The FReeper Foxhole - Military Related News in Review

Picture and Profile of the Week

WELCOME HOME USS TARAWA LHA-1

July 12, 2003

The first Marine Corps unit to ship out via amphibious vessels for the Iraq war returns to San Diego today and tomorrow as the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrives aboard the three-ship Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group.

The unit left Jan. 6 and arrived in Kuwait in February, taking up positions near Iraq, then crossing into southern Iraq as the war began.

The Marines and sailors will be welcomed home by family and friends, more than six months after they left.

The 2,200 Marines will use helicopters, hovercraft and landing craft to unload their gear and weapons today at Camp Pendleton. The ships are bringing back four Abrams tanks, 16 light-armored vehicles and 15 amphibious personnel carriers, along with 33 Harrier jump jets and helicopters.

Tomorrow, the 2,000 sailors manning the Tarawa and the amphibious ships Rushmore and Duluth will arrive home at San Diego Naval Station at 32nd Street.

The next large group returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom will be a contingent of 6,400 sailors and Marines scheduled to arrive here in two weeks aboard five amphibious ships – Boxer, Bonhomme Richard, Pearl Harbor, Cleveland and Dubuque. Most of the Marines are from Regimental Combat Team

While the public is prohibited from entering the naval station tomorrow, the Tarawa group's entrance into San Diego Bay can be observed from Point Loma and Shelter and Harbor islands from 7 to 8 a.m.

Tarawa passes Pearl Harbor Memorial

Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group to Return to San Diego
Story Number: NNS030708-02
Release Date: 7/8/2003 11:18:00 AM

By Chief Journalist W. R. Polson, USS Tarawa Public Affairs

ABOARD USS TARAWA, At Sea (NNS) -- After six months, thousands of nautical miles, one war, and several times in the national spotlight, more than 4,000 Sailors and Marines aboard the three San Diego-based ships of the USS Tarawa (LHA 1) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) will return home.

The combined 2,000 Sailors aboard Tarawa, the dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) and the amphibious assault dock ship USS Duluth (LPD 6) will return to Naval Station San Diego July 13.

More than 2,000 Marines of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), who had deployed with the Tarawa ARG, will return to Camp Pendleton, Calif. July 12.

“Our crews have worked incredibly hard during this deployment. They’ve had great demands placed on them, and in response, they’ve done great things,” said Tarawa’s Commanding Officer Captain Jay Bowling. “Now it’s their turn to enjoy a hero’s welcome home.”

All three ships of the Tarawa ARG participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom, bringing four M-1A1 main battle tanks, 16 light armored vehicles and 15 amphibious assault vehicles with the embarked Marines. The ships also brought various component commands that added 33 aircraft and seven landing craft to the multinational coalition effort.

Arriving in the North Arabian Gulf in mid February the three ships joined a larger amphibious force that brought 33,000 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen to the region. This amphibious force, Task Force 51, eventually included 32 U.S. and coalition ships. Tarawa served as the flagship for Task Force 51, under the command of Rear Adm. W. Clyde Marsh.

Stationed in the Arabian Gulf during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Tarawa ARG provided critical support to the ground troops of the U.S. and coalition forces that pressed into southern Iraq and then north towards Baghdad.

In one of many such examples, pilots embarked on USS Tarawa flew AV-8B Harrier jets on nightly combat sorties into Iraq. The “Greyhawks” of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161 (Reinforced) destroyed a total of 45 enemy targets: 12 artillery pieces, ten buildings, nine vehicles, seven tanks, five armored vehicles, one road intersection, and one aircraft.

“Your nation is proud of you, your Navy and Marine Corps are proud of you, and I am proud of you and I certainly expect you to be proud of your accomplishments and what you’ve done,” Marsh told a joint formation of Sailors and Marines during a farewell speech on Tarawa. “You all have contributed to a big chapter in history by freeing a people and liberating a nation. You will forever and ever be included in their history, so be proud of that.”

