BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
Named after one of our greatest battleships, USS New Jersey (BB-62). Christening is at the last 10 minutes of the video.
Veterans...Get the hell in here now!
- Thread starter 6ohMax
- Start date
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
How the U.S. Hid an Airstrike That Killed Dozens of Civilians in Syria (Published 2021)
The military never conducted an independent investigation into a 2019 bombing on the last bastion of the Islamic State, despite concerns about a secretive commando force.
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
Today in Military History
November 14, 1965, In the first major engagement of the war between regular U.S. and North Vietnamese forces, elements of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) fight a pitched battle with Communist main-force units in the Ia Drang Valley of the Central Highlands.
On this morning, Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore’s 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry conducted a heliborne assault into Landing Zone X-Ray near the Chu Pong hills. Around noon, the North Vietnamese 33rd Regiment attacked the U.S. troopers. The fight continued all day and into the night. American soldiers received support from nearby artillery units and tactical air strikes. The next morning, the North Vietnamese 66th Regiment joined the attack against the U.S. unit. The fighting was bitter, but the tactical air strikes and artillery support took their toll on the enemy and enabled the 1st Cavalry troopers to hold on against repeated assaults.
At around noon, two reinforcing companies arrived and Colonel Moore put them to good use to assist his beleaguered soldiers. By the third day of the battle, the Americans had gained the upper hand. The three-day battle resulted in 834 North Vietnamese soldiers confirmed killed, and another 1,000 communist casualties were assumed.
In a related action during the same battle, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, was ambushed by North Vietnamese forces as it moved overland to Landing Zone Albany. Of the 500 men in the original column, 150 were killed and only 84 were able to return to immediate duty; Company C suffered 93 percent casualties, half of them deaths.
Despite these numbers, senior American officials in Saigon declared the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley a great victory. The battle was extremely important because it was the first significant contact between U.S. troops and North Vietnamese forces. The action demonstrated that the North Vietnamese were prepared to stand and fight major battles even though they might take serious casualties. Senior American military leaders concluded that U.S. forces could wreak significant damage on the communists in such battles–this tactic lead to a war of attrition as the U.S. forces tried to wear the communists down. The North Vietnamese also learned a valuable lesson during the battle: by keeping their combat troops physically close to U.S. positions, U.S. troops could not use artillery or air strikes without risking injury to American troops. This style of fighting became the North Vietnamese practice for the rest of the war.
Medals of Honor awarded for actions in the Ia Drang Valley, Vietnam on 14 November 1965: MAJ Bruce P. Crandall. A Company, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, CPT Ed W. Freeman, A Company, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1LT Walter Joseph Marm, A Company, 1-7th Cavalry.
www.army.mil
www.army.mil
www.military.com
November 14, 1965, In the first major engagement of the war between regular U.S. and North Vietnamese forces, elements of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) fight a pitched battle with Communist main-force units in the Ia Drang Valley of the Central Highlands.
On this morning, Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore’s 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry conducted a heliborne assault into Landing Zone X-Ray near the Chu Pong hills. Around noon, the North Vietnamese 33rd Regiment attacked the U.S. troopers. The fight continued all day and into the night. American soldiers received support from nearby artillery units and tactical air strikes. The next morning, the North Vietnamese 66th Regiment joined the attack against the U.S. unit. The fighting was bitter, but the tactical air strikes and artillery support took their toll on the enemy and enabled the 1st Cavalry troopers to hold on against repeated assaults.
At around noon, two reinforcing companies arrived and Colonel Moore put them to good use to assist his beleaguered soldiers. By the third day of the battle, the Americans had gained the upper hand. The three-day battle resulted in 834 North Vietnamese soldiers confirmed killed, and another 1,000 communist casualties were assumed.
In a related action during the same battle, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, was ambushed by North Vietnamese forces as it moved overland to Landing Zone Albany. Of the 500 men in the original column, 150 were killed and only 84 were able to return to immediate duty; Company C suffered 93 percent casualties, half of them deaths.
