DOD (Department Of Defense)
Soldier Missing in Action from the Korean War is Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from
the Korean War, have been identified and returned to his family for
burial with full military honors.
He is Pfc. Charles H. Long, U.S. Army, of Durand, Ill. He will be
buried Nov. 25 in Durand.
Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin to explain the
recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with
military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On March 24, 1953, Long was one of four men from L Company,3rd
Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, who was declared
missing in action after engaging enemy forces north of the Demilitarized
Zone (DMZ) on what came to be known as Pork Chop Hill. The bodies of two
of the MIAs were recovered and a third MIA was returned alive during
Operation Big Switch after having been captured by Chinese Communist
Forces. Long remained unaccounted-for, and was eventually declared dead on
March 24, 1954.
In 1993, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) gave United
Nations officials 33 boxes with human remains of alleged U.S.
servicemen who were unaccounted-for. The DPRK recovered the remains near
Komsa-ri in Kangwon Province, which was near Long's last known location. Also
included in one of the boxes were Long's social security and
identification cards along with identification tags.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence,
scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the
Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and
dental comparisons in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to
account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at
http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169 .
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Eric Vizcaino, 21, of New Mexico, died Nov. 21 in Balad, Iraq,
of injuries suffered Nov. 20 in Samarra, Iraq, in a non-combat related
incident.Vizcaino was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute
Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort
Bragg, N.C.
The incident is under investigation.
A roadside bomb killed a U.S. soldier, and
a soldier from the same unit died in a separate incident yesterday,
military officials reported today.
A soldier from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, was
killed and three others were wounded in a roadside bomb blast in Salah
Ad Din province. Another 3rd BCT soldier died yesterday of a non-battle
injury in the same province, officials said.
The soldiers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of
kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department has identified two servicemembers who
died earlier:
-- Army Spc. Bradley N. Shilling, 22, of Stanwood, Mich., died Nov. 18
in Baghdad of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his
vehicle during combat operations. Shilling was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), Big Rapids, Mich.
-- Marine Lance Cpl. Jeremy S. Shock, 22, of Tiffin, Ohio, died Nov. 19
from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar
province. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion,
24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Perrysburg, Ohio.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Bradley N. Shilling, 22, of Stanwood, Mich., died Nov. 18 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Shilling was assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), Big Rapids,
Mich.
Country star will spend the
Thanksgiving holiday with troops deployed overseas.
Tippin left for Afghanistan Nov. 18 and will perform for the troops
stationed there through Nov. 27. He'll perform music from his new album,
"Now & Then," as well as his well-known hits. This will be his second
Thanksgiving tour sponsored by Stars for Stripes and U.S. Army, Europe.
Joyce Chow and Aaron Tippin at ACM awards
"Those are the real working men and women, and if I can repay even an
ounce of what they are doing for me, my family, and my country by taking
their mind off of the day-to-day risks ... well, I can't think of a
better thing to do with my time," Tippin said. "They have been fighting
for the rights we take for granted every day, and I want to make sure
they know we're thankful."
Stars for Stripes is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing
quality entertainment to internationally deployed U.S. servicemembers,
according to its Web site. The organization also is a member of America
Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting ways Americans
and the corporate sector are supporting the nation's military.
Aaron Tippin at ACM awards
Tippin launched his career in 1991 with his debut single, "You've Got
to Stand For Something," a single that reached Top 10 status and quickly
became an anthem for Operation Desert Storm. He found that many viewed
him as a voice of patriotism, a badge he wears proudly to this day.
On the heels of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Tippin again rose to
the occasion with "Where The Stars And Stripes and the Eagle Fly." He
donated the proceeds from the single, which zoomed to the No. 2 position
on the Billboard chart, to the Disaster Relief Fund of the Nashville
Area Chapter of the American Red Cross.
"Country fans went out and bought the record to help other Americans
who needed help at the time," Tippin said. "That's common of what real
country fans are like."
It's the fan enthusiasm and support that has motivated the singer to
take an active role not only through his music, but through performances
for the troops.
To date, Tippin has performed for more than 500,000 military personnel
either overseas or at home.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Jeremy S. Shock, 22, of Tiffin, Ohio, died Nov. 19 from
wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Perrysburg, Ohio.
The Defense Department released the
identities of 10 U.S. soldiers and two U.S. Marines who were killed recently
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
-- Army Capt. Rhett W. Schiller, 26, of Wisconsin, died Nov. 16 in
Balad Ruz, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with
enemy forces using small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 5th Squadron,
73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division,
Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Army Sgt. 1st Class Schuyler B. Haynes, 40, of New York, and Army
Spc. Mitchel T. Mutz, 23, of Falls City, Texas, died Nov. 15 in Baquba,
Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated
near their vehicle during combat operations. They were assigned to 1st
Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
-- Army Cpl. John R. Dennison, 24, of Ijamsville, MD, died on Nov. 15
in Balad, Iraq, as a result of small-arms fire. Dennison was assigned to
5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd
Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Army Col. Thomas H. Felts Sr., 45, of Sandston, Va., and Army Spc.
Justin R. Garcia, 26, of Elmhurst, N.Y., died Nov. 14 in Baghdad of
injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their
vehicle during combat operations. Felts was assigned to the Command and
General Staff College, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort
Leavenworth, Kan. Garcia was assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry
Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis,
Wash.
-- Army Spc. Eric G. Palacios Rivera, 21, of Atlantic City, N.J., died
Nov. 14 in Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his unit came in
contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire. He was assigned to the
1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
-- Army Sgt. 1st Class Tung M. Nguyen, 38, of Tracy, Calif., died Nov.
14 in Baghdad of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with
enemy forces using small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Marine Lance Cpl. Mario D. Gonzalez, 21, of La Puente, Calif., died
Nov. 14 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. He
was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
-- Marine Lance Cpl. Michael D. Scholl, 21, of Lincoln, Neb., died Nov.
14 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Anbar
province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd
Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
-- Army Pfc. Daniel J. Allman II, 20, of Canon, Ga., and Army Pfc. Jang
H. Kim, 20, of Placentia, Calif., died Nov. 13 in Baghdad of injuries
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their
vehicle during combat operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpt. John R. Dennison, 24, of Ijamsville, MD, died on Nov. 15 in
Balad, Iraq, as a result of small arms fire. Dennison was assigned to 5th
Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Capt. Rhett W. Schiller, 26, of Wisconsin, died Nov. 16 in Balad Ruz,
Iraq, of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy
forces using small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to
the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd
Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Nov. 15 in Baquba,
Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near their vehicle during combat operations. They were assigned to
1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Killed were:
Sgt. 1st Class Schuyler B. Haynes, 40, of New York.
Spc. Mitchel T. Mutz, 23, of Falls City, Texas.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. 1st Class Tung M. Nguyen, 38, of Tracy, Calif., died Nov. 14 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with
enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. He was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Nov. 14 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near their vehicle during combat operations.
Killed were:
Col. Thomas H. Felts Sr., 45, of Sandston, Va. He was assigned to the
Command and General Staff College, School of Advanced Military Studies,
Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
Spc. Justin R. Garcia, 26, of Elmhurst, N.Y. He was assigned to the
1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team,
2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Eric G. Palacios Rivera, 21, of Atlantic City, N.J., died Nov. 14
in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact
with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. He
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Nov. 13 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near their vehicle during combat operations. Both soldiers were
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
Killed were:
Pfc. Daniel J. Allman II, 20, of Canon, Ga.
Pfc. Jang H. Kim, 20, of Placentia, Calif.
CONTRACTS
ARMY
AM General L.L.C., South Bend, Ind., was awarded on Nov. 13, 2006, a
$571,452,377 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for M1151A1
high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicles. Work will be performed in
South Bend, Ind., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2007.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This
was a sole source contract initiated on July 17, 2000. The U.S. Army
Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting
activity (DAAE07-01-C-S001).
AM General L.L.C., South Bend, Ind., was awarded on Nov. 13, 2006, a
$545,647,535 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for M1152A1 and
M1165A1 high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicles with B kits. Work
will be performed in South Bend, Ind., and is expected to be completed
by Dec. 31, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on July 17,
2000. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren,
Mich., is the contracting activity (DAAE07-01-C-S001).
BAE Systems, York, Pa., was awarded on Nov. 9, 2006, a $251,069,605
modification to a firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for
production of M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicles and system technical
support. Work will be performed in York, Pa. (98 percent), and Aiken, S.C.
(2 percent), and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2009. Contract
funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a
sole source contract initiated on Aug. 10, 2006. The U.S. Army
Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting
activity (DAAE07-01-C-N030).
NAVY
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded a
$138,543,800 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract
(N00019-04-C-0115) for the procurement of 12 MH-60R full rate production
lot IV air vehicles. Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn. (92
percent); and Troy, Ala. (8 percent), and is expected to be completed in
December 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the
contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Newport News, Newport News, Va., is being awarded a
$65,292,403 cost-plus-fixed fee, level of effort contract for FY 07
advance planning in preparation for the refueling and complex overhaul
(RCOH) of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and its reactor plants. This
effort will provide for all advanced planning, ship-checks, design,
documentation, engineering, procurement, fabrication and preliminary
shipyard or support facility work to prepare and make ready for the RCOH,
modernization and routine work on the CVN 71 and its reactor plants. Work
will be performed in Newport News, Va., and is expected to be completed
by October 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval
Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
(N00024-07-C-2117).
Harris Corporation, RF Communications Division, Rochester, N.Y. is
being awarded $34,335,484 for delivery order 0038 against previously
awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract
(M67854-05-D-7015) for 995 AN/PRC-150(C) high frequency manpack radios
and 293 AN/TRC-209 150W high frequency base stations. These radios and
base stations are advanced high frequency systems that provide reliable
tactical communications through enhanced secure voice and data
performance, networking, reduced size and weight, and extended battery life.
Work will be performed in Rochester, N.Y., and is expected to be
completed in February 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively procured. The
Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training and Support, Orlando, Fla., is
being awarded a $19,569,060 firm-fixed-priced contract to provide
maintenance and support services for U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps
consolidated automated support system stations. Work will be conducted at
various ashore and afloat aviation intermediate maintenance depots, Navy
training sites, and Marine Corps air wings, and is expected to be completed
in November 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the
contracting activity (N68335-07-C-0069).
AIR FORCE
Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $49,999,000
cost-plus-fixed fee contract modification. This modification issues an
undefinitized contract action to accomplish a system design review in
March 2007 and key decision point B in June 2007. This is necessary to
add detailed system engineering and design efforts to support a system
design review, continue risk reduction and provide key decision point B
support. The government's intent is to implement a system design review
and continue to make progress toward a key decision point B in June
2007. At this time, $24,999,500 have been obligated. This work will be
complete June 2007. Headquarters Global Positioning Systems Wing, Los
Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity
(FA8807-04-C-0002/P00022).
Kilgore Flares Co., LLC, Toone, Tenn., is being awarded an $18,515,596
firm-fixed-price contract. This contract award is to procure
replenishment spares for the F-22 aircraft. The products purchased are
flares-specifically MJU-39, MJU-40 and BBU-59. These flares are countermeasures
designed to defeat air-to-air guided missiles. At this time, total funds
have been obligated. Solicitations began February 2006 and negotiations
were complete October 2006. This work will be complete June 2008.
