The FReeper Foxhole Studies US Military Aerial Demonstration Teams - Part One - Dec. 1st, 2003

see educational sources

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


...................................................................................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

Our Mission:

The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.

The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer.

If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions.

We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.

To read previous Foxhole threads or
to add the Foxhole to your sidebar,
click on the books below.

US Military Aerial Demonstration Teams
Part One of Three



USAF Teams

Public displays of aerobatics were common during the "barnstorming" days shortly after WWI when civilian flyers demonstrated wing walking and other feats of daring intended to thrill their audiences. In contrast, USAF aerial demonstration teams from the beginning have consistently avoided any reference to their skilled formation maneuvers as daredevil "stunt flying."

The first such Army Air Corps team, the "Three Musketeers," represented the 1st Pursuit Group at the 1928 National Air Races and in 1932, a pursuit aviation instructor at Maxwell Field, Alabama, Capt. Claire L. Chennault of later Flying Tiger fame, organized the "Men on the Flying Trapeze." Other Pre-WWII Army teams included the "Three Mugs of Beer" and the "Skylarks." However, it was not until the jet era when advances in aircraft and engine design produced fast, highly responsive planes that team demonstrations of precise formation maneuvers reached their height of popularity.

Rather than merely serving as ambassadors of good will before millions of spectators in this country and abroad, the various USAF and ANG aerial teams have demonstrated the performance capabilities and reliability of typical USAF operational aircraft and the skill of military-trained pilots. Their precision moves, based on combat maneuvers taught to all USAF fighter pilots, also have provided increased confidence to men learning to fly high performance jet aircraft. As expressed by Major Vincent Gordon, organizer of the "Sabre Knights" team in 1954: "Formation flying stresses teamwork--the keystone of all aerial tactics."

"Men on the Flying Trapeze"


"Men on the Flying Trapeze," organized in 1932 at the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, flew P-12 pursuit aircraft until the team disbanded in 1936. From left, Lt. W.C. McDonald, Jr., Capt. Claire L. Chennault, and Lt. John H. Williamson, each of whom went to China early in WWII and served with the Flying Tigers. Not in photo was team member Lt. Haywood S. Hansell, Jr., who in 1944 and early 1945 commanded the 21st Bomber Command during the B-29 bombing campaign against Japan. The trophy was one presented to the team during the All-American Air Races at Miami, Florida in 1935.





"Skylarks"

The "Skylarks" demonstration team from Maxwell Field, Alabama. From left, Lt. Carl D. Storrie, Lt. Clayton E. Hughes, Lt. Wilbur W. Airing, and Capt. Charles D. McAllister, leader. Such Army Air Corps teams carefully avoided any reference to their maneuvers as "stunt flying," strictly forbidden by Air Corps regulations.


Flying P-12Es, the "Skylarks," successors to the "Men on the Flying Trapeze," demonstrated their skill at the National Air Races at Cleveland, Ohio in 1937.

"Red Devils"


"Red Devil" P-51s in formation.


The "Red Devils" from Las Vegas AFB, Nevada (later renamed Nellis AFB). Standing from left: Lt. Gabriel Bartholomew, Maj. John England (leader), and Capt. Joe Joiner; kneeling, from left: Lt. Leon Pagan and Lt. James Putnam.
Flying P-51 "Mustangs," the team was in existence for less than a year (1949). (England AFB, La. was named for Maj. England, killed in an aircraft crash in 1954.)


"Guardian Angels"


The Guardian Angels, a Maryland Air National Guard exhibition flying team, in close formation in their F-51Hs (1953).

"Acrojets"


F-80s of the "Acrojets" team from the USAF Fighter School at Williams AFB, Arizona (c. 1949).

In existence from 1949-53, the team flew F-80s and the trainer version of that aircraft, the T-33.


T33A

"Sabre Dancers"


F-86As of the "Sabre Dancers" demonstration team. These aircraft display the famed "Hat in the Ring" insignia from the 94th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. (c. 1950)

USAFE "Acrojets"


A T-33 assigned to the USAFE "Acrojets," a team organized by USAF instructor pilots after the air base at Fuerstenfledbruck, Germany became a training base for the West German Air Force (c. 1956).

"Skyblazers"


"Skyblazers" flying F-80B aircraft over Orly Airport at Paris, France during a 1950 French Air Show.

The team was organized in Europe in 1949 and by 1952 had flown some 260 demonstrations in 12 countries before an estimated 10 million spectators.


"Skyblazer" F-100s present a study in contrasting patterns during a precision formation maneuver (c. 1958)


"Skyblazer" F-100s, their afterburners in operation for a burst of added speed, maneuver in close formation.


Mechanics service a "Skyblazer" F-100

"Sabre Knights"


Maneuvering as one aircraft, the "Sabre Knights" perform a tight loop in their F-86Ds near Nellis AFB, Nevada.

The team was organized in 1954 by pilots of the Air Defense Command's 325th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.

