War stories...

[Truckman]

Odd things happen in war, both heroic and tragic...I thought it might be appropriate to start a thread where they can be assembled...

We'll start with the story of why a US Navy Commander was ordered to face court martial for the act of sinking a Japanese ship in the western Pacific with torpedoes during WWII while commanding the operation of his submarine on combat patrol...

Commander Loughlin was found guilty of negligence, and the U.S. Government offered, via neutral Switzerland to replace the Awa Maru with a similar ship. Japan demanded full indemnification.

Commander Loughlin took full responsibility for his actions and accepted the sentence of the court, which included preclusion by Admiral Ernest King from any future command assignments...He resumed his naval career until his retirement as Rear Admiral after 35 years of continuous service, eventually including several more sea commands...

He is buried at the US Naval Academy cemetery...The Awa Maru still lies on the bottom carrying it's cargo of contraband......Ben

[mgrist]

Rear Admiral Loughlin has significantly enhanced the material effectiveness of his complex command, and has upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[6]

A hell of a man! With all the crap he went through he still served and led over and above!!

[Truckman]

This entry surfaced today from an obscure blogger, and is notable in this thread only because it ties the work of four generations of one family into the outcomes of three different wars, the American Revolution, the War For Texas Independence and the War of Northern Aggression...In my vast research library, I have a proof copy of the history and genealogy of the family in question, written and published in the 60's, and have verified many of the facts as written...It also contains a reproduction of an article titled, "The Beans of Tennessee, Master Gunsmiths," written by Paul M. Fink, originally published in the October 1946 issue of Muzzle Blasts, a gun publication of the time...,,,Ben

[Truckman]

The current talk against Mexican immigrants takes a different tack when one considers the story of Staff Sgt. Marcario Garcia, the first Mexican immigrant to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by a grateful America...The citation for the award reads:

Staff Sergeant Marcario García, Company B, 22nd Infantry, in action involving actual conflict with the enemy in the vicinity of Grosshau, Germany, 27 November 1944. While an acting squad leader, he single-handedly assaulted two enemy machine gun emplacements. Attacking prepared positions on a wooded hill, which could be approached only through meager cover. His company was pinned down by intense machine-gun fire and subjected to a concentrated artillery and mortar barrage. Although painfully wounded, he refused to be evacuated and on his own initiative crawled forward alone until he reached a position near an enemy emplacement. Hurling grenades, he boldly assaulted the position, destroyed the gun, and with his rifle killed three of the enemy who attempted to escape. When he rejoined his company, a second machine-gun opened fire and again the intrepid soldier went forward, utterly disregarding his own safety. He stormed the position and destroyed the gun, killed three more Germans, and captured four prisoners. He fought on with his unit until the objective was taken and only then did he permit himself to be removed for medical care. S/Sgt. (then Pvt.) Garcia's conspicuous heroism, his inspiring, courageous conduct, and his complete disregard for his personal safety wiped out two enemy emplacements and enabled his company to advance and secure its objective.

In later life, after becoming a US citizen, Garcia served as a counselor with the Veterans Administration for 25 years...He also became an activist for the rights of Latino immigrants...This part of his life might never have happened if not for an incident which occurred shortly after he had returned home following the war...Those people unhappy with Garcia's turn to activism may wish to direct their displeasure toward Mrs. Donna Andrews who refused service to Garcia because he was Hispanic in her Oasis Cafe in Richmond, Texas days after he was awarded the CMH by President Harry Truman...

On November 21, 1963 Garcia met with another decorated WWII veteran, President John Kennedy, at the Rice Hotel in Houston to discuss ways to improve ethnic relations in America...The next afternoon, Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas...

When I worked for Goodyear in Houston, I often traveled on S/Sgt. Marcario Garcia Blvd. when my duties took me to Goodyear's Harrisburg store......Ben

[wacojoe]

I know much too little about the First World War. The following article served to inform me truly how little. The article is a chronological list of the battles of that massive confligration, few of which I have even heard, much less know anything about. Many of the brief discriptions jog me to learn more, but the shear number make it obvious knowing much would be a lifetime undertaking. Anyway, here is the list —

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/th...lete-timeline/

Here is one example of a huge campaign with one million casualities of which I know nothing —

June 4-Sept 20, 1916: Brusilov Offensive

Russian General Alexei Brusilov attacked the southern Austrian defences, advancing the front more than 60 miles and inflicting a million casualties.

[Truckman]

I know much too little about the First World War. The following article served to inform me truly how little.

Wow! You and me both, Joe...The first battle alone would take a long time to digest just from its Wikipedia page...I see one discrepancy between it and the newspaper link you provided...The Telegraph article said 30,000 Belgian and 2,000 German losses...Wiki puts it at 30K Belgian, 20k German with 6,000 additional civilians killed...Either way, that's a monstrous loss of life for one battle......Ben

[Polly Goodnight]

I know much too little about the First World War. [/url]

A few days ago, the centennial of the battle of the Somme was observed. Hideous battle, within the first hour 20 000 British troops laid dead.... http://www.history.com/topics/world-...e-of-the-somme

Of interest of how this affected the psychic of the Brits, on the eve of the D Day landing, Churchill comments to his wife that by time she awakes in the morning, 20 000 men may have been killed....obvious he was fearful of another repeat of the Somme...

[Dave Grubb]

Hard to imagine!

[Truckman]

A war from a different era, but no less horrific in the telling...Jacob Miller, a Union soldier, was shot between the eyes with a musket...He not only survived his wound, but carried himself off the battlefield when he was left for dead...This was one tough SOB who earned every penny of his $40 a month pension......Ben

[wacojoe]

Another WWII set of facts I never heard about — there was a back-up plan to deliver the atomic bombs on Japan by British Lancaster bombers because the original design of the B-29 would not accommodate the size of the atomic bombs in their split bomb bays. The Brits went so far as to develop a system to mid-air refuel the Lancasters because of a range problem. Because the Lancasters were slower and lower, it would have been testy for them to get far enough away from the blast after dropping the bomb.

https://youtu.be/5XX9ptCNpik

[Truckman]

That's a new one on me...I like Mark Felton's videos, they're usually very factual and well researched......Ben

[wacojoe]

Rescue Of POW’s In Japanese POW Camp After Surrender

https://quillette.com/2020/08/15/on-...saved-my-life/