Story by Cheryl Marino

As the battlefield evolves, so must the aircraft that support and protect Soldiers on the ground. The Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) aims to do just that—ushering in a new era of speed, range and adaptability. Backed by cutting-edge digital engineering, FLRAA isn’t just a new rotorcraft, it’s a leap forward in how the Army plans, flies and fights in tomorrow’s conflicts.

“It’s a game-changing capability in terms of speed and range,” said Col. Jeffrey Poquette, FLRAA project manager at Program Executive Office (PEO) for Aviation. He characterized the next-generation tiltrotor assault aircraft (designed by Bell Textron) as “twice as far, twice as fast” at the annual Association of the U.S. Army Global Force Symposium, held in Huntsville, Alabama, in March 2025. The implementation of digital engineering will be “a digital engineering pathfinder for the Army,” serving as a model for how digital engineering can be adopted and implemented by the Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition enterprise to improve efficiency, reduce costs and accelerate the development and test of capabilities. The challenge, he said, is that this is new territory, but the level of insight that the government gets into the design is unprecedented and “what we get from that is ensuring that we build the right thing.”

Gone are the days of building something, setting it aside and forgetting it. Digital engineering allows the Army to leverage the power of technology to create a design digitally and determine the impact of changes to that design prior to bending metal.

“Digital engineering isn’t magic,” said Poquette. “It’s just a really deep look in a common environment where we have a single source of truth. We never don’t know what the design is today. I can take my phone out right now and look at the design and see where we are … that’s powerful.”

Poquette said when prototypes are built and tested, often things are found that have to be fixed. Some of those fixes could be big, some could be expensive, and they inevitably will extend the timeline of the acquisition because the test program gets much longer.

“I’m not even going to say that digital engineering is faster upfront. It’s an investment in time. It’s an investment in intellectual capital. But when we build the prototypes we’re going to be so confident that anything we need to fix should be small, should not be expensive, and that we can quickly fix those prototypes, continue on with the test program and get the capability into Soldiers’ hands as soon as possible,” Poquette stated. “Together [with industry] collaboratively, we’re going to build the aircraft that meets the Army’s requirements and is truly going to change the nature of the assault aviation platform.”

FLRAA COMES TO FRUITION
The science and technology (S&T) effort behind FLRAA began in 2013 as the Joint Multi-Role Tech Demonstrator program, which was aimed at proving out a platform that could fly twice as far, twice as fast and be sized appropriately for the Army. As the S&T effort transitioned to an acquisition program, the question became how to approach the program differently and succeed.

“We went and looked at published lessons learned from various programs, not just Army, but across the DOD. We identified a theme that [the] lack of upfront systems engineering attributed to increased cost and schedule on many programs,” explained Michelle Gilbert, technical management division chief at PEO for Aviation FLRAA Project Management Office (PMO). She and her team were then tasked with developing a strategy that would ensure rigorous upfront systems engineering while supporting an accelerated program schedule beyond historical timelines. “That’s what initiated the development of our digital engineering strategy. We found that if we did some upfront investment in digital engineering, it would give us some of the tools that we needed to help support those two objectives.”

Initially, a technology demonstrator (constructed as a proof of concept) was built to demonstrate “twice as far, twice as fast” capabilities, but it was not fully compliant with all requirements. The FLRAA program is currently executing a detailed design to ensure that the FLRAA system meets all requirements (survivability, sustainability, integrated mission systems, etc.).

As part of the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, Gilbert said, Bell Textron will build six prototype aircraft, as well as two “limited user” test aircraft—the prototypes will be used to verify that the system meets performance and airworthiness requirements and to validate operational effectiveness, suitability, safety and survivability. There are also virtual prototypes, which are like aircraft simulators that accommodate a pilot and co-pilot, with surrounding screens that emulate the view and behavior of the system itself. These virtual prototypes are used to help inform the design as well as the development of operator tactics, training and procedures.

THE DAWN OF NEW DIGITAL
Digital engineering enhances FLRAA missions by enabling faster, smarter and safer operations. This includes the use of model-based systems engineering tools like Cameo—a collaborative environment for defining, tracking and visualizing all aspects of a system through models and diagrams. Additionally, 3D models support design, manufacturing and assembly processes, streamlining development from concept to execution.

Gilbert explained that FLRAA is using model-based systems engineering to create the digital models of the systems architecture and requirements, merging them into a digital twin that defines the system, demonstrates its behavior and predicts performance. “[This is] establishing a digital thread which captures the relationship between system and program data. The digital thread provides the PMO, stakeholders and Bell [Textron] with a better understanding of the system. We are also utilizing a collaborative digital environment to enable near real-time access to this data.”

The performance models are used to emulate and simulate the performance of the FLRAA aircraft to understand the behavior and tweak flight control laws (modifications to the flight control system’s algorithms, which govern how pilot inputs translate into aircraft control surface movements).

“We can also use it to help ensure that from a user interface standpoint everything is correct and suitable before we go and actually build the system, [and] we’re doing all of this digitally,” she explained. “We have a lot of digital models that represent our system that have allowed us to reduce the risk before we go and bend metal on our prototypes.”

The digital engineering strategy, Gilbert noted, is incremental. She and her team are currently focused on using digital engineering to design and document the system during development. As the program progresses, these efforts will expand into testing, eventually incorporating sensor data from the aircraft and linking it to various enterprise sustainment tools. For now, the priority remains on building a solid digital foundation before moving into test and evaluation.

“Using our digital environment to link test data together with the system design of the aircraft can help make the verification process more efficient. It can help correlate information together, where before there wasn’t a linkage between information, and provide easier access to all supporting program data,” Gilbert said. “For our stakeholders who are trying to qualify our system, that’s very helpful. And then our digital engineering efforts will expand beyond that to support sustainment. Conceptually, every single aircraft in the field could have its own digital representation.”

Gilbert noted that one outcome they’ve already encountered from using the digital tools is that it forces both Bell and the U.S. government “to have a deeper understanding of the system and how onboard systems interact with each other.”

Additionally, the digital tools have enabled the team to create linkages to all of the data. Before this, Gilbert explained, “we were dealing with siloed pieces of information, so you weren’t able to make those correlations. By utilizing these tools, we’re finding things like architecture concerns that we may not have found before, just because now it’s all connected and it’s easier for us to consume and assess if the design meets our objectives.”

Crews also benefit from immersive virtual training, accelerating readiness for unfamiliar or high-risk scenarios. This makes FLRAA more agile, reliable and adaptable to the demands of future battlefields.

“We have a virtual reality [VR] capability that’s here in our office and it’s updated regularly to reflect the system under design,” Gilbert said. “We have monitors set up; we have the VR headsets. It doesn’t take a lot of infrastructure and that capability is there for us to utilize whenever we want it. This is truly a revolutionary capability that informs engineers or logisticians and any stakeholders who need to understand the system better.”

During system design, acquisition engineers may not fully grasp design specifics, such as how the hydraulic system will fit into the system, Gilbert said. “It doesn’t exist yet in physical form, but we are able to go in, put on a virtual reality headset and they can see exactly where it is in the current design. Our engineers or maintainers can look at it and say, ‘I’m never going to be able to maintain that system with the way it is now.’ We’re able to catch things like that earlier and influence a design change.”

GETTING THE MOSA FOR YOUR MONEY
While digital engineering provides the tools to design, simulate and evolve systems faster, a Modular Open Systems Approach, or MOSA, ensures those systems are built in a way that allows rapid, flexible upgrades.

According to Gilbert, the MOSA is an approach to achieving certain objectives, not just through open standards but by following specific design processes to ensure the architecture supports those goals. She and her team developed an architecture framework to guide how the system should be built and analyzed to confirm it meets MOSA objectives. Examples are enabling third-party upgrades without full reliance on the prime contractor or rapidly fielding a capability update with minimal delay. The framework defines these expectations and the prime is required to comply.

“The other thing that we’re doing is we put in a requirement for an infrastructure on our aircraft that we call the digital backbone. The digital backbone is the onboard network that’s responsible for all data exchanges between different components. Any component integrated on the system must follow the defined open standards,” she said. “And what that does is it allows for easier integration by not having to update multiple systems on the aircraft when upgrading a capability.” This concept is similar to the MOSA plug-and-play concept.

MOSA offers a modular and scalable solution for aircraft upgrades, eliminating the integration complexities associated with legacy systems. This approach significantly reduces downtime and modification work by enabling the rapid installation and interchangeability of components.

