Latest news with #1stCavalryDivision
Chicago Tribune
27-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Family of Korean War MIA from Aurora gather for road dedication and to fill in missing pieces of longtime mystery
The family of Army Sgt. First Class Ogden Neil Thompson descended on Aurora this weekend from across the country – South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Washington – to pay tribute to this local hero, but also to tackle a mystery. On Saturday morning, a portion of Route 25 from Sullivan Road to Ashland Avenue was dedicated in honor of Thompson, the second of four such events to keep alive the memories of those from the Fox Valley who paid the ultimate sacrifice for this country. Thompson served in the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, and was stationed near Unsan, North Korea, when, on Nov. 1, 1950, during a surprise Chinese offensive, his unit was overrun in one of the most intense battles of the Korean War. Thompson's body was never recovered and he was officially declared presumed dead on Dec. 31, 1953, making him one of 394 Illinois service members still missing from this war. According to state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, who sponsored legislation for these road signs, the 20-year-old Aurora soldier 'went missing during the ensuing chaos and was never recovered, with eyewitness accounts suggesting he was killed while attempting to evade enemy forces.' The fact there is not even a grave to visit had to make his death even tougher for Thompson's hard-working parents, Freeda and Homer, who worked at Burgess-Norton in Geneva, as well as their eight surviving children. Because Thompson died so young, many of those descendants, including Ogden's nieces and nephews who were born long after their uncle was killed, knew little about him. 'Our mother didn't say a whole lot … just that he was killed in the Korean War,' said Tammy Kitchen, who drove to Aurora from South Carolina with her cousin Sherry Waddell for the Saturday ceremony. 'It's the way it was back then. They didn't talk about the hard stuff. They just soldiered on.' Most everyone in the family, however, knew one compelling fact which has led to a 'mystery' they hope to one day solve. While he was serving overseas, Ogden Thompson fell in love with a Japanese woman he nicknamed Tiny and the couple, who married in a civil ceremony there, had a baby boy named Michael. From the accounts of Ogden's mother, and then a treasure trove of loving letters that were found after her death in 1999, the family knew that the written permission she and her husband had to give to their underage son so he could bring Tiny to this country and marry her here were returned unopened. Eleven days earlier, he was reported missing. 'That's the real mystery,' said Kathy Asbill, who made the trip from Virginia with her father Irvin Thompson, Ogden's last surviving brother. Despite plenty of attempts to locate the fallen soldier's family in Japan – letters to politicians and other officials, contact with embassies, documentation searches and Korean War internet postings – all efforts came up short. But Thompson's family is hoping this weekend's activities, which have brought close to a couple dozen together with North Aurora nephew Bill Perrin hosting, will provide the incentive to keep searching. 'The story is to be continued,' insisted Kitchen. Certainly sifting through a table filled with photos, letters and other memorabilia has helped ignite the desire to keep the fallen hero's memory and legacy alive. Particularly compelling is the loving correspondence between Ogden and his parents as they shared bits of news about life in Aurora and about his siblings, including oldest brother Arthur, who was serving in the Navy during the same war. Fortunately, the two brothers managed to meet in Japan on a mutual leave at one point. The fact those later letters never reached Ogden – one was written by his mother the day before they were notified he was missing – only adds to the emotional narrative that has come to mean so much for his family. 'I cannot even imagine how hard it must have been' to get those returned letters, especially the one giving consent to have their son's wife and child come to the United States,' noted Asbill. 'What a difference one letter could have made in everyone's life, especially Mike.' Now 88 years old, Irvin Thompson – a Navy veteran like three of his brothers – still recalls that day his parents received word his big brother was not coming home. Nearly 14 at the time, he climbed alone into the attic of the family's home on North Sumner Avenue. 'And I just cried,' he told me. 'It was the first time I'd cried in a long time. 