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Posted on 08/20/2004 11:42:23 PM PDT by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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 WWII Propaganda Broadcasts American-born Axis Sally made propaganda broadcasts for Radio Berlin in Hitler's Germany, and paid the price for treason after the war. by Dale P. Harper She was named Mildred Elizabeth Sisk when she was born in Portland, Maine, on November 29, 1900. Her parents, Vincent Sisk and Mae Hewitson Sisk, were divorced in 1907, and a few years later Mildred's mother married a dentist, Dr. Robert Bruce Gillars. From that time on the child was known as Mildred Gillars. The family moved around a great deal during her early years, but Mildred Gillars eventually graduated from high school in Conneaut, Ohio, in 1917. Then it was on to Ohio Wesleyan University in the small town of Delaware, where, hoping to pursue a stage career, she majored in dramatic arts. Gillars did well in speech, languages and dramatics but did not graduate because of her failure to meet all university requirements and standards. According to her half sister, Gillars worked at a variety of jobs after leaving college--clerk, salesgirl, cashier and waitress--all to further her ambition to become an actress. In 1929 she went to Europe with her mother and spent six months studying in France before returning to the United States. Eventually Gillars went to New York, where she worked in stock companies, musical comedies and vaudeville, but never made enough impact to gain any real recognition. In 1933 she returned to Europe and worked in France as a governess and salesgirl. She moved to Germany in 1935 and became an English instructor at the Berlitz School of Languages in Berlin. English teachers were paid less than Russian instructors--a possible reason for her decision to accept employment by Radio Berlin as an announcer and actress. This was a job much more to her liking, and she stayed with it until the defeat of Nazi Germany in May 1945.  Gillars' propaganda program was known as "Home Sweet Home" and usually aired sometime between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. daily. Although she referred to herself as "Midge at the mike," GIs dubbed her Axis Sally. Her broadcasts were heard all over Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa and the United States from December 11, 1941, through May 6, 1945. Although most of her programs were broadcast from Berlin, some were aired from Chartres and Paris in France and from Hilversum in the Netherlands. Once the war was over, her broadcasts would come back to haunt her. At a listening post operated by the Federal Communications Commission in Silver Hill, Md., all her programs had been monitored and recorded and would provide the prosecution with damaging evidence at her trial. The prosecution charged that her broadcasts were sugarcoated propaganda pills aimed at convincing U.S. soldiers that they were fighting on the wrong side. Most GIs agreed that Gillars had a sultry, sexy voice that came over the radio loud and clear. Like her counterpart in the Pacific, Tokyo Rose, she liked to tease and taunt the soldiers about their wives and sweethearts back in the States. "Hi fellows," she would say. "I'm afraid you're yearning plenty for someone else. But I just wonder if she isn't running around with the 4-Fs way back home." She would get the names, serial numbers and hometowns of captured and wounded GIs and voice concern about what would happen to them, in broadcasts that could be heard in the United States. "Well I suppose he'll get along all right," she would say. "The doctors don't seem...I don't know... only time will tell, you see." At sign-off time she would tease her listeners some more, telling them, "I've got a heavy date waiting for me."  Perhaps Sally's most famous broadcast, and the one that would eventually get her convicted of treason, was a play titled Vision of Invasion that went out over the airwaves on May 11, 1944. It was beamed to American troops in England awaiting the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as well as to the home folks in America. Gillars played the role of an American mother who dreamed that her soldier son, a member of the invasion forces, died aboard a burning ship in the attempt to cross the English Channel. The play had a realistic quality to it, sound effects simulating the moans and cries of the wounded as they were raked with gunfire from the beaches. Over the battle action sound effects, an announcer's voice intoned, "The D of D-Day stands for doom...disaster...death...defeat...Dunkerque or Dieppe." Adelbert Houben, a high official of the German Broadcasting Service, would testify at Axis Sally's trial that her broadcast was intended to prevent the invasion by frightening the Americans with grisly forecasts of staggering casualties.      |
Morning Radu.
Morning E.G.C.
Heat is supposed to break this weekend and stay in the 7's for a few days.
One Ringy Dingy, two ringy dingies (Snort)
:-)
Good Morning, Foxhole
An incredible thread. Here's to another great day.
Today's classic warship, USS Richmond (CL-9)
Omaha class light cruiser
Displacement: 7,050 t.
Length: 555’6”
Beam: 55’4”
Draft: 20’10”
Speed: 34.7 k.
