To All.
Good Friday morning October 2. Sunny and 98 this morning with a high expected of 103 this afternoon and a low tonight of 76.
Great turnout this morning for Bubba Breakfast! We had a full room but still space for more friends and tables.
Next Bubba Breakfast is scheduled for
Friday November 6, 2026 at 6AM
at the Rockers Senior NCO Club attached to the Fairway Cafe (next to the base golf course).
Add it to your calendar!
Address and Google Map: 3750 Anderson Ave, San Diego, CA 92145
Please don’t be a stranger!
Have a great day
Regards
Skip
HAGD
CC Distribution List: I do my best to keep everyone’s email address private and BCC when sending the list. However, I’ve been getting feedback on the list and a lot of really interesting notes on historical events and notes being shared by friends near and far alike. If you would like to be put on a CC distro list so that you can see each other’s responses and share in the conversation, let me know.
Skip
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Blue Angels Pilot: John Chehansky (1973 - 1975)
John was a good friend, a great guy, a neighbor who lived two doors down from us and a damn good pilot.
https://youtu.be/DqnonfEh6iM?si=snjrd6u6YbnSk_bt
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Wild Carrier Landing Proves Why This LSO is the G.O.A.T. - Commander Bug Roach
https://youtu.be/1MQnaKoTJRQ?si=MMBcMoNk1QkvfXL4
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
The True Origin of Japan’s Kamikaze Attacks: What Historians Get Wrong
https://youtu.be/i9dslsjlKdY?si=xh2929Aj1fBN5CUj
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
What Germany Planned to Do After Winning WW1
https://youtu.be/TqEf8A8pHcY?si=zQtdb3fT8cG3WN-8
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
German POWs Were Served a Full American Meal. They Thought It Was Their Last.
https://youtu.be/gfWCFTSQJbw?si=53Et20tKXgZ4-3jJ
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This Secret Cave Could Change How We See Early Humans | Full Documentary | NOVA | PBS
https://youtu.be/DqnonfEh6iM?si=ijVIdQ9C6NCnP6JI
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Is Russia Really Preparing to Attack NATO?
https://youtu.be/QlBXvu-CG6w?si=2xY7D96uvhU3Wr4o
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
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 101 H-Grams
Today in Naval and Marine Corps History.
October 2
1799 The Washington Navy Yard is established under the direction of Secretary of the Navy Benjamin
Stoddert and supervision of Commodore Thomas Tingey.
1863 USS Bermuda seizes the blockade-running English schooner Florie near Matagorda, Texas, with a
cargo of medicine, wine and saddles much needed by the Confederate cavalry.
1918 A squadron of 11 American submarine chasers screen British-French-Italian naval forces during the
Second Battle of Durazzo, destroying mines and driving off an Austrian submarine trying to reach the
fleet.
1939 The Act of Panama is approved by the ministers of the American Republics at Panama City,
Panama. The act establishes a neutral zone 300 miles to seaward from the continental coastline that is
patrolled by the U.S. Navy.
1943 A mine laid by USS Silversides (SS 236) four months earlier damages Imperial Japanese Navy
minesweeper W 28 off Kavieng Bay, New Ireland, Bismarck.
1944 USS Pomfret (SS 391) attacks a Japanese convoy in Luzon Strait, sinking an army transport about 75
miles southeast of the southern tip of Formosa.
1952 USS Marsh (DE 699) and HMCS Iroquois (DDE 217) undergo fire by shore batteries in the vicinity of
Songin, South Korea. Marsh escapes without damage but Iroquois receives one direct hit and one
airburst, killing three men and wounding 10. Both ships replied with counter-battery fire, silencing the
enemy shore batteries.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Today in World History
October 2
1263 At Largs, King Alexander III of Scotland repels an amphibious invasion by King Haakon IV of
Norway.
1535 Having landed in Quebec a month ago, Jacques Cartier reaches a town, which he names
Montreal.