'It was like an emptiness.' Irvin remembers his brother, who never graduated from high school but was determined to join the military, as 'very outgoing' and who 'could do a lot of things.' That included starting to build a cabin when he was only 12 years old with the goal of finishing the project when he returned from the war. Kathy Asbill said her dad talked about his missing brother at least several times a year – usually on patriotic holidays. And the family 'spent hours and hours writing letters trying to find out what they could' about him after he left Aurora. Her father 'instilled in us that American military pride,' she added, noting that last week the family attended an event in Greenville, South Carolina, where the remains of World War II Army airman Clarence Gibbs were brought home from Germany after being missing for 81 years. Ogden's loved ones do not give up hope. Nor do they take for granted the road sign memorial on Route 25 that will keep Ogden Neil Thompson's name in the public eye, thanks in large part to North Aurora Gold Star father Bob Patterson and the memorial foundation for his son U.S. Army Spc. Christopher Patterson, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012. In May, U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Ted Katsoolias of St. Charles, who was reported MIA on Thanksgiving Eve in 1950 during the Korean War, was honored with a sign on a portion of Route 59. Upcoming dedications include another Korean War MIA, Army Pvt. First Class Wayne Wilder Hill Jr., and Army Staff Sgt. Robert Herreid, a star athlete from Mooseheart who is one of 63 Vietnam War MIA from Illinois. The Thompson family's gratitude was evident in the words they shared at Saturday morning's road dedication, which rain moved inside the Batavia VFW post. 'For almost 75 years, our family has carried the weight' of Ogden's 'absence, the unanswered questions, the grief and the hope that one day his remains will be returned to the United States,' Asbill told the crowd of around 60 or so who gathered for the event. 'Naming this road in his honor will serve as a lasting reminder of his heroism and courage, and of the sacrifice borne not only by him but also all who love and remember him,' she continued. 'We represent military families with enduring strength who wait, hope and remember. 'Thank you for standing with us today to ensure his name and story live on.'
Express Tribune
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Iraq arrests analyst who claimed radar system supported Israel
Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, approach for landing at Camp Taji in Baghdad. (File photo: Reuters) Listen to article A political commentator was arrested by Iraqi authorities on Wednesday over a post alleging that a military radar system struck by a drone had been used to help Israel in its war against Iran. After a court issued a warrant, the defence ministry said that Iraqi forces arrested Abbas al-Ardawi for sharing content online that included "incitement intended to insult and defame the security institution". In a post on X, which was later deleted but has circulated on social media as a screenshot, Ardawi told his more than 90,000 followers that "a French radar in the Taji base served the Israeli aggression" and was eliminated. Early Tuesday, hours before a ceasefire ended the 12-day Iran-Israel war, unidentified drones struck radar systems at two military bases in Taji, north of Baghdad and in southern Iraq, officials have said. The Taji base hosted US troops several years ago and was a frequent target of rocket attacks. Read: Iran's parliament passes bill to halt cooperation with IAEA There has been no claim of responsibility for the latest drone attacks, which also struck radar systems at the Imam Ali airbase in Dhi Qar province. A source close to Iran-backed groups in Iraq told AFP that the armed factions have nothing to do with the attacks. Ardawi is seen as a supporter of Iran-aligned armed groups who had launched attack US forces in the region in the past, and of the pro-Tehran Coordination Framework, a powerful political coalition that holds a parliamentary majority. The Iraqi defence ministry said that Ardawi's arrest was made on the instructions of the prime minister, who also serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, "not to show leniency towards anyone who endangers the security and stability of the country". It added that while "the freedom of expression is a guaranteed right... it is restricted based on national security and the country's top interests." Iran-backed groups have criticised US deployment in Iraq as part of an anti-jihadist coalition, saying the American forces allowed Israel to use Iraq's airspace. The US-led coalition also includes French troops, who have been training Iraqi forces. There is no known French deployment at the Taji base. The Iran-Israel war had forced Baghdad to close its airspace, before reopening on Tuesday shortly after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire.
