per second for 8 hours) can detect polyps, cancers, and sources of bleeding. The photos are sent to a chip that stores them and sends them to a computer. At the end of the process, the chamber is eliminated via the rectum.
6. The Hebrew University (Jerusalem) developed an electrical neurostimulator (batteries) that is implanted in the chest of Parkinson's patients, similar to the pacemaker. The emissions from this device block the nerve signals that cause tremors.
7. The simple smell of a patient's breath can detect if a patient has lung cancer. The Russell Berrie Institute for Nanotechnology has created sensors capable of sensing and registering 42 biological markers that indicate the presence of lung cancer without the need for a biopsy.
8. Catheterization can be dispensed with in many cases. Endopat is a device placed between the indicator fingers, which can measure the state of the arteries and predict the possibility of a heart attack in the next 7 years.
9. The University of Bar Ilan studies a new drug that fights viruses through the bloodstream. It is called Vecoy Trap, as it tricks a virus into self-destruction. Very useful to combat hepatitis, and in the future Aids and Ebola.
10. Israeli scientists at Hadassah Medical Center (Jerusalem) may have discovered the first cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as Lou Gehring's disease, in an Orthodox rabbi. Stephen Hawking, a famous British scientist, suffered from this disease and used methods invented by Israeli scientists to communicate.
You will never get this from main-stream media! The world shouldn't live on bad news alone …. so spread this as good news.
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. This may keep you out of the ocean for a couple months NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND WEEKLY REPORT The history of the USS Indianapolis in the URL below is worth the read. Most folks never remembered or knew about it until the bit in the Movie “Jaws” see below Director Cox and Dr. Hulver joined the survivors and families of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) at the Columbia Club of Indianapolis. Learn what they had to say to the group (https://www.history.navy.mil/news-and-events/news/2018/honoring-the-sacrifice-of-those-who-served.html). The Sinking of USS Indianapolis is also this week's Webpage of the Week (https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/disasters-and-phenomena/indianapolis.html).
Jaws (1975) - The Indianapolis Speech Scene (7/10 ...
Click to view on Bing
4:05
May 28, 2011 · Jaws (1975) - The Indianapolis Speech Scene (7/10) | Movieclips ... Edgar Harrell, USS Indianapolis Survivor - Duration: 13:46. Jeff Shrader 159,310 views.
Author: Movieclips
Views: 2M
The Indianapolis Speech By Robert Shaw In Jaws (1975 ...
https://neilchughes.com/2013/03/10/the-indianapolis-speech-by...
Robert Shaw is probably the main reason for Jaws being one of my favourite films of all time, mainly of course for a scene that is three and half minutes of near-perfection.
Robert Shaw was the Nasty villain who had the great fight scene on the train in the James Bond movie from Russia with Love
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. The book “Tinian” was a great read and was acknowledged as the best run invasion of the Island campaign….skip
Battle of Tinian - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tinian
The Battle of Tinian was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Tinian in the Mariana Islands from 24 July until 1 August 1944. The 9,000-man Japanese garrison was eliminated, and the island joined Saipan and Guam as a base for the Twentieth Air Force.
Location: Tinian, Mariana Islands
Result: American victory
Date: 24 July – 1 August 1944
Background ·
Battle ·
Aftermath
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. Thanks to interesting Facts
You know your head, shoulders, knees, and toes (knees and toes), but has anyone ever introduced you to the glabella? This isn’t some hidden-away body part like the back of the elbow or something spleen-adjacent — it’s smack dab in the middle of your face. Latin for “smooth, hairless, bald,” the glabella is the small patch of skull nestled in the middle of your two superciliary arches (also known as your eyebrow ridges). Many people know of the glabella because of the wrinkles, or “glabellar lines,” that can appear in the area.
Although smooth and hairless today, the glabella wasn’t always so. Our human ancestors, including Neanderthals, instead sported formidable brow ridges that likely evolved to display social dominance. As the brain of Homo sapiens grew, this brow receded until only the smallest of ridges survived — along with the smooth bit of bone in between. But the fortunes of this little piece of anatomical real estate weren’t just tied to evolution. Women in ancient Greece saw the unibrow as a beautiful feature, so much so that they’d paint soot on their glabellas to form a faux unibrow. Throughout the following centuries, fashion’s notion of the ideal eyebrow changed, but the glabella remained more or less true to its smooth, hairless name. Unless Frida Kahlo’s famous unibrow becomes a modern fashion trend, it’ll likely stay that way.
