A good title!
235 years ago today my 5 times Great-grandfather and his sons stood in the militia line of Natty Green's Southern Army to fire at the king's army. I walked the ground for myself in April 2013. You can take a walk via this C-SPAN video. There was an anniversary reenactment last Saturday and historical events. Cool. The United Sates Army Center for History has a good account of the battle.
The battle is key, because the cost of the fight leads Lord Cornwallis to move North. Eventually placing his army on a peninsula at a place named Yorktown.
"I never saw such fighting since God made me. The Americans fought like demons"
-- Lt. General Charles, Earl Cornwallis.
After the war some of the sons received the land bounty for service from the State of North Carolina and moved Westward and settled a place called Tennessee.
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
'Hey, the flag's up on the mountain.'
71 years ago today Joe Rosenthal snapped that famous photo and didn't know for sure what he had. 5th Division movie cameraman Sgt. Bill Genaust captured it on film. This was the second flag raising, the first was a smaller flag replaced by this larger one later in the day.
Friday, February 19, 2016
71 years ago today. . .
The Marines landed on Iwo Jima 19FEB45.
World War Two is called "The Last Just War." It has been famously said to have been fought by "The Greatest Generation." If these are both true, then we must intentionally look back and reflect on the men who fought, bled and died for the freedom of the world. Our entire world is a product of that victory.
It is important as a nation, as a society that we remember those moments in our history. The what we did, where it happened, why we did it and how we did it. Iwo Jima is iconic in our memories of the Pacific War. It is not a battle of maneuver and finesse, it is a battle of attrition. A slugfest against a prepared enemy determined to kill as many Americans as possible to influence America public opinion. Later enemies used similar methods to victory against us. The flag raising on Suribachi captured on film by Joe Rosenthal, published so widely and used as a rallying point for a War not yet over and a cost not yet paid in blood and treasure.
World War Two is called "The Last Just War." It has been famously said to have been fought by "The Greatest Generation." If these are both true, then we must intentionally look back and reflect on the men who fought, bled and died for the freedom of the world. Our entire world is a product of that victory.
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| Any Questions? |
It is important as a nation, as a society that we remember those moments in our history. The what we did, where it happened, why we did it and how we did it. Iwo Jima is iconic in our memories of the Pacific War. It is not a battle of maneuver and finesse, it is a battle of attrition. A slugfest against a prepared enemy determined to kill as many Americans as possible to influence America public opinion. Later enemies used similar methods to victory against us. The flag raising on Suribachi captured on film by Joe Rosenthal, published so widely and used as a rallying point for a War not yet over and a cost not yet paid in blood and treasure.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Monday Monday
Monday Monday. The National Weather Service has forecast a "Hyrdologic" Event for today. Meaning it is a rainy Monday morning here in the Tualatin River Valley.
We should start with history. . .December 7th, 1941, a day which will live in infamy. . .Nothing on Oregonlive.com front page. Timbers-Timbers-Timbers! It is some sports team. Remember Pearl Harbor was the cry. Almost gone are the generation that fought that war to keep the world free from socialist totalitarians and their minions. America is a different country from the one they came home to, worked hard and built up. Different. Some would say unrecognizable to that generation. Better, worse? I will simply say different.
I have heard last week the DoD opened all MOS to women. Terminal Lance has a greeting for you, welcome to the suck ladies.
We should start with history. . .December 7th, 1941, a day which will live in infamy. . .Nothing on Oregonlive.com front page. Timbers-Timbers-Timbers! It is some sports team. Remember Pearl Harbor was the cry. Almost gone are the generation that fought that war to keep the world free from socialist totalitarians and their minions. America is a different country from the one they came home to, worked hard and built up. Different. Some would say unrecognizable to that generation. Better, worse? I will simply say different.
I have heard last week the DoD opened all MOS to women. Terminal Lance has a greeting for you, welcome to the suck ladies.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
St. Crispian's Day
Agincourt, and fair Harry the King.
This day is called the feast of Crispin:
He that outlives this day and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispin.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say, ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispin:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say, ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words,
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England, now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
This day is called the feast of Crispin:
He that outlives this day and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispin.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say, ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispin:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say, ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words,
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England, now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Friday, October 23, 2015
32 Years ago today.
32 Years ago today Iranian backed terrorists attacked the "barracks" of the 24 MEU at the Beirut Airport. Stars and Stripes carried the story on the 30th anniversary. The GWOT, Large VBIED's are nothing new, simply the lexicon and the narrative have changed.
Semper Fi.
Semper Fi.
Marine Corps Marathon 2015
For your Friday morning mirth.
Once a Marine, always a Marine. Or should we say Marines will be Marines in all things?
The Marine Corps Marathon map is interestingly aimed at. . .
Once a Marine, always a Marine. Or should we say Marines will be Marines in all things?
The Marine Corps Marathon map is interestingly aimed at. . .
Friday, October 16, 2015
What Star Wars Teaches about "Hybrid Warfare"
OK, OK. Hybrid Warfare, what the heck? Well it is 4GW or whatever we called it before that. . .Like car bomb and truck bomb became VBIED. . .Stupid I know, but our boots were black, what did we know? "Watch out, Medium to large sized VBIED!" as opposed to what we said in the olden days. . ."Give them a whiff of grape Captain Bragg". . . I digress, but that is the point isn't it.
For your Friday perusal and to satiate the Grunt-Nerdists I give you. . .
From Droid Armies to Luke Skywalker: What Star Wars Teaches Us About Hybrid Warfare at Small Wars Journal.
For your Friday perusal and to satiate the Grunt-Nerdists I give you. . .
From Droid Armies to Luke Skywalker: What Star Wars Teaches Us About Hybrid Warfare at Small Wars Journal.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Saturday Night Movie - The Way Ahead.
