Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Monday, November 20, 1944. The sinking of the Mississinewa.

The US tanker USS Mississinewa  was sunk by Japanese manned torpedoes off of Ulithi, Micronesia.


She was the first ship to suffer such an attack.

French troops in action, November 20, 1944.

Hitler left the Wolfsschanze for good.

Partisans took Kosovo.

The British commence attempting to disarm Greek partisans.

Lights came back on in the Piccadilly, the Strand and Fleet Street districts of London.

Facing discontent, Chiang Kai-shek appointed a new Minister of War.

M4 Sherman of French 5th Armored Division, Nov 20, 1944.

Last edition:

Sunday, November 19, 1944. Sixth War Loan.

    Thursday, November 20, 1924. The marriage of my father's parents.

    Which was oddly a Thursday.  I think of most weddings being on Saturday.

    At least they are now.

    The wedding was in Denver, where they had met and where my grandfather was working.  They'd live there until 1937, when they'd move to Scottsbluff.  In that time they had all of their children save for one, who would be born in Scottsbluff, the first one being born in 1926 and my father being born in 1929.

    They were both 23 years old.  He had been on his own since age 13.  She was living with her parents in Denver, where they had moved after her father had closed his store in Leadville.  Her parents were of 100% Irish extraction, with her mother being from Cork.  His parents were of 100% Westphalian extraction.  They were both Catholic, although I don't know what church they were married in.  Likey one of the Catholic churches downtown.

    The American Automobile Association of State Highway Officials approved a resolution recommending that states agree to a consistent system of numbered highways.

    Last edition:

    Tuesday, November 18, 1924. Adding to the public domain.

    Tuesday, November 19, 2024

    US and German, Mid Winter 44/45 Display. National Museum of Military Vehicles.


     

    Jagdpanzer 38 German tank destroyer, built on the Czechoslovakian Panzer 38(t) chassis.  A classic German tank destroyer, it set the pattern for the German approach to this class of armor as well as for German infantry assault guns.  These remained in production in Czechoslovakia after the war.






    Pz. kpfw. III ausf. N, a predecessor to the Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), the real German workhorse of the Second World War.  These tanks, far more than any other German tank, were the German tank of the Second World War.  They came in a various forms, like the Sherman. 

    The Law of Unintended Consequences visits Wyoming.

    When the Affordable Healthcare Act, commonly known as "Obamacare" was passed the then right wing of the Republican Party mounted a scare campaign that there would be "death panels" for healthcare.

    Now, of course, the public is acclimated to the bill and the Republicans won't touch it.

    Anyhow, the Wyoming legislature of the period passed a bill sponsored by an extremely conservative legislator  to amend the constitution to add this text:
    Wyoming Constitution Art. 1, § 38. Right of health care access

    (a) Each competent adult shall have the right to make his or her own health care decisions. The parent, guardian or legal representative of any other natural person shall have the right to make health care decisions for that person.

    (b) Any person may pay, and a health care provider may accept, direct payment for health care without imposition of penalties or fines for doing so.

    (c) The legislature may determine reasonable and necessary restrictions on the rights granted under this section to protect the health and general welfare of the people or to accomplish the other purposes set forth in the Wyoming Constitution.

    (d) The state of Wyoming shall act to preserve these rights from undue governmental infringement.

    While it took her seemingly forever to do it, a district court judge in Teton County has ruled that Wyoming's recent ban on abortion violated this provision as abortion is "health care".

    I'll be frank.  I'm abhorred by abortion and its not health care.  It's infanticide.  But this gives us an example of the costs of paranoia.  The amendment to the constitution was unnecessary.  Completely unnecessary.  And now its come back to defeat an issue that was a greater one to its sponsors.

    Indeed, the sponsor of the amendment was quoted awhile back to the effect that he'd be horrified if his bill resulted in ongoing abortions.  Well, it did. He should be horrified.

    Now this goes on to the Wyoming Supreme Court where I'll guess it will be upheld.   There will be an effort to repeal the amendment, but my guess is that it might very well fail.  Legislators will attempt to draft bills around the decision, but they'll fail as well.

    Sunday, November 19, 1944. Sixth War Loan.

     


    November 19, 1944

    The Sixth War Loan Drive that starts tomorrow is something more than just a money-raising affair.

    We cannot all fight the enemy face to face. We cannot all produce the weapons and the raw materials that are so vital to our armed forces.

    But there is one front on which all of us—every man, woman, and child—can serve, and serve for the duration. We can all practice self-denial. We can all sacrifice some of our comforts to the needs of the men in service; and yes, even some of our needs to their comforts.

    The war in the present month of November alone will cost us seven and one-half billions of dollars. That is two hundred and fifty millions a day.

    That is why every war bond that you buy is so important.

    The war is not over- no, not by many a costly battle. While we have every reason to be proud of what has been done—even optimistic about the ultimate outcome—we have no reason to be complacent about the tough road that still lies ahead of us.

    We have just been through a wartime election, demonstrating to the people of the world the deep roots of our democratic faith.

    This Sixth War Loan, I am confident, will be a further example of democracy in action in a world at war.

    There is an old saying about sticking to the plow until you have reached the end of the furrow. Every rule of common sense and patriotic thought makes that maxim applicable to our conduct in this war.

