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Weekend Open Thread

by Hondo••166

Most readers probably know that between 1956 and 1960, the US conducted U2 overflights of the Soviet Union. Most also probably know that those overflights “ended” when Gary Powers’ ill-fated flight was shot down near Sverdlovsk on 1 May 1960.

Yes, the “ended” above is in quotations for a reason. While Powers’ flight was the last acknowledged intentional US overflight of Soviet territory by a U2, it was not the last such overflight. At least one other overflight occurred – and it occurred at perhaps the worst possible time in human history.

. . .

The week of Monday, 22 October 1962, should need no introduction to either regular TAH readers or those with a knowledge of Cold War history. That week was the public part of the Cuban Missile Crisis – e.g., the week the US and USSR very nearly played a “game” called Global Thermonuclear War.

During the Saturday of that week, Captain (later Vice Admiral) Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov of the Soviet Navy prevented another Soviet Naval officer from using a nuclear-armed torpedo against US warships. Also on that same day a U2 piloted by Maj. Rudy Anderson, USAF, was shot down while overflying Cuba on a recon mission, killing Maj. Anderson.

But at the same time that Maj. Anderson’s aircraft was downed, another U2 mission was underway. And it wasn’t over Cuba. Rather, it was 5,000+ miles to the northwest.

. . .

Even during the Cuban Missile Crisis, U2s were operating elsewhere in the world. The USSR had resumed atmospheric nuclear testing in 1961, at Novaya Zemlaya. So in October 1962 the US was regularly sending sampling missions over the Arctic to obtain fallout samples from those tests in an operation called “Project Star Dust II”.

The route of the mission scheduled for 27 October 1962 was simple. It was to take off from Eielson AFB, AK; fly north to the North Pole, obtaining fallout samples (if there were any); and return. The flight was a routine one, scheduled well in advance.

The execution wasn’t exactly as planned.

. . .

The pilot of the sampling flight in question was Capt. Charles Maultsby, USAF. He would have preferred to have been flying missions over Cuba, but his current assignment was flying missions over the Arctic.

Maultsby’s flight to the North Pole on 27 October 1962 went reasonably well. However, as he approached the North Pole he had to determine the correct south heading for his return (all directions from the North Pole are by definition south, but obviously most headings won’t result in a return to Eielson AFB).

Further: at high northern latitudes, a compass isn’t particularly useful. So on such missions the U2 pilot had to use celestial navigation – e.g., star sightings via sextant. And as Maultsby made his early-morning (Alaska time) approach to the North Pole, the aurora was particularly strong.

To make a long story short: Maultsby’s navigation was off. Instead of returning to Alaska, he flew west of Wrangel Island and ended up over far eastern Siberia’s Chukot Peninsula.

SAC HQ was monitoring Maultsby’s flight. For whatever reason, the Soviets were not using strong encryption on their Siberian Air Defense network. The US had discovered this – and unknown to the Soviets the US was monitoring that network in virtually real time. But this fact was, obviously, a critically important secret. Radioing Maultsby a message to the effect that, “Um, guy, you are currently over the Soviet Union; turn due east” would disclose that secret – and was simply not going to happen.

A second complicating factor was the fact that USAF procedures of the day mandated a change in ordnance on frontline US air defense interceptors when the US went to DEFCON 3. Specifically, the F-102’s based in Alaska at that point changed from conventional air-to-air missiles to ones having small nuclear warheads.

Earlier during the week, we’d gone to DEFCON 3 – then DEFCON 2. So our Alaska-based interceptor aircraft were now armed with air-to-air missiles having nuclear warheads.

The USSR wasn’t exactly thrilled at the fact that another US U-2 was flying over Soviet territory. They scrambled interceptors from two Siberian airfields on the Chukot Penisula – airfields near the towns of Pevek and Anadyr – in an unsuccessful attempt to intercept Maultsby’s U-2. In response, the US launched F-102s from the former Galena AFB in Alaska in the event Maultsby required air support during his return.

. . .

After penetrating some distance into eastern Siberia, Maultsby determined he was likely over the USSR. He was able to contact one of his mission’s support/search and rescue aircraft via radio; they advised Maultsby that it was sunrise over central Alaska and asked him if he could see the sunrise. Since he could not (Maultsby was several hundred miles west at the time), this information confirmed that he was indeed over the USSR and needed to head east. He did so.

One problem: by this time, Maultsby no longer had enough fuel to reach Alaska under his own power. He’d taken off with 9 hours 40 minutes of fuel; his flight, now a substantially longer one, would take in excess of 10 hours. However, the U2 glides well – up to 250 miles when starting at high altitude. So with about 12 minutes fuel remaining, Maultsby cut his engines and glided until he was met by two US F-102s from Galena AFB over extreme western Alaska. They suggested to him a landing at a USAF radar station near Kotzebue (about 150 miles NNE of Nome).

Maultsby successfully landed there. After being assisted from his cockpit by one of the radar site’s crew, to paraphrase the late Frank Zappa he then emulated the famous Huskies and immediately “made a bunch of yellow snow”. No word on whether he used the opportunity to write his initials – or his name – in said snow. (smile)

Maultsby’s U2 flight was the longest duration U2 flight on record at the time. He’d flown for 10 hours and 25 minutes – on 9 hours 40 minutes worth of fuel. He’d also inadvertently overflown several hundred miles of Soviet territory, including flying within intercept range of two Soviet air bases. Only the fact that he was at a much higher altitude than Soviet interceptors of the day could reach saved him. (The fact that the Soviets had indeed twice tried to intercept him during his inadvertent Soviet overflight wasn’t made known to Maultsby until well after he’d landed.)

