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Topic: OT - Weird History

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FearlessF

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5362 on: July 29, 2025, 10:08:34 AM »
July 29, 1867 — Lincoln voted as State Capitol

Lincoln was voted as Nebraska’s Capitol on July 29, 1867 after a vote by the State Capital Commission. The commission was made up of the Governor, Secretary of State and Auditor. The three traveled eastern Nebraska before selected Lancaster County. They named it Lincoln after the former president. At the time it had only 30 residents.

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medinabuckeye1

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5363 on: July 29, 2025, 10:15:49 AM »
Yeah, it's not.  It's a campaign that has always fascinated me for various reasons.

Some think Hitler caused the Germans to forfeit an even larger victory, and maybe that is true.
It is interesting just how unconventional and risky the assault was.  The Halt order may have forfeited an even larger victory but it also may have avoided a catastrophe for them.  It is hard to tell.  

One thing that was interesting to me in the series was how dramatic Churchill's meetings with the French in Paris were.  He flew over there thinking things were not going as well as hoped but that adjustments could be made and basically 'everything would be fine' and learned from the French who were closer to the situation and had more current intel that the situation was not merely 'not going well' but, as the French put it, "all is lost".  

The Unity Government that Churchill offered is an interesting basis for historical counterfactuals.  What if the French had accepted?  The combined Anglo-French Navy would have thus been MUCH larger in the early years of the war than the actual British Navy on 1940-1943.  The combined Anglo-French Army would also have been much more powerful and this would have had a major impact on the colonial issues in North Africa, the Middle East, and Indochina.  

medinabuckeye1

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5364 on: July 29, 2025, 10:17:50 AM »
Ten Days in Sedan - YouTube

I found this pretty interesting about the German breakout in May 1940, it has a lot of detail, a lot of French measures that fizzled for various reasons, the conflict in German high command worried about flanks, and Guderian and Rommel ignoring orders.
Purely out of curiosity, did you look into the dedication thing for your dad?  I looked into it for my wife's grandpa but I was too late to get it for the appropriate episode.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'll explain it.  

MrNubbz

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5365 on: July 29, 2025, 10:20:28 AM »
 I've been especially interested in the Korea one because you don't see as much about it.  It is called "The Forgotten War" for a reason. 
read The Coldest War: A Memoir of Korea by James Brady

my neighbor fought at The Chosin Reservoir

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medinabuckeye1

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5366 on: July 29, 2025, 10:40:18 AM »
read The Coldest War: A Memoir of Korea by James Brady

my neighbor fought at The Chosin Reservoir
One of my dad's friends and a guy I bought insurance from right before he retired was there as well, what a terrible experience those guys had.  

My dad's friend just passed away a year or two ago.  He had been in the Ohio National Guard in the late 1940s and they got called up when the war got going in the summer of 1950 so he ended up there.  

Frozen Chosin was hell on earth.  

One more anecdote:
My dad (1940-2021) graduated from HS in 1958 and immediately joined the Marine Corps.  He went to Parris Island where his Drill Instructors were almost all Korea vets who had stayed in after the war and ended up assigned to train raw recruits.  Dad said that Boot Camp was hell for everyone but that the DIs made it just AWFUL for the older guys.  The reason was that guys my dad's age (17-18) were obviously too young for Korea.  My dad was nine when North Korea invaded South Korea in the summer of 1950 and 12 when the armistice went into effect in the summer of 1953.  However, when my dad was in Boot Camp there were a few older guys who had ducked out of Korea on college deferments then ended up getting drafted a few years later.  The DIs HATED those guys because while they (the DIs) were freezing their asses off and getting shot at by never-ending hordes of Chinese "volunteers", the deferment guys were partying on campus.  My dad said the DIs made it abundantly clear that they HATED the fact that while they were freezing and fighting in Korea, the college deferment guys were 'chasing skirt' (as the DIs put it) on campus.  

Cincydawg

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5367 on: July 29, 2025, 11:44:51 AM »
Purely out of curiosity, did you look into the dedication thing for your dad?  I looked into it for my wife's grandpa but I was too late to get it for the appropriate episode.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'll explain it. 
???

medinabuckeye1

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5368 on: July 29, 2025, 01:36:54 PM »
???
The channel that is doing that 10 Days in Sedan series is called Time Ghost.  They are financed partially through what they get from YouTube based on traffic and partially through donations.  They refer to contributors as "Members of the Time Ghost Army" and then they have levels so a minimal contribution makes you a Private and larger contributions get you higher ranks, etc.  

