Families and friends greet the arrival of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau as it pulls into Naval Station Norfolk, Va., May 4, 2006. The Nassau, the lead ship of the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, returned to Norfolk after successfully completing a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism, where they conducted maritime security operations for the U.S. 5th Fleet an theater security cooperation for the U.S. 6th Fleet. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Mandy Mclaurin


Three-year old Cody Dossey awaits a reunion with U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class John Dossey as the USS Nassau returns to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., May 4, 2006. The Nassau, the lead ship of the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, returned to Norfolk after successfully completing a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Leslie Tomaino


Sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau look for their loved ones as the ship pulls into Naval Station Norfolk, Va., May 4, 2006, following a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Mandy Mclaurin


Three line-handlers from the dock landing ship USS Ashland stand by to receive the heaving lines as the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall pulls into Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., May 4, 2006. Carter Hall, an element of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek after a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Brandon Shelander


Florintino Soto holds his grandson, Eliberto Soto, as they wait for the arrival of the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., May 4, 2006. The Carter Hall, an element of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek after a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Brandon Shelander


Sailors aboard the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall wave to their friends and families as the ship pulls into Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., May 4, 2006. The Carter Hall, an element of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek after a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Katrina Scampini


Chris Fox and his son Andrew wait for U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Diedra Fox as the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall pulls into Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., May 4, 2006. The Carter Hall, an element of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek after a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Brandon Shelander


U.S. Navy Ensign Omari Buckley greets his wife Stephanie and gets his first look at his four-month-old daughter Ramiyah after dock landing ship USS Carter Hall pulled into Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., May 4, 2006. The Carter Hall, an element of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek after a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Brandon Shelander


Bubbles the Clown applies a stick-on tattoo to a child at the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall homecoming at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., May 4, 2006. The Carter Hall, an element of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek after a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Brandon Shelander


The guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George, assisted by tugboats, pulls into pier 2 at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., May 4, 2006. The Cape St. George is part of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, which successfully completed a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Davis J. Anderson


Sailors from the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George debark the ship after returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., May 4, 2006. The Cape St. George is part of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, which successfully completed a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Davis J. Anderson

Quote of the Day
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs-even though checkered by failure than to take rank with these poor spirits who neither enjoy much or suffer much. Be wise, they live in the gray twilight that know not of victory, nor defeat. Nor true sorrow nor true love."
-- Theodore Roosevelt

Fox News
New Autopsy: Florida Boot-Camp Victim Suffocated
Dow Hits New 6-Year High
Fast Start Could Determine Kentucky Derby Winner
Sudan Peace Plan Signed
Porn Past Cost Kentucky Teacher Her Job
Bible College Student Admits Burning Adult Bookstore
Kansas Lawmakers Raise Marriage Age to 15 (Nice to see they've made it into the 19th Century - geeeeeeez)
Judge: U.S. Rules Enabling Web Wiretaps 'Gobbledygook'
AOL to Give IM Users Free Phone Numbers
Wie Makes Men's Tourney
Man Guilty of Holding Neighbor as Sex Slave
Identity Theft Page
Cybersecurity Center

Reuters: Top News
Blair overhauls government after poll rout
Admirers spare no expense to hear "Oracle of Omaha" - Video
More than half of US streams polluted: EPA
NASA to skip shuttle tank test ahead of July launch
Avoiding delays at a high-tech airport
Video games a key battlefield in DVD war
Africa's "Van Gogh" escapes poverty to wow art world
Beatles engineer tells inside story with new book
Nevada launching Web site for Canada drug imports
CDC confirms more cases of rare eye infection
Stocks jump as mild jobs growth calms rate fears - Video
Circuit City shares jump after upbeat analyst note
Frontier Airlines shares surge on April traffic
Terex shares rise after earnings beat
Northstar shares rise in market debut
Copper bubble trouble?
DeMartino: CATastic year
Declining dollar opens new realm for investors

AP World News
Government, Main Rebels Sign Peace Accord
EU Panel: Aspartame Poses No Cancer Risk
New Autopsy Finds Fla. Teen Was Suffocated
Rap Mogul Knight Details Business Woes
Bonds Silent As Phillies Take Opener
Jackson Angry at GQ for Spoof Photos
Brother Derek Is Horse to Beat in Derby
Coral Species Put on 'Threatened' List
Berkshire Hathaway Buys Stake in Iscar
Hasselhoff, Estranged Wife Split Custody
Major Stock Indexes Close Week With Gains
Bonds HR Pursuit Concerns Hall of Famers

Military.com
Int'l JSF Deal Nears Completion
South Koreans Protest Planned U.S. Base
New Health Plan Voted

