A Polish army unit conducts a convoy brief before heading out on a mission from Camp Echo, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos


A Polish army soldier listens to a convoy brief on Camp Echo, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007, prior to a mission in Diwaniyah, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos


Polish army soldiers walk into a power supply building during a convoy mission in Diwaniyah, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos


A Polish army soldier stands in front of a power hub unit during a convoy mission in Diwaniyah, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos


Polish army soldiers and an Iraqi contractor discuss business about a power supply unit during a convoy mission in Diwaniyah, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos


Polish army soldiers and an Iraqi contractor discuss business about a power supply unit during a convoy mission in Diwaniyah, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos


Polish army soldiers and an Iraqi contractor discuss business about a power supply unit during a convoy mission in Diwaniyah, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos


A Polish army soldier walks to a humvee after visiting a power supply building during a convoy mission in Diwaniyah, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos


An Iraqi walks down the street in Diwaniyah, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos


A Polish army soldier surveys the landscape during a convoy mission in Diwaniyah, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alan Moos



More photo essays at Defenselink

Labels: Coalition Forces, photos

BIRD'S EYE VIEW
Soaring 250-feet above ground, Marines with the Reconnaissance and Sniper Platoons of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit , get a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area during a special purpose insertion/extraction refresher Jan. 13, 2008, at Camp Buehring in Kuwait. U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Scott M. Biscuiti

Labels: 1-5 Marine Regiment, 11th MEU, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, photos, USMC

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
U.S. says Iran still training Iraqi militias - Video
US: Armor-piercing bomb attacks down
Iraqi Unit Sheds Old Taboos Through Civic Action in Kirkuk
USACE Bringing Clean Water to Qadisiyah Province’s Al Badeer District
Coalition Forces resume air assault on al-Qaeda targets (Arab Jabour)
Baghdad woman, child killed by extremists
Al Qaeda Remains Biggest Target in Iraq

Operation Enduring Freedom
US troops recall battle at Musa Qala
Kabul's old city gets major renovation

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Plunged Into Darkness (Israel blocks shipment of fuel to Gaza City)
Teen Reportedly Confesses Role in Bhutto Murder
Mortars fired as new Somali PM arrives in Mogadishu
Israel's Shimon Peres calls for referendum on any peace deal

Troops on Trial
Army Plans to Court-Martial Fort Hood Leader in Soldier's Training Death
Slain Marine's Mom: Daughter Struggled With Truth

Worldwide Wackos
Cuban Elections Could Shed Light on Castro's Future

Politics / Government
Huckabee Blames Thompson for Loss
Guiliani Switches Focus From 9/11 to Economy
McCain Wins S.C. Primary
Romney, Clinton Win Nevada
FBI Denies File Thought to Contain Nuke Secrets
Romney says stimulus proposal would rescue economy
Schwarzenegger staying neutral during primaries
White House race shifts to next battles - Video
Obama urges unity; Clinton visits Harlem
GOP presidential race turns to Florida
McCain says will do well in Florida
Mitt Romney's economic record questioned
Stimulus plan may be ready by March: lawmaker
Schumer: Expand those helped by stimulus
Analysis: Republican race changing daily
McCain, Clinton ride wave of momentum
Quality of nuclear devices questioned
Key health issues divide both parties
Nationalist wins first round of Serb president vote
Pervez Musharraf to seek backing in Europe

Illegal Immigration / Border Control
Border Agent Killed by Fleeing Vehicle in California

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Messed With the Wrong Gal (a must read!)
Report: McCann Family Releases New Sketch of Possible Suspect in Daughter's Disappearance
Prosecutors: Failed Subprime Mortgage Executive Killed Wife, Himself Due to Personal Problems
Four Men Arrested in Connection With Murders of Moms, Kids in Indianapolis
Police: Four Wounded in Chainsaw Attack at Missouri Homeless Shelter
Body Identified as That of Missing Florida Mom
Couple Sues Restaurant After Rehearsal Dinner Illness
Virtual Violence Turns Real When Gamer Kills Rival
Body found may be last Ala. bridge child

Media in the Media / Bloggers in the News / Watching the Web
AP's Frances Lewine dies at 86
Shriver takes on topic she knows well .
LA Times editor fired in dispute

Science / Medicine and Health / Technology
Cell Phone Radiation Linked to Insomnia, Confusion
Bird flu spreads to new districts in India's east
Stem cells help mice with muscular dystrophy: study
"Rock Band," "Guitar Hero" drive digital song sales

Mother Nature
Alaskan Group Asks for Permission to Kill Wolf Pups
Icy Temps Chill Southern States - PHOTOS

News from My Neck of the Woods
New England Patriots Continue Perfection, Beat San Diego Chargers, 21-12, for Spot at Super Bowl - PHOTOS

Oddities
Just Call Him 'Marty:' Ga.'s Other Martin Luther King Jr.

