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Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Blogwatch - Michael Yon

Greetings,

There has been much media play recently about my saying that Iraq is experiencing a Civil War. Many readers asked that I clarify those words, and so I have taken time to carefully describe my assertions.

More importantly, it's time that people know what our troops have to say. Please spread the word about our "Frontline Forum." If you know any troops who have something they would like to say in front of a large and distinguished audience, I am interested in publishing their words and photos. Please ask the troops to visit the "Frontline Forum." This isn't a writing or photography contest. We just want the truth, be it good, bad or ugly. My readership ranges from parents and family of deployed troops, to top military and civilian leadership, to Al Qaeda. (So please don't tell secrets). Rest assured, words published on "Frontline Forum" will be read by grandmothers, generals and top politicians.

Please visit www.michaelyon-online.com.

Respectfully,

Michael

Norfolk, Va. (April 18, 2006) - Amphibious transport dock USS Trenton (LPD 14) gets underway, as a part of the Global War on Terrorism Surface Strike Group (GWOT SSG) 06-2. Trenton’s "surge" deployment along with guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) and guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66) will provide presence and strike power to support joint and allied forces afloat and ashore. Under the Fleet Response Plan (FRP), a simple realignment of schedules makes this deployment possible. U.S. Navy photo by Photographers Mate 2nd Class Ola K. Sanders

Memorial held for fallen Marine at Camp Fallujah



Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story by Cpl. Jon Guibord

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (April 17, 2006) -- A memorial service was held for a member of I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group here Monday.

Cpl. Salem Bachar, an intelligence analyst and Arabic interpreter, died April 12 as a result of enemy action while operating in Al Anbar Province.

Bachar, who was born in Chula Vista, Calif., on June 24, 1985, joined the Marine Corps Oct. 14, 2003. He served as an intelligence analyst and Arabic translator during his second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his first deployment, in August 2004, he was assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Approximately 200 Marines, sailors and soldiers attended the memorial service at Camp Fallujah’s Chapel of Hope. Before the service, many lined up to hand-write messages to Bachar.

“Cpl. Bachar, you always had a smile and a joke even at the worst of times,” one message read. “It was an honor to know you and I cherish the time we had.”

The messages, along with photos displayed during the memorial, will be sent to Bachar’s family in Fontana, Calif.

Bachar’s death was especially hard and unexpected for the Marines and sailors who worked closely with him.

“He chose to make a difference with his life, first by becoming a Marine, second by putting himself in danger, and finally by becoming a memory to those that knew him,” said Cpl. Adam G. Wanjon, a friend of Bachar and fellow intelligence analyst. “I willingly carry the memory of him in my heart until the day we meet again.”

Col. Peter H. Devlin, assistant chief of staff for Bachar’s battalion, never expected to lose one of his intelligence Marines.

“Today is very difficult for me,” said Devlin. “He was an absolute pleasure to work with, and it was an honor to get to know him and to serve with him.”

Bachar is survived by his wife, Kristine, his parents, Fouad and Martha, and two sisters.

by Cpl. Brian M. Henner
April 18, 2006
Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division search for weapons caches along the banks of the Euphrates River near Hit, Iraq.

Operation Completion

Hi,
My name is Julie, and I ran across your site today... I thought you might be interested in a project I'm helping to direct called Operation Completion. Our goal is to hold a tour of pro-military rallies across the Country this spring and summer. OC is run and maintained by youth across the country, ages ranging from 16 to 19, and we hope to actively show support for our soldiers as they finish the job they started overseas.

You can find our website at www.operationcompletion.org.

To date we have acquired 501(c)3 status, and are finalizing permits and dates for rallies in multiple cities.I was wondering if you would be interested in helping to spread the word about Operation Completion, to raise awareness of what we are doing and draw attention to our rallies. The first rally will be held at the Capitol in Sacramento on May 12th, at 6pm.

We will have several speakers and music as well. If you would put info about us on your site that would be awesome.

April 4th Press Release:

For Immediate Release
Contact: Logistics Manager, Matt Stone
April 4, 2006

Operation Completion Announces Guest Cities
Dover – On Tuesday morning, the Operation Completion Central Advisory Panel (CAP) released the list of guest cities that will host pro-military rallies during the summer of 2006. The list that included seventeen cities in fourteen states and the District of Columbia was accompanies with a partial schedule that included the previously announced event in Sacramento, CA.

