War and Misunderstandings of Those who Weren't There

I was talking to a friend about her Dad and WWII. She said he never talked about it. My Dad was also in WWII, When he passed away I received his WWII awards and medals. I never new it but he was a Master Shot with pistol, rifle and machine gun. He was also one of the first to hit the beach at Attu. He helped lay down fire for the rest of the invasion. I didn't know any of this until he passed away. 

Vietnam was different from most of our previous wars. In Vietnam, everyone was the enemy, the enemy did not wear uniforms, a little child could be carrying a loaded pistol in the bag he carried as he walked past you. When we came home, we didn't see all the grandeur that our fathers saw when they come home. Young people, collage age through their garbage at us as we walked through airports and train stations. In my case, my own family called me a failure; partly because of the things I did in the war, but also because I voluntarily participated. 

There are many misunderstandings about wars like Vietnam. 

 

 Some of you may remember this image.

It is a grisly, iconic, Pulitzer Prize-winning photo from the Vietnam War that shocked the world.

My eyes were always strangely drawn to the Executioner, General Nguyen Ngoc Loan. The blend of his menacing face, the nonchalance in shooting the man, one must wonder, what leads a person down this path to villainy?

How could one so quickly kill a bound, unarmed prisoner? Upon my further investigation - this might be one of the most misunderstood photos in history. The plainly dressed victim might resemble a normal pedestrian - but he was no ordinary prisoner. He was the leader of a Vietcong death squad, that had infiltrated Saigon with the express purpose of assassinating a long list of people. He had personally executed several military officers and their entire families.

He was found standing over a grave with 34 bodies in it, that included women and children that had been killed execution style.

Following this famous photo, Loan continued fighting in the war for several years. He was later injured, losing one leg.

Loan and his wife eventually escaped to the US. Where he had 5 children and owned a restaurant in Virginia.

 

But his life was haunted by the photo that was taken of him as he was held up as a standard bearer for the evils of war. Loan's property was frequently vandalized and he was targeted by various outlets over the years.

The photographer, Eddie Adams, was deeply regretful of ever having taken the picture. He knew Loan well and stated that he was a good man and misrepresented. Adams felt he captured two deaths in that photo: that of the victim and that of Loan.

And - to be clear - this is not an attempt to absolve this man of all blame. This is dark stuff. However, what Loan did was not far beyond the bounds of what other soldiers were doing.

War is and has always been hell. To pretend it is anything less is to pretend fire isn't hot. So before making demons of men, remember: given the wrong circumstances, we are all capable of terrible things.

After all, we are human.

"Oriskany" - First & Last Thoughts - Seagull's Memories

I was stationed at Naval Schools Command, Treasure Island. That's a small flat island in the middle of San Francisco Bay. It was my first duty station. I was maintaining electronic test equipment for an Electronic Technician "A" school on the island. I just received my new orders. Sea Duty aboard the USS Oriskany CVA 34. I had never heard of Her so, I started asking others on the island if they knew anything about this ship. The "CVA" told me that she was an attack carrier of some kind but no one I talked to had ever heard of this "Oriskany" thing. 

The orders also stated that before reporting aboard I would spend a few weeks in a "C" school learning something called NTDS (Naval Tactical Data) SRC-16 radio transmitter - receiver system (one of the Navy's first communications networks) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, somewhere close to San Francisco. 

When I got to Mare Island and started the school, I also started asking around if anyone knew anything about this "Oriskany" ship. I found one old instructor that knew about her. He broke out into a huge laugh when I mentioned I was going to the Oriskany. He asked me who I pissed off. He said she was the OLDEST THING AFLOAT! Her SRC-16 system was serial number XN1 #1. That meant it was experimental model number 1 and was nothing like the machine I learned in school. Well, at least I now knew something about this thing called "Oriskany."

On the 17th of April 1973, I stood at the head of a pier in Alameda California. On my port side stood the USS Enterprise. Pride of the Navy, Queen of the sea. She was all decked out to start her sea tour tomorrow. Today she stood tall sleek and shinny. A necklace of aircraft around her island, She looked like an Ensign standing inspection, not a scratch or bruise on her skin, wrinkle in her uniform, and not a hair out of place. So beautiful and "sexy" - A sailor's "dream boat".  I could almost feel her tugging at me, whispering a beautiful sea chantey in my ear, trying to lure me away from my destination on the opposite side of the pier. 

