Pearl Harbor Day

My Pearl Harbor Day post, parts of which I've published every year since 2006.

Pearl Harbor Day

Sixty-eight years ago today... "a date which will live in infamy"... the nation was shocked out of its complacency and determination to stay out of the conflict engulfing the rest of the civilized world by the horrific Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.  Here's an excerpt from President Roosevelt's speech to congress on the following day:

The men who fought back at Pearl Harbor formed the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association about ten years after the war and they used to hold a reunion in Hawaii every five years... until 2006, when they held their last reunion there.  I published this post to mark that occasion (note that the link to the news article is dead now):

Pearl Harbor Day

The USS Arizona - Then and Now (U.S. Navy photographs)

It’s said — quite often and by many, many people — that 9/11/2001 “changed everything.” And it is indeed true for the current generations of Americans. But I’ll submit that 12/07/1941 “changed everything” to a degree it is impossible for us who were not alive and going about our business on that Sunday in December, 1941 to realize. Those of us whose parents were members of The Greatest Generation understand my point. A smaller subset, those of us whose parents fought in World War II, understand the point a little bit better, perhaps. We have the benefit of hearing the first-person narratives of that day in December 1941, and stories from the long, long days that followed…from the dark and despair of the war’s first year to the signing of the Japanese surrender on the decks of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay not quite four years later. And a lot in between.

They are leaving us. The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association is holding their last meeting (dead link) today.

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - With their number quickly dwindling, survivors of Pearl Harbor will gather Thursday one last time to honor those killed by the Japanese 65 years ago, and to mark a day that lives in infamy.

This will be their last visit to this watery grave to share stories, exchange smiles, find peace and salute their fallen friends. This, they say, will be their final farewell.

"This will be one to remember," said Mal Middlesworth, president of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. "It's going to be something that we'll cherish forever."

The survivors have met here every five years for four decades, but they're now in their 80s or 90s and are not counting on a 70th reunion. They have made every effort to report for one final roll call.

Their last meeting. I know All Things Must Pass, but it saddens me so. We owe them so much, and our thank-yous seem inadequate compared to the sacrifices they made.

But: We shall continue, we shall honor their sacrifices, we will remember, and we shall rededicate ourselves to the task that faces this generation…the one that began on 9/11/2001. The Greatest Generation expects it from us.

The 2006 news article may not be available any longer, but the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association is still alive and kicking.  They are few now, but thank God some of those heroes are still around.  It won't be too much longer until they're all gone and as I said above: "It saddens me so."

I did some looking around on the inter-tubes and found out the PHSA ended its corporate status on December 31, 2011, which means they no longer exist as a formal association with a government charter.  There are still some living survivors, however, and a Google search turned up numerous articles about these men.  You could do a lot worse than reading a few of those articles today. 

Veterans Day 2014

Presidential Proclamation -- Veterans Day, 2014

VETERANS DAY, 2014

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Since the birth of our Nation, American patriots have stepped forward to serve our country and defend our way of life.  With honor and distinction, generations of servicemen and women have taken up arms to win our independence, preserve our Union, and secure our freedom.  From the Minutemen to our Post-9/11 Generation, these heroes have put their lives on the line so that we might live in a world that is safer, freer, and more just, and we owe them a profound debt of gratitude.  On Veterans Day, we salute the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who have rendered the highest service any American can offer, and we rededicate ourselves to fulfilling our commitment to all those who serve in our name. 

Today, we are reminded of our solemn obligation:  to serve our veterans as well as they have served us.  As we continue our responsible drawdown from the war in Afghanistan and more members of our military return to civilian life, we must support their transition and make sure they have access to the resources and benefits they have earned.  My Administration is working to end the tragedy of homelessness among our veterans, and we are committed to providing them with quality health care, access to education, and the tools they need to find a rewarding career.  As a Nation, we must ensure that every veteran has the chance to share in the opportunity he or she has helped to defend.  Those who have served in our Armed Forces have the experience, skills, and dedication necessary to achieve success as members of our civilian workforce, and it is critical that we harness their talent.

