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Praetorium Honoris

Thursday, November 23, 2023

Giving Thanks Part 2


Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  I'm running wild here, posting with abandon, but I don't think anyone minds as our gracious host is busy visiting family.  The staff here at the Chant hope you all have a wonderful day.  In addition to the faithful readers and my own countless blessings, I'm also thankful for all our troops overseas and in harms way.  As it stands today, we have thousands of Soldiers and Marines in various FOBs in the middle east.  Carriers in the Western Pacific, the Med, and the Red Sea, at least that's what open-source reporting says.  I'd expect we have Special Operators in every hotspot, and of course our forces regularly stationed in Qatar, Bahrain, Guam, Japan, Korea, Europe, the Arctic, and even a few down-undah as we are standing up an AUKUS group to help counter some hegemony in the region.  I'm sure I've forgotten some.  What have I missed?









In addition to those troops, we should give thanks for living in the greatest country the earth has ever seen, no matter any troubles we may have.   So what are you thankful for and what are your holiday traditions?

Talk amongst yourselves and leave a comment below.  I won't be thanking you for each comment today as I will be busy sous-chef-ing for my wife, but don't let that stop you.  The usual rules apply.  There's beer in the ice chest and some leftovers in the fridge.  Last one out, turn off the lights please.  We'll be back tomorrow with a guest post from John Blackshoe.

 And finally, some music to set the mood.

22 comments:

  1. A Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Tuna and to all the fellow Chanters. Thankful I am for all those on duty this day here and overseas as well as just waking up this morning. Enjoy this day folks!

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  2. The last Thanksgiving duty day that I recall (1996) was at CGAS Traverse City (Michigan), all the families were invited for the meal the galley fixed. The Thanksgiving before that was at CGAS Chicago, a duty day only had 5 or 6 people total, no galley, the families came in and fixed the Thanksgiving meal.

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  3. Happy Thanksgiving wishes to all of the Chant "staff" and their families. Prayers for safe travel for all that are traveling and for our troops near and far that are not at home. May your festivities be full of joy and remembrances.

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  4. Happy Thanksgiving! I'll start; I'm thankful for finding the Chant du Depart, and sharing in the writers lives, and livelyhoods! Many of us would not know of the workings of various areas of our great country's military sans what little we learned from that of our own family members that have served.
    Thank You All!
    irontomflint

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  5. Happy Thanksgiving. I am truly thankful for the folks I've met here. You guys are tops! The writing staph of the Chant as well as the comment-tariate are top drawer.

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  6. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!
    I second what Irontomflint said so well above.
    I would add a request for special protection for "our guys n gals" who are currently posted to Syria. My best friend's youngest son is there now. Lord keep him safe and bring him home ASAP in one piece as his 2 young sons need their Dad.
    I am so very thankful not only to be living in the greatest country in the world, protected/defended by the best military the world has ever seen, I would add a word of thanks for those who having served, and been allowed to retire from the military, come home and continue to give to the community. Yes, Tuna, I'm looking at you...your up-coming schedule makes me tired just to read!!
    And, I would give thanks today for advancements in medical technology so that those who have some medical condition can be treated, perhaps even healed, so that they can continue to be a part of our families. (Waving to Mrs. J and Mrs. Beans, to Tuna's #1 son, and Miss B!!) Fifty or sixty years ago we didn't have all these wonderful medical treatments and medications available, and the dinner table would have been much emptier without you all.
    Finally, I am thankful for finding the Chant du Depart for all that I have learned, not only about the inner workings of the armed services, but also about tanks, and planes, music, great books, other countries, wine, good recipes, and best of all, lots of laughter, grins, and beautiful pictures.
    I am thankful for all of you!! And wish all a lovely Thanksgiving Day!!

    Suz

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  7. Happy Thanksgiving folks! Thinking of those away from family on this day, serving us all.

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  8. Crusty Old TV Tech here. Happy Thanksgiving, and hoping you and yours are warm/cool (depending on hemisphere), and safe.

    Man, I NEVER had Thanksgiving grub in ye olde USAF like that Navy stuff above! "Lt, here's your flight line box lunch, maybe it's not been in the 6-Pak too long, Happy Thanksgiving!" But, at least it was not C-Rats in a foxhole somewhere...Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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  9. Tuna, I actually made a point of writing out what I was thankful this year. It was a pretty lengthy list.

    And, of course, thankful for "The Staff" at Chant du Depart.

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  10. Happy Thanksgiving! I think this will cover it all:
    "PSALM 135
    Alleluia.
    O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    2 O give thanks unto the God of gods; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    3 O give thanks unto the Lord of lords; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    4 To Him Who alone hath wrought great wonders; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    5 To Him that made the heavens with understanding; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    6 To Him that established the earth upon the waters; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    7 To Him Who alone hath made great lights; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    8 The sun for dominion of the day; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    9 The moon and the stars for dominion of the night; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    10 To Him that smote Egypt with their firstborn; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    11 And led forth Israel out of the midst of them; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    12 With a strong hand and a lofty arm; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    13 To Him that divided the Red Sea into parts; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    14 And led Israel through the midst thereof; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    15 And overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    16 To Him that led His people through the wilderness; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    17 To Him that smote great kings; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    18 And slew mighty kings; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    19 Seon, king of the Amorites; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    20 And Og, king of the land of Basan; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    21 And gave their land for an inheritance; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    22 An inheritance for Israel His servant; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    23 For in our humiliation the Lord remembered us; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    24 And redeemed us from our enemies; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    25 He that giveth food to all flesh; for His mercy endureth for ever.
    26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven; for His mercy endureth for ever."