Egypt Independent
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
The US Army once ruled Pyongyang and 5 other things you might not know about the Korean War
CNN — Seventy-five years ago this week, more than 135,000 North Korean troops invaded South Korea, starting a war that cost millions of lives and left scars that linger to this day. Yet, the Korean War has been forever overshadowed by World War II, a much larger conflict that ended less than five years earlier. Even the US Army refers to Korea as 'the Forgotten War' – despite more than 36,000 American lives lost. Sixteen nations, including the United States, sent combat troops in aid of South Korea under the United Nations Command. Chinese troops intervened on the North Korean side. War broke out on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces stormed across the 38th parallel dividing North and South Korea. An armistice signed on July 27, 1953, stopped the conflict, but the war never officially ended because there was no peace treaty. While the twists and turns of today's US-North Korea relationship have put a spotlight on the Korean War's legacy, it is still a widely overlooked conflict. Here are six things you might not know about the Korean War: The US Army once controlled one of the world's most secretive cities It's almost impossible for Americans to travel to North Korea or its capital city Pyongyang. US passport holders are not allowed to go there without special permission from the US State Department. But for eight weeks in 1950, Pyongyang was under control of the US Army. Soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division in Pyongyang in 1950 Everett/Shutterstock On October 19 of that year, the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division along with a division of South Korean soldiers captured the North Korean capital, according to US Army histories. The US forces quickly made themselves at home, according to the histories. By October 22, the US Eighth Army had set up its advance headquarters in what was the headquarters building for North Korean leader Kim Il Sung. US Marines take cover behind a barricade as street fighting rages in Pyongyang. On the wall in the background are images of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and North Korean leader Kim Il Sung.A picture from the time shows an American intelligence officer sitting at Kim's desk with a portrait of Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin hanging on the wall behind him. But the US military's occupation of Pyongyang was short-lived. When Chinese troops entered the war in late November 1950, they quickly pushed south and vanquished US forces from Pyongyang by December 5. The US dropped more bombs on North Korea than on the entire region during WWII Most images of the Korean War are of ground battles fought in places like the Chosin Reservoir and Incheon. But much of the destruction wreaked on North Korea by the US military was done in a relentless bombing campaign. During the three years of the Korean War, US aircraft dropped 635,000 tons of bombs – both high explosive and incendiary – on North Korea. That's more than the 500,000 tons of bombs the US dropped in the Pacific in the entirety of the Second World War, according to figures cited by historian Charles Armstrong in the Asia-Pacific Journal. US Air Force B-29 Superfortresses dropping bombs during the Korean War. Keystone/Journalists, international observers and American prisoners of war who were in North Korea during the war reported nearly every substantial building had been destroyed. By November 1950, North Korea was advising its citizens to dig holes for housing and shelter. North Korea didn't keep official casualty figures from the bombings, but information obtained from Russian archives by the Wilson Center's Cold War International History Project put the number at more than 280,000. Gen. Curtis LeMay, the father of US strategic bombing and the architect of fire raids that destroyed swathes of Japanese cities in World War II, said this of the American bombing of North Korea: 'We went over there and fought the war and eventually burned down every town in North Korea anyway, some way or another.' An American soldier walks around the rubble of Hamhung, Korea, circa 1950. stringer/afp/getty images Armstrong said that bombing of North Korea has effects that linger to this day. 'The DPRK (Democratic Republic of Korea) government never forgot the lesson of North Korea's vulnerability to American air attack, and for half a century after the Armistice continued to strengthen antiaircraft defenses, build underground installations, and eventually develop nuclear weapons to ensure that North Korea would not find itself in such a position again,' Armstrong wrote. North Korea convinced the Soviet Union and Joseph Stalin to let the war happen When World War II ended, control of the Korean Peninsula – occupied by defeated Japanese troops – was divided between the Soviet Union in the north and the United States in the south. Kim Il Sung, the leader of North Korea, wanted to unite the two Koreas under communist rule and sought permission of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to do so by force, according to records from the Wilson Center. A portrait