Maultsby was not disciplined by the USAF for the mission gone awry. However, at least one other account of his flight (besides the ones linked below) exists and indicates he was never again allowed to fly polar sampling missions.

Maultsby later flew 200+ combat missions in Vietnam, retiring from the USAF as a Colonel in the late 1970s. He passed away on 14 August 1998 in Tucson, AZ.

. . .

An account of Maultsby’s 27 October 1962 mission can be found in Michael Dobbs’ excellent book about the Cuban Missile Crisis One Minute to Midnight in chapters 8, 9, and 11. These can be found online here, here, and here. (Later chapters also give post-flight details, including an account of Maultsby’s personal briefing to the CINCSAC – Gen. Thomas Power – afterwards.) The graphic accompanying this article is from that source.

A shorter account of Maultsby’s flight can also be found on the National Security Archive website here. Both of these accounts provide additional background and/or details not discussed above.

As of 2008, the official USAF investigation into Maultsby’s flight remained classified. To my knowledge, it remains classified today and has never been released to the public. The information Dobbs used to prepare the graphic in his book was found in State Department files in the National Archives during his research for the book. An image of the map of Maultsby’s flight Dobbs found in the National Archives can be seen here.

However, the official USAF history Maultsby’s unit (the 4080th Strategic Wing) for October 1962 has been released to the public in redacted form. It refers to Maultsby’s flight as having been “100 per cent successful”.

I guess the official history is correct, technically speaking. Presumably “100 per cent successful” in this context means that Maultsby’s flight returned with samples usable by Project Star Dust II. The fact that the flight also involved an unauthorized overflight of the USSR on the absolute worst day of the Cuban Missile Crisis and could easily have sparked World War III is merely an “irrelevant minor detail”. (smile)

FWIW: tomorrow will be the 56th anniversary of Maultsby’s Soviet overflight. Rest in peace, Colonel Maultsby.

. . .

OK, enough Cold War history. Enjoy the WOT, everyone – and the weekend.

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166 thoughts on “Weekend Open Thread”

  1. First, they have a suspect in the “bombs” sent to Dems.

    Second, it is “good” to see violence from the right after seeing all the violence from the left.

    Third, I am not being serious about number 2.

    1. Congrats Jon, I don’t know what happened today, I was doing my usual F-5 key and nothing, then you show up 4 minutes earlier??
      I think Dave is playing games with us??
      Enjoy your week on the WOT Throne and may you all have a cold beverage on me!!!
      Take care all!!!
      Willy

      1. “then you show up 4 minutes earlier??”

        Ha! I’ve been getting times of ten and twelve minutes later. Glad to know I’m not alone.
        Congrats to the victor regardless.

  2. And I am back on top again, after several weeks off due to dental appointments with the wife and other family commitments.

    Enjoy the weekend everyone.

  4. Oh God, am I going to be getting another trifecta of comments in the WOT? Please say it isn’t so…

    1. Resistance is futile!…. Number whatever. Gunsmoke classics on broadcast and f5 key had a headache. Great article Hondo. Remember that time well, only 9 yo, but we had just got a TV set and I had turned into a news junkie even then. I’ll be back in a bit.

  6. If you don’t say first you ain’t first…at least that’s how they stripped me of the title a few months back…

    So FIRST!!

      1. As Keeper of the Book of Firsts, Mr. Claw will doubtless agree that because the word First appears in Jon the Mechanic’s post, his comment is legitimately first. Moreover, if you read his comment again, you will see that his initial line can be read as two separate simple declarative statements, namely that his post is “First” and that “they have a suspect….”

      1. I see that now..it was a long week Frankie Cee, at least that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!!

  8. Have a good weekend all you folks. The Russian and I are out for seafood in a few hours to celebrate her birthday. Blessings to all, even the posers. I’m thinking youse folks need help.

  10. Cesar Altieri Sayoc is the name of the suspect in the packages. Sayoc is 54 years old and is a resident of Aventura, Florida. Sayoc is originally from the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.

    (2). Sayoc Is a Registered Republican; His Family Was Involved in Fighting the Communist Party in the Philippines.

    (3) Sayoc Was Charged With Making a Bomb Threat in 2002.

    (4) On his LinkedIn profile, Sayoc calls himself a promoter, booking agent and choreographer of a male stripping show as well as burlesque shows in the Miami-area. Sayoc says that he graduated from Brevard College, N.C./Univ of N.C. at Charlotte.” Sayoc says he attained a Bachelor of Arts in numerous subjects as well as studying veterinary medicine. Sayoc writes on that profile that it was his dream to become a “horse doctor.”

      1. The DNC is on a conference call with Chuckie, Nancy, Marioo, and 99% of the media to spin this as a crime stemming directly from his political views, whatever they may be. I am a registered Democrat. Anyone who drew any conclusion of my political views from that would be quite mistaken.

        1. You’re a split personality, Cav? What’s your TAH username for your Democrat self?

          Couldn’t be LC could it?

          1. That would be a scream, but our writing styles are quite different. Also, I am not afraid to call a spade a spade. As for my being a registered Democrat, it’s true. I get a kick out of the knuckleheads who send me shit before every election, believing I am one of them.

