Weekend Open Thread

| September 21, 2018

Quick question: who was the first American to break the “sound barrier”? Chuck Yeager, right?

Most people would say that. Might want to guess again.

Persuasive evidence – apparently suppressed for roughly 50 years – indicates that an American quite likely if not almost certainly had broken the mythical “sound barrier” prior to Chuck Yeager doing so on 14 October 1947. Twice.

Yeager wasn’t the American who very likely did that. And rather than the Bell X-1, this was the aircraft that very likely did it:

. . .

The American who almost certainly first exceeded the mythical “sound barrier” was a former Army Air Forces war hero. His name? George Welch.

Those with knowledge of aviation history might recognize the name. Yes, that would be the same George Welch who (along with Ken Taylor) was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for aerial heroics at Pearl Harbor. Welch went on to become one of America’s premier World War II aces, with 16 confirmed kills by late 1943.

Unfortunately, Welch was flying in the South Pacific. Malaria nailed him – badly. It was severe enough to send him stateside early from the Pacific. And after serving stateside for a while, with the Army’s blessing he left the service to become a test pilot for North American Aviation.

Shortly after World War II, North American was developing the F-86. It was capable of high subsonic speed. Had we known about “area rule” design as applied to supersonic aircraft at that time, it would almost certainly have been America’s first supersonic aircraft.

Now, Welch wasn’t a big fan of Bell Aircraft. They’d designed the P-39 Aircobra which Welch flew early in World War II. When asked what he liked about the Aircobra, Welch said, “Well, it’s got twelve hundred pounds of Allison armor plate.” (Welch was referring to the aircraft’s engine, which was built by Allison and located behind the pilot. Performance-wise the Aircobra itself was a dog; Welch later got himself transferred to a unit flying Lockheed P-38s.)

Welch knew that Bell Aircraft was preparing to go supersonic with their experimental X-1 in the near future, at Muroc Field (what is today Edwards AFB). Bell had the Air Force’s blessing; the X-1 project was an Air Force favorite, and reputedly President Truman had promised Bell’s board chairman that Bell would be the first to break the “sound barrier”.

However, Welch was at the time also at Muroc; he was there to test North American’s prototype XF-86, which was capable of high subsonic flight. And the XF-86’s flight testing called for investigating the “high Mach region” – e.g., speeds close to the speed of sound.

. . .

So, what happens when you put an aircraft into a dive? It speeds up . . . right?

You guessed it: on 1 October 1947, Welch took the XF-86 up for a test flight – and investigated the “high Mach region”. And while doing that, Welch dove.

Welch had previously told one of the regulars at Pancho Barnes’ Rancho Oro Verde Fly Inn Dude Ranch (AKA the “Happy Bottom Riding Club” – yes, both the individual and the place portrayed in the book and movie The Right Stuff did exist) to look for the sound of an explosion. If they heard one, Welch told them to note the exact time and observe the reactions of those who heard it.

During Welch’s flight, the sound of what appeared to be a detonation was observed at the Fly Inn. Welch later compared notes with the individual he’d previously told to keep an ear out for sounds of an explosion.

The individual had in fact heard the sound – and noted the time. The time was during Welch’s dive.

Welch did the same again on 14 October 1947. This time, he did so approximately 20 minutes before Yeager’s more famous flight. And the sonic boom from Welch’s flight that day was also heard at the Fly Inn – and was reportedly far louder than that from Yeager’s flight.

. . .

The Air Force never acknowledged Welch’s October 1947 flights. Why? Dunno. But I can hazard a guess.

The Bell X-1 project was an Air Force favorite, and was expensive; its existence had to be justified. (Secretary of the Air Force Stuart Symington had told North American that they were not to exceed Mach 1 with the XF-86 until after Bell had done so with the X-1.) Welch was a civilian employee of North American Aviation, while Yeager was a serving USAF officer. The optics of having someone in uniform be the first to “break the sound barrier” vice a civilian contractor would obviously have been better for the USAF from a PR standpoint.

Plus, the head of Bell Aircraft, Lawrence Bell, reputedly knew President Truman. You really think the USAF is gonna chance royally p!ssing-off the POTUS within a few weeks of becoming an independent military service? (smile)

But reportedly there are not only confirmatory ground reports of a sonic boom associated with of each of Welch’s October 1947 flights. There are supposedly instrumentation readings from the Muroc test range’s radar theodolite from roughly a month later that lend credence to claims on Welch’s behalf. (Welch himself never claimed to have been first to break the “sound barrier”.) Those radar theodolite readings verify that Welch did, in fact, officially exceed Mach 1 twice during testing of the XF-86 in November 1947. (Some accounts imply that radar theodolite readings exist for one or both of Welch’s October 1947 flights as well, but that may not be true.) Plus, Welch accurately described to one of North American’s aircraft designers the “Mach jump” instrumentation anomaly noted in early supersonic flight – and he did so not long after his 1 October 1947 flight, nearly 2 weeks before Yeager supposedly “first” observed that same anomaly.

Decide for yourself. History gives Yeager the credit – but I don’t think he was actually the first American to “break the sound barrier” during a controlled flight. I’m guessing that was George Welch.

. . .

Some might argue that Welch doesn’t deserve any credit for breaking the “sound barrier” because he had to dive in the XF-86 to exceed Mach 1. On the surface, that argument may appear to have merit. But bear with me for a moment. Because one can also make a similar – though somewhat different – argument about Yeager’s 14 October 1947 supersonic flight in the X-1.

Yeager’s first supersonic Bell X-1 flight is well-chronicled, so there’s no need to discuss it in detail. And it was indeed the first time the “sound barrier” was broken in level flight – technically speaking.

I say “technically speaking” because the Bell X-1 didn’t make that entire flight under its own power. Though capable of taking off from the ground, Yeager’s X-1 did not do so on Yeager’s 14 October 1947 flight. Rather, on that date it was carried to a high altitude by a B-29. It was then released to fly under its own power.

Would the Bell X-1 have been able to fly to altitude and then exceed Mach 1 in level flight that day? Who knows? (It certainly didn’t do so on 14 October 1947.) But if diving is a “NO-GO” regarding breaking the “sound barrier”, well, pray tell: why is flying only half of a typical air mission (no powered takeoff, being carried aloft instead by another aircraft and then released at high altitude) acceptable?

In fact, only one Bell X-1 flight involved a takeoff under the aircraft’s own power. Reputedly that flight indeed exceeded Mach 1, with Yeager at the controls – but it also occurred on 15 January 1949, nearly 15 months after Yeager’s first supersonic flight.

Personally, I think the credit should be split – with Welch recognized as the first American to break the “sound barrier”, and Yeager as the first to do so in level flight. But nearly 50 years of having the truth about Welch’s October 194 flights apparently withheld – plus Welch’s early death in a 1954 flight test accident – has led to Yeager getting sole credit.

. . .