Headquarters Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the
contracting activity (FA8213-0-C-).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Amerda Hess Corporation, Woodbridge, N.J., is being awarded a maximum
$39,378,462 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for
electricity for Navy. Other location of performance is Washington, D.C.
There were 156 proposals solicited and 13 responded. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance
completion is Dec. 31, 2008. Contracting activity is the Defense Energy
Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-G-8030).
MidAmerican Energy Company, Urbandale, Iowa, is being awarded a
maximum $17,067,344 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for
electricity for Navy. Other location of performance is Naval Academy,
Md. There were 156 proposals solicited and 13 responded. Contract funds
will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of
performance completion is Dec. 31, 2008. Contracting activity is the Defense
Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-G-8030).
Detainee Release Announced
The Department of Defense announced today that it released three
detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Albania. One of the detainees is an
Algerian national, one is an Egyptian national, and one is an ethnic
Uzbek who was born in the former Soviet Union.
All three detainees were determined to be "No Longer Enemy Combatants"
(NLEC) through a Combatant Status Review Tribunal (CSRT), a review
process held at Guantanamo during 2004-2005 to determine classification
status of all detainees.
The United States has done the utmost to ensure that these three
detainees will be treated humanely upon release. Our key objective has been
to resettle these detainees in an environment that will permit them to
rebuild their lives. Albania will provide this opportunity.
With today's release, approximately 110 detainees remain at Guantanamo
who the U.S. government has determined eligible for transfer or release
through a comprehensive series of review processes. Departure of these
remaining detainees approved for transfer or release is subject to
ongoing discussions between the United States and other nations. The United
States does not desire to hold detainees for any longer than necessary.
The department expects that there will continue to be other transfers
and releases of detainees.
There are ongoing processes to review the status of detainees held at
Guantanamo. A determination about the continued detention or transfer of
a detainee is based on the best information and evidence available at
the time, both classified and unclassified.
This release increases the number of detainees who have departed
Guantanamo this year to approximately 80. Since 2002, approximately 345
detainees have departed Guantanamo for other countries including Albania,
Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France,
Germany, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia,
Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United
Kingdom, and Yemen.
Approximately 430 detainees remain at Guantanamo.
America Supports You: Mother Writes Song for Son, All Soldiers
When Angela Lashley first heard that
her paratrooper son, Army Pvt. Jonathan Wisniewski, was being deployed
to Iraq, she was devastated.
"I just went numb for several days," Lashley said.
But rather than be overwhelmed, Lashley, a singer-songwriter from
Nashville, Tenn., decided to channel the mixture of emotions she was feeling
into a song.
The result was "So Brave," a four-and-a-half-minute exploration of a
mother's sense of wonder at her soldier son's bravery that is now
becoming popular among military families and has even gained a fan in first
lady Laura Bush.
While the song has received a tremendous response from everyone who has
heard it, Lashley said, there was really only one critic she cared
about winning over: her son. She was initially fearful that Wisniewski, a
support specialist with the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat
Team currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, would be
embarrassed by the song and all the attention. But, in fact, just the
opposite happened.
"I thought I was going to be embarrassed, but in the end I was proud,"
said Wisniewski, via e-mail from Iraq. "When I first heard the song, I
first thought about my family and my parents because my mom was
singing, but ultimately I became more motivated and kind of had a new sense of
pride in what I was doing over the ocean here."
Wisniweski's fellow soldiers also liked the song, he said.
"I showed a few of my buddies in my tent, and they all liked it. One of
my friends actually requested more of her music, which I thought spoke
volumes not only about her song but how talented my Ma really is,"
Wisniweski said.
That talent has shown itself off-and-on over the past two decades as
Lashley juggled the demands of raising a family with her goal of being a
recording artist. She said she writes songs "when inspiration hits,"
which means she sometimes goes years between songs. One of her biggest
previous hits was a song she wrote during the first Persian Gulf War,
also dedicated to American soldiers.
The idea for "So Brave" came when she was in the process of trying to
come to terms with her feelings about Wisniewski's deployment, Lashley
said.
"(Having a son serving the nation at war) is noble and wonderful thing,
but for a mother it's also terrifying," she said. "It's difficult to
revel in your son's bravery while you shudder at it at the same time."
As she was sorting through her feelings, she kept coming back to
memories of her son's bravery as a boy, like when he stood up for a friend
against bullies, or kept playing on the school football team despite
debilitating illness. Those memories made her realize that Jonathan had
always been brave, even before he put on an Army uniform.
When the song was finished, Lashley had CDs made up with a picture of
her and her son on the cover. The song, the CD artwork says, is
dedicated to "all American soldiers."
The song is available on a special Web site. It should be getting
airtime on the radio soon, Lashley said. For the time being, the song has
spread mainly by word-of-mouth, especially among mothers of
servicemembers. The reasons for that are obvious, Lashley said.
"Every soldier's mother who has heard the song has a comparable story,"
she said.
As a result, "So Brave" has received the official endorsement of the
Blue Star Mothers of America, a patriotic group comprised of mothers of
children serving in the military. Lashley often performs the song at
events sponsored by the Blue Star Mothers.
"What a beautiful song of love from a mother to her son. I can still
feel and understand those words of hope, love, and concern for a child no
longer protected by his mom, but now out there protecting us," said
Chris Peche, president of the San Antonio chapter of Blue Star Mothers.
It was the Blue Star Mothers' endorsement that led to Mrs. Bush hearing
the song, and then subsequently asking for a personal copy, Lashley
said. It also generated publicity that led to an invitation to perform on
Fox News personality Sean Hannity's program.
But despite all the publicity, Lashley said, she would trade it all to
have her son come home safely. The song says, "If you ship out in
September, will my Christmas wish bring you home by December?" So far,
Wisniewski has assured his mom that it looks like her wish will be granted.
But Wisniewski said even when he is home safely with his family, the
song will continue to speak to anyone who is deployed.
"The song isn't just about me, but all the brave soldiers, Marines,
airmen and seamen that have to come over here and be away from their
families for extended periods of time. That's what this song is all about.
We are all 'So Brave' over here," he said.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Mario D. Gonzalez, 21, of La Puente, Calif., died Nov. 14
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.He was
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III
Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Michael D. Scholl, 21, of Lincoln, Neb., died Nov. 14 from
wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar
province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd
Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Four U.S. soldiers have been killed in
Iraq, and the Defense Department has identified two earlier casualties.
A Task Force Lightning soldier assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Cavalry Division, was killed yesterday by small-arms fire while
conducting combat operations in Diyala province.
Two Task Force Lightning soldiers assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
1st Cavalry Division, were and two others were injured yesterday when a
roadside bomb detonated near their vehicle in Diyala province. The
wounded soldiers were transported to a coalition forces medical treatment
facility. Officials provided no information on their condition.
A Multi-National Corps Iraq soldier was killed by small-arms fire Nov.
14 while conducting combat operations in Baghdad.
The soldiers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of
kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of two
servicemembers killed recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom:
-- Marine Lance Cpl. Timothy W. Brown, 21, of Sacramento, Calif., died
Nov. 14 while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province. He
was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
-- Marine Lance Cpl. Kristopher C. Warren, 19, of Resaca, Ga., died
Nov. 9 from a non-hostile incident in Anbar province. He was assigned to
4th Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Chattanooga,
Tenn.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Timothy W. Brown, 21, of Sacramento, Calif., died Nov. 14
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III
Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Kristopher C. Warren, 19, of Resaca, Ga., died Nov. 9 from
a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to
4th Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Chattanooga,
Tenn.
The incident is currently under investigation.
Three soldiers and three Marines were
killed in Iraq yesterday, and Defense Department officials have identified
six servicemembers who died earlier.
A soldier assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, and three
Marines assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 were killed in action in
Iraq's Anbar province. Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were
killed when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle was in northwest Baghdad.
The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of six
servicemembers killed recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom:
-- Army 1st Lt. Michael A. Cerrone, 24, and Pfc. Harry A. Winkler III,
32, both of Clarksville, Tenn., died Nov. 12 in Samarra, Iraq, of
injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near their vehicle during
combat operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion,
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Army Staff Sgt. William S. Jackson II, 29, of Saginaw, Mich.; Army
Staff Sgt. Misael Martinez, 24, of Chapel Hill, N.C.; and Army Sgt.
Angel De Jesus Lucio Ramirez, 22, of Pacoima, Calif., died Nov. 11 in
Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near their
vehicle during combat operations. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division,
Giessen, Germany.
-- Marine Sgt. Bryan K. Burgess, 35, of Garden City, Mich., died Nov. 9
while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned
to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division, Perrysburg, Ohio.
CONTRACTS
AIR FORCE
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $296,011,228
firm-fixed-price with cost reimbursement contract. This contract is for
Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Lot 11 Guided Vehicle (GV) kits,
with a quantity of 12,889. The JDAM weapon system provides the Air Force
and the Navy with an improved aerial delivery capability for existing
500, 1,000 and 2,000-pound bombs. The JDAM is a kit with Inertial
Navigation System (INS/Global Positioning System (GPS) capability. At this
time, total funds have been obligated. Solicitations began July 2006 and
negotiations were complete November 2006. This work will be complete
March 2009. Headquarters Air-to-Ground Munitions Systems Wing, Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8681-07-C-0002).
UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
United Parcel Service, Inc. of Louisville, KY is being awarded
$47,115,950.04 fixed price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract
for International heavyweight express package delivery. Work will be
performed world wide and is expected to be completed 30 September 2007.
Contracts will be funded by individual ordering offices by government
bills of lading, commercial bills of lading, and/or government credit card.
The solicitation was advertised on Federal Business Opportunities
unrestricted and seven proposals were received. The contracting activity is
United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL (HTC711-07-D-0004).
Federal Express Corporation of Washington, DC is being awarded
$33,217,675.22 fixed price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract
for International heavyweight express package delivery. Work will be
performed world wide and is expected to be completed 30 September 2007.
Contracts will be funded by individual ordering offices by government
bills of lading, commercial bills of lading, and/or government credit card.
The solicitation was advertised on Federal Business Opportunities
unrestricted and seven proposals were received. The contracting activity is
United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL (HTC711-07-D-0003).
Murray Air, Inc. of Ypsilanti, Miami, FL is being awarded
$32,076,736.31 fixed price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for
International heavyweight express package delivery. Work will be performed
world wide and is expected to be completed 30 September 2007. Contracts
will be funded by individual ordering offices by government bills of
lading, commercial bills of lading, and/or government credit card. The
solicitation was advertised on Federal Business Opportunities
unrestricted and seven proposals were received. The contracting activity is United
States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL (HTC711-07-D-0002).
Miami Air International, Inc. of Miami, FL is being awarded a
$30,639,413.94 fixed price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for
International heavyweight express package delivery. Work will be
performed world wide and is expected to be completed 30 September 2007.
Contracts will be funded by individual ordering offices by government bills
of lading, commercial bills of lading, and/or government credit card.
The solicitation was advertised on Federal Business Opportunities
unrestricted and seven proposals were received. The contracting activity is
United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL (HTC711-07-D-0005).
