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BrookeEAllen

#imnohero: Brooke E. Allen, Major General O-8, U.S. Air Force

BrookeEAllen

Brooke Allen was born on September 1, 1910, in Columbus County, North Carolina. He was commissioned a 2d Lt of Infantry through the Army ROTC program at Davidson College, North Carolina, on June 1, 1933, and joined the Flying Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps on June 20, 1933. Lt Allen was awarded his pilot wings at Kelly Field, Texas, in July 1934, and then served with the 9th Bomb Group at Mitchel Field, New York, from July 1934 to September 1939. His next assignment was as an intelligence officer with the 18th Bomb Wing at Hickam Field, Hawaii, from September 1939 to December 1940, followed by service as a squadron commander with the 5th Bomb Group at Hickam Field from January 1941 to January 1942. Col Allen served on the staff of 7th Air Force in Hawaii from January to March 1942, and then served as commander of the 42nd Bomb Squadron of the 11th Bomb Group in Hawaii from March to July 1942. During this time, Col Allen led his squadron of B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in four attacks against the Japanese Task Force during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. He again served on the staff of 7th Air Force from July to September 1942, and then took command of the 5th Bomb Group and led them in combat at Guadalcanal from October 1942 to August 1943. Col Allen returned to the U.S. in August 1943 and served on the staff of Headquarters 2nd Air Force at Colorado Springs, Colorado, until July 1945. He attended Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, from August 1945 to March 1946, and then served as deputy commander of the North Atlantic Wing for Air Training Command at Westover Field, Massachusetts, from April to June 1946. His next assignment was as Chief of Staff to the U.S. Air Force Representative to the United Nations Military Staff Committee in New York City from July 1946 to May 1948, followed by service with Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Pentagon from May 1948 to February 1951. Gen Allen was commander of the Air Pictorial Service in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from February 1951 to August 1952, and then was chief of staff for the Military Air Transport Service at Andrews AFB, Maryland, from September 1952 to June 1954. Gen Allen served another tour at the Pentagon from July 1954 to March 1955, followed by service as commander of the Continental Division of the Military Air Transport Service at Kelly AFB, Texas, from April 1955 to July 1957. He was commander of the 6th Allied Tactical Air Force at Izmir, Turkey, from July 1957 to June 1959, and then served as commander of Headquarters Command at Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C., from August 1959 until his retirement from the Air Force on January 1, 1966. Brooke Allen died on May 30, 1992, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

His Distinguished Service Cross Citation reads:

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Brooke Empie Allen, Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-17 Heavy Bomber and Commander of the 42d Bombardment Squadron, 11th Bombardment Group (H), HAWAIIAN Air Force, in aerial action against enemy Japanese Naval surface forces during the period 4 to 6 June 1942, at Midway. Lieutenant Colonel Allen led his squadron of B-17s in four attacks against the Japanese Task Force during the first two crucial days of the Battle of Midway. The gallant leadership, personal courage and devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Colonel Allen on this occasion have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Hawaiian Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

BrookeEAllenRibbons

RichardKAllee

#imnohero: Richard K. Allee, Colonel O-6, U.S. Air Force

RichardKAllee

Richard Allee was born on December 14, 1935, in Port Jervis, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on July 18, 1955, and was trained as an aircraft mechanic. Allee entered the Aviation Cadet Program on February 12, 1957, and was commissioned a 2Lt and awarded his pilot wings on June 12, 1958. Lt Allee next went through B-47 Stratojet combat crew training, and then was assigned to Whiteman AFB, Missouri, as a B-47 pilot. In August 1963, Capt Allee was transferred to Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, where he flew B-47s with the 352nd Bomb Squadron. He next transitioned into flying C-47 transports with the 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB, Panama, from July 1964 to March 1968. Allee then became an F-105 Thunderchief pilot and was assigned to the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand. He flew combat missions in Southeast Asia from April 1968 until his aircraft was shot down on December 21, 1968. Major Allee was listed as Missing in Action until August 17, 1979, when his status was changed to Killed in Action. During this time, he was promoted to Colonel. His remains were returned to the United States on December 23, 1996.