    And so in the name of our wounded and sick, in the name of our dead, and in the name of future generations of Americans, I ask you to plow out this furrow to a successful and victorious end.

    Franklin Roosevelt. 

    The cost of the war was estimated at that point to be $250,000,000 per day.

    The British Second Army gook Geilenkirchen, Germany.

    The submarine USS Sculpin was scuttled off Truk after being damaged by the Yamagumo.

    Last edition:

    Saturday, November 18, 1944. Entering Metz.

    Monday, November 18, 2024

    I was a soldier once. . .


    Student Alan Canfora waves a black flag before the Ohio National Guard shortly before they opened fire at Kent State, May 15, 1970.

    and never as part of that did I ever imagine being used in the US to round up immigrants.  

    I have the strong feeling that if Trump attempts this, there's going to be a lot of men leaving the military, and a drop off of enlistment of epic proportions.  

    Painted Bricks: Alley scene, Denver Colorado. Summer 2024.

    Painted Bricks: Alley scene, Denver Colorado. Summer 2024.:  

    Afrika Korps display, National Museum of Military Vehicles.


     







    Last edition:

    Dodge WC Command Car. National Museum of Military Vehicles.

    Saturday, November 18, 1944. Entering Metz.

    US troops entered Metz.


    Belgian resistance forces agreed to surrender their arms.

    The I-41 was sunk off of Leyte.

    Last edition:

    Friday, November 17, 1944. Horrific losses at sea.

    Today in World War II History—November 18, 1939 & 1944

    Today in World War II History—November 18, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago: US Third Army enters Metz, France. Submarine USS Blackfin picks up captured Japanese cryptographic equipment from Filipino resistance on Mindoro.

    Tuesday, November 18, 1924. Adding to the public domain.

    WHEREAS, it appears that the public good will be promoted by adding certain land in South Dakota to the Harney National Forest;

    Now, therefore, I, CALVIN COOLIDGE, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the power in me vested by the act of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-one (26 Stat., 1095), entitled, “An Act To repeal timber-culture laws, and for other purposes,” and also by the act of Congress approved June fourth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven (30 Stat., 11 at 34 and 36 ), entitled, “An Act Making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, and for other purposes, “do proclaim that the boundaries of the Harney National Forest are hereby changed to include the N1/2 and SE1/4, Section 27, Township 5 South, Range 2 East, Black Hills Meridian, South Dakota.

    The withdrawal made by this proclamation shall, as to all lands which are at this date legally appropriated under the public land laws or reserved for any public purpose, be subject to and shall not interfere with or defeat legal rights under such appropriation, nor prevent the use for such public purpose of lands so reserved, so long as such appropriation is legally maintained or such reservation remains in force.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

    Done at the City of Washington this 18th day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and forty-ninth.

    When Presidents realized that adding to the public domain was a good thing.

    In 1954 the Harney National Forest was added to the Black Hills, so it is no longer a separate administrative unit.

    Brig. Gen. R.E. Noble, Librarian of Army Medical Library, 11/18/24

    Dr. Noble was a career military physician.

    Last edition:

    Sunday, November 16, 1924. French evacuations, Imperial Russian dreams.

    Friday, November 18, 1774. Ellis and his island.

    Samuel Ellis, residing at 1 Greenwich Street in Manhattan, bought Oyster Island, where he built a tavern and collected the oysters.

    Today, the island is known as Ellis Island.

    Last edition:

    Thursday, November 17, 1774. First City Troop.

    Sunday, November 17, 2024

    Dodge WC Command Car. National Museum of Military Vehicles.


     Produced early in WWII, the 1/2 ton Dodge WC command car. The father of the SUV.

    Last edition:

    Tank engines. National Museum of Military Vehicles.

    Sunday, November 17, 1974. Greek democracy restored.

    The Greek New Democracy Party won the first Greek parliamentary election since 1964 and the first since the fall of the Greek military junta.

    Last edition:

    Tuesday, October 8, 1974. WIN


    Friday, November 17, 1944. Horrific losses at sea.

    The Japanese aircraft carrier Shin'yō was sunk in the Yellow Sea by the USS Spadefish.  The Japanese landing craft depot ship Mayasan Maru was sunk in the East China Sea by the USS Picuda with the 3,856 lives.

    Over the last few days, American submarines had effectively destroyed the numerical equivalent of an entire Japanese Army division.

    The British 2nd Army took Wessem, Netherlands.

    U.S. light tank destroyed by a German anti tank mine.  November 17, 1944.

    The Allies agree with the Belgian government to have Belgian resistance forces lay down their arms.

    Disarming resistance groups, which posed a danger to the governments of the liberated territories, was becoming a problem.

    Last edition:

    Thursday, November 16, 1944. Attack on the Siegfried Line.

    Today in World War II History—November 17, 1939 & 1944

    Today in World War II History—November 17, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Nov. 17, 1944: Submarine USS Spadefish sinks Japanese escort carrier Shinyo in the Yellow Sea, only 130 of 1,160 survive.

    Thursday, November 17, 1774. First City Troop.

    The First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry was formed.

    A very famous National Guard unit, at one time it was mostly made up members of Philadelphia's social elite.  It is still in existence.

    The troop was originally called Light Horse of the City of Philadelphia.

    Last edition:

    Monday, November 7, 1774. The Yorktown Tea Party