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| USS North Carolina (BB-55) pitching in heavy seas while screening Task Force 38.3 off the Philippines, December 1944. |
It seems that "Chaps" had the idea to have each crew member with kids back in the States chip in five bucks and then he would send the money to Macy's Department Store in New York. Those folks would then use the money to buy presents for those kids and send them along. Legend has it that many of the families were filmed sending greetings to their serviceman out there, far from home.
Not sure of the logistics of all that, but I've known a few chaplains who would go that extra mile for the men in their spiritual care. As this all happened at Christmas in 1943, I guess the Christmas song recorded by Bing Crosby goes hand in hand with that tale. This link has more on that topic from some of the crewmen themselves, also some good photos of Christmastime aboard one of the Navy's battlewagons.
That's probably my favorite secular Christmas song. I have many favorites in the Christmas music realm, some religious, some secular. I have to be honest, I just don't care for Grandma Got Run-over by a Reindeer, not at all, just throwing that out there. I'm not anti-humorous Christmas songs, just that one. I absolutely love I'm Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas.
As for I'll Be Home for Christmas, I've heard that a few times when far from home, yeah, made things a little dusty but always brought up some good memories. These days I think often of our fine men and women who are far from home (some in harm's way) when the holidays roll around. I pray for their safe return, for them to be reunited with loved ones, and to know peace once more. Spare a thought for those folks this holiday season, and a prayer if you've a mind to.
What are some of your favorite Christmas tunes? (And if one of 'em is Grandma Got Run-over by a Reindeer go ahead and fess up, I'll not think less of ye for being honest.)
The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole then White Christmas with der Bingle. Oh....one that is low key is the Vince Guaraldi Trio instumental version of Christmas Time Is Here. This one tugs at the heartstrings.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, love those as well.
DeleteVince Guaraldi died way too young.
I second your King Cole song. Guaraldi's song is the saddest Christmas song ever.
DeleteIt can be, I always associate it with the Charlie Brown Christmas Special and that sad looking little tree which becomes a thing of beauty...
DeleteMan, got dusty all of a sudden.
The 1941 message from the North Carolina Captain to the crew is an interesting read. Nobody writes like that anymore.
ReplyDeleteAlso found what appears to be the movie Macy's made:
http://footage.framepool.com/en/shot/131354522-christmas-card-macy%27s-north-carolina-ship-packing
http://footage.framepool.com/en/shot/664479569-christmas-card-macy's-north-carolina-ship-packing
/
L.J.
Great find L.J.!
DeleteSomeone needs to put forth “Snoopy’s Christmas” by The Royal Guardsmen as a favorite, and it may as well be me. It’s one of my dad’s favorites, and it always makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteLove The Royal Guardsmen, that's a good one.
DeleteI like the tail end of "Run Over..". When Grandpa says, "Merr Christmus", I hear some long dead kin folks saying it the same way. I see Uncle Ed holding up a tube sock that was 4 feet long with a hole in the toe, digging out pecans and oranges. Dad always had a coconut in his boot Christmas morning, courtesy of Santa Claus. Grandma would slap her thighs or put her hands to her cheeks when she was happy. Grandpa had an open mouth grin... He's been gone since '77...
ReplyDeleteWhite Christmas (the movie) always reminds me of mom and her ice cream.
Mostly the songs remind me of the sounds of dad's old Buick Wildcat, heading to kin folks for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Or the old Ford moaning along while we nodded off in the cold back seat. Long tables for the adults, card tables in different rooms for the kids. Good food, lots of laughter, and cold days out in the barn, or wandering around the shelter belts (12 year olds with 22's looking for krauts behind every tree). Bodark apples... (Bois d'arc) Shooting 22's at the tank... Riding with my cousin half the night as he delivered load after load of cotton burrs to the ranchers around the county. (We were both 13 or so, he was driving a split axle 5 ton dump truck. I was envious as heck. I got to open and close the pasture gates.)
Great memories of Christmas and the freedom that has been regulated into oblivion...
PS "So This Is Christmas" makes me puke. "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Day" leaves me bilious. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" and that awful "Last Christmas, I gave you my heart" makes me want to wash out my ears with Rammstein. We can do better than those four every hour on the hour, can't we?? I mean there must be a million other songs in the library, right??
Man, this comment evokes a lot of memories.
DeleteI don't think many folks these days really know what freedom is. It's the freedom to make mistakes, it's the freedom to do something really dumb and surviving to learn not to do that again, it's the freedom to breathe the crisp, cold air of a country winter's day and to just be alive.
A pox on the bureaucrats and their thrice-damned regulations.
I concur wholeheartedly with your dislike list. Those are really foul songs. So is the Bruce Springsteen Santa Claus Is Coming to town.
