From the March 10, 2010, BBC "Report: Up to 24,000 died in bombing of Dresden."
That number is fewer than thought, especially since some groups claim that as many as 500,000 died. The official German report by the Dresden Historians Commission, after five years of research on the Feb. 13-15, 1945 air raid by British and US planes puts the number at 25,000. These bombings unleashed a firestorm.
The raid has drawn criticism ever since as Germany was already near defeat and there was no military reason for it. Those involved should be tried for war crimes.
Others say the city was an important logistical point behind German lines and the Soviet Army was approaching it.
The Commission used records from the city archives and official registries to come up with the 25,000 number. They found that fewer refugees in the city were killed as well.
GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Veteran Talks About General Patton
From the May 6, 2010 WAFF 48 News, Alabama "WWII veteran talks about meeting General Patton during war:"
Robert Boykin was on the Honor Flight to Washington, DC, to see the World War II Memorial. He landed at Normandy on D-Day and delivered food and supplies to the front lines as the Army pushed inland.
He also served as chauffeur for both Eisenhower and George Patton in Germany. He says he is a big Patton fan. "Patton was a tough man, good, happy, laughing and partying, and shooting and drinking."
Patton, the Man, the Myth. --GreGen
Robert Boykin was on the Honor Flight to Washington, DC, to see the World War II Memorial. He landed at Normandy on D-Day and delivered food and supplies to the front lines as the Army pushed inland.
He also served as chauffeur for both Eisenhower and George Patton in Germany. He says he is a big Patton fan. "Patton was a tough man, good, happy, laughing and partying, and shooting and drinking."
Patton, the Man, the Myth. --GreGen
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Worst Home-front Disaster Recognized-- Part 2
The disaster took place at 10:18 AM, July 17, 1944. Wood splintered, explosions, smoke, fire and deeper blasts. Two ships were blown out of the water. The shock was felt as far away as Nevada. Five thousand pounds of explosives gone.
The surviving white officers were given a thirty-day leave to recover. Three hundred black survivors were ordered to continue loading at different depots and 258 refused. Two hundred and eight were given bad conduct discharges and fifty were singled out for court-martial on the charge of mutiny. Thurgood Marshall, later Supreme Court Justice, represented them.
They were convicted and sentenced to 8-15 years hard labor but the sentences were set aside at war's end.
Access to the park, however, is restricted because it is on a military base which was turned over to the Army in 2008 and is now called Military Ocean Terminal-Concord. Visitors must file an application two weeks in advance and undergo security clearance.
There are plans for a visitors and interpretive center and a commemoration is planned for the 66th anniversary of the tragedy.
Let's hope they find a way to make it more accessible as it is a site people should visit.
A Generally Forgotten Event in the War. --GreGen
The surviving white officers were given a thirty-day leave to recover. Three hundred black survivors were ordered to continue loading at different depots and 258 refused. Two hundred and eight were given bad conduct discharges and fifty were singled out for court-martial on the charge of mutiny. Thurgood Marshall, later Supreme Court Justice, represented them.
They were convicted and sentenced to 8-15 years hard labor but the sentences were set aside at war's end.
Access to the park, however, is restricted because it is on a military base which was turned over to the Army in 2008 and is now called Military Ocean Terminal-Concord. Visitors must file an application two weeks in advance and undergo security clearance.
There are plans for a visitors and interpretive center and a commemoration is planned for the 66th anniversary of the tragedy.
Let's hope they find a way to make it more accessible as it is a site people should visit.
A Generally Forgotten Event in the War. --GreGen
Friday, April 27, 2012
Worst Home-front Disaster Gets Recognition-- Part 1
From the Dec. 28, 2009, USA Today.
The United States' newest national park consists of just 5 acres along the Sacramento River on a military base in northern California. It is the site of the worst home-front disaster where 320 died, about two-thirds black, in a munitions explosion.
Fifty blacks were later court-martialed for refusing to return to work, something that had a huge impact on racial segregation in the military.
President Obama signed legislation establishing Port Chicago Naval magazine National Memorial as a full unit of the National Park System. As a result, federal dollars, rangers and a visitors center will be at the site in Concord, California.