Delta Airlines of Atlanta, GA is being awarded a $29,986,030.61 fixed
price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for
International heavyweight express package delivery. Work will be performed world
wide and is expected to be completed 30 September 2007. Contracts will be
funded by individual ordering offices by government bills of lading,
commercial bills of lading, and/or government credit card. The
solicitation was advertised on Federal Business Opportunities unrestricted and
seven proposals were received. The contracting activity is United States
Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL (HTC711-07-D-0006).
ASTAR Air Cargo, Inc. of Miami, FL is being awarded a $29,498,691.97
fixed price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for
International heavyweight express package delivery. Work will be performed
world wide and is expected to be completed 30 September 2007. Contracts
will be funded by individual ordering offices by government bills of
lading, commercial bills of lading, and/or government credit card. The
solicitation was advertised on Federal Business Opportunities unrestricted
and seven proposals were received. The contracting activity is United
States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL ( HTC711-07-D-0001).
NAVY
Electric Boat Corporation, Groton, Conn., is being awarded a
$15,584,853 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development of
advanced submarine technologies for current and future submarine platforms.
The contract will provide for studies to support the manufacturability,
maintainability, productivity, reliability, survivability, hull
integrity, performance, structural stability, acoustics, hydrodynamics, ship
control, logistics, and affordability of current and future submarine
platforms. Work will be performed in Groton, Conn., and is expected to be
completed by October 2007. Contract funds in the amount of $2,026,031,
will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was not
competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington,
D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-07-C-2107).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Jianas Brothers Packaging Company, Kansas City, Mo., (Small
Disadvantaged Business) is being awarded a maximum $7,369,320 firm fixed price
contract for food components for Meals Ready to Eat program. Using
services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Federal civilian
agencies. There were 7 proposals solicited and 5 responded. Contract funds
will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance
completion is November 13, 2007. Contracting activity is the Defense
Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM3S1-06-D-Z119).
Imperial Sales Company, Watsonville, Calif., (Small disadvantaged
Business), is being awarded a maximum $5,640,775 flexible price indefinite
quantity contract for various commercial components for unitized group
ration heath and serve and unitized group ration B. Using services are
Army, and Marine Corps. This is a base year contract with three 1-year
options. Proposals were Web-solicited and 1 responded. Contract funds
will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance
completion is December 3, 2007. Contracting activity is Defense Supply
Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SMP3S1-07-D-Z187).
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.They died Nov. 12 in Samarra,
Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near their vehicle during combat operations.Both soldiers were
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Killed were:
1st Lt. Michael A. Cerrone, 24, of Clarksville, Tenn.
Pfc. Harry A. Winkler III, 32, of Clarksville, Tenn.
CONTRACTS
AIR FORCE
Boeing Co., Boeing Helicopter, Ridley Park, Pa., is being awarded a
$712,156,535 cost-plus-award fee/incentive fee contract. This initial
contract award is for Block 0 System Development and Demonstration (SDD).
The Combat Search and Rescue Replacement Vehicle (CSAR-X) program is an
evolutionary acquisition of a non-developmental, medium lift, vertical
take-off and landing aircraft that replaces the HH-60G pave Hawk Combat
Search and Rescue (CSAR) aircraft and its attendant training and
support systems. The CSAR-X weapon system will correct the shortfalls of the
HH-60G, be rapidly deployable, and be capable of operations at a main
base or austere locations worldwide. At this time$3,000,000 have been
obligated. Solicitations began October 2005 and negotiations were
complete September 2006. This work will be complete fourth quarter FY 2012
initial operational capability. Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting
activity (FA8629-07-C-2372).
Computer Sciences Parson, LLC, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is being
awarded an $8,106,205 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is for
civil engineering services; the contractor will provide all personnel,
equipment, tools, materials, vehicles, supervision, and other items and
services necessary to perform base civil engineer tasks and function at
Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. At this time, total funds have been
obligated. This work will be complete September 2007. 72d Contracting
Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity
(F34650-99-C-0082).
VBR Joint Venture, Fairfax, Va., is being awarded an $8,080,573
cost-plus-award-fee contract modification. This is a modification to the
Turkey base maintenance contract. The main purpose of this modification is
to incorporate FY07 estimated costs for material purchases, contractor
business travel, and the tankers and cargo hub contingency effort. At
this time, no funds have been obligated. This work will be complete
September 2007. 39th Air Base Wing, APO AE, is the contracting activity
(F61521-03-C-5400/P00061).
NAVY
Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a
$125,000,000 letter contract for 100 Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicles
(JERRV) and 44 Buffalo vehicles with associated manuals, deployment kits,
field representative support and training. Vehicles will be deployed to
and supported in Iraq. This contract contains options, which if
exercised, would bring the total estimated contract value to $200,000,000. The
maximum ordering quantity will be 200 JERRV vehicles and 82 Buffalo
vehicles. Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C., and is expected to be
completed by November 2007 and their support will continue up to a year
after fielding. Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current
fiscal year. This contract is a sole source award to Force Protection
Industries, Inc., based on an urgent and compelling need for the
Government. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the
contracting activity (M67854-07D-5006).
Marinette Marine Corporation, Marinette, Wis., is being awarded
$65,770,646 under previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract
(N00025-03-C-0002) to exercise option 2 for the manufacture of the Improved Navy
Lighterage System to be delivered at Blount Island Command, Jacksonville,
Fla. The work to be performed consists of manufacturing 300 powered and
non-powered modules. Contractor approved detailed design drawings will
be utilized for full rate production. Work will be performed in
Marinette, Wis., and is expected to be completed December 2007. Contract funds
will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval
Facilities Engineering Command Headquarters, Wash., D.C., is the contracting
activity.
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Maritime System and Sensors, Littoral
Ships and Systems, Baltimore, Md., is being awarded a $60,726,869
firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded contract
(N00024-98-C-5363) for procurement of four MK 41, MOD 15 Baseline VII, Vertical
Launcher Ship (VLS) Sets. The contract will provide launcher support
equipment and the associated labor for establishing material requisitions,
program scheduling requirements, and establishment of purchase orders with
suppliers and performance of necessary business and production
operations, in support of MK41 VLS for the Governments of Australia (73.2
percent) and Spain (26.8 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program.
Work will be performed in Baltimore, Md. (52.7 percent), Minneapolis,
Minn. (22 percent), Aberdeen, S.D. (8 percent), Aiken, S.C. (7 percent),
Ft. Totten, N.D. (5.2 percent), East Elmhurst, N.Y. (5.1 percent), and
is expected to be completed by December 2008. Contract funds
will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea
Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
ARMY
New Mexico Technology Group L.L.C., El Paso, Texas, was awarded on
Nov. 6, 2006, a $77,968,998 cost-plus-award-fee contract for Mission
Support Services for the White Sands Missile Range. Work will be performed
in White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and is expected to be completed by
Nov. 30, 2016. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. There were an unknown number of bids solicited via the
World Wide Web on Aug. 18, 2006, and three bids were received. The U.S.
Army Contracting Agency, White Sands Missile Range, N.M., is the
contracting activity (W9124Q-07-C-0504).
IAP World Services, Cape Canaveral, Fla., was awarded on Nov. 7, 2006,
a $25,800,095 cost-plus-award-fee contract for Base Operations Support
at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Work will be performed in
Washington, D.C., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 3, 2011. Contract
funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were an
unknown number of bids solicited via the World Wide Web on June 4,
2003, and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Medical Command, Fort Sam
Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W81K04-07-C-0003).
General Dynamics Network Systems, Needham, Mass., was awarded on Nov.
7, 2006, a $25,402,620 modification to a fixed-price incentive with
award-fee contract to Survey, Plan, Design, Install, and Implement the
Information Technology Systems and Infrastructure for Wedge 2-5 tenants of
the Pentagon. Work will be performed in Arlington, Va., and is expected
to be completed by March 28, 2002. Contract funds will not expire at
the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract
initiated on March 28, 2002. The Pentagon Renovation and Construction
Program Office, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity
(MDA947-98-C-2002).
General Atomics Aeronautical System, San Diego, Calif., was awarded on
Nov. 7, 2006, a $20,000,000 increment as part of a $215,373,106
cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for system development and demonstration for
the extended range / multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle. Work will
be performed in San Diego, Calif. (43 percent), Adelanto, Calif. (14
percent), Palmdale, Calif. (8 percent), Salt Lake City, Utah (18 percent),
Hunt Valley, Md. (14 percent), and Huntsville, Ala. (3 percent), and is
expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were 120 bids solicited
on Sept. 1, 2004, and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Aviation
and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting
activity (W58RGZ-05-C-0069).
AM General L.L.C., South Bend, Ind., was awarded on Nov. 7, 2006, a
$14,226,624 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for M1165 high
mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles. Work will be performed in South
Bend, Ind., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2007. Contract
funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a
sole source contract initiated on July 17, 2000. The U.S. Army
Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting
activity (DAAE07-01-C-S001).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Simula Aerospace & Defense Group, Inc., Phoenix, Ariz., is being
awarded a maximum $10,320,967 firm fixed price contract for life preservers
and component parts. Using services are Army, Navy, and Air Force. This
is an indefinite delivery, 2-year base contract. This is a sole source
competition with 1 solicited and 1 responded. Contract funds will
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion
is November 8, 2008. Contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center
Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM8EJ-07-D-0002).
Pepco Energy Services, Arlington, Va., is being awarded a maximum
$5,953,769 firm fixed price contract for electricity. Using services are
Federal civilian agencies, and Department of Defense. Other locations of
performance are Washington, D.C., and Md. There were 156 proposals
solicited and 13 responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of
the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is December 31,
2008. Contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC),
Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-G-8029).
The Arizona Cardinals commemorated Veterans
Day during yesterday's game by paying tribute to former teammate and fallen soldier Pat Tillman, as well as five Tuskegee Airmen and a Navy Reservist recently returned from duty in the Middle East.
Tillman became the 11th person inducted into the Cardinals' "Ring of
Honor" during halftime at the Cardinals-Cowboys game at the University of
Phoenix Stadium in Tempe, Cardinals officials reported.
The team honored Tillman, who left the team to become an Army Ranger,
during a six-minute video tribute that concluded with Tillman's name
being unveiled on the Ring of Honor on the east side of the stadium at the
50-yard line.
Fans attending the game got their first look at the new Pat Tillman
Memorial, officials said. It includes an 8-foot-tall, 500-pound white
bronze sculpture of Tillman and a circular reflection pond on a plaza
surrounding the stadium known as the Pat Tillman Freedom Plaza.
The memorial is full of symbolism, officials noted. A 42-foot-long
black concrete wall symbolizes Tillman's jersey number at Arizona State
University. To the west of the memorial stands a grove of 40 oak trees
that symbolize the jersey number Tillman wore as an Arizona Cardinal. The
Cardinals retired the number during a halftime ceremony Sept. 19, 2004.
Tillman, a three-year starter for the Cardinals, left the team before
the 2002 season to become an Army Ranger. He was killed in Afghanistan
on April 22, 2004, in a friendly-fire incident.
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command is conducting an extensive
investigation into the incident and is expected to present its findings to
the Defense Department inspector general later this month, Army
officials said.
Fans at the event said they were happy to see Tillman honored for his
service. "I never actually met him, but I watched him, and he is the
ultimate hero -- no doubt about it," the Arizona Cardinals Web site quoted
Kim Peterson from Scottsdale, Ariz., as saying at the ceremony. "I
think it is great what the Cardinals Football Club has done and for him to
give up a football career to help serve our country. You can't even put
it into words."