1862 An Army under Union General Joseph Hooker arrives in Bridgeport, Alabama to support the
Union forces at Chattanooga. Chattanooga's Lookout Mountain provides a dramatic setting for the Civil
War's battle above the clouds.
1870 The papal states vote in favor of union with Italy. The capital is moved from Florence to Rome.
1871 Morman leader Brigham Young, 70, is arrested for polygamy. He was later convicted, but the U.S.
Supreme Court overturned the conviction.
1879 A dual alliance is formed between Austria and Germany, in which the two countries agree to
come to the other's aid in the event of aggression.
1909 Orville Wright sets an altitude record, flying at 1,600 feet. This exceeded Hubert Latham's
previous record of 508 feet.
1931 Aerial circus star Clyde Pangborn and playboy Hugh Herndon, Jr. set off to complete the first
nonstop flight across the Pacific Ocean from Misawa City, Japan.
1941 The German army launches Operation Typhoon, the drive towards Moscow.
1950 The comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schultz, makes its first appearance in newspapers.
1959 The groundbreaking TV series The Twilight Zone, hosted by Rod Serling, premiers on CBS.
1964 Scientists announce findings that smoking can cause cancer.
1967 Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court justice, is sworn in. Marshall had
previously been the solicitor general, the head of the legal staff of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and a leading American civil rights lawyer.
1970 A plane carrying the Wichita State University football team, staff, and supporters crashes in
Colorado; 31 of the 40 people aboard die.
1980 Congressional Representative Mike Myers is expelled from the US House for taking a bribe in the
Abscam scandal, the first member to be expelled since 1861.
1990 Flight 8301 of China's Xiamen Airlines is hijacked and crashed into Baiyun International Airport,
hitting two other aircraft and killing 128 people.
2001 NATO backs US military strikes in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
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.
Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear
October 2
Thanks to Micro
From Vietnam Air Losses site for “for 2 October”
Date: 2 October 1968
Aircraft type: A-4E Skyhawk
Serial Number: 151126
Military Unit: VA-164
Service: USN
Home Base: USS Hancock
Name(s):
Cdr Donald Edward Erwin (KIA)
A section of A-4s on a road reconnaissance mission ran into 85mm AAA near the village of Ngoc Long Ha, 20 miles northwest of Vinh. Cdr Erwin was jinking his aircraft (call sign Milestone 411) in an attempt to avoid being tracked by the gunners but to no avail as his aircraft was hit in the wing. He turned his burning aircraft towards the sea, streaming a trail of leaking fuel. Cdr Erwin was unable to jettison his bombs and the fire was growing in intensity, so as soon as he crossed the coast he ejected. However, a split second after his seat fired, the aircraft exploded. The explosion probably stunned or killed Cdr Erwin as he did not surface after parachuting into the sea. One of the many small fishing boats seen in the area at the time probably retrieved the Commander’s body as his remains were handed over to the US and identified in March 1990.
HC-7 Rescue Attempt
Helicopter Combat Support Squadron SEVEN (HC-7) was established September 1, 1967. While simultaneously providing several fleet support activities in the Gulf of Tonkin, HC-7 assumed the responsibility for North Vietnam naval combat search and rescue. HC-7 prepared for action using UH-2B Kaman Sea Sprite helos inherited from HC-1 and were stationed in detachments aboard small boys, destroyers (DDs) and Guided Missile Frigates (DLGs), patrolling off the coast of North Vietnam primarily for the purpose of Search and Rescue (SAR) duty. The information at the following link was compiled by Ron Milam, the historian for HC-7, from ship's deck logs, official HC-7 Rescue Reports, other official and unofficial documents, interviews with crew members and survivors, and other sources, including the Chris Hobson book upon which this site is based. The details for the rescue attempt associated with this fixed wing loss can be accessed by clicking on this link.
2-Oct: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1972
Vietnam Air Losses Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady’s work at:
https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
(This site was sent by a friend . The site works, find anyone you knew in “search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund War Wall of Faces
By: Kipp Hanley
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
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
From the List Archives
Bug Roach
Today is the 32nd anniversary of loss of a great fighter pilot and superb LSO. Hear his voice below and
read his words. I heard that voice many times and it was always a comfort to know that “Bug” was on
the platform with the pickle in his hand.
