This day in history, Dec. 23, 2017

On Dec. 23, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson, on his way home from a visit to Australia and Southeast Asia, held an unprecedented meeting with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican; during the two-hour conference, Johnson asked the pope for help in bringing a peaceful end to the Vietnam War. In 1788, Maryland passed an act to cede an area "not exceeding ten miles square" for the seat of the national government; about two-thirds of the area became the District of Columbia.

Photos: See the world’s most powerful rocket – all 27 engines – before it launches

SpaceX's three-core, 27-engine Falcon Heavy flagship rocket appears to be nearing full assembly at Kennedy Space Center, according to new photos released by CEO Elon Musk. Photos posted by the billionaire entrepreneur on Wednesday show the 40-foot-wide rocket in a hangar near KSC's pad 39A, the legendary launching point for Apollo and space shuttle missions, but more recently single-core Falcon 9 launches.

Air Force F-35A Lightning II one step closer to Madison base

The United States Air Force announced on Thursday that the 115th Fighter Wing at Truax Field, Dane County Regional Airport is one of two preferred candidate bases to receive the F-35A Lightning II. Governor Scott Walker says the decision is "outstanding" for the state.

US military flights grounded in Djibouti, exercise canceled following crashes

All U.S. military flights in Djibouti have been grounded and a major military exercise canceled after two recent accidents in the east African country, the U.S. military said Thursday. American commanders reached an agreement with the Djiboutian government to pause U.S. military flights following the incidents, said Marine Lt.

Aust WWI submarine found after 103 years

Australia's first #submarine HMAS #AE1 has been found after 103 years ending Australia's oldest naval mystery.Congratulations to all involved & proud that Turnbull Government could support the search.Lest We Forget #ausdef pic.twitter.com/XERoSuXFLw - Marise Payne December 20, 2017 AE1 went missing while on patrol off East New Britain on September 14, 1914, with 35 Australian, New Zealand and British crew on board. It was the first wartime loss for the Royal Australian Navy and the first Allied submarine loss in World War I, according to Defence.

WWI Australia submarine wreck found off Papua New Guinea

Australia's most enduring military mystery has been solved after the wreckage of the country's first submarine was found more than a century after vanishing off Papua New Guinea's coast, officials said Thursday. HMAS AE1, the first of two E Class submarines built for the Royal Australian Navy, vanished on 14 September, 1914 near the Duke of York Islands with 35 crew members from Australia, Britain and New Zealand on board.

Destroyers: Destroy

Some thoughts on what the Zumwalt-class destroyers might do if Trump and McMaster drag us into war with North Korea: After the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. Navy decommissioned its last battleships. The U.S. Marine Corps, among others, argued that the United States still needed gunfire support for amphibious operations, and platforms for long-range attacks against targets in the littoral.

Sailor of the Year 2017

This US Navy undated photo shows Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Andrew Sagapolutele , a ship's serviceman, receiving from a Naval official the "Sailor of the Year 2017" award serving aboard USS San Diego, a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship . A son of American Samoa from the village of Ili'ili, Sagapolutele is a graduate of Fa'asao Marist High School, according to the US Navy, adding that his father and mother, Abraham and Tiana Sagapolutele reside in Ili'ili.

Shirtless US and South Korea marines meet for sub-zero winter drills

South Korea and US Marines warm up on a snowy hill during a joint winter drill in Pyeongchang US marines teamed up with South Korean officers in military drills in a defiant show of strength on the doorstep of North Korea. Soldiers also took part in hand-to-hand combat and skiing, with a major emphasis placed on team building of marines on both sides.

ImageFIRST Recognized Veteran Associates This November

The ImageFIRST Corporate office recognized their veteran associates this past November, as did a number of other ImageFIRST locations. ImageFIRST, a provider of medical linen rental and laundry services to the healthcare industry in Cincinnati, OH , and throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, employs military veterans at several of its locations, with some offices having as many as four veterans on staff.