Monday, June 13, 2005

News from Stars and Stripes

For Army historians, the Iraq war can't be documented from a safe distance
Assigned to the 45th Military History Detachment, Sgt. 1st Class Scoot Fisk is one of seven Army historians documenting the war in Iraq. The seven travel the country capturing whatever information and insights they can from the soldiers who make up Operation Iraqi Freedom III. “Most of the documents we collect will not be viewed in the immediate future,” Fisk said. “But it’s important because if we don’t, they will vanish. They will be thrown away, and they will disappear. In my eyes, this is extremely important work.” It also puts them in harm’s way. At least seven Army historians died on the battlefield in World War II. Since then, Army historians have roamed between front-line and rear-echelon units in every major conflict to capture “the good, the bad and the ugly."(Full story)

Iraqis taking control of Baghdad road
Nearly two weeks ago, a special force of Iraqi soldiers took up their new post along Baghdad's infamous Airport Road, the link between Baghdad International Airport and the center of Iraq’s newly forming government. “It was a rough first night” for the new battalion of 261 soldiers, according to Capt. Richard Dunbar, one of eight Americans assigned to assist the Iraqis. In the first 48 hours, one soldier was killed and another seven were hurt. Since then the gunfire has calmed down, Dunbar said, and the battalion has begun to gather helpful information from the neighbors.(Full story)

Troops half a world away watch children graduate
Senior Master Sgt. Bobby Booten is deployed to Afghanistan with other members of the 603rd Air Control Squadron. But he got to watch has daughter Sade graduate from Aviano High, thanks to signal units across Europe putting in extra hours over an extended weekend to broadcast ceremonies live to servicemembers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.(Full story)

posted by Pam @ 9:34 AM |

At Work In...

The U.S. Army...

A mortar team from 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, dig fighting positions while on patrol in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Photo by Joseph Collins Jr.

Persian Gulf (June 9, 2005) - A landing signalman enlisted (LSE) guides the pilots of an SH-60F Seahawk helicopter assigned to the "Eightballers" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Eight (HS-8) safely aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the Persian Gulf conducting operations in support of multi-national forces in Iraq and maritime security operations in order to set the conditions for security and stability in the region. Vinson will end its deployment with a homeport shift to Norfolk, Va., and commence a three-year refuel and complex over haul.
U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Dusty Howell

Inspecting the 'hole' aircraft
SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Staff Sgt. Emily Frances climbs through the top access hatch of an EC-130H Compass Call at a forward-deployed location to inspect the top surface of the aircraft for leaks and damage. She is an integrated flight controls specialist with the 43rd Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron and is deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. more

Rex, a three-year-old Belgium Malonois, smells for explosive residual in and around parked Iraqi cars at a vehicle checkpoint here. His handler, 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Marshall S. Spring from Ashland, Oregon, a military dog handler with Operation Force Protection, I Marine Expeditionary Force, escorts Rex during the search while an Iraqi Security Force Commando stands guard. Sergeant Christopher L. Olinger, Air Force Tech Sgt. Robert P. Hansen and Spring, military dog handlers and their canines, Jack, Nero and Rex, can be seen searching vehicles at the three vehicle check points just outside the Hurricane Point camp's perimeter. The six are here supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom while attached to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. They each do between 40 and 50 random searches a day in an effort to detect and stop improvised explosive devices and vehicle born IEDs from being delivered and doing harm. They are the Marine Corps' first line of defense against insurgents bringing explosives and materials to make explosives into the southern part of the city.
Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan
Read Story Associated with this photo

PORT OF INCHEON, So. Korea (June 3, 2005)--The USCGC Jarvis is led to its berth by a Korea pilot vessel. Jarvis is spending the week here to conduct exercises with the Korea Coast Guard as part of a bilateral agreement between the two nations. USCG Photo by PA1 Amy Thomas.

posted by Pam @ 7:37 AM |

In Today's News - Monday, June 13, 2005

Quote of the Day

"No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation."

