US Army helicopter flights at Pentagon remain suspended after close call
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Army helicopter flights around the Pentagon remain suspended after two passenger airline flights were forced to abort landings on May 1 at Reagan Washington National Airport because of a nearby Black Hawk helicopter, the acting head of the Federal Aviation Adminstraton said Wednesday.
Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau told a U.S. House hearing that the agency had barred the Army from training or priority transport flights as it revisits the agency's letter of authorization with the military. "They are not flying right now," Rocheleau said. "We've shut those down until such time as we're comfortable with kind of what we call new rules of the road."
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Veterans remain central to D-Day anniversary ceremonies
The Brief D-Day marks the day allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in Nazi-occupied France on June 6, 1944. D-Day was the largest amphibious invasion in military history. June 6 marks the anniversary of D-Day, the day allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy and changed the course of World War II. The invasion was unprecedented in scale and audacity and implemented the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to punch a hole in Adolf Hitler's defenses in Western Europe. Today, though the D-Day generation of veterans are smaller, they remain a crucial reminder of what June 6 means as they continue to spread the message that they fought so hard for 81 years ago: Freedom is worth defending. About 66,143 of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II were alive as of 2024, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Dig deeper At the Normandy American Cemetery that overlooks Omaha, the resting place for nearly 9,400 American war dead, workers and visitors rubbed sand from the beach onto the white gravestones, so the engraved names stand out. Wally King, a sprightly 101-year-old, shared a few words at the grave of Henry Shurlds Jr. Shurlds who flew P-47 Thunderbolt fighters like King and was shot down and killed on Aug. 19, 1944. What they're saying When "most veterans from World War II came home, they didn't want to talk about the war. So they didn't pass those experiences on to their children and grandchildren," King said. "In a way, that's good because there's enough unpleasantness, bloodshed, agony in war, and perhaps we don't need to emphasize it," he added. "But the sacrifice needs to be emphasized and celebrated." Jack Stowe, a 98-year-old who served in the Navy, shared that he still receives "the sweetest letters" from kids he has met on previous trips. "The French people here, they're so good to us … they want to talk to us, they want to sit down and they want their kids around us," he said. Jake Larson, 102, survived machine gunfire while storming Omaha beach on D-Day. "We are the lucky ones … They had no family. We are their family. We have the responsibility to honor these guys who gave us a chance to be alive," Larson said. What does "D" stand for in D-Day? It depends on who you ask. The backstory Some say it stands for designated day, decision day, doomsday or even death day, according to the U.S. military. Others also said it merely stands for "Day," as in Day-Day. There have been other instances in history which utilized D-Day as a coded designation for the day of any important invasion or military operation, the U.S. military said. Referencing Stephen Ambrose's book, "D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II," the U.S. Army's first use of D-Day was in 1918. "For military planners (and later historians), the days before and after a D-Day were indicated using plus and minus signs: D-4 meant four days before a D-Day, while D+7 meant seven days after a D-Day," according to the U.S. Army website. An unknown person allegedly wrote to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Allied supreme commander for Operation Overlord, and asked what the "D" meant. His executive assistant at the time, Brigadier Gen. Robert Schultz answered: "General Eisenhower asked me to respond to your letter. Be advised that any amphibious operation has a 'departed date'; therefore the shortened term 'D-Day' is used," the Army's website reads. The sea landings started at 6:30 a.m., just after dawn, targeting five code-named beaches: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword. The operation also included actions inland, including overnight parachute landings on strategic German sites and U.S. Army Rangers scaling cliffs to take out German gun positions. By the numbers Around 11,000 Allied aircraft, 7,000 ships and boats, and thousands of other vehicles were involved. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself, including 2,501 Americans. More than 5,000 were wounded. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle — and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities — killed around 20,000 French civilians. The exact German casualties aren't known, but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. About 22,000 German soldiers are among the many buried around Normandy. The Source Information for this article was taken from previous reporting by The Associated Press, FOX News and previous reporting by FOX Local. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Wagner to withdraw from Mali after 'completing mission'
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Former Manhattan US attorney Williams leaves law firm Paul Weiss
By Mike Scarcella (Reuters) -Former Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams has left Paul Weiss, the law firm he joined in January, becoming the latest partner to depart the Wall Street firm since it struck a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump in March to rescind an executive order against it. Williams is joining Chicago-based Jenner & Block, the firm said on Friday. Jenner sued the Trump administration to block a similar Trump order and won a ruling last month permanently blocking it. Jenner's announcement did not mention its fight against the Trump administration or the Paul Weiss deal. Paul Weiss did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Williams was not immediately available for comment. In a statement, he said Jenner 'fearlessly advocates for its clients and provides outstanding strategic counsel through their most difficult challenges.' Jenner said Williams, an appointee of former Democratic President Joe Biden who led the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of New York from 2021 to 2024, will co-chair the firm's litigation department and investigations practice. Jenner was one of four law firms that sued the White House challenging an executive order that sought to strip government contracts from the firms' clients and to bar attorneys at the firms from entering federal buildings. Paul Weiss instead agreed in March to devote $40 million in free legal services to causes approved by the administration in order to escape the order against it. The firm's chairman Brad Karp has defended the agreement, saying it was necessary to protect the firm and did not compromise its principles. Eight other prominent firms later reached similar deals with the White House. Five partners, including Karen Dunn, left Paul Weiss last month to form a new firm. They did not cite the agreement with Trump in their announcement. Sign in to access your portfolio