DeleteI'm the other paw, Badgers love Amy Grant's Breath of Heaven, and Celtic Woman's Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring.
My family essentially disbanded after Mom died in 2009. I am conservative, and the triplets are very Progressive, so I don't feel welcome in their home. I could see that coming, long before Mom died, and it doesn't bother me. I am by nature something of a loner, which probably why I am a 57 year old bachelor, and content to remain so.
Well, that sucks. But if you're okay with it...
DeleteAnything by Celtic Woman...
Oh Holy Night is my favorite. My Maternal Grandfather would sing that on Christmas Eve. Fabulous voice, but that was the only time he would sing. If we have to specify a non-secular, I'm going to go with Nylon's "White Christmas".
Delete"Oh Holy Night" invariably reduces me to tears, I love that song.
DeleteAs to that version of "White Christmas," I need to search that one out. I'm a sucker for the Bing Crosby version.
Oh, Holy Night can do that.
DeleteIndeed!
DeleteHa! A Rammstein Christmas Album would be awesome. I'd definitely get it for my friend who's been moping since the lead singer (?) for GWAR died.
DeleteOf this band I am clueless, perhaps I should say ahnungslos.
DeleteSarge, I would suggest you listen to this one first: Amerika. It'll give you the taste of the band.
DeleteDad passed his tenor to me, and my favourite Christmas carol is Sweet Little Jesus Boy. Singing that acapella in a stairwell is magic. Just a little liberty with the words, not like those opera singers who can't handle the spiritual roots of the song. I hope it's not a sin to like your own voice. But I see dad when I sing. We sound almost identical... He slipped into baritone after 40 years of smoking... I've slipped down in range a bit, but still get misty when I sing, cause I hear dad and his well trained tenor doing things that I've not heard much of anyone else do. I sure wish I had that training, without all the time consuming training!!! ;P
Why would it be a sin to love something God gave you? (It's the lay preacher in me wanting to come out, long story there.)
DeleteNow I need to look that song up, I will give those other chaps a listen, starting with your recommendation!
It is the over-adoration of yourself that is a sin. To enjoy something of yourself isn't a Sin of Pride.
DeleteUnlike those people who have "Warning: Vehicle will be vacant when the Rapture occurs." That. That right there, that is a Sin of Pride.
Oh yes it is!
DeleteI wonder what NORTH CAROLINA finds so interesting? Both of her main battery directors are pointed to starboard, on the same bearing.
ReplyDeleteYou can tell that from that photo?
DeleteDang, I'm impressed.
Both of the MK 8 fire control radars at the tops of the forward and aft fire control towers are rotated in that direction. It isn't hard, once you know the thing's name!I bet there are lots of things on F-4 s that would be obvious to you, that would baffle me.
Deletehttps://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/16/27/68/37/01570610.jpg
DeleteAh, got it. I know what a main battery director is, didn't know where they were located. I doubt that there is much that would baffle a badger, even on an F-4!
DeleteOh yeah, great graphic!
DeleteWonder what the death by cancer rate is for people who sat in those two tractor seats. It's very high for people who sat with a radar set directly in front of them, in say an F-105.
DeleteRF energy is not your friend.
DeleteThat's how I made my living up until 10 years ago. As long as it stays in the wave guide, or coax and goes where it's pointed, it's okay. But high power or high frequency, or heaven forbid, both is dangerous. It sneaks out where you least expect it.
DeleteI didn't play with radar, but studio to transmitter links were on the Amana microwave "RadarRange" frequency. 150KW of 600Mhz RF is fearsome. Had to be careful with that. Besides that, RF is magic. Squirting electrons around and catching them, decoding them, pulling the intelligence outta thin air.... jazzes me up!! I miss those days....
Main Battery Director. Since these aren't Electric Vehicles, then the Battery in question would be a gun battery. Main would imply 'Primary' in naval lingo.
DeleteThus, the main battery director directs the main battery. Which would be DA BIG GUNS!!!
How do you direct your guns? Two methods, RADAR and Optical. Since RADAR is more "Over there on this heading at this distance, plug into the analog computers for a solution," well, that's not much direction, even though they got quite precise with it at war's end. So it must be optical. Which means a really weird parallax binocular/telescope thingymabober, usually heavily armored. Those wings that sit on the outside of some turrets, or another turret with these weird arms sticking out of the side.
What surprises me is that StheB was able to see, in that not very clear picture, the MBDs and the angles they are pointed at. Badgers must have strong eyes...
STxAR - Yes, RF energy is magic of a sorts, properly contained and pointed it's wondrous.
DeleteBeans - Yeah, StB's knowledge of battlewagons is pretty awesome, but yeah, damn good eyes on that boy!