Despite these numbers, senior American officials in Saigon declared the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley a great victory. The battle was extremely important because it was the first significant contact between U.S. troops and North Vietnamese forces. The action demonstrated that the North Vietnamese were prepared to stand and fight major battles even though they might take serious casualties. Senior American military leaders concluded that U.S. forces could wreak significant damage on the communists in such battles–this tactic lead to a war of attrition as the U.S. forces tried to wear the communists down. The North Vietnamese also learned a valuable lesson during the battle: by keeping their combat troops physically close to U.S. positions, U.S. troops could not use artillery or air strikes without risking injury to American troops. This style of fighting became the North Vietnamese practice for the rest of the war.
Medals of Honor awarded for actions in the Ia Drang Valley, Vietnam on 14 November 1965: MAJ Bruce P. Crandall. A Company, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, CPT Ed W. Freeman, A Company, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1LT Walter Joseph Marm, A Company, 1-7th Cavalry.
Chapter 1: Fight at Ia Drang
history.army.mil
Civilian Bronze Star recipient recalls sacrifices of Vietnam War
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- In his personal account reporting from the battlefields of Vietnam and subsequent wars, internationally recognized war journalist Joe Galloway encouraged today's Soldiers and veterans to share their own wartime experiences.
www.army.mil
The Tragedy of LZ Albany: Teaching the lessons of a battle lost
On November 17, 1965, Lt. Don Cornett along with 154 Troopers from 2/7 Cav were killed in the Ia Drang Valley at a small clearing known as Landing Zone Albany. He died less than 100 yards from where his best friend lay wounded. James Lawrence, a 77.....
www.army.mil
Army Investigating 'We Were Soldiers' Legend for Inflating Awards
The U.S. Army is investigating allegations that the late Command Sgt. Major Basil Plumley wore unauthorized combat and valor awards.
Singlemalt
Well-Known Member
Why not, it's 2 yrs younger than me lol
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
Today in Military History:
On November 18, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln boards a train for Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to deliver a short speech the following day at the dedication of a cemetery of soldiers killed during the battle there on July 1 to July 3, 1863. The address Lincoln gave in Gettysburg became one of the most famous speeches in American history.
Lincoln had given much thought to what he wanted to say at Gettysburg, but nearly missed his chance to say it. Shortly before the trip, Lincoln’s son, Tad, became ill with a fever. The president and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln were no strangers to juvenile illness: They had already lost two sons to disease. Prone to fits of hysteria, Mary Lincoln panicked when her husband prepared to leave. However, Lincoln felt the opportunity to speak at Gettysburg and present his defense of the war was too important to miss, so he boarded a train and headed to Pennsylvania.
Despite his son’s illness, Lincoln was in good spirits during the journey. He was accompanied by an entourage that included Secretary of State William Seward, Postmaster General Montgomery Blair, Interior Secretary John Usher, Lincoln’s personal secretaries John Hay and John Nicolay, several members of the diplomat corps, some foreign visitors, a Marine band, and a military escort.
When Lincoln arrived in Gettysburg, he was handed a telegram that lifted his spirits: Tad was feeling much better. Lincoln enjoyed an evening dinner and a serenade by the Fifth New York Artillery Band before he retired to finalize his famous Gettysburg Address.
By the time the guns fell silent of the fields of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, more than 40,000 men lay dead, dying or wounded. A turning point of the civil war, the battle was also among the conflict's bloodiest. Of the 94,000 Union troops who fought in the three day conflict, 23,000 became casualties, with 3,100 killed. The Confederates were outnumbered — with 71,000 fighting in the battle, and a greater proportion wounded and killed. 28,000 Southerners were casualties in the battle — 39% of its total fighting force that day— with of them 3,900 killed.
On November 18, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln boards a train for Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to deliver a short speech the following day at the dedication of a cemetery of soldiers killed during the battle there on July 1 to July 3, 1863. The address Lincoln gave in Gettysburg became one of the most famous speeches in American history.
Lincoln had given much thought to what he wanted to say at Gettysburg, but nearly missed his chance to say it. Shortly before the trip, Lincoln’s son, Tad, became ill with a fever. The president and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln were no strangers to juvenile illness: They had already lost two sons to disease. Prone to fits of hysteria, Mary Lincoln panicked when her husband prepared to leave. However, Lincoln felt the opportunity to speak at Gettysburg and present his defense of the war was too important to miss, so he boarded a train and headed to Pennsylvania.
Despite his son’s illness, Lincoln was in good spirits during the journey. He was accompanied by an entourage that included Secretary of State William Seward, Postmaster General Montgomery Blair, Interior Secretary John Usher, Lincoln’s personal secretaries John Hay and John Nicolay, several members of the diplomat corps, some foreign visitors, a Marine band, and a military escort.