CENTCOM: News Releases
COALITION COMMANDER CONDEMNS SCHOOL BURNING

TF TIGER UNIT FINDS WEAPONS CACHE IN PARWAN PROVINCE

IEDS FOUND IN PAKTIKA, ZABUL AND KANDAHAR PROVINCES

TERRORISTS KILLED AFTER FIRING AT COALITION FORCES

COALITION FORCES RESPOND TO ATTACK IN RAMADI, KILL 8 INSURGENTS

LOCAL SCREEN WRITER TEACHES THROUGH MOVIES

MEDIA ADVISORY: TOUR OF BORDER FORTS

PRESS ADVISORY

AFGHAN GOVERNORS MEET, DISCUSS FUTURE OF SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN

NAVY DOCTOR COMES TO AFGHAN BOY'S RESCUE

Department of Defense
Terrorists Use Internet for Propaganda - Story
Northern Iraqi Units Engaged in the Fight - Story - Video - Transcript
Official Condemns Burning of Afghan School - Story
Florida Employers Honored for Support - Story

IRAQIS TAKE THE LEAD
Police Recruiting Drive Draws 300 Applicants - Story
Iraqi Command, Control Center Opens Doors

REBUILDING IRAQ
Community Celebrates School Renovation - Story

ON THE GROUND
Hillah SWAT, U.S. Special Forces Aid Iraqi Boy - Story
'Lion’s Pride' Brings Medical Care to Afghans - Story
Kunar Bridge Construction Moves Forward - Story
Task Force Knighthawk Gets New Commander - Story

IN IRAQ
Troops Revive Patrols to Re-establish Security - Photos
Space-Age Drinking Water System Tested
Photos: Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

IN AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Comm Unit Reaches Milestone
Florida Guard Unit Helps Ailing Afghan Child

IN KUWAIT
U.S. Women’s Team Defeats Kuwaiti Team
Range Helps Troops Train for Iraq Duty - Photos

IN THE HORN OF AFRICA
Coast Guard Detachment Trains Djiboutians
USS Typhoon Operates in Horn of Africa

FACE OF DEFENSE
Airmen Make History in Iraq - Story

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Sinise, Band Rock Pentagon - Story - Photos
Supporters, Lt. Dan Share Stage - Story (Gotta love Gary Sinise)
Casino Thanks Troops With Bash

TOP NEWS
IRAQ
Officials Show Zarqawi Outtakes
U.S. Commander Meets with Iraqis
Iraqi Army More Capable
U.S. Marines, Iraqis Respond
Scientists Access Virtual Library
Renewal In Iraq
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
Partnership Capability Grows
Forces Kill Enemy Fighters
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
5 Detainees Released from Gitmo
Rumsfeld: Relationships Key
Rumsfeld, Nukaga Talk Realignment
Joint Command Focuses on Ops
'Ring of Steel' Encircles Platforms
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
Installations Honored
U.S. Sailors Aid Future Homeowners
OIF Vet Honored as Action Figure
Flu Pandemic Response Roles Set
BRAC Focus: Downsizing, Growth
National Guard, Reserve Update

