23 July 1947: VF-17A becomes the Navy’s first all-jet squadron with the initial delivery of 2 x FD-1 Phantoms at NAS Quonset Point, RI and the era of props on carriers begins to close. This followed by a year, the first carrier ops of a jet with a FD-1 onboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. Taking subsequent…
If you haven’t already, you need to go to Pinch’s site and read the AAR of the memorial service held for BGEN Robin Olds, USAF-Ret. A rare bird in his time, unfortunately probably more so now. Go. Read. Remember.
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which…
Eugene Bennett Fluckey, a legendary World War II submariner and one of the most highly decorated living American servicemen, died Thursday night at a hospital in Annapolis, Maryland, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was 93. In five war patrols as the skipper of the submarine Barb, Fluckey sank dozens upon dozens of Japanese ships and…
A little while back, lex spoke of the qualities of a good wingman. Today, comes the story (courtesy of a cell-, er, cube-mate) of another wingman, albeit from the other Service with pilots who fly jets, but compelling nonetheless. -SJS "Nearly all plumes of black smoke on dry lake beds are resulted from planned,…
Read the other 703 pages here.
There are any number of websites accessible today on nuclear matters – technical, strategy, war fighting. For those of us who started our research/studies some few decades ago, it seems like an embarrassment of riches. We had to do the hard work – parsing reams of Congressional testimony, track down obscure references and deal with…
"I can run wild for six months … after that, I have no expectation of success." – Fleet Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto In racing there is a saying – ‘luck is where preparation meets opportunity’ Perhaps there is no truer an example than the Battle of Midway. Popular literature seems to emphasize the American forces stumbling…
In carrying out the task assigned … you will be governed by the principle of calculated risk, which you shall interpret to mean the avoidance of exposure of our forces without good prospect on inflicting, as a result of such exposure, greater damage on the enemy. (Extract from CINCPAC Operational Order to TF 17 Commander)…
WEDNESDAY, 3 JUNE 1942 ALASKA: In an attempt to divert forces from the Midway area, a Japanese carrier-based bombers and fighters bomb and strafe Ft Mears and Dutch Harbor in several waves inflicting little damage but killing 52 US personnel. P-40s from Cold Bay trying to intercept them arrive 10 minutes after the last attack…
