The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Battle for Torpedo Junction (1942) - May 20th, 2003

The Island Breeze ^ | December 2000 | Kevin Duffus

[Iris7]

Love your photo of the Cessna(? not good at light aircraft ID from that era) making a bomb run on the surfaced VII-C. Early war U-boat, the later ones utterly bristled with antiaircraft guns, would usually destroy an attacking Mosquito or TBF, very bad news. I will bet you a nickel that those CAP guys made attacks with their tiny bombs on those late war U-boats without hesitation. Utterly aware it was certain death.

[SAMWolf]

You getting our rain? We've been dry for a week now.

[SAMWolf]

One of our real friends for a long time.

[SAMWolf]

I 'd love to do the Crete story, but haven't figured a way to get it into a "US History" Thread.

Maybe I can sneak it in somehow.

[SAMWolf]

There's a good book out called 'U-boats Off Shore" that really shows how screwed up things were on the East Coast early in the war. No blackouts, no convoy sysytem, inefective anti-sub procedures, etc.

[snippy_about_it]

lol.

Currently I only have dogs but I like cats too.

[snippy_about_it]

You can have the rain back. I'll send it 'round again. lol.

Are you real rainy like Washington State?

[SAMWolf]

Not quite as bad, but almost.

[SAMWolf]

Shadow and Kodi say:

Dogz Rule, Cats Drul!!

[snippy_about_it]

And what do your cats have to say to that? Hmmmm?

[snippy_about_it]

It's like picking your favorite child. Can't do it. They both have their good and not so good points although I can't think of anything bad about a dog at this moment.:)

[U S Army EOD]

Would love to have that battle put on for reading.

My mother in law's first husband was killed on Crete. (New Zealand) While visiting my in-laws in New Zealand I was able to talk to one of the company commanders that was holding one of the three hills surrounding the airfield. He told me even though he was holding his hill he thought the other two hills had been over run. When in fact all three hills were holding. They all pulled back thinking the same thing about the other two hills. Had each unit had proper radios the New Zealanders might have held on.

Her second husband, ARW (Dan) Ormond (my father inlaw) was a fascinating individual to talk to. He was quite active in the LRDG and was in Italy with the NZ 2nd Division. He had brothers and cousins in the LRDG, some who I have read about. One being Nick Wilder plus another brother Micheal Ormond who was the last guy in the escape tunnel during the "Great Escape". What a neat bunch of people these people were.

[Soaring Feather]

awwwwww they are so sweet!!
Now snippy, here is a dog of a different sort!!

ROFLOL!

Party Hardy!!

[U S Army EOD]

Charlie Upton, a New Zealander, also got two awards of the VC. One in Greece or Crete and the other in North Africa where he was captured. Read the book "Mark of the Lion". He was a close friend of my father inlaw who himself got two Military Cross's plus I think five awards of the Military Medal. My father inlaw was with the LRDG and NZ 2nd Division in Africa and Italy.

Also the doctor at Rooke's Drift got the VC there and another during WWI.

[U S Army EOD]

Use the excuse US Army EOD had a bunch of cousin in laws there.

[snippy_about_it]

Good Grief!

[snippy_about_it]

Hey Sam, you could do the Crete story in honor of our current help from our allies? If there is a will there is a way. :)

I trust you'll find an angle. Relatives of freepers is a good one.

[GATOR NAVY]

Trivia fact: Montana is the only one of the lower 48 states that has never had its name given to a battleship

True, but the lead ship of the follow-on class to the IOWAs was going to be named MONTANA.

"Artist's conception of this abortive class, whose construction was cancelled on 21 July 1943. This artwork depicts the ship fitted with a heavy battery of anti-aircraft guns, as would have been the case had she been completed."

[Soaring Feather]

Good Grief!

What??? Don't you think it's funny????

ROTFLOL

[snippy_about_it]

What??? Don't you think it's funny???? I am really a wacko, you know!!

Oh it's funny, you're wacko and I'm crazy! You got me good with the Rhett Butler quote earlier! I laughed the rest of the day. LOL.

You're a good example of why I love it here. :)

What a Wonderful World