Complement: 512
Armament: 12 6”; 4 3”; 2 3-pdrs.; 6 21” torpedo tubes
The USS RICHMOND (CL-9) was laid down on 16 February 1920 by William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa.; launched 29 September 1921; sponsored by Miss Elizabeth S. Scott; and commissioned on 2 July 1923, Capt. David F. Boyd in command.
On completion of a 3-month shakedown cruise to Europe, Africa, and South America, RICHMOND underwent post-shakedown availability and in December departed Norfolk for New Orleans. There, at the end of 1923, she became flagship of the Scouting Force.
In early January 1924, she got underway to participate in Fleet Problem III which tested Caribbean defenses and transit facilities of the Panama Canal. On the 19th, she arrived off Vera Cruz, rescued survivors of protected cruiser TACOMA (C-18), wrecked on Blanquilla Reef, then proceeded to Tampico to stand by as political tension rose. On the 26th, she headed for Galveston, only to return to Mexico on 3 February to evacuate refugees from Puerto Mexico and transport them to Vera Cruz. On the 17th she headed east and joined in exercises off Puerto Rico.
In May, RICHMOND returned briefly to New Orleans, then steamed for the northeast coast and further exercises. Toward the end of July she departed Newport, R.I., for duty as a station ship along the route of Army planes making a round-the-world flight then, from September through December, she underwent overhaul at the New York Navy Yard.
In January 1925, RICHMOND, flagship of Light Cruiser Divisions, U.S. Scouting Fleet, again participated in Caribbean exercises. In February, she transited the Panama Canal and during March trained off the California coast. In April, she steamed to Hawaii for joint Army-Navy maneuvers, after which she joined the Battle Fleet for a good will cruise to Australia and New Zealand.
Returning to Norfolk on 23 November, RICHMOND operated off the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean through 1926. On 1 February 1927, she again transited the Panama Canal, conducted exercises in Hawaiian waters, then continued on to China, arriving at Shanghai on 3 April. She remained on the China Station for a year, with only infrequent diversions to the Philippines for repairs and exercises. On 14 April 1928, she sailed eastward and less than 3 months later departed San Pedro, Calif., for Corinto, Nicaragua with a Navy Battalion embarked. On 25 July, she retransited the Panama Canal and for the next 6 years operated off the New England and mid-Atlantic coasts and in the Caribbean with occasional interruptions for fleet problems and exercises in the eastern Pacific.
From September 1934 to December 1937, RICHMOND operated off the west coast as a unit of the Scouting Fleet. After 21 December 1937, she served as flagship of the Submarine Force, U.S. Fleet; and on 10 May 1938 she headed back to the east coast. On 26 August, she returned to San Diego and resumed her previous duty with the Submarine Force. In the winter of 1939 and the fall of 1940, she returned to the Atlantic for fleet and submarine exercises, and, at the end of December 1940, hauled down the flag of the Submarine Force.
With the new year, 1941, RICHMOND shifted to Pearl Harbor; and, from January to June, served as flagship, Scouting Force. Into October, she remained in Hawaiian waters, operating with Cruiser Division 3, then she returned to California and in November began Neutrality Patrols off the west coasts of the Americas. On 7 December she was en route to Valpariso, Chile.
Recalled from her original mission, she took up patrol off Panama and in 1942 commenced escorting reinforcement convoys to the Galapagos and Society Islands. Later, returning to patrols from Panama to Chile, she put into San Francisco for overhaul in December and in January 1943 sailed for the Aleutians.
RICHMOND arrived at Unalaska on 28 January 1943. On 3 February, she became flagship of TG 16.6, a cruiser-destroyer task group assigned to defend the approaches to recently occupied Amchitka. On the 10th, she underwent her first enemy air raid and on the 18th she participated in the initial bombardment of Holtz Bay and Chichagof Harbor, Attu.
The force then resumed patrols to enforce the blockade of enemy installations on Attu and Kiska. In March, the Japanese decided to run the blockade and on the 22d dispatched a force of two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, four destroyers, and three transports from Paramushiro. TG 16.6, one light cruiser, one heavy cruiser, and four destroyers, intercepted the Japanese on the 26th approximately 180 miles west of Attu and 100 miles south of the Komandorski Islands.
The Japanese sent the transports and one destroyer on, then turned to meet RICHMOND's force. At 0840, the Battle of the Komandorski Islands began.