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THANKS TO THE CALIFORNIA fLYOVER
SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2026
Good Morning! On this day in 1962, actor Anthony Edwards was born in Santa Barbara. He flew alongside Tom Cruise as Goose in Top Gun, then spent eight seasons as Dr. Mark Greene on the hit medical drama ER.
In case you missed it, this week on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla tackled the phone battery problem that has almost nothing to do with your actual battery. It turns out a handful of settings are running in the background all day, quietly draining power without you ever touching them, and shutting them off costs you nothing. From the toggles most people never think to check to the ones switched on the day the phone left the box, Ayla walked through seven quick fixes that can stretch a single charge well past what you are getting now. See tips here!
Today's sponsor is Dr. Steven Gundry MD, sharing a collagen-building technique he says may help support strength, energy, and healthy aging beyond traditional collagen supplements.
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Anaheim ☀️ 86°/68° | Bakersfield ☀️ 101°/76° | Death Valley ☀️ 111°/92° | Eureka ☁️ 61°/54° | Fresno ☀️ 98°/71° | Huntington Beach ☀️ 75°/67° | Lake Tahoe ⛅ 76°/59° | Los Angeles ☀️ 85°/69° | Palm Springs ☀️ 106°/86° | Redding ☁️ 99°/67° | Riverside ☀️ 95°/69° | Sacramento ⛅ 93°/61° | San Diego ☀️ 76°/68° | San Francisco ☁️ 63°/55° | San Jose ⛅ 80°/58° | San Luis Obispo ⛅ 74°/56°
Father, Son Held Forest Workers Hostage
A father and son held two U.S. Forest Service employees at gunpoint for nearly 15 hours inside a trailer near Gumboot Lake in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest before surrendering early Friday.
Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his adult son Phoenix Henrichsen face federal kidnapping charges. Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue said a Forest Service officer reported around 10:55 a.m. Thursday that the two workers had been zip-tied inside the trailer.
The elder Henrichsen demanded to speak with the FBI, which deployed its Hostage Rescue Team from Quantico, Virginia, alongside Siskiyou and Shasta county deputies. Negotiators freed the first worker around 1:50 a.m. Friday and the second minutes later.
Both suspects surrendered around 2:30 a.m., and both employees were unharmed. Investigators said they are still working to determine a motive and had no record of prior contact with the men.
Judge Weighs Freeze on Paramount Merger
A federal judge in Oakland heard arguments Friday but declined to immediately rule on California's bid to freeze Paramount's $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.
U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin said she would decide by July 22. Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other state attorneys general sued Monday, arguing the deal violates antitrust law and would give one company nearly a third of theatrical and basic-cable programming.
A restraining order would pause the merger for up to 28 days. Bonta said a proposed CNN spin-off would not resolve the states' concerns, and Bay Area filmmakers rallied against the deal this week.
Paramount, led by CEO David Ellison, vowed to fight the suit and called it "wrong on both the facts and the law." The company argued the merger would increase film output, and the Justice Department cleared the deal in June.
California Economy Grew 3.7% Last Quarter
California's economy grew at a 3.7% annual rate in the first quarter of 2026, the second-fastest of any state behind Washington's 4.5%, according to federal data.
The figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which reported that real GDP rose in 46 states and the District of Columbia in the quarter. The national rate was 2.1%.
State-level growth ranged from Washington's gain to a 1.6% decline in South Dakota. Analysts caution that one-time expenditures, such as large data center projects, can sway a single quarter's numbers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom's office puts California's nominal output at a record of roughly $4.3 trillion, keeping it the largest state economy and, by his account, the fourth-largest in the world.
➤ San Francisco: Police used sonar to locate the wreckage of the Volare, the 49-foot cabin cruiser that capsized near Alcatraz Island on July 14. Two of the 20 aboard have been confirmed dead, and two remain missing.
➤ Contra Costa County: The Morgan Fire broke out Friday afternoon near Morgan Territory and Marsh Creek roads on the east side of Mount Diablo, burning about 51 acres with no containment. Fire officials issued evacuation warnings for two zones; no injuries or damaged structures were reported.