For many of the Tarawa ARG servicemembers who served on the ships during the war, the deployment became a grinding test of nerves. During a stretch that began Feb. 1, USS Tarawa spent 107 consecutive days at sea, the majority of that time in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Non-stop aircraft and landing craft missions kept the Sailors who handled these evolutions constantly busy.

“It got really tough at times,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Luke Wildigg, a member of Tarawa’s flight deck crew. “We worked around the clock to help the Marine pilots get their aircraft up and running so they could do their job. During the night, we launched and recovered the Harriers, and during the day, we moved aircraft for them so they could do their maintenance.”

On a historical footnote, Tarawa, Duluth and Rushmore were part of the largest amphibious force assembled since the Inchon landing during the Korean War.

Task Force 51 featured seven U.S. amphibious “large decks” from the East and West coast, including: USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6), USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), USS Bataan (LHD-5), USS Saipan (LHA-2), USS Boxer (LHD-4) and USS Nassau (LHA-4). They also contributed to the largest military action in the Arabian Gulf region since Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990-91. “This deployment was one that will be remembered for a long time,” said Capt. Bowling, as his ship steamed through the Pacific en route to San Diego. “I don’t think anyone would have predicted we would face so many challenges or witness so many hallmarks.”

MILITARY RELATED NEWS and LINKS FROM THE PAST WEEK

*IN CASE YOU MISSED IT*

7/8

Liberian Forces Block U.S. Military Mission

N- Turkey Says U.S. Main Loser in Iraq Arrests' Incident

N- Two U.S. soldiers wounded in Baghdad blast

Attacks Injure 7 U.S. Troops in Iraq

7/9

U.S. Army wants to buy more Israeli Hunter drones

Rumsfeld: 3rd Infantry to Leave Iraq Soon

Rules of Engagement in Iraq Threaten Army Troops

Belt tightens on Navy submarine program

7/10

N-'Privacy' Argument Not Applicable in Military, Expert Says

N-Allies balk at sending troops

N-Franks: 10-25 Attacks a Day on U.S. Troops in Iraq

American Troops Could Be in Iraq Four Years From Now, Franks Tells Congress

Clues to U.S pilot reportedly found(Scott Speicher update)

Status of Iraq's 55 Most Wanted

July 8, 2003

Navy Secretary Announces Carrier Donation Acting Secretary of the Navy Hansford T. Johnson announced today that the historic aircraft carrier Midway will be donated to the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum., a qualified non-profit organization.

The Midway, the last remaining vessel of the World War II era CV 41 class, will be displayed in remembrance of the valiant service of its crew and as a testimonial to the men and women who built, reconfigured and maintained this vessel.

The request from the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum was the only complete application for donation of Midway. After a review of the package, Johnson determined that it is in the Navy’s best interests to approve donation to the museum.

The ship was named for the Battle of Midway, which was fought in the Central Pacific from June 4-7, 1942. It is considered the decisive battle of the war, in the theater. Before this battle the Japanese were on the offensive; after it, the Americans and their allies took the offensive. During the battle, U.S. forces sank the four Japanese carriers that had attacked Pearl Harbor only six months before, while losing only one U.S. carrier.

For further information regarding this donation call Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs at (202) 781-2975.

.......FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!

.......Good Morning Everyone!

If you would like added or removed from our ping list let me know.


Lighten Up, Francis!
Fundraising posts only happen quarterly, and are gone as soon as we meet the goal. Help make it happen.

Good morning, SAMWolf. How's it going?

Good morning SAM, Snippy, everyone.

Have a great day.

Good Morning Everybody.

You Know The Drill
Click the Pics J

Coffee & Donuts J

I'm in.
My wife knows some Geigers.
Hopefully, even though it sounds bad to say it this way, this one isn't one she knows:
IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 10, 2003

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today that Sgt. Christopher P. Geiger, 38, of Allentown, Pa., died on July 9 in Bagram, Afghanistan. Geiger died of a non-combat related cause while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Geiger was assigned to the 213th Area Support Group, Allentown, Pa.

