Hamburger Hill Assaulted by U.S. Troops on May 11, 1969

Hamburger Hill Assaulted by U.S. Troops: Hamburger Hill was the scene of an intense and controversial battle during the Vietnam War. Known to military planners as Hill 937 (a reference to its height in meters), the solitary peak is located in the dense jungles of the A Shau Valley of Vietnam, about a mile from the border with Laos.

The Vietnamese referred to the hill as Dong Ap Bia (or Ap Bia Mountain, “the mountain of the crouching beast”). Though the hill had no real tactical significance, taking the hill was part of Operation Apache Snow, a U.S. military sweep of the A Shau Valley. The purpose of the operation was to cut off North Vietnamese infiltration from Laos and enemy threats to the cities of Hue and Da Nang.

101st Airborne Division Attacks

Under the leadership of General Melvin Zais, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, paratroopers engaged a North Vietnamese regiment on the slopes of Ap Bia Mountain on May 10, 1969. Entrenched in well-prepared fighting positions, the North Vietnamese 29th Regiment repulsed the initial American assault, and after suffering a high number of casualties, U.S. forces fell back.

The soldiers of the North Vietnamese 29th Regiment—battle-hardened veterans of the Tet Offensive - beat back another attempt by the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry on May 14. An intense battle raged for the next 10 days as the mountain came under heavy air strikes, artillery barrages and 10 infantry assaults, some conducted in heavy tropical rainstorms that reduced visibility to near zero.

Due to the bitter fighting and the high casualty rate, Ap Bia Mountain was dubbed “Hamburger Hill” by journalists covering the Vietnam War. Speaking to a reporter, 19-year-old Sergeant James Spears said, “Have you ever been inside a hamburger machine? We just got cut to pieces by extremely accurate machine gun fire.”

Hamburger Hill Captured

On May 20, General Zais sent in two additional U.S. airborne battalions (the 1st Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 2nd Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment), plus a South Vietnamese battalion as reinforcements for his increasingly disgruntled soldiers.

One U.S. soldier—who had fought in nine of the 10 assaults on Hamburger Hill - was quoted as saying, “I’ve lost a lot of buddies up there. Not many guys can take it much longer.”

Finally, in the 11th attack, the North Vietnamese stronghold was captured on May 20, when thousands of U.S. troops and South Vietnamese soldiers fought their way to the summit. In the face of the four-battalion attack, the North Vietnamese retreated to sanctuary areas in Laos.

Hamburger Hill Abandoned

On June 5 - just days after the hard-won victory - Ap Bia Mountain was abandoned by U.S. forces because it had no real strategic value. The North Vietnamese re-occupied Hamburger Hill a month later.

“The only significance of the hill was the fact that your North Vietnamese (were) on it - the hill itself had no tactical significance”, General Zais was quoted as saying.

Reports of casualties vary, but during the 10 days of intense fighting, an estimated 630 North Vietnamese were killed. U.S. casualties were listed as 72 killed and 372 wounded.

Legacy of Hamburger Hill

The bloody battle over Hamburger Hill and the fleeting victory resulted in a firestorm of criticism from anti-war activists. Outrage over what appeared to be a senseless loss of American lives was exacerbated by photographs published in Life magazine of U.S. soldiers killed during the battle.

On the floor of the U.S. Senate, Edward Kennedy scorned the military tactics of the Nixon administration. Kennedy condemned the battle for Ap Bia Mountain as “senseless and irresponsible.” General Creighton Abrams, commander of U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam, was subsequently ordered to avoid such intensive ground battles.

But not all the soldiers and military leaders agreed that Hamburger Hill was a wasted effort. Of the criticisms leveled at U.S. commanders, General Zais said, “Those people are acting like this was a catastrophe for the U.S. troops. This was a tremendous, gallant victory.”

Sources

Vets, KIAs remembered at Hamburger Hill ceremony. U.S. Army.

Troops count cost of Vietnam’s Hamburger Hill. The Guardian.

Battle of Dong Ap Bia - Hill 937-10-21 May 1969. Unclassified Report. Texas Tech University.