When Lincoln arrived in Gettysburg, he was handed a telegram that lifted his spirits: Tad was feeling much better. Lincoln enjoyed an evening dinner and a serenade by the Fifth New York Artillery Band before he retired to finalize his famous Gettysburg Address.
"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
By the time the guns fell silent of the fields of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, more than 40,000 men lay dead, dying or wounded. A turning point of the civil war, the battle was also among the conflict's bloodiest. Of the 94,000 Union troops who fought in the three day conflict, 23,000 became casualties, with 3,100 killed. The Confederates were outnumbered — with 71,000 fighting in the battle, and a greater proportion wounded and killed. 28,000 Southerners were casualties in the battle — 39% of its total fighting force that day— with of them 3,900 killed.
doublejj
Well-Known Member
Army bars vaccine refusers from promotions and reenlistment as deadline approaches
www.cnn.com
Army bars vaccine refusers from promotions and reenlistment as deadline approaches | CNN Politics
With less than one month until the Army's deadline to vaccinate its active-duty force, the service will begin barring soldiers who refuse to be vaccinated against Covid-19 without an exemption from reenlistment, promotions, and other "favorable personnel actions."
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
Today In Military History:
"Shortly after 2:00 am on the morning of November 21, 1970, the night sky near Hanoi was shattered by the roar of planes on their way to undertake one of the most carefully planned and executed rescue missions of the Vietnam War – the raid on Son Tay Prison to rescue American prisoners of war. Son Tay, 23 miles west of Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam, was attacked and, less than an hour later, the plan had been carried out faultlessly. Then the bitterly disappointed Raiders were on their way home, having rescued no-one
The American Armed Forces had sent 56 Green Berets and 28 aircraft manned by 92 airmen to Son Tay and the only casualty of the raid was the flight engineer of the Blueboy helicopter, who had his ankle fractured by a fire extinguisher that had broken loose in the crash landing. As a result of the raid, the members were awarded six Distinguished Service Crosses, five Air Force Crosses, and all 50 members of the ground crew, in addition to 35 of the active members, received Silver Stars. General Manor received the Distinguished Service Medal.
The armed services believed the mission to be a complete tactical success as it was so well-planned and executed, but the intelligence failure was a significant blow to all involved. It was later learned that there were 65 prisoners interred at Son Tay, and they had been moved 15 miles closer to Hanoi due to a threat of flooding. This move had taken place on the 14th of July, almost four months before the raid – a major gaffe on the part of the intelligence agencies responsible.
This raid was severely criticized in the media and by opponents of the Nixon Administration and to the Vietnam War. The major charge made was the poor quality of intelligence upon which the operation was mounted. One of the greatest fears was that as a result of this abortive raid, the prisoners in other camps would be treated worse.
In fact, reports from prisoners later confirmed that this raid did, in fact, improve their conditions. Prisoners that had been kept for long periods in solitary confinement were placed in cells with other prisoners, which improved their morale considerably. The amount and quality of the food they were given also improved.
While the success or failure of this raid can be debated ad infinitum, it is recognized as being a model for the planning, training, and deployment of this type of mission. It formed the blueprint for future missions of a similar nature, and for that reason, it deserves its place in history."
cherrieswriter.com
"Shortly after 2:00 am on the morning of November 21, 1970, the night sky near Hanoi was shattered by the roar of planes on their way to undertake one of the most carefully planned and executed rescue missions of the Vietnam War – the raid on Son Tay Prison to rescue American prisoners of war. Son Tay, 23 miles west of Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam, was attacked and, less than an hour later, the plan had been carried out faultlessly. Then the bitterly disappointed Raiders were on their way home, having rescued no-one
The American Armed Forces had sent 56 Green Berets and 28 aircraft manned by 92 airmen to Son Tay and the only casualty of the raid was the flight engineer of the Blueboy helicopter, who had his ankle fractured by a fire extinguisher that had broken loose in the crash landing. As a result of the raid, the members were awarded six Distinguished Service Crosses, five Air Force Crosses, and all 50 members of the ground crew, in addition to 35 of the active members, received Silver Stars. General Manor received the Distinguished Service Medal.
