Weekend Wanderings, Late September 2011
25 September 2011, 11:30
Filed under: Band of Brothers, Books, Leadership, Marines, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Easy Company, English Bulldog, Mascot, Poland, SAS, Westerplatte
Filed under: Band of Brothers, Books, Leadership, Marines, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Easy Company, English Bulldog, Mascot, Poland, SAS, Westerplatte
The weather has started to turn cold and I’m still in the midst of trying to put the Operation Dragoon seminar sessions onto DVDs. The Colmar Pocket Seminar (8-11 December) will likely arrive before I finish. Of course, the good news is that Alex Apple should be on the team full bore by then, so progress should be more steady. Fortunately, I’ve still been finding more interesting things on the internet to share.
- Marcus Brotherton has begun blogging! His blog is titled “Men Who Lead Well” and, while it is brand-new, should provide interesting things every Wednesday. For those who don’t immediately recognize his name, Marcus has written three books on Easy Company men (Shifty’s War
, A Company of Heroes
and We Who Are Alive and Remain
) and co-authored Buck Compton’s autobiography (Call of Duty: My Life Before, During and After the Band of Brothers
). Since Marcus self-identifies himself as low tech, it should be interesting to see how he adapts to the technology.
- Patrick Bury, who wrote Callsign Hades
based on his experience as a Captain in the Royal Irish Regiment in Afghanistan, is also blogging. He’s joined a campaign to raise awareness of two SAS men killed during a serious fight in 1972 who ought to have been awarded the Victoria Cross, but were not, because a posthumous VC would have exposed the fact that the SAS was involved in a ‘secret war’. I urge you to read Patrick’s post and spread the word.
- I’ve a soft spot for mascots and animals in general, so it brings a tear to my eye to have to report that Parris Island’s English bulldog mascot, Sgt. Archibald Hummer, died in his sleep earlier this month. Semper Fidelis, Sergeant.
- The LA Times reported on the cast of Band of Brothers, revealing that they were, and still are, a successful, tight knit unit. Hat tip to John from the E/506 reenactors.
- Joanna provided some insight on the 72nd anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Poland. The Poles fought far longer and harder than people generally imagine.
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Weekend Wanderings, Dragoon Weekend 2011
14 August 2011, 11:30
Filed under: Korea, Marines, Operation Dragoon, Resistance, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: British paratroopers, Horses, Life magazine, Logistics, NCO, White Mouse, WWII
Filed under: Korea, Marines, Operation Dragoon, Resistance, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: British paratroopers, Horses, Life magazine, Logistics, NCO, White Mouse, WWII
Monday will mark the 67th anniversary of Operation Dragoon. Last weekend’s seminar and commemoration was, as noted, fantastic. I’d been storing up a few links as I haven’t been able to post a “Wanderings” of late.
- On OperationDragoon.org, they posted a great story about British paratrooper Peter Matthews meeting, for the first time since August of 1944, the “boy” he gave chocolate to.
- As the modern soldiers and marines struggle up and down the mountains of Iraq, wondering how to transport supplies and ammunition, we can find an innovative method back in Korea. SGT Reckless made 51 trips up the mountains of the “Nevada Complex” in one day of the Battle of Outpost Vegas, carrying almost five tons of ammunition to Marine gunners. She was wounded twice, but did not stop. The small, Mongolian mare (yes, a horse!) served ably from 1952 to her retirement as a Staff Sergeant in 1960, and was buried with full military honors at Camp Pendleton in 1968.
- Adam Bernstein of the Washington Post wrote a marvelous obituary for Nancy Wake, known as the ‘White Mouse’ of World War II. She went from being a “sultry glamour girl” married to a rich Frenchman to a wily and effective resistance leader over the course of the war, deying the Gestapo at every turn. The quotes from her are simply precious, and I urge you to read Bernstein’s effort. Any of us would have been proud to know her. Canada’s National Post included a more modern photo of Ms. Wake in their obituary, with far less interesting prose.
