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613_29 | Major discourse that existed between the FEA, the State Department and the Department of Treasury also diminished Operation Safehaven's capacity for success. The FEA and the Department of Treasury sought a punitive peace; an approach that intended to punish and weaken Germany as a consequence for their actions during the war while the State Department wanted to keep Germany powerful but pacified. These conflicting attitudes created a power struggle in the US government as each agency fought for control of the operation. These politics sabotaged the operation from within by restricting efficiency and directing the focus of the department officials away from Safehaven's objectives. |
613_30 | Outcomes
By 1948 little progress had been made and the intelligence produced by Operation Safehaven proved to not be very useful or of importance to the Allies. In 1948, Cold war fears and uncertainty outweighed the fears of a fourth Reich resurgence and subsequently the need for Operation Safehaven diminished and eventually saw its termination due to the fact that the United States and Allied forces placed their priorities on foreign affairs other than Safehaven. |
613_31 | While no new investigations in Operation Safehaven were undertaken post 1948, it took the Allies years to collect and implement the accords established under the operation. The Allied-Swiss Safehaven accord proved highly complex and took over 10 years to interpret and resolve the disputes and questions arising from the agreement. There were also extensive delays in the allies physically receiving all the assets. The last of the Safehaven agreements were not received until July 1959 when the Allies received the outstanding $65 million pesetas from Spain, representing the end of Spanish payments.
See also
Nazi gold
Nazi plunder
Roberts Commissions
References
Aftermath of World War II |
614_0 | Richard Henry Blood Sr. (born February 28, 1953), better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his work with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE).
In JCP and WCW, he was a one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, a four-time United States Heavyweight Champion, a four-time World Television Champion, a twelve-time World Tag Team Champion (eight-time under the WCW banner, one-time (though unofficial) under the NWA banner and three-time under the Mid-Atlantic banner) and a two-time Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion. In the WWF/E, Steamboat was a one-time Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. |
614_1 | Early life
Blood went to high school in New York and graduated in 1971 from Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, Florida, where he was on the school wrestling team. He was a two-time New York State wrestling qualifier and a Florida state champion.
Professional wrestling career
American Wrestling Association (1976)
Blood debuted in 1976 as a babyface in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) under his real name "Rick Blood".
Championship Wrestling from Florida (1976–1977)
He went from the AWA to Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF). Before his debut at CWF, Eddie Graham gave him the ring name "Ricky Steamboat" based on his resemblance to Hawaiian wrestler Sammy Steamboat. According to Steamboat, Graham thought "Rick Blood" was a good name for a heel, but not a face. |
614_2 | Jim Crockett Promotions (1977–1985) |
614_3 | In 1977, Steamboat entered the National Wrestling Alliance-sanctioned Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) (which ran under the concurrent brand names "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" and "Wide World Wrestling"—later "World Wide Wrestling"—as well as airing syndicated TV programs under those respective names), where he would remain for the next eight years of his career. Steamboat, who had been brought in by JCP booker George Scott on the recommendation of Wahoo McDaniel, was initially billed as a babyface protege of Wahoo and barely spoke above whispers in interviews. Matching him with his brash young counterpart, Ric Flair, was a natural fit. Steamboat was doing an interview on the syndicated Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling when Flair, then Mid-Atlantic television champion, began goading him. Steamboat knocked Flair out with a backhand chop to set up a match between the two. Steamboat's star-making performance came when he pinned Flair after a double thrust off the top rope to win |
614_4 | the NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship at the WRAL-TV studios in Raleigh, North Carolina. |
614_5 | Over the next eight years in JCP, Steamboat captured the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship three times and the NWA World Tag Team Championship six times (once with Paul Jones and five times with Jay Youngblood). He also held the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship singles crown twice and wore the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship straps four times (three times with Paul Jones, once with Jay Youngblood). He also won the Television title (which by that point had been renamed NWA World Television Championship) a second time. |
614_6 | Notable moments involving Steamboat's time in the Mid-Atlantic territory include: the day Flair dragged his face around the television studio, causing facial scarring, and Steamboat retaliating the following week by ripping Flair's expensive suit to shreds (an angle that would be reworked several times involving other wrestlers in the years that followed); when longtime tag team partner Jones turned heel on Steamboat at the end of a two-ring battle royal; Steamboat and Youngblood painting yellow streaks down the backs of Paul Jones and Baron von Raschke in order to embarrass them into defending the World Tag Team titles against the two; Steamboat and Youngblood's top drawing feud with Sgt. Slaughter and Don Kernodle; Steamboat and Youngblood being turned on by their friends Jack and Jerry Brisco; Steamboat in a shocking (and emotional) feud against former mentor McDaniel; and his last great series in the territory, feuding with Tully Blanchard over the NWA TV title. After having |
614_7 | creative differences with JCP booker Dusty Rhodes, Steamboat left the NWA. |
614_8 | World Wrestling Federation (1985–1988)
Birth of "the Dragon" (1985–1986)
In 1985, Steamboat was offered a contract by Vince McMahon and he joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Shortly after his debut (where he defeated Steve Lombardi on Championship Wrestling), Steamboat was given the gimmick of a babyface nicknamed "the Dragon"; Steamboat's jacket-and-trunks attire was replaced by a keikogi and long tights. Steamboat's mother is Japanese American, hence his Asian features which were crucial for his "Dragon" gimmick. Steamboat kept the nickname and gimmick for the remainder of his career. |
614_9 | He appeared at the inaugural WrestleMania where he defeated Matt Borne in the third match on the card. On the September 14, 1985 edition of Championship Wrestling, Steamboat defeated Mr. Fuji, but after his victory he was attacked by Fuji's protege Don Muraco, pitting Steamboat in a feud against Muraco and Fuji. During a televised episode of WWF Championship Wrestling, Steamboat and Muraco were scheduled for a match that never officially started after Muraco jumped Steamboat before the bell. Following the beat down, Muraco and Fuji then used Steamboat's karate black belt to hang him outside the ring from the top rope before Steamboat was finally saved by Tito Santana and the Junkyard Dog. On the November 2 Saturday Night's Main Event III, he defeated Fuji in a kung fu challenge. On the January 4, 1986 Saturday Night's Main Event IV, his intense feud with Muraco ended after he and the JYD beat Muraco and Fuji in a tag team match. |
614_10 | In the opening round at WWF The Wrestling Classic, Steamboat faced Davey Boy Smith in a rare match pitting two fan favorites against each other. The match moved back and forth until Smith landed in the ropes trying to attack Steamboat, but Steamboat sidestepped and Smith injured his groin and was unable to continue, so Steamboat was awarded the match by forfeit. He then faced off against Randy Savage in the quarterfinals. The referee was distracted by Miss Elizabeth as Savage took advantage and pulled out brass knuckles from his tights and hit Steamboat before pinning him to win the match. |