"Minute Men"



Members of the Colorado ANG's "Minute Men" put on aerial shows in their F-86s beginning in 1954 and from 1956 until 1959 served as the National Guard Bureaus official aerial demonstration team representing all ANG units.


"Minute Men" F-86s


With dive brakes extended and trailing smoke from their F-86s to accentuate their maneuvers, the "Minute Men" perform a low speed pass.

"Four Horsemen"

The unique "Four Horsemen" team performed from 1956 until 1960 in the U.S. flying four-engine C-130 cargo aircraft demonstrating a series of formation-changing maneuvers. Aircraft were selected at random for demonstrations; no specially modified aircraft were used.


The "Four Horsemen" in 1960 included from left: Capts. Hubert E. Chaney, William H. Hatfield, James F. Akin, and David L. Moore, Tactical Air Command pilots of the 774th Troop Carrier Squadron.


The team's purpose was to demonstrate the performance and versatility of the C-130 aircraft.

"Black Knight"



The 38th Bomb wing at Laon, France became well known in Europe in the late 1950s for their "Black Knight" aerobatic team, normally consisting of a flight of four B-57s and a solo aircraft. Although this was the first bomber aerobatic team, it soon was ordered disbanded.

---

Part Two of Aerial Demonstration Teams will cover the THUNDERBIRDS on Friday December 5th

Part Three of Aerial Demonstration Teams will cover the BLUE ANGELS on Saturday December 6th

---

---

FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[snippy_about_it]

Air Combat Command Demonstration Teams

Air Combat Command is one of nine commands in the US Air Force. ACC's mission is to operate USAF bombers; USAF's Continental US-based fighter and attack, reconnaissance, rescue, battle management, and command-and-control aircraft. Simply put, ACC owns the fighters and bombers.

The Aerial Events Branch Team is responsible for scheduling the public display of ACC aircraft, specifically, the six Single-Ship Demonstration Teams, the B-2, and the F-117A. We also coordinate static display and fly over support of other ACC aircraft to air shows worldwide. In addition, we manage the Heritage Flight program, which consists of vintage World War II and Korean-era aircraft flying in close formation with the ACC Single Ship Demonstration Teams at air shows.



The Air Combat Command Single-Ship Demonstration Teams perform precision aerial maneuvers to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the United States Air Force's high performance aircraft. ACC Single-Ship Demonstration Team members also exhibit the professional qualities that the Air Force develops in the people who fly, maintain, and support these aircraft.

The demonstration season normally begins March 15 and extends through November 15.

Composition

Despite the East and West title of each team, they are not necessarily limited to perform within a specific geographical area.

There are six single-ship demonstration teams within Air Combat Command. They are:

Two A-10 Thunderbolt Demonstration Teams

The A-10 East Team is located at Pope Air Force Base, NC, and the A-10 West Team is located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The A-10 was the first Air Force aircraft specifically designed for close air support of ground forces. The A-10 is a simple, effective, and survivable twin-engine jet aircraft that can be used against all ground targets, and is especially effective against tanks and other armored vehicles.



Two F-15 Eagle Demonstration Teams

The F-15 East Team is located at Langley Air Force Base, Va., and the F-15 West Team is located at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-15 Eagle is a highly maneuverable, all-weather, tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat.



Two F-16 Fighting Falcon Demonstration Teams

The F-16 East Team is located at Shaw Air Force Base, SC, and the F-16 West Team is located at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The F-16 Fighting Falcon, more commonly known to military pilots as the Viper, is a compact, extremely maneuverable multi-role fighter aircraft. The F-16 has proven itself in air-to-air combat as well as air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the air forces of the United States and other allied nations.



Objectives 1. Demonstrate the capabilities of U.S. Air Force high performance aircraft.
2. Demonstrate the professional competence of U.S. Air Force personnel.
3. Positively affect U.S. Air Force recruiting and retention efforts.
4. Promote community and international relations.

---

Today's Educational Sources and suggestions for further reading:

http://www2.acc.af.mil/airdemo/index.html
www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/adt/adt1.htm

[snippy_about_it]

TEASER for Parts Two and Three

[snippy_about_it]

FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!



Good Monday Morning Everyone

If you would like added to our ping list let us know.

[snippy_about_it]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

---

Tribute to a Generation - The memorial will be dedicated on Saturday, May 29, 2004.

---

Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

[The Mayor]

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. —Isaiah 9:2

To lead others out of the darkness, let them see your light.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

For those using Microsoft, just a reminder that Microsoft will be realeasing their montyly set of critical updates a week from tommorow.

Be sure to download those updates when you can when they come down.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Mayor. It's a Monday so you know I really need that coffee! Thanks.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning EGC.

A week from tomorrow, thanks for the reminder. I'll be on vacation but my computer will be turned off so I'll leave myself a note to update upon my return!

Chilly morning here but dry so that's okay.

[The Mayor]

Great thread today..

[aomagrat]

Today's classic warship, USS Nevada (BB-36)

Nevada class battleship
displacement. 27,500 t.
length. 583'
beam. 85'3"
draft. 28'6"
speed. 20.5 k.
complement. 864
armament. 10 14", 21 5", 4 21" tt.