- There’s a rather interesting blog post about the role of the NCO in the American Army throughout history. Not sure about the author’s view on when the role changed, but it is interesting nonetheless. I think the Marines were already doing this in Haiti in Chesty Puller’s time….
- The 67th anniversary of the capturing of Guam was remembered by Mariah, who usually writes about fashion in New York, but took time out to post marvelous Life magazine photos from the period, including one of Marines holding a sign thanking our most unsung service, the Coast Guard.
Weekend Wanderings, 9 July 2011
10 July 2011, 11:30
Filed under: Battle of the Bulge, Weekend Wanderings, WWII | Tags: Anne Frank, Battle of the Bulge, Field Artillery, Hemingway, Museum
Filed under: Battle of the Bulge, Weekend Wanderings, WWII | Tags: Anne Frank, Battle of the Bulge, Field Artillery, Hemingway, Museum
As the weather gets hot, one can always sit in a cool air-conditioned room and revel in the vast expanse of knowledge that sits out there on the Internet, begging to be found. Here are a few tibdits I found this week that interested me.
- Barbara Whitaker blogged about her father-in-law’s servicein the 276th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, seeing action during the Bulge, crossing the Rhine and within Germany.
Barb's Father-in-Law's M7
- Beanandgone is a humorous blog by a young Australian woman who loves her coffee and her travels. She was recently in Berlin and notes some of the funny things as well as some of the horrifying ones.
- As a historian, I tend to visit a fair number of museums when I travel and it sounds like we all ought to visit the National World War II Museum. The even have an annual Family Overnight (yes, it was last night, so you missed it this year!) The capstone, however, appears to be the Victory Theatre’s “Beyond the Boundaries”.
- Courtesy of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, you can also move around inside The Secret Annex and experience The Diary of Anne Frank in a completely different way – virtually in 3D, with stories and videos. Hat tip to musingmk for these two.
- I finished reading Wukovitz’ book on Boyington today and thought a fair amount about Afroxander’s blog entry on Hemingway’s suicide. In reading Hemingway as a young man, I wanted to be him. To have grand adventures, to cheat death, to drink “manly” drinks and to truly “sieze the day”. With Boyington, his alcoholism was fueled by doubt and discomfort. With Hemingway, I wonder if it was all just from boredom. Perhaps he just kept searching for elusive happiness in bigger and bolder things until he finally despaired. I’ll be honest, if a bit brutal, but the Hemingway who zipped around France during WWII strikes me as a comical figure, trying to act the part of a war hero while others actually fought it. Kind of like John Wayne’s and Humphrey Bogart’s experience on USO Tours – the tough guys were the ones in the audience, not the ones on stage, but at least Wayne and Bogart realized that.
Weekend Wanderings, 4th of July Weekend, 2011
3 July 2011, 11:30
Filed under: Normandy, Veterans, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Canadians, Commuting, French language, James Garfield, Juno Beach, Navy SEAL, Pimsleur method, Stilettos, Wine
Filed under: Normandy, Veterans, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Canadians, Commuting, French language, James Garfield, Juno Beach, Navy SEAL, Pimsleur method, Stilettos, Wine
Sometimes, getting away for the holidays ends up being more trouble than it’s worth. Besides, if you stay in Washington, you get some of the best 4th of July fireworks anywhere. Back in 1881, President Garfield headed to the train station to get out of DC on Saturday, July 2nd, but it didn’t work out very well for him at all.
- Just short of four months of his inauguration, President James Garfield (BG, USV) was gunned down on Saturday, 2 July 1881 at Penn Station in Washington, DC. Penn Station stood at 6th & B Streeet, Northwest, which is now 6th & Constitution and is the location of the West Wing of the National Gallery of Art. Garfield died on 19 September. Historians rightly place much blame on his early treatment, during which doctors probed his wound with their unsterilized fingers in an attempt to find the bullet.