In addition to Tillman, the Cardinals honored five Tuskegee Airmen
during a pre-game ceremony. Recognized at the event were Col. Dick Toliver,
and Lt. Cols. Bob Ashby, Asa Herring, Charles Cooper and Thurston
Gaines.
Team members and fans also honored Navy Petty Officer Mark Smith,
recently returned from a one-year tour in the U.S. Central Command area of
operation. Smith, a sergeant with the Phoenix Police Department, serves
with a Naval Reserve Seabee battalion in Texas.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Bryan K. Burgess, 35, of Garden City, Mich., died Nov. 9 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned
to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division, Perrysburg, Ohio.
Seven U.S. soldiers have been killed in
recent days in Iraq, and the Defense Department has identified 10 earlier
casualties.
-- Two Multi-National Division Baghdad soldiers were killed when an
improvised-explosive device detonated around 10:20 a.m. in Baghdad today.
Two other soldiers were wounded in the same incident.
-- Two Task Force Lightning soldiers assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 82nd Airborne Division, were killed yesterday when a suicide car
bomb detonated near their vehicle while conducting operations in Salah ad
Din province. Two other soldiers were wounded in the blast and were
transported to a coalition forces medical treatment facility.
-- Three soldiers assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, died
Nov 11 from wounds suffered due to enemy action in Anbar province.
The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department has released the identities of 10
servicemembers killed recently supporting operations Iraqi Freedom and
Enduring Freedom.
-- Army Sgt. 1st Class Rudy A. Salcido, 31, of Ontario, Calif., died
Nov. 9 in Baghdad after an improvised explosive device detonated near his
convoy vehicle. Salcido was assigned to the Army National Guard's
1114th Transportation Company, Bakersfield, Calif.
-- Army Staff Sgt Gregory W. G. McCoy, 26, of Webbervile, Mich., and
Sgt Courtland A. Kannard, 22, of Starkville, Miss., died in Baghdad on
Nov. 9 after an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle.
Both soldiers were assigned to the Army's 410th Military Police
Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort
Hood, Texas.
-- Army Staff Sgt. Richwell A. Doria, 25, of San Diego died Nov. 7 in
Kirkuk, Iraq, after being struck by small-arms fire during an air
assault mission. Doria was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry
Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Regiment, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
-- Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan T. McCaughn, 19, of Manchester, N.H., died
Nov. 7 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was
assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
-- Army Chief Warrant Officer Miles P. Henderson, 24, of Amarillo,
Texas, died Nov. 6 in Balad, Iraq, when his AH-64 Apache helicopter
crashed. Henderson was assigned to the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion,
82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
--Army Sgt. 1st Class William R. Brown, 30, of Fort Worth, Texas, died
Nov. 6 in Sperwan-Gar, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his convoy vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Army Maj. Douglas E. Sloan, 40, of Evans Mills, N.Y. and Pfc. Alex
Oceguera, 19, of San Bernardino, Calif. died when an IED detonated near
their vehicle Oct 31 in Wygal Valley, Afghanistan. Sloan and Oceguera
were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
-- Army Sgt. Charles J. McClain, 26, of Fort Riley, Kan., who suffered
injuries during the same incident on Oct 31 in Wygal Valley, later died
in Asadabad, Afghanistan. McClain was assigned to the 3rd Brigade
Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division,
Fort Drum, N.Y.
CONTRACTS
AIR FORCE
United Technologies Corp., East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a
$30,709,440 fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract
modification. This action provides for FY2007 Interim Economic Price Adjustment
(EPA) and FY2007 multi-year funding for procurement of 32 each
F-117-PW-100 install engines. At this time, total funds have been obligated.
This work will be complete December 2007. Headquarters Aeronautical
Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting
activity (F33657-02-C-0006/P00023).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a
$29,440,938 cost-plus-award fee contract modification. This action
provides for various projects to support IOT & E schedule for November
2008: Upgrade to ACTD mission control element, development of mission
planning software, in line technical order validation and verification,
development of hot bench 4, communication upgrades and data analysis, new
and modified RQ-4B special test equipment. At this time, $7,000,000 have
been obligated. Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity
(F33657-01-C-4600/P00180).
NAVY
Raytheon Company, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $31,857,134
firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded contract (N00024 05 C
5341) to exercise an option to procure Full Service Support (FSS)
requirements in support of the STANDARD Missile-1 (SM-1) Program of U.S.
Allied Nations. This SM-1 FSS FY07 option exercise consists of MK56 Dual
Thrust Rocket Motor (DTRM) Regrain Production and SM-1 Block VIA missile
assembly, testing and delivery. This effort combines requirements for
the Governments of France (24 percent); Japan (16 percent); Turkey (16
percent); Bahrain (15 percent); Poland (12 percent); Italy (11 percent);
and Chile (06 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work
will be performed in Camden, Arkansas (85 percent) and Tucson, Ariz. (15
percent), and is expected to be completed by June 2009. Contract funds
will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea
Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
ARGONST, Inc., Smithfield, Pa., is being awarded a $17,650,437
firm-fixed-price contract for production, test and delivery of one AN/SLQ-25A
torpedo countermeasure transmitting set and upgrade kits. The
AN/SLQ-25A is a digitally controlled, modular design, electro-acoustic soft-kill
countermeasure decoy system designed to provide ships with a
countermeasure capability to defend ships against wake homing torpedoes, acoustic
homing torpedoes, and wire guided torpedoes. This contract combines
purchases for the U.S. Navy (91 percent) and the Government of Australia
(9 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be
performed in Smithfield, PA., and is expected to be completed by Dec 2008.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
The contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems
Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-07-C-6201).
Lockheed Martin, Baltimore, Md., is being awarded an $8,702,506
cost-plus-award-fee contract modification to previously awarded contract
(N00024-04-C-5453) to exercise options for engineering and technical
services in support of the FY 07 Vertical Launching System (VLS) Depot,
Installation & Check-out (INCO), and logistic requirements. The contract
modification will provide funding for technical instructions that will
authorize engineering and technical services support for logistics
(requisition and repairs), system integration, product improvement, and
production support of MK 41 VLS equipment for new construction ships. Work
will be performed in Baltimore, Md. (86 percent) and Ventura, Calif. (14
percent) and the work is expected to be completed by October 2007.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Sea
Systems Command is the contracting activity (N00024-04-C-5453).
ARMY
DRS Sustainment Systems Inc., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded on Nov. 8,
2006, a delivery order amount of $22,152,317 as part of a $35,660,259
firm-fixed-price contract for high mobility ammunition trailers. Work
will be performed in West Plains, Mo., and is expected to be completed by
Dec. 30, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on July 6, 2005.
The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is
the contracting activity (W56HZV-05-D-0332).
Alliant Lake City Small Caliber Ammunition Company L.L.C.,
Independence, Mo., was awarded on Nov. 8, 2006, a delivery order amount of
$7,261,212 as part of a $7,693,211 firm-fixed-price contract for small caliber
ammunition items. Work will be performed in Independence, Mo., and is
expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not
expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source
contract initiated on Oct. 31, 2006. The U.S. Army Sustainment Command, Rock
Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (DAAA09-99-D-0016).
Marine Missing in Action from Vietnam War is Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from
the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for
burial with full military honors.
He is Pfc. James E. Widener, U.S. Marine Corps, of Churchville, N.Y.
He will be buried Nov. 10, at Arlington National Cemetery near
Washington, D.C.
On June 11, 1967, Widener was one of 11 passengers on board a CH-46A
Sea Knight helicopter that was inserting ground forces into Quang Tri
Province, South Vietnam, when the aircraft crashed. Pilots from two
nearby helicopters saw the crash and reported that none of the men on board
could have survived. Aircraft flew over the site for several hours, but
aircrew members did not observe any survivors. A patrol was sent the
next day to confirm the status of the 11 crewmembers, but the site could
not be accessed due to enemy forces in the area. Later that month,
enemy activity prevented a second attempt to patrol the site.
Between 1993 and 1994, U.S. and Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.)
teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted
two surveys of an area that was believed to be Widener's crash site. The
teams also interviewed several Vietnamese citizens who recalled the
crash. Two of the citizens claimed to have seen bone fragments while
scavenging the site years earlier. When the teams visited the purported
crash site, they found small pieces of wreckage, but found no human
remains.
In May 2005, Vietnamese officials notified U.S. specialists that
possible human remains were present at a district security compound in Quang
Tri province. The Vietnamese claimed to have confiscated the remains
and other items, including Widener's identification tag, from a
Vietnamese local in 1996. The remains were then buried in the security compound,
but the ID tag and other material evidence had supposedly been lost
over the years. Later that month, a U.S./S.R.V. team excavated the burial
site in the security compound and recovered a box containing human
remains.
Among dental records and other forensic tools and circumstantial
evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification
Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA from two known maternal relatives to
confirm the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to
account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at
http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
U.S. Air Force planes transported 48 tons
of relief supplies Nov. 10 to the eastern part of Ethiopia, an area hard
hit by floods since August.
More missions are planned, U.S. Central Command officials said.
The U.S. C-130s picked up relief supplies at Dire Dawe and Addis Abbaba
and delivered them to the city of Gode. "These are not our supplies,
they belong to the government of Ethiopia," said Air Force Lt. Col.
Peggie A. Murray, branch chief for humanitarian assistance at the command.
"We are simply transporting them for the Ethiopian government and the
U.S. Agency for International Development."
The American aircraft delivered food, water containers, plastic
sheeting, bedding and water purification materials. Ethiopian officials had
requested help from the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa,
headquartered in neighboring Djibouti.
The Ogaden area of Ethiopia area has suffered an extreme drought. But
this year, seasonal rains hit particularly hard. Ethiopia's Disaster
Prevention and Preparedness Agency said flooding killed least 80 people
and left more than 217,000 homeless in the region.
Throughout Ethiopia and Somalia, flooding killed more than 630 people.
The floods also took a heavy toll on agriculture and livestock.
The Shebele River burst its banks during a torrential rainfall Oct. 23,
U.N. officials said. Roads in the Ogaden region are bad to begin with,
Murray said, and the floods made them worse.
Ethiopian officials said that in addition to the aid delivered via
aircraft, 20,000 tons of supplies will be trucked into the area.
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Baghdad, Iraq,
on Nov. 9 after an improvised explosive device detonated near their
vehicle.Both soldiers were assigned to the Army's 410th Military Police
Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade,
Fort Hood, Texas.
Killed were:
Sgt. Courtland A. Kennard, 22, of Starkville, Miss.
Staff Sgt. Gregory W. G. McCoy, 26, of Webberville, Mich.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. 1st Class Rudy A. Salcido, 31, of Ontario, Calif., died on Nov. 9
in Baghdad, Iraq, after an improvised explosive device detonated near
his convoy vehicle. Salcido was assigned to the Army National Guard's
1114th Transportation Company, Bakersfield, Calif.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Richwell A. Doria, 25, of San Diego, Calif., died on Nov.