Two hundred and two black cargo handlers were loading explosives, incendiary bombs, depth charges and ammunition aboard ships bound for the Pacific Theater. These men had no training in handling explosives and were commanded by white officers. They had been ordered to move fast as the job as the result of a bet among the officers as to whose men could get it done first.
About Time. --GreGen
The United States' newest national park consists of just 5 acres along the Sacramento River on a military base in northern California. It is the site of the worst home-front disaster where 320 died, about two-thirds black, in a munitions explosion.
Fifty blacks were later court-martialed for refusing to return to work, something that had a huge impact on racial segregation in the military.
President Obama signed legislation establishing Port Chicago Naval magazine National Memorial as a full unit of the National Park System. As a result, federal dollars, rangers and a visitors center will be at the site in Concord, California.
Two hundred and two black cargo handlers were loading explosives, incendiary bombs, depth charges and ammunition aboard ships bound for the Pacific Theater. These men had no training in handling explosives and were commanded by white officers. They had been ordered to move fast as the job as the result of a bet among the officers as to whose men could get it done first.
About Time. --GreGen
Army Corps of Engineers Looking for Bombs and Shells
From the December 25, 2009, Silicon Valley (Ca) News.
The US Army Corps of Engineers was searching hundreds of square miles of desert in southeast California for an unknown number of unexploded bombs and artillery shells.
Thousands of bombs were dropped and many more shells fired east of Borrego Springs during training exercises for North Africa. Most weren't live, bit some weren't and others dumped.
So some are potentially dangerous.
The search was scheduled to start in January.
Careful Where You Walk in the Desert. --GreGen
The US Army Corps of Engineers was searching hundreds of square miles of desert in southeast California for an unknown number of unexploded bombs and artillery shells.
Thousands of bombs were dropped and many more shells fired east of Borrego Springs during training exercises for North Africa. Most weren't live, bit some weren't and others dumped.
So some are potentially dangerous.
The search was scheduled to start in January.
Careful Where You Walk in the Desert. --GreGen
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Doolittle Raider Billy Farrow Remembered
From the April 17th SCNow "Darlington Doolittle Raider: Lt. Billy Farrow still remembered" by Dwight Dana.
Lt. William G. "Billy" Farrow never attended a Doolittle Reunion in person "but his indomitable spirit has been to each and every one."
Farrow's plane ran out of fuel and he was captured by Japanese soldiers April 18th, the day after the raid. Later, Farrow and two others: Lt. Dean Hallmark and Sgt. Harold Spatz were executed by firing squad in October 1942. Farrow had just turned 24 in September.
Farrow joined the new Army Air Corps in 1940 and got his wings. On the raid, he was the last plane off the USS Hornet, taking off 59 minutes after Doolittle. Flying just 100 feet above the Pacific to avoid detection, his mission was to bomb oil tanks and an aircraft factory in Nagoya, Japan.
Eight Raiders were captured and summarily tried by Japanese officers and sentenced to death, but for some, it was commuted to life in prison. But, not for the unfortunate three. They were used for propaganda purposes and then imprisoned and tortured for six months. On October 14, 1942, they were taken from their cells and told to write farewell letters to family and friends.
They were taken to Public Cemetery No. 1 outside Shanghai, China, on Oct. 15th. Their arms then strapped to crude crosses and blindfolded with white handkerchiefs marked with black crosses between the eyes as targets and then executed. Next, their bodies were cremated and remains not discovered until the end of the war when they were returned to the U.S. and buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Quite a Story. --GreGen
Lt. William G. "Billy" Farrow never attended a Doolittle Reunion in person "but his indomitable spirit has been to each and every one."
Farrow's plane ran out of fuel and he was captured by Japanese soldiers April 18th, the day after the raid. Later, Farrow and two others: Lt. Dean Hallmark and Sgt. Harold Spatz were executed by firing squad in October 1942. Farrow had just turned 24 in September.
Farrow joined the new Army Air Corps in 1940 and got his wings. On the raid, he was the last plane off the USS Hornet, taking off 59 minutes after Doolittle. Flying just 100 feet above the Pacific to avoid detection, his mission was to bomb oil tanks and an aircraft factory in Nagoya, Japan.