614_11 | After a victory over Hercules Hernandez at the Los Angeles portion of WrestleMania 2, Steamboat began his next feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Their feud began when Roberts attacked him before their match on the May 3 Saturday Night's Main Event VI, which did not occur due to Roberts assaulting Steamboat. Roberts was initially reluctant to deliver the DDT on the concrete floor due to his fear that Steamboat would not be able to stop his head from hitting the floor, which, on this particular occasion, was not covered with protective mats. Vince McMahon and booker George Scott were adamant that the spot take place outside the ring. Only after assurances by Steamboat that he would protect himself did Roberts agree to it. However, Roberts' fears came true and Steamboat was legitimately knocked out when his forehead hit the concrete. Roberts later described the sound as like a watermelon bursting. They later battled each other in a Snake Pit match (no DQ) in front of 74,000 fans at The |
614_12 | Big Event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which Steamboat won with a small package despite Roberts dominating virtually the entire match to that point. Their feud finally ended on the October 4 Saturday Night's Main Event VII, when Steamboat defeated Roberts in their Snake Pit rematch. Following the match, Roberts continued to attack Steamboat and was about to place his snake Damien on him, but Steamboat took his crocodile out of his bag and scared Roberts from the ring. |
614_13 | Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion and departure (1986–1988)
On the November 22, 1986 edition of Superstars, Steamboat got a shot at the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship against Macho Man Randy Savage. Steamboat lost the match by countout but after the match, Savage continued to assault him and injured Steamboat's larynx (kayfabe) with the ring bell, beginning an angle between the two. On the January 3, 1987 Saturday Night's Main Event IX, Steamboat returned from his injury and prevented Savage from attacking George Steele like he had done to Steamboat six weeks prior. At WrestleMania III, Steamboat defeated Savage for the Intercontinental Championship. The highly influential match was considered an instant classic by both fans and critics and was named 1987's Match of the Year by both Pro Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer. |
614_14 | Several weeks after winning the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, Steamboat asked WWF owner Vince McMahon for some time off to be with his wife Bonnie, who was expecting the birth of their first son, Richard, Jr. This did not sit well with WWF management as he had been groomed to become a long-term champion. The decision was made by WWF management to punish Steamboat by having him initially drop the title to Butch Reed, but Reed did not show up that night, so he dropped to The Honky Tonk Man on the June 13 edition of Superstars; his son was born a month later. Steamboat came back in time for the Survivor Series in November 1987. WWF management was still bitter over his impromptu sabbatical from his first WWF run, however, and he was not pushed or given any meaningful feuds. (Steamboat himself has implied in interviews that he was being punished for one-upping the Hogan-Andre main event at WrestleMania III.) After defeating Ravishing Rick Rude by disqualification at 1988 Royal |
614_15 | Rumble, Steamboat was entered into the tournament for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania IV in March 1988. On WWF television prior to the match, Steamboat appeared in a vignette where he stated that he hoped Randy Savage would win his first round match, thus setting up a rematch of last year's WrestleMania match and "one more classic confrontation". However, Steamboat would lose to his first round opponent Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Although television segments were shot immediately after WrestleMania IV that made it appear that Steamboat would be facing Valentine in a series of matches, Steamboat left the WWF shortly thereafter. |
614_16 | World Championship Wrestling (1989) |
614_17 | Steamboat made his comeback to wrestling in January 1989 and returned to the NWA (specifically, NWA affiliate World Championship Wrestling) on the January 21, 1989 edition of World Championship Wrestling (it would later become the name of the promotion) as a surprise tag team partner of "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert against NWA World Champion, Ric Flair and Barry Windham in a tag team match that saw Steamboat pin Flair. This earned him a shot at the title at Chi-Town Rumble where Steamboat defeated Flair in the main event for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He was also the last NWA World Champion to defend the belt in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in a match against Tiger Mask II. After Steamboat retained the NWA title against Flair in a controversial ending on the April 2 Clash of the Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun, Flair and Steamboat would then face each other in their final rematch at WrestleWar in May, where Steamboat dropped the title to Flair. All three of Steamboat's matches |
614_18 | with Flair were given 5 or more stars by Wrestling Observer Newsletter publisher Dave Meltzer. |
614_19 | After losing the title, Steamboat remained the number one contender to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, a fact that irked fellow babyface U.S. Champion Lex Luger. This dispute culminated in Luger attacking Steamboat on the June 14 Clash of the Champions VII: Guts and Glory, thus turning heel. Luger stood over the fallen Steamboat and arrogantly said, "There lays your number one contender!" Steamboat then demanded a no disqualification match against Luger at The Great American Bash for the title, but just before the bell Luger demanded the clause be dropped or there would not be a match. Steamboat lost the match by disqualification after hitting Luger with a chair. Due to a contract dispute this would be Steamboat's last match of note in WCW in 1989.
North American Wrestling Association / South Atlantic Pro Wrestling (1990) |
614_20 | After leaving the NWA, Steamboat underwent surgery on his injured foot. Fully recovered, he returned to the ring in February 1990 for the North Carolina-based North American Wrestling Association (later renamed South Atlantic Pro Wrestling in July 1990), where he feuded with Robert Fuller over the NAWA/SAPW Heavyweight Championship, until leaving the promotion in October 1990.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1990)
In September and October 1990, he toured with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he faced high-profile stars like Hiroshi Hase and The Great Muta and teamed up with the likes of Owen Hart, Pegasus Kid, Riki Choshu, Shinya Hashimoto, and Miguel Perez, Jr.. |
614_21 | Return to WWF (1991) |
614_22 | In 1991, Steamboat would return to the World Wrestling Federation after signing a two-year contract. Billed simply as The Dragon, a series of vignettes began airing in February 1991 that featured him breathing fire. Despite his previous success in the WWF as a one-time Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion, Steamboat was mainly treated as a brand-new wrestler, save for the announcers occasionally making reference to his WrestleMania III match and former title reign. Steamboat's first match came on a Superstars taping on March 11 in Pensacola, FL when he defeated Jeff Sword. His first televised match was on the March 30 edition of Superstars when he defeated the Brooklyn Brawler with his signature diving crossbody. On subsequent episodes of Superstars and Wrestling Challenge, Steamboat would go on to win numerous squash matches. He would also be victorious on televised Madison Square Garden events, defeating the likes of Haku, Demolition Smash, Paul Roma, Col. Mustafa, Pat Tanaka, and |
614_23 | The Warlord. |
614_24 | Steamboat's only pay per view appearance during his second WWF tenure was at SummerSlam. Teaming with Kerry Von Erich and Davey Boy Smith against the Warlord, Hercules, and Paul Roma, Steamboat got the victory for his team by pinning Roma. |
614_25 | The Dragon was undefeated on television during his 1991 run and lost only one match, a house show bout against Skinner. The day after his dark match loss, Steamboat gave his notice to WWF management and then quit the company shortly thereafter. He had been booked for the Survivor Series, teaming with Jim Neidhart (who would be replaced by Sgt. Slaughter due to injury), Jim Duggan, and Kerry Von Erich against Col. Mustafa, Skinner, The Berzerker, and Big Bully Busick (who would be replaced by Hercules after Busick left the WWF), but he left before the event and was replaced by Tito Santana. It is rumored that Steamboat was booked to be squashed by The Undertaker on Superstars to build Undertaker for his impending WWF World Heavyweight Championship match against Hulk Hogan, and that Steamboat chose to quit the WWF rather than lose to Undertaker. Undertaker instead squashed Kerry Von Erich on Wrestling Challenge weeks prior to Survivor Series. |
614_26 | During his time in the WWF, Steamboat asked Pat Patterson to work as a heel. Steamboat proposed to fight as a masked heel until somebody would remove his mask, but Patterson said he was a consummate babyface.
