Vance Drummond (1927–1967) was a New Zealand–born Australian pilot who fought in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Posted to No. 77 Squadron in Korea, he flew Gloster Meteor jet fighters and earned the US Air Medal for his combat skills. He was shot down in 1951 and imprisoned for almost two years. He was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1965 after leading the Black Diamonds aerobatic team of No. 75 Squadron. Drummond was promoted to acting wing commander in 1965 and posted to South Vietnam on staff duties with the US Air Force. He joined their 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron, operating Cessna Bird Dog aircraft, as a forward air controller in July 1966. That month he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in rescuing a company of soldiers surrounded by Viet Cong forces. Returning to Australia, he took command of No. 3 Squadron in February 1967. His Dassault Mirage IIIO crashed into the sea during a training exercise in May; neither Drummond nor the aircraft was found.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vance_Drummond

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1915:

First World War: The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed at Anzac Cove while British and French troops landed at Cape Helles to begin the Allied invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula in the Ottoman Empire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipoli_campaign

1960:

The U.S. Navy submarine Triton completed the first submerged circumnavigation of the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sandblast

1983:

The first issue of The Jakarta Post was published in Indonesia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jakarta_Post

2015:

Nepal was struck by a magnitude-7.8 earthquake, killing more than 8,000 people, including 22 from avalanches on Mount Everest. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Mount_Everest_avalanches

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

runholder: (Australia, New Zealand) A person who holds (leases or owns) a run (“rural landholding for farming”), especially one for raising sheep. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/runholder

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.   --Sun Tzu https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sun_Tzu