Archive through December 09, 2024
Star Fleet Universe Discussion Board: Non-Game Discussions: Military History:
Archive through December 09, 2024
Thank you! 
I just thought it was a good opening sequence.
Another one from back in the day was the movie “your in the navy”. , also released with the alternate, title u.s.s. Tea kettle staring a bunch of young actors early in their careers.
Apart from Gary Cooper, who was already famous, it included:
Charles bronson, Jack Webb, the actor who played Lt. trague in Perry Mason, the actor from wagon train who replaced Ward Bond after his death and a number of others.
That movies opening sequence also included a navy yard and several ships, though not as many.
One was a post war light cruiser.
"You're In The Navy Now" also has another shot of a Dixie-class destroyer tender, this time USS Prairie. There's also a stern shot of Andromeda-class attack cargo ship USS Marquette.
@Dlampert - I am obsessed with those old mechanical computers. Using gears, cams, differentials, and shafts to perform algebraic and trigonomic functions is just brilliant. I wonder if this fire control computer is what he worked on? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1i-dnAH9Y4
The last of the USA's triple aces of WW2 has passed:
Bud Anderson, Last of World War II’s ‘Triple Ace’ Pilots, Dies at 102
"He single-handedly shot down 16 enemy planes in dogfights over Europe. After the war, he became one of America’s top test pilots during the “Right Stuff” era."
From NYT.com
Well, just over 80 years ago (nearly 80 years and 4 hours) - Eisenhower gave approval for D-Day to go ahead on the 6th.
One interesting part of the Weather Assessment which led to the approval - was a weather report from a Republic of Ireland Lighthouse (in effect one of the furthest West in Europe Weather Station).
The lighthouse keeper (or his wife it seems) reported that there was going to be a break in the poor weather, which had caused the initial delay.....
....and the rest they say is history!
Thank you all for those that helped and was directly or indirectly involved - and for those that ultimatly lost their lives.
THe 80th D-Day Celebtations and Rememberance is very much headline news in the UK today - it seems alot bigger than what I can remember about the 75th event.
One thing which has been reported on was there wa 225 British Veterans who went to the 75th event - and only 23 have been able to get over to Normandy for the 80th - although there is a much larger number of veterans still alive - I am guessing health is a major issue now (they all seem to be aged 98+, no doubt afew 16 or 17 years might have sneaked through, so 96+ is still a good age).
Good to see the French Resistance and Civilians are also being remembered - a very good segment was shown about an 84 year old French Lady - she was 4 at the time and her family was the very first French people to be liberated (they lived next to Pegasus Bridge) .
I said this 5 years ago - but this probably really will be last 'in living memory' event they will be able to do?
I also said this last time - it just shows you what you can do with Allies fighing as a single entity' - which we need to remember included alot of Free Forces (Polish, Norwegian and the French in large numbers - and others in smaller numbers too) and US, UK, Canadian and Commonwealth troops for the balannce.
Thank you all.
And don't forget that yesterday was the anniversary of the decisive day in the Battle of Midway!
80th anniversary of the Liberation of Rome?
Jeff - close - Rome was liberated on the 4th June 1944..... and the Italian veterans (in the UK certainly), do feel they got forgotten about due to D-Day etc!
It's important we remember all Veterans though (the Far East is even more forgotten about in the UK for exampke- and key battles also occured in June 1944 - the further away in distance, the easier it is to overlook them).
Quick update also - 40 UK veterans have got to Normandy now.
There might be handeful available for the 85th anniversary....
Thank you, Raven. I knew it was close but wasn't completely sure.
Liberated on the fourth.
Clark had his "Triumphant March" on the fifth.
Was forgotten about on the sixth.
So many in the Italian campaign have been forgotten about. If I may get on the soapbox for a moment, please remember that the most decorated soldier in US Army history, Audie Murphy, served in the Italian Campaign, as did so many others. May we never forget their service either.
For anyone so interested, the 80th anniversary D-Day ceremony which took place at Juno Beach this morning can be seen on the CBC News YouTube channel.