Eight Raiders were captured and summarily tried by Japanese officers and sentenced to death, but for some, it was commuted to life in prison. But, not for the unfortunate three. They were used for propaganda purposes and then imprisoned and tortured for six months. On October 14, 1942, they were taken from their cells and told to write farewell letters to family and friends.
They were taken to Public Cemetery No. 1 outside Shanghai, China, on Oct. 15th. Their arms then strapped to crude crosses and blindfolded with white handkerchiefs marked with black crosses between the eyes as targets and then executed. Next, their bodies were cremated and remains not discovered until the end of the war when they were returned to the U.S. and buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Quite a Story. --GreGen
World War II Homefront Museum in Wilmington
The long-term goal of Wilbur D. Jones, Jr., co-founder of North Carolina's World War II Wilmington Home Front Heritage Coalition, "We are, after all, America's World War II City." Displays of the Home Front are on display at the Hannah Block Historic USO Building at 120 S.Second Street.
The building was constructed in December 1941 and was one of 14 USO facilities in and around Wilmington and New Hanover County during the war. After the war, it became the Wilmington Community Recreation Center and today it has expanded to being an arts place along with the museum.
Back in 1941, it was built by the Army Corps of Engineers for $80,000 ($4 million in today's dollars). Another one to provide for black soldiers was built at 9th and Nixon streets. These facilities served soldiers from nearby Camp Davis which trained Army anti-aircraft men and the USMC base at Camp Lejeune.
The various centers would serve 35,000 military personnel on liberty on the weekends. There were also facilities at Second and Orange streets, a YMCA, YWCA, National Travelers Aid Association and the National Jewish Welfare Board.
Wilmington's population, swollen by all the defense workers (mostly at the NC Shipbuilding Company), neared 100,000 during the war. The USO was open seven days a week with Big Band dances, plays, music recitals and art exhibits. As many as 63,000 military personnel would pass through the city most weekends.
In 2006, $2.1 million in repairs were done to the building which reopened in 2008 and was named for Hannah Block, noted Wilmington philanthropist.
I Really Have to Check This Place Out the Next Time in the Area. --GreGen
The building was constructed in December 1941 and was one of 14 USO facilities in and around Wilmington and New Hanover County during the war. After the war, it became the Wilmington Community Recreation Center and today it has expanded to being an arts place along with the museum.
Back in 1941, it was built by the Army Corps of Engineers for $80,000 ($4 million in today's dollars). Another one to provide for black soldiers was built at 9th and Nixon streets. These facilities served soldiers from nearby Camp Davis which trained Army anti-aircraft men and the USMC base at Camp Lejeune.
The various centers would serve 35,000 military personnel on liberty on the weekends. There were also facilities at Second and Orange streets, a YMCA, YWCA, National Travelers Aid Association and the National Jewish Welfare Board.
Wilmington's population, swollen by all the defense workers (mostly at the NC Shipbuilding Company), neared 100,000 during the war. The USO was open seven days a week with Big Band dances, plays, music recitals and art exhibits. As many as 63,000 military personnel would pass through the city most weekends.
In 2006, $2.1 million in repairs were done to the building which reopened in 2008 and was named for Hannah Block, noted Wilmington philanthropist.
I Really Have to Check This Place Out the Next Time in the Area. --GreGen
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Remembering the Doolittle Raiders: "We Thought We Had Really Messed It Up"
From the April 20th Vancouver (Wash) Columbian "Remembering the Doolittle Raiders" by Tom Vogt.
Staff Sgt. Wayne Bissell of Vancouver died in 1997. The navigator of his plane, Tom Griffin is still alive and in Dayton for the 70th Reunion recently.
Bissell was a 1937 graduate of Vancouver High School and already a three-year veteran of the US Army Air Corps at the time of the raid. He said he could see the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and wouldn't have minded bombing it had they not had specific orders from Doolittle not to bomb it so they continued on their way to their target, Tokyo Gas & Electric.
One of Doolittle's planes landed in the Soviet Union's Siberia after the attack and its crew held by that country, even though an Ally, for a year before being released.
Bissell and Griffin were in the "Whirling Dervish" and made it 300 miles into China before the fuel ran out. They bailed out in a storm right in the middle of some mountains. Bissell was captured by a robber band of deserters from the Nationalist Chinese Army.
