St. Crispan/Crispians Day

Well, it’s St Crispans Day again, and that makes it a day to talk of the bravery of English and American armed forces, not that there is ever a bad day for that. St. Crispans Day is a pretty good encapsulation of our military histories though, always brave, sometimes badly led and more often than not, victorious. I was going to write something else this year but don’t have anything especially earthshaking to add.

The martyrdom of Ste Crispan and Crispian; from wikipedia

From Wikipedia: “Saint Crispin’s Day falls on 25 October and is the feast day of the Christian Saints Crispin and Crispinian , twins who were martyred c. 286.” That’s where the day gets its name. What it’s famous for is the battles of the English-speaking peoples that have been fought on it.

The first we will look at took place during the “Hundred Years War”. Henry V of England with a small army was on his way to Calais, getting chased all over northern France by Constable Charles d’Albret of France. The French King (Charles VI) was mentally incapacitated. Henry was heavily outnumbered and decided to arouse his exhausted army before the battle by giving a speech.

The English won the battle with ridiculously low casualties while wreaking havoc on the French forces. The reason for this was the English (and Welsh) longbowmen, making this the first battle since Roman times when infantry were anything but a rabble for the knights to ride down.

For this reason, Agincourt is often cited as a victory for the freemen of England over the aristocracy.

Battle number two for the day wasn’t so kind to the British.

This one was a cavalry charge against Russian Artillery. It was commanded by Lord Raglan (Yes, the sleeves are named for him). The orders he issued were vague and Lord Cardigan (Yes, he designed the sweater) executed the worst possible interpretation of them. The charge was carried out by the British light cavalry brigade which consisted  of the 4th and 13th Light Dragoons, 17th Lancers, and the 8th and 11th Hussars, whose bravery we have never forgotten. It was to well immortalized.

Charge of the Light Brigade

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
‘Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns’ he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

 ’Forward, the Light Brigade!’

Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldiers knew
Some one had blunder’d:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to the right of them,
Cannon to the left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.

Flash’d all their sabres bare,
Flash’d as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army while
All the world wonder’d:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro’ the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel’d from the sabre-stroke
Shatter’d and sunder’d.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro’ the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder’d.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!

—Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Here’s a visual version.

It should be added that Great Britain didn’t do a great job of taking care of their veterans (neither did the U.S.) in those days.  Rudyard Kipling had this to say:

The Last of the Light Brigade

There were thirty million English who talked of England’s might,
There were twenty broken troopers who lacked a bed for the night.
They had neither food nor money, they had neither service nor trade;
They were only shiftless soldiers, the last of the Light Brigade.

They felt that life was fleeting; they knew not that art was long,
That though they were dying of famine, they lived in deathless song.
They asked for a little money to keep the wolf from the door;
And the thirty million English sent twenty pounds and four !

They laid their heads together that were scarred and lined and grey;
Keen were the Russian sabres, but want was keener than they;
And an old Troop-Sergeant muttered, “Let us go to the man who writes
The things on Balaclava the kiddies at school recites.”

They went without bands or colours, a regiment ten-file strong,
To look for the Master-singer who had crowned them all in his song;
And, waiting his servant’s order, by the garden gate they stayed,
A desolate little cluster, the last of the Light Brigade.

They strove to stand to attention, to straighten the toil-bowed back;
They drilled on an empty stomach, the loose-knit files fell slack;
With stooping of weary shoulders, in garments tattered and frayed,
They shambled into his presence, the last of the Light Brigade.

The old Troop-Sergeant was spokesman, and “Beggin’ your pardon,” he said,
“You wrote o’ the Light Brigade, sir. Here’s all that isn’t dead.
An’ it’s all come true what you wrote, sir, regardin’ the mouth of hell;
For we’re all of us nigh to the workhouse, an’ we thought we’d call an’ tell.

“No, thank you, we don’t want food, sir; but couldn’t you take an’ write
A sort of ‘to be continued’ and ‘see next page’ o’ the fight?
We think that someone has blundered, an’ couldn’t you tell ‘em how?
You wrote we were heroes once, sir. Please, write we are starving now.”

The poor little army departed, limping and lean and forlorn.
And the heart of the Master-singer grew hot with “the scorn of scorn.”
And he wrote for them wonderful verses that swept the land like flame,
Till the fatted souls of the English were scourged with the thing called Shame.

They sent a cheque to the felon that sprang from an Irish bog;
They healed the spavined cab-horse; they housed the homeless dog;
And they sent (you may call me a liar), when felon and beast were paid,
A cheque, for enough to live on, to the last of the Light Brigade.