The USS Nevada (BB-36) was laid down 4 November l912 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, Mass.; launched 11 July 1914; sponsored by Miss Eleanor Anne Seibert, niece of Governor Tasker L. Oddie of Nevada and descendant of Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert; and commissioned 11 March 1916, Capt. William B. Sims in command.

Nevada joined the Atlantic Fleet at Newport 26 May 1916 and operated along the east coast and in the Caribbean until World War I. After training gunners out of Norfolk, she sailed l3 August 1918 to serve with the British Grand Fleet, arriving Bantry Bay, Ireland 23 August. She made a sweep through the North Sea and escorted transport George Washington, President Woodrow Wilson embarked, during the last day of her passage into Brest, France, before sailing for home 14 December.

Nevada served in both Atlantic and Pacific Fleets in the period between the wars. In September 1922 she represented the United States in Rio de Janeiro for the Centennial of Brazilian Independence. From July to September 1926, she participated in t he U.S. Fleet's goodwill cruise to Australia and New Zealand, which demonstrated to our friends down under, and to the Japanese, our ability to make a self-supported cruise to a distance equal to that to Japan.

Nevada was modernized at Norfolk Naval Shipyard between August 1927 and January 1930, exchanging her "basket" masts for tripods. The update work also included the installation of a new superstructure, relocation of her five-inch secondary battery, new anti-aircraft guns and significant improvements to her firepower and protection. Nevada served in the Pacific Fleet for the next decade.

On 7 December 1941, Nevada was moored singly off Ford Island, and had a freedom of maneuver denied the other 8 battleships present during the attack. As her gunners opened fire and her engineers got up steam, she was struck by one torpedo and two, possibly three, bombs from the Japanese attackers, but was able to get underway. While attempting to leave harbor she was struck again. Fearing she might sink in the channel, blocking it, she was beached at Hospital Point. Gutted forward, she lost 60 killed and 109 wounded.

Refloated 12 February 1942, Nevada repaired at Pearl Harbor and Puget Sound Navy Yard, then sailed for Alaska where she provided fire support for the capture of Attu 11 to 18 May. In June she sailed for further modernization at Norfolk Navy Yard, and in April 1944 reached British waters to prepare for the Normandy Invasion. In action from 6 to 17 June, and again 25 June, her mighty guns pounded not only permanent shore defenses on the Cherbourg Peninsula, but ranged as far as 17 miles inland, breaking up German concentrations and counterattacks. Shore batteries straddled her 27 times, but failed to diminish her accurate fire.

Between 15 August and 25 September, Nevada fired in the invasion of Southern France, dueling at Toulon with shore batteries of 13.4-inch guns taken from French battleships scuttled early in the war. Her gun barrels were relined at New York, and she sailed for the Pacific, arriving off Iwo Jima 16 February 1945 to give marines invading and fighting ashore her massive gunfire support through 7 March.

On 24 March, Nevada massed off Okinawa with the mightiest naval force ever seen in the Pacific, as pre-invasion bombardment began. She pounded Japanese airfields shore defenses, supply dumps, and troop concentrations through the crucial operation, although 11 men were killed and a main battery turret damaged when she was struck by a suicide plane 27 March. Another 2 men were lost to fire from a shore battery 5 April. Serving off Okinawa until 30 June, from 10 July to 7 August she ranged with the 3rd Fleet which not only bombed the Japanese home islands, but came within range for Nevada's guns during the closing days of the war.

Returning to Pearl Harbor after a brief occupation duty in Tokyo Bay, Nevada was surveyed and assigned as a target ship for the Bikini atomic experiments. The tough old veteran survived the atom-bomb test of July 1946, returned to Pearl Harbor to decommission 29 August, and was sunk by gunfire and aerial torpedoes off Hawaii 31 July 1948.

Nevada received 7 battle stars for World War II service.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks. I spent some time in Vegas as a child, my mother worked for a while at the Nellis PX, back in the days when you could hear and feel the sonic booms!

I used to love to watch those planes.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning aomagrat.

Perfect choice for today since we are covering Air Force aerial demonstration teams and of course Nellis AFB is in Nevada. The USS Nevada, great big guns in action, great pictures. Thanks.

