LEYTE LAUNCH - An SH-60B Seahawk prepares to launch from the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, which is conducting group sail operations in the Atlantic Ocean, March 27, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael D. Cole

Labels: helicopter, photos, Seahawk, SH-60B, US Navy, USS Leyte Gulf

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Iraqi PM seeks to ease tensions with militia
UN Relief Officials Urge Improved Security and Access for Aid Workers
Soldiers Build Hope in Assriya
Tiger Sinks Its Teeth Into Ninewah

Operation Enduring Freedom
Gates: Many More Troops To Afghanistan in 2009
Bush pledges more troops for NATO Afghan force - Video
France Responds to Call for More Troops in Afghanistan
Reinforced Canada Will Stay in Afghanistan

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Aircraft bombings in "revenge for Iraq": court
TSA deploys airport behavior screeners
Jet plot suspects recorded martyr videos

Fallen Heroes
Coalition Soldiers killed in IED attack
DoD Identifies Army Casualty (Baghdad)

Supporting Our Heroes
Brigadier General (Retired) James Combs Lauds Soldiers' Angels

Other Military News
Russia Assails NATO Over Expansion, Missile Shield
URGENT: Possible B-1 Crash Reported in Qatar

Religion of Peace??
Survey: 60 Percent of Arabs OK Violent Response to West

Homegrown Moonbats
DiCaprio buys 'green' NYC condo

Politics / Government
Clintons Release Tax Records; Show Nearly $34M Paid On $109M Income Over 8 Years
Obama Aide's Iraq Shocker
EXCLUSIVE: McCain to Get Secret Service Protection
Michigan Dems Officially Scrap Do-Over Primary
Poll: Hill vs. Barack? Toss a Coin...
Candidates court black vote on King anniversary - Video
Former President Carter hints at support for Obama - Video
Some superdelegates more super than rest
'527' Committees Spend Millions on Political Discourse
Poll: 81 percent think US on wrong track
FAA inspectors say concerns ignored
Clinton discusses gay rights with Ellen
Clinton denies Obama electability remark
Bush, Putin winding down partnership
Australian PM Criticized for 'Joke' Salute to Bush

Illegal Immigration / Border Control
Cubans Still Arrive in Fla. Despite Reforms - PHOTOS

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Pirates Seize Control of Luxury French Yacht Off Coast of Somalia
Child-Porn Arrest Nightmare
Texas Police Say Baby Probably Cried Before 14-Year-Old Mom Killed Him in Flush Attempt
South Carolina Woman Sues Victoria's Secret Over Alleged Bra Injury
Man Gets Death Penalty for Killing, Mutilating Girl in Cannibalistic Fantasy
Death of University of Wisconsin-Madison Student Spreads Fear
Officer's Report Reveals NFL Player's Alleged Racist Rant During DUI Arrest
States' Budget Fix: Release Convicts, Save Money
Police Focus on Homeless in UW-Madison Killing
Men Arrested After Schoolgirls Find Severed Head
Polygamist Ranch in Texas Locked Down, Kids Quizzed
Amber Alert for Missing Pennsylvania Teen
12 Inmates Injured in California Prison Brawl
Chris Rock testifies in Hollywood wiretap case
Woman sentenced in death of mother-to-be

U.N. News
U.N. Forecasters: Global Temperatures to Decrease
EXCLUSIVE: U.N. Scanner Deal — or Is It Scammer Deal?
Darfur violence may be worse, despite U.N. efforts
UN Refugee Agency Appeals for $40 Million for Those Displaced in Darfur

Media in the Media / Bloggers in the News / Watching the Web
Microsoft evaluating Yahoo offer: source
MySpace forms music venture with big labels
iTunes overtakes Wal-Mart in music sales
Britain seeks pedophiles Facebook ban
ISPs hog rights in fine print

Science / Medicine and Health / Technology
Chronic illness main factor in supplement use
Cardio-metabolic risk can occur at normal BMIs
NASA vision not getting funded, experts find
Birds get the credit, but bats eat more bugs
Gates sees next Windows "sometime" in next year
More contraception choices for women 40

Mother Nature
Tornado Rips Through Little Rock, Ark., Damaging Airport; Injuries Reported
Storms Damage Homes Across Mississippi - PHOTOS
Strange Crawling Fish May Be Part of New Family
Hawk Attacks Girl on Tour of Boston's Fenway Park

News from My Neck of the Woods
"The Penny" Stradivarius sells for $1.27 mln in NY