Return to WCW (1991–1994) |
614_27 | World Tag Team Champion (1991–1992)
On the November 19 Clash of the Champions XVII, Steamboat returned to World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as the surprise tag team partner of Dustin Rhodes, substituting for an injured Barry Windham. Steamboat and Rhodes defeated the Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko) to win the World Tag Team Championship, Steamboat's first World Tag Team Title under the WCW banner. They lost the titles to Arn Anderson and his new partner Bobby Eaton at a live event in January 1992. Steamboat began feuding with the Dangerous Alliance at this point, facing them in a critically acclaimed WarGames match at WrestleWar, which received a 5-star rating from Dave Meltzer. He unsuccessfully challenged Dangerous Alliance member and United States Heavyweight Champion Rick Rude for the title at SuperBrawl II. Their rivalry culminated in a non-title Iron Man Challenge at Beach Blast, which Steamboat won. |
614_28 | World Television Champion (1992–1993) |
614_29 | On the September 2, 1992 Clash of the Champions XX: 20th Anniversary, Steamboat defeated "Stunning" Steve Austin to win his first Television Championship under the WCW banner. He lost the title to Scott Steiner at a television taping on September 29. He however, won both his first NWA World Tag Team Championship (unrecognized by NWA) and his second WCW World Tag Team Title with Shane Douglas (NWA and WCW titles were unified) on the November 18 Clash of the Champions XXI by defeating Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes. On the March 27, 1993 edition of Power Hour, they lost the NWA and WCW titles to The Hollywood Blonds (Brian Pillman and Steve Austin). On the August 18 Clash of the Champions XXIV, he defeated Paul Orndorff to win his second and final WCW World Television Championship. In September 1993, at Fall Brawl, Steamboat's TV title reign was ended when he lost to Lord Steven Regal. At Starrcade, the two fought in a rematch for the title which resulted in a time-limit draw. |
614_30 | United States Heavyweight Champion and retirement (1994)
Heading into 1994, Steamboat engaged in one last feud over the WCW World Heavyweight Championship with longtime rival Ric Flair, which culminated in a match in the main event of Spring Stampede where the title was briefly held up due to both men's shoulders being pinned at the same time. On the May 14 edition of Saturday Night, Flair defeated Steamboat to reclaim possession of the title. Their final singles match was on Main Event in July which ended on a disqualification when Steve Austin interfered. Steamboat and Flair's last encounter was in a tag team match on the July 31 edition of Main Event where Steamboat teamed with Sting against Ric Flair and Steve Austin. |
614_31 | He then feuded with US Champion "Stunning" Steve Austin and earned a US title shot at Bash at the Beach, but lost. On the August 24 Clash of the Champions XXVIII, he got a rematch against Austin where Steamboat hurt his back, but managed to pin Austin for the United States Heavyweight Championship. However, he had to give up the belt due to the injury at Fall Brawl; he was replaced by "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, who made his WCW debut after Duggan left the WWF. The match was started, Duggan defeated Austin to become new United States Heavyweight Champion. In September 1994, Steamboat was fired by WCW President Eric Bischoff via Federal Express package (while injured), thus ending a nearly two decade relationship with the Crockett/Turner wrestling organization.
First retirement (1994–2005) |
614_32 | After an eight-year retirement, Steamboat played an important role in the genesis of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he was the referee of the first Gauntlet for the Gold for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He was also the referee for the four-way double-elimination match to crown the first holder of the TNA X Division Championship. He has also made appearances for Ring of Honor where he refereed the first defense of the ROH Pure Wrestling Championship. In 2004, he engaged in a series of confrontations with CM Punk over Punk's arrogance in matches Steamboat refereed and then became CM Punk's inspiration to become the better person Steamboat knew he could be. The latter part of 2004 saw Steamboat feud with Mick Foley over which style of wrestling was superior, pure wrestling or hardcore wrestling. The two of them had many confrontations and managed teams to face one another, but never had a match against each other. Steamboat's last ROH appearance was at Final |
614_33 | Battle 2004 where he and Foley finally made peace. |
614_34 | Second return to WWE |
614_35 | Agent and feud with Chris Jericho (2005–2009) |
614_36 | In early 2005, Steamboat returned to WWE as a producer and was introduced as a WWE Legend on the "Homecoming" edition of Raw in October 2005. In early 2006, Ricky Steamboat told WWE management that he would like to come out of retirement at WrestleMania 22 and work a match with Ric Flair, but the idea was nixed. Ricky Steamboat has been the special referee in main event matches between John Cena, Triple H, and/or Edge at WWE house shows. In 2006 at the Raw SummerSlam Tour in Sydney, Australia, he was a referee for a match between Cena and Edge for the WWE Championship. He also refereed another title match in July 2007 between John Cena and Randy Orton in Anaheim, California. On April 1, 2007, he made an appearance at WrestleMania 23 while various other legends were having a small dance party in the background. He also briefly appeared at the Vengeance: Night of Champions pay-per-view, being recognized as a former Intercontinental Champion. He made another appearance on WWE television |
614_37 | during Ric Flair's farewell on the March 31, 2008 edition of Raw. |
614_38 | He appeared on the February 23 edition of Raw, after being named one of the members of the 2009 WWE Hall of Fame class. However, Steamboat was attacked by Chris Jericho, who began to feud with the Hall of Famers. In his first match in nearly 15 years, Steamboat returned to the ring alongside Piper and Snuka to take on Jericho at WrestleMania 25 on April 5, 2009. While both Snuka and Piper were swiftly eliminated during the match, Steamboat held his own against Jericho, performing his legendary diving crossbody and even a plancha, although Jericho would eventually go on to win the match. After receiving good reviews for his performance, Steamboat was scheduled to face Jericho in another match at Backlash. However, he lost the match after submitting to the Walls of Jericho. From June to August 2009, Steamboat worked in house shows against Chris Jericho, Drew McIntrye, and Sheamus. |
614_39 | Later appearances and WWE Ambassador (2010–present)
Steamboat's last match was teaming with his son Richie, as they defeated Trent Barretta and Caylen Croft at Florida Championship Wrestling's Father's Day Salute on June 18, 2010.