Griffin said they never felt like heroes, "We thought we had really messed it up. When you lose all your planes, you don't think you're much of a hero."
The B-25s had originally been equipped with state of the art, top secret Norden Bombsights, but these were removed so they wouldn't fall into Japanese hands. They replaced them with twenty cent bombsights built in a machine shop at their training base.
Yeah. Those Weren't Heroes. Right. --GreGen
Staff Sgt. Wayne Bissell of Vancouver died in 1997. The navigator of his plane, Tom Griffin is still alive and in Dayton for the 70th Reunion recently.
Bissell was a 1937 graduate of Vancouver High School and already a three-year veteran of the US Army Air Corps at the time of the raid. He said he could see the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and wouldn't have minded bombing it had they not had specific orders from Doolittle not to bomb it so they continued on their way to their target, Tokyo Gas & Electric.
One of Doolittle's planes landed in the Soviet Union's Siberia after the attack and its crew held by that country, even though an Ally, for a year before being released.
Bissell and Griffin were in the "Whirling Dervish" and made it 300 miles into China before the fuel ran out. They bailed out in a storm right in the middle of some mountains. Bissell was captured by a robber band of deserters from the Nationalist Chinese Army.
Griffin said they never felt like heroes, "We thought we had really messed it up. When you lose all your planes, you don't think you're much of a hero."
The B-25s had originally been equipped with state of the art, top secret Norden Bombsights, but these were removed so they wouldn't fall into Japanese hands. They replaced them with twenty cent bombsights built in a machine shop at their training base.
Yeah. Those Weren't Heroes. Right. --GreGen
State of Some Victory Ships in 2009-- Part 2
The Earlham Victory was still in fully operational mode in 1950. It hauled cargo in the Korean and Vietnam wars and carried the first American shipment of weapons to Vietnam to the French Army.
Sad as it is to lose these two Victory Ships, there are still three afloat that have been turned into museum ships:
SS Red Oak Victory
SS Lane Victory
SS American Victory
The Pan American Victory had already been towed and its destruction will cost the Federal Government $3.1 million: $1 million for the hull cleaning and the rest for scrapping.
Two other Victory Ships are at Suisun Bay in drydock, the SS Rider Victory and the SS Winthrop Victory.
Scrapping will be done at a facility in Brownsville, Texas, where the USS Gage is already being taken apart.
Sad to Lose These Ships. --GreGen
Sad as it is to lose these two Victory Ships, there are still three afloat that have been turned into museum ships:
SS Red Oak Victory
SS Lane Victory
SS American Victory
The Pan American Victory had already been towed and its destruction will cost the Federal Government $3.1 million: $1 million for the hull cleaning and the rest for scrapping.
Two other Victory Ships are at Suisun Bay in drydock, the SS Rider Victory and the SS Winthrop Victory.
Scrapping will be done at a facility in Brownsville, Texas, where the USS Gage is already being taken apart.
Sad to Lose These Ships. --GreGen
Monday, April 23, 2012
State of Some Victory Ships in 2009-- Part 1
From the October 22, 2009, Contra Costa Times.
Two obsolete World War II Victory ships are to be removed from the Suisun Bay reserve Fleet, cleaned of underwater growth and then towed to Texas for scrapping. Fifty-five vessels still remain.
The Earlham Victory and Pan-American Victory were built in 1945 by Permanente Metals of Richmond, California with the first one launched June 13, 1945.
Victory ships were based on their predecessors, the Liberty ships. A total of 531 were built from 1944 to 1945 and capable of speeds of from 15 to 17 knots. They were also mass-produced and each 455 feet long with a 62 foot beam. They could carry a dry cargo of 10,850 tons and operated by 62 merchant seamen and 28 Navy personnel.
Their armament consisted of one 5-inch stern gun, one 3-inch at the bow and eight 20mm machine guns.
After the war, 200 of them were sold and many mothballed as part of the National defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF).
More to Come. --GreGen
Two obsolete World War II Victory ships are to be removed from the Suisun Bay reserve Fleet, cleaned of underwater growth and then towed to Texas for scrapping. Fifty-five vessels still remain.