of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin is prepared for a parade in Pyongyang in July Kim's first request to invade in March 1949, Stalin was wary and did not want to be pulled into a conflict with the United States, which still had occupation troops in South Korea. But when those troops were pulled in the summer of 1949, Stalin's opposition softened, and by April 1950 the Soviet leader was ready to hear Kim out again when the North Korean leader visited Moscow. Stalin told Kim that the USSR would back the invasion, but only if Kim got communist China to approve too. Emboldened by communist China's victory over Nationalist forces in 1949 – in a civil war in which Washington did not intervene – Chinese leader Mao Zedong agreed and offered to be a backup force for North Korean troops in the eventuality the US intervened. With that, Kim had the green light to invade. The Korean War saved Taiwan from a potential communist takeover In 1949, communist China was amassing forces along its coast to invade Taiwan, the island to which Chiang Kai-shek and his Nationalist forces had fled after losing to Mao and the communists in the Chinese Civil War. But the outbreak of the Korean War put a big roadblock in the way of communist China's plans – the US Navy. Fearful of the fighting in Korea spreading across East Asia, President Harry Truman dispatched US warships to the waters between China and Taiwan. The US State Department tells how close Taiwan, now a self-governed democaracy that Beijing still claims as part of China, came to a potential communist takeover. 'In late 1949 and early 1950, American officials were prepared to let PRC (People's Republic of China) forces cross the Strait and defeat Chiang, but after the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, the United States sent its Seventh Fleet into the Taiwan Strait to prevent the Korean conflict from spreading south,' reads a passage from the department's Office of the Historian. 'The appearance of the Seventh Fleet angered the Chinese communists, who transferred their troops poised for an invasion of Taiwan to the Korean front,' it reads. By October 19, 1950, 12 divisions of communist Chinese troops, more than a quarter-million men, were in North Korea, according to a Brookings Institution account. Those Chinese troops would inflict horrific losses on the US and South Korean troops they faced, eventually driving them out of North Korea completely. But China also suffered massive losses; more than 180,000 of its troops were killed. The first jet-vs-jet dogfight F-80 Shooting Star Korean War-era fighter at National Musuem of the US Air Force US Air Force Jet fighters entered military service in World War II with the introduction of the German Messerschmidt 262. But the jet fighters didn't go head-to-head in a 'Top Gun'-style dogfight until the Korean War. Records seem to agree that first dogfight occurred over Sinuiju in North Korea, near the Yalu River, and its border with China on November 8, 1950. The Americans, flying F-80 Shooting Star jets, were confronted by MiG-15s, Soviet-made jets that were probably being piloted by Soviet pilots from bases in China. According to a report from the historian of the US Air Force's 51st Fighter Wing, eight to 12 MiGs came after an American flight of four F-80s that day. In a 60-second encounter with one of those MIGs, Air Force 1st Lt. Russell Brown hit a MiG-15 with fire from his jet's cannon and saw it explode in flames, becoming the first jet fighter pilot to score a kill in a dogfight, the report says. But others dispute that account, with a report from the US Naval Institute (USNI) saying that Soviet records show no MiGs were lost that day. What is certain is that the next day, November 9, 1950, US Navy Lt. Cmdr. William Amen, flying an F9F fighter off the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea, shot down a MiG-15 during airstrikes against bridges on the Yalu River. Soviet records confirm the MiG-15 loss that day, according to the USNI report. Four F-80 jet fighters flying at 30,000 feet on their flight from a Japanese base to their mission against the North Korean cCommunist army columns, Korea, July 13, in the war, the US introduced the F-86 jet to the Korean conflict. That plane won fame in battles against the MiG-15 in what was know as 'MiG Alley,' the area along the Korea-China border, where the Soviet pilots flew out of bases on the Chinese side. The National Museum of the US Air Force in Ohio explains MiG Alley this way: 'Large formations of MiGs would lie in wait on the Manchurian side of the border. When UN aircraft entered MiG Alley, these MiGs would swoop down from high altitude to attack. If the MiGs ran into trouble, they would try to escape back over the border into communist China. (To prevent a wider war, UN pilots were ordered not to attack targets in Manchuria.) Even with this advantage, communist pilots still could not compete against the better-trained Sabre pilots of the US Air Force, who scored a kill ratio of about 8:1 against the MiGs.' The United States never declared war Though millions of lives were lost during the fighting on the Korean Peninsula between 1950 and 1953, they were technically casualties of what was called a 'police action.' Under the US Constitution, only the US Congress can declare war on another nation. But it has not done so since World War II. When North Korea invaded the South in 1950, US President Harry Truman sent the US military to intervene as part of a combined effort approved by the United Nations Security Council. 