O thirty million English that babble of England’s might,
Behold there are twenty heroes who lack their food to-night;
Our children’s children are lisping to “honour the charge they made – “
And we leave to the streets and the workhouse the charge of the Light Brigade!

OK, that’s two, only one more to go, 90 years later, to the day, half way around the world

The Battle of Leyte Gulf

This time it’s the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy.

The Japanese realizing that losing the Philippine Islands meant losing the war put everything they had left into this battle. Here a chart that shows the relative strengths.

Navy	Large carriers	Small Carriers	Aircraft Embarked	Battleships	Cruisers	Destroyers
United States	8	24	1712	12	24	141
Japan	1	3	117	9	20	34

from: http://www.angelfire.com/fm/odyssey/LEYTE_GULF_Summary_of_the_Battle_.htm

From the chart you can see how amazingly the USN had recovered from Pearl Harbor and the early battles of the war. You should also note that if the ship is not engaged in the battle it doesn’t count for much, so here we go.

The Japanese had a complicated plan depending on close timing between forces coming from various ports and operating under what we call EMCOM now. Essentially radio silence; meaning they couldn’t coordinate their attacks.

The Japanese carriers which had essentially no planes or pilots were used as a decoy force to try to pull Halsey’s 3d fleet away to the north. This worked, although it took them a long time to attract the Americans attention. When they were finally spotted Halsey went charging off after them until he was almost in gunshot and then turned around to help 7th fleet (which we are coming to). This also ended up being too late, so America’s premier naval force mostly sailed around burning oil and accomplishing not much of anything.

The Japanese Centre Force was first spotted in the Palawan Passage by the submarines Darter and Dace. Darter sank the Heavy Cruiser Atago which was Admiral Kurita’s flagship and Dace sank the Takao and severely damaged the Maya, which was forced to withdraw.

Halsey’s force made 259 sorties against the Centre Force eventually sinking the battleship Musashi with her 18.1 inch guns. They also did damage to some other ships. But Kurita made for the San Bernadino Strait at night with 4 battleships and 6 heavy and 3 light cruisers all fully operational.

Meanwhile the Japanese Southern force including two elderly battleships under Admirals Nishimura and Shima were spotted on the morning of the 24th and Admiral Kincaid who realized they would attempt to attack the landing through the Surigao Strait was preparing to meet them. Kincaid’s 7th fleet had plenty of power for this.

The Battle of Surigao Strait

Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf had 6 old battleships (5 of which had been sunk at Pearl Harbor), 4 Heavy and 4 Light Cruisers, 26 destroyers and 39 PT Boats. He deployed his lighter ship along the side of the strait and formed his battle line. PT 131 made first contact and for 3 and a half hours the squadron attacked the Japanese force without a hit but, providing contact reports to the force. As Nishimura’s forces entered the strait the American destroyers attacked; hitting both battleships, the Yamishira was able to continue but, Fuso blew up and sank. Admiral Shima with the 2d Striking Force was much discouraged when he came upon the burning halves and other wreckage of the destroyer attack and decided to withdraw. So as Admiral Nishimura emerged from the strait to engage Oldendorf’s battle line, he had 1 Battleship, 1 Cruiser and 1 Destroyer. Oldendorf crossed his “T”. Parenthetically this is what Lord Nelson risked with his battle plan at Trafalgar that we talked about a few days ago. The American Battle line started firing as they got range information (some had radar rangefinders and some didn’t) at about 30,000 yards. The Battleship was sunk, the Cruiser wrecked and somehow the Destroyer escaped. This was the last surface gun action in history.

The battle off Samar

USS Hoel, from Wikipedia

7th fleet had 18 escort carrier divided into thee task units. They were equipped for fighting submarines and providing air cover to the landing, not for full on naval battle. These are usually referred to by their radio call signs Taffy 1, Taffy 2, and the most northerly, Taffy 3 under Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague. It was a routine morning until at 0647 Ensign Jensen from the Kadashan Bay sighted (and attacked) a force that he accurately reported as 4 Battleships and 8 Cruisers. The surprise was complete. A few minutes later heavy shells began falling around the carriers.

