Frank Van Haste

WTS's memoir approaches Grant's in its excellence. Recommended! (And, in fact, Little Phil's is pretty OK as well.)

I actually think the Zeiss was optically superior to the new digital systems. Sharper star field. But, as you say, "variety of content" is what we get now; far from "ooh, stars".

A couple of years ago Air and Space retired the Zeiss projector that had been at the DC Mall building for decades. It'd gotten just too hard (and co$tly) to maintain. A new "lasers and computers" system was installed. The Zeiss is now displayed, as an artifact, at our Udvar-Hazy Center bldg in VA.

Refers to RADM Frank FRIDAY Fletcher, uncle of ADM Frank JACK Fletcher (the latter of WW2 fame). Both were present at Veracruz (FJF as a junior officer), both were CMoH recipients in connection therewith. The superb Fletcher class tin cans were named for FFF, the Spru-can Fletcher was named for FJF.

The quote in this one is just <chef's kiss>!! (...and Cappy made it to 95; a good run, well lived I trust.)

Is that the Count with Miss C.?

Cover of "Midnight Flyboys" by Bruce Henderson. Subtitle reads: "The American Bomber Crews and Allied Secret Agents Who Aided the French Resistance in WW II" Graphic shows b&w pic of a 10 member bomber crew posing in front of a B-24 seen from a 10 o'clock p.o.v.

Ahoy, @bhendersonbooks.bsky.social, look what I've been lent this day by my esteemed county librarian. Looking fwd to delving into it this evening; will check back in a few days.

Speaking just for myself, none of the above.

Speaking for myself, of course.

And, your work gives new insight into what made some key players "tick". (For me, fresh appreciation for Bill Slim & a new, sort of grudging sympathy for Arthur Harris). (My severe distaste for Brooke remains unabated.) So many thanks for this work, which I commend to all. 2/2

Shoutout to @alanallport.bsky.social whose fine "Advance Britannia" I've just finished. Alan, you've handily topped the high bar you set with "Britain at Bay" in this work. It offers superb context for important events sadly neglected in 20th cent. Yank education (e.g., the '43 Bengali famine) 1/2

It all just keeps gettin' better, eh?

Always

It’s too easy to go to war

Important thread:

Argonaut was sunk by Japanese naval forces, with the loss of all hands, on 10 January 1943. She is one of the 52 WW2 USN boats on Eternal Patrol.

Loved flying into KBID on a bright spring or fall morning then walking the half mile or so into town for a coffee.

I still wish that I'd kept my 1972 Sonnett III.

"War is mankind's most tragic and stupid folly; to seek or advise its deliberate provocation is a black crime against all men. Though you follow the trade of the warrior, you do so in the spirit of Washington -- not of Genghis Khan. For Americans, only threat to our way of life justifies resort to conflict." Graduation Exercises at the United States Military Academy, 6/3/47 "Possibly my hatred of war blinds me so that I cannot comprehend the arguments they adduce. But, in my opinion, there is no such thing as a preventive war. Although this suggestion is repeatedly made, none has yet explained how war prevents war. Worse than this, no one has been able to explain away the fact that war creates the conditions that beget war." Remarks at Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 10/19/50 [DDE's Pre-Presidential Papers, Principal File, Box

Was browsing the Eisenhower Library site this morning trying to find a quote I remembered.

President Eisenhower, WW2 military hero:

“In my opinion, there is no such thing as a preventive war… none has yet explained how war prevents war.”

If the Bishop says that Epenetus was one of the good men, I will wager that he indeed was. (And nice that Pa & Ma Smith named their kid(s) distinctively. Susan and the Bishop would do that as well.)(Although, I think Susan called "time" on that for Katherine's sake.)

Are the 101st troopers jump qualified these days? ISTR that the 101st went all helo air assault leaving the 82nd as the only true "airborne" div. (And what about the 11th in re: jump qual?)

"What's that noise?..."

There are two kinds of ships: submarines and targets.

Very useful thread:

Roger that. And, read about the memorial plaque, here: www.history.navy.mil/our-collecti...

In this thread, a fine story that cannot be retold too often:

The 91st Burke Class destroyer, DDG-141 is under contract at Ingalls Shipbuilding. At her launch, she will be christened as USS Ernest E. Evans. A most proper honor.

The pride of Paterson, NJ!

Whole thread is v. good:

I'll say again that everything that happened is how submarine warfare has always worked. But also, it is fair to say when submarine warfare started, it was hugely controversial for the same reasons that everyone is saying now.