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Friday, March 31, 2006

“A” for accepted.

Iraqi citizens were marked with either an “A” for accepted, or an “X” for denied, by recruiting officials following an Iraqi Army recruiting drive held in Al Qa’im, Iraq, March 24, 2006. Of the 400, 179 were accepted – a substantial number, according to Coalition and Iraqi Army officials. The operation was part of an Iraqi Army recruiting campaign aimed at incorporating more Sunnis into Iraqi Security Forces, according to Coalition Forces officials. The drive, conducted by Iraqi soldiers and Coalition Forces, was an attempt to bolster numbers in one of several Brigades within the Iraqi Army’s 10 divisions. “The Iraqis have recruiting well in control and they are doing well on their own,” said Capt. Selden B. Hale, recruiting advisor for the Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq, whose job is to work with the Iraqis on all recruiting issues. “We are just here to help escort the Iraqis but they are the ones who make the decisions.”
Taken by Cpl. Antonio Rosas

A Hero's Thanks - and a Request for Help

Some time ago, I posted about my Airman's program to help children and families in Afghanistan - Wings of Hope.

Recently, Melinda at Soldiers' Angels received this request for help - and a touching thank you - from another Hero in Afghanistan:

Dear Miss F---------
I wanted to take a minute to say thanks for the support from you and your organisation.the cards, letters, e-mails and packages are great. I have another request for you. My team has kind of adopted a family here with 10 childern. The 8 y/o daughter steped on a land mind left behind from the Russains and lost her leg. Were tring to find stuffed animals and simple toys for her and her siblings. They 3 to12 y/o's. We also team up with the chaplin from time to time for other kids here. The worst part of war is what happens to the kids. I wish we could put all the adults in one room and slug it out and leave the kids out of it. Maybe 20 years from now our kids wont be fighting each other. I'd like to say i fought in the last battle of the last war ever fought. But i've been fighting them for 20 years and i dont think anythings going to change any time soon. So if any of your people would like to help please have them send things for kids to

Thanks for any support you and your people can give us. And thanks again for the support you already have given.


Kelly S. W------


If you can help, please email me for details on where you can send your items. Please reference "Kelly" in the subject line.
A-10 in position
Capt. Andrew Quinn flies his OA/A-10 Thunderbolt II observation/attack aircraft to a refueling position behind a KC-135 Stratotanker over Afghanistan on Sunday, March 26, 2006. Captain Quinn is deployed to the 355th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)
Full Story

I love this picture, although my husband noted that it looks like Mickey Mouse (on steroids).

Free magazine subscriptions for troops serving overseas

Guns & Ammo, Skateboarder among titles offered by publisher

By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, March 29, 2006

WASHINGTON - A New York publishing firm wants to send troops free subscriptions to its magazines - including Guns & Ammo, MotorTrend and even Soap Opera Digest - as a "thank you" for serving in the military.
Primedia Inc. is making 47 of its magazines available for free to any active-duty servicemember, regardless of where they're serving.

Company spokeswoman Anne Marie O'Keefe said the program launched last year, but only recently increased its scope to include more titles and more readers.

The company has been running ads and editorials in the magazines asking its regular subscribers to help pay for the service, and O'Keefe said officials have been thrilled with the response. More than $140,000 has been donated, with $15,000 from corporate sponsors and the rest from private citizens.

The offer is open to any troops on active duty serving overseas. Troops must have an APO or FPO address to receive the magazines, and they are limited to three subscriptions at a time.

Other magazines available in the catalog include Hunting, ATV Rider, Skateboarder and The Shooting Times. The company has also made available a pair of photography magazines and four crafts publications.

"Guns & Ammo is by far the most requested, but we do have 102 requests for Soap Opera Digest and another 90 for Simple Scrapbooks," O'Keefe said.

The subscriptions should take eight to 12 weeks to start up, once the request is filed, she said. Troops can receive an e-mail confirmation letting them know the subscriptions have begun when they register.