Admiral Sprague was in trouble. He was being chased by heavily armed warships which were considerably faster than his escort carriers and were already in range. He also had very few weapons that could hurt them. He started chasing shell splashes, making smoke, running away, and yelling for help, from 3d fleet, 7th fleet, a merciful God, or somewhere. At 0716 he also ordered his three destroyers, the Hoel, the Herrmann, and the Johnston, to counterattack the Japanese which they did with incredible bravery. At 0750 the Destroyer escorts also attacked. Remember these are anti submarine ships with 5 in and 3 inch guns going on the attack against Battleships and Heavy Cruisers. Not terribly different from charging the Russian guns 90 years before. They attacked with torpedoes and guns and managed to disrupt the Japanese formation enough to give Sprague a chance to get away. All the available aircraft also attacked even though they weren’t carrying the proper (if any) ordnance for this work, they strafed and buzzed and annoyed the Japanese though.

By 0945 the Johnston, the Hoel and destroyer escort the Samuel B. Roberts had been sunk. and the escort carrier Gambier Bay was hit repeatedly by 8 inch shells and sank at 0907.

But Kurita had lost control of his formation (and was probably worrying about when 3d fleet would turn up) and broke off the action at 0911.

While Taffy 3 was doing all this, Taffy 1 was subjected to the first organized use of that new weapon: the Kamikaze, Taffy three would be so attacked in the afternoon.

And so we have St Crispan’s Day, a day of mostly victorious battle for the English-speaking peoples. The English win one with a “Band of Brothers”; the British lose one heroically and gloriously, and the Americans win one part easily, live through a terrible nightmare, while the American varsity is off hunting empty carriers.

Related articles

• Charge of the Light Brigade (mrspanzograde7languagearts.wordpress.com)
• Saint Crispin’s Day Tomorrow, October 25th, is Saint… (putthison.com)
• The King’s Speech (readingshakespeare.wordpress.com)
• A Whale Of A Time On St.Crispin’s Day (zendialogue.wordpress.com)
• Bayonets (nancyfriedman.typepad.com)
• The Last Major Cavalry Charge, 70 Years Ago (history.com)

Happy Saturday

From the E-Mail. Thought it would be nice to brighten your Saturday morning a bit.

So, here’s the world situation, according to John Cleese.

A little John Cleese humour to brighten up your day.

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent events in Syria and have therefore raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.” The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “Bloody Nuisance” warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.

The Scots have raised their threat level from “Pissed Off” to “Let’s get the Bastards.” They don’t have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France ‘s white flag factory, effectively paralysing the country’s military capability.

Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout Loudly and Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”

The Germans have increased their alert state from “Disdainful Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two higher levels: “Invade a Neighbour” and “Lose.”

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.

Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from “No worries” to “She’ll be alright, Mate.” Two more escalation levels remain: “Crikey! I think we’ll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!” and “The barbie is cancelled.” So far no situation has ever warranted use of the last final escalation level.

– John Cleese – British writer, actor and tall person.

A final thought -“ Greece is collapsing, the Iranians are getting aggressive and Rome is in disarray. Welcome back to 430 BC.”

Thanks DBM-W, you made my day.

Adopt a Libertarian

Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday in the comments on my post Preaching to the Choir Freedom by the Way commented: “I know, let’s all pledge to “adopt a liberal” and convert ‘em one at a time.” She’s right but, I’m sure some of you (like me) find that a daunting task. So if you need to dip a toe in the water first, maybe we should start with adopting a libertarian. After all, we share far more with them, and conservative Democrats than we do with the Liberal/Progressives. I’m lumping these folks together here because both groups are very capable of thinking, usually love the Constitution as much as we do, and are appalled by what the progressives have done.

I’ll use my understanding of what Ron Paul has said here to start with, it will sort of cover the likely courses that way.

