CARIBBEAN SEA (Sept. 2, 2007) - French boarding teams rappel from a U.S. Navy SH-60 Seahawk onto the flight deck of multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is in Panama as part of the multi-national exercise PANAMAX 2007. Civil and military forces from 19 countries are participating in PANAMAX, a U.S. Southern Command joint and multi-national training exercise co-sponsored with the government of Panama, in the waters off the coast of Panama in Honduras. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Robbie Stirrup

Labels: helicopter, LHD-1, PANAMAX 2007, photos, Seahawk, SH-60, USN, USS Wasp

Here's hoping you and yours have a happy and safe Labor Day.

To learn a little more about the history of this day, visit the following links:

Labor Day, 2006 - Boston Globe
The History of Labor Day (Department of Labor)
Labor Day (United States) - Wikipedia
Labor day from Rumela.com
History of Labor Day (Patriotism.org)

AL ASAD AIR BASE - President Bush speaks to troops during a surprise Labor Day visit to Iraq, Sept. 3, 2007. The president traveled to Iraq to meet the troops who are making sacrifices to fight the terrorists and extremists. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. D. Myles Cullen

Labels: Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, photos, President George W. Bush

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Iraqi Prime MinisterExpects Good Grades
Bush: It's 'Possible' to Start Bringing Troops Home
British Troops Out of Basra
TV Journo Dies in Ambush
Sunni Insurgents Name Minister in Bid to Oppose Gov't
Iraq still faces hurdles to pass oil law

Operation Enduring Freedom
Afghan Taliban vow to kidnap, kill more foreigners

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Company: No Ties to Bin Laden
Palestinian Rocket Lands in Israeli Day Care Center
Lebanese Army Hunts Fugitives From Climactic Battle
Olmert says unclear if Abbas deal possible by November
Rocket lands by Israeli day care center

Other Military News
Report: China Hacked Into Pentagon Computer Network
Controversial War Ads Back Up Surge
Stress Study Lands Colonel in Hot Water

Worldwide Wackos
U.S. to Take North Korea Off Terror List, Pyongyang Says
Hill says N.Korea remains on terrorism list
Freed Iranian-American leaves Iran

Politics / Government
Edwards' Health Care Plan Makes Checkups Mandatory
Democrat Edwards gets fresh union backing
Climate and trade top Bush's agenda at APEC
APEC set for world trade, climate change talks - Video

Illegal Immigration / Border Control
Lines at United States borders longer

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Worker Accused of Poisoning Boss
Baby Dies After Mom Swabs Nose With Meth-Pipe Cleaner
Sand Cave Collapse Kills Boy, 10
Missing New Jersey Woman's Mom Fears She's Dead

U.N. News
U.N. Report: U.S. Has World's Most Productive Workers
U.N.'s Ban warns Khartoum on human rights
UN chief urges end to Darfur conflict

Science / Medicine & Health / Technology
British Scientists Discover 'Height Gene'
Study says family therapy helps allay eating disorder
Men and women may need different heart treatments
Rock stars more likely to die prematurely
One man's genes show DNA is still a mystery
Russian grocery owner to be space tourist: report
Women may need different heart treatment
Study questions some bipolar diagnoses

Mother Nature
Bracing for Felix
Category 4 Hurricane Targets Honduras, Belize - VIDEO - TRACKER
Tourists flee as Felix nears
Firefighters Battle SoCal Blazes
SoCal heat wave strains power grid
Aid arrives to help Greece after fires

Oddities
Two Charged With Stealing Hearse for Pub Crawl
Report: Anna Nicole Smith Tell-All Book Alleges Stern, Birkhead Were Gay Lovers

Other News of Note
Panama Canal begins historic expansion

Fox News
Former Open Champ Kuznetsova Reaches Quarterfinals
Plane Crash Kills 5 Ministers in Rural Tennessee
First Female Beefeater Takes Up Post at Tower of London