Across our country, veterans who fought to protect our democracy around the globe are strengthening it here at home. Once leaders in the Armed Forces, they are now pioneers of industry and pillars of their communities.  Their character reflects our enduring American spirit, and in their example, we find inspiration and strength.

This day, and every day, we pay tribute to America's sons and daughters who have answered our country's call.  We recognize the sacrifice of those who have been part of the finest fighting force the world has ever known and the loved ones who stand beside them.  We will never forget the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice and all those who have not yet returned home.  As a grateful Nation, let us show our appreciation by honoring all our veterans and working to ensure the promise of America is within the reach of all who have protected it.

With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service members have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation's veterans.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2014, as Veterans Day.  I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers.  I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I call on all Americans, including civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support this day with commemorative expressions and programs.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.

BARACK OBAMA

In the rest of the Anglosphere, which is to say the British Commonwealth, today is Remembrance Day.  This is the poster the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs uses to publicize Remembrance Day:

To all those who wore the uniform of our country and its allies, in times of peace or times of war: thank you. 

I Really Should Do This More Often*

From the Usual USAF Source...

Joint Power

​Air Frame: Ships from the George Washington and Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Groups and aircraft from the Air Force and Marine Corps operate in formation at the conclusion of Valiant Shield 2014, Sept. 23, 2014. Valiant Shield is a US-only exercise integrating Navy, Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps assets, offering real-world joint operational experience. (Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Trevor Welsh) A rather dull day for a photo-op, right?  But the pic IS impressive, click to embiggen. * You might ask "Do what more often, Buck?"  "Publish more pics and stories about our allies the other services" would be my answer.

More Than 3800 Sorties

A few items from the Usual USAF Source about the current unpleasantness over Iraq and Syria...

Airpower in Action

—Amy McCullough

The US Air Force has conducted nearly three-quarters of the strikes conducted in Iraq and Syria and roughly half of the strikes in Syria so far, said Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, plans, and requirements on the Air Staff. USAF aircraft also have conducted 70 percent of the more than 3,800 sorties flown in the two countries; 95 percent of the nearly 1,300 tanker sorties, and more than 700 ISR sorties supporting the operation, Harrigian told reporters on Sept. 29. "We are part of an integrated coalition effort, and this broad coalition has been and will continue to be the cornerstone of the strategy against ISIL," said Harrigian. "From an airman's perspective, we have worked for years to develop relationships across the theater with our fellow airmen, much like our sister services have done. Training with them both in theater and in the states to allow us the flexibility to seamlessly integrate them into the operations that we've been executing."

F-22 Still Flying Over Syria

—Marc V. Schanz

The F-22 is still flying sorties over Syria, in addition to last week's strikes on targets in and around Aleppo, said Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, plans, and requirements. Giving the first detailed comments by a senior official on the fifth generation aircraft's mission in the Middle East, Harrigian—a veteran F-15 and F-22 pilot—said planners examined both the threat environment and the mission tasks on the first night of the campaign and decided the F-22 needed to be part of the package in order to deliver the "desired effects." "They wanted to ensure that they used the right capabilities in the right location," Harrigian told reporters on Sept. 29. The F-22 has both speed and stealth, but it also has an integrated avionics package, which greatly improves situational awareness, not just for the pilot, but for the "entire [strike package] that's going to execute the mission." Harrigian said the Raptor continues to fly over Syria, though he noted the aircraft have not dropped munitions on every mission. Planners are taking a look at the "specifics of each mission and determining if they need them or not," Harrigian said, depending on targets, where they are located, and what the "environment" is like.

And this... 