• Audit the Federal Reserve. Of course, why would a quasi-federal agency not be audited.
• End the Fed. OK maybe, but somebody needs to figure out a way to transition to whatever we’re going to use as a central bank (for federal deposits if nothing else). Otherwise it’s a nice bumper sticker.  Speaking of the federal reserve they’ve been assigned a “Mission Impossible”. As near as I can tell, they are supposed to 1: Stabilize the money supply, 2: Smooth out the business cycle, and 3: Finance the government. They could do any one and maybe sometimes two but, all three, not in this lifetime, or any other. They’re incompatible. If you keep the money supply stable, the business cycle will, ah, cycle. If you smooth out the business cycle, the money supply will vary. If you finance the government (especially now) you will cause inflation, messing with both 1 and 2. King Solomon and King Croesus acting together with King Midas couldn’t do it, and neither can the Federal Reserve Board.
• Go back to the gold standard. OK, again I have no real objection but, and it’s a big but, it needs to be planned and managed very carefully or it will hurt many, many people, mostly the poor. First, you have to somehow control speculation, then you have to essentially reissue all money and everybody needs to reprice everything, prices and wages. It’s a huge and expensive process. Is it worth it? I don’t know. What I think he really wants here is a stable currency which is a laudable goal. But somewhere a while back I read that in 1910, when a dollar was worth 1/20th of an ounce of gold, a really good man’s suit, say a custom Brooks Brothers, cost about $10 dollars, or a half ounce of gold. The last time I looked, gold was selling just short of $2000 an ounce, and a custom Brooks Brothers suit cost around $1000, roughly a half ounce of gold. So is the effort worth it? I don’t know but, I frankly doubt it. Over time, prices and wages in a free (sort of) market seem to end at about the same level, although the numbers on the fiat money may be different.
• Legalizing drugs, prostitution, almost everything else. I’m pretty much all right with this, we are conservatives, after all, we believe in personal responsibility, so act like it. The provisos I would insist on would consist of making absolutely sure that the government cannot use tax money in any form, for any purpose in aiding those who damage/destroy themselves with these proposals, which is why they were prohibited in the first place. Given the current immorality in this country, this could turn into a nightmare very quickly. Constitutionally, I agree with this but, it might be a good idea to do some regulating at the state level.

• Bring the troops home, well, we tried that once, remember the Embargo Act of 1807, signed by Thomas Jefferson? Here’s a reasonable summary from Wikipedia:

“The Embargo Act of 1807 was a general embargo enacted by the United States Congress against Great Britain and France during the Napoleonic Wars.

The circumstances leading to the embargo arose from flagrant violations of US neutrality, in which American merchantmen and their cargo were seized as contraband of war by the belligerent European navies. The British Royal Navy, in particular, resorted to impressment, forcing thousands of American seamen into service on their warships. ^[3] Great Britain and France, engaged in a life or death struggle for control of Europe, rationalized the plunder of US shipping as incidental to war and necessary for their survival.  The Chesapeake-Leopard Affair was a particularly egregious example of British aggression violating American neutrality. The deliberate diplomatic insults and presumptuous official orders issued in support of these depredations by European powers were widely recognized as grounds for a US declaration of war.

President Thomas Jefferson acted with restraint as these abuses mounted, weighing public support for retaliation. He recommended that Congress respond with commercial warfare, rather than with military mobilization.  The Embargo Act was signed into law on December 22, 1807.

The anticipated effect of this drastic measure – economic hardship for the belligerent nations was expected to chasten Great Britain and France, and force them to end their molestation of American shipping, respect US neutrality, and cease the policy of impressment.

The embargo turned out to be impractical as a coercive measure, and was a failure both diplomatically and economically. As implemented, the legislation inflicted devastating burdens on the US economy and the American people.

Widespread evasion of the maritime and inland trade restrictions by American merchants, as well as loopholes in the legislation, greatly reduced the impact of the embargo on the intended targets in Europe. British merchant marine appropriated the lucrative trade routes relinquished by US shippers due to the embargo.  Demand for English goods rose in South America, offsetting losses suffered as a result of Non-Importation Acts.

The embargo undermined national unity in the US, provoking bitter protests, especially in New England commercial centers. The issue vastly increased support for the Federalist Party and led to huge gains in their representation in Congress and in the electoral college in 1808.

Thomas Jefferson’s doctrinaire approach to enforcing the embargo violated a key Democratic-Republican precept: commitment to limited government. Sectional interests and individual liberties were violated by his authorization of heavy handed enforcement by federal authorities

The embargo had the pernicious effect of simultaneously undermining American citizen’s faith that their government could execute its own laws fairly; and strengthened the conviction among America’s enemies that her republican form of government was inept and ineffectual.

At the end of 15 months, the embargo was revoked on March 1, 1809, in the last days of Jefferson’s presidency.

In other words, with the best intentions, it backfired horribly and was one of the causes of the War of 1812. Then, as now we were a maritime power with interests all over the world. Now with the rapid communications, travel , and weapons available it would be much worse. The other example is the people who were fooled into believing that we were maneuvered into World War I to make profits, and proceeded with the entire “Fortress America” meme, which prevented us from helping our friends until it was almost too late (it was too late for millions of them in both Europe and Asia) and is a direct (although not large) cause of the Holocaust. It is true that we looked inward throughout almost all of the 19th century. But what is nearly always missed is that we were protected (for their own reasons) by the Royal Navy.

Ok, just for fun, here are a few things that I think we should do.

