The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The SEALORDS Campaign (1968-1971) - Sep. 1st, 2004

www.history.navy.mil ^

[SAMWolf]

Allied Navies on the Offensive


Chieu Hoi speakers blasting away at the river bank
Image courtesy of Tom Forrest

The new year witnessed the strengthening of the border patrol barriers and the expansion of SEALORDS into three regions: I Corps, the area north of Saigon, and the remotest reaches of the Mekong Delta. In April, Task Force Clearwater's I Corps efforts were enhanced by Operation Sea Tiger in which Task Force 115 Swift boats, River Division 543 PBRs, Vietnamese Coastal Group 14 junks, and River Assault Group 32 units battled to secure the Cua Dai and Hoi An Rivers in Quang Nam Province. Soon afterward, in June, naval river forces began patrolling the vital Saigon River from Phu Cuong to Dau Tieng, the latter in the hotly contested Michelin Rubber Plantation. This operation, designated Ready Deck, tied in with the Giant Slingshot interdiction effort to the west.



In the Mekong Delta proper, Swift boat, PBR, riverine assault craft, SEAL, and Vietnamese ground units struck at the Viet Cong in their former strongholds, which included the Ca Mau Peninsula, the U Minh Forest, and the islands of the broad Mekong River system. From 7 to 18 April, ground, air, and naval units from each of the American services, the Vietnamese Navy, and the Vietnamese Marine Corps conducted Silver Mace II, a strike operation in the Nam Can Forest on Ca Mau Peninsula. The enemy avoided heavy contact with the allied force, but his logistical system was disrupted. After raiding and harassing operations like Silver Mace II, the combined navies often deployed forces to secure a more permanent Vietnamese government presence in vital areas. In June 1969, for example, the U.S. Navy anchored a mobile pontoon base in the middle of the Ca Mau region's Cua Lon River. This operation, labelled Sea Float, was made difficult by heavy Viet Cong opposition, strong river currents, and the distance to logistic support facilities. Still, Sea Float denied the enemy a safe haven even in this isolated corner of the delta. The allies further threatened the Communist "rear" area in September when they set up patrols on the Ong Doc, a river bordering the dense and isolated U Minh area. Staging from an advance tactical support base at the river's mouth, U.S. and Vietnamese PBRs of Operation Breezy Cove repeatedly intercepted and destroyed enemy supply parties crossing the waterway.



By October 1969, one year after the start of the SEALORDS campaign, Communist military forces in the Mekong Delta were under heavy pressure. The successive border interdiction barriers delayed and disrupted the enemy's resupply and troop replacement from Cambodia. The raiding operations hit vulnerable base areas and the Sea Float deployment put allied forces deep into what had been a Viet Cong sanctuary. In addition, American and Vietnamese forces captured or destroyed over 500 tons of enemy weapons, ammunition, food, medicines, and other supplies. Furthermore, 3,000 Communist soldiers were killed and 300 were captured at a cost of 186 allied men killed and 1,451 wounded.

[SAMWolf]

Vietnamization of Naval Operations


Swift Boat Operations on the Cau Lon River

The overall composition of the SEALORDS task force in South Vietnam reflected the growing role of the Vietnamese Navy in the war. The newly elected administration of President Richard M. Nixon formally adopted as U.S. policy the Vietnamization program early in 1969. The naval part of that process, termed ACTOV (Accelerated Turnover to the Vietnamese), embodied the incremental transfer to Vietnam of NAVFORV's river and coastal combatant fleet and the logistic support establishment. ACTOV was more than the provision of material, however, for the Vietnamese Navy needed training in the operation, maintenance, and repair of the U.S. equipment and in the efficient functioning of the supply system. Leadership skills at all command levels required improvement as did the general morale of naval personnel before the Vietnamese Navy would be able to fight on alone. Spearheaded by the 564 officers and men of the Naval Advisory Group early in 1969, the U.S. Navy integrated Vietnamese sailors into the crews of American ships and craft. When sufficiently trained, the Vietnamese bluejackets and officers relieved their American counterparts, who then rotated back to the United States. As entire units came under Vietnamese Navy command, control of the various SEALORDS operations passed to that naval service as well.