Mabus: Naval Aircraft Flying One Quarter of ISIS Mission

—Otto Kreisher

​

USMC AV-8B

The Navy and Marine Corps have provided about one-fourth of the airstrikes against ISIS forces in Iraq and Syria since the new campaign started last week, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said Sept. 30. Most of the Navy strike missions, flown primarily off the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush operating in the Persian Gulf, were at the beginning of the campaign, "because we were there and could begin instantly when the President gave the order," Mabus told reporters during a breakfast meeting in Washington, D.C. Now the Air Force is flying more, but Navy aircraft are flying some ISR missions, he added. Some Marine AV-8Bs have flown strike missions into Iraq from the amphibious assault ship the USS Bataan, which also is in the Persian Gulf. Navy warships in the Red Sea and the Gulf also fired 47 Tomahawk cruise missiles in the opening attacks on ISIS in Syria. The additional cost to the Navy so far has been about $100 million, primarily for the weapons expended, Mabus said. The Navy can sustain its current operations against ISIS "for as long as it is needed," he said. The USS Carl Vinson is on its way to replace the Bush, Mabus noted.

This campaign against ISIS/ISIL is beginning to be a rather expensive proposition.  One wonders just how many sorties have been flown by the coalition... specifically our Arab allies... that Obama seems so proud of.  Information on THAT subject is pretty damned hard to find.  

Apropos of the Mabus blurb... My Ol' Man used to refer to the AF's sister services... meaning the Navy, Marines, and Army... as "our allies, most of the time."  Me?  I prefer the more traditional "squids," "jarheads," and "ground-pounders."  (Said the Zoomie.)

Cold War, Re-Visited

The current administration has bent over backwards since the Ukrainian brouhaha began this year to reassure the public the Cold War isn't breaking out all over again.  I'm thinkin' someone needs to tell the Rooshians that.  From an article in the Washington Free Beacon ("Russian Strategic Bombers Near Canada Practice Cruise Missile Strikes on US"):

A 3rd Wing F-22 Raptor escorts a Russian Air Force Tu-95 Bear bomber near Nunivak Island, 2007. It was the first intercept of a Bear bomber for an F-22 which was alerted out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s Combat Alert Center. (Courtesy photo, Wikimedia Commons)

Two Russian strategic bombers conducted practice cruise missile attacks on the United States during a training mission last week that defense officials say appeared timed to the NATO summit in Wales.

The Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers were tracked flying a route across the northern Atlantic near Iceland, Greenland, and Canada’s northeast.

Analysis of the flight indicated the aircraft were conducting practice runs to a pre-determined “launch box”—an optimum point for firing nuclear-armed cruise missiles at U.S. targets, said defense officials familiar with intelligence reports.

Disclosure of the nuclear bombing practice comes as a Russian general last week called for Moscow to change its doctrine to include preemptive nuclear strikes on the United States and NATO.
Gen. Yuri Yakubov, a senior Defense Ministry official, was quoted by the state-run Interfax news agency as saying that Russia’s 2010 military doctrine should be revised to identify the United States and the NATO alliance as enemies, and clearly outline the conditions for a preemptive nuclear strike against them.

Yakubov said among other needed doctrinal changes, “it is necessary to hash out the conditions under which Russia could carry out a preemptive strike with the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces”—Moscow’s nuclear forces.

It hardly ever fails: what's old is new again.  One wonders when the ol' "duck and cover" stuff will be re-purposed.  Then again, given the administration's "it ain't there if I can't see it" approach to foreign affairs, little or nothing will be done.  It'll be bid'niz as usual.

The ol' Chinese curse has come to pass: we're truly living in interesting times. 

Saturday: "You In a Heap o' Trouble, Boy!"

The Powers-That-Be don't think this is funny.  From the Usual Source:

When the Queen’s away her guards will play. Our top video this week – filmed while the Queen was on holiday – shows a guardsman outside Buckingham Palace injecting some fun into his two-hour shift by pirouetting and performing comic walks for giggling tourists. The laugh-a-minute Ministry of Defence is apparently taking the incident very seriously and launching an investigation into the unruly Grenadier Guard. 

Spoil-sports.