OK, enough history. Enjoy the Weekend Open Thread, everyone – and the weekend.

References:

The first part of Welch’s career is is summarized here; the second part is summarized here. Both linked articles are excellent if somewhat biased reading (the author’s obviously a huge fan of Welch). Other claims are discussed in an article linked in the following author’s note.

Yeager’s career and accomplishments need no discussion. He truly was one of the “larger than life” figures of the early days of jet flight.

A few other Wikipedia articles were also used as background, mostly for checking dates and/or other specific items.

—–

Author’s Note: FWIW: while it’s generally accepted that an American was the first to break the “sound barrier”, there’s a chance that the first person to break the “sound barrier” wasn’t even an American. Several Germans flying jet- or rocket-powered aircraft during the latter stages of the war could conceivably have done so; some claims to this effect have been made. But most of those cases have been investigated in detail and have been reasonably (but not categorically) found to be “NO-GOs”. Most of them are listed here, along with Welch’s flights and a few other debunked claims.

However, two cases are worth mention as possibilities.

The first possibility is the case of Luftwaffe test pilot Lothar Sieber. It’s entirely possible that Sieber in fact exceeded Mach 1 on his first – and only – test flight of the Bachem Ba349 “Natter” (IMO a truly YGBSM! manned interceptor design developed and partially tested by Nazi Germany out of desperation late during the war) on 1 March 1945.

Read the linked article if you’d like more details on the Natter and its design. Suffice it to say that IMO both its design and operational conept would have made Rube Goldberg proud.

In any case: Sieber’s test flight was the first vertical launch of a manned rocket. He may well have exceeded Mach 1 at some point during this single manned test flight of the Ba349.

However, Sieber never claimed to have “gone supersonic”. The test was a failure, and Sieber did not survive the flight.

The second is the case of Luftwaffe pilot Hans Mutke. Like Welch, it’s possible he may have exceeded Mach 1 in a dive with his Me262 late in World War II (9 April 1945). His account, and flight profile (including a high-speed high-power dive), track Welch’s account from a few years later reasonably well. (His aircraft didn’t fare as well, though; it was damaged too badly to ever be flown again from aerodynamic stress.)

Initial analysis indicated that exceeding Mach 1 was not possible with the Me262 because that aircraft’s design would make the aircraft’s controls useless above Mach 1. This in turn would make the aircraft uncontrollable; it was believed that a safe return to subsonic flight would not be possible.

However, later analysis has indicated that the Me262 might indeed have been recoverable after exceeding Mach 1. Hans Mutke having exceeded Mach 1 in a dive during his flight on 9 April 1945 thus can’t be definitively ruled out.

Category: Historical, Open thread

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devildog-65/85

FIRST, I HOPE!

ChipNASA

BOOM SHACK!!
Beat me by like 30 seconds!
WINNAR WINNAR CHICKEN DINNER!!

26Limabeans

Nice. And before 1300 hrs.
Must have a fibre coptic connection.

2/17 Air Cav

I hear he used a 2400 baud modem and dial-up. He actually wrote “FIRST, I HOPE!” for a WOT in 2013 but just got through today. Talk about luck, that he connected on today’s WOT.

Devildog-65/85

The entry try in 2013 wasn’t me, I didn’t know this site existed till about 2.5 yrs ago.

devildog-65/85

Actually it was a 9600 Baud Modem with Dial-up and accepting input from an AMIGA2000 computer.

Wilted Willy

Congrats DD, may you enjoy your week on the throne!

ChipNASA

First.
Hey bitches.

RGR 4-78

Second.

Ex-PH2

3rd. You people are asleep at the switch!

Veritas Omnia Vincit

Sixth

ChipNASA

“One, Two Five. Three Sir. THREE!! ”
(Five)

Veritas Omnia Vincit

ahahahahah I love this movie

26Limabeans

FIRST dammit

Frankie Cee

Kyle Barwan the dunking bird phony

The perennial, piece of shit, pasty faced, prison pallored, poser, Kyle Christopher Barwan is scheduled, at present, to be released from Florida prison on November 12, 20-18. If he continues to behave, it may be even sooner. His past history suggests that before sundown on his release day, he will be on Social Media attempting some sort of scam, to get him some quick cash.

I am asking everyone reading this to help me to keep his name up in lights at Gooooogle. To do so, just be sure that when you comment, that you use his name, and not a pronoun, or other moniker. We can, by working together, do something toward shutting his ass down.

His current status:

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/offenderSearch/detail.aspx?Page=Detail&DCNumber=H50625&TypeSearch=AI

26Limabeans

GOOGLE Kyle Christopher Barwan

KYLE CHRISTOPHER BARWAN is looking for cash

thebesig

Kyle Christopher Barwan, the dunking bird military phony. He has a track record of scamming people for cash, often with claims of his being a military veteran, or claims of being in the military.

A Proud Infidel®™

I wonder if KYLE CHRISTOPHER BARWAN hasn’t started looking for his next con victim via prison pen pal? After all, KYLE CHRISTOPHER BARWAN has quite the record of being a serial con gamer and KYLE CHRISTOPHER BARWAN according to his own Father has never made himself ready to tell the truth about anything thus I wonder if KYLE CHRISTOPHER BARWAN hasn’t been planning his next con game since he got himself convicted and incarcerated? IMHO cons like KYLE CHRISTOPHER BARWAN are seldom capable of rehabilitating because they consider con gaming to be fun thus I’m sure we’ll see KYLE CHRISTOPHER BARWAN getting incarcerated yet again in the future once again being the “Property” of Bubba, Thor, Julio and “Tiny Tyrone” before they share KYLE CHRISTOPHER BARWAN with the rest of their cell block once again.

UpNorth

Is that KYLE CHRISTOPHER BARWAN, Frankie?

Commissioner Wretched

Dang … another missed opportunity. I’ll take eighth, this week, then.

Roh-Dog

Missed by a mile!
Congrats DD!
Have a good weekend y’all!

Commissioner Wretched

And, with the race to be first over with, and me not in the Winner’s Circle yet again, here’s this week’s trivia/humor/whatchamacallit column. Hope you enjoy! DID YOU KNOW…? Did an actor in “Ghostbusters” lose the same role in the TV cartoon version because he wasn’t enough like himself? By Commissioner Wretched English, as we all know, is a very amazing – and amusing – language. After all, what other language can claim to have more than 160 different definitions for one three-letter word? (If you think I’m kidding, go get an Unabridged dictionary and look up the word “run.” Your eyes will pop out.) For example, using the rules of pronunciation in English, the word “ghoti” (which isn’t really a word) can be pronounced “fish.” You’re scoffing. I’m serious. The “gh” would sound like it does in “rough” … the “o” as the vowel sounds in “women” … and the “ti” as it sounds in “action.” Pretty fishy, huh? (Or maybe I should say, “Pretty ghoti-y, eh?”) One thing in life that is never fishy, though, is trivia. The minutiae of life wherein we find the tastiest nuggets of information, trivia – however you spell it – is always ready to please. And if you’d like to comment on this, e-mail me at didyouknowcolumn@gmail.com and I will guarantee a quick response. (It may not be an accurate one, but it’ll be quick.) So, let’s get on with the trophea (I came up with my own version of trivia)! Did you know … … singer Dolly Parton (born 1946) once lost a Dolly Parton look-alike contest? To make matters worse, she lost to a drag queen. Full disclosure – every entrant in the contest (except Parton herself) was a drag queen. Parton said she over-exaggerated her appearance to enter the contest, and in fact nobody knew it was really her. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Parton said, “I got the least applause.” (Considering that Dolly Parton is already quite over-the-top, can you imagine what the winner of the contest looked like?) … the state of Massachusetts once outlawed Christmas?… Read more »

Ex-PH2

Another walk down Trivia Lane. Thank you, CW!