Other News of Note
Three killed in Kenya clashes with opposition defiant - Video
Kenyans hacked to death with machetes
Popular view of King ignores complexity

Fox News
Packers Fans Brave Cold to Cheer Team in Green Bay
London Mansion Sells for Record-Breaking $94 Million
Frenchman Sails Around the World in 57 Days - PHOTOS
'The Bob Newhart Show' Actress Suzanne Pleshette Dies at 70
'Gandhi' Makes Out With an Olsen

Reuters
States hunt for cash to build during downturn
India's "Untouchables Queen" gains power, enemies
"Help Wanted" highlights skills drain in U.S
Italians throng Vatican to support silenced Pope
Metal detectors to fight knife crime in British schools
Schering, Merck defend cholesterol drugs in ads
Acclaimed movies eye Oscar, box office gold
"Cloverfield" a monster at box office
BHP Billiton reportedly taps more banks for Rio bid
Stimulus may help retailers, but buyers beware
City Pacific pulls plug on MFS deal
ABS card segment seen averting subprime chaos
China Coal launches $4.5 billion Shanghai IPO
Harry Winston Diamond names new CFO
Archstone LBO could hurt Wall Street firms: report
Former SEC chair Breeden wants fewer battles
IBM stock looks cheap: Barron's
Recession fears to weigh on earnings rpts
Wall St. drops as Bush rescue plan disappoints - Video
Sprint shares tumble
Citigroup shares fall to 1998 levels
Oil rises after plan fails to ease economic worries
Gold bounces off one-week low
AIG shares tumble on worry over Greenberg plans
WaMu stock up on JPMorgan merger speculation
Morphing shopper ways

AP World News
Did oil canals worsen Katrina's effects?
Wall Street braces for more volatility
Henin-Sharapova on tap at Aussie Open
Report: Sears to reorganize into units

CENTCOM: News Releases

USJFCOM
USJFCOM readies for Noble Resolve 08 - podcast
More about Noble ResolveCombined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa Mission Rehearsal Exercise prepares forces to help “Africans solve African problems” -podcast
Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa Mission Rehearsal Exercise commences - podcast
2007 -- The Year in Review - photos

Multi-National Force-Iraq
Tips lead to detention of 10 AQI during Operation Phantom Phoenix
Coalition disrupts al-Qaeda networks in central Iraq; one killed, 19 detained
Coalition disrupts al-Qaeda networks across Iraq, 16 suspects detained
MND-B Forces seize enemy rockets

DefenseLink
TOP NEWS
Gates Observes MRAP Progress, Praises Builders
Charleston Operations Speed MRAPs to Troops in Theater - Photos
Gates Predicts 5 Brigades Should be Home by July

MILITARY NEWS
Soldiers Re-enlist to Commemorate 100th Army Reserve Anniversary
Program Promotes Military Absentee Voting for November Election

IRAQ NEWS
Aviation Support Soldiers Keep Helicopters Flying
Coalition Kills 13 Insurgents, Detains 3 Suspects
Program Builds on Concerned Citizens’ Success

AFGHANISTAN NEWS
Afghan Army Corps Holds Commando Contest

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
New Group Gives Brothers, Sisters Help With Loss

WHY WE SERVE
Afghan Deployment Inspires Sailor to Share

FACE OF DEFENSE
Sailor Uses Experience To Improve Afghan Team

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

Philippines
Baler Radar Site Catanduanes Radar Site Manila

South Korea
Cheju Upper/Radar Chonju Chunchon Inch'on Kunsan Masan Mokp'o
Osan Pusan Seoul Suwon Taegu Taejon Tonghae Radar Site Ulsan Yosu