'Fifteen other nations also sent troops under the UN command. Truman did not seek a formal declaration of war from Congress; officially, America's presence in Korea amounted to no more than a 'police action,'' reads a passage from the US National Archives. 1952: US soldiers dig in to a hill in Korea during the Korean war Hulton Archive/And those police actions have become the norm for US military intervention ever since. The Vietnam War, the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, all have seen US troops enter combat under congressional authorizations for the use of military force (AUMF), according to the US House of Representatives website. Though the AUMF had been around since the beginning of the republic, 'after World War II … AUMFs became much broader, often granting Presidents sweeping authority to engage America's military around the world,' the US House website says. 'The war was the first large overseas US conflict without a declaration of war, setting a precedent for the unilateral presidential power exercised today,' Emory University law professor Mary Dudziak wrote in a 2019 opinion column for the Washington Post. 'The Korean War has helped to enable this century's forever wars,' Dudziak wrote.
Fox News
18-06-2025
- Business
- Fox News
‘Eyes in the sky': Army drone expert explains US strategy on innovation as global conflict looms
As the war between Israel and Iran intensifies, one Army drone expert is warning that the U.S. must stay ready, and fast. Staff Sgt. Garrett Butts is helping lead the charge by building smarter, cheaper unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in-house for the battlefield. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Tuesday, Butts described how his team is creating drone technology from scratch, often using parts it took nearly a year to legally obtain. "We're a transformation and contact unit," said Butts, who serves with the 1st Cavalry Division. "We've been charged with innovating our own SUAS (small unmanned aircraft systems) platforms in-house to cut procurement costs and timelines." His team is building 3D-printed drones and testing low-cost, first-person view aircraft to help soldiers on the ground see ahead and strike more accurately. These systems are meant to keep up with modern war, which is changing faster than the military's normal supply process. One of the biggest challenges has been simply getting the parts. Butts said his team had to spend nine months figuring out how to legally purchase drone components because of strict procurement rules. "There are a lot of laws and policies that govern procurement of SUAS systems," Butts said. "It took us the better part of nine months to crack the code of what is legal and how we can procure UAS systems legally."DEADLY DRONE WARS ARE ALREADY HERE AND THE US IS HORRIBLY UNPREPARED His team trains soldiers to fight against drone threats, so they needed special permission just to buy parts that mimic what enemies might use. Butts said drones give U.S. troops a major advantage as infantry units can use them to look over obstacles. "Put a camera up, look at the objective or look over an obstacle… to ensure their safety," he said. "Those are the biggest winning factors of our SUAS systems." However, it is not just about seeing. Drones can also be armed to deliver targeted strikes. "You can arm some of these systems and basically create a cost-effective precision-guided munition," he said. "At a fraction of the cost." Butts's team is involved in "Pegasus Charge," a new Army effort to test future tactics and technology for heavy combat units. "We are going to innovate, experiment, test and develop different tactics, techniques and procedures," Butts explained. His team is trying out in-house ideas and will look to privatized industry for more advanced options once funding is available. After training for nine months in Poland and Germany, Butts and his team returned with new strategies for using drones in real-world situations. He believes the Army must work closely with industry to get the best tools quickly. Butts also sees artificial intelligence playing a big role. Right now, drone operators need advanced navigation training, which takes time and is hard to maintain. "If we're able to integrate AI solutions that could mitigate for that training or replace that training, that would be a huge step in the right direction," he said. Butts said working on cutting-edge technology has been a meaningful experience. "Being at the forefront of it is pretty incredible," he said. "Watching how the technology is evolving in front of your eyes… it really sparks ingenuity." He did not plan on staying in the Army, but a chance offer to become a drone operator changed his path. "It's shown me what I'm truly capable of," he HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Now, as the Army celebrates its 250th birthday and the world watches rising conflict, Butts said he sees real momentum. "Our military is innovating," he said. "And it's truly incredible to watch."