    And for your viewing pleasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGKk4J3_yvA Thanksgiving, 1943

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  11. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

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  12. Happy Thanksgiving.

    Strange to think that there are descendants of the original Pilgrims alive and well, and probably here on the Chant.

    Spent time this morning remembering very memorable Thanksgivings. The first as a married couple (one dinner at my parents, one at her parents and the next day at home for us.) The time we held Thanksgiving in the Ocala National Forest with my family (first attempt at smoked turkey, it's okay, prefer roasted.) The first Thanksgiving we didn't travel and just stayed home (sad in some ways but very very nice in others.)

    It's good to have things to be thankful for.

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    1. My ever so great Grandma came over on the first voyage of the Mayflower. On my Mom's side of the family.

      Suz

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    2. Mine, too, on my mom's side. Purdy and Snow...

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  13. Much indeed for which to give thanks.
    We are truly blessed, as individuals and as a nation.
    Special thanks to those defending our interests everywhere, even though we should not be in some places where the locals need to sort things out without our meddling and deepening our already obscene debt and risking our progeny.

    Beans, that USN thanksgiving image is wonderful. It probably dates to WW2, as the First Class Petty Officer's crow has the crescent shaped "C" as the rating. That has been traditionally used to indicate food related things, and until recent years was (and may still be?) found on Army Quartermaster food packaging for quick identification.

    During WW2, the E-4 through E-6 and ships cooks feeding the crew were actually three separate specialties: Butchers, Bakers, and [no, not candlestick makers!) cooks. Their rates were abbreviated as SCB, Bkr, and SC respectively. At the E-7 level all three were combined as Chief Commissary Steward with two keys flanking a quill as the insignia instead of the C, the quill reflecting the paperwork aspect and the keys the responsibility for inventory management.

    Prior to mid-WW2, care and feeding the finicky officers fell to the "Stewards" which were a separate rating, filled largely by Filipinos, Blacks and some Chinese. Until February 1943 they were the "Messmen" with separate "Officer's Cooks" and "Officer's Stewards" for feeding and care respectively. Care including handling laundry, housekeeping, etc. Man, it must have been as good as being in the Air Force! These men did not get crows as part of their rank insignia, but had a crescent C over one, two or three bars (comparable to PO3, 2 or 1) and 4 bars for Chief.

    From February 1943 to June 1944, the classist "Officer's" was eliminated, to become simply Cook or Steward (distinguished from those serving the crew by the absence of "ship's" as part of the rate name . In June 1944 the names remained the same, but the bar insignia were replaced with crows having the same crescent C as the enlisted cooks.

    Since the cook is about to feed two enlisted sailors in undress blues (no white piping on the collar flap), he must be a SC1c (Ship's Cook First Class).

    Over time, these rates all merged into one, first as commissary stewards, then mess management specialists, and today with the aggrandizing appellation of "Culinary Specialist." Still, no matter what they are, or have been called, the Navy's chow has traditionally been good, and on holidays they create miraculous feasts for the crew, to which families are often invited if in port.

    An unsung part of the Navy's feeding system is the "mess cook", usually the new kids in the crew, often just out of several months of advanced technical training, who are sent off to help the cooks. Breaking out supplies from the storerooms, refrigerated or freezer spaces and hauling them to the galley, peeling potatoes, sous chef prep work, swabbing decks, scrubbing pans, running the scullery to clean the mess trays, etc. After 30, 60 or 90 days (depending on the influx of new victims) the mess cooks are sent back to their parent division to work in their real rate and get on with their career. So, a big thanks to all the "mess cranks" for their contribution to keeping the crew fed and happy.

    Thus endeth today's lesson from the days of the real Navy.
    John Blackshoe

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    1. I enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1976 & served with Filipinos who came in as Stewards and were limited to that rate, at some point they opened the rate structure so they could serve anywhere.
      Time goes on and things change.

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    2. Tuna, not Beans deserves the kudos for finding that sailor chef image. But, Beans does get credit for all the good stuff he posts, along with Tuna, Juvat and of course Sarge Hisself.
      JB

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    3. Those Mess cooks, are now called Mess Cranks. On the carrier, every squadron has to send a few new guys to various ship work centers TAD for 90 days total. Laundry, galleys, the maintenance depot, etc. None of them like it, but it makes them happy to get back to the flight deck.

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  14. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and yours. So many people, experiences, events to be grateful for. Thank you.

    The whole small turkey in a large crockpot experiment ... four and a half hours, 170°, done. Needs to be run under the broiler for 5-10 minutes to chrisp the skin. Biggest problem is that the cook somehow selected a frozen turkey breast, not a whole turkey. Meal will survive.

    Blessings.

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  15. Thanks for all the great comments everyone. Time for more pie.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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