The armed services believed the mission to be a complete tactical success as it was so well-planned and executed, but the intelligence failure was a significant blow to all involved. It was later learned that there were 65 prisoners interred at Son Tay, and they had been moved 15 miles closer to Hanoi due to a threat of flooding. This move had taken place on the 14th of July, almost four months before the raid – a major gaffe on the part of the intelligence agencies responsible.
This raid was severely criticized in the media and by opponents of the Nixon Administration and to the Vietnam War. The major charge made was the poor quality of intelligence upon which the operation was mounted. One of the greatest fears was that as a result of this abortive raid, the prisoners in other camps would be treated worse.
In fact, reports from prisoners later confirmed that this raid did, in fact, improve their conditions. Prisoners that had been kept for long periods in solitary confinement were placed in cells with other prisoners, which improved their morale considerably. The amount and quality of the food they were given also improved.
While the success or failure of this raid can be debated ad infinitum, it is recognized as being a model for the planning, training, and deployment of this type of mission. It formed the blueprint for future missions of a similar nature, and for that reason, it deserves its place in history."
The Failed Son Tay Prison Raid
Shortly after 2:00 am on the morning of November 21, 1970, the night sky near Hanoi was shattered by the roar of planes on their way to undertake one of the most carefully planned and executed resc…
cherrieswriter.com
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
"On Wednesday, November 17, 2021 the official Twitter account for the U.S. Pacific Fleet announced that the soon-to-be named USS Daniel Inouye had set sail on a tour of the Hawaiian islands in honor of its namesake. The destroyer is expected to be officially commissioned on Dec. 8, and will be based out of Hawaii’s Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. On June 21, 2000, Inouye’s Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, which was presented to him at the White House by President Bill Clinton, 55 years after that battle."
taskandpurpose.com
This is Daniel Inouye, a one-man wrecking crew and the namesake of the Navy’s newest warship
He was shot by a sniper, blown up by a grenade, and then shot again, yet somehow he kept going.
taskandpurpose.com
The Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Second Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 21 April 1945, in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy.
While attacking a defended ridge guarding an important road junction, Second Lieutenant Inouye skillfully directed his platoon through a hail of automatic weapon and small arms fire, in a swift enveloping movement that resulted in the capture of an artillery and mortar post and brought his men to within 40 yards of the hostile force. Emplaced in bunkers and rock formations, the enemy halted the advance with crossfire from three machine guns. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Second Lieutenant Inouye crawled up the treacherous slope to within five yards of the nearest machine gun and hurled two grenades, destroying the emplacement. Before the enemy could retaliate, he stood up and neutralized a second machine gun nest. Although wounded by a sniper’s bullet, he continued to engage other hostile positions at close range until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm. Despite the intense pain, he refused evacuation and continued to direct his platoon until enemy resistance was broken and his men were again deployed in defensive positions. In the attack, 25 enemy soldiers were killed and eight others captured. By his gallant, aggressive tactics and by his indomitable leadership, Second Lieutenant Inouye enabled his platoon to advance through formidable resistance, and was instrumental in the capture of the ridge. Second Lieutenant Inouye’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
Today in Military History:
"On Nov. 23, 1943, as World War II raged, United States forces seized control of the Tarawa atoll from the Japanese; a day later it secured the nearby atoll of Makin. After 76 hours of fighting, the battle for Betio was over. The final casualty figures for the 2d Marine Division in Operation GALVANIC were 997 Marines and 30 sailors (organic medical personnel) dead; 88 Marines missing and presumed dead; and 2,233 Marines and 59 sailors wounded. Total casualties: 3,407. Of the roughly 4,800 Japanese defenders, about 97% were thought to have been killed. Only 146 prisoners were captured — all but 17 of them Korean laborers. More casualties would come in operations on surrounding islands.
The intense bloodshed on Tarawa, documented by war correspondents who were close to the fighting, sparked outcry in the US. Many criticized the strategy and tactics at Tarawa, but the Navy and Marine Corps drew lessons from the battle and applied them throughout the war, and Betio's airfield supported operations against other vital positions in the Pacific.
"The capture of Tarawa knocked down the front door to the Japanese defenses in the Central Pacific," said Admiral Chester Nimitz, the commander in chief of the Pacific fleet.