On June 28, 2010, he returned to WWE Raw to promote his new DVD only to be attacked and injured by The Nexus. On WWE's website the following day, it was announced that in storyline, Steamboat suffered injuries from the attack. However, on July 1, WWE's website announced that the prior night, Steamboat felt legitimate pain in his neck and shoulders and as a result, was now legitimately hospitalized. This caused WWE to take down any storyline information related to that attack.
Steamboat worked as an NXT trainer and in the talent relations department with Triple H until the developmental release of his son, Richie Steamboat, in 2013. He later moved on to being an Ambassador. |
614_40 | On the February 25, 2019 episode of WWE Raw, Steamboat along with special guests Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle and Sting appeared during the main event segment to celebrate the 70th birthday of Ric Flair. However, Flair would be attacked by Batista instead of appearing on screen.
In other media
Steamboat appears in 14 wrestling video games, he made his video game debut in WCW: World Championship Wrestling in 1989. He later appeared in WCW SuperBrawl Wrestling in 1994 and later Legends of Wrestling in 2001, Legends of Wrestling II in 2002 and Showdown: Legends of Wrestling in 2004. He made his WWE video game debut in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 in 2010, and has since appeared in WWE All Stars, WWE '12, WWE 2K14, WWE 2K16 (two versions; one DLC), WWE 2K17 and WWE 2K18 as an unlockable character, WWE 2K19 as DLC in the game's Ric Flair-themed "Wooooo!" Collector's edition and in WWE 2K20 as an unlockable character. |
614_41 | Personal life
Blood is of mixed ancestry, having been born to a Japanese mother and an English father.
He is the older brother of professional wrestler Vic Steamboat.
Championships and accomplishments |
614_42 | All Japan Pro Wrestling
World's Strongest Tag Determination League Outstanding Performance Award (1980) – with Dick Slater
World's Strongest Tag Determination League Fair Play Award (1980) – with Dick Slater
World's Strongest Tag Determination League New Wave Award (1982) – with Jay Youngblood
Cauliflower Alley Club
Lou Thesz Award (2012)
George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
Class of 2009
Maple Leaf Wrestling
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time)
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / World Championship Wrestling
NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
NWA United States/WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
NWA Mid-Atlantic/NWA World Television/WCW World Television Championship (4 times)
NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Paul Jones (3), Dino Bravo (1) and Jay Youngblood (1) |
614_43 | NWA/WCW World Tag Team Championship (8 times) – with Jay Youngblood (5), Paul Jones (1), Dustin Rhodes (1) and Shane Douglas (1)
National Wrestling Alliance
NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Match of the Year (1987) vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage at WrestleMania III
Match of the Year (1989) vs. Ric Flair at WrestleWar
Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (2009)
Rookie of the Year (1977)
Stanley Weston Award (1995)
Tag Team of the Year (1978)with Paul Jones
Ranked No. 6 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1992
Ranked No. 13 of the Top 500 Singles Wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
Ranked No. 19 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the "PWI Years" with Jay Youngblood in 2003.
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
Class of 2002
World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment
WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2009)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter |
614_44 | Tag Team of the Year (1983) with Jay Youngblood
Match of the Year (1987) vs. Macho Man Randy Savage at WrestleMania III
Match of the Year (1989) vs. Ric Flair at Clash of the Champions VI
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996) |
614_45 | Notes
References
External links
Official website of Steamboat family
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Profile of Ricky Steamboat
1953 births
Living people
American male professional wrestlers
American people of English descent
American people of Japanese descent
American sportspeople of Japanese descent
NWA/WCW World Television Champions
NWA/WCW/WWE United States Heavyweight Champions
NWA World Heavyweight Champions
People from Highlands, New York
Professional wrestlers from New York (state)
Professional wrestlers from North Carolina
Professional wrestling executives
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
Professional wrestling referees
Professional wrestling trainers
Sportspeople from Charlotte, North Carolina
WWE Hall of Fame inductees
WWF/WWE Intercontinental Champions |
615_0 | The 8th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force squadron, assigned to the 54th Fighter Group Air Education and Training Command, stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
It currently operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, conducting initial training, transition and instructor upgrades training.
The squadron have a proud lineage of aircraft and assignments. The origin of the 8th Fighter Squadron can be traced back to 1940, and since then, the squadron has served in several war and peace time assignments across the globe.
History |
615_1 | World War II
The 8th Fighter Squadron traces its origins to the formation of the 49th Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 20 November 1940. The 8th Pursuit Squadron was equipped with Seversky P-35s that were transferred from the 1st Pursuit Group that departed to Rockwell Field, California. In May 1941, the squadron proceeded to Morrison Field, West Palm Beach, Florida, to train in the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter.
With the advent of World War II, the squadron moved to Australia and became part of Fifth Air Force in January 1942. It was re-\designated as the 8th Fighter Squadron in May 1942. The unit received Curtiss P-40 Warhawks in Australia and, after training for a short time, provided air defense for the Northern Territory. |
615_2 | The squadron moved to New Guinea in October 1942 to help stall the Japanese drive southward from Buna to Port Moresby. It engaged primarily in air defense of Port Moresby; also escorted bombers and transports, and attacked enemy installations, supply lines, and troop concentrations in support of Allied ground forces.