On this Day In History

Birthdates which occurred on July 14:
1486 Andrea del Sarto Italy, painter (Recollets)
1602 Jules Mazarin France, cardinal, French 1st Minister (1642-61)
1834 James Abbott McNeill Whistler artist (Whistler's Mother)
1857 Maytag invented washing machine
1858 Emmeline Pankhurst England, found (Women's Social & Political Union)
1862 Florence Bascom US, 1st American woman PhD
1862 Gustav Klimt Austria, Art Nouveau painter
1865 Annie Jones Virginia, bearded lady
1869 Owen Wister US, novelist (The Virginian)
1874 'Abbas II last khedive (Ottoman viceroy) of Egypt (1892-1914)
1880 Donald Meek Glasgow Scotland, actor (Stage Fair, Stagecoach)
1890 Ossip Zadkine sculptor (The Destroyed City)
1893 Spencer Williams Vidalia La, actor (Andy-Amos 'n' Andy)
1895 Cliff Edwards "Ukulele Ike", Hannibal Mo, singer (54th Street Revue)
1895 Frank Raymond Leavis British literary critic (Culture & Environment)
1901 George Tobias NYC, actor (Abner Kravitz-Bewitched)
1903 Irving Stone US, author (Love is Eternal, Lust for Life)
1903 Ken Murray NYC, comedian (Ken Murray Show, Judy Garland Show)
1904 Isaac Bashevis Singer Yiddish novelist (Enemies-Nobel 1978)
1906 Tom Carvel ice cream mogul (Carvels)
1909 Annabella [Suzanne G Charpentier], Paris, actress (Dinner at Ritz)
1910 William Hanna animator (Hanna-Barbera)
1911 Terry-Thomas England, actor (It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World)
1912 Woodrow Wilson "Woodie" Guthrie folk singer (This Land Is Your Land)
1913 Gerald R Ford [Leslie King], 41st VP (1973-74), 38th pres (R-1974-77)
1917 Douglas Edwards Alda Okla, newscaster (CBS Evening News, FYI)
1918 Arthur Laurents NYC, playwright (West Side Story, Gypsy)
1918 Ingmar Bergman Uppsala Sweden, director (Cries & Whispers)
1918 Jay Wright Forrester invented random-access magnetic core memory
1919 Lino Ventura Italy, actor (Happy New Year, Pain in the A--)
1923 Dale Robertson Harrah Ok, actor (Death Valley Days, Walter-Dynasty)
1923 Frances Lear Larchmont NY, Woman's magazine publisher (Lears)
1926 Harry Dean Stanton actor (Alien, Cool Hand Luke, Alien)
1927 John Chancellor Chicago Ill, news anchor (NBC, VOA)
1928 Nancy Olson Milwaukee, actress (Absent-Minded Professor, Pollyanna)
1928 Pierre Olaf Cauderan France, actor (Kraft Music Hall)
1930 Polly Bergen Knoxville Tn, actress (Rhoda-Winds of War, Baby Talk)
1931 Donald Eugene Webb Okla City, murderer (FBI Most Wanted List)
1931 Robert Stephens Bristol England, actor (Uncle Kurt-Holocaust)
1932 Roosevelt Grier Cuthbert Ga, NFLer (NY Giants)/actor (Movin' On)
1933 Robert Bourassa Montr‚al, premier of Qu‚bec (1970-76, 1985- )
1934 Leo Joseph Koury Pitts, murderer (FBI Most Wanted List)
1936 Gloria Lambert Worcester Mass, singer (Sing Along With Mitch)
1936 Robert F Overmyer Lorain Ohio, Col USMC/astronaut (STS 5, STS 51B)
1943 Lynn Loring NYC, actress (Patty-Fair Exchange, Barbara-FBI)
1947 Steve Stone Cleveland Ohio, sportscaster (Monday Night Baseball)
1948 Tommy Matola rock manager/CEO (CBS records)
1952 Chris Cross rock singer (Arthur)
1952 Eric Laneuville New Orleans La, actor (Larry-Room 222, St Elsewhere)
1952 Jerry Houser LA Calif, actor (Slapshot, Summer of '42, Class of '44)
1952 Stan Shaw Chic Ill, actor (Mississippi, Roots Next Generation)
1961 Jackie Earle Haley Northridge Calif, actor (Breaking Away)
1970 Missy Gold Great Falls Mont, actress (Katie-Benson)
1977 Princess Victoria Ingrid Alic‚a D‚sir‚e, heir apparent of Sweden