In the words of military historians Jeter Isely and Philip Crowl, “The capture of Tarawa, in spite of defects in execution, conclusively demonstrated that American amphibious doctrine was valid, that even the strongest island fortress could be seized.”
The costs of the forcible seizure of Tarawa were two-fold: the loss of Marines in the assault itself, followed by the shock and despair of the nation upon hearing the reports of the battle. The gains at first seemed small in return, the "stinking little island" of Betio, 8,000 miles from Tokyo. In time, the practical lessons learned in the complex art of amphibious assault began to outweigh the initial adverse publicity.
Four Medals of Honor were earned at Tarawa, one of them posthumously. Thirty-four Navy Crosses, the Navy’s second-highest award for valor, were issued along with some 250 Silver Stars."
www.businessinsider.com
mca-marines.org
"On Nov. 23, 1943, as World War II raged, United States forces seized control of the Tarawa atoll from the Japanese; a day later it secured the nearby atoll of Makin. After 76 hours of fighting, the battle for Betio was over. The final casualty figures for the 2d Marine Division in Operation GALVANIC were 997 Marines and 30 sailors (organic medical personnel) dead; 88 Marines missing and presumed dead; and 2,233 Marines and 59 sailors wounded. Total casualties: 3,407. Of the roughly 4,800 Japanese defenders, about 97% were thought to have been killed. Only 146 prisoners were captured — all but 17 of them Korean laborers. More casualties would come in operations on surrounding islands.
The intense bloodshed on Tarawa, documented by war correspondents who were close to the fighting, sparked outcry in the US. Many criticized the strategy and tactics at Tarawa, but the Navy and Marine Corps drew lessons from the battle and applied them throughout the war, and Betio's airfield supported operations against other vital positions in the Pacific.
"The capture of Tarawa knocked down the front door to the Japanese defenses in the Central Pacific," said Admiral Chester Nimitz, the commander in chief of the Pacific fleet.
In the words of military historians Jeter Isely and Philip Crowl, “The capture of Tarawa, in spite of defects in execution, conclusively demonstrated that American amphibious doctrine was valid, that even the strongest island fortress could be seized.”
The costs of the forcible seizure of Tarawa were two-fold: the loss of Marines in the assault itself, followed by the shock and despair of the nation upon hearing the reports of the battle. The gains at first seemed small in return, the "stinking little island" of Betio, 8,000 miles from Tokyo. In time, the practical lessons learned in the complex art of amphibious assault began to outweigh the initial adverse publicity.
Four Medals of Honor were earned at Tarawa, one of them posthumously. Thirty-four Navy Crosses, the Navy’s second-highest award for valor, were issued along with some 250 Silver Stars."
75 years ago, US Marines waded into 'the toughest battle in Marine Corps history' — here are 25 photos of the brutal fight for Tarawa
The commander of the task force attacking Tarawa called Betio "a little Gibraltar" and said that "only the Marines could have made such a landing."
www.businessinsider.com
Across the Reef: The Marine Assault of Tarawa
www.ibiblio.org
Battle of Tarawa: Unveiling the Historic Amphibious Clash
Discover the pivotal Battle of Tarawa, a monumental Pacific War clash where the Japanese fiercely defended against an amphibious landing. Delve into its significance and impact.
wascaptain
Well-Known Member
MAKE WAY!!!!!
another marine reporting in
another marine reporting in
Ahhh what a cutie!
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
This Week in Military History:
The Inchon landing by the X Corps in September 1950 and the breakout from Pusan by the 8th Army led to a stunning reversal in the Korean War. Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s risky plan had unhinged the Korean People’s Army (KPA) position, and the rapid advance had led to its almost certain destruction. A supremely confident MacArthur declared to President Truman that “organized resistance will be terminated by Thanksgiving.” Later he announced to his troops that they would be home by Christmas.
The X Corps, commanded by the ever-aggressive Maj. Gen. Edward Almond, was keen to be the first United Nations force to reach the Yalu River. As the temperatures in the mountains of North Korea plummeted, Almond continued to direct his commanders to advance faster. By late November, the 1st Marine Division commanded by Maj. Gen. Oliver Smith and the 31st Regimental Combat Team (7th Infantry Division) took up positions in the snowcapped mountains around Chosin Reservoir.
