National Airborne Day          

National Airborne Day is a day designated by the United States Congress to honor the nation's airborne forces of the Armed Forces. It was created in 2002 by George W. Bush.

History

August 16, 1940 marked the first official Army parachute jump, validating the innovative concept of inserting United States ground combat forces behind a battle line by parachute.

On August 14, 2002 President George W. Bush issued the following proclamation:

The history of airborne forces began after World War I, when Brigadier General William Mitchell first conceived the idea of parachuting troops into combat. Eventually, under the leadership of Major William Lee at Fort Benning, Georgia, members of the Parachute Test Platoon pioneered methods of combat jumping in 1940. In November 1942, members of the 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, conducted America's first combat jump, leaping from a C-47 aircraft behind enemy lines in North Africa. This strategy revolutionized combat and established airborne forces as a key component of our military.

During World War II, airborne tactics were critical to the success of important missions, including the D-Day invasion at Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, the invasion of Southern France, and many others. In Korea and Vietnam, airborne soldiers played a critical combat role, as well as in later conflicts and peacekeeping operations, including Panama, Grenada, Desert Storm, Haiti, Somalia, and the Balkans. Most recently, airborne forces were vital to liberating the people of Afghanistan from the repressive and violent Taliban regime; and these soldiers continue to serve proudly around the world in the global coalition against terrorism.

The elite airborne ranks include prestigious groups such as the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, "Sky Soldiers," 82nd Airborne Division, "All American," and the "Screaming Eagles" of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). Airborne forces have also been represented in the former 11th, 13th, and 17th Airborne Divisions and numerous other Airborne, glider and air assault units and regiments. Paratroopers in the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps, the 75th Infantry (Ranger) Regiment and other Special Forces units conduct swift and effective operations in defense of peace and freedom.

Airborne combat continues to be driven by the bravery and daring spirit of sky soldiers. Often called into action with little notice, these forces have earned an enduring reputation for dedication, excellence, and honor. As we face the challenges of a new era, I encourage all people to recognize the contributions of these courageous soldiers to our Nation and the world.

Now, therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 16, 2002, as National Airborne Day. As we commemorate the first official Army parachute jump on August 16, 1940, I encourage all Americans to join me in honoring the thousands of soldiers, past and present, who have served in an airborne capacity. I call upon all citizens to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

- WIKIPEDIA

Elvis Presley – Died this day in 1977 at age 42  

Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often referred to as Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Known as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century.  Presley's energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, led him to both great success and initial controversy.

Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family when he was aged 13. His music career began there in 1954, recording at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of African-American music to a wider audience. Presley, on rhythm acoustic guitar, and accompanied by lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, was a pioneer of rockabilly, an up-tempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined to complete the lineup of Presley's classic quartet and RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage him for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", was released in January 1956 and became a number-one hit in the United States. Within a year, RCA would sell ten million Presley singles. With a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records, Presley became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll; though his performative style and promotion of the then-marginalized sound of African Americans led to him being widely considered a threat to the moral well-being of white American youth.

In November 1956, Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Drafted into military service in 1958, he relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. Presley held few concerts, however, and guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood films and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided. Some of his most famous films included Jailhouse Rock (1957), Blue Hawaii (1961), and Viva Las Vegas (1964). In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed television comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley gave the first concert by a solo artist to be broadcast around the world, Aloha from Hawaii. However, years of prescription drug abuse and unhealthy eating habits severely compromised his health, and Presley died suddenly in 1977 at his Graceland estate at the age of 42.

Having sold roughly 500 million records worldwide, Presley is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He was commercially successful in many genres, including pop, country, rhythm & blues, adult contemporary, and gospel. He won three Grammy Awards, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame. He also holds several records, including the most RIAA-certified gold and platinum albums, the most albums charted on the Billboard 200, the most number-one albums by a solo artist on the UK Albums Chart, and the most number-one singles by any act on the UK Singles Chart.  In 2018, Presley was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

- WIKIPEDIA

August 12, 1877

Phonograph Invented by Thomas Alva Edison

August 12, 1877, American inventor Thomas Alva Edison made perhaps his most original discovery, the phonograph, and his early recordings were indentations embossed into a sheet of tinfoil by a vibrating stylus.