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on December 01:
1549 Johan van der Veeken merchant/co-founder (VOC)
1566 Philip earl of Nassau-Dillenburg, Governor of Fort Gorinchem/Nijmegen
1573 Philippus Rovenius [Rouveen] apostile vicar
1605 Juan de Padilla composer
1634 John-Erasmus Quellinus [Quellien] Flemish painter
1671 Francesco Stradivari Italian violin maker/son of Antonius
1671 John Keill mathematician
1726 Eggert Olafsson Icelandic writer
1726 Oliver Wolcott US judge/signer (Declaration of Independence)
1729 Giuseppe Sarti composer
1743 Martin H Klaproth German chemist (uranium)
1779 Pyotr Ivanovich Turchaninov composer
1781 Charles Philippe Lafont composer
1784 François Henri Joseph Castil-Blaze composer
1787 Pavel Ivanovich Dulgorukov composer
1823 Ernest Reyer composer
1826 William Mahone Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1895
1832 Archibald Gracie Jr Brigadier-General (Confederate Army), died in 1864
1835 Micah Jenkins Brigadier-General (Led Hoods Division at Chickamauga), died in 1864
1844 Alexandra Danish princess/Queen of Great Britain/Ireland
1850 Peter Erasmus Lange-Muller composer
1871 Archie MacLaren cricketer (424 Lancashire vs Somerset 1895)
1873 Charles JM Ruys de Beerenbrouck premier of Netherlands (1918-25, 29-33)
1874 Dominicus Johner composer
1876 Johanna W "Mina" Bakker Dutch actress (Boefje)
1878 Arthur B Spingarn US NAACP-chairman (1940-65)
1886 Rex Stout mystery writer (Nero Wolf)
1897 Manuel A Neat Curaçao author (Nobleza di Coerazon)
1898 Cyril Ritchard Sydney Australia, actor (Peter Pan, Hans Brinker)
1899 Robert Welch found John Birch Society
19-- Ryan Roxie rocker (Electric Angels-I Believe, Whiplash)
1901 Dorothy James composer
1902 Morris "Red" Badgro Washington, NFL hall of famer (Yankees, Giants, Dodgers)
1904 W A "Tony" Boyle United Mine Workers president
1905 Charles Finney US, author (Circus of Dr Lao)
1905 Ida Carroll musician
1906 Jean Cartan composer
1911 Walter Alston baseball manager (Dodgers)
1911 Wim van Nuland [Willem C Möhlmann] Dutch priest/writer (Doorstep)
1912 Minoru Yamasaki architect (World Trade Center, New York)
1912 Terence Beckles pianist/teacher
1913 Mary Martin Weatherford TX, actress (Peter Pan) Larry Hagman's mom
1917 William Tracy Pittsburgh PA, actor (To the Shores of Tripoli)
1918 Kirby Laing English contractor/multi-millionaire
1919 Anne Cox Chambers Dayton OH, US ambassador to Belgium (1977-81)
1919 Ike Isaacs guitarist
1921 Ralph Manza San Francisco CA, actor (Banacek, Mama Malone, Newhart)
1922 Geraldine McCulloug Maywood IL, painter/sculptor (Phoenix)
1922 Paul Picerni New York NY, actor (Agent Lee Hobson-Untouchables)
1923 Stansfield Turner CIA director
1926 Keith Michell Adelaide Australia, actor (6 Wives of Henry VIII)
1926 Robert Symonds Bristow OK, actor (Robert E Lee-Blue & Gray)
1927 Grant Beglarian composer
1929 David Doyle actor (Charlie's Angels, Pursuit of Happiness)
1929 Dick Shawn Buffalo NY, actor (Producers, Maid to Order, Angel)
1929 Alan Mouncer film director/producer
1929 Emily McLaughlin White Plains NY, actress (Jessie-General Hospital)
1929 Leon Biriotti composer
1932 Robert T Herres Denver CO, USAF/astronaut
1934 Billy Paul Philadelphia PA, singer (Me & Mrs Jones)
1935 Woody Allen [Allen Stuart Konigsberg] Brooklyn (Zelig Annie Hall)
1935 Lou Rawls Chicago IL, vocalist (Dean Martin's Golddigers, Natural Man)
1937 Gordon Crosse Bury Lancashire England, composer (Grace of Todd)
1938 Sandy Nelson Santa Monica CA, 50s rocker (Teen Beat, All Night Long)
1939 Lee [Buck] Trevino Dallas TX, PGA golfer (US Open 1968, 71)
1940 Richard Pryor Illinois, comedian/actor (Lady Sings the Blues, Stir Crazy)
1940 Mike Denness cricketer (England batsman & captain mid-70s)
1942 Peter Kalikow Queens NY, real estate developer/publisher (New York Post)
1942 John Crowley US, sci-fi author (Deep, Beasts, Novelty)
1944 John Densmore Los Angeles CA, drummer (Doors-Light My Fire)
1945 Bette Midler Aiea HI, singer (Wind Beneath My Wings, Do You Want to Dance?)/actress (Beaches, First Wives Club)
1946 Gilbert O'Sullivan Ireland, singer (Alone Again Naturally)
1946 Ho-Jun Li Korea People's Republic, rifle (Olympics-gold-1972)
1948 Sarfraz Nawaz cricketer (successful Pakistani pace bowler 1969-84)
1949 Pablo Escobar Gaviria Colombian drug baron
1950 Richard Keith Lafayette LA, actor (Little Ricky-I Love Lucy)
1951 Alexander Panayotov Aleksandrov Bulgaria, cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-5)
1951 Eric Bloom rock vocalist/guitarist (Blue Oyster Cult)
1951 Jaco Pastorius US jazz guitarist (Weather Report-Word of Mouth)
1951 Treat Williams Rowayton CT, actor (Flashpoint, Hair)
1954 Bob Goen TV host (Wheel of Fortune, Entertainment Tonight)
1958 Charlene Tilton San Diego CA, actress (Lucy Ewing-Dallas)
1961 Barb Mucha Parma OH, LPGA golfer (1992 Oldsmobile Classic)
1966 Steve Walsh NFL quarterback (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints)
1967 Reggie Sanders Florence SC, outfielder (Cincinnati Reds)
1968 Anders Holmertz Swedendish free style swimmer (world record 400 meter)
1968 Eddie Britton wide receiver (Baltimore Ravens)
1970 Todd Steussie NFL guard/tackle (Minnesota Vikings)
1972 Andre Royal linebacker (Carolina Panthers)
1972 Charlie Jones wide receiver (San Diego Chargers)
1975 Alya Rohali Miss Universe-Indonesia (1996)
1975 Sandra Maidana Miss Universe-Uruguay (1996)
1976 Konerak Sinthasomphone Milwaukee WI, Jeffrey Dahmer's victim