    2. Male strippers? Does he know the Chippendale Seal?

      Dreams of being a horse doctor, huh? More like a horse’s petootie.

    4. I’ve seen a number of stories on the alphabet news sites, stating that he is white.

      He was born in New York, yet he states that he is a member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

    5. Whenever you see a vehicle heavily plasterers with stickers, be cautious.

      If they are all single-subject, beware.

      If they are all -angry-, be prepared.

      Fanatics are often hazardous, regardless of orientation or issue.

  12. Darn … missed it again. Not first.

    So, instead, here’s this week’s trivia column. Hope you like it!

    DID YOU KNOW…?
    Did Christopher Columbus use a lunar eclipse to convince natives to keep feeding his men?
    By Commissioner Wretched

    Halloween is coming up!
    Have you decided what you’re going to dress up as this year?
    I’ve been running through a few possibilities …
    Like, maybe, dressing up as a whoopie cushion. Then I could really be an old fart.
    Or maybe as a bottle of Tabasco sauce, since I’m so “hot.”
    Perhaps I could go trick-or-treating as my younger self, from my 1975 senior photo in high school. Nah, too much has changed – less hair, much grayer hair, different glasses, too many extra pounds, and they don’t make those ridiculous tuxedos any more.
    Maybe I could be a bouquet of flowers. After all, my family already considers me the blooming idiot.
    I could always stick a lot of those “Hello, My Name Is” tags on a sweatshirt, write different names on them, and go as “Identity Theft.”
    Or I could just go as myself … and scare the heck out of everyone.
    However Halloween works out, there will always be trivia to share, and you may rest assured that I will be sharing it with you every week right here. Drop a line to suggest a costume at didyouknowcolumn@gmail.com and I’ll reply right away.
    So let me see if I can “scare” up some trivia for you!
    Did you know …
    … Major League Baseball goes through about 900,000 baseballs every year? At a cost of $72 per dozen, that means $5.5 million is spent on baseballs at the big-league level every year. (That many, eh? Now I don’t feel as bad about the three times I failed to catch a foul ball.)
    … everyone has a unique smell, except for identical twins? It doesn’t just apply to people; scientists say all mammals have a unique aroma. The only exception found among humans is with identical twins – both have the same smell. (That whole factoid stinks.)
    … Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) once saved his own life by his knowledge of science? During his fourth voyage to the New World, Columbus was on the island of Jamaica, trying to convince the natives to provision himself and his hungry crew. The natives did not seem all that interested in helping, until Columbus told them his god was angry with them, and would turn the Moon blood red to show his anger. Nobody believed him, until a lunar eclipse took place just when Columbus said it would. Columbus faked praying in front of the natives, and the eclipse came to an end, restoring the Moon to its usual brightness. The natives immediately began provisioning the admiral and his men. (See? Science instruction does pay off!)
    … the cry of a baby can reach 130 decibels? Sounds above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. (What?)
    … Chinese leader Mao Zedong (1893-1976) is widely believed to have never voluntarily brushed his teeth once during his lifetime? Mao would begin his days by rinsing out his mouth with cold green tea, but never once applied toothpaste to toothbrush and cleaned his chops unless he was being forced to by his doctors. (Which is why he never smiles in all those portraits, right?)
    … there are over 320 species of parrots?
    … that stomach-in-your-throat feeling that you get on roller coasters is actually your insides shifting around due to the fast movements of the coaster? Your insides can’t keep up with how fast your outside is moving. (Yet another reason why I don’t ride roller coasters any more.)
    … starfish have an eye at the end of each of their five arms? (They don’t have a brain, specifically, but they sure can see.)
    … there’s a specific reason cheerleaders wear short-short skirts when performing? Safety. According to those who would know, too much fabric is dangerous when going through the gymnastics that cheerleaders perform. (Yeah, that too.)
    … the first California-to-Hawaii air race was held in 1927? James D. Dole (1877-1958), the famous pineapple magnate, was impressed with the Atlantic flight of Charles Lindbergh (1902-1974), and offered a $25,000 prize for the first fixed-wing aircraft to fly from the mainland to Honolulu. Eight airplanes signed up, but only two made it to Hawaii, and ten people died in the race. The problem? Nobody had ever flown to Hawaii before that year. (Hey, twenty-five grand will buy a lot of pineapples!)
    … there’s a disorder called Charles Bonnet Syndrome that causes weird hallucinations among those who have had significant vision loss? People with it report seeing colored patterns and distorted faces, but sometimes the hallucinations reach new levels – such as watching a double-decker bus come into your living room.
    … a street in central London had to be shut down in 2007 due to a suspected chemical weapon attack? It turned out that it was actually a local Thai restaurant cooking up a special hot sauce. (If you’ve ever had hot, spicy Thai cooking, you’ll understand why it could be confused with a chemical weapon.)
    … both Sweden and the Soviet Union developed cavalry units that used moose instead of horses? The idea was to have such units that could operate effectively in deep snow. (“Hey, Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!”)
    … you burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television? (Dreaming isn’t the same as watching TV, you know.)
    … ostriches do not bury their heads in sand to hide from predators? They’re really looking for water. (Sure …)
    Now … you know!

    1. Here’s one for you: There is still a living dinosaur species on this planet, (not including birds). The Tuatara is a warmblooded reptile from New Zealand, a member of the Sphenodontia, considered to be directly descended from dinosaurs.
      The Tuatara has a third eye in the middle of its forehead, too. And unlike most reptiles, the tuatara likes cool weather.