Boat Division 101, redesignated Coastal Division 11 in January 1967, based at An Thoi sorties into the Gulf of Siam.

The allied push into Cambodia during the spring of 1970 brought the SEALORDS forces into a unique operational environment. At 0730 local time on 9 May, 10 days after ground troops crossed the border, a combined Vietnamese-American naval task force steamed up the Mekong River to wrest control of that key waterway from North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces. The flotilla, led by a Vietnamese naval officer, was composed of American PCFs, ASPBs, PBRs, HAL-3 and VAL-4 aircraft, Benewah, Askari, Hunterdon County, YRBM 16, YRBM 21 and 10 strike assault boats (STAB) of Strike Assault Boat Squadron 20, a fast-reaction unit created by Admiral Zumwalt in 1969. The Vietnamese contingent included riverine assault craft of many types, PCFs, PBRs, and marine battalions. Naval Advisory Group personnel sailed with each Vietnamese vessel. By the end of the first day, Vietnamese naval units reached the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, while to the south the combined force stormed enemy-held Neak Luong, a strategic ferry crossing point on the river. For political reasons, no U.S. personnel were allowed past Neak Luong, midway to Phnom Penh. Although the American component pulled out of Cambodia by 29 June, the Vietnamese continued to guard the Mekong and evacuate to South Vietnam over 82,000 ethnic Vietnamese jeopardized by the conflict.


Smoke billows from a North Vietnamese trawler run aground by the Market Time patrol forces.

The generally good performance of the Vietnamese Navy during the allied sweep into Cambodia motivated the transfer of significant operational responsibilities to the Vietnamese. The barrier along the Cambodian border was turned over to the Vietnamese Navy in March 1970, which renamed the operation Tran Hung Dao I. In May, Giant Slingshot and Sea Tiger became Tran Hung Dao II and Tran Hung Dao VII. The allied navies also launched Operation Blue Shark, a seven-month effort designed to strike at the Viet Cong command, communication, and logistics network (or infrastructure) in the mangrove swamps at the mouth of the Mekong River system, on the river islands, and along the river banks all the way to the Cambodian border. Coastal Surveillance Force PCFs landed SEALs and LDNN for swift, deadly attacks on the usually surprised enemy. The units often followed up on intelligence gathered by Naval Intelligence Liaison Officers (NILO) assigned to many of South Vietnam's provinces and operational areas.


A U.S. Coast Guard WPB 82-foot cutter, one of 26 deployed to Vietnam, cuts through the sea in search of Communist vessels.

In July the Vietnamese Navy assumed sole responsibility f or the Ready Deck operation, which was given a Tran Hung Dao designator like the other former SEALORDS areas. Also in July, the U.S. Navy ceased its combat activity on I Corp's Cua Viet and Hue Rivers. The Americans then transferred the last combatant vessels of Task Force Clearwater to the Vietnamese. A final turnover of river craft at the end of 1970 enabled the Vietnamese Navy to take charge of the Search Turn, Barrier Reef, and Breezy Cove efforts deep in the Mekong Delta. Except for continued support by HAL-3 and VAL-4 aircraft and SEAL detachments, the U.S. Navy's role in the SEALORDS campaign ended in April 1971 when Solid Anchor (previously Sea Float and now based ashore at Nam Can) became a Vietnamese responsibility.


Crewmen of a large Mark V - 45' Picket Boat assigned to Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 51, based at Vung Ro on the central coast, question Vietnamese civilians about their cargo.

The Vietnamese Navy, which grew from 18,000 men in the fall of 1968 to 32,000 men at the end of 1970, instituted organizational changes to accommodate the new personnel, material, and operational responsibilities. The Vietnamese grouped their riverine assault craft in riverine assault interdiction divisions (RAID) and their PBRs into river interdiction divisions (RID) and river patrol groups (RPG). They also augmented the existing RAGs and coastal groups, the latter now consolidated into 20 units for lack of sufficient patrol junks.


