On April 8, 1950, Soviet La-11 fighters shot down a US Navy PB4Y-2 Privateer (BuNo 59645) over the Baltic Sea, off the coast of Liepāja, Latvia. The privateer was a World War II and Korean War era patrol bomber of the United States Navy derived from the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. Named the Turbulent Turtle, the aircraft was assigned to Patrol Squadron 26 (VP-26), Det A. In addition to other types of missions, privateers were used by the US Navy for signals intelligence (SIGINT) flights off of the coast of the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China.
Continue reading “First Shootdown of the Cold War”
Adm. Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations, salutes Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet at the commissioning ceremony for U.S. Fleet Cyber Command at Ft. George G. Meade, Md. Circa?
The Air Force weapon systems officer whose daring rescue by special operations forces captivated the United States over the weekend signaled to his saviors by waving his stars-and-stripes-patterned boxer shorts, a defense contractor familiar with the mission told The High Side.
Continue reading “Stars and Stripes Signal: JSOC Daringly Rescues Downed Airman Under Fire”
Note the broom!
The USS Parche (SSN 683), a Sturgeon-class nuclear-powered submarine, stands as one of the most extraordinary vessels in the history of the U.S. Navy. Commissioned on August 17, 1974, at a time when the Cold War was in full swing, Parche’s role evolved from a fast attack submarine into a highly specialized platform for some of the most secretive and daring missions of underwater espionage. Known for its ability to gather critical intelligence deep beneath the ocean, the Parche became the Navy’s most decorated submarine, carrying out covert operations that were instrumental to national security.
Story by Joshua Rodriguez
Leaders from across the Information Warfare (IW) community convened at the Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) headquarters for a pivotal three-day Commanders’ Summit, held March 30-April 1. The summit focused on aligning strategic priorities, driving innovation, and continuing the generation of premier combat-ready IW forces for the fleet to increase warfighting readiness.
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The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) announces the 2026 CNO Naval History Essay Contest, commemorating the enduring legacy of America’s Navy and the 250th anniversary of our Nation.
Details: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Messages/NAVADMIN/NAV2026/NAV26074.pdf?ver=7YnyyGTAf9y6IFFdzu1iQA%3d%3d
Station HYPO 