    2. “Perhaps I could go trick-or-treating as my younger self, from my 1975 senior photo in high school…”

      😉

      Thank You again for another week of Jeopardy! info.

      1. So, going by this wealth of information, we now know that Democrat Politicians are basically blind star fish. That explains a whole lot and clears up some confusion I’ve had for years. Thank you so very much CW! 2banna may want you to trick or treat as a cheer leader for a volley ball team.

  13. ‘Bombs’ showing up in mailboxes right before the midterms just like hoes showing up right before the Kavanaugh confirmation.

    Stole this from elsewhere. Have conflicting thoughts re this.

    Partial /s; partial not /s

  14. Don’t know the current status of this, but I’m thinking it affects many Veterans on this site.

    With the Blue Water Navy Agent Orange Bill currently in the Senate, I highly suggest if your ship operated in the Brown Water or Blue Water areas around Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975 and it is NOT on this list, you get with your shipmates and focus on getting it on the list soon. https://www.vets.gov/…/exposure…/agent-orange/water-vietnam/
    Here is the current list… http://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/docs/shiplist.docx

  15. Lifted from elsewhere but agree. We’re an election away from chaos:

    “Many Americans have no idea how close they are to losing their country.”

  16. I’ll just wait for the dust to settle a little before doing a small blurb on how Planters is now making a Honey Roasted Peanut Beer./smile

      1. Okay. Here’s the deal. Found this in the Fine Dining section of MSN:

        Cutting out the middle man? Or is this one of those just because you can, why do it? stories.

        Planters™® is making (on a trial run/limited time) a honey roasted peanut flavored beer named Mr. IPA-Nut. Starting today, it’s only available at select beer and liquor stores in the Land of Stinky Onions (Illinois) or at the Noon Whistle Brewery in Lombard.

        Perhaps a former photographer can rustle some up and give us a flavor taste review later on down the pike.

        I found the story pretty funny in as much as it sounds like Planters could be cutting their own throats when it comes to salted peanuts sales or maybe they want to try and put Beer-Nuts™® out of business./smile

        That’s all for now.

        2. Hey Claw,
          Do you know the price difference between Beer Nuts and Deer Nuts?

          Deer Nuts are under a buck!!

          Thank you very much, I’ll be here all week,

          Be sure and tip your server!!!

          1. Snort! Giggle!!

            Yep, I knew that.

            But Beer Nuts® is still a family-owned business operating out of Bloomington, IL and maybe that’s why Planters™® wants to put them down.

            Big, Unfeeling Corporation v. Struggling Small Family, that old capitalist game./s

        3. Up north here in the Land Of Cheese, we prefer Deer Nuts™®.
          And the price is reasonable too.

          All you can eat for under a buck. (grin)

    2. Damn. I thought you wrote Peanut Butter at first look. I was grocery shopping today and passed by the Cashew Peanut Butter.
      Honey roasted sounds even better.

      Beer? I’m pulling on a Shipyard Monkey Fist IPA as I type.

  17. GET YOUR FLU SHOTS, EVERYONE!

    We all remember had bad last flu season was. I got the flu, twice, and felt like hell for weeks. An attorney I’d known for years died of complications from the flu. I got my shot this week, and am hoping it was more effective that last year’s vaccine which was unusually weak.

    1. Per the CDC, this year’s flu vaccine is supposed to be more effective than last year’s version.

      Also, since flu does make you lose fluids, be sure that you stock your shelves with chicken broth, juice, and plenty of kleenex, and you might want to keep electrolytes on the shelves, too.
      Chicken soup will cure everything, including a broken heart. Garlic is known to have antibacterial properties. And wash your hands a lot.

      1. “you might want to keep electrolytes on the shelves, too”

        Don’t forget extra batteries!

          2. Diluted Gatorade 10 water to 1 GA. The idea is to get it to being less salty than you, so it is immediately absorbed without the body having to add water to do so.

            Diluted OJ also works surprisingly well.

      2. Don’t forget local honey. Great for sore throats, coughs, and allergies.

        Doctor told me there was a recent study that showed 2 Tbsp of honey to be as effective at treating cough as Robitussin with codeine.

        1. 2 TBSP of honey and 1/2 cup of pineapple juice works way better than Robitussin.
          This family doesn’t do the flu shots, we both get worse cases of the flu within a week of the shot.

      3. I keep getting phone calls from people representing local health care groups, e.g., some facility on a street that the bus doesn’t go to, and when I tell them I am a) a vet and can go to the nearest FHCC for the same things, and b) for certain things like Rxs, I’m completely covered, they still try to suck me into it. They really just don’t want to listen. But I live near a good FHCC, so I just have to hang up on theses sales pitches and go on with whatever I was doing.

        Constantly being pestered about these things does not make me want to wander into any of those places.

      4. Hack Stone had a severe cough, runny nose and congestion a few weeks back. Hehadhis wife Rosetta whip up a Philippine version of pho, with plenty of jalapeños and freshly squeezed lime juice, and a few squirts of sirachi and within a few days he was back at handling Media Relations for a proud but humble woman owned business that sells software to the federal government.