“For FLRAA, we ensure we have robust processes and requirements in place to design and analyze our architecture and the onboard digital backbone. This, coupled with a robust intellectual property strategy that ensures the right level of data rights are acquired by the PMO, summarizes the FLRAA open systems approach,” she explained. “To ensure that, we do have an open architecture on our platform.”

This, she said, will make it easier and more affordable to upgrade and sustain, with the ability to do some of that sustainment on the government side or with third parties. Because of how the system is architected, there’s less reliance on the prime contractor, which can help with sustainment costs.

SOLDIER TESTING AND TIMELINES
Soldier testing and feedback are crucial when implementing new digital technology to ensure it meets real-world operational needs. Direct input from end users helps identify usability issues, improve functionality and ensure the technology enhances mission effectiveness and Soldier readiness.

For the FLRAA program, there are two ways of achieving Soldier feedback. One is through special user evaluations, or Soldier touch points, using mockups of the aircraft to ensure optimal seat configurations and whether users can egress and ingress from the aircraft safely, etc. A user evaluation in spring 2025 observed how Soldiers conduct mission planning on the system, which will impact the software requirements for mission planning.

Another Soldier touch point is through virtual prototype simulation.

“We’re using the virtual prototype to help us get user feedback that can either support changing the user interfaces, our flight control laws, etc.,” Gilbert said. “We’re planning on using the virtual prototypes as part of special user evaluations all the way through our development stage. This will support iterative user feedback through development until we have physical aircraft prototypes.”

CONCLUSION
The FLRAA program has come a long way since April 2024, when FLRAA took a hybrid approach with a preliminary design using a middle tier of acquisition pathway and developed virtual prototypes. In July 2024, at Milestone B, it transitioned to a major capability acquisition program and program of record.

“We’re going to be focused on the detailed design in the near term, but our acquisition strategy is such that we don’t wait to complete our detailed design before we begin building our prototypes. We deliberately did that when we set up our acquisition strategy so that once a subsystem reaches the appropriate level of maturity, it can immediately move into build and assembly,” Gilbert said. “Even though the design and supporting analysis may not be fully documented, we can begin building those subsystems with an informed level of risk. This helps support schedule objectives while maintaining rigor.”

Currently, the Army is scheduled to begin equipping the first Army unit in fiscal year 2030 and completing the first unit equipped in fiscal year 2031. “Our current focus is on getting the design right, which is crucial for successfully prototyping and future production,” Gilbert said. “We are building and testing prototypes to make a production decision by Milestone C, which is currently scheduled in 2028.”

“It [development] takes a few years, especially on an aviation platform because there’s a lot we have to do from an airworthiness perspective to ensure it’s safe,” Gilbert said. “We have a lot that we have to do before a Soldier can begin operating the system. That’s why using things like the virtual prototype and other things like mockups are so important to us—because it’s a way of getting them in early while we’re still proving out the airworthiness of the aircraft itself.”

For more information, go to https://www.army.mil/PEOAviation.

CHERYL MARINO provides contract support to the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, as a writer and editor for Army AL&T magazine and TMGL, LLC. Before USAASC, she served as a technical report editor at the Combat Capabilities Development Command Center at Picatinny Arsenal for five years. She holds a B.A. in communications from Seton Hall University and has more than 25 years of writing and editing experience in both the government and private sectors.

Story by Maj. Ryan Finnegan

A HH60M Blackhawk medical evacuation helicopter of the Montana Army National Guard’s 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion rescued three hikers from the Princess Lake area of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness on August 17, safely transporting them to receive medical attention.

After getting a mission request for Guard assistance early Sunday morning, the aircraft departed from the Billings Army Limited Aviation Support Facility at 7:50 a.m. The hikers, suffering from hypothermia and illness, were recovered and transported to Columbus to receive further medical care. The helicopter returned to Billings by 9:20 a.m.

The crew onboard the aircraft included pilots Chief Warrant Officer 3 Zach Lundgren and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Cameron Olson, hoist operator Sgt. Sydney Stephenson, hoist rider Sgt. Justin Asher and flight medic Sgt. Patrick Northrup. Billings Fire Department Paramedic Rob Gersbach provided additional on-board medical support.

“The entirety of the rescue operation was executed seamlessly due to the dedication and level of expertise of all personnel involved,” said Northrup. “It reflects a tremendous amount of credit and pride to not only the Montana National Guard, but also the flight crews of the 1-189th and Billings Fire Department.”

This rescue marks the 5th search and rescue mission performed by Montana Army National Guard helicopters stationed in Billings this year. Since the facility in Billings began operations in January 2023, rescues have included a hunter stranded on an island in the Yellowstone River in December 2023 and a hiker who suffered a heart attack and was rescued near Albino Lake in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in July 2024.

Story by Cameron Porter

POWIDZ, Poland – Poland’s 33rd Army Prepositioned Stocks Battalion (33rd APS Bn.) at the Powidz Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 (APS-2) worksite in Poland received some valuable training on Supply and Support Activity (SSA) operations and Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-Army) from a small team of U.S. Army automated logistics specialists from the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division (1st AD CAB), recently.

Invited to the APS-2 worksite by the commander of Army Field Support Battalion-Poland (AFSBn-Poland), the 1st AD CAB Soldiers spent a couple of days with their Polish counterparts in August explaining the systems and processes used when receiving deliveries of supplies and Class 9 repair parts, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Stephen Valentine, 1st AD CAB SSA accountable officer.

“The main focus was training them on systems and processes and GCSS-Army familiarization,” Valentine said. “The Polish service members at the APS-2 site are using the system, now. Only a few of them currently have access, but they do use the GCSS-Army system under the supervision of Army civilians.”

GCSS-Army is a web-based automated logistics system of record that focuses on property book actions and supply and logistics management operations. It serves as the Army’s property accountability and financial system of record and can manage large volumes of transactions, providing current item location updates while interfacing with the General Funds Enterprise Business System (GFEBS) for financial data tracking and feedback.

Valentine said before he and his team came out to the Powidz APS-2 worksite, he spoke with the AFSBn-Poland commander, who has mission command of the site, and the site’s accountable officer to get a clear understanding of what the training should focus on. From there, Valentine and his platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Javon Hines, provided that information to his team who conducted the training.

“It was train the trainer, within my team,” said Valentine. “I provided them with all the information they needed along with my guidance. The Soldiers then conducted the training, and my platoon sergeant and I provided oversight. They did a really good job.”

Valentine said the Polish service members from the 33rd APS Bn. were very receptive. The ones who spoke English well acted as translators and “were able to walk the other guys through the training as we were teaching it.”

“We would show them the process and let them go through it a couple of times to get their reps in,” said Valentine, who added that he had never visited an APS worksite before and was thoroughly impressed with the Powidz site and the team there.

The Powidz APS-2 worksite encompasses 650,000 square feet of humidity-controlled warehouse space, plus a vehicle maintenance facility and various supporting structures and houses an entire modernized armored brigade combat team’s worth of APS-2 tactical vehicles and equipment sets.

AFSBn-Poland operates under the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, which oversees four battalions in Europe. The Powidz site is one of six APS-2 worksites across the continent, with others located in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy.

The 405th AFSB’s APS-2 program alleviates many of the deployment requirements typically associated with sending major combat units to Europe from the U.S. By providing turn-key power projection APS-2 packages ready to employ at a moment’s notice, the 405th AFSB’s APS-2 program is a key component of U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s power projection, warfighter readiness and logistics support missions.

The 405th AFSB is the premier logistics integrator and synchronizer for U.S. European Command, enabling readiness solutions to ‘Support the Warrior’ by operationalizing U.S. Army Materiel Command capabilities and delivering readiness within the U.S. Army Europe and Africa areas of responsibility at the point of need.

The 405th AFSB is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.

Story by Nicholas Janeway

The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command held a memorial ceremony to honor 27 of its team members who passed away during the year.

Maj. Gen. Lori Robinson, AMCOM commander, hosted the annual ceremony on Aug. 5 in the Bob Jones Auditorium on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.

Those honored worked for AMCOM G-3/5, AMCOM G-8, Letterkenny Army Depot, Corpus Christi Army Depot, Aviation Logistics Center, AMCOM Combined Logistics Command and the U.S. Army Test, Measurement and Diagnostics Equipment Activity.

Robinson thanked family members, friends and coworkers who attended to honor their loved ones.
“I think one of the most important things you can give to show how much you care is your time,” she said. “I appreciate everyone for being here today.”

During the ceremony, friends and coworkers shared stories about how each honored employee impacted their lives and how much they would be missed.

“They were supervisors and leaders within the organization, and all were dedicated to the Soldiers and warfighters on whom AMCOM remains focused on a daily basis,” Robinson said. “But as much as we appreciated their professional attributes, we appreciated having each one as a teammate and a friend.”

