#honoringvets

#Repost @deptvetaffairs ••••••• Charles Francis Bolden Jr. was born in Columbia, South Carolina, in August 1946. His parents, both teachers, impressed upon him the importance of receiving an education. After finishing high school, Bolden enrolled at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He graduated in 1968, earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical science, and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. After completing flight training, Bolden became a naval aviator and served in Thailand during the Vietnam War. From 1972 to 1973, he piloted an A-6A Intruder and flew more than 100 combat missions in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. After returning to the U.S., Bolden attended the University of Southern California, receiving his master’s degree in systems management in 1977. He went to the Naval Pilot Test School in Maryland in 1978 and completed his training in 1979. NASA selected him for the astronaut corps in 1980. As an astronaut, Bolden worked in a variety of roles, including safety officer, technical assistant to the director of flight crew operations and special assistant to the director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, Bolden served as chief of Johnson’s Safety Division, in charge of efforts to ensure the safety of the space shuttle fleet. Bolden himself flew aboard the space shuttle four times, piloting Columbia in 1986 and Discovery in 1990—the mission that deployed the Hubble Space Telescope—before commanding Atlantis in 1992 and Discovery in 1994. He also served as assistant deputy administrator of NASA. After his last shuttle flight, Bolden left NASA and returned to active duty in the Marine Corps. He served as deputy commandant of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy and as commanding general of the Marine expeditionary force during Operation Desert Thunder in Kuwait. Bolden retired from the Marine Corps in 2003 with the rank of major general. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Bolden as administrator of NASA, making him the first African American—and the second astronaut—to hold that post. Thank you for your service! #HonoringVets #Veterans https://www.instagram.com/p/CaiE0Tjvmud/?utm_medium=tumblr

Today we honor all those who have served in the military. We are forever grateful for their service!

I'm sayin' what I'm sayin', and I stand by it to the death.

#Repost @deptvetaffairs • • • • • • #HonoringVets: Minnie Spotted-Wolf. In July 1943, Minnie Spotted-Wolf became the first Native American woman to enlisted in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve. We honor her service. #HonoringVets #NNAHM2022 https://www.instagram.com/p/Cko-uSWJXBJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#Repost @deptvetaffairs • • • • • • October 27, 1962-60 years-ago, Major Rudolph Anderson, Jr. was killed while flying over Cuba, becoming the only casualty from enemy fire, during the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Anderson's actions defended the United States, and his death is thought to have helped prevent the planet from being drawn into World War III. Since October 14, U.S. reconnaissance flights had discovered and confirmed construction of bases for nuclear missiles that could strike much of the United States. Anderson had volunteered for this, his 6th, and the most dangerous mission during the crisis, as Soviet missile defenses were now operational. U.S. nuclear forces around the world stood on alert at DEFCON 2, 1 step short of nuclear war, and American leadership required real-time intelligence, necessitating this mission. Anderson's U-2 was shot down at the very height of the crisis, ordered by a field commander, but news of Andersons death made leadership in Washington and Moscow step back in realization that events were getting beyond their control. Secret negotiations which ended the crisis, began shortly after Anderson's death. Anderson died at age 35 and is buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park, Greenville, South Carolina. He left behind a wife and unborn daughter, and two sons. USAF Photo: Maj. Rudolf Anderson Jr. (1927-1962) was shot down and killed over Cuba during the October 1962 crisis. He was flying a U-2 from McCoy AFB, Fla., and was brought down by a Soviet SA-2 missile. Anderson was posthumously awarded the first Air Force Cross, which had been created in 1960. Anderson and other Strategic Air Command and Tactical Air Command pilots provided pictures that gave U.S. leaders crucial information and proved to the world that offensive nuclear missiles were being placed in Cuba. TopR: U-2 similar to Anderson's aircraft. USAF Map: A Department of Defense map was used for Oct 22 televised briefing to the public on the Cuban Missile Crisis. The map shows the range of medium-range (1,100 nautical miles) and intermediate-range (2,200 nautical miles) nuclear missiles based in Cuba. DOD #Veterans #HonoringVets #USAIRFORCE https://www.instagram.com/p/CkPbWvuLOVQ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=