Commissioner Wretched

My pleasure, as always, Ex.

Roh-Dog

“Granite will stop more radiation than any other commercially-used building material.”
Yeah, 2.75 g/c.cm for granite vs 2.3 g/c.cm for concrete.
But waayyyy cheaper to use forms and pour the wet stuff.
If you’re looking to shield yourself from gamma all you really need is mass between you and the atmosphere. Dirt is free*.
*as long as it’s yours.

26Limabeans

What about the RADON gas trapped in granite that I am suppossed to be very worried about? PSM are on the tv everyday telling me to get my basement tested and buy an air purifier.

Roh-Dog

Won’t work. Radon is heavy, need to pump it out.
Should have a test to verify (unless you’re in the hills of Hartford County CT cuz it’s there) before you attemp to remediate.
Like asbestos, better safe than sorry.

26Limabeans

I poured a concrete slab years ago. RADON is on my list of things to ignore just like Arsenic in the well that will kill me,
Calcium in my well that will kill my pipes and radiation from my router.

It is a big deal in certain areas though as you pointed out.

NHSparky

Read a story about a worker at Peach Bottom (?) Nuclear Plant who set off the portal monitors one day.

Turns out he stored his coat in his basement and it was saturated with Radon.

That being said, no, even though I live in The Granite State, I have no intention of forking over the $5k or so a decent radon mitigation system would cost.

thebesig

Originally posted by Commissioner Wretched:

… people who grew up watching black-and-white television often dream in black and white? (And their dreams only get three channels, too.)

I checked on this, and found an article that said that a quarter of their dreams tended to be in black and white.

A New York Times article on the subject:

https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/health/02real.html

A more detailed read can be obtained here.

26Limabeans

“dream in black and white?”

Quarter tab of orange sunshine will cure that. Just stay away from the brown stuff.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=stay+away+from+the+brown+acid&view=detail&mid=132968E2808E51EBC7AE132968E2808E51EBC7AE&FORM=VIRE

Commissioner Wretched

Thanks for that … my sources gave me about the same percentage, but I didn’t want to limit myself in the article in case some folks said they *always* dream in monochrome.

I appreciate the follow-up, too. If I post something that’s incorrect, I want to fix it as soon as I can. (Unlike many members of the MSM.)

Ex-PH2

That’s strange. My dreams tend to be on some other planet.

thebesig

No problem, keep your trivia coming. :mrgreen:

A Proud Infidel®™️

“Mountain Dew” was also a slang term for Moonshine!
Speaking of Whiskey, the USS Kentucky is the only Warship that was not christened with champagne, a sample of liquor was taken from every Distillery in Kentucky and put together in the bottle that was broken across her Bow.

Jon The Mechanic

According to some information I found, the Royal Navy used a bottle of single malt Scotch whisky from the Bowmore distillery on the island of Islay instead of champagne to christen the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth because the ship had been built and launched in Scotland.

Also, the Duchess of Cornwall similarly launched HMS Prince of Wales by pulling a lever which smashed a bottle of single malt Scotch whisky at the side of the ship.

A Proud Infidel®™

Cool trivia, I SHOULD have said “…the only USN Warship…”

Hack Stone

Your comment got Hack to thinking. During the Prohibition Era, did the United States still christen new ships by breaking a bottle of champagne over the bow?

Hack Stone
2/17 Air Cav

That’s the type of question that qualifies people either for MIT or the nut house.

NHSparky

API, the “bow” on a boat is the sonar dome, and not something you want to be smashing glass on. Look at a few modern boat christenings, and you’ll see that what the sponsor actually strikes with the bottle is a metal stand in front of the boat.

David

Then there was the Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest in France.. in which Charlie Chaplain himself entered – and came in third.

Hack Stone

There was an Elaine Ricci Look Alike Contest sponsored by a proud but humble woman owned business that sells software to the federal government, but they could not pick a winner since nobody knows what she looks like.

2/17 Air Cav

Simple, Hack Stone. She knows what she looks like. All they have to do is find her and they’ll be able to pick a winner.

Fyrfighter

Well, thats what happens when I go let the dogs out..

Wilted Willy

Would any of you dickweeds have a link to a manual on the AK-47? I need to install a new fore grip to mine so I can use 40 round clips.
Thanks to all!!

26Limabeans

The 100 rd drum broke didn’t it.

AW1Ed

This should get you in the ballpark, WW.

http://www.emilitarymanuals.com/ak47.htm

Wilted Willy

Thank you kind Sir!

AW1Ed

Dammit, Willy- every time I hear “Sir” I look around to see who walked into the room.

*grin*

Glad to help.

Frankie Cee

Wilted Willy; what are these “clip” things that you speak of?

Wilted Willy

Sorry Frankie, I meant to say magazines!

Skyjumper

Willy, go to this link for many firearm manuals (including the AK manual you are looking for).

These are all down-loadable in PDF format and they are FREE!

Been going to this website for years and always found what I was looking for.

Steve passed, but a good friend of his has taken over and kept the website up.

I see Frankie Cee already spotted the “clip” thing, so I won’t pile on you.
BUT NEXT TIME (shakes finger towards Willy) there will be no mercy!! 😉

By the way, did I say all of the firearm manual downloads are free? (smile)

Skyjumper

Geeeez, musta inhaled to much of the fremented berries on the trees when I cut the lawn this morning.

http://stevespages.com/page7b.htm

HMC Ret

Congratulations, DevilDog.

thebesig

Dennis Howard Chevalier

As of September 21, 2018 Dennis Howard Chevalier, a.k.a. Denny H Chevalier, phony Gulf War veteran, phony veteran, phony C-130 compass call pilot, phony SWAT veteran, phony retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel… That Dennis Howard Chevalier… Still was arrested on February 27, 2018, for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

He pointed a gun at his ex-wife and son, waved a loaded weapon around and pretended to shoot things, threatened an ex-fiancé with putting a round into her head, and then his arrest for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

One of these days, he’s going to point his gun at someone, like he has done before… And BHANG! They need to take this guy’s weapons away before he shoots someone.