1. Make income tax withholding illegal. The growth of the federal government really got going under FDR when they came up with withholding. Why? Because most people never realize how much taxes they are really paying. If you had to write a check on 15 April for your Federal Income Tax, think you might notice?
2. Continuing the thought. Repeal the Sixteenth Amendment, including language specifically making a tax on income unconstitutional. While we will probably have to install an import tariff at least for a time, the lack of funding will cause the federal government to shrink back to its appropriate size. Obviously we should disband all federal agencies which have no clear constitutional mandate. You know which ones as well as I do. The purpose of the income tax has always been to attempt to punish the successful, and to redistribute wealth.
3. When the Convention wrote the constitution, they designed the Congress to slow things down. The House is the people’s house having direct representation and proposing (and stopping) measures according to the peoples will. The Senate was different. It was designed to represent the states. Why? because it was a protection for small states from the fiscal and other depredations of the large states. It also provides a method for the state legislatures to have a voice in the federal city. We threw this protection away with the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment ( like the Sixteenth, a Progressive idea), which provides for direct election of senators, causing there to be no check from the outside of the Federal establishment. Is there corruption in at least some of the state legislatures? Of course there is, there is corruption anywhere humans have political power. But if it is required to buy (or rent) politicians in 51 cities instead of one, it makes it more difficult to buy an outcome.

Why did I mention conservative democrats here? Because much like conservatives they are appalled by what this regime is trying to do. If you remember Reagan carried 49 states in 1984. Why? he was a charming, optimistic man. He also had principles which he lived by, he infuriated the republican establishment simply because of it, and they did not include growing the federal government. He did not infuriate ordinary Americans, who saw in him a reflection of what they believed. Thus the so-called Reagan Democrats. Many, many of them were union members as were their parents who thought FDR was a demi-god. If you’re roughly my age, I’ll bet that you remember Kennedy’s inaugural speech: It had some very memorable lines, most of them about preserving freedom by any method necessary, including war.

If we run an optimistic, principled campaign, we will find the support we need to take the country back. I like to call this the American Counterrevolution. It has been said that all revolution have three phases but, America stopped after 2 and never stooped to mob rule. If we are not careful we may find that we only delayed it until far more horrible weapons were available than the guillotine that the French mobs used.

Related articles

• Am I Really, Libertarian, Or Will I Find The Right Keyword? (thenewworldreporter.com)
• Weekend Reflections: Nullify Obama Now ~ 10th Amendment Codifies In Law That ‘We The People’ Of The States Created The Federal Government. (politicalvelcraft.org)
• FED Audit? Swiss and Germans want their gold returned (disclose.tv)
• The Truth About Gold as Money (dailyfinance.com)
• Are Tax the Rich Proponents Getting Their Wish Through Inflation? (taxdebthelp.com)
• Why liberals can’t understand conservatives (blogs.telegraph.co.uk)

A Story of Napoleon

Image via Wikipedia

This is more of an anecdote than a whole post but, it’s something to keep in mind.

There is a story that I first heard in my survey course on military history in college. I doubt if anyone knows whether or not it is true but, it also doesn’t really matter.

Napoleon was galloping along a road in northern Europe (probably France, but who knows) one hot summer day and the sun beating down on him started to really get to him.

He looked at his Aide-de-Camp and said, ” It’s so hot out here, we need to plant trees along this road to shade the infantry.”

His Aide, looked shocked (no real surprise, Napoleon wasn’t noted for taking care of the enlisted man), and said, “But, Sir, it will take 20 years for them to do any good.”

Napoleon replied, “Yes, that is why we must start right away.”

You know what always reminds me of this story? The democrats, who are always saying that drilling won’t help lower gas prices for ten years. Even if they were right, which they aren’t, it sure would have helped if we had started drilling 30 years ago when they started saying this, wouldn’t it.

Planetary Soldiers, How to tell them apart.

It struck me last night when I was posting on the Battle of the Bulge that while I learned something about this when I was a kid, some of you may not realize that the unit patches our military wears have historical significance. There are far too many to go over them all so let’s just look at a few of the most famous.

“First In Deed”

First US Army; via Wikipedia

The First Army was organized in France on 10 AUG 1918 under command of John J. (Blackjack) Pershing, the Blackjack nickname came from his command of colored troops, specifically the 10th US Cavalry (the Buffalo Soldiers) after reassignment from being the tactics instructor at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

The shoulder patch background is red and white as in Army flags with a black block A symbolizing both Army and the first letter of the alphabet.