  18. After a couple busy weeks, I’ve got some YouTube videos again.

    https://youtu.be/GPhxUYzUamc – Tour of a B-52. I must be getting old, because that Maj looks like he’s too young to be a 2LT. Amazing old birds.

    https://youtu.be/IiP2nOE-3CM – 1972-era NASA supercomputing. Amazing to see what they were working with. The 3D computer graphics are incredible. For the time, that was science fiction! This one even has a glimpse of a P-3 for AW1Ed.

    https://youtu.be/OGTBsPQzjDY – The Bell Telephone company would like to teach you proper telephone etiquette. We could all learn a thing or ten.

      1. My Pa acquired a metric-shit ton of B-52 ‘chute webbing around 1967 (he was an EW on buffs) and restrung all the lawn furniture with it, instead of that plastic crap that always broke… some of it was still in good shape 30 years later

  19. Canadian border crossing at Houlton is closed.
    Suspect vehicle on the Canadian side.
    Houlton is where the 9/11 highjackers crossed.

  20. Not first, but somewheres in the middle of the TAH pack.

    Just a heads up for all military retirees.

    The TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) will end on Dec. 31, 2018 for military retirees and their families. The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance program (FEDVIP) will replace TRDP beginning Jan. 1, 2019.

    Open season begins 12 November 2018.

    https://www.usaa.com/inet/wc/insurance-tricare-dental-vision?adID=VURL_tricare

    Have a great weekend all!

    1. Received letters/emails from the Defense Health Agency, my Dentist,TRICARE, Health Net Federal Services, Humana,Delta Dental and when it was announced the starting date was 12 November, I contacted all them and asked “You’re going to be open on a Federal Holiday?”

  21. Hmmmm…….

    Brevard County Commission candidate Victoria Mitchner says the questions raised about her past military tenure are unfair and misleading.

    And according to the Department of Defense, it’s a matter of interpretation. But she might have a point.

    Mitchner, a Democrat, is running against Republican Bryan Lober, an attorney, in the District 2 County Commission race.

    A top Brevard County Republican Party official, State Committeewoman Cheryl Lankes, earlier this week posted an image of a document on a political-focused Facebook page, indicating that Mitchner may have overstated her time in the military service.

    Mitchner, a human resources consultant and former county employee, says the document did not capture her full military record.

    […]

    Mitchner has said she has served more than 14 years of military service, and stands by that statement.

    The Mitchner campaign issued a statement Wednesday that indicated she also served four years and seven months “under contract with the Army as Individual Ready Reserve status, during which she was able to have children and work for the Department of the Army Office of Personnel Management.”

    It’s all a question of wording on how Individual Ready Reserve is considered when it comes to military service.

    According to the Defense Department, the bottom line is that Individual Ready Reserve is a valid military status, although there is traditionally no formal service during that period. An individual can be called forward during that time.

    Source: https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/10/24/county-commission-candidate-mitchner-says-attacks-her-military-service-misleading/1748682002/

    The document that was posted by Lankes was the DD214 of Mitchner.

    So apparently, you can have military service without it being on the DD214 (if I am reading this and the DOD’s explanation correctly.)

    1. IRR counts? Oh FFS…that’s reaching. If that counts then so does my 6 years in the Fleet Reserve until I was transferred to the retired list at the 30 year mark. Except of course it doesn’t. 🙂

      1. IRR counts for one purpose I know: If you’re facing separation in the Army, you can demand a board if you have 6 years of combined active/reserve service, and IRR does count there.

      3. Actually, IDC SARC, time in the IRR counts for a number of things. Off the top of my head, it counts towards:

        1. time in grade for consideration for promotion by centralized boards;
        2. towards fulfillment of RC military obligation time unless obligated to perform another form of RC duty due to enlistment/appointment agreement;
        3. as a “good year” towards RC retirement, provided the individual earns enough retirement points during the year via correspondence courses, AT (yes, IRR personnel are eligible to perform AT if funding is available), ADSW, ADOS, ADT, or some other active duty tour; and
        4. towards TIS for pay purposes.

        There are probably a few more, but those are the only ones that come immediately to mind.

          1. I understand the pogey aspects, my lack of give a shites is in reference to the simple marking time doing nothing aspects and was me just generally being snarky…cuz that’s just the kinda mood I’m in. 🙂

    2. “So apparently, you can have military service without it being on the

      Shades of Forgin’ Frank… 😉

      1. AD service without a DD214 is fairly common on the RC side, actually – all AT is technically active duty. (smile) Ditto short tours such as “man-days” tours for special work/operational support, or ADT to attend a short-term school.

        If I recall correctly, a DD214 is only required for active duty tours longer than a certain length. I can’t remember whether the “breakpoint” when a DD214 is required is 90 or 120 days, but I’m pretty sure it’s one of those two.

      2. I never got a DD-214 for my Reserves service–only my AD service. I served almost 3 years in the Reserves (and have assignment and release orders to prove it).

    3. It’s all good. Remember, the 1st SEAC got an NDSM for serving in DEP during the Vietnam Era eligibility period.

      And he was an E-10, so that can’t possibly be wrong./smile

        1. And as I’ve said before, the 3rd SEAC (currently suspended from his duties) has been pictured wearing two Bronze Service Stars (denoting third award, one of which would denote the Vietnam Era) on the NDSM on his ribbon rack, even though he didn’t enter the Army until 1982.

          All you have to do is enlarge the picture of him on his Wikipedia page and, Yep, there it is, peeking out from under the left lapel.