Information on the program, and how to donate, is available at www.subscriptionsforsoldiers.com. Troops looking for more information on how to sign up for the free subscriptions can e-mail information@subscriptionsforsoldiers.com.

Thanks, Jill
IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE — U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Bradley Kirkwood looks at a hole made by an improvised explosive device in Tarmiyah, Iraq, March 28, 2006. The device targeted coalition forces. U.S. Navy photo by Pett Officer 1st Class Michael Larson

Between the Monsters and the Weak

We Are All That Stands Between The Monsters And The Weak

The sun beat like a hammer, not a cloud was in the sky.
The mid-day air ran thick with dust, my throat was parched and dry.
With microphone clutched tight in hand and cameraman in tow, I ducked beneath a fallen roof, surprised to hear, "Stay low."

My eyes blinked several times before in shadow I could see, The figure stretched across the rubble, steps away from me.
He wore a cloak of burlap strips, all shades of grey and brown, That hung in tatters till he seemed to melt into the ground.

He never turned his head or took his eye from off the scope, But pointed through the broken wall and down the rocky slope.
"About eight hundred yards," he said, his whispered words concise, "Beneath the baggy jacket he is wearing a device."

A chill ran up my spine despite the swelter of the heat, "You think he's gonna set it off along the crowded street?"
The sniper gave a weary sigh and said, "I wouldn't doubt it,"
"Unless there's something this old gun and I can do about it."

A thunderclap, a tongue of flame, the still abruptly shattered; While citizens that walked the street were just as quickly scattered.
Till only one remained, a body crumpled on the ground, The threat to oh, so many ended by a single round.

And yet the sniper had no cheer, no hint of any gloat, Instead he pulled a logbook out and quietly he wrote.
"Hey, I could put you on TV, that shot was quite a story!"
But he surprised me once again -- "I got no wish for glory."

"Are you for real?" I asked in awe, "You don't want fame or credit?"
He looked at me with saddened eyes and said, "You just don't get it.
You see that shot-up length of wall, the one without a door?
Before a mortar hit, it used to be a grocery store.

"But don't go thinking that to bomb a store is all that cruel, The rubble just across the street -- it used to be a school.
The little kids played soccer in the field out by the road."
His head hung low, "They never thought a car would just explode.

"As bad as all this is though, it could be a whole lot worse."
He swallowed hard, the words came from his mouth just like a curse.
"Today the fight's on foreign land, on streets that aren't my own,"
"I'm here today 'cause if I fail, the next fight's back at home."

"And I won't let my Safeway burn, my neighbors dead inside, Don't wanna get a call from school that says my daughter died; I pray that not a one of them will know the things I see, Nor have the work of terrorists etched in their memory."

"So you can keep your trophies and your fleeting bit of fame, I don't care if I make the news, or if they speak my name."
He glanced toward the camera and his brow began to knot, "If you're looking for a story, why not give this one a shot."

"Just tell the truth of what you see, without the slant or spin; That most of us are OK and we're coming home again.
And why not tell our folks back home about the good we've done, How when they see Americans, the kids come at a run."

"You tell 'em what it means to folks here just to speak their mind, Without the fear that tyranny is just a step behind; Describe the desert miles they walk in their first chance to vote, Or ask a soldier if he's proud, I'm sure you'll get a quote."

He turned and slid the rifle in a drag bag thickly padded, Then looked again with eyes of steel as quietly he added; "And maybe just remind the few, if ill of us they speak, That we are all that stands between the monsters and the weak."

