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Archive for the ‘History’ Category

Walkie-Talkies and “Operation Gold Rush”

Saturday, June 25th, 2022

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. —Seventy-years ago this month, in April 1952, the Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories (SCEL) sent a team of Soldiers and specialists to California Army, Navy, and Marine bases to introduce new equipment and train Soldiers on how to use and maintain the latest innovations, dubbed “OPERATION GOLD RUSH.”

The equipment included something that would go on to become a common-place in civilian life – the walkie-talkie portable radio, also known as the SCR-300.

In an era where we carry small computers in our pockets, it’s difficult to comprehend the innovations behind the new “light weight” equipment for military use. The walkie-talkie, originally weighing in at 40 pounds, was first used at the end of World War II, in both the European and Pacific theaters, to high praise from Soldiers. Carried as a backpack, the VHF (40 to48 MHz) FM transceiver could reliably reach out 5 miles in the field.

The set was used in amphibious landings in the Pacific, over water for distances up to 15 miles. It was actually the “handie-talkie” (SCR-536) that would take the form of a hand-held unit that is commonly thought of today.

Radio Set SCR-536 was a first in the military communications field. The designers incorporated the microphone, earphone, batteries, antenna, and all of the electronics in a single case with a total weight of less than 6 pounds. The earphone and microphone were so situated that by raising the case to the side of his face, the operator could talk and listen comfortably. Raising the antenna turned the set on; a push-to-talk button, placed approximately where an individual’s finger tips would naturally rest, made the change from receive to transmit mode easy.

The earliest portable radios were designed with no particular miniaturization techniques in mind; however, the equipment was compact and reliable by the use of excellent engineering principles, consistent with the technology of that period. This compact equipment pioneered a number of technical advances and demonstrated a field usefulness which sparked later demands for miniaturization, mass production, and the wholesale distribution of communication facilities to the smallest military units.

For the first time, units as small as a squad, or even an individual Soldier, could communicate with an intelligence center and coordinate activity without having to drag a telephone wire through all types of terrain, or leave ammunition, arms, and survival equipment behind in order to carry heavy, bulky radio gear. In spite of the technical limitations of this radio set, it was such an asset in the field that it keyed a strong demand for miniaturization in the other varieties of military equipment which followed.

After the war, SCEL development personnel were convinced that the size and bulk of electronics had to shrink, particularly in the portable and vehicular categories. This miniaturization requirement assumed major importance in the light of the anticipated postwar expansion of electronics as the principal medium of communication, surveillance, fire control, countermeasures, intelligence service, meteorological soundings, and other such areas. In 1946, an ad hoc committee reported that “miniaturization should and will be a major objective in the design of future Signal Corps’ equipment.”

By 1952, the weight for the walkie-talkie (AN/PRC-10) had been reduced to half its original weight. Other improvements in the 1950s included reduction in static, the ability to use four or more sets in a communication net, up from the previous maximum of two, and a developing “homing beacon,” which allowed for an operator to tune in to a friendly transmitter and proceed to it, or identify positions of forward observers. Using quartz crystal tuning to hold the frequency stable, these radios began to usher in the era of continuous innovations and improvements coming out of the Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories and making their way down to the Soldier.

The development of a process to produce industrial-quality synthetic quartz crystals, also worked on in the Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories in this time period, ensured a steady availability of necessary supplies to meet military requirements.

“OPERATION GOLD RUSH” would introduce not only the improved walkie-talkies and handie-talkies to the field, but also new vehicular radios and radio teletype sets, radiation monitoring sets, switchboards and teletypewriters and field wire. All of these newer pieces of equipment owed their improvement to the efforts begun in the mid-1940s towards miniaturization. The invention of dip-soldered printed wiring in the Signal Corps in 1948 aroused the interest of the electronic industry in this new concept of construction and led to the first practical, mechanized, electronic production lines in the United

States. The almost simultaneous invention of the transistor by the Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1948 spurred the subsequent creation by the Signal Corps of entirely new families of compatible miniature electronic parts, transistors, and diodes which, together with printed wiring, made possible still newer plateaus of miniaturization achievement in the 1950’s.

