Today in History (04-18) Doolittle’s Raid Over Tokyo… Wednesday, Apr 18 2012 

History and Military and Military History and Truth and US Army and US Navy and Veterans , , , , 1IDVET 08:07

Today brings us the 70th anniversary of the Doolittle raid over Tokyo in 1942. Our first strike against the Japanese homeland in World War II.

Doolittle Raid on Japan, 18 April 1942

The April 1942 air attack on Japan, launched from the aircraft carrier Hornet and led by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle, was the most daring operation yet undertaken by the United States in the young Pacific War. Though conceived as a diversion that would also boost American and allied morale, the raid generated strategic benefits that far outweighed its limited goals.

The raid had its roots in a chance observation that it was possible to launch Army twin-engined bombers from an aircraft carrier, making feasible an early air attack on Japan. Appraised of the idea in January 1942, U.S. Fleet commander Admiral Ernest J. King and Air Forces leader General Henry H. Arnold greeted it with enthusiasm. Arnold assigned the technically-astute Doolittle to organize and lead a suitable air group. The modern, but relatively well-tested B-25B “Mitchell” medium bomber was selected as the delivery vehicle and tests showed that it could fly off a carrier with a useful bomb load and enough fuel to hit Japan and continue on to airfields in China.

Gathering volunteer air crews for an unspecified, but admittedly dangerous mission, Doolittle embarked on a vigourous program of special training for his men and modifications to their planes. The new carrier Hornet was sent to the Pacific to undertake the Navy’s part of the mission. So secret was the operation that her Commanding Officer, Captain Marc A. Mitscher, had no idea of his ship’s upcoming employment until shortly before sixteen B-25s were loaded on her flight deck. On 2 April 1942 Hornet put to sea and headed west across the vast Pacific.

Joined in mid-ocean on 13 April by Vice Admiral William F. Halsey‘s flagship Enterprise, which would provide air cover during the approach, Hornet steamed toward a planned 18 April afternoon launching point some 400 miles from Japan. However, before dawn on 18 April, enemy picket boats were encountered much further east than expected. These were evaded or sunk, but got off radio warnings, forcing the planes to take off around 8 AM, while still more than 600 miles out.

Most of the sixteen B-25s, each with a five-man crew, attacked the Tokyo area, with a few hitting Nagoya. Damage to the intended military targets was modest, and none of the planes reached the Chinese airfields (though all but a few of their crewmen survived). However, the Japanese high command was deeply embarrassed. Three of the eight American airmen they had captured were executed. Spurred by Combined Fleet commander Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, they also resolved to eliminate the risk of any more such raids by the early destruction of America’s aircraft carriers, a decision that led them to disaster at the Battle of Midway a month and a half later.

Here are a few videos:

 

Medal of Honor to be Awarded…(Updated)… Tuesday, Apr 17 2012 

Meddal of Honor and Military and US Army , , , 1IDVET 08:21

President Barack Obama will award Specialist Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry during the Vietnam War. Thanks for your gallant service SPC Sabo, and RIP sir. This took way too long to do.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 16, 2012

President Obama to Award Medal of Honor

WASHINGTON, DC—On May 16, President Barack Obama will award Specialist Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry.

Specialist Sabo will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat on May 10, 1970, while serving as a rifleman in Company D, 3d Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division in Se San, Cambodia.

On that day, when he and his platoon were ambushed by a large enemy force, Specialist Sabo immediately charged the enemy position, killing several enemy soldiers. He then assaulted an enemy flanking force, successfully drawing their fire away from friendly soldiers and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat. While securing a re-supply of ammunition, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Specialist Sabo picked it up, threw it, and shielded a wounded comrade with his own body – absorbing the brunt of the blast and saving his comrade’s life. Although wounded by the grenade blast, he continued to charge the enemy’s bunker. After receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire, he crawled towards the enemy emplacement and, when in position, threw a grenade into the bunker. The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire, but also ended Specialist Sabo’s life. His indomitable courage and complete disregard for his own safety saved the lives of many of his platoon members.