An enemy ship, one of five intercepted by Market Time forces during early 1968, was later sunk near Nha Trang.

This dramatic change in the nature of the allied war effort reflected the rapid but measured withdrawal from South Vietnam of U.S. naval forces. NAVFORV strength dropped from a peak of 38,083 personnel in September 1968 to 16,757 at the end of 1970. As Admiral Zumwalt transferred resources to the Vietnamese Navy, he disestablished U.S. naval commands and airlifted personnel home. With the redeployment of the Army's 9th Infantry Division and the turnover of 64 riverine assault craft in June 1969, the joint Mobile Riverine Force halted operations. When the Riverine Assault Force (Task Force 117) stood down on 25 August 1969, it became the first major naval command deactivated in Vietnam. By December 1970, COMNAVFORV had transferred to Vietnam the remaining river combatant craft in his command, which included 293 PBRs and 224 riverine assault craft. That month, the River Patrol Force was disestablished and the Task Force 116 designator reassigned to Commander Delta Naval Forces, a new headquarters controlling SEAL and naval aircraft units still in-country.

Additional Sources:

www.pcf45.com
www.ussmullinnix.com
http://mrfa.org/tf115a.htm
www.ussvance.com
brownwater-navy.com

[SAMWolf]

The thrust of the SEALORDS campaign was to establish closely patrolled sectors along the Cambodian border (where the enemy brought most of his munitions and supplies into South Vietnam) and penetrate Viet Cong strongholds in the almost impenetrable marsh and swampland areas of the Mekong Delta. The enemy resistance to this new strategy was fierce and sustained during 1969 and 1970, but the allies established increasing control of the targeted areas. Coupled with the U.S. and South Vietnamese incursion into Cambodia in the latter year, the SEALORDS campaign severely hindered enemy operations in the Mekong Delta. An indication of the allies' success was the ability of the South Vietnamese to deploy an Army of Vietnam infantry division out of the Mekong Delta to fight elsewhere during the Communist Easter Offensive of 1972.


Swift Boats docked on the APL21

By October 1969, one year after the start of the SEALORDS campaign, Communist military forces in the Mekong Delta were under heavy pressure. The successive border interdiction barriers delayed and disrupted the enemy's re-supply and troop replacement from Cambodia. The raiding operations hit vulnerable base areas and the Sea Float deployment put allied forces deep into what had been a Viet Cong sanctuary. In addition, American and Vietnamese forces captured or destroyed over 500 tons of enemy weapons, ammunition, food, medicines, and other supplies. Furthermore, 3,000 Communist soldiers were killed and 300 were captured at a cost of 186 allied men killed and 1,451 wounded.

[SAMWolf]

SUPPORT FOR UPCOMING ELECTION

If you support the policies and character that our current President, George W. Bush, stands for, please drive with your headlights on during the day this coming Sunday.

If you support John Kerry, please drive with your headlights off at night.

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John Kerry told the world we were war criminals who raped, tortured and murdered in Vietnam. Now, thirty-three years later, we will tell America the truth.

Join us at the rally we call:

What: A peaceful remembrance of those with whom we served in Vietnam - those who lived and those who died.
We will tell the story of their virtues and how that contrasts with the lies told by John Kerry.

When: Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004 @ 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Where: The West Front of the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, DC

All Vietnam veterans and their families and supporters are asked to attend. Other veterans are invited as honored guests. This will be a peaceful event--no shouting or contact with others with different opinions. We fought for their rights then, and we respect their rights now. This is NOT a Republican or a pro-Bush rally. Democrats, Republicans and independents alike are warmly invited.

Our gathering is to remember those with whom we served, thereby giving the lie to John Kerry's smear against a generation of fine young men. B.G. "Jug" Burkett, author of "Stolen Valor," will be one of our speakers. Jug has debunked countless impostors who falsely claimed to be Vietnam veterans or who falsely claimed awards for heroism. Jug recommends that we refrain from dragging fatigues out of mothballs. Dress like America, like you do every day. Dress code: business casual, nice slacks, and shirt and shoes. No uniform remnants, please. Unit hats OK.