Saturday Night Movie - The Way Ahead 1944.
It is a British wartime propaganda film. It's message is straight forward: It is going to take all of us to win. The movie follows a group of men called up from civilian life. Suddenly thrust into the soldier's life, they don't like it. . .You follow their transformation from whiny recruit to cohesive rifle platoon. Led by their platoon leader David Niven and their platoon sergeant, a pre-war regular, they train and deploy to Tunisia. The movie ends in their first fight against the retreating Afrika Korps.
None of them are wounded or killed. The characters are simple, but the diversity would allow the British wartime audience to find someone they could connect and empathize with. Which is the intent.
Overall a good simple WW2 flick.
It is a British wartime propaganda film. It's message is straight forward: It is going to take all of us to win. The movie follows a group of men called up from civilian life. Suddenly thrust into the soldier's life, they don't like it. . .You follow their transformation from whiny recruit to cohesive rifle platoon. Led by their platoon leader David Niven and their platoon sergeant, a pre-war regular, they train and deploy to Tunisia. The movie ends in their first fight against the retreating Afrika Korps.
None of them are wounded or killed. The characters are simple, but the diversity would allow the British wartime audience to find someone they could connect and empathize with. Which is the intent.
Overall a good simple WW2 flick.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
VJ Day - 70 Years Ago Today.
Today is the 70th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day. I did not see anything locally about this. There was one article in the Hillsboro Argus about the local Congressional representative presenting a 94 year old woman with medals. The woman had enlisted in the Women's Army Corps in 1943 and serving in the United States Army until her retirement in 1972 attaining the rank of Sergeant Major. Nice story.
What about it? VJ Day.
Here is a video from the Royal British Legion, the best I've seen for the 70th. Watch it, listen and hear the voices. Both what they say and what the speaker feels.
What about it? VJ Day.
Here is a video from the Royal British Legion, the best I've seen for the 70th. Watch it, listen and hear the voices. Both what they say and what the speaker feels.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Return To Iwo Jima
Good article over at the BBC. Wood Williams (Cpl USMC, MoH) was one of the veterans attending. So was Tsuruji Akikusa, an 18 year old radio operator in the Japanese Navy in February, 1945. The article talks about Mr. Akikusa's experience being wounded in the initial Naval bombardment, and eventual capture in a semi-conscious state at the end of April. A bit of BBC we (USA) are the bad guys slant to it of course. Good to see Woody Williams doing well!
Semper Fi.
Semper Fi.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
The Mecklenburg Declaration
Interesting post from the Journal of the American Revolution on the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Some, Thomas Jefferson for instance, claim it was "spurious", not fact. Others, John Adams it represented the "genuine sense of America at that moment." You can read the Declarations text here.
It was taken the month after Lexington and Concord. I believe the reporting of the day stand it as fact. This particular article mentions reference of the declaration in Southern Revolutionary War pension applications. It was fun to search the rolls for my own ancestors. They are there in the North Carolina Militia and Virginia Continentals.
It may well be simply Jefferson's policy in later life to ensure his own legacy and discount anything that preempts his own work? Probably.
It was taken the month after Lexington and Concord. I believe the reporting of the day stand it as fact. This particular article mentions reference of the declaration in Southern Revolutionary War pension applications. It was fun to search the rolls for my own ancestors. They are there in the North Carolina Militia and Virginia Continentals.
It may well be simply Jefferson's policy in later life to ensure his own legacy and discount anything that preempts his own work? Probably.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Thursday, February 19, 2015
70 years ago today
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Today in History
One of my early Heroes of the Marine Corps, Jack Lucas birthday was today. He died in 2008. He won the Medal of Honor at age 17 on Iwo Jima. He joined the Marine Corps at 14, pretending to be of age and forging his mother's signature. He stowed away to be with a friend in the 5th Marine Division and headed to Iwo Jima. Semper Fi.
You can hear him tell the story in his own words.
You can hear him tell the story in his own words.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Happy Birthday Chuck Yeager
Today is the birthday of fighter pilot, aviation pioneer, General Chuck Yeager! Born February 13th, 1923, the General turns 92 today!
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| Captain Chuck Yeager with the X-1 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. |
Friday, January 30, 2015
The Great Raid
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the raid to free American POWs from the Japanese at Cabanatuan. A close run thing too. The Japanese 14th Army had made the decision to "Kill-All" the POWs they held in the Philippines, and had already massacred 150 POWs at the Puerto Princesa Camp. Captain Bob Prince, C.O. of Company C, 6th Ranger Battalion spoke with the Seattle PI.
It is one of those great stories of World War 2. According to Bob Prince, he was satisfied with the movie portrayal in The Great Raid. This story was first told by John Wayne in Back to Bataan, a 1945 film that opens with scenes of the raid and includes some of the liberated POWs. Both good films.
It is one of those great stories of World War 2. According to Bob Prince, he was satisfied with the movie portrayal in The Great Raid. This story was first told by John Wayne in Back to Bataan, a 1945 film that opens with scenes of the raid and includes some of the liberated POWs. Both good films.
Friday, December 26, 2014
On this day in 1776
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| The Battle of Trenton, 26 December, 1776. |
Three companies of Continental Marines under the command of the Commandant, Major Samuel Nicholas engaged in the Battle of Trenton New Jersey. These included one African American Marine named Orange. Ooh-Rah!
The full story is available in the Marine Corps Gazette
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| General Washington crossing the Delaware. |
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
A Veteran Remembers
From the Duluth News Tribune. 95 year old Erling Jonassen was on Mindanao, in the Philippines when the Japanese struck that December of 1941. Not willing to surrender, he and other soldiers struck out into the jungle, finding others and taking the guerrilla fight to the enemy with DiY warfare. Great story for this Veteran's Day!
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