Do Not Despair...

(Source)

Because of the empty tomb, we were given peace. Because of His resurrection, we can have peace during even these troubling times because we know He is in control of all that happens in the world. - Russ Kinion

My religious posts, my faith posts if you will, tend to get far fewer "hits" than my regular posts. The historical posts seem to garner the most hits. That being said, I get it, I truly do. Often I will go to a blog I normally read and if I see a "religious" post, sometimes I will move along.

Religion, Faith, whatever you want to call it, is a deeply personal thing for me. My Creator, my Savior, and the Spirit of the Living God are my constant companions in this world. Have been for as long as I can remember, but these feelings intensified once The Missus Herself dragged me, kicking and screaming, back into church, shortly after I retired from the Air Force.

In twenty-four years in the service, I went to church services exactly twice. Once in Basic Training, when it was a non-optional event, and again in Tech School when another airman and I volunteered to go hear a general give a speech, on a Sunday, in a church. Not being particularly bright I suppose, I neglected to add two and two together properly and wound up with three as my answer. On the plus side we were excused from normal details (which usually involved cleaning something) for a week. Anything to get out of a detail works for me.

Anyhoo...

I wrote an Easter post a couple of years ago which still rings true to me, at least in my own estimation, your mileage may vary. So I repeat it here, it was a good post, a satisfying post to write, and told the story I wished to tell effectively. At least I thought so.

But my own efforts are small potatoes compared to the greatest story ever told, that of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, some two millennia ago. From St. Paul, in a different context, but these words give me comfort in these troubled times...

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. - 2 Corinthians 1 8:10 (ESV)

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. - 2 Corinthians 4 8:10 (ESV)

May God's Peace be with you all...

(Source)

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matthew 28:1-7

When I was young, Easter was about colored eggs, chocolate, and the Easter bunny. To say that I didn't understand what Easter was really about is something of an understatement. Then again, to expect a child to understand the import of exactly what Easter is about is perhaps expecting a bit much.

It was many years before I truly began to understand what this day means.

He came as a man, born into humble circumstances though surrounded by angels. He became a carpenter and a teacher. He was sent as the Messiah, though most of us did not receive Him as such.

He was condemned, tortured, and sent to die in a most horrible fashion.

But little did the powers of this Earth know, there was no tomb built which could hold the Son of Man. He arose from the dead. Having paid the price for our sins and our sinful nature He now sits at the right hand of the Father.

Death has been conquered. Paradise has been opened.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?"

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. - Luke 24:1-8 (NIV)

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. - John 20:3-8 (NIV)

The Friday Saturday Flyby - No Greater Love...

The combat flight crew of the Boeing B-17G-30-BO Flying Fortress, 42-31763, “Ten Horsepower.” Front row, left to right: 1/LT Clarence R. Nelson, aircraft commander; Flight Officer Ronald Bartley, co-pilot; 2/LT Walter E. Truemper, navigator; 2/LT Joseph Martin, bombardier. Back row, left to right: SSGT Archibald Mathies, flight engineer and top turret gunner; SGT Joseph Rex, radio operator/gunner; SGT Carl Moore, waist gunner; SGT Russell Robinson, ball turret gunner; SGT Thomas Sowell, waist gunner; SGT Magnus Hagbo, tail gunner.
(Source)

It was a bombing mission to Germany, back on the 20th of February of 1944, to Leipzig. Which from the American 8th Air Force base at Polebrook, home of the 510th Bomb Squadron, was over a thousand miles, round trip, over some of the heaviest aerial defenses of the time. Fighters, flak, this mission had it all. It was the first day of Operation Argument, the operation intended to drive the Luftwaffe from the skies. Bombs on target was, in reality, a secondary consideration for this operation. Destroying German aircraft and killing German pilots was the primary goal. For the invasion of Hitler's Festung Europa¹, air superiority, if not outright air supremacy, was the goal.

