FReeper Canteen ~ Part III of Women Warriors: Middle East and North Africa ~ February 3, 2004

On This day in history

Birthdates which occurred on February 03:
1368 Charles VI King of France (1380-1422)
1805 Otto T Freiherr von Manteuffel premier Prussia
1807 Joseph E Johnston General (Commander army of Tennessee)
1807 Joseph Eggleston Johnston General (Confederate Army), died in 1891
1809 Felix Mendelssohn, German composer and pianist (Overture to a Midsummer Night's Dream).
1811 Horace Greeley editor ("Go west, young man")
1817 Samuel Ryan Curtis Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1866
1820 Elisha Kent Kane US arctic explorer (Kane Basin off NW Greenland)
1821 Elizabeth Blackwell Bristol England, 1st woman physician
1823 Spencer F Baird US biologist (Wood's Hole Station)
1824 George Thomas "Tige" Anderson Brigadier General (Confederate Army)
1824 Nathan George "Shanks" Evans Brigadier General (Confederacy), died in 1868
1831 Cyrus Ballou Comstock Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1910
1865 Martinus Ballings Flemish Jesuit/author (Will Power)
1874 Gertrude Stein Pennsylvania, author (Autobiography of Alice B Toklas)
1883 Clarence Mulford Illinois, western writer (Hopalong Cassidy)
1890 Heinrich Barth Swiss philosopher (Problem des Bösen)
1894 Norman Rockwell US, artist/illustrator (Sat Evening Post covers)
1899 Forrest "Red" DeBernardi basketball hall of famer (elected 1961)
1904 Charlie "Pretty Boy" Floyd (Oklahoma knew him well)
1907 James A Michener New York NY, writer (Tales of the South Pacific, Centennial, Chesapeake, Hawaii, Space)
1918 Joey Bishop [Gottlieb], Bronx, comedian/talk show host (Joey Bishop Show)
1922 Jean-Pierre Rampal flutist (Italian Flute Concertos)
1926 Arthur Arfons auto racer/designer (Green Monster 1964-536.71 MPH)
1926 Shelley Berman Chicago IL, actor/comedian (Son of the Blob, Love American Style)
1933 Paul S Sarbanes (Senator-D-MD, 1977- )
1935 Johnny "Guitar" Watson rock guitarist
1938 Victor Buono San Diego CA, actor
1940 Fran Tarkenton Richmond VA, NFL quarterback (New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings)
1943 Blythe Danner Philadelphia PA, actress (Butterflies are Free)
1945 Bob Griese NFL quarterback (Miami Dolphins, 1971 Player of Year)
1947 Dave Davies London, rock vocalist/guitarist (Kinks-Lola)
1950 Morgan Fairchild [Patsy McClenny], Dallas TX, actress (Falcon Crest, Flamingo Road)
1958 Joe Frank Edwards Jr Richmond VA, Commander USN/astronaut (STS 89)
1984 ? Long Beach CA, 1st baby conceived by embryo transplant

Deaths which occurred on February 03:
0474 Leo I Byzantine Emperor (457-74), dies
1399 John of Gaunt duke of Lancaster/king of Castile & León, dies at 58
1451 Murad II sultan of Turkey (1421-51), dies
1558 Alfonsus de Castro Spanish theologist (council of Trente), dies
1832 George Crabbe English vicar/poet (Borough), dies at 77
1889 Belle Starr US female gangster, murdered at 40
1909 Johann Georg Herzog composer, dies at 86
1924 Woodrow Wilson 28th President (1913-21), dies at his home in Washington at 67
1943 Alexander Goode rabbi who surrendered his life jacket, drowns
1945 Roland Freisler German Nazi judge (July 20th plotter case), dies
1958 Henry Kuttner sci-fi author (Dark World, As You Were), dies at 42
1959 The Big Bopper [Jiles Perry Richardson] rocker (Chantilly Lace), dies in a planein Iowa crash at 28
1959 Buddy Holly rocker (That'll be the Day), dies in a plane crashi Iowa at 22
1959 Richie Valens rock vocalist (Donna, La Bamba), killed in plane crash in Iowa at 17
1989 John Cassavetes actor/director (Husbands, Dirty Dozen), dies at 59
1991 Nancy Kulp actress (Jane Hathaway-Beverly Hillbillies), dies at 69
1996 Audrey Meadows actress (Alice-Honeymooners), dies at 69
1997 William Geoffrey Biddle bomb disposal expert, dies at 79
1998 Karla Faye Tucker murderer, executed at 38

Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1966 BROWN WILBUR R.---WILMINGTON NC.
[NO RADIO CONTACT CRASH SITE UNCONFIRMED]
1966 CARTER JAMES L.---PASADENA CA.
[NO RADIO CONTACT CRASH SITE UNCONF]
1966 COFFEE GERALD L.---LOS ANGELES CA.
[02/12/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1966 HANSON ROBERT T.---TOLEDO OH.
[REMAINS RETURNED-IDENTIFIED 02/22/89]
1966 PARSLEY EDWARD M.---NAUGATUCK WV.
[NO RADIO CONTACT CRASH SITE UNCONF]
1966 WALLER THERMAN M.---WYNNE AR.
[NO RADIO CONTACT CRASH SITE UNCONF]
1967 JOHNSON AUGUST D.---HOUSTON TX.
[BLOWN UP BY GRENADE IN BOAT]
1968 ANDERSON JOHN T.---NIAGARA FALLS NY.
[03/05/73 RELEASED BY PRG, DECEASED]
1968 CAYER MARC---CANADA
[INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTARY SERVICE RELEASED 13 FEB 1973]
1968 DEERING JOHN A.---NASHVILLE TN.
[03/05/73 RELEASED BY PRG, ALIVE IN 98]
1968 DI BERNARDO JAMES V.---FULTON NY.
[03/05/73 RELEASED BY PRG, ALIVE IN 1998]
1968 DIERLING EDWARD A.
[02/23/68 ESCAPED]
1968 DAVES GARY L.
[03/16/73 RELEASED BY PRG]
1968 ETTMUELLER HARRY L.---PLEASANTVILLE NJ.
[03/05/73 RELEASED BY PRG, ALIVE AND WELL 99]
1968 GOUIN DONAT J.---FORT KNOX KY.
[03/05/73 RELEASED BY PRG, ALIVE IN 98]
1968 HAYHURST ROBERT A.---NEW RICHMOND WI.
[02/23/68 ESCAPED]
1968 JOHNS VERNON Z.---BALTIMORE MD.
[REMAINS RETURNED 89]
1968 WIGGINS WALLACE L.---WHITTIER CA.
[08/24/78 REMAINS RETURNED]
1968 WILSON MARION E.---ZANESVILLE OH.
1971 GOTNER NORBERT A.---KANSAS CITY KS.
[03/29/73 RELEASED BY PL, ALIVE IN 98]
1971 STANDERWICK ROBERT L. SR.---MANKATO KS.
1973 STRINGHAM WILLIAM STERLIN---GARDEN GROVE CA.