By Susan Thompson, CECOM Command Historian

SCUBAPRO SUNDAY – OPERATION Gunnerside

Sunday, June 19th, 2022

Only a few months after the discovery of nuclear fission on December 17, 1938, the military potential of nuclear power became apparent, and the race to develop an atomic bomb began.

Germany began its nuclear-weapons development program in April 1939. During their research for a nuclear reactor, the scientists discovered that deuterium oxide, also known as “heavy water” because it has a higher molecular weight than regular water, performed well as a moderator, allowing them to have greater control over the fission process than they had previously thought.

There was only one area on the planet capable of creating heavy water on an industrial scale: Norsk Hydro’s Vemork hydroelectric power plant in southern Norway, which was built in the 1960s. Heavy water was produced as a byproduct of the plant’s primary function, which was to manufacture ammonia for use in nitrogen fertilizer.

As early as January 1940, German officials inquired about the possibility of purchasing the whole Norsk Hydro heavy water storage and increasing the plant’s monthly output by a factor of ten to fulfill German demand.

This defeat only temporarily hampered the Nazis. Germany attacked Norway precisely one month later and seized the country by the beginning of June. Vemork, now under German control, raised its heavy-water output BY 50%.

In collaboration with the Norwegian Resistance, the Special Operations Executive (SOE) devised a plan for two squads to be dropped into Norway simultaneously.

The first, codenamed Operation Grouse, was composed of four Norwegian commandos. They were to parachute into Norway, conduct reconnaissance, and secure a landing zone for a 34-man team of British commandos, codenamed Operation Freshman, who would land in two gliders and then assault the plant, destroying the 18 electrolysis cells that produced heavy water.

The launch of Grouse took place on October 18, 1942. During the next three weeks, the group trekked to Freshman’s intended landing place, which they finally reached on November 9. Operation Freshman was officially initiated on November 19. An aircraft carrying a glider crashed after experiencing mechanical issues and poor weather, killing the flying crew and several commandos on board. When the bomber towing the second glider decided to cancel the operation, the cable attached to it snapped, leading it to crash as well.

In response to Hitler’s Commando Order, survivors from both gliders were apprehended and executed by the Germans. The loss of 41 soldiers resulted in enhanced security at Vemork, including land mines on the surrounding mountains, and the Grouse crew was trapped and forced to fend for itself.

Norway’s Operation Gunnerside was planned to drop a team of six Norwegian commandos into Norway to hook up with members of the Grouse squad. They would be dressed as British soldiers, so the Germans would not retaliate against the locals if captured.

The unit parachuted into Norway on February 16, 1943; it would take them five days trekking thru waist-deep snow to join up with the Grouse team on February 22. On February 27, nine members of both teams embarked on their journey to Vemork, with one member remaining behind to connect with their counterparts in Great Britain.

On reaching the plant’s perimeter, they discovered that the bridge, which served as the only direct entry point into the complex, was now heavenly guarded because of the failed British raid. Currently, the only way in was to follow the railway (the only place not mined) and to reach the railway gate, and the team had to drop 350 feet into a riverine and then climb an almost 500-foot rock face to gain access to the complex’s rear entrance through a fenced railway gate. As soon as they arrived, the guards changed shifts, and they could cut their way through the barrier just after midnight.

Once inside, the group was divided into two sections. During the attack, five commandos took up positions outside the barracks, the bridge, and the main gate, while the remaining four entered the factory. In the building, they came across only one Norwegian employee, who didn’t put up any resistance or raise the alarm.