While confidence reigned supreme at MacArthur’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, the situation at the front was becoming ever more concerning. A Siberian cold front had descended on the region, and temperatures plunged to as low as -36 degrees F. The relentless cold led to frostbite in the ranks, frozen weapons, frozen medical supplies, dead batteries, and more. Even worse, MacArthur and Almond disregarded growing evidence that a sizeable Chinese force had crossed the Yalu to oppose the UN advance approaching its Manchurian border. China’s Chairman Mao Zedong had directed that the veteran 9th Army attack the Marines and Army forces near Chosin. Stealthily, the Chinese army – roughly 120,000 soldiers from the 20th and 27th Corps – took up positions near the US forces.
After midnight on November 27, 1950, the Marines in their dugouts could hear strange sounds emanating from the woods below. Loudspeakers broadcast curses and commands. Cymbals clanged, and bugles blared. And a chorus of “Marines, tonight you die!” came from the waves of Chinese troops from the 59th, 79th, and 89th Divisions moving up the slopes in their white quilted uniforms.
Caught by surprise, the Marines struggled from their sleeping bags and grabbed their weapons. With star shells now illuminating the ground before them, the Marines on the front line attempted to slow the overwhelming Chinese assault with their M-1 rifles, machine guns, and grenades.
The lead Marine elements around Yudam-ni struggled to hold back the Chinese assault while Charlie and Fox Companies of the 7th Marines struggled to defend their thin lines near Toktong Pass. During these intense nighttime battles, Marines such as Private Hector Cafferata, Staff Sergeant Robert Kennemore, 1st Lieutenant Frank Mitchell, and Corporal Lee Phillips would earn the Medal of Honor for their brave and resolute actions.
Fox Company, led by Captain William Barber, managed to hold the critical hill above Toktong pass and the vital road below for five days. Despite a severe wound to his leg, Barber kept moving amongst his men’s foxholes, keeping them focused. Barber’s company had taken grievous losses in the fight (only 82 out of 220 original men remained effective), but they had also inflicted great harm on the enemy. As reported in his Medal of Honor citation, Barber’s “heroic command accounted for approximately 1,000 enemy dead in this epic stand in sub-zero weather.”
Over the next 5-7 days, the Americans fought, or as MajGen O.P. Smith said, "attacked in another direction," down a winding, treacherous, snow-packed road to Hungnam, a North Korean port 70 miles away. Through extraordinary willpower, exceptional war-fighting skills, and countless acts of valor, US Marines and soldiers escaped the Chosin trap.
By the time US forces, with thousands of North Korean refugees in tow, reached the evacuation beaches, nearly 6,000 Americans were dead or missing; thousands more were wounded. None of the men who survived the horrific battle would ever be the same. Today they are called “The Chosin Few.”
Mao’s attempt at destroying 1st Marine Division, however, had come at a high price. The communist dictator had lost an estimated 50,000 soldiers, including his eldest son, and had learned to never again underestimate the American fighting man
This fierce battle led to the withdrawal of all United Nations forces from North Korea and to the award of 13 Medals of Honor to soldiers, pilots, and Marines who fought at the “frozen Chosin.”
en.wikipedia.org
The Inchon landing by the X Corps in September 1950 and the breakout from Pusan by the 8th Army led to a stunning reversal in the Korean War. Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s risky plan had unhinged the Korean People’s Army (KPA) position, and the rapid advance had led to its almost certain destruction. A supremely confident MacArthur declared to President Truman that “organized resistance will be terminated by Thanksgiving.” Later he announced to his troops that they would be home by Christmas.
The X Corps, commanded by the ever-aggressive Maj. Gen. Edward Almond, was keen to be the first United Nations force to reach the Yalu River. As the temperatures in the mountains of North Korea plummeted, Almond continued to direct his commanders to advance faster. By late November, the 1st Marine Division commanded by Maj. Gen. Oliver Smith and the 31st Regimental Combat Team (7th Infantry Division) took up positions in the snowcapped mountains around Chosin Reservoir.
While confidence reigned supreme at MacArthur’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, the situation at the front was becoming ever more concerning. A Siberian cold front had descended on the region, and temperatures plunged to as low as -36 degrees F. The relentless cold led to frostbite in the ranks, frozen weapons, frozen medical supplies, dead batteries, and more. Even worse, MacArthur and Almond disregarded growing evidence that a sizeable Chinese force had crossed the Yalu to oppose the UN advance approaching its Manchurian border. China’s Chairman Mao Zedong had directed that the veteran 9th Army attack the Marines and Army forces near Chosin. Stealthily, the Chinese army – roughly 120,000 soldiers from the 20th and 27th Corps – took up positions near the US forces.