Even though I have watched this many times before when the A-6 was in close and Bug was talking to him and staying with him all the way through to the end with the “STAY WITH IT CALL” the screen got out of focus remembering what it was like to have Bug on the platform and as a friend and the loss we all shared. How many of you remember that sound he could make when he would put his lips together
and force air through them and make that high pitched whistle sound that was uniquely BUG, Skip
Subject:: A-6 Barrier landing (left main gear up.) Here is a great video. A terrific job by the Landing Signal
Officer. Watch/listen to the video first then read "the rest of the story". A great Naval Aviator that most
carrier jocks knew in the ‘70’s-‘80’s.
NOTICE THE LIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE FRAMES MOVING UP/DOWN. IT IS THE ON STATION PLANE
GUARD (DESTROYER) IN THE WAKE OF THE CARRIER, the movement reflecting HOW MUCH THE FLIGHT
DECK WAS MOVING .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRURB7FdsII&feature=player_embedded#!
The Landing Signal Officer referred to and handling this recovery was "Bug" Roach.
CDR Roach was born in Monterey, Calif. and received his Naval Aviator wings in 1966. He served as an F-
8 Crusader pilot and Landing Signal Officer (LSO) during the Vietnam War, making combat cruises with
three different air wings on three different 27C class carriers. In 1990 the Navy League sponsored an
award to recognize professional LSO performance, on the LSO platform. Based on his unsurpassed
expertise on the LSO platform, the Navy League felt very strongly that they wanted to name the award
the "CDR John "Bug" Roach Paddles Award", while CDR Roach was still on active duty. At the 1990
Tailhook Convention, where the first award was presented, the following facts were supplied about CDR
Roach's LSO career:
He made four separate CAG LSO tours. In addition he was recalled on two other occasions as a ready
alert CAG LSO due to his expertise. During his tenure as a CAG LSO he waved without mishap:
ten barricade arrestments
twenty single engine approaches
five aircraft missing main landing gear two A-4 aircraft with major battle damage the first ever S-3 with
an unlocked wing a night, hand-held radio (PRC-90), talkdown of six aircraft with no meatball and with
the flight deck illuminated by the headlights of flight deck tractors, following a total engineering casualty
on the ship.
Subsequent to these accomplishments, when events began heating up in the Middle East in 1990, CDR
Roach volunteered his services as CAG LSO yet again and deployed with CVW-2 to the war zone. It was
on this cruise that he made his 1,000th arrested landing. In more than 25 years of Naval service, CDR
Roach never had a non-flying tour. On 2 October 1991 while on an adversary flight in an A-4E off the
coast of Southern California, CDR Roach was killed when his aircraft lost power and he was unable to
successfully eject from the stricken aircraft. Note Bug's prayer below.
Prayer written by
CDR John "Bug" Roach
1944-1991
Lord, we are the nation! We celebrate our birthday on July 4th, 1776, with the Declaration of
Independence as our birth certificate. The bloodlines of the world run in our veins because we offer
freedom and liberty to all whom are oppressed. We are many things and many people. We are the
nation.
We sprawl from the Atlantic to the Pacific, to Alaska and Hawaii. three million square miles throbbing
with industry and with life. We are the forest, field, mountain and desert. We are the wheat fields of
Kansas, the granite hills of Vermont, and the snow capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. We are the
Brooklyn Bridge, we are the grain elevators in the farm belt, we are the Golden Gate. We are the nation.
We are 213 million living souls, and yet we are the ghosts of millions who have lived and died for us. We
are Nathan Hale and Paul Revere. We are Washington, Jefferson and Patrick Henry. We are Lee, Grant,
Abe Lincoln and George Bush. We are the famous and the unknown. We are presidents, we are paupers.
We are the nation.