Today in History
0250 - St. Fabian ends his reign as Catholic Pope (236-50)
1045 - Giovanni di Sabina elected Pope Sylvester III
1265 - 1st English Parliament called into session by Earl of Leicester
1320 - Duke Wladyslaw Lokietek becomes king of Poland
1356 - Scottish king Edward Baliol resigns
1503 - Casa Contratacion (Board of Trade) founded in Spain to deal with American affairs
1513 - Christian II succeeds Johan I as Danish/Norwegian king
1613 - Peace of Knärod ends War of Kalmar between Denmark & Sweden
1667 - Treaty of Andrussovo-ends 13 year war between Poland & Russia
1778 - 1st American military court martial trial begins, Cambridge MA
1783 - Hostilities cease in Revolutionary War
1785 - Samuel Ellis advertises to sell Oyster Island (Ellis Island), no takers
1801 - John Marshall appointed US chief justice
1807 - Napoleon convenes the great Sanhedrin, Paris
1840 - Dumont D'Urville discovers Adélie Land, Antarctica; Dutch King Willem II crowned
1841 - China cedes Hong Kong to the British
1850 - Investigator, 1st ship to effect northwest passage, leaves England
1860 - Dutch troops conquer Watampone in Celebes
1866 - Prim's Insurrection in Spain ends
1868 - Florida constitutional convention meets in Tallahassee
1869 - Elizabeth Cady Stanton becomes 1st woman to testify before Congress
1870 - City of Boston vanishes at sea with all 177 aboard; Hiram R. Revels elected to fill unexpired term of Jefferson Davis
1879 - British troops under Lord Chelmsford set camp at Isandlwana
1887 - US Senate approves the naval base lease of Pearl Harbor
1892 - 1st basketball game played (Massachusetts)
1921 - Mountain Autonomous Republic established in RSFSR; Turkey declared in remnants of the Ottoman Empire; British submarine K5 leaves with man & mouse; Dagestan ASSR forms in RSFSR
1925 - USSR & Japan sign treaty of Peking, Seychelles back to USSR
1926 - 2nd German government of Luther begins
1929 - 1st feature talking motion picture taken outdoors, "In Old Arizona"
1930 - 1st radio broadcast of "Lone Ranger" (WXYZ-Detroit)
1934 - Japan sends Henry Pu Yi as regent to emperor of Manchuria
1936 - Edward VIII succeeds British king George V
1937 - 1st Inauguration day on Jan 20th, (held every 4th years thereafter)
1939 - Hitler proclaims to German parliament to exterminate all European Jews
1942 - Nazi officials hold notorious Wannsee conference in Berlin deciding on "final solution" calling for extermination of Europe's Jews; Japanese air raid on Rabaul New Britain; Japanese invade Burma
1943 - Operation-Weiss Assault of German, Italian, Bulgarian & Croatian
1944 - RAF drops 2300 ton bombs on Berlin
1945 - FDR sworn-in for an unprecedented 4th term as President
1946 - F. Gouin follows De Gaulle as temporary leader of French government
1947 - Brigadier General Edwin K. Wright becomes deputy director of CIA
1949 - President Truman announces his point 4 program; J. Edgar Hoover gives Shirley Temple a tear gas fountain pen
1950 - Suriname becomes independent part in Realm of Netherlands
1952 - British army occupies Ismailiya, Suez Canal Zone
1953 - 1st live coast-to-coast inauguration address (Eisenhower)
1953 - 1st US telecast transmitted to Canada-from Buffalo, NY
1957 - Gomulka wins Poland's parliamentary election
1961 - Arthur M. Ramsay becomes archbishop of Canterbury; Yugoslav ex-Vice-President Milovan Djilas flees
1965 - JPL proposes modified Apollo flight to fly around Mars & return; Generalissimo Francisco Franco meets with Jewish representatives to discuss legitimizing Jewish communities in Spain
1969 - Richard M. Nixon inaugurated as President
1977 - George Bush ends term as 11th director of CIA; Mr. Knoche takes over, serves as acting director of CIA through March 9
1980 - President Jimmy Carter announces US boycott of Olympics in Moscow
1981 - 52 Americans held hostage in Iran for 444 days freed; Admiral Stansfield Turner, USN (Retired), ends term as 12th director of CIA; Ronald Reagan inaugurated as President
1982 - 7 miners killed in an explosion in Craynor, KY; Honduras constitution goes into effect; Piet Dankert elected chairman of European Parliament
1986 - 1st Federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.; Chunnel announced (railroad tunnel under English Channel); Military coup in Lesotho under General-Major Lekhanya & premier Leabua Jonathan; Anglican Church envoy Terry Waite taken hostage in Beirut, Lebanon
1988 - Arizona committee opens hearing on impeachment of Governor Evan Mecham
1989 - George H.W. Bush inaugurated as 41st President; Dan Quayle becomes 44th Vice President
1989 - Reagan becomes 1st President elected in a "0" year, since 1840, to leave office alive
1990 - US 64th manned space mission STS 32 (Columbia 10) returns from space
1991 - Iraq parades captured Allied airmen on TV; US Patriot missiles begin shooting down Iraqi missiles
1993 - Admiral Studeman begins serving as acting director of CIA; Bill Clinton inaugurated as 42nd President
1997 - Comet Hale-Bopp crosses Mars' orbit