The target chamber, which was in the basement, was rigged with explosives. The members of the team were evacuated and were waiting for the blast. It was possible to escape because the room was so far underground, and the walls were so thick because there was little noise when the bombs went off, allowing the entire team to flee before the Germans discovered what had happened. As they rushed through the barracks, they could hear the muffled crump of the explosion ahead of them. At the factory, sirens began to blare shortly after. When German soldiers raced out of the barracks and workers scattered in confusion, the saboteurs had vanished out of the picture. A hunt involving 2,800 soldiers was conducted throughout the area. However, by the time the sun rose, the saboteurs had already embarked on a 280-mile journey across forests and mountains to neutral Sweden.

The commandos demolished the electrolysis cells and more than 500 kg of heavy water in the process. They could flee without firing a single shot or inflicting any fatalities on the other side. By May, the Germans had repaired the damage, but successive Allied air raids had prevented the company from ramping up production. Eventually, the Germans halted all heavy water production and attempted to divert the remaining supplies to the country’s borders.

Operation Overlord – The Liberation of Western Europe

Monday, June 6th, 2022

Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Eisenhower issued this message to those embarking on the greatest undertaking in modern history, the invasion of Western Europe at Normandy, France.

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Thanks to all of you who were there, from all of us, for liberating Europe from under the boot of oppression and protecting not only our great nation but our Allies as well.

SCUBAPRO Sunday – Mulberry Harbors

Sunday, June 5th, 2022

When you look at WWII, historians, and military people will say, this is what won the war, or that is the reason. Some people say it was the M2 .50 cal machine gun or the Jeep or the M1 Grand rifle. I think there is an excellent argument for all of those things and more. But there were also some fantastic feats of engineering. There were a couple of reasons that the Germans didn’t think that the Allies would land at Normandy. Some of it had to do with the deception plan the Allies used, like having Patton be in charge of a fake Army in the north of England. The other reasons was the fact that there was not a deep-water harbor close enough to make it worthwhile. But the Allies had a secret plan to build their own harbor. The Mulberry harbors were temporary mobile harbor developed during World War II for unloading troops and supplies during the Allied invasion of Normandy.

The British developed them from lessons learned during the ill-fated Dieppe raid two years prior. The Brits discovered that quickly capturing a well-defended port was impossible. They were formed in secret and sunk all over England so they wouldn’t be seen.

After the successful landing and the establishment of beachheads on D-Day, two Mulberry harbors’, previously constructed in secret at various sites across the UK, were taken in parts across the English Channel and reassembled off Omaha Beach and Gold Beach. Within 12 days of the invasion, the harbors were up and running. The Mulberry Harbor was broken down into three different areas, the Breakwater, the Pierheads, and the Roadways.

The Breakwaters were made from a combination of sinking 70 older merchant ships, steel, and concrete caissons, and concrete type crosses used to help keep it all in place. The breakwater was about 9.5 kilometers long(about 6 miles). In from that was the Pierhead that the ships could tie off to, the last part was the roadways that lead into the shore and was used for the offloading of the personal and supplies to the beach.

Along with the components of the mulberries, the harbors were protected from swell and waves by blockships deliberately sunk adjacent to the harbor. You can still see parts of the huge concrete blocks sitting on the sand, and more can be seen further out at sea. I have significantly simplified how they were made and what went into them. I am not an engineer and a hell of a lot more when into making the then I talked about.

The Mulberry harbors were intended to be used until a French port could be captured. It was not until six months after D-Day that the port of Antwerp in Belgium was captured. The Mulberry harbor at Omaha Beach was abandoned after it was damaged in a storm on the 19th of June 1944, but the harbor at Gold Beach continued at nearly full capacity for ten months after the invasion. The British Mulberry supported the Allied armies for ten months. Two and a half million men, a half-million vehicles, and four million tons of supplies landed in Europe through the artificial harbors at Arromanches.

7th Annual Whiskey & War Stories “Operation Acid Gambit” Fundraiser Auction

Wednesday, June 1st, 2022

The 7th Annual Whiskey & War Stories “Operation Acid Gambit” event is coming up on 4 June, 2022 in Scottsdale but even if you aren’t attending, you too can be a part of this fundraiser by bidding on some unique items in their auction.