DeleteCould it be that they’re aimed at nothing? If they’re emitting, would you not want to point them at the presumably open ocean, rather than at your friends (other ships in the formation)? (Are they only switched “on” when they’re needed, or are they always on?)
DeleteGood points a bear. Scott?
DeleteThe Fire Control Radar is only turned on, when in use. When you are emitting, you are adcertising your location to everyone in the neighborhood. The Japanese Navy had rather primative radar, but they were up to speed in radio direction finding, and radar is just a form of radio. If not in use Spot One, ( the forward director ), would be pointed at dead ahead, and Spot Two would be pointed straight aft.
DeleteThey CAN be used for navigational purposes, as rangefinders, but the SG Surface Search radar is good to around 200 yards, or less than a ship length. So, I think she sees something interesting. Which could even be an escort, serving as a practice target. I suspect that is the case, as the turrets are not trained out.
Thanks Scott!
DeleteWell, that’s why I asked! And now I know a thing that I did not know before. (So an interesting target, but not THAT interesting. :) )
DeletePretty cool stuff.
DeleteI’m partial to You Gotta Get Up (Five Iron Frenzy cover, but the Rich Mullins original is also great) and Text Me Merry Christmas by Straight No Chaser and Kristen Bell as modern classics.
ReplyDeleteAmy Grant’s first Christmas album was a fixture in our house growing up, so Tennessee Christmas always gets played while decorating, despite my never having lived in Tennessee.
White Christmas is mandatory listening as part of the annual family watching of White Christmas.
Weird Al’s Christmas at Ground Zero is still my favorite off-kilter Christmas tune.
But most of all, there’s just something about singing Silent Night on Christmas Eve in a candlelight service.
I'm a big fan of Silent Night, auf Deutsch, oder Stille Nacht.
DeleteI'll weigh in on juvats' choice of "O Holy Night." My father loved that song and every time I hear it sung I have warm memories.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I went through the North Carolina some years ago and the tour includes some of the main engineering spaces.
As my wife said when asked about her impressions of the engineroom and fireroom, "Large machines, painted grey and white, and way too much piping." Not a bad description at all.
Very good post.
Maybe I'm treading on thin ice here, but my favorite Christmas movie is a tossup between "Love Actually," or "The Long Kiss Goodnight."
That ice is very thick, I love both of those movies. (For a while I thought of Love Actually as a "chick flick." When the "chick" members of the family were watching, I glanced at it, sat down, watched the whole thing, a really good movie.)
DeleteMrs. Andrew really likes "The Holiday," which I find a little insipid. "Love Actually" is good, especially since Hugh Grant's squeeze is not a thin girl by Hollyweird's standards.
DeleteAnd I see our next discussion is going to be Favorite Christmas Movies so I'll not digress any further.
A little insipid? Yeah, I get that but who are we mortal men to question the tastes of the great loves of our lives. Not me, that's for sure.
DeleteNow there's an idea...
A late entry onto really thin ice for movies, my favorite Christmas flick...... is................"Die Hard"........ " NOW I HAVE A MACHINE GUN HO-HO-HO".
DeleteThe old "It's not Christmas until Hans Gruber plunges to his death off the Nakatomi tower" tradition. I so get that.
DeleteYippee Ki Yay... (ahem, you know the rest...)
Favorite Christmas tunes? Modern or what period?
ReplyDeleteIf modern, I will fess up and toss in Southpark's "Christmastime in Hell" for the opening, just because it's the most heartfelt version of "Oh Tannenbaum" I have ever heard (even if it is sung by supposed Hitler.) And "Merry $%*@ing Christmas" for it's completely un-PC and un-SJW outlook on Christmastime (No "Happy Holidays" here...)
And that insipid "Hallelujah" dumb-ass song IS NOT A CHRISTMAS TUNE!!!!!!!! Just because it has 'hallelujah' in the title and in the words to the song does NOT MAKE IT A CHRISTMAS TUNE!!!!!! IT IS HORRIBLE!!!!!! STOP PLAYING IT AS A CHRISTMAS TUNE, M'KAY!!!!!!!! The actual lyrics are pretty damned horrible and made worse by a catchy melody. Bastiges.
On the other hand, any Christmas song sung by Der Bingle or Elvis. Yep. Either of them. I swear, they could almost make 'GGROBARD' sound good.
"Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "White Christmas" and "I'll be home for Christmas," of course sung properly by a good artist who just follows the damned music and does not try to over-complex the piece, will all make me tear up. Der Bingle. Sinatra. Elvis. Even Dean Martin, all have done good covers of these songs.
I looked up that "Hallelujah" thing, no thank you, no thank you very much.
DeleteI do like a bit o' Dean Martin, my Dad played his music damned near all the time, didn't care for it as a kid, now I get it. I did love his TV show, even as a kid.