The first recorded sound was Thomas Edison’s voice, captured on phonograph in 1877 reciting part of the nursery rhyme song “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

August 13, 2004

August 13, 2004, American cooking expert Julia Child—who brought the art of French cooking to a vast number of Americans through her books and, especially, her programs on public television, where she became known for her humor and hearty voice—died at age 91.

60’s ICONS PASS AWAY

Arguably the most iconic product of the troubled 1960s was the counterculture movement and the birth of hippie culture. Rejecting prevailing social norms related to family and relationships, the hippies were particularly vocal about social injustice and political strife.

Sharon Tate – Murdered this day in 1969 at age 26      

Sharon Marie Tate Polanski (January 24, 1943 – August 9, 1969) was an American actress and model. During the 1960s, she appeared in advertisements and small television roles before appearing in films as well as working as a model. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic and dramatic acting performances, Tate was hailed as one of Hollywood's most promising newcomers.

She made her film debut in 1961 as an extra in Barabbas with Anthony Quinn. She next appeared in the horror film Eye of the Devil (1966). Her first major role was as Jennifer North in the 1967 film Valley of the Dolls, which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination. That year, she also performed in the film The Fearless Vampire Killers, directed by her future husband Roman Polanski. Tate's last completed film, 12+1, was released posthumously in 1969.

On August 9, 1969, Tate and four others were murdered by members of the Manson Family, a cult, in the home she shared with Polanski. She was eight-and-a-half months pregnant.
- FROM WIKIPEDIA 

Jerry Garcia – Died of a Heart Attack this day in 1995 at age 53 

Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician best known for being the principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 1960s. Although he disavowed the role, Garcia was viewed by many as the leader of the band. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 as a member of the Grateful Dead.

As one of its founders, Garcia performed with the Grateful Dead for the band's entire 30-year career (1965–1995). Garcia also founded and participated in a variety of side projects, including the Saunders–Garcia Band (with longtime friend Merl Saunders), the Jerry Garcia Band, Old & In the Way, the Garcia/Grisman and Garcia/Kahn acoustic duos, Legion of Mary, and New Riders of the Purple Sage (which he co-founded with John Dawson and David Nelson). He also released several solo albums, and contributed to a number of albums by other artists over the years as a session musician. He was well known for his distinctive guitar playing, and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" cover story in 2003. In the 2015 version of the list, he was ranked at #46.

Garcia was renowned for his musical and technical ability, particularly his ability to play a variety of instruments and sustain long improvisations. Garcia believed that improvisation took stress away from his playing and allowed him to make spur of the moment decisions that he would not have made intentionally. In a 1993 interview with Rolling Stone, Garcia noted that "my own preferences are for improvisation, for making it up as I go along. The idea of picking, of eliminating possibilities by deciding, that's difficult for me". Originating from the days of the "Acid Tests", these improvisations were a form of exploration rather than playing a song already written.

Later in life, Garcia struggled with diabetes. In 1986, he went into a diabetic coma that nearly cost him his life. Although his overall health improved somewhat after the incident, he continued to struggle with obesity, smoking, and long-standing heroin and cocaine addictions. He was staying in a California drug rehabilitation facility when he died of a heart attack on August 9, 1995, at age 53.

SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS  

In amateur radio, a Special Event Station is a special operation usually in observation or commemoration of a special or historical event, often with a special vanity call sign. These stations generally operate for a short time and have special QSL cards to commemorate the event.

Special event stations licensed in the United States will often have a special 1x1 call sign.

Examples

The National World War One Museum, at the Liberty Memorial, in Kansas City, Missouri, for instance will be having a special event station over the next six years in observance of the centennial of the Great War, under the call sign WW1USA.

The Military Wireless Museum in the Midlands special event callsign is GB0MWM and can be heard on most bands. It can be operated by visitors to the museum who hold a ham radio license. Also, the USS South Dakota Wireless Association "N0EBC" activates the museum and memorial to the ship and crew members of the WW2 battleship USS South Dakota BB57 located in Sioux falls, South Dakota each Veterans Day, November 11. often under the 1x1 call "W0V" 

 Net Discussion Questions:

1. The 60’s Icons: what are your memories of these 2 counterculture personalities?

2. Special Event Stations:  have you participated in a Special event Station call in?

        Any Ideas for a new Special Event Station?