The 8th participated in the Allied offensive that pushed the Japanese back along the Kokoda Track, took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943, fought for control of the approaches to Huon Gulf, and supported ground forces during the campaign in which the Allies eventually recovered New Guinea. It covered the landings on Noemfoor and had a part in. the conquest of Biak. |
615_3 | It was during this time that the 8th acquired their name, "The Black Sheep" Squadron. While the 7th and 9th Fighter Squadrons received new aircraft, the 8th received the older aircraft being replaced by the other squadrons. Unhappy with being last on the supply line and not liking the unlucky "Eightballs" name caused the pilots to begin calling the 8th "The Black Sheep" Squadron. The name stuck and a Disney artist designed the distinctive logo. After having used Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, Curtiss P-40 Warhawks and Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, the 8th was equipped completely in September 1944 with P-38's, which were used to fly long-range escort and attack missions to Mindanao, Halmahera, Seram, and Borneo. The unit arrived in the Philippines in October 1944, shortly after the assault landings on Leyte and engaged enemy fighters, attacked shipping in Ormoc Bay, supported ground forces, and covered the Allied invasion of Luzon. |
615_4 | Other missions from the Philippines included strikes against industry and transportation on Formosa and against shipping along the China coast. During World War II the 8th amassed an impressive record of 207 aerial victories. Notable "aces" included Robert W. Aschenbrener (10), Ernest Harris (10), Robert White (9), George Kiser (9), Sammie Pierce (7), James Morehead (7), Willie Drier (6), James Hagerstrom (6), Robert Howard (6), Don Meuten(6), Nial Castle(5), William Day (5), Marion Felts (5), Nelson Flack (5). The 8th Fighter Squadron and its sister squadrons (7th and 9th Fighter Squadrons) attained a record of 668 aerial victories not matched in the Pacific Theater during World War II. |
615_5 | After the Japanese Capitulation, the squadron moved to the Japanese Home Islands, initially being stationed at the former Imperial Japanese Navy Atsugi Airfield, near Tokyo on 15 September 1945. Its war-weary P-38 Lightnings were sent back to the United States and the squadron was re-equipped with North American P-51D Mustangs with a mission of both occupation duty and show-of-force flights. In February 1946, the squadron was moved to Chitose Air Base, on northern Honshu and assumed an air defense mission over Honshu and also Hokkaido Island. The pilots of the squadron were briefed not to allow any Soviet Air Force aircraft over Japanese airspace, as there was tension between the United States and the Soviet Union about Soviet occupation forces landing on Hokkaido. In April 1948, the squadron moved to the newly-rebuilt Misawa Air Base when the host 49th Fighter Group took up home station responsibilities. At Misawa, the squadron moved into the jet age when it was re-equipped |
615_6 | with the Lockheed F-80C Shooting Star. |
615_7 | Korean War
With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, the 8th was one of the first USAF squadrons dispatched to Korea from Japan, initially operating propeller-driven F-51Ds to cover the evacuation of civilians from Kimpo and Suwon. Next, it flew close air support missions to help slow the advancing North Korean armies. Later, it turned to the interdiction of enemy troops, supplies and communications from Misawa. However its short-range F-80Cs meant that the 49th had to move to South Korea in order for them to be effective. |
615_8 | The squadron moved to Taegu Air Base (K-2) on 1 October 1950, becoming the first jet fighter outfit to operate from bases in South Korea. During the autumn of 1950 and spring of 1951, the squadron flew combat missions on a daily basis from Tageu, flying escort missions for Boeing B-29 Superfortresses over North Korea and engaging Communist MiG-15 fighters in air-to-air combat. When the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) Intervention Campaign gained momentum in 1950–1951, the squadron again concentrated on the ground support mission, attacking Communist Chinese ground units in North Korea, moving south until the line was stabilized and held just south of Seoul. |
615_9 | The 49th changed equipment to the Republic F-84E Thunderjet in mid-1951, It engaged Communist forces on the ground in support of the 1st UN Counteroffensive Campaign (1951). Afterwards, it engaged primarily in air interdiction operations against the main enemy channel of transportation, the roads and railroads between Pyongyang and Sinuiju. Also, it flew close air support missions for the ground forces and attacked high-value targets, including the Sui-ho hydroelectric plants in June 1952 and the Kumgang Political School in October 1952. On 27 July 1953, the squadron joined with the 58th FBG to bomb Sunan Airfield for the final action of F-84 fighter-bombers during the Korean War. |
615_10 | The wing remained in Korea for a time after the armistice. It was reassigned to Japan in November 1953 and returned to its air defense mission. The squadron upgraded to the North American F-86F Sabre in 1956. By late 1957, however, worldwide Department of Defense budget restrictions during FY 1958 meant that the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing and its elements would be inactivated as part of a reduction of the USAF units based in Japan.
United States Air Forces in Europe
After the 8th's inactivation in Japan, the 8th assumed the aircraft, personnel and equipment of the 562d Fighter-Bomber Squadron at Étain-Rouvres AB, France on 10 December 1957. The 562d was simultaneously inactivated. As the 8th had been a part of American forces in the Pacific since it was sent to Australia in January 1942, the assignment to Europe after fifteen years in the Pacific was a major change for the organization. |
615_11 | Taking over the seven North American F-100D Super Sabres and three dual-seat F-100F trainers of the 561st, the squadron continued its normal peacetime training. The squadron began keeping four of its planes on 15-minute alert (Victor Alert) on 1 February 1958 so a portion of the squadron could react quickly in an emergency. During the fall of 1958, most of the squadron operated from Chalon-Vatry Air Base while the runway at Etain was being repaired and resurfaced. |
615_12 | However, the nuclear-capable F-100 was troublesome to the host French Government, the French decreed that all United States nuclear weapons and delivery aircraft had to be removed from French soil by July 1958. As a result, the F-100s of the 8th had to be removed from France. After negotiations with the French, the 49th Wing's commander was informed that the wing would be departing from France on 1 July 1959 and move to Spangdahlem Air Base, West Germany. During the relocation to West Germany, the squadron deployed to Wheelus Air Base, Libya, for gunnery training. However, not all squadron personnel moved to Spangdahlem, as many of the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing personnel there were almost at the end of their tours and did not want to move to RAF Alconbury, where the 10th was moving to in order to make space for the 49th Wing. As a result, some squadron ground support personnel instead moved to RAF Lakenheath, England to backfill vacancies there associated with the Super |
615_13 | Sabre, while 10th Wing personnel at Spangdahlem were allowed to finish out their assignments. |
615_14 | At Spangdahlem, the squadron flew F-100s until 1961 when it converted to the Republic F-105D Thunderchief, commonly known as the "Thud". The 49th TFW was only the third USAF unit to operate the F-105. As part of USAFE, the 8th participated in many NATO exercises. In February 1967, the 8th opened the 49th Weapons Training Detachment at Wheelus Air Base, Libya, to begin transition to the McDonnell F-4D Phantom II, and received its first F-4D on 9 March 1967. |
615_15 | In the late 1960s, the Defense Budget began to be squeezed by the costs of the ongoing Vietnam War. Secretary of Defense Robert MacNamara decided to reduce costs in Europe by "Dual Basing" United States military units in Europe by returning them permanently to the United States, and conducting annual deployment exercises in Europe, giving the units a NATO commitment for deployment to bases in Europe if tensions with the Soviet Union warranted an immediate military buildup. The 49th Tactical Fighter Wing was returned to the United States under this policy, being reassigned on 1 July 1968 to Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, to serve as the US Air Force's first dual-based, NATO-committed wing.
Holloman Air Force Base |
615_16 | At Holloman, the squadron participated in Tactical Air Command tactical exercises and firepower demonstrations to maintain combat readiness. Also, the first "Tail Codes" to identify squadron aircraft were applied, rather than the traditional yellow colors of the 8th which had been used since the Korean War. Initially "HC" was the tail code identifier for the 8th, however, in 1972, the Air Force issued AFM 66-1 which specified wing tail codes and the squadron's planes were standardized on the 49th's "HO" tail code. However, a yellow tail stripe was applied to identify squadron aircraft.