Robinson said photos of the employees honored during the ceremony would be added to the “AMCOM Remembers” display wall outside the Bob Jones Auditorium.

“It is our vow today that their service to AMCOM, to the Army and to our nation will never be forgotten,” she said.

Employees honored at this year’s memorial:

AMCOM G-3/5:

• Alex Brock

AMCOM G-8:

• Avina Birt
• Jeffrey Jenkins

AMCOM Combined Logistics Command:

• Amy Rodriquez
• Cory Tipton

Letterkenny Army Depot:

• Paul Gottfried
• Michael W. Kline

Corpus Christi Army Depot:

• Jerry Garza
• Esequiel Ochoa
• Thomas Sutherland
• Michael Barrera Torres
• Stanley Vela
• Jack Worthington

U.S. Army Test, Measurement and Diagnostics Equipment Activity:

• Robert Mozeleski
• Othel Winslett

Aviation Logistics Center:

• Bradley Bullard
• Yolanda Dean
• Adan Fuentes
• Matthew Gallegos
• Jeff Haulk
• Joe Kilpatrick
• Gavin Mills
• Adra Pedro
• Diane Pineda
• Jean Schmittle
• Ricky Stevens
• Karen Tann

Video of the ceremony: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/972770/amcom-memorial-ceremony

Story by Staff Sgt. Hannah Tarkelly

MORRISVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Army Col. Daniel McAuliffe assumed command of the 449th Combat Aviation Brigade in place of U.S. Army Col. Benny Collins during the change of command ceremony at the 449th Combat Aviation Brigade Armory, Aug. 2nd, 2025.

“As I passed the brigade colors today, I did so with immense pride, humility, and gratitude,” Collins said.

During his time as the brigade commander, Collins exhibited remarkable leadership and an unwavering devotion to the Soldiers under his command. Collins remained steadfast and led the way as the 449th Hurricanes responded to calls for service amidst natural disasters here in the Tar Heel state.

With the passing of the guidon, McAuliffe assumed command of 5 battalions with almost 850 Guardsmen and more than 130 aircraft.

“The 449th Combat Aviation Brigade has a proud history and a vital mission for both the Nation and the state of North Carolina,” McAuliffe said. “I am incredibly proud to re-join your ranks and serve as your commander.”

McAuliffe’s military career began in 1995 when he graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and went on to graduate from Army flight training a year later. During his time in the military, McAuliffe has taken on various leadership roles and been awarded a plethora of medals to include the Bronze Star Medal for his meritorious service.

McAuliffe’s extensive experience and dedication to his fellow Guardsmen displayed a confident readiness to lead the Hurricanes.

“I am confident that we, as a team, are ready to answer the call and accomplish our mission when our Nation or the citizens of North Carolina need us to respond,” McAuliffe said.

Things are moving quickly in Army Aviation and your AAAA team is doing everything we can to support the Branch and the Army in the Chief of Staff Army’s new guidance on “Continuous Transformation.” From our event themes to the magazine editorial focus, membership outreach, and the Army Aviation Congressional Caucus, AAAA is strongly endorsing and supporting this vision.

You will notice in the just released agenda for the annual Cribbins Futures Forum, November 17-20, 2025 in Huntsville, AL, that the focus is totally on the Concept Driven Transformation phase of Continuous Transformation. We will work on specific subjects like Air Space Management, Drones/Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Accelerated Acquisition, Sustainment on the Contested Battlefield, Launched Effects and Mission Planning. Our intent is to spur intellectual debate on each topic so that we better understand future challenges and the best way for our branch to meet those challenges.

The actual shape of the event has changed as well to best capture feedback and input from Soldiers and Industry. Specifically, members of the Army Aviation General Officer Steering Committee (GOSC) will present a problem set in their specific mission area during their morning general session presentations.

Then, during the afternoon session, in the embedded exhibit hall theater, we will have sequential “Open Mic” sessions for one hour each addressing each problem set managed by a senior “facilitator” to elicit thoughts from the audience.

Following those discussions, each facilitator will summarize the comments, best practices and suggestions from Industry and Soldiers, and on the last day of the event, will back-brief the Army Aviation GOSC in an open session, in the same exhibit hall theater, on the potential solutions to their problem sets that were presented during their introductory briefings.

The objective is to present solutions from a broad spectrum of the Aviation Enterprise; the actual folks working on the flightlines, workshop floor, contracting officers, as well as Industry and others seeking to contribute to the Concept Driven Transformation phase of Continuous Transformation. This will posture Army Aviation to not only meet the emerging threats but provide leapfrog capabilities to maintain our nation ‘s dominance across all domains.

Our National Executive Group, led by AAAA Treasurer, MG (Ret.) Todd Royar, has seized the initiative in developing the path ahead for AAAA’s support to the Branch. Summarized, this initiative is designed to focus Cribbins on the future which is captured in Concept Driven Transformation, and the Summit more on current capabilities as we continue to transform.

I want you to know that your NEG is totally engaged and in synch with the Army Aviation GOSC as we support their initiatives to achieve the CSA’s vision to keep the U.S. Army at the leading edge of technologies, capabilities and tactics to fight and win in any potential scenario.

Be part of the process and register now for Cribbins at www.quad-a.org/25Cribbins.

Above the Best!

MG Wally Golden, U.S. Army Retired
37th President, AAAA
Wally.golden@quad-a.org

I am excited and honored to have been elected as your new AAAA National President at our annual Mission Solutions Summit in Nashville back in May. I’m also excited to share some insights with you in this, my first installment of  “The Cockpit.”

First, let me thank our outgoing President, and my friend, MG (Ret.) Walt Davis, who led AAAA so well during the last two years, establishing a cohesive team of your National Executive Group (NEG), including BG (Ret.) Tim Edens, now our Senior VP, and MG Todd Royar, our new Treasurer. It has been an honor to serve with and for Walt. I pledge to build on his many successes and work every day to represent you all, as we work through these times of change and challenge.

Congratulations to our new NEG Secretary, BG (Ret.) Ray Davis, along with our new VP Chapters, COL (Ret.) John Broam and new VP Membership, COL (Ret.) Liz Martin. My heartfelt thanks to Jan Drabczuk and Becki Chambers for their long and distinguished service to AAAA as the previous VPs for Chapters and Membership. I’m also proud to announce that MG (Ret.) Laura Yeager, former 40th Infantry Division Commanding General, has accepted a National Executive Board (NEB) Member-at-Large Position and will replace Ray Davis as Chairperson of our AAAA Army National Guard and US Army Reserve Committee.

Your AAAA NEG has been busy since the Summit in May. I was honored to attend the Grizzly Chapter Ball in June at Clovis, CA. What a great event! My thanks go out to Chapter President, Shiloh Briggs, and his entire team for their warm welcome and hospitality. Their event epitomized the AAAA pillars of networking and recognition as they provided a venue for camaraderie and fellowship while awarding many outstanding individual members and units during their event. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and look forward to visiting many other chapters during my tenure as president.

A couple of weeks after the AAAA Summit our new National Executive Group (NEG) met for three days at the AAAA National Headquarters in Connecticut to coordinate our efforts to best serve you. We reviewed everything from our almost finalized Strategic Plan, to sponsoring UAS drone centric events, and reshaping our major events, all to make sure that AAAA is future-focused and relevant to you, the Branch, and the Army for decades to come.

If my years in uniform taught me anything, it is that change is inevitable, and that Army Aviation and our Nation always come out better, stronger and more capable in the process. All of us at AAAA are moving out smartly to better serve you in all of our four pillars of Networking, Recognition, Voice and Support as we embrace unmanned systems, autonomy, counter drone and all the realities of the emerging battlefield as we prepare for future conflict.

I guarantee that the AAAA will be there for you to provide the venues, platforms and opportunities for the entire community to come together to achieve these objectives.

The future of the U.S. Army and Army Aviation looks exciting for sure! Your AAAA leadership team looks forward to being a supporting change agent as we all continue to Support the U.S. Army Soldier and Family!

Above the Best!