We stood at Lexington and fired the shot heard around the world. We remember the Alamo, the Maine,
Pearl Harbor, Inchon and the Persian Gulf. When freedom calls, we answer. We left our heroic dead at
Belleau Wood, on the rock of Corregidor, on the bleak slopes of Korea, in the steaming jungles of
Vietnam and under the rubble of Beirut. We are the nation.
We are schools and colleges, churches and synagogues. We are a ballot dropped in a box, the
harmonious voice of a choir in a cathedral, the crack of a bat and the roar of a crowd in a stadium. We
are craftsmen, teachers, businessmen, and judges. We are laborers and nurses. We are parents and we
are children. We are soldiers, sailors and airmen. We are peaceful villages, small towns and cities that
never sleep. Yes, we are the nation, and these are the things that we are.
We were conceived in freedom, and dear God, if you are willing, in freedom we will spend the rest of
our days. May we always be thankful for the blessings you have bestowed upon us. May we be humble
to the less fortunate and assist those in need. May we never forget the continuing cost of freedom. May
we always remember that if we are to remain the land of the free, we must continue always to be the
home of the brave. May our wishbone never be found where our backbone should be. May we possess
always, the integrity, the courage and the strength to keep ourselves unshackled, to remain always a
citadel of freedom and a beacon of hope to the world.
We are the nation.....this is our wish...this is our hope and this is our prayer...Amen Commander John
"Bug" Roach United States Navy
1944-1991
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Ike
Well, a funny thing, there are three that I like all for the same reason, golf, fishing, and shooting, and I
do because first, they take you into the fields. There is mild exercise, the kind that an older individual
probably should have. And on top of it, it induces you to take at any one time 2 or 3 hours, if you can,
where you are thinking of the bird or that ball or the wily trout. Now, to my mind it is a very healthful,
beneficial kind of thing, and I do it whenever I get a chance, as you well know." President Dwight
Eisenhower, The President's Press Conference of 10/15/58
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Barrel….Great story
Captain Flash Flood and Orbis
Michael (Flash) Flood thought he retired in 2020 at age 65. However, having flown the ORBIS flights
while at FedEx, he was given the opportunity to continue flying for ORBIS, which is under Part 91. Much
to his joy and well into his retirement years, he continues to fly to this day.
And sometimes with his wife Ann onboard! Can't get better than that! But to Flash - it is more than just
being able to still fly. Flash is touched watching the many patients come in with eye problems (such as
glaucoma, cataracts, detached retinas, or Strabismus - misaligned eyes), especially the children, and
then witnessing the best part when the patients return for their post-op visits completely overjoyed to
be able to see, to have normal vision. (Pictured at right Capt. Fred Yates, Capt. Gary Dyson, ORBIS Chief
Pilot, and Capt. Flash Flood. All retired FedEx pilots on the first ORBIS flight out of the country following
the Pandemic. They flew from Moffett Field to Honolulu, then to Guam, spent a couple days in Guam,
and on to Qatar via Bangkok fuel stop.)
Flash said that donating his time to these flights makes him feel he is contributing to an incredibly
worthy cause. He stated he is "humbled to be a small part of the process because it has many doctors,
clinicians, and hospitals around the world that volunteer to make it all happen." He said, "The staff
doctors are the heros."
ORBIS is a Flying Eye Hospital and the world's only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on
board an MD-10-30 (donated by FedEx) that travels all over the world. It is equal parts teacher,
advocate, and envoy in the global effort to end avoidable blindness. There are 40 million blind in the
world and 80% don't need to be. It is the mission of Orbis and all those who volunteer to contribute to
helping those in need. And every patient receives a Teddy Bear!
When able, his wife Ann loves to accompany him and volunteers to help out with the patients. Recently
she trained to be a Flight Attendant on the flights and serve the meals. Usually the nurses double as the
flight attendants. There are three retired FDX Mechanics that fly with the plane. For the flight crews - it
is all on a volunteer basis. Hotel and flights on commercial carriers are paid for but no paychecks for
operating. The ORBIS crews have a lot of fun when Capt. Flood is scheduled to fly with Capt. Blizzard and
often joke about the two weather-related flight crew!