          And again, he is/(was) the E-10 of all the Uniformed Services, so he can’t possibly be wrong about things like that./smile

          1. And just for Shits&Giggles, the 3rd SEAC is also wearing an extra OLC on the Legion of Merit that is not authorized/awarded./smile

            1. Naw, I don’t think the 1st SEAC would give it up. He worked too hard in DEP to get it.

              My bet is that E-9 Carrot Top/50 Pound Rag Mop gave it to him after she was busted for wearing stiletto heels while in dress uniform. After all, it was reported that she had been seen wearing an extra star on her NDSM./smile

              1. Always wondered what happened to good ole E9
                Angelia “Carrot Top” Flournoy. She was such an inspiration to the soldiers in the 8th MP. NOT! 🥕😎

              2. Yes, there is nothing quite as impressive as claiming military service while you are sitting at home in Mom’s basement while waiting to go on AD or while in the IRR and sitting at home and never putting on a uniform. Your shit is quite weak if you have to claim that as military “service.”

    4. You know, when I had an awards rip done by the AF personnel center a few years back, they said I should have the longevity service with device (4 years each award, so 8 years). I only did the six in the reserves, with the two IRR. I just assumed it was an oversight, but maybe this is how they actually consider it?

      Not me, that particular ribbon will not be getting a device in any awards display of mine.

  23. Just read Hondo’s post. What a read! Cripes. One thing after another for Maultsby. His is a name to remember. He was a fighter pilot during the Korean War and was shot down on his 17th mission. He was POW in a Chinese camp for 22 months. In VN, as Hondo reported, he had over 200 combat missions. One action resulted in his receiving the Silver Star for gallantry. If all of that isn’t enough, Maultsby flew with the Thunderbirds. In short, he was a warrior pilot and a pilot’s pilot. I would guess that the USAF contingent at TAH is well familiar with him. (Thanks, Hondo.)

    1. My Pa once told me about picking up radio traffic while on a polar orbit flight, a deadstick U2 asking for landing clearance in Alaska. He retired in ’68, now I’m wondering if it was this U2. He told me the story sometime in the 70’s.

  24. Was waiting for this…and yep, it happened.

    Warched the DOJ Briefing to the press on Cesar Altieri Sayoc. One of the questions asked at the end of the briefing was: “Why do you think he targeted Democrats?”

    Had no idea who that reporter was.

      1. “Because he hates the letter D…”

        I WISH that was the answer provided..

        Good one, Cav…good one. 👏👏👏

    3. Just saw a blog site that did screen captures on this clown’s social media pages that listed his political affiliation as “Democrat,” but was changed to “Republican” within an hour after he was ID’d by the FBI. The site also had captures of pages of our fake bomber verbally attacking Bush and Cheney for the Iraq war and claiming 9/11 was an inside job. Anyone wonder why the perfectly applied
      decals on his van look unfaded when he has reportedly been living in it for many weeks in the Floriduh sun “down by the river.” Also, riddle me how his “bombs” are IED’s but have no detonation mechanism. I know Wray said they contain chemicals which could ignite with enough fire and friction, but so could the envelopes they were mailed in. Finally, how would any rational and real Trump supporter think sending fake bombs to this crew of D-rats would help Trump and the Republicans in the election in 12 days?

      1. Since no reporters were injured in the story and the guy is just a nutjob, it’s fading fast now. As for the “bombs,” it they would have been more effective if he had just dropped a few Mentos into a bottle of Diet Coke.

        1. I would agree. Also, I would like to know how, logistically and timewise, these “bombs” were supposed to get into their targets’ (the addressees’) hands and explode while in their presence. The whole operation looks like it was planned by Wiley Coyote with “explosives” that didn’t even make it past QC at the Acme Explosives factory.

      2. So when this first happened, you naturally thought, “Probably a libtard”, and then when it comes out the guy is a crazy person who happens to support President Trump, has video of himself at Trump rallies, has coworkers say he hated non-whites, and covers his van in pro-Trump stickers, and because some unnamed blog seems to show some screen captures saying the guy is a Democrat and not a Republican (in 2016) as official records show ,… you cling to the conspiracy angle?

        When you come back to reality, I’ll gladly throw a party for you. The guy was crazy, period. He wasn’t thinking rationally.

        1. No proglodyte, what I thought when I saw a photo of one of the so-called “bombs/IED’s” is that there is something fishy here. It was soon confirmed that the clock didn’t even have a timer function. Moreover, how would anyone expect it to get to Brennan when he doesn’t work at CNN and how would the mad bomber know what time to set if for detonation since it was purported mailed with the notoriously untimely USPS. Finally, as one person knowledgeable about pipe bombs said, and those of us that have used electric blasting caps know, you don’t have a wire going into each end of the capped pipe. But those obvious facts would never register with a prog like you. You effing progs all live in a parallel universe, but if you want to believe all the agit-prop from the DNC propaganda arm known as the MSM, feel free. I don’t think this wacko was political at all, and several sites, including one called “MyLife” he identified as a Democrat. Tell you what, you blame Sanders and all the lefty Democrats for the shooter of the Republican baseball team and I’ll blame Trump for inspiring this guy. Altough, Hodgkinson didn’t appear nearly as deranged as this wacko, and if it hadn’t been for those two cops he might have changed the balance of power in the House. He sure wasn’t shooting blanks in the dark.
          I don’t know of any “conspiracy,” I just have facts that don’t add up and questions that don’t have answers.