History Channel / Wikipedia (Vietnam War) / Britannica Encyclopedia (Vietnam War) / ARMY.mil Hamburger Hill, Vietnam War (YouTube)

Understanding Military Terminology - Mine

(DOD) 1. In land mine warfare, an explosive or other material, normally encased, designed to destroy or damage ground vehicles, boats, or aircraft, or designed to wound, kill, or otherwise incapacitate personnel and designed to be detonated by the action of its victim, by the passage of time, or by controlled means.

2. In naval mine warfare, an explosive device laid in the water with the intention of damaging or sinking ships or of deterring shipping from entering an area. See also mine warfare.

Joint Publications (JP 3-15) Barriers, Obstacles, and Mine Warfare for Joint Operations

The Old Salt’s Corner

Typical Ship Organization

Navy warships will of course vary in size and function. Most however, have similar organizational structures. For purposes of instruction, we will examine the organizational structure of the modern aircraft carrier as the largest expression of ship administration. Keep in mind that individual ships will incorporate different organizational structures.

A. Carrier Orginization

When fully manned, an aircraft carrier is home to as many as 5,000 personnel—the size of a small city. Thinking of a carrier as a city is a useful way to understand its organization. At the top and comparable to a city’s mayor is the ship’s Commanding Officer (CO), who is ultimately responsible for the entire ship and the accomplishment of its assigned mission. Next in line and acting as city manager is the Executive Officer (XO). From the XO on down, the ship’s individual functions are handled by the ship’s company via different departments. These departments are in turn divided into divisions, each specialized in an area of the ship’s operation and mission.

The carrier battlegroup’s primary mission is power projection to targets ashore and at sea. The central element of the carrier’s offensive punch is its embarked air wing (CVW). The typical carrier air wing normally consists of nine squadrons, each with individual missions, which join the carrier while it is deployed.

B. Commanding Officer

The Commanding Officer of an aircraft carrier must satisfy two requirements: He must be an unrestricted line officer (which enables him to command at sea) and he must be a naval aviator. He is always the rank of Captain (O-6). Through his XO (who in most cases is also is a Captain), the CO runs the ship via its various departments.

“I’m Just Sayin”

“A lie gets halfway around the world

before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”

~ Anonymous

“Thought for the Day”

“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters

cannot be trusted with important matters.”

~ Albert Einstein

“Never tell the truth to people

who are not worthy of it.”

~ Mark Twain

“The truth is rarely pure

and never simple.”

~ Oscar Wilde

“What I Have Learned”

“If you tell the truth, it becomes a part of your past.

If you lie, it becomes a part of your future.”

~ Anonymous

Bizarre News (we couldn’t make up stuff this good – real news story)

Bizarre smuggling attempts that went wrong, in pictures

Here is a collection of photographs of bizarre smuggling attempts involving animals, drugs, mobile phones and submarines:

This image released by the Portuguese Police shows a multicoloured swim trunk that has two brown bags attached to the rear containing about a kilo of cocaine, which was seized at Lisbon's international airport after the arrest of a man who arrived on a flight from the city of Belem, in northern Brazil.

Portuguese police have detained the man who arrived at Lisbon's airport wearing fake buttocks that contained the cocaine, enough to make 5,000 individual doses of cocaine police said in a statement.

The Telegraph (02/13/2018)

Mr. Answer Man Please Tell Us: What is Mercury in Retrograde, and Why Do We Blame Things On It?

The History

Mercury retrograde - as it's technically called - was being written about in astrology circles as far back as the mid-18th century. The event was noted in British agricultural almanacs of the time, which farmers would read to sync their planting schedules to the patterns of the stars.

During the spiritualism craze of the Victorian era, interest in astrology boomed, with many believing that the stars affected the Earth in a variety of (often inconvenient) ways. Late 19th-century publications like The Astrologer’s Magazine and The Science of the Stars connected Mercury retrograde with heavy rainfall. Characterizations of the happening as an “ill omen” also appeared in a handful of articles during that period, but its association with outright disaster wasn’t as prevalent then as it is today.

We are all influenced when Mercury is in retrograde.

What is “Mercury Retrograde”?