During the month of May, Flash was on vacation with the family in Paris and went on from there to Ho
Chi Minh (Saigon) on a flight that stopped in Da Nang before arriving in the small town of Can Tho
(southwest of Saigon) where the Orbis plane was. He arrived a week early to watch the surgeries and
help with the patients. (Photos taken onboard ORBIS from this trip.) Pilots usually arrive the day before
the flight to run the engines and make sure everything is set. On this trip Flash flew the plane from Can
Tho, Vietnam, to Clark International A/P in the Philippines where it would remain parked for a month.
When asked what his favorite places in the world have been, Flash stated Mongolia comes to mind. He
said it is incredibly beautiful with open blue skies and rolling hills with large granite boulders. He took
the plane from Boeing Field, WA up to Anchorage and then nonstop to the capital of Ulannbaatar,
Mongolia. Ann was able to accompany him and they have a great picture out adventuring on a double-
humped camel!
Flash will be off and running again in just a few weeks to pick-up the ORBIS plane in Lusaka, Zambia, stop
in Tanzania for fuel, and onto Dubai where it will be parked for a while. Flash said he will fly for ORBIS
for as long as he is qualified and feels deeply that he is contributing to helping Humanity. "It is super fun
and very rewarding...a wonderful mission that you want to be a part of."
Visit the ORBIS website at ORBIS.org for more information. There are some great videos on the website
- one by Sam Chui (the reputed aviation blogger) and another with FedEx preparing the plane to fly.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Thanks to Interesting Facts
6 of the World's Most Unusual Libraries
For avid readers, libraries are a place of sanctuary. They can unlock a world of imagination, investigation,
and learning. Much like the books they hold inside, library buildings can also be wondrous creations,
boasting magnificent and creative architecture. Others are noteworthy for their quirky designs or the
innovative methods they use to inspire their communities to read. Take a journey to six of the most
unusual libraries in the world.
1 of 6
Biblioburro (Colombia)
Luis Soriano, a teacher from the rural northern Colombia town of La Gloria, was determined to give his
students access to books, so he set up an unusual library called Biblioburro. Soriano owned two
donkeys, whom he renamed Alfa and Beto — combined, the names form the Spanish word for
“alphabet.” Loading the donkeys with about 70 books from his own bookshelves, Soriano saddled up
and rode them to local elementary schools to read students stories. Twenty-five years later, Soriano’s
book collection has grown considerably, and he is still spreading his love of reading. Even a riding
accident that left him with a prosthetic leg hasn’t stopped this determined educator from inspiring
young Colombian children with the joy of reading.
2 of 6
Epos Library Ship (Norway)
Until the pandemic shut down operations in 2020, a library ship called Epos sailed through Norway’s
many fjords to deliver books to fjordside communities. Built in 1963, it superseded two earlier ships that
had been in service since 1959. Some of the country’s more isolated places are easier to reach by boat
than by road, and this service meant that villagers had access to reading material, particularly during the
winter months. Epos carried approximately 6,000 books and visited 250 villages two times per year.
Given the unusual circumstances, one qualification for taking a job as one of its librarians was not
suffering from seasickness. Similar “libraries” exist in Chile’s Chiloé Archipelago and on the Nam Khong
River in Laos.
3 of 6
Camel Library (Kenya)
In rural northeast Kenya, camels, nicknamed “ships of the desert,” once carried unusual cargo as part of
a Kenya National Library Service initiative. Concerned by poor literacy rates and lack of access to reading
materials in and around the town of Garissa, the local government adopted a novel approach. Camels
are well-suited to the harsh terrain and hot summer temperatures in the region, so they were an ideal
choice to transport hundreds of books along with a tent and reading mat to the area’s nomadic
communities. Eventually, after many years of success, improvements to the local road infrastructure
meant that the camel library could be phased out and replaced by motorbikes.