CASUALTIES
Defense Officials Identify Casualties - 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
1527 - Spanish & German Imperial troops sack Rome; ending the Renaissance
1529 - Battle at Gogra: Mogol emperor Babur beats Afghans & Bengals
1536 - King Henry VIII, orders bible be placed in every church
1598 - Arch duke Albrecht & Isabella become monarch of Southern Netherlands
1626 - Dutch colonist Paul Minuit buys Manhattan for $24 in trinkets
1642 - Ville Marie (Montréal) forms
1644 - Johan Mauritius resigns as Governor of Brazil
1648 - Battle at Zólty Wody-Bohdan Chmielricki's Cossaks beat John II Casimir
1672 - Brandenburgs monarch Frederik Willem signs treaty with Netherlands
1753 - French King Louis XV observes transit of Mercury at Mendon Castle
1757 - Battle at Prague: Frederik II of Prussia beats emperor army
1794 - Haiti, under Toussaint L'Ouverture, revolts against France
1804 - Suriname sold to English (until February 1816)
1840 - 1st postage stamps (Penny Black) issued (Great Britain)
1851 - Dr. John Gorrie patents a "refrigeration machine"; Linus Yale patents Yale-lock; New slave regulations go into effect in Suriname
1853 - 1st major US rail disaster kills 46 (Norwalk, CT)
1856 - U.S. Army troops from Forts Tejon and Miller prepare to ride out to protect Keyesville, California, from the Yokut Indians
1860 - San Fransisco Olympic Club, 1st US athletic club, founded
1861 - Arkansas & Tennessee become 9th & 10th states to secede from US; Jefferson Davis approves a bill declaring War between US & Confederacy
1864 - Battle of Port Walthall Junction, VA; Battle of Wilderness-General Longstreet seriously injured; General Sherman begins advance to Atlanta, GA
1877 - Chief Crazy Horse, who defeated Custer, surrenders to U.S. troops in Nebraska
1882 - Chinese Exclusion Act: US Congress ceases Chinese immigration; Epping Forest England dedicated by Queen Victoria
1889 - Universal Exposition opens in Paris France; Eiffel Tower completed
1890 - Mormon Church renounces polygamy [1006-Truth Restored (Morman pub)]
1891 - Conductors on London General Omnibus Company go on strike
1902 - British SS Camorta sinks off Rangoon - 739 die; Zulu assault at Holkrantz South-Africa
1910 - King George V ascends to British throne
1913 - King Nikita I of Montenegro vacates Skoetari, North-Albania
1914 - British House of Lords rejects women suffrage
1915 - Allies attack Cape Helles, Hellespont
1915 - German U-20 sinks Centurion SE of Ireland
1916 - Belgian troop march into Kigali, German East-Africa
1919 - Paris Peace Conference disposes of German colonies; German East Africa is assigned to Britain & France, German Southwest Africa to South Africa
1933 - Italy & USSR sign trade agreement
1935 - British King George & Queen Mary celebrates silver jubilee
1937 - Dirigible Hindenburg explodes in flames at Lakehurst, NJ (36 die)
1938 - Dutch writer Maurits Dekker sentenced to 50 days for "offending a friendly head of state" (Hitler)
1941 - Joseph Stalin became premier of Russia; Bob Hope gives his first USO show at March Field, in CA
1942 - Corregidor & Philippines surrender to Japanese Armies
1943 - British 1st Army opens assault on Tunis
1945 - General J. Blaskowitz surrenders German troops in Netherlands; Axis Sally makes her final broadcast to Allied troops.
1955 - West Germany joins NATO
1957 - Italian Government of Segni resigns; Last broadcast of "I Love Lucy" on CBS-TV
1959 - Iceland gunboats shoot at British fishing ships
1960 - President Eisenhower signs Civil Rights Act of 1960; Students attack Dutch embassy in Djakarta; Trotsky's murderer Jacques Mornard (Ramón Mercader), freed in México
1961 - Omer Vanaudenhove chosen chairman of Belgium Liberal Party
1962 - 1st nuclear warhead fired from Polaris submarine (Ethan Allen); Antonio Segni elected President of Italy; Pathet Lao breaks cease fire/conquers Nam Tha Laos
1966 - Canadian Minister of Finance announces a $20 Centennial gold coin
1967 - 400 students seize administration building at Cheyney State College; Zakir Hussain elected 1st Muslim President of India
1968 - Battle between students & troops in Paris, France, 1000 injured; Spain closes border to Gibraltar except to Spaniards
1970 - Yuchiro Miura of Japan skis down Mount Everest
1972 - South Vietnam's 5th Division at An Loc, under daily artillery battering, continue to hold their ground as reinforcements fight their way north up Highway 13
1974 - West German chancellor W. Brandt resigns
1975 - Early warnings provided by REACT (ham radio operators) means only 3 people die in tornado that strikes Omaha, NE
1978 - South Africa military goes into Angola
1981 - US expels Libyan diplomats
1984 - José Napoleon Duarte wins El Salvador presidential election
1985 - 17th Space Shuttle Mission (51-B)-Challenger 7 lands at Edwards Air Force Base
1987 - Gary Hart denies affair with model Donna Rice; PTL's Jim Bakker & Rich Dortch dismissed from Assemblies of God
1988 - Doughnutgate incident: New Jersey Devils' coach Jim Schoenfeld tells referee Don Koharski to 'eat another doughnut you fat pig!,' he is suspended
1990 - Former President PW Botha quit South Africa's ruling National Party
1991 - Space Shuttle STS 39 (Discovery 12) lands
1993 - STS-55 (Columbia) lands
1994 - Chunnel linking England & France officially opens; House passes the assault weapons ban; Nelson Mandela & his ANC, finally confirmed winners in South Africa
1996 - Alvaro Arzu aimed at ending 35 years of civil war; Guatemala's leftist guerrillas sign key accord with government of President
1997 - Army Staff Sergeant Delmar Simpson gets 25-year sentence for rape
2012 - Transit of Venus