Birthdays
1716 - Carlos III, King of Naples/Spain (1759-88) Pompei/Jesuits
1732 - Richard H. Lee, US farmer (signed Declaration of Independence)
1763 - Theobald Wolfe Tone, Irish patriot
1775 - Andre-Marie Ampere, discovered electromagnetism
1782 - Johan BJFS, Archduke of Austria
1812 - Ralph Pomeroy Buckland, Union Brevet Major General
1813 - Jacon Gartner Lauman, Union Brevet Major General
1831 - Pieter J. Joubert, General (South Africa)
1843 - Pierre-Paul Cambon, French diplomat (Madrid, Constantinople, London)
1865 - Friedrich A.H. von Waldeck brother of queen Emma/last ruler of Waldeck
1883 - Betram Home Ramsay, English Admiral/Commander Allied Naval Forces
1896 - George Burns (Nathan Birnbaum), actor/comedian (Oh God)
1899 - Kenjiro Takayanagi Vice President (JVC)
1907 - Roy Welensky Premier (Rhodesia/Nyasaland 1956-63)
1916 - Jopie (Johan A.) Pengel, premier of Suriname (1963-69)
1920 - DeForest Kelley, actor (Dr McCoy-Star Trek); Federico Fellini, director (8½, Satyricon, La Dolce Vita); Sam M. Gibbons (Representative-FL)
1922 - Lord James Hanson, English industrialist/House of Lords (Conservative)
1925 - Edwin Gordon, VOA correspondent
1928 - Martin Landau, actor (Mission Impossible, Tucker, Space 1999)
1929 - Arte Johnson, comedian (Laugh-in, Don't Call Me Charlie)
1930 - Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr, USAF/astronaut (Gemini 12, Apollo 11)
1936 - Eldred G. Maduro, minister (Netherlands Antilles)
1943 - Roeland H.G. "Roel" van Duyn, Dutch Provo politician
1945 - Peter Beckwith, English real estate developer/multi-millionaire
1948 - Jerry L. Ross, Lieutenant-Colonel USAF/astronaut (STS 61B, 27, 37, 55, 74, 88)
1948 - Anatoly Shcharansky, Soviet human rights activist/émigré
1949 - Ivana Trump, former wife of Donald
1951 - Magomed Omarovich Tolboyev, Russian cosmonaut
1955 - Joe Doherty, IRA activist (jailed in US)
1956 - Bill Maher comedian (Politically Incorrect)

Passings
0250 - Fabianus, Pope (236-50)/saint
0820 - Abu Abdallah M ibn Idris al-Sjafi'i, Islamic (Book of Mother)
0842 - Theophilus, Byzantine kaiser (829-42), dies
0882 - Louis II/III the Younger German king (876-82)
1479 - John II, King of Aragon/Navarra, dies at 81
1612 - Rudolf II von Habsburg, Emperor of Germany (1576-1612), dies at 59
1639 - Mustapha I, sultan of Turkey (1622-23), dies
1666 - Anna of Austria, Queen of France/daughter of Philip III, dies at 64
1745 - Charles VII Albert, German emperor (1742-45), dies at 47
1862 - General Felix Zollicoffer killed after mistakenly riding into Union lines
1891 - David Kalakahua, Emperor of Hawaii
1936 - King George V of Britain dies at 70, succeeded by Edward VIII
1948 - Mahatma Gandhi India's pacifist, assassinated
1959 - Carl Switzer actor (Alfalfa-Our Gang), shot to death at 31
1973 - Amilcar L. Cabral, fought for Guinea Bissau independence, murdered 51
1990 - Barbara Stanwyck (Ruby Stevens), actress (Big Valley), dies at 82; Naruhito Higashi-Kuni, Japanese PM (1945)
1992 - Muhammad Abd al-Khaliq Hassuna, Secretary-General of Arab League (1952-72); Roberto d'Aubuisson, leader of El Salvador
1993 - Audrey Hepburn, actress (Breakfast at Tiffany's, Roman Holiday), dies of colon cancer at 63
1994 - Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenyan Vice-President (1963-66), dies at about 81
1995 - Mehdi Bazargan, director Iranian oil corp/premier (1979), dies at 86
1996 - David Robin Francis Guy Greville 8th Duke of Warwick, dies at 61; Ellis Hillman, politician, dies at 68
1997 - Edith Haisman, the oldest survivor of Titanic, dies at 100
1998 - Zevulun Hammer, Vice PM of Israel

Reported Missing in Action
1968
Holley, Tilden S., USAF (TX); F4C shot down (pilot, w/Ketterer), ejected, KIA in shootout, body not recovered

Ketterer, James A., USAF (WI); F4C shot down (w/Holley), presumed KIA, body not recovered

1972
Berdahl, David D., US Army (ND); UH1H shot down on rescue mission (doorgunner, w/Edwards), KIA, body not recovered

Edwards, Harry J., US Army (SC); UH1H shot down on rescue mission (rifleman, w/Berdahl), remains ID'd July, 1985

Labels: Headlines, Headlines History