Did anyone here know that Dean's son was a captain in the California ANG and died in the crash of his F-4C he was flying? I did. Shocker at the time, back when Hollywood types actually loved their country.
No, did not know that. That sucks. Totally.
DeleteWell, we do have actors like Tom Selleck, Tim Allen, Gary Sinise, James Wood and Drew Carey. All who have lost jobs due to being conservative country loving actors.
And Gary is just a fantastic dude with all his support for the troops. So is Drew Carey, who is big with the USO in a quiet way.
As a matter of fact I was one of his IPs while he was going through LIFT at Holloman. Not a bad stick and a killer with the ladies.
DeleteBeans - Drew Carey is a Marine, Tom Selleck, Tim Allen, and James Woods are awesome guys, as for Gary Sinise, dude is a saint, love him to death, good old Lieutenant Dan!
DeleteJuvat - No kidding, I was kind of wondering whether you had ever crossed paths with Dino. Still kinda tears me up about him.
Deletejuvat - wow. And, whoa. Training someone who ends up dying must be a heartbreak. Heavy lies the crown and all that.
DeleteOldAFSarge - it amazes me as to Tom Selleck and his show "Blue Bloods." A strong, conservative, Christian police commissioner in New Sodom and Gomorrah. Truly a fantasy. But a show Mrs. Andrew and I truly enjoy watching.
DeleteI also was an IP for H. Ross Perot's son. Almost ran out of gas as a solo on my wing.
DeleteBeans @1224 - Yeah, that has to suck...
DeleteBeans @1227 - Love that show.
DeleteJuvat - Well, the Air Force isn't that big and the fighter community is even smaller. I suppose if someone famous (or the progeny of same) comes along, someone has to train them.
DeleteMore dust--
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrnBuWIgqAQ
Other favorites--"We Three Kings" and "Silent Night" on this album--
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmuyow8cJ2A
"Mary do you know"
"Little drummer boy"
Nice!
DeleteThe first Christmas album I bought was Amy Grant's "Home for Christmas" which I listen to throughout the season. It has a good mix of modern and classical songs. My all-time favorite though is what my parents listened to and it brings back fond memories- Nat King Cole's "A Christmas Song" album. It can be on repeat for days on end and I'd probably still love it.
ReplyDeleteI think I have that, picked it up when I grabbed a copy of Bing Crosby's Christmas album.
DeleteHave always enjoyed Nat King Cole's voice.
Yet another fine post enhanced by the comments.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post.
Paul L. quandt
Thanks Paul, we do have some great folks here.
DeleteVisited BB-55 at her permanent berth in Wilmington, NC. A magnificent ship; a testament to old fashioned American manufacturing and craftsmanship, and, of course, to the courage and dedication of her crew.
ReplyDeleteThat's right, she's in your neck of the woods. How is life in God's country? (I have a few friends in North Carolina, must be a fine state!)
DeleteCompletely off topic, OldAFSarge, but wife and I are watching "Live PD" and we're wondering...
ReplyDeleteWhy is everyone in Rhode Island drunk? Seems like everyone the cops pull over or deal with is Drunk and then maybe on something else. Traffic Accident? Drunk. Jaywalking? Drunk. Walking the dog? Drunk...
Seems to be a common theme in Rhode Island, or maybe it's just Warwick, RI where Drunk is the base state of existence.
Inquiring minds want to know....
Well, that's on the western side of the Bay, what I like to call the Wild West.
DeleteAFAIK, it's just Warwick, but how the police can tell is beyond me, few in this state are any good at operating a motor vehicle.
Drunk and with no ID...what's with that??
DeleteWho knows?
DeleteSo... Warwick is to Rhode Island what Pinellas County is to Florida. Got it.
DeleteWild West. Snerk. Pinellas is also on the West Coast. Double Snerk.
And double Ditto on bad drivers re Warwick et al and Pinellas County. Was in Pinellas County in August for 5 hours, witnessed 8 traffic accidents totally unrelated to each other.
Dayum!
DeleteChange comment course # 124. Borepatch posted a link to a GoFundMe page to benefit Rev Paul. Apparently, he suffered some considerable damage in the earthquake. Just in case anyone's interested.
ReplyDeleteYup, I saw that, Rev Paul is in need.
DeleteThanks for posting that Juvat. Mission accomplished.
DeleteGood man.
DeleteDoing my level best to get Sarge's comment counts as high as possible.
ReplyDeleteWell done!
DeleteWell, not very well when you remove two of your comments (Yes, I saw that! The Removal, not what you removed.)
DeleteAt least
you didn't
Deletecheese out
Deleteand do
Deletesomething like a single post per every one or two words...
ReplyDeleteOh you kids...
Delete