Oddities
Report: 'Tom Cruise Purple' Medical Marijuana Has Actor Smoking Mad
No happy returns as school bans birthday cake
Farmer cuts property in two to give to ex-wife

Other News of Note
MLK Honored on 40th Anniversary of Assassination
PHOTOS: The Assassination
King Remembered
Memphis marchers honor legacy of MLK
$136M Michigan Mega Millions Winner to Boss: 'I'm Out of Here'
Elderly Oregon Woman Stuck in Bathtub Waits 5 Days for Rescue
Fresh unrest erupts in Tibetan area of China
ICT Report on Jokhang Monks' Bold Protest in Tibet
Election Code of Conduct, Nepal Style - Kill or Capture Candidates and Voters

Fox News
FOXBusiness: 80,000 Jobs Slashed in March
Pop Tarts: Lydia Hearst: From Heiress to Topless
Family Outraged After Colorado 3rd Grader Suspended for Sniffing Shirt With Marker on It
Bobby Brown: 'I Died Three Times'

Reuters
Party backs Mugabe to contest poll runoff - Video
Doubts dog French mission for hostage Betancourt
Vatican seeks to reassure Jews on Good Friday prayer
Judge rules for Episcopal Church secessionists
Nude Bruni, fashion feature in NY photo auction
London gallery celebrates brainy women
George Clooney in feud with writers union
Appaloosa backs out of Delphi deal in blow to GM
JPMorgan dominates merged investment bank
UBS ex-CEO leads campaign to shake up bank - Video
Lawmaker urges SEC to broaden short sale probe
Rumor mill transforms talk to truth
Shoppers scrimp as food prices rise - Video
Trump says no deals in the works to sell casinos
Hollywood investors wary of economy, past mistake
MBIA's bond insurer unit loses top rating from Fitch
Fed rate cut ideas up on weak jobs
Market largely flat as bank fears cool optimism
Solar stocks soar on outlook for U.S. subsidies
Washington Mutual sinks on mortgage loss worries
Oil gains over 2 percent as dollar slips
Dollar falls as U.S. economy posts job decline
AZZ Q4 revenue misses expectations; shares fall
Early warning?

AP World News
Stocks mostly rise after jobs report
Tigers drop to 0-4, lose 8-5 to ChiSox
Huge job losses set off recession alarms
Rapper Remy Ma plans NYC jail nuptials
Hansbrough, Davis win AP awards
Hansbrough selected player of the year
Nady, Pirates beat Braves in 10 innings

News Blaze
Ironhorse Tracker Radio Newscast Available
Iraqi Air Force Executes Over 100 Missions in Support of Operation Charge
MND-B Soldiers Kill Bomb Emplacer, Accidentally Shoot Woman Used as Shield
Soldiers' Angels and Patriot Guard
Iraq News
Operations in Iraq
FOB Warhorse Memorial Photos
Videos

CENTCOM
Coalition forces detain suspected Special Groups criminal
Coalition forces conduct airstrike in Basra, two criminals killed

USJFCOM
USJFCOM opens new Joint Intelligence Laboratory
More about the Joint Intelligence Laboratory
Joint fires team assists Army training center
More about JFIIT
Industry symposium to raise awareness of 21st century capabilities
Workshop looks at strengthening capabilities in the urban environment - podcast

Multi-National Force - Iraq
Soldiers Celebrate Women’s History Month
Coalition Soldiers Visit Kutimiyah School
Two terrorists killed, 16 suspects detained as Coalition forces target al-Qaeda in Iraq
Three terrorists killed, including would-be suicide bomber
Coalition forces conduct airstrike in al-Halaf, six criminals killed (al-Halaf)
ISF kill 7 criminal members, detain 16 in 3 separate operations in Basra
ISF, advised by U.S. Special Forces, detain 1 suspected insurgent, discover cache in separate ops

DefenseLink
AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Troops Get Griffin's Comic Relief - Photos

IRAQ NEWS
U.S. Official Says Iraqis Link Corruption, Terrorism
Coalition Forces Provide Primary Care to Villagers
Coalition Team Assists in Building Combat Force
Coalition Troops Kill Two Terrorists, Detain 16 Suspects