His Air Force Cross Citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, awards the Air Force Cross to Major Richard K. Allee for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as an F-105 Thunderchief pilot over Southeast Asia on 21 December 1968. On that date, Major Allee was attacking an extremely important supply and storage area containing a large concentration of unfriendly forces and located in one of the most heavily defended areas in Southeast Asia. During the initial phase of his dive bombing attack, Major Allee’s aircraft sustained critical damage from lethal antiaircraft artillery fire defending this important target. Although his aircraft was burning, he demonstrated professional dedication and exceptional valor by continuing his attack and delivering his ordnance directly on target. Knowing that his mission was now accomplished, Major Allee attempted recover from his dive bombing attack but the severity of the damage sustained by his aircraft made recovery unsuccessful and his aircraft was observed impacting in the immediate target area. Through his superb airmanship, aggressiveness, and extraordinary heroism, Major Allee reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

RichardKAlleeRibbons

JohnRAlison

#imnohero: John R. Alison, Major General O-8, U.S. Air Force

JohnRAlison

John Alison was born on November 21, 1912, in Micanopy, Florida. He was commissioned a 2d Lt in the U.S. Army Reserve through the Army ROTC program at the University of Florida on June 10, 1935, and he entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps on June 30, 1936. Lt Alison was awarded his pilot wings at Randolph Field, Texas, on June 9, 1937, and then served with the 33rd Pursuit Squadron of the 8th Pursuit Group at Langley Field, Virginia, from July 1937 to May 1941. He next served with the 57th Pursuit Group at various bases in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, from May to October 1941, followed by service as a Military Attache and observer in England and Russia. He served with the 16th Fighter Squadron of the 51st Fighter Group in India, and then with the 75th Fighter Squadron of the 23rd Fighter Group in China, from July 1942 to May 1943. During this time, Col Alison served as the commander of the 75th Fighter Squadron from December 1942 to May 1943, and was credited with the destruction of 6 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 1 probable and 1 damaged. He returned to the U.S. and was assigned as commander of the 1st Air Commando Group at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, in October 1943, and then deployed to the China-Burma-India Theater in January 1944. Col Alison commanded the group until the end of the war, and then resigned his commission on August 11, 1946. He joined the Air Force Reserve on June 5, 1947, and retired as a Major General in the reserves on November 20, 1972. After World War II, Alison served as an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, President of the Air Force Association, and as Vice President of the Northrop Corporation, retiring in 1984. He was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2005. John Alison died on June 6, 2011, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

His Distinguished Service Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-40 Fighter Airplane in the 16th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, TENTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 30 July 1942, over Hengyang, China. On that date, Major Alison took off in a P-40 fighting plane at 1:00 a.m. to intercept an enemy formation of three heavy bombers flying at 15,000 feet over Hengyang. Without hesitation, he closed for attack upon this superior force, and although receiving fire from the hostile wing ships in engine and cockpit, he delivered fire in succession to each of the three bombers, two of which burst into flames and crashed. The other turned from the attack with smoke pouring from both engines and probably did not reach its home base. With his damaged plane failing and pursuit impossible, Major Alison would have been justified under the circumstances, in leaving his ship by parachute, but he chose to attempt a night crash landing in order to save his vitally needed equipment. Being unable to reach the field, he landed in a nearby river, from which his plane was salvaged. In attacking this superior force at night, destroying two bombers and possibly the entire hostile formation after his ship had been damaged by enemy cross fire, and then attempting to save his stricken plane, Major Alison displayed extraordinary heroism and outstanding skill. His unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 10th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

JohnRAlisonRibbons

DonaldNAldrich

#imnohero: Donald N. Aldrich, Captain O-3, U.S. Marine Corps

DonaldNAldrich

Don Aldrich was born on October 24, 1917, in Moline, Illinois. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in February 1941, receiving his pilot wings in November 1941. Aldrich served as an instructor pilot in Canada before receiving a commission as a 2d Lt in the U.S. Marine Corps on May 14, 1942. Capt Aldrich flew three tours with VMF-215 in the Solomons, and was credited with the destruction of 20 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 6 probables between August 1943 and February 1944, all while flying the F4U-1 Corsair. He remained in the Marines after the war and was killed while landing his Corsair at Ashburn Airport in Chicago on May 3, 1947.

His Navy Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary heroism as Division Leader of Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED FIFTEEN in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago Areas, from 5 January to 15 February 1944. Intercepted by vastly superior numbers of enemy aircraft while flying escort for our bombers during strikes over the strongly defended Vunakanau and Lakunai Airfields on 20 and 26 January, Captain Aldrich fought gallantly against tremendous odds, immediately plunging to the attack and destroying four of the hostile planes. Returning from an escort mission deep in enemy territory, he and his wingman observed five Zeros attacking one of the pilots of his formation parachuting from a damaged plane and, hurling themselves at the enemy with a fury that balanced unequal odds, drove the Zeroes away, enabling the pilot to make a safe landing. Disregarding severe personal wounds and damaged inflicted on his plane during an escort mission over Tobera Airfield on 28 January, he continued the fierce engagement despite overwhelming aerial opposition and shot four hostile craft from the sky. Destroying a total of fifteen Japanese aircraft during this period of intense aerial operations, he contributed essentially to the protection afforded our bombers and his bold tactics and brilliant combat record reflect the highest credit upon Captain Aldrich and the United States Naval Service.