MG Wally Golden, U.S. Army Retired
37th President, AAAA
Wally.golden@quad-a.org

Looking Back, August 2025
By Mark Albertson

Genzai Bakudan

The essence of war is violence. Moderation in war is imbecility. . . Sir John “Jackie” Fisher. See page 55, Chapter 4, “Genzai Bakudan,” by Mark Albertson

* * * * *

“Ahead there was only destruction. A wasteland of shattered buildings, incinerated homes, and scorched earth. A desolate moonscape that became more horrifying as the great steel prow cut lazily through the black waters, pushing though a flotsam of burned and bloated bodies that bobbed like corks in the creamy wake. Occupation troops were set to go ashore. They would face no opposition. Because, you see, the city was dead.”[2]

Sound like an ominous prophecy of Nostradamus?Or perhaps the opening scene from an episode of Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone?No. It is the aftermath of Genzai Bakudan, the Atomic Bomb. It is Nagasaki as seen by my father from the bridge of the USS Ottawa (AKA-101), an attack transport loaded with marines. Weeks before, the B-29 Bock’s Car dropped its deadly load, ending the war and proving Major General Leslie Groves correct. For after witnessing the first explosion at Alamogordo, New Mexico, July 16, 1945, the military commander of the Manhattan Project accurately observed, “The war’s over. One or two of these things, and Japan will be finished.”[3] President Truman agreed. On August 2, he authorized the bomb’s use.

* * * * *

The luckless city chosen to usher in the Atomic Age was Hiroshima. Hiroshima was home to an army transport base and food, ordnance and clothing depots. There was also a large railway yard, electrical works, textile mills, oil-storage facilities and a shipbuilding yard. And, according the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey, “Hiroshima before the war was the seventh largest city in Japan, with a population of over 340,000, and was the principal administrative and commercial center of the southwestern part of the country. As the headquarters of the Second Army and of the Chugoku Regional Army, it was one of the most important military command stations in Japan, the site of one of the largest military supply depots, and the foremost military shipping point for both troops and supplies. Its shipping activities had virtually ceased by the time of the attack, however, because of sinkings and the mining of the Inland Sea.”[4]

 

Commander of the 509^th Composite Group, Colonel Paul Tibbets, would fly the bomb plane. His crew was as follows:Captain Robert A. Lewis, co-pilot; Major Thomas Ferebee, bombardier; Captain Theodore van Kirk, navigator; Lieutenant Jacob Beser, radar countermeasures officer; Master Sergeant Wyatt A. Dusenbury, flight engineer; Staff Sergeant Joseph S. Stiborik, radar operator; Sergeant George R. Caron, tail gunner; Sergeant Robert R. Shumard, waist gunner; P.F.C. Richard H. Nelson, radio operator. Also aboard was Navy Captain William S. “Deke” Parsons who was in charge of the bomb, and his assistant Morris R. Jeppson.[5]

Group insignias on the three planes making the flight were removed; but, Tibbets had his mother’s name, Enola Gay, painted on the fuselage of his bomber.

The camera plane was to be piloted by Captain George R. Marquardt. While the B-29 armed with the instruments to measure the blast was to be piloted by Major Charles W. Sweeney.[6]

July 16, 1945, Operation:TRINITY at Alamogordo, New Mexico, a plutonium bomb had been expended for the test. But for Hiroshima, the Enola Gay would drop a uranium bomb. “Little Boy” as the bomb was called, was hoisted into the forward bomb bay the night before.

At 0245, August 6, 1945, Enola Gay lifted heavily off the crushed coral runway on Tinian. Marquardt and Sweeney followed at two-minute intervals.

Over the Pacific, Parsons and Jeppson armed the bomb.

Over Iwo Jima, Tibbets began the slow climb to attack altitude. The final decision to bomb the primary or alternate targets rested on information collected by the weather planes flying ahead.[7]

When they reached the Japanese coast, Tibbets’ headphones began to crackle, “2/10 lower and middle lower, and 2/10 at 15,000 feet. ”Visual conditions over Nagasaki, Kokura and Hiroshima were good. So Tibbets turned towards the primary target, Hiroshima.[8]

Tibbets began the bomb run from twenty-five miles out. A twelve miles, he said into his intercom, “It’s yours.”

Major Ferebee took control of the bomber. He lowered his left eye onto the Norden bombsight and focused in. Below, the Ota River snaked its way to a delta, where the tributaries splayed like seven spreading fingers.

Then the Aioi Bridge rolled into the crosshairs. “I got it!” announced the bombardier.

At fifteen minutes and seventeen seconds past eight, the bomb bay doors swung open. Ferebee watched Little Boy tumble out tail first, then nose over towards its target.“Bombs away!”

Less 10,000 pounds, the lumbering Superfort shot up like a cork. Tibbets threw her into a simultaneous sixty-degree dive and 158 degree turn at a speed of 328 miles-per-hour.

Some 31,000 feet below the twisting bomber, 340,000 unsuspecting souls were going about their business.

Forty-three seconds later, a sky-searing flash, like a the popping of a gigantic flashbulb, lit the morning sky and whited out the inside of the fleeing bomber, already eight miles away from ground zero. A shock wave, like a ring spreading outwards, as in a pond, suddenly shot skyward and slammed the bomber, buffeting it as if hit by flak.

Below, the bomb, which had detonated at an altitude of 1,860 feet, had loosed a fireball 110 years in diameter and a heat of 300,000 degrees centigrade. Granite melted. Roof tiles softened and changed color from black to olive or brown. People were vaporized, their outlines burned like negatives into roads, walls and bridges.

The earth-shattering concussion flattened every building but those of the stoutest construction for two miles in any direction from the epicenter. Fires, hundreds of them, sprouted to life simultaneously and raged out of control until 4.7 miles of the city center had been incinerated.

The whirlwind unleashed by the blast tore trees out at the roots and obliterated walls, houses and buildings. Trains, buses and trams were picked up and thrown about like toys.

Minute crumbs of debris, thrown up into the atmosphere by the blast, fell earthward in a black sooty rain that left grease spots on clothes.

The sinister mushroom cloud climbed to 20,000 feet in sixty seconds. Then the spreading umbrella detached from its stem and floated upwards to 40,000 feet. From his tail gunner’s position, Sergeant Caron could still see the ominous wreath when the Enola Gay was 363 miles away. A tombstone of smoke that marked the demise of Japan’s seventh largest city.

For better or for worse, Man had entered the Atomic Age.

 

* * * * *

Time has a habit of altering viewpoints, opinions and beliefs. Causes for such changes certainly vary. They can range from new information recently brought to light; guilt feelings which prompt second guessing; or, perhaps the previous mode of thinking upon which the opinion or belief was based has suddenly become politically or socially incorrect, and therefore, unacceptable. It is even possible that the new found alternative thinking could be the result of a cocktail of all the above. Perhaps this explains why that after eight decades, a sizable number of Americans are calling into question President Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bombs on Japan. The counterargument is that Japan was a nation against the ropes. That her ill-gotten empire had been wrested from her grasp. That her once magnificent Combined Fleet lay rusting on the bottom of the Pacific. That her industry was in ruins. That food and other essentials were in grievous short supply. Some would go so far as to say that to resort to such a weapon against a nation in the throes of such a disaster was a decision lacking in honor.

“After Pearl Harbor, Japan had no honor,” remarked Harry Truman. If you were at Pearl Harbor that day or heard about the attack on radio or from family and friends, you might have been inclined to agree with the President. For Americans decades removed from the Day of Infamy, it is important for them to remember that the attack on the Pacific Fleet galvanized a pacifist nation seeking to avoid war. That the attack was seen as being in direct contravention to the sense of decency and fair play that pervaded this Nation at the time and which now seems to be in noticeably short supply.

As for other reasons as to why the atomic bombs were dropped, these are based solely on logic. Yet still on the surface it all seemed pointless. For here was a small island nation, her naval power destroyed, industry shattered, without allies and friendless, fighting on against a worldwide coalition.

Any study of wartime Japan cannot be based solely on logic, at least not in the Western sense. Pearl Harbor offers a prime example. While sneak attack had run counter to the basic American tents of decency and fair play, to the Japanese it was an accepted mode of warfare by the Samurai for centuries.

The Samurai spirit lived on in the Japanese soldier. He was certainly one of the most courageous, yet reckless and fanatical of fighting man during the entire Second World War. To him surrender was unacceptable. Only victory brought honor to emperor, country and family. The alternative was death, either in action against the enemy or by his own hand. This was the warrior code of bushido.

Such was the code of the Japanese militarists, who, while in control of the education system, indoctrinated Japanese youth with the martial spirit and love of race. Not too unlike how the Hitler Youth prepared the young of Germany, but with a distinct Oriental flavor:That the spiritual transcends the material.

