The FReeper Foxhole Revisits The Invasion Of Southern France (Aug-1944) - August 13th, 2004

http://www.kwanah.com/txmilmus/36division/archives/caval/invasion.htm ^

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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The FReeper Foxhole Revisits

Operation Dragoon(Anvil)

At 0800, August 14, 1944, the chateau-studded Riviera, its pastelled hotels and white-bleached beaches, its oleander and terraces, its coastal drives that drop like cornices over the cliffs, lay invitingly ahead. But if this was the season, it was not the year for an influx of smart Parisian loungers. It was the day for plebeian GI Joe from Tahoka, Texas, and all U. S. points east and west to crash in on an Allied invasion that was to succeed in tactical perfection.

The under-belly blow to Nazi-dominated Europe, long contemplated in the minds of the Allied Command, was first proposed in December, 1943. The plan, a coordinated double jab at both Northern and Southern France during May of 1944, had to be modified when the gruelling Italian campaign lingered. Postponement of the attack in the south became necessary.

DECISION MADE LATE

During the early summer, when an August date for the Riviera invasion was proposed, 36th Division troops were pushing up Italy’s coast nearing the Germans’ Pisa-Rimini defense line. Not until June 24 was the 36th finally nominated for participation in the Southern France project. Withdrawal from the line followed a few days later to allow a rushed-up program of invasion training for the Division on the beaches near Salerno.


Troops of the 45th Division wade ashore near Ste. Maxime.

By late July in Normandy the breakout at St. Lo was developing and the onrushing drive toward Paris would follow. In Southern France, German forces in defense of the coastal areas were being reduced to meet the serious breaches in the north. Our intelligence determined that the German Nineteenth Army, soon to oppose the Allied invasion, had been streamlined from 13 to 9 divisions—still, however, an effective force if it could be concentrated. With the Luftwaffe weakened and the German Navy, never top-notch, practically eliminated, our forces, strong in these departments, entered the operation with confidence.

ANYONE COULD SEE

As Lieutenant General (then Major General) Alexander M. Patch’s Seventh Army and the VI Corps assault team—the veteran 3rd, 36th, and 45th Infantry Divisions—prepared for D-Day, concentrations of Allied might lay daringly in Mediterranean ports, principally Naples. That this was the prelude to an invasion obviously was implied to the Germans. Furthermore, Southern France was a very logical target. But if the enemy sensed what was coming, he did not know at what specific points our troops would strike.


German armor passing through Toulouse.

In the 36th Division sector four beaches were designated: Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue. Red Beach was located at the resort town of San Raphael. It was the most important in the entire Seventh Army sector because not only was it necessary for supply but also near it was located an airfield. It was heavily defended by underwater obstacles, by concrete pillboxes and gun emplacements. In addition, immediately in front of the beach was a stone sea wall about five feet high. Inland from the beach and flanking it on the eastern side was the town of San Raphael and just beyond that the old stone city of Frejus. This beach was essential, once the invasion was launched, for the necessary rapid build-up of supply. Enemy casements protected Green Beach, a mere 250-yard rocky strip backed by a sharp incline near Cape Drammont. It was thought to be too small for the landing of a large force, but here a surprise might be possible and a foothold gained Yellow Beach in front of the town of Agay, was a small horse-shoe shaped inlet, protected by submarine mine netting and flanked by extensive fires. Considered more carefully defended than it was worth, planned direct attack on this beach was dropped. Blue, a few miles from Green, could accommodate only two small boats at a time.

The plan finally adopted was to have the 141st Infantry assault Green Beach with two battalions and Blue with one at H-Hour, 0800, to secure these beaches, capture Agay and protect the Division right. The 143rd Infantry was to follow immediately behind the 141st and then drive to the west to seize the heights overlooking San Raphael and Red Beach, thus assisting the 142nd. This regiment was to land six hours later, assault Red Beach, and, together with the 143rd, capture San Raphael, the airfield and Frejus. From the beaches troops were to press inland to a depth of 12 miles, block any enemy attacks from the Cannes area on the right, and push up the Argens River Valley on the left to contact a paratroop force dropped near Le Muy. The capture of Frejus and the small port of San Raphael were "Must" jobs that had to be accomplished immediately.