Michael M.
Somewhere in Iraq
January 25, 2006


Thanks, Sara.
Pacific Ocean (March 29, 2006)- Aerographer's Mate 3rd Class Doron S. Dill launches a weather balloon from the fantail of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Lincoln and Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) are currently underway in the Western Pacific conducting a scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class James R. McGury

Talking With Heroes - April 2nd

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TALKING WITH HEROES
April 2, 2006 Talk Show Guests
www.talkingwithheroes.com

Colorado Springs, Colorado, March 27, 2006, Talking with Heroes Talk Show announces the guest list for the April 2, 2006 Talk Show. Talking with Heroes interviews men and women in the military so that they can share their experiences while serving and helping the people in Iraq, Afghanistan and in other areas of the world in which they serve. The Talking with Heroes Talk Show aires Live on Sunday evenings beginning at 5pm (PST) 8pm (EST).

Guests include leaders from military support groups who send care packages to our
deployed men and women as well as helping them and their families here in America.
Guests include companies, entertainers and others who help and support our troops.
Guests for April 1, 1006 are:

Chief Warrant Officer (CW2) Jared Jones currently serves as an AH-64A Apache helicopter attack pilot in the 1/211th AVN, Utah Army National Guard, following in the footsteps of his father who is also an Apache pilot. CS2 Jones says "Many people don't realize that everyday civilians and soldiers are making a difference without weapons. Not just Americans, but civilians and soldiers from many countries, including Afghanistan.

They are building hospitals, orphanages, roads, and schools. They are giving out food, water, much needed clothing, and school supplies. They are providing free education and health care. His goal here at home is to create awareness and continue humanitarian aid through film. While in country he filmed from the ground and air, traveling to many villages, interacting with and helping the Afghan people. Using the 75+ hours of footage he captured while in Afghanistan, he is directing and producing a documentary about Afghanistan, which will benefit the non-profit organization Operation Enduring Hope: Afghanistan www.infinity-film.com

Bennett Levin, in the fall of 2005, acted on his wife Vivian's idea to revive the mid-20th century tradition of transporting dignitaries to the annual Army Navy game in Philadelphia.

They brought 88 marines, sailors and soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan who were recovering at the Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Some of the GIs were missing limbs. Others were wheelchair-bound or accompanied by medical personnel for the day. The Levins had the train...a historic and classic beauty that once served Presidents and royalty.

They recruited owners of 15 other sumptuous rail cars from around the country into lending their vehicles for the day and called it The Liberty Limited. Amtrak volunteered to transport the cars to D.C. where they were coupled together for the round-trip ride to Philadelphia to
the Army/Navy Game where these heroes enjoyed themselves on the 50 yard line.

Chief Warren Officer (CW5) Layne S. Payce has 33 years total military service with 10 years Special Forces as medic on A Team; Flight School 1983; Apache Helicopter transition 1989.

Deployed to Kuwait 2001 (during 9-11) then Deployed to Afghanistan Dec 2003 thru April 2005. In his civilian life he is the Battalion Fire Chief at Orem, Utah Department of Public Safety.

In Afghanistan our soldiers routinely visited the Egyptian hospital bringing boxes of coats, shoes, clothing and hygiene items our families shipped over thru the U.S. mail. The local Afghani's were overjoyed when we handed out these items thru the Egyptian hospital. Thru Parwan PRT (Provisional Reconstruction Team) (U.S. Military unit responsible for Civil Affairs activities) they adopted two orphanages. Both had numerous girls and boys. They handed out truck loads of coats, shoes, clothing and various humanitarian items. The villagers said (almost a quote) "we would still be under the bondage of the Taliban if America would not help".

They were able to help one 8 year old girl with needed eye surgery and 10 other children for surgery plus one adult to save his leg after the Taliban attempted to kill him by rolling a large bolder over him. Other Afghan people were helped with the aid of our soldiers, a support group anysoldier.com, movie stars Chad and Shelby Everett, Loma Linda Children's Hospitals, Jet Blue Airlines and much more. Hear these and other stories on Talking with Heroes April 2, 2006.