Deaths which occurred on July 14:
1223 Philippe II Augustus, King of France (1180-1223), dies
1881 "Billy the Kid" (21 years old) was shot to death by Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County on a ranch near old Fort Sumner, New Mexico
1948 Palmiro Togliatti, Italy's CPI chairman, assassinated
1958 King Faisal II PM of Iraq, assassinated at Baghdad
1968 Westbrook Van Voorhis announcer (March of Time), dies at 64
1970 Preston Foster actor (Waterfront, Gunslinger), dies at 69
1973 Clarence White guitarist (Byrds), killed by a car
1979 George De Witt TV host (Name that Tune), dies at 56
1984 Kenny Delmar comedian (School House), dies at 74
1998 Richard "Dick" McDonald Businessperson, who with his brother pioneered an innovative quick-service restaurant that evolved into McDonald's Corp.

Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1962 BLEWETT ALAN L.
[NO CONTACT AIR/GND SEARCH NEG]
1962 PARKS RAYMOND F. DENNISON OH.
[NO CONTACT AIR/GND SEARCH NEG]
1966 KIPINA MARSHALL F. CALUMET MI.
1966 NOPP ROBERT SALEM OR.
1967 FULLER ROBERT B. JACKSONVILLE FL.
[03/04/73 RELEASED BY DRV,ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1969 BUTLER DEWEY R. WASHINGTON DC.