Daylight Savings Time

Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of moving clocks ahead during warmer months to make better use of daylight. The goal of DST is to prolong the amount of time people can spend outside during daylight hours.

In the United States, DST starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. The time changes take place at 2:00 a.m. local time.

The idea of aligning waking hours to daylight hours to conserve candles wasfirst proposed in 1784 by U.S. polymath Benjamin Franklin. In 1918, DST was first tried in the United States. Year-round DST was used during World War Two and adopted again in 1973 in a bid to reduce energy use because of an oil embargo.

Changing seasons

In many parts of the United States, you might change your wardrobe with the seasons, grabbing a heavy coat in winter, while wearing only a light t-shirt in summer. Although ecosystems, plants, and animals cannot adjust their attire quite so easily, they have evolved to make changes that help them survive seasonal conditions caused by the rotation of the Earth around the sun.

Topic Questions

1. What are your thoughts on Daylight Savings Time? Do you enjoy the change of daylight?

2. What are your thoughts on bill Section 260a to observe Daylight Savings Time all year? 

3. Do you like the change of Seasons? What is your favorite Season? Are you a “Snowbird?”

The PT-109 is rammed by a Japanese destroyer and sinks.  

Lt. John F. Kennedy, future President, saves all but 2 of his crew.      

By 2 a.m. on 2 August 1943, as the battle neared its end, PT-109, PT-162, and PT-169 were ordered to continue patrolling the area on orders previously radioed from Commander Warfield. The night was cloudy and moonless, and fog had set amidst the remaining PTs. Kennedy's boat was idling on one engine to avoid the detection of her phosphorescent wake by Japanese aircraft when the crew realized they were in the path of the Japanese destroyer Amagiri, which was heading north to Rabaul from Vila Plantation, Kolombangara, after offloading supplies and 902 soldiers.

Contemporary accounts of the incident, particularly the work of Mark Doyle, do not often find Kennedy at fault for the collision. The lack of speed and maneuverability caused by the idling engines of PT-109 put the ship at risk from passing destroyers, but Kennedy had not been warned by radio of destroyers in the area. Kennedy believed the firing he had heard was from shore batteries on Kolombangara, not destroyers, and that he could best avoid detection by enemy sea planes by idling his engines and reducing his wake.

Kennedy said he attempted to turn PT-109 to fire a torpedo and have Ensign George "Barney" Ross fire their newly installed 37 mm anti-tank gun from the bow at the oncoming northbound destroyer Amagiri. Ross lifted a shell but did not have time to load it into the closed breech of the weapon that Kennedy hoped might deter the oncoming vessel.  Amagiri was traveling at a relatively high speed of between 26 and 46 mph in order to reach harbor by dawn, when Allied air patrols were likely to appear.

Kennedy and his crew had less than ten seconds to get the engines up to speed and evade the oncoming destroyer, which was advancing without running lights, but the PT boat was run down and severed between Kolombangara and Ghizo Island.   PT-109 was struck on her starboard side at a 20-degree angle, shearing off a piece of the boat.   Conflicting statements have been made as to whether the destroyer captain had spotted and steered towards PT-109 with the intention of ramming her, or tried to avoid her at the last minute.  Most contemporary authors write that Amagiri's captain, Lieutenant Commander Kohei Hanami, intentionally steered to collide with PT-109.  Hanami later admitted it himself and also stated that PT-109 was traveling at a steady pace in their direction.

PT-109 explodes

When PT-109 was cut in two around 2:27 a.m., a fireball of exploding aviation fuel 100-foot-high (caused the sea surrounding the ship to flame.  Seamen Andrew Jackson Kirksey and Harold William Marney were killed instantly, and two other members of the crew were badly injured and burned when they were thrown into the flaming sea surrounding the boat.  For such a catastrophic collision, explosion, and fire, there were few men lost compared to the losses on other PT boats hit by shell fire. PT-109 was gravely damaged, with watertight compartments keeping only the forward hull afloat in a sea of flames.