After midnight on November 27, 1950, the Marines in their dugouts could hear strange sounds emanating from the woods below. Loudspeakers broadcast curses and commands. Cymbals clanged, and bugles blared. And a chorus of “Marines, tonight you die!” came from the waves of Chinese troops from the 59th, 79th, and 89th Divisions moving up the slopes in their white quilted uniforms.
Caught by surprise, the Marines struggled from their sleeping bags and grabbed their weapons. With star shells now illuminating the ground before them, the Marines on the front line attempted to slow the overwhelming Chinese assault with their M-1 rifles, machine guns, and grenades.
The lead Marine elements around Yudam-ni struggled to hold back the Chinese assault while Charlie and Fox Companies of the 7th Marines struggled to defend their thin lines near Toktong Pass. During these intense nighttime battles, Marines such as Private Hector Cafferata, Staff Sergeant Robert Kennemore, 1st Lieutenant Frank Mitchell, and Corporal Lee Phillips would earn the Medal of Honor for their brave and resolute actions.
Fox Company, led by Captain William Barber, managed to hold the critical hill above Toktong pass and the vital road below for five days. Despite a severe wound to his leg, Barber kept moving amongst his men’s foxholes, keeping them focused. Barber’s company had taken grievous losses in the fight (only 82 out of 220 original men remained effective), but they had also inflicted great harm on the enemy. As reported in his Medal of Honor citation, Barber’s “heroic command accounted for approximately 1,000 enemy dead in this epic stand in sub-zero weather.”
Over the next 5-7 days, the Americans fought, or as MajGen O.P. Smith said, "attacked in another direction," down a winding, treacherous, snow-packed road to Hungnam, a North Korean port 70 miles away. Through extraordinary willpower, exceptional war-fighting skills, and countless acts of valor, US Marines and soldiers escaped the Chosin trap.
By the time US forces, with thousands of North Korean refugees in tow, reached the evacuation beaches, nearly 6,000 Americans were dead or missing; thousands more were wounded. None of the men who survived the horrific battle would ever be the same. Today they are called “The Chosin Few.”
Mao’s attempt at destroying 1st Marine Division, however, had come at a high price. The communist dictator had lost an estimated 50,000 soldiers, including his eldest son, and had learned to never again underestimate the American fighting man
This fierce battle led to the withdrawal of all United Nations forces from North Korea and to the award of 13 Medals of Honor to soldiers, pilots, and Marines who fought at the “frozen Chosin.”
Battle of Chosin Reservoir - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
Today in Military History:
On 11 November 1944 B-29 air strikes against Tokyo were cancelled and Archerfish, originally assigned to lifesaving duties, was free to patrol the waters near Tokyo Bay. On the night of 28 November she spots what is believed to be a tanker leaving the bay. Lookouts later determine that it’s a large aircraft carrier with three destroyer escorts.
Archerfish CO, CDR Joseph F. Enright, begins a six-hour surface track on the carrier in anticipation of a submerged attack. When the carrier turned into the sub’s path six torpedos were fired. They were set for shallow running in order to increase the chances of a hit in case they ran deeper than set. Two torpedo hits were seen and four more were heard. The carrier sank in 5 hours.
Enright believed the target to be, and was credited for, a Hayataka-class carrier weighing 28,000 tons. Post war accounting identified the target as the Shinano, a 72,000 ton supercarrier, originally laid down as a Yamato-class battleship, the first of its kind. It was so secret it was being transferred from Yokusuka to Kure for final fitting out. One of the items on the list for installation were her watertight doors. Once the torpedos hit, the inexperienced crew could do nothing to save her.
Shinano remains the the largest warship ever sunk buy a submarine. Archerfish earned the Presidential Unit Citation for this patrol and Enright was awarded the Navy Cross.
On September 2, 1945, Enright and his crew, along with eleven other submarines, were honored with the task of protecting USS Missouri (BB-63) during the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.
www.warhistoryonline.com
On 11 November 1944 B-29 air strikes against Tokyo were cancelled and Archerfish, originally assigned to lifesaving duties, was free to patrol the waters near Tokyo Bay. On the night of 28 November she spots what is believed to be a tanker leaving the bay. Lookouts later determine that it’s a large aircraft carrier with three destroyer escorts.
