Good morning,

In todays newsletter:

👉 Fighter pilot shot down behind enemy lines.

👉 Green Beret goes on a one man Rampage to save his Comrades.

👉 US Army’s new combat vehicle named for soldiers killed in Iraq and WWII.

And much more! Lets get into it 👇

On this day in 1943:

Düsseldorf suffered its heaviest air raid of the war when 693 bombers dropped 2,000 tons of bombs in the space of 45 minutes. Just think about that for a second…the numbers are astonishing.

The American submarine USS R-12 was on practice maneuvers when it sank without warning, plunging to the bottom of the sea near Key West, Florida, with the loss of 42 of the 47 people on board. The R-12 would not be relocated until almost 68 years later, on May 25, 2011

Green Beret goes on a one man Rampage to save his Comrades

On May 2, 1968, a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was deployed by helicopters into a dense jungle area

west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam. Their mission was to gather intelligence on significant enemy activity in an area controlled by the North Vietnamese Army. Soon after their insertion, the team encountered heavy resistance from the enemy and called for emergency extraction. Despite three extraction attempts by helicopters, the intense enemy fire prevented them from landing.

Sergeant Benavidez, who was monitoring the operation from the Forward Operating Base, decided to volunteer for another extraction attempt. He boarded a returning aircraft and directed it to a nearby clearing. Braving enemy small arms fire, Benavidez jumped from the helicopter and ran approximately 75 meters to reach the wounded and trapped team members. In the process, he sustained multiple injuries to his leg, face, and head.

Despite his wounds, Benavidez took charge of the situation. He repositioned the team members, directed their fire to create a safe landing zone, and threw smoke canisters to guide the extraction aircraft. Under intense enemy fire, he carried and dragged several wounded team members to the awaiting aircraft. With his own severe injuries, he provided protective fire and accompanied the aircraft as it moved to pick up the rest of the team.

While recovering the body and classified documents of the deceased team leader, Benavidez was again severely wounded by enemy fire. Simultaneously, the pilot of the extraction helicopter was mortally wounded, causing the aircraft to crash. Despite his critical condition, Benavidez retrieved the classified documents and assisted the wounded survivors from the wreckage, forming a defensive perimeter.

Amidst enemy attacks, Benavidez distributed water and ammunition to his comrades, motivating them to fight. He called in air strikes and directed supporting gunships to suppress the enemy's fire, allowing for another extraction attempt. During this time, he sustained additional wounds while providing first aid to a wounded team member.

In a final act of heroism, Benavidez fought off an adversary who attacked him and continued to carry the wounded to the extraction helicopter. Despite being seriously wounded and on the verge of collapse, he ensured that all classified material was collected or destroyed and brought in the remaining wounded. Only then, in a severely weakened state, did he allow himself to be extracted.

Sergeant Benavidez's selfless decision to join his imperiled comrades, his unwavering determination in the face of grave injuries, and his relentless efforts to save lives resulted in the rescue of at least eight men. His actions demonstrated unparalleled courage and heroism in the face of overwhelming odds.

For his actions he received the Medal of Honor.

📷 Photo of the week

US Army Special Forces Soldier armed with a MP5A3 sub-machine gun, plays a game of pool with local Afghani teens in a small village in Afghanistan. Aug 16, 2002.

📰 In the news this week

News stories I’ve found interesting this week.

• American Battle Monuments Commission lays to rest unknown US WWI Soldier. The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) today laid to rest, at Oise-Aisne American Cemetery (OAAC) in France, the remains of an unknown American soldier who perished during World War I.

• US Army’s new combat vehicle named for soldiers killed in Iraq, WWII The U.S. Army has named its first new combat vehicle in nearly four decades the M10 Booker after two soldiers killed in action, one in the Iraq War and the other in World War II.

• US Air Force denies AI drone attacked operator in test A US Air Force colonel "mis-spoke" when describing an experiment in which an AI-enabled drone opted to attack its operator in order to complete its mission, the service has said.

📦 Gift ideas from Amazon.

With Father's Day swiftly approaching, if you find yourself struggling to discover the ideal small gift for your dad, make sure to visit Amazon, where you'll find a fantastic assortment of Father's Day gifts to choose from.

🎥 From our YouTube Channel

This video discusses the incredible story of Captain Scott O'Grady. In 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, U.S. Air Force Captain Scott O'Grady faced a perilous situation when his F-16 fighter jet was shot down over Bosnia-Herzegovina.

A Readers Story…

My great grandfather was in the trenches of WWI. His wife sewed him a coat because, well, trench warfare.

The salvation army was running a program where they would get care packages from the States to soldiers in the war, so she handed the coat over to them to get it to her husband in a care package.

A month later she saw some admin from the Salvation Army walking around wearing the coat. She confronted the man, and he called her a liar when she said she made the coat for her husband, at least up until the policeman overseeing the argument was convinced to cut a seam to reveal the letter, and hidden money she sewed into the lining.

The Salvation Army also charged my great grandpa for hot coffee while the Red Cross gave it to the soldiers for free.

My family doesn't donate to the salvation army.

If you have a picture or a story you’d like featured please send them into [email protected]

😮 Did you know?

Did you know that the Ranger Slogan Was Created During the Normandy Invasion?

"Rangers lead the way" was adopted as the Army Rangers slogan during an exchange on Omaha Beach during the Normandy Invasion. General Norman Cota said to Major Max Schneider, "If you're Rangers, lead the way!"

Did you know there Have Only Been Five Five-Star Generals in the Army?

The rank of five-star general didn't exist until 1944, and it was only given to five men, including former president Dwight D. Eisenhower. The ranks were retired in 1981, when the last surviving five-star general, Omar Bradley, died.

Meme of the Week

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That’s a wrap, but anything you see that maybe of interest fire them over to me at: [email protected].

See you next week.

Rob 🫡