The 8th also retained its NATO commitment to return once a year to its "dual base" home in West Germany. These deployments were known as "Crested Cap", and are listed belowi in the squadron station list. With the end of the Cold War and subsequent force drawdowns by USAFE, these annual exercises ended in 1991. |
615_17 | Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base
On 4 May 1972, after North Vietnam invaded [South Vietnam, the entire 49th Wing, except for a rear echelon that remained to run Holloman, deployed to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. Operation Constant Guard III, ordered in response to the North Vietnamese invasion, was the largest movement that Tactical Air Command had ever performed. In nine days, the squadron deployed its F-4D Phantom IIs from Holloman to Takhli. Airmen arriving reported that Takhli was a mess, with missing or broken plumbing fixtures, no hot water, and no drinking water - that had to be trucked in from Korat every day. Bed frames had been thrown out of the hootches into the high snake-infested grass, and mattresses or bedding consisted of sleeping bags at best. |
615_18 | The 8th flew combat sorties in South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos from 1 July to 24 September 1972 during Operation Linebacker, the bombardment campaign in North Vietnam. During this deployment, Operation Constant Guard, the squadron flew over just about every battle zone from An Loc to vital installations in the Hanoi vicinity. During five months of combat, the squadron did not lose any aircraft or personnel. The unit officially closed out its Southwest Asia duty 6 October 1972.
F-15A Eagle era
In October 1977, the 49th Wing ended its "dual-base" commitment to NATO and changed to an air superiority mission with the wing beginning a conversion from the F-4D Phantom II to the McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle, the 49th being the second USAF operational wing to receive the F-15A. The transition was completed 4 June 1978. |
615_19 | Due to the change in equipment, the annual NATO deployments were taken over by the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, in 1978; however they resumed (although not on an annual basis) in 1981. In the United States, training missions was refocused on dissimilar air combat tactics for multi-theater operations, participating in numerous Red Flags, Joint Training exercises, and deployments in the Air Defense/Superiority Mission. Frequent deployments were made to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada to exercise with the Northrop F-5E Tiger II "Aggressor" aircraft of the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing, and other aircraft types (including clandestine exercises with Soviet aircraft flown by the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Tonopah Test Range Airport, Nevada). Also, after TAC absorbed the interceptor mission of Aerospace Defense Command in 1979, the squadron maintained the TAC NORAD air defense alert commitment in the Eagle, with the best scramble times in NORAD. |
615_20 | With the introduction of the F-15C Eagle in the mid-1980s, the upgraded Eagle began replacing the F-15A and Bs in service with all of the USAF units that had previously been operating the Eagle with the exception of the 49th Wing. By the time of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the F-15A Eagles at Holloman had been relegated to a training role; combat deployments of the Eagle were the purview of F-15C units.
F-117 Nighthawk era
In 1992, the 49th Fighter Wing underwent a number of transitions. As a result of the end of the Cold War, reduced defense budgets were the order of the day. As a result, the 8th Fighter Squadron retired its F-15A Eagles and received the Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighters of the 416th Fighter Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated. |
615_21 | After conversion to the F-117A in May 1992, The 8th deployed fighters and their crews to Southwest Asia during the 1990s as part of Operation Southern Watch to support United Nations (UN) weapons inspectors in Iraq, to enforce the no-fly zone over the southern part of that country to deprive Saddam Hussein of his Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs and to force his compliance with the UN monitoring regime. 8th F-117s fighters deployed to the Gulf in 1998 during Operation Desert Fox to upgrade the strike force's capability to attack high-value targets. But the 18-hour flight from Holloman AFB to Kuwait meant that the operation was over before the F-117 aircraft arrived in the Gulf.
Operation Allied Force |
615_22 | On 21 February, the 8th deployed F-117 and their crews to Aviano Air Base, Italy and Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, remaining until 1 July 1999, in support of Operation Allied Force, the NATO attempt to stop ethnic cleansing in Kosovo in the former nation of Yugoslavia. In the opening phase of the operation, aimed primarily at Yugoslavia's integrated air defense system, NATO air forces conducted more than 400 sorties. During the first two night attacks, allied air forces struck 90 targets throughout Yugoslavia and in Kosovo. F-117 Nighthawks from the 8th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron participated in air strikes against targets in the Balkans during NATO operations bravely trusting in their aircraft's low observable technology struck some of the most valuable and highly guarded targets in Serbia. The F-117s successfully penetrated the heavily defended areas, which conventional aircraft could not reach. |
615_23 | One F-117 fighter was lost over Yugoslavia on 27 March 1999, apparently struck by a salvo of SA-3 Goa surface-to-air missiles. Unknown to NATO, Yugoslav air defenses operators had found they could detect F-117s with their "obsolete" Soviet radars after some modifications that could detect the aircraft when their wheels were down or bomb bay doors were open. A US search and rescue team picked up the pilot several hours after the F-117 went down outside Belgrade. This was the first and so far the only F-117 to have been lost in action. On 1 April 1999, Defense Secretary William Cohen directed 12 more F-117 stealth fighters to join NATO Operation Allied Force, to join the total of 24 F-117s that were participating in NATO Operation Allied Force.
Operation Enduring Freedom |
615_24 | People, airplanes, and equipment of the 49th Fighter Wing played a key role in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The wing's F-117s played a major role, dropping the first bombs against an Iraqi leadership target in Baghdad on 19 March 2003.
Deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, on the opening night of the invasion, fresh intelligence was received that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was staying at a specific bunker for the night. USAF planners had a rare opportunity to kill the elusive Iraqi leader. It was reasoned that might bring down his regime without war. The F-117s would carry the new GPS-guided EGBU-27 precision guided bomb. The problem was it had never been used in combat and the weapons had arrived at Al Udeid a mere 24 hours earlier. |
615_25 | Combat preparation of the fighters began immediately. The plan called for the F-117s to take off as soon as possible. Two stealth fighters roared northward into the nighttime sky at 3:38 a.m. After refueling over the Gulf near Kuwait City, the stealth fighters split up and took separate routes over Iraq to the target area. The sun was starting to come up by the time the pilots reached Baghdad, however on that morning Baghdad was obscured under low-level clouds. Each of the two F-117s released two bombs, which plummeted toward the bunker in which Saddam Hussein was believed to be sleeping. Release came at 5:30 a.m., 13 minutes after dawn but only five hours after the pilots first heard that such a mission might be in the offing. The strike caught Iraqi defenses completely off guard. Defensive anti-aircraft fire did not begin until the aircraft had completed the attack and were racing out of the Baghdad area. |
615_26 | Although the strike did not kill Saddam Hussein, what it did accomplish was to allow the coalition to seize the initiative. Also the EGBU-27 immediately became the F-117's premier weapon. According to Air Force data, 98 of them were delivered during the conflict, compared to only 11 of the traditional, predominantly laser versions. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, F-117 pilots flew more than 80 missions and dropped nearly 100 enhanced guided bomb units against key targets. Approximately 300 people deployed with the air package and provided direct support to the F-117 mission. |
615_27 | In 2006, the Air Force announced that Holloman AFB would cease to be the home of the F-117A Nighthawk, coinciding with the announcement that the aircraft was set to be retired from service by 2008. The planes were sent to their former base at Tonopah Airport, Nevada for retirement and long-term indoor storage. Tonopah was selected to store the aircraft as it was stated that even in retirement, the stealth technology of the aircraft remained classified. Therefore, the planes would be stored in their former hangars where they were originally kept during the years the existence of the aircraft was secret. The last F-117A Nighthawk flew to Tonopah in late April 2008, and as a result, the 8th inactivated for the first time after 67 years of active service on 16 May 2008.