- If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like for a fashion-conscious Manhattanite to experience a dose of Navy SEAL PT, check out the Thirty Vintage Chick’s What Stilettos, ‘Hump Day’ & $20 Have in Common. Make sure you also check out Cooking with the Troops, where she is directing everyone to head with donations.
- If you’re interested in wine advice, especially if you live in Ireland, read Grapes of Sloth. My favorite post right now is Wine Merchant Can’t Really Think of suitable wine for Father’s Day Gift.
- Sharing my interest in wine and history is Canadian Karl Kliparchuk, whose Wine With Karl at MyWinePal includes a good post on his recent visit to Juno Beach.
- I have been studying French during my daily commute (I went from a 15-foot commute while working from home to drivng 62 miles each, so it was a sudden and dramatic change.) I recommend the Pimsleur course very highly. I’ve got the first 16 lessons on CD, but will be adding more via MP3 shortly. I really gets you right into speaking French as you would while there. I had tried just using books, which didn’t work. I had tried Rosetta Stone, which frustrated Melissa because she was sure she would never say “le chat sur la table” in conversation with a Frenchman. You can buy Mp3 lessons as few as 5 at a time, which is a week’s worth. If you’re smart you WILL study one lesson EVERY day, as it builds up fast.
- While reading a review of Saving Private Ryan, I thought of a quote from JFK’s inaugural: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” Happy birthday, America.
Weekend Wanderings: D-Day Weekend 2011
5 June 2011, 16:12
Filed under: Normandy, Veterans, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Commemoration, D-Day, Dead Man's Corner, Mark Bando, Michel De Traz, Normandy, Normandy American Cemetery, Patrick Elie, Veterans
Filed under: Normandy, Veterans, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Commemoration, D-Day, Dead Man's Corner, Mark Bando, Michel De Traz, Normandy, Normandy American Cemetery, Patrick Elie, Veterans
On the eve of the 67th anniversary of the landings in Normandy, I thought I would share some interesting D-Day links.
- Patrick Elie has created D-Day: Etat de Lieux to not only commemorate D-Day itself, but also to act as a collection point for information on the ceremonies held each year. It is the most reliable site to find out which towns are holding events and when. After the events, Patrick adds photos to that year’s page to bring it to life.
- There is a webcam in the Normandy American Cemetery. While it’s not the same as being there, it is still stunning. (0800-2030, Paris time, so 0200-1430 EST)
- The Dead Man’s Corner museum website is one of the more modern historical websites and serves one of the better museums in Normandy. It’s also where I got to meet Bill Galbraith and Manny Barrios of I/3/506 during the 65th anniversary.
- Mark Bando’s Trigger Time is a source of extensive information on American Airborne forces. Bando has written multiple books on the subject and leads tour as well.
Weekend Wanderings: Bataan Death March 69th Anniversary
10 April 2011, 11:30
Filed under: Leadership, Normandy, POWs, Veterans, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Anniversary, Baseball, Veterans
Filed under: Leadership, Normandy, POWs, Veterans, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Anniversary, Baseball, Veterans
One of the most tragic events for Americans in World War II unfolded 69 years ago. Approximately 75,000 Americans and Filipinos who had surrendered on Bataan were force-marched to prisoner of war camps. At least 6,000 to 11,000 never reached the camps. Another example of man’s inhumanity to man….
- I found a wonderful post on two survivors of the Death March that explains the event very well, and can’t help but move you to tears.
- Fortunately, there was one young boy in Japan who fed one of the Death March survivors working in a factory during the war.
- Our Canadian on travel in France posted a great note entitled Things I Learned while in France that will make anyone who has visited feel nostalgic and want to go again….
- Baseball just started the regular season, so some folks have Opening Day Jitters.
- Another Canadian (Caleb) has started Bloggy Wogg and reviewed a book on Football in Germany.
- We lose WWII veterans by the hundreds every day, but for the children of those men, it’s a percentage. It’s 100% of their father. Louis Cohen’s sons learned a lot from him.
- Mitch wrote a nice piece on the defining characteristic of Normandy: the Hedgerow and the tools the Americans improvised to defeat them.