Just how much disregard the Japanese had for their opponents can be seen in their treatment of enemy combatants they captured. Prisoners of war were viewed with brutal disdain, since they did not die in battle or kill themselves. Chinese POWs were singled out for outrages of the utmost barbarism. Captured Americans, Britons, Australians and New Zealanders fared little better. They were selected for such heartless indignities as starvation, disease, death marches, forced labor, massacres and torture. Some were even killed and eaten by Japanese troops.[9]Bycomparison, Western POWs in the European Theater of War incurred a much lower death rate than unfortunate POWs in the Pacific Theater of War.[10]

Of primary importance to the Japanese was the idea of place. Japan was at the hierarchy of nations. The emperor sat atop the Japanese caste system. He was not a man but a god. Detached from his people and accessible only to those privileged echelons of a stratified society. It was up to the military, the Japanese High Command, to run the Empire. And their doctrine was Hokku Ichiu, the Japanese equivalent of the German Lebensraum or Living Space. Indeed the militarists’ agenda was to rid Asia of the White Christian colonial powers of Europe. Asia for Asians!Of course, the intent was to establish Japanese mastery over their neighbors, to which Asians would be trading one overseer for another. Resulting, of course, in the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere or the Japanese Empire.[11]And the militarists accomplished same by issuing directives in the emperor’s name whether he was aware of them or not. And what was more, dutiful Japanese believed and did what they were told.

Later in the war, when Radio Tokyo began to announce defeats, the Japanese were told that the High Command had expected such reversals, but that ultimate victory was assured. And the people believed it.

When the B-29s began to lay waste of Japanese cities with impunity, the Japanese people were told that the High Command had expected such attacks and were prepared to deal with the situation. And the people believed it.

Such was the grip that the militarists had on the Japanese people. A hold the High Command had no intention of relinquishing. Even if it meant wholesale destruction of Japan.

* * * * *

Much of the terrain in Japan is mountainous, with ridges and forests, from which a determined defender can exact a hefty price from an attacker.

White House Chief of Staff, Admiral William Leahy pointed out to President Truman, “. . . that the troops on Okinawa had lost 35 percent in casualties. If this percentage were applied to the number of troops to be employed in Kyushu, [for Operation:OLYMPIC, November 1, 1945], he thought the similarity of fighting to be expected would give a good estimate of the casualties to be expected. He was interested therefore in finding out how many troops are to be used in Kyushu.”[12]To which General George Marshal pointed out:

“. . . that the total assault troops for the Kyushu campaign were shown in the memorandum prepared for the President as 767,700. He said, in answer to the President’s question as to what opposition could be expected on Kyushu, that it was estimated at eight Japanese divisions or about 350,000 troops. He said that divisions were still being raised in Japan and that reinforcement from other areas was possible but it was becoming increasingly difficult and painful.”[13]

Indeed, the Japanese were preparing for an invasion of their home islands by those White Christian powers they had sought to remove from Asia. Operation:KETSU-GO or Operation:DECISION.

Phase One was to feature submarine attacks.“Of the 45 remaining submarines, about 38 were operational in Japanese waters and would be the first thing U.S. forces would encounter. Although an opportunity to sink a carrier would not be passed up, the troop transports were top priority. A few of the Japanese submarines were equipped to carry “Kaiten” manned-suicide torpedoes and about 120 Kaitens would be immediately available for use, although some estimates for the number of Kaitens that would have been available by November range as high as 1,000. Although the Kaitens had proved largely ineffective in open-ocean use, the Japanese anticipated much better success in the confined and crowded waters of an amphibious beachhead, which probably would have been the case.”[14]

Expected, too, were the “Koryu” midget submarines. Some 540 of the five-man subs, each capable of two torpedoes or explosive charges, were augmented by about another 740 more advanced midget submarines known as the “Kairyu.”Each of these carried two torpedoes or an explosive charge. However, Koryu production was severely impacted by bombing and only 110 were complete when the war ended, and only 250 of the kairyu had been completed.”[15]

The Imperial Japanese Navy was to unleash some 3,300 “Shinyo” motor boats mounting a 550 pound explosive charge with the express purpose of ramming American ships and landing craft. Some of these were manned by Army personnel and even featured depth charges. Actual number available was about 800. In addition, the I.J.N. was going to commit its remaining destroyers, perhaps 19 vessels, in suicide runs against the invasion fleet.

The “Forkuryu” or suicide frogmen were slated to swim out among the landing craft and attack them with explosive charges. Some 4,000 were expected to be ready by November 1945.

Kamikaze planes were not committed for the first attacks. At places such as the Philippines and Okinawa, despite incurring much damage to the U.S. fleet, many were still shot down on the way to making their attacks. Here they were to be unleashed when the invasion fleet was right off the beaches. This allowed for the minimum of flight time when compared to the attacks at Okinawa.

Due to the proximity of the battle front, Kamikaze aircraft were dispersed among dozens of airfields, and then were concealed and camouflaged. With their preparations, upwards 12,700 aircraft of all types had been accumulated. Not all were warplanes, with some even made of wood.“The Japanese Army air attack plan called for aircraft to attack in waves of 300-400 aircraft, at a rate of one wave per hour, day and night, until all aircraft and pilots were gone. The Navy preferred to conduct attacks at twilight, and that discussion was still inconclusive at the end of the war. Nevertheless, this level of effort would have resulted in more kamikazes attacks in three hours than in three months of the Okinawa campaign, and would have had a great prospect of saturating the defenses of the transports when they were most vulnerable.”[16]

Phase Two would have been the ground fighting. On June 18 1945, in a meeting in the Oval Office with President Truman, Secretary of War Henry Stimson, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, together with Admiral William Leahy, General George Marshall, Admiral Ernest King and Army Air Force commander, General Henry “Hap” Arnold, were being briefed by General Marshal on the Japanese ground forces capability to be faced with the November 1945 invasion of Kyushu. Estimates were some 350,000 Japanese troops. In addition, all Japanese civilian workers for the Army and Navy were to be armed, perhaps some 4,000,000. Added to which was the Japanese People’s Volunteer Corps. All women, ages 17-40 and men 15-60 were included, armed with bird guns, bows and arrows, swords, sharpened stakes, knives, . . . Population on Kyushu alone was 2,400,000.

Not counting Allied troops, it was estimated that Operation:DOWNFALL, overall program to which Operation:OLYMPIC, invasion of Kyushu and Operation:CORONET, invasion of Honshu, March 1946, would require 1,700,000 American soldiers and marines. Casualty expectations of the former were some “124,935 battle casualties, including 25,000 dead, plus 269,000 non-battle casualties (disease, accident, etc.) for Kyushu alone. The J.C.S. came up with an estimate that a 90-day campaign on Kyushu would cost 156-175,000 battle casualties, with 38,000 killed in action. By late July, the J.C.S. was forecasting 500,000 casualties at the high end and 100,000 at the low end. In late July, the War Department provided an estimate that the entire DOWNFALL operations would cause between 1.7 to 4 million U.S. casualties, including 400-800,000 U.S. dead, and 5 to 10 million Japanese dead.[17]

* * * * *

November 26, 1943, President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek concluded their conference in Cairo.“The several military missions agreed upon future military operations against Japan . . . The three great Allies are fighting this war to restrain and punish the aggression of Japan . . . With these objects in view the three Allies, in harmony with those of the United Nations at war with Japan, will continue to persevere in the serious and prolonged operations necessary to procure the unconditional surrender of Japan.”[18]

Unconditional surrender will prove to be a sticking point. Let us start with the Emperor, what is he to think?Do the Allies plan to try him for war crimes?Perhaps extinguish the royal institution and the notion of his majesty as a living, breathing god on earth?The militarists, though are committed to a foregone conclusion:Fight to the last to protect the sacred homeland of Japan from these infidels.

Middle of 1944, the war had been taking a decided turn for worse for Japan, to which a council will be formed:The Supreme Council for the Direction of the War. Included were “the Premier, Foreign Minister, Ministers of War and Navy, and Chiefs of the General Staffs of the Army and Navy.”But as Japan’s situation became increasingly dire, changes to the personnel were made. Hence the rise of the Big Six.

“These six men were important; for they formed the ‘inner cabinet’ which made decisions at the highest level for the cabinet, and then for the Emperor, to approve. They were Premier Admiral Baron Kentaro Suzuki, Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo, War Minister General Korechika Anami, who was the most powerful man in Japan at the time; Navy Minister Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai; Army Chief of Staff Yoshijiro Umezu, who looked like an Oriental Mussolini and was even more dictatorial; and, Navy Chief of Staff Soemu Toyoda, an eloquent, sixty-year old xenophobe. He was put in by Suzuki to replace Oikawa, the earlier member, because Toyoda belonged to the same general clan as Anami and Umezu, and the Premier thought he would be able to help turn the two Army men from their hardline attitude.”[19]

On the diplomatic front, negotiations with the western powers were viewed as unproductive in Tokyo. But what about the Russians?Perhaps through Moscow, the Japanese could arrange a “conditional peace,” in lieu of unconditional surrender.

