History Friday

[brewskis]

In June 1982, Israeli ground forces pushed into Lebanon in an effort to put an end to cross-border terror attacks. Operation Peace for Galilee, as Israel dubbed it, led to a prolonged conflict with Lebanon and produced mixed overall results.

However, the initial phase of that operation included a spectacular moment when the Israeli Air Force destroyed 19 surface-to-air missile batteries, with no losses, and downed a huge number of enemy aircraft. With real-time intelligence and careful exploitation of adversary weaknesses, the IAF dealt modern air defenses their first major defeat.

So startling was the IAF success in that Bekaa Valley air war 20 years ago this month that it ever since has stood out as a critical turning point in the deadly duel of fighters and SAMs.

Operation Mole Cricket 19

I'm a few days early on it, but the other event that happened on June 6th usually overshadows this operation (as it rightfully should).

Nonetheless, the article about the Bekaa Valley operation is interesting and there are a few other good articles/essay written about it that you can find via Google. I wasn't even around when this happened, but I can fathom how this influenced our planning for Desert Storm and everything afterwards.

[brickhistory]

4 June 1942 - The Battle of Midway.

As decisive a turning point as existed in WWII except for dropping the two atomic bombs.

[Royal]

4 June 1942 - The Battle of Midway.

As decisive a turning point as existed in WWII except for dropping the two atomic bombs.

Thanks for the reminder, Brick. I doubt I would've thought about it if you hadn't mentioned it.

[MKopack]

4 June 1942 - The Battle of Midway. As decisive a turning point as existed in WWII except for dropping the two atomic bombs.

During the 80's at an airshow, I had the privilege to meet George Gay (1917-1994), a TBD Devastator pilot from Torpedo Squadron 8 on the USS Hornet. Seventy years ago today his entire squadron attacked the Japanese fleet without fighter support. In that one attack every aircraft was lost. Then-Ensign George Gay was the only survivor, recovered from the water over 30 hours later.

[billy pilgrim]

During the 80's at an airshow, I had the privilege to meet George Gay (1917-1994), a TBD Devastator pilot from Torpedo Squadron 8 on the USS Hornet. Seventy years ago today his entire squadron attacked the Japanese fleet without fighter support. In that one attack every aircraft was lost. Then-Ensign George Gay was the only survivor, recovered from the water over 30 hours later.

I just read The Wrong Stuff which is by a WWII B-17 pilot (awesome book btw). The author talks of calling for fighter support over Germany while their formation was being attacked by approximately 50 enemy fighters. TWO P-38's checked in. One orbited overhead the bombers the other P-38 flew directly into the pack of german fighters*, downing two and dispersing the rest. Then checked off station once the Germans were gone.

*Do you call engaged? Or is at that point it assumed?

[Ram]

I just read The Wrong Stuff which is by a WWII B-17 pilot (awesome book btw). The author talks of calling for fighter support over Germany while their formation was being attacked by approximately 50 enemy fighters. TWO P-38's checked in. One orbited overhead the bombers the other P-38 flew directly into the pack of german fighters*, downing two and dispersing the rest. Then checked off station once the Germans were gone.

*Do you call engaged? Or is at that point it assumed?

No comm required. #1 is the engaged fighter from step to shutdown.

[Danger41]

During the 80's at an airshow, I had the privilege to meet George Gay (1917-1994), a TBD Devastator pilot from Torpedo Squadron 8 on the USS Hornet. Seventy years ago today his entire squadron attacked the Japanese fleet without fighter support. In that one attack every aircraft was lost. Then-Ensign George Gay was the only survivor, recovered from the water over 30 hours later.

Unbelievable. The loss of life on both sides (especially the Soviets) in WW2 is hard to grasp.

[Swizzle]

a rabbit trail...

[Sketch]

P-61 Black Widow?

[Swizzle]

P-61 Black Widow?

https://tighar.org/Projects/P38/press.htm

[MKopack]

Winston Churchill returns from a wartime trip to America, piloting a flying boat, on 02 Feb 1942.

If you are "the Boss" who is going to tell you that you can't go ahead and fly it (and smoke a cigar while you do)? The aircraft is a BOAC Boeing 314 "Berwick" G-AGCA.

"Churchill soon made friends with [bOAC Captain] John Kelly Rogers, “a man of high quality and experience.” He entered the cockpit smoking his usual cigar, and Kelly Rogers waived the rules and let him continue, even allowing him to strike a match when it went out. He tried the controls of the huge craft, as Kelly Rogers whispered into the co-pilot’s ear, ordering him to apply corrections only if it looked as if the plane was getting out of the Prime Minister’s control…

Churchill was allowed to do a couple of slightly banked turns, and was photographed by one of the official cameramen. He talked about his own flying career which had begun in 1913 when he founded the Royal Naval Air Service, and compared the Boeing Clipper with the primitive aircraft he had known then. When Kelly Rogers made radio contact with the [accompanying] Pan American planes, Churchill asked if he could speak to them, but the captain ruled that out as too much of a security risk…"

– Lavery, Brian. “A Flying Hotel in the Fog.” Churchill Goes to War: Winston’s Wartime Journeys. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2007.