PT-169, closest to Kennedy's craft, launched two torpedoes that missed the destroyer and PT-162's torpedoes failed to fire at all. Both boats then turned away from the scene of the action and returned to base without checking for survivors of PT-109. There had been no procedure outlined by Commander Warfield of how to search for survivors or what the PT flotilla should do in case a ship was lost.   In the words of Captain Robert Bulkley, naval historian, "This was perhaps the most confused and least effectively executed action the PTs had been in.  Eight PTs fired 30 torpedoes. The only confirmed results were the loss of PT-109 and damage to the Japanese destroyer Amagiri" [from striking PT-109].

Survival, swim to Plum Pudding Island, 2 August

Kennedy was able to rescue MM1 Patrick McMahon, the crew member with the most severe wounds, which included burns that covered 70 percent of his body, and brought him to the floating bow. Kennedy also rescued Starkey and Harris, bringing them both to the bow.  On instructions from Kennedy, the eleven survivors thrown from PT-109 regrouped, and then hoping for rescue, clung to PT-109's bow section for 12 hours as it drifted slowly south. By about 1 p.m., on 2 August, it was apparent that the hull was taking on water and would soon sink, so the men decided to swim for land, departing around 1:30 p.m.  As there were Japanese camps on all the nearby large islands including Kolombangara, the closest, they chose the tiny deserted Plum Pudding Island southwest of where the bow section had drifted. They placed their lantern, shoes, and non-swimmers on one of the timbers that had been used as a gun mount and began kicking together to propel it. Kennedy, who had been on the Harvard University swim team, used a life jacket strap clenched between his teeth to tow McMahon.  It took four hours to swim to the island, 3.5 miles away, which they reached without encountering sharks or crocodiles.

Additional swims, 2, 4, and 5 August

Plum Pudding Island was only 100 yards in diameter, with no food or water. The exhausted crew dragged themselves behind the tree line to hide from passing Japanese barges. The night of 2 August, Kennedy swam 2 miles to Ferguson Passage to attempt to hail a passing American PT boat. On 4 August, he and Lenny Thom assisted his injured and hungry crew on a demanding swim 3.75 miles south to Olasana Island which was visible to all from Plum Pudding Island. They swam against a strong current, and once again, Kennedy towed McMahon by his life vest. They were pleased to discover Olasana had ripe coconuts, though there was still no fresh water. On the following day, 5 August, Kennedy, and George Ross swam for one hour to Naru Island, visible at an additional distance of about .5 miles southeast, in search of help and food and because it was closer to Ferguson Passage where Kennedy might see or swim to a passing PT boat on patrol. Kennedy and Ross found a small canoe, packages of crackers and candy, and a fifty-gallon drum of drinkable water left by the Japanese, which Kennedy paddled back to Olasana in the acquired canoe to provide his crew.  It was then that Kennedy first spoke to native Melanesian coast watchers Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana on Olasana Island. Months earlier, Kennedy had learned a smattering of the pidgin English used by the coast watchers by speaking with a native boy. The two coast watchers had finally been convinced by Ensign Thom that the crew were from the lost PT-109, when Thom asked Gasa if he knew John Kari, and Gasa replied that he worked with him. Realizing they were with Americans, the coast watchers brought a few yams, vegetables, and cigarettes from their dugout canoe and vowed to help the starving crew.  But it would take two more days for a full rescue.

The Regional Barbecue Styles of America, Explained

From Kansas City to North Carolina, here's how America barbecues. 

In the South, barbecue is a way of life. Drive a few miles in different directions, and you could find totally different barbecue styles. Many regions in the U.S. have their own way of taking pork, chicken, or even lamb, smoking it until it falls apart, and dressing it up in deliciousness. We talked to some barbecue experts from around the country to see just how they do it in their state. Here's a breakdown of the main barbecue regions in the U.S.

North Carolina

Most known for: whole pig on the smoker, vinegar-based barbecue sauce

"The whole hog, which can be found now in other areas, was made famous by North Carolina," said Elizabeth Shepard of Shepard Barbecue in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. "That’s accompanied by our vinegar sauce. Usually a slightly spicy, sweet, and tangy vinegar-based sauce is added to the pork once finished."