Due to the way our own orbit interacts with those of the other planets, they might sometimes appear to be traveling backward through the night sky with respect to the zodiac. This is, in fact, an illusion, which we call apparent retrograde motion.

Several times a year, it appears as if Mercury is going backwards. These times in particular were traditionally associated with confusions, delay, and frustration.

Perhaps Mercury’s retrograde periods can cause our plans to go awry. However, this is an excellent time to reflect on the past. It’s said that intuition is high during these periods, and coincidences can be extraordinary.

Mercury Retrograde Dates 2018

In 2018, Mercury will be only be retrograde during the date ranges of:

● March 23 to April 15

● July 26 to August 19

● November 17 to December 6

What to Do When Mercury is Retrograde

The planet Mercury rules communication, travel, contracts, automobiles, and such. So, when Mercury is retrograde, remain flexible, allow time for extra travel, and avoid signing contracts. Review projects and plans at these times, but wait until Mercury is direct again to make any final decisions.

About a week or two before Mercury retrogrades, finish any tasks or projects at hand. You can’t stop your life, but plan ahead, have back-up plans, and be prepared for angrier people and miscommunication.

Some people blame Mercury retrograde for “bad” things that happen in their lives. Instead, take this time to sit back and review where you put your energy in your life. For example, if family and faith are important to you, are you putting your energies there or just overextended in other areas? Take a moment to reflect.

The Old Farmer's Almanac - Farmer's Almanac • Live Science • Mental Floss • Quora • Wikipedia

NAVSPEAK aka U.S. Navy Slang

SEAL: The United States Navy's Sea, Air, Land Teams, commonly known as the Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command and United States Special Operations Command. There are currently two Coast Guard SEALS, who completed SEAL training before the program was cancelled.

Secure: To turn off, end, or make tighter, e.g. “secure the forward diesel” or “"secure from general quarters”; can also be used to to prepare something for sea, as in “secure for sea”.

Senile Chief: Slang for Senior Chief.

Service Dress Beer: With the pre-NWU utility uniforms, the act of removing the shirt and untucking the T-shirt to hide the name tape above the pants pocket, in order to purchase alcohol on an off-base establishment. When leaving base, only “essential” stops could be made in utilities, of which alcohol was not one of them. Like many such measures, this fooled absolutely nobody.

Service Dress Bozo: Service Dress Blue uniform with a bow tie worn by a junior officer to a formal event for which he was too cheap to buy a formal mess dress jacket.

Just for you MARINE

Walking John: Nickname for a Marine marching in dress blues uniform that appeared on World War I-era recruiting posters.

War Belt: A web belt used to carry canteens in pouches and other miscellaneous equipment.

War Paint: Camouflage, face paint.

Naval Aviation Squadron Nicknames

VFA-102 - “Diamondbacks”
Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture Japan - Established July 1, 1952

Where Did That Saying Come From?

“Chow down:”  Meaning: Sit down to eat - similar in meaning to the British term 'tuck in'.

Origin: A chow is a breed of Chinese dog. The reputation that poor Chinese had for eating dogs has led to chow being thought of as a slang term for food. In fact, the use of 'chow' to mean food predates the naming of the chow breed of dog. Nevertheless, that reputation for eating animals which are regarded in western countries only as pets also resulted in the Australian slang term for Chinese food - 'chow miaow' (recorded since at least 1948).

'Chow', in the sense of food, is recorded from the mid-19th century. In Spirit of Age, 1856 we get this line:

“Ah Chow- ah in the Celestial lingo means Mr, Chow something good to eat.”

In Sir Henry Yule and Arthur Burnell's Hobson-Jobson: being a glossary of Anglo-Indian colloquial words and phrases, 1886 were unambiguous in their definition:

“Chow is in 'pigeon' applied to food of any kind.”

The phrase 'chow down' originated in the U.S. military around WWII. The earliest printed citation I can find is from The Hammond Times, December 1942, in a story about life on a submarine:

“'Chow down, sir' a mess attendant in a white coat informed.... 'Served on navy blue and white china we put away steak, potatoes, peas and ice cream.'”