CONVOY SAILS

The invasion convoy sailed from Naples August 13 at noon, passed through the Sardinia-Corsica Straits and arrived offshore of the Riviera beaches at dawn of the 15th. While landing craft lowered and the first waves of tight-lipped infantrymen edged toward the beaches, huge naval guns and bombers pounded the coastline. At 0800 as a crisp sun melted the haziness of the morning, Colonel John W. Harmony’s 141st began its assault. On Green Beach the 2nd Battalion struck to the right, the 3rd to the left.



Taken by surprise, the Germans did not bring their machineguns into action until the fourth wave had landed and then it was too late. By 1000 hours Drammont and Cape Drammont, surrounding Green Beach, were reported clear. Casualties had been extremely light. Pushing north through Agay, the 2nd Battalion encountered resistance round-about the defenses of Yellow Beach. The 3rd Battalion seized the high ground directly north of Green Beach.

The enemy offered heavier resistance on Blue Beach where several anti-tank guns opened up on incoming landing craft of the 1st Battalion, 141st. This resistance was rapidly overcome and the battalion pushed in to drive the Germans from craggy dominating heights, 1,200 Germans surrendering to the invaders. The 1st Battalion won a Presidential Unit Citation for this action.

Immediately following the 141st, Colonel Paul Adams’ 143rd Infantry landed in a column of battalions on Green Beach; the 1st at 0945, the 2nd at 1000, the 3rd at 1035. "Grand Defend," the high ground to the northwest, was immediately seized by the 1st Battalion. The 143rd then began to drive west, paralleling the shoreline, for San Raphael.

GRAVE DECISION

Meanwhile, at 1100 hours the 142nd Infantry loaded into assault boats and headed for Red Beach which it was to strike at 1400. From early morning enemy defenses here defiantly rebuked all efforts to soften them up. Naval craft nearing the beach for mine-detection were fired upon and sunk, and from San Raphael and the hills beyond Frejus, the beaches remained covered by flanking enemy fires.


Troops and tank destroyers move inland.

Another air and naval bombardment preceded the assault on Red Beach. Then specially-designed robot demolition boats, sent in just prior to the first wave, fouled on the beaches. The Naval Commander, with Green Beach open, ordered the 142nd Infantry turned to Green Beach. Here a delicate situation prevailed: The Division Commander had gone ashore at 1000 and the Assistant Division Commander was on his way in. Communication between the Admiral and the Division Commander was not working. Rear Admiral Spencer Lewis, in command of the Task Force carrying the 36th Division, made the decision to change the point of assault of the 142nd Infantry on his own responsibility. His courageous and timely action probably saved hundreds of men from death.

Landing of the 142nd began on Green Beach at 1530 in accordance with an alternate plan which had been previously prepared. Colonel G. E. Lynch’s regiment swung in an arc north and west over the mountains between the 143rd and the 141st to attack Frejus from the rear. The 143rd was ordered to clear Red Beach from the rear after it had seized San Raphael.

There was no let-up during the night as plodding infantrymen strained inland to broaden the beachhead and win, assigned objectives. Both Frejus and San Raphael were cleared in a flurry of fighting in the early morning by the 142nd and the 143rd. Red Beach was secured. On the right in the more frequented resort country of the Riviera the 141st surprised Germans six miles inland driving with glaring headlights along the Cannes-Frejus highway and placed blocks on all roads to Cannes near La Napoule. The only serious setback was the sinking of an ammunition and artillery-laden LST by a single low-flying plane in the channel off Green Beach at dusk of D-Day.

PARATROOPERS CONTACTED

On the night of the 16th the 142nd broke the last German block before Le Muy in the Argens valley. Next day the paratroopers, who had jumped nearby, were contacted and Draguignan was entered. In the town the Commanding General of the German 62nd Corps, completely befuddled by the sharpness of the Allied attack, was nabbed along with his entire staff.



With landings consolidated along the entire Seventh Army front, the 36th began a blitzkrieg that nullified German plans for defense or even an orderly withdrawal. Early on the morning of the 18th a specially created Task Force, consisting of Lt. Col. Charles Denholm’s 2nd Battalion, 143rd Infantry, elements of the 636th TD Battalion, 753rd Tank Battalion, and 111th Medical Battalion, along with engineer, ordnance, and reconnaissance units, and commanded by Brigadier General Frederick Butler, at that time Deputy Corps Commander, speeded northward into the Alpine country. On August 20th a force consisting of the remainder of the 143rd RCT, 636th TD’s, 36th Cavalry Recon Troop, under Brigadier General Robert I. Stack, Assistant Division Commander, followed Task Force Butler contacting it that night at Sisteron.