➤ Paradise: New emergency sirens failed to sound Thursday during the Dudley Fire, a 6-acre blaze that prompted evacuation orders for two zones. Mayor Steve Crowder apologized, citing confusion over which of the town's 21 siren towers to activate.
➤ Vandenberg Space Force Base: Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna, 23, was killed Thursday when heavy equipment he was operating rolled down an embankment on base. No one else was hurt. Eneluna, a Philippines native, served with the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron.
➤ Fresno: One man died and 15 residents were displaced after a fire tore through a central Fresno apartment building Wednesday evening near First Street and Weldon Avenue. Flames spread from one unit into the shared attic, damaging all four units.
➤ Soledad: A possible fentanyl exposure at Salinas Valley State Prison triggered a Level 2 mass-casualty response Friday evening, according to Cal Fire. At least seven people were affected, and two correctional officers were given Narcan.
➤ Altadena: Southern California Edison said it has paid more than $314 million to Eaton Fire victims, out of more than $750 million offered. The utility, which faces lawsuits from the Justice Department and local governments, has not admitted fault, and those who accept payment waive the right to sue. (
➤ Imperial Beach: At a recent San Diego panel, experts pressed for "zero days of beach closure" from Tijuana River sewage, which sends up to 50 million gallons across the border daily. Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged $46 million toward the crisis last month.
➤ Los Angeles: Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton courted Latino elected officials at a national conference in downtown Los Angeles, both invoking their immigrant roots while splitting sharply on immigration. The two meet in November's runoff for governor.
➤ Palm Springs: Police Chief Andy Mills announced he will retire Sept. 5, ending a 48-year law enforcement career. (
➤ Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani received a lubricant injection in his left knee and likely will make his next start Wednesday at Philadelphia.
➤ USC extended its all-sport partnership with Nike through 2036, adding another decade to one of college sports’ original schoolwide Nike agreements, which dates to the 1990s.
➤ Former San Francisco Giants second baseman Jeff Kent, who will enter the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26, said during a media event Friday that discussing his upcoming induction still brings him to tears.
➤ Protect you and your family. Give your fruits and vegetables a deeper clean with PuriProduce. Using a simple water-and-salt cleaning cycle, this compact, hands-free device helps clean produce in just minutes—no scrubbing required. Perfect for busy kitchens, it makes meal prep quicker, easier, and more convenient.
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➤ The state reopened recreational Chinook salmon fishing on the Sacramento River this week after a three-year closure tied to a drought-driven population collapse. Anglers may keep two fish a day through Dec. 31.
➤ The California State Fair is running at Cal Expo in Sacramento with discounted admission, cheaper rides, and free food samples aimed at helping families stretch their budgets.
➤ Concert promoter Goldenvoice will debut the two-day Ocean Way Festival on Santa Monica Beach, bringing large-scale live music to the oceanfront. (See Lineup)
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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country. Clicking the link will take you directly to these stories:
➤ A legal battle over mail-in ballots took a major turn.
➤ A 94-year-old Chick-fil-A employee celebrated 20 remarkable years on the job. (Listen Now)
➤ Actor Gary Sinise found healing by helping others.
The San Francisco Zoo's first Chilean flamingo chick in nine years has successfully hatched. The healthy chick is being cared for by both parents, with more eggs still being incubated.
California's Central Pacific Railroad built the western half of the first transcontinental railroad, laying track eastward from Sacramento. In which territory were the two railroads finally joined by a golden spike in 1869?
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Free number 3
Blue Angels fans call to 'Free #3' who has not flown since 'low pass' Jim LittleBrandon Girod Pensacola News Journal July 18, 2026, 8:47 a.m. CT Blue Angel fans are asking why the No. 3 jet didn't fly at the July 16 and 17 rehearsals for the Pensacola Beach Airshow. The No. 3 jet was the jet that made a thrilling low pass over the crowd during Wednesday's "Breakfast with the Blues." The incident, which drew national attention from a short ABC News segment and other national news outlets, prompted the Navy to perform a safety review. Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao confirmed on Thursday that the "flight debrief" had been completed and that the pilot would not be reprimanded. The same day, Blue Angels Commander and No. 1 pilot Navy Capt. Adam Bryan told the News Journal and other reporters that the flyover was deemed unsafe and they never intend to fly that low over the crowd at the beach. It's not unheard of for the Blues to fly without the full six-plane squadron if a pilot is sick or there are mechanical issues, though the team has several backup planes. The absence of No. 3 from the formation since the July 15 flyover has led fans of the Blues to take to social media with calls to "free #3."