It served throughout World War 1. In World War 2 First US Army was under command of then LtGEN Omar Bradley (later General of the Army). 1st Army was the American Command in the Normandy Invasion (Overlord) and conducted Operation Cobra which opened the door for Patton’s 3d Army to race across France. 1st Army held the north side of the Bulge and continued the drive east thereafter including the capture of the Ludendorff bridge at Remagen across the Rhine. Thereafter it advanced to the Elbe River; the line of demarcation with Soviet Forces. At VJ day the First Army was preparing to tranship to the Pacific for the invasion of Japan.

Campaign Participation credit

• World War I

1. St. Mihiel
2. Meuse-Argonne
3. Lorraine 1918

• World War II

1. Normandy (with arrowhead)
2. Northern France
3. Battle of the Bulge
4. Rhineland
5. Ardennes-Alsace
6. Central Europe

“Patton’s Own”

3d US Army; via Wikipedia

The Third United States Army was formed on 7 November 1918, at Chaumont, France, It was the army of occupation of Germany after the First World War and the insignia represents that with its “A” and “O”.

In World War 2 it was a training command until it was transferred to England in DEC 1943 for the Invasion. It entered Combat in early AUG 1944 under GEN George S. Patton, Jr, and commenced to lead the great dash across France until it ran out of gas (literally) in the  approaches to the Rhine. 3d Army commanded the southern flank of the Bulge and then restarted the advance into Germany penetrating into Czechoslovakia by VE Day. It again commanded the occupation of Germany until 1947 when it was recalled to the United States.

Third United States Army returned to combat as the main striking arm in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and again periodically throughout the ensuing decade climaxing as the command for Operation Iraqi Freedom ending with its headquarters in Baghdad on its third occupation tour in 100 years.

“The Big Red One”

1st Infantry Div (1ID) ; via Wikipedia

The 1st Infantry Division (1ID) was formed as the 1st Expeditionary Division on 24 May 1917 and is the oldest regular army division and has been in service ever since. The divisions’ battle honors speak for themselves but we should note that one of the most famous officers to serve in the 1ID in both World Wars was Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.

Engagements World War I

• Western Front

World War II

• Operation Torch
• Operation Husky
• Operation Overlord
• Battle of Hurtgen Forest
• Battle of the Bulge

Vietnam War

• Tet Offensive

Persian Gulf War

• Operation Desert Storm

War on Terror

• Iraq War
• Afghanistan War

“Indianhead”

2d Infantry Division (2ID); via Wikipedia

The 2d Infantry Division was organized on 26 October 1917 at Bourmont, Haute Marne, France.

At the time of its activation, the Indianhead Division was composed of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, which included the 9th Infantry Regiment and the 23rd Infantry Regiment; the 4th Marine Brigade, which consisted of the 5th Marine Regiment, the 6th Marine Regiment and the 6th Machine Gun Battalion; a battalion of field artillery; and various supporting units. Twice during World War I the division was commanded by US Marine Corps generals, Brigadier General Charles A. Doyen and Major General John A. Lejeune, the only time in U.S. Military history when Marine Corps officers commanded an Army division.

The Division entered Europe on Omaha Beach on D+1.

In another interesting fact, this is the only Army division to have non-Americans serving  in it: approximately 1,100 Korean soldiers, called KATUSAs (Korean Augmentation to US Army).

Engagements World War I

• Battle of Belleau Wood
• Château-Thierry campaign
• Meuse-Argonne offensive

World War II

• Operation Overlord
• Battle of the Bulge
• Western Allied invasion of Germany

Korean War
Iraq Campaign
War in Afghanistan

“Rock of the Marne”

3d Infantry Division (3ID); via Wikipedia

The 3rd Infantry Division was activated in November 1917 during World War I at Camp Greene, North Carolina. Eight months later, it saw combat for the first time in France. At midnight on 14 July 1918, the Division earned lasting distinction. Engaged in the Aisne-Marne Offensive as a member of the American Expeditionary Force to Europe, the Division was protecting Paris with a position on the banks of the Marne River. The 7th Machine Gun Battalion of the 3rd Division rushed to Château-Thierry amid retreating French troops and held the Germans back at the Marne River. While surrounding units retreated, the 3rd Infantry Division, including the 30th and 38th Infantry Regiments, remained rock solid and earned its reputation in the Second Battle of the Marne as the “Rock of the Marne”.