100 MILES IN ONE DAY

The 36th extended its lines 100 miles in a single day while racing to outrun the German Nineteenth Army still in the Marseilles-Toulon area. Grenoble, famed French mountain resort 200 miles from the beaches, fell to the 143rd on August 22, one week after the landing. French Forces of the Interior, well-organized patriots harassing the enemy from the rear and controlling vast stretches of territory, greatly contributed to the success of the Allied in vasion of Southern France.


KO'd Sherman tank after German night attack on 1st Bn. 7th Inf. CP in Vagney, France.

After the operation Allied Headquarters boasted of the Riviera Invasion: "A model of effective organization, cooperation of all services, and vigor of action—one of the best coordinated efforts in all military history." Its beachhead was the largest to be created in three days during the war.

The entire 36th, less one battalion, had landed on one narrow beach. Its casualties had been exceedingly light and the aggressive assault had completely disrupted the enemy’s defenses and communications.

After his weak defense had been shattered, the enemy was never given an opportunity to recover. The drive north to Grenoble paralleling the Rhone Valley succeeded magnificently. Forced to fall back, the Germans were also prevented from making any thrust over the mountain passes from Italy.

Not in any preceding operation had the mobility of an infantry division been so tested and utilized.

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[snippy_about_it]

.......

An Interview with Charles Doyle

I was a radio operator in "A" Company that acted as Battalion Radio. Prior to the drop in southern France we sat under the wings of the planes waiting to take off. One thing about the 509 Parachute Infantry Battalion was that every man knew what they were supposed to do, we were well briefed. The captain came around and said we’ll see you on the ground and all that kind of stuff. I don’t remember hearing a pep talk. They treated us all like professionals. For some of us this was our fourth combat jump, except for the replacements of course. For this jump we were all tickled pink that we were going to have some backup. This was the first time we’d have backup. By that I mean we’ll have the 551, 550th Glider Infantry, an Anti-Tank Company of the 442nd and 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion. We had plenty of backup for a change; in the past we jumped alone. As it happened we were split up on the jump. Two companies and half the field artillery landed in San Tropez.

Our objective was supposed to be outside the town of Le Muy. We weren’t supposed to take the town, just block a bridge, a few roads, and dominate a hill that overlooked the town. The 551 Parachute Infantry Battalion and 6th British Parachute Regiment were supposed to take the town. But this didn’t happen. We had to go in and take it and that was fine by us.



Our moral was good even though most of us had just come from Anzio that was a horrible experience. For this operation we were happy to be going in as paratroopers. I don’t recall anyone making disparaging remarks. We were more or less looking forward to it this may seem strange but this is how these guys were.

We finally boarded the planes and the trip over to France turned out to be very uneventful. Most guys were either sleeping or smoking as the plane headed for France. There was quite a bit of fog but we had a full moon so we did have some visibility. Because of the fog we didn’t know if we were over water or land. This become an issue, and some guys even started to unstrap their chest packs to get out of their chutes so they could survive if we hit the water. Suddenly, we broke through the fog and saw land. We landed right on the button, even though our pathfinder teams landed about five miles from our intended DZ. I landed on a side of a hill like a ton of bricks. I always landed like that but fortunately never broke anything. We didn’t encounter any resistance.

We assembled and quickly moved to our objective a crossroads outside Le Muy and set up a defense. We waited for our heavy weapons company that had our 50 caliber machine guns, mortars, and demolition equipment. We started to provide support fire on the town. We were knocking the clay tiles off the roofs to keep the Germans suppressed.



Since the 6th Parachute hadn’t begun their attack as scheduled, Col. Yarborough, Battalion Commander approached the 6th Parachute Commander and tried to get him to move into the town. We wouldn’t move; he wanted to wait. So up came General Frederick (editor’s note: Doyle was in a position to witness this since he was the battalion radio operator) to see what was going on. He decided right then and there to take the town. So we went in. Meanwhile, the 551 was also moving into the town from the other side. I went into the town with A Company we got in several firefights. There were some that were pretty hot. Finally, we cleared the town of Germans we then pulled back out of the town.

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Today's Educational Sources and suggestions for further reading:

The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Invasion Of Southern France (Aug-1944) - Mar. 27th, 2003

[snippy_about_it]

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Glider Pilot
by Harold M. Goldbrandsen

It was a sunny day in Italy August 15, 1944, and I was sitting in the pilots seat of a Waco CG-4A combat glider about to take part in the invasion of Southern France, D-day on the Riviera was about to Begin. At 21 years of age I was one of the younger pilots and a long way from Logan, Utah. In just two years with the Army Air Corps I had trained at airbases all over the United States, picked up a wife and had a three and one half month old son.