Polebrook to Leipzig - 1,101.9 miles according to Google Maps

In the grand scheme of things, losses were considered "light" on this mission, "only" 2.8% of the bombers were lost. Yet for each bomber lost, ten men were lost as well. Acts of bravery and heroism on this first day were percolating up to the headquarters of the Mighty Eighth as planning for the second day continued. Three Medals of Honor² (two posthumously) were eventually awarded for the actions of three B-17 crewmen that day, two on the same crew, the crew of Ten Horsepower.

She was a Boeing B-17G-30-BO Fortress, tail number 31763 assigned to the 351st Bomb Group, her crew called her Ten Horsepower. She made it to the target but on the way home she was attacked by German fighters. A head on pass by one German fighter squadron left the co-pilot dead, the radio operator wounded, the aircraft damaged, and the pilot badly wounded and unable to fly the aircraft. The navigator, 2Lt Walter E. Truemper, and the flight engineer, SSgt Archibald Mathies, climbed into the cockpit in an attempt to get the aircraft back to England.

B-17G
(Source)

After gaining control of the aircraft, which had gone into a spiraling dive after the incapacitation of the flight crew, the two men managed to wrestle the damaged bird back to Polebrook. In radio communication with the ground, their commander ordered the crew to bail out³  as he judged that the aircraft was too badly damaged to be landed by the two non-pilots. But 1Lt Nelson, though badly wounded, was still alive. 2Lt Truemper ordered the rest of the crew to jump, he and SSgt Mathies would attempt to land the aircraft, otherwise 1Lt Nelson had no chance of survival. They did their best, but to no avail, Ten Horsepower crashed upon landing, killing 1Lt Nelson, 2Lt Truemper, and SSgt Mathies. Sometimes all you can do is try...

2Lt Walter E. Truemper

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy in connection with a bombing mission over enemy-occupied Europe on 20 February 1944. The aircraft on which 2d Lt. Truemper was serving as navigator was attacked by a squadron of enemy fighters with the result that the copilot was killed outright, the pilot wounded and rendered unconscious, the radio operator wounded and the plane severely damaged Nevertheless, 2d Lt. Truemper and other members of the crew managed to right the plane and fly it back to their home station, where they contacted the control tower and reported the situation. 2d Lt. Truemper and the engineer volunteered to attempt to land the plane. Other members of the crew were ordered to jump, leaving 2d Lt. Truemper and the engineer aboard. After observing the distressed aircraft from another plane, 2d Lt. Truemper's commanding officer decided the damaged plane could not be landed by the inexperienced crew and ordered them to abandon it and parachute to safety. Demonstrating unsurpassed courage and heroism, 2d Lt. Truemper and the engineer replied that the pilot was still alive but could not be moved and that they would not desert him. They were then told to attempt a landing. After 2 unsuccessful efforts their plane crashed into an open field in a third attempt to land. 2d Lt. Truemper, the engineer, and the wounded pilot were killed.

SSgt Archibald Mathies

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy in connection with a bombing mission over enemy-occupied Europe on 20 February 1944. The aircraft on which Sgt. Mathies was serving as engineer and ball turret gunner was attacked by a squadron of enemy fighters with the result that the copilot was killed outright, the pilot wounded and rendered unconscious, the radio operator wounded and the plane severely damaged. Nevertheless, Sgt. Mathies and other members of the crew managed to right the plane and fly it back to their home station, where they contacted the control tower and reported the situation. Sgt. Mathies and the navigator volunteered to attempt to land the plane. Other members of the crew were ordered to jump, leaving Sgt. Mathies and the navigator aboard. After observing the distressed aircraft from another plane, Sgt. Mathies' commanding officer decided the damaged plane could not be landed by the inexperienced crew and ordered them to abandon it and parachute to safety. Demonstrating unsurpassed courage and heroism, Sgt. Mathies and the navigator replied that the pilot was still alive but could not be moved and they would not desert him. They were then told to attempt a landing. After two unsuccessful efforts, the plane crashed into an open field in a third attempt to land. Sgt. Mathies, the navigator, and the wounded pilot were killed.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13 (KJV)

Suggested Reading:

• American Air Museum in Britain, Aircraft 42-31763 Link
• B-17 Flying Fortress Link
• TEN HORSEPOWER: 20 FEBRUARY 1944 - A poem by Lawrence A. De Graw Link
• This Day in Aviation, 20 February 1944 Link

Editor's Note:

I had originally intended to post this on Friday, the 10th of April. But yesterday was, as I'm sure most of you know, Good Friday. Based on that fact, I decided to go in a different direction for Friday's post and do the Friday Flyby on a Saturday. Hence, the odd looking title.