On the starboard side, stood the Old Bitch of the Sea - Oriskany.  Just back from her sea tour yesterday. There she stood, Her uniform of grey: dirty, torn, wrinkled and tattered. Her skin scratched, bruised, covered in soot, salt and seagull crap. As I walked up her after-brow I could smell her sweat. Sweat from hundreds of miles in scorching sun and rough stormy seas, sweat from dozens of weeks at Yankee Station with flight ops sometimes going 24 hours a day. She was old, ugly and decrepit and she smelled of death.

At the head of her brow I stopped, turned and saluted her ensign. As I turned a 180, grabbed my packet of papers to hand to the Brow Watch, I thought: What the hell am I doing here? Did I piss off God? Why couldn't I be ridding that sleek young thing across the pier? The world knew her name and who's girl she was. Why am I, not even 20 years old yet, why do I have to ride this lonely Old Bitch of the Sea that no one knew, and from the looks of her, no one cared about?

On 14 June 1976, I stepped out on her flight deck for the last time. Slated for decommissioning instead of being cleaned up primed and painted, she was being stripped of all of her equipment. As I looked around I saw Her uniform of grey, still dirty, torn, wrinkled, tattered and Her skin scratched, bruised, covered in soot, salt and seagull crap from Her last Westpac. She was older and probably a bit uglier, but she wasn't the old bitch of the sea that I thought she would be. Once you got to know her she became a Fighting Lady. "The Mighty 'O' "is what we called her. A bitch to her enemy, but a Mighty Fighting Lady to her crew. She was the last of her kind, the last Essex Class Carrier, the last of the mighty fighting ships that took back the Pacific from the Japanese. From Alaska in the north to all the little islands that dot her south, the Essex Class Carriers fought and won the Pacific war. No, Oriskany wasn't the old bitch of the sea, She was the proud mother of the modern carrier, the first "SUPER CARRIER." Without the Essex Class Carriers like Oriskany, we would not have the sassy, sleek and sexy carriers of today. 

As I walked down her after-brow for the last time, I walked slowly so that I could savor her sweet sweat from missions to Korea and Vietnam, all the flight-ops involved in those wars along with the storms and typhoons we weathered. Along with her sweat is the always welcoming aroma of Subic bay with just a hint of Olongapo bar-maid perfume mixed with the breeze off shit-river. 

...Sorry, I just couldn't help a little Westpac reminiscing.   

ETN3 Harbit - Proud to say "I served on the USS Oriskany CVA 34" 

       

 

As I grow older I realize the magic of "belonging" to some place or time. I was on the USS Oriskany CVA-34 for an incredibly short time considering the length of my life at the present moment (73 years) and I remember the day I came aboard and the day I saluted her ensign for the last time. I did not realize it but I was taking a part of her with me and leaving some of myself behind. I now realize that I will never truly leave her, nor will she ever leave me. She is in my makeup today. The things she taught me I have used through out my life. Of all my education, the 4 years aboard her was by far my greatest learning experience. 

She was decommissioned on 30 September 1976. The old girl was slowly torn apart but she did not whimper or cry, she realized she had stood her watch and it was her time to be relieved.

 

She did not die because she lives with in the 10's of thousand of sailors that have crossed her deck during her watch and to me she will always be "the Grand Old Lady ...... the Mighty 'O'. The last Essex Class ship made. The last Great Warrior of WWII. 

ETN3 Harbit OE division, May 1972 - July 1976.

Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

 

On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was, How many steps does the guard take during their walk across the Tomb of the Unknowns? ------ All three missed it ---

 

The Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is really an awesome sight to watch.

Guard Duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1. How many steps does the guard take during their walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? ...21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

 

2. How long do they hesitate after their about face to begin their return walk and why?...21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1,

 

3. Why are their gloves wet? ...Their gloves are moistened to prevent losing their grip on the rifle.

 

4. Do they carry their rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not? ... They carry the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After their march across the path, they execute an about face and move the rifle to the outside shoulder.

 

5. How often are the guards changed? ... Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to? ... For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, they must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and their waist size cannot exceed 30.' Other requirements of the Guard: They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty.

 

They cannot swear in public and cannot disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only a little over 600 presently worn.

 

The guard must obey these rules while serving as guards or for the rest of their lives if they choose.

 

The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.

 

There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform.

 

Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.

 

The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV.

 

All off-duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis (the boxer) and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, (the most decorated soldier of WWII) of Hollywood fame.

 

Every guard spends five hours a day getting their uniforms ready for guard duty.