Reuters: Top News
Bangladesh ex-PM Khaleda arrested on graft charge - Video
Jamaican polls close, voters await results
Congo army says kills 28 renegade soldiers in east
Pakistan political pact talks due
Driving NY taxi beats desk job, says female "hack"
Political power couple: "Harry" and "Nancy"
Public indifferent to green overtures at IFA fair
In-game advertising company adopts TV ad model
Hello Kitty goes traditional for Japan's youth
Owen Wilson "doing very well", says director
Country star Underwood enjoys fast-moving "Ride"
Japan stocks edge down in thin trade, bridges rise
OPEC keeps lid on supplies
Dollar steady at start of busy US data week
Japan stocks slip after data; steel, shippers up
European shares up, led by banks, but utilities fall
China, EU reassure on subprime fallout
Bush subprime plan seen lacking
US STOCKS-Bush and Bernanke spur rally on Wall Street
FTSE ends near 4-week high, Barclays helps
HSBC to buy 51 pct of Korea's KEB for $6.3 billion
France's GDF, Suez agree new energy merger
Student loan auction proposal stirs opposition
Tech, drug companies battle over U.S. patent reform
Investor JC Flowers eyeing WestLB: sources

AP World News
Jerry Lewis' telethon hits new record
Terfel cancels Royal Opera 'Ring' cycle
Lefty buries Tiger to win Deutsche Bank
European, Asian markets finish mixed
Pedro gets 3,000th K in winning return
Blake bows out in 5 sets at U.S. Open
M's rout Yanks to end losing streak at 9
No quick action expected on mortgages
Movie studios bask in blockbuster summer

Military.com
DT: New Combat Rifle Enters Fray
WF: FBI Forced to Reveal Secrets
Weekend Shock: When Freedom Fell
Newsreel: Paris Liberated!
Advisors: Killer Job Interview Q 'n A
Back to School With the GI Bill
Podcast: Maxim's Diana Falzone

CENTCOM: News Releases

USJFCOM
Empire Challenge 07 shows success of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance integration - podcast
Command announces information technology contract
U.S. Joint Forces Command, Boeing sign cooperative research and development agreement - podcast

Multi-National Force-Iraq
Diversity is strength for new Iraqi Army
Team sees success in faces of Habbaniyah
Coalition Soldiers mentor Iraqi Army toward sustainability
Agricultural unions get lesson in business strategies
Iraqi Army stops car bomber from attacking bridge north
Iraqi Forces, U.S. Special Forces detain militant extremist leader, ten others
Iraqi Forces, U.S. Special Forces kill one insurgent, detain 17 others during Jazirah Desert patrol Soldier attacked during combat logistics patrol
Stryker Soldiers capture three suspected AQI terrorists
Coalition forces disrupt al-Qaeda network, detain five suspects

DefenseLink
TOP NEWS – BUSH, GATES, RICE VISIT IRAQ
Military Surge Working, Bush Tells Troops
Gates Wraps Up Visit with Iraqi Leaders
President Thanks Troops for Their Hard Work
Bush: Further Success Will Mean Fewer Troops
Bush Assembles 'War Council' in Anbar Province
President Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq
Tribes Must be Part of Iraqi Government

AFGHANISTAN
Coalition Forces Discover Weapons Cache
Pace Thanks Troops, Notes Signs of Progress

IRAQ
Forces Detain Militant Extremist Leader

MILITARY NEWS
Bush, Cheney Meet with Top Officials at Pentagon

ON THE GROUND IN IRAQ
Iraqis Keep Judges Safe
Marines Provide Training
Airmen Swing into Action
Residents Join Guard Force
Citizens Root Out Terrorists

INSIDE AFGHANISTAN
Police Need Martial Skills
Team Brings Medical Supplies
Afghans Kick Off Project
Afghans, U.S. Soldiers Celebrate

EMPLOYER SUPPORT AWARDS
GM to Receive Freedom Award

FACE OF DEFENSE

Sailor Returns to Djibouti
Couple Deploys Together
Seabee Gives Wheelchair Gift
JAG Preps for Rescue Challenge

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Freedom Walk Nears 200 Mark
Motorcyclists' Annual Ride Honors Families of Fallen
Wounded Warriors Share Experiences Over Dinner

DefendAmerica
BLOGGERS' ROUNDTABLE with Thomas J. McGrath
Afghan Police Need Martial Skills to Engage Taliban, U.S. Officer Says - Story

NEWS UPDATES
President, Vice President Meet with Top Officials at Pentagon - Story

ON THE GROUND
Marines Train Iraqis to Keep Judges Safe - Story
Marines Provide Weapons Training - Story
Baghdad School Opens After Renovations - Story
Airmen Swing into Action with Donations - Story
Iraqis Trained How to 'Serve and Protect' - Story