FACE OF DEFENSE
Brothers Reunite in Iraq

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
0896 - Formosus ends his reign as Catholic Pope
1081 - Alexius I Comnenus occupies Byzantine throne
1460 - University of Basle in Swizerland forms
1541 - Ignatius of Loyola becomes 1st superior-General of the Jesuits
1558 - Czar Ivan IV gives parts of North-Russia to fur traders
1581 - Francis Drake completes circumnavigation of the world and is knighted
1588 - Christian IV succeeds Frederik II as King of Denmark
1655 - Battle at Postage Farina - Tunis English fleet beats Barbarian pirates
1660 - English King Charles II ends Declaration of Breda (freedom of religion)
1687 - English King James II orders his Declaration of Indulgence read in church
1716 - Russian & Prussian troops occupy Wismar
1818 - Congress decided US flag is 13 red & white stripes & 20 stars
1828 - Casparus van Wooden patents chocolate milk powder (Amsterdam)
1832 - Charles Darwin aboard HMS Beagle reaches Rio de Janeiro
1850 - City of Los Angeles incorporated
1862 - Battle of Yorktown begins; US begins Peninsular Campaign aimed at capturing Richmond
1864 - Skirmish at Elkin's Ford (Little Missouri River), Arkansas
1865 - Lee's army arrives at Amelia Courthouse
1870 - Golden Gate Park established by City Order #800
1887 - Susanna Medora Salter elected 1st US woman mayor (Argonia KS)
1896 - Announcement of Gold in the Yukon
1900 - Assassination attempt on prince of Wales/King Edward VII; British garrison of Reddersberg surrenders to Boer General De Wet
1905 - Earthquake in Kangra India, kills 370,000
1911 - Hugh Chalmers, automaker, suggests idea of baseball MVP
1912 - Chinese republic proclaimed in Tibet; Army fires on striking mine workers at Lena-gold fields, Siberia
1916 - US Senate agrees (82-6) to participate in WWI
1918 - Battle of Somme ends; Food riot in Amsterdam
1920 - Arabs attack Jews in Jerusalem
1926 - Greek dictator Theodorus Pangalos elected president
1932 - Vitamin C 1st isolated, C.C. King, University of Pittsburgh
1933 - US Dirigible Akron crashes off coast of New Jersey, 73 die
1939 - Faisal II ascends to throne of Iraq
1941 - German troops conquer Banghazi
1944 - British troops capture Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; De Gaulle forms new regime in exile, with communists
1945 - Hungary liberated from Nazi occupation (National Liberation Day); US forces liberated the Nazi death camp Ohrdruf in Germany; US tanks/infantry conquer Bielefeld
1947 - Largest group of sunspots on record; UN's International Civil Aviation Organization established
1948 - 84-year-old Connie Mack challenges 78-year-old Clark Griffith to a race from home to 1st base; it ends in a tie
1949 - North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) treaty signed (Washington, DC); Israel & Jordan sign armistice agreement
1951 - Dutch Prince Bernhard visits Juan & Eva Perón in Buenos Aires, Argentina
1955 - British government signs military treaty with Iraq
1958 - 1st march against nuclear weapons (Aldermaston, England)
1960 - Senegal declares independence from France
1966 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1967 - Dutch De Young government forms; Marines chase "Nozems" out of Amsterdam Central Station
1968 - Apollo 6 launched atop Saturn V; unmanned
1971 - Marine clay under houses liquifies, 31 die (St-Jean-Vianney Québec)
1972 - 1st electric power plant fueled by garbage begins operating
1974 - Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth's home-run record by hitting his 714th
1975 - USAF transport carrying orphans from Saigon crashes killing 155
1976 - Seni Pramoj's Democratic Party wins elections in Thailand
1979 - Jane M. Byrne (D), elected 1st woman mayor of Chicago, IL
1983 - 6th space shuttle mission, Challenger 1 launched
1984 - Winston Smith in Orwell's "1984" begins his secret diary
1992 - Jury deliberations begin in the Noriega case; Sali Berisha becomes president/Alexander Meksi premier of Albania
1994 - KLM Saab 340B crashes at Schiphol, 3 killed; Netscape Communications founded as Mosaic Communications
1997 - DMSP Titan 2 launched; STS 83 (Columbia 22), launches