¹ Fortress Europe
² Juvat wrote of the other Medal of Honor awarded that day, to 1Lt William R. Lawley here.
³ Apparently the bombardier, 2Lt Joseph Martin, had already bailed out over Europe. He became a POW.

Lest We Forget

(Source)

In the midst of the current crisis it's easy to lose track of things. Not being to attend church on Palm Sunday was out of the ordinary and a bit disconcerting. Yes, divine services were held online but it just wasn't the same. While I can sense the presence of the Almighty in many places, within the four walls of my little church by the shores of Narragansett Bay, I have actually felt His presence. But that is a tale for another time.

From an Easter in the past.
(Source)

We normally have a Maundy Thursday service in our Fellowship Hall at the church. We have soup, we break bread together, we sing, we pray, we join together in fellowship to remember the Last Supper which the Savior had with his disciples.

Not this year.

Nor will there be services in the church itself this Sunday, Easter Sunday. It is sad, but I know that this too shall pass.

That's my church, to the left of the red brick building.
Next to the Town Common (baseball diamond is part of that),
with Narragansett Bay in the distance.
From my church's Facebook page

For now, for this year, I will remember my Savior's sacrifice, I will remember that He died for my sins, I won't physically be with my church family, but I will be with them in spirit.

I pray that you are all well, and I pray that these days of turmoil end soon. Right now it's Friday, but rest assured, Sunday is coming...

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” - Mark 15 33:39 (NIV)

Be well my friends.

News You Can't Use (Say what?)

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Colville McFee

So, I've been stashed at Chez Sarge since the 16th of March, awaiting assignment, as it were. Actually I've been in that status since January as the money for the project I was working was radically slashed. This means that our particular business is doing well, we are also hiring people. In the old days when there wasn't enough work to keep us all busy, some were redeployed to other locations, others were invited to seek employment elsewhere. Some of you may remember my sojourn "up north" in the Bay State from January 2010 to August of 2012, then again for about six months in 2013. Hey, the work was interesting and paid well.

Now things are different, we have work coming in, though it's a "the check is in the mail" kind of a thing. I have learned that from signing a contract with the customer to actually starting work can be a rather drawn out process. That being said, a few of us are gainfully employed by waiting. As I was in the military (okay, the Air Force) I used to be rather proficient at this whole "hurry up and wait" thing. Not a problem, I am rather well paid to do what I'm told. With this virus-thingee that has meant "working from home" for going on four weeks.

But that, my friends, is about to change. Yes, the money faucet has been turned on again for my old team, the folks I love working with and missed dearly over the past cuppla fortnights. I will be returning to my old haunts and the job I know best soon, very soon. No need to find a different project to work on, my old buddy George (USNA Class of 2001) is running one piece of the project and he assures me that this will be long term, no more "Sorry Sarge, but stop charging that contract."

Of course, that means I will have to make the occasional appearance at the Home Office (no, not the one in the UK) for to do certain aspects of the job which can't be done remotely. Lab assets are on rather a closed circuit dontcha know? Can't have just anybody wandering in, now can we?

Now there is a risk involved, what with needing to be around other people, that virus-thingee dontcha know? Masks I have, gloves I have, I'm not worried on that account, it's the idea of possibly having a lapse and touching something contaminated. Truth be told, I'd rather have the gear I had back in the day (see opening photo) when I was on the NBC Decontamination Team at my base in NATO. (NBC stands for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical - our job was to decontaminate personnel, vehicles, and equipment what had been, ya know, contaminated with agents of such a nature. Our job was not twisting the nightly news into something not recognizable as truth to a rational person.)

Though the gear was cumbersome, damned uncomfortable, and not very stylish, it was damned effective at protecting the ape lizard encased within.

Anyhoo, the work will mostly be "working from home" until May, and rather part time in nature until we get fully ramped up. But it's damned good to go back to my old team and see my mates again. Good times!