The News Journal has reached out to the Blue Angels but has not received a response on whether the No. 3 jet will join the rest of the team for Saturday's show. The No. 3 jet is piloted by Navy Lt. Chris Houben, a native of Geneva, Illinois. This is Houben's first year serving with the team. While there's been no indication from the team whether Houben would fly in Saturday's show, he was at the reception held for the team on July 17 at the Pensacola Beach Hilton. Pensacola Rep. Michelle Salzman posted a photo of herself with Houben at the reception, along with a lengthy post about her conversation with him. While Salzman, who's been among the chorus of officials cheering the flyover, doesn’t say whether he’ll fly today, she said that Houben told her "he was shaken" by what had happened on Wednesday. "What I expected was a conversation about aviation. What I found was something much more human," Salzman wrote. "He didn’t make excuses. He didn’t try to shift blame. He simply talked about the miscalculated a turn, something no pilot ever wants to
experience, especially one who has dedicated his life to flying at the highest level of precision. More than anything, he talked about the weight he’s been carrying since that moment.
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This Day in U S Military History…….July 19
1863 – Confederate General John Hunt Morgan’s raid on the North is dealt a serious blow when a large part of his force is captured as they try to escape across the Ohio River at Buffington Island, Ohio. Cut off from the south, Morgan fled north with the remnants of his command and was captured a week later at Salineville, Ohio. This was the last and most daring of Morgan’s four raids into Union-held territory. The main purpose of the raid was to take pressure off of Chattanooga, Tennessee, by drawing Union troops away from the army of General William Rosecrans. It began on July 2 at Burkesville, Kentucky, and continued into Indiana. Morgan departed with more than 2,400 troopers, but he split his force on two occasions, and suffered many casualties in skirmishes with Federal detachments. Morgan and his forces rode east into Ohio and feigned an advance toward a panicked Cincinnati, but bypassed the city and continued eastward to Pomeroy, Ohio. His men were worn down by the long days in the saddle, and the Yankee pursuit finally caught up at Buffington Island, just outside of Pomeroy. While Morgan made plans to cross the swollen Ohio River, Federal gunboats guarded the fords and Union cavalry attacked the Confederates. In a short time, Morgan lost 800 men, nearly all of who were captured. Morgan escaped with 400 of his men, and fled north in search of a more suitable place to cross the river—which they never found. Morgan surrendered on July 26.
1863 – After seeking to intercept the troops of General Morgan for some 10 days and 500 miles, the gun-boat squadron under Lieutenant Commander Fitch engaged the Confederate raiders as they attempted to effect a crossing of the Ohio River at Buffington Island – U.S.S. Moose and steamer Alleghany Belle repeatedly frustrated the Southerners’ attempts to cross. Pressed from the rear by Union troops and subjected to heavy fire from the gunboats, Morgan’s soldiers made a scattered retreat into the hills, leaving their artillery on the beach. This audacious Southern thrust into the North was broken up. Some 3,000 Confederates were taken prisoner. Major General Ambrose E. Burnside heralded the “efficient services” of Fitch in achieving the “brilliant success of the engagement. “Too much praise,” he wrote Rear Admiral Porter, cannot be awarded the naval department at this place for the promptness and energy manifested in this movement. And Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox noted: “The activity and energy with which the squadron was used to prevent the enemy recrossing the Ohio, and to assist in his capture, was worthy of the highest praise.”
1886 – Atlanta, the first steel-hulled American cruiser armed with breechloading rifled guns, is commissioned.
1953 – Air Force Captain Ronnie L. Moore and Lieutenant Colonel Vermont Garrison, both of the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, qualified as the ninth and 10th “double aces” of the Korean War, with 10 kills each. Garrison had also achieved ace status during World War II with seven kills in Europe.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
DODDS, EDWARD E.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 21st New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Ashbys Gap, Va., 19 July 1864. Entered service at: Rochester, N.Y. Birth: Canada. Date of issue: 11 June 1896. Citation: At great personal risk rescued his wounded captain and carried him from the field to a place of safety.
