By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 31, 2011
Michael Abrams ©Stars and Stripes
Aviano Air Base, Italy, December 16, 1995: "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno tries on a servicemember's rucksack and helmet during a show at Aviano's Hangar One. Leno, unable to spend much time overseas due to his schedule, flew from Los Angeles and back within a few hours on a modified KC-135 tanker arranged by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read two Stars and Stripes stories about Jay Leno at Aviano:
Troops at Aviano get lots of laughs with Leno
Leno's laughs light up Aviano night
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 30, 2011
L. Emmett Lewis Jr. ©Stars and Stripes
Haarlem, Netherlands, April, 1991: The spire of the Grote Kerk (Great Church) in Haarlem is silhouetted against the late-afternoon sun.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 29, 2011
Kim Ki Sam ©Stars and Stripes
South Vietnam, 1966: A wary infantryman clutches his grenade launcher as he pauses for a rest during Operation Attleboro in the jungle of Tay Ninh province.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 28, 2011
Gene Bane ©Stars and Stripes
Farnborough, England, September, 1958: A visitor to the 19th Farnborough Air Show takes advantage of a rare, safe opportunity for a close-up look at one of the planes on exhibit. The Farnborough show is still a popular event in the U.K., drawing more than 285,000 people in July, 2010.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 27, 2011
Ken George ©Stars and Stripes
Saudi Arabia, December, 1990: U.S. 1st Cavalry troops taking part in Operation Desert Shield pose in the Saudi Arabian desert with an eight-foot-by-seven-foot T-shirt autographed by thousands of military family members back home. The Jacksonville, Florida, USO was behind the effort, which also included the sale of normal-sized "we support you" shirts to raise funds for the USO's activities.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 26, 2011
Chuck Gohl ©Stars and Stripes
Krizevici, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 1996: Spec. Mark Miller stands guard at the entrance of a 2.5-mile railroad tunnel between Tuzla and Zvornik, cities on opposite ends of the former line of confrontation. Theories about what was in the tunnel ranged from nothing at all to mass graves, mines and chemical weapons, so the troops navigated the dark depths with great care.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read a story about the tunnel here.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 25, 2011
Michael Abrams ©Stars and Stripes
Vicenza, Italy, December 14, 1995: Sgt. Brandon Hughes of the 13th MP Company gets a little help from Frosty as he checks traffic entering the base. Hughes built Frosty after a heavy snowfall hit northern Italy; it's unknown how many people returned the salute.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 24, 2011
Norm Zeisloft ©Stars and Stripes
Berlin, May, 1961: Director Stanley Kramer, left, and actors Spencer Tracy and Richard Widmark wait for filming of "Judgment at Nuremberg" — the story of the post-World War II war crimes trials — to resume on a Berlin street. Kramer brought part of the cast to Berlin, rather than the site of the actual trials, to shoot outdoor scenes amid the still-abundant rubble.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read a story about the filming in Berlin here.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 23, 2011
Kim Ki Sam ©Stars and Stripes
South Vietnam, 1966: South Korean army Staff Sgt. Jung Kil Lee captured this nine-foot-long regal python during an operation in Vietnam. The serpent was soon on a U.S. Air Force plane, bound for a new home in Seoul's Changkyung-Won Zoo.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 22, 2011
R.J. Oriez ©Stars and Stripes
Tokyo, January, 1988: St. Louis Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog listens to a question as Hall of Famer Stan Musial signs an autograph during a goodwill tour of Japan. The two were joined on the tour by shortstop Ozzie Smith and outfielder Vince Coleman. Herzog and Smith eventually joined Musial in the Hall of Fame, Smith in 2002 and Herzog in 2010.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 21, 2011
Gus Schuettler ©Stars and Stripes
Vienna, Austria, June, 1961: Nikita S. Khrushchev and his wife, Nina Petrovna, arrive at one of the social events held in connection with the Soviet leader's summit meeting with U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 20, 2011
Kim Ki Sam ©Stars and Stripes
South Vietnam, 1966: Beneath a layer of leafy camouflage, a Marine takes a rest on a hilltop near the DMZ during Operation Prairie.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 19, 2011
©Stars and Stripes
Tokyo, April, 1974: At a news conference to promote shows in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo, Paul Simon poses with a gold record presented to him for his album, "Paul Simon in Concert/Live Rhymin.'" Of his split with Art Garfunkel, Simon said there has to be "a certain chemistry that works. And after a while I think the pressure of work and the desire to go in separate directions makes it difficult for two people to continue as partners." He didn't rule out a reunion, however ... and indeed, Simon and Garfunkel have toured together several times since then.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read a story about Paul Simon's Tokyo press conference here.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 18, 2011
Wayne J. Begasse ©Stars and Stripes
Saudi Arabia, February, 1991: A Cobra helicopter from 4th Squadron, the aviation component of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, gets a desert-tan paint job at a base in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. The air war against Iraq began 20 years ago this week.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 17, 2011
Dan Evans ©Stars and Stripes
South Vietnam, March, 1971: Working by the light of truck headlights, soldiers at the Quang Tri airfield repair a damaged Cobra helicopter.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 16, 2011
Allen Schaefer ©Stars and Stripes
Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, August, 1972: Capt. Richard S. "Steve" Ritchie stands next to his F-4D Phantom jet after returning to Tan Son Nhut from a mission over North Vietnam in which he shot down his fifth MiG jet, making him the Air Force's first Vietnam War fighter pilot ace. Ritchie and Navy Lt. Randall "Duke" Cunningham were the only U.S. pilot aces during the war; three Weapon System Officers (including Ritchie's WSO, Capt. Charles DeBellevue) also earned that distinction under the policy in effect at the time.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read a 1972 story about Capt. Steve Ritchie here.