The 3ID was the first unit into Baghdad in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Engagements World War I
* Aisne-Marne Offensive
* Second Battle of the Marne
World War II
* North African campaign
*Italian Campaign
* Western Front 1944 – 1945
Korean War
Iraq Campaign

“Ivy Division“

4th Infantry Division (4ID); via Wikipedia

The Fourth Infantry Division has served in wars from the First World War on.

In World War 1 the division served in France at Battle of St. Mihiel and in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

The 4ID were the first surface borne troops to land in Operation Overlord on Utah Beach. Leading the first wave from the 4ID was BGEN Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., and I do mean leading, he was one of the first men of the first landing 8th Infantry Regiment of the 4ID. They landed about a mile from where they were supposed to and Roosevelt’s quick thinking allowed the division to secure their objectives. For his service on Utah he was originally recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross by General Barton, the award was upgraded at higher headquarters to the Medal of Honor which Roosevelt was posthumously awarded on 28 September 1944. This is the citation:

For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, in France. After 2 verbal requests to accompany the leading assault elements in the Normandy invasion had been denied, Brig. Gen. Roosevelt’s written request for this mission was approved and he landed with the first wave of the forces assaulting the enemy-held beaches. He repeatedly led groups from the beach, over the seawall and established them inland. His valor, courage, and presence in the very front of the attack and his complete unconcern at being under heavy fire inspired the troops to heights of enthusiasm and self-sacrifice. Although the enemy had the beach under constant direct fire, Brig. Gen. Roosevelt moved from one locality to another, rallying men around him, directed and personally led them against the enemy. Under his seasoned, precise, calm, and unfaltering leadership, assault troops reduced beach strong points and rapidly moved inland with minimum casualties. He thus contributed substantially to the successful establishment of the beachhead in France.

He is one of only two father-son winners of the medal, the other is Arthur MacArthur and Douglas MacArthur.

Engagements

World War I
* Battle of St. Mihiel
* Meuse-Argonne Offensive
World War II
* Operation Overlord
* Battle of Hurtgen Forest
* Battle of the Bulge
Vietnam War
* Operation Attleboro
* Operation Junction City
* Cambodian Incursion
Iraq War
* Liberation of Iraq
Afghanistan War

“All-American“

82d Airborne Division (82AB); via Wikipedia

The 82nd Division was constituted in the National Army on 5 August 1917, and was organized on 25 August 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. Since its initial members came from all 48 states, the unit acquired the nickname “All-American“, which is the basis for its famed “AA” shoulder patch.

The 82ID became the 82d Airborne (82AB) on 15 August 1942.

In January 1944, the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which was temporarily detached to fight at Anzio, adopted the nickname “Devils in Baggy Pants,” taken from an entry in a German officer’s diary.

In Berlin GEN George Patton was so impressed with the 82nd’s honor guard he said, “In all my years in the Army and all the honor guards I have ever seen, the 82nd’s honor guard is undoubtedly the best.” Hence the “All-American” became also known as “America’s Guard of Honor.”

To this day every member of the 82d must be parachute qualified, the only division so designated.

Engagements World War I

• Battle of Saint-Mihiel
• Meuse-Argonne Offensive

World War II

• Operation Avalanche
• Invasion of Normandy
• Operation Market Garden
• Battle of the Bulge

Dominican Republic occupation
Vietnam War
Invasion of Grenada
Invasion of Panama
Gulf War
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War

“Screaming Eagles”

101st Airborne Division (101AB); via Wikipedia

The 101st Airborne Division (101AB) was stood up 16 August 1942 at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana and fought through the European theater of World War 2.

The 101′s patch is unusual, here is why. The eagle is Old Abe, the mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War, the original home of the 101st. The black shield commemorates the Iron Brigade of the Civil War which included the 2nd, 6th, and 7th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiments, along with the 19th Indiana, and was later joined by the 24th Michigan.

The Iron Brigade was officially the 1st Brigade of the 1st Corps of the First Division of the Army of the Potomac.

The Iron Brigade, proportionately, suffered the most casualties of any brigade in the Civil War. For example, 61% (1,153 out of 1,885) were casualties at Gettysburg. Similarly, the 2nd Wisconsin, which suffered 77% casualties at Gettysburg, suffered the most throughout the war; it was second only to the 24th Michigan (also an Iron Brigade regiment) in total casualties at Gettysburg. The latter regiment lost 397 out of 496 soldiers, an 80% casualty rate.

The 101st AB deputy commander BGEN McAuliffe gave the famous answer to the German demand to surrender Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge “Nuts”.