The Earlham Victory and Pan-American Victory were built in 1945 by Permanente Metals of Richmond, California with the first one launched June 13, 1945.
Victory ships were based on their predecessors, the Liberty ships. A total of 531 were built from 1944 to 1945 and capable of speeds of from 15 to 17 knots. They were also mass-produced and each 455 feet long with a 62 foot beam. They could carry a dry cargo of 10,850 tons and operated by 62 merchant seamen and 28 Navy personnel.
Their armament consisted of one 5-inch stern gun, one 3-inch at the bow and eight 20mm machine guns.
After the war, 200 of them were sold and many mothballed as part of the National defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF).
More to Come. --GreGen
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Big Guns Arrive in Arizona
From the April 20th AzCentral.com "World War II gun barrels arrive in Arizona" Friday morning a freight train arrived in Phoenix carrying huge main armament gun barrels from two famous World War II battleships, a 14-inch one from the USS Arizona and 16-inch one from the USS Missouri.
They will be installed at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza as "bookends of the war" in an Arizona memorial. The plaza is located at Washington Street and 17th Avenue near the Capitol.
None metal ribs are to be built between the two guns which will represent the hull of a ship plus the nine minutes it took the Arizona to sink at Pearl Harbor. Each rib will have a name plate on it with the names of the 1,900 Arizonans who died during the war.
The project cost $500,000, about half of it raised by donations. No tax dollars were used.
A dedication is planned for December 7th, the 71st anniversary of the attack.
According to the April 17th KTAR, the USS Arizona gun was not on the ship December 7, 1941, but was elsewhere being relined and later ended up on the USS Nevada (which was also at Pearl Harbor). It was used at D-Day on that ship so helped protect Joe Barrington of the previous two posts.
Small World. --GreGen
They will be installed at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza as "bookends of the war" in an Arizona memorial. The plaza is located at Washington Street and 17th Avenue near the Capitol.
None metal ribs are to be built between the two guns which will represent the hull of a ship plus the nine minutes it took the Arizona to sink at Pearl Harbor. Each rib will have a name plate on it with the names of the 1,900 Arizonans who died during the war.
The project cost $500,000, about half of it raised by donations. No tax dollars were used.
A dedication is planned for December 7th, the 71st anniversary of the attack.
According to the April 17th KTAR, the USS Arizona gun was not on the ship December 7, 1941, but was elsewhere being relined and later ended up on the USS Nevada (which was also at Pearl Harbor). It was used at D-Day on that ship so helped protect Joe Barrington of the previous two posts.
Small World. --GreGen
A Family's 1944 Christmas-- Part 2
Even though his mother was extremely upset that he had not written, the fact was that Joe Barrington had been ordered not to write. It was pre D-Day and no one involved with it was allowed to write home for fear that vital information might leak to German spies. So, he had an excuse.
According to Joe in a recent interview, he got on a ship bound for England on Thanksgiving Day, "We went on a British luxury ship, Brazil, that had been transformed into a troop ship. We were in the hold. Six bunks were stacked in rooms eight feet high. There were 15,000 men on the ship. It took us 14 days to get to England, zigzagging as part of a convoy."
He remembers standing at the Brazil's rail and watching thosands of frozen turkeys loaded and imagined the feast in store for him, instead, "we had baloney sandwiches for dinner. We never saw those turkeys again until we reached the dock in Southampton" where the turkeys were offloaded. Joe still thinks they were destined for the black market to the advantage of corrupt quartermasters or to woo Englishwomen.
The Case of the Missing Turkeys. --GreGen
Friday, April 20, 2012
A Family's 1944 Christmas-- Part 1
From the December 25, 2009 Albany (NY) Times Union "Christmas greeting recall a world at war."
The Francis and Mary Barrington family of Rensselaer had three sons in the military on the long ago Christmas in 1944.
Bill had enlisted in the Army March 11, 1942, 3 months after Pearl Harbor.
Jim also joined the Army August 28, 1942.
Joe, the youngest, was drafted after he graduated from Rensselaer High School, entering the Army on Good Friday, April 7, 1944, just two months before D-Day.
The family also had three daughters.