---

Deaths which occurred on December 01:
0660 Eligius/Eloy French bishop of Tournay-Noyon/saint, dies
1135 Henry I Beauclerc king of England (1st king that could read), dies
1374 Magnus Eriksson king of Norway/Sweden, dies
1417 Walraven I van Brederode viceroy of Holland, dies
1455 Lorenzo Ghiberti Italian sculptor, dies at 77
1515 Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba [el Gran Capitán] Spanish general, dies at 62
1521 Leo X [Giovanni de' Medici] Italian Pope (1513-21), dies at 45
1530 Margaretha of Austria governess of the Netherlands, dies at 51
1580 Edmund Campion English jesuit, hanged at 42
1633 Isabella of Austria infante of Spain/governess in Holland, dies at 67
1635 Melchior Teschner composer, dies at 51
1651 Cristobal de Isla Diego composer, dies at 65
1700 Willem ten Rhijne Dutch physician in Batavia, dies at about 53
1727 Johann Heinrich Buttstett composer, dies at 61
1729 Christian Ludwig Boxberg composer, dies at 59
1736 Simon van Slingelandt Dutch grand pensionary (1727-36), dies at 72
1797 Oliver Wolcott US judge/signer (Declaration of Independence), dies at 71
1808 Anton Fischer composer, dies at 30
1813 Ferdinando Bertoni composer, dies at 88
1817 Justin Heinrich Knechtl composer, dies at 65
1825 Aleksandr I P Romanov czar of Russia (1801-25), dies at 47
1842 Philip Spencer 1st US naval officer condemned for mutiny, hanged
1865 Constant van Crombrugghe Flemish monastery founder, dies at 76
1892 Joseph Lippens Belgian lieutenant in Congo, murdered
1893 Eduard Franck composer, dies at 76
1901 George Lohmann cricketer (in South Africa 18 Tests, 112 wickets), dies
1916 Charles E Vicomte de Foucauld French explorer, dies at 58
1934 Sergei M Kirov Josef Stalin's collaborator, assassinated in Leningrad
1935 Bernard Schmidt inventor (Schmidt camera), dies
1939 Max Fiedler composer, dies at 79
1945 Harvey Bartlett Gaul composer, dies at 64
1947 Aleister Edward S Crowley British occultist, dies at 72
1951 Felix Petyrek composer, dies at 59
1952 Victor E Orlando Italian premier (1917-19), dies at 92
1960 Ion Vasilescu composer, dies at 57
1971 Arthur B Springarn US NAACP chairman (1940-65), dies at 93
1972 Antonio Segni Italian PM/President (1955-57, 59-60, 62-64), dies at 81
1973 David Ben-Gurion founding father of Israel, dies in Tel Aviv at 87
1974 Lajos Zilahy Hungarian/US author (Angry Angel), dies at 83
1974 Stephen Gill Spottswood US bishop/chairman (NAACP), dies at 77
1975 Nick Kenny US columnist/songwriter (Nick Kenny Show), dies at 80
1980 Sam Levene actor (Purple Heart, Designing Women), dies at 75
1986 Robert L "Bobby" Layne football player (Detroit Lions), dies at 59
1987 Donn Fulton Eisele Colonel USAF/astronaut, dies of a heart attack at 57
1987 James Arthur Baldwin writer (Another Country), dies at 63
1989 Alvin Ailey US choreographer (Blues Suite, Revelations), dies at 58
1991 Byron Webster actor (That Man Bolt), dies of AIDS at 58
1991 George Joseph Stigler US economist (Nobel 1982), dies at 80
1994 Lionel Stander actor (Max-Hart to Hart), dies at 86
1996 Barbak Karmal politician, dies at 67
1996 Irving Gordon songwriter, dies at 81
1997 Denis Gerald Barrington artist, dies at 67
1997 Stephane Grappelli French jazz violinist, dies at 89

---

Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1965 MC CORMICK JOHN V.---BURT MI.
[REMAINS RETURNED 04/06/88]
1965 REITMANN THOMAS EDWARD---RED WING MN.
1966 NICOTERA CARL
[01/73 PRG SAYS DIC 12/05/66]
1969 ROGERS BILLIE LEE---GARY IN.