Selected members will wear badges identifying them as authorized to speak to the media about our event. Others who speak to the media will speak only for themselves.

The program will be controlled in an attempt to stay on-message. Speakers are encouraged not to engage in speculative criticism of John Kerry but (1) to stick to known and undisputed facts about John Kerry’s lies while (2) reminding America of the true honor and courage of our brothers in battle in Vietnam.

Send this announcement to 10 or more of your brothers! Bring them by car, bus, train or plane! Make this event one of pride in America, an event you would be proud to have your mother or your children attend.

Contact: kerrylied.com

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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.

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

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UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

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[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Foxhole.

Folks, today is Norton update day. Be sure to download them when they arrive.

[ken5050]

Good morning..glad the GOP party only has two more days to go. I'm seriously sleep deprived....

Something to ponder: All police dept's are organized along para-military lines. Aftere the convention is over, could Predisent Bush award the NYPD a unit citation "E"?

[GailA]

Good morning FRiends.

[The Mayor]

September 1, 2004

A Friend Of Sinners

Read: Matthew 9:9-13

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. —Luke 5:32

Bible In One Year: Psalms 135-136; 1 Corinthians 12

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Jesus was having dinner one evening when "many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him" (Matthew 9:10). The religious leaders of that day were outraged by His behavior. Their conclusion was that Jesus was a friend of sinners, and as it turns out, He was. "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

Jesus was morally separate from sinners and never took part in their lifestyle. Yet He did not separate Himself physically from sinful people. He spent time with them and became their friend.

Just like Jesus, you and I can't help but rub shoulders with all kinds of people in our daily activities. Tertullian, an early Roman writer, described the relationships between the Christians and non-Christians of his day this way: "We live among you, eat the same food, wear the same clothes . . . . We sojourn with you in the world, renouncing neither forum, nor market, nor bath, nor booth, nor workshop, nor inn . . . . We till the ground with you, we join with you in business ventures."

We too must seek the lost, as Jesus did—and it doesn't take much effort. It's good to ask ourselves from time to time, "How many friends do I have who are lost?" —David Roper

Lead me to some soul today,
O teach me, Lord, just what to say;
Friends of mine are lost in sin
And cannot find their way. —Houghton
© 1936, 1964 Hope Publishing Co.

To be a friend of Jesus is to be a friend of sinners.

[Iris7]

September 1, 1939.

The invasion of Poland by the Third Reich. A day or two later Stalin's army also invades Poland.

England, to her honor, will declare war on Germany over it. France will also. Frenchmen will hold Guderian off allowing the British to evacuate Dunkirk. As I recall the French lost 25,000 men to save the British Army. Saying "Frenchmen are surrender monkeys" is foolish.

Thanks for the Navy in Viet Nam piece. Memories. Memories much, much easier now that we have a chance to put paid to that vile Kerry. Well, not paid. Down payment, yeah, that's it. Public big time humiliation for that bastard first. Then Mrs. Heinz calling him a loser about every three seconds. Then the boys who "gave" him all that money say it is time to pay up. Sweet.

[Darksheare]

Cool, "We are your overlords".. but in closing enemy shipping lanes.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Good morning, Foxhole!

I've been down with the crud for the last couple of days and haven't posted much ... falling in today but may need sick call by lunchtime :)

Hope you are all doing well!

[CholeraJoe]

Checking in.

[Professional Engineer]

Good morning ladies. Flag-o-gram.

How 'bout that Governator!

[Samwise]

I actually whooped and applauded during his speech last night.

[Samwise]

If you support John Kerry, please drive with your headlights off at night.

They already have blinders on.