On the heels of the disastrous defeat at Okinawa, Emperor Hirohito and Marquis Koichi Kido, favored bringing the conflict to a conclusion. They felt buoyed since Admiral Suzuki and Shigenori Togo had joined the “inner cabinet.”Contact was made with the kremlin.

“July 21, the Japanese government instructed its representative in Moscow, ‘We cannot consent to unconditional surrender under any circumstances. Even if the war drags on and more blood must be shed. So long as the enemy demands unconditional surrender, we will fight as one man against the enemy in accordance with the Emperor’s command.’”[20]

American codebreakers were reading Japanese diplomatic traffic and knew of the Kremlin contact. Stalin, in the end, had no intention of assisting the Japanese. He had made a “promise” at Yalta to come in to the Pacific War three months after the Germans had surrendered. And that was exactly what he going to do. However, on the American side, another multi-power occupation of Japan as with Germany was unacceptable. Japan was going to be occupied by the United States alone. For depending how long the Japanese held out against an Allied invasion of the Home Islands, just how much of Manchuria and Korea were the Soviets going to gobble up?So despite naysayers such as Admiral Leahy, General Eisenhower and others, Truman will play it close to the vest until he decides on dropping the Bombs.

On July 26, 1945, from the Potsdam Conference was released, The Potsdam Proclamation; and as noted by:“Proclamation by the heads of Governments, United States, China and the United Kingdom.”Among the points urging the Japanese to come to terms with the realities of the war at this juncture were:

(8)The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out and Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine.

(9)The Japanese military forces, after being completely disarmed, shall be permitted toreturn to their homes with the opportunity to lead peaceful and productive lives.

(10)We do not intend that the Japanese shall be enslaved as a race or destroyed as a nation, but stern justice shall be meted out to all war criminals, including those who visited cruelties upon our prisoners. The Japanese government shall remove all obstacles to the revival and strengthening of democratic tendencies among the Japanese people. Freedoms of speech, of religion, and of thought, as well as respect for the fundamental human rights shall be established.[21]

Reference to the Cairo Declaration in point 8 meant unconditional surrender. In addition to the fact no reference to the Emperor could be found. This will not be acceptable to the Japanese.

Yet by the day prior to the release of The Potsdam Proclamation, July 25, “the bomb-as-a-weapon was generally believed to be unnecessary—as Truman had by then been told by Leahy, Eisenhower, King, Arnold and Le May and others. General Douglas MacArthur, then Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Pacific, was not asked for his opinion whether the bomb was of any military use against Japan. Only General Marshall continued to hedge on his opinion, and he was profoundly disturbed at the thought that the attack was to be a surprise. He would later say the bomb shortened the war by months; Le may said it shortened the war by two weeks. Churchill was to say, ‘It would be a mistake to suppose that the fate of Japan was settled by the atomic bomb, her defeat was certain before the first bomb fell.’”[22]

As to the Japanese, whether militarists or no, The Potsdam Proclamation was a regurgitation of the Cairo Declaration. So their response was “Mokusatsu.”“Literally the word means ‘kill with silence.’”[23] In American parlance, perhaps, “No Comment.”

At this stage of the saga, Stalin was moving troops, tanks, guns and planes to the Manchurian border. Truman was under no illusions that Stalin was committed to entering the Pacific War, as prescribed at Yalta. This led to the model issue of concern, that Germany was to be divided into four parts. This was not what the United States was going to allow in Japan. Washington was not going to allow any kibitzers here, even if they were allies; an early indication of America employing its new-found power. So Truman, then, will give the order and Hiroshima will be vaporized, August 6, 1945.[24]

The Emperor, upon being informed about the tragedy at Hiroshima, realized that Japan must accept the inevitable. He ordered the War Council to meet to formalize some sort of surrender offer. The meeting was scheduled for August 9, the same day Nagasaki was vaporized and Stalin unleashed his Far Eastern Army against the Japanese Kwantung Army in Manchuria.

Japan’s position was untenable. In a meeting called for in the Imperial Palace for August 10, the Supreme War Council, including the Big Six was convened. Among them were those who would prefer to come to terms versus those who wanted to fight to the bitter end, no matter the cost. It was then Hirohito who decided the issue, surrender.

A note was forwarded to Secretary of State, Jimmy Byrnes, via Swiss intermediaries, which included, “The Japanese Government are ready to accept the terms enumerated in the joint declaration which was issued at Potsdam on July 26, 1945 . . . with the understanding that the said declaration does not comprise any demand which prejudices the prerogatives of His Majesty as a Sovereign Ruler.”[24]

The Emperor recorded two transcripts to be read over the air waves to the Japanese nation on August 15. Army militants broke into the Imperial Palace the evening prior to destroy the transcripts. They failed. The message of surrender was beamed to the nation and the war was over.[25]

* * * * *

Postscript

The bombs capped the destruction of Dai Nippon Teikoku or The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, AKA the Japanese Empire. In addition, Hiroshima and Nagasaki destroyed an Oriental version, perhaps, of the Devine Right of Kings, the belief that the Emperor was a god on earth. The obvious emptiness of this belief was that this earth-bound divinity failed and failed miserably to prevent the wholesale destruction of much of Japan. Recall, too, what the irate French masses did to Louis XVI in January 1793.       

Stalin understood what the atomic bombs meant. A shortening of the war and a warning to the Soviet Union that America had the “doomsday” weapon as some were already calling it and would employ same if the situation required. Of course, America’s monopoly would end in only four years when the Soviets would successfully test their own version of the atomic bomb.

It has been offered from many quarters over the years that with Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the United States began the nuclear arms race. A falsity easily refuted when one understands that Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman of Germany first split the atom in 1938. Nazi Germany, then, was the first out of the starting gate on the road to a nuclear weapon. Germany, though, will eventually lose its lead with its attempt to racially profile the science as “Jewish Physics.”In the end not a surprise here since Fascists many times seem regard the most outlandish of stupidities over accomplished facts such as those found in science. Britain will throw its lot with the United States. For the Manhattan Project will be seen by many of its participants as a race to achieve the bomb before the Germans. The idea of Hitler in possession of such a weapon was an anathema.

Another combatant was working on the bomb as well, . . . Japan. There were two programs, the Army’s and the Navy’s. Much of the research was carried out in North Korea, at Konan or what is more popularly known as Hungnam. One of the scientists involved was Yoshio Nishina, a colleague of Niels Bohr. On page 16, of the Introduction of Robert K. Wilcox’s, Japan’s Secret War, there is reference to a 1946 account, made public by David Snell, who had been an agent with the Twenty-Fourth Criminal Investigation Detachment in Korea, who had had a conversation with a Japanese officer in charge of the security for the Japanese project. He related a bomb test off the Korean coast on August 10, 1945. The objective was to employ atomic bombs on Kamikaze planes for use against American troops on landing beaches.[26]

Regardless, many chemists and physicists knew the use of atomic energy for war or peace was possible and for quite a long time prior to 1945. But in the end, atomic energy’s use as a weapon was entirely compatible with Levee en Masse, the conscription of entire populations and economies for war. From 1793 to 1945, this notion of Total War had evolved. The need to expand manpower pools beyond that of professional soldiers and volunteers had arrived. For with more factories more weapons could be produced. And with the evolution of technology funded by capitalism, each new mark of weaponry was reaping an ever greater harvest of humanity. And as men filled out uniforms, women were needed in the factories to produce the implements of war. Societies, economies and war itself will be irrevocably altered by Levee en Masse.Organizing nations for just one thing, win the war. And this necessitated Central Control; in other words, the era of Big Government had arrived.

I have always assumed that the Japanese would have done whatever they could todevelop the atomic bomb during the war, and if they had it, would have used it. I have always assumed that any country that could have had the bomb during the war would have used it, the Nazis, the Soviets, and the Japanese. So we are not unique.Edwin O. Reischer, Harvard professor and former U.S. ambassador to Japan.[27]

Endnotes

[1]Genzai Bakudan (Greatest Fighter) was the codename for the Japanese atomic bomb program in World War II. It is also the title name for Chapter 4 in On History:A Treatise, by Mark Albertson.

[2]See page 55, Chapter 4, “Genzai Bakudan,” On History:A Treatise, by Mark Albertson.

[3]See pages 205 and 206, “Acceleration,” Ruin From the Air, by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts.