Heh...

In this nearly four weeks of working from home, I have not been slacking. Much. Have any of you availed yourselves of Osprey's free eBook offer since Scott the Badger brought it to our attention a week or so ago? No? You should. No, really. Here are the books I have "bought" over the past two weeks -

At first I was kinda picky about which books I wanted, then I realized, they are all history books, what's more, they are military history books. Right up my alley dontcha know? Definitely in my wheelhouse and to the Scots blood I have in me, they are free, gratis, don't cost nothing, so there's that. Want to get in on this deal? Go here, create an account, it's super easy, so easy an MBA could do it, then look for this (ya might have to scroll a wee bit, stop your whinging) -

Click on Free eBooks. There, that was easy, wasn't it?

I haven't just been "buying" free eBooks to while away my days in Sparkling Isolation, nay, not at all. There are computer games as well to keep my mind active and keep me from annoying The Missus Herself. I only buy the ones that are on sale or under twenty bucks (unless it's something I really, really, really want, to satisfy my inner ten year old boy).

I generally get my computer game fix from Steam, though there are a cuppla others, Steam is my go to site. Here are my latest acquisitions -

I will warn you though, I typically play against the computer, because the computer isn't all that bright in most cases. Humans on the other hand? Devious, cunning, nasty, and implacable. In other words, I suck playing against other ape lizards, suck badly as a matter of fact. Still and all, I have been sore tempted to enter the lists, just to see how bad I really am.

Yeah, that's gonna leave a mark.

The Wolfman of Arundel

Following his rescue, Hugh Miller displays the hinomaru yosegaki (寄せ書き日の丸) flag he took from the body of one of the first enemy troops he killed on Arundel Island. Carried by the majority of Japanese military personnel in World War II, these flags were symbols of good luck given to men before they deployed. Inscribed with patriotic slogans, religious sayings and good wishes for health and success in battle, the flags were often worn wrapped around the body. (National Archives. Courtesy of Mr. Stephen Harding)
(Source)

Until tipped off by one of my readers, Frank, I had never heard this story before, once I started digging into it, there are so many elements to the story it's hard to know where to start. But I'll give it a shot.

Let's start with that chap in the opening photo, one Lieutenant Hugh Miller, late of the USS Strong (DD 467), a Fletcher-class destroyer lost to a Japanese torpedo on the 5th of July, 1943. LT Miller graduated from the University of Alabama and had been on the football team while there. A 140-lb quarterback, he actually started two games at that position in his college days. The Crimson Tide went undefeated in 1930 and went on to defeat Washington State 24 - 0 at the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, 1931.

When World War II started, Miller became an officer in the United States Navy, inevitably he received the nickname, "Rose Bowl."

After college, he went on to begin a career in law, until joining the Navy in support of the mounting war effort. Stuck stateside in Florida assigned to a staff position, he would bump into Navy Cmdr. Joseph H. Wellings. Wellings was on his way to assume command of the soon-to-be-commissioned USS Strong (DD 467), being built in Bath, Maine. After some convincing and cajoling by Miller, Wellings saw to it that the lawyer-would-be-surface-warfare-officer would join the wardroom. 

The ship commissioned in August 1942, and Miller would serve as the 20 mm and stores officer. His posting was topside on the flying bridge. His role in battle was to direct the aim of the anti-aircraft gunners against attacking aircraft. A college-level quarterback, he had a keen eye for blitzing foes, and could quickly yet effectively communicate to his teammates where to focus their aim – while under fire. Besides, his fellow crewmembers would not let him forget his ‘glory days,’ affectionately nicknaming him “Rose Bowl.” (Source)

USS Strong's brief war record in the Pacific was impressive, it's worth quoting at length from the ship's Wikipedia entry:

USS Strong sailed on 27 December 1942; transited the Panama Canal; refueled at Bora Bora, Society Islands; and arrived at Noumea on 27 January 1943. Strong then escorted the convoy northwest for two days and was relieved to return to Nouméa. On 1 February, she and USS Cony escorted a convoy bound for Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. She sailed from there on 5 February for the Solomon Islands and patrolled off Guadalcanal until the 13th when she joined Task Force 67 (TF 67) composed of four cruisers and their destroyer screen.