Pot-Poury

I might have been the only person in my small circle of blogging friends who didn't acknowledge Robin Williams' passing yesterday.  The Usual Source of political 'toons has a few items dedicated to Mr. Williams today; here's one such:
 

And from the Usual USAF Source, this:

Military Tribute to Robin Williams

—John. A. Tirpak

​The Pentagon issued a rare tribute to an entertainer on Tuesday. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, in a statement, said "the entire Defense Department community mourns the loss of Robin Williams," whom he described as "a gifted actor and comedian, but … also a true friend and supporter of our troops." Hagel noted that Williams had entertained "thousands of service men and women in war zones" and his philanthropy supported numerous causes "that helped veterans struggling with hidden wounds of war." The Twitterverse on Tuesday filled with stories from service personnel and vets on how Williams had taken the time to visit and talk with them personally, going so far as to seek out and spend time with troops who, because they were on duty, couldn't attend his front-lines performances. Many described him as a modern-day Bob Hope. Williams earned his first Oscar nomination for portraying Air Force Sgt. Adrian Cronauer, an Armed Forces Radio DJ, in the 1987 film, "Good Morning, Vietnam." The United Services Organizations, in a release, said Williams went on six USO tours between 2002 and 2013, including five overseas stints during which he visited troops in 12 foreign countries. This included three stops each in Afghanistan and Iraq.

RIP, Mr. Williams.

In other news...

I'm thinkin' UPS loves this video:



Drop-kicking the package on to the roof is a nice move, eh?

In the "Minor Bitches, Moans, and Complaints" category...  We've been living with our Keurig machine for exactly three months today and I'm not very fond of the thing for one simple reason: it takes too damned long to brew ONE cup of coffee.  The machine apparently has lost its mind, in that it has NO ideer what those three different portion-level buttons on its face are for.  To be clear: one has a choice (supposedly) of brewing either a small, medium, or large cup of coffee, depending on which button you push; MY machine brews exactly one-third of a cup of coffee no matter WHICH button you push.  So every morning we stand at the machine diligently pushing buttons and waiting for the machine to cycle THREE times before we get our first cup of coffee.  I don't think that's the way the machine is supposed to work.

It's always sumthin'.

Tanks a Lot

Here's a video of the 2014 Tank Biathlon which was held in Russia recently.  Exactly what is a tank biathlon, you ask?  Well there's this from the Tube o' You (and a big-ass article at the link, above)...

The 2014 Tank Biathlon World Championship will kick-off in Alabino, a town to the southwest of Moscow, on August 4. Teams from Angola, Armenia, Belarus, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Mongolia, Russia, Serbia and Venezuela will have to navigate a distance of 20 kilometres (12.5 miles), evading various obstacles, crossing rivers and bridges and shooting at a set of targets. All teams except for China will compete using Russia-made T-72B tanks.

So: Commies (and Commie wanna-bees) driving tanks.  What's NOT to love?



You have to REALLY like tanks to sit and watch this video for the entire two-plus hours.  I couldn't do it, but that doesn't mean YOU can't, Gentle Reader.  If that's your thing.

Saturday: A Keeper

There's a lot of angst about the state of our youth today, but this boy's gonna be OK.

H/t: Old NFO.

A Passing

From the Usual USAF Source:

Last Crew Member of the B-29 Enola Gay Has Died

Enola Gay crewmembers (l-r) Maj. Theodore Van Kirk, Col. Paul Tibbets Jr., and Maj. Thomas Ferebee. File photo.

​The last surviving crew member of the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, to accelerate the end of World War II, has died. Theodore Van Kirk died July 28 at a nursing home in Stone Mountain, Ga. He was 93. Van Kirk, known as "Dutch," was the navigator in the Enola Gay crew, led by Col. Paul Tibbets, who commanded the 509th Composite Bomb Group, which was formed to conduct the atomic bomb missions. Flying from an airfield on the captured Japanese Island of Tinian, the crew dropped the 9,000-pound weapon, called "Little Boy," over Hiroshima early on Aug. 6, 1945. Three days later, another B-29 from the 509th dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Japan surrendered Aug. 15. The Enola Gay was snarled in controversy in 1994 when the Smithsonian Institution planned to use it in a display that would have depicted the Japanese as victims. A campaign led by Air Force Magazine forced the Smithsonian to cancel that exhibit, and the bomber became a popular attraction at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Van Kirk always supported the atomic bombings for avoiding an invasion of Japan that could have killed hundreds of thousands of allied troops and Japanese. (See also Atomic Mission from the October 2010 issue of Air Force Magazine.)