          1. Oh no! I’ve been called ridiculous names like ‘proglodyte’! What ever will I do? I might catch the PTSD from that alone…

            Here’s the reality – the MyLife website can be altered by anyone. Don’t believe me? Look yourself up there, if you’re on it, and then click the little ‘edit’ icon (a pen) to the right of the information,.. and presto! .. you too can be a Democrat on MyLife. If you don’t have a profile, look up someone you know. So people have been switching it to fit agendas (the profile is now deleted).

            If you look on VoterRecords, however, you’ll see he’s registered as a Republican.

            I’m pretty sure I didn’t blame Republicans for this idiot’s actions, I just said attributing his actions to a Democrat ploy, or his political leanings to that of the Democrats, takes a big fucking leap of logic when all the evidence says otherwise.

            So what’s more likely? That a disturbed guy with a criminal past didn’t couldn’t / didn’t make functional bombs because he’s a crazy idiot, … or this is all secretly a ploy by the Democrats. The same geniuses who had their chosen candidate in the last election not campaign in key states and say stupid shit regularly?

            I’m going with ‘crazy asshole’ for $1000, Alex.

            1. If he’s a convicted felon, he isn’t a registered Republican or dem. I don’t believe Florida allows convicted felons to vote.
              So, how could he be a registered anything?

              1. I think it’s dated to his last registration. What the mechanics are for striking ineligible voters from the rolls varies from state to state.

                1. “Records show that he has no apparent local ties and that several businesses associated with he and family members are or were located in South Florida.” With he? I’m not trusting any newspaper that write in standard English. Bwahahahahahahah.

                2. Oh, I see how it works now. In LC’s perfect world, speculation about how something was done or happened is not allowed without a license to speculate.
                  I don’t see much irony, but I do see you as a pompous ass, LC. Everybody gets to have an opinion in this, even if they are off the mark with it. It’s a harmless means of relieving stress, and not much else. If they’re wrong, so what? If they’re right, kudos to them.
                  But sneering at someone else’s speculation tell us that your head is so far up your own ass you can’t even see daylight.
                  Have a nice weekend.

                  1. Y’all had way yonder too much fun with this chew toy. Good job! Pompous ass, indeed. Not too many of us who still like to use that term. It is most appropriate in this case.

                  2. What I wrote in reply to our resident prog’s comment above is irrefutable fact with regard to the CNN “bomb” in the publicized photo. Numerous sources confirm the clock taped to the device had no timer function, thus one couldn’t set a time for it to detonate. Moreover this little camera battery powered clock doesn’t have the voltage to set off an electric blasting cap. This not-a-bomb also had no detonator mechanism according to EOD people who examined it. Therefore, it was in fact about as dangerous as Clock-boi’s impressive invention. Finally, LC fails to answer any of my questions about how and when these “bombs” were supposed to get to their respective targets and explode in their presence. How would our mad bomber know what day and time they would even be delivered?Thus, the whole crime looks like a media stunt or the actions of a lunatic (or both). Maybe it was a cry for help from someone who never accomplished anything in his useless life, as the professional mind-readers might say.

                  3. Ahhh. So, what you are saying is that speculation is only speculation when it’s something with which lefties disagree. When they speculate, they call it something other than speculation. Like the “bomber” supports Trump, when he clearly doesn’t, but pointing out that fact is “speculation” if I do it.

                    Got it.

                    1. No, LC, the irony escapes me. Or is that an indirect offer to pay me for my comments? If so, I will carefully proofread them. Besides, my error was an omitted word. The reporter’s was bad English.

  25. Hondo, your account brought back memories. In September 1961, my unit, the 1st Airborne Battle Group, 327th Infantry, flew to Turkey from Fort Campbell where we jumped in and ran an operation with the Greeks and Turks right up to the Bulgarian border. We were told it was meant to be a show of force to the Soviet Union of which Bulgaria was then a part. Years later I was told the operation was intended to influence the negotiations on the Gary Power’s release, which in fact, occurred a few months later.

    An interesting coincidence: On the way to Turkey, our C-124 refueled at Lajes AFB in the Azores where we were allowed to deplane and catch a hot meal in the AF dining facility. While we were standing around waiting to re-board, a strange looking aircraft took off in a loud roar and by the time it passed the end of the runway it went into a damned near vertical climb and was out of sight in seconds. We were all standing there with our mouths open, wondering just what the hell that thing was.

    Yup, found out later it was a U-2.

    1. Poetrooper, you and I were at Ft. Campbell at the same time. I got there in 1960, to the 1st ABG, 506th Inf, and did jump school there in September/October 1960. In 1962, I re-upped and came back to A/101st Avn/101st Abn, as a HUEY Crew Chief.

  27. Perspective

    Number of murders committed by hoax-bomb bomber: none

    Number of murders committed in Chicago thus far this year: 415

    Number of people shot in Chicago thus far this year: 2510

    3. Number of Nicolas Cage movies in 2018: 1

      Number of Democrats whining about Republicans doing bad things they themselves do: Millions

          1. Ever wonder which woman he was talking about, and to which woman he was addressing that remark? Hmmmm??

    5. Number of people shot at a Congressional softball practice by a follower of Bernout Sanders:4
      Number of people injured by bombs that couldn’t explode:0

  28. Found Larry Eugene Sims in Mesquite, NV claiming to be a retired 747 pilot for Northwest, he has said he was retired from military, is a lawyer, hands out business cards like they were candy with picture of 747 name, address, email & phone number. claims he does’t like to use text or emails was my first clue that led me too conclusion that he is a compulsive lair.
    You may contact me at standby77@att.net

  30. A friend of mine said this jacket was donated to her church in a clothing drive, and she’s trying to find out more info, especially an approximate date. I’ve never seen a jacket like this. Can any of you help?