Edited August 4, 2012 by MKopack

[MKopack]

Of all the months to not be in Dayton, Ohio...

Tickets available Oct. 2 for Misty FAC panel discussion at museum

9/26/2012 - DAYTON, Ohio -- Tickets will be available beginning Oct. 2 for the Misty Forward Air Controllers (FAC) panel discussion, which will take place from 10-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20. During this free presentation, the public will have the rare opportunity to interact with Misty Forward Air Controllers, as the FACs share their experiences spotting and marking enemy targets in heavily-defended areas during the Southeast Asia War.

Panelists include Col. (Ret.) George "Bud" Day, Misty 1; Col. (Ret.) Charles B. Neel, Misty 22; Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Donald W. Shepperd, Misty 34; Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dick Rutan, Misty 40; Lt. Col. (Ret.) Stephen L. Amdor, Misty 54; Gen. (Ret.) Ronald R. Fogleman, Misty 86; a Gen. (Ret.) Who Shall Not Be Named, Misty 94; and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jack Doub, Misty 145. Other Misty FACs also will be in attendance and available to answer questions.

Tickets for the panel discussion are available until Oct. 17 and may be obtained in two ways. Requests can be made in person at the museum's Special Events office Monday- Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (excluding federal holidays). Those who cannot make it in person may request tickets by calling (937) 255-5940. If requesting tickets by phone, please provide your name, phone number, address and the number of tickets you would like mailed to you. Tickets will be mailed by Oct. 12.

A book signing and autograph session will take place from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Authors Day, Shepperd, McPeak and Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Ross C. Detwiler, Misty 67, will sign copies of their books. Other Misty FACs also will be available for autographs.

[SocialD]

Of all the months to not be in Dayton, Ohio...

You missed one...pay up!

[Sketch]

Redacted. I will stop talking and stick to the ROTC/OTS threads..

Edited October 2, 2012 by Justanothercadet

[Guest]

What's wrong with you?

[matmacwc]

Go to time out little one

[Vno]

WTF did he say?

[Bergman]

Of all the months to not be in Dayton, Ohio...

It would be humbling to be in the same room as (most of) those guys.

American Patriot: The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day was a good read. Highly recommend, especially for those of you who are unfamiliar with Bud Day and/or the Mistys.

https://www.amazon.com/American-Patriot-Life-Wars-Colonel/dp/0316067393

[cragspider]

That would be great to hear most of them speak. Also recommend Bury Us Upside Down: The Misty Pilots and the Secret Battle for the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Great read on the whole Misty FAC mission.

[MKopack]

You missed one...pay up!

My foul, I'll pay that one. I've been lucky enough to meet a lot of the guys that I grew up hearing / reading about, but that is quite a line up. I've never read Bud Day's book (although his story is legendary) I'll have to pick that one up.

Mid 70's at Windsor Locks with F-100F 56-3801 of the CTANG...

[amcflyboy]

My foul, I'll pay that one. I've been lucky enough to meet a lot of the guys that I grew up hearing / reading about, but that is quite a line up. I've never read Bud Day's book (although his story is legendary) I'll have to pick that one up.

Mid 70's at Windsor Locks with F-100F 56-3801 of the CTANG...

Yup, and now these poor guys are looking for a mission: A-10 to C-21 to C-27 to MC-12(??) in a period of 5 years.

[JarheadBoom]

Funeral for the oldest veteran of the Battle of Britain

[Spur38]

Funeral for the oldest veteran of the Battle of Britain

:beer: And he topped off his career by going into the family brewing business! The mold isn't broken, just a fissure that will only expand if the leadership doesn't get its shit together!

[Steve Davies]

I thought this was classy. Rescuers will rerun to the site to lay poppies.

Rescuers to return to scene of US jet crash on Skye

Men involved in the search for survivors of a US military jet crash 30 years ago are planning to return to the site of the fatal accident.

Maj Burnley Rudiger, 37, and Lt Steven Pitt, 28, died when their F111 fighter bomber went into Sgurr na Stri, a small hill on Skye, on 7 December 1982.

Link: BBC

Edited December 5, 2012 by Steve Davies

[ClearedHot]

A brand new MC-130J (Pictured here), is about to be delivered to AFSOC, it will spend some time being modified into the lastest version of the AC-130. Love my job.

Edited December 9, 2012 by ClearedHot