RIP, Mr. Van Kirk.   

That photo makes me nostalgic for a time I didn't live in, mainly for the simplicity and great good looks the uniform had in days gone by.  Note the fact these officers had something like 14 ribbons between the three of them and this photo was prolly taken during the last days of WW II, meaning all three gentlemen had LOTS of hours in combat.  Any given USAF major today has at least 14 decorations on his/her chest.  Think I'm exaggerating?  Check out the major's rack on my sidebar.

D-Day

Our annual D-Day post:

Sixty-nine Seventy years ago today.  My annual D-Day post, first published in 2009...

D-Day

Sixty-five years ago today. All images as captioned in the Life Magazine photo archives.

Tracer fire from many different ships lighting up the night sky over the English Channel during opening phase of D-Day, the Allied invasion of France. (no credit)

American B-26 Marauders with special D-Day markings make a bombing run over Cherbourg around the time of the Allied D-Day invasion of France. (Frank Scherschel)

Aerial view of American troops and tanks coming ashore as landing craft continue to unload on the first day of Operation Overlord, the invasion of France, aka on D-Day. (no credit)

Massive landing and deployment of US troops, supplies and equipment in the days following victorious D-Day action on Omaha Beach; barrage balloons guard against German aircraft while scores of ships unload men & material. (no credit)

Bodies of 8 American paratroopers lie outside the wreckage of their glider near Hiesville, France on the day of the invasion of Normandy, aka D-Day. (no credit)

Chaplin saying mass aboard HMS Scylla, laying at anchor off the Normandy coast shortly after the D-Day invasion of France. (no credit)

As always... click for larger. And spare a thought and a prayer today for those who made the ultimate sacrifice 65 69 years ago. There were many thousands who gave their lives for freedom on this day...

The world will probably never see another military operation like this ever again.  The focus is primarily on the men who scaled the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc and landed on the beaches code-named Omaha, Utah, Sword, Juno and Gold, and rightly so.  But the Allied navies and air arms deserve equal attention, as do the behind-the-scenes logisticians who managed an incredible supply chain; that supply chain was a modern marvel in every sense of the word.  As I said, we'll never see another military effort like this ever again.  Let's hope we never have cause to mount such an invasion, too.

I can't improve on this.

"Whoa" Is Right

So sez Ed Morrissey about this:

Berghdal is getting a lot of pixels on the milblogs and the press ain't good, at all.  I'm not one who wants to see a hanging before the trial but the sticks sure ain't lining up the way they should in this case.

Losses

I was curious about what was goin' on in the world on a certain day back in March, 1945.  There's an app for that... called Times Machine... but you need a subscription to the NYT to use it.  (Yes, I subscribe.  So shoot me.)  So here's what was up on that certain day:

You'll note I highlighted an article... and here it is in its entirety:

Unimaginable.  Over 20,000 lives and 2,050 bombers... lost.  The American public would never stand for those kinds of losses today.  Nevah hoppen, Gee-Eye.

A Re-Run of a Different Sort

We... the collective we, all of us... lost a good man two years ago today.  It's hard, nay, impossible to adequately describe the impact Carroll "Lex" LeFon's death had on the milblogging community and beyond.  But let me try:

Linkage

I can't break the habit, like so many others who read Lex every day.  So I still go there even though I know I won't find any more o' the Good Captain's tales o' derring-do, his astute opinions, or his potent dry wit to begin my day.  It's just a habit...

But I found something of value there today, as I did every day for the past eight years or so.  This, from commenter yaJames:

Have you seen this morning’s Sacramento Bee article? http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/12/4330119/atac-mourns-the-loss-of-capt-carroll.html   (Ed: the link is no more, unfortunately)

The article quotes the CEO of ATAC about the accident, and about tributes to Lex. It’s the first time I’ve seen the funeral arrangements published. (March 27th in San Diego.)