Specialist Sabo’s widow, Rose Mary Sabo-Brown and his brother, George Sabo, will join the President at the White House to commemorate his example of selfless service and sacrifice.

 

Britain’s Greatest Foe Ever… Monday, Apr 16 2012 

History and Military and Military History and US Army , , , , , , 1IDVET 06:34

George Washington. ‘Nuff said.

George Washington named Britain’s greatest ever foe

George Washington has been named as the greatest foe ever faced by the British.

The American was voted the winner in a contest run by the National Army Museum to identify the country’s most outstanding military opponent.

He was one of a shortlist of five leaders who topped a public poll and on Saturday was selected as the ultimate winner by an audience of around 70 guests at a special event at the museum, in Chelsea, west London.

In second place was Michael Collins, the Irish leader, ahead of Napoleon Bonaparte, Erwin Rommel and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

At the event, each contender had their case made by a historian giving a 40 minute presentation. The audience, who had paid to attend the day, then voted in a secret ballot after all five presentations had been made.

Dr Stephen Brumwell, who had championed Washington, said: “As British officers conceded, he was a worthy opponent.”

via George Washington named Britain’s greatest ever foe – Telegraph.

 

The Pledge Wednesday, Apr 11 2012 

Hero and Military and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy , , , , , , 1IDVET 06:42

Remember. Always remember.

The Pledge

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

So far in April, nine American service members have made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan while upholding the patriotic pledge that millions of schoolchildren recite each morning.

Staff Sgt. Tyler Smith, 24, Licking, Missouri

Staff Sgt. Christopher Brown, 26, Columbus, Ohio

Capt. Nicholas Rozanski, 36, Dublin, Ohio

Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey Rieck, 45, Columbus, Ohio

Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Hannon, 44, Grove City, Ohio

Spc. Jeffrey White Jr., 21, Catawissa, Missouri

Cpl. Alex Martinez, 21, Elgin, Illinois

Spc. Antonio Burnside, 31, Great Falls, Montana

via The Unknown Soldiers: The Pledge.

 

Major Doug La Bouff Memorial Scholarship… Wednesday, Apr 11 2012 

Education and History and Military and Military History and Truth and US Army and Veterans , , , , , , , , 1IDVET 05:29

This is a scholarship program that was set up for my friend Doug. He died in Iraq January 7th, 2006. He was my son’s godfather and a good friend. He was also my last platoon leader in the Army, I was his platoon sergeant. I miss him all the time. Any help you can give to this great scholarship program in his name would be appreciated. Please pass this on. You can read more about Doug here. Please help out if you can. I’ll leave this at the top for a while. Thanks.

Dear Friends,

Since his passing in 2006, the memory of our friend and loved-one, Major Douglas Amuel La Bouff has been honored by his fellow Cal State Fullerton historians during the annual banquet of the Theta Pi chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society.

Doug’s achievements as a person, scholar and military officer are remembered through a memorial scholarship awarded to history students who embody Doug’s patriotism, and love for history. Named the “Major Doug La Bouff Memorial Scholarship,” a handful of historians have benefited from modest monetary awards that they can use to advance their study of history.

We are asking your help to expand the scholarship to help more up and coming historians further their studies. We are also planning to obtain a plaque that will record past and future awardees for years to come. Please help anyway you can by mailing a check or money order no later than 23 April 2012 to:

Phi Alpha Theta
C/O Dr. Jochen Burgtorf
Cal State Fullerton, Department of History
800 N. State College Blvd.
Fullerton, CA. 92834

Awardees for the 2012 Major Doug La Bouff Memorial Scholarship will be announced on Friday, 4 May, 2012 during the 50th Annual CSUF Phi Alpha Theta Banquet.
Thank you for your support!

Friends of the Major Doug La Bouff Memorial Scholarship.

 

Winners and Losers in the Fiscal 2013 Defense Budget… Monday, Apr 2 2012 

Buyers' Remorse and Coast Guard and Comarade Obama and Congress and Democrats and Developments and Economics and Failure and Government and Military and Neo-Marxists and Obama and Politics and SCOAMF and Socialism and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , , , , , , 1IDVET 05:59

In case you were wondering, here’s the 2013 defense budget in a nut shell.

