Today in US Military History: Chuck Yeager shoots down Me-262 jet over Germany

Unto the Breach ^ | Nov. 6, 2018 | Chris Carter

[fugazi]

Today's post is in honor of Sgt. 1st Class William R. Brown, who was killed by an improvised explosive device in Sperwan Gar, Afghanistan on this date in 2006. Brown, 30, of Fort Worth, Texas, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group.

1941: While searching for blockade runners in the Caribbean, the cruiser USS Omaha and destroyer USS Somers spot a cargo ship flying U.S. colors but behaving oddly and whose sailors looked "uniquely un-American." When Omaha attempts to make contact, the ship's crew attempt to sabotage the vessel and a boarding crew is sent over. The captured ship turns out to be the German Odenwald, transporting rubber and other supplies from Japan. The sailors from the boarding party are each awarded $3,000 as bounty from the seized cargo and everyone else involved receives two month's pay - the last time U.S. sailors will be awarded prize money.

1942: The 2d Raider Battalion sets out on a month-long patrol to cut off Japanese forces attempting to escape encirclement at Guadalcanal's Koli Point. Over the next four weeks, Lt. Col. Evans Carlson's Raiders march 150 miles through dense jungles, using their trademark guerilla tactics to kill 500 enemy troops in several engagements. Only 16 Marines died during the operation, but virtually the entire battalion suffered from tropical diseases that were said to be worse than combat.

1944: Capt. Charles Yeager becomes one of the first U.S. pilots to shoot down a Messerschmidt Me-262 jet fighter, scoring his victory as the warplane attempts to land on a German airfield.

During a three-day battle at Kommerscheidt, Germany, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Turney W. Leonard "repeatedly braved overwhelming enemy fire in advance of his platoon to direct the fire of his tank destroyer from

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