It also links to http://www.atacusa.com. They’ve turned their web-site into a memorial page.  (This link is no good, too)

So I went to ATAC and the memorial page they've posted is truly a work of art.  At the very bottom of the page you'll find this:

I had to take two screen shots because all those tributes... they're active links on ATAC's page... don't fit in a single capture.  One small correction: the comments and condolences at Lex's place are up to 1,457 this morning.

The man was loved. 

Loved, indeed.  We miss him.

Duty, Honor, Country

An item on G+, shared by Kanani Fong.

Budget Cuts

You're living under a rock if you've missed all the brouhaha surrounding the proposed cuts in the military budget.  It seems like everyone and their mom has something to say about the proposed cuts, which weigh heavily on the Army, said service to be cut from approximately 500,000 soldiers to 440,000 or 420,000 troops, depending on who you read.  The Navy will mothball a number of cruisers and the buy for the Littoral Combat Ship has been capped at the currently "paid for" number of 32.  One of the most controversial items in the proposed budget is the scrapping of USAF's entire fleet of A-10s... about which, this (from the Usual USAF Source):

USAF Will Scrap, Not Mothball, the A-10

The Air Force isn't planning to mothball its 283 A-10s, but simply retire the type wholesale as part of the Fiscal 2015 budget request, service Secretary Deborah Lee James said Wednesday. James told a Bloomberg defense symposium in Washington, D.C., that "the idea…is to…retire them fully" rather than put the A-10s into Type 1000 storage—meaning they could be returned to operations if needed—at the Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., boneyard. However, she said the A-10s won't be retired all at once, but rather over several years. "The beginning years would tilt toward the Active component," and the Guard and Reserve A-10s would be the last to go, she said. James emphasized that the A-10 is not the only close air support platform in the Air Force, and that in Afghanistan, it has actually only performed 20 percent of the CAS mission. The rest has been done by AC-130s, F-15s, F-16s, B-52s, and B-1s; all of which will be retained. "We have got this," James said of the CAS mission, insisting the service won't let down its brethren in the other services. The F-35 also will eventually take over the CAS role, she said. Retiring the A-10s will save $3.5 billion over the future years defense plan, she said.

—John A. Tirpak

That's the Party Line, of course.  I'm pretty sure the troops on the ground feel differently, at least that's the consensus of what I read about the subject on the milblogs.  Cutting the A-10 will face some serious opposition in Congress, too.  

Yet another case of living in interesting times, eh?

In other news... We poured our first cup at 1245 hrs today and are still reading the overnight mail and stuff.  This is gonna be one of those days when we go directly from coffee to beer... without passing "Go" or collecting 200 dollars.  That's the bad news and I hate it when this happens.  But the good news is we'll be back into the 70s today, so we'll take Happy Hour on the verandah.  Yays!

Warbird Restoration

Re-blogged from The Lexicans:

There’s a great article about restoring old warbirds in this month’s issue of Air Force Magazine.  Here are the lede grafs and a screen-shot of one of the article’s accompanying pics:

The scarcity of some World War II airframes today drives a small industry that can take what can only be described as airplane DNA and deliver a restored, flying aircraft. Restoration technology now makes it feasible to resurrect historic aircraft from little more than dented scraps of metal.

A striking example of this artistry is one Curtiss P-40C Tomahawk that survived a crash landing in 1942 to emerge as an award-winning restoration indistinguishable from the day it rolled off the Curtiss assembly line in 1941. The restoration shunned the iconic, but now ubiquitous, “Flying Tiger” shark’s mouth paint scheme to create instead a rugged-looking US Army Air Corps fighter of the type that rose to meet Japanese warplanes over Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

The Tomahawk’s odyssey began when it was earmarked for the British Royal Air Force and then transferred to the Soviet Union in December 1941. Identified with the RAF number AK295, it was technically a Tomahawk IIB—essentially equivalent to the USAAC’s P-40C.