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on September 01:
1653 Johann Pachelbel, composer (Canon)
1791 Lydia Sigourney US, religious author (How to Be Happy)
1798 Richard Delafield Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1873
1824 Isaac Hardin Duval Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1902
1829 James Conner Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1883
1854 Engelbert Humperdinck Germany, opera composer (Parsifal)
1866 James "Gentleman Jim" Corbett heavyweight champion boxer (1892-97)
1875 Edgar Rice Burroughs novelist (Tarzan, Mars Saga)
1907 Walter Reuther labor leader/president of UAW & CIO
1910 Jack Hawkins London England, actor (Ben-Four Just Men)
1922 Melvin R Laird (Rep-R-Mich), US Secretary of Defense (1969-73)
1922 Vittorio Gassman actor (War & Peace)
1922 Yvonne De Carlo Vancouver BC, actress (10 Commandments, Munsters)
1923 Rocky Marciano heavyweight champion boxer (1952-56)
1925 Art[hur E] Pepper US, alto saxophonist
1933 Ann Richards (Gov-Tx)
1933 Conway Twitty [Harold Jenkins], Miss, country singer (Hello Darlin')
1935 Seiji Ozawa Hoten Manchuria, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
1937 Al Geiberger golfer (US PGA lowest score on 18 holes, a 59)
1937 Ron O'Neal Utica NY, actor (Superfly)
1938 George Maharis Astoria NY, actor (Buz-Route 66, Most Deadly Game)
1938 Alan Dershowitz NYC, attorney (Claus Von Bulow, OJ Simpson)
1939 Lily Tomlin Detroit, comedienne/actress (9 to 5, Laugh-in, All of Me)
1944 Leonard Slatkin LA Calif, conductor (Concert Orch, Neth)
1946 Barry Gibb singer (BeeGees-Stayin' Alive)
1957 Gloria Estefan Cuba, singer (Miami Sound Machine-Conga, 1-2-3)

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Deaths which occurred on September 01:
1159 Adrian IV only English pope (1154-59), dies (birth date unknown)
1557 Jacques Cartier French explorer, dies (birth date unknown)
1648 Marin Mersenne French mathematician, dies at 59
1715 Louis XIV the great, king of France (1643-1715), dies at 76
1838 William Clark 2nd lt of Lewis & Clark Expedition, dies at 68
1862 Oliver Tilden of the Bronx, killed in the Civil War in Virginia
1862 Isaac Ingalls Stevens US Union general-major, dies in battle at 44
1862 Philip "Phil" Kearny US Union general-major, dies in battle at 48
1914 Martha last known passenger pigeon, dies at Cincinnati Zoo
1963 Guy Burgess, British spy for the USSR
1969 Drew Pearson newscaster (Drew Pearson), dies at 71
1977 Ethel Waters actress (Beulah)/singer (Stormy Weather), dies at 76
1981 Albert Speer, German Nazi architect/minister of Armaments at 76
1983 Henry "Scoop" Jackson (Sen-D-Wash), dies at 71
1986 Murray Hamilton actor (Rich Man Poor Man), dies at 63
1989 A Bartlett Giamatti baseball commissioner, dies of heart attack at 51

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Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1966 NICHOLS HUBERT C. PENSACOLA FL.
1966 SCHMIDT NORMAN BEN LOMOND CA.
[03/06/74 REMAINS RETURNED]
1967 JOHNSON ROBERT D. DALLAS TX.
1967 OTT EDWARD L. III ROCKVILLE CT.
1968 KINKADE WILLIAM L. CORVALLIS OR.
1969 ESCOBEDO JULIAN JR. SAN ANTONIO TX.