The Juno Beach Centre honours the Canadians who served during the Second World War, to include those who landed at Courseulles-sur-Mer on the 6th of June 1944.
Possible sign of the ending of the world?
The U.S.S. texas, currently undergoing refit, is/will be having additional 40mm quad guns reinstalled in additional positions on the ship.
While the Texas has had some of its 40 mm guns for decades, the ship’s armament is going to be reinforced with additional gun mounts.
Exactly which positions and the exact number of the additional weapons hasn’t happened yet, I, for one, am looking forward to seeing the end result.
U.S.S. kidd, WW2 fletcher class destroyer DD-661, has been put into drydock for repair and partial refit.
The USS Kidd veterans museum, which is the organization assigned to the ship has posted a nice video of the ship being placed on to the keel blocks of a floating drydock.
Very good drone and close up video of the current condition of the hull is clearly visible.
If you have an interest in older ships, this would be a good video to catch.
My audio is acting up, so I can’t talk about the sound track, ifany.
I am guessing that given the issue with sinking of the U.S.S. Sullivans, this might be a preventative procedure to protect the Kidd. (Not sure about that, as the ship is high and dry most of the year except when the Mississippi river is running high…)
It turns out that the unseasonable thunderstorm that delayed the Battle of Waterloo a crucial four hours was caused by the explosion of Mount Tambora in the Dutch East Indies.
The last Japanese bombardier to Pearl Harbor has died:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/03/world/asia/masamitsu-yoshioka-dies.html
A historical reference, that not everyone will understand.
Any one who has some knowledge of the early naval battles of the Pacific in World war 2, should understand.
Quote: "We've got the torpedo damage temporarily shored up, the fires out and soon will have the ship back on an even keel. But I would suggest, sir, that if you have to take any more torpedoes, you take 'em on the starboard side." Pops Healy, DCA USS Lexington.
Battleship U.S.S. Texas is now officially homeless.
City of Galveston city council has voted to end contract negotiations. (News report indicated the estimated costs to the city for infrastructure was the issue.
The battle ship is still in Galveston undergoing repairs after her dry docking was completed .
The city of Beaumont (not sure of the spelling, going phonetically here.) texas had expressed an interest earlier, but was passed over when Galveston showed interest.
Castle Air Museum, Atwater, CA. Has posted a you tube clip of one of the 80 aircraft in its collection.
I have no Idea of how many B-18 medium bombers currently exist in the world, but there is one on display.
It also has a pretty fair write up for the B-18 pre war and war time record, including a note that a B-18 successfully sank a German U-boat in 1942, one of the first recorded.
They have an actual Bolo? Fantastic!
It hasn't been mentioned yet, and I thought it should be: December 7.
No, not December 7, 2024.
December 7, 1941.
I remember when it was the #1 story on the TV and radio news every Dec 7. So sad.
--Mike
Sad.
A quick internet search, the first item was a tour company selling their services for customers interested in being at Pearl Harbor for various ceremonies.
The next 9 were military and veterans site’s participation in various ceremonies.
Not one mainstream media or other journal showing up at all.
It has nothing to do with mainstream media or media in general. What it boils down to is that unless you go into advanced studies of history the events become just dates. When I was in high school the dates were closer to current history, Pearl Harbor and WWII were just 25 years past and we had many participants still alive, well now it is 80 plus years more to add to a curriculum in high school that has not added any additional time to the class, but has had to condense what they teach. The same thing occurred in the 60s concerning WWI and to some extent the Civil War. You still have 1 year of American History and 1 year of World history in high school, but another 80 years to fit in.
My grandfather Arthur Grafton, Great Uncle Chip Grafton & Grandfather Groverman all served in WW2.
The Admiral would give me advice like "if your ship sinks, try to not jump off on the side with the flaming oil." And "if you can, take a canteen when you abandon ship; you get thirsty." He was a destroyer man at heart, but later commanded a cruiser (a "major command") before commanding the "Western Approaches" from SF. Well known as an ASW specialist.