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

On this day...
1223 In France, Louis VIII succeeds his father, Philip Augustus.
1430 Joan of Arc, taken prisoner by the Burgundians in May, is handed over to Pierre Cauchon, the bishop of Beauvais.
1456 Hungarians defeat the Ottomans at the Battle of Belgrade, in present-day Yugoslavia.
1714 Battle of Aland, Russian fleet overpowers larger Swedish fleet
1771 Mission San Antonio de Padua founded in California
1789 Bastille Day-citizens of Paris storm Bastille prison
1798 1st direct federal tax on the states-on dwellings, land & slaves
1798 Sedition Act prohibits "false, scandalous & malicious" writing against US govt
1832 Opium exempted from federal tariff duty
1845 1st postmasters' provisional stamps issued, NYC
1850 1st public demonstration of ice made by refrigeration
1853 Commodore Perry requests trade relations with Japan
1853 Pres Franklin Pierce opens 1st industrial exposition (NY)
1865 Whymper, Hudson, Croz, Douglas & Hadow 1st ascent of Matterhorn (why? Because it's there)
1867 Alfred Nobel demonstrated dynamite.
1868 Tape measure enclosed in a circular case patented, AJ Fellows, Ct
1881 Outlaw William Bonney (a.k.a. Billy The Kid), was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, N.M.
1893 A Charlois discovers asteroid #370 Modestia
1911 46" of rain begins to fall in Baguio, Phillipines
1914 1st patent for liquid-fueled rocket design granted (Dr R Goddard)
1914 NL's Boston Braves start climb from last place to world series sweep
1914 Robert Hutchins Goddard patents a liquid-fuel rocket motor
1916 St Louis Brown Ernie Koob pitches all 17 inns in a 0-0 tie vs Boston
1921 Nicola Sacco & Bartolomeo Vanzetti convicted in Dedham Mass, of killing their shoe company's paymaster
1927 1st commercial airplane flight in Hawaii
1933 Nazi Germany promulgates the Law for the Protection of Hereditary Health--the begining of the Euthanasia program.
1934 116ø F (47ø C), Orogrande, New Mexico (state record)
1934 C Jackson discovers asteroids #1325 Inanda & #1326 Losaka
1934 NY Times erronously declares Ruth 700 HR record to stand for all time
1934 Phillies score 11 runs in an inning, beats Cincinnati 18-0
1936 116ø F (47ø C), Collegeville, Indiana (state record)
1940 Lithuania becomes the Lithuanian SSR
1946 Cleve Lou Boudreau hits 4 doubles & HR but Red Sox win 11-10 on Ted Williams 3 HR with 8 RBIs
1947 C A Wirtanen discovers asteroid #1747 Wright
1950 RE Wayne awarded 1st Distinguished Flying Cross in Korea
1951 1st color telecast of a sporting event (CBS-horse race)
1951 Citation becomes 1st horse to win $1,000,000 in races
1953 1st natl monument dedicated to a Negro-George Washington Carver
1953 NL beats AL 5-1 in 20th All Star Game (Crosley Field Cincinnati)
1954 117ø F (47ø C), East St. Louis, Illinois (state record)
1954 118ø F (48ø C), Warsaw & Union, Missouri (state record)
1955 2 killed, many dazed when lightning strikes Ascott racetrack, England
1956 Boston Red Sox Mel Parnell no-hits Chicago White Sox, 4-0
1957 Soviet steamer "Eshghbad" sinks in Caspian Sea, drowning 270
1958 Iraqi army overthrows monarchy; republic replaces Hashemite dynasty
1959 1st atomic powered cruiser, the Long Beach, Quincy Mass
1960 Fire raging through a Guatemala City, Guatemala insane asylum kills 225, severly injuring 300
1961 Astro's Eddie Matthews hits HR #500
1962 Brave's Hank Aaron hits HR #500
1965 US Mariner IV, 1st Mars probe, passes at 6,100 miles (9,800 km)
1966 Richard Speck rapes & kills 8 nurses in a Chicago dormitory
1967 Astro Eddie Matthews hits his 500th HR off SF Giant Juan Marichal
1967 Surveyor 4 launched to Moon; explodes just before landing
1968 Brave Hank Aaron hits his 500th HR off SF Giant Mike McCormick
1968 Houston Astro Don Wilson strikes-out 18, beats Reds 6-1
1969 "Futbol War" between El Salvador & Honduras begins
1970 NL wins 8th straight All Star Game, 5-4 in 12 innings (Riverfront, Cin)
1972 L Zhuravleva discovers asteroids #1959 Karbyshev & #2423 Ibarruri
1973 Phil Everly storms off stage declaring an end to the Everly Brothers
1974 Bundy victms Janice Ott & Denise Naslund disappear, Lk Sammamish, WA
1975 EPCOT Center (Florida) plans announced
1976 Jimmy Carter wins Democratic pres nomination in NY
1977 N Chernykh discovers asteroids #2286 Fesenkov, #2492 Kutuzov, #2509 Chukotka, #2607 Yakutia & #3213
1978 Anatoly Shcharansky convicted of anti-Soviet agitation
1978 Allen Ginsburg completes "Plutonian Ode," blocks trainload of fissile material headed for Rockwell's nuclear bomb trigger factory, Colorado
1983 Crane (Rep-R-Il) & Studds (Rep-D-Mas) admit to sex with pages
1984 STS 41-D vehicle moves to Vandenberg AFB for remanifest of payloads
1985 Columbia returns to Kennedy Space Center via Offutt AFB, Neb
1985 Kathy Baker beats Judy Clark to win golf's US Women's Open
1985 Last USFL game-Baltimore Stars defeats Oakland Invaders, 28-24
1986 Jane Geddes beats Sally Little to win golf's US Women's Open
1986 NASA's plan to implement recommendations of Rogers commission
1986 Paul McCartney releases "Press"
1986 Richard W Miller became 1st FBI agent convicted of espionage
1987 Greyhound Bus buys Trailways Bus for $80 million
1987 Lt Col Oliver North concludes 6 days of Congressional testimony
1987 NL defeats AL, 2-0 in 13, in 58th All-Star Game in Oakland, Calif
1987 Steve Miller's star is unveiled on Hollywood's Walk of Fame
1987 Taiwan ends 37 years of martial law
1988 200,000 demonstrate in Soviet Armenia for incorp of Nagorno-Karabak
1988 Mike Schmidt passes Mickey Mantle with his 537th HR into 7th place
1989 The 16th James Bond movies "License to Kill" premiers
1990 "Howard Stern's Summer Show" premiers on WWOR-TV
1995 Under pressure from Congress, FBI Director Louis Freeh removed his friend Larry Potts as the bureau's deputy director because of controversy over Potts' role in a deadly 1992 FBI siege in Idaho.