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

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On this day...
0069 Traditional date of the destruction of Jerusalem
0312 BC Origin of Greek Era-Start of Indiction of Constantinople
0891 Northmen defeated near Louvaine, France
1267 Ramban (Nachmanides) arrives in Jerusalem to establish Jewish community
1614 Vincent Fettmich expells Jews from Frankfurt-on-Main, Germany
1661 1st Yacht race, England's King Charles vs his brother James
1666 Great London Fire begins in Pudding Lane. 80% of London is destroyed
1689 Russia begins taxing men's beards
1739 35 Jews sentenced to life in prison in Lisbon Portugal
1752 Liberty Bell arrives in Phila
1772 Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa forms in California
1799 Bank of Manhattan Company opens in NYC (forerunner to Chase Manhattan)
1807 Aaron Burr acquitted of charges of plotting to set up an empire
1836 Reconstruction begins on Synagogue of Rabbi Judah Hasid in Jerusalem
1849 California Constitutional Convention held in Monterey
1858 1st transatlantic cable fails after less than 1 month
1859 1st pullman sleeping car in service
1859 RC Carrington & R Hodgson make 1st observation of solar flare
1862 Federal tax levied on tobacco, especially that grown in Confederate states
1862 Severe action at Chantilly, Virginia
1863 RR & ferry connection between SF & Oakland inaugurated
1863 6th Ohio Cavalry ambush at Barbees Crossroads Virginia
1863 Federal troops reconquer Fort Smith Arkansas
1864 2nd day of battle at Jonesboro Georgia, about 3,000 casualties
1864 Battle of Petersburg VA
1865 Joseph Lister performs 1st antiseptic surgery
1870 The Prussian army crushes the French at Sedan, the last battle of the Franco-Prussian War.
1874 Sydney General Post Office opens in Australia
1876 The Ottomans inflict a decisive defeat on the Serbs at Aleksinac
1878 1st female telephone operator starts work (Emma Nutt in Boston)(one ringy dingy)
1882 The first Labor Day is observed in New York City by the Carpenters and Joiners Union.
1890 1st baseball tripleheader-Boston vs Pittsburgh
1894 By an act of Congress, Labor Day is declared a national holiday.
1902 Tinker, Evers, & Chance appear together for 1st time
1905 Alberta & Saskatchewan become 8th & 9th Canadian provinces
1906 Alberta adopts Mountain Standard Time
1906 Papua placed under Australian administration
1911 M Fourny sets world aircraft distance record of 720 km
1914 St Petersburg, Russia changes name to Petrograd
1916 Keating-Owen Act (child labor banned from interstate commerce)
1916 Bulgaria declares war on Rumania as the First World War expands.In 1878, Bulgaria had no army. By 1913, it had one of the most formidable land forces in Europe.
1918 Baseball season ends due to WW I
1918 US troops land in Vladivostok, Siberia, stay until 1920
1922 NYC law requires all "pool" rooms to change name to "billards"
1923 Earthquake strikes Tokyo & Yokohama, kills 106,000
1923 US beats Australia in tennis, for their 4th straight Davis Cup
1928 Albania becomes a kingdom, with Zogu I as king
1932 NYC Mayor James J "Gentleman Jimmy" Walker resigns (graft charges)
1938 Mussolini cancels civil rights of Italian Jews
1939 Hitler orders extermination of mentally ill
1939 Physical Review publishes 1st paper to deal with "black holes"
1939 WW II starts, Germany invades Poland, takes Danzig
1941 Yellow star becomes obligatory for Jews in the Reich to wear
1945 Japan surrenders ending WW II (US date, 9/2 in Japan)
1945 Phillies Vince DiMaggio ties NL record with 4th grand slam of season
1946 Patty Berg wins the US Open
1948 Communist form North China People's Republic
1948 UN's World Health Organization forms
1949 1st network detective series-Private Eyes-premiers
1950 13 North Korean divisions open assault on UN lines
1950 West Berlin granted a constitution
1951 PM Ben-Gurion orders establishment of Israeli secret service Mossad
1951 US, Australia & New Zealand sign ANZUS treaty
1960 Robert Bolt's "Man For All Seasons," premieres in London
1961 1st conference of neutral countries held in Belgrade
1962 10,000 die in an earthquake in western Iran
1962 UN announces Earth population has hit 3 billion
1963 St Louis Cards pitcher Curt Simmons steals home plate
1969 Libyan revolution, Col Moammar Gadhafi deposes King Idris
1971 Qatar declares independence from Britain
1972 Bobby Fischer (US) defeats Boris Spassky (USSR) for world chess title
1973 George Foreman KOs Jose Roman in the 1st to retain heavyweight title
1975 Gunsmoke goes off the air
1975 NY Met Tom Seaver is 1st to strike out 200 in 8 consecutive seasons
1976 NASA launches space vehicle S-197
1976 NJ Meadowlands racetrack opens
1976 Wayne L Hays, (Rep-D-Oh), resigns (scandal with Elizabeth Ray)
1977 1st TRS-80 Model I computer sold
1978 Jacqueline Smith of Great Britain scores 10 straight dead center strikes on a 4" disk in World Parachute Championships in Yugoslavia
1979 LA Court orders Clayton Moore to stop wearing Lone Ranger mask
1979 Pioneer 11 makes 1st fly-by of Saturn, discovers new moon, rings
1981 Fiona Brothers sets women's propeller boat speed record (116.279 MPH)
1982 Max speedometer reading mandated at 85 MPH
1982 Palestinian Liberation Organization leaves Lebanon