Glider Landing in Southern France" by Tom

Ground crews had begun early in the morning attaching C47 towplanes to over 332 Waco gliders carrying a complete glider infantry battalion plus guns and support troops, a total of 2,250 men with large amounts of materiel. Secured in my glider was a caterpillar that, if all went well, would exit through the hinged nose of the glider and construct a runway for a small aircraft carried in a companion glider.

We had been briefed to anticipate arrival over the landing zone in "standard spacing", a normal landing procedure, discharge of cargo and rendezvous at the airborne command post. A chateau called Valbourges had been designated as the airborne command post and I wasn’t looking forward to a long hike to get there. For weeks I had been suffering a bad case of athletes foot that almost kept me off the flight list. As usual a fellow pilot a few years my senior named John Foster was enjoying himself at my expense; "snap-shit junior, your not getting out of this thing that easy".

Takeoff finally began around 3:00 P.M. with the towplanes and tethered gliders staggered on either side of the runway as far as you could see. Towplanes and gliders moved one after the other to the center of the runway accelerating for takeoff. Thick dust and rough air kicked up by so many propellers added to the already difficult task of controlling the glider with its heavy cargo. As we gained speed the wings arched and groaned in their struggle to lift the overloaded glider; I wondered if we would even get off the ground in one piece.



Finally the long towplane-glider train formed and flew north along the Italian coast, crossed over Elba and the northern tip of Corsica, heading for landfall just north of Saint Tropez. Over Corsica the lead Waco developed a serious vibration in its tail, and the towplane turned away from the formation. As they had been trained, the front group followed their leader back toward Italy. Eventually the glider cut off and ditched in the Mediterranean, after which the group realized its error, turned around and took up new positions in the middle of the formation.

As we flew over the rolling hills parallel to the Argens River valley the fields were a combination of green pastures and brown vineyards. All was going well except for the altitude we had gained to avoid those in front of us while those behind us were climbing even higher. The unexpected turn by the front group had ended the carefully planned time interval between formations.

By the time we reached the landing zone aircraft was stacked from 1,000 to 2,500 feet with C-47s, gliders on tow and gliders in free flight. So much for "standard spacing". With gliders plunging from all directions and altitudes you had to drop through a mass of Wacos, select a landing site and keep a sharp eye out for other gliders. Any idea of holding the Waco’s standard seventy mile per hour glide speed was gone as dozens of pilots plunged and jockeyed toward suitable fields at the same time.



From higher altitudes the fields appeared ideal but as we got lower things weren’t so friendly. Many of the fields were filled with "Rommel's asparagus" antiglider poles up to six inches in diameter, set in long rows fifteen to forty feet apart and supposedly tied together by wires triggering land mines.

I spotted a short clearing just wide enough for one glider and free of polls. It looked perfect, I couldn’t believe my good fortune. Avoiding gliders on both sides I came in nice and easy. It was looking great until at 200 feet my copilot shouted, "Jesus Christ, look at that bastard." Another pilot had picked the same spot and was approaching from the other direction, we were on course for a nose-on collision; someone had to move.

We still had good airspeed and I could feel pressure on the stick so I banked right toward a tree topped hill hoping there was clear space on the other side. The glider jerked onto a collision course with the entire treeline as one tree embedded itself in the right wing and broke off. Instantly we were wrenched back on a course to a clear downslope as a piece of the left wing disappeared into the trees. With full spoilers and the wheels finally on the ground I put the glider up on the skids, the cockpit filled with dirt, dust obliterated our view and the glider shuddered to a stop.

We were on the ground, buried in dirt up to our knees and less than 100 yards in front of us stood the lovely Chateau Valbourges with its spacious terrace and delicate windows. If we hadn’t hit the trees we would have hit the Chateau. So much for the long hike.



Gliders continued to plow through the vineyards as we dug ourselves out and checked on our passenger and cargo. With the front of the Waco full of dirt no one was sure if the nose would open or the caterpillar would just crush its way out. The operator engaged the transmission and promptly exited to the outside as we watched the nose hinge up in a cascade of falling dirt.

Clear of the Waco the operator climbed aboard the moving caterpillar anxious to complete his task before the arrival of any opposition. Similarly the passenger-pilot in our companion glider, which landed near by, assembled his aircraft and took off. We watched as he circled and spotted target areas for dive bombers delivering their ordinance.