7 in Kirkuk, Iraq, after being struck by small arms fire during an air
assault mission.Doria was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry
Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Regiment, Schofield Barracks,
Hawaii.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Ryan T. McCaughn, 19, of Manchester, N.H., died Nov. 7 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. DoD Announces Army Soldier as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp., Redondo Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $126,194,566 cost-plus-award fee contract modification. The contractor will perform activities associated with rebaselining the Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) program for FY05 through FY08 due to funding restriction. Fiscal year funding constraints require work content to be prioritized and time phased differently from the current block 6 performance baseline. As a result, in order for the contractor to regain schedule, the contractor's cost will increase (i.e. double/triple shifts, additional personnel). The contractor will also perform additional government directed testing to improve mission assurance. At this time, no funds have been obligated. This work will be complete June 2008. Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (F04701-02-C-0009/P00106). ARMY Textron Marine & Land Systems, New Orleans, La., was awarded on Nov. 6, 2006, a $105,672,713 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for armored security vehicles. Work will be performed in New Orleans, La., and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on May 9, 2005. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-05-C-0470). General Electric Aircraft Engine, Cincinnati, Ohio, was awarded on Nov. 6, 2006, a $30,147,369 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract to the Corpus Christi Army Depot in their overhaul and repair of the entire T700 family of engines. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 30, 2006. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on Aug. 25, 2005. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-06-C-0038). NAVY Gichner Shelter Systems, Dallastown, Pa., is being awarded a $42,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for up to 1,000 mobile maintenance facilities for the U.S. Marine Corps for use in the testing and operation of various avionics systems. Work will be performed in Dallastown, Pa., and is expected to be completed in November 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured by electronic solicitation and four offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity (N68335-07-D-0006). MPRI, Inc., Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $19,000,000 not-to-exceed firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract to provide a laser marksmanship device/system to meet the training needs in basic rifle marksmanship and preliminary marksmanship instruction for the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Army National Guard and the Governments of Columbia and Azerbaijan. In addition, this contract provides for new equipment training and total system performance responsibility type warranty for up to three years per device. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Army ($5,707,000; 92 percent) and the Governments of Columbia ($631,550; 7 percent) and Azerbaijan ($86,418; 1 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Alexandria, Va., and is expected to be completed in September 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity (N61339-07-D-0007). Telephonics Corporation, Farmingdale, N.Y., was awarded on Nov. 3, 2006, a $17,051,031 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to select commercial off the shelf (COTS) hardware for a prototype demonstration system. This effort will evaluate the performance and effectiveness of discriminator algorithms in a more vigorous airborne environment by developing two demonstration systems. These demonstration systems will be used to collect test, one of which collects flight data and the other collects shore data. Work will be performed in Farmingdale, N.Y., and is expected to be completed in December 2007. Contract funds in the amount of $15,600,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under Naval Research Laboratory Broad Agency Announcement 05-03-02 for which one offer was received. The Naval Research Laboratory, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (N000173-07-C-2001). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY LABATT Food Service, Inc., San Antonio, Texas, is being awarded a maximum $9,000,000 firm fixed price contract for full line food distributor for Fort Hood, Goodfellow AFB, and Dyess AFB, Texas. Using services are Army, and Air Force. This is a base year indefinite quantity type contract. There were 5 proposals solicited and 3 responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is November 17, 2007. Contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-07-D-3212). |
America Supports You: Washington USO Packs Millionth Care Package
Once a month, volunteers gather in a
hidden-away United Service Organizations warehouse on Fort Belvoir, Va., for
a very important mission: stuffing care packages for troops overseas.
Today, the group of 150 volunteers hit a very important mark - packing
its millionth care package since the start of Operation USO Care
Package in 2001.
The USO of Metropolitan Washington started the program to distribute
tokens of appreciation to deploying servicemembers and troops arriving
and departing on rest and recuperation flights. The USO is a member of
American Supports You, a Defense Department program that showcases
support from the American people and the corporate sector for the nation's
men and women in uniform.
More than 10,000 packages were packed today, among them the millionth
one, which is expected to be distributed at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson
International Airport in December. Actors Gary Sinise, well known for
his role as Lt. Dan in the movie "Forrest Gump" and as the star of the
CBS series "CSI: Miami," and Karri Turner, known for her role at Lt.
Harriet Sims on "JAG," helped in stuffing care packages.
For volunteer and recipient Al Baker, the program has made a world of
difference. Baker is a retired Army staff sergeant and first received a
care package while deployed as part of Operation Desert Shield and
later received one when deployed as a contractor for Lockheed Martin.
"We were out there ahead of supplies and didn't have the conveniences
of home," he said. "When we got the care packages from the USO it was
like Christmas. I know first-hand that it makes a huge difference to our
troops."
Americans can show their support for the troops by sponsoring a care
package with a $25 donation. The retail value of the package is $50 to
$75, and it contains items such as toiletries, snacks, lip balm,
sunscreen, phone cards and personal notes of thanks.
"It's important to show troops that the American public cares about
them and thinks about them," said Elaine Rogers, president of USO of
Metropolitan Washington.
For people like Sally Stewart, the volunteering takes on a more
personal nature; her son is a Marine whose California-based unit is deployed
in Iraq. She has been volunteering for the USO for more than a year.
"From what my son has told me, something that is such a small token has a
huge impact on them. Can you imagine only getting to take a shower
twice a month? When they get back to camp from a long patrol and have a USO
package waiting for them, it makes such a difference."
"Reaching this milestone is a significant event for the USO," said USO
president and chief executive officer Edward Powell. "We thank the
American public for their support in helping us make a difference in the
lives of our men and women in uniform."
In word and patriotic song, The Grand
Ole Opry honored the nation's veterans and reunited a family during
last night's live show at the historic Ryman Theater, its former home in
downtown Nashville.
The Opry is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department
program highlighting ways Americans and the corporate sector support the
nation's servicemembers.
"It's great to be able to pay tribute to our veterans any time, but
particularly with the Opry show," John Conlee, host of the televised Opry
shows, said of last night's performance, which happened to coincide
with Veterans Day. "The people who serve the country, past and present,
are the bedrock of the country."
One of those veterans was recognized on stage, and while the sentiment
was authentic, there was an ulterior motive.
Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Robert Hayes and his wife, Dorothy,
didn't suspect America Supports You and the Opry had flown them to
Nashville to be reunited with their grandson on stage. In fact, the couple
from Arizona thought they were at the Ryman to talk with their grandson
via teleconference, Dorothy said.
"We were trying to figure out how we could get to Washington, D.C.,
since we're this close," she said, laughing.
Army Spc. Dustin Evitts is stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
in Washington while he recovers from injuries suffered while serving in
Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division. He also had been flown in for
the occasion, and had been in on the plan from the beginning.
Somehow, Evitts kept the secret through several phone calls with his
grandparents. "I am pretty good at kind of lying a little bit," Evitts
said. That's a claim his grandmother denies. "He would never lie at
home," she said.
Evitts hadn't seen his grandparents in almost eight years, but had a
message he wanted to deliver in person to the people who raised him until
he was a high school freshman: "Surprise!"
His grandparents were certainly that, and grateful for the opportunity
to reconnect with Evitts. "I'm just overwhelmed. I'm so happy to see
him," Dorothy said, still in a pleasant state of shock some 30 minutes
after the reunion.
The family will continue to catch up today before returning to their
respective homes.
The show had a personal aspect for Conlee as well. His son is an active
duty servicemember. Marine Lance Cpl. John Conlee, or Johnny as his dad
calls him, has done one tour in Iraq with the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine
Division, and will be heading back for a second tour in the near
future, Conlee said.
"I'm so proud of his willingness to do it, he and all the other young
folks who are at this," he said. "You just have to put it in God's hands
and then hope for the best."
Faith and hope may be all the folks back home have, but the Opry
provided audience members a chance to make those sentiments tangible for
deployed troops with America Supports You post cards. A card was placed on
each seat to be filled out with a message to troops.
The show, awash in patriotism, began with the presentation of the
colors by an Army color guard and the singing of the national anthem. It was
a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Army Staff Sgt. Robert Sexton, who
participated in the color guard.
"It's always been a place I wanted to come," Sexton, with the Nashville
Recruiting Battalion, said. "To come here for the second time and go on
stage and represent my country was pretty (awesome)."
Throughout the show, many of the performers played patriotic tunes and
nearly all offered their thanks and gratitude to veterans past and
present. Andy Griggs was no exception. His grandfather, a World War II
veteran, was watching from the front row.
"I want to dedicate this song to anybody out there who has red, white
and blue on his shoulders ... but especially I want to dedicate this
song ... (to) my papaw," he said referring to his song, "If Heaven." "He
is my favorite, favorite veteran."
Singer Darryl Worley wasn't shy about expressing his gratitude to the
veterans either. In musical tribute, he offered his new single "Just
Came Back (From a War)."
"This song is very different, and it really was inspired by a story
that was told to me by a young Marine that had just come back from Iraq,"
he said. "Just hearing a lot of different troops talk about how coming
home is not always what you think it might be, ... those true stories I
took in bits and pieces and wrote this song and it seems to be being
well received."
Worley, an ardent supporter of the military, has performed numerous
concerts for servicemembers around the world. His family's history of
military service influenced his dedication to support the troops, he said.
"I've always been real patriotic," Worley said. "That's just part of
growing up in my family."
While he gets to do something he enjoys, it's all about the troops. "We
have a little bit of knowledge of what they go through and how tough it
is to be away from their families," Worley said. "It makes us feel good
to be able to go and do what we can to entertain them."
Breaks in the show were filled with messages to veterans from loved
ones back home. The Opry previously collected the salutes via e-mail as
part of the Veterans Day celebration.
Conlee, who performed his "They Also Serve," a song dedicated to the
families of veterans, offered his own message to the audience that summed
up the sentiment of the evening.
"God bless the greatest military the world has ever known and the
families who support them," he said.
VETERANS DAY:THE PRICE OF FREEDOM
Causalities KIA
| Revolutionary War | 10,623 | 4,435 |
| War of 1812 | 6,765 | 2,260 |
| Mexican-American War | 17,435 | 1,733 |
| Civil War | 970,227 | 184,594 |
| Spanish-American War | 4,108 | 385 |
| World War I | 320,710 | 53,513 |
| World War II | 1,078,162 | 292,131 |
| Korean War | 136,935 | 33,651 |
| Vietnam War | 211,471 | 47,369 |
| Gulf War | 760 | 148 |
46,137 casualties 2838 KIA in Iraq
World War I, then normally referred to simply as The Great War (no one could imagine any war being greater!), ended with the implementation of an armistice [temporary cessation of hostilities—in this case until the final peace treaty, the infamous Treaty of Versailles, was signed in 1919] between the Allies and Germany at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, 1918.
1919
November 11: President Wilson proclaims the first Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" The original concept for the celebration was for the suspension of business for a two minute period beginning at 11 A.M., with the day also marked by parades and public mettings.
1920
On the second anniversary of the armistice, France and the United Kingdom hold ceremonies honoring their unknown dead from the war. In America, at the suggestion of church groups, President Wilson names the Sunday nearest Armistice Day Sunday, on which should be held services in the interest of international peace.
1921Congress passes legislation approving the establishment of a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. November 11 is chosen for the date of the ceremony. According on October 20, Congress declares November 11, 1921 a legal Federal holiday to honor all those who participated in the war. The ceremony was conducted with great success.