1983 Korean Boeing 747 strays into Siberia & is shot down by a Soviet jet (flight 007)

1983 WGH-AM in Newport News VA changes call letters to WNSY
1985 US-French expedition locates wreckage of Titanic off Newfoundland
1989 Princess Anne & Mark Phillips announce their seperation
1995 NYC reinstates the death penalty
1995 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame opens in Cleveland Ohio

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

Brunei : Revelation of the Koran
Lybia, Egypt : Revolution Day (1969)
Malaysia : National Day
Mexico : Presidental Message Day/Opening of congress
Michigan : Mackinac Bridge Walk Day
Pakistan : Quaid-i-Azam's Death
Puerto Rico : Labor Day (1894)
Syria : United Republic's Unity Day
Tanzania : Heroes' Day
Namibia, South Africa : Settlers' Day (Monday)
US, Canada, Guam, Virgin Islands : Labor Day (1894) (Monday)
National Spanish Green Olive Week (Day 2)
National Oral Hygiene Week Begins
Mental Health Workers Week (Day 2)
Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month
Bourbon Month

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Religious Observances
Ang : Commemoration of David Pendleton Oakerhater
Christian : Feast of Adjutor Day
Orthodox church : Beginning of year (9/14 NS)
Christian : Feast of St Drithelm of Northumbria
RC : Commemoration of St Giles, abbot
RC Verena, lady of 3rd century

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Religious History
1558 Dutch Anabaptist reformer Menno Simons, 62, confessed in a letter: 'There is nothing upon earth my heart loves more than it does the church.'
1646 The Cambridge Synod of Congregational Churches convened in Mass. It formulated the 'Cambridge Platform,' outlining the proper polity (religious government) to be followed by the New England Congregational churches.
1803 In Boston, the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) was instituted. It was the first tract society established in North America.
1836 A wagon train of Presbyterian missionaries, led by pioneer missionary Dr. Marcus Whitman, reached the site of modern Walla Walla, WA. Whitman's wife Narcissa became the first white woman to cross the North American continent.
1985 The HQ of Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry moved to its present location in Bellmawr, NJ. Founded in 1938 by Victor Buksbazen, F.I.G.M. works through evangelism and Bible distribution.

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

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Thought for the day :
"An apology is a good way to have the last word."

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Translating Southern United States Slang to English...
IGNERT - adjective. Not smart. See "Auburn Alumni."
Usage: "Them N-C-TWO-A boys sure are ignert!"

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Things a Cat Thinks About...
I wonder if Morris really liked 9-Lives, or did he have ULTERIOR motives?

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Politically Correct Terms for Females...
She is not a gossip,
she is a verbal terminator

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Feel Smarter -- Instantly!...
The doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing.


-- Dizzy Dean explaining how he felt after being hit on the head by a ball in the 1934 World Series

[PAR35]

As I recall the French lost 25,000 men to save the British Army. Saying "Frenchmen are surrender monkeys" is foolish.

The British rescued about 115,000 French troops at Dunkirk. Most chose to return to France rather than staying to fight with the British.