The task force devoted most of the next month to patrol duty in waters in and around the Solomons. On 14 March, USS Strong, USS Nicholas, USS Radford, and USS Taylor were detached to bombard shore installations on Kolombangara island and shelled targets on Vila Stanmore Plantation on 16 March. The force then resumed patrol duties in the Solomons. On the morning of 5 April, USS Strong made a surface radar contact at a range of 9,350 yards. The target was illuminated by her searchlight and proved to be a Japanese submarine. USS Strong and USS O'Bannon opened fire with all guns. USS Strong made at least three 5-inch hits on the submarine, and USS O'Bannon also scored. The submarine, Ro-34, settled by the stern and went under. Depth charge patterns from the destroyers ensured that it stayed down.

USS Strong, with TF 18, accompanied three destroyer minelayers to Blackett Strait, between Kolombangara and Arundel Island, and mined it in the early morning hours of 7 May. The next morning, four Japanese destroyers sailed around Kolombangara into the strait and the minefield. One sank immediately; two were damaged and sunk by aircraft that afternoon; and the fourth, although badly damaged, managed to escape.

On the night of 12–13 May, USS Strong and the task force bombarded Kolombangara, Enogai Inlet, and Rice Anchorage. The destroyer then began escort and patrol duty off Guadalcanal. On the afternoon of 16 June, she was about halfway between Guadalcanal and Tulagi when a flight of approximately 15 Japanese dive bombers attacked American shipping. Strong was the closest ship to the bombers as they approached in a shallow glide from the direction of Koli Point. Between 14:14 and 14:21, she splashed three of them.

On the morning of 5 July, American forces landed at Rice Anchorage. USS Strong and TF 18 were to support the landings by shelling Vila-Stanmore, Enogai, and Bairoko. USS Strong and USS Nicholas entered Bairoko Harbor to search ahead of the main force and shelled the harbor from 00:30 to 00:40. Nine minutes later, USS Strong's gunnery officer sighted a torpedo wake. Before he had time to notify the bridge, the torpedo hit her port side aft. USS Chevalier intentionally rammed USS Strong's bow to enable her to throw nets and lines to the stricken ship, and removed 241 men in about seven minutes. Japanese gunners on Enogai beach spotted the ships, illuminated them with star shells, and then opened fire with high explosives. USS O'Bannon began counter-battery fire in an effort to silence the enemy guns which were soon hitting USS Strong. USS Chevalier had to cease rescue operations lest she also get hit.

USS Strong began to settle rapidly with a 40° to 60° list to starboard. She broke in half just before sinking. Several of her depth charges exploded, causing further injuries and loss of life. Forty-six men perished with the ship. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 15 July 1943. The fatal Type 93 torpedo was a wayward Long Lance which came from a salvo fired by the Japanese destroyers, led by Niizuki, heavily engaged in a separate naval action with American light cruisers and destroyers in the Battle of Kula Gulf, from a distance of 11 nautical miles, and is believed to be longest-range successful torpedo attack in history.

Sounds like LT Miller was a pretty good anti-aircraft gunnery officer. Not all of USS Strong's survivors made it across to USS Chevalier -

Miller's ship, the USS Strong, was sunk by a Japanese torpedo in the Solomon Islands on the night of July 4–5, 1943, leaving Miller in the water with 22 other men.

Three days later, Miller washed up on Arundel Island (now referred to as Kohinggo*) with three shipmates (some had died in the water while still others had been separated at night). After hiding from the enemy for days, Miller eventually ordered the other three men to take his boots and knife, and leave him behind, given his severely-wounded condition. He said later, "I thought I was dying, but then I rallied..." The others did leave him behind, attempting to return to U.S.-held territory. They were never heard from again. (Source)

So there's LT Miller, he has survived the sinking of his ship, he spent three days in the water before getting ashore, he's badly injured, and he orders his three companions to leave him, seems like he's done for.

But he's not.