They also do dedications.  I mostly saw this with their WWII series.  FWIW, I thought that the WWII series was really good.  They called it "WWII in Real Time" and it was released weekly for six years as they progressed through the war.  Each segment covered one week of the war and it was basically presented as something akin to a "news" show as if this was a news report from that date covering everything that happened in the week.  

Dedications:
Some of the episodes were dedicated to a veteran or other person impacted by the war.  They had a price sheet for this as well.  So if you did a dedication, at the end of that week's episode they would say "This week's episode is dedicated to @Cincydawg 's dad.  Cincydawg's dad was an air crewman in the ## Bomber Group and was shot down over the S. Pacific on such-and-such date.  He survived the war and raised a family and this episode has been dedicated by Cincydawg in his memory."  

Cincydawg

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5369 on: July 29, 2025, 02:00:08 PM »
Cool, I'll look into it.  My Dad was in the 868th "Snooper's" bomb squadron, B-24s equipped with radar flying night antishipping missions.  

Pacific Wrecks - 868th Bombardment Squadron (868th BS) "Snooper Squadron"
Pacific Wrecks - 868th Bombardment Squadron (868th BS) "Snooper Squadron"

Background
On November 30, 1943 constituted as the 868th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). Nicknamed the "Snooper Squadron".

Wartime History
On January 1, 1944 activated directly under the XIII Bomber Command of the 13th Air Force (13th AF) in the South Pacific (SoPAC) operating radar equipped B-24s based at Munda Airfield on New Georgia for night missions using airborne radar for low-level attacks at night, and for pathfinder operations.

On January 4, 1944 the squadron flies their first combat mission in the South Pacific (SoPAC).

On March 20, 1944 the squadron begins moving to Mokerang Airfield on Los Negros in the Admiralty Island Group (Admiralty Islands). Meanwhile, the squadron continue to operate from Munda Airfield flying combat missions.

On March 31, 1944 took off is B-24D "Sergeant Stripes... Forever!" 42-63805  pilot 2nd Lt. Robert A. Robbins via Bougainville on a bombing mission against Truk. Returning on April 1, 1944 at 12:55am crashed on Rendova Island with the loss of the entire crew.

On June 11, 1944 lost is B-24J Liberator 42-100273  pilot 2nd Lt. Donald W. Dyer on a radar "snooper" mission against Truk and went Missing In Action (MIA), believed to be lost due to either enemy anti-aircraft fire or a night fighter.

On June 25, 1944 took off is B-24D "Madame Libby The Sea Ducer" 42-40838  pilot 1st Lt. Wilmer B. Haynes on a radar "snooper" mission against Truk and last report was June 26, 1944 at 2:26am and went Missing In Action (MIA).

On August 29, 1944 the squadron moves to Noemfoor Island.

On January 12, 1945 took off is B-24J Liberator 44-41078  pilot 2nd Lt. Gordon E. Brums on a mission against Sanga Sanga and went Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, this bomber crashed roughly six miles from Anggana on the eastern coast of Borneo with three crew captured as Prisoners Of War (POW) and were executed February 15, 1945.

On January 14, 1945 lost is B-24J "Lady June" 42-100271  pilot 2nd Lt. William F. Plunkett (MIA) on a night mission and crashed to the sea and went Missing In Action (MIA).

On March 22, 1945 the squadron moves to Pitu Airfield (Pitoe) on Morotai.

On April 21, 1945 lost is B-24J 44-41081 pilot by 1st Lt. William H. Beaver an armed shipping and photographic reconnaissance mission against the Makassar Strait off Sulawesi (Celebes). Over the target, this B-24 was rammed by a Japanese fighters over Mandai Airfield near Makassar and crashed into the sea with the entire crew listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

On July 3, 1945 the squadron moves to Leyte.

On July 29, 1945 the squadron moves to Okinawa until the end of the Pacific War.

Cincydawg

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5370 on: July 29, 2025, 02:10:18 PM »
Darkness Could Not Spare the Japanese From These B-24s — Neither Could Daylight

I had never seen this before.  This is the plane in which my Dad was flying when it went down.  I couldn't spot him in the photo.  My Dad got a letter of commendation for one mission, maybe the one below.