Here is one link to one the details:

http://writer-cubed.blogspot.com/2018/05/dennis-h-chevalier-arrested-for.html

Just google “Dennis Chevalier arrested” to get additional details.

In other news, Dennis Chevalier annual pilgrimage to Sand Francisco in the works? Cheese artisans display their products while cheese lovers take samples of cheese and wines. They may have to put security up though, he might eat more than his fair share… Perhaps threatening to eat the cheese maker if they don’t give him all the cheese he wants:

https://www.sfcheesefest.com/

Just An Old Dog

I take it nothing came out of this. I suppose the charges were dropped.
He wasn’t on the jail roster almost immediately after and I haven’t seen any other info.

HMC Ret

Some WW2 history. I’m a history buff. Article says this is the first incident of Japanese using this tactic in WW2. If not, let us know. I didn’t research the facts, just cut and paste this interesting article.

NAVY HISTORY!
Trivia: When was the first time “Kamikazie” was used against the Americans during World War II?!
ANSWER: 25 OCTOBER 1944!
On 25 October 1944, during the Battle of the Leyte Gulf, the Japanese deploy kamikaze aka “divine wind”, suicide bombers against American warships for the first time.
It would prove costly, to both sides.
The decision to employ suicide bombers against the American fleet at Leyte, an island of the Philippines, was based on the failure of conventional naval and aerial engagements to stop the American offensive.
Declared Japanese Naval Capt. Motoharu Okamura:
“I firmly believe that the only way to swing the war in our favor is to resort to crash-dive attacks with our planes…. There will be more than enough volunteers for this chance to save our country.”
The first kamikaze force was in fact composed of 24 volunteer pilots from Japan’s 201st Navy Air Group.
The targets were US escort carriers; one, the USS St. Lo, was struck by a Japanese Zero fighter and sunk in less than an hour, killing 100 Americans Sailors and Marines.
More than 5,000 kamikaze pilots died in the gulf battle-taking down 34 ships.
For their kamikaze raids, the Japanese employed both conventional aircraft and specially designed planes, called Ohka (“cherry blossom”) by the Japanese, but Baka (“fool”) by the Americans, who saw them as acts of desperation.
The Baka was a rocket-powered plane that was carried toward its target attached to the belly of a bomber.
All told, more than 1,321 Japanese aircraft crash-dived their planes into Allied warships during the war, desperate efforts to reverse the growing Allied advantage in the Pacific.
While approximately 3,000 Americans and Brits died because of these attacks, the damage done did not prevent the Allied capture of the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

Everyone have a safe weekend.

2/17 Air Cav

“There will be more than enough volunteers for this chance to save our country and my ass because we gots some crazy MFers in this Navy.”

When they ran out of volunteers they drafted kids for the one-way mission. Talk about tough duty. For his part, Motoharu Okamura reportedly committed suicide in 1948 and not the traditional way. He shot himself in the face.

thebesig

I’m a history buff too. :mrgreen: I wouldn’t be surprised if history is a common interest among service members and veterans. I tend to get interest whenever I talk about history stuff.

26Limabeans

I was just kid when Welch was flying jets.
Don’t recall hearing about that then but his grape jelly was a favorite in the Boston area.

Skyjumper

“……but his grape jelly was a favorite in the Boston area.”

“Groan.” (smile)

That sucker almost got by me in the first go-around, 26Limabeans.

HMC Ret

At one time the Medal of Honor was awarded for what today would almost be considered doing one’s job. Many of the Awards were later rescinded, particularly those awarded during the Civil War. Another bit of trivia.

September 21 1864 – During the night a fire broke out onboard the USS MONTAUK, then in Charleston Harbor. Three Sailors; Gunners Mate Jame Horton, Fireman First Class John Rountry, and Captain of the Firetop Charles H. Weeks jumped into action when the word was passed “Fire in the magazine!” A fire had been discovered in the magazine lightroom of the vessel. These three brave men rushed into the blaze as the rest of the crew stood in shock and panic.
Horton sprinted to the cabin to get the keys to unlock the magazine door and began passing out the combustible material away from the fire.
Rountry ran the other way to grab a fire hose and rushed back to the scene forcing his way through his panicked shipmates to fight the fire and put out the flames.
Weeks ignored the present danger of the cry “fire in the magazine” and displayed great presence of mind and rendered valuable service in extinguishing the flames which were imperiling the ship and the men on board.
All three Sailors were later awarded the Medal of Honor in June of 1865.

Mason

Well the entire 28th Maine Infantry Regiment were given MoHs for men who extended their enlistments to participate in the Battle of Gettysburg.

These awards were later rescinded, many decades later.

Frankie Cee

On Monday, 9/17/18, I had a 1PM appointment at the Joint Ambulatory Care Clinic in Pensacola, (similar to a VAOPC), to pick up my new hearing aids. I got there at 11:40, went to Audiology and asked if I was too early to sign in. The clerk said that I should sign in and he would see of the Audiologist wanted to see me during her lunch period. She did, and fitted them to me, described them and my “Profound Hearing Loss”, and I left the department, used a kiosk to file for my travel pay, and walked out of the building at 12:25. Another great visit to my VA Clinic. The Audiologist said that my hearing was so bad that for a few days, these hearing aids might cause some vertigo, (and they did, a couple of times).
Now, on my 5th day of wearing them, I am discovering sounds that I didn’t know existed. Like this stand alone keyboard that I use to type. I thought it was silent, but now that I can hear, it sounds like the Royal manual typewriters that I used in High School. Songbirds? All over the place. What a bunch of new sounds.

2/17 Air Cav

Nice, Frankie Cee.

rgr1480

Frankie: Doc, I’ve been having flatulence for the past couple of years. It’s okay though, they’re silent and don’t smell.

Doc: I’ll order a hearing test and ENT appointment for you.

26Limabeans

“Songbirds”

Cool. My dad struggled with hearing aids but when they worked his smile was priceless.

AW1Ed

Long story short- I had cataracts in both eyes, left eye much worse. A couple out-patient surgeries by a world class Ophthalmologist and I’m 20/20 again.
Amazed and grateful. Oh, the eye doc? He did Tiger Wood’s LASIK procedure. Tell me again how under single payer health care I could have that level of care?
Anyway, happy for you, Frankie Cee.

Tallywhagger

Got my “hears” about two years ago. Like you said, there are all sorts of sounds that some of us have not heard in decades. Initially, the volume was so loud that I would turn them down as far as they would go. It took about a year to adjust to the “hears” and I have determined that I like the quiet world I had before, whenever possible.

The other thing about hearing aids is that they are specific in the frequency range. I hated the way my piano sounded while wearing them and wondered if the piano had always sounded so awful.

On the uptick, now I can hear what cashiers at the grocery store are saying and also hear the turn signal blinker sound if I have failed to cancel it.