These include two period correct clones of 1989-era Unit weapons, including a Colt 723 clone with period correct Aimpoint and a custom 1911 with 1989-era features.

A shooting adventure package is also being constructed involving MD helicopters and Dillon Aero for the auction.

Visit acidgambit.afrogs.org for full details.

The Silent Warrior Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 charity serving active and former U.S. military veterans and their families since 2010.

SCUBAPRO Sunday – SEALs Birthday

Sunday, May 29th, 2022

On 25 May 1961, President John F. Kennedy, addressing a joint session of Congress, delivered a speech that most people remember as his challenge to the country to put an American on the moon before the end of the decade. The most important part of that speech you seldom hear about. But, it mandated that the military broaden its numbers and the use of Special Operation in all branches of service: “I am directing the secretary of defense to expand rapidly and substantially … the orientation of existing forces for the conduct of … unconventional wars. … In addition, our special forces and unconventional warfare units will be increased and reoriented. …

The East Coast and West coast teams have always joked about what team is older, Team One, or Team Two. Team Two says they are because of the 3-hour time difference, and the west coast says they are because they supposal received their message to commission first.  But this isn’t really about that. The SEAL Teams use 01 Jan 1962, the day the teams were commissioned as their birthday. But if you look through old messages, you can find about different dates that you could say should or could be the birthday of SEAL Teams. Before Kennedy gave his speech, the Navy and all the other branches had already started to plan for a new kind of warfare and a new group to fight it. The U.S. has just ended significant involvement in Korea and sent advisers to Vietnam around 1955, so we had an idea of what the next generation of warfare might look like.  

To augment present naval capabilities in restricted waters and rivers with particular reference to the conduct and support of paramilitary operations, it is desirable to establish Special Operations teams as a separate component within Underwater Demolition Units One and Two. An appropriate cover name for such units is “SEAL” being a contraction of SEA, AIR, LAND.

– Vice Adm. Wallace M. Beakley,
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, 05 Jun 1961

I love that the name “SEAL” started as a cover name, I am sure they never thought of what that name would come to mean. I say that in a good way and also a little wrong. I miss the days of being quiet professionals.

The Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Arleigh Burke, in a memo dated 11 Jul 1960, tasked Vice Adm Beakley with studying how the Navy could contribute to unconventional warfare. Beakley responded to that tasking in a memo dated 12 Aug 1960, saying, “Navy Underwater Demolition Teams and Marine reconnaissance units were the logical organizations for an expanded naval capability in unconventional warfare.” Beakley further recommended that a working group be formed to study how the Navy could “assist or participate” in covert operations. Then, on 13 Sept 1960, an Unconventional Activities Working Group was formed. Like the military now, the progress was slow, and on 10 Mar 1961, when the Navy’s Unconventional Activities Committee presented a mission statement for the new special operations unit and officially used for the first time the acronym “SEAL.”

Beakley sent another memo saying, “If you agree in the foregoing proposals, I will take action to establish a Special Operations Team on each coast.” Burke wasted no time in giving the green light. On 05 Jun 1961, the CNO issued a letter notifying the commanders in chief U.S. Atlantic, U.S. Pacific, and U.S. Naval Forces Europe about the Navy’s intentions regarding SEAL units. So, if you look at all the about dates, you can choose 25 May, 05 Jun, 13 Sept, 10 Mar or 01 Jan.  I do not really care about what date that it happened on; I am just glad that it did, and I think it is good to look back at the process that went from idea to a finished product.

Oh, and Team Two is the Oldest Team.

