History and A Great Son

Today let's start off with a little World War II history.

This is from Col. D.G.Swinford, USMC, Ret., and history buff. You would really have to dig to get this kind of ringside seat to history.

1. The first German serviceman killed in WW2 was killed by the Japanese (China, 1937) . . . the first American serviceman killed was killed by the Russians (Finland 1940) . . . the highest ranking American killed was Lt. Gen. Lesley McNair, killed by the US Army Air Corps. So much for allies.

2. The youngest US serviceman was 12 year old Calvin Graham, USN. He was wounded and given a Dishonorable Discharge for lying about his age. (His benefits were later restored by act of Congress.)

3. At the time of Pearl Harbor, the top US Navy command was Called CINCUS (pronounced "sink us"); the shoulder patch of the US Army's 45th Infantry division was the Swastika; and Hitler's private train was named "Amerika." All three were soon changed for PR purposes.

4. More US servicemen died in the Air Corps than the Marine Corps. While completing the required 30 flying missions, your chance of being killed was 71%.

5. Generally speaking, there was no such thing as an average fighter pilot. You were either an ace or a target. For instance, Japanese ace Hiroyoshi Nishizawa shot down over 80 planes. He died while a passenger on a cargo plane.

6. It was a common practice on fighter planes to load every 5th round with a tracer round to aid in aiming. This was a mistake. Tracers had different ballistics so (at long range) if your tracers were hitting the target 80% of your rounds were missing. Worse yet tracers instantly told your enemy he was under fire and from which direction. Worst of all was the practice of loading a string of tracers at the end of the belt to tell you that you were out of ammo. This was definitely not something you wanted to tell the enemy. Units that stopped using tracers saw their success rate nearly double and their loss rate go down.

YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE THIS ONE....

7. When allied armies reached the Rhine, the first thing men did was pee in it. This was pretty universal from the lowest private to Winston Churchill (who made a big show of it) and Gen. Patton (who had himself photographed in the act).

8. German Me-264 bombers were capable of bombing New York City, but they didn't consider it worth the effort.

9. German submarine U-120 was sunk by a malfunctioning toilet.

10. Among the first "Germans" captured at Normandy were several Koreans. They had been forced to fight for the Japanese Army until they were captured by the Russians, and then forced to fight for the Russian Army until they were captured by the Germans, and then forced to fight for the German Army until they were captured by the US Army.

AND I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST....

11. Following a massive naval bombardment, 35,000 US and Canadian troops stormed ashore at Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands. 21 troops were killed in the firefight. It would have been worse if there had been any Japanese on the island.




And now I would like to close with a comment that I doubt many of you saw that was left on my January 12th post.

Daddio,

You mustn’t stop the blog, oh no, you are having too much fun,

Your ideas aren't getting dull; in fact they stay as bright as the sun.

I might not read it EVERY day, but I read it when it counts,

And with every new addition, my happiness only mounts.

You spend long hours day and night trying to please the peeps,

With stories that grab our attention, instead of giving us the creeps!

I’m thankful to have a dad like you, so thoughtful and so cool,

You’re the best chef in the kitchen, you’re always handy with a tool.

You work so hard to entertain, and let’s not forget delight,

The bulb in your brain is not getting dark, it seems to be staying bright.

You were given some blog books for x-mas, but I say no help is required,

Because you are a pro at this writing thing, your words I have always admired.

Sometimes we need a place to go, an escape from the stress of the day,

Your blog provides us with that place, we are thankful in every way.

You might never get the hits you hope for, but you do indeed get some hits,

So keep on writing swell father of mine, because a Wagner never quits!


This is from my son, Tyler, the greatest son a dad could ask for.

Though my body grows old Ty, you keep me feeling young.

Thank you Tyler, love you.

That's the name of that tune! Return tomorrow for more of what you least expect!!!