Enjoy the new experience!

Club Manager, USA ret.

WAR STORY ALERT: In about 1964, I was detailed to Portland International Airport base operations. An F-104 landed and the boss asked me to drive the colonel pilot to Robert’s Gun Stocks. The colonel purchased a number of blanks, thanked me, put them into the 104, taxied a bit then pointed the nose straight up and disappeared into the wild blue. The phone rang and an irate air controller on the civilian side of the airport demanded to know the pilot’s name so he could have him cited. I didn’t have a clue who was who in those days and checked the flight plan. I replied it was a Colonel Charles Yeager. After a moment of silence, the air traffic controller said, never mind. I sensed it was one of his bigger aw shit moments in life. I went back to Roberts and purchased a blank for my Enfield which I still have today, beautiful stocks and inlays. Colonel Yeager had good taste.

NDHoosier

Just wanted to drop a note in the WOT….

I am the ultimate POG – I never served in the military. Yet, here I have found many people who share much of my worldview and sense of humor.

Thanks for letting me hang out here in the TAH Tavern.

thebesig

No problem, we’re glad to have you with us.

I’m assuming that you’re able bodied, and were so from the time you turned 18 till the time you turned 45. Why?

Because you were a member of the unorganized militia of the United States during that time. :mrgreen:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/246

Twist

Welcome. We have a few Hoosiers that hang around these parts of the internet.

Ex-PH2

Just a heads up on this: Iceland’s Katla volcano, one of the nastier fire mountains on that island nation, appears to be cranking up for an eruption.
https://icelandmag.is/article/new-study-confirms-monster-volcano-katla-charging-eruption

The last BIG eruption was in 1918, some 100 years ago. The largest glacial flood in Iceland’s history occurred in the beginning of the Katla eruption in 1918.

There is a photo of the ice field surrounding the caldera, plainly showing that the volcano is prepping for an eruption. Katla’s history is a violent eruption every 40 to 80 years, so this is long overdue. The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption shut down air traffic, not just in the north Atlantic, but also Europe. People took trains instead of planes to get to their destinations.

I thought Hekla would be the next to go BOOOM! up there.

thebesig

I still expect this winter to be longer and colder than normal. If Katla goes BOOOM before the winter, or even during the winter, expect my predictions to be amplified.

Ex-PH2

It may be just that. Per the weather guessers for our neighbors to the north, not only is it quite chilly today (1 degree Celsius), they’ve had some snow in Alberta.
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/rounds-of-snow-hit-alberta-below-seasonal-temperatures-snowiest-september-on-record-edmonton/111884/

Friday, September 21, 2018, 11:33 AM – September snow records have already been broken in Alberta as rounds of snow put an end to the summer season. More shovel-able snow is forecast through Saturday with warnings to drivers for deteriorating road conditions. More on the snowfall amounts and timing, below

(Visit our Complete Guide to Fall 2018 for an in-depth look at the Fall Forecast, tips to plan for it and a sneak peek at winter.)

It was 72F earlier in the day here, and that is the official high temp. Now it’s down to 68 and promising to be a chilly night. Time to start the soup pot up.

NHSparky

High today at my work location? 91.

High tomorrow? 55.

Fuck Al Gore.

Ex-PH2

Are you saying, NHSparky, that Gorebull BS warming is – well, BS from the very start? And that it was all to get money out of naive and dimwitted followers?

He hasn’t put out a begging letter since his trip to Davros, Switzerland, last winter. Perhaps the message has been ignored… or something.

Frankie Cee

If Iceland’s Katla blows will it take the Iceland internet with it? If so, will it have the power to draw it’s users along with it and send them to wherever it blows to? If it blows, and anyone sees a faded, puke stained, purple jump suit flying over head, be sure and duck because there could be some projectile vomiting going on. Not from the hopeless alcoholic in the jumpsuit, but from those innocents that are close enough to see it and/or able to smell it.

Ex-PH2

That is a very good question, Frankie.

Iceland’s biggest revenue generator right now is, in fact, internet services and that includes the entire Bitcoin mining industry, which is growing by leaps and bounds. Iceland uses hydropower to run those services, to provide power generation for them, but the island is literally running out of generating capacity.

So, yes, it is entirely possible that, if Iceland’s current hydro power generating status is damaged by a Katla eruption, then a purple-suited pigeon-winged beersucker could lose that connection and be forced into something on the mainland.

5th/77thFA

Top 40? Got sidetracked Gunsmoke came on. ME TV running the whole sequence starting with the original 30 minute versions. Miss Kitty was a sure nuff hammer in 1955. Then I got side tracked by a click bait, new bikini pic of Robyn whats her toes Sports Illustrated Model. Dayuuuum. Then I had to read Dave’s article, which as always, I thoroughly enjoyed. Will take the time to go back and read the additional links, cause that looks real interesting. The I got bogged down on CW’s trivial. Loves me some trivia, all those little tidbits of useless information. Again, a fine job there too. I found a 1955 Reader’s Digest with the article on Chuckie’s flight. Has the info on the launching of Bell’s X-1 by B-29, and other talk on the pilots that almost stole Chuck’s seat. Hitler was the best General we had during the ETO in WWII, especially for the Air War. That ME-262, if it had made some production, would have changed the whole dynamic. Think how many more air crews we would of lost if the Germans had of had more. Enjoy your weekend fellow Dickweeds/weedeses.

Roger in Republic

When the ME 262 first came on the scene the turret gunners on the B-17’s and B-24’s were scared to death of them. The turrets were designed for use against planes that flew at a top speed of 350 mpg. The Me 262 was 150 mph faster than that. The gunners were unable to track the new jets because the turrets were not fast enough. They just had to watch them flash past.

A funny story on Chuck Yeager. When asked about the ME 262 he said that Heck. The first time I saw a jet, I shot it down. He caught one in the landing pattern, slipped in behind him and blew him out of the sky. Just like Von Richthofen said. “most aerial combat is plain bloody murder”.

Jon The Mechanic

You mean Robyn Lawley?

I went to the SI website and the first picture I saw almost got me slapped by the missus, but I managed not to comment on the photo.

Black and white nude, with most of the naughty bits covered. There is enough showing to say with a high degree of confidence that she shaves more than just her legs.

Ah crap… I am now ineligible to run for public office as a Republican, or be a Republican nominee for any government position.

5th/77thFA

Yeah, her, that one, the sultry one, the one with fire in her eyes. This was just a high/french cut bikini shot, no nudity, tho I did need to slap myself for my lusty thoughts. They were showing her recovery from some type of accident. I usually don’t click bait, but the perimeter on this machine has high octane foo gas and triple claymore protection to keep the bad bytes out. If there is anything just the least bit odd about a site, it blocks it. I have been ineligible for any Repub position for years, cause unlike Jimmuh, who lusted in his heart, I have always lusted out loud. But at the end of the day and all said and left undone, I’d still rather have Ex-PH2, she’s a cutie sweetie and you know she cooks too don’t you?

