Frank Bladin (26 August 1898 – 2 February 1978) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Born in rural Victoria, he graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1920 and transferred to the RAAF in 1923. He took command of No. 1 Squadron in 1934. Ranked wing commander at the outbreak of World War II, by September 1941 Bladin was promoted to acting air commodore. He became Air Officer Commanding (AOC) North-Western Area in March 1942, and earned the US Silver Star. In 1943, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and posted to No. 38 Group RAF in Europe. Promoted acting air vice-marshal in 1946, Bladin was among the senior officers who helped shape the post-war RAAF, serving as Chief of Staff of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, AOC Eastern Area, and Air Member for Personnel. Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1950, he retired from the RAAF in 1953. He was also active in veterans' affairs.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Bladin
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1789:
French Revolution: The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, defining a set of individual and collective rights of the people, was approved by the National Constituent Assembly. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_the_Rights_of_Man_and_of_the_Citizen
1940:
The 1940 New England hurricane formed over the Atlantic Ocean; it would go on to cause widespread damage despite never making landfall in the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940_New_England_hurricane
1968:
The Beatles released "Hey Jude", which became the then-longest single to top the UK charts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hey_Jude
1980:
A bomb was planted at Harvey's Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada, which the FBI later described as the most complex improvised explosive device ever created. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey%27s_Resort_Hotel_bombing
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
gazehound: Synonym of sighthound (“a hound that primarily hunts by sight and speed, instead of by scent and endurance”) https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gazehound
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
Most true points are fine points. There never was a dispute between mortals where both sides hadn't a bit of right. --John Buchan https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Buchan