Initially firing on RICHMOND, the Japanese soon concentrated on SALT LAKE CITY (CA-25), the only American ship with the firing range to reach them. In the running, retiring action which ensued and lasted until shortly after noon, SALT LAKE CITY went dead in the water, but continued firing. RICHMOND went to her aid as the American destroyers closed the Japanese for a torpedo attack. The enemy, however, low on fuel and ammunition did not press their advantage. Changing course, they headed west, pursued by the American destroyers. SALT LAKE CITY regained power after 4 minutes and RICHMOND joined the destroyers, but the action was broken off as the Japanese out-distanced TG 16.6.
The transports sent ahead by the Japanese turned back for the Kuriles before reaching Attu. TG 16.6 had succeeded in its mission. In May, a week-long struggle resulted in the reoccupation of Attu by American forces.
In August, Kiska became the target; and RICHMOND joined in the preinvasion bombardment. The landings took place on the 15th and met no resistance. The Japanese had pulled out undetected, before the end of July.
On 24 August, RICHMOND departed the Aleutians, underwent overhaul at Mare Island; then returned to Kiska. Through the remainder of the year, she conducted patrols to the west of the outer Aleutians. On 4 February 1944, she began bombardment missions in the Kuriles which continued, alternated with antishipping sweeps, for the remainder of World War II.
With the end of hostilities, RICHMOND covered the occupation of northern Japan. On 14 September 1945, she departed Ominato for Pearl Harbor, whence she was routed on to Philadelphia for inactivation. Decommissioned on 21 December 1945, RICHMOND was struck from the Navy list on 21 January 1946 and was sold on 18 December 1946 to the Patapsco Scrap Co., Bethlehem, Pa.
RICHMOND (CL-9) earned two battle stars during World War II.
Good morning radu.
On This Day In History
Birthdates which occurred on August 21:
1165 Philip II Augustus 1st great Capetian king of France (1179-1223)
1660 Hubert Gautier engineer, wrote 1st book on bridge building
1810 Thomas Jefferson McKean Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
1821 William Barksdale Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1863
1824 John Sanford Mason Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1897
1872 Aubrey Beardsley England, artist (Salome)
1880 Johan H Westerveld Dutch WW II resistance fighter/leader
1896 Roark Bradford writer/humorist (Ol' Man Adan an' His Chillun)
1906 William "Count" Basie jazz pianist
1906 Friz Freleng animator (Bugs Bunny-Emmy 1982)
1907 Dr Roy K Marshall Glen Carbon Ill, TV scientist (Nature of Things)
1909 C Dillon Douglas Geneva Switz, US Secretary of Treasury (1961-65)
1915 Jack Weston [Morris Weinstein], Cleveland, actor (4 Seasons, Rad)
1920 Christopher Robin born (Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.)
1921 Nancy Kulp Harrisburg Pa, actress (Jane-Beverly Hillbillies)
1923 Chris Schenkel Biuppus Ind, sportscaster (Monday Night Fights)
1936 Wilt Chamberlain NBA great center (LA Laker, 5 time MVP)
1938 Kenny Rogers singer (Lady) actor (Coward of the County)
1939 Clarence Williams III NYC, actor (Mod Squad, 52 Pick Up, Purple Rain)
1944 Jackie DeShannon Hazel Kentucky, singer (What the World Needs Now)
1945 Patty McCormack Bkln NY, actress (Mama, Peck's Bad Girl, Ropers)
1946 Lev Alburt USSR, International Chess Master (1976)
1951 Harry Smith Indiana, TV host (CBS Morning Show)
1956 Kim Cattrall Liverpool England, actress (Mannequin, Star Trek VI)
1957 Kim Sledge Phila, vocalist (Sister Sledge-We are Family)
1959 Jim McMahon NFL QB (Chicago Bears, SD Chargers, Phila Eagles)
1962 Matthew Broderick actor (Ferris Buehler, Biloxi Blues)
Good Morning Feather.
Prayers offered for the Polish dead and wounded.
At least they got 5 of the dirtbags.
Morning Tomball. Snippy found a good subject for today. :-)
Morning aomagrat.
I don't the crew of the USS RICHMOND going up against the Japanese in an outdated light crusier. Sounds like they did a good job though.
OOOOOOWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOO!
Out of the 12 Americans indicted for treason following World War II, all but five were radio broadcasters.
Good morning EGC.
Good morning feather. Like your tagline today.
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