Archerfish CO, CDR Joseph F. Enright, begins a six-hour surface track on the carrier in anticipation of a submerged attack. When the carrier turned into the sub’s path six torpedos were fired. They were set for shallow running in order to increase the chances of a hit in case they ran deeper than set. Two torpedo hits were seen and four more were heard. The carrier sank in 5 hours.
Enright believed the target to be, and was credited for, a Hayataka-class carrier weighing 28,000 tons. Post war accounting identified the target as the Shinano, a 72,000 ton supercarrier, originally laid down as a Yamato-class battleship, the first of its kind. It was so secret it was being transferred from Yokusuka to Kure for final fitting out. One of the items on the list for installation were her watertight doors. Once the torpedos hit, the inexperienced crew could do nothing to save her.
Shinano remains the the largest warship ever sunk buy a submarine. Archerfish earned the Presidential Unit Citation for this patrol and Enright was awarded the Navy Cross.
On September 2, 1945, Enright and his crew, along with eleven other submarines, were honored with the task of protecting USS Missouri (BB-63) during the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.
USS Archerfish: Sinking the 72,000-ton Aircraft Carrier Shinano
USS Archerfish (SS-311) was a Balao-class submarine named after a toxotoid fish. The archerfish is an adept predator that shoots a high-pressure stream of
www.warhistoryonline.com
Hiphophippo
Well-Known Member
I got my ass handed to me in basic once by a woman with a mustache
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
"Project Recover began as Dr. Pat Scannon’s vision to bring MIAs home from Palau in 1993. Formerly known as The BentProp Project, the organization has grown from a grassroots effort to a team of dedicated professionals and volunteers using innovative science to bring our MIAs home. Over nearly three decades, the team has located more than 30 US World War II aircraft associated with more than 100 MIAs in missions around the globe.
In 2012, Project Recover was informally founded as a collaborative partnership between Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, and University of Delaware. In 2016, the partnership was formalized. In 2018, The BentProp Project officially changed its name to Project Recover. The organization works in close partnership with Scripps and UDel."
www.projectrecover.org
In 2012, Project Recover was informally founded as a collaborative partnership between Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, and University of Delaware. In 2016, the partnership was formalized. In 2018, The BentProp Project officially changed its name to Project Recover. The organization works in close partnership with Scripps and UDel."
Home
Project Recover is a collaborative effort to find and repatriate American MIAs for their recognition and closure for families and the Nation.
www.projectrecover.org
The BentProp Project
legacy.bentprop.org
BarnBuster
Virtually Unknown Member
December 1, 1943, The first operational use of the American P-51D Mustang is in a fighter sweep over occupied Belgium. The P-51 was designed as the NA-73 in 1940 at Britain’s request. The design showed promise and AAF purchases of Allison-powered Mustangs began in 1941 primarily for photo recon and ground support use due to its limited high-altitude performance.
But in 1942, tests of P-51s using the British Rolls-Royce “Merlin” engine revealed much improved speed and service ceiling, and in Dec. 1943, Merlin-powered P-51Bs first entered combat over Europe. Providing high-altitude escort to B-17s and B-24s, they scored heavily over German interceptors and by war’s end, P-51s had destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other fighter in Europe.
The Mustang was the first single-engine plane based in Britain to penetrate Germany, first to reach Berlin, first to go with the heavy bombers over the Ploiesti oil fields in Romania, and first to make a major-scale, all-fighter sweep specifically to hunt down the dwindling Luftwaffe.
One of the highest honors accorded to the Mustang was its rating in 1944 by the Truman Senate War Investigating Committee as “the most aerodynamically perfect pursuit plane in existence.”
Mustangs served in nearly every combat zone, including the Pacific where they escorted B-29s to Japan from Iwo Jima. Between 1941-5, the AAF ordered 14,855 Mustangs (including A-36A dive bomber and F-6 photo recon versions), of which 7,956 were P-51Ds. During the Korean War, P-51Ds were used primarily for close support of ground forces until withdrawn from combat in 1953.
raratt
Well-Known Member
My favorite WWII airplane. Nothing like the sound of those V12's.