4 of 6
Lire à la Plage (France)
Each summer, Lire à la Plage (“Reading at the Beach”) brings the library to more than a dozen of
Normandy’s coastal resorts. The colorful beach huts, umbrellas, and deck chairs are easy to spot, and
though people are not allowed to take books away from the beach, the librarians are happy to make a
note that you’re coming back the following day, mark your place, and put it aside for you. The program
has been running in France since 2005, but similar reading initiatives have spread as far as Australia’s
Coogee Beach, the tourist resort town of Albena on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, and Tel Aviv, Israel, a city
that had previously installed books at bus stops.
5 of 6
Chained Libraries (England)
The practice of chaining reference books to library shelves was common in medieval times. Though it
mostly ended in the 18th century, there are around a dozen chained collections that still exist in
England. The oldest is the Francis Trigge Chained Library, founded in 1598 at St Wulfram’s Church in
Grantham, Lincolnshire. The largest chained library in England, meanwhile, is located inside Hereford
Cathedral; its oldest book dates back to the eighth century. Another chained library at Wimborne
Minster in Dorset dates from 1686. The books in these libraries were chained to the shelves to prevent
theft, which is perhaps preferable to the methods used in Marsh’s Library in Dublin, Ireland, where
three wire alcoves were installed in the 1770s. If readers wanted to look at some of the library’s rarest
books, they’d be locked up in these cages so they couldn’t walk off with them.
6 of 6
Nanie’s Reading Club (The Philippines)
In 2000, a Filipino man named Hernando “Nanie” Guanlao was looking for a way to honor his beloved
parents, who had recently passed away. While some people might pay for a plaque on a park bench or
make a charitable donation, Guanlao had a more unusual idea: He decided to set up a library outside his
home to thank his parents for instilling in him a lifelong passion for reading. Guanlao initially gathered
up his own modest collection of books and placed them on the sidewalk for neighbors to borrow. When
his neighbors returned them, they also brought some of their own books, and the collection grew
rapidly. Two decades later, Nanie’s Reading Club is more popular than ever, and every inch of space in
his home, inside and out, is covered with books. There’s no charge to borrow one, and Nanie even
ventures out into other Manila districts on a specially adapted “book bike” to spread his love of reading
further.
I think they had a reading room like this in Olongapo where we would go when we were in Cubi Point for
liberty
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
This Day in U S Military History
1799 – Establishment of Washington Navy Yard. The Washington Navy Yard is the U.S. Navy’s oldest
shore establishment, in operation since the first decade of the 19th century. It evolved from a
shipbuilding center to an ordnance plant and then to the ceremonial and administrative center for the
Navy. The yard is home to the Chief of Naval Operations and is headquarters for the Naval Historical
Center, the Marine Corps Historical Center, and numerous naval commands.
1950 – The ROK Capital and 3rd Divisions seized Yangyang on the East Coast while in the southeast ROK
Marines took the port of Mokpo. Chinese Foreign Minister Chou En-lai warned the Indian Ambassador in
Beijing that if the Americans cross the 38th parallel China would enter the war.
1951 – Future jet ace Colonel Francis S. “Gabby” Gabreski, Vice Commander of the 4th Fighter-
Interceptor Wing, downed his third MiG-15 of the war in an F-86 Sabre jet. Colonel Gabreski was a
leading World War II ace with 28 German aircraft kills while flying a P-47 Thunderbolt.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*CORRY, WILLIAM MERRILL, JR.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Near Hartford, Conn., 2
October 1920. Born: 5 October 1889, Quincy, Fla. Accredited to: Florida. Other Navy award: Navy Cross.
Citation: For heroic service in attempting to rescue a brother officer from a flame-enveloped airplane.
On 2 October 1920, an airplane in which Lt. Comdr. Corry was a passenger crashed and burst into
flames. He was thrown 30 feet clear of the plane and, though injured, rushed back to the burning
machine and endeavored to release the pilot. In so doing he sustained serious burns, from which he
died 4 days later.