BYRNE, BERNARD A.
Rank and organization: Captain, 6th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Bobong, Negros, Philippine Islands, 19 July 1899. Entered service at: Washington, D.C. Birth: Newport Barracks, Va. Date of issue: 15 July 1902. Citation: Most distinguished gallantry in rallying his men on the bridge after the line had been broken and pushed back.
BALCH, JOHN HENRY
Rank and organization: Pharmacist’s Mate First Class, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Vierzy, France, and Somme-Py, France, 19 July and 5 October 1918. Entered service at: Kansas City, Mo. Born: 2 January 1896, Edgerton, Kans. Citation: For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, with the 6th Regiment, U.S. Marines, in action at Vierzy, on 19 July 1918. Balch unhesitatingly and fearlessly exposed himself to terrific machinegun and high-explosive fire to succor the wounded as they fell in the attack, leaving his dressing station voluntarily and keeping up the work all day and late into the night unceasingly for 16 hours. Also in the action at Somme-Py on 5 October 1918, he exhibited exceptional bravery in establishing an advanced dressing station under heavy shellfire.
BOONE, JOEL THOMPSON
Rank and organization: Lieutenant (Medical Corps), U.S. Navy. Place and date: Vicinity Vierzy, France, 19 July 1918. Entered service at: St. Clair, Pa. Born: 2 August 1889, St. Clair, Pa. Citation: For extraordinary heroism, conspicuous gallantry, and intrepidity while serving with the 6th Regiment, U.S. Marines, in actual conflict with the enemy. With absolute disregard for personal safety, ever conscious and mindful of the suffering fallen, Surg. Boone, leaving the shelter of a ravine, went forward onto the open field where there was no protection and despite the extreme enemy fire of all calibers, through a heavy mist of gas, applied dressings and first aid to wounded marines. This occurred southeast of Vierzy, near the cemetery, and on the road south from that town. When the dressings and supplies had been exhausted, he went through a heavy barrage of large-caliber shells, both high explosive and gas, to replenish these supplies, returning quickly with a sidecar load, and administered them in saving the lives of the wounded. A second trip, under the same conditions and for the same purpose, was made by Surg. Boone later that day.
PARKER, SAMUEL I.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company K, 28th Infantry, 1st Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18-19 July 1918. Entered service at: Monroe, N.C. Birth: Monroe, N.C. G.O. No.: 1, W.D. 1937. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. During the attack the 2d and 3d Battalions of the 28th Infantry were merged, and after several hours of severe fighting, successfully established a frontline position. In so doing, a gap was left between the right flank of the French 153d Division on their left and the left flank of the 28th Infantry, exposing the left flank to a terrific enfilade fire from several enemy machineguns located in a rock quarry on high ground. 2d Lt. Parker, observing this serious situation, ordered his depleted platoon to follow him in an attack upon the strong point. Meeting a disorganized group of French Colonials wandering leaderlessly about, he persuaded them to join his platoon. This consolidated group followed 2d Lt. Parker through direct enemy rifle and machinegun fire to the crest of the hill, and rushing forward, took the quarry by storm, capturing 6 machineguns and about 40 prisoners. The next day when the assault was continued, 2d Lt. Parker in command of the merged 2d and 3d Battalions was in support of the 1st Battalion. Although painfully wounded in the foot, he refused to be evacuated and continued to lead his command until the objective was reached. Seeing that the assault battalion was subjected to heavy enfilade fire due to a gap between it and the French on its left, 2d Lt. Parker led his battalion through this heavy fire up on the line to the left of the 1st Battalion and thereby closed the gap, remaining in command of his battalion until the newly established lines of the 28th Infantry were thoroughly consolidated. In supervising the consolidation of the new position, 2d Lt. Parker was compelled to crawl about on his hands and knees on account of his painful wound. His conspicuous gallantry and spirit of self-sacrifice were a source of great inspiration to the members of the entire command.