I'd tell you more but you can read the whole story (and you should) over at the Naval History and Heritage Command's blog The Sextant, it's a good read. Why he wasn't awarded the Medal of Honor is beyond me, but he was awarded the Navy's second highest medal, the Navy Cross (along with two Silver Stars and six Bronze Stars along the way) -

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Hugh Barr Miller, Jr., United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving on board the Destroyer U.S.S. STRONG (DD-467), in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Kula Gulf on 4 - 5 July 1943. Thrown into the water following the sinking of his vessel, Lieutenant Miller extricated two comrades who were entangled in a line on the ship's side and held them above water until he could place them in a net. He took charge of a group of survivors who finally reached a small island. Unwilling to allow his weakened condition to retard their progress, he ordered them ahead and remained behind to wage a lone battle against enemy units. Menaced constantly by hostile scouting companies, he maintained himself for 39 days until rescued by a friendly airplane. The conduct of Lieutenant Miller throughout this action reflects great credit upon himself, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

I imagine had he been healthy he might have wiped out the Japanese on the island entirely!

USS Strong (DD 467) highlines mail to USS Honolulu (CL 48) during operations in the Solomon Islands area, circa early July 1943. USS Strong was torpedoed and sunk off New Georgia on July 5, 1943.
(U.S. Navy photo now in the collections of the National Archives)

The story doesn't end there, the wreckage of LT Miller's ship was discovered below the sea in February of 2019 by the late Paul G. Allen’s research vessel (R/V) Petrel. Forty-six of LT Miller's shipmates lie beneath the sea with her. (You can read the whole account here.)

Rest In Peace sailors, your sacrifice was not in vain, you are not forgotten.





* Which apparently is what the inhabitants called it all along.

COVID Funnies

While the title is a little irreverent, sorry Sarge, I know there's nothing funny about a pandemic that is killing people across the world.  However, while the world sits at home deeply entrenched in Social Distancing, the twitter-verse and other social media sites are on fire with memes, jokes and general hilarity.  And all this time I thought Social Distancing was when we unfriend people on koobecaF.

At the outset of this whole thing, when events were being cancelled, but before the economy was crushed and we were we hiding in our homes, there were a couple jokes like the one I heard before St. Patrick's Day:

Did you hear that Dublin cancelled the St. Paddy's day parade due to the Corona Virus?   The Irish were so upset they started drinking 500 years ago.

At the time, the virus hadn't gotten too bad and we were questioning the need for all those cancellations:

The Corona Virus has killed like what...12 people in the United States?. Jeffrey Dahmer ate more people than that.

Did you hear that the fear over this virus is getting so bad that people are actually trading sex for food?  Anyways, I got a Klondike Bar! 

Then there were the pictures and memes that followed the shutting down of sports, bars, businesses, and churches, and the mobs at Costco hoarding toilet paper:

That's a "World War Z" movie reference.  Click here for context.

And then we started drinking.  I remember it from hurricanes in Florida- the booze was the first thing to fly off the shelves for the party-like atmosphere that was part of many folks' disaster preps.  Maybe not the smartest way to prepare, especially considering Florida's late COVID response (and growing infection rate), but that's the Sunshine State for you.  Sorry Beans.  I read that alcohol sales were initially up 55% nationwide and now some reports say it's up as much as 300%.  Sláinte !

The Quarantini

And many of us started teleworking.  I realized after a few days of it that I need to get up, shower and have breakfast before I log into the network, otherwise I'll find myself still in my robe and slippers when it's time for lunch!

All our kids came home as well.  For the rest of the school year.  That means that millennial college grads just started living in your basement 3 months early.

In the middle of all this we had Congress being as dysfunctional as ever and completely disconnected to what the entire country was thinking.  They were arguing over what should have been an extremely straightforward relief bill, aka stimulus package, but they had to bicker over how much BS they were going to add to it.  Never let a crisis go to waste indeed, especially not when they can screw the taxpayer.

Yeah, the Speaker's New Green Deal additions to the bill were idiotic, but fortunately most of them didn't make it into the signed version.  I feel for all the folks out of work, and this quarantine is going to hurt for a long long time, but the stimulus is pushing us to the brink of fiscal insolvency.  Our National Debt is in crazy town now,  sitting at 23 TRILLION.  Our ability to service the debt, much less pay it off, is nearing the impossible.  Sorry great grandkids- we left you a sloppy mess that you and your ancestors will be paying off for your entire lifetimes. 