CARR, CHRIS (name legally changed from CHRISTOS H. KARABERIS, under which name the medal was
awarded) Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company L, 337th Infantry, 85th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Guignola, Italy, 1-2 October 1944. Entered service at: Manchester, N.H. Birth:
Manchester, N.H. G.O. No.: 97, 1 November 1945. Citation Leading a squad of Company L, he gallantly
cleared the way for his company’s approach along a ridge toward its objective, the Casoni di Remagna.
When his platoon was pinned down by heavy fire from enemy mortars, machineguns, machine pistols,
and rifles, he climbed in advance of his squad on a maneuver around the left flank to locate and
eliminate the enemy gun positions. Undeterred by deadly fire that ricocheted off the barren rocky
hillside, he crept to the rear of the first machinegun and charged, firing his submachinegun. In this
surprise attack he captured 8 prisoners and turned them over to his squad before striking out alone for a
second machinegun. Discovered in his advance and subjected to direct fire from the hostile weapon, he
leaped to his feet and ran forward, weaving and crouching, pouring automatic fire into the
emplacement that killed 4 of its defenders and forced the surrender of a lone survivor. He again moved
forward through heavy fire to attack a third machinegun. When close to the emplacement, he closed
with a nerve-shattering shout and burst of fire. Paralyzed by his whirlwind attack, all 4 gunners
immediately surrendered. Once more advancing aggressively in the face of a thoroughly alerted enemy,
he approached a point of high ground occupied by 2 machineguns which were firing on his company on
the slope below. Charging the first of these weapons, he killed 4 of the crew and captured 3 more. The 6
defenders of the adjacent position, cowed by the savagery of his assault, immediately gave up. By his l-
man attack, heroically and voluntarily undertaken in the face of tremendous risks, Sgt. Karaberis
captured 5 enemy machinegun positions, killed 8 Germans, took 22 prisoners, cleared the ridge leading
to his company’s objective, and drove a deep wedge into the enemy line, making it possible for his
battalion to occupy important, commanding ground.
*KINER, HAROLD G.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company F, 117th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division. Place and
date: Near Palenberg, Germany, 2 October 1944. Entered service at: Enid, Okla. Birth: Aline, Okla. G.O.
No.: 48, 23 June 1945. With 4 other men, he was leading in a frontal assault 2 October 1944, on a
Siegfried Line pillbox near Palenberg, Germany. Machinegun fire from the strongly defended enemy
position 25 yards away pinned down the attackers. The Germans threw hand grenades, 1 of which
dropped between Pvt. Kiner and 2 other men. With no hesitation, Private Kiner hurled himself upon the
grenade, smothering the explosion. By his gallant action and voluntary sacrifice of his own life, he saved
his 2 comrades from serious injury or death.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 2, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THANKS TO HAROLD “PHIL” MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE,
SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
2 October
1912: George A. Gray flew a Burgess Wright plane on the first flight over the Adirondack Mountains,
flying from Malone to Saranac Lake, N.Y., a distance of about 85 miles. (24)
1918: 18: In 1917 Charles F. Kettering of Dayton, Ohio, invented the unmanned Kettering Aerial
Torpedo, nicknamed F.B. (Flying Bomb) and the "Kettering Bug." Launched from a four-wheeled dolly
that ran down a portable track, the Bug's system of internal pre-set pneumatic and electrical controls
stabilized and guided it toward a target. After a predetermined length of time, a control closed an
electrical circuit, which shut off the engine. Then, the wings were released, causing the Bug to plunge to
earth -- where its 180 pounds of explosive detonated on impact. Elmer Sperry and Henry Ford were also
involved in its development. A series of tests were completed in 1918 at McCook Field near Dayton. One
of these nearly ended in disaster when the Bug veered off course and narrowly missed a crowded
reviewing stand. This program, and another Sperry project conducted by the Navy, are considered the
earliest unmanned aerial bombs ever developed.