Video: Steve Ritchie speaks at the American Veterans Center in 2008.
Read a 2004 story about how evolving warfare has changed the role of pilots here.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 15, 2011
Red Grandy ©Stars and Stripes
Frankfurt, Germany, November, 1954: U.S. Ambassador to Austria Llewellyn Thompson poses for a photo at the Rhein-Main airport during a stopover on his way to Washington. Thompson was to join in a three-week series of conferences between President Eisenhower and other U.S. officials and visiting Austrian Chancellor Julius Raab. "One primary subject which is almost certain to be discussed," Thompson said before boarding his flight, "is bringing an end to the Allied occupation of Austria."
Eight years later, career diplomat Thompson made what may have been his greatest contribution to the U.S. by serving as a member of "EXCOMM," the inner circle that advised President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Thompson was familiar with the thinking of Nikita Khrushchev and other Soviet leaders from his years (1957-62) as ambassador to the Soviet Union, and is believed by some to have originated the idea of the "Trollope Ploy," in which the problem of a relatively conciliatory letter from Khrushchev being followed by a harder-line second letter would be solved by responding only to the first letter. The plan's origin is still up for debate, though.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 14, 2011
Merle Hunter ©Stars and Stripes
Hohne, Germany, May 13, 1956: Sir Winston Churchill reviews his old regiment, the 4th Queen's Own Hussars, from a Jeep during an emotional ceremony on the former British prime minister's three-day visit to Germany. Churchill joined the 4th in 1895 as a cavalry officer and served with them through 1899. He had served as colonel of the regiment since November, 1941.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read about Churchill's 1956 review of his old outfit here.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 13, 2011
Merle Hunter ©Stars and Stripes
Pavia, Italy, November, 1956: A woman finds a way to keep her hands free as she walks along the Ticino River at the Ponte Vecchio, the covered bridge connecting Pavia with its suburb of Borgo Ticino.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 12, 2011
Bob Myers ©Stars and Stripes
Germany, November 22, 1954: Former President Herbert Hoover listens as West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer speaks during a welcoming ceremony. At left, a translator takes notes. Hoover, who was starting a six-day visit to the country he had helped recover from two world wars, was cited by Adenauer as a "humanitarian who has devoted his efforts to helping mankind."
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read a story about former President Hoover's arrival in Germany here.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 11, 2011
Ted Rohde ©Stars and Stripes
Frankfurt, Germany, March 18, 1955: Otto Strasser (at center, with beret), a 1920s Nazi colleague of Adolf Hitler, is mobbed by reporters and curiosity-seekers at the Frankfurt airport upon his return from an exile that began in 1933 when he broke with Hitler. Strasser, who had been living in Canada, said he planned to return to politics on a platform backing a reunified, neutral Germany, but his comeback plans — centered around the neo-Nazi German Social Union party — fizzled out.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read a story about Otto Strasser's return to Germany here
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 10, 2011
Bob Wickley ©Stars and Stripes
Pacific Ocean, July, 1974: A helicopter is guided to a landing on the deck of the Yokosuka-based guided missile light cruiser USS Oklahoma City, the flagship of Vice Adm. George P. Steele, commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 9, 2011
Hideyuki Mihashi ©Stars and Stripes
Tokyo, October 21, 1964: Joe Frazier of the United States acknowledges the cheers after beating Vadim Yemelyanov of the Soviet Union in the heavyweight boxing semifinals at the Olympic Games. The fight was stopped at 1:59 of the second round. Frazier, who got his chance to box in the Games when Buster Mathis broke a knuckle, went on to win the gold medal. Later, as a professional, he battled another Olympic champ — Muhammad Ali — for supremacy in the sport; their rivalry peaked with the famed "Thrilla in Manila" in 1975.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read two stories about Joe Frazier at the Olympics:
U.S. butcher chops down Russian in semifinals
Frazier chases German for boxing gold medal
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 8, 2011
Sid Gans ©Stars and Stripes