We also had a stupid TDS argument over what to call the disease.  Never mind that dozens of reporters, most from the left, were calling it the Wuhan Virus, Chinese Corona Virus, or some variation thereof, they needed to break out the old "racist" saw to paint Trump in a bad light.  Hey CNN, China is a place, not a race! Although, they know that very well, they just don't care.  My favorite political cartoonist wasn't having it.

Meanwhile, my test results came back!

Finally, there are quite a few parody songs out there to remind us to wash our hands and stay away from each other, even shame us into it.  Here's the best of them, but click the link to see more good ones.  

This COVID-19 disease is bad, and we're going to continue to lose people, but we cope by making jokes.  Our quarantine is working, and we're slowly flattening the curve, although I'm fattening my curves.  I really miss sports, going out to eat, and I also miss my son.  We're restricted from visiting him in his group home since they have some older residents.  This will be over soon hopefully.  Although soon is very open to interpretation.  Until then, keep the funny stuff coming!

An interesting day

Busy week, surprisingly.  The builders were making good progress on the house until called away to another project.

I believe that guy's name was Noah and needed an Ark on fairly short notice.  All the animals seemed to go with them for some reason.  We've had at least 10" of rain this past week.  Field is quite green...and soft.  Other than some of the Tyvek being torn down, the house seemed to weather (get it?) the storm quite well.

MBD had me working a project for her church.  She asked for a database for them to use to track help requests and volunteers to deal with members of the congregation who are stuck at home and needing assistance.  So...been a busy few weeks, even though I haven't been off Rancho Juvat very often.

Regarding the current BS,  I have but one question.  What conditions are the Powers that Be looking for to indicate that the crisis has passed and we should be going back to work/school/whatever?  I don't think the bastiges have a clue.

So...before I get my blood pressure to elevated, I'm going to switch gears on this post and pull out an old, but reliable topic.

Last month I was running through my usual morning list of Blogs to get caught up on things both earth shattering as well as mundane.  One of those is "This Day in Aviation".  (As an aside as I went to the site to copy the URL for the link, the featured article for today (Sunday) was of a Hawker Hunter flying under the London Bridge.  Hmmm, now why would anyone want to fly under a bridge? ;-)

Stay on Target, juvat!

¡Mantente en el objetivo, sí, oh Matusalén de los sargentos de la Fuerza Aérea! 

In any case, the date was March 10th.  The first article under this date featured this picture.

I recognized the man as Captain John R. "Bob" Pardo of the infamous Pardo's Push, which I had talked about the month before, and Sarge had covered back at the dawn of time.  OK, I thought, so that Push was on March 10th, let's see what else happened on that date.

Typically, Mr Swope will have several different postings for a given date in different years.  This one had three for the very same date.  In fact, all three postings covered different aspects of the same mission, the attack on the Thai Nguyen Steel Mill in North Vietnam in 1967.  This target was considered to be one of the most valuable targets in North Vietnam.  Which meant that many strikes were sent against it, but also that it was extremely well protected.

And as Capt Pardo's story indicates, losses were taken.  Even though all four crew members involved in the "Push" survived, both aircraft were lost.  While the F-4's were making their way out of the target area, a following flight of F-105's begin their attack.

Source

Captain Max Brestel is #3 in a fourship of Thuds also bombing the plant.  As they begin their roll in to the target, they are attacked by two MiG-21s.  Capt Brestel aggressively turns into the MiGs and they break off their attack.  Capt Brestel then continues his roll in and delivers his ordnance.

Source

As they're egressing the area, they notice a flight of MiG 17's below them.  Capt Brestel's flight lead begins to engage them, but as the movie says "Bastards have brothers!" and two more MiG-17's engage him.  Capt Brestel calls for his lead to break, closes to 300' and shoots the MiG down.  He then continues his attack on the second MiG, again closes to 300' before opening fire.  Although he did not see the aircraft crash, he did notice severe damage while shooting.  He repositions, but a SAM has been fired at him, so Lead decides caution is the better part of valor and leads the flight out of the area.

