F-18 falls overboard from U.S. aircraft carrier in Red Sea
WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy sailor suffered minor injuries when an F-18 fighter jet and its tow tractor fell overboard from an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, the U.S. military said on Monday.
In a statement, the Navy said that all personnel were accounted for. The carrier, the Harry Truman, is aiding strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen.
The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
13 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Remembering D-Day: Veteran, 100, offers first-hand account of D-Day
Tolley Fletcher, at the time a 19-year-old Navy gunner's mate, remembered the rough seas and the treacherous landing troops at Utah Beach had to make in 3- to 4-foot waves, each carrying about 60 pounds of gear on their backs and descending on rope ladders from larger ships onto smaller landing crafts. "I felt for those soldiers," Fletcher, now 100 years old, told USA TODAY. "In my mind, that was the worst part, other than people getting hurt." Fletcher, who joined the Navy at 17 in late December 1941, said he and his shipmates were fortunate to be mostly out of the line of fire. "There was some shelling, not really a lot, and luckily we didn't get hit. "Maybe halfway in, we started seeing lots of bodies in the water," said Fletcher, who now lives in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, area. "I was asked (later) what we did about it. We didn't do anything about it - we had a job: to escort those troops to the beach." On D-Day, "that's what these guys faced," said Peter Donovan Crean Sr., vice president for education and access at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. "They knew they were in the presence of history. Soldiers, sailors, Marines - they knew what they were doing was going to go down in history, which also meant they knew the danger involved. "Guys who were 18, 19, 20 years old were faced with the possibility of their death, but they did it anyway." As we mark the 81st anniversary of D-Day, here is a look at what happened on the beaches of Normandy, the men who fought knowing they might not survive to see victory and the way it affected the Allies' fight to defeat fascism, genocide and tyranny. What happened on D-Day? In order to defeat the Nazis in Europe, the Allies knew they'd have to take France, under German occupation since 1940. Operation Overlord saw a mobilization of 2,876,000 Allied troops in Southern England, as well as hundreds of ships and airplanes, in preparation for a ground invasion, the largest the world had seen. Weighing conditions including the weather, disagreements among other military leaders and strategic uncertainty, Eisenhower gave the go-ahead for the operation to begin before dawn on June 5, 1944. If things didn't go well for the Allies, Eisenhower wrote a note accepting responsibility. The following day, nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed along the 50-mile stretch of French shoreline. More than 9,000 Allied troops were killed or wounded, and 100,000 troops would continue the slow, bloody journey to Berlin, the center of German power. Why was it called D-Day? According to the U.S. Army, D-Day was "simply an alliteration, as in H-Hour." Some believe the first "D" also stands for "day," a code designation, while the French say the "D" stands for "disembarkation." The Army's website says that "the more poetic insist D-Day is short for 'day of decision.'" Asked in 1964, Eisenhower instructed his assistant Brig. Gen. Robert Schultz, to answer. Schultz wrote that "any amphibious operation has a 'departed date'; therefore the shortened term 'D-Day' is used." What happened after D-Day? D-Day was not the only decisive battle of the European theater, Crean said. "It was a crucial battle but there were more ahead," he said. "They had 700 miles of tough road ahead to get to Berlin." The Battle of the Bulge, waged over 41 days in December 1944 and January 1945, required 700,000 Allied troops. "It was a tough slog for another 11 months," Crean said. Victory in Europe - V-E Day - would come on May 8, 1945, nearly a year after D-Day. The war wouldn't end until the Japanese surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945. How many World War II veterans remain in the U.S.? There are about 66,000 surviving World War II veterans in the United States, Crean said, and while that may sound like a lot, it's a tiny fraction of the 16.4 million who served their country in the conflict. "So to be able to talk to and thank one veteran now is a gift for any of us," Crean said. The National World War II Museum's mission "is more critical than ever ... so more people will understand what they did and continue to be inspired by their sacrifices," added Crean, a retired colonel with 30 years' service in the Army. The museum has had oral historians travel the country to record more than 12,000 personal stories from World War II veterans. They've conducted extensive interviews with veterans, Holocaust survivors and homefront workers and, using artificial intelligence, created a way for visitors to have "conversations" with them and ask questions to learn about the war effort. And they offer virtual programming, teacher training and a student leadership award. Fletcher, the Navy gunner's mate, said he's uncomfortable with the idea of being considered a hero. Asked about his role in history, he said, "I really didn't think about it then, and I don't think about it now, though it's been impressed upon me quite a bit. "When I think about what I went through, and what all the Army and the other men who were mixed up in really tough situations, it makes me feel a little bit guilty."
Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
US Air Force statement deepens mystery of ground-shaking explosion
US Air Force statement deepens mystery of ground-shaking explosion A ground-rattling 'boom' was heard in the sky above Gwynedd and Anglesey on Tuesday afternoon, with the leading theory being that it was caused by a sonic boom" Two US Air Force F-15E aircraft were in the vicinity at the time the 'explosion-like' noise was heard (Image: PA ) The enigma surrounding a massive "explosion" that caused windows to rattle and the ground to shake in parts of Wales on Tuesday afternoon has intensified. Residents in Gwynedd and Anglesey were left baffled by what has been described as a thunderous "boom" that echoed through the skies. With no earthquakes reported by the British Geological Survey, which monitors the UK, and no explosion-related call-outs for the fire service, the mystery had deepened further after a US Air Force statement was issued. Online speculation suggested a "sonic boom" might be responsible, an occurrence that results from an aircraft exceeding supersonic speeds and breaking the sound barrier. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Despite the RAF denying any flights in the vicinity at the time, the US Air Force's admission that they were investigating the incident lent credence to the sonic boom theory. A representative acknowledged on Wednesday morning that there was a possible "sonic boom" over North Wales under review, reports North Wales Live. Article continues below Yet, the plot thickens as the US Air Force later clarified their position with a new statement. A spokesperson informed North Wales Live: "The 48th Fighter Wing had two F-15E aircraft in the area of North Wales at the time in question, but neither aircraft had a supersonic event." Local Gwynedd councillor Arwyn Roberts, who was in Caernarfon when the noise occurred, described it as "one hell of a bang" noting the ground-shaking impact and the buzz it created among residents. He remarked: "You could feel the ground shaking. It has got everyone talking. People are talking about it everywhere." Cllr Roberts reported that individuals from as distant as Benllech on Anglesey and Porthmadog had heard it. Article continues below
North Wales Live
a day ago
- North Wales Live
'Explosion' mystery deepens as US Air Force issues 'sonic boom' update
The mystery behind what caused a huge "explosion" which rattled windows and shook the ground has deepened. A ground-rattling "boom" was heard in the sky above Gwynedd and Anglesey on Tuesday afternoon. People ducked for cover thinking there had been a "gas explosion" or "plane crash" after the blast was heard. It sparked widespread debate as to what caused the sound. You can read more about that here. After the British Geological Survey confirmed no earthquakes had taken place, and the fire service said they were not called to any explosions, the leading theory online was that the incident had been caused by a "sonic boom". Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone This would have happened if an aircraft reached supersonic speed, breaking the sound barrier. While the RAF said they had no flights in the area at the time, the theory was strengthened when the US Air Force said they were looking into the reports. A spokesperson said they had been made aware on Wednesday morning of a potential "sonic boom" over North Wales, and were analysing the report. However, the mystery has now deepened after the US Air Force issued a fresh statement. A spokesperson told North Wales Live: "The 48th Fighter Wing had two F-15E aircraft in the area of North Wales at the time in question, but neither aircraft had a supersonic event." Gwynedd county councillor Arwyn Roberts was in Caernarfon at the time and described it as "one hell of a bang". He said: "You could feel the ground shaking. It has got everyone talking. People are talking about it everywhere."