This Christmas 1944 found Jim was a clerk in the Army Air Force in the South Pacific. Joe was in England preparing for D-Day.
Some Families Gave Their All. --GreGen
The Francis and Mary Barrington family of Rensselaer had three sons in the military on the long ago Christmas in 1944.
Bill had enlisted in the Army March 11, 1942, 3 months after Pearl Harbor.
Jim also joined the Army August 28, 1942.
Joe, the youngest, was drafted after he graduated from Rensselaer High School, entering the Army on Good Friday, April 7, 1944, just two months before D-Day.
The family also had three daughters.
This Christmas 1944 found Jim was a clerk in the Army Air Force in the South Pacific. Joe was in England preparing for D-Day.
Some Families Gave Their All. --GreGen
Doolittle's Raiders Goblets-- Part 2
The case the goblets are in was custom-made by Doolittle's co-pilot, Richard Cole, in four panels, each one five-foot high for the crew of each plane. Left to right, they represented the crews of No. 1 to No. 16 in order of takeoff. The goblets are arranged in rows top to bottom with pilots on the top row, then copilots, navigators, bombardiers and gunners.
Each reunion, the Raiders meet privately to conduct their "Goblet Ceremony" where they toast Raiders who have passed away since the last meeting. Those goblets are then turned upside down.
There are now just five of the Raiders left. When just two remain, they will meet and drink a final toast to their departed comrades. A special bottle of Hennessy Cognac has been reserved for that final toast.
The five surviving Raiders:
1. Col. Richard Cole, copilot No. 1, born Sep. 7, 1915
2. Major Thomas C. Griffin, Navigator No.No. 9, born July 10, 1916
3. Lt. Col Robert L. Hete, copilt No. 16. born March 3, 1920
4. Major Edward Joseph Sayles, engineer No. 15, born March 15, 1920
5. Staff Sergeant David J. Thatcher, gunner No. 7, born July 31, 1921
The Greats. --GreGen
Each reunion, the Raiders meet privately to conduct their "Goblet Ceremony" where they toast Raiders who have passed away since the last meeting. Those goblets are then turned upside down.
There are now just five of the Raiders left. When just two remain, they will meet and drink a final toast to their departed comrades. A special bottle of Hennessy Cognac has been reserved for that final toast.
The five surviving Raiders:
1. Col. Richard Cole, copilot No. 1, born Sep. 7, 1915
2. Major Thomas C. Griffin, Navigator No.No. 9, born July 10, 1916
3. Lt. Col Robert L. Hete, copilt No. 16. born March 3, 1920
4. Major Edward Joseph Sayles, engineer No. 15, born March 15, 1920
5. Staff Sergeant David J. Thatcher, gunner No. 7, born July 31, 1921
The Greats. --GreGen
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Doolittle's Raiders Goblets-- Part 1
From the Photorecon Site at Aviation, Space, History.
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, has a restored Mitchell B-25 given to the place in 1958 displayed to appear as if taking off the deck of the USS Hornet.
Behind it is an exhibit featuring a glass display case. It was not on that famous raid, but it much tied to its history. In it are 80 silver goblets, one for each man who went on the mission. Each name is engraved on it twice: once right-side up and the other upside down.
They were used at each reunion for the annual toast. When the last Raider dies, the public will get the chance to see it.
The Reunions started in 1946 to celebrate Doolittle's birthday and became an annual event hosted by a different city each year. In 1959, the city of Tucson, Arizona presented the goblets, one to each Raider.
The goblets were later presented to the Superintendent of the USAF Academy. In 2005, the goblets got their permanent home at the Air Force Museum.
Some of the Greatest of the Greatest Generation. --GreGen
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, has a restored Mitchell B-25 given to the place in 1958 displayed to appear as if taking off the deck of the USS Hornet.
Behind it is an exhibit featuring a glass display case. It was not on that famous raid, but it much tied to its history. In it are 80 silver goblets, one for each man who went on the mission. Each name is engraved on it twice: once right-side up and the other upside down.
They were used at each reunion for the annual toast. When the last Raider dies, the public will get the chance to see it.
The Reunions started in 1946 to celebrate Doolittle's birthday and became an annual event hosted by a different city each year. In 1959, the city of Tucson, Arizona presented the goblets, one to each Raider.