It was 7:30 before the last glider came to a crunching halt in the vineyards around the Chateau. By the time they had been unloaded it was dusk. Foxholes were dug in the lawn and some of the guys lined them with parachutes; others dragged the inflatable rubber dinghies from the gliders to serve as beds.

During the night the sounds of ripping cloth could be heard from the surrounding fields. At dawn we could see paratroopers and glider infantrymen cutting the Army Air Force insignia from the glider fuselages and wings to spread on their jeep hoods for the benefit of friendly aircraft.



On one side of the Chateau beds of hay had been laid for the wounded. There I found John Foster with a broken leg. We joked that he was going to get a free ride home while I would have to march German prisoners back to the beach on sore feet and eventually wind up in the South Pacific theater if the war continued.

As the fog burned off they lined up several hundred German soldiers to be marched to the division POW enclosure. Fortunately I was able to wangle a jeep ride back to the coast past the advancing infantry. They didn’t think much of cocky young pilots in silk scarves. They thought even less of assurances we had secured the area and they may as well go back.

Within days I caught a ship to Corsica and a flight back to the airfield in Italy. Some of the guys took advantage of the situation to tour southern France and Italy. For the next month MPs were rounding up cocky young glider pilots claiming to have become hopelessly lost on their way back to the coast.

[snippy_about_it]

Operation Dragoon attained its objectives in two weeks, half the time originally anticipated. Eisenhower declared Operation Dragoon an unqualified success stating that “there was no development of that period which added more decisively to our advantage or aided us more in accomplishing the final and complete defeat of German forces than did this attack.”

[snippy_about_it]

"FALL IN" to the FReeper Foxhole!



It's Friday. Good Morning Everyone



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[snippy_about_it]

John Kerry told the world we were war criminals who raped, tortured and murdered in Vietnam. Now, thirty-three years later, we will tell America the truth.

Join us at the rally we call:

What: A peaceful remembrance of those with whom we served in Vietnam - those who lived and those who died.
We will tell the story of their virtues and how that contrasts with the lies told by John Kerry.

When: Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004 @ 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Where: The West Front of the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, DC

All Vietnam veterans and their families and supporters are asked to attend. Other veterans are invited as honored guests. This will be a peaceful event--no shouting or contact with others with different opinions. We fought for their rights then, and we respect their rights now. This is NOT a Republican or a pro-Bush rally. Democrats, Republicans and independents alike are warmly invited.

Our gathering is to remember those with whom we served, thereby giving the lie to John Kerry's smear against a generation of fine young men. B.G. "Jug" Burkett, author of "Stolen Valor," will be one of our speakers. Jug has debunked countless impostors who falsely claimed to be Vietnam veterans or who falsely claimed awards for heroism. Jug recommends that we refrain from dragging fatigues out of mothballs. Dress like America, like you do every day. Dress code: business casual, nice slacks, and shirt and shoes. No uniform remnants, please. Unit hats OK.

Selected members will wear badges identifying them as authorized to speak to the media about our event. Others who speak to the media will speak only for themselves.

The program will be controlled in an attempt to stay on-message. Speakers are encouraged not to engage in speculative criticism of John Kerry but (1) to stick to known and undisputed facts about John Kerry’s lies while (2) reminding America of the true honor and courage of our brothers in battle in Vietnam.

Send this announcement to 10 or more of your brothers! Bring them by car, bus, train or plane! Make this event one of pride in America, an event you would be proud to have your mother or your children attend.

Contact: kerrylied.com

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Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization.

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Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

Thanks to quietolong for providing this link.

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UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

Click on Hagar for
"The FReeper Foxhole Compiled List of Daily Threads"

[SAMWolf]

442nd Regimental Combat Team

The men called their time in Southern France “the Champagne Campaign,” because of the availability of wine, women and song. They enjoyed the nightclubs, music and dancing in the nearby French towns. The men said that Nice was nice and was practically untouched by shelling. Monaco was supposed to be off-limits, but some soldiers managed to visit the casinos. A few lucky officers secured 18-day passes to Paris.

Many French villagers invited the friendly, generous and courteous Nisei into their homes for dinner. They formed lasting friendships - some even turned into marriages. I Company held a Christmas party. They decorated a Christmas tree, sang carols accompanied by their guitars and ukuleles and gave candy to the children.