OK, from a fighter pilot's perspective, that took some guts.  First, the MiG 17 can out turn a Thud no matter what, so engaging them is a risky proposition.  Second, the Thud is not built for Air to Air, so wouldn't have had a lead computing gunsight.  So an accurate gunshot would be extremely difficult.  Unless you're within 300'.  At combat speeds, 300' takes about 1/2 second to cover.  You're not likely to miss, but avoiding the debris would be difficult.

However, there's the ancient fighter pilot saying "I'd rather be lucky than good!"  Turns out that Capt Brestel had the first double kill of the Vietnam War.  And the aircraft he was flying scored another confirmed kill a little later that year.

The third story on this date revolves around Capt Merlyn Dethlefsen. Capt Dethlefsen is flying #3 in a flight of 4 F-105G Wild Weasels.  Because their mission is Suppresion of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD...you know the military and acronyms), they will be in the lead of the package ("First in, Last out" is the Wild Weasel motto).

According to the Source, this actually is Capt Dethlefsen

As they approach the target area, Capt Dethlefsen's flight lead, Lt Col Everson, is shot down.  He and his WSO are captured and spend several years under the kind care of the North Vietnamese.  (I've met Col Everson, he and my Dad were assigned to Nellis together.) His wingman is also badly damaged and leaves the area.

Capt Dethlefsen takes lead of the flight, although his aircraft has taken battle damage and begins to work the problem.  Avoiding an attack from a MiG by flying INTO antiaircraft fire. he attacks a SAM site destroying it.  Continuing to attack sites, he is attacked again by a MiG, but evades it.  Attacking still another SAM site with bombs and strafing, he destroys that one also.  At that point, out of weapons and low on gas, he egresses the target area and returns home.

Capt Dethlefsen received the Medal of Honor for this mission. His WSO (Capt Kevin Gilroy) received the Air Force Cross.

Source

As well they should.

Three amazing tales of bravery and self sacrifice occurring on the same mission, all entirely different circumstances yet all the same.  They came of age in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.  Guys like these were my flight leads and IPs while I was "growing up".   I'm proud to have known them and learned from them.  They made me who I am.  I'm proud to have been a member of the brotherhood. Even  if "unblooded".

 Colonel Dethlefsen's Citation:

Maj. Dethlefsen was 1 of a flight of F-105 aircraft engaged in a fire suppression mission designed to destroy a key antiaircraft defensive complex containing surface-to-air missiles (SAM), an exceptionally heavy concentration of antiaircraft artillery, and other automatic weapons.

The defensive network was situated to dominate the approach and provide protection to an important North Vietnam industrial center that was scheduled to be attacked by fighter bombers immediately after the strike by Maj. Dethlefsen's flight.

In the initial attack on the defensive complex the lead aircraft was crippled, and Maj. Dethlefsen's aircraft was extensively damaged by the intense enemy fire. Realizing that the success of the impending fighter bomber attack on the center now depended on his ability to effectively suppress the defensive fire, Maj. Dethlefsen ignored the enemy's overwhelming firepower and the damage to his aircraft and pressed his attack.

Despite a continuing hail of antiaircraft fire, deadly surface-to-air missiles, and counterattacks by MIG interceptors, Maj. Dethlefsen flew repeated close range strikes to silence the enemy defensive positions with bombs and cannon fire.

His action in rendering ineffective the defensive SAM and antiaircraft artillery sites enabled the ensuing fighter bombers to strike successfully the important industrial target without loss or damage to their aircraft, thereby appreciably reducing the enemy's ability to provide essential war material.

Maj. Dethlefsen's consummate skill and selfless dedication to this significant mission were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

Colonel Dethlefsen  retired from the Air Force in 1977 and passed away of natural causes in 1987 at age 53.

Rest in Peace, Warrior!

As a side note, 10 March seems to be a special kind of Day.  On 10 Mar, 1966, Major Bernie Fisher also flew the mission for which he received the Medal of Honor.  Interesting!