1944: 1Lt Valmore Beaudrault received credit for downing the first German jet destroyed by Ninth Air
Force. (4)
1950: KOREAN WAR. From the FEAF Bomber Command, 22 B-29s attacked a N. Korean military training
area at Nanam, destroying 75 percent of the buildings. The 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
moved from Itazuke to Taegu to become the first USAF day reconnaissance squadron stationed in Korea.
(28)
1952: The Boeing XB-52 Stratofortress prototype, 49-230, made its first flight at Boeing Field, Seattle,
Washington, with test pilot Alvin M. “Tex” Johnston in command. Lieutenant Colonel Guy M. Townsend,
U.S. Air Force, acted as co-pilot. The first of two prototype long-range, high-altitude, heavy bombers,
had been damaged during ground testing and extensive repairs were required, which delayed its initial
flight. Ironically, the second prototype, YB-52 49-231, made the type’s first flight nearly six months
earlier, on 15 April 1952.
1956: For the first time, the USAF successfully recovered a full-scale flight-test version of the XSM62
(N69D series) Snark after a flight from Cape Canaveral. (16) (24)
1962: At Vandenberg AFB, an Atlas D completed a combat training launch (CTL). The CTLs preceded the
current operational testing program. (6)
1963: The USAF issued a requirement for the Minuteman II missile with a new, larger second stage
engine, improved guidance, more range and payload, and increased survivability. (6)
1968: The C-9A flew its first aeromedical mission. (18)
1970: The USAF Special Operations Force at Hurlburt Field took possession of the first Bell UH-1N “Twin
Huey.” (16) (26)
1981: President Reagan reversed several of President Carter’s defense decisions to support force
modernization. He planned to construct and deploy 100 B-1B aircraft, continue the ALCM and M-X
program, and develop an advanced stealth bomber. He also cancelled the horizontal multiple shelter
basing scheme for the M-X in favor of basing in superhard silos. (1) (6) Deputy SECDEF Frank P. Carlucci
ordered the Titan II system inactivated. (6)
1991: In the second humanitarian mission to Mongolia, the 834th Airlift Division moved 15 pallets of
medical supplies and 8 ambulances to Ulan Bator. (16) (26)
1993: Major earthquakes rolled through central India. Afterwards, C-5s airlifted 1,000 rolls of plastic
sheeting, 950 tents, 18,550 five-gallon water containers, 22 pallets of blankets, and other relief supplies
to Bombay through 4 October. (16)
2000: The NF-16D (Tail No. 86-0048) Variable In-Flight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA) arrived at Edwards
AFB to join the AFFTC fleet. It could simulate the flying characteristics of several different aircraft and
would be used primarily by the AF Test Pilot School. (3)
2006: ACC declared an initial operating capability for the GBU-39B Small Diameter Bomb, a lowcost and
low-collateral damage 250-pound precision strike weapon for use by fighters, bombers and UAVs.
(AFNEWS Article, “ACC Declares Small Diameter Bomb Initially Capable,” 5 Oct 2006)
2007: The Commandant of Cadets, Brig Gen Susan Y. Desjardins, flew a new C-17 Globemaster III over
the U.S. Air Force Academy cadet area in Colorado Springs, Colo. She formally accepted the aircraft for
the Air Force at Boeing's facilities in Long Beach, Calif., and flew it to Dover AFB, Del., for duty with the
436th Airlift Wing. (AFNEWS, “Commandant of Cadets Flies New C-17 Globemaster III Home, 2 Oct 2007)
At Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, Air Force Reserve officials activated the first F-22 Raptor unit, the 477th
Fighter Group. The day also honored the 477th Fighter Group’s and the 302nd Fighter Squadron’s fabled
heritage and their connection to the Tuskegee Airmen. (AFNEWS, Air Force Reserves Stands Up First F-
22 Unit,” 5 October 2007.)
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SkipsList" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to skipslist+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/skipslist/CACTjsm2R6qHW23UFQ4cBpna78m%3DU6s_ANdMDz5n0cbD4c3vJjg%40mail.gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.