DonaldNAldrichRibbons

VictorRAdams

#imnohero: Victor R. Adams, Master Sergeant E-7, U.S. Air Force

VictorRAdams

Victor Adams was born on January 6, 1938, in Smithfield, West Virginia. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on May 27, 1955, and after completing basic training, he completed Helicopter Mechanic School at Gary AFB, Texas, in March 1956. His first assignment was as an H-19 Chickasaw helicopter mechanic with the 55th Air Rescue Squadron at Thule AB, Greenland, from March 1956 to April 1957, and then with Headquarters Mobile Air Material Area at Brookley AFB, Alabama, from April 1957 to January 1961. Sgt Adams’ next assignment was as a helicopter mechanic with the 818th Aircraft Support Squadron and 307th Organizational Maintenance Squadron at Lincoln AFB, Nebraska, from January 1961 to February 1963, followed by service as an H-21 Work Horse helicopter flight mechanic with the 5041st and then the 21st Organizational Maintenance Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, from February 1963 to February 1967. His next assignment was as a flight engineer with the 3630th and 3750th Consolidated Maintenance Squadron at Sheppard AFB, Texas, from February 1967 to April 1968, when he deployed to Southeast Asia. Sgt Adams served as a UH-1 Iroquios aerial gunner and flight engineer with the 20th Special Operations Squadron at Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam, from April 1968 to April 1969, and then served with the 1042nd Test Squadron at Dover AFB, Delaware, from April 1969 to February 1970. His final assignment was as a crew chief and flight mechanic with the 1st Helicopter Squadron at Andrews AFB, Maryland, from February 1970 until his retirement from the Air Force on June 1, 1975. Victor Adams died on June 1, 1981, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

His Air Force Cross Citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, awards the Air Force Cross to Technical Sergeant Victor R. Adams for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a UH-1F Helicopter Aerial Gunner near Duc Co, Republic of Vietnam, on 27 November 1968. On that date, Sergeant Adams’ aircraft was shot down by hostile ground fire and crashed in dense jungle. Disregarding his own injuries and the imminence of hostile activity, he assisted the copilot from the burning helicopter and returned to rescue the trapped personnel. He succeeded in pulling another man from the wreckage, before the severity of the fire and subsequent explosions forced him to abandon further rescue efforts. Through his superb airmanship, aggressiveness, and extraordinary heroism, Sergeant Adams reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

VictorRAdamsRibbons

MannertLAbele

#imnohero: Mannert L. Abele, Lieutenant Commander O-4, U.S. Navy

MannertLAbele

Jim Abele was born on July 11, 1903, in Quincy, Massachusetts. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on August 12, 1920, and after completing training at Newport, Rhode Island, he was assigned to the battleship USS Utah (BB-31) until December 1921. Abele entered the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1922, and graduated with a commission as an Ensign on June 3, 1926. His first assignment after graduation was as a gunnery officer aboard the battleship USS Colorado (BB-45) from June 1926 to January 1927, followed by service with the Marine Division in Nicaragua from January 1927 to December 1928. LT Abele next completed submarine training at the Submarine School at New London, Connecticut, in December 1929. His first submarine assignment was aboard the USS S-23 (SS-128) from December 1929 to April 1933, followed by service in the Office of the Bureau of Navigation in Washington, D.C., from April 1933 to June 1936. His next assignment was aboard the USS R-11 (SS-88) from June 1936 to January 1937, before taking command of the USS R-13 (SS-90) in February 1937. LCDR Abele then served as Commanding Officer of the submarine USS S-31 (SS-136), followed by service as Commanding Officer of the submarine USS Grunion (SS-216) from her commissioning on April 11, 1942, until he was killed in action during a confrontation with the armed Japanese freighter Kano Maru on July 30, 1942. On August 22, 2007, a search team organized by the three sons of CDR Abele used a remotely operated vehicle to find a sunken vessel 3,000 feet down in the Bering Sea north of Kiska Island at the tip of the Aleutian Islands. On October 1, 2008, the U.S. Navy announced that the sunken vessel is the World War II submarine USS Grunion (SS-216).

