Operation Firefly

Operation Firefly PDF

Author: Lian Young

Publisher:

Published: 2014-08-15

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9780996094900

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A compelling work of historical fiction written by former director of corporate communications for the Office of Naval Research Liane Young, "Operation Firefly" reveals the amazing true story of the smokejumpers of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the US Army's first all-black test platoon. Toward the end of WWII, the Japanese begin attaching incendiary and antipersonnel bombs to hydrogen-filled paper balloons and sending them across the Pacific Ocean. Over the course of the Fu-Go program, almost ten thousand balloon bombs are launched, setting off hundreds of forest fires along the West Coast of the United States. But in a ploy to trick the Japanese into thinking their bombing campaign is ineffective, the US government keeps it all under wraps. After six innocent civilians are killed, the "Triple Nickles" are quietly dispatched to Pendleton Field, Oregon, on Operation Firefly. Young draws you into this riveting, little-known chapter of American history by masterfully weaving the story of Captain Tucker Freeman and several other fictionalized characters into factual accounts. This remarkable eighteen-man team's missions have them parachuting into dangerous situations to fight forest fires and defuse live Fu-Go bombs. Facing external racism and internal personality clashes, the tension builds, culminating in a dramatic race against the clock at a top-secret Manhattan Project site.

Combat Operations of the Korean War

Combat Operations of the Korean War PDF

Author: Paul M. Edwards

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2015-01-28

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 0786458127

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This reference work provides information on all known military operations carried out under United Nations command as part of the Korean War, from June 1950 through 22 July 1954. Following an introductory history of the Korean War and a precise chronology of all Korean War operations, entries are arranged by operation name in five sections: primarily ground operations, primarily air operations, primarily sea operations, specialized operations, and covert and clandestine operations. For each operation, information includes dates, objectives, units involved, place within the greater strategy of the war, and outcome.

Ethnic and Racial Minorities in the U.S. Military [2 volumes]

Ethnic and Racial Minorities in the U.S. Military [2 volumes] PDF

Author: Alexander M. Bielakowski

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2013-01-11

Total Pages: 905

ISBN-13: 1598844288

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This encyclopedia details the participation of individual ethnic and racial minority groups throughout U.S. military history. Ethnic and Racial Minorities in the U.S. Military: An Encyclopedia is unique in its coverage of nearly all major ethnic and racial minority groups, as opposed to reference works that have focused only on individual ethnic or racial minority groups. It acknowledges the military contributions of African Americans, Asian Americans, French Americans, German Americans, Hispanic Americans, Irish Americans, Jewish Americans, and Native Americans. This timely work highlights the individuals and events that have shaped the experience of minorities in U.S. conflicts. The work provides a comprehensive encyclopedia covering the role of all major ethnic and racial minorities in the United States during wartime. Additionally, it considers how the integration of servicemen in the U.S. military set the precedent for the eventual desegregation of America's civilian population.

Autonomous Weapons Systems and International Norms

Autonomous Weapons Systems and International Norms PDF

Author: Ingvild Bode

Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP

Published: 2022-01-15

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 0228009243

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Autonomous weapons systems seem to be on the path to becoming accepted technologies of warfare. The weaponization of artificial intelligence raises questions about whether human beings will maintain control of the use of force. The notion of meaningful human control has become a focus of international debate on lethal autonomous weapons systems among members of the United Nations: many states have diverging ideas about various complex forms of human-machine interaction and the point at which human control stops being meaningful. In Autonomous Weapons Systems and International Norms Ingvild Bode and Hendrik Huelss present an innovative study of how testing, developing, and using weapons systems with autonomous features shapes ethical and legal norms, and how standards manifest and change in practice. Autonomous weapons systems are not a matter for the distant future – some autonomous features, such as in air defence systems, have been in use for decades. They have already incrementally changed use-of-force norms by setting emerging standards for what counts as meaningful human control. As UN discussions drag on with minimal progress, the trend towards autonomizing weapons systems continues. A thought-provoking and urgent book, Autonomous Weapons Systems and International Norms provides an in-depth analysis of the normative repercussions of weaponizing artificial intelligence.

Behind the Lines

Behind the Lines PDF

Author: Michael F. Dilley

Publisher: Casemate

Published: 2013-09-30

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 1612001831

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The array of new technologies that came on the scene in the early 20th century resulted in widely varied new forms of military special operations once civilization embarked on its greatest war. Suddenly, fighting men could be delivered by parachute, submarine, glider, jeeps, and fast amphibious craft deep into enemy territory to perform special tasks; yet others would continue to perform missions the same as their ancestors in previous wars—on foot using stealth, endurance and patience. This work contains discussions of the employment of various special purpose, special mission organizations during World War II. These units operated in Allied and Axis countries and in various theaters of war including Europe, North Africa, the Pacific, Asia, and the continental United States. Representing every major combatant, the operations include various kinds of raids, intelligence gathering missions, support to partisan/guerrilla groups, prisoner rescues, direct-action missions, and at least two where the object was simply to steal something. Some missions would have been officially denied if the operations had been caught in the act. The book is divided into two sections: Behind Enemy Lines and Behind Friendly Lines, to demonstrate that special-purpose organizations can be employed wherever needed, even in areas controlled by military units of their own or allied countries. Many of the units described run the gamut of special mission types, from commando to parachute units, reconnaissance to sabotage units, and partisan training units as well as those with combined missions. Many of the operations described in this book continue to serve as templates for modern Special Operations missions, while still others—the first attempts of their kind—continue to serve as examples of what not to try under the circumstances. Michael F. Dilley served for 20 years in the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence branch. After retiring from the Army, the author served for about ten years as an employee of the Department of Defense, then as a contractor for various U.S. Government agencies in several fields for 15 years. Author of several books and many articles, a number of these chapters are based on his previous writings for the legendary Behind the Lines magazine.

Multi-disciplinary Trends in Artificial Intelligence

Multi-disciplinary Trends in Artificial Intelligence PDF

Author: Somnuk Phon-Amnuaisuk

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-10-25

Total Pages: 496

ISBN-13: 3319694561

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This book constitutes the refereed conference proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Multi-disciplinary Trends in Artificial Intelligence, MIWAI 2017, held in Gadong, Brunei, in November 2017. The 40 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 82 submissions. They are organized in the following topical sections: knowledge representation and reasoning; data mining and machine learning; deep learning and its applications; document analysis; intelligent information systems; swarm intelligence.

Optimization in Renewable Energy Systems

Optimization in Renewable Energy Systems PDF

Author: Ozan Erdinc

Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann

Published: 2017-02-25

Total Pages: 326

ISBN-13: 0081012098

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Optimization in Renewable Energy Systems: Recent Perspectives covers all major areas where optimization techniques have been applied to reduce uncertainty or improve results in renewable energy systems (RES). Production of power with RES is highly variable and unpredictable, leading to the need for optimization-based planning and operation in order to maximize economies while sustaining performance. This self-contained book begins with an introduction to optimization, then covers a wide range of applications in both large and small scale operations, including optimum operation of electric power systems with large penetration of RES, power forecasting, transmission system planning, and DG sizing and siting for distribution and end-user premises. This book is an excellent choice for energy engineers, researchers, system operators, system regulators, and graduate students. Provides chapters written by experts in the field Goes beyond forecasting to apply optimization techniques to a wide variety of renewable energy system issues, from large scale to relatively small scale systems Provides accompanying computer code for related chapters