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

---

On this day...
0772 Pope Adrian I elected
1167 Northern Italian towns form Lombardi League
1566 Spanish king Philip II names Fernando Alvarez, duke of Alva
1626 Pasha Muhammad ibn Farukh tyrannical Governor of Jerusalem, driven out
1640 Portugal regains independence after 60 years of Spanish rule
1641 Massachusetts becomes 1st colony to give statutory recognition to slavery
1653 An athlete from Croydon is reported to have run 20 miles from St Albans to London in less than 90 minutes
1656 Germany promises Poland aid against Sweden
1708 Great Alliance occupies Brussels
1742 Empress Elisabeth orders expulsion of all Jews from Russia
1750 1st American school to offer manual training courses opens, Maryland
1783 Charles & M N Roberts ascend 2,000' in a hydrogen balloon
1783 J van North launches unmanned balloon
1804 Emperor Napoleon marries Joséphine of Martinique
1821 Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) proclaims independence from Spain
1822 Dom Pedro crowned emperor of Brazil
1822 Franz Liszts (11) debut as pianist Isabella Colbran
1824 House of Representatives begins to end election deadlock between John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Harris Crawford & Henry Clay - Adams eventually declared president
1831 Erie Canal closes for entire month due to cold weather
1835 Hans Christian Andersen published his 1st book of fairy tales
1843 1st chartered mutual life insurance company opens
1852 Telegraph company opens throughout Netherlands
1861 The U.S. gunboat Penguin seizes the Confederate blockade runner Albion carrying supplies worth almost $100,000
1864 Raid at Stoneman: Knoxville TN to Saltville VA
1864 Skirmish at Millen Brutal GA
1868 John D Rockefeller begins anti oil war
1878 1st White House telephone installed
1881 Virgil, Wyatt and Morgan Earp are exonerated in court for their action in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Ariz.
1887 Sherlock Holmes 1st appears in print: "A Study In Scarlet"
1887 Sino-Portuguese treaty recognizes Portugal's control of Macao
1891 James Naismith creates the game of basketball
1896 1st certified public accountants receive certificates (New York)
1900 South African President Paul Kruger visits Flanders
1903 "The Great Train Robbery", the 1st Western film, released
1906 Cinema Omnia Pathe, world's 1st cinema, opens (Paris)
1906 Shoemaker Wilhelm Voigt (Captain of Köpenick) sentenced to 4 years
1909 1st Christmas Club payment made, to Carlisle Trust Company, Pennsylvania
1909 1st Israeli kibbutz founded, Deganya Alef
1913 1st drive-up gasoline station opens (Pittsburgh)
1913 Continuous moving assembly line introduced by Ford (car every 2 38)
1917 Boys Town founded by Father Edward Flanagan, west of Omaha NE
1918 Danish parliament passed an act to grant Iceland independence
1918 Serbian-Croatian-Slovic kingdom proclaimed in Belgrade
1919 AA Milne's "Mr Pim Passes By" premieres in Manchester
1919 Lady Nancy Astor sworn-in as 1st female member of British Parliament
1921 1st US helium-filled dirigible makes 1st flight
1921 US Post Office establishes philatelic agency
1922 Polish state chief marshal Jozef Pilsudski, resigns
1923 CFL Grey Cup: Queen's University beats Regina, 54-0 at Toronto
1924 Calles becomes President of México
1924 George/Ira Gershwin's musical "Lady Be Good" premieres in New York NY
1925 Treaty of Locarno signed
1928 CFL Grey Cup: Ham Tigers beats Regina, 30-0 at Hamilton
1928 Railroad museum opens in Utrecht Netherlands
1929 Game of BINGO invented by Edwin S Lowe
1930 NHL drops 20 minute slashing-about-the-head penalty
1930 Ruth Nichols becomes 1st woman pilot to cross the continent
1931 Ottawa branch of Royal Mint begins operation as Royal Canadian Mint
1933 Rudolf Hess & Earnest Röhm become a minister in Hitler government
1935 Austria has world's 1st Day of Postage Stamp
1936 Bell Labs tests coaxial cable for TV use
1936 EW Brundin & FF Lyon obtain patent on soilless culture of plants
1936 2nd Heisman Trophy Award: Larry Kelley, Yale (E)
1937 Japan recognizes Franco government
1938 School bus & train collide in Salt Lake City UT
1939 SS-Führer Himmler begins deportation of Polish Jews
1941 US Civil Air Patrol (CAP) organizes
1941 British cruiser Devonshire sinks German sub Python
1941 Japanese emperor Hirohito signs declaration of war
1941 Last day of first-class cricket in Australia for 4 years
1942 Gasoline rationed in US
1943 FDR, Churchill & Stalin agree to Operation Overlord (D-Day)
1944 Béla Bartòk's Concerto for orchestra, premieres
1944 Mail routing resumes in free South Netherlands
1944 Prokofjev's 8th Piano sonata, premieres
1945 CFL Grey Cup: Toronto beats Winnipeg, 35-0 at Toronto
1948 Arabic Congress names Abdullah of Trans Jordan, King of Palestine
1948 Piet Roozenburg becomes world champion checker player
1949 WBNG TV channel 12 in Binghamton NY (CBS) begins broadcasting
1949 WKTV TV channel 2 in Utica NY (NBC) begins broadcasting
1951 Golden Gate Bridge closes due to high winds
1951 17th Heisman Trophy Award: Dick Kazmaier, Princeton (HB)
1951 Benjamin Britten's opera "Billy Budd" premieres in London
1953 Walter Alston named Dodger manager
1953 Red Sox trade M McDermott & Tom Umphlett for Washington's Jackie Jensen
1953 WAIM (now WAXA) TV channel 40 in Anderson SC (IND) 1st broadcast
1953 WCSH TV channel 6 in Portland ME (NBC) begins broadcasting
1954 Yankees send Miller, Segrist, Leppert & 2 minors to Orioles for Blayzka, Kryhoski, Johnson, Fridley & Del Guercio (completing 18 player deal)
1954 Nationalist China & US sign dike agreement
1955 Rosa Parks (black) arrested for refusing to move to the back of the bus
1956 "Candide" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC for 73 performances
