June 26, 2013. 12:56 pm • Section: Defence Watch

RECENT POSTS FROM THIS AUTHOR

Norway Receives Truck Mounted Air Defence Missile System From RaytheonPosted on Jun 26, 2013
U.S. Navy Deploys Mine-Hunting Underwater DronePosted on Jun 26, 2013
Admission To Canadian War Museum Free On July 1Posted on Jun 26, 2013
Story and Photos: Canadian Troops Train With U.S. Abrams TanksPosted on Jun 25, 2013

From the U.S. Navy:

The U.S. Navy has deployed the MK18 Mod 2 Kingfish underwater unmanned vehicle for operations in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility, following more than 30 sorties over 15 days of mock deployment testing in the Gulf of Mexico, the Navy announced June 20.

Kingfish is an autonomous underwater unmanned vehicle (UUV) used by the U.S. Navy for mine detection missions with an improved endurance and area coverage rate that replaces the in-theater Swordfish system.

These UUVs are pre-programmed and designed to scan waters for targets or threats while offering sailors faster post-mission analysis using the Navy’s Mine Warfare and Environmental Decision Library (MEDAL) and Command Operations Interference Navy (COIN) systems.

Test lead Amanda Mackintosh said the mock deployment began May 6 and was conducted in areas over 20 nautical miles from the Panama City Beach shoreline, launching UUVs from an 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat which is how the system will be used in theater.

“Missions went very smoothly. The mock deployment was conducted in realistic environments and where there was greater risk reduction for deployment,” she said. “We didn’t experience any vehicle failures and we ran three and sometimes four vehicles for eight hours per day for the 15 days.”

NSWC Panama City’s geographic location offers scientists and fleet users distinct training, testing and evaluation opportunities as the gulf waters replicate Persian Gulf temperatures, salinity, depth and clarity as they pertain to sonar performance and thereby offer intended, real-world environment results.

NSWC PCD, a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command, employs more than 1,300 people and provides innovative, technical solutions to complex problems specifically in the areas of littoral and expeditionary warfare.

Thanks for reading this post – A Facebook alternative – Click here to Join and Follow us on Johns Naval, Marine and Service News in Google Communities -You will need a Google Account or Sign up for one on the page – Click Now

via Blogger http://www.h16613.com/2013/06/us-navy-deploys-mine-hunting-underwater.html

War veteran’s 70-year wait for medal honour…

View or comment on John's Naval and other Marine and Service News’s post »

Google+ makes sharing on the web more like sharing in real life. Learn more.

Join Google+

You received this message because John's Naval and other Marine and Service News shared it with njohncurrin.rnzn@blogger.com. Unsubscribe from these emails.
You can’t reply to this email. View the post to add a comment.
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043 USA

via Blogger http://www.h16613.com/2013/06/war-veterans-70-year-wait-for-medal_27.html

War veteran’s 70-year wait for medal honour

Another post on John’s Naval, Marine and other Service news

.June 25, 2013 6:59 pm

War veteran’s 70-year wait for medal honour

A Second World War veteran will finally be honoured after 70 years with an Arctic Star Medal for his efforts helping transport supplies to Russia.

Second World War veteran Edward Billingham, aged 87, from Brewood, who will finally be awarded the Arctic Star Medal

Edward Billingham, from Brewood, was an air mechanic in the Royal Navy on board HMS Tracker and HMS Trumpeter between 1943 and 1945.

His job was to maintain the aircraft on the ships that protected the convoy of supplies between Loch Ewe in Scotland and Russia.

But despite his role in these heroic efforts, many of which were carried out while a teenager, this is the first time his contribution has been recognised by the British Government.

It was not until December last year that the Government finally announced that those who had taken part in the Arctic campaigns during the war would be honoured for their role, and the first medals were presented in March this year.

This was despite Mr Billingham and his fellow servicemen involved in the operation having received four medals of recognition from Russia in that time.

However on Friday, the 87-year-old will be given the medal at the Sutton Coldfield home one of his comrades Arthur Howes by Conservative MP for the town Andrew Mitchell.

Mr Billingham said: “It is nice to be finally honoured by the British Government. It is 70 years in waiting and while I immensely proud I am also insulted it has taken this long.

“We have campaigned in the past and we have had the door slammed in our face.

“While this has gone on we’ve be presented with four medals by Russia. It’s an embarrassment to the British Government that it has taken 70 years to recognise good men – I feel more respected by the Russians.” The decision to reward those who had served in the Arctic Convoys during the war followed Sir John Holmes’s review into the rules and principles governing the award of military campaign medals, which was welcomed by the Prime Minister.

More than 3,000 British naval and merchant seaman died between 1941 and 1945 on the convoys, risking their lives braving sub-zero temperatures, ferocious seas and a gauntlet of German warplanes and U-boats.

The first of the new medals were presented by Prime Minister David Cameron during a ceremony at Downing Street in May. Mr Mitchell, MP for Sutton Coldfield, welcomed the Government’s decision to reward those that served on the Arctic Convoys. He said: “This will truly recognise the bravery displayed and the contribution that British veterans of the Arctic Convoys made in protecting Britain.

Mr Billingham was an air mechanic on board the HMS Tracker

“I have long been making representations on behalf of an elderly constituent and I am, therefore, delighted that in the next few weeks he will receive the Bomber Command clasp and Arctic Star that he has so long deserved.”

The Arctic Star is a medal awarded for any length of service by a member of the British Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy who served above the Arctic Circle during the Second World War.

The bronze medal is 40 mm high and 40 mm wide. The obverse has a centraldesign

of the Royal Cypher of King George VI, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The Arctic Star’. The ribbon has colours representing the three Armed Services, red for the Merchant Navy, and a central white stripe, edged in black, representing the Arctic.

Comments for: “War veteran’s 70-year wait for medal honour”

PAUL MULLERY

June 26, 2013 9:34 am

An absolute disgrace how certain sections of the British armed forces were treated following the end of the war. The Artic convoy personnel were ignored and, as for Bomber Command, its treatment was abysmal. Bomber Command was positively discriminated against. Despite losing over 55,000 personnel it was treated like it was an embarrassment. Air Marshall Harris received no commendation and left for South Africa in disgust and who could blame him?

Congratulations to Mr Billingham on his well- deserved, albeit belated recognition which has finally been wrung out of mean-spirited governments of all parties. My wife’s uncle is still waiting for his Artic medal. Thank you for what you did for us, Mr Billingham, without your generation’s sacrifice we would either not be here or be speaking German. Some of us don’t forget.

Report abuse

via Blogger http://www.h16613.com/2013/06/war-veterans-70-year-wait-for-medal.html