Winners and losers in the fiscal 2013 budget

By Barry Rosenberg

Mar 29, 2012

It’s been several weeks since the release of the fiscal 2013 defense budget, and heads are certainly still spinning in the Pentagon: Ground Mobile Radio (GMR) gone, Global Hawk Block 30 gone and the Army’s medium-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance program, the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMARSS), also gone. There’s blood on the floor in the chief-of-staff/commandant offices at the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines. Yet there’s still plenty of good news for all, with the funding flow to improve network operations still very much in evidence.

Here are some of the winners and losers at each of the services:

Army: The Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) continues to be the “cornerstone tactical communications system” for the service. Funding in fiscal 2013 is $900 million, and totals $6.1 billion from fiscal 2013 through fiscal 2017. Fiscal 2013 funding is earmarked for the purchase of net-centric warfare IP modems and low-rate initial production quantities to support test activities.

There also is funding for something we’ve been writing a lot about in Defense Systems: the modification of Stryker vehicles to incorporate command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems to facilitate mission command-on-the-move.

via Winners and losers in the fiscal 2013 budget — Defense Systems.

 

Vietnam Veterans Day… Thursday, Mar 29 2012 

Coast Guard and Comarade Obama and Hero and History and Military and Military History and Obama and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , , , 1IDVET 10:49

Presidential Proclamation — Vietnam Veterans Day

VIETNAM VETERANS DAY

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

On January 12, 1962, United States Army pilots lifted more than 1,000 South Vietnamese service members over jungle and underbrush to capture a National Liberation Front stronghold near Saigon.  Operation Chopper marked America’s first combat mission against the Viet Cong, and the beginning of one of our longest and most challenging wars.  Through more than a decade of conflict that tested the fabric of our Nation, the service of our men and women in uniform stood true.  Fifty years after that fateful mission, we honor the more than 3 million Americans who served, we pay tribute to those we have laid to rest, and we reaffirm our dedication to showing a generation of veterans the respect and support of a grateful Nation.

The Vietnam War is a story of service members of different backgrounds, colors, and creeds who came together to complete a daunting mission.  It is a story of Americans from every corner of our Nation who left the warmth of family to serve the country they loved.  It is a story of patriots who braved the line of fire, who cast themselves into harm’s way to save a friend, who fought hour after hour, day after day to preserve the liberties we hold dear.  From Ia Drang to Hue, they won every major battle of the war and upheld the highest traditions of our Armed Forces.

Eleven years of combat left their imprint on a generation.  Thousands returned home bearing shrapnel and scars; still more were burdened by the invisible wounds of post-traumatic stress, of Agent Orange, of memories that would never fade.  More than 58,000 laid down their lives in service to our Nation.  Now and forever, their names are etched into two faces of black granite, a lasting memorial to those who bore conflict’s greatest cost.

Our veterans answered our country’s call and served with honor, and on March 29, 1973, the last of our troops left Vietnam.  Yet, in one of the war’s most profound tragedies, many of these men and women came home to be shunned or neglected — to face treatment unbefitting their courage and a welcome unworthy of their example.  We must never let this happen again.  Today, we reaffirm one of our most fundamental obligations:  to show all who have worn the uniform of the United States the respect and dignity they deserve, and to honor their sacrifice by serving them as well as they served us.  Half a century after those helicopters swept off the ground and into the annals of history, we pay tribute to the fallen, the missing, the wounded, the millions who served, and the millions more who awaited their return.  Our Nation stands stronger for their service, and on Vietnam Veterans Day, we honor their proud legacy with our deepest gratitude.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 29, 2012, as Vietnam Veterans Day.  I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that commemorate the 50 year anniversary of the Vietnam War.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

 

The Real Face Of American Servicemen And Women…. Thursday, Mar 29 2012 

Afghanistan and Media and Media Bias and Military and Truth and US Army , , , , , 1IDVET 06:30

This is a must read. You won’t see it, or hear of it in the MSM. Doesn’t fit the narrative.

The Real Face Of American Servicemen And Women Spc. Dennis Weichel

While the media focuses on the case of Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, it is worth remembering that he is the overwhelming exception.