Ricky Lee, (www.rickyleemusic.com) a singer from Pennsylvania who enjoys entertaining our troops will talk about his concert for the troops in Altoona, PA on April 29th with an emphasis on thanking our female soldiers. His new song "She's An American Soldier" will air on this talk show and will be unveiled for the first time in a public concert at his Altoona, PA concert. Ricky Lee says "We each can contribute to the moral and ultimately the attitude each soldier embraces each day. She’s an American Soldier tells the story of real life experiences for families of female Soldiers. Supporting them in their role is extremely important."

More information on Talking with Heroes can be found in the www.talkingwithheroes.com website. Click on the April 2, 2006 Talk Show schedule for more details and pictures on this weeks guests.

All Talking with Heroes talk shows can be listened to in our past show archives 24 hours a day/7 days a week, from anywhere in the world where there is access to the internet and can be downloaded onto iPODs.

Contact:
Bob Calvert, Talk Show Host
www.talkingwithheroes.com
Phone: 719-359-5235
by Spc. Charles W. Gill
March 30, 2006
A Soldier from 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, provides security at an entry control point in Siniya, Iraq.

In Today's News - Friday, March 31, 2006

Quote of the Day
"Great pilots are made, not born. A man may possess good eyesight, sensitive hands, and perfect coordination, but the end result is only fashioned by steady coaching, much practice, and experience."
-- Air Vice-Marshal J.E.'Johnnie' Johnson, RAF

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
3 Die When Mortar Strikes Baghdad Street
U.S. journalist: "I'm fine, and I'm free" after ordeal in Iraq
Iraqi cleric leaves letter from Bush unread
With ransoms hefty, kidnappers most often target Iraqis

Operation Enduring Freedom
2 police officials killed in Afghan attacks

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Moussaoui jurors adjourn without a verdict
City to Release 911 Calls From Sept. 11

Welcome Home!!
Navy Customs Battalion Papa Returns Home

Troops on Trial
West Point Cadet Charged with Rape

Other Military News
Army Bans Troops From Buying Own Body Armor
Plans for Massive Blast in Nev. Draw Fire
Private army is ready for hire, company says
Sheriff's office to hire 350; vets get 1st shot

Immigration
Let Them Pick Fruit
Bush Talks Immigration at Summit
N. American summit papers over immigration dispute - Video
Bush Urges Congress to OK Immigration Bill
House conservatives blast Senate immigration overhaul
Illegal immigrants safe for at least 3 years

Hamas Rising
Hamas defends bombing that killed 4 Israelis - Video
Hamas feeling financial pinch

Worldwide Wackos
Iran rejects U.N. demands, says nuke plans 'not reversible'
Iran test-fires missile able to avoid radar
No unity on Iran sanctions

Homegrown Moonbats
Christian rally draws flak in San Francisco

Politics
Senate panel set to consider bid to censure Bush
Rice met by anti-war protest on visit to England

Media in the Media
McClatchy-Knight Ridder deal attracts regulators' attention
Watchdog group: '05 "bad year" for media
Reporters in Iraq work around the limits of safety measures

U.N. News
British Company Slapped With U.N. Bid-Rigging Lawsuit

Oddities
DEA: Smugglers Hid Cocaine in Virgin Mary Tombstones
'Kosher' Phone Merges Technology, Faith
Intelligentsia to hawk custom cups o' joe
Wally's paw-waving gets him rescued
Man returns $1 million bag lost by tourists
Waterless urinals plan has union flush with ire
Ask a dumb question, get a DUI charge
Casino buys bathtub Ray stood in to shoot King

Other News of Note
Catastrophic Quakes Kill At Least 50 in Iran
New Memorial Honors Internment Detainees
At least 57 dead as Bahrain tourist ship sinks
1965 Voting Rights Provisions to Expire
Court: Gays Can't Come to Mass. to Marry
U.S. Demands Files From ISPs, Tech Firms
Study: Prayer didn't help sick
Miner comes home as docs wonder how he did it
Big Brother's on the phone