The complete list included Sacramento, San Antonio, Richmond, Boise, Saint Paul, Indianapolis, Lansing, Columbus, San Diego, Houston, Denver, Tampa, Nashville, Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Dates were given for Sacramento (May 12), Saint Paul (June 17), and Nashville (July 19). Operation Completion's executive director, Micah Derry, said that more dates will be released shortly. “It's a matter of confirming event permits and working the permits with our schedule.” Derry also noted that a couple of the cities are subject to change. “In some states, we find out after we begin our project that there is another nearby city that would be better for any number of reasons so we go ahead and change cities.”

Hailey Frantzen, the Executive Assistant for CAP, voiced the overall enthusiasm for the project. “I am a very patriotic person, but rarely am I given the opportunity to publicly demonstrate it as the Operation Completion rallies are giving me. These rallies are a chance for me display my patriotism and to support my country and America's heroes- our soldiers.”

Frantzen went on to highlight the need for volunteers. “We need contacts in all of these cities. If anybody is interested in helping, please email the Operation Completion staff!” The information given on the Operation Completion website, www.operationcompletion.org, directs volunteer-related emails to the information address,
info@operationcompletion.org.

HOOOAH to Julie and Operation Completion!!
'Touch and go'
A B-1 Lancer from the 28th Bomb Wing practices "touch and go" procedures at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., on Thursday, April 13, 2006. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Angela Ruiz)

Group Donates Home to Wounded Soldier

Sam Ross Jr., a former 82nd Airborne Division soldier severely wounded in Iraq, stands on the deck of his new log cabin in Dunbar, Pa., custom-built for his needs by "Homes for Our Troops." Courtesy photo

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2006 – Three years ago, Army Pfc. Sam Ross Jr. was disposing of munitions near Baghdad when an explosion took his eyesight, his left leg, part of his hearing and, ultimately, his military career.

Last month, the former 82nd Airborne Division soldier moved into a custom-built log cabin specially designed and built for his needs, courtesy of "Homes for Our Troops."

"This is my dream, and it's finally under way," the 22-year-old Ross said as his handicapped-accessible log home started taking shape on a hilltop in his native Dunbar, Pa.

Ross used to play on the lot where his new home stands when he was a child. "He wanted to get back to a place he could see in his mind," Kirt Rebello, director of projects and veterans affairs for Homes for Our Troops, told American Forces Press Service.

With corporate and private donations of money, materials and professional labor through the Homes for Our Troops program, Ross' custom home became a reality. He was so excited about it that he moved in even before the kitchen cabinets, with three-dimensional carvings of animals that he can feel, were installed, Rebello said.

"It's all in now. Everything's done now except the basement," Ross said during a telephone interview. "It's really come along."

John Gonsalves founded Homes for Our Troops in February 2004 to serve troops returning home from overseas deployments with severe injuries. The organization is a partner in the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program, which showcases America's support for the men and women of the armed forces and the myriad ways the country is expressing that support.

Since its founding, Homes for Our Troops has been building and remodeling homes for wounded troops and winning accolades from all corners along the way. President Bush praised the program during a visit to Camp Pendleton, Calif., in December, then invited Gonsalves and other America Supports You team members to the White House in March to thank them personally for their contributions. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have also pointed to the program as an example of the many initiatives under way to support the troops.

Phil Mickelson, winner of golf's Masters Tournament this year and in 2004, announced for the second consecutive year that he will play this year's PGA Tour season on behalf of the program. Mickelson is donating $100 for each birdie and $500 for each eagle he makes during the tour season through his "Birdies for the Brave" fundraising effort.

"It's too soon to tell," how much Mickelson will raise for Homes for Our Troops this year, Gonsalves said. "But the way he's playing, it looks like it's going to be a good year," he predicted. "He's on fire."

Mickelson told the Homes for Our Troops organization he feels privileged to be a part of the program. "I am honored to assist Homes for Our Troops with their efforts in meeting the housing needs of our servicemen and women who have given so much for our country," he said.

But the golf champion's contributions go beyond the dollars he raises for the organization. "It's hard to calculate the value of the awareness he is generating," Gonsalves said. "With Phil leading the way, we know awareness of the cause will be raised and a great number of American heroes will be able to get the help they need and deserve."

Gonsalves called the program an important way to acknowledge servicemembers' service and sacrifice. "The men and women of our military make great sacrifices to keep America safe, and one of our goals is to make sure they are not forgotten," he said.

Homes for Our Troops has completed six houses for wounded troops and has 11 more projects under construction or in the planning stages, Rebello said.