But even in relatively peaceful Southern France, there was still war. On November 30, three K Company men, were sunbathing in a courtyard. Suddenly, a German tank fired from the hillside on the Italian border. Two men died and the third lost both legs.

[snippy_about_it]

Sounds like they relaxed too much.

Good night Sam.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Go For Broke

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the link to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team site.

[SAMWolf]

Night Snippy, see ya tomorrow

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

[The Mayor]

August 13, 2004

Appreciated

Read: Matthew 26:6-13

Wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. —Matthew 26:13

Bible In One Year: Psalms 87-88; Romans 13

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The heroes and heroines of the Bible often take us by surprise. The woman in today's Scripture reading is a prime example. (John 12:3 tells us her name was Mary.) She was singled out by Jesus to be mentioned wherever the gospel is preached. Mary had scandalized some of those dining with Jesus by her lavish devotion as she anointed Him with perfume worth more than a year's wages. I believe Mary did this in anticipation of Jesus' death.

"Why this waste?" asked those at the table who expressed a concern for the poor (Matthew 26:8-9). If they had been attending Jesus' funeral rather than a dinner with Him, they may have reacted quite differently. Yet, when Mary showed Him her extravagant love while He was alive, she was severely criticized for such waste.

We can learn a valuable lesson from Mary's devotion. We need to break out our best perfumes for the living. Yet all too often we wait until someone we know has died to show the appreciation that we fail to show in life.

Is there someone who comes to your mind, a friend or family member, who would be honored and encouraged by an expression of your love and appreciation? Then do something to show it—while the person is still alive. —Haddon Robinson

Show love to others young and old,
Encourage them while they are near;
For when they've gone to their reward,
Your loudest praise they will not hear. —D. De Haan

Give praise to others while they are here; they won't need it in the hereafter.

[Valin]

We're invading France! GREAT! Bout time! Do we have the support of the "international community"? When are they going to surrender do you think?

[GailA]

Good morning, it's 52 here in Memphis this morning....global cooling ya' know.

Coffee's on

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on August 13:
1422 William Caxton 1st English printer (Histories of Troy)
1655 Johann Christoph Denner inventor (clarinet)
1802 Nikolaus Lenau Hungary, German poet (Faust, Die Albigenser)
1814 Anders Jonas Angstrom Sweden, physicist, founded spectroscopy
1818 Lucy Stone pioneered women's rights
1820 Sir George Grove London, England, biblical scholar/musicologist
1851 John Lincoln Clem, Drummer (Union volunteers), died in 1937
1860 Annie Oakley Drake Ohio, frontierswoman (Buffalo Bill's Wild West)
1895 Bert Lahr, [Irving Lahrheim], US comic/actor (Lion-Wizard of Oz)
1895 Robert Burton actor (Dr Gordon-Kings Row)
1898 Jean Borota France, tennis champ (35 Wimbledons between 1922-64)
1899 Alfred Hitchcock London, director (Psycho, Birds, Rear Window)
1902 Felix Wankel Germany, inventor (Wankel rotary-piston engine)
1904 Charles "Buddy" Rogers actor (Wings)
1907 Alfred Alwin Felix Krupp Essen Germany, arms manufacturer
1908 Gene Raymond NYC, actor (Paris 7000, Fireside Theater)
1912 Ben Hogan Dublin Tx, PGA golfer (US Open 1950, 51, 53)
1918 Frederick Sanger England, chemist (Nobel 1958, 1980)
1919 Rex Humbard televanglist
1920 George Shearing London, blind pianist/composer (Lullabye of Byrdland)
1921 Neville Brand actor (Cahill, US Marshal)
1925 Benny Bailey, jazz trumpeter
1927 Fidel Castro Ruz Cuban political leader (1959- )
1929 Pat Harrington Jr NYC, actor (Danny Thomas Show, 1 Day at a Time)
1930 Don Ho Hawaii, ukulele player (Tiny Bubbles)
1934 Gary Davidson founder of ABA, WHA, WFL
1942 Robert L Stewart Wash DC, Brig Gen US Army/astronaut (STS 41B, 51J)
1947 Gretchen Corbett Camp Sherman Ore, actress (Beth-Rockford Files)
1951 Dan Fogelberg Peoria Ill, rocker (Same Auld Lang Syne)
1955 Betsy King LPGA golfer (1990 Dinah Shore, 1990 US Women's Open)
1959 Danny Bonaduce actor (Danny-Partridge Family) (1959 approx)