1956 Alain Mimoun wins 13th Olympic marathon (2:25:00.0)
1956 Frank Robinson (National League) & Luis Aparicio (American League) voted Rookie of the Year
1956 Indonesian Vice-President Mohammed Hatta, resigns
1957 Sam Cooke and Buddy Holly and Crickets debut on Ed Sullivan Show
1958 Our Lady of Angels School burns, killing 92 students & 3 nuns (Chicago)
1958 "Flower Drum Song" opens at St James Theater NYC for 602 performances
1959 12 nations sign a treaty for scientific peaceful use of Antarctica
1959 25th Heisman Trophy Award: Billy Cannon, LSU (HB)
1959 The 1st color photograph of Earth received from outer space
1960 Patrice Lumumba caught in the Congo
1962 Grey Cup halted by fog, resumed next day (Winnipeg 28, Hamilton 27)
1963 New York Jets 1st shutout, beat Kansas City 17-0
1964 Houston Colt .45s change name to Astros
1964 Martin Luther King speaks to J Edgar Hoover about his slander campaign
1965 Airlift of refugees from Cuba to US began
1965 South Africa government says children of white fathers are white
1966 Georg Kiesinger elected West German chancellor
1966 Radio time signal WWV moves from Greenbelt MD to Boulder CO
1967 Queen Elizabeth inaugurates 98-inch (249-cm) Isaac Newton telescope
1967 Wilt Chamberlain set NBA record of 22 free throws misses
1967 Pacific Northwest Sports awarded is one of 2 American League expansion franchise teams(Seattle)
1968 Pirate Radio Modern (259) (England) begins transmitting
1968 Burt Bacharach/Hal David's musical "Promises Promises" opens at Shubert Theater NYC for 1281 performances
1968 Gonzalo Barrios elected President of Venezuela
1968 Peggy Wilson wins LPGA Hollywood Lakes Golf Open
1969 US government holds its 1st draft lottery since WWII
1970 Independent People's Republic of South Yemen becomes the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
1970 NHL takes control of the Pittsburgh Penguins
1970 Luis Echeverria Alvarez sworn in as President of México
1971 John & Yoko release "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" in US
1971 Cubs release Ernie Banks & sign him as a coach
1971 Galt MacDermot/John Guare's "2 Gentlemen of Verona" opens at St James Theater NYC for 613 performances
1971 People's Republic of South Yemen renames itself People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
1972 Wings release "Hi, Hi, Hi" in UK
1973 Australia grants self-government to Papua New Guinea
1973 Jack Nicklaus becomes 1st golfer to earn $2 million in a year
1973 Jan Ferraris wins LPGA-Japan Golf Classic
1973 Stan Stasiak beats Pedro Morales in Philadelphia, to become WWF champion
1974 Los Angeles Skid Row slasher kills first of 8
1974 Boeing 727 crashes in Upperville VA, 92 die
1974 Jacqueline Hansen runs female world record marathon (2:43:54.5)
1975 US President Gerald Ford visits China People's Republic
1976 Angola admitted to UN
1976 Bangladesh General Ziaur Rahman declares himself president
1976 Sex Pistols using profanity on TV, gets them branded as "rotten punks"
1978 President Carter more than doubles national park system size
1978 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1980 US Justice Department sues Yonkers citing racial discrimination
1980 46th Heisman Trophy Award: George Rogers, South Carolina (RB)
1981 Yugoslavic DC-9 crashes into mountain at Corsica, 174 killed
1982 Miguel de la Madrid inaugurated as President of México
1982 Michael Jackson releases "Thriller"
1983 Rita Lavelle, former head of EPA, convicted of perjury
1984 50th Heisman Trophy Award: Doug Flutie, Boston College (QB)
1984 France performs nuclear test
1984 Greg Page KOs Gerrie Coetzee in 8 for WBA heavyweight boxing title
1985 STS 61-C vehicle moves to launch pad
1985 Noraly Beyer becomes Netherlands' 1st black TV newscaster
1987 Digging begins to link England & France under the English Channel
1988 596 dead after cyclone hits Bangladesh, half a million homeless
1988 Benazir Bhutto named 1st female PM of a Moslem country (Pakistan)
1988 NBC bids record $401 million to capture rights to 1992 Barcelona Olympics
1988 New York Islanders greatest shutout loss (8-0) vs St Louis Blues
1989 East Germany drops the communist monopoly from its constitution
1989 Mark Langston signs record $3.2 million per year California Angels contract
1989 USSR President Mikhail S Gorbachev meets Pope John Paul II at the Vatican
1990 British & French workers meet in English Channel's tunnel (Chunnel)
1990 Iraq accepts Bush's offer for talks
1990 Lithuania, Estonia & Latvia hold their 1st joint session
1990 New York Knicks Patrick Ewing scores 50 points beating Charlotte 113-96
1990 56th Heisman Trophy Award: Ty Detmer, Brigham Young (QB)
1990 Hissene Habré of Chad flees to Cameroon
1991 AIDS awareness day
1991 Ukranian people vote for independence
1991 US 75th manned space mission "STS 44" Atlantis 10 lands
1991 80th Davis Cup: France beats USA in Lyon (3-1); this is France's 1st Davis Cup since 1932
1991 Colorado party wins Paraguay parliamentary election
1991 Nursultan Nazarbayev sworn in as President of Kazakhstan
1992 2 C-141B Starlifters collide in Montana & crash, 13 die
1992 Amy Fisher sentenced 5-15 years for shooting Mary Jo Buttafuoco
1994 Ernesto Zedillo innaugrated as President of México
1994 PTL leader Jim Bakker released from jail
1996 Colin Montgomerie of Scotland wins Million Dollar Challenge, the richest first prize in golf - $1 million
1996 85th Davis Cup: France beats Sweden in Malmo (3-2)
1996 Lance Klusener takes 8-64 in debut Test Cricket to trounce India
1997 GS Warrior guard Latrell Sprewell, attacks his coach P J Carlesimo
1997 Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Davenport IA on KORB 93.5 FM
1997 Westinghouse formally changes its name to CBS