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

On this day...
1160 Emperor Frederick Barbarossa hurtles prisoners, including children, at the Italian city of Crema, forcing its surrender.
1238 The Mongols take over Vladimir, Russia
1377 Cardinal Robert of Geneva (anti-pope Clemens VII) starts term
1377 Mass execution of population of Cesena Italy
1488 Bartholomeus Diaz discovers Mosselbaai (Angra dos Vaqueros)
1547 Russian czar Ivan IV (17) marries Anastasia Romanova
1576 Henry of Navarre (future Henry IV) escapes from Paris
1591 German monarchy forms Protestant Union of Torgau
1660 General Moncks army reaches London
1690 1st paper money in America issued (colony of Massachusetts)
1740 Charles de Bourbon, King of Naples, invites Jews to return to Sicily
1743 Philadelphia establishes a "pesthouse" to quarantine immigrants
1752 Dutch States-General forbid export of windmills
1783 Spain recognizes US independence
1809 Territory of Illinois organizes (including present-day Wisconsin)
1815 World's 1st commercial cheese factory established, in Switzerland
1836 Whig Party holds its 1st national convention (Albany NY)
1855 Wisconsin Supreme Court declares US Fugitive Slave Law unconstitutional
1867 Prince Mutsuhito, 14, becomes Emperor Meiji of Japan (1867-1912)
1870 15th Amendment (Black suffrage) passed
1876 Albert Spalding with $800 starts sporting goods company, manufacturing 1st official baseball, tennis ball, basketball, golf ball, & football
1882 Circus owner PT Barnum buys his world famous elephant Jumbo
1887 To avoid disputed national elections, Congress creates Electoral Count Act
1894 1st US steel sailing vessel, Dirigo, launched, Bath ME
1899 -16º F (-27º C), Minden LA (state record)
1908 Supreme Court rules a union boycott violates Sherman Antitrust Act
1913 16th Amendment, federal income tax, ratified
1916 Canada's original Parliament building, in Ottawa, burns down
1917 US liner Housatonic sunk by German sub & diplomatic relations severed
1919 League of Nations 1st meeting (Paris)
1919 Socialist conference convenes (Berne Switzerland)
1924 Alexei Ryko elected as President of People's commission (succeeds Lenin)
1930 William Howard Taft, resigns as chief justice for health reasons
1930 Vietnamese Communistic Party forms
1931 Arkansas legislature passes motion to pray for soul of H L Mencken after he calls the state the "apex of moronia"
1941 Supreme Court upheld Federal Wage & Hour law, sets minimum wages & maximum hours
1942 1st Japanese air raid on Java
1942 Baseball owners agree to permit each club up to 14 night games in 1942
1943 4 chaplains drown after giving up their life jackets to others
1945 Walt Disney's "The 3 Caballeros" released
1945 Almost 1000 Flying Fortresses drop 3000 ton bombs on Berlin
1947 -81ºF (-63ºC), Snag Yukon (North American record)
1950 Nuclear physicist Klaus Fuchs arrested on spy charges
1951 Largest purse to date in horse racing, $144,323, won by Great Circle
1953 J Fred Muggs, a chimp, becomes a regular on NBC's Today Show
1957 Patty Berg win LPGA Havana Golf Open
1958 Royal Teens' "Short Shorts" enters Top 40 chart & peaks at #3
1959 The day he music died
1962 President Kennedy bans all trade with Cuba except for food & drugs
1964 "Meet the Beatles" album goes Gold
1965 Orbiting Solar Observatory 2 launches into Earth orbit (552/636 km)
1965 105 USAF cadets resigned for cheating on exams
1966 1st soft landing on the Moon (Soviet Luna 9)
1967 "Purple Haze" recorded by Jimi Hendrix
1969 The Palestine National Congress appointed Yasser Arafat head of PLO
1973 Dr Hook's "Cover of "Rolling Stone"" enters Top 40 & peaks at #6
1973 President Nixon signs Endangered Species Act into law
1979 Minnesota Twin trade Rod Carew to California for 4 players
1979 "YMCA" by Village People peaks at #2 on pop singles chart
1980 Muhammed Ali tours Africa as President Carter's envoy
1980 Larry Holmes TKOs Lorenzo Holmes in 6 for heavyweight boxing title
1982 Greatest helicopter lift, 56,888 kg, Podmoscovnoe, USSR
1984 1st baby conceived by embryo transplant born in Long Beach CA
1987 San Diego Yacht Club celebrates return of America's Cup
1989 Military coup overthrows Alfredo Stroessner, dictator of Paraguay
1990 Jockey Billy Shoemaker (58), retires after 40,350 horse races
1990 New York Met Darryl Strawberry voluntarily enters Smither Center for Alcohol rehabilitation
1993 Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott suspended for 1 year due to racist comments
1993 Federal trial of 4 police officers charged with civil rights violations in videotaped beating of Rodney King begins in Los Angeles CA
1994 President Bill Clinton lifts US trade embargo against Vietnam
1998 Mary Kay LeTourneau, 36, former teacher, violates probation with 14 year-old father of her baby
1998 US military plane clips cable car lines in northern Italy, kills 20

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Japan : Bean throwing Festival/Setsubun (last day of lunar calendar winter)
Paraguay : Patron's Day/San Blas, patrón
Puerto Rico : Fiesta de San Blas, protector of harvest (316)
Switzerland : Homstrom-celebrates end of winter ( Sunday )
US : Crime Prevention Week (Day 3)
US : 4 Chaplains Memorial Day
US : Flush Toilet Day
US : Muffin Mania Week (Day 3)
Community College Month

Religious Observances
Roman Catholic : Memorial of St Blase, bishop of Sebaste, Armenia, martyr (opt)
Christian : Feast of St Laurentius, 2nd archbishop of Canterbury (604-619)
Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran : Memorial of Anskar, Hamburg archbishop, Denmark/Sweden