The goblets were later presented to the Superintendent of the USAF Academy. In 2005, the goblets got their permanent home at the Air Force Museum.
Some of the Greatest of the Greatest Generation. --GreGen
Back Then: The AHS Centaur
I covered this ship extensively in my Cooter's History Thing Blog back when they were looking for it and after it was found.
From Dec. 24, 2009, Australia's Courier Mail.
A plaque honoring the 332 Australians aboard the hospital ship when it sank. David Mearms and his Seahorse Spirit was to sail Jan. 4, 2010, and was to have a ceremony with descendants of the those who died.
The Japanese government was continuing to refuse admission of the sinking or an apology for it, claiming "circumstances were not clear."
Back then, there were still three survivors of the sinking alive. One, Martin Pah was calling for a Japanese apology. Betty Argent, whose husband Jack was a survivor said the world is now different, "In wartime all sorts of terrible things happen."
A Japanese submarine sank the the Centaur which was a clearly marked hospital shop.
A Real Tragedy. --GreGen
From Dec. 24, 2009, Australia's Courier Mail.
A plaque honoring the 332 Australians aboard the hospital ship when it sank. David Mearms and his Seahorse Spirit was to sail Jan. 4, 2010, and was to have a ceremony with descendants of the those who died.
The Japanese government was continuing to refuse admission of the sinking or an apology for it, claiming "circumstances were not clear."
Back then, there were still three survivors of the sinking alive. One, Martin Pah was calling for a Japanese apology. Betty Argent, whose husband Jack was a survivor said the world is now different, "In wartime all sorts of terrible things happen."
A Japanese submarine sank the the Centaur which was a clearly marked hospital shop.
A Real Tragedy. --GreGen
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Auschwitz Sign Recovered
From the Dec. 22, 2009, Global Times.
Less than a month before the 65th anniversary of the Allied Liberation of Auschwitz Concentration Camp (Jan. 27, 1945), Polish police recovered the famous "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Will Set You Free" sign, two days after it was stolen.
Five suspects were arrested with Neo-Nazi affiliations.
The five meter metal sign hung over the entrance gate in northern Poland where 1.1 million died.
In the meantime, the Auschwitz Museum had erected a metal copy of it and posted a $30,000 Euro reward.
Let's hope they will keep the original in the museum and leave the copy out in the elements after this.
Retaining the History. --GreGen
Less than a month before the 65th anniversary of the Allied Liberation of Auschwitz Concentration Camp (Jan. 27, 1945), Polish police recovered the famous "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Will Set You Free" sign, two days after it was stolen.
Five suspects were arrested with Neo-Nazi affiliations.
The five meter metal sign hung over the entrance gate in northern Poland where 1.1 million died.
In the meantime, the Auschwitz Museum had erected a metal copy of it and posted a $30,000 Euro reward.
Let's hope they will keep the original in the museum and leave the copy out in the elements after this.
Retaining the History. --GreGen
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Today Is the 70th Anniversary of Doolittle's Raid
Even though the damage to Japan was insignificant, the impact on American morale and blow to Japanese can never be underestimated. It was the first time Americans had much reason to cheer and the Japanese were sure it just could not happen.
I had hoped to be there in Dayton, Ohio, and would have been had we been able to get tickets to one of the dinners (plus our current gas gouge). Tickets sold out very quickly and I imagine a lot of people will be in Dayton today for other activities.
Most remarkable is that all five surviving Raiders will be on hand for the event. And, later today, there will be a flyover of some 20 B-25 Mitchell bombers, the type of plane used in the attack.
I sure would have liked to be there. I'm sure there will be fewer Raiders next year.
To Some Mighty Significant Men of the Greatest Generation. --GreGen
I had hoped to be there in Dayton, Ohio, and would have been had we been able to get tickets to one of the dinners (plus our current gas gouge). Tickets sold out very quickly and I imagine a lot of people will be in Dayton today for other activities.
Most remarkable is that all five surviving Raiders will be on hand for the event. And, later today, there will be a flyover of some 20 B-25 Mitchell bombers, the type of plane used in the attack.
I sure would have liked to be there. I'm sure there will be fewer Raiders next year.