 

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

 

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington , DC , our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. 

They respectfully declined the offer, 'No way, Sir!' Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person.

 

The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

 

God Bless and Keep the Guards of the Unknown Soldier.

We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

 

Duty - Honor - Country

 

IN GOD WE TRUST

 

 

In May 1864, one month prior to its establishment as a national cemetery, the first military burials took place at Arlington National Cemetery. The four burials took place in Section 27 (pictured), the oldest section of the cemetery:

 

  

 

Private William Henry Christman, 67th Pennsylvania Infantry: first military service member interred at Arlington.

 

Private William Reeves, 76th New York Infantry: first draftee.

 

Private William Blatt, 49th Pennsylvania Infantry: first battle casualty.

 

Private William H. McKinney, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry: first to have family present at his funeral.

 

Learn more about the history of Arlington National Cemetery.

USS Longbeach CGN9

 

I was on the USS Longbeach from July 76 to July 79

The nuclear powered guided missile cruiser USS Long Beach (CGN-9) under construction at the Fore River Shipyard at Quincy, Massachusetts on 2 July 1959.

Longbeach was notable for being the last cruiser of the USN to use a traditional cruiser style hull based on those used during World War II. Following cruisers would be built on Frigate or Destroyer hulls.

An artist's impression of USS Long Beach (CGN-9) in her AEGIS cruiser configuration.

The United States Navy hoped to refit all of its nuclear cruisers and convert them into AEGIS equipped warships. USS Long Beach would have received a radical new appearance, losing her entire superstructure for a newer, more compact type.

Her weaponry was never sorted out as several different proposals were considered. She would have likely carried a heavy battery of harpoon anti-ship missiles. Proposals show either Mark 26 missile launchers (As seen in the photo) or potentially VLS for the anti-air missiles. For guns, the refitted Long Beach was depicted in both single and doubled ended configurations. More than likely two 5"/54 guns would have been carried, but a few proposals saw as many as two 8"/55 Mark 71 guns being carried.

Unfortunately, budget cuts in the early 1990s as well as a shift away from nuclear powered cruisers saw the proposals canned with Long Beach being decommissioned soon after.

Nuclear Energy - Here's Where it all Started

 

Under the stadium seats at University of Chicago (my hometown!).

Ten intriguing facts you might not know about the world’s first controlled release of nuclear energy:

1. The world's first self-sustaining controlled nuclear chain reactor took place at the University of Chicago on December 2, 1942. 

2. Chicago Pile-1 was the world’s first nuclear reactor to go critical.

3. 49 scientists led by Enrico Fermi, were present for the event. Leona Marshall was the lone female researcher.

4. The reactor was built with graphite blocks, some of which contained small disks of uranium.

5. Scientists monitored the reaction on instruments named after Winnie the Pooh characters—Piglet, Tigger and Pooh.

6. Scientist George Weil withdrew the cadmium-plated control rod unleashing the first controlled chain reaction.

7. The reactor had three sets of control rods. One was automatic and could be controlled from the balcony. Another was an emergency safety rod. The third rod (operated by Weil) actually held the reaction in check until it was withdrawn the proper distance.

8. The group celebrated with a bottle of Chianti that was poured into paper cups. Most of the participants signed the wine bottle’s label. This was the only written record of who had taken part in the experiment.

9. In the lead up to this experiment, a letter from Albert Einstein to President Franklin D. Roosevelt helped lead to the Manhattan Project—a government research project that produced the first atomic bombs. It was also the seed that grew into the modern U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory system.

10. The Energy Department’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is named in honor of Enrico Fermi for his contributions to nuclear physics and scientific success at nearby University of Chicago.

Links to more information about the birth of nuclear energy:

The first nuclear reactor, explained

Chicago Pile-1

Chicago Pile 1: A bold nuclear physics experiment with enduring impact

Manhattan Project

Chicago Pile-1 - Manhattan Project History

 

 

 

 

 

Harlem Nocturne

This is one I will never ever forget. I just heard it, after 50 years I still remember where I was and who I was with when I first heard it. <sigh> I was wishing I knew how to dance at my High School prom. My date Barbra wanted to dance to this tune soooooo bad.

 

Hearing it again brought back that same feeling...Wish I could dance.

Harlem Nocturne long version by The Viscounts

"Harlem Nocturne" has been recorded by many diverse artists, but this version by the The Viscounts is by far the best.

... Wonder if my Physics teacher remembers who he danced with while this played?