Splane tracked Omori for an hour, radioing updated details to Merrill, who maneuvered his task group to intercept the Japanese. At this point, well after midnight, Devil’s Delight received permission to mount its own LAB run. Splane had his radar operator pick out the strongest radar signature and homed in to deliver “six five-hundred-pound bombs in a 30-foot interval release sequence that walked right up to the side of the ship.” Banking away, Splane knew he had damaged the flagship and rattled its bridge crew. The attack had caught the cruiser by surprise and Splane received no fire from the Haguro on this run nor on a follow-up attack up the wake that just missed the cruiser.


medinabuckeye1

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5371 on: July 29, 2025, 02:12:34 PM »
Cool, I'll look into it.  My Dad was in the 868th "Snooper's" bomb squadron, B-24s equipped with radar flying night antishipping missions. 
It might be too late.  They did those when the episodes were released and I don't know if they have the ability to go back and add a dedication to an already released episode.  I don't know.  
Pacific Wrecks - 868th Bombardment Squadron (868th BS) "Snooper Squadron"
Pacific Wrecks - 868th Bombardment Squadron (868th BS) "Snooper Squadron"

Background
On November 30, 1943 constituted as the 868th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). Nicknamed the "Snooper Squadron".

Wartime History
On January 1, 1944 activated directly under the XIII Bomber Command of the 13th Air Force (13th AF) in the South Pacific (SoPAC) operating radar equipped B-24s based at Munda Airfield on New Georgia for night missions using airborne radar for low-level attacks at night, and for pathfinder operations.

On January 4, 1944 the squadron flies their first combat mission in the South Pacific (SoPAC).

On March 20, 1944 the squadron begins moving to Mokerang Airfield on Los Negros in the Admiralty Island Group (Admiralty Islands). Meanwhile, the squadron continue to operate from Munda Airfield flying combat missions.

On March 31, 1944 took off is B-24D "Sergeant Stripes... Forever!" 42-63805  pilot 2nd Lt. Robert A. Robbins via Bougainville on a bombing mission against Truk. Returning on April 1, 1944 at 12:55am crashed on Rendova Island with the loss of the entire crew.

On June 11, 1944 lost is B-24J Liberator 42-100273  pilot 2nd Lt. Donald W. Dyer on a radar "snooper" mission against Truk and went Missing In Action (MIA), believed to be lost due to either enemy anti-aircraft fire or a night fighter.

On June 25, 1944 took off is B-24D "Madame Libby The Sea Ducer" 42-40838  pilot 1st Lt. Wilmer B. Haynes on a radar "snooper" mission against Truk and last report was June 26, 1944 at 2:26am and went Missing In Action (MIA).

On August 29, 1944 the squadron moves to Noemfoor Island.

On January 12, 1945 took off is B-24J Liberator 44-41078  pilot 2nd Lt. Gordon E. Brums on a mission against Sanga Sanga and went Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, this bomber crashed roughly six miles from Anggana on the eastern coast of Borneo with three crew captured as Prisoners Of War (POW) and were executed February 15, 1945.

On January 14, 1945 lost is B-24J "Lady June" 42-100271  pilot 2nd Lt. William F. Plunkett (MIA) on a night mission and crashed to the sea and went Missing In Action (MIA).

On March 22, 1945 the squadron moves to Pitu Airfield (Pitoe) on Morotai.

On April 21, 1945 lost is B-24J 44-41081 pilot by 1st Lt. William H. Beaver an armed shipping and photographic reconnaissance mission against the Makassar Strait off Sulawesi (Celebes). Over the target, this B-24 was rammed by a Japanese fighters over Mandai Airfield near Makassar and crashed into the sea with the entire crew listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

On July 3, 1945 the squadron moves to Leyte.

On July 29, 1945 the squadron moves to Okinawa until the end of the Pacific War.
Man those guys went through hell.  That is a lot of losses for one group of guys and being shot (or rammed) down hundreds of miles from anyone friendly against an enemy that sometimes did this:
On January 12, 1945 took off is B-24J Liberator 44-41078  pilot 2nd Lt. Gordon E. Brums on a mission against Sanga Sanga and went Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, this bomber crashed roughly six miles from Anggana on the eastern coast of Borneo with three crew captured as Prisoners Of War (POW) and were executed February 15, 1945.
That would be hell.  