[4]See page 5, “U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey:The Effect of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, June 1946,” Department of Defense, Japan, publicintelligence.net/ussbs-hiroshima-nagasaki

[5]See pages 373 and 374, “The Great White Light,” by Major Gene Gurney, Combat:The War With Japan, edited by Don Congdon. See also page 56, Mark Albertson.

[6]Major Sweeney would later fly the bomb plane to Nagasaki, Bock’s Car, and become the only pilot to fly both atomic bomb missions.

[7]Per the Strike Order for Hiroshima, posted 5 August 1945, a total of six B-29s took part in the mission. Tibbets’ bomb plane. The instruments and camera planes and the three weather planes which took off first.

[8] Per the Authorization of the Dropping of the First Atomic Bomb, from Acting Chief of Staff, United States Army Air Forces, General Thomas Handy to General Carl Spaatz, Commanding General, United States Army Strategic Air Forces, posted July 25, 1945, there were listed four targets:Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata and Nagasaki.

[9]It is indeed unfortunate that Japanese military personnel, officers as well as rank and file, not only shot out of hand Allied prisoners of war, but on occasion, feasted on the dead. Note, please, “the text of a captured Japanese order on the subject of cannibalism and some extracts from the interrogation of a Japanese officer, Major Matoba, who was questioned about the practice of cannibalism by a military commission in August 1946 by the United States Navy commander of Guam and the Marianna Islands:

ORDER REGARDING EATING FLESH OF AMERICAN FLYERS

    I.    The battalion wants to eat the flesh of the American aviator, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Hall.

    II. First Lieutenant Kanamuri will see to the rationing of this flesh.

    III. Cadet Sakabe (Medical Corps) will attend the execution and have the liver and gall bladder removed.

           Battalion Commander:Major Matoba.

                                     Date:       9^th March 1945.

                                     Time:       9 A.M.

                                     Place:      Mikazuki Hill Headquarters.

           Method of issuing orders: Called to my presence First Lieutenant Kanamuri and Cadet Sakabe and gave verbal order.

           Place to report after completion of order:Brigade Commander:Major General Tachabana.

           Also informed:Divisional HQ Detachment, Major Horie, 308^th Independent Infantry Battalion.” See page 236, Chapter XII, “Cannibalism, Vivisection and Mutilation,” The Knights of Bushido, by Lord Russell of Liverpool.

[10]“The extent of the ill-treatment, however, can be appreciated from this significant comparison. In the European theaters of war, 235,473 British and American prisoners of war were captured by the Germans and Italians. Of this number, 9,348, or 4 percent of the total, died in captivity. In the Pacific theaters of war the percentage was 27.”See page 57, Lord Russell of Liverpool.

Lord Russell of Liverpool is bolstered here by Yuki Tanaka, a one-time visiting Research Fellow at the Australia National University. To which the following:

Number of Allied POWs and Death Rate Under the Japanese:

Country                     Number of POWs                Number of Deaths             Death Rate (Percent)

Australia                           21,726                                     7,412                                        34.1

Britain                               50,016                                   12,433                                        24.8

Canada                                1,691                                        273                                        16.1

New Zealand                         121                                           31                                        25.6

United States                   21,580                                     7,107                                        32.9

Holland                             37,000                                     8,500                                        22.9

Total:                               132,134                                    35,756

Average Death Rate:                                                                                                          27.1

See page 3, “Introduction,” Hidden Horrors, By Yuki Tanaka.

[11]Stalin had something to say along the lines of Japan’s effort towards empire.“. . . whoever occupies a territory also imposes on it his own social system. Everyone imposes his own system as far as his army can reach. It cannot be otherwise.”See page 114, II, “Doubts,” Conversations With Stalin, by Milovan Djilas.

[12] See page 907, Foreign Relations of the United States:Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume I, J.C.S. Files, No. 598, Memorandum by the Secretary of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (McFarland), Washington, June 18, 1945 at 1530.

[13]See page 908, Foreign Relations of the United States:Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin, (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume I . . .

[14]See page 5, “H-057-1:Operations Downfall and Ketsugo-November 1945,” by Samuel J. Cox, Director, Naval History and Heritage Command, January 2021.www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/…

[15]See pages 5 and 6, Samuel J. Cox, Director, Naval History and Heritage Command.

[16]See page 8, Samuel J. Cox, Director, Naval History and Heritage Command.

[17]See page 10, Samuel J. Cox, Director, Naval History and Heritage Command.

[18]See page 1, Office of the Historian, Foreign Relations of the United States:Diplomatic Papers, The Conferences at Cairo and Tehran, 1943, Final Text of the Communique, Press Conference, November 26, 1943.

[19]See pages 39 and 40, Chapter II, “The Long Bumpy Road to War and Peace,” Nagasaki:The Necessary Bomb? By Joseph Laurence Marx.

[20]See page 33, Chapter 3, “To Save ‘Half Million’ American Lives,” Hiroshima, by Ronald Takaki.

[21]See pages 1 and 2, Office of the Historian, Foreign Relations of the United States:Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume II, No. 182, Proclamation.

[22]See pages 238 and 239, Chapter 17, “Mokusatsu,” Meeting at Potsdam, by Charles L. Mee, Jr.

[23]See page 248, Charles L. Mee, Jr.

[24]Consult Appendix D, page 167, “Agreement Regarding Entry of the Soviet Union into the War Against Japan,” Such a Peace, by C.L. Sulzberger. To which can be added, here, that by well into July 1945, Washington saw no need for the Soviets being involved in the war in the Pacific. Indeed, Winston Churchill testified to this fact to Anthony Eden, July 1945. See page 639, Chapter 19, “Potsdam:The Atomic Bomb,” Triumph and Tragedy, by Winston Churchill.

[25]See page 102, Chapter V, “In the Palace Air-Raid Shelter,” Nagasaki:The Necessary Bomb? By Joseph Laurence Marx.

[26]“One group of Army officers rejected the imperial will. They planned a coup d’etat to seize power. Establish a military government, and continue the war. After a few days of plotting, they broke into the Imperial palace on the evening of August 14 in search of the emperor’s recording. They also intended to kill Premier Suzuki. The fanatics failed to stop the imperial broadcast. Most of the military knew that further resistance was impossible and quietly complied. The wretched fifteen-year war came to an end with a whimper instead of a gory bang.”See pages 231-232, Chapter 11, “Defeat,” The Pacific War, by Saburo Ienaga.

[27]See pages 15 and 16, “Introduction,” Japan’s Secret War, by Robert K. Wilcox.

[28]See page 13, Robert K. Wilcox.

Bibliography

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Congdon, Don, editor, Combat:The War With Japan, Dell Publishing Company, Inc., New York, NY., 1962.

Cox, Samuel J., Director, Naval History and Heritage Command, “H-057-1:Operations Downfall and Ketsugo-November 1945,” www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/…

Craig, William, The Fall of Japan:A Chronicle of the End of the Japanese Empire, Galahad Books, Edison, New Jersey, 1967.

Djilas, Milovan, Conversations With Stalin, Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., New York 1962.

Dower, John W., Embracing Defeat:Japan in the Wake of World War II, W.W.Norton & Company, New York, NY., 1999.

Ienaga, Saburo, The Pacific War, Pantheon Books, Division of Random House, Inc., New York, 1978. Originally published by Iwanami Shoten Publishers, Tokyo, 1968.

Liverpool, Lord Russell of, The Knights of Bushido:A Short History of Japanese War Crimes, Cassell & Company Ltd., London, 1958.

Marx, Joseph Laurence, Nagasaki:The Necessary Bomb? The Macmillan Company, New York, NY., 1971.

Mee, Charles L., Jr., Meeting at Potsdam, M. Evans and Company, Inc., New York, NY., 1975.

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Office of the Historian, Foreign Relations of the United States:Diplomatic Papers, The Conferences at Cairo and Tehran, 1943, Final Text of the Communique, Press Conference, November 26, 1943.History.state.gov/…/frus1943CairoTehran.d343

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Sulzberger, C.L., Such a Peace:The Roots and Ashes of Yalta, The Continuum Publishing Company, New York, NY., 1982.

Takai, Ronald, Hiroshima:Why America Dropped the Atomic Bomb, Little, Brown and Company, Toronto, Canada, 1995.

Tanaka, Yuki, Hidden Horrors:Japanese War Crimes in World War II, Westview Press, Division of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., Boulder, Colorado, 1996.

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Story by Capt. Shervon Pope

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -The “All American” DUSTOFF company executes first in-flight whole blood transfusion over Fort Bragg Apr. 30.