1926
Congress adopts a resolution directing the President to issue an annual proclamation calling on the observance of Armistice Day. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, most states establish November 11 as a legal holiday and at the Federal level, an annual proclamation is issued by the President.
1938
Congress passes legislation on May 13 making November 11 a legal Federal holiday, Armistice Day. The United States has no ‘actual’ national holidays because the states retain the right to designate their own holidays. The Federal government can in fact only designate holidays for Federal employees and for the District of Columbia. But in practice the states almost always follow the Federal lead in designation of holidays.
1941- 1945 1950- 1953World War II and the Korean War create millions of additional war veterans in addition to those of the First World War already honored by Armistice Day.
1954On June 1, President Eisenhower signs legislation changing the name of the legal holiday from Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day.
1968 Congress passes the Monday Holiday Law which established the fourth Monday in October as the new date for the observance of Veteran’s Day. The law is to take effect in 1971.
1971-1975
The Federal observance of Veterans Day is held on the fourth Monday of October. Initially all states follow suit except Mississippi and South Dakota. Other states changed their observances back to November 11 as follows: 1972- Louisiana and Wisconsin; 1974- Kentucky, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, South Carolina, West Virginia; 1975- California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming
1975
Legislation passed to return the Federal observance of Veteran’s Day to November 11, based on popular support throughout the nation. Since the change to the fourth Monday in October, 46 states had either continued to commemorate November 11 or had reverted back to the original date based on popular sentiment. The law was to take effect in 1978.
1978
Veteran’s Day observance reverts to November 11.
Six cities delivered a simple message
to about 750 of their extended family members here yesterday: "Welcome
Home 1/327th Infantry Regiment."
Residents of Brentwood, Ashland City, Franklin and Winchester, Tenn.,
were joined by representatives of San Mateo and Burlingame, Calif., to
welcome home the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry
Regiment based at Fort Campbell, Ky. That warm welcome came in the form
of a parade down streets lined with cheering residents, but had little
to do with the unseasonably warm temperatures, Brentwood Police Chief
Ricky Watson said.
"I was in (the military) during the Vietnam era ... and I know the way
that I was treated and I felt as though if I ever got to a point where
I could do something to change that image that I would do my little
part," Watson said. "So that certainly was a major factor in the decision
to try to take care of these soldiers."
Watson, who served on active duty in the Air Force and as an Army
National Guardsman for a total of about 12 years, spearheaded the effort to
organize the parade.
The battalion spent a year in Iraq as the sole occupant of a forward
operating base near the northern tip of the Sunni Triangle, according to
battalion officials. During that time, each of the six cities made sure
their adopted companies knew they were remembered back home.
"It's unbelievable -- packages, mail," Army Lt. Col. Marc Hutson, the
battalion's commander, said. "Twenty-two years in the United States Army
(and) I have never had the kind of support that we have with the
battalion from all of these supportive and adopted cities."
Spc. Kenneth Boaldin, who served in Iraq with the battalion's Delta
Company, agreed. "It's fun having a community like this support us," he
said.
The parade was a fantastic conclusion to a year of constant support
from the adopting cities, Hutson said. The battalion members wanted to
thank the cities for all they had done for them, but their best intentions
were foiled.
"Not a lot we can do. We can march. We wanted to come down and do a
parade," he said. "Well they've taken control of that and done so much
more and turned it around on us and are saying thank you back again to us.
It's really awesome."
Brentwood's mayor lays something even more awesome on the city's faith.
"Our prayers were answered," Joe Sweeney said. "Our company came home
without a casualty.
"We're just so happy and thankful they're back home," he added.
Not every company was as fortunate as Echo Company, however. A banner
carried in the parade listed the names of 11 soldiers of the 1st
Battalion who made the ultimate sacrifice during the deployment. In honor and
recognition of those fallen soldiers, a horse with no rider and boots
backward in the stirrups followed the color guard.
The battalion may not have experienced such consistent, heartfelt
support had it not been for Linda Patterson's brother, who served in the 1st
Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment's Alpha Company during Vietnam.
Patterson founded America Supporting Americans, with the key mission of
connecting cities and units, after a receiving a request from her
brother to help raise the morale of his unit, according to the
organization's Web site. San Mateo, Calif., was the first to participate.
"The first unit of this battalion was adopted in 1968," Patterson said,
referring to Alpha Company. "(San Mateo) has been supporting the troops
through three conflicts now.
"That's what (America Supporting Americans) is all about. It's adopting
the unit and sustaining the relationship with that community," she
added.
America Supporting Americans is a member of America Supports You, a
Defense Department program highlighting ways Americans and the corporate
sector support the nation's servicemembers.
The 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment and its six adopting cities
have built that relationship, and while the care packages and letters
were huge morale boosts, Hutson said, a simple "Thank you" is just as
powerful. The soldiers heard that phrase frequently yesterday.
"Those words, 'Thank you. You're a hero' - man, they're so simple, but
they mean so much," he said. "There's no measure. It makes you
stronger."
The day concluded with a picnic and musical entertainment in the
soldiers' honor.
'Doolittle Raiders' Participate in Veterans Day Activities
Five former Army Air Corps members who were
part of a famed World War II bombing mission traveled to the nation's
capital to participate in many Veterans Day events, including
wreath-laying ceremonies at the Air Force and Navy Memorials yesterday.
Known as the "Doolittle Raiders," the surviving members of commander
Lt. Col. James Doolittle's World War II raid over Japan also met with
servicemembers at the Pentagon and Bolling Air Force Base here.
At the Navy Memorial, Doolittle Raiders met with former crewmembers of
the Navy carrier USS Hornet, which launched the 16 Army Air Corps B-25s
that carried the men across the Pacific and over Japan on April 18,
1942, four months after the Pearl Harbor attack. The Doolittle Raiders
dropped their bombs on Japan, hitting targets in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and
Nagoya.
During a wreath-laying ceremony at the Air Force Memorial, Air Force
Secretary Michael Wynne paid tribute to the Doolittle Raiders, saying
"these magnificent (Air Force memorial) spires that soar upward call to
mind the unlimited horizon of the human spirit, a spirit that dwelled in
you as you pulled your B-25s off that USS Hornet in the Pacific on that
historic day."
Though the bombing mission caused little damage in Japan, it had a huge
impact on America's morale and changed the tone of the war. It set the
United States and its allies on a course that would eventually lead to
domination of the Pacific during World War II and the ultimate defeat
of Japan in 1945.
Of the original 80 airmen who took part in the raid, 16 remain. They
try to hold an annual reunion to pay tribute to their fellow Raiders who
have died since the last time they met.
In honor of Veterans Day, the American
Freedom Foundation hosted a star-studded concert here last night to raise
money for wounded men and women of the U.S. military.
The event was broadcast live via the Pentagon Channel to 350 military
installations in 177 countries, and featured country music performers,
actors, athletes and dignitaries.
Country artists Darryl Worley, Mark Wills and Rodney Atkins brought the
crowd of thousands to their feet with their patriotic songs that have
frequented the tops of music charts. Actress Karri Turner, best known
from her role as Lt. Harriet Sims on the CBS drama "JAG," and World
Wrestling Entertainment Champion John Bradshaw Layfield, hosted the event.
Actor and comedian Henry Cho, USO Liberty Belles and the Lake Highland
Academy Singers, a children's group from Orlando, Fla., also entertained
the audience.
Proceeds from the concert went to two non-profit organizations: Homes
for Our Troops and Operation Second Chance. Both organizations are
committed to modifying or building housing to accommodate disabled veterans
in addition to aiding in the rehabilitation of wounded warriors.
Homes for Our Troops and the American Freedom Foundation are both team
members of America Supports You, a Department of Defense program
dedicated to showcasing support from the American people and the corporate
sector for the nation's men and women in uniform.
"This event gets everyone here to know what we do," said John
Gonsalves, president of Homes for Our Troops. "This just helps us to further our
mission of building more homes for our well-deserving veterans."
Gonsalves said the $25,000 donated from event proceeds will help his
organization meet its goal of completing four more homes for disabled
vets in time for the holidays. That will make a total of 26 homes he has
either built or remodeled for troops returning from war since becoming
an ASY team member in March 2004.
This is the third year of the American Freedom Festival, said retired
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Jack Tilley, event co-chairman. "In addition to
donating money to these two organizations tonight, the America Freedom
Foundation has also donated 20 computers and 250 free online hours to
area military hospitals."
"It is the mission of (the foundation) to honor our veterans of
America's armed forces and raise money and awareness for various veterans'
organizations," said Tilley. "Special emphasis is directed to welfare and
education issues facing those wounded in action and families and
children of veterans killed in action during Operations Enduring and Iraqi
Freedom."
Tilley said his goal for next year is to move the event from DAR
Constitution Hall to the Verizon Center and have 20,000 people in attendance.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 2006 - "Taps" rang out clearly as the United
States paused to remember America's veterans here today.
U.S. veterans of many wars gathered to pay tribute to old comrades and
thank a new generation of Americans keeping freedom's light ablaze.
President Bush gave the principal address at the ceremony. "On this
day, in this month, at this hour, our nation remembers the moment when the
guns of World War I went silent -- and we recognize the service and the
sacrifice of our nation's veterans," the president said. "From Valley
Forge to Vietnam, from Kuwait to Kandahar, from Berlin to Baghdad, our
veterans have borne the costs of America's wars -- and they have stood
watch over America's peace. The American people are grateful to the
veterans and all who have fought for our freedom."
It was a beautiful day here, with bright sunshine, blue skies and
unseasonably warm temperatures. About 4,000 people attended the ceremony at
the Memorial Amphitheater. Hundreds more stood outside the facility.
The Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans service organizations
worked together to honor the more than 25 million living veterans.
And the troops in the field were never far from anyone's thoughts. "On
this Veterans Day, we honor a new generation of men and women who are
defending our freedom," Bush said. "Since Sept. 11, 2001, our armed
forces have engaged the enemy, the terrorists, on many fronts. At this
moment, more than 1.4 million Americans are on active duty, serving in the
cause of freedom and peace around the world.
"They are our nation's finest citizens," he continued. "They confront
grave danger to defend the safety of the American people. They've
brought down tyrants, they've liberated two nations, they have helped bring
freedom to more than 50 million people. Through their sacrifice, they're
making this nation safer and more secure -- and they are earning the
proud title of veteran."
Veterans took on many forms at the ceremony. Many World War II vets had
to be helped to their seats, but they are still feisty. "Hey, Oldtimer.
Still above ground, I see," said one World War II vet to another.
The day was a pause for reflection for many of the former soldiers,
sailors, Marines and airmen. "For many of us, serving in the military was
a defining time of our lives," said former Army Pfc. Gregory O'Toole,
who came from Pennsylvania to be at the ceremony. O'Toole, who was an
infantryman at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium in 1944-45, said his
generation fought "because we couldn't let Hitler run the world. I see
the same thing today: What would the world be like with Osama bin Laden
in charge?"
Former Army 1st Lt. Glen Giello, who fought in Korea in 1951-52, said
seeing combat and having friends die made him the person he is today.
"We saw what life was like in other parts of the world, where the ideas
of freedom and liberty are scoffed at," he said. "We swore we wouldn't
let that happen here."