-- General Douglas MacArthur

News of Note
Guantanamo Provides Intel Information
Bodies Unearthed in Baghdad
'These Are Terrorists'
Afghan Blast Hurts Four GIs

JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press
Cheney: No plans to shut Guantanamo prison
U.S. toll in Iraq pushes past 1,700
Nations try to foster goodwill with U.S.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
Russian ambassador meets with Iraqi cleric
Aoun appears headed toward win in Lebanon
Militants threaten to call off cease-fire
Nine killed in bombings around Iran
Saudis willing to cooperate with IAEA
Bodies of 28 Iraqi shooting victims found
Iraq: Insurgents seeking political role
Kurdish assembly elects Barzani president
Glance at hostages taken in Iraq
Talks stall between Sudan, Darfur rebels

Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Suicide car bombers kill 10 in Iraq
Petronas in talks to develop Iraq oil

Fox News
Bomb Kills Three Iraqi Cops
Banned Firm Soliciting Iraq Deals
Palestinian Terrorist Groups Threaten to End Cease-Fire
Christian General Poised to Upset Lebanese Vote
S. Korea: Talks Will Resume
Cheney: Dean 'Over the Top'

Department of Defense
Cheney Praises U.S. Special Operations — Story
Cheney: War Won't End With Treaty

IN IRAQ
Iraqi Army Soldiers Strike at Terrorists in Taji

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Borders Offers Discount CouponTo Public Service Workers — Story
Duff Supports Military Families — Story
Idol Makes 'Dream Come True'

TOP NEWS
IN IRAQ
Four Soldiers Die in IED Attacks
Seven Marines Killed in Attacks
Iraq Daily Update
Multinational Force Iraq
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps
Weekly Progress Report (pdf)

IN AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Forces Nab Insurgents
Afghan Army Officer to Visit U.S.
Terrorist Killed in Failed Ambush
Defense Leaders' Views on Afghanistan
Enduring Freedom Marks 3 Years
Afghanistan Daily Update
Maps
Afghan Reconstruction Group Recruiting

WAR ON TERRORISM
NATO Expanding Missions
NATO Establishing Iraqi Center
Defenses Must Be Active, Layered
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
Military Won't Drop Standards
Senior Enlisted Warfighters Meet
National Guard, Reserve Update

Weather
from The Weather Channel

Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Today in History
1774 - Rhode Island becomes the first colony to prohibit the importation of slaves.
1777 - Marquis de Lafayette lands in the U.S.
1866 - The 14th Amendment passes the House (due process).
1888 - The Department of Labor is created.
1927 - NYC welcomes Charles Lindbergh with a ticker-tape parade.
1940 - Paris evacuates ahead of the German advance.
1942 - The first V-2 rocket launched (Germany) reaches 1.3 kilometers.
1944 - Nazi Germany begins V-1 (Fieseler Fi-103) buzz-bomb attacks.
1966 - The Supreme Court rules that a suspect must be informed of his / her rights (Miranda decision).
1967 - Thurgood Marshall is nominated as the first black Supreme Court justice.
1980 - Representative John Jenrette Jr. (SC) is indicted in the "Abscam" investigation.
1981 - A teenager fires six blanks at Queen Elizabeth II.
1982 - Fahd becomes king of Saudi Arabia following the death of King Khalid.
1983 - Pioneer 10 becomes the first man-made object to leave the Solar System.

Birthdays
40 - Gnaeus Julius Agricola Roman general; conquered Wales, No. England
823 - Charles II (the Bald) king of France (843-77), emperor (875-77)
1786 - Winfield Scott American army general/presidential candidate
1911 - Luis W Alvarez physicist (Nobel-1968)
1945 - Ronald J Grabe NYC, Col USAF/astronaut (STS 51-J, STS 30, STS 42)

Passings
323 -BC- Alexander the Great dies of fever at Babylon
1886 - King Ludwig II of Bavaria drowns
1977 - Tom C Clark former Supreme Court Justice, dies in NY at 77

Reported Missing in Action
1966
Burkart, Charles W., USAF (NY); B57 disappeared in bad weather
Gierak, George G., Jr., USN (NY); RA3B shot down, KIA, body not recovered
Glantville, John T., Jr., USN (NJ); RA3B shot down, KIA, body not recovered
Kerr, Everett O., USAF (MA); B57 disappeared in bad weather
Lurie, Alan P., USAF (OH); F4C shot down, released by DRV February, 1973 - alive as of 1998
Lambton, Bennie R., USN (IN); RA3B shot down, KIA, body not recovered
Pyle, Darrel E., USAF (CA); F4C shot down, released by DRV February, 1973 - killed in plane crash in AK, 1974

1968
Carter, James D., US Army (MI); UH1D collided with USAF O2, remains returned 1993, ID'd September, 1995

1969
Story, James C., US Army (IL); convoy ambushed, KIA, body not recovered
Ward, Neal, USAF (TX); A1H crashed

1972
Fulton, Richard J., USAF (AZ); F4E shot down, released by DRV March, 1973
Hanson, Gregg O., USAF (IL); F4E shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - alive as of 1998

posted by Pam @ 7:01 AM |

Iraq War Today is...
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