Cincydawg

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5372 on: July 29, 2025, 02:19:37 PM »
My Dad would talk about it on occasion.  The Truk missions he said were basically suicide missions, the "daylight boys" would bomb Truk but it was at extreme range and they would take along an SB-24 because it could steer them around heavy weather.  As the lead plane it would often be taken out by the Japanese, as the above indicates.  He said he was just waiting their turn, he didn't really expect to come back.

He talked about the poker games, he never played because his folks were poor and he sent most of his pay home.  He said they had a New Zealand squadron of fighters, maybe P-39s, on Guadalcanal, and they'd get bombed at night and he said one of the NZers would jump in his plane and take off and at night never make it back.

The interesting thing, to me, is how automated their bomb drops were.  He had a "G scope" on which a line would move and it connected with the bomb release and when the line hit center the bombs would drop in predetermined intervals.

As a kid, all this sounds exciting, and I'd watch John Wayne kill off thousands of Japs in movies.  I think when I much later read "With the Old Breed" I got a small sliver of what war is really like.  It ain't like the movies.

MrNubbz

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5373 on: July 29, 2025, 05:51:22 PM »
1773 First schoolhouse west of the Allegheny Mountains is completed in Schoenbrunn, Ohio

1835 First sugar plantation in Hawaii is established

1848 Irish Potato Famine: Tipperary Revolt - an unsuccessful nationalist revolt against British rule is put down by police

1890 Vincent van Gogh Dutch artist, painter, dies 2 days after shooting himself at 37

1899 First motorcycle race at Manhattan Beach, New York

1914 First transcontinental phone link made between New York City and San Francisco

1915 Pirate Honus Wagner, at 41, hits a grand slam home run (no small feat in the deadball era)

1920 Mexican rebel Pancho Villa surrenders

1921 Cleveland's 125th anniversary celebration: Cy Young, aged 54, pitches two innings

1928 Cleveland Indians score 17 in the first two innings to defeat the New York Yankees 24-6 at Dunn Field, setting a record with 24 singles in one game

1930 115°F (46°C) is recorded in Holly Springs, Mississippi (state record)

1933 Police shootout with Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow's gang in Iowa leaves one member, Clyde's brother Buck Barrow, dead and one captured; Bonnie and Clyde escape

1954 Publication of "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first volume of "The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien, by George Allen & Unwin in London

1957 Jack Paar's "The Tonight Show" premieres on NBC

1958 US President Eisenhower signs into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, establishing NASA

1967 The Doors' single "Light My Fire" hits #1 in the US

1973 Led Zeppelin has over $200,000 in cash stolen from a safe deposit box at the New York Hilton Hotel

1974 Cass Elliot,vocalist the Mamas & The Papas, dies of a heart attack in London at 32

1974 MLB St. Louis Cardinals' Lou Brock steals his 700th base

1983 David Niven British Academy Award-winning actor,novelist and WWII veteran, dies in Switzerland of Lou Gehrig's disease at 73

2007 Tom Snyder,American television and radio interviewer, dies of complications from leukemia at 71

2023 A 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser named the "Mud Crab" drives 7 km underwater at 30 ft deep to cross Darwin's harbor, likely breaking world records

2024 America’s gross national debt tops $35 trillion for the first time, according to the US Treasury Department (unbelievable)






« Last Edit: July 29, 2025, 05:57:02 PM by MrNubbz »
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FearlessF

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5374 on: Today at 09:21:37 AM »
THIS DAY IN HISTORY: 

Medicare and Medicaid Are Established (1965)
The Social Security Act of 1935 established national social insurance, welfare, and other assistance programs in the US, but it did not address healthcare. Years later, President Harry Truman drew attention to this issue when he unsuccessfully lobbied for the establishment of a national healthcare program. By the 1960s, the political climate was more open to reform, and the Social Security Act amendments creating Medicare and Medicaid were passed.
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Cincydawg

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Re: OT - Weird History
« Reply #5375 on: Today at 09:24:20 AM »
One reason the US does not have universal health care is the very high marginal tax rates back then.  This could be the main reason.  The top marginal rate was 90%.

So, companies vied to offer other "benefits" which they could deduct and the salaryman got them tax free, one of these was health insurance.  Companies started offering it, it was a nice tax free perk, the company could write it off.  So, now we have company-based health insurance for a lot of people.

 

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