Marshall Publishing & Promotions, Inc. Releases The Challenge of Flight Video Series The Series Features Top Gun Pilots Flying Real Combat Missions

Saturday, May 14th, 2022

CHICAGO, IL – May 9, 2022 – Marshall Publishing & Promotions, Inc., in conjunction with Keeney & Company, today announced the release of the internationally popular aviation military video series, The Challenge of Flight, to major streaming channels. Originally aired on The Military Channel, The Challenge of Flight was created by pilots for pilots, military aviation enthusiasts and those interested in the history of flight.

The incredible Challenge of Flight video collection explores the many challenges faced by pilots in the air, including explosive mishaps and miraculous tales of survival. The series gives viewers an up-close and unedited look at some truly awe-inspiring moments in military aviation history as told by the pilots who experienced it all.

Producer Doug Keeney, a fighter pilot himself and author, said, “The series is a heroic piece of story-telling, a story of great personal triumph. Aviation history is marked not by nuts and bolts but by moments that gave and took lives away. It is the story of flight seen through the eyes of the military pilots who lived through it.”

The Challenge of Flight takes audiences into the cockpit to experience once-in-a-lifetime landings, life or death struggles for control off the carrier deck, horrifying ramp strikes, locked controls, burning tires, flat spins, near misses, close calls and mishaps.

Distributor Tom Edinger said, “These are the stories that pilots have talked about for years among themselves and are now revealed to us in an up-close and personal style.”

Incredible stories of survival and courage emerge from the world of military aviation every day. For those who dedicate their lives to protecting our freedom, the risks are high, but the rewards are great. From bone-jarring crashes to fiery landings, these brave men and women face challenges that would cause most of us to tremble in our boots. But they don’t give up easily, and their tenacity and skills are inspiring. The next time you see a jet fighter plane or another type of military aircraft take off or land, take a moment to think about the dedicated pilots and crew who make it all possible. They are true heroes.

The 19-episode, highly acclaimed series is available to buy, rent, or stream on Amazon Prime Video. For more information, visit thechallengeofflight.com, theusmilitarychannel.com, and watch the trailer on YouTube.

SCUBAPRO Sunday – Sergeant Paul Yauwiga WW2

Sunday, May 1st, 2022

New Guinean Police Sergeant Paul Yauwiga spent 1943 leading native guerilla bands on jungle reconnaissance missions and local psyops in Northern Bougainville. Recognizing his potential, he was re-deployed to Australia to train troops in Jungle Warfare in 1944. He had been advised in Bougainville not to engage with superior Japanese forces due to the value of the intel he provided, and his mission had always been “observe and report.” Yauwiga wasn’t a big fan of this and remarked, “Why do we run away the same as women do?”

The Australia gig quickly ended, as Allied forces needed Yauwiga to flush out the stubborn Japanese resistance still fighting in Bougainville in 1945. His first major contract was with a mixed band of 80 Japanese troops and tribal collaborations. He annihilated 25 of the enemy with two other guerillas after only 15 minutes.

He made sure to add some salt to the injury he caused to Japanese forces. Yauwiga killed a known tribal collaborator and spread false rumors that the now dead man had been an Allied agent. The Japanese responded with heavy-handed paranoia, executing 10 of their best spies. He followed this bit of genius psyops by arresting 30 other tribal collaborators and destroying the Japanese spy network in the process.

By June 1945, his small team had accounted for 57 confirmed kills over only 17 months in the jungle. Barefoot, bare-chested, and armed with a mixture of Allied provided rifles, and they punched well above their weight. Unfortunately, a white phosphorous grenade accidentally exploded in Yauwiga’s face in a freak accident as he attempted to signal Allied aircraft. He was evacuated to Australia, where his left arm was amputated and his left eye removed. A corneal transplant saved his right eye from the blue-eyed Australian donor, one of the earliest surgeries.

The first-ever blue-eyed Melanesian returned to New Guinea after only three months in hospital – too harsh for a long stint in bed. At his award ceremony, the local legend received a Distinguished Conduct Medal with 80,000 people. He remained a well-respected community leader until he died in 1982.