This effort got some boosted momentum earlier this month after an anonymous donor presented the organization with a check for $500,000, in addition to $75,000 in donations during the past year. Dozens of other wounded troops have expressed interest in receiving assistance, Rebello said.

After 12 years in the Marine Corps, Rebello said, there's "nothing else I'd rather be doing" than helping wounded troops move forward with their lives. "Nobody deserves the dream of home ownership more than someone who has sacrificed so much for it," he said.

Sam Ross Jr., a former 82nd Airborne Division soldier severely wounded in Iraq, helps put finishing touches on the log cabin "Homes for Our Troops" built for him. Courtesy photo


Related Sites:
Homes for Our Troops
America Supports You
POLICE RECRUITS — A group of recruits wait outside the police station in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, April 15, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin L. Moses Sr.

In Today's News - Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Quote of the Day
“If you know the enemy and know yourself
you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.”

-- Sun Tzu

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Making the Mark - Saddam trial resumes
Baghdad District Calm After Gunbattles
Violence puts billions in U.S. projects at risk
Blame flies over Iraqi leadership stalemate

Operation Enduring Freedom
Soldiers Kill 5 Afghan Militants

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Doctor: Moussaoui Delusional- Video: Terror on Trial
Yemen jails Islamists for plot to kidnap Americans

Troops on Trial
General can testify in abuse case trial

Immigration
Citizenship Requests Spike Among Immigrants
Brutal life for immigrants in Mexico
A lesson in immigration (How a 'guest worker' program worked - or rather, didn't - in Germany)

Hamas Rising
U.S. Warns Israel to Think Twice Before Retaliation
Hamas denies storing weapons in Jordan
Bombing in Israel gets mixed reaction

Worldwide Wackos
Iran unlikely to meet UN nuclear demands: Straw
US envoy says sanctions debated against Iran
Agents say Iran seeking US arms

Politics
Bush Taps New OMB Chief, Says Rumsfeld Should Stay
Video: Bush Defends Rumsfeld
Rumsfeld: I won't quit
Bush Signals More White House Changes

Oddities
There once was a very small city
Sex expert says German cannibal had no urge to kill
Mr. Twinkie used to sleep here
Trashed wallet holding $900 returned by homeless man
Easter Bunny accused of socking customer
Changing traffic signals put man in police spotlight
Georgia county to repay inmates charged jail room, board

Other News of Note
Paper Chase (Duke lacrosse incident)
FBI wants columnist's reporting materials
Germany favors opening WWII archives detailing Nazi atrocities
Children aren't harmed by fillings that have mercury, 2 new studies say

Fox News
Detention of Holloway Suspect Extended
Commuters Trapped for Hours on NYC Tramway
Nepalese Police Arrest 250 Protesting Professors
Dow Ends Up 195 Points
Peru Bus Accident Kills 25
Chinese Leader Visits U.S.
Mo. Gunman Kills Three, Self
NEW! Small Business Page
NEW! Cybersecurity Center

Reuters: Top News
Hu brings deals and promises to wary US
China's Hu promotes closer ties on US trip - Video
Safeguards for refugees under threat: UN agency
After 50 years, Alabama pardons Rosa Parks
Google to search inside business software programs
China software still a pirate's game
Global sex survey shows men get more satisfaction
Skin cancer epidemic underway in the US
Baby girl for Holmes and Cruise
Bahrain label says Michael Jackson plans new album
Pfizer profit jumps on lower costs
Coca-Cola Q1 profit rises
Home loan demand down as rates hit new highs
Pfizer profit jumps on lower costs
User numbers to boost China Mobile Q1 profit
Yahoo results meet expectations, ads seen solid
Wall St. seen higher on techs, ongoing Fed relief
UK's Vectura signs inhaler drug deal, shares jump
Nikkei up as US rate hike fears ease, Canon up
Stocks end nearly 2 percent higher
Motorola phones sales impress, networks disappoint
One for the smokestacks
Oil set to hit new peaks this year

AP World News
Chinese Leader Dines With Bill Gates
Lay Gives Skilling Good Reviews at Trial
Clippers Earn Home-Court Edge in 1st Round
Final-Night Shake-Up Jumbles NHL Matchups
IBM 1Q Earnings Up 22 Percent to $1.71B
Experts Suggest Spacing Pregnancies
Devils Capture Atlantic Division Title
Flyers Beat Isles, Take 5th Seed in East
AP: 'No Child' Law Raises Segregation Fear (Connecticut)
Trainer May Have to Testify About Bonds