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Deaths which occurred on August 13:
0867 Nicholas I, the Great, Italian Pope (858-67)
1134 Irene [Pirisca], Byzantine empress, dies
1321 Dante Alighieri, author (Divine Comedy)
1598 Philip II, King of Spain (1556-98), dies at 71
1759 James Wolfe, British general (Plains of Abraham), dies in battle at 32
1910 Florence Nightingale, English nurse, dies at 90
1946 H G Wells, sci-fi author
1981 William Loeb, publisher of Manchester Union Leader, NH,
1982 Joe E Ross comedian (Toody-Car 54, Phil Silvers Show), dies at 77
1985 Marion Martin actress, dies at 67
1988 Otto E Passman (Rep-D-La, 1947-77), dies at 88
1989 Tim Richmond race car driver (won 13 NASCAR races), dies of AIDS
1991 Jack Ryan inventor (Barbie Doll, Hot Wheels), dies at 65
1992 Clifford Allison, US stock-car racer, dies in an accident
1992 David Kaplan, news director (ABC), killed in Sarajevo Yugoslavia
1995 Baseball Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle dies at 63
1996 Antonio de Spinola, general of Portugal, dies

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Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1965 GOLLAHON GENE R. CINCINNATI OH.
[EXPLODE CRASH NO PARA BEEP]
1965 MELLOR FREDRIC M. CRANSTON RI.
1965 THOMAS HARRY E. TAFT CA.
[HVY AA CRASH, REMAINS IDENTIFIED 10/30/96]
1966 DEVERS DAVID RONALD SR. PAULDING OH.
[12/27/69 REMAINS RECOVERED]
1966 O'NEIL JOHN JOSEPH JR PROVIDENCE RI.
[12/27/69 REMAINS RECOVERED]
1967 GOODERMOTE WAYNE K. TROY NY.
[03/14/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1967 HYATT LEO G. SALEM NH.
[03/14/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1969 HANSEN LESTER A. PUEBLO CO.
1972 GAUNTT WILLIAM A. MT PLEASANT TX.
[03/27/73 RELEASED BY PRG]
1972 TOWNSEND FRANCIS W. RUSK TX.

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

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On this day...
0122 Building begins on Hadrian's Wall
0523 St John I begins his reign as Catholic Pope
1415 King Henry V of England army lands on mouth of Seine River
1521 Spanish conquerors captured Mexico City from Aztecs
1608 John Smith's story of Jamestown's 1st days submitted for publication
1624 Cardinal Richelieu appointed Chief Minister of France by Louis XIII
1630 Ferdinand II fires supreme commander Albrecht von Wallenstein
1642 Christiaan Huygens discovers Martian south polar cap
1651 Litchfield, CT founded
1704 French and Bavarian forces were routed by a combined British, German and Dutch army at Blenheim, Germany
1868 Quakes kill 25,000 & causes $300 million damages (Peru & Ecuador)
1869 Jay Gould & James Fisk attempt to control US gold market
1876 Richard Wagner's monumental epic, "Ring of the Nibelungs" premieres
1876 Reciprocity Treaty between US & Hawaii ratified
1892 Baltimore Afro-American forms
1889 William Gray patents coin-operated telephone
1898 US forces under George Dewey captures Manila during Spanish-Amer war
1906 Black soldiers raid Brownsville Texas
1906 Cub's Pitcher Jack Taylor ends a string of completing 202 games (187 complete, 15 relief) by the Dodgers in the 3rd inning
1907 1st taxicab (NYC)
1910 Dodgers & Pirates play to 8-8 tie, both have 38 at bats, 13 hits, 12 assists, 2 errors, 5 strikeouts, 3 walks, 1 passed ball & 1 hit by pitch
1914 France declares war on Austria-Hungary
1914 - Carl Wickman begins Greyhound, the 1st US bus line, in Hibbing Minnesota
1919 Man o'War's only defeat (Upset wins at Saratoga)
1923 Mustapha Kemal elected president of Turkey
1928 Soviet Union Spartacan Games begins
1935 Transcontinental Roller Derby begins (Chicago Coliseum)
1939 Yankees set AL shutout margin with 21-0 victory over A's
1939 Sabotage suspected in crash of the 'City of San Francisco' which fell into the Humboldt River killing 24. (Elko, Nevada)
1940 Germany air attack on South England (Battle of Britain begins)
1945 35 Jews sacrifice their lives to blow up Nazi rubber plant in Silesia
1946 Britain transfers illegal immigrants bound to Palestine, to Cyprus
1948 Satchel Paige at 42 pitches his 1st major league complete game
1953 Pres Eisenhower establishes Govt Contract Compliance Committee
1960 Central African Republic & Chad proclaim independence from France
1961 Construction on Berlin Wall begins in East Germany (Dark day)
1963 Custom agents confiscate 21 gold coins from Witte Museum
1963 Warren Spahn sets left-hander strike out mark at 2,382
1969 Balt Oriole Jim Palmer no-hits Oakland A's, 8-0
1969 Temporary baseball commisioner Bowie Kuhn formally appointed
1977 1st test glide of the shuttle
1978 Yanks score 5 runs in top of 7th. but rain causes game to be halted & thus score goes back to previous inning, Balt wins 3-0
1978 1st flight of McDonnell Douglas F-18A Hornet
1979 Lou Brock gets his 3,000 career hit
1981 Last broadcast of "Waltons" on CBS-TV (Good night John-boy)
1981 In a ceremony at his California ranch, President Reagan signed a historic package of tax and budget reductions.
1988 Boston Red Sox win AL record 24 straight home games
1988 Ronald J Dossenbach sets world record for pedaling across Canada from Vancouver, BC to Halifax, NS in 13 days, 15 hr, 4 min
1989 US space shuttle STS-28 lands
1991 VP Quayle makes a speech attacking lawyers
1996 Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 3.0