His Navy Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. GRUNION (SS-216), during its FIRST War Patrol, in Alaskan Waters. Lieutenant Commander Abele conducted an aggressive and successful submarine war patrol from 30 June 1942 to 24 July 1942. He pressed home all attacks in such a skillful and resolute manner that he attacked and sank in one day, three enemy destroyers of the Towlekju Class. Despite severe anti-submarine measures, Lieutenant Commander Abele brought his ship safely through these counter attacks but was subsequently lost from an unknown cause. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

MannertLAbeleRibbons

Nathan Fair’s Video for Fallen Solider Hits 1 Million Views

Nate Fairfair1

FTE Brand would like to congratulate solider, songwriter, and our friend, Nathan Fair for his video Fallen Soldier passing one million views. Nathan is currently deployed right now, but we look forward to new videos from this hero in the near future. Stay safe brother and keep your Front Toward Enemy. #imnohero #fallensoldier #nathanfair #freedomnation #whatsyourenemy

Check out Fallen Solider here and join #FREEDOMNATION:

5 Nov 2009 – A shooting at Fort Hood kills and wounds dozens

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On 5 November 2009, 13 people are killed and more than 30 others are wounded, nearly all of them unarmed soldiers, when a U.S. Army officer goes on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood in central Texas. The deadly assault, carried out by Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, was the worst mass murder at a U.S. military installation.

Early in the afternoon of November 5, 39-year-old Hasan, armed with a semi-automatic pistol, shouted “Allahu Akbar” (Arabic for “God is great”) and then opened fire at a crowd inside a Fort Hood processing center where soldiers who were about to be deployed overseas or were returning from deployment received medical screenings. The massacre, which left 12 service members and one Department of Defense employee dead, lasted approximately 10 minutes before Hasan was shot by civilian police and taken into custody.

The Virginia-born Hasan, the son of Palestinian immigrants who ran a Roanoke restaurant and convenience store, graduated from Virginia Tech University and completed his psychiatry training at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2003. He went on to work at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., treating soldiers returning from war with post-traumatic stress disorder. In May 2009, he was promoted to the rank of major in the Army, and that July, was transferred to Fort Hood. Located near the city of Killeen, Fort Hood, which includes 340 square miles of facilities and homes, is the largest active-duty U.S. military post. At the time of the shootings, more than 50,000 military personnel lived and worked there, along with thousands more family members and civilian personnel.

In the aftermath of the massacre, reviews by the Pentagon and a U.S. Senate panel found Hasan’s superiors had continued to promote him despite the fact that concerns had been raised over his behavior, which suggested he had become a radical and potentially violent Islamic extremist. Among other things, Hasan stated publicly that America’s war on terrorism was really a war against Islam.

In 2013, Hasan, who was left paralyzed from the waist down as a result of shots fired at him by police attempting to stop his rampage, was tried in military court, where he acted as his own attorney. During his opening statement, he admitted he was the shooter. (Hasan had previously told a judge that in an effort to protect Muslims and Taliban leaders in Afghanistan, he had gunned down the soldiers at Fort Hood who were being deployed to that nation.) For the rest of the trial, Hasan called no witnesses, presented scant evidence and made no closing argument. On August 23, 2013, a jury found Hasan guilty of 45 counts of premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder, and he later was sentenced to death for his crimes.

#imnohero: 220 Marines, 18 sailors, and 3 soldiers killed on Oct 23, 1983

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The Beirut Barracks Bombings (October 23, 1983) occurred when two truck bombs struck buildings housing U.S. and French military forces in Lebanon—killing 299 American and French servicemen. An obscure group calling itself ‘Islamic Jihad’ claimed responsibility for the bombings.

Suicide bombers detonated each of the truck bombs. In the attack on the building serving as a barracks for the 1st Battalion 8th Marines, the death toll was 241 American servicemen: 220 Marines, 18 sailors, and three soldiers, making this incident the deadliest single-day death toll for the United States Marine Corps since World War II’s Battle of Iwo Jima, the deadliest single-day death toll for the United States military since the first day of the Vietnam War’s Tet Offensive, and the deadliest single attack on Americans overseas since World War II. Another 128 Americans were wounded in the blast. Thirteen later died of their injuries, and they are numbered among the total number who died.

In the attack on the French barracks, the nine-story ‘Drakkar’ building, 55 paratroopers from the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment and 3 paratroopers of the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment were killed and 15 injured by a second truck bomb. This attack occurred just minutes after the attack on the American Marines.

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