Fox News
Heavy Rains Lash Central Plains
MLB Launches 'Roids Probe
Iraq Hostage Jill Carroll Freed - Video: Family 'Elated'
Stocks to Watch: Cognos
Alaska: Quake Capital of U.S.
Slain Pastor's Wife Waives Hearing, No Bond- Video: Insanity Defense?
FULL SPORTS COVERAGE

Reuters: Top News
Chirac to back job law on TV - Video
US-UK tech transfer issue being worked out-Rice
NASA offers new media policy after censorship flap
Cloned horses latest move for controversial field
Asia stocks up again, Resources lead
Mattel says it won LeapFrog patent case
Microsoft, EU Commission spar over antitrust fines
Sunscreen makers sued for misleading health claims
Study questions whether children spread flu
Naomi Campbell charged with assault in NY
Freddie Mac sees implied 2005 net income $2.5 bln
Microsoft resumes antitrust fight
Toshiba launches world's first HD DVD player
Kingston Communications sale talks fail
ITV consortium drops out after revised bid rejected
Man Group says to beat profit forecasts, stock jumps
Soft start tipped for Wall St before consumer data - Video
Kingston shares sink after bid talks fail
Ruth's Chris Steak House fall on Inet
CarMax profit up 36 pct; sees slower sales growth
BBVA: Latin America in sweet spot
T. Rowe Price eyes bigger Chile stakes

AP World News
Gov't Weighs How Much to Spend on Levees
Chief of New Steroids Probe Criticized
Man Cleared of Murder, Rape to Get $1M
Caribbean Coral Suffers Record Death
BALCO Founder Denies Giving Bonds Steroids

The Seattle Times
Redmond child's death helps spur recall of toy
Schiavo legacy: living wills
NASA revamps its rules for news releases
Clergy abuse: more claims, costs rising
Toxic water pit drawing tourists
Venezuela warns Exxon Mobil
Study: HIV infections in India declining
Diamond labor yields little
Canada's leader summit rookie in Cancún talks
Nations' spud dispute a political hot potato
From Python to pedagogue

Chicago Sun-Times
Land at O'Hare will house city workers
Field naming rights sold: 'Bud Light Bleachers'
Chief of U.S. District Court stepping down
Lawmakers demand monoxide detectors in homes
Ex-FBI agent indicted after mob murders
Prosecutors hit in Duke rape case
Bulldog owner sues airline after pet's death
Vaccinations help Vietnam beat bird flu -- for now
James Dean museum closes after battling money problems

Boston Globe: World
Officials request Taylor trial be moved

Military.com
U.S. Reporter Released by Captors in Iraq
Powell Warns Against U.S. Isolation
Pentagon May Help Libya Destroy Weapons
DoD Deals With 'Disruptive' Threats
Air Force Wants Cannon's Future Mission Settled Soon
Strong Quakes Kill at Least 50 in Iran
Rice Floats the Idea of U.N. Sanctions on Iran, but China and Russia Reject It
Conservatives Stand Firm on Immigration
Levee Plans Fall Short of FEMA Standards
At Sept. 11 Trial, Tale of Missteps and Management
New NASA Policy Backs Free Discussion by Scientists

CENTCOM: News Releases
INSURGENTS FOUND GUILTY OF POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL WEAPONS

AFGHAN, COALITION FORCES ENGAGE ENEMY, SEIZE WEAPONS

Department of Defense
Terrorists Will Test American Resolve - Story
New Threats Demand New Deterrence - Story
DoD Committed to Stopping Spread of WMD
Iraqi Freedom Veterans Proud to Serve - Story
Bush: U. S. Will Leave, 'But Not Retreat' - Story - Remarks

ON THE GROUND
Troops Bring Medical Care to Afghan Villagers - Story
Army’s Bastogne Soldiers Train Iraqi Platoon - Story