The text version of the article is here but I recommend reading the PDF version for the photos.

The audience at The Lexicans is primarily former military pilots and folks who worked on military aircraft but I think the article would be of interest to EIP's readership as well, if only for the engineering that's in it.

Pensions

There was this lil blurb earlier this week from the Usual USAF Source:

Fiscal 2014 Omnibus Spending Bill Unveiled

Lawmakers on Monday released the Fiscal 2014 omnibus appropriations bill, the legislation that would provide discretionary funding for the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year and supersede the continuing resolution that expires on Jan. 15. Among the 12 regular appropriations bills included in the $1.012 trillion spending package is defense legislation that allocates $486.9 billion for base defense activities and $85.2 billion for overseas contingency operations, according to the House Appropriations Committee's defense summary. "This meets spending caps set in the Ryan-Murray budget agreement and denies the extreme cuts that would have occurred under the next round of sequestration, which would have had dire repercussions for our national defense," states the summary. The defense funding supports "a high level of military readiness," states the summary. The omnibus would also partially rescind language in the 2013 Bipartisan Budget Act that reduced military retiree benefits. It would "exempt medically retired personnel and survivor benefit plan recipients from having their cost-of-living benefits temporarily reduced," states the summary. "This will ensure disabled veterans and surviving families receive the full benefits they are due," it states. (See Rogers release, Mikulski release, Senate bill summary.) (See also Triggering Another Sequester.)

What this REALLY means...

Under the current military retirement system, members of our armed forces can receive pension payments and health care benefits after serving for at least 20 years, regardless of their age.  In the case of a service member who retires at age 38, pension payments and health coverage could easily continue for more than 40 years, totaling over 60 years of pay and benefits for 20 years of service, a very unusual – and expensive – benefit. Currently, military retirees of all ages receive annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), which increase these payments according to the consumer price index (CPI), a common measure of inflation. Beginning in 2016, the BBA provision will reduce this COLA by one percentage point (i.e., to CPI minus one percentage point), for working-age military retirees only. When those retirees reach age 62, their pension payments going forward will bump up as if the lower COLA had never applied, and from then on, they will receive a higher annual COLA based on the full CPI. This modest and reasonable reform would reduce lifetime retirement pay by about 6 percent—from $1.7 million to $1.6 million—for an Army sergeant first class retiring at age 38. Senator Patty Murray and Representative Paul Ryan have pledged to make a technical adjustment to exempt military retirees with disabilities from the change.

That's an excerpt from an op-ed in The Hill written by retired general/flag officers from three of the four uniformed services*.  I'm with the generals on this issue; the COLA cuts going into effect are quite small and are only temporary.  Full disclosure requires me to mention that MY ox isn't the one getting gored, however, seein' as how I'm well over 62 years of age and will get the full COLA... this year it's a whopping one percent raise, or about 15 Yankee Dollars**.  I'll have to give some thought about how I'm gonna spend this windfall.  I'll prolly wind up spending it all in one place, as is my wont.

* The men are Gen. James L. Jones (USMC, retired), Adm. Gregory Johnson (USNA, retired), Major Gen. Arnold Punaro (USMC, retired) and Gen. Charles Wald (USAF, retired).  You should read that whole op-ed, btw.  They make good sense.

** Those kind folks at the Social Security Administration are also giving me a raise this year, which, at just under 50 Yankee Dollars, is considerably more than what the Air Force is doling out.  In any event, you really SHOULD get back to work coz I need your tax dollars to keep flowing into the Federal coffers.  And thank you for supporting me in my dotage.  We are oh-so-grateful.

Tonight's the Night!

I've shilled for NORAD's Santa Tracking project every Christmas that EIP has been in existence, and this year is no exception.  That said, I had NO ideer how much this annual activity costs the US taxpayer.  Note:

Heh.  RTWT here.  And track Santa here.  The ol' guy is already airborne and headed for Dubai, as we speak post.

Saturday: A Date Which Will Live In Infamy

Previously at EIP, on the same subject.