    [img]https://i.imgur.com/8CscrlC.jpg[/img]

    2. That’s an Air Force M48 field jacket. Staff Sergeant stripes and an Air Combat Command patch on the pocket.

      OD Green uniforms date from the 50’s through the late 80’s. Looks to me to be the color and material used from roughly 75-late 80’s. If I were posting it for sale, saying 80’s vintage would be about right.

      1. And now I see Dennis covered most of this. I also stand corrected, it is a Tactical Air Command. It does say it right on the patch, but in my defense, the ACC uses the same shield. 🙂

  31. USAF field jacket, SSgt (E-5) stripes, Tactical Air Command, probably male, worn by someone named Williams between 1979 through about 1993.

    1. On what do you base those dates? I’ve never seen a field jacket that color before. The fatigue jackets from Vietnam to Desert Storm were olive drab green. Then they changed to the woodlands camouflage in the late 1980s and kept that through Desert Shield/Desert Storm and beyond. The Tactical Air Command was deactivated about the time of Desert Storm, so I’m pretty sure it’s not any newer than that.

      1. I think it was about 1979 when I took the blue and white tags off my field jacket and put subdued tags and patches on. If the unit patch was visible one could be more specific as to which base the person was assigned. As to the color, it looks about right for a sun burnt field jacket. I had the same field jacket from 1975 to 1981 and it was about that color. The woodlands field jacket was not mandated for some time after the woodlands BDU were worn and it was common to see a troop in BDUs with this style fatigues. TAC was deactivated in 1992 and the wearer of the jacket might have been slow to change the patch.

        1. Wow, I’ve never seen a field jacket faded to tan. Mine is still a dark OD green (of course, my AFSC was rarely authorized to wear fatigues when I was on AD). The changeover to woodlands was about 1986, but you are right about the woodlands field jackets coming later.

    2. The name tape dates it later than the actual jacket might be since newer name tapes can be easily changed on old jackets. (Lost count how many uniforms saw multiple changes of leather name patches velcroed on, blue/white tapes, green/blue tapes, and even the occasional black/green tape.)

      Have your friend check every tag in the jacket very carefully. Sometimes a manufactured date is on one of the labels.

  33. Great story, Hondo. This is an important but unknown piece of U.S. history. You have again shown why we all can’t be Hondo.

  34. This nutjob Sayoc may have registered as a Republican but his profile reads Democrat all the way. First, he claims Native American blood but has none flowing through his veins. Second, he lives with his mother. Third, he has a history of bankruptcy, of failing to pay his bills, and of not being able to hold a job. And, lastly, he has a criminal record. (I could add that he is from New York and lives in Florida but I won’t.)

    1. But he appears to be a long term/carrier felon, I don’t think he legally voted for a few years.

  36. The False Commander “Phony” Phil Monkress (of All-Points Logistics) works balls as he avoids questions seeking clarification of his military, Native American and Law Enforcement claims.

  37. Looks like everyone in Pittsburgh is waiting for their gov to get there before they can get a press conference to update them on what is going on. Maybe I’m reading that wrong. Hope so…

  38. Looking. Looking. Nope. Looking. Looking. Looking. Nope. I had a give-a-shit around here somewhere…Wait! Damn. I used it on the Army game. The Black Knights are up by eight in the 3rd.

  39. Eastern Michigan has had a few close losses this year. They lost to San Diego State 23-20 and to Northern Illinois 26-23. They also blew out a couple of lesser opponents. Last week, Purdue was a three TD underdog against the mighty and undefeated Ohio State…and Purdue thumped the Buckeyes. Ouch. And guess who beat Purdue? Eastern Michigan. Today, Army played Eastern Michigan. Tough game. Army and Eastern Michigan were in a slugfest, which I was happy to see, because when games are close and toughness counts, Army will win. With less than a minute to play, the score was 30-22. Final score: Army 37-22.

    With this win, Army is bowl eligible. In a sense, so, too, is Navy and Air Force. They can go to a post-season bowl game. All they have to do is buy tickets. Eat it squids.

    (Note: Navy plays #3 Notre Dame in Annapolis at 4 p.m. EST. and Navy loses at about 7:15 pm EST)

      1. Wrong about venue, too. The teams are playing in San Diego. Now that I think of it, there’s no $ in Navy-Marine Corps Stadium. Too few seats. So, to recap, I was wrong about the kick-off time and wrong about the venue. Good thing I wasn’t going to the game. I take no credit for the whacking call, although it’s closer (30-7) than I thought it would be at this point (3rd Q.) Go Navy. Beat Somebody. Anybody!

    2. The Soy Boys from Troy (University of Spoiled Children) lost to Arizona State.

      Huskies lost to Bezerkeley… fuck that!

  40. Navy (2-6) plays Cincinnati (7-1) next week. Army (6-2) plays Air Force (3-5) at West Point.

  42. Cori LeCinda Pierce – the turd who defrauds with a dog!

    “They will eventually get it out of their systems”
    She doesn’t know us very well.

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