F-22A Raptor era |
615_28 | The inactivation of the 8th, however, was brief as it was reactivated on 25 Sept 2009, and equipped with the Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor. The 8th, was the second of two F-22A squadrons to be activated at Holloman and joined the previously-equipped 7th Fighter Squadron. The squadron was equipped with 18 F-22s, the last aircraft being received in 2010. |
615_29 | The 8th Fighter Squadron deployed frequently to overseas locations in support of United States objectives. However, after less than two years of operating F-22s, in 2010 it was announced that the squadron would stand down due to the Air Force's Raptor fleet consolidation plan, which called for Holloman to give up its two squadrons of F-22s for two General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon training squadrons. As a result, some of the 8th FS F-22s went temporarily to the 7th Fighter Squadron, while others were transferred to the 3d Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; the 1st Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, and to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
In May 2011, the squadron became non-operational and on 15 July 2011, the 8th Fighter squadron was inactivated. |
615_30 | F-16 Fighting Falcon era
The 8th Fighter Squadron was reactivated at Holloman Air Force Base, with the formal activation ceremony taking place on 4 August 2017, as a General Dynamics F-16C/D unit and part of the 54th Fighter Group, which falls under the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. As a formal training unit, the 8FS performs initial training, transition, and instructor upgrades and is the first and only F-16 Squadron utilizing the combat capable Block 40 F-16C/D. The squadron flies alongside the 311th and 314th Fighter Squadrons at Holloman, all flying the F-16. |
615_31 | Lineage
Constituted as the 8th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940
Activated on 15 January 1941
Redesignated 8th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
Redesignated 8th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 20 August 1943
Redesignated 8th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine on 6 November 1944
Redesignated 8th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 8 January 1946
Redesignated 8th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled on 1 May 1948
Redesignated 8th Fighter Squadron, Jet on 10 August 1948
Redesignated 8th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 February 1950
Redesignated 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1958
Redesignated 8th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991
Inactivated on 16 May 2008
Activated on 25 Sept 2009
Inactivated on 15 July 2011
Activated c. 4 August 2017 |
615_32 | Assignments
49th Pursuit Group (later 49th Fighter Group 49th Fighter-Bomber Group), 15 January 1941 – 15 October 1957 (attached to 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing after 15 April 1957)
49th Fighter-Bomber Wing (later 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, 49th Fighter Wing), 10 December 1957 (attached to 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing c. 15 September–8 October 1970 and 24 August–1 October 1971, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 March–2 April 1973 and 6 September–6 October 1975
49th Operations Group, 15 November 1991 – 16 May 2008
49th Operations Group, 25 September 2009 – 15 July 2011
54th Fighter Group, c. 4 August 2017 – present |
615_33 | Stations
Selfridge Field, Michigan, 15 January 1941
Morrison Field, Florida, c. 23 May 1941 – 4 January 1942
Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Australia, 2 Feb 1942
RAAF Base Fairbairn, Canberra, Australia, 16 Feb 1942
RAAF Base Darwin, Darwin, Australia, 17 April 1942
Schwimmer Airfield (14 Mile Drome), Port Moresby, New Guinea, 25 September 1942
Dobodura Airfield Complex, Dobodura, New Guinea, 15 April 1943
Tsili Tsili Airfield, New Guinea, 30 Aug 1943
Gusap Airfield, New Guinea, c. 29 Oct 1943
Hollandia Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 3 May 1944
Mokmer Airfield, Biak, Netherlands East Indies, 23 Jun 1944
Tacloban Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 25 Oct 1944
McGuire Field, San Jose, Mindoro, Philippines, 2 Jan 1945
Lingayen Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, 27 Feb 1945
Okinawa, 17 Aug 1945
Atsugi Airfield, Japan, 15 Sep 1945
Chitose Air Base, Japan, c. 20 Feb 1946
Misawa Air Base, Japan, 2 Apr 1948
Ashiya AB, Japan, 30 Jun 1950
Itazuke AB, Japan, 8 Jul 1950 |
615_34 | Taegu AB (K-2), South Korea, 29 Sep 1950
Kunsan AB (K-8), South Korea, 1 Apr 1953
Misawa Air Base, Japan, 4 Nov 1953 – 10 Dec 1957
Étain-Rouvres Air Base, France, 10 Dec 1957
Spangdahlem Air Base, West Germany, 25 Aug 1959 – 15 Jul 1968
Holloman AForce Base, New Mexico, 15 Jul 1968–16 May 2008; 25 Sept 2009 – 15 July 2011; 4 Aug 2017 – present
Deployed to: Ramstein AB, West Germany, c. 12 Sep-c. 11 Oct 1970 and 10 Sep – 6 Oct 1971
Deployed to: Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 12 May – 4 Oct 1972
Deployed to: Hahn AB, Germany, 3 Mar – 5 Apr 1973 and 5 Sep – 6 Oct 1975
Deployed to: Ramstein AB, West Germany, 21 September – 20 October 1976 and 22 Aug – 22 Sep 1977 |
615_35 | Aircraft
Seversky P-35, 1941
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1942-1944
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943-1944
Lockheed P-38 Lightning, 1944-1946
North American P-51 Mustang, 1946-1949, 1950
Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star, 1948-1951
Republic F-84 Thunderjet, 1951-1957
North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1957-1962
Republic F-105D Thunderchief, 1962-1967
Republic F-105F Thunderchief, 1962-1967
McDonnell F-4D Phantom II, 1967-1978
McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle, 1978-1992
McDonnell Douglas F-15B Eagle, 1978-1992
Northrop T-38 Talon, 1992-2008
Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk, 1992-2008
Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor, 2009-2011
General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon, 2017–present
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
External links
Photo of crashed P-40 Kittyhawk at Fairbairn Base, Canberra
008
Military units and formations in New Mexico
008 |
616_0 | Confucius Institutes (CI; ) are public educational and cultural promotion programs funded and arranged currently by the and formerly by Hanban, an organization affiliated with the Chinese government. The stated aim of the program is to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally, and facilitate cultural exchanges. The organization has been criticized over concerns of the Chinese government's undue overseas influence and suppression of academic freedom. |
616_1 | The Confucius Institute program began in 2004 and was supported by the Chinese Ministry of Education-affiliated Hanban (officially the Office of Chinese Language Council International, which changed its name to Center for Language Education and Cooperation in 2020), overseen by individual universities. The institutes operate in co-operation with local affiliate colleges and universities around the world, and financing is shared between Hanban and the host institutions. The related Confucius Classroom program partners with local secondary schools or school districts to provide teachers and instructional materials. |
616_2 | Officials from China have compared Confucius Institutes to language and culture promotion organizations such as Portugal's Instituto Camões, Britain's British Council, France's Alliance Française, Italy's Società Dante Alighieri, Spain's Instituto Cervantes and Germany's Goethe-Institut—several of them named for an iconic cultural figure identified with that country, as Confucius is identified with China. Some commentators argue, unlike these organizations, many Confucius Institutes operate directly on university campuses, thus giving rise to what they see as unique concerns related to academic freedom and political influence. |