Phrases.org UK

Science & Technology

Pacific plastic dump far larger than feared: study • Patients to skip the lab, get immediate results with new blood test technology • Metalens achieves near-unity numerical aperture • Genome of American cockroach sequenced for the first time • Diffusiophoresis found to be critical factor for getting clothes clean • The brain learns completely differently than we've assumed since the 20th century • GPS guidance can be fooled, so researchers are scrambling to find backup technologies • Hubble solves cosmic 'whodunit' with interstellar forensics

Phys.org / MedicalXpress / TechXplore

The Strange, Mysterious or Downright Weird

No, It's Not an Alien - Here's What That Tiny, Pointy-Headed Skeleton Really Is

A tiny, pointy-headed skeleton that fits in the palm of a hand isn't an alien, despite conspiracy theories that have circulated for years.

The skeleton, with a dramatically elongated skull and an underdeveloped jaw and face, was uncovered in Chile's Atacama Desert in 2003, and mystified scientists when it was first found.

Research published in 2013 offered some clues about the skeleton's bizarre appearance, but five additional years of genetic analysis have provided even more answers. Examination of the skeleton's entire genome revealed that it was Chilean and female, and that its misshapen skull and other deformities might be linked to a host of genetic mutations that affect bone development. Together, those mutations shaped an array of abnormalities that gave the remains an alien-like form. [Image Gallery: Odd Alien-Looking Skeleton Poses Medical Mystery]

Though the skeleton is the size of a 22-week-old fetus, it was initially thought to be a 6- to 8-year-old child with severe deformities. Nearly a decade later, a highly detailed analysis - including X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans and DNA sequencing - showed that it was a fetus (and that it was definitely human).

It's hard to tell how old the skeleton is just by looking at it, but prior examinations found it to be about 40 years old, scientists explained in a new study. Despite the skeleton's minuscule size, previous analysis cast doubt on whether it was a fetus because its “advanced bone age” more closely resembled that of a young child, particularly in the structure of the skeleton's skull, with sutures that were already fused.

But that feature was a byproduct of a genetic mutation - one of many that caused its numerous skeletal deformities. And, in fact, the premature fusing of skull plates in the fetus is what gave the skull its pointed shape, the researchers reported.

The scientists extracted DNA from one of the skeleton's ribs - another anomaly that previously had fueled speculation about alien origins, as there were 10 pairs, rather than the 12 normally found in humans.

However, alien hunters will likely be disappointed to hear that “the specimen is shown here to have a purely earthly origin”, the study authors reported.

Genetic anomalies, not extraterrestrial DNA

While the scientists found no evidence of alien DNA, they did find mutations in seven of the fetus's genes: COL1A1, COL2A1, KMT2D, FLNB, ATR, TRIP11 and PCNT. Mutations in these genes are known to play roles in premature joint fusion, abnormalities in rib development, malformed skulls, and diseases that inhibit the development of bone and cartilage, according to the study.

Taken together, the mutations expressed by these genes would explain all of the fetus's skeletal abnormalities, the scientists concluded. However, finding so many mutations that specifically affect skeletal development is unusual; in fact, it's never been reported before, and it is unknown what triggered this cascade of mutations, study lead author Garry Nolan, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University, told Live Science in an email.

As bizarre as this skeleton may appear, it isn't the first example of remains that look mostly human but nevertheless invite comparisons to popular images of creatures from science fiction.

In 1999, excavations in a 1,000-year-old cemetery in Mexico yielded 13 human skeletons - many of them children - with skulls that were stretched and pointed in the back, bearing a distinctly alien appearance. But researchers determined that the skulls' unusual shapes stemmed from cultural practices that deliberately deformed the bone, similar to those seen in pre-Hispanic cultures in Central America.

And 14 elongated, alien-like skulls in Bavarian graves dating to 1,500 years ago also were traced to cultural practices of cranial shaping, this time in tribes from southeastern Europe, Live Science previously reported.

However, five so-called “alien mummies” from Peru - mummified humanoids with three-fingered hands — were widely denounced by experts as fabrications, perhaps even cobbled together from looted body parts belonging to real human remains. [In Photos: 'Alien' Skulls Reveal Odd, Ancient Tradition]

Live Science (03/22/2018)