Hack Stone

A little known fact for the This Ain’t Hell regulars; more people mourned the death of Adolph Hitler than mourned the death of Daniel Bernath. This is not to imply that Daniel Bernath was worse than Hitler, but Don Shipley never had to take out a restraining order against Hitler.

AW1Ed

The similarities are remarkable- both Adolph and Dannie-boi are dead.
Just amazing…

A Proud Infidel®™️

Daniel Bernath and Fred Phelps have two things in common. One, they’re both dead and both were disbarred lawyers, Bernath in California and Phelps was disbarred in Kansas.

NDHoosier

TIL….

Mick

Is it Friday yet?

Christ Almighty; what a week…

ex-OS2

Not first. Pffttt.

SFC D

Present! I have yet to make first, the struggle is real!

A Proud Infidel®™️

About 56rd and Honorary First once again.

((((OVER))))

GDContractor

The way that Welch went about his business kind of reminds me of Yef “the floor buffer operator”. Here’s to ya, Yef. I’m buying.

SFC D

Where the hell is he, I kinda miss that rhythmic “whooshing” of the buffer.

AW1Ed

He popped up last week for a comment or two, Ex says he’s busy with classes.

11B-Mailclerk

Yef is probably in Cleveland.

Lots of free Bud Light, since the Browns beat the Jets.

A Proud Infidel®™

I hope he comes back, I miss that Kid!!!

AnotherPat

This Sunday, 23 September 2018, our Jonn would have celebrated his 63rd Birthday.

An early Happy Birthday greeting to our Warrior.

Drinks and Cigars are on the house…A Salute and Cheers to our “Welcome Home” Brother…

🍻😊🎈

Deplorable B Woodman

The good die young. And here I’ll be 66 next month. Where did I go wrong?

Perry Gaskill

I seem to have lost track of how to pass along news items relevant to TAH. Is the admin address still working, or is something else better? An item under consideration was a piece run in Fast Company last week about a new joint Marine-Army project to construct barracks using 3-D printing technology.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90235902/the-first-common-3d-printed-buildings-might-be-army-barracks

Dave Hardin

The Admin account still works but it is only checked by a slumbering bearded troll every third day during mean high tide at 36°50’54” N / 76°17’54” W. Best to send them to dave@militaryphony.com for the time being.

Perry Gaskill

Thanks, Dave, and regards to The Soviet…

2/17 Air Cav

Perry. Step back on that. When she gives Dave the heave-ho, I’m up.

5th/77thFA

It will become another Brother against Brother War. And like the last one, long and bloody.

Dave Hardin

Thank you for your support. The Soviet sends her regards.

5th/77thFA

Well.. Just…Dayuuuum. Be sweet dreams tonight, and as Ex-PH2 says, “on another planet”; Why? Because She is just out of this world. Charge thru the gates of hell, fight till hell freezes over & then fight on the ice..

26Limabeans

Awe geeeeee. My heart is in my throat.

Frankie Cee

Damn, Dave! Seeing that beautiful face on a Saturday morning, is a real strain on an old man’s pacemaker. I can feel the overheated diodes. Give her my best.

Dennis - not chevy

Something just reminded me of the scene where Pvt Will Stockdale asked MSgt King why they were flying at night. MSgt King replied they were breaking the sound barrier and had to sneak up on it.

Ret_25X

Well guys, on my way to the folk’s at oh dark thirty in the morning. Dad is in ICU and we don’t know how this will turn out.

For the record, he was USAF 1954-1957. He was stationed at Roslyn Air Station, Long Island, NY…worked in the NORAD center there as a medic.

I am hoping for the best, but have prepared for the worst.

A Proud Infidel®™️

Prayers out.

AW1Ed

Safe travels, and I hope your Dad is there to meet you.

5th/77thFA

God’s Blessing on you and the whole Family. Peaceful Passage for your Papa, it’s never easy. Had an uncle that may have served with him. I was a kid when uncle went TDY to New York, Royce was a commo tech with SAC locally. Unk spoke of a pack of cigs were $1.00 + even then. He made several trips and would always carry multiple cartoons for the boys up there.

Ex-PH2

My sympathies to you, be safe on your trip.

Graybeard

Prayers for all of you.

AnotherPat

Our family is thinking of you, Ret_25X, with prayers for your Dad.

Never forget for those who serve.

Frankie Cee

Do Y’all remember Brian J. McCarthy, the real deal Elephant Seal that was never in the Navy, that claimed a lot of shit that Chief Shipley shot all to hell? If you want to refresh yourself on him, he was handled by Jonn,(May he RIP), back in June, here: https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=80171 He has a new facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014493093961&tn-str=*F

OWB

Waaaaay back when, had a FIL and a few older buds who flew F-86’s in Korea. They did not like Chuck Yeager at all. And they told some pretty interesting tales about their beloved jet flying experiences. Most of them had flown in WWII and were more than fond of the F-86. Can neither confirm nor deny the accuracy of it being the actual first to break the sound barrier, but they all claimed to have done it on multiple occasions.

I was certainly not going to contradict any of them…

Mason

A little late with my latest YouTube finds:

-First one up is with a hat tip to Ex-PH2 and all the combat cam types; https://youtu.be/y963YgK-znU

-More mid-60’s space propaganda. I love these; https://youtu.be/9Fk9398Rong

-A look at the amazing world of computers! https://youtu.be/WzhzuWjGCoo

Ex-PH2

Here’s one for you, Mason. Goes back to 1971.

Claw

Spoiler Alert!:

Not exactly sure what that operation of having birds just hang around while everybody diddy-bops at their own pace in a LZ while off-loading/on-loading personnel is (cause I don’t ever remember us up there in the 101st Airborne AO doing anything like that) but I’m pretty sure it’s not a Combat Assault. Nor did we ever let the dink kids play “soldier-boy” while handling our weapons and ruck sacks.

But then again, this film was made in the exact same unit (1/20 IN, 199th LIB of the 23rd Inf Div, the Metrical For Lunch Bunch) that gave us My Lai, so YMMV.

Claw

Oops, Mea Culpa.

That should be the 11th LIB, not 199th LIB.

Mason

That’s pretty cool. I’ll have to check out his other videos. My dad keeps saying he should get out his Vietnam photos, and I strongly encourage him, but hasn’t yet.

Sapper3307

Look up the movie 84C mopic (1989). +250

2/17 Air Cav

Dahell happened to TOW? He sputtered and now he’s off the screen.

Ex-PH2

He may be battling blazes. They are going on all over the state.

Twist

It’s official. My piece of shit pedophile BIL is not taking a plea and will go on trial in November. My daughter and granddaughter have already been subpoenaed to testify. They thought it was over and now I have to tell them that they will have to tell their stories once again. I have no idea how I’m going to do that.

Graybeard

Prayers.