The Seattle Times
Solving the nation's math problem
San Francisco pays tribute to triumph over 1906 quake
Fungus spreads among contact wearers
Government will make rain to clear air after storm (China)

Chicago Sun-Times
Foreperson didn't reveal past (Ryan trial)
Rejected, 'So they started their own'
Dalai Lama quietly drops by
Hispanics press Daley for clerk job
Novak: I owe success to U. of I.
City hopes gift cards will get guns turned in
Daley: 'No qualms' about Holy Land trip
Epilepsy benefit will honor activist
Feds: Trucker going too fast in I-90 toll plaza crash
Menu same, staff different as Berghoff Cafe reopens
Panel: Toll plazas can be deadly
1,000 protest not-guilty verdict for Milwaukee cops
6 months later, Cancun back to normal

Boston Globe: World
Death squads said to target youths(Guatemala)
Away from spotlight, pope sets his own course

Military.com
Hospital Ship to Visit Tsunami Areas
Rumsfeld Won't Be Called in Prison Case
Marines Seek Lighter Body Armor
Military Probes Drugs in Kuwait

CENTCOM: News Releases
AFGHAN-LED FORCES DETAIN INSURGENTS IN KANDAHAR

Department of Defense
Rumsfeld Pays Tribute to America’s Spirit - Story - Doolittle Raid Web Special
Pace: Military, Civilian Collaboration is Critical - Story
U.S. Central Command Shows Progress - Story
Americans in Horn of Africa Use New Weapon in War
Cheney Thanks Airmen for War Support - Story

IRAQIS TAKE THE LEAD
Iraqi Army Assumes Control in Salah al Din - Story

REBUILDING IRAQ
Iraqi Police Recruits Finish Training, Graduate - Story

ON THE GROUND
Afghan-Led Forces Detain Insurgents - Story

IN IRAQ
Air Force F-15s Save Army Ground Troops
Company C Aid Station Soldiers On Call 24/7

IN AFGHANISTAN
Aviators Make Historic Return to Bagram
Construction Program Improves Afghan Lives
Task Force Tiger Soldiers Aid Afghan School

FACE OF DEFENSE
Former Golf Pro Fulfills Dream - Story

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Kids' Sacrifices Not Forgotten - Story - Letter

TOP NEWS
IRAQ
Iraq, Coalition Foil Terror Attacks
Marines Killed in Anbar Province
Operation Cowpens Concludes
Rice: Early Departure a Mistake
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
Coalition Responds to Casualties
Hospital Delivers Improved Care
Coalition Launches 'Mountain Lion'
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
War on Terror Stakes Are High
Critical Views Not Widespread
'Faces of the Fallen' Extends Date
Ops Target Terrorists, Insurgents
Task Force Provides Gulf Security
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
Reports of Attack Are Wrong
Web Site Offers Help for Stress
Interrogation Battalion Activates
Pass Program to Refresh Troops
National Guard, Reserve Update