- Another reminder of good leadership can be found over at XBradTC’s Bring the Heat, as he relates the story of a company commander, a General and a father-to-be. Take care of your people. They remember that forever.
Weekend Wanderings: Final Four 2011
3 April 2011, 11:30
Filed under: Korea, Marines, Weekend Wanderings, WWII | Tags: Chosin Reservoir, Dieppe, Philippines, Royal Marines
Filed under: Korea, Marines, Weekend Wanderings, WWII | Tags: Chosin Reservoir, Dieppe, Philippines, Royal Marines
With VCU going against Butler on Saturday, we were assured of at least one “Cinderella” team in the final, but being a Virginian, I was pulling for VCU all the way. Well, Monday night, I will be a Butler fan.
- A Canadian visiting Dieppe had some interesting thoughts and photos in a blog entry.
- XBradTC directed me to a moving tribute to a soldier from Ohio who lost his life in the Philippines during World War II.
- 41st Independent Commando Royal Marines at the Chosin Reservoir inspired one man to quote Yeats “And thinking where most men’s glory begins and ends, I say my glory was: I had such friends” in the Marine Corps Gazette.
Weekend Wanderings: Sweet 16 Weekend 2011
27 March 2011, 14:12
Filed under: 327th, 401st, Books, Operation Dragoon, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Battle of the Bulge, Operation Dragoon
Filed under: 327th, 401st, Books, Operation Dragoon, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Battle of the Bulge, Operation Dragoon
Ah, the joys of the NCAA tournament continue. My own university bowed out in the first round, but I always enjoy watching the underdogs have a shot. Richmond and VCU were both underdogs and both from nearby Richmond, Virginia, so I was hoping for them to both win and face each other for a chance at the Final Four. Fortunately, VCU won their game, so I’m watching them push Kansas right now.
- I checked for links on Dragoon the other day and found that Mitch Williamson over at War and Game had a blog entry on Operation Dragoon. There was also an entry on the 65th anniversary in Today’s History Lesson.
- I’ve always believed in the power of books. Glennor Shirley is the head librarian for Maryland prisons and there was a nice profile of her work in the Washington Post. I know where I want to send my next batch of books I clear from my personal library!
- I also heartily recommend a review of Battleground, part of The Best Picture Project. It follows members of I Company, 3/327th Glider Infantry Regiment (aka C/1/401).
Weekend Wanderings: NCAA Opening Weekend
20 March 2011, 11:30
Filed under: Marines, Veterans, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Afghanistan, Causes of the Civil War, Detroit Catholic Central
Filed under: Marines, Veterans, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Afghanistan, Causes of the Civil War, Detroit Catholic Central
I don’t watch much basketball, but you can’t help but dive into the NCAA tournament with gusto. I absolutely love it because you see the raw emotions and the stunning extra effort put forth by young men striving together for a goal. What makes it both sad and joyous is that at the end of March Madness, we have only one team on top. So, I’ll spend a lot of my free time over the next few weeks watching a bunch of boys run up and down a court with a ball. I’ll scream and shout. I’ll laugh and I’ll cry. I always told my Boy Scouts that what is interesting about sports is one of the main thing that is interesting about studying war – it exposes the struggles of men and allows you to see them triumph or fail.
- In a completely different vector, Eric Wittenburg posted a letter from Bud Hall, great-grandson of a Mississippi Confederate in Barksdale’s brigade and a Viet Nam veteran himself, on the true cause of the Civil War. Hall quotes Longstreet and Mosby.
- 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines is coming home. My high school classmate, LT Bill Hlavin, serves as the Chaplain for 3/25. Bill had previously served as a Naval officer on a destroyer and as an NROTC instructor before entering the ministry. He offered a prayer before their deployment, and again, as they finished their tour, he published another, “3rd Battalion, 25th Marines has been officially relieved of all duties in Afghanistan. We’ll be on our way home soon. Thanks be to God!”
We're not lost, Sergeant, We're in ... France 