Green Thumb

Damn. Tough one.

AnotherPat

Hang in there, Twist. Prayers that good will override the bad.

Ex-PH2

Late in the day, ahead of sunset, I was outside on the front steps, evaluating the clouds moving eastward. There were layers upon layers, all cirrus clouds, all dumping ice crystals as they moved (rapidly) eastward. Above the cirrus clouds were several sets of passenger jet contrails, one slightly higher than the other, casting a vague shadow on it.

And then way up above it all, I saw a contrail from a jet moving at extremely high speed, so far up that it had to be at or near the stratosphere. Vapor trail very thin and dissipated quickly. The plane looked like a tiny dark dot.

So is the Blackbird SR71 still being flown, or is this some new supersecret bird that we’re not supposed to know about? Going like a bat out of hell, too. At that distance, if it was MACH ZPADIDUDA, not a sound reached me. I can always hear the engines on planes leaving O’Hare and Midway, but nothing from this bird.

What was it? Come on, spill!!!

(Are strange men with little plastic ID cards going to visit me and lecture me about my curiosity? If so, I have to go get refreshments for them.)

5th/77thFA

Watch out for the eye flashy thingy. Resistance is futile. Do believe all the SR 71s are parked in museums. I may be wrong.

Ex-PH2

Durn! I knew it was space aliens!!

And on a polar orbit, too!

Time to get out the vinegar and the fly swatters!

A Proud Infidel®™

Just BE CAREFUL of the Chemtrails behind those jets, I hear they’re chock FULL of Dihydrogen Monoxide!!!

26Limabeans

The U-2 is pretty common over the upper midwest into Canada. Callsign PINION.

Check out flightradar24

https://www.flightradar24.com/41.87,-86.82/7

If it doesn’t show up there it is either military or some VIP private aircraft.
It’s a fun site to play with on a cloudless day with some good binoculars.

Perry Gaskill

Here’s a question for those of the TAH crew of a nautical persuasion:

I learned to sail a sailboat when I was about 12 years old. It was a Lido 14. Most of those who are sailboat sailors probably remember their first boat in the same way they remember the first girlfriend who gave it up.

When I came back from Viet Nam, although I was Army, I remember spending days on San Francisco Bay with a Columbia 22 sloop named Pallas Athene. It helped flush some of the VN mojo. The ocean, for better or worse, doesn’t care if you’re having an emotionally bad day.

So what’s up with sailboats being an almost irrelevant issue with the TAH Navy segment? I vaguely remember an exchange with VoV about a Catalina 30 awhile back, but usually it seems like a TAH ignored subject.

Why is that? As an Army guy, I’d think the TAH squid community would be on sailing like a pit-bull on a pork chop. Bury the rail on a big sloop, and it’s some of the most fun you can have with your pants on…

Ex-PH2

Has to do with not being stationed on sailing vessels any more. No more square-rigged 4-masted frigates, no more coastal sloops with at least 2 cannon on each side, no more climbing the rigging to take a spot in the crow’s nest or unfurl the sails.

It’s all gone, unless you’re part of that Coast Guard 3-masted schooner crew.

11B-Mailclerk

USS Constitution

11B-Mailclerk

Still in commission, still operable as a Frigate.

Beautiful ship. Glad the Navy has kept her.

Tallywhagger

There are several sail boaters in the group. My first sail boat was a Columbia 24 and I sailed her all over the Chesapeake Bay. Great fun and a very forgiving boat for inexperienced skippers.

My present rig is a Luder’s designed 36′ Cheoy Lee and I now sail out of Massachusetts.

With October just around the corner I am reminded of the wonderful days of doing boat deliveries out the Annapolis Boat Show. Week one is the power boat element, week two is the sailing contingent. Folks buy boats at the show and hire skippers to deliver them, as may be practicable.

Nothing like sailing someone else’s brand new boat and getting paid to do it!

Dave Hardin

Of all the boats I have had the one I treasured the most was the Alberg 30. I have restored 3 of them…so far.

I would really love to have a Pearson Alberg 35. I know where one is but he will not sell it.

Currently have a 32′ Marinette flybridge express sedan and a 52′ Custom Ketch originally built for Miami Star Charters.

Graybeard

Off at Mrs. GB’s 50th HS reunion. Home team won 42-0. More eating and talking tomorrow.

Y’all have a good weekend.

The Other Whitey

I never knew about Welch’s supersonic flights! I knew of his wartime record, but this was new to me. Thanks, Hondo! A small historical quibble, if I may, concerning the bad reputation of the P-39 Airacobra. Like the P-40 Warhawk, the P-39 gets a far worse rap than it deserves. True, it didn’t quite live up to Bell’s hype—particularly the P-400 model that saw action on Guadalcanal (Bell promised it would break 400mph in level flight; it did not)—but the P-39 was a very maneuverable aircraft whose main drawback was poor high-altitude performance due to the lack of an appropriate supercharger (an issue it shared with the P-40). Like the P-40, it was a formidable dogfighter below 15,000 feet, which is where most air-to-air combat took place in most theaters of the war. The Cobra’s main drawbacks were short range and the unusual handling created by the center of gravity being farther back than other aircraft, due to the engine being mounted behind the cockpit (a reputed tendency towards flat spins was found to only be possible if the aircraft had its weight load improperly—and implausibly—distributed, and “light,” responsive controls gave the pilot a better chance of recovering in the unlikely event that he entered such a spin). If mastered, the P-39 was deadly in a dogfight (Chuck Yeager said as much). The problem was that the Cobra’s handling was unlike that of any other plane in the Army’s inventory, so it comes as no surprise that it was disliked by pilots used to the more conventional P-36, P-38, and P-40. For Soviet Air Force pilots who learned their trade in the notoriously-dangerous I-15/I-153 biplane and it’s near-twin I-16 monoplane, the weird weight distribution was nothing new. The Russians flew their lend-leased P-39s like they stole them, fighting Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs to a standstill, and five of their top-scoring aces did their best work in the Airacobra. The “Kobrastochka” (“Dear Little Cobra,” according to the internet; anyone who speaks Russian may feel free to correct that translation) remained in frontline service throughout the war, alongside ostensibly-superior Yak-3s, La-5s, and La-7s.… Read more »

11B-Mailclerk

I recall reading that the Russians also thought highly of the P-39 as a ground-attack platform.

Green Thumb

Agreed. Great article and story.

2/17 Air Cav

TOW: You leave w/o saying goodbye. There’s no note saying where you’re going or when you’ll be back. You don’t call. Dammit.

The Other Whitey

My apologies, Air Cav. Lot of shit going on at my end, and I figured TAH should have no difficulty running without me.

Green Thumb

The False Commander “Phony” Phil Monkress works balls with the assistance of Ranger Stephen “Cio” Burrell.

Does anyone even know if this loser (Phony Phil Monkress) is still the CEO of All-Points Logistics?