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
0607 - Comet 1P/607 H1 (Halley) approaches within 0.0898 astronomical units (AUs) of Earth
1451 - Alam Shah of Delhi resigns throne
1524 - Pope Clemens VII fires Netherlands inquisitor-General French Van de Holly
1529 - 2nd Parliament of Spiers bans Lutheranism
1539 - Charles, protestant German monarch, signs Treaty of Frankrfurt
1552 - Mauritius of Saksen captures Karel
1587 - Sir Frances Drake sails into Cadiz, Spain & sinks Spanish fleet
1591 - Chartres surrenders to king Henri IV in France
1713 - Emperor Karel VI ends Pragmatic Sanctions
1770 - Captain James Cook 1st sees Australia
1775 - Minutemen Captain John Parker orders not to fire unless fired upon; Revolution begins-Lexington Common, shot "heard round the world"
1782 - Netherlands recognizes US
1825 - 33 patriotic exiles return to Uruguay
1839 - Treaty of London constitutes Belgium an independent kingdom and Luxembourg a Grand Duchy
1853 - Netherlands Van Hall government forms
1861 - Baltimore riots - 4 soldiers, 9 civilians killed; Lincoln orders blockade of Confederate ports
1863 - Union troops/fleet occupy Fort Huger, VA
1864 - Naval Engagement at Cherbourg, USS Kearsage vs CSS Alabama
1874 - Barracks on Alcatraz Island destroyed in fire
1890 - Henry Morton Stanley is inaugurated in Brussels
1904 - Much of Toronto destroyed by fire
1906 - Belgian naval education ship Comte The Stain de Naeyer sets sail
1916 - Italian troops conquer Colonel di Lana at Merano
1919 - French assembly decides on 8 hour work day
1921 - Funeral of last German Emperoress, Augusta Victoria
1923 - New Egyptian law allows suffrage for men, except soldiers
1928 - Japanese troops occupies Sjantung-schiereiland
1932 - President Herbert Hoover suggests 5 day work week
1933 - FDR announces US will leave the gold standard
1936 - Anti-Jewish riots break out in Palestine
1939 - Connecticut finally approves Bill of Rights (148 years late)
1940 - Dutch prime minister De Geer declares state of siege
1941 - Bulgarian troops invade Macedonia; Milk rationed in Holland
1943 - Jews attack Nazi occupation forces at Warsaw Ghetto under Mordechai Anielewicz
1944 - Allied fleet attack Sabang Sumatra
1945 - US aircraft carrier Franklin is heavily damaged in Japanese air raid
1947 - French ship explodes in Texas City harbor, kills about 522
1948 - ABC-TV network begins; Chiang Kai-shek elected President of Nationalist China
1951 - General Douglas MacArthur ends his military career
1956 - US actress Grace Kelly marries Monaco's Prince Rainier III (civil ceremony)
1959 - Uprising in La Paz Bolivia, fails
1960 - Baseball uniforms begin displaying player's names on their backs
1962 - NASA civilian pilot Joseph A. Walker takes X-15 to an altitude of 6,900 meter
1964 - Rightist coup in Laos, Suvanna Phuma remains premier
1965 - 1st all news radio station (WINS 1010 AM in NYC) begins operating; At a cost of $20,000, the outer Astrodome ceiling is painted because of sun's glare, this causes the grass to die and eventually led to the installation of Astroturf
1966 - Roberta Bignay becomes the 1st woman to run in the Boston Marathon
1967 - US Surveyor III lands on Moon
1971 - Sierra Leone becomes a republic (National Day); USSR Salyut 1 launched; 1st manned lab in orbit; Charles Manson sentenced to life (Sharon Tate murder)
1972 - Bangladesh becomes a member of British Commonwealth; Hungary revises constitution
1975 - India launches 1st satellite with help of USSR
1978 - Yitzhak Navron elected 5th President of Israel
1982 - Sally Ride announced as 1st woman astronaut; USSR Salyut 7 space station put into orbit; Guinon Bluford announced as 1st Black astronaut
1984 - Nemesis, death star of dinosaurs 1st appears in print (Nature magazine)
1985 - 16th Space Shuttle Mission (51-D)-Discovery 4 returns to Earth
1987 - Last wild condor captured on California wildlife reserve
1989 - Republic Day in Sierra Leone; Gun turret explodes on USS Iowa, killing 47 sailors
1990 - Contra guerrillas, leftist Sandinistas & incoming government agree to truce in Nicaragua's civil war
1993 - Branch Dividians/FBI 51 day standoff in Waco TX ends with the deaths of 4 FBI Agents and numerous deaths from suicide of the cult members; Fire in psychiatric institute in South Korea, kills 40
1994 - Inkatha ends boycott of South African multi-racial election; Rodney King award $3,800,000 in compensation of police beating; Supreme Court outlaws excluding people from juries because of gender
1995 - Truck bomb outside Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, kills 168 & injures 500

Birthdays
1320 - Pedro I, King of Portugal (1357-67)
1721 - Roger Sherman, signer of Declaration of Independence, Constitution; Thomas McKean, attorney (signed Declaration of Independence) [or 3/19]
1821 - Mortimer Dormer Leggett, Union Major General
1832 - José Echegaray y Eizaguirre, mathematician/dramatist (Nobel 1904); Lucretia Rudolph Garfield US First Lady (1881-1885)
1866 - Henri Deterding, Dutch oil magnate (Royal Oil, Shell)
1876 - Hendrik, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin/king of Netherlands
1877 - Ole Evinrude, inventor (outboard marine engine)
1883 - Getúlio Vargas President of Brazil (1930-45, 1951-54), modernizer
1905 - John S. "Jimmy" Thach, US pilot/Admiral (WWII)
1910 - Andrew Gilchrist, historian/diplomat
1912 - Glenn T. Seaborg, head of Atomic Energy Commission/chemist/discovered Plutonium/Nobel 1951
1922 - Erich Hartmann, German WWII pilot (downed 352 Russian aircrafts)
1931 - Denis Henry, British high court judge
1931 - Hendrick J. "Kobie" Coetsee, South Africa minister of Defense/Justice
1936 - Wilfried Martens, Premier (Belgium, 1979-81, 1981-92)
1939 - E. Clay Shaw, Jr. (Representative-FL)
1946 - Viktor Viktorovich Zabolotsky, Russian cosmonaut (BST-02)
1947 - Frits Castricum, journalist/Dutch MP (PvdA)