New York, October, 1949: Herb Kanasy may have been from the Bronx, but his loyalty was clearly to the Brooklyn Dodgers as he stood in line outside Yankee Stadium to buy tickets to the 1949 World Series against the New York Yankees. His theory was that the Yankees would succumb to the Bums as a result if age and injuries — the latter including Yogi Berra's thumb, Joe DiMaggio's heel and pitcher Bob Porterfield's arm. Indeed, Berra batted .063 and DiMaggio .111, but the Yankees nonetheless won the Series in five games.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read a story about the fans here.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 7, 2011
Harold Briggs ©Stars and Stripes
Heidelberg, Germany, October 4, 1948: Heidelberg Post fire marshal Ernie J. Albertson presents Ann Sheridan and Cary Grant with orders —and suitable headgear — recognizing them as honorary fire chiefs of the post. The ceremony was part of Heidelberg's Fire Prevention Week drive. The two movie stars were in Germany for the filming of Howard Hawks' comedy, "I Was a Male War Bride," in which Grant plays a French captain who falls in love with American lieutenant Sheridan.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 6, 2011
Brad Lendon ©Stars and Stripes
Tokyo, August 22, 1983: Seattle SuperSonics star David Thompson, left, head of the American Basketball Camp in Japan, drives toward the hoop during a practice session. Thompson was the NBA's highest-paid player at age 23, and once scored 73 points in a game, but injuries and drug abuse took their toll over years. A few months after his Tokyo visit, he tore ligaments in a fall down a flight of stairs at the Studio 54 nightclub in New York and his career was effectively over. In recent years, however, he has gotten his life back in order, as detailed in his book, "Skywalker." He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read a story about David Thompson in Japan here.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 5, 2011
©Stars and Stripes
Wiesbaden, Germany, May, 1954: Maureen Connolly is the center of attention at the Wiesbaden Invitational Tennis Tournament venue ... and with good reason. At age 19, "Little Mo" — AP's female athlete of the year for 1951 through 1953 — already had three U.S. Open and two Wimbledon titles to her credit. Later on this European trip, she captured her third Wimbledon championship. But then, in July, she hurt her leg in an accident while horseback riding, and it proved to be a career-ending injury. Connolly died in 1969 at age 34.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Stars and Stripes stories about Maureen Connolly competing in Germany:
Maureen Connolly set for Wiesbaden tournament
Miss Connolly 'ready' as Wiesbaden net tourney opens
Li'l Mo enters finals in Wiesbaden tennis
'Little Mo' wins singles in Wiesbaden net play
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 4, 2011
Gus Schuettler ©Stars and Stripes
Frankfurt, Germany, August, 1959: Frederick Lomboy, 17, and Mary Gideon, 16, both from Kaiserslautern, rock their way to victory in a dance contest held as part of the first annual "Rock 'n' Roll-o-Rama" at the Frankfurt Casino. The event, sponsored by the Bad Neuheim-Friedberg American Youth Activities organization, featured musical performances by several members of the American military community in Germany, including Airman 2nd Class Gus Backus.
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read two stories about the show:
600 teen-agers 'rock' at Frankfurt
Airman rocks in two tongues
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 3, 2011
Bruce McIlhaney ©Stars and Stripes
South Vietnam, March, 1968: Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry fire a 106mm mortar during a nighttime battle at Forward Support Base 30, near Dak To.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 2, 2011
©Stars and Stripes
Seoul, Korea, November, 1982: Astronomer J. Allen Hynek, once a key player in the Air Force's investigation of unidentified flying objects, poses for a photo during a visit to Seoul for the International UFO Convention. During his days with Project Blue Book, the skeptical Hynek had famously dismissed reported strange lights as swamp gas. But in an interview at the 1982 convention, he admitted that his theory "caused so much ridicule on both the Air Force and me that I began to revise my thought ... I finally came to the conclusion that I couldn't keep calling those people (who reported sightings) deluded and crazy. Some, like air traffic controllers, pilots, engineers and balloon experts, had damn good qualifications."
RELATED MATERIAL:
Read the 1982 interview with Dr. Hynek here.
By Joe Gromelski
Published: January 1, 2011
©Stars and Stripes
Monza, Italy, September 12, 1965: Jackie Stewart of Scotland celebrates the first of his 27 career Formula One victories, having just taken the checkered flag in the Italian Grand Prix. Stewart, who exchanged leads with Graham Hill and Jim Clark throughout the race, led for 43 laps and ended up beating runner-up and BRM teammate Hill by 3.3 seconds. After his retirement in 1973, Stewart embarked upon a successful career as a commentator on TV racing broadcasts.