IN IRAQ
Residents Join Guard Force to Boost Security
Iraqi 'Neighborhood Watch' Roots Out Terrorists
Transition Team Sees Success in Habbaniyah
Soldiers Build Relationships with Residents
Engineers Finish Student Center Renovations
Iraqi Doctors, Medics Care for Fellow Iraqis

IN AFGHANISTAN
Team Brings Medical Supplies to Afghan Village
Reconstruction Team, Afghans Kick Off Project
International Military Engineers Work Together
Soldiers, Afghans Celebrate Independence

IN SOUTHWEST ASIA
Airmen Cool Down Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
War on Terror Reconstruction Report
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

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

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Today in History
1189 - England's King Richard I (the Lion-Hearted) is crowned in Westminster
1752 - England adopts the Gregorian calendar; people riot, thinking the government stole 11 days of their lives.
1783 - The Treaty of Paris ends the American Revolutionary War.
1826 - The U.S.S. Vincennes leaves NY, and becmes the first warship to circumnavigate the globe.
1833 - The NY Sun begins publishing - it is the first daily newspaper.
1861 - Confederate forces enter Kentucky, ending its neutrality.
1865 - The Army commander in SC orders the Freedmen's Bureau to stop seizing land; the first pro football game played in Latrobe, PA.
1900 - The British annex Natal (South Africa).
1912 - In England, the world's first cannery opens - to supply food to the navy.
1916 - At the Battle of Verdun, the Allies turned back the Germans.
1918 - Five soldiers hanged for their alleged participation in the Houston riot of 1917.
1925 - The dirigible "Shenandoah" crashes in OH killing 13.
1930 - In the Dominican Republic, a hurricane kills 2,000, and injures 4,000.
1935 - Sir Malcolm Campbell drives the first automobile to exceed 300 mph (301.337 mph).
1939 - Britain declares war on Germany; France, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada follow suit.
1940 - High definition color TV is shown for the first time; the U.S. gives Britain 50 destroyers in exchange for a Newfoundland base lease.
1943 - The Allies invade Italy
1945 - Japanese forces in the Phillipines surrender.
1954 - Pope Pius X is canonized.
1964 - President Lyndong B. Johnson signs the Wilderness Act into law.
1967 - Nguyen Van Thieu elected pres of S Vietnam under a new constitution; Sweden begins driving on the right-hand side of road.
1971 - Qatar regains complete independence from Britain; the Watergate team breaks into Daniel Ellsberg's doctor's office.
1976 - Viking-2 soft lands on Mars (Utopia), sending back photos.
1978 - The crew of Soyuz-31 returns to Earth, aboard Soyuz-29; Pope John Paul I is officially installed as the 264th supreme pontiff.
1979 - Hurricane David kills over 1,000.
1985 - The 20th Space Shuttle Mission (51-I-Discovery 6) returns to Earth.

Birthdays
1856 - Louis Henri Sullivan, father of modern American architecture
1860 - Edward Albert Filene, merchant, established U.S. credit union movement
1905 - Carl David Anderson , physicist, Nobel Prize winner (1936)
1944 - Sherwood C. "Woody" Spring, Colonel US Army / astronaut (STS 61B)
1965 - Charlie Sheen actor (Carlos Estevez), NYC, actor (Wall St, Platoon)
1971 - Tonja Christenson, Playboy playmate (November, 1991)

Passings
1189 - Rabbi Jacob of Orleans, killed in anti-Jewish riot in London, England
1658 - King James I of England (1603-25)
1658 - Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England
1962 - e. e. cummings, poet
1969 - Ho Chi Minh, North Vietnamese president
1970 - Vince Lombardi, football coach
1991 - Frank Capra, movie director (It's a Wonderful Life)

Reported Missing in Action
1966
Trujillo, Joseph Felix, USMC (NM); remains returned Nobember, 1992

1967
Pirkle, Lowell Zinh; remains returned October, 1994 - ID'd January, 1996
Moore, Herbert W., Jr., USAF (PA); F105D shot down (pilot)

1968
Frazier, Paul R., US Army (WI); UH1H crashed (crewman), Killed, body not recovered

Labels: Headlines, History