IN IRAQ
800 Iraqis Enlist During Army Recruiting Drive
Civil Affairs Team Efforts Aid Karkh Residents

IN AFGHANISTAN
High School Reopens in Nangarhar Province
New School Brings Hope to Dacodadad Villagers

FACE OF DEFENSE
Airman, Scout Leader Reunite - Story

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
'Cell Phones for Soldiers' Wins Grant - Story
Campaign to Benefit Troops - Story

TOP NEWS
IRAQ
Pace: Support Capacity Important
Terrorist Cell Leader Captured
U.S. Soldier, Airman Killed
UAV Kills 3 Bomb-Planting Terrorists
Forces Secure Safety of Pilgrims
Two U.S. Soldiers Killed
Suspects Nabbed, Hostages Rescued
More Operation Details Released
Isolated Facts Distort Achievements
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq (PDF)
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report (PDF)
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Insurgents Kill U.S., Coalition Troops
Afghan Agency Delivers Rations
Task Force Welcomes Aviators
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Vice Chairman Topic: War of Ideas
Court Hears Gitmo Arguments
Rumsfeld Topic: War of Ideology
Resolve Needed in Terror War
Cooperation Essential to Mission
Nations United on Iran Policy
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: War on Terror
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
Navy Assists Rescue in Bahrain
Military Health System Transforms
Most Will See Pay Hike With NSPS
Helo Anti-Sub Squadron Deploys
Former SecDef Weinberger Dies
Fort Riley Troops Deploy to Africa
Navy Cargo Handlers to Deploy
VA Fulfills Commitment
National Guard, Reserve Update

CASUALTIES
Officials Identify Army Casualty - Story

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

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Gitmo

Today in History
1282 - The great massacre of the French in Sicily ends.
1492 - In Spain, a royal edict is issued by Catholic rulers, declaring that all Jews who refuse to convert to Christianity will be expelled.
1547 - In France, King Francis dies, and is succeeded by his son Henry II.
1653 - In the Battle of Leghorn, the Dutch destroy the British squadron. Their commander, Van Gelen, is mortally wounded.
1776 - Abigail Adams writes to her husband, John, that women are "determined to foment a rebellion" if they are not guaranteed their rights by the Declaration of Independence.
1779 - Russia and Turkey sign a treaty, promising to take no military action in the Crimea.
1790 - In Paris, Robespierre is elected president of the Jacobin Club.
1849 - In the Battle of Brescia, Austrians put down an Italian revolt.
1854 - In Tokyo, Commodore Perry, representing the U.S., signs the Treaty of Kanagawa with the Japanese, opening the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate, and permitting the establishment of a U.S. consulate.
1862 - Skirmishing between Rebels and the Union forces takes place at Island 10 on the Mississippi River.
1866 - The Spanish fleet bombards the undefended city of Valparaiso, destroying it.
1889 - The Eiffel Tower officially opens as part of the Exhibition of 1889.
1916 - General John Pershing and his forces rout Pancho Villa's army in Mexico.
1917 - The United States purchases the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million.
1918 - For the first time, Daylight Savings Time goes into effect in the U.S.
1921 - Great Britain declares a state of emergency because of a strike by coal miners.
1933 - In an attempt to counter severe unemployment, Congress authorizes the Civilian Conservation Corps .
1939 - Britain and France agree to support Poland if Germany threatens to invade.
1940 - The German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis sets off on its mission to sink Allied merchant ships.
1941 - Germany begins a counter-offensive in North Africa.
1945 - The United States and Britain bar a Soviet-supported Polish provisional delegation from entering the U.N. meeting.
1948 - The Soviet Union begins controlling Western trains headed toward Berlin.
1949 - Winston Churchill declares that the atomic bomb was the only thing that prevented a Soviet takeover of Europe.
1954 - The siege of Dien Bien Phu, the last French outpost in Vietnam, begins.
1959 - The Dalai Lama, fleeing Chinese retribution after a Tibetan uprising, crosses the border into India, and is granted political asylum.
1960 - The South African government declares a state of emergency after demonstrations lead to more than 50 deaths.
1966 - Anti-war demonstrators, estimated at more than 200,000, march in New York City.
1967 - President Johnson signs the Consular Treaty, the first bi-lateral pact with the Soviet Union since the Bolshevik Revolution.
1970 - In Vietnam, U.S. forces down a MIG-21, the first since September 1968.
1991 - Albania has its first multi-party election in 50 years; The Warsaw Pact military alliance between the Soviet Union and its eastern European satellites ends after 36 years. This was taken in the west as a sign that the Soviet Union was losing control, and the Cold War was headed for an end.
1994 - The U.S. withdraws its troops from Somalia.