616_3 | Confucius Institutes are used as a form of "soft power" by the Chinese government in which it spends approximately $10 billion a year on CIs and related programs to exercise these initiatives. Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general secretary Xi Jinping in 2013 stated that the intentions are to "give a good Chinese narrative". Being affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education, CIs have received increasing skepticism over its censorship of content taught, such as topics related to individual freedoms and democracy, Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang. |
616_4 | There have been a number of reports pointing to controversial incidents in the past, including a former senior CCP official, Li Changchun's comment that Confucius Institutes are "an important part of China's overseas propaganda set-up". In July 2020, Hanban announced its renaming to the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, stating that The Confucius Institute was handed over to , a self-described "non-governmental private organization". On 13 August 2020, the United States Department of State designated the headquarters of the Confucius Institute in the U.S. as a foreign mission of the Chinese government. This designation has been protested by the Center in an open letter to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. |
616_5 | History
The first Confucius Institute opened on 21 November 2004 in Seoul, South Korea, after establishing a pilot institute in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in June 2004. The CI in South Korea is no longer active. The second Confucius Institute was opened on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park, also in November 2004. Hundreds more have opened since in dozens of countries around the world, with the highest concentration of institutes in the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
In April 2007, the first research-based Confucius Institute opened in Waseda University in Japan. In partnership with Peking University, the program promotes research activities of graduate students studying Chinese.
As of 2019, there are 530 Confucius Institutes in dozens of countries on six continents. The Ministry of Education estimates that 100 million people overseas may be learning Chinese by 2010 and the program is expanding rapidly to keep up. |
616_6 | Hanban aims to establish 1,000 Confucius Institutes by 2020.
Name
The Confucius Institute is named after the noted Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–479 BC). Throughout the 20th century, CCP leaders criticized and denounced Confucius as the personification of China's "feudal" traditions, with anti-Confucianism ranging from the 1912 New Culture Movement to the 1973 Criticize Lin, Criticize Confucius campaign during the Cultural Revolution. However, in recent decades, interest in pre-modern Chinese culture has grown in the country, and Confucius in particular has seen a resurgence in popularity. Outside of China, Confucius is a generally recognizable symbol of Chinese culture, removed from the negative associations of other prominent Chinese figures such as chairman Mao Zedong. |
616_7 | "Confucius Institute" is a trademarked brand name, which according to a spokesman for the organisation, "Those who enjoy more brand names will enjoy higher popularity, reputation, more social influence, and will therefore be able to generate more support from local communities." A 2011 crackdown protected "Confucius Institute" from preregistration infringement in Costa Rica.
A China Post article reported in 2014 that "Certainly, China would have made little headway if it had named these Mao Institutes, or even Deng Xiaoping Institutes. But by borrowing the name Confucius, it created a brand that was instantly recognized as a symbol of Chinese culture, radically different from the image of the Communist Party."
Kerry Brown, Professor of Chinese Politics at the University of Sydney, notes the irony that the CCP now lionizing Confucius had vilified him just four decades previously for his association with patriarchal, hierarchical, and conservative values.
Purpose |
616_8 | The stated purpose of Confucius Institutes (CIs) is to promote and teach Chinese culture and language around the world. CIs develop Chinese language courses, train teachers, hold the HSK Examination (Chinese proficiency test), host cultural and artistic presentations, and provide information about contemporary China. The director of the CI program, Xu Lin, stated that CIs were started to cater to the sudden uptick in interest of the Chinese language around the world. They also provide Chinese language teaching staff from Mainland China. As of 2011, there were 200 such teachers working in the United States. In the Middle East 14 institute, and the main purpose for the local population to participate in the institute activities are learning Chinese to find a job in the local market or to find a job in the growing Chinese market. |
616_9 | Organization |
616_10 | Hanban is a non-profit government organization, though it is connected with the Ministry of Education and has close ties to a number of senior CCP officials. The Confucius Institute headquarters in Beijing establishes the guidelines which the separate Confucius Institutes worldwide follows. The headquarters is governed by a council with fifteen members, ten of whom are directors of overseas institutes. The institutes themselves are individually managed under the leadership of their own board of directors, which should include members of the host institution. The current chair of the Confucius Institute Headquarters council is Liu Yandong, a Chinese vice premier and member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party who formerly headed the United Front Work Department. Other leaders of the council are similarly drawn from the CCP and central government agencies, such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, and the State Council Information Office (also known as the |
616_11 | Office of Overseas Propaganda). The council sets the agenda for the Confucius Institutes and makes changes to the bylaws while other tasks and ongoing management of the Confucius Institute Headquarters are handled by the professional executive leadership headed by the director-general. |
616_12 | The Chinese Government shares the burden of funding Confucius Institutes with host universities, and takes a hands-off approach to management. The institutes function independently within the guidelines established by Hanban and the Confucius Institute Headquarters. Each institute is responsible for drawing up and managing their own budget, which is subject to approval by the headquarters. The Confucius Institute Headquarters provides various restrictions on how their funds may be used, including earmarking funds for specific purposes. Institutes in the United States are generally provided with $100,000 annually from Hanban, with the local university required to match funding. |
616_13 | In addition to their local-partner university, Confucius Institutes operate in co-operation with a Chinese partner university. Many institutes are governed by a board which is composed of several members from the Chinese partner school, with the remaining members affiliated with the local-partner university. At most institutes, the director is appointed by the local partner university.
In July 2020, Hanban announced its renaming to Center for Language Education and Cooperation, stating that The Confucius Institute was fully handed over to , a self-described "non-governmental private organization". |
616_14 | Curriculum |
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