Ex-PH2

The real question, GT, is whether or not All-Points Logistics still exists or has evaporated into nothing.

Hack Stone

For those stockholders in the proud but humble woman owned business that sells software to the federal government, although the website is no longer available, and they no longer occupy that regal domicile on Wilson Lane, Hack Stone can assure that those stocks are just as strong and viable as the Venezuelan bolívar.

2/17 Air Cav

Grassley has granted Ford yet another deadline extension to decide whether she’s going to testify. I don’t like it but I understand it. The thinking is that if he doesn’t accord her most of what she wants, he’ll be vilified. Of course, it doesn’t matter what he does, how many times he concedes something to her, he will still be vilified by the Left. That’s the way it works when the media are on your side. Just the other day, I googled something related to the Ford fiasco and clicked a link. It brought me to an MSNBC piece where, while I was reading, an embedded video started auto-playing. Before I stopped it, I heard the talking head refer to the accuser as Dr. Ford and to Judge Kavanaugh as “that guy.” So, sure, Kavanaugh will continue to be treated with neutrality by the media. It’s 2018 and journalism is dead.

26Limabeans

Now she says she will testify sometime next week.

Grassly is getting punked big time.

2/17 Air Cav

Yeah, I just read about that. Her mouthpiece says Ford agrees to testify but not on Wednesday, the reset day reserved for her. Mouthpiece also says that the details need to be worked out, meaning that the Dems are once again dictating terms. This shit has to stop. The victim here is Kavanaugh. This whole mess has turned due process inside out and upside down. It’s pathetic. Grassley doesn’t get that no matter what he does, he will be the bad guy, the guy who hates women, who denies women justice, all for mid-term gamesmanship. The Left gives as much of a shit about Ford as it did about Cindy “Commie” Sheehan. It’s too late for Grassley, as far as I am concerned. He lost. The question is whether he will cut his losses, stick to Wednesday as put-up or shut-up day and call a vote.

26Limabeans
Ex-PH2

What is it that DiFi has on Grassley which makes it appear that she has him by the short hairs?

2/17 Air Cav

Nothing Ex-. Grassley is getting pressured by those subject to mid-terms. Inasmuch as the American public has a retention span of about two minutes, the quicker he disposes of this the better. No matter what the result, the Dems will, with the help of their eager confederates in the media, spin this as Republicans being pro-rape or some such thing. It’s hardly worth my saying. It’s foregone.

USMCMSgt (Ret)

Read an article from the Sacramento Bee recently that suggested the Marine Corps needs to give up Camp Pendleton because of it’s real estate value and potential…and since wars are being fought with drones and such, amphibious operations are a thing of the past. The punchline came suggesting the other reason is that since the Marine Corps serves a president that hates California, it needs to forfeit the land so it can be developed for Californians.

Retarded reporting at its best.

Ex-PH2

Fine. Move it all to North Chicago at NS Great Lakes. Then when California is invaded by unfriendlies and bombed by more unfriendlies, they can go pound sand up their beaches.

Hack Stone

Yeah, the Marine Corps has no positive impact to the California economy. Just set your wayback machine to September 1990 and read the articles from the Oceanside businessmen bitching how they lost all kinds of money because they were no longer tens of thousands of Marines around for them to fleece.

Perry Gaskill

Actually, it’s not retarded reporting because it’s not news reporting at all. The piece is a guest editorial written by Joe Mathews of an organization called Zócalo Public Square.

https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article218734795.html

What might also be pointed out is that the mere fact the Sacramento Bee is running a guest editorial doesn’t mean the editorial board of the Bee necessarily agrees with the opinion of whoever wrote it. The purpose is often to spark public debate.

If the Bee was truly pushing an agenda, it’s likely they would not have allowed Mathews to get beat up in the comments following his guest op/ed.

11B-Mailclerk

The more Federal facilities get closed or drawn down, especially military ones, the easier it is to push a secession.

Whoops. We were not supposed to notice that.

Ex-PH2

Despite the squawkings and posturings of the leftreds and Greenbeans and warmians, it appears that we’re having a normal autumn in my neck of the woods. Nice days, sometimes rain, chilly nights, and it also appears that it will continue to slide in that NORMAL direction.

That means call the furnace guy, get more furnace filters, stock the pantry shelves, stoke up on birdfood and something for the squirrles, and put a pumpkin pie on the table after dinner, loaded with whipped cream.

Time to go to Apple Hollow up the road and pick up some apples for pies from them, too, and one or two of their overloaded apple pies. The corn mazes are already open for business.

Life is good now. Let’s keep it that way.

SgtBob

Looks like somebody screwed into comments and put in a whole lot of WTF? stuff. Regarding the Mach 1 story: A bunch of “reportedly” and “reputedly” and “supposedly” statements. In writing, that means “We’re guessing ’cause there’s no proof.” As far as the XI lifted to test altitude, maybe every X15 flight should be discounted, since those aircraft were taken up attached to a B52. Altogether an unprofessional piece of guesswork journalism. Nears “fake.”

OWB

That there is real funny, it is.

No, really!

AnotherPat

Remember Shawn Christy, the Fugitive on the run from PA that Dave Hardin said he could use $20K? if he caught him:

https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=81872

Well, Christy was finally caught in Richland County, Ohio (Mansfield) this past Friday and will appear in Court on Monday:

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2018/09/fugitive_shawn_christy_to_appe.html

Christy was the one threatenng President Trump and the Palin Family.

Sorry, Dave. Better luck next time.

Dave Hardin

AnotherPat

Remember this guy, who in 2014 pretended to be a US Navy Seal name Alex Seppi?

https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=55108

Well, he got caught AGAIN, this time posing as a “Commander” in the State Department, promising to fast-track legal status for immigrants:

https://documentedny.com/2018/09/10/long-time-con-artist-targets-immigrants/

Gee Whiz…when are they going to keep him locked up? For good? Heard 3 times is a “charm”…

26Limabeans

For all the Mattis fans, here is a treat.
Over an hour long but in a rare setting.

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/09/dartmouth-welcomes-secretary-mattis.php

26Limabeans

He actually gave credit to Clinton for predicting ISIS’s fallback to Falluja.

“incredably, she was right”
You have to hear the tone of his voice when he says it.

2/17 Air Cav

Navy lost to SMU…for the 1st time in forever. Navy got outsmarted on a 2-pt conversion in OT that gave SMU the win. SMU sent an ineligible receiver–a 300 lb tackle–in motion and he stopped in the slot and was up on the line. The guy who was then at the end of down linemen became eligible and Navy said, “WTF is happening?” The eligible receiver went uncovered and the ineligible receiver got covered. Boo freakin’ hoo.

Meantime, Army’s Black Knights are playing #5 Oklahoma and Oklahoma is home–or is that homa? Anyway, Oklahoma is favored by 31 1/2 points. The lads just hit halftime. It’s 21-14 Oklahoma.