---

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

Azores, Portugal : Independence Day (1640)
Cape Verde : Restoration Day (1968)
Central African Republic : Republic Day (1958)
Iceland : Independence Day (1918)
Liberia : Matilda Newport Day (1822)
Portuguese Guiana : Mocidale Day/Youth Day
Romania : National Day
US : Nebbish Pride Day
US : Christmas Lights Day
Hi Neighbor Month

---

Religious Observances
Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St Eligius, bishop/goldsmith
Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St Edmund Champion, English Jesuit, martyr
Anglican : Commemoration of Nicholas Ferrar, deacon

---

Religious History
1145 Pope Eugene III sent a papal bull to the French King, Louis VII, proclaiming the Second Crusade. Led by Louis and Emperor Conrad III from 1147_49, the crusade failed to accomplish its goal.
1764 The French government abolished the Jesuit order in that country. (The Society of Jesus was completely suppressed by Clement XIV in 1767, but was restored again by Pius VII in 1814.)
1798 Birth of Albert Barnes, American Presbyterian clergyman and Bible commentator. An active supporter of revivalism, Christian education and social reform, Barnes is best remembered today for his "Notes on the Old Testament" and "Notes on the New Testament."
1909 Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for Bob Jones College (University), in Panama City, FL. This Protestant Fundamentalist college later relocated its campus to Greenville, SC.
1950 American missionary martyr Jim Elliot wrote in his journal: 'Unwillingness to accept God's "way of escape" from temptation frightens me what a rebel yet resides within.'

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

---

Thought for the day :
"Minds are like parachutes, they only work when open."

---

Question of the day...
If Snickers really satisfies, why do they make a king size bar?

---

Murphys Law of the day...(Lowrey's Law of Expertise)
Just when you get really good at something, you don't need to do it any more.

---

Amazing fact # 89,103...
The Sanskrit word for "war" means "desire for more cows."

[Samwise]

The Sanskrit word for "war" means "desire for more cows."

So if we just send Elsie to the Mideast the terrorists will quit trying to kill us?

[Samwise]

Morning, snippy!

[manna]

Present!

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone in The Foxhole.

[snippy_about_it]

Just when you get really good at something, you don't need to do it any more.

Now that sounds like my career!

Good morning Valin.

[snippy_about_it]

Morning Samwise. Poor Elsie! LOL.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning manna.