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's Military Birthday Parade Was a Gross Failure
WASHINGTON — On Saturday, President Donald Trump held a hideously expensive military parade in Washington, D.C., on his birthday. Trump and his top officials stood on a stage at the National Mall behind two tanks, before two large digital American flags. Military bands and troops, some on horses, some in vehicles, some in tanks, others in Howitzers, marched in the streets. So did a few robot dogs. An army parachute team jumped down. Helicopters flew over. Drones flew by. There were many, many tanks. The spectacle was billed as honoring the U.S. Army's 250th birthday — and planners put in admirable effort to sell this fiction, with processions designed to honor key times in American military history. In reality, the event was just one part of the Trump administration's vast, billion-dollar government effort to make the leader feel good about himself. The weekend's pageantry, which some administration officials referred to as 'Donald Trump's birthday parade' behind closed doors, fulfilled the president's longtime desire for a grand military parade. Starting at the Pentagon in Virginia, the troops in the parade — who honored the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War — had to walk for about two-and-a-half miles. Trump sat next to his wife Melania and the former Fox News host, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. At points, Trump stood alone in front onstage, saluting troops marching as the 1st Cavalry Division marched by. At another point, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was pictured yawning on C-SPAN. The military officials shown on C-SPAN spoke with reverence about the Global War on Terror. Late in the event, Trump stood at a podium onstage and swore in 250 new or reenlisting troops. 'Welcome to the United States Army and have a great life,' Trump said after they recited the Oath of Enlistment. 'Thank you very much. Have a great life.' After two hours, the event reached its logical conclusion: political speeches. J.D. Vance went first. 'June 14 is of course the birthday of the Army,' Vance said. 'It is, of course, the birthday of the president of the United States. And Happy Birthday, Mr. President.' He delivered the laugh line of the night, 'It's also my wedding anniversary,' he said before immediately leaving the stage. Finally, Trump spoke. He praised the army — and armies of years past. 'Our soldiers never give up, never surrender and never ever quit. They fight, fight, fight and they win, win, win,' Trump said, in what seemed like an obvious reference to his own declaration of 'Fight, Fight, Fight,' after a failed assassination attempt grazed his ear in Butler, Pennsylvania, during a campaign event last year. 'We're the hottest country in the world right now,' Trump said. 'Our country will soon be greater and stronger than ever before.' He said America is 'blessed beyond words by this valued legion of army warriors.' He continued, 'No matter the obstacles, our warriors will charge into battle. They will plunge into the crucible of fire, and they will seize the crown of victory, because the United States of America will always have the grace of Almighty God and the iron will of the United States Army. Congratulations to everybody. We love our country. We've never done better. Thank you. God bless you. God bless the army and God bless America.' Trump stood for a moment beside his wife, Melania, before Trump campaign regular Lee Greenwood sang 'God Bless the U.S.A.' (Trump and Greenwood sell a bible together.) 'Happy birthday Mr. President,' Greenwood said at one point. When he was done, attendees started singing happy birthday to Trump near the stage. Even before the speech component, the C-SPAN feed gave off a vibe that alternated between military recruitment video and softcore Trump propaganda. Video played several times of Trump giving speeches. Occasionally, a small banner popped up that said: 'Video courtesy of America 250.' The nonprofit America 250, which is helping organize the ongoing publicly-funded campaign celebrating the country's semiquincentennial, has been taken over by Trump allies and one of his campaign operatives. Corporate America did their part. 