Birthdays
0188 - Caracalla [Marcus Aureiius Antoniius] Roman emperor (211-17)
1786 - John Franklin, British explorer (Arctic)
1792 - Thaddeus Stevens, US Radical Republican congressional leader (Representative)
1814 - John Blair Smith Todd, Union Brigadier General
1817 - John Wilson Sprague, Union Brevet Major General
1820 - Charles Devens, Jr., Union Brevet Major General
1823 - Robert Byington Mitchell, Union Brigadier General
1826 - Zénobe Théophile Gramme, inventor (electric motor)
1831 - Edward Cary Walthall Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1898
1870 - George A. Smith, 8th president of Mormon church
1881 - Charles Funk Ohio, Encylopediest (Funk & Wagnalls)
1884 - Isoroku Yamamoto, Admiral/supreme commander of Japanese fleet
1888 - Tris Speaker, baseball great
1906 - John Cameron Swayze, newscaster (Timex, Hindenberg)
1914 - Sir John Beith British diplomat
1917 - Joseph Ortiz, French-Algerian extremist (barricade uprising)
1921 - Willem J. "Wim" the Villiers, South Africa minister of Administration
1927 - Bob Stump (Representative-Republican-AZ)
1929 - William F. Clinger, Jr. (Representative-Republican-PA)
1931 - Denis Frank Owen, Natural historian; Harold L. Volkmer (Representative-Democrat-MO)
1932 - Richard G. Lugar (Senator-Republican-IN)
1933 - Fritz Bolkestein, Dutch CEO (Shell)/Minister of Defense (VVD)
1937 - J. Hans van den Doel, economist/Dutch MP (PvdA)
1938 - A. Bartlett Giamatti, president of Yale/baseball commish (1989)
1940 - Vladimir Timofeyevich Isakov, Russian cosmonaut
1943 - Ian Robertson, British museum director (National Army Museum)
1956 - Lamen Khalifa Fhimah Suk Giuma, Libyan terrorist bomber (Pan Am Flight 103)
1965 - Robert Downey Jr New York NY, comedian/actor (Larry Paul-Ally McBeal, Saturday Night Live, Less than Zero, Back to School)

Passings
0397 - Ambrosius, Governor of Liguria/bishop of Milan (374-97)/saint
0896 - Formosus, Pope (891-96), dies
1229 - Hugo van Pierrepont, bishop of Liege
1284 - Alfonso X "El Sabio," King of Castilië/León (1252-84), at 62
1292 - Nicholas IV [Girolamo Masci], Pope (1288-92)
1393 - Floris van Wevelinkhoven, bishop of Utrecht
1406 - Robert III, King of Scotland (1390-1406)
1585 - Caspar de Robles Spanish viceroy of Frisia, at about 57
1588 - Frederik II, King of Denmark/Norway (1559-88), at 53
1714 - Karel Duke of Berry/French heir to the throne
1817 - André Masséna Duc de Rivoli, soldier; Prince d'Essing
1841 - William Henry Harrison, 1st US President to die in office, at 68
1844 - Charles Bulfinch, 1st US pro architect (Massachusetts State House), at 80
1900 - Edward VII, King, assassinated
1919 - William Crookes, English chemist/physicist (Crookes-pipe), at 86
1923 - L. Martov [Joulij O. Tsederbaum], Russian revolutionary, at 49
1929 - Karl Friedrich Benz, automobile engineer (Mercedes), at 84
1932 - Wilhelm Ostwald, physical chemist (Nobel 1909)
1939 - Ghazi I, King of Iraq (19??-39), in a car accident
1953 - Carol II, King of Romania (1930-40), at 59
1968 - Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader, assassinated in Memphis at 39
1972 - Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (Representative-Democrat-NY), at 63
1979 - Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, former Pakistani President, hanged in Pakistan at 51
1991 - John Heinz (Senator-Republican-PA), in a plane crash at 52
1996 - Carl Burton Stokes, politician

Reported Missing in Action
1965
The following personnel reported Missing during strike against the Thanh Hoa Bridge:
Draeger, Walter F., Jr., USAF (WI); A1H shot down

Harris, Carlyle S., USAF (MD): F105D shot down, released by DRV February, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998

Magnusson, James A., Jr., USAF (MA); F105D shot down

1967
Martin, David Earl, USN (FL); F4B shot down over water (w/Szeyller) - KIA/BNR

Szeyller, Edward Philip, USN (PA); F4B shot down over water (w/Martin) - KIA/BNR

1968
Trivelpiece, Steve M., US Army (CA); KIA/BNR

1970
Duffy, John E., USAF (ME); O2 crashed - remains returend May, 1993 - ID'd March, 1996

Young, Jeffery, J., US Army (IN); KIA/BNR

1971
Smith, Joseph S., USAF (IL); F100D shot down - KIA / BNR

Labels: Headlines, History