Spc. Dennis Weichel of the Rhode Island National Guard is far more representative of the selfless sacrifice and honor exhibited by the US military during 2 wars and over 10 years of fighting. But even within the ranks of heroic actions, Spc. Weichel’s sacrifice stands out.

The official Pentagon news release says he died “from injuries suffered in a noncombat related incident.” But there is much more to the story. Weichel, 29, of Providence, died saving the life of a little girl.

According to the Rhode Island National Guard and the U.S. Army, Weichel was in a convoy a week ago with his unit in Laghman Province, in northeast Afghanistan. Some children were in the road in front of the convoy, and Weichel and other troops got out to move them out of the way.

Most of the children moved, but one little girl went back to pick up some brass shell casings in the road. Afghan civilians often recycle the casings, and the girl appeared to aim to do that. But a Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle was moving toward her, according to Lt. Col. Denis Riel of the Rhode Island National Guard.

MRAPs, as they are known, usually weigh more than 16 tons.

Weichel saw the massive truck bearing down on the girl and grabbed her out of the way. But in the process, the armored truck ran him over, Riel said.

The little girl is fine. Weichel died a short time later of his injuries.

Specialist Weichel leaves behind his fiance and three children.

via The Real Face Of American Servicemen And Women Spc. Dennis Weichel.

 

Crazy Combat Vets (NOT)… Monday, Mar 19 2012 

Axis of Idiots and Coast Guard and Hollywood and Lies and Media and Media Bias and Military and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1IDVET 06:40

I really get pissed off when I see this shit. I see it all the time. A lot of the shows on TV have that theme in them. Some veteran loses his mind and kills innocent civilians.

The media spins the story that it’s a crazy combat veteran that has done something to society in general, even when they are wrong, and then don’t correct the story, which now makes their story a lie.

Yet, the incidents of crime committed by veterans is statistically insignificant in comparison with the general population.

Here’s a good article discussing this from War On Terror News

What to do about those “Crazed Combat Vets?”

In the first quarter of 2012, the media has publicized an Iraq Veteran killing a Park Ranger in Washington, an Orange County Deputy killing a Marine, an Army Private being stabbed to death by Meth Heads in Washington, and a Staff Sergeant that allegedly killed 16 Afghans in their sleep, along with so many other stories of Violent Veterans. The media is quick to tell us that these are Combat Veterans, but often fail to tell us when the person was tossed out of the military, like in that first case listed, or correct the story when they weren’t in Combat at all, or weren’t in the military as they had claimed.

In 2008, the NYTimes was on the same hunt, to prove that “Crazed” Combat Veterans were slaughtering American Civilians. They wrote about 121 cases in which someone died. The problem was that in many of those the Veteran was found to be innocent or to have acted in self-defense, while in others the trial had not occurred, and in many it was not murder at all. In those latter cases, it was often a car accident, that helped to boost their body count. When it was all said and done, the numbers demonstrated it was safer to be near a Combat Veteran than to be in the safest big city in America.

But “one is too many.”

One case of domestic violence, one murder, or one suicide is “too many.” Yeah, that sounds good, but short of locking every American up in solitary confinement, there is NO program that can end all violence in this Nation, any subsection of it, or in any other country.

via What to do about those “Crazed Combat Vets?” – War On Terror News.

 

Honor and Remember… Friday, Mar 16 2012 

Coast Guard and Hero and Military and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , , , , 1IDVET 05:56

I heard this on the Dennis Miller show this morning. It is a organization that is trying to get a flag recognized by the US and the states, for fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and the Coast Guard, that have died in combat.

I lost a good friend in Iraq in 2006. I think about him every day. I think this is a worthy cause and deserves your support. Please go to their website and check out the flag, and donate, sign their petition, buy a flag, spread the word.

Thanks.

Honor and Remember

In the more than 200 years of our nation’s history there has never been an officially designated symbol that reminds us specifically of the sacrifice made by members of our military and the lives lost in service to our country.We propose the Honor and Remember Flag as the national emblem for that purpose.

via Honor and Remember, Inc..

 

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