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Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"
World Left-handers Day
Psychic Month
Romance Awareness Month
Tunisia : International Women's Day
Yukon : Klondike Gold Day (1896)
Scotland : Fisherman's Walk Day
US : Blame Someone Else Day (1st Friday 13th of the year)
US : Friday the 13th! Beware!
Fall of Empires Month

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Religious Observances
RC : Memorial of St Pontian, pope (230-235), martyr (opt)
RC : Memorial of St Hippolytus, martyr (opt)
RC : Commemoration of St Cassian, martyr, patron of stenographers
Ch : Commemoration of Jeremy Taylor, bishop of Down, Connor & Dromore
Luth : Commemoration of Florence Nightingale, Clara Maass

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Religious History
1587 In Roanoke, Virginia, Manteo became the first American Indian converted to Protestantism, and was baptized into the Church of England by members of Sir Walter Raleigh's expedition to the New World.
1682 The first Welsh immigrants to the American colonies arrived in Pennsylvania. They were Quakers, and settled near modern Philadelphia.
1727 In the German village of Herrnhut, religious reformer Count Nicolaus von Zinzendorf, 27, organized a group of Bohemian Protestant refugees into the first Moravian community of "Unitas Fratrum" (united brotherhood).
1908 Death of Ira D. Sankey, 68. He was Dwight Moody's song evangelist from 1870. During their revival crusades, Sankey penned many hymn tunes, of which the most enduring today are HIDING IN THEE ("O Safe to the Rock That is Higher Than I") and SANKEY ("Faith is the Victory").
1919 Birth of Rex Humbard, pioneer radio and television evangelist. In 1958 Humbard established the Cathedral of Tomorrow in Akron, Ohio, from which he afterward based his television ministry.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

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Thought for the day :
"I believe in luck: how else can you explain the success of those you dislike?"

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Excuses For Missing Work...
If it is all the same to you, I won't be coming in to work. The voices told me to clean all the guns today.

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You Might Be An Engineer If...
You avoid doing anything because you don't want to contribute to the eventual heat-death of the universe.

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Doggie Dictionary...
DEAFNESS: This is a malady which affects dogs when their persons want them in and they want to stay out.
Symptoms include staring blankly at the person, then running in the opposite direction, or lying down.

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Dumb Laws...
Haddon New Jersey:
Cross-dressing is illegal.

[Professional Engineer]

Good morning ladies. It's Friday!

Friday Foxhole FReeper Flag-o-gram.

Today's Foxhole flag is from...

See your flag here! FReepmail me today.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Aeronaut.

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C. One more day of heat. Supposed to cool down tomorrow.

[alfa6]

Champagne Campaign Bump for the Foxhole

I seem to recall a book by that name about Anvil/Dragoon but a quick search of Amazon did not turn up a title.

Bill Mauldin was a particiapnt in part of that campaign IIRC

Hey PE, when I get the house done, (yea right,) I will send you a couple of pics for the Flag-O-Gram. Shoot if I even get close I might send you some pics :-)

Regards

alfa6 ;>}