'Special thanks to our sponsor Lockheed Martin,' the MC said around 6:30 p.m., shouting out America's biggest defense contractor. The MC later thanked 'our special sponsor Coinbase,' the cryptocurrency exchange. President Trump sure loves crypto — he reported in his financial disclosure Friday that he made $57 million in the final months of 2024 after he and his family launched their own crypto exchange, World Liberty Financial. (That was before he launched his own $TRUMP meme coin.) Around 7 p.m., the big screens onstage that displayed the American flags turned to logos for UFC, the mixed martial arts business. Later, the MC thanked 'special sponsor Palantir,' a contractor hired to help Trump compile data on Americans across federal agencies. Military handed out drinks from sponsor Phorm Energy — a new drink by Anheuser-Busch and UFC CEO Dana White, in the flavor Screamin' Freedom. Rock music was the soundtrack of the parade, including AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck,' during the War on Terror section. There were instrumentals from the Heart song 'Barracuda' and Metallica's 'Enter Sandman.' The military parade was overseen by the American commander-in-chief as he conducts a militarized crackdown on immigrants in Los Angeles, California, driving protests. He sent in National Guard troops and Marines not because their presence is necessary to keep the peace, but as a show of force — and as a test run for operations in other states and cities, should the president feel angry enough to launch them, likely illegally. At 2,000 locations across the country, protesters held a 'No Kings' Day to voice their anger toward the president. About 20,000 people gathered in downtown Los Angeles, undeterred by law enforcement's use of non-lethal weapons on earlier protests and the president's escalation by sending in troops. Law enforcement largely left protesters alone for much of the day, but they deployed tear gas in the Atlanta area and arrested eight people, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. For an event that shut down much of central Washington D.C., closed key roads, and reportedly cost up to $45 million, the promise of a spectacle of America's military might — that just coincidentally happened to fall on Trump's birthday — didn't draw out legions of his fans. Instead the crowd of supporters, servicemembers, curious locals, and military adjacent spectators who braved the oppressive heat and humidity of a post-thunderstorm D.C. managed to just fill out their allotted side of the street over several blocks in front of the White House, with plenty of room to spare. In front of the central stage a crowd befitting a midsize concert gathered in view of Jumbotrons. The lawns surrounding the Washington monument — which have hosted countless inaugurations, protests, concerts, and gatherings, were largely unused overflow space. When the TV broadcast showed the crowd risers along the parade route, they were sparsely filled. The National Park Service issued permits for 250,000 people for the National Mall festival and the military parade. An aerial parade of historic military aircraft flew above the National Mall, traversing a course from Lincoln to Washington that — despite clear anticipation of crowds by event organizers — was more empty field and food truck line than crowd. Though rock music blared on TV, the parade itself was eerily quiet. One video posted on X shows tanks squeaking past nearly silent crowds, sounding like a grocery cart in need of grease. In the weeks leading up to his birthday and the parade, Trump told close associates that protesters were going to try to overshadow the military parade, including in the media coverage, in D.C. and elsewhere, and that he was determined not to let that happen, a source with knowledge of the matter and another person briefed on it tell Rolling Stone. Millions of people reportedly participated in 'No Kings' parades Saturday across the the D.C. military parade took place, hundreds of protesters stood outside the federal building in downtown Los Angeles. People had been dancing around, before hundreds of cops circled the four-block square without warning or announcement, leading to a tense stand-off, according to a Rolling Stone reporter on the ground. Flash bangs went off, and police used tear gas and smoke grenades to clear protesters. More from Rolling Stone Trump Raked in $57.3 Million From Crypto Venture, Per White House Financial Disclosures Thousands of 'No Kings' Protests Held Against Trump's 'Militarized Birthday Party' ICE Will Pause Farm, Restaurant Raids After Trump Social Media Post Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