Bush said veterans have handed America a precious gift. "As we raise
our flag and as the bugle sounds taps, we remember that the men and women
of America's armed forces serve a great cause," he said. "They follow
in a great tradition, handed down to them by America's veterans. And in
public ceremonies and in private prayer, we give thanks for the freedom
we enjoy because of their willingness to serve."
Another veteran looked over the graves at Arlington and said that he
had just been to a funeral of a friend's son killed in Iraq. "I remember
the boy always laughing," said Clyde Johnson, a Marine vet who served
in Desert Storm. "In my mind, he'll always be that laughing kid, just
like in that poem from World War I."
The poem is "To the Fallen" by English poet Laurence Binyon. Written in
1914, this verse is part of many memorials to the dead of the Great
War:
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:Age shall not
weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
With the aroma of a barbecue lunch
hanging in the air, the first chords of a welcome home concert for the
soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne
Division, rang out here yesterday afternoon.
For some of the entertainers, the event held special meaning. Amy-Jayne
McCabe's husband, now an Army reservist, once served in the 327th
Infantry Regiment. She has combined her experience as a military spouse with
her love of music to support the troops.
"I've dedicated my career to ... supporting military families in any
way I can. What more powerful way to that than through music?" McCabe
said after performing for the group of about 750 soldiers and their
families.
Richie McDonald, lead vocalist for the country music group Lonestar,
agreed that music is a powerful tool.
"The powerful thing about music is that it just helps people through
tough times," McDonald said, using one of Lonestar's biggest hits, "I'm
Already There," as an example. Eight years ago, the group had been on
the road for several weeks when McDonald called and his then-2-year-old
son asked when he was coming home. The song is about love transcending
distance.
"It was a couple years later, the war broke out and all these men and
women are getting shipped overseas away from their loved ones," he said.
"That's when they started requesting the song."
That song has helped create a special bond between the group and
servicemembers, McDonald said. Consequently, Lonestar has performed at
several stateside military facilities.
"I know what it means to us, and I know what it means to them, too. It
just means freedom," he said. "They're out there putting their lives on
the line, and some of them have paid the ultimate sacrifice, so we can
get up on stage and sing."
To the servicemembers, it means that someone cares about them and
appreciates what they're doing, Army Spc. Josett Campbell said. She is part
of the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment's Forward Support
Company.
"I feel so important today," she said, adding the support Brentwood,
the city that adopted her unit, provided during her deployment was
wonderful. "Brentwood is a very, very important place (to me.)"
Though she said she prefers R&B or hip-hop to country music, she said
she was really enjoying the picnic and concert. In addition to McCabe
and Lonestar, Campbell and her fellow soldiers from the 1st Battalion
also enjoyed performances by Buddy Jewell, the first "Nashville Star"
winner and a regional band, The Kadillacs.
Army Maj. David Bottcher, the battalion's executive officer, said the
day was amazing. "The soldiers are having a great time," he said. "It's
time for them to enjoy with their families and relax and let their hair
down."
Through America Supporting Americans, a California-based organization
founded by Linda Patterson, six cities -- four in middle Tennessee and
two in California -- adopted each of the battalion's six companies.
Patterson's organization, which focuses on connecting cities and units, is
a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program
highlighting ways Americans and the corporate sector support the nation's
servicemembers.
The adopting cities provided support to the soldiers through many
means, including care packages, letters while they were deployed to Iraq.
And Lt. Col. Marc Hutson, the battalion's commander, couldn't let the day
pass without thanking the representatives of the six cities that have
adopted his companies.
"It's absolutely a great and awesome day to be here," he said. "I want
to thank the great citizens of the communities of Brentwood, Franklin,
Ashland City, San Mateo (Calif.), Burlingame (Calif.) and Winchester
... for putting on this great event and all the support that we enjoyed
over the past year while we were in Iraq."
The picnic and concert were part of a daylong welcome home celebration
hosted by Brentwood and organized by the middle Tennessee police
departments. Representatives of the two California cities also were on hand.
Earlier in the day, the soldiers and their families participated in a
parade to formally welcome them home.
The afternoon, however, was all about relaxing and having a good time,
Brentwood Police Chief Ricky Watson said. "The purpose of this picnic
is to let these men and women have one great day of relaxation in
Williamson County and let Williamson County honor these men and women so they
know that we appreciate the job they've done," Watson said. "It's an
honor for us to be able to be out here to honor them today, and that's
what it's all about is these soldiers and their families."
A Marine corporal who died shielding men in
his care from a bursting grenade will receive America's highest
military decoration, President Bush said here today.
Actions by Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, who would have turned 25 today, merit
the Medal of Honor, Bush said at the National Museum of the Marine
Corps dedication ceremony, which coincided with the 231st Marine Corps
anniversary.
On April 14, 2004, in Iraq near the Syrian border, the corporal used
his helmet and his body to smother an exploding Mills bomb let loose by a
raging insurgent whom Dunham and two other Marines had tried to subdue.
The explosion dazed and wounded Lance Cpl. William Hampton and Pfc.
Kelly Miller. The insurgent stood up after the blast and was immediately
killed by Marine small-arms fire.
Dunham lay face down with a shard the size of a dress-shirt button
lodged in his head. The hard, molded mesh that was his Kevlar helmet was
now scattered yards around into clods and shredded fabric. Dunham never
regained consciousness and died eight days later at the National Naval
Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., with his mother and father at his
bedside.
Dunham's commanding officers from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines,
investigated his actions and nominated him for the Medal of Honor. After two
years and seven months making its way to the White House, the nomination
now has the necessary approval from the president. Next, the president
will present the medal and citation to the corporal's parents, Dan and
Debra Dunham, who drove to Quantico from their home in Scio, N.Y. Dunham
is buried in Scio.
"Corporal Dunham's mom and dad are with us today on what would have
been this brave young man's 25th birthday," Bush said. "We remember that
the Marine who so freely gave his life was your beloved son. We ask a
loving God to comfort you for a loss that can never be replaced. And on
this special birthday, in the company of his fellow Marines, I'm proud
to announce that our nation will recognize Corporal Jason Dunham's
action with America's highest decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor.
"As long as we have Marines like Corporal Dunham," the president
continued. "America will never fear for her liberty. And as long as we have
this fine museum, America will never forget their sacrifice."
Before Dunham, the last Marine actions to earn the medal happened May
8, 1970, in Vietnam, according to Marine Corps History Division records.
A Medal of Honor citation details Lance Cpl. Miguel Keith's machine-gun
charge that inspired a platoon facing nearly overwhelming odds:
Wounded, Keith ran into "fire-swept terrain." Wounded again by a grenade, he
still attacked, taking out enemies in the forward rush. Keith fought
until mortally wounded; his platoon came out on top despite being heavily
outnumbered.
The last Marine to receive the Medal of Honor was Maj. Gen. James L.
Day, who distinguished himself as a corporal in the Battle of Okinawa in
1945. On Jan. 20, 1998, more than half a century later, President Bill
Clinton presented the medal to Day. He passed away that year.
Dunham's Medal of Honor will be the second awarded for service in
Operation Iraqi Freedom. On April 4, 2003, Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith
posthumously earned the medal for organizing a defense that held off a
company-sized attack on more than 100 vulnerable coalition soldiers. In
the defense, Smith manned a .50-caliber machine gun in an exposed
position until he was mortally wounded.
Two soldiers and a Marine were killed in
Iraq yesterday, another Marine died today in western Iraq, and Defense
Department officials have identified four servicemembers who died earlier
this week.
Roadside bomb detonations yesterday killed two 89th Military Police
Brigade soldiers in west Baghdad and a soldier assigned to the 13th
Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) west of Haditha. Two other soldiers were
injured in the attacks. A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5
was killed yesterday during combat in Iraq's Anbar province. Today's
death of a Marine, assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7, resulted from
non-combat-related causes, officials said.
The servicemember' names are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin.
Meanwhile, DoD has identified the following servicemembers who died in
Iraq this week:
-- Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan T. McCaughn, 19, of Manchester, N.H., died
Nov. 7 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was
assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
-- Army Sgt. Lucas T. White, 28, of Moses Lake, Wash., died Nov. 6 in
Baghdad of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy
forces while on patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd
Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort
Lewis, Wash.
-- Army Chief Warrant Officers John R. Priestner, 42, of Pennsylvania,
and Miles P. Henderson, 24, of Amarillo, Texas, died Nov. 6 in Balad of
injuries suffered when their AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed. Both
soldiers were assigned to the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 82nd
Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Lucas T. White, 28, of Moses Lake, Wash., died Nov. 6 in Baghdad,
Iraq, of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy
forces while on patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd
Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis,
Wash.
Air Force Pilot Missing in Action from Vietnam War is Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of a U.S. Air Force officer missing in action
from the Vietnam War have been identified and are being returned to his
family for burial with full military honors.
He is Col. Charles J. Scharf of San Diego. His funeral is scheduled
for Nov. 30 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington D.C.
Col Scharf and a fellow crew member took off in their F-4C Phantom IIs
from Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand on October 1, 1965.
Their mission was to attack an enemy concentration and a major highway in
North Vietnam. After the lead aircraft developed problems en route,
Scharf assumed the lead of the two other F-4s in the flight. After he
completed two bombing runs, Scharf's aircraft was hit by enemy fire. His
radio transmission of "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" was heard by the other two
aircraft. One radioed "Gator 3 (Scharf's call sign), you're on fire,
you'd better get out! Bail out, Gator 3!" Scharf's plane began to
disintegrate and a parachute was seen leaving the aircraft.
The other two aircraft lost sight of the parachute, and circled the
area for about 10 minutes where Scharf's aircraft had crashed and burned
but no radio or visual contact was made then nor in subsequent aerial
search and rescue operations.
In January 1990, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) provided
information to U.S. officials indicating two men were buried near their
crash site, but that one had been washed away during flooding. Within a
month, a joint U.S.-S.R.V. team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting
Command (JPAC), interviewed three witnesses to the crash and located
scattered wreckage at the site. The 1992 excavation of that site yielded
human remains, a dental prosthesis, numerous personal effects including
the rank insignia of Scharf's fellow crewman. A second joint excavation
in 1993 recovered additional artifacts, but no remains.
A third excavation in 2004 recovered additional evidence including
pilot-related life-support artifacts, a metal captain's insignia (Scharf's
rank at the time) and a plastic denture tooth.
Among dental records and other forensic tools and circumstantial
evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification
Laboratory (AFDIL) also attempted to use mitochondrial DNA from a known
maternal relative to establish the identification. However, the tests were
inconclusive. From Scharf's widow, they obtained a number of envelopes
containing letters he had sent to her during the war. AFDIL specialists
were able to extract mitochondrial DNA from the gummed adhesive on
those envelopes, and JPAC was able to confirm the identification. JPAC's
detailed analysis of the debris and other evidence concluded that the
parachute sighted was the F-4C's drag parachute.
More than 50,000 veterans and their
families are expected to attend the 13th Annual Veterans Homecoming event, which kicked off Nov. 5 in Branson, Mo.
The homecoming, with the theme, "Branson Doesn't Forget," includes
numerous events, many free to veterans or active-duty servicemembers. It
will conclude Nov. 11 with the 72nd annual Veterans Day Parade.
Sponsored by the nonprofit group Branson Veterans Task Force, the 13th
annual event is a tribute to all veterans and active military members
and those who support them.