Birthdays
1499 - Pius IV [Gianangelo de' Medici], Italian lawyer/pope (1559-65)
1519 - Henry II, King of Germany (1547-59)
1570 - Louise Juliana, Countess of Nassau
1675 - Benedict XIV [Prospero L. Lambertini], Pope (1740-58)
1723 - Frederik V, King of Denmark/Norway (1746-66)
1837 - Stephen Dodson Ramseur, Confederate Major General
1839 - Nikolay Przhevalsky, naturalist, explorer of east central Asia
1840 - John Herbert Kelly, Confederate Brigadier General
1854 - Sir Dugald Clerk, inventor (2-stroke motorcycle engine)
1872 - Arthur Griffith, Irish journalist, founder of Sinn Féin
1892 - Stanislav Wladyslaw Maczek, Polish/British General-Major/commandant
1900 - Henry W.F.A. English, Duke of Gloucester/earl of Ulters
1909 - Robert Brasillach French, author/Nazi collaborator
1912 - Wilhelmus Berkelmans, civil servant/resistance fighter
1934 - Grigori Grigoyevich Nelyubov, cosmonaut (Vostok 1 backup)
1940 - Barney Frank (Representative-MA)
1947 - César Gaviria Trujillo, President (Colombia, 1990-94)
1948 - Albert Gore, Jr., (Senator-TN, 1985-92)/45th US Vice President
1957 - Patrick G. Forrester, Lieutenant Colonel Army/astronaut

Passings
1201 - Absalon Asserssön, Danish archbishop of Lund/statesman
1340 - Ivan I Kalita, Grand-Duke of Vladimir
1389 - Everhard Tserclaes, sheriff of Brussels, murdered
1567 - Philip the Generous, count of Hessen, dies at 62
1578 - Juan de Escobedo, Secretary of Spanish land guardian Don Juan, murdered
1621 - Felipe III, King of Spain (1598-1621), dies at 42
1928 - Gustave Ador, President of Austria (1919), dies at 82
1944 - Mineichi Koga, Admiral of Japanese fleet
1945 - Hans, Fischer German physicist (Nobel 1930), dies at 63; Maurice Rose, 1st US General in Nazi Germany, killed in action at 45
1970 - Semjon Timoshenko, Russian Marshal/Inspector-General (WWII), dies at 75
1980 - Jesse Owens of 1936 Berlin Olympics fame, dies in Arizona at 66
1993 - Brandon Lee US actor (Crow)/son of Bruce Lee, accidentally shot at 28; Jose Maria Lemus President of El Salvador (1956-60)

Reported Missing in Action
1965
McKinley, Gerald W., USNR (CT); A1H shot down, KIA, body not recovered

1969
Carpenter, Ramey Leo, USN (OK); FA5C shot down (w/White) - remains ID'd June, 1998

White, Danforth E., USN (PA); FA5C shot down (w/Carpenter) - remains IDd June, 1998

1971
Salley, James, Jr., US Army (SC); captured when firebase was overrun (w/Terrill), DIC July, 1971

Terrill, Philip B., US Army (NY); DIC April, 1971

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