*CHRISTENSEN, DALE ELDON
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Troop E, 112th Cavalry Regiment. Place and date: Driniumor River, New Guinea, 16-19 July 1944. Entered service at: Gray, lowa. Birth: Cameron Township, lowa. G.O. No.: 36, 10 May 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty along the Driniumor River, New Guinea, from 16-19 July 1944. 2d Lt. Christensen repeatedly distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in the continuous heavy fighting which occurred in this area from 16-19 July. On 16 July, his platoon engaged in a savage fire fight in which much damage was caused by 1 enemy machinegun effectively placed. 2d Lt. Christensen ordered his men to remain under cover, crept forward under fire, and at a range of 15 yards put the gun out of action with hand grenades. Again, on 19 July, while attacking an enemy position strong in mortars and machineguns, his platoon was pinned to the ground by intense fire. Ordering his men to remain under cover, he crept forward alone to locate definitely the enemy automatic weapons and the best direction from which to attack. Although his rifle was struck by enemy fire and knocked from his hands he continued his reconnaissance, located 5 enemy machineguns, destroyed 1 with hand grenades, and rejoined his platoon. He then led his men to the point selected for launching the attack and, calling encouragement, led the charge. This assault was successful and the enemy was driven from the positions with a loss of 4 mortars and 10 machineguns and leaving many dead on the field. On 4 August 1944, near Afua, Dutch New Guinea, 2d Lt. Christensen was killed in action about 2 yards from his objective while leading his platoon in an attack on an enemy machinegun position. 2d Lt. Christensen’s leadership, intrepidity, and repeatedly demonstrated gallantry in action at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, exemplify the highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces.
*GERTSCH, JOHN G.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S.. Army, Company E, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Place and date: A Shau Valley, Republic of Vietnam, 15 to 19 July 1969. Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Born: 29 September 1944, Jersey City, N.J.: Citation: S/Sgt. Gertsch distinguished himself while serving as a platoon sergeant and platoon leader during combat operations in the A Shau Valley. During the initial phase of an operation to seize a strongly defended enemy position, S/Sgt. Gertsch’s platoon leader was seriously wounded and lay exposed to intense enemy fire. Forsaking his own safety, without hesitation S/Sgt. Gertsch rushed to aid his fallen leader and dragged him to a sheltered position. He then assumed command of the heavily engaged platoon and led his men in a fierce counterattack that forced the enemy to withdraw. Later, a small element of S/Sgt. Gertsch’s unit was reconnoitering when attacked again by the enemy. S/Sgt. Gertsch moved forward to his besieged element and immediately charged, firing as he advanced. His determined assault forced the enemy troops to withdraw in confusion and made possible the recovery of 2 wounded men who had been exposed to heavy enemy fire. Sometime later his platoon came under attack by an enemy force employing automatic weapons, grenade, and rocket fire. S/Sgt. Gertsch was severely wounded during the onslaught but continued to command his platoon despite his painful wound. While moving under fire and encouraging his men he sighted an aidman treating a wounded officer from an adjacent unit. Realizing that both men were in imminent danger of being killed, he rushed forward and positioned himself between them and the enemy nearby. While the wounded officer was being moved to safety S/Sgt. Gertsch was mortally wounded by enemy fire. Without S/Sgt. Gertsch’s courage, ability to inspire others, and profound concern for the welfare of his men, the loss of life among his fellow soldiers would have been significantly greater. His conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the cost of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit on him and the Armed Forces of his country.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for July 19, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD “PHIL” MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
19 July
1911: Orville Wright delivered the first Wright airplane, a Wright B, to the Navy at Annapolis. It was converted to a seaplane by adding twin floats. (21) 1913: The Bryant brothers initiated skywriting as an advertising form, when Milton J. (Johnny) Bryant wrote “SP” in fire over Seattle on the last night of the Seattle Potlatch celebration. (20) (24)
1931: In a Navy balloon, Lt Thomas G. W. Settle and Lt (JG) W. Bushnell won the Litchfield Trophy and National Elimination Balloon Race at Akron, Ohio, with a distance of 195 miles to Marilla, NY
. 1934: MACKAY TROPHY/DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS. Through 20 August, Lt Col Henry H. Arnold commanded 10 Martin B-10s from Bolling Field to Fairbanks and back. They covered 7,360 miles in 51 hours 30 minutes, or 25 hours 30 minutes going north and 26 hours going south. For this flight, Arnold received the Mackay Trophy and DFC. (21) (24)
FAMOUS FLIGHTS
THE MARTIN B-10 BOMBER
and the 1934 ALASKA FLIGHT (Part I)
by Jeffery S. Underwood
(Published in, The USAF: A Complete History, 2006)
The first modern bomber delivered in large quantities, the Martin B-10 bomber incorporated numerous technological advances, and it greatly influenced the development of air power doctrine during the interwar years. Nevertheless, the B-10 remains largely forgotten, overshadowed by the more famous Boeing B 17.