South Carolina

Most known for: regional sauces, pork

South Carolina is all. about. pork. "Traditionally, South Carolina barbecue is synonymous with pork—whether it's pulled pork or whole hog is dependent on the establishment," said John Lewis of Lewis Barbecue in Charleston. "Typically [it's] smoked low and slow over an open fire." The sauce is what differentiates the regions. In the northern regions of the state, you'll find a light tomato, the west is heavy tomato, the south and central is mustard, and the east is a vinegar-pepper sauce.

Texas

- Central Texas

Most known for: smoked brisket, pork ribs, hot gut sausages.

Central Texas is all about the dry rub. It's smoked over mesquite, pecan, or oak wood and eaten sans bread—no sandwiches.

- East Texas

Most known for: chopped pork and beef sandwiches

In East Texas, you can almost guarantee the meat is going to fall off the bone. It's marinated in a tomato-based sauce and usually smoked over hickory wood. And you'll definitely find plenty of pulled meat sammies served with pickles. "All orders come with dill pickles, sliced white onions, and homemade bread," said Rick Og of Goldee's Barbecue in Fort Worth. "We have a mustard-heavy sauce on the tables."

- South Texas

Most known for: barbacoa and molasses-based barbecue sauce

Because of the nearby Mexican border, you'll find a lot of Tex-Mex barbecues here, like barbacoa. You'll also see plenty of meat covered in a molasses-based sauce. Sticky, sweet, and so delicious.

- West Texas

Most known for: direct heat, mesquite wood

Unlike the rest of Texas, in the west part of the state, they cook over direct heat with mesquite wood, so it's more similar to traditional grilling than it is to smoking.

Kansas City

Most known for: burnt ends, hickory-smoke, thick, sweet barbecue sauce

If you go to Kansas City and don't try the burnt ends, you're missing out. They come from the "point" half of the smoked brisket and are so fatty and delicious. You'll also find them covered in a tomato-based barbecue sauce.

"We use a variety of meats and smoke our meats with hickory or oak wood," Deborah Jones of Jones Bar-B-Q said. "We use a five-brick BBQ pit and hickory wood. We’re also known for sweet, thick barbecue sauces."

Memphis

Most know for: smoked pulled pork, served "wet" or "dry."

Memphis is known for loving pork—ribs, pulled, shoulder—pork, pork, pork. It may be rubbed with spices like paprika and garlic in a "dry" fashion. If it's prepared "wet," however, it'll be continuously brushed with a sauce while being smoked.

"Marinades and bastes usually consist of apple cider vinegar, spices and sometimes apple cider, Coca-Cola, or beer," said Ernie Mellor of Hog Wild. "The finished product is complimented with a well-balanced barbecue sauce, tomato-based with spices, honey, cider vinegar, and usually a bit of yellow mustard. Aromatic veggies such as onion and garlic are staples in the sauce."

Alabama

Most known for: white barbecue sauce made with mayo, vinegar, lemon juice

Alabama barbecue is identified by pork, chopped or sliced, served on a hamburger bun with coleslaw and dill pickles. In the north, you'll find vinegar-based sauces, while all around the state, you'll find a white barbecue sauce of mayo, vinegar, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt smothering all the meat.

"Every chicken that comes off the pit at Big Bob Gibson's gets baptized in a vat of white barbecue sauce," Chris Lilly, the pit master at the barbecue joint credited with inventing it, said in a Thrillist video. "It's a tangy, peppery flavor. It is uniquely Alabama."

Kentucky

Most know for: mutton (lamb meat) served with a black Worcestershire-based sauce

Mutton in Kentucky (mostly western Kentucky) is sliced thin and topped with dips made of Worcestershire or vinegar and cayenne. Unfamiliar with mutton? It's sheep parts, typically shoulder, slow roasted.

Virginia

Most known for: regional sauces, chopped and sliced pork

Any barbecue spot you go to in Virginia will likely have pork on the menu. But what's more important is the sauce. Each region has its own type: Northern Virginia is known for sweeter tomato-based sauces sometime incorporating fruit; Central Virginia has sweet and sour sauces; and in Southern Virginia you'll find tomato- and vinegar-based sauces with mustard. And then you have the Shenandoah Valley, which is famous for barbecue chicken with an apple cider vinegar-based sauce. 

Net Discussion Questions:

1. Did this event have a positive impact on Kennedys future run for President?

2. Are you a BBQ fan, and if so, what?