Religious History
1518 Pope Leo X imposed silence on the Augustinian monks.
1744 Colonial missionary to the American Indians David Brainerd explained in a tract: 'God designs that those whom He sanctifies...shall tarry awhile in this present evil world, that their own experience of temptations may teach them how great the deliverance is, which God has wrought for them.'
1864 In Columbus, Ohio, a fellowship of independent Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational and United Brethren churches organized itself into a separate Protestant denomination known as the Christian Union.
1943 The Allied troopship S.S. Dorchester was torpedoed by a German sub and went down with a loss of 600 lives. As it sank, four chaplains gave up their lifejackets to shipmates, thereby also perishing in the icy waters. The bravery of Rev. Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), Rev. George Lansing Fox (Methodist), Father John Washington (a Catholic priest) and Alexander David Goode (a Jewish rabbi) led Congress afterward to mark February 3rd as "Four Chaplains Day."
1985 In South Africa, Desmond Tutu, 53, became Johannesburg's first black Anglican bishop.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

Thought for the day :
"Prejudices are the chains forged by ignorance to keep men apart."

Question of the day...
Is "tired old cliché" one?

Murphys Law of the day...(USAF Law)
Cluster bombing from B-52's is very, very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground.

Astounding fact # 672...
The first brand of Wrigley's chewing gum was called "Vassar", after the New England woman's college. Next were "Lotta" and "Sweet Sixteen Orange."

Today's Medal of Honor Recipients

*BLANCHFIELD, MICHAEL R.

Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 4th Battalion, 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade.

Place and date: Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam, 3 July 1969.

Entered service at: Chicago, Ill.

Born: 4 January 1950, Minneapolis, Minn.

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Blanchfield distinguished himself while serving as a rifleman in Company A on a combat patrol.

The patrol surrounded a group of houses to search for suspects. During the search of 1 of the huts, a man suddenly ran out toward a nearby tree line. Sp4c. Blanchfield, who was on guard outside the hut, saw the man, shouted for him to halt, and began firing at him as the man ignored the warning and continued to run. The suspect suddenly threw a grenade toward the hut and its occupants. Although the exploding grenade severely wounded Sp4c. Blanchfield and several others, he regained his feet to continue the pursuit of the enemy. The fleeing enemy threw a second grenade which landed near Sp4c. Blanchfield and several members of his patrol. Instantly realizing the danger, he shouted a warning to his comrades. Sp4c. Blanchfield unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his safety, threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the full and fatal impact of the explosion. By his gallant action and self-sacrifice, he was able to save the lives and prevent injury to 4 members of the patrol and several Vietnamese civilians in the immediate area. Sp4c. Blanchfield's extraordinary courage and gallantry at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

*BOBO, JOHN P.

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3d Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division (Rein), FMF.

Place and date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 30 March 1967.

Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y.

Born: 14 February 1943, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

Company 1 was establishing night ambush sites when the command group was attacked by a reinforced North Vietnamese company supported by heavy automatic weapons and mortar fire. 2d Lt. Bobo immediately organized a hasty defense and moved from position to position encouraging the outnumbered marines despite the murderous enemy fire. Recovering a rocket launcher from among the friendly casualties, he organized a new launcher team and directed its fire into the enemy machine gun positions. When an exploding enemy mortar round severed 2d Lt. Bobo's right leg below the knee, he refused to be evacuated and insisted upon being placed in a firing position to cover the movement of the command group to a better location. With a web belt around his leg serving as a tourniquet and with his leg jammed into the dirt to curtain the bleeding, he remained in this position and delivered devastating fire into the ranks of the enemy attempting to overrun the marines. 2d Lt. Bobo was mortally wounded while firing his weapon into the main point of the enemy attack but his valiant spirit inspired his men to heroic efforts, and his tenacious stand enabled the command group to gain a protective position where it repulsed the enemy onslaught. 2d Lt. Bobo's superb leadership, dauntless courage, and bold initiative reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

"If there be any glory in war, let it rest on the shoulders of men like these" -- Audie Murphy

Thank you to all the soldiers, sailors, coast guardsmen, marines and airmen just "doing their duty" today. You are my heroes and I pray for God's blessings on you today. You will not be forgotten.

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