To Some Mighty Significant Men of the Greatest Generation. --GreGen
Raid's 70th to Honor the Chinese Who Helped
From the April 16th KATC in Lafayette, Louisiana "Raid's 70th anniversary also a tribute to Chinese."
The five-surviving members of Doolittle's Raid are all in Dayton, Ohio, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of that significant event of the war.
D.R. Thatcher, 90, of Missoula, Montana, one of the Raiders, had this to say about the role played by Chinese civilians after the bombs were dropped and the planes got to China: "They were very important to us. If not for them, the Japanese surely would have captured us."
Eight Raiders were captured and three of those executed and one later died in captivity. However, tens of thousands of Chinese civilians were executed for helping the others get away.
The Raiders are all in their 90s now. The Chinese who helped them are either dead or too old to travel to the reunion. But, a Chinese delegation will attend, including the children of two of their benefactors from back then.
A Great Help to U.S. Morale. --GreGen
The five-surviving members of Doolittle's Raid are all in Dayton, Ohio, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of that significant event of the war.
D.R. Thatcher, 90, of Missoula, Montana, one of the Raiders, had this to say about the role played by Chinese civilians after the bombs were dropped and the planes got to China: "They were very important to us. If not for them, the Japanese surely would have captured us."
Eight Raiders were captured and three of those executed and one later died in captivity. However, tens of thousands of Chinese civilians were executed for helping the others get away.
The Raiders are all in their 90s now. The Chinese who helped them are either dead or too old to travel to the reunion. But, a Chinese delegation will attend, including the children of two of their benefactors from back then.
A Great Help to U.S. Morale. --GreGen
Old Washington State Forts
From the July 7, 2010, Seattle Times "Old forts are scenic spots for getaways, culture and fun" by JoAnn Roe.
There are several decommissioned forts in the Seattle area for two 20th century wars, World War I and World War II.
Forts WORDEN, FLAGLER AND CASEY were part of the "Triangle of Fire" along with the satellite compounds of FORT EBEY (ok, I spelled it with an "a" instead of the second "e" the first time. So, that's where they came up with the name.) and Camp HAYDEN.
FORT FLAGLER's gun emplacements rarely fired, and then only when being tested.
CAMP HAYDEN, near Joyce. During WWII, 150 soldiers were stationed here manning two 6-inch and two 16-inch guns, the latter able to fire a shell 28 miles (16-inch guns were usually mounted in battleships. A 16-inch gun from the USS Missouri is being transported to Arizona right now to be part of an exhibit with a 14-inch one from the USS Arizona.)
FORT CASEY on Whidbey Island, is a still-standing fortress, originally built in 1847. By the Spanish-American War, two 10-inch guns on disappearing carriages were installed. These guns could be raised from behind a concrete embankment, fired, and then lowered for reloading.
The armament was removed before World War II, but the fort was used for training.
FORT EBEY was just north of FORT CASEY, but nothing remains of it.
Homeland Defense Back Then. --GreGen
There are several decommissioned forts in the Seattle area for two 20th century wars, World War I and World War II.
Forts WORDEN, FLAGLER AND CASEY were part of the "Triangle of Fire" along with the satellite compounds of FORT EBEY (ok, I spelled it with an "a" instead of the second "e" the first time. So, that's where they came up with the name.) and Camp HAYDEN.
FORT FLAGLER's gun emplacements rarely fired, and then only when being tested.
CAMP HAYDEN, near Joyce. During WWII, 150 soldiers were stationed here manning two 6-inch and two 16-inch guns, the latter able to fire a shell 28 miles (16-inch guns were usually mounted in battleships. A 16-inch gun from the USS Missouri is being transported to Arizona right now to be part of an exhibit with a 14-inch one from the USS Arizona.)
FORT CASEY on Whidbey Island, is a still-standing fortress, originally built in 1847. By the Spanish-American War, two 10-inch guns on disappearing carriages were installed. These guns could be raised from behind a concrete embankment, fired, and then lowered for reloading.
The armament was removed before World War II, but the fort was used for training.
FORT EBEY was just north of FORT CASEY, but nothing remains of it.
Homeland Defense Back Then. --GreGen
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