Birthdays
0973 - Henry II, Roman Catholic German king/emperor (1002/14-24)
1501 - Marcellus II [Marcello Cervini], humanist/Pope (1555, 22 days)
1758 - Maximilien Robespierre Arras, French revolutionary/avocat (1781)
1769 - Ferdinand III archduke of Austria/ruler of Toscane
1801 - George Sears Greene, Union Brevet Major General
1812 - Martin Robinson Delaney Charlestown VA, 1st Black Major in US Medical Corps
1813 - Joseph Tarr Copeland, Union Brigadier General
1825 - Joseph Bailey, Union Brevet Major General
1829 - Phoebe Ann Coffin, 1st female ordained minister in New England
1856 - Robert Edwin Peary, arctic explorer (North Pole-April 6 1909); Sigmund Freud, cigar smoker, father of psycho-analysis
1875 - William Daniel Leahy, 5-star Admiral/Chief of Staff (1949)
1888 - Emmanuel Celler (Representative-NY, 1923-73)
1902 - Walter Dawson, British Air Chief marshall
1912 - Hugh Martell, British Vice Admiral
1915 - John Arnold, British high court judge
1922 - Carlos J. Moorhead (Representative-CA)
1926 - John Hamilton-Jones CEO (Richmond Enterprises)/British Major-General
1931 - Marvin Leath (Representative-TX)
1934 - Richard C. Shelby (Representative-AL /Senator-AL)
1939 - Zhanna Dmitriyevna Yerkina, Russian cosmonaut
1941 - Fred J. Eckert (Representative-NY, 1985-87)
1946 - Jim Ramstad (Representative-MN)
1949 - David Cornell Leestma, USN/astronaut (STS 41-G, 28, 45)
1952 - Chiaki Naito-Mukai, astronaut (STS 65, 95)
1953 - Tony Blair, British PM (Labour, 1997- )
1954 - Sergei Nikolayevich Tresvyatsky, cosmonaut
1955 - Donald A. Thomas, PhD/Astronaut (STS 65, 70, 83, 94); John Hutton, MP
1959 - Charles Hendry, MP; Eric D. Fingerhut (Representative-OH)

Passings
0523 - Thrasamunde, King of Vandalen
0988 - Dirk II West Frisian, Count of Holland
1085 - King Alfonso VI of León, conquerer of Toledo
1124 - Balak Emir of Aleppo, murdered
1527 - Karel van Bourbon, military governor (Lombardije), dies at 37
1727 - Catharina I Latvia, Tsarina of Russia, dies at about 42
1862 - Henry David Thoreau, US writer/pacifist (Walden Pond), dies at 44
1864 - Henry Livermore Abbott, Union Brigadier-General, dies in battle; Micah Jenkins, Confederate Brigadier-General (friendly fire), dies at 28
1882 - Lord Frederick Cavendish and Thomas Henry Burke, assassinated by Fenian Invincibles, in Dublin
1910 - Edward VII King of England (1901-10), dies at 68
1916 - Dirk Bos, Dutch MP (Liberal), dies at 53
1919 - Frank Lyman Baum, author (Wizard of Oz), dies at 62
1987 - William J. Casey, Director of CIA (1981-87), dies at 73
1995 - Dona Maria Pia de Braganca pretender to Port throne, dies at 88
1996 - Geoffrey Hodges bomb disposal expert, dies at 87

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Stubberfield, Robert A., USAF (NC); RF101C shot down - remains returned June, 1989

1966
Dodson, James, USAF; RF101C shot down - escaped June, 1966 - deceased

Lamar, James L., USAF (AR); F105D shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998

1967
Wideman, Robert Earl, USN (OH); A4E shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - alive in 1998

1968
Aldrich, Lawrence L., US Army (TX); KIA / BNR

Baird, William A., US Army (OH); released by PRG (injured) March, 1973 - alive in 1998

Branch, Michael P., US Army (KY); released by PRG March, 1973 - accused of collaboration

1969
Billipp, Norman K., USMC (WI); O1G shot down (w/Hagan) - remains ID'd November, 1996

Hagan, John Robert, USMC (GA); O1G shot down (w/Billipp) - remains returned, ID'd November, 1996

1970
Hernandez, Frank S., US Army (CA); Killed when UH1H collided with another helicopter and crashed (w/Worthington)

Kier, Larry Gene, US Army (NE); disappeared after ground action (w/Teran)

Teran, Refugio T., US Army (MI); disappeared after ground action (w/Kier)

Worthington, Richard C., US Army (WA); Killed when UH1H collided with another helicopter and crashed (w/Hernandez)

1972
Wiles, Marvin B., USN (CA); A7E shot down