Aircraft design and construction underwent a revolution toward the end of the 1920s as all-metal monoplanes replaced the wood and fabric biplanes. At its new factory near Baltimore, Maryland, the Glenn L. Martin Company took the lead in bomber design with its all-metal Model 123. Built as a private venture, the Model 123’s advanced elements included a monocoque fuselage, a streamlined mid-wing with the twin-engines fitted into the leading edges rather than placed into nacelles, and a retractable undercarriage. To carry its bomb load internally, the aircraft had a deep belly, which gave it a whale-like appearance.
On 19 July 1934, Lt. Col. Henry “Hap” Arnold, who later commanded the AAF in World War II, successfully led a flight of 10 YB-10s from Washington, D.C., to Fairbanks, Alaska, and back. For this round-trip flight of 7,360 miles, much of it over uncharted territory, Arnold won the 1934 Mackay Trophy. Besides demonstrating the reliability and speed of the B 10, the Alaska flight proved that the AAC could rapidly move its modern aircraft to defend any part of North America.
1941: Capt Benjamin O. Davis reported to the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama with 12 black aviation cadets to begin flight training. (21)
1943: In the first raid on Rome, 700 B-17s and B-24s dropped 800 tons of bombs. (4)
1947: John Robinson set a US glider distance record of 330 miles in a flight from Wichita Falls to Barstow in Tex. (24)
1948: SAC activated the USAF’s first two air refueling squadrons, the 43d and 509th, at DavisMonthan AFB and Roswell AFB, N. Mex., respectively. (1) 1950: KOREAN WAR. Fifth Air Force F-80s shot down three enemy Yaks near Taejon, while seven F-80s from the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group destroyed 15 enemy airplanes on the ground near Pyongyang. (28)
1952: The USAF announced the first successful flying of balloons at controlled constant altitudes in the stratosphere for periods of more than 3 days. (16) (24)
1957: An F-89J fired the Air Force’s first air-to-air nuclear defense rocket, the Douglas-built MB-1 Genie, over Yucca Flat. (16) (24)
1961: An Air Force H-43B Huskie rescue helicopter claimed two time-to-climb records: 3,000 meters in 2 minutes 44.5 seconds and 6,000 meters in 6 minutes 42.3 seconds. (24) Donald L. Piccard flew his Golden Bear 600-cubic-meter balloon to 34,462 feet at Faribault, Minn. As such, he set FAI records that spanned subclasses A-5 through A-8 (600 to 3,000 cubic meters). (9)
1962: A Nike-Zeus anti-missile missile fired from Kwajalein Island made the first known interception of an ICBM, when it hit an Atlas nose cone above the Pacific. A 565 SMS crew from Francis E. Warren AFB launched the Atlas from Vandenberg AFB. (6) Maj Robert M. White received astronaut wings for flying the X-15, a winged aircraft, into space (see 17 Jul 62). (9)
1963: Joseph A. Walker flew X-15 No. 3 to records of 347,800 feet (66.3 miles) and 3,710 MPH. (9)
1968: The USN awarded contracts to develop an F-111B replacement, the VFX-1 with vertical swept wings and the same jet engine.
1969: USAF Southern Command aircraft airlifted emergency supplies in a seven-nation effort to mediate a cease-fire in aconflict between Honduras and San Salvador. (16) (26)
1973: NASA's X-24B lifting body completed the first captive flight on a B-52 at the Edwards AFB.
1984: TAC took possession of its first E-3B Sentry at Tinker AFB. (16) 1986: Operation SOUTHERN HAYLIFT. Through 28 July, 24 C-141 Starlifters and 8 C-130 Hercules aircraft flew 32 missions to supply 535.9 tons of donated hay to drought-stricken farmers in 7 southeastern states. (16) (26)
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