Engagements

World War II
Vietnam War
War in Southwest Asia
Afghanistan Campaign
Iraq Campaign

“The First Team!“

1st Cavalry Division

The history of the 1st Cavalry Division began in 04 APRIL 1921 when the War Department authorized a cavalry division. The Division fought in the Pacific Theater during World War 2. This unit is famous for its constituent units as well as itself.

Here is where you’ll find the 7th United States Regiment of Cavalry, often called “Custer’s Own”. This is also the unit that fought the Battle of Ia Drang Valley on which We Were Soldiers Once was based. This is also the unit (and battle) in which COL Rick Recorla (picture on the movies’ advertising) who heroically gave his life on 9/11 served. You can always spot the cavalrymen, they still wear the black Stetson hat they wore in the old west.

Engagements

World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Operation Desert Storm
Global War on Terrorism
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom

“The Mighty Eighth”

Eighth Air Force; via Wikipedia

Established on 22 February 1944 as a redesignation of VIII Bomber Command at High Wycombe Airdrome, USAAF Station #101, England, 8 AF was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force in the European Theater of World War II, engaging in operations primarily in the Northern Europe AOR, carrying out strategic bombing of enemy targets in France, the Low countries and Germany and engaging in air to air fighter combat against enemy aircraft until the German Capitulation in May 1945. It was the largest of the deployed combat Army Air Forces in numbers of personnel, aircraft and equipment. It also took the largest casualties of any like sized unit in the European Theater.

After VE day the 8th AF was transferred to the Pacific to participate in the attacks on Japan but before they could become operational Japan surrendered.

After the war the 8th AF became part of the Strategic Air Command which kept the peace all through the cold war while also flying missions in Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm and the Global war on Terror.

After the disestablishment of the Strategic Air Command, 8th AF was transferred to the Air Force Global Strike Command. It now commands

• Barksdale AFB, Louisiana

2d Bomb Wing. B-52H Bombardment Wing

• Minot AFB, North Dakota

5th Bomb Wing, B-52H Bombardment Wing

• Whiteman AFB, Missouri

509th Bomb Wing, B-2 Stealth Bomber Wing

It could be noted that the 509th Bomb Wing is the only unit in the world that has carried out an attack with atomic weapons.

Engagements:

World War II

• European Campaign (1944–1945)
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1945)

Vietnam War (1970–1973)

“Peace is our Profession”

Stategic Air Command; via Wikipedia

The Strategic Air Command was established on  21 March 1946 as the strategic (and nuclear arm of the United States Army Air Forces and transferred to the United States Air Force on 18 September 1947 when the USAF was established. SAC was responsible for the strategic mission of the Air Force throughout the cold war and had control of bombers, tankers and missiles assigned to the mission as well as fighter in the early years. During the cold war it consisted of the 8th Air Force and the 15th Air Force which were the strategic bombing  air forces from the war in Europe.

SAC took part in Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm before it was disestablished on 31 May 1992 and its responsibilities transferred to United States Strategic Command.

Most of the information in this post is from Wikipedia, the articles are far more detailed, if you have any interest, look them up.

Happy Birthday, Lady Liberty

from Wikipedia

Today is the 125th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty. The statue itself is a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States recalling the alliance in the Revolution.

The statue’s base is Fort Wood, which was built in the years just prior to the War of 1812 on Bedloe’s Island, which had other previous uses, such as a pest house and quarantine station.

Of course we all know Emma Lazarus‘s poem which was added to the base in 1903

The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Emma Lazarus, 1883

Altogether a fitting welcome to the land of hard work and individualism, where the streets, while not paved with gold, were there for the man or woman who wanted to work, and work hard so he could make a good life for himself and his descendants could do even better.

So for a 125 years the Lady has welcomed our new members in peace and war, no matter where from or what beastly thing they were fleeing. She has also served as a very welcome sign of  home to millions of doughboys, GI’s and grunts returning sadly diminished from foreign fields where freedom needed defending by the Armies of the Free.

The Statue will be closing tonight for renovation. I think they are widening the staircase which, as I remember from my visit when I was 4, is pretty narrow.

But, something new, they have installed a web cam on the torch, which has been inaccessible since 1916. The link to it, as well as the one on the crown is here.

Happy Birthday

Related articles

• Oct. 28, 1886 | Statue of Liberty Is Unveiled (learning.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Lady Liberty turns 125; Immigrant recalls passage (cnn.com)
• New Americans sworn in for Lady Liberty’s birthday (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Happy 125th birthday to Lady Liberty! (holykaw.alltop.com)