Passings
0843 - Judith, French Empress/2nd wife of Louis de Vrome
1044 - Gothelo, Duke of Netherlands-Lotharingen
1054 - Leo IX [Bruno von Egesheim und Dagsburg], Pope (1049-54), dies at 51
1390 - Robert II, King of Scotland
1645 - Anton van Diemen, Governor-General (Netherlands East Indies), dies at about 51
1658 - Robert Rich, 2nd earl of Warwick English Lord High Admiral, dies at 70
1689 - Christina Queen of Sweden (1644-54)
1813 - Benjamin Rush, physician/abolitionist (signed Declaration of Independence), dies at 67
1862 - Louis Powell Harvey, Governor of Wisconsin, drowns
1881 - Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl (Beaconsfield)/novelist
1882 - Charles Robert Darwin, evolutionist (Origin of Species)
1906 - Pierre Curie, French physicist/chemist (Nobel 1903)
1943 - Alexander Schmorell, Kurt Huber, Willy Graf, German resistance fighters, beheaded
1945 - J. P. Heyboer, resistance fighter, executed
1956 - Léon N. H. Jungschlaeger, head military intelligence Netherlands-Indies, dies at 52
1956 - Lionel K. P. "Buster" Crabb, British diver (WWII), dies at 47
1957 - Charles Funk, Encylopediest (Funk & Wagnalls), dies at 76; Johan W. Albarda, 1st Dutch SDAP minister (1939-45), dies at 79
1966 - Väinö A. Tanner, Finnish premier (1926-27)/minister, dies at 85
1967 - Conrad Adenauer, West Germany chancellor (1949-63), dies at 91
1980 - Alfred [Joseph] Hitchcock, from renal failure at 80
1987 - Maxwell D. Taylor, US commander 101st airborne (WWII), dies at 85
1990 - Vladislav Ivanovich Gulyayev, Russian cosmonaut, dies at 52
1993 - David Koresh [Vernon Howell], cult leader (Davidians)
1993 - George Mickelson, Governor of South Dakota, & 7 others, die in a plane crash

Reported Missing in Action
1961
Baker, Leo, ANG (AL); B26 shot down in Bay of Pigs (flight engineer, w/Ray), captured / shot (KIC), buried

Ray, Thomas "Pete", ANG (AL); B26 shot down in Bay of Pigs (pilot, w/Baker), captured / shot (KIC) - remains returned 1979

1966
Adams, Lee A., USAF (CA); F105D crashed on bombing run, Killed / body not recovered

Brown, Joseph O., USAF (CT); O1F shot down - remains returned, ID'd December, 1998

Robbins, Richard J., USAF (OH); A1E shot down - remains returned September, 1996

1967
Hamilton, John S., USAF (NM); A1E shot down - remains returned October, 1997

Madison, Thomas M., USAF (AL); F105F shot down (pilot, w/Sterling), released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998

Sterling, Thomas James, USAF (TX); F105F shot down (w/Madison), released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998

1968
The following US Army personnel reported MIA after their helicopters were shot down while making supply runs in the A Shau Valley of South Vietnam:
From a CH47A:
Blodgett, Douglas R. (VA); crewman

Dennis, William R. (PA); flight engineer

Gonzalez, Jesus A. (PA); crewchief

From a CH47:
Housh, Anthony F. (IL); flight engineer

Wallace, Michael J. (MI); crewchief

From a CH54:
Lord, Arthur James (GA); aircraft commander

Millard, Charles W. (NC); pilot

Shafer, Philip R. (CO); crewchief

Werdehoff, Michael M. (OH); flight engineer

Also reported MIA this day in 1968:
Wilburn, John E., US Army (OK); fell out of UH1H when it was hit by enemy fire and began to spin - presumed Killed / body not recovered

nocashfortrash.org