Charlie Company of the 3-82 General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) is the first active Army unit to perform an in-flight prehospital blood transfusion outside a combat zone. Also known as the Fort Bragg “All American”, DUSTOFF Charlie Company conducts medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) operations year-round to support the installation and the surrounding area. DUSTOFF is an acronym that stands for Dedicated Unhesitating Service to Our Fighting Troops and is synonymous with life-saving aeromedical evacuations.

Since the activation of the installation’s whole blood program, flight medics have been authorized to transport blood and administer transfusions during aeromedical evacuations, which significantly improves patient survivability during prehospital transport. While whole blood transfusions are commonly performed in combat zones, this is the first of its kind.

On the afternoon of April 30, 2025, the company’s operation cell received an urgent 9-line MEDEVAC request containing limited information: a critical condition patient in the vicinity of Mott Lake, N.C.

“When a 9-line drops, that becomes our number one priority”, stated Chief Warrant Officer 3 Duro, pilot-in-command. After receiving the MEDEVAC request, the crew, which included Chief Warrant Officer 3 Duro, Chief Warrant Officer 1 King, Staff Sgt. Beighley, and Cpl. Sullivan, took action.

Beighley, the flight medic, prepared vital medical supplies. With nearly eleven years of training and experience, she learned to anticipate patient needs, including in-flight blood transfusions, now possible through the whole blood program activation. Sullivan, crew chief, and King, junior pilot, readied the aircraft with pre-flight procedures and safety checks while Duro determined the flight route. With limited information and mission urgency, Duro determined that securing a suitable landing zone (LZ) required intervention from Fort Bragg military police to manage ground traffic. The crew coordinated airspace with Simmon air traffic controllers and prepared with the Womack Army Medical Center (WOMACK) providers to expedite services upon arrival.

Within minutes of the MEDEVAC request, the duty crew hurried across the hangar at Simmons Army Airfield and took flight toward Mott Lake. Although each crew member had their own unique experiences, they all shared one commonality: this mission signified their first point of injury (POI) at Fort Bragg. It would also be the first time a medical evacuation included in-flight transportation and transfusion of whole blood above a military installation.

“This was my first call here and out of training as a sole provider,” said Beighley, “I was able to react accordingly and make the right decisions because I knew that I had a solid crew with me that day.”

Upon arrival, the duty crew quickly made judgments and coordinated with on-scene agencies, resulting in a safe aircraft landing. After receiving the Fort Bragg Emergency Medical Services (EMS) patient care report along with the patient, Beighley assessed
that the patient required blood authorized from the whole blood program. During the transport, she had only minutes to provide critical medical interventions to improve the patient’s outcome. Among them, Beighley executed the blood transfusion. The patient was successfully transferred to the Womack Army Medical Center for higher-level medical treatment.

King stated this MEDEVAC mission stood out among others because of intricate coordination with emergency services, supporting agencies, and crew synchronization, particularly between the flight medic and crew chief, which is essential to executing a successful
operation.

“In situations such as that call, we don’t have to ask questions. Everyone is prepared and knows what their role is,” said Sullivan.

Collaboration among the Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg Range Operations Center, Fort Bragg Fire and Emergency Services, military police and Charlie Company are critical to medical evacuation success. The All American DUSTOFF is committed to enhancing patient care standards during aeromedical evacuations by consistently achieving new performance milestones.

Story by Maj. Jeffrey Windmueller

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Nicholas Demas was admiring the jagged peaks of the Swiss Alps cutting through the clouds when the radio crackled to life.

“Be advised, you are going to be intercepted by a Swiss fighter jet for training purposes,” the voice said.

Seconds later, an American-made F/A-18 Hornet appeared just 10 feet off his wingtip. Demas and his co-pilot snapped a quick photo, but the moment served as a stark reminder: this was no sightseeing trip. As an Army Reserve aviator, Demas was on a mission—flying halfway around the world to support Exercise Balikatan 2025, the 40th iteration of the joint and combined U.S.-Philippine military exercise in the South Pacific.

In doing so, Demas accomplished a rare feat: circumnavigating the globe in a twin-turboprop aircraft, the C-12 Huron.

. . .

Today, global travel is common. But circumnavigating the Earth in a military turboprop aircraft still requires meticulous planning and tremendous skill.

“Fuel management is one of the biggest concerns,” Demas said. “If weather happens, where can I go, and what can I do?”

Flying stateside, a storm over Dallas might just mean diverting to Oklahoma City. But overseas, in unfamiliar airspace, with limited fuel and no backup airfields, every leg had to be planned with precision.

Five months before takeoff, Demas and fellow pilots from Charlie Company, 6-52nd Theater Aviation Battalion began building the plan. The environment, extreme distances, and diplomatic hurdles of flying a military aircraft through foreign airspace demanded careful consideration.

“Part of my planning for this whole trip is APACS clearances,” Demas explained, referencing the DoD’s Aircraft and Personnel Automated Clearance System. “Every country’s approval includes specific airports. Landing at a non-approved location could cause serious issues.”

Based on the Beechcraft Super King Air 200, the Army’s C-12 is primarily used to transport distinguished visitors (DVs). With internal fuel tanks installed for the trip, Demas’s aircraft could stay airborne for over six hours at a time—closer to eight with careful fuel management.

Each landing was calculated to ensure at least 800–1,000 pounds of fuel remained, in case the aircraft needed to circle or divert due to emergencies or unfriendly airspace. These limitations, both mechanical and diplomatic, made one thing clear: the flight needed to continue eastward the entire way.

“We wouldn’t have had the fuel to fly westward, against the winds, to Alaska and then Japan,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brittney Hobt, who joined the mission in the Philippines. “You’d end up making an unscheduled stop in the ocean.”

That added fuel capacity proved vital more than once.

Approaching Phuket, Thailand, Demas and Chief Warrant Officer 4 John Kittinger encountered a lightning storm so intense it seemed unreal.

“It was the craziest lightning storm I had ever seen,” Demas said.
Placed into a holding pattern at 15,000 feet, the crew watched as international airliners queued up behind them.

“We were the paper airplane in the sky, trying to land between these major airlines,” he said. When one jet was told it was “No. 20” in line, Demas knew he had to act quickly and precisely.

By then, Demas had logged 44 flight hours across 11 time zones—and was still days away from his exercise destination.

. . .

At Balikatan 2025, Army Reserve aviators flew across the Philippines supporting joint operations with the Philippine military and other partner nations, including Japan and Australia.

Operating the nimble C-12 allowed the Army Reserve team to move personnel and senior leaders across the islands, freeing up larger aircraft for logistics and combat support missions.

“They were standard missions, for the most part,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donny Distler, who joined Demas in the Philippines. “But the collaboration between the four branches—it was seamless. It felt like we’d worked together for years.”

Still, there were challenges. In a non-FAA environment, navigating language barriers, different air traffic control procedures, and weather made each flight a test of skill.

“ATC was like the Wild West,” Distler said.

Controllers sometimes asked unexpected questions like, “Who are you and what’s your intention?”—prompting a moment of confusion before Demas answered: “To land?”

The runways themselves often added to the difficulty. Narrow, unlit strips—with tailwinds and monsoon rains—meant visual perception was easily distorted.

The aviators also supported training scenarios beyond transport.

In one exercise, Demas, Hobt, and Kittinger played roles in a simulated cockpit emergency, helping test and train local first responders.

“There were (simulated) smoke and fumes in the cockpit,” Demas said. “That triggered the emergency crews.”

While Hobt was treated for smoke inhalation and Kittinger for a simulated heart attack, Demas played a disoriented senior leader.

“I was told to be confused, concerned, and unaware of what was going on,” he said. “They had to control me and guide me to safety.”

. . .

When Balikatan concluded, Demas and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ryan Rennecker launched from Misawa, Japan, into complete darkness—no stars, no visible clouds. Just the black of the sky above the Pacific.

Three hours later, the sun rose over the Aleutians, eventually giving light to steam rising from an active volcano on Great Sitkin Island.

“It was the most spectacular sunrise I’ve ever seen,” Demas said. “You could still see the stars behind you, but ahead, this bright edge of sunlight was cutting across the sky.”

After nearly 25 years in uniform, Demas knew this would likely be his final long-range mission.

From the deserts of Qatar to the atolls of the Maldives, from snowdrifts in Canada to the extreme heat of the Philippines, the globe-spanning mission tested every skill he had. Mechanical delays, diplomatic clearance hiccups, and weather all added to the challenge. But the payoff was returning home—over Memorial Day weekend—just in time to see his daughter’s softball game.

“All told, I flew more than 20,000 miles and 90 hours,” Demas said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity.

“To a certain extent, I just flew my mission—but when I step back and realize I flew around the world in a twin-engine turboprop… it’s insane.”