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"
International Obscurity Day
France, Guiana, Polynesia, Guadel, Martinique : Bastille Day (1789)
Iran : Appointment of the Prophet
Iraq : Republic Day (1958)
Senegal : African Community Day
South Africa : Family Day - - - - - ( Monday )
Swaziland : Reed Dance Day - - - - - ( Monday )
USA National Nude Day.
USA National Anti-Boredom Month
Face On Mars Day - On this day Mariner 4 flew by Mars taking pictures. One of the photos revealed a natural topographical feature that resembles a face.

Religious Observances
Muslim-Indonesia, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Yemen PDR : Mohammed Ascension
Old Catholic : Commem of St Bonaventure, bishop/confessor/doctor
RC : Mem St Camillus of Lellis, patron of nurses/sick (opt)
RC : Memorial of Bl Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, virgin

Religious History
1773 The first annual conference of the Methodist Church in America convened at St.George's Church in Philadelphia, PA.
1775 Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter John Newton wrote in a letter: 'The knowledgeof God cannot be attained by studious discussion on our parts; it must be by revelation onHis part.'
1800 Birth of Anglican clergyman Matthew Bridges. In 1848 he converted to Catholicism,under the influence of the Oxford Movement in England. He is remembered today for authoringthe hymn, 'Crown Him with Many Crowns.'
1833 Anglican clergyman John Keble preached his famous sermon on national religiousapostasy. It marked the beginning of the Oxford Movement, which sought to purify andrevitalize the Church of England.
1892 The Baptist Young People's Union held its first national convention in Detroit.The founding of the BYP Union was inspired by the earlier work of Francis E. Clark, aCongregational pastor who founded the first 'modern' youth fellowship in 1881.

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

Thought for the day :
"Think you've got influence? Try commanding someone else's dog."

Today's 'You Might Be A Redneck If' Joke...
"Your favorite Christmas present was a painting on black velvet."

Good Morning E.G.C.

Beautiful morning, clear blue skies and cool, supposed to hit the mid to upper eighties again today.

Snippy and I are gonna tour the Gorge, Multmomah Falls and the other falls, Bridge of the Gods, Bonneville Dam, Hood River valley, Lake Trillium and Mount Hood today. Lots of hiking involved but the Mountain and Gorge are usually cooler then the Portland area

Morning Feather. Today is one of the planned "Day long" trips. See the previous post for our plans.

Good Morning Fidlstix.

1798 Sedition Act prohibits "false, scandalous & malicious" writing against US govt

If we still enforced this law we could put half of the press, 98% of Hollywood and most of the Democratic Congress in prison.

Morning DarkSheare.

I know what you mean. I hope he doesn't turn out to be an aquaintance of your wifes.

Good morning Sam J

Tarawa passes Pearl Harbor Memorial

This is the picture that is supposed to be in the story about the USS TARAWA

The coffee showed up just in time. Packing up the picnic luch, filling the thermos and about to walk out the door.

Snippy and I will see you all this evening.

It's awful to say it that way, but at one and the same time you're praying it's someone you don't know while praying for their family.

My wife is from PA, and the Geigers she know lived there and moved recently (within the past 10 years or so).
I'm not sure where, as I do not know them myself.
But still, if it is someone she knows, she'll be real upset to say the least. (She was terrified I'd end up dead while I was in uniform.)

The coffee showed up just in time. Packing up the picnic luch, filling the thermos and about to walk out the door.

See you later
Enjoy J

Good morning. I'll be on vacation after today for a couple weeks, but here in spirit.