Among the special guests who will share the week's events is Billy
Templeton, a former prisoner of war who was captured by the Japanese and is
a survivor of the Bataan Death March who did slave labor for three
years at Mukden, Manchuria. Another is Ed Slater, a POW captured by the
Koreans and a survivor of the Sunchon Tunnel Massacre, Marlyce Stockinger,
one of the event organizers, said. Tuskegee Airmen Harvey Bayless and
Judge Robert Decatur also will participate.
"We are honored that these and others will be here in Branson with us,"
Stockinger said.
Several celebrities will also participate, including Pat Boone, Moe
Bandy, Barbara Fairchild and Lee Greenwood.
New events for this year's celebration include a troop ship, troop
train, day room, a "Branson Doesn't Forget Ball" and a USO-style big band
dance. Free events include the Branson Veterans Task Force Tactical
Operations Center Headquarters and Vendor Village at Celebration City
Convention Hall, where an all-American lunch will be served to veterans and
active-duty personnel. Also new at the Factory Merchants Mall are
flag-raising, reveille and retreat ceremonies.
Other events include traveling veteran tributes, the annual Korean War
Veterans Association Mini-Reunion, a blood drive and a Red, White and
Blue Style Show that will feature veterans and family members in their
patriotic colors. Visitors also can enjoy the second annual Candlelight
Military Memorial Service for all military and guests, the annual Gold
Star and Blue Star Mother's Brunch and the annual Honor and Integrity
Luncheon honoring youth military groups.
Veterans also can participate in the Veterans History Project, which
enables veterans all branches and all eras to videotape their personal
stories free of charge for future generations.
The Veterans Registry is a continuing project the Task Force sponsors
during the celebration. It offers veterans the opportunity to conduct
buddy searches among the 60,000 plus database.
The 72nd annual Veterans Day Parade, sponsored by American Legion Post
220, will begin at 11 a.m. Nov. 11. Closing ceremonies, featuring
Barbara Fairchild, a Grammy-nominated singer, and Pat Boone, will follow
later in the day at the White House Theater.
Boone will debut his new song "For My Country: Ballad of the National
Guard," which pays tribute to the United States National Guard and the
nation's troops. The song will be released this month, event organizers
said. An accompanying music video includes interviews with soldiers
overseas and families back home. Proceeds of the sales of the single
during the event will go to Paralyzed Veterans of America, an organization
that assists veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal
cord injury or dysfunction.
The recipient of the 2006 Veteran of the Year Eagle Award, to be
honored at the "Branson Doesn't Forget Ball," will be announced during the
event's closing ceremonies. The award honors veterans, active or retired
military, in Stone and Taney counties.
Washington National Guard officials call
their fast, coordinated response to flooding in the state the direct
result of groundwork already laid with state and local officials in planning
for disaster response.
About 250 members of the Washington Army and Air National Guard remain
on duty today, supporting civil authorities after torrential rains
caused severe flooding that threatened nearly 300 homes, killed one person
and left others stranded, Army Lt. Col. Debbie Allen, public affairs
officer for the Washington Guard, told American Forces Press Service.
Gov. Chris Gregorie declared a state of emergency in 18 counties late
Nov. 6, and the Washington Guard responded "within hours," Allen said
from the Joint Operations Center at Camp Murray, Wash.
More than 300 Guardsmen were on duty yesterday, but 69 were inactivated
today after weather conditions began to change and civilian authorities
were able to operate without Guard support in their areas, Allen
reported.
The Guardsmen who remain on duty are manning security points in two
counties, using vehicles and troops to guard roads, control access to
flooded areas and prevent looting, she said. They also are working with the
U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities to conduct search-and-rescue
operations.
Close coordination with state and local officials during the past two
years to plan and rehearse disaster response operations ensured a fast,
coordinated response, Allen said.
"This has been a very good exercise for us in terms of response," she
said. "We had good relationships and good partnerships, and as a result,
this came together perfectly."
Missing World War II Airmen Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing in action
from World War II, have been identified and returned to their families for
burial with full military honors.
They are 1st Lt. Robert H. Miller, of Providence, R.I.; 2nd Lt. Robert
L. Hale, of Newtonville, Mass.; Staff Sgt. Joseph A. Berube, of Fall
River, Mass.; and Staff Sgt. Glendon E. Harris, of North Monmouth, Maine;
all U.S. Army Air Forces.Miller, Hale and Berube were buried last month
and Harris' burial is being set by his family.
On Oct. 24, 1943, a B-25D-1 Mitchell bomber crewed by these airmen
departed Oro Bay Airfield in New Guinea on a bombing run of enemy targets
in Rabaul.As the aircraft neared its target, it was attacked by Japanese
fighter aircraft.Crewmen from other aircraft said they saw the B-25
crash near a plantation at Kabanga Point.There were no survivors.
In 1946 and 1947, Australian War Graves search teams recovered some of
the crew's remains from the crash site.Identifications were not
possible at the time and the remains were ultimately buried at the Manila
American Military Cemetery in the Philippines.
From 1999-2000, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) led a joint
U.S. and Papua New Guinea (P.N.G.) investigation and excavation of a
WWII-era crash site in East New Britain Province. One joint team
interviewed individuals having information on the crash, including an
eyewitness who said he saw the B-25 crash near his village.Another individual
found and buried human remains at the crash site in the mid 1990s.The
team surveyed the site and found aircraft wreckage, human remains and
personal effects.A second joint team excavated the site and recovered
additional human remains and crew-related artifacts from the wreckage field.
In 2004, an anthropologist from JPAC's Central Identification
Laboratory (CIL) exhumed the graves at the Manila American Military Cemetery
where he recovered the remains buried there in the 1940s.
Among dental records, other forensic identification tools and
circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA
Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of
the remains.
Two U.S. soldiers and one Marine have died
in Iraq, and the Defense Department has identified eight earlier
casualties.
One Marine assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division died today
from wounds suffered due to enemy action in Anbar province.
A Task Force Lightning soldier assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
25th Infantry Division, was killed Nov 6 as a result of enemy action in
Kirkuk province. Three soldiers also were wounded during this operation.
The wounded soldiers were transported to a coalition forces medical
treatment facility.
The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of
next of kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of eight
servicemembers killed recently supporting the global war on terrorism.
-- Army Sgt. 1st Class William R. Brown, 30, of Fort Worth, Texas, died
Nov. 6 in Sperwan-Gar, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when a
roadside bomb detonated near his convoy vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Marine Cpl. Jose A. Galvan, 22, of San Antonio, died Nov. 5 in Anbar
province. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st
Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
-- Army Spc. Douglas C. Desjardins, 24, of Mesa, Ariz., died Nov. 5 in
Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near
his M1A1 Abrams tank during combat operations. Desjardins was assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Armored Division, Ray Barracks, Giessen, Germany.
-- Marine 2nd Lt. Mark C. Gelina, 33, of Moberly, Mo., died Nov. 4 from
a non-hostile incident in Anbar province. He was assigned to 2nd Light
Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
-- Marine Cpl. Kyle W. Powell, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died
Nov. 4 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Anbar
province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st
Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
-- Marine Staff Sgt. Jason D. Whitehouse, 27, of Phoenix, died Nov. 2
while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to
2nd Intelligence Battalion, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Lejeune.
-- Marine Lance Cpl. James E. Brown, 20, of Owensville, Ind., died Nov.
2 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned
to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune.
-- Army Pfc. Kevin J. Ellenburg, 20, of Middleburg, Fla., died Nov. 1
in Baghdad of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas.
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.They died Nov. 6 in Balad,
Iraq, of injuries suffered when their AH-64 Apache helicopter
crashed.Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion,
82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Killed were:
Chief Warrant Officer John R. Priestner, 42, of Pennsylvania.
Chief Warrant Officer Miles P. Henderson, 24, of Amarillo, Texas.
The incident is under investigation.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. 1st Class William R. Brown, 30, of Fort Worth, Texas, died Nov.
6 in Sperwan-Gar, Afghanistan, ofinjuries suffered when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his convoy vehicle.He was assigned to
the 1st Battalion,3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Kevin J. Ellenburg, 20, of Middleburg, Fla., died Nov. 1 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle.He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Kyle W. Powell, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died Nov. 4 from
wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar
province, Iraq.
Cpl. Jose A. Galvan, 22, of San Antonio, Texas, died Nov. 5 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
Both Marines were assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st
Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
For further information in regard to this release the media can
The Grand Ole Opry is looking for the
public's help in honoring the nation's veterans during its live Saturday
night show this week, which happens to coincide with Veterans Day.
The Opry is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department
program highlighting ways Americans and the corporate sector support the
nation's military
"The Opry has great attendance and a great allegiance from veterans, so
it's the Opry giving back to those folks who certainly have given to
the Opry, given to America," Rogers said. "The Opry is the embodiment of
America's music, and obviously our U.S. veterans have paid the price to
keep America here and free."
To show its gratitude, the Opry is giving listeners and viewers a
chance to tell why a veteran is special to them, Rogers said. Those
dedications, which should include the veteran's name and why the writer wants
them to be recognized, will be read during the live show between songs
and commercial breaks.
"We were going to do some things to honor the veterans and that was
just one of the components that we came up with that involved veterans and
the show," Rogers said.
The show will open with a military color guard, and Mandy Barnett, a
frequent Opry guest, will sing the national anthem.
Darryl Worley, who has a new single out called, "Just Came Back From A
War," will perform during the show. Perhaps best known for his smash
hit "Have You Forgotten?" Worley has performed for the troops in Iraq as
well as at the Pentagon, Rogers said. The host of the Opry's TV
program, John Conlee, has a personal reason to offer his gratitude this
Veterans Day -- his son is an active duty servicemember.
"Throughout the night, different artists will (honor) veterans in words
and song," Rogers said. "Not every single artist, but different artists
throughout the night will recognize the veterans in attendance at the
show, those tuned in on the TV, radio and Internet."
To submit a dedication to be read during the Nov. 11 show, e-mail a
message that includes the writer's name, city and state, as well as the
veteran's name to oprymail@opry.com.
CONTRACTS
ARMY
The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pa., was awarded on Nov. 1, 2006, a
$163,323,224 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for CH-47F New
Build Production Helicopters. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pa.,
and is expected to be completed by Dec. 29, 2009. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source
contract initiated on Dec. 31, 2003. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile
Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity
(W58RGZ-04-C-0012).
Litton Systems Inc., Orlando, Fla., was awarded on Nov. 3, 2006, a
delivery order amount of $45,869,398 as part of a $336,391,741
firm-fixed-price contract for the lightweight laser designator rangefinder
components. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla., and is expected to be
completed by Nov. 30, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of
the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on
April 14, 2005. The U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering
Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity
(W91CRB-05-D-0033).
Universal Technologies*, Estill Springs, Tenn., was awarded on Nov. 3,
2006, a delivery order amount of $9,250,000 as part of a $14,245,000
firm-fixed-price contract for M66 ring mounts, and MK64 and MK93 gun
mounts. Work will be performed in Estill Springs, Tenn., and is expected to
be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the
end of the current fiscal year. There were an unknown number of bids
solicited via the World Wide Web on June 